Layered preform

• US 5,508,076 A
• Filed: 02/10/1994
• Issued: 04/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fortress Credit Corp. (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Electra Form, Inc.
• Inventors: Bright, Stephen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Ellis P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DYE, RENA
• Application Number:
  US08/194,427
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 428/36.91, 428/36.9, 428/542.8, 428/36.92, 428/903.3, 428/213, 428/36.7, 428/36.6, 215/1 C, 215/12.2, 215/396, 215/398
• US Class Current: 428/36.6
• 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 2949/0724 at body portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/073 having variable diameter
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0733 at body portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0773 Threads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0791 Handle
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/08 Preforms made of several individual parts, e.g. by welding or gluing parts together
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/22 at neck portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/24 at flange portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/26 at body portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/28 at bottom portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/3016 at body portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/3018 partially
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/302 at bottom portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/3024 characterised by the number of components or by the manufacturing technique
• 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 2949/3041 having components being extruded
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/309 : by welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/006 : Joining parts moulded in separate cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/04 : Extrusion blow-moulding
• 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 49/12 : Stretching rods
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/00 : Joining or sealing of preformed parts , e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor general aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts B29C66/00; using porous material formed by internal pressure generated therein for joining preformed parts B29C44/1228, B29C44/326
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/131 : Single flanged joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being rigid and flanged in the joint area
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/543 : joining more than two hollow-preforms to form said hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/545 : one hollow-preform being placed inside the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72341 : for gases
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/253 : Preform
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0069 : non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/00 : Layered products
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/463 : Grips, handles handgrips as part of the body finishing of the vehicles B29L2031/3029
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1379 : Contains vapor or gas barrier, polymer derived from vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride, or polymer containing a vinyl alcohol unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1383 : Vapor or gas barrier, polymer derived from vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride, or polymer containing a vinyl alcohol unit is sandwiched between layers [continuous layer]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1393 : Multilayer [continuous layer]

Abstract

A preform for use in the production of a container in a blow-molding operation includes an inner parison molded in a first mold to include a finish portion including a mouth-defining opening, a threaded outer surface adapted to engage a container closure, and a lower margin including a support ring, a closed bottom portion including a gate vestige, and a barrel portion extending between the finish portion lower margin and the bottom portion, and an outer parison molded in a second mold and consisting essentially of a barrel portion having a length similar to the inner parison barrel portion and a bottom portion including an opening for receiving the inner parison gate vestige, the outer parison having an inner surface conformably matching the inner parison outer surface. The outer parison is mechanically telescopically assembled over the inner parison outside the first and second molds to form a layered preform, the preform optionally including an intermediate layer. The layered preform can also include a handle including a ring portion having an inner diameter similar to the inner parison barrel portion outer diameter, and a gripping portion projecting outward from the ring portion, the handle ring portion being positioned between the outer parison barrel portion and the inner parison finish portion.

Claims

1. A layered polymeric resin preform for use in the production of a plastic container in a blow-molding operation, the preform comprising:

an inner parison molded in a first mold to include a finish portion having a lower margin, a closed bottom portion, and a barrel portion having an outer surface extending between the finish portion lower margin and the bottom portion, the inner parison closed bottom portion including a gate vestige,

an outer parison molded in a second mold and consisting essentially of a barrel portion including an inner surface having a length about equal to the inner parison barrel portion outer surface and a bottom portion including an opening,

the outer parison being mechanically assembled over the inner parison outside the first and second molds so that the outer parison inner surface fully contacts the inner parison outer surface, and retaining means for retaining the parisons in fixed position relative to each other to form a layered preform, the opening in the outer parison bottom portion being sized to receive the gate vestige of the inner parison, whereby the parisons are held in fixed position relative to each other in subsequent heating and blow molding of the container, and

a handle including a ring portion having an inner diameter about equal to the inner parison barrel portion outer diameter, and a gripping portion projecting outward from the ring portion, the ring portion being positioned between the outer parison barrel portion and the inner parison finish portion.

2. A layered polymeric resin preform according to claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises a thermally welded portion of the gate vestige to the margin of the outer parison bottom opening.

3. A layered polymeric resin preform according to claim 1 wherein the inner parison consists essentially of virgin polymeric material and the outer parison consists essentially of recycled polymeric material.

