Abstract:
Method of securing a separate handle ( 18 ) to a plastic blow-molded container, the container having a molded external flange which is not subject to stretching during the blow-molding process. The flange has a substantially flat underside face and serves as a rigid support for the handle ( 18 ) when a substantially flat upper abutment surface of the handle ( 18 ) is positioned against the flange. Preferably, the upper end of the handle ( 18 ) has a downwardly extending lug ( 15 ) which is surrounded by the blow-molded sidewall of the container. The preform and handle ( 18 ) can be brought together into position where the upper end of the handle is adjacent to the underside of the external flange by relative movement of the preform and handle ( 18 ) towards each other along a first path which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the preform. In addition, the handle ( 18 ) and preform can be brought together prior to their introduction into the mold, and then introduced together into the blow mold along a second path which is also substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the preform. Further, the preform can be heated prior to introduction into the mold, while the handle ( 18 ) remains unheated.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a handled plastic container in which the container is formed by blow molding a preform and the handle is separately formed and then connected to the container during the container forming process. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Plastic containers for holding liquids including beverages and other domestic liquids are in wide spread use. During the 1980&#39;s plastic largely replaced glass as the material of first choice for the packaging of carbonated soft drinks. Plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) offer significant savings when compared with glass in packaging such products. Plastic is lighter than glass and plastic bottles are cheaper to make and cheaper to transport than glass bottles. In addition, there are clear safety advantages when using plastic given the inherent problems with breakages when using glass. Plastic containers are also in wide use for products such as detergents and fruit juices. Such products are generally packaged in one or two litre containers with relatively large outlet openings. For ease of pouring, containers such as those made from PVC often include a handle. In the past, the handle in plastic containers formed by extrusion blow molding has been provided by blow molding a hollow and integral handle portion into the container side wall. 
     Given the constraints of container design, such handles are generally quite broad and often leave little room for one to firmly grasp the inside of the handle. Special molds are required in the production of such bottles, they are more difficult to blow mold than a non handled bottle and there are difficulties with stress concentrations leading to possible container failure in the areas near the junction of the handle with the rest of the container. In addition, it has not been generally possible to economically produce such handled bottles from synthetic polyesters such as PET. To extrusion blow mold PET it would be necessary to use a resin having a high intrinsic viscosity, i.e. well over 1.0. Such containers would not have the same degree of side wall orientation as a container stretch blow molded from the preform. 
     If an integral handle was formed in a PET container formed from a preform, a special cutting tooling would be required to remove the flashing from between the container side wall and the integrally formed handle due to the high orientation of the material. 
     An alternative is the use of a separate handle joined to the container. If a separate handle is utilized, it is possible to injection mold a handle which is narrower and thinner than the integral handles of the previously described blow-molded containers, and if adequately attached to the container, such handle designs are more effective and easier to use. 
     Various attempts have been made to attach separate handles to blow molded containers formed from preforms but these have not been altogether successful. One difficulty has been inadequate engagement of the handle with the blow molded container. For example, it has previously been proposed that such handles be connected to the plastic container by blow molding the walls of the container around retaining portions provided at the respective ends of the handle. For example, reference is made to Australian patent 637,696. In processes where the handle is pre-engaged with the preform prior to positioning the combination into the blow mold, there are problems in automating the whole process. The need to interconnect the handle with the preform prior to introducing the combination into the blow mold complicates the manufacturing process and can slow it down. This is especially so if the interconnection process occurs in a different direction to the direction of insertion of the combination into the blow mold. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of securing a separate handle to a plastic blow molded container which enables relatively rapid manufacture and which leads to the production of a handled bottle where the handle is firmly secured. 
     In one embodiment, the invention utilises a molded external flange which is not subject to stretching during the blow molding process and which provides a rigid support, against which an upper end of the handle is held by a portion of the side wall of the container once the preform has been blown. 
