A preform for being blow-molded to form 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 plastic aerosol container (10), an associated preform (10a) and a method of manufacturing the preform (10a) and container (10) is described. The container (10) comprises an adapter (20) that defines an opening (11) of the container (10), the opening (11) being arranged to receive and be sealed by an aerosol valve cap (3). The container (10) also comprises a body 40 that defines an internal volume of the aerosol container (10). The container (10) is blow-moulded from a preform (10a) ideally having a corresponding adapter (20a) and body (40a) which are secured to one another, with an expansion region (45a, 46a) of the body (40a) of the preform (10a) being arranged to be expanded to form the internal volume of the aerosol container (10).

Method for heating a preform (1) comprising: introducing the preform (1) into a heating apparatus (5) comprising an array of infrared emitters (50) arranged in multiple columns (Cj) and multiple rows (Ri), orienting angularly the preform at an input angular position by rotating the preform around the longitudinal axis; setting power levels of the infrared emitters (50) so as to divide the array of infrared emitters (50) into subsets of columns (SCn), each subset of columns (SCn) generating heat at a different power level from an adjacent subset of columns (SCn); and heating the preform (1) with the array of infrared emitters (50) while translating the preform (1) in a direction parallel to the rows (Ri) of the array at a translation speed, and simultaneously rotating said preform (1) around its longitudinal axis (A1) in front of said infrared emitters (50) at a rotation speed.

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 method for heating a preform (1) comprising a body portion (4) extending along a longitudinal axis (A1). The method comprises the following steps: introducing the preform (1) into a heating apparatus (5) comprising an array of infrared emitters (50) arranged in multiple columns (Cj) and rows (Ri); setting power levels of the infrared emitters (50) so as to divide said array into subsets of columns (SCn); andheating the preform while translating it in a direction parallel to the rows (Ri), and simultaneously rotating it around its longitudinal axis, the rotation and translation speeds, and the power levels of the infrared emitters (50) being set so that the power levels of the subsets of columns (SCn) facing zones (42) of the body portion extending longitudinally are different from the power levels of the subsets of columns facing the rest of the body portion, said zones extending relative to one another in a polygonal array.

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.