Patent Publication Number: US-2023159210-A1

Title: Lightweight plastic container and preform

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/314,721, filed May 7, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/598,452, filed Oct. 10, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/013,139, filed Jun. 20, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,457,437, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/012,302, filed Jun. 19, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,266,299, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/495,084, filed Apr. 24, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,023,345, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/404,731, filed Jan. 12, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,738,409, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/383,179, filed Dec. 19, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,850,019, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/220,731, filed Jul. 27, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,522,759, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/803,505, filed Jul. 20, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,403,310, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/688,734, filed Apr. 16, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,139,326, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/511,848, filed Oct. 10, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,033,168, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/749,501, filed May 16, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,857,637, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/368,860, filed Mar. 6, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,708,159, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to plastic containers, including injection molded and/or blow molded containers. 
     BACKGROUND 
     It is desirable to improve the stability of plastic containers and the handling of preforms that are used to form containers. At the same time, for economic and efficiency reasons, it is also desirable to provide containers and preforms that are suitable for their intended applications yet have a reduced weight. 
     SUMMARY 
     A plastic preform includes a hollow body portion including a closed base portion and a lower portion and a lower portion extending upwardly from the closed bottom portion; and a neck portion extending upwardly from the lower portion. The neck portion includes a dispensing opening positioned at a top of the neck portion, threads positioned below the dispensing opening, a tamper-evident formation having a lower surface and positioned directly below the threads, and a support flange having an upper surface and a lower surface and positioned below the tamper-evident formation. In an embodiment, the plastic preform is formed of a material comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and a vertical distance from the lower surface of the tamper-evident formation to the lower surface of the support flange is from 0.125 to 0.150 inches. Containers and methods for molding preforms and making containers are also disclosed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a front elevational view of a plastic container according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG.  2    is a front elevation view of a preform according to another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional view of a preform according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG.  4    is a partial enlarged view of the area illustrated in  FIG.  2   . 
         FIG.  5    is a partial cross sectional view of an upper portion of a container or preform according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     A representative container  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention is generally shown in  FIG.  1   . Container  10  includes a lower supporting base portion  12 , a sidewall portion  14 , and a neck portion  16 . 
     The sidewall portion may be cylindrical or non-cylindrical, and may include various formations, for example, without limitation, label panels, strengthening ribs, etc. The neck portion  16  includes a support flange  18  having an upper surface  20  and a lower surface  22 . Support flange  18  is generally provided to facilitate the handling of containers, during formation and thereafter. Neck portion  16  further includes a tamper-evident formation  28  and a dispensing opening  24  positioned at, and formed by, the top of the neck portion  16 . In an embodiment, the dispensing opening has an inner diameter that is at least 22 mm. However, the dispensing opening may be of various conventional or non-conventional sizes and may, for example, comprise a circular opening having an inner diameter from 22 mm to 29 mm. 
     Container  10  is comprised of plastic. In an embodiment, the container may be comprised of polymer, such as a polymer that provides good visual clarity when bi-axially oriented like polyethylene terephthalate (PET). However, the invention is not limited to a specific polymer, and containers and preforms that are provided according to the teachings of the present invention may be comprised of a wide number of polymers and/or blends, including those that included recycled material. 
     The tamper-evident formation  28 , may be continuous, as generally illustrated, or may include one or more discontinuous formations. In other embodiments, the tamper-evident formation may comprise a formation (e.g., a lug or lugs) that extends from the upper and/or lower surface of the support ring. However, the invention is not limited to the illustrated means for indicating tampering and other means for indicating tampering, such as a covering (e.g., a foil covering) may be used instead of or in addition to other tamper-evident formations. 
