Blow molded articles having a predetermined feature incorporated into the wall provided by variations in the thickness of the wall of the article corresponding to a predetermined pattern etched into the preform from which the article was formed. Also, etched preforms for making blow molded articles and methods for making such preforms and articles.

Method of making a blow molded article from a preform including: a) providing a preform of a thermoplastic material having a plurality of effect structures each having an effect surface having a normal with an orientation, the preform having a body with one or more walls and an opening, wherein at least a portion of the one or more walls of the preform has a three-dimensional pattern of cavities and/or protrusions thereon; and b) blow molding the preform to form a blow molded article, wherein the step of blow molding the preform changes the orientation of the normal of at least some of the effect surfaces of the effect structures to create a visual effect in at least one wall of the blow molded article.

Article having a visual effect created by selectively varying the orientation of effect structures, such as effect pigments, within the walls of the article.

A blow molded article formed from a preform having an exterior surface including at least one etched region. The article includes a body portion including one or more walls surrounding an interior space. A cavity region corresponding to the etched region in the preform is disposed on a portion of the article outer surface and a non-cavity region is disposed adjacent the cavity region. The adjacent cavity and non-cavity regions form one or more visual effects and at least one of the one or more visual effects includes a portion having a 95% Delta E Value of at least 3.0.

Preform assembly for blow moulding a container, comprising at least a first and a second perform, wherein the first perform is positioned inside the second perform before blow moulding the performs into the container, wherein each perform has a body forming portion having a wall thickness of less than about 8 millimetres, preferably less than about 6 mm.

A method includes injection molding a preform using a two phase injection system having a first phase in which a material is injected into the preform and a second phase in which the material is injected into the preform. The preform is disposed in a mold. The preform is blow molded into an intermediate article. The intermediate article is trimmed to form a finished container. The first phase includes injecting a material into the preform to form a single layer of the preform and the second phase includes injecting the material to form inner and outer layers and an intermediate layer between the inner and outer layers. The inner and outer layers include the material and the intermediate layer includes at least one additive. Finished containers are disclosed.

A method includes injection molding a preform using a two phase injection system having a first phase in which a material is injected into the preform and a second phase in which the material is injected into the preform. The preform is disposed in a mold. The preform is blow molded into an intermediate article. The intermediate article is trimmed to form a finished container. The first phase includes injecting a material into the preform to form a single layer of the preform and the second phase includes injecting the material to form inner and outer layers and an intermediate layer between the inner and outer layers. The inner and outer layers include the material and the intermediate layer includes at least one additive. Finished containers are disclosed.

The present invention relates to an integrally blow-moulded bag-in-container (2) and preform (1, 1) for blow-moulding the bag-in-container. An inner layer (11) and an outer layer (12) are used, wherein the preform forms a two-layer container upon blow-moulding, and wherein the obtained inner layer of the container releases from the thus obtained outer layer upon introduction of a gas at a point of interface (14) between the two layers. At least one of the inner and outer layers includes at least one additive allowing both inner and outer layers to reach their respective blow-moulding temperatures substantially simultaneously.

A set of preforms to make a container for beverages comprises an external preform and an internal preform, each intended to form respectively an external keg and an internal bag of the container. The internal preform is associated internally with the external preform so as to define with the external preform a hollow space and also has at least one through hole, made in a neck portion thereof.

Tapping assembly for a beverage, including container including a first and second container, wherein the first container has a neck portion and the second container is suspended in the first container, from the neck portion thereof. A neck region of the container is provided with at least one opening in a side wall thereof, preferably in a neck region of the first container, opening into a space between the first and second containers. The assembly further includes a connecting device, connected or connectable to the neck portion, wherein the connecting device includes at least one connecting element for connecting to the at least one opening, wherein the connecting element is connected to a source of pressurised gas.