     This embodiment thus achieves the desired object by positioning a preform and a handle into a blow mold and thereafter stretch blow molding the preform in such a way as to sandwich the upper end of the handle between a portion of the side wall of the formed container and a substantially flat underside of a molded external flange located on the neck of the preform. This simplifies the construction of the handle and preform, as well as simplifying the positioning of the preform and handle during blow molding to thus reduce the overall cost of manufacture, while providing a secure attachment. 
     More particularly, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a handled plastic container which includes the steps of: 
     (a) positioning in an open blow mould a synthetic plastics preform which includes an external flange with a substantially flat underside face, and a handle which includes an upper end with a substantially flat abutment surface; 
     (b) closing the blow mould and stretch blow moulding the preform beneath the flange to form a container, wherein a sidewall portion of the preform is expanded so as to sandwich the upper end of the handle between a portion of the sidewall of the formed container and the flange with the substantially flat upper abutment surface and underside face being pressed together so as to fixedly connect the handle to the blown container. 
     Preferably the preform and handle are brought together into position where the upper end of the handle is adjacent to the underside of the external flange by relative movement of the preform and the handle towards each other along a first path which is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the preform. 
     Most preferably, the preform and handle are brought together into this position prior to their introduction into the blow mould. In such case, it is preferred that the handle and preform once brought together be introduced into the blow mould together along a second path which is also substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the preform. The first and second paths may conveniently be in the same plane so that the handle and preform may be brought together and conveyed into the open blow mould by movement along a path which has no abrupt changes in direction. 
     Generally, the method of the invention is used with blow moulding equipment which requires that the preform be pre-heated before introduction into the blow mould to a temperature at which it may be stretched and blow moulded (e.g., in the glass transition range). Therefore, generally the preform is hot and the handle is cold when the two are positioned in the mould. 
     It is preferred that the preform and the handle be unconnected when positioned in the open blow mould. However, in one embodiment of the invention further described below where the handle is attached to the container only at its upper end, it is preferred that the upper end of the handle be broad enough to clip around the preform immediately beneath the external flange. 
     Preferably, the upper end of the handle also includes retaining means such that upon expansion of the sidewall of the preform, the retaining means is caused to interconnect with a portion of the formed container. Most preferably, the retaining means is adapted to be integrated with a portion of the wall of the container. The retaining means may take a number of different configurations. For example, it can comprise a downwardly facing projection, such as a lug or hook. In such an embodiment, the downwardly extending projection is adapted to firmly integrate and interconnect with the plastic material forming that part of the side wall of the blown container adjacent the external flange. 
     The preform may be of any suitable shape for forming a container. In some cases, it is preferred that the body of the preform be wider than the external flange. This is particularly so for the manufacture of larger containers. It is preferred that the upper end of the handle include a support platform with a curved front face which is shaped to conform against the outer surface of the preform wall below the flange, and a flat top face which lies against the flat underside surface of the external flange. 
     The external flange on the preform should resist vertical (upwards) detachment of the handle and the upper end of the handle should be pressed against the underside of the external flange so to resist horizontal detachment. The method of the present invention enables one to produce a handled plastic bottle in which the upper end of the handle is fixedly connected to the blown container at a location immediately beneath the external flange. The other end of the handle does not need to be connected to the container and in such an embodiment, the depending gripping portion terminates at an unconnected free end. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the lower end of the handle may include lower retaining means also adapted to be integrated within a portion of the wall of the formed container. The handle and the preform may be positioned within the blow mould simultaneously and may be positioned in the mould by a single transfer arm which holds them both. The handle and preform do not need to be exactly positioned with the upper end of the handle in direct abutment with the underside of the external flange of the preform. There may be a small gap between the two. If there is a small gap between the two after they have been introduced into the open blow mould, this can be rectified after the blow mould has been closed. The blow mould may be shaped so to allow the preform to be moved downwardly from its original position within the blow mould by a distance of between about I to 4 mm so to push the preform so that there is direct abutment between the upper end of the handle and the underside face of external flange. Conveniently, the preform may be pushed down by the blow nozzle intended for use in introducing the high pressure gas into the preform to cause stretch blow moulding. 
