A molded container of plastic material. The molded container including a neck finish defining an opening into the molded container, a body extending from the neck finish and including a shoulder adjacent the neck finish, a base defining a closed end of the container, and a sidewall extending between the shoulder and the base. Formed on a surface of the container and being defined by the plastic material forming the container are a series of raised dots defining a tactile writing feature.

A molded container of plastic material. The molded container including a neck finish defining an opening into the molded container, a body extending from the neck finish and including a shoulder adjacent the neck finish, a base defining a closed end of the container, and a sidewall extending between the shoulder and the base. Formed on a surface of the container and being defined by the plastic material forming the container are a series of raised dots defining a tactile writing feature.

In a method of forming a container from a thermoplastic material, a thermoplastic preform may be introduced into a blow cavity at a temperature greater than or equal to a glass transition temperature of a thermoplastic material and less than a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material. A fluid pressure may be introduced into a preform that may expand the preform radially outwardly to form a semi-finished container. An external surface of the semi-finished container may be engaged with a wall of the blow cavity. The wall of the blow cavity may be rapidly heated. Heat may be transferred to the external surface of the semi-finished container. A surface finish may be imparted from the wall of the blow cavity onto the external surface of the semi-finished container.

In a method of forming a container from a thermoplastic material, a thermoplastic preform may be introduced into a blow cavity at a temperature greater than or equal to a glass transition temperature of a thermoplastic material and less than a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material. A fluid pressure may be introduced into a preform that may expand the preform radially outwardly to form a semi-finished container. An external surface of the semi-finished container may be engaged with a wall of the blow cavity. The wall of the blow cavity may be rapidly heated. Heat may be transferred to the external surface of the semi-finished container. A surface finish may be imparted from the wall of the blow cavity onto the external surface of the semi-finished container.

In a method of forming a container from a thermoplastic material, a thermoplastic preform may be introduced into a blow cavity at a temperature greater than or equal to a glass transition temperature of a thermoplastic material and less than a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material. A fluid pressure may be introduced into a preform that may expand the preform radially outwardly to form a semi-finished container. An external surface of the semi-finished container may be engaged with a wall of the blow cavity. The wall of the blow cavity may be rapidly heated. Heat may be transferred to the external surface of the semi-finished container. A surface finish may be imparted from the wall of the blow cavity onto the external surface of the semi-finished container.

In a method of forming a container from a thermoplastic material, a thermoplastic preform may be introduced into a blow cavity at a temperature greater than or equal to a glass transition temperature of a thermoplastic material and less than a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material. A fluid pressure may be introduced into a preform that may expand the preform radially outwardly to form a semi-finished container. An external surface of the semi-finished container may be engaged with a wall of the blow cavity. The wall of the blow cavity may be rapidly heated. Heat may be transferred to the external surface of the semi-finished container. A surface finish may be imparted from the wall of the blow cavity onto the external surface of the semi-finished container.

A polymeric article includes a body and encoded visual indicia formed on the body. The encoded visual indicia may be scanned to generate instructions. A method of providing the polymeric article includes applying polymeric materials to a mold to provide an article-blank web having formed therein an article preform of a desired shape with encoded visual indicia formed in the article preform.

A method of forming a container (1) and a container (1) formed thereby. A preform (2), having a generally cylindrical body (60, 8) extending between a closed end (12) and an open mouth, is placed within a mold (20, 22) having surfaces corresponding in shape to the desired container (1). An incompressible medium, which is the end product that remains in the molded container (1), is injected under pressure into the preform (2). Under the influence of the incompressible medium, the preform (2) is expanded into contact with the surfaces defining the cavity, simultaneously forming and filling the container (1). During expanding of the preform (2), portions of the plastic material are forced into a series of recesses (72) defined in the cavity surface (82, 85). With the incompressible medium contained therein, the container (1) is removed from the mold (20, 22) and including a series of raised dots corresponding to the series of recesses (72) defined in the cavity surface (82, 85). A method of forming a container (1) and a container (1) formed thereby. A preform (2), having a generally cylindrical body (60, 8) extending between a closed end (12) and an open mouth, is placed within a mold (20, 22) having a surfaces corresponding in shape to the desired container (1). An incompressible medium, which is the end product that remains in the molded container (1), is injected under pressure into the preform (2). Under the influence of the incompressible medium, the preform (2) is expanded into contact with the surfaces defining the cavity, simultaneously forming and filling the container (1). During expanding of the preform (2), portions of the plastic material are forced into a series of recesses (72) defined in the cavity surface (82, 85). With the incompressible medium contained therein, the container (1) is removed from the mold (20, 22) and including a series of raised dots corresponding to the series of recesses (72) defined in the cavity surface (82, 85).

A method of forming a container (1) and a container (1) formed thereby. A preform (2), having a generally cylindrical body (60, 8) extending between a closed end (12) and an open mouth, is placed within a mold (20, 22) having surfaces corresponding in shape to the desired container (1). An incompressible medium, which is the end product that remains in the molded container (1), is injected under pressure into the preform (2). Under the influence of the incompressible medium, the preform (2) is expanded into contact with the surfaces defining the cavity, simultaneously forming and filling the container (1). During expanding of the preform (2), portions of the plastic material are forced into a series of recesses (72) defined in the cavity surface (82, 85). With the incompressible medium contained therein, the container (1) is removed from the mold (20, 22) and including a series of raised dots corresponding to the series of recesses (72) defined in the cavity surface (82, 85). A method of forming a container (1) and a container (1) formed thereby. A preform (2), having a generally cylindrical body (60, 8) extending between a closed end (12) and an open mouth, is placed within a mold (20, 22) having a surfaces corresponding in shape to the desired container (1). An incompressible medium, which is the end product that remains in the molded container (1), is injected under pressure into the preform (2). Under the influence of the incompressible medium, the preform (2) is expanded into contact with the surfaces defining the cavity, simultaneously forming and filling the container (1). During expanding of the preform (2), portions of the plastic material are forced into a series of recesses (72) defined in the cavity surface (82, 85). With the incompressible medium contained therein, the container (1) is removed from the mold (20, 22) and including a series of raised dots corresponding to the series of recesses (72) defined in the cavity surface (82, 85).

A method of blow molding an article having at least one layer of thermoplastic material. The method comprises the steps of heating a mold having an inner surface with two or more areas of different surface textures to a first temperature of greater than 55° C. and subsequently feeding a parison into the mold. The parison is then blown against the inner surface of the mold to form an article. The temperature of the mold is subsequently lowered to a second temperature of between 20° C. to about 55° C. and the temperature cycle time (t.sub.ct) of the mold is less than 250 seconds. Using the two phase heating and cooling process in combination with a mold featuring different surface textures provides a finished article with different visual effects.