Molded article with selectively varied core layer geometry and hot runner nozzles for producing same

A molded article suitable for subsequent blow-molding into a final-shaped container, the article comprising:

• a neck portion;
• a gate portion;
• and
• a body portion extending between the neck portion and the gate portion, at least the body portion including:
• an inner exterior layer and an outer exterior layer of a first polymeric material;
• and
• a core layer of a second polymeric material disposed between at least a portion of the inner exterior layer and the outer exterior layer,
• a radial thickness of the core layer being selectively varied circumferentially about the body axis;
• the rate of thermal crystallization of the first polymeric material being substantially less than that of the second polymeric material,
• the second polymeric material including at least one of a strain-crystallizable homopolymer, copolymer, and blend of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

A molded article suitable for subsequent blow-molding into a final-shaped container, the article comprising:

• a neck portion;
• a gate portion;
• and
• a body portion extending between the neck portion and the gate portion, at least the body portion including:
• an inner exterior layer and an outer exterior layer of a first polymeric material;
• and
• a core layer of a second polymeric material disposed between at least a portion of the inner exterior layer and the outer exterior layer,
• a radial thickness of the core layer being selectively varied circumferentially about the body axis to govern non-uniform blow molding of the molded article into the final-shaped container;
• the second polymeric material having a substantially higher intrinsic viscosity than the first polymeric material.

A molded article suitable for subsequent blow-molding into a final-shaped container, the molded article comprising:

• a neck portion;
• a gate portion;
• and
• a body portion extending between the neck portion and the gate portion, at least a majority of the body portion having an overall shape which is symmetric about a body axis extending longitudinally through a center of the body portion, at least the body portion including:
• an inner exterior layer and an outer exterior layer of a first polymeric material;
• and
• a core layer of a second polymeric material disposed between at least a portion of the inner exterior layer and the outer exterior layer, a radial thickness of the core layer being selectively varied circumferentially about the body portion to produce variation in color distribution in the final-shaped container.