Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A method of preventing delamination of multiple layers of an oriented polymer container having an opening defined by the multiple layers comprising a bi-axially oriented multilayer polymer container having an opening defined by a perimeter at which the multiple layers are exposed; heating the perimeter until workable; providing a curling die; feeding the multilayer perimeter into the curling die to curl the perimeter sufficiently to inhibit delamination of the layers and a container when so made.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus and method for the post mold cooling of injection molded articles where an exterior portion of the article is exposed to a cooling atmosphere separately from any other cooling of the article. More particularly, the external surface of a neck finish portion of a preform is cooled by way of a cooling fluid stream which is specifically directed at the external surface.

Abstract: A plastic blow molded container having a central vertical axis constructed in accordance with the present invention includes a cylindrical upper rim, an oriented neck portion, a lower body portion, and a closed base portion. The upper rim of the container includes a top surface having a planar inner edge and an outer edge. The inner edge is generally flat and perpendicular to the vertical axis of the container and the outer edge may be curled or curved to provide additional rigidity. The oriented neck portion depends from the upper rim and includes a means to accept a closure, such as a set of integral threads. When viewed in vertical cross section, the outer vertical line formed by the outer axial points of said means to accept a closure is substantially parallel to the vertical axis of the container. The lower body portion is generally cylindrical over the majority of its vertical length. The closed base portion supports the container and depends from the lower body portion.

Abstract: A method for providing a thermally stable finish in a plastic container. A finish section is reformed, which in part requires crystallizing a portion of the finish. The finish section has a finish dimension that shrinks to an intermediate finish dimension. Thereafter, the crystallized finish is annealed such that the intermediate finish dimension conforms to a predetermined range.

Abstract: A preform and container each having a crystallized neck finish and method of making the same, wherein the method involves introducing a first thermoplastic material into a first mold section to form a substantially crystallized neck portion of a preform, and introducing a second thermoplastic material into a second mold section to form a substantially amorphous body-forming portion of a preform. The first material may have a substantially higher crystallization rate than the second material, and/or the first mold section may be at a higher temperature than the second mold section. In one embodiment, an indexer carrying two core sets is movable between first and second cavity sets for sequentially molding the neck portions on the first core set in the first cavity set, and then transferring the cores and neck portions to the second cavity set for molding the body-forming portions.

Abstract: A multi-layer preform, includes: (a) a plastic inner liner, comprised of a cylindrical walled body, which may or may not include a tapered annular shoulder portion, and a cylindrical walled neck portion extending upwardly from the body, and (b) a molded outer layer. Prior to the outer layer being molded over the plastic inner liner, at least a portion of the liner is crystallized by a heat treatment process. The molded outer layer may include a means to receive a closure device. When the preform is at an acceptable temperature range for orientation, the multi-layer preform can be blow-molded to form a multi-layer container having improved properties.

Abstract: A plastic article is formed in an injection mold by injecting molten plastic into the injection mold at an elevated temperature, cooling the plastic from the molten condition to a solid condition, and crystallizing a portion of the plastic by slowing down the cooling of said portion.

Abstract: A preform and container each having a crystallized neck finish and method of making the same, wherein the method involves introducing a first thermoplastic material into a first mold section to form a substantially crystallized neck portion of a preform, and introducing a second thermoplastic material into a second mold section to form a substantially amorphous body-forming portion of a preform. The first material may have a substantially higher crystallization rate than the second material, and/or the first mold section may be at a higher temperature than the second mold section. In one embodiment, an indexer carrying two core sets is movable between first and second cavity sets for sequentially molding the neck portions on the first core set in the first cavity set, and then transferring the cores and neck portions to the second cavity set for molding the body-forming portions.

Abstract: A plastic article is formed in an injection mold by injecting molten plastic into the injection mold at an elevated temperature, cooling the plastic from the molten condition to a solid condition, and crystallizing a portion of the plastic by slowing down the cooling of said portion.

Abstract: A preform molding method and apparatus which can utilize a part of an injection mold to crystallize a neck of a preform. A rotary disc includes a plurality of neck cavity molds. An injection molding station, first heating station, second heating station and cooling/removing station are located at the respective positions where the neck cavity molds stops. The injection molding station injection molds a preform having a neck. The preform is sequentially conveyed the first and second heating stations while being held by neck cavity molds at the neck. Each of the heating stations heats the neck cavity molds so that the neck of the preform is heated up to a temperature of crystallization. Thereafter, the cooling/removing station cools the neck cavity molds. After the cooling step, the preforms are released and removed from the neck cavity molds. Thereafter, the neck cavity molds are returned to the injection molding station.

Abstract: In a machine for promoting spherulite crystal growth in polyester bottle preform finishes, a gear arrangement for controlling the rate of vertical motion of a quill support platform to insure simultaneous engagement of all of the preforms onto adjacent gauges sized to a standard dimension for the preform finishes, the gear arrangement including two pairs of spur pinion gears positioned on opposite sides of the machine base engaging racks fixed to quill support platform and a plurality of rods fixed to the pinion gears and arranged in a rectangular array containing miter bevel gears fixed to the ends of the plurality of rods situated at the corners of the array, the miter bevel gears being engaged together in pairs to coordinate the rotation of all the rods and the vertical movement of the quill support platform.

Abstract: A biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate resin bottle-shaped container, and method of blow-molding the same, is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of heating the body portion of a preform at 90.degree. to 130.degree. C., biaxial-orientation blow-molding the preform in a primary blowing mold heated at 110.degree. to 230.degree. C. to form a primary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece, heating the primary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece at 130.degree. to 255.degree. C. or at a temperature which is at least 20.degree. C. greater than the primary blowing mold temperature to form a secondary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece, and blow-molding the secondary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece in a secondary blowing mold heated at 100.degree. to 150.degree. C. to form a bottle-shaped container. The temperature of the secondary blowing mold is several degrees greater than the maximum temperature the molded bottle-shaped container will be subjected to during use.