     Alternatively, the preform and handle may be separately introduced into the open blow mould on separate transfer arms, each moving in a substantially horizontal plane. The handle may be inserted into the blow mould marginally earlier or later than the preform and the side wall of the preform and the upper end of the handle may be respectively shaped so that the preform may slide across the top of the handle when being positioned adjacent to the handle in the blow mould. 
     Most preforms used on the commercial stretch blow moulding of containers include a flange beneath the container neck finish. This flange (often referred to as the “support ledge”) has many purposes including the mechanised transfer of the preform to and from a blow mould and the support of the preform within the blow mould during the introduction of high pressure gas to blow mould the container. Such preforms may be used in the method of the present invention. 
     Preferably, the upper end of the handle includes a support platform having a curved front face shaped to follow the geometry of the preform immediately beneath the external flange. Such a curved face assists in the positioning and location of the handle adjacent to the preform. Where a curved face is provided, the inner diameter of the curved face should match the outside diameter of the preform. The arc length of the face may vary but it is found that it is easier to insert the handle into conventional blow molding tools when the arc is relatively short (between 5 to 15°). However, in cases where the blow molding apparatus can accommodate a broader face it can be desirable for the arc length to be larger. As it is preferred that the handle and preform be brought together along a path substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the preform, the arc length of the curved face cannot be significantly greater than 180°. If the handle is made from a resilient plastics material the arms of the curved face can extend around an arc length of up to about 220°-the preform being capable of being pushed through the opening between the arms with the arms thereafter clipping around the preform body. This arrangement provides more secure attachment of the upper end of the handle to the container once blown and is preferred in cases where the lower end of the handle is not to be attached to the container. 
     In a particularly preferred embodiment the handle includes a support platform with a front face shaped to follow the geometry of the preform immediately beneath the flange and a retaining means is spaced below the support platform and extends toward the preform such that plastics material is molded about the retaining means to thereby lock the retaining means within the wall of the plastic container. The spacing between the support platform and retaining means will generally allow plastics material to pass between the retaining means and support platform adjacent the upper surface of the retaining means and the retaining means preferably increases in vertical dimension toward the preform. The retaining means may include coacting upper and lower tabs which vertically diverge and extend toward the preform to provide increasing dimensions. The molding of plastic material on opposite sides of the coacting tabs locks the handle with the container wall. The lower of the tabs preferably extends downward so that plastic is molded adjacent its outer side. 
     In the embodiment of the invention where the handle includes a curved face which follows the geometry of the preform the handle may also include a recessed portion adjacent to the curved face which comprises one or more ribs. In such arrangement, when the preform is blown the portion of the preform immediately adjacent the curved face will expand into the recessed portion but less so into those areas comprising ribbing. As a consequence, once the bottle is blown the ribs in the recessed portion will be located within small indentations on the container and the ribs and indentations will thus co-operate to resist rotational movement of the handle. Alternatively, or in addition, the blow mould may incorporate small cavities positioned to be adjacent the respective outside edges of the upper end of the handle so to form blow moulded lugs adjacent the respective edges of the handle at its upper end. Such blow moulded lugs will also co-operate to resist rotational movement of the handle. The lower retaining means of the handle is preferably a lug or protrusion extending from the lower end of the handle. It should be shaped so that on blow moulding of the preform expansion of the side wall will capture and secure the lug within the formed body of the container. It may be of various geometrical shapes. Most preferably, a lug which incorporates a hook or other extension is utilised so to encourage secure engagement with the body of the container. 
