An injection-molded preform for manufacturing plastic containers, for example plastic bottles, in a stretch blow molding process is disclosed. The preform can have an essentially elongated preform body, whose one longitudinal end is formed closed. On an opposite longitudinal end, the preform body is connected to a neck section that is provided with a pour opening and whose outer wall has a connector to make an interlocking connection with a closure that is equipped with corresponding engagement. The neck section has at least one constriction that extends all the way around and has a wall thickness of between 0.4 mm and 0.8 mm. The injection-molded plastic material exists at least on the at least one constriction in a state that is highly oriented and at least partially crystalline, due to an injection-molding process.

A process for the manufacturing and filling of plastic containers, the process comprising the steps of: positioning a preform with relation to a mold assembly of two or more components, the preform generally being fabricated from a plastic and being provided with a longitudinal axis and presenting a stretchable portion and a non-stretchable portion; stretching the preform along its longitudinal axis; injecting a fluid into the interior volume of the preform, the fluid being under such pressure as to cause the preform to plastically deform until achieving the desired size and shape; and releasing the container from the mold assembly and sealing the container, and in which at least a portion of the stretchable portion of the perform is at a temperature below its vitreous transition temperature (Tg) and, preferably, at ambient temperatures.

A hollow container manufacturing method comprises: an injection molding step of forming a preform having a neck portion and a barrel portion, at least a part of the barrel portion being solid, by injection molding; an intermediate product formation step of inserting a boring rod 134 from the neck portion side into the barrel portion 23 to form a space part of at least a predetermined depth in the barrel portion, thereby converting the preform into an intermediate molded product; and a final blow molding step of blow-molding the intermediate molded product within a final blow mold to form a hollow container which is a final molded product.

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

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.

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.

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 stretch blow-molded plastic container, including a container body, one longitudinal end of which is closed by a container bottom and to whose other longitudinal end is connected a shoulder section; and a container neck, which connects to the shoulder section, the shoulder section having at least two hinge-like areas that run in a circumferential direction, and which areas are arranged at a distance (a) from one another and in each case have a wall thickness (v, w) that is reduced compared to the adjoining areas, the stretch blow-molded plastic container having a total stretching ratio of greater than 11 for a longitudinal stretching ratio of 2.5 to 3.5.

A method for fabricating a preform by providing a plurality of preform segments which each define a portion of a preform, positioning said preform segments in continuous contact with each other along at least one edge of said preform segments such that said plurality of preform segments define a cavity, and bonding each of said preform segments to at least one other preform segment such that said plurality of preform segments forms a continuous whole.

A method for fabricating a preform (100) by providing a plurality of preform segments (101-103) which each define a portion of a preform (100), positioning said preform segments (101-103) in continuous contact with each other along at least one edge of said preform segments (101-103) such that said plurality of preform segments (101-103) define a cavity (107), and bonding each of said preform segments (101-103) to at least one other preform segment such that said plurality of preform segments (101-103) forms a continuous whole.