A method for forming a container with an integral handle includes heating a preform having an integral handle in a first oven, stretching the preform, closing a first mold having a first mold recess and a second mold having a second mold recess around the preform, and blowing air into the preform. A handle pocket wedge block is inserted into a handle pocket of the integral handle of the preform within the first mold and the second mold.

The present invention relates to a process for making a container having an integral handle, comprising the steps of: a) providing a preform (1) in a mould cavity (2); b) stretch-blow moulding the preform (1) to form an intermediate container (3); c) applying one or more inwardly moving plugs (5) to form one or more concave gripping region(s), whilst maintaining the pressure within the intermediate container (3) above 1 bar and whilst the temperature of the material in the gripping region of the intermediate container is at a temperature below the glass transition temperature, T.sub.g; d) releasing excess pressure within the container, preferably prior to withdrawing the plug (5) from within the container; and e) ejecting the finished container(6) from the mould cavity (2,4).

To effectively prevent a mouth portion of a preform from being deformed and enlarged in diameter during blow molding, provided is a blow molding device that includes: a blow mold inside which a cavity is provided for accommodating therein a preform, except for a mouth portion which is an orifice end of the preform, the preform being preformed in a bottomed tubular shape; a blow nozzle provided to supply a pressurized fluid into the preform through the mouth portion of the preform; a partition wall member that tightly surrounds an outer wall surface of the mouth portion of the preform; with space being formed between the partition wall member and the outer wall surface; and a pressurized fluid supply unit that supplies a pressurized fluid into the space during blow molding.

Blow molding tools and a method of blow molding which provide that the tool have a retractable push up section in the base which allows for the article molded by the tool to have a recessed base internal to an otherwise hollow structure. As the push up is moveable, adjustment of the push up portion can be performed during an automated blow molding operation so as to allow release of the blow molded article.

Stretch blow station tooling for stretch blowing at least one parison into a molded article, with such parison including a handle. The tooling comprises at least one blow mold assembly including first and second blow mold halves shiftable between an open position and a closed position. The first and second blow mold halves each include a body cavity surface formed therein. In the closed position, the body cavity surfaces of the first and second blow mold halves are aligned to define a blow cavity for receiving at least a portion of the parison. The tooling further comprises a plunger assembly including a plunger configured to be selectively positioned within the blow cavity. When the plunger is positioned within the blow cavity, the plunger is configured to contact the handle of the parison.

The invention relates to a blow mold (100) comprising a mold base (101) having a cavity (102) as the mold cavity, the cavity (102) having a bottom region (1), a center region (2) and a top region (3). When the blow mold (100) is closed, the center region (2) can be moved relative to the top region (1) and/or relative to the bottom region (3).

Ways to produce a container (315, 415, 515, 720, 815, 915) having a shaped tail (610, 910) are provided that include blow molding a precursor having a tail (105, 110, 205, 310, 410, 510, 715, 810, 910) and shaping the tail (105, 110, 205, 310, 410, 510, 715, 810, 910) to form the shaped tail (610, 910). Various types of blow molding can employ various types of precursors having tails (510). Injection blow molding can be used where a preform (105, 200, 305, 405, 505) having a tail (105, 110, 205, 310, 410, 510, 715, 810, 910) is optionally longitudinally stretched and is expanded with a gas or a liquid. Extrusion blow molding can be used where a parison (705) having a tail (105, 110, 205, 310, 410, 510, 715, 810, 910) is expanded. A tail (105, 110, 205, 310, 410, 510, 715, 810, 910) shaping means can be part of the blow molding process or can be employed after the container (315, 415, 515, 720, 815, 915) is produced from the precursor having the tail (105, 110, 205, 310, 410, 510, 715, 810, 910). The shaped tail (610, 910) can impart functionality to the container (315, 415, 515, 720, 815, 915), including where the tail (105, 110, 205, 310, 410, 510, 715, 810, 910) is shaped into a coupling point that can serve as an attachment point, hanging point, or hook, for example.

A fuel tank production apparatus includes a forming mold and a cooling mold. The forming mold has a protruding ridge portion on a molding surface thereof and is configured to form a primary molded article while forming a bead-shaped portion so as to provide a recess on an outer surface. The cooling mold is configured to cool the primary molded article while crushing the bead-shaped portion by cooling blow pressure and deforming the bead-shaped portion into a rib-shaped portion.

Article having a body portion including one or more walls surrounding an interior space. The one or more walls have an inner surface, an outer surface, a wall thickness, a transparent portion, and one or more aesthetic regions having oblong voids provided between the inner surface and the outer surface within an outermost 70% of the wall, and the one or more aesthetic regions are provided in a predetermined pattern.

A structure, such as a tabletop, may be constructed from blow-molded plastic. The tabletop may include an upper surface, a lower surface, and a hollow interior portion disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface. A lip may extend downwardly relative to the lower surface of the tabletop, and the lip may include an outer surface and an inner surface. One or more supports may be disposed in the inner surface of the lip, and one or more joints may be disposed in the inner surface of the lip. A joint may be disposed between adjacent supports, and a distal portion of the lip may include a compression edge. A lower portion of the supports may contact the compression edge, and/or a lower portion of the joints may contact the compression edge.