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 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 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 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 blow moulding machine for blow moulding a container having an integrally formed handle; said container blow moulded from a previously injection moulded preform; said preform comprising a body portion and said integrally formed handle; said machine including a preform loading station at which said preform is oriented by a preform orienting apparatus.

Disclosed is a container perform made from plastic material, including: a body; an open neck that extends from the body from which it is separated by a radially projecting flange; a bottom that closes the body opposite the neck; the body having a concave portion in axial cross section, where: B0.9.Math.A 0.5.CC0.95.C in which A is the overall diameter of the body, measured below the flange; B is the outer diameter of the bottom, measured at the junction of same with the body; C is the cumulative height of the body and the bottom, measured from the flange; C is the height, measured axially, of the concave portion of the body, and the concave portion has, in axial cross-section, on an outer surface, an outer radius of curvature RE such that: 1.5.0RE10.C

A blow molding machine for blow molding a container having an integrally formed handle; said container blow molded from a previously injection molded preform; said preform comprising a body portion and said integrally formed handle; said machine including a preform loading station at which said preform is oriented by a preform orienting apparatus.

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.