4. A layered polymeric resin preform according to claim 1 wherein the outer parison comprises at least two layers of resin material.

5. A layered polymeric resin preform for use in the production of a plastic container in a blow-molding operation, the preform comprising:

an inner parison molded in a first mold to include a finish portion having a lower margin, a closed bottom portion, and a barrel portion having an outer surface extending between the finish portion lower margin and the bottom portion, the inner parison closed bottom portion including a gate vestige,

an outer parison molded in a second mold and consisting essentially of a barrel portion including an inner surface having a length about equal to the inner parison barrel portion outer surface and a bottom portion including an opening,

at least one additional layer of material sandwiched between the inner parison and the outer parison,

the outer parison being mechanically assembled over the inner parison outside the first and second molds so that the additional layer of material fully contacts the outer parison inner surface and the inner parison outer surface, and retaining means for retaining the parisons in fixed position relative to each other to form a layered preform, the opening in the outer parison bottom portion being sized to receive the gate vestige of the inner parison, whereby the parisons are held in fixed position relative to each other in subsequent heating and blow molding of the container, and

a handle including a ring portion having an inner diameter about equal to the inner parison barrel portion outer diameter, and a gripping portion projecting outward from the ring portion, the ring portion being positioned between the outer parison barrel portion and the inner parison finish portion.

6. A layered polymeric resin preform according to claim 5 wherein said at least one additional layer of material is a gas barrier layer consisting essentially of a resin material having a gas permeability less than the gas permeability of either resin forming the inner and outer parisons.

7. A layered polymeric resin preform for use in the production of a plastic container in a blow-molding operation, the preform comprising:

an inner parison molded in a first mold to include a finish portion having a lower margin, a closed bottom portion including a gate vestige, and a barrel portion including an outer surface extending between the finish portion lower margin and the bottom portion,

an outer parison molded in a second mold and consisting essentially of a barrel portion including an inner surface having a length about the same as the inner parison barrel portion outer surface and a bottom portion including an opening sized to receive the gate vestige of the inner parison,

the outer parison being mechanically assembled over the inner parison outside the first and second molds so that the outer parison inner surface conforms to the inner parison outer surface, a portion of the gate vestige being received in and welded to the margin of the outer parison bottom opening for retaining the parisons in fixed position relative to each other to form a layered polymeric resin preform, and

a handle including a ring portion having an inner diameter about equal to the inner parison barrel portion outer diameter, and a gripping portion projecting outward from the ring portion, the ring portion being positioned between the outer parison barrel portion and the inner parison finish portion.

8. A layered polymeric resin preform according to claim 7 further comprising at least one additional layer of material, sandwiched between the inner parison and the outer parison, consisting essentially of a resin material having a gas permeability less than the gas permeability of either resin forming the inner and outer parisons.

9. A layered polymeric resin preform according to claim 7 wherein the inner parison consists essentially of virgin polymeric material and the outer parison consists essentially of recycled polymeric material.

10. A layered polymeric resin preform according to claim 7 wherein the outer parison comprises at least two layers of resin material.

11. A layered polymeric resin preform for use in the production of a plastic container in a blow-molding operation, the preform comprising:

an inner parison molded in a first mold to include a finish portion having a lower margin, a closed bottom portion including a gate vestige, and a barrel portion including an outer surface extending between the finish portion lower margin and the bottom portion,

a handle including a ring portion having an inner diameter equal to the inner parison barrel portion outer diameter, and a gripping portion projecting outward from the ring portion, the ring portion being positioned coaxially over the inner parison barrel portion and contiguous to a lower margin of the inner parison finish portion, and

an outer parison molded in a second mold and consisting essentially of a barrel portion having an inner surface including an upper margin, the outer parison barrel portion having a length less than the inner parison barrel portion and a bottom portion including an opening sized to receive the gate vestige of the inner parison,

the outer parison being mechanically assembled over the inner parison outside the first and second molds so that the upper margin of the outer parison barrel portion is contiguous to a lower margin of the handle ring portion and the outer parison inner surface conforms to the inner parison outer surface, a portion of the gate vestige being received in and welded to the margin of the outer parison bottom opening for retaining the parisons in fixed position relative to each other to form a layered polymeric resin preform.