A preform is provided for blow-molding to form a container. The preform includes a finish portion for rotatably engaging a closure to seal pressurized contents within an interior of the container. The finish portion comprises a cylindrical body that begins at an opening to the interior and extends to and includes a tamper evidence ledge. A bevel at a beginning of the opening receives a plug seal of the closure. Multiple mirror polished surfaces beyond the bevel are configured to cooperate with the plug seal to seal the container. Mirror polished transition surfaces are disposed between diameter changes within the finish portion. In some embodiments, wherein the plug seal includes a sidewall profile that mates with the transition surfaces, an interior surface of the preform has a diameter that tightly compresses an end of the plug seal to contain pressurized contents within the container.

A preform is provided for blow-molding to form a container. The preform includes a finish portion for rotatably engaging a closure to seal contents within an interior of the container. The finish portion comprises a cylindrical body that begins at an opening to the interior and extends to and includes a tamper evidence ledge. A mirror polished sealing surface inside the finish portion cooperates with a plug seal of the closure to seal the container. Threads outside the finish portion engage with similar threads inside the closure. Thread starts of the threads reduce potential damage to the threads during installation of the closure. The thread starts may include a start pitch that is greater than a thread pitch of the threads. A handling valley disposed between the threads and the tamper evidence ledge facilitates air-conveying the container along a manufacturing assembly line.

A container including a finish at a first end of the container defining an opening. A base is at a second end of the container that is opposite to the first end. A shoulder extends from the finish. A body defines an internal volume and extends from the shoulder to the base. A single layer material portion of the container extends from the first end to form at least a portion of the finish. A multi-layer material portion of the container extends from the single layer material portion to the second end of the container and across the base. A transition area is spaced apart from the first end where the single layer material portion transitions to the multi-layer material portion.

A nozzle is provided for engaging with lightweight preforms for blow-molding the preforms into plastic containers without damaging the finish portion of the preforms. The nozzle includes a seal configured to engage with a stepped interior of the finish portion and enables stretching and/or blow-molding the preform into a container. The seal tightly engages a smooth surface inside the finish portion without damaging the surface or a sidewall of the finish portion. In some embodiments, the seal includes a profile shape that mates with a transitional surface comprising the stepped interior of the finish portion. The profile shape distributes the contact force of the seal over a maximal area of the transition surface so as to minimize the total pressure exerted onto the finish portion. The profile shape reduces potential cracking of a thin-walled region of the finish portion during stretching and/or blow-molding the preform to form the container.

A nozzle is provided for engaging lightweight preforms for blow-molding the preforms into plastic containers without damaging the finish portion of the preforms. The nozzle includes a cylindrical portion to be advanced longitudinally inside the finish portion of a preform. The cylindrical portion engages an interior seal with a shelf comprising a stepped interior of the finish portion or includes a tapered tip to tightly engage a transition surface of the stepped interior of the finish portion. An exterior cylinder extends over an exterior of the finish portion and engages an exterior seal with a tamper evidence ledge of the finish portion to eliminate pressure across a thin-walled region of the finish portion during forming the preform into a container. In some embodiments, the exterior cylinder comprises a shroud that counteracts outward forces on the finish portion to reduce instances of cracking of the finish portion during forming plastic containers.

A preform for being blow-molded to than a container is provided herein. The preform comprises a finish portion that includes an opening to an interior of the preform and includes a tamper evidence ledge. The tamper evidence ledge cooperates with a tamper-evident ring portion of a cap to indicate that the cap has not been previously loosened after being installed by the manufacturer. A neck portion is disposed adjacent to the tamper evidence ledge. A tapered portion transitions from a diameter of the neck portion to a smaller diameter of a cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion comprises an elongate member that culminates in an end cap. Threads disposed on the finish portion are configured to threadably receive the cap. A handling valley is disposed between the tamper evidence ledge and the threads. The handling valley enables gripping fingers to engage with and air-convey the container along a manufacturing assembly.

A blank preform for being blow-molded to form a container is provided herein. The blank preform comprises a cylindrical portion that includes a tapered portion that extends to a finish portion. The finish portion includes an opening to an interior of the preform. The finish portion comprises one or more wall thickness portions for blow-molding any of a tamper evidence ledge, one or more threads, a neck portion, and a handling valley. The handling valley facilitates air-conveying the container along a manufacturing line. The cylindrical portion comprises at least one wall thickness suitable for blow-molding any of a base, a portion of a bell, a sidewall, and a shoulder between the sidewall and the bell. The tapered portion comprises one or more wall thickness portions that are suitable for blow-molding any of a portion of the bell, a blown neck, and a blown support ledge.

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 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 mold stack comprises: a split mold insert split into parts, each having a mating face with an inner face region, an offset, and an outer face region, the insert further having a male projecting portion with a shutoff face and an outer surface, at least a part of the inner face region terminating at the shutoff face, the offset terminating at the outer surface; and an adjacent mold stack component having an associated a female receptacle, the insert having a cleaning configuration wherein: the shutoff face acts as a molding surface; the male projecting portion cooperates with the female receptacle to define a melt barrier; the complementary inner face regions are spaced apart to form an extension of the mold cavity terminating, at least in part, at the shutoff face; and the complementary offsets cooperate to prevent melt from passing therebetween and to guide melt towards the melt barrier.