Lightweight plastic container and preform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9738409-B2
Application number	US-201715404731-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2017
Priority date	Mar 6, 2006
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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 support flange having an upper and lower surface; threads; a tamper-evident formation; and a dispensing opening at a top of the neck portion, the dispensing opening having a top; and
(ii) a closure configured to receive the threads;
wherein a weight of the neck portion is 3.0 grams or less; and a 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 0.58 inches or less.

2. The container assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening to the lower surface of the support flange is 0.50 inches or less.

3. The container assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening to the lower surface of the support flange is 0.45 inches or less.

4. 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.

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

6. The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tamper-evident formation is discontinuous.

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

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

9. 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.

10. The container assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the container is comprised of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

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

12. 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.

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

14. The container assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the tamper-evident formation is vertically spaced from the threads.

15. 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 support flange having an upper and lower surface and threads; a tamper-evident formation having a lower surface; and a dispensing opening at a top of the neck portion, the dispensing opening having a top; and
(ii) a closure configured to receive the threads;
wherein a volume of the container is at least 500 ml, and a 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.

16. The container assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening to the lower surface of the support flange is 0.50 inches or less.

17. The container assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening to the lower surface of the support flange is 0.45 inches or less.

18. The container assembly according to claim 15 , wherein an outside diameter of the support flange is greater than 22 mm and less than or equal to 39.2 mm.

19. The container assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the tamper-evident formation comprises a bead.

20. The container assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the tamper-evident formation is discontinuous.

21. The container assembly according to claim 15 , wherein a radially extending length of the support flange is 0.20 inches or less.

22. The container assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the weight of the neck portion is 2.3 grams or less.

23. The container assembly according to claim 15 , wherein a ratio of a height of a center of gravity of the container to container height is less than 0.57.

24. The container assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the container is comprised of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

25. The container assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the threads comprise multiple-lead threads.

26. The container assembly according to claim 15 , wherein a combined weight of the neck portion, the sidewall portion, and the base portion is 11 grams or less.

27. The container assembly according to claim 15 , wherein an inner diameter of the dispensing opening is at least 22 mm.

28. The container assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the tamper-evident formation is vertically spaced from the threads.

29. 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 support flange having an upper and lower surface and threads; a tamper-evident formation having a lower surface; and a dispensing opening at a top of the neck portion, the dispensing opening having a top; and
(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; an outside diameter of the support flange is greater than 22 mm and less than or equal to 39.2 mm; and a volume of the container is at least 500 ml.

30. 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; and
(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; and a vertical distance between a furthest outwardly radially-extending portion of the lower surface of the tamper-evident formation to the lower surface of the suppo

Assignees

• Plastipak Packaging Inc

Inventors

• Darr Richard C
• Morgan Edward V

Classifications

• B29C2949/0715

  the preform having one end closed · CPC title

• B29C49/08

  Biaxial stretching during blow-moulding · CPC title

• B65D1/44

  Corrugations · CPC title

• B65D1/0246 Primary

  Closure retaining means, e.g. beads, screw-threads · CPC title

• B65D1/0284

  having a discontinuous contact surface, e.g. discrete feet · CPC title