CONTAINER, PREFORM ASSEMBLY AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONTAINERS

• US 20120132607A1
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heineken Supply Chain B.V. (L'Arche Holding SA)
• Original Assignee: Heineken Supply Chain B.V. (L'Arche Holding SA)
• Inventors: Landman, Bernardus Cornelis Johannes, Witte, Pieter Gerard
• Granted Patent: US 10,661,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 215/12.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 11/08 Injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 11/14 characterised by structure or composition
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2049/023 using inherent heat of the preform, i.e. 1 step blow moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2049/7879 Stretching, e.g. stretch rod
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0715 the preform having one end closed
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/072 having variable wall thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/073 having variable diameter
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0817 of the body
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0819 of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0822 of the neck
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0826 of the body
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0829 Height, length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/3008 at neck portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/3009 partially
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/3012 at flange portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/3016 at body portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/302 at bottom portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/3026 having two or more components
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/3028 having three or more components
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/3032 having components being injected
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/3034 : having two or more components being injected
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/3036 : having three or more components being injected
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/06 : Injection blow-moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/071 : Preforms or parisons characterised by their configuration, e.g. geometry, dimensions or physical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/087 : Means for providing controlled or limited stretch ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 : using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5344 : said single elements being substantially annular, i.e. of finite length, e.g. joining flanges to tube ends B29C66/5346 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/545 : one hollow-preform being placed inside the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 : PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/00 : Use of polymers of vinyl-aromatic compounds or derivatives thereof as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 : PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 : Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/003 : PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/006 : PBT, i.e. polybutylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 : Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/00 : Use of PA, i.e. polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/258 : Tubular
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0067 : non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0089 : Impact strength or toughness
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7158 : Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/0215 : multilayered B65D81/3837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/023 : Neck construction
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/0276 : having a continuous contact surface, e.g. Champagne-type bottom
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/02 : Linings or internal coatings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 : Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]

Abstract

Preform assembly (1) for blow moulding a container (20), comprising at least a first (2) and a second (3) preform, wherein the first preform (2) is positioned inside the second preform (3) before blow moulding the preforms into the container, wherein each preform has a body forming portion having a wall thickness of less than about 8 millimetres, preferably less than about 6 mm. A container blow moulded from the preform assembly and a method and an apparatus for forming the preform assembly are also disclosed.

Claims

1. Preform assembly for blow moulding a container, comprising at least a first and a second preform, wherein the first preform is positioned inside the second preform before blow moulding the preforms into the container, wherein each preform has a body forming portion having a wall thickness of less than about 8 millimetres, preferably less than about 6 mm.

2. Preform assembly according to claim 1, wherein the wall thickness of the body forming portion of the first preform is smaller than the wall thickness of the body forming portion of the second preform.

3. Preform assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least the first preform has a neck portion connected to the body portion, wherein the neck portion has an inner diameter of more than 25 millimetres or an internal cross section of more than 490 mm², preferably an inner diameter of more than 48 mm or an internal cross section of more than 980 mm², more preferably more than 1960 mm².

4. Preform assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first preform has a neck portion fitted inside a neck portion of the second preform, wherein preferably at least part of the neck portion of the second preform has been crimped onto the neck portion of the first preform.

5. Preform assembly according to claim 1, wherein one of the first and second preforms, preferably only the first preform, comprises a scavenger for O₂, and/or wherein one of the first and second preforms comprises a colorant, wherein preferably one of the preforms comprises the scavenger and the other of the two preforms comprises a colorant.

6. Preform assembly according to claim 1, wherein a space is provided between the body forming portions of the first and second preform, which space preferably is or can be closed off to the environment.

7. Preform assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least the second preform, preferably the first and the second preform, is made of standard PET, preferably free of anti crystallisation additives.

16. Preform assembly according to claim 1, wherein one or more openings are provided in the neck portion, on an inner or outer side thereof.

8. Container blow moulded from a preform assembly comprising a first preform in a second preform, a first layer of the container formed from the first preform and a second layer, outside the first layer, formed from the second preform, wherein the plastics material of the first preform has been stretched further for forming the first layer than the plastics material of the second preform for forming the second layer.

9. Container according to claim 8, wherein the container has an inner volume of more than three litres, preferably more than 5 litres, more preferably more than 10 litres, especially between about 10 and 30 litres.

10. Container according to claim 8, wherein the container comprises a neck which comprises a neck portion of the first preform and a neck portion of the second preform, wherein the neck portion of the second preform is preferably within the neck portion of the neck portion of the first preform, wherein the neck portion of the second preform is preferably crimped onto the neck portion of the first preform and/or wherein a deformable inner container is provided within an inner space of the container, enclosed by the first layer.

11. Container according to claim 8, wherein the container has a body portion having an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion, wherein a space or gap is provided between the inner and the outer wall portion, closed off or closable to the environment, which gap is preferably filled with a fluid, such as gas, more preferably a compressed fluid.

12. Container according to claim 8, wherein a neck portion is provided having an inner cross section of more than about 25 millimetres, preferably more than about 40 millimetres.

17. Container according to claim 8, wherein one or more openings are provided in the neck portion, on an inner or outer side thereof.

13. Method for forming a preform assembly for blow moulding a container, wherein a first preform is injection moulded and a second preform is injection moulded, both with a wall thickness of less than about 8 mm, preferably less than about 6 mm, wherein the first preform is inserted into the second preform and/or the second preform is provided over the first preform.

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein:

the first and second preform are injection moulded in an injection apparatus and wherein the first preform is inserted into the second preform within said injection moulded apparatus;

or

the first and second preform are injection moulded in an injection apparatus and wherein the second preform is provided over the first preform within said injection moulded apparatus;

or

the first preform is injection moulded within the second preform;

or

the second preform is injection moulded over the first preform.

15. Apparatus for providing a preform assembly, comprising at least one first mould cavity for forming a first preform and at least one second mould cavity for forming a second preform, further comprising at least one transfer device for moving a first preform into a second preform and/or a second preform over a first preform, wherein preferably the apparatus comprises a cooling chamber for allowing the preforms to at least partially cool, preferably such that the second preform is at least partially crimped onto the second preform.