Preform for making a non-refillable bottle for non-carbonated liquids
AssigneeGreat Spring Waters of America, Inc.
InventorJohn A. Mehanna
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A preform for use in blow molding a bottle that is non-refillable and suitable for holding a non-carbonated liquid is provided. The preform may have a transition region, or “step,” on its inner surface. The step may strengthen the region between body and base portions of a bottle that results from blow molding the preform. The body portion of the bottle may be substantially cylindrical. The base portion of the bottle may have a slight inward concavity and may have a substantially constant wall thickness.
Claims14
A preform for use in blow molding a bottle that is non-refillable and suitable for holding a non-carbonated liquid, the preform comprising:
- a neck portion;
- a shoulder-forming portion connected to the neck portion;
- a body-forming portion connected to the shoulder-forming portion;
- a transition region connected to the body-forming portion;
- a base-forming portion connected to the transition region;
- and
- wherein each of the body-forming portion and the transition region have a respective wall thickness;
- and
- the wall thickness of the body-forming portion remains substantially constant;
- and
- the wall thickness of the transition region increases from the body-forming portion to the base-forming portion.
A method for producing a one-piece plastic bottle that is non-refillable and suitable for holding a non-carbonated liquid, the method comprising:
- providing a preform comprising:
- a neck portion;
- a shoulder-forming portion connected to the neck portion;
- a body-forming portion connected to the shoulder-forming portion;
- a transition region connected to the body-forming portion;
- a base-forming portion connected to the transition region;
- and
- wherein each of the body-forming portion and the transition region have a respective wall thickness;
- and
- the wall thickness of the body-forming portion remains substantially constant;
- and
- the wall thickness of the transition region increases abruptly from the body-forming portion to the base-forming portion;
- placing the preform in a blow mold;
- extending a stretch rod through the body-forming portion of the preform such that it makes contact with a bottom end of the preform;
- stretching the preform such that the bottom end of the preform approaches a bottom end of the blow mold, leaving a clearance between the bottom ends of the preform and the blow mold;
- and
- injecting pressurized gas into the preform such that the preform expands to the shape of the blow mold.
A bottle that is non-refillable and suitable for holding a non-carbonated liquid, the bottle comprising:
- a body portion that is substantially cylindrical having a wall thickness in a range from about 0.15 mm to about 0.24 mm;
- and
- a base portion having multiple radial indentations running from a center portion of the base portion to an outer diameter of the base portion and having a substantially constant wall thickness of about 0.16 mm.
A bottle that is non-refillable and suitable for holding a non-carbonated liquid, the bottle comprising:
- a body portion that is substantially cylindrical;
- and
- a base portion having a substantially constant wall thickness;
- wherein:
- the bottle is made in a blow molding process comprising:
- providing a preform comprising:
- a neck portion;
- a shoulder-forming portion connected to the neck portion;
- a body-forming portion connected to the shoulder-forming portion;
- a transition region connected to the body-forming portion;
- a base-forming portion connected to the transition region;
- and
- wherein each of the body-forming portion and the transition region have a respective wall thickness;
- and
- the wall thickness of the body-forming portion remains substantially constant;
- and
- the wall thickness of the transition region increases abruptly from the body-forming portion to the base-forming portion;
- placing the preform in a blow mold;
- extending a stretch rod through the body-forming portion of the preform such that it makes contact with a bottom end of the preform;
- stretching the preform such that the bottom end of the preform approaches a bottom end of the blow mold, leaving a clearance between the bottom ends of the preform and the blow mold;
- and
- injecting pressurized gas into the preform such that the preform expands to the shape of the blow mold.
A method for injection molding a preform for use in blow molding a bottle that is non-refillable and suitable for holding a non-carbonated liquid, the method comprising:
- providing a neck portion;
- providing a shoulder-forming portion connected to the neck portion;
- providing a body-forming portion connected to the shoulder-forming portion;
- providing a transition region connected to the body-forming portion;
- providing a base-forming portion connected to the transition region;
- and
- wherein each of the body-forming portion and the transition region have a respective wall thickness;
- and
- the wall thickness of the body-forming portion remains substantially constant;
- and
- the wall thickness of the transition region increases from the body-forming portion to the base-forming portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.