Patents Assigned to Graham Packaging PET Technologies, Inc.
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Patent number: 7097061Abstract: A container includes a hollow body having a finish extending from the body. The finish has an open end, at least one external thread for securement of a closure, and a pair of spaced external circumferential flanges on a side of the thread remote from the open end of the finish. A bale handle includes a ring having resilient internal tabs captured beneath the lower of the flanges remote from the open end of the finish, and a handle extending from the ring for carrying the container. The upper flange, which preferably has a greater outside diameter than the lower flange, has an undersurface that is free of obstruction from the bale handle and therefore is adapted to perform support functions for the container after attachment of the bale handle to the container finish.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2003Date of Patent: August 29, 2006Assignee: Graham Packaging PET Technologies Inc.Inventors: Charles P. Simpson, Jr., Stephen R. Guerin, David P. Piccioli, Qiuchen Peter Zhang
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Patent number: 7052644Abstract: A system for making plastic containers includes a source for providing a continuous stream of molten plastic, and a cutter for severing a continuing series of individual mold charges from the continuous molten plastic stream. A compression molder includes a plurality of compression molds arranged in a continuing series for receiving the mold charges in sequence and compression molding the mold charges into a continuing series of individual plastic container preforms. A blow molder includes a plurality of blow molds arranged in a continuing series for receiving the individual plastic container preforms in sequence and blow molding the preforms into a continuing series of plastic containers. A common drive coordinates continuous and synchronous operation of the molten plastic source, the cutter, the compression molder and the blow molder to provide the continuing series of plastic containers from the continuous stream of molten plastic.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2003Date of Patent: May 30, 2006Assignee: Graham Packaging PET Technologies, Inc.Inventor: W. Bruce Larsen
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Publication number: 20060110558Abstract: A container, a container preform and a method of making the container or preform in which the finish of the preform or container is at least partially of crystallizable polymer construction, and has an end portion remote from the body of the preform or container, a capping flange adjacent to the body of the preform or container, and a mid portion between the end portion and the capping flange. The end portion of the finish forms an end surface, and the end and mid portions of the finish form continuous inner and outer surfaces. The polymer material in at least one of the end, inner and outer surfaces is crystallized, and crystallization in the finish in a direction perpendicular to such surface is graded from crystallization at the surface to an essential absence of crystallization at a position within the finish spaced from the surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2006Publication date: May 25, 2006Applicant: Graham Packaging PET Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Thomas Nahill, Keith Barker, Brian Lynch
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Patent number: 7033656Abstract: A container, a container preform and a method of making the container or preform in which the finish of the preform or container is at least partially of crystallizable polymer construction, and has an end portion remote from the body of the preform or container, a capping flange adjacent to the body of the preform or container, and a mid portion between the end portion and the capping flange. The end portion of the finish forms an end surface, and the end and mid portions of the finish form continuous inner and outer surfaces. The polymer material in at least one of the end, inner and outer surfaces is crystallized, and crystallization in the finish in a direction perpendicular to such surface is graded from crystallization at the surface to an essential absence of crystallization at a position within the finish spaced from the surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2002Date of Patent: April 25, 2006Assignee: Graham Packaging PET Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Thomas E. Nahill, Keith J. Barker, Brian A. Lynch
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Publication number: 20060073296Abstract: A preform assembly for blow molding a container includes a molded plastic preform having a body and a neck with an external surface. At least one circumferential channel is molded into the external surface of the preform neck for removing the preform from the forming mold. A plastic finish ring separate from the preform is externally secured to the preform neck over the external surface of the neck.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2005Publication date: April 6, 2006Applicant: Graham Packaging PET Technologies Inc.Inventors: Thomas Nahill, Brian Lynch, Jeffrey DiPasquale
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Patent number: 6997337Abstract: A dual convex flask is of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction. The flask has opposed front and back walls each with a convex label panel area at a first radius of curvature and axially spaced bumpers that extend outwardly from opposite ends of the panel area. Opposed substantially flat sidewalls connect adjacent side edges of the front and back walls. The bumpers on each of the front and back walls have a second radius of curvature that is greater than the first radius of curvature, such that the bumpers have a radial depth perpendicular to the label panel area which is greatest at the ends of the bumpers adjacent to the sidewalls and least at the center of the panel area.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2003Date of Patent: February 14, 2006Assignee: Graham Packaging PET Technologies Inc.Inventor: Michael P. Wurster
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Patent number: 6977104Abstract: A preform assembly for blow molding a container includes a molded plastic preform having a body and a neck with an external surface. At least one circumferential channel is molded into the external surface of the preform neck for removing the preform from the forming mold. A plastic finish ring separate from the preform is externally secured to the preform neck over the external surface of the neck.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2003Date of Patent: December 20, 2005Assignee: Graham Packaging PET Technologies Inc.Inventors: Thomas E. Nahill, Brian A. Lynch, Jeffrey D. DiPasquale
