Abstract: The invention provides a base structure of a container. The base structure includes a support heel that defines any number of touch points for contact with a horizontal surface. The support heel includes inner and outer portions that merge with the container's corrugated support flute and sidewall, respectively. The base structure also includes a fin that forms the zipper pinch and extends transverse to and intersects corrugations of the corrugated support flute.

Abstract: A mold mounting system is provided for use with a wheel-type blow mold machine. The system has a first platen; a first mold half having at least one mold cavity for forming a container; a first magnet mounted on the first platen or the first mold half, the first magnet being for releasably magnetically attaching the first mold half to the first platen; a second platen; a second mold half having at least one mold cavity for forming the container; and a second magnet mounted on the second platen or the second mold half, the second magnet being for releasably magnetically attaching the second mold half to the second platen. The first and second mold halves are adapted to interface with each other during a molding process.

Abstract: A system for preserving a cutting knife can include an actuator for moving a first knife from an engaged to a removed position, at which the first knife does not contact a second knife when a first mold half, to which the actuator is connected, and a second mold half, to which the second knife is connected, move from an open to a closed position.

Abstract: A container base may include a standing ring defining a touch point for contact with a horizontal surface, where the standing ring has an outer portion and an inner portion, and merges with the container sidewall. The base may also have a stacking ring having an inner portion and an outer portion, where the outer portion merges with the inner portion of the standing ring. The base may further have a substantially circular recessed portion coupled to the inner portion of the stacking ring, comprising: a plurality of substantially flat concentric rings recessed from the stacking ring, wherein each ring is recessed from the next outermost adjacent ring; a substantially flat center coupled to an inner diameter of an innermost substantially flat ring and recessed therefrom; and a cross-brace extending from the stacking ring into the substantially flat center.

Abstract: The invention provides a mold for use in a wheel blow-molding device. The mold has a first half and a second half, each half having a rotation direction and a transverse direction perpendicular to the rotation direction, each half having a container-shaped cavity, adapted to receive a parison, wherein the cavity has a body portion and a neck portion; and a blow pin tip disposed in the mold, adapted to be inserted into an open end of the parison in the neck portion of the cavity, the blow pin tip being adapted to blow a gas into the parison to blow mold a container.

Abstract: A method of scrap reduction in a wheel blow-molding device includes the steps of upwardly extruding a parison and gripping a top end of the parison in a portion of a first mold coupled to the wheel blow-molding device. Then, the parison is enclosed in a second mold coupled to the wheel blow-molding device that follows the first mold. Next, the parison is cut such that a gap in the parison is created.

Abstract: A container base may include a standing ring defining a touch point for contact with a horizontal surface, where the standing ring has an outer portion and an inner portion, and merges with the container sidewall. The base may also have a stacking ring having an inner portion and an outer portion, where the outer portion merges with the inner portion of the standing ring. The base may further have a substantially circular recessed portion coupled to the inner portion of the stacking ring, comprising: a plurality of substantially flat concentric rings recessed from the stacking ring, wherein each ring is recessed from the next outermost adjacent ring; a substantially flat center coupled to an inner diameter of an innermost substantially flat ring and recessed therefrom; and a cross-brace extending from the stacking ring into the substantially flat center.

Abstract: The invention provides a base structure of a container. The base structure includes a support heel that defines any number of touch points for contact with a horizontal surface. The support heel includes inner and outer portions that merge with the container's corrugated support flute and sidewall, respectively. The base structure also includes a fin that forms the zipper pinch and extends transverse to and intersects corrugations of the corrugated support flute.

Abstract: The invention provides a base structure of a container. The base structure includes a support heel that defines any number of touch points for contact with a horizontal surface. The support heel includes inner and outer portions that merge with the container's corrugated support flute and sidewall, respectively. The base structure also includes a fin that forms the zipper pinch and extends transverse to and intersects corrugations of the corrugated support flute.

Abstract: An extruder for extruding extrudate is provided and includes a generally cylindrical barrel portion having an end face. A screw conveyor is rotatably arranged coaxially within the barrel portion and has a downstream end. The screw conveyor has helical flights that define a first flow path with the barrel for the extrudate. The first flow path has a first cross-sectional area. An adapter is arranged on the end face of the barrel portion and defines an exit portion of the extruder. A screw tip is secured to the downstream end of the screw conveyor and extends into the adapter. The screw tip and the adapter define a second flow path for the extrudate with a second cross-section area being at least as large as the first cross-sectional area.

