In one aspect, a method of coinjection molding a multilayer article having a multi-segment internal layer is disclosed. A surface layer material is injected into a mold cavity from at least one of an inner outlet and an outer outlet of a multi-channel nozzle. An internal layer material is intermittently injected into the mold cavity from an intermediate outlet of the multi-channel nozzle that is between the inner and outer outlets. The intermittent injecting of the internal layer material is controlled, at least in part, by intermittent opening and closing of the intermediate outlet. An apparatus for coinjection molding the multilayer article with the segmented internal layer is also disclosed.

A process for manufacturing a tubular film such as an edible casing film or a packaging film. The process includes the steps of providing a preblended powder composition containing a polymer matrix, a plasticizer, and water; feeding the preblended powder composition to an extruder; heating the preblended powder composition to a temperature above 100 degrees Celsius for a sufficient time to fully hydrate the polymer matrix and to convert the powder composition to a flowable mass; and extruding the flowable mass through a tubular die of the extruder to form the tubular film. The tubular film comprises: about 40-75 wt % polymer matrix; about 10-35 wt % plasticizer; and about 10-35 wt % water. The polymer matrix component is fully hydrated under the temperature, pressure and shear conditions inside the extruder, and may have a component which is only fully hydrated at temperatures above about 100 degrees Celsius.

A tubular material application system for applying a tubular material onto an elongate mandrel includes a gripper system including a first gripper and a second gripper configured to move with inchworm-type movement along an elongated mandrel and incrementally apply a tubular material onto the mandrel to thereby result in a tubular material-mandrel assembly.

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.

An injection molded thermoplastic preform for blow moulding to form a container, the preform base of a central part having a first, downwardly and radially inwardly tapering portion therebetween which increases in thickness from a radially outer end of the first tapering portion adjacent to the hollow transition portion to a radially inner end of the first tapering portion adjacent to the gate part and the middle part opposite the gate part can allow the injected resin to be urged back through the gate at the end of the injection moulding cycle at a lower fluid pressure in the vicinity of the gate which is associated with high resin temperatures. The technical effect achieved by the first tapering portion is that crystallinity in the gate area is minimized or eliminated, which avoids or minimizes partial blocking of the gate which would otherwise restrict the injected resin from being urged back through the gate at the end of the injection moulding cycle.

An injection mold (100) including a core plate assembly (200), a cavity plate assembly (400) and a stripper plate assembly (300) arranged between the core and cavity plate assemblies (200, 400). The mold (100) includes a plurality of mold stacks (MS) with a molding configuration, in which the mold stacks (MS) are closed to define molding cavities. A gap (G) is provided between the core plate (210) and the stripper plate (310) when the mold (100) is in the molding configuration, such that a clamping load (CL) applied to urge the core plate (210) toward the cavity plate (410) is directed substantially entirely through the mold stacks (MS).

A plastic preform includes a hollow body portion including a closed base portion and a lower portion and a lower portion extending upwardly from the closed bottom portion; and a neck portion extending upwardly from the lower portion. The neck portion includes a dispensing opening positioned at a top of the neck portion, threads positioned below the dispensing opening, a tamper-evident formation having a lower surface and positioned directly below the threads, and a support flange having an upper surface and a lower surface and positioned below the tamper-evident formation. In an embodiment, the plastic preform is formed of a material comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and a vertical distance from the lower surface of the tamper-evident formation to the lower surface of the support flange is from 0.125 to 0.150 inches. Containers and methods for molding preforms and making containers are also disclosed.

The invention is an integrally blow-moulded bag-in-container and preform and a method for making it. The bag-in-container has an inner layer forming the bag and an outer layer forming the container, and a mouth fluidly connecting the volume defined by the bag to the atmosphere. The container further has at least one interface vent fluidly connecting the interface between inner and outer layers to the atmosphere, wherein the at least one vent runs parallel to the interface between inner and outer layers and opens to the atmosphere at a location adjacent to, and oriented coaxially with the bag-in-container's mouth. Processes for manufacturing a preform and a bag-in-container as defined above are defined too.

The invention is an integrally blow-moulded bag-in-container obtainable by blow-moulding an injection moulded multi-layer preform. The bag-in-container includes an inner layer forming the bag and an outer layer forming the container, and a single opening, the mouth, fluidly connecting the volume defined by the bag to the atmosphere. The container further includes at least one interface vent fluidly connecting the interface between inner and outer layers to the atmosphere, wherein the bag is anchored to the outer layer at at least one point remote from the single opening and interface vent. The invention also relates to a process and a mould for the production of the blow-moulded bag-in-container.

Systems and methods for controlling the operation of a blow molder are disclosed. An indication of a crystallinity of at least one container produced by the blow molder may be received along with a material distribution of the at least one container. A model may be executed, where the model relates a plurality of blow molder input parameters to the indication of crystallinity and the material distribution and where a result of the model comprises changes to at least one of the plurality of blow molder input parameters to move the material distribution towards a baseline material distribution and the crystallinity towards a baseline crystallinity. The changes to the at least one of the plurality of blow molder input parameters may be implemented.