     The handle may be of any suitable configuration. In one embodiment of the invention, the container formed is blow moulded so to include a recess on one side suitable for accommodating the handle. Preferably, this recess includes a ledge onto which the bottom part of the handle may rest. In this configuration, it is preferred that the handle be generally “C” shaped in configuration with the upper and lower retaining means being at opposite ends. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the cross section of the handle is “U” shaped so to include terminal flanges and a connecting web. It is preferred that the terminal flanges face downwardly at the lower end of the handle so that a hollow is formed under the connecting web. In this embodiment, the lower retaining means may be a lug extending from the web. When configured in this way, blow moulding of the preform in the vicinity of the lug forms a container side wall which fills the hollow formed by the flanges underneath the connecting web and thus securely retains the lug in position. 
     The handle may also include reinforcing ribs. In the embodiment described above in which the handle has terminal flanges extending from a web so to create a hollow on the underside of the handle, it is preferred to strengthen the terminal flanges with ribbing, as this area is exposed to high forces exerted by the expanding side wall of the preform during the blow moulding process. 
     Preferably, the handle is formed by injection moulding. It is not necessary that it be made from the same material as the container and it may be formed from a plastic such as high density polyethylene, polypropylene, PET, recycled PET, glass reinforced PET or glass reinforced high density polyethylene. The handle may also be made from metals such as aluminium. The container and the handle are preferably made from the same material. Most preferably this is PET or recycled PET. The use of the same materials for both container and handle simplifies recycling of the combination. 
     The preform used in the present invention may be made from any stretch blow mouldable polymer. Preferably, it is formed from a PET homopolymer or copolymer (whether virgin or regrind) or is a multi-layer structure which may include layers consisting of one or more of PET, PEN, EVOH or other polymers used in multilayer technology. 
     In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, there is provided a handled plastic container which includes a blow moulded plastic bottle which has an external flange proximate to its opening and a separate handle interconnected thereto, wherein said handle includes an upper end and a depending gripping portion, the said upper end of the handle being fixedly connected to the container being sandwiched between the underside of the external flange and a portion of the container side wall. 
     Preferably, the upper end of the handle includes a curved face shaped to follow the geometry of the preform immediately beneath the external flange. The curved face is provided 
     In a still further alternative embodiment, the upper end of the handle has a diverging distal end which is spaced below the flange and integrated with an upper dome portion of the container. 
     These and other features of the present invention will be understood from the following detailed description and drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary cross-sectional representation of a preform used in a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a handle suitable for use with the preform shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the area seen along Arrow III in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the handle and preform shown in FIG. 1 and 2 placed within an open blow mold; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the blow mold shown in FIG. 4 with the preform and handle positioned therein with the blow mold closed; 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of a handled bottle made in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of an alternative handle suitable for use in the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the handle shown in FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the top section of the handled container shown in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a further alternative handle for use in the present invention; 
     FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the further alternative handle of FIG. 10 positioned with respect to the preform, and substantially blown container; 
     FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of a further alternative handle for use in the present invention; 
     FIG. 13 is a rear perspective view of the handle of FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 14 is a side view of the handle of FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 15 is an exterior (rear) view of the handle of FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a further alternative handle and container, with FIGS. 17 and 18 showing in greater detail the upper and lower handle attachment portions respectively. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In FIG. 1 there is a preform generally designated by the numeral  1 . It comprises a screw thread finish  2 , an open end  3 , elongated side wall portion  4 , a closed end  5  and an external flange  6 . It will be appreciated that the screw thread finish may be substituted by any other preformed finish known in the art. For example, the finish may be modified to accept a “clip-on” cap or other suitable closure. 
     The external flange  6  includes a top side  7  and an opposing underside face  8 , both of which are substantially flat (planar). The preform shown in FIG. 1 is preferably injection molded and preferably formed from PET and recycled PET. If the preform is being formed using regrind material, it is preferred to utilize a three or five layer structure in which one or more regrind layers are encased within virgin material on either side as is known in the art. The configuration and composition of such multilayer preforms do not form any part of the present invention. 
