Preform and method for manufacturing a multi-layer blown finish container

A multi-layer blow-molded plastic container (10, 110) having an externally-threaded wide-mouth finish (20, 120) for receiving a removable closure prepared by a process comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a tubular preform (32) having a container body forming portion (54) which includes a closed bottom end (46) of said preform (32), a moil forming portion (52) which includes an open top end (48) of said preform (32), and a blown finish forming portion (56) located between said container body forming portion (54) and said moil forming portion (52), said body forming portion (54) of said preform (32) having a multi-layer structure including at least one layer (22) of a secondary material located between inner and outer layers (24, 26) of a primary container material, and said moil forming portion (52) of said preform (32) having a mono-layer structure consisting essentially of said primary container material;
• preheating said preform (32);
• disposing said preheated preform (32) into a mold cavity (34) having a surface (60) with a container body forming region (62), a blown finish forming region (64) superadjacent said body forming region (62), and a moil forming region (66) superadjacent said blown finish forming region (64);
• distending said preheated preform (32) against said surface (60) of said mold cavity (34) to form an intermediate container article (36) including a multi-layer blow-molded plastic container (10) having a blown externally-threaded wide-mouth finish (20) and a moil (38) extending upwardly from said blown finish (20);
• and
• severing said moil (38) from said intermediate container article (36) at a location that provides a severed moil (38) consisting essentially of said primary container material;
• said secondary material extending substantially entirely through said body forming portion (54) and at least partially into said blown finish forming portion (56) of said preform (32), and said secondary material terminating within said blown finish forming portion (56) below said moil forming portion (52);
• said multi-layer structure consisting essentially of a three layer construction of an outermost layer (26) of PET, a core layer (22) of secondary material, and an innermost layer (24) of PET, said core layer (22) being selected from the group consisting of EVOH, nylon, PCR and PEN;
• and
• said container (10, 110) having at least one vacuum flex panel (12, 112).

An injection molded preform (32) for forming an intermediate article (36) which is used to form a blow-molded container (10, 110) having a wide-mouth blown finish (20, 120) with external threads and which includes a moil portion (38) extending integrally from said blown finish, said preform (32) comprising:

• an injection-molded elongate tubular body having a closed bottom end (46), an open top end (48) with a peripheral flange (50), a container body forming portion (54) which includes said closed bottom end (46), a moil forming portion (52) which includes said open top end (48), and a wide-mouth blown finish forming portion (56) located between said container body forming portion (54) and said moil forming portion (52);
• at least a portion of said body forming portion (54) having a multi-layer construction including at least one layer (22) of a secondary material located between inner and outer layers (24, 26) of a primary container material;
• and
• said moil forming portion (52) having a mono-layer construction consisting essentially of said primary container material.