Lightweight plastic container and preform

• US 10,023,345 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2017
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Plastipak Packaging Incorporated (Plastipak Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Plastipak Packaging Incorporated (Plastipak Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Darr, Richard C., Morgan, Edward V.
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMAS, KAREEN KAY
• Application Number:
  US15/495,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20170225820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 215 40, 215 42, 215 44, 215252, 220640, 220643, 220645, 220656, 220657, 220659
• 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 2049/4664 staying in the final article
• 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 2949/0732 at flange portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0733 at body portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/074 having ribs or protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0773 Threads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0774 Interrupted threads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0777 Tamper-evident band retaining ring
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0812 of the lip, i.e. the very top of the preform neck
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0816 of the flange
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0821 of the lip, i.e. the very top of the preform neck
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0822 of the neck
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0825 of the flange
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0829 Height, length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0831 : of the neck
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0832 : of the threads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0833 : of the tamper-evident band retaining ring
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0834 : of the flange
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0872 : Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/141 : extruding in a clean room
• 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 49/08 : Biaxial stretching during blow-moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/087 : Means for providing controlled or limited stretch ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42808 : Filling the article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/46 : characterised by using particular environment or blow fluids other than air
• 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 2105/258 : Tubular
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/26 : Scrap or recycled material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7158 : Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/0207 : characterised by material, e.g. composition, physical features
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/023 : Neck construction
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/0246 : Closure retaining means, e.g. beads, screw-threads
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/0284 : having a discontinuous contact surface, e.g. discrete feet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/40 : Details of walls other container details B65D23/00, B65D25/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/44 : Corrugations
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/46 : Local reinforcements, e.g. adjacent closures
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/0235 : with integral tamper element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 : Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1397 : Single layer [continuous layer]

Abstract

A plastic container is provided that includes a lower supporting base portion; a sidewall portion extending upwardly from the base portion; a neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall portion; and a closure. The neck portion includes a support flange having an upper and lower surface, threads, a tamper-evident formation, and a dispensing opening at the top of the neck portion. In an embodiment, the weight of the neck portion is 3.0 grams or less; and the vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening to the lower surface of the support flange, including the threads and the tamper-evident formation, is 0.580 inches or less. A preform and method for making a container are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A container assembly comprising:

(i) a plastic blow molded container comprising;

a lower supporting base portion;

a sidewall portion extending upwardly from the base portion; and

a neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall portion, the neck portion including a dispensing opening positioned at a top of the neck portion, threads positioned below the dispensing opening, a tamper-evident formation positioned below the threads, and a support flange positioned below the tamper-evident formation, the support flange having an upper surface and a lower surface;

(ii) a closure configured to receive the threads;

wherein the container is formed of a material comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET);

a weight of the neck portion is 3.0 grams or less;

a vertical distance from the lower surface of the support flange to a top of the dispensing opening, including the threads and the tamper-evident formation, is 0.450 inches or less;

a vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening to the upper surface of the support flange is 0.40 inches or less;

a vertical distance from a furthest radially-extending portion of a lower surface of the tamper-evident formation to the upper surface of the support flange is 0.10 inches or less;

a vertical distance between the furthest outwardly radially-extending portion of the lower surface of the tamper-evident formation to the lower surface of the support flange at the same outward radial distance is 0.15 inches or less; and

the tamper-evident formation is vertically spaced from the threads.

2. The container assembly according to claim 1, wherein an outside diameter of the support flange is greater than 22 mm and less than or equal to 39.2 mm.

3. The container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the tamper-evident formation comprises a bead.

4. The container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the tamper-evident formation is discontinuous.

5. The container assembly according to claim 1, wherein a radially extending length of the support flange is 0.20 inches or less.

6. The container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the weight of the neck portion is 2.3 grams or less.

7. The container assembly according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a height of a center of gravity of the container to container height is less than 0.57.

8. The container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the threads comprise multiple-lead threads.

9. The container assembly according to claim 1, wherein a combined weight of the neck portion, the sidewall portion, and the base portion is 11 grams or less.

10. The container assembly according to claim 1, wherein an inner diameter of the dispensing opening is at least 22 mm.

11. The container assembly according to claim 1, wherein a volume of the container is at least 500 ml.

12. The container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the container is transparent.

13. The container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vertical distance from the lower surface of the tamper-evident formation to the top of the dispensing opening is 0.30 inches or less.

14. The container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the container is formed of a material that is bi-axially oriented.

15. The container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the container is formed of a material comprising recycled material.

16. The container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the container is filled with a beverage.

17. A container assembly comprising:

(i) a plastic blow molded container comprising;

a base portion;

a sidewall portion; and

a neck portion;

the neck portion including threads, a tamper-evident formation, and a support flange;

(ii) a closure configured to receive the threads;

wherein the container is formed of a material comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET);

a vertical distance from a lower surface of the support flange to a top of the neck portion is 0.450 inches or less;

a weight of the neck portion is 2.3 grams or less; and

an outside diameter of the support flange is greater than 22 mm and less than or equal to 39.2 mm.

18. The container assembly according to claim 17, wherein a volume of the container is at least 500 ml.

19. The container assembly according to claim 17, wherein the tamper-evident formation comprises a bead.

20. The container assembly according to claim 17, wherein the tamper-evident formation is discontinuous.

21. The container assembly according to claim 17, wherein a radially extending length of the support flange is 0.20 inches or less.

22. The container assembly according to claim 17, wherein the container is filled with a beverage.

23. The container assembly according to claim 17, wherein the threads comprise multiple-lead threads.

24. The container assembly according to claim 17, wherein a combined weight of the neck portion, the sidewall portion, and the base portion is 11 grams or less.

25. The container assembly according to claim 17, wherein an inner diameter of the neck portion is at least 22 mm.

26. The container assembly according to claim 17, wherein the container is transparent.

27. The container assembly according to claim 17, wherein the container is formed of a material comprising recycled material.

28. A container assembly comprising:

(i) a plastic blow molded container comprising;

a base portion;

a sidewall portion; and

a neck portion;

the neck portion including threads, a tamper-evident formation, and a support flange;

(ii) a closure configured to receive the threads;

wherein the container is formed of a material comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET);

a vertical distance from a lower surface of the support flange to a top of the neck portion is 0.580 inches or less;

an outside diameter of the support flange is greater than 22 mm and less than or equal to 39.2 mm;

a volume of the container is at least 500 ml; and

the container is filled with a beverage.