     In FIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown a first embodiment of a handle  30  suitable for use with the preform shown in FIG. 1 to form a handled container of the invention. The handle has upstanding flanges  9  and  10  which extend from the top of the handle  11  to the bottom of the handle  12 . The flanges are interconnected by a web  10   b  which is slightly concave in profile. Flanges  9  and  10  are provided with indentations  9   a  and  10   a  on either side of the handle towards the lower end. At the upper end  11 , there is provided a support platform  11   a  having a curved front face  13  and an upper abutment surface  14 . The upper surface  14  is substantially flat and is adapted to conform to (lie alongside) the underside face  8  of external flange  6 . The upper end  11  also includes a downwardly extending lug  15 . The curved front surface  13  has a radius of curvature the same as that as the outer wall  4  of the preform  1  in the portion  16  located immediately beneath external flange  6 . At the lower end  12  of the handle, there is provided lower retaining means being lug  17 . 
     In FIGS. 7 and 8, an alternative handle  18  has an upper support platform  19 , with a curved front face  28  and a flat top surface  22 . The handle has a lower end  20  which includes a projection  21  that is integrated into the side wall of the container when blown. Depending from the upper support platform  19  is a downwardly-extending lug  15  which is adapted to be integrated into the side wall of the container when blown immediately beneath the external flange  6 . Handle  18  has a main body  23  which extends between the upper platform  19  and the lower end  20  and includes a plurality of cross ribs  24  and  25  to facilitate easy handling by the user and to aid grip. The upper platform  19  includes recessed portions  26  on either side and an opening  27  which extends all the way through the platform  19  from the front surface  28  to the rear (outer) face  29  of the upper handle. 
     A container made in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention is made in accordance with the following steps. 
     First, the preformed plastic handle  30  shown in FIG. 4 is transferred to an open blow mold  31  by a transfer arm  32   a  as shown in FIG.  4 . The preform shown in FIG. 1 is preheated in accordance with standard methodology. It is thereafter transferred to the blow mold  31  by transfer arm  32   b . The preform  1  and handle  30  are transferred into the blow mold substantially simultaneously and in the same plane. The handle  30  fits within cavity  33  (as shown in FIG. 5) and the preform I within cavity  34 . In another embodiment not shown, a single transfer arm may be used to transfer both the preform and the handle into the blow mold. In this embodiment, which is particularly suited to the type of handle shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, there may be provided a pin on the transfer arm which locates in opening  27  and jaws which press into recessed portions  26 . The pin and jaws are located in a region below the part of the transfer arm which holds preform  1 . As shown in FIG. 5, preform  1  and handle  30  are located adjacent to one another with abutment surface  14  in close proximity to the underside face  8  of external flange  6 . Upon closing of the mold halves, the recessed portions in the mold (not shown) may hold the handle and the transfer arm may be retracted. FIG. 5 illustrates preform  1  and handle  30  positioned within the closed blow mold. 
     Once the blow mold has been closed, a gas is introduced into the preform so to stretch and blow the preform beneath external flange  6 . In the blow molding process, plastic underneath the flange  6  expands around the sides of the upper support platform ( 11   a  in FIG. 2;  19  in FIG. 7) and incorporates lug  15  into the side wall of the container. The plastic underneath the flange expands and this pushes the top flat surface ( 14  or  22 ) hard up against the underside surface  8  of external flange  6 . The upper platform is thereby sandwiched between the underside face  8  of flange  6  and the upper blown wall portion so to securely hold it in position. Lug  15  restricts lateral movement. The plastic also expands around the sides of the upper support platform and this restricts the sideways movement of the handle once the container has been blown. The sideways movement is further restricted by ribs  35  and  36  (see FIG. 3) and corresponding indentations in the blown container. 