     Embodiments of the container may additionally include a shoulder portion  15 , a plurality of threads  26  for receiving a closure (not shown). Shoulder portion  15  may comprise an upper portion of the sidewall portion  14 , and may extend inwardly into the neck portion  16 , although many container configurations do not include a shoulder portion. A feature of containers according to embodiments of the present invention is a lowering of the center of gravity. For most configurations and applications, a lower center of gravity provides a container that is more stable and less likely to tip during manufacturing, processing, and/or handling. The center of gravity is the point at which if a body is suspended it would be perfectly balanced. For uniformly consistent, symmetrical bodies, the center of gravity is at the geometrical center. For non-consistent or non-symmetrical bodies, the center of gravity needs to be determined. Moreover, for purposes of the instant disclosure, the center of gravity is associated with preforms and with containers that are in an unfilled condition. 
     The center of gravity for container  10  illustrated in  FIG.  1    is generally shown at  50 . It is noted that for the instant container configuration, the center of gravity  50  is above the mid-height of the container due to the additional material, and hence weight, that is provided in the container finish portion—i.e., the neck portion  16 . However, as described further herein, with a reduction in the vertical length and weight of the neck portion  16  (or elements thereof), the center of gravity for a container produced in accordance with the teachings of the present invention may have a center of gravity (e.g., 50) that is vertically lower than that of a container that employs a conventional (vertically longer and heavier) neck portion. For example, without limitation, the ratio of the vertical height of the center of gravity to the vertical height of the container may be less than 0.57. Notably, for some embodiments the ratio may be less than 0.53. 
     Additionally, in an embodiment of the invention, portions of the container—exclusive of the neck portion—may be stretched (e.g., in a stretch blow molding operation) to more than 3 times their initial (i.e., preform component) length in the axial direction. 
     As one would also expect, with a reduction in the vertical length and weight of the neck portion, the center of gravity for an associated preform will also be reduced when compared to an preform of like material and design below the neck portion that includes a longer vertical and heavier neck portion. 
       FIGS.  2  and  3    generally illustrate a preform  40  according to an embodiment of the invention. Preform  40  can, for instance, be used to form a wide variety of containers, including a container such as that illustrated in  FIG.  1   . By way of example, without limitation, preform  40  may be injection molded and/or blow molded, and may form an almost limitless number of container configurations.  FIG.  4   . depicts an enlarged portion of  FIG.  2   . 
     Preform  40  is also shown including a neck portion  42 . For many applications, the neck portion provided in connection with a preform will remain substantially the same, and have substantially the same dimensions, as the neck portion of a molded container produced from the preform. Consequently, the neck portion  16  of the container  10  and the neck portion  42  of the preform may be substantially consistent, while the remaining portions of the preform and container—i.e., those below the respective neck portions—may change significantly. For ease of reference, common elements in the neck portion of the illustrated container and the neck portion of the illustrated preforms are provided with common reference numerals. 
       FIG.  5    illustrates a partial cross sectional view of an upper portion of a preform or a container formed from preform. In an embodiment, such as that generally illustrated, the vertical distance X from the top of the dispensing opening/neck portion (e.g., point 30) to the lower surface  22  of the support flange  18  (e.g., point 32) is 0.580 inches or less. For some embodiments, X may be 0.500 inches or less; for other embodiments, vertical distance X may be less than 0.450 inches. 
     Moreover, as generally illustrated, the vertical distance H from the top of the dispensing opening/neck portion (e.g., point 30) to the upper surface  20  of the support flange  18  may be 0.50 inches or less. For some embodiments, H may be 0.40 inches or less. Also, for some embodiments, the vertical distance D from the top of the dispensing opening/neck portion (e.g., point 30) to the lower surface of the tamper-evident formation (e.g., point 34) may be 0.30 inches or less. 
     In an embodiment, the vertical distance J from a furthest radially-extending portion of the lower surface of the tamper-evident formation  28  (e.g., point 36) to the upper surface  20  of the support flange  18 , which generally equates to H minus D, may be 0.15 inches or less. For some embodiments, J may be 0.10 inches or less, and for other embodiments, vertical distance J may be less than 0.09 inches. For yet other embodiments, vertical distance J may be less than 0.08 inches. 
