Method for forming thin-walled plastic container

Abstract

Abstract METHOD IS PROVIDED FOR FORMING A NESTABLE PREFORM OR BLANK OF POLYSTYRENE, POLYETHYLENE, POLYPROPYLENE, POLYVINYL CHLORIDE OR THE LIKE INTO A BLOW MOLDED THINWALLED CONTAINER HAVING ONE OF A VARIETY OF SHAPES AND WHICH, GENERALLY, IS NOT NESTABLE. METHOD IS UTILIZED SO THAT THE NESTABLE PREFORM CAN BE SUPPLIED TO THE END USER, NAMELY, THE PACKER, FROM THE MANUFACTURER IN A PACKAGE CONTAINING SEVERAL HUNDRED PREFORMS IN STACKED, NESTED RELATIONSHIP. SUCH PREFORMS ARE DENESTED AND PLACED INDIVIDUALLY IN A MOLD HAVING A CAVITY CONTOURED TO THE DESIRED CONFIGURATION OF THE FINISHED ARTICLE. UPON HEATING TO THE DESIRED TEMPERATURE. THE PREFORM IS EXPANDED WITHIN THE MOLD INTO CONFORMITY WITH THE MOLDING CAVITY. IN A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT. THE PREFORM IS HEATED WHILE IT IS RETAINED ON A MANDREL BY VACUM APAPPLIED TO THE MANDREL. THEREBY RETAINING ALL PORTIONS OF THE PREFORM SNUGLY AGAINST THE MANDREL DURING THE HEATING STEP. AFTER BEING ENCLOSED WITHIN A BLOW MOLD, THE PREFORM IS EXPANDED BY BLOW AIR INTRODUCED THROUGH THE MANDREL. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT SUCH RETENTION, HEATING AND BLOWING PRCEDURES MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO APPLY PRINTING OR OTHER DECORATING INDICIA TO THE PREFORM, AND THE PREPRINTED FINAL CONTAINER WILL BE COMMERCIALLY SATISFACTORY UPON COMPLETION OF THE BLOWING STEP. THUS, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE PACKER EITHER (1) TO UTILIZE AND A CONTAINER TO PRINTED, NESTABLE PREFORM WHICH HE PURCHASES FROM THE PREFORM MANUFACTURER OR (2) TO CONVERT TO PURCHASED, PRINTED, NESTABLE PREFORM INTO A DIFFERENTLY SHAPED, SIMILARLY PRINTED, NORMALLY NON-NESTABLE CONTAINER

Inventors

• 👤 R Ludder
• 👤 S Amberg
• 👤 R Amberg

Bibliographic Details