Patent ID: 7600652

Claim:
A method of forming a fuel container with an opening and a cap sealing the opening, comprising the steps of: providing a pair of mold halves defining a first mold cavity to form and define the shape of a container from a parison by blow molding and adjacent the first cavity a second cavity to form at least one cap in a flash section from the parison by compression molding; providing a parison with a hydrocarbon fuel vapor barrier layer of a polymeric material disposed between inner and outer layers of a different polymeric material which is heat weldable; closing the mold halves together to receive and compress a portion of the parison between them forming at least one flash section in the region of the second cavity and at least one cap in the second cavity in the flash section by compression molding; providing a pressurizing fluid into the parison within the closed mold halves to expand the parison within the first mold cavity to form the entire container and define the shape of the container by blow molding; forming an opening through the container at a location spaced from the cap; before filling the container, separating the cap from the flash section; before filling the container, disposing the cap over the opening; and before filling the container, heat welding the cap to the container circumferentially continuously to permanently attach and seal the cap to the container to permanently close, seal and provide a fuel vapor barrier for the opening.