Systems and methods for making a reduced material container (105) are provided that hold a preform (130) adjacent to an open end (165) of the preform (130), stretch the preform (130), close a mold (110, 120) about the stretched preform (175) to form a truncated preform (185), and introduce a pressurized fluid (160) into the truncated preform (185) to expand the truncated preform (185) and form the reduced material container (105). A stretch rod (125) can be inserted into the preform (130) to mechanically stretching the preform (130). The mold (110, 120) accepts the preform (130) at a first end (135) thereof, has an open state and a closed state, and the closed state forms a cavity (140) defining an internal surface (145) having a second end (150) located remotely from the first end (135). A first length (155) is defined by a distance between the first end (135) and the second end (150), the stretch rod (125) mechanically stretching the preform (130) to a second length (170), the second length (170) being greater than the first length (155).

A liquid container manufacturing method includes: a liquid blow molding step of molding a preform into a liquid container having a shape conforming to an inner surface of a blow-molding mold, by supplying a pressurized liquid to an interior of the preform through a supply path in a state where a blow nozzle is engaged to a mouth of the preform; and a headspace forming step of forming a headspace in the liquid container, by discharging the liquid from an interior of the liquid container through a discharge port in a discharge rod extending to the interior of the liquid container through the blow nozzle, by introducing a pressurized gas to the interior of the liquid container through a gas inflow path in a state where the supply path is closed.

A container including a finish defining an opening at a first end of the container that provides access to an internal volume defined by the container. A base portion of the container includes a diaphragm that is concave relative to an exterior of the container. The diaphragm extends from a standing surface of the container to a center push-up portion of the base portion. The standing surface is at a second end of the container opposite to the first end. The diaphragm is configured to move from an as-blown first configuration to a second configuration in which the diaphragm is closer to the first end as compared to the first configuration in order to reduce residual vacuum within the container. The diaphragm is generally hemispherical in cross-section when in the second configuration.

A method of forming a container from a plastic preform while using a liquid as a blow medium. During the method, liquid is withdrawn from the container to reduce pressure within the container prior to disengaging of the injection head from the container. In one aspect the method involves the opening of a recirculation valve to reduce the pressure. The opening of the recirculation valve allowing air dispersed within the liquid to rise to the top of the container before disengaging of a forming head from the container. As a result, splashing and spillage of liquid from the neck of the container is eliminated when the forming head disengages from the container.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing containers filled with a liquid filling material from preforms by introducing pressurized filling material into the preform. The object of the invention is to propose such a method and such an apparatus in which both the desired filling pressure and the desired volumetric flow rate of the filling material are reliably available throughout the entire molding and filling phase. The object of the invention is achieved by a method in which the filling material is pressurized by a pressure pump 7 and is introduced into the preform 1 through a filling valve 6 at a molding and filling station 3, said method being characterized in that, when the filling valve 6 is closed, a pressure accumulator 10 disposed between the pump 7 and the filling valve 6 is pressurized by the pump 7 and filled with a volume of filling material, and when the filling valve 6 is open, the pressure accumulator 10 delivers the accumulated pressurized filling material to the preform 1. The object of the invention is further achieved by a corresponding apparatus that comprises a pressure pump 7 and a filling valve 6, connected to one another by a feed line 2, characterized in that said apparatus comprises a pressure accumulator 10, disposed in the feed line 2 between the pressure pump 7 and the filling valve 6.

A liquid container manufacturing method includes: a nozzle fitting step of fitting a blow nozzle to a mouth of a preform; a liquid blow molding step of liquid blow molding the preform into a halfway shape by supplying a predetermined volume of liquid that is less than a full capacity of a liquid container from a liquid supply port of the blow nozzle to the preform; and an air blow molding step of molding the preform into a shape conforming to an inner surface of a mold for blow molding by supplying pressurized air from a gas supply port to the preform after the liquid supply port is closed, in which a headspace is generated in the liquid container, having a volume corresponding to a difference between a volume of the liquid supplied to the preform in the liquid blow molding step and a full capacity of the liquid container.

Disclosed is an apparatus for expanding and filling plastic parisons to form plastic containers with a liquid medium, with at least one transforming station which has a hollow mould, inside which the plastic parisons can be expanded into plastic containers and can be simultaneously filled by application of a liquid medium, wherein the transforming station is arranged on a carrier and wherein the transforming station has a filling device which feeds the liquid medium to the plastic parisons under pressure, wherein the transforming station has a pressure chamber to which a gas can be applied, wherein for filling of the plastic parisons the filling device can be introduced into the pressure chamber and after the filling can be removed at least partially, and wherein a closing unit can be introduced into the pressure chamber, in order to close the expanded und filled plastic containers.

A synthetic resin container having a bottle shape including a tube-shaped mouth, a tube-shaped trunk having one end closed by a bottom, and a shoulder through which another end of the trunk is connected to the mouth. The shoulder is inclined at an angle greater than 120 with respect to an axis of the mouth, and the shoulder has a crystal orientation in a machine direction of less than 1.

A container including a finish defining an opening at a first end of the container that provides access to an internal volume defined by the container. A base portion of the container includes a diaphragm that is concave relative to an exterior of the container. The diaphragm extends from a standing surface of the container to a center push-up portion of the base portion. The standing surface is at a second end of the container opposite to the first end. The diaphragm is configured to move from an as-blown first configuration to a second configuration in which the diaphragm is closer to the first end as compared to the first configuration in order to reduce residual vacuum within the container. The diaphragm is generally hemispherical in cross-section when in the second configuration.

A container including a finish defining an opening at a first end of the container that provides access to an internal volume defined by the container. A base portion of the container includes a diaphragm that is concave relative to an exterior of the container. The diaphragm extends from a standing surface of the container to a center push-up portion of the base portion. The standing surface is at a second end of the container opposite to the first end. The diagram is configured to move from an as-blown first configuration to a second configuration in which the diaphragm is closer to the first end as compared to the first configuration in order to reduce residual vacuum within the container. The diaphragm is generally hemispherical in cross-section when in the second configuration.