     At the lower end of handle  30 , the lug ( 17  in FIG. 2;  21  in FIG. 7) becomes surrounded by plastic which expands upwardly to fill the recess between the handle side flanges ( 9  and  10  in FIG.  2 ). The retaining lug surrounded by the plastic resists sideways or horizontal movement. 
     The container formed using the handle illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 is shown in FIG.  6 . It is noted that the handle  18  is designed so that it fits within the overall width/depth of the bottle. This facilitates easy package and transport of the container in that the handle will not interfere with cartons and boxes. 
     The container shown in FIG. 6 has a recess  37  which includes a ledge  38  on which the lower portion  20  of handle  18  sits. The container preferably includes side wall ribbing  39  to strengthen the walls against crushing. The top of this container is shown in FIG.  9 . Portions  41  and  42  are blown around the opposing sides of upper platform  19  to further resist rotational movement of the handle. 
     Once liquid has been removed from the container, the container may be crushed at point  40  shown in FIG.  6 . This facilitates easy removal of the handle from the container as a whole. This easy removal is useful in recycling. If the handle is formed from a different material to the bottle, then contamination can be minimized. If the handle is made from the same material as the bottle, removal may still be desirable as different processing is often required in recycling thicker and harder materials as would preferably be used in a handle as compared with the thin and flexible blown container. 
     FIGS. 10 and 11 show a preferred embodiment in which the handle  43  has an upper end with a support platform  44  which includes a top flat surface  46 , and a curved front surface  45  having a radius of curvature the same as the outer wall of the preform in the portion located immediately below the external flange  47 . A retaining means  48  is provided which is spaced beneath the support platform and includes a pair of vertically divergent tabs, upper tab  49 , lower tab  50  extending toward the preform (i.e., toward the longitudinal axis  59  of the preform). The tabs diverge toward their distal ends (which lie adjacent the preform wall) so that a dimension of the retaining means  48  in the vertical plane shown in FIG. 11 increases toward bottle preform  58 . In FIG. 10, two sets of arrows, A at the narrow point (juncture with the handle), and B at the widest point (toward the preform), show this divergence. 
     The preform  58  is blow molded within a mold in accordance with the general procedure described with respect to FIG.  4 . Blow molding of the preform  58  causes the plastics material of a portion of the preform wall  51  to be molded about the retaining means  48  as shown in FIG. 11 so that a portion of the retaining means of increasing dimension is locked within the resulting container wall  52  with the top face  46  at the upper end of the handle  44  abutting the underside of the flange  47 . The upper part of the handle is thereby retained during lifting by opposing portions  53 ,  54  of the container wall  52  on opposite sides of the tabs  49 ,  50  and the abutment of the top face  46  of the handle  43  on the underside of the flange  47 . 
     The lower tab  50  preferably extends downward and plastics material of the molded bottle is provided adjacent the outer side of the lower tab  55 . 
     The preform  58  may include a cylindrical wall portion  56  immediately below the flange  47  for receiving the support platform  44  and a portion  51  increasing in wall thickness below said cylindrical portion adjacent which the tabs  49 ,  50  extend. 
     FIGS. 12-15 show another preferred embodiment in which the handle  60  has an upper support platform  61  which includes a flat upper surface  66 , and a front face  62  having a radius of curvature the same as the outer wall of the preform in the portion located immediately below the external flange. A retaining means  63  is provided which is spaced beneath the support platform  61  by a wall portion  64 . The retaining means includes a downwardly extending tab  65  which extends toward the preform. 
     The preform is blow-molded within a mold in accordance with the general procedure described with respect to FIG.  4 . Blow-molding of the preform causes the plastics material in a portion of the preform wall to be molded about the retaining means  63 . The upper part of the handle is thereby retained during lifting by opposing portions of the container wall on opposite sides of the tab  65  and the abutment of the flat upper surface  66  of the handle on the flat underside of the flange. 
