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.

An injection-molded preform for forming an 8 ounce PET container includes a neck portion configured to engage a closure and having a first wall thickness and an elongated body portion having an upper segment adjacent the neck portion and a lower segment adjacent an end cap. The upper segment has a second wall thickness substantially similar to the first wall thickness. The lower segment has a third wall thickness greater than the second wall thickness. The preform has a total weight less than 7 grams.

A generally hollow preform for making a stretch blow-molded container may include a threaded finish portion; a neck portion depending from the finish portion; a transition portion depending from the neck portion; a main portion depending from the transition portion; and a closed, generally rounded tip portion depending from the main portion. The preform may include stretch ratios with respect to the container including an axial stretch ratio of about 3.0 to 3.5, a hoop stretch ratio of about 5.0 to 5.5, and a total stretch ratio of about 15 to 19.25. In some embodiments, high stretch ratios may be achieved with less material, yielding substantial cost savings.

A mold for blow molding a container from a preform, the container including a wall portion and a base including a high standing ring and a central outwardly-inclined invertible diaphragm, the mold including sidewalls forming a counter print of the wall portion of the container (1) and a mold base (36) having an upper surface (37) defining a counter print of the container base, wherein the upper surface (37) includes: an annular peripheral face (43) corresponding to an annular support flange of the container base; a frusto-conical outer face (44) corresponding to an inner portion (11) of the high standing ring, the outer face (44) protruding upwardly with a draft angle (A2) from an inner edge of the peripheral annular face (43) up to a sharp apex (45), and a frusto-conical downwardly inclined inner face (46) corresponding to the invertible diaphragm.

A preform and methods for making the preform, as well as containers made by blow molding an additive manufactured preform.

A preform created through additive manufacturing and a process for blow molding an additive manufactured preform. The preform has one or more self-supporting overhangs.

A preform and methods for making the preform, as well as containers made by blow molding an additive manufactured preform.

A preform configured to be blow-molded into a plastic bottle includes a neck section defining an opening, the neck section including a threaded portion configured to engage a closure, and a neck ring, a transition section having a first end positioned adjacent to the neck ring and a second end opposite the first end, a cylindrical body section extending from the second end of the transition section to a base, and a longitudinal axis extending from the opening through the base. The neck section, transition section, and the body section define a hollow channel positioned between the opening and the base. The transition section defines a tapered sidewall relative to the longitudinal axis, the tapered sidewall decreases a cross-sectional diameter of the hollow channel. The tapered sidewall of the transition section contains 20% to 30% of a total weight of the preform.

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.