Mono-layer blow molded article with functional, visual, and/or tactile effects and method of making such articles
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorsNicole Ashley Rizzo, Joseph Craig Lester, Philip Andrew Sawin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Blow molded articles having a predetermined feature incorporated into the wall provided by variations in the thickness of the wall of the article corresponding to a predetermined pattern etched into the preform from which the article was formed. Also, etched preforms for making blow molded articles and methods for making such preforms and articles.
Claims20
A mono-layer blow molded article formed from a preform having a thermally-etched predetermined pattern, the article comprising:
- a body including one or more walls surrounding an interior space and an opening in fluid communication with the interior space, the one or more walls having an inner surface, an article outer surface and a thickness;
- a predetermined feature incorporated into the one or more walls, wherein the predetermined feature results at least partially from variations in the thickness of the one or more walls corresponding to the predetermined pattern, and the predetermined feature is a visually apparent feature selected from the group consisting of patterns, indicia, appearance of depth, and combinations thereof.
A method for making a blow molded article from a mono-layer preform, the method comprising the following steps:
- a) providing an injection-molded preform of a thermoplastic material, the preform having a body and an opening, wherein the body has an outer surface and at least a portion of the outer surface of the preform has been thermally etched in a predetermined pattern to remove at least some of the thermoplastic material forming the body of the preform;
- and
- b) blow molding the preform so to form an article, wherein a portion of the outer surface of the article corresponding to the etched portion of the preform has a Root Mean Square Roughness, Sq, of no greater than 10 microns.
A method for making a blow molded article from a mono-layer preform, the method comprising the following steps:
- a) providing an injection-molded preform of a thermoplastic material, the preform having a body having one or more walls with a thickness and an opening, wherein the body has an outer surface and at least a portion of the outer surface of the preform has been thermally etched in a predetermined pattern to remove at least some of the thermoplastic material forming the one or more walls of the preform;
- and
- b) blow molding the preform so as to form an article, wherein the at least a portion of the one or more walls corresponding to the etched portion of the preform varies in thickness in accordance with the predetermined pattern.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.