     The lower tab  65  preferably extends generally downward and plastics material of the molded bottle is provided adjacent the outer side  67  of the lower tab. The lower tab is preferably reinforced by a substantially vertical rib  68  which engages the outer surface  67  of the tab and the lower surface  69  of the adjacent handled portion. Similar reinforcing ribs  70  are provided on the outer surface of a downwardly extending tab  71  on the lower end of the handle. 
     In this embodiment, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 10-11, the outer surface of the handle has vertically extending ribs between the outer flanges on the handle, which further strengthen the handle. 
     The above embodiment provides a container which is easy to use, simple to dismantle after emptying for recycling and which can be readily manufactured from a preform on blow mold apparatus at a relatively rapid rate. 
     FIGS. 16-18 show another preferred embodiment, similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 10-11 in utilizing a pair of divergent tabs as the upper handle attachment means, but eliminating the platform which sits along the preform flange. Here the upper handle attachment is spaced below the preform/bottle flange and surrounded by an upper portion of the blown container dome (shoulder). This is particularly useful for polyester containers used at elevated temperatures, such as hot-fill containers, because this embodiment enables a higher degree of biaxial orientation (and therefore higher thermal stability) in the upper dome portion of the container. This increase in biaxial orientation not only improves the thermal stability at the upper end of the dome portion, but also increases the mechanical strength of this portion to enable secure attachment of the upper end of the handle. 
     More specifically, a PET container  80  has an open top end  81  with a threaded finish  82  and flange  83 . Below the flange there is an unstretched cylindrical portion  84  (by which the preform/container is supported below the flange during transport, filling, capping, etc.) and then a dome portion  85  having a relatively high degree of biaxial orientation at its upper end  86  adjacent the cylindrical portion and flange. The container is stretch blow molded from a preform  95  similar to the preform in the prior embodiments, including the cylindrical portion  84  below the flange  83 , an outwardly-flaring tapered portion  96  which forms the dome, and a substantially cylindrical sidewall  97  which forms the main panel section  87  of the container. In this embodiment, the handle  100  is attached to the dome  85  of the container, above the panel section  87 . A recess  88  is formed in the dome, providing a space for the fingers to be inserted through the handle. The handle  100  includes an upper attachment end  101  having a pair of vertically divergent tabs extending toward the preform (i.e., towards a longitudinal axis  120  of the preform), including an upper tab  102  and a lower tab  103 . The upper tapered portion  96  of the preform is blow-molded about the tabs as shown, such that the blown container dome  85  surrounds the outer sides  105 ,  106  of the tabs and engages the narrow portion  107  of the upper handle attachment. The area  86  of the container dome above the upper handle attachment preferably has an average planar (biaxial) stretch ratio of greater than 2.5, to provide the enhanced thermal and mechanical strength as previously described. The upper handle attachment portion  101  is located in close proximity, e.g., about ½ inch, below the bottom of the flange. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 17, the diverging tabs  102 ,  103  have a widest distal point defined by a width b, and a narrow proximal point  107  defined by a width a. This anchoring ratio b/a is preferably in the range of about 2-4, and more preferably about 3. In addition, the upper attachment portion may also diverge (become wider) going from top to bottom in order to further secure the upper handle to the dome. 
     At the lower end of the handle, a lower attachment means  109  is provided which is incorporated into a lower portion  89  of the dome by blow molding the preform around the lower handle attachment portion. As shown in FIGS. 16 and 18, this lower handle portion is similar to the upper handle attachment portion in having a diverging distal end  110  defined by a width b, and a narrow proximal end  111  defined by a width a. Again, the preform is blown around the outer sides  112 ,  113  of the diverging end, in order to secure the handle to the container. An anchoring ratio b/a as described for the upper handle attachment portion above is preferably used. Alternatively, the lower handle attaching portion may be similar to the upper handle attaching portion (i.e., diverging tabs). 
     It will be appreciated that various modifications and additions may be made to the method, preform, the handle and the container as hereinbefore described without departing from the scope of the present invention.