Abstract: A tamper evidence closure is provided for rotatably engaging with a finish of a container to seal contents within the interior of the container. A multiplicity of thin connections attach a tamper evidence band to a circumference of the tamper evidence closure. A segmented cam extends around the circumference of the tamper evidence band. An angled lower surface of the cam facilitates passing the tamper evidence band over a tamper evidence ledge of the finish during assembly of the tamper evidence closure onto the container. An upper surface of the cam engages with the tamper evidence ledge to break the thin connections and retain the tamper evidence band positioned on the finish during loosening of the tamper evidence closure. Multiple overhang portions above the cam press against an upper portion of the tamper evidence ledge to ensure that the tamper evidence band remains engaged with the tamper evidence ledge.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for a perforated top panel disposed in a shrink-wrapped bottle pack for containing water bottles. The perforated top panel comprises an easy-open panel and a semi-circular portion disposed at a terminal end of the easy-open panel. The easy-open panel is partially bordered by an alternating series of cuts and lands that are configured to allow the easy-open panel to tear away from the top panel upon being pulled by a practitioner. The easy-open panel comprises a parallel portion that extends to one or more tapered portions that terminate at the semi-circular portion. The semi-circular portion is configured to be grasped and pulled to separate the tapered portion and the parallel portion from the top panel and thus expose the water bottles.

Abstract: A blank preform for being blow-molded to form a container is provided herein. The blank preform comprises a cylindrical portion that includes a tapered portion that extends to a finish portion. The finish portion includes an opening to an interior of the preform. The finish portion comprises one or more wall thickness portions for blow-molding any of a tamper evidence ledge, one or more threads, a neck portion, and a handling valley. The handling valley facilitates air-conveying the container along a manufacturing line. The cylindrical portion comprises at least one wall thickness suitable for blow-molding any of a base, a portion of a bell, a sidewall, and a shoulder between the sidewall and the bell. The tapered portion comprises one or more wall thickness portions that are suitable for blow-molding any of a portion of the bell, a blown neck, and a blown support ledge.

Abstract: A container closure and methods are disclosed for providing visible evidence of removal of the closure from a container after installation by a manufacturer. The closure includes tamper evidence bridges comprising small tabs of material that extend from a bottom-most edge of the closure to a tamper evidence ledge of the container. The bridges break when the closure is rotated relative to the tamper evidence ledge, thereby providing readily visible evidence that the closure has been removed after installation by the manufacturer. In some embodiments, a tamper evidence closure engages with threads of a finish of the container. Cam locks around the perimeter of the tamper evidence closure are permanently flared by cams on the finish during loosening of the closure. Outward flaring of the cam locks provides a visual indication that the tamper evidence closure has been loosened after installation by a manufacturer.

Abstract: A preform for being blow-molded to than a container is provided herein. The preform comprises a finish portion that includes an opening to an interior of the preform and includes a tamper evidence ledge. The tamper evidence ledge cooperates with a tamper-evident ring portion of a cap to indicate that the cap has not been previously loosened after being installed by the manufacturer. A neck portion is disposed adjacent to the tamper evidence ledge. A tapered portion transitions from a diameter of the neck portion to a smaller diameter of a cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion comprises an elongate member that culminates in an end cap. Threads disposed on the finish portion are configured to threadably receive the cap. A handling valley is disposed between the tamper evidence ledge and the threads. The handling valley enables gripping fingers to engage with and air-convey the container along a manufacturing assembly.

Abstract: A composition and a method are provided for graphene reinforced polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Graphene nanoplatelets comprising a suitable surface area are added to a dispersion medium for producing graphene reinforced PET. The average surface area may range between substantially 15 m2/g and 750 m2/g. In some embodiments, the dispersion medium may be comprised of ethylene glycol. The dispersion medium and graphene nanoplatelets are sonicated to disperse the nanoplatelets within the dispersion medium. The dispersion medium and graphene nanoplatelets are centrifuged to remove larger nanoplatelets that are not suitably dispersed within the dispersion medium. A supernatant solution of dispersed graphene nanoplatelets and dispersion medium is decanted and then used for polymerization of the graphene reinforced PET. The resultant graphene reinforced PET is comprised of a continuous matrix of PET with a reinforcement material comprising dispersed phase graphene nanoplatelets.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a plasma treatment system and methods for utilizing directed plasma to reduce instances of gas venting and leaking of contents from plastic bottles due to scratches occurring on sealing interfaces of the bottles and closures. In an embodiment, a plasma treatment system for repairing scratches applied to PET bottles comprises one or more plasma nozzles disposed along a bottle filling line and a plasma being issued by the plasma nozzles to repair the scratches. The plasma nozzles are arranged into a configuration that uniformly distributes plasma to all parts of a neck finish comprising the PET bottles. The plasma treatment of the PET bottles is performed prior to capping of the bottles. In an embodiment, the plasma treatment is performed after filling the bottles with contents so as to avoid a risk of scratches from misaligned filling tubes.

Abstract: A tamper evidence closure is provided for engaging with a finish so as to seal contents within the interior of a container. The tamper evidence closure comprises interior threads configured to engage with threads of a finish. A tamper evidence portion is disposed around the perimeter of a lower portion. Recesses are configured to receive and fixate thread ends disposed on the finish so as to prevent further rotation of the tamper evidence portion and configured to be outwardly flexed by the finish. Each of tamper evidence flaps includes a ramp that terminates at a catching surface that is configured to be contacted by a truncated thread end of the finish during loosening of the closure by an end-user. The tamper evidence band on the finish and the flaps are configured to remain in absence of the finish to indicate that the tamper evidence closure has been previously loosened.