Abstract: A blade arrangement includes a blade including a blade edge and a fastening element. The fastening element removably fastens the blade onto a first mold half in a pocket formed by complementary recesses of the first mold half and a second mold half, where the pocket extends over the mold halves.

Abstract: A tube is provided for containing a product to be squeezed from the tube when the tube is used in conjunction with a wrapping tool. The tube has a deformable main body for storing the product prior to the product being squeezed from the tube, the main body having a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, a first end and a second end opposite the first end in the longitudinal direction of the main body. The tube has an opening at the first end of the main body, the opening being an outlet for the product when the product is squeezed from the tube, and a seal at the second end of the main body, the seal having a contour, the contour having a bearing surface that is non-parallel to the longitudinal direction of the main body. The bearing surface is for receiving a wrapping force from the wrapping tool for wrapping the main body around the seal.

Abstract: A low profile, flip-top closure for a container having a top piece, a bottom piece and a joining region. The top piece includes a tubular side wall formed from a first material, a dome covering one end of the tubular side wall of the top piece, and a hinged interconnection formed between the dome and the tubular side wall of the top piece. The bottom piece includes a tubular sidewall formed from a second material. The joining region is formed between the top piece and the bottom piece for joining the top piece to the bottom piece.

Abstract: An extruder for extruding extrudate is provided and includes a generally cylindrical barrel portion having an end face. A screw conveyor is rotatably arranged coaxially within the barrel portion and has a downstream end. The screw conveyor has helical flights that define a first flow path with the barrel for the extrudate. The first flow path has a first cross-sectional area. An adapter is arranged on the end face of the barrel portion and defines an exit portion of the extruder. A screw tip is secured to the downstream end of the screw conveyor and extends into the adapter. The screw tip and the adapter define a second flow path for the extrudate with a second cross-section area being at least as large as the first cross-sectional area.

Abstract: The invention provides a base structure of a container. The base structure includes a support heel that defines any number of touch points for contact with a horizontal surface. The support heel includes inner and outer portions that merge with the container's corrugated support flute and sidewall, respectively. The base structure also includes a fin that forms the zipper pinch and extends transverse to and intersects corrugations of the corrugated support flute.

Abstract: A squeezable tube-shaped plastic container (10, 100) having a one-piece construction formed by extrusion blow-molding techniques. The container (10, 100) has a retractable end wall (26, 126) which is positionable into an outwardly projecting position and an inverted position. The end wall (26, 126), as blown, is in the outwardly projecting position and is thereafter inverted so that a tamper indicating covering (28, 128) can be attached to the end (14, 114) of the container (10, 100) thereby sealing the end wall (26, 126). The inverted end wall (26, 126) permits the container (10, 100) to be free standing on the standing ring (20, 120). In use, the flexible sidewall (12, 112) of the container (10, 100) is squeezed to snap the end wall (26, 126) from the inverted position to an outwardly projecting position to enable ready access to a dispensing opening (32, 132) on the end wall (26, 126).

Abstract: At least one blow-molded plastic container and one compression molded lid are simultaneously produced in a blow mold. Preferably, the method and apparatus utilize a mold capable of simultaneously receiving a pair of extruded parisons. One of the parisons is utilized to produce a pair of aligned container bodies and the other of the parisons is utilized to form a pair of aligned closures. In this manner, a container and closure combination can be manufactured having perfect color matching and can be readily recycled in its entirety. In addition, the method and apparatus according to the present invention significantly reduces tooling costs and required machine capitol.

Abstract: At least one blow-molded plastic container and one compression molded lid are simultaneously produced in a blow mold. Preferably, the method and apparatus utilize a mold capable of simultaneously receiving a pair of extruded parisons. One of the parisons is utilized to produce a pair of aligned container bodies and the other of the parisons is utilized to form a pair of aligned closures. In this manner, a container and closure combination can be manufactured having perfect color matching and can be readily recycled in its entirety. In addition, the method and apparatus according to the present invention significantly reduces tooling costs and required machine capitol.