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Publication number: 20050252881Abstract: A container for the packaging of a still beverage or other unpressurized liquid, the container being formed from a thermoplastic material and having a body portion with a closed bottom, a neck portion, tapering inwardly as it extends upwardly from the body portion and a closure, receiving finish portion spaced from the body portion and extending from the neck portion. The container has an integral gripping feature that does not require an opening that extends laterally through the container, the gripping feature being formed by spaced, opposed gripping panels that extend laterally into the container from an edge thereof. In a first embodiment, the container body portion has a generally oval cross-section with a larger, part-circular end, and a smaller part-circular opposed end, with the gripping panels extending into the container in the body portion from the opposed end.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2005Publication date: November 17, 2005Applicant: Graham Packaging PET Technologies Inc. (formerly Continental PET Technologies, Inc.)Inventors: Q. Zhang, Stephen Guerin
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Patent number: 6926859Abstract: A method of making a polyester container having an enhanced level of crystallinity in the sidewall while maintaining a low level of crystallinity in a thickened base portion. The container is particularly useful as a refillable container which can withstand higher caustic wash temperatures and exhibits reduced flavor carryover, or as a hot-fill container. According to the method, a sidewall-forming section of a preform is initially expanded, heated to contract and crystallize the same, and than reexpanded; a base-forming portion of the preform is shielded from the heat treatment and is expanded either before or after the heat treatment step.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2002Date of Patent: August 9, 2005Assignee: Graham Packaging PET Technologies Inc.Inventors: Wayne N. Collette, Suppayan M. Krishnakumar, Chi Chung Lin
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Publication number: 20050153089Abstract: A method of making a plastic container having a body and a finish with at least one external thread includes injection or compression molding a plastic preform having a body and a finish with at least one external thread, blow molding the body of the preform to form the body of the container, and either prior to, subsequent to or both prior and subsequent to blow molding the container body, expanding the injection or compression molded preform finish to form a container finish having at least one injection or compression molded external thread. In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the finish is expanded after the container body is blow-molded. The invention can be implemented to expand a narrow-neck preform or container finish to a wide-mouth preform or container finish.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2005Publication date: July 14, 2005Applicant: GRAHAM PACKAGING PET TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Brian Lynch, Keith Barker, Thomas Nahill
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Publication number: 20050136149Abstract: Method and apparatus for in-mold handle attachment, wherein a portion of a blow-molded container is formed about a retaining member on a handle during blow molding. After forming the container portion about the retaining member, a cooling medium is directed at the location of the container portion in order to accelerate the cooling rate at the container portion. There is achieved at least one of an improvement in the security of the attachment of the handle to the container, and a reduction in the blow-mold processing time.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2005Publication date: June 23, 2005Applicant: Graham Packaging PET Technologies Inc.Inventors: Suppayan Krishnakumar, David Piccioli
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Patent number: 6884382Abstract: A method of making a plastic container having a body and a finish with at least one external thread includes injection or compression molding a plastic preform having a body and a finish with at least one external thread, blow molding the body of the preform to form the body of the container, and either prior to, subsequent to or both prior and subsequent to blow molding the container body, expanding the injection or compression molded preform finish to form a container finish having at least one injection or compression molded external thread. In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the finish is expanded after the container body is blow-molded. The invention can be implemented to expand a narrow-neck preform or container finish to a wide-mouth preform or container finish.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2003Date of Patent: April 26, 2005Assignee: Graham Packaging PET Technologies Inc.Inventors: Brian A. Lynch, Keith J. Barker, Thomas E. Nahill
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Patent number: 6855289Abstract: Method and apparatus for in-mold handle attachment, wherein a portion of a blow-molded container is formed about a retaining member on a handle during blow molding. After forming the container portion about the retaining member, a cooling medium is directed at the location of the container portion in order to accelerate the cooling rate at the container portion. There is achieved at least one of an improvement in the security of the attachment of the handle to the container, and a reduction in the blow-mold processing time.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2001Date of Patent: February 15, 2005Assignee: Graham Packaging PET Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Suppayan M. Krishnakumar, David Piccioli
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Patent number: D503627Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2003Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: Graham Packaging PET Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Richard R. Johnston, Joseph P. Labadie
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Patent number: D505077Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2003Date of Patent: May 17, 2005Assignee: Graham Packaging PET Technologies Inc.Inventors: David P. Piccioli, Thomas E. Nahill, Tapan Y. Patel, Stephen R. Guerin
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Patent number: D514938Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2004Date of Patent: February 14, 2006Assignee: Graham Packaging PET Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Qiuchen Peter Zhang
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Patent number: D519034Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2003Date of Patent: April 18, 2006Assignee: Graham Packaging PET Technologies Inc.Inventor: Jarrett S. Barnett