Lightweight plastic container and preform

A method for making a plastic container, comprising:

• providing a preform having a hollow body portion and a neck portion, the neck portion including:
• a dispensing opening positioned at the top of the neck portion;
• threads positioned below the dispensing opening;
• a tamper-evident formation positioned below the threads;
• and
• a support flange positioned below the tamper-evident formation, the support flange having an upper and lower surface;
• wherein the preform is formed of a material comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET);
• the weight of the neck portion from the lower surface of the support flange to a top of the dispensing opening is 3.0 grams or less;
• the outside diameter of the support flange is greater than 22 mm and less than or equal to 39.2 mm;
• the radially extending length of the support flange is 0.20 inches or less;
• and the vertical distance from a lower surface of the tamper-evident formation to the top of the dispensing opening is 0.30 inches or less;
• and
• stretch blow molding the preform to form a container.

A plastic blow molded container, comprising:

• a hollow body portion including:
• a lower supporting base portion;
• and
• a sidewall portion extending upwardly from the base portion;
• and
• a neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall portion, the neck portion including:
• a dispensing opening positioned at the top of the neck portion;
• threads positioned below the dispensing opening;
• a tamper-evident formation positioned below the threads;
• and
• a support flange positioned below the tamper-evident formation, the support flange having an upper surface and a lower surface;
• wherein the container is formed of a material comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET);
• the weight of the neck portion from the lower surface of the support flange to a top of the dispensing opening is 2.3 grams or less;
• the outside diameter of the support flange is greater than 22 mm and less than or equal to 39.2 mm;
• the radially extending length of the support flange is 0.20 inches or less;
• and the vertical distance from a lower surface of the tamper-evident formation to a top of the dispensing opening is 0.30 inches or less.

A plastic blow molded container for holding a beverage, comprising:

• a hollow body portion including:
• a lower supporting base portion;
• and
• a sidewall portion extending upwardly from the base portion;
• and
• a neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall portion, the neck portion including:
• a dispensing opening positioned at the top of the neck portion;
• threads positioned below the dispensing opening;
• a tamper-evident formation positioned below the threads;
• and
• a support flange positioned below the tamper-evident formation, the support flange having an upper surface and a lower surface;
• wherein the container is formed of a material comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET);
• the weight of the neck portion from the lower surface of the support flange to a top of the dispensing opening is 2.3 grams or less;
• the vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening to the lower surface of the support flange, including the threads and the tamper-evident formation, is 0.450 inches or less;
• the vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening to the upper surface of the support flange is 0.40 inches or less;
• the vertical distance from a furthest radially-extending portion of a lower surface of the tamper-evident formation to the upper surface of the support flange is 0.10 inches or less;
• and the vertical distance between a furthest outwardly radially-extending portion of the lower surface of the tamper-evident formation to the lower surface of the support flange at the same outward radial distance is 0.15 inches or less.