Disclosed are preforms which incorporate improvements in the region of the neck and upper segment of the body to allow the production of lightweight containers, such as bottles suitable for containing water or other beverages. In accordance with certain embodiments, the improvements include a thinner neck finish area than conventional bottles, where the thinner area is extended into the upper segment of the body portion below the support ring. Reducing the thickness in these areas of the bottle allows for less resin to be used in forming the preform and bottle.

A blow molded synthetic resin bottle has a body and an elongated neck with the body providing a shoulder extending about the base of the neck. The neck has a first collar extending thereabout spaced adjacent the shoulder and at least one additional collar extending thereabout adjacent the upper end of the neck. The resin in the neck is substantially unoriented. To produce the bottle, a synthetic resin preform is injection molded with a generally tubular body and the elongated neck. This preform is placed in a blow mold cavity having a body receiving portion and a neck receiving portion that has a recess extending thereabout seating the first collar therein. The additional collar is disposed outwardly of the mold cavity and is disposed on the upper surface of the mold.

A plastic preform is provided that includes a hollow body portion including a closed bottom portion, a lower portion extending upwardly from the bottom portion, and a neck portion extending upwardly from the lower portion. The neck portion includes a support flange having an upper and lower surface, a tamper-evident formation, threads, and a dispensing opening positioned at a top of the neck portion. In an embodiment, the weight of the neck portion is 2.3 grams or less; and/or the vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening to the lower surface of the support flange, including the threads and the tamper-evident formation, is 0.500 inches or less. Containers and methods for molding preforms and making containers are also disclosed.

A plastic container includes a lower supporting base portion; a sidewall portion extending upwardly from the base portion; and a neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall portion. The neck portion includes a tamper-evident formation, threads, and a dispensing opening at the top of the neck portion. In embodiments, a closure may be provided to form an assembly. In an embodiment, the weight of the neck portion is 2.3 grams or less; a vertical distance from the lower surface of the tamper-evident formation to a top of the dispensing opening is 0.30 or less; and/or the container may be filled with a beverage. In embodiments, the volume of the container may be at least 500 ml. A preform and method for making a container are also disclosed.

A plastic container is provided that includes a hollow body portion including a lower supporting base portion; a sidewall portion extending upwardly from the base portion; and a neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall portion. The neck portion includes a support flange having an upper and lower surface, threads, and a dispensing opening at the top of the neck portion. In embodiments, a closure may be provided to form an assembly. In embodiments, the container may be comprised of PET, the weight of the neck portion from the lower surface of the support flange to a top of the dispensing opening may be 2.3 grams or less, and/or the vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening to the lower surface of the support flange may be 0.450 inches or less. A preform and method for making a container are also disclosed.

A plastic container is provided that includes a hollow body portion including a lower supporting base portion; a sidewall portion extending upwardly from the base portion; and a neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall portion. The neck portion includes a support flange having an upper and lower surface, a tamper-evident formation, and a dispensing opening at the top of the neck portion. In embodiments, a closure may be provided to form an assembly. In embodiments, the container is comprised of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a volume of the container is at least 500 ml, and/or the weight of the neck portion is 2.3 grams or less. A preform and method for making a container are also disclosed.

A plastic container includes a hollow body portion including a lower supporting base portion; a sidewall portion extending upwardly from the base portion; and a neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall portion. The neck portion includes a support flange having an upper and lower surface, at least one thread, and a dispensing opening at the top of the neck portion. In embodiments, a closure may be provided to form an assembly. A preform and method for making a container are also disclosed.

A synthetic resin-made container is a synthetic resin-made container that has an outer layer body and an inner layer body separably laminated on an inner surface of the outer layer body and is formed by stretch blow molding, and includes: a tubular mouth portion; a barrel portion connected to and located below the mouth portion; and a bottom portion closing a lower end of the barrel portion, wherein the outer layer body contains polyethylene terephthalate, the inner layer body contains polyethylene terephthalate, a laminate containing polyethylene terephthalate, or a blend containing polyethylene terephthalate, and has a vapor-deposited film having a gas barrier property on an inner surface thereof, and a rib that prevents the inner layer body from peeling away from the outer layer body when forming the vapor-deposited film is formed in at least one of a lower part of the barrel portion and the bottom portion.

A method for fabricating a preform by providing a plurality of preform segments which each define a portion of a preform, positioning said preform segments in continuous contact with each other along at least one edge of said preform segments such that said plurality of preform segments define a cavity, and bonding each of said preform segments to at least one other preform segment such that said plurality of preform segments forms a continuous whole.

A blow molded synthetic resin bottle has a body and an elongated neck with the body providing a shoulder extending about the base of the neck. The neck has a first collar extending thereabout spaced adjacent the shoulder and at least one additional collar extending thereabout adjacent the upper end of the neck. The resin in the neck is substantially unoriented. To produce the bottle, a synthetic resin preform is injection molded with a generally tubular body and the elongated neck. This preform is placed in a blow mold cavity having a body receiving portion and a neck receiving portion that has a recess extending thereabout seating the first collar therein. The additional collar is disposed outwardly of the mold cavity and is disposed on the upper surface of the mold.