A heating unit for heating preforms made of plastics material and having a flange separating a body and neck. The heating unit comprising a plurality of supports, each bearing a gripping member for gripping the preforms. The supports are movable in the heating unit such that each gripping member moves along a conveying path of the preforms. The heating unit also comprises a plurality of shells secured to the supports, where each shell is connected to one or more supports by an actuating member. The actuating member is mounted on said support to pivot about an axis situated at a distance from the conveying path of the preforms. The heating unit further comprising means for pivoting the actuating member to drive the shell from an open position to a protection position when the support to which said shell is connected is passing from an admission/releasing zone to a holding zone.

Ways to produce a container (315, 415, 515, 720, 815, 915) having a shaped tail (610, 910) are provided that include blow molding a precursor having a tail (105, 110, 205, 310, 410, 510, 715, 810, 910) and shaping the tail (105, 110, 205, 310, 410, 510, 715, 810, 910) to form the shaped tail (610, 910). Various types of blow molding can employ various types of precursors having tails (510). Injection blow molding can be used where a preform (105, 200, 305, 405, 505) having a tail (105, 110, 205, 310, 410, 510, 715, 810, 910) is optionally longitudinally stretched and is expanded with a gas or a liquid. Extrusion blow molding can be used where a parison (705) having a tail (105, 110, 205, 310, 410, 510, 715, 810, 910) is expanded. A tail (105, 110, 205, 310, 410, 510, 715, 810, 910) shaping means can be part of the blow molding process or can be employed after the container (315, 415, 515, 720, 815, 915) is produced from the precursor having the tail (105, 110, 205, 310, 410, 510, 715, 810, 910). The shaped tail (610, 910) can impart functionality to the container (315, 415, 515, 720, 815, 915), including where the tail (105, 110, 205, 310, 410, 510, 715, 810, 910) is shaped into a coupling point that can serve as an attachment point, hanging point, or hook, for example.

A plastic container is provided that 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. In embodiments, the container may be comprised of PET, the weight of the neck portion from the lower surface of the support flange to a top of the dispensing opening may be 3.0 grams or less, and/or the vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening to the lower surface of the support flange may be 0.580 inches or less. A preform and method for making a container are also disclosed.

A polypropylene composition comprising the following components in parts by weight: 40-99 parts of a polypropylene resin; 15-30 parts of an ethylene-α olefin copolymer; 0.2-1 part of an antimicrobial agent; and 1-3 parts of a polypropylene grafted polydimethylsiloxane is provided. By controlling a melt index of an elastomer, distribution of the modified polydimethylsiloxane and antimicrobial agent can be improved, thus improving antimicrobial and stain-resistant effects of the polypropylene composition.

A method for manufacturing a container includes injecting a first material into a first mold to form a top portion of a preform. The first material and a second material are injected into the first mold to form a bottom portion of the preform. The preform is disposed in a second mold. The preform is blow molded into a finished container.

A blow mold system including a mold body and a base portion. The mold body includes a central bore extending from a first end of the mold body to a second end of the mold body along a longitudinal axis. The first end is configured to receive a mold preform. The base portion includes a recess, and the base portion is arranged at the second end of the mold body such that the central bore and recess define a blow mold cavity in which a container may be formed from the mold preform. In embodiments, the blow mold system has at least two interchangeable base portions that allow for containers with differently-sized or differently-shaped necks to be formed.

A method of injection molding a test tube-shaped preform for biaxial stretch blow molding includes supplying a major material resin from outer and inner flow paths to a combined flow path for a predetermined time and rate. For a period of time within a range of the predetermined time period during which the major material resin is supplied, the intermediate layer resin is simultaneously supplied from the middle flow path to the combined flow path at a second predetermined supplying rate. A columnar laminated molten resin is injected into a cavity of a metal mold connected to a tip of the nozzle through a gate to fill the cavity, the columnar laminated molten resin being composed of the major material resin and the intermediate layer resin formed in the major material resin in a laminated manner that are combined into a columnar shape at the combined flow path.

A multi-layered pressure packaging comprises a first container including a lockable neck portion followed by a body part and a bottom part, obtained from a non-foamed thermoplastic material by stretch blow molding, and a first layer at least enclosing the body part and/or bottom part of the first container. The first layer comprises foamed material, and the foamed material layer is foamed in place with an outer enclosure applied over and around the first container defining a free space in between, and foamable material introduced and foamed between the first container and the outer enclosure in the free space, obtaining the foamed material layer. A second layer is applied on the outer surface of the foamed layer for keeping the foamed layer and the first container together. Methods are provided for manufacturing a multi-layered pressure packaging according to an embodiment.

An encapsulated polymeric article is disclosed. The encapsulated polymeric article may include a polymer substrate and a metallic outer shell at least partially encapsulating the polymer substrate. The encapsulated polymeric article may be fabricated by a method comprising: 1) providing a mandrel in a shape of the encapsulated polymeric article, 2) shaping the metallic outer shell on the mandrel, 3) removing the mandrel from the metallic outer shell, and 4) molding the polymeric substrate into the metallic outer shell through a port formed in the metallic outer shell to provide the encapsulated polymeric article.

A flexible prosthetic inner socket that resides inside of a rigid prosthetic socket that is fabricated by forming a sized, injection molded, flexible inner pre-socket. The flexible inner pre-socket includes a body formed with an opening and an enclosed end. The Pre-socket can be heated and stretched over a prosthetic residual limb model and then a prosthetic rigid socket can be formed over it. It can also be heated and vacuum-formed inside of an existing hard prosthetic socket in order to provide global volume reduction intended to make the rigid prosthetic socket fit tighter onto the residual limb. The opening of the flexible inner socket may be trimmed after the formation to fit contours of an opening of the rigid prosthetic socket.