Abstract: A tamper evidence closure assembly is provided for engaging with a finish of a container for sealing contents within an interior of a container. The assembly includes a finish and a tamper evidence closure configured to threadably engage with the finish. The finish comprises a cylindrical portion of the container that begins at an opening to the interior of the container and extends to and includes a support ledge. Threads are configured to engage with the finish. The tamper evidence closure includes a tamper evidence band that is attached to closure by way of a multiplicity of thin connections. The tamper evidence band includes a cam configured to engage with the finish during removal of the tamper evidence closure. The cam causes the thin connections to break such that the tamper evidence band remains disposed on the finish after removal of the tamper evidence closure.

Abstract: A container may have a base, a sidewall connected to the base, a bell connected to the sidewall, and a finish connected to the bell. The base may have strap ribs to resist deformation of the base. The sidewall may have recessed columns to resist bending, leaning, crumbling, and/or stretching. The strap ribs and recessed columns may vertically line up along a central axis of the container to communicate forces on the container vertically along the container to continuously resist.

Abstract: Disclosed are preforms which incorporate improvements in the region of the neck and upper segment of the body to allow the production of lightweight containers, such as bottles suitable for containing water or other beverages. In accordance with certain embodiments, the improvements include a thinner neck finish area than conventional bottles, where the thinner area is extended into the upper segment of the body portion below the support ring. Reducing the thickness in these areas of the bottle allows for less resin to be used in forming the preform and bottle.

Abstract: Plastic container (1) being composed of a neck (3), a shoulder (5), a body (4) and a base section (2), where the base section (2) comprises at least two tie members (6a) extending from a central area (8) to the side wall of the base (2). According to the invention, the tie members (6b, 6c) and/or the function of the tie members (6b, 6c) of the base (2) at least in certain areas extend into the body section (4) or into the body (4) and the shoulder section (5) of the plastic container (1).

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for a container cap comprising a plurality of tamper evidence bridges configured to provide evidence that the container cap has been removed from a container by other than a manufacturer of the container. The tamper evidence bridges comprise a small tab of material that extends from a bottom-most edge of the container cap to a neck ring of the container. The tamper evidence bridges are configured to break, or snap, when the container cap is rotated relative to the neck ring. Broken tamper evidence bridges provide readily visible evidence to an end-user of the container that the container cap has been removed by other than the manufacturer of the container. The high visibility of the tamper evidence bridges serves to discourage vendors from attempting to refill and resale of the used containers.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for a container cap comprising a plurality of tamper evidence bridges configured to provide evidence that the container cap has been removed from a container by other than a manufacturer of the container. The tamper evidence bridges comprise a small tab of material that extends from a bottom-most edge of the container cap to a neck ring of the container. The tamper evidence bridges are configured to break, or snap, when the container cap is rotated relative to the neck ring. Broken tamper evidence bridges provide readily visible evidence to an end-user of the container that the container cap has been removed by other than the manufacturer of the container. The high visibility of the tamper evidence bridges serves to discourage vendors from attempting to refill and resale of the used containers.

Abstract: A container may have a base, a sidewall connected to the base, a bell connected to the sidewall, and a finish connected to the bell. The base may have strap ribs to resist deformation of the base. The sidewall may have recessed columns to resist bending, leaning, crumbling, and/or stretching. The strap ribs and recessed columns may vertically line up along a central axis of the container to communicate forces on the container vertically along the container to continuously resist deformation in the base and the sidewall.

Abstract: Disclosed are preforms which incorporate improvements in the region of the neck and upper segment of the body to allow the production of lightweight containers, such as bottles suitable for containing water or other beverages. In accordance with certain embodiments, the improvements include a thinner neck finish area than conventional bottles, where the thinner area is extended into the upper segment of the body portion below the support ring. Reducing the thickness in these areas of the bottle allows for less resin to be used in forming the preform and bottle.

Abstract: A container may have a base, a sidewall connected to the base, a bell connected to the sidewall, and a finish connected to the bell. The base may have strap ribs to resist deformation of the base. The sidewall may have recessed columns to resist bending, leaning, crumbling, and/or stretching. The strap ribs and recessed columns may vertically line up along a central axis of the container to communicate forces on the container vertically along the container to continuously resist deformation in the base and the sidewall.

Abstract: A bottle may have varying depth ribs to achieve a balance of strength and rigidity while maintaining hoop strength. The varying depth ribs may smoothly transition around the circumference of the bottle from a flattened and/or shallow depth rib portion to a deep rib portion. A collection of flattened and/or shallow depth ribs act as recessed columns in the body of the bottle to resist bending, leaning, crumbling, and/or stretching. The deep rib portions provide hoop strength and make the bottle body more rigid and/or stiffer when gripped by a user. A balance may be achieved between of flattened and/or shallow depth ribs and deep ribs to attain a desired resistance to bending, leaning, and/or stretching while maintaining stiffness in a lightweight bottle.

Abstract: A container may have a base, a sidewall connected to the base, a bell connected to the sidewall, and a finish connected to the bell. The base may have strap ribs to resist deformation of the base. The sidewall may have recessed columns to resist bending, leaning, crumbling, and/or stretching. The strap ribs and recessed columns may vertically line up along a central axis of the container to communicate forces on the container vertically along the container to continuously resist deformation in the base and the sidewall.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for automated engaging of a truck trailer at a loading dock. Sensors measure a distance and an angle of alignment between the incoming trailer and a wall of the loading dock. An outside lighting system guides a truck driver backing the trailer toward the dock door. A vehicle restraint system fixates the trailer within the loading dock in response to signals from the sensors. An overhead dock door opens once the trailer is successfully fixated by the vehicle restraint system. A dock leveler deploys after the overhead dock door opens. An inside dock light indicates to dock personnel that the trailer is ready to be serviced. Once servicing of the trailer is finished, an automated release of the trailer from the loading dock may be initiated by PLC communication.