     Also, in an embodiment of the invention, the vertical distance between a furthest outwardly radially-extending portion of the lower surface of the tamper-evident formation (e.g., point 36) to the lower surface  22  of the support flange  18  at the same outward radial distance—which may generally equate or coincide with X minus D— is 0.20 inches or less, and for some embodiments may be 0.15 inches or less. 
     In an embodiment, support flange  18  has a radially extending length Li that is 0.20 inches or less. For some applications, length Li may be further reduced to 0.17 inches or less. With further reference to support flange  18 , the angle—from horizontal—provided by a furthest outward radially extending portion of the lower surface  22  of support flange  18  (e.g., point 32) to the nearest radially-extending portion of the upper surface  20  of the support flange  18  is 16° or greater, and may be 20.0°±2°. However, for some embodiments, such as that generally depicted in  FIG.  5   , whereas a blending radius is provided to transition supporting flange  18  into an adjacent vertical portion of the neck (e.g., segment  39 ), the nearest radially-extending portion of the upper surface  20  of support flange  18  may be a theoretical position within supporting flange  18 —e.g., point 38. Furthermore, for some embodiment, the least distance from a furthest radially-extending portion of the support flange (e.g., point 32) to the upper surface of the dispensing opening (e.g., at or about 30) is 0.60 inches or less, and for some neck portions may be 0.50 inches or less. 
     Embodiments of preforms and containers may have a neck portion that weighs 3.0 grams or less. For some embodiments, the weight of the neck portion can be 2.3 grams or less. Further, for a 500 ml version of a container made in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the total weight of the preform and an unfilled weight of a container produced from such a preform may be 11 grams or less, and for some embodiments may be 10 grams or less. Of course, for many embodiments, without limitation, the preform and resulting container will weigh at least 9 grams. 
     By providing a neck portion  16  for a container  10  that incorporates one or more aspects of the foregoing embodiments, the center of gravity (see, e.g.,  50  in  FIG.  1   ) for the container may be lowered. For e.g., for a 500 ml container of with a configuration as generally shown in  FIG.  1   , the weight of the neck portion may be reduced from a conventional 3.4 to 2.0 g. Based on such a reduction in weight, the center of gravity (see, e.g.,  50 ) may become at least about 0.48 inches lower than that provided for a similarly configured container having a 3.4 g finish—and will likely be about 0.48 and 0.58 inches lower than with the heavier (e.g., 3.4 g) conventional finish. Providing a neck portion in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein for such a container can provide a lowering of center of gravity as a percentage of height from bottom that ranged from about 4.5% to about 6% when compared to a similar container with a conventional 3.4 g neck portion. Moreover, when a container such as that discussed in this paragraph (e.g., 2.0 g neck portion/finish) is compared to a conventional container (e.g. 3.4 g neck portion/finish), the calculations provide a drop or lowering in center of gravity that provides an approximately 10.5% to 12.2% relative percent change (i.e., percent improvement). 
     It is noted that in addition to the material and economic benefits that may be achieved by “light-weighting” and lowering a comparative center of gravity in a resultant container, a lowering in the center of gravity of a preform may also provide certain manufacturing benefits. For example, without limitation, a preform with a comparatively lower center of gravity may provide for improved sorting and/or handling during production and manufacturing. That is, among other things, a preform with a lower center of gravity can provide for comparatively more stable or improved retention and processing. Similarly, a container with a lower center of gravity may exhibit improved handling, for instance, without limitation, in connection with de-palletizing or with “table top” conveying systems. Further, a lower center of gravity can provide a container, filled or unfilled, with improved stability. It is further noted, however, that the present invention is not limited to containers that are blown and filled in distinct or separate operations. That is, without limitation, preforms and containers provided in accordance with the teachings of the present invention also lend themselves for use in connection with various conventional “blow-and-fill” operations, including those in which a container is filled just after formation (e.g., within seconds of formation) in close proximity to where the container is formed. The operation comprising the blow-and-fill may be a single, integrated machine, or may be comprised of two or more separate devices that are adjacent or in close proximity to one another. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and various modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.