Method of manufacturing a blow-molded container with an integral handle

Claim 2

Method for forming a plastic container from an expanded preform, comprising: forming a preform with an integral handle having a ring and projection, wherein said ring is formed intermediate the ends of the preform and is integral with and extends substantially about a region of the preform that remains substantially constant in size during expansion, and wherein said projection is formed to extend from the ring for gripping, lifting and pouring and for distributing the stresses resulting therefrom about said ring, placing the preform in means for expansion and holding said ring by such means to properly locate and restrict the movement of the preform therewithin, and expanding the preform below said ring to form the plastic container.

Claim 3

Method of claim 1 in which the said expansion is carried out within the range of 100° F. above the glass-rubber transition temperature of the said plastic.

Claim 4

Method of claim 1 in which the said handle projection as contained in the said container includes a lower extremity which is at a position on a second plane normal to the said preform with the said second plane defining a region of the said preform which is blown.

Claim 5

Method of claim 3 in which at least a part of the said expansion is carried out within a temperature range of 50° F. above the glass-rubber transition temperature of the said plastic such as to result in biaxial orientation of the said plastic.

Claim 6

Method of claim 3 in which the said lower extremity is maintained spaced from the final blown container.

Claim 7

Method of claim 3 in which the said lower extremity is brought into intimate contact with the said final blown container.

Claim 8

Method of claim 6 in which the said intimate contact is maintained by attachment means including mechanical means.

Claim 9

Method of claim 7 in which the said mechanical means includes a constraining member at least partially peripherally embracing the said blown container.

Claim 10

Method of claim 8 in which the said constraining member is a label.

Claim 11

Method of claim 6 in which intimate contact is maintained at least in part by relative distortion of the blown plastic to produce a mating interface between the said container and the said lower extremity.

Claim 12

Method of claim 10 in which the said mating interface includes a container wall section which substantially conforms with a lower handle extremity configuration having a dimension of varying thickness in a direction away from the said container wall.

Claim 13

Method of claim 11 in which the said varying thickness decreases.

Claim 14

Method of claim 11 in which the said varying thickness is an increase in aperture of said lower extremity.

Claim 15

Method of claim 10 in which the lower extremity serves as a restraining surface during blowing.

Claim 16

Method of claim 10 in which the lower extremity is vibrated during the blow-forming operation.

Claim 17

Method of claim 6 in which the said lower extremity is bonded to an expanded portion of the said container.

Claim 18

Method of claim 6 in which bonding is brought about by welding.

Claim 19

Method of claim 17 in which the said welding results from frictional heating.

Claim 20

Method of claim 18 in which said frictional heating results from spin welding means.

Claim 21

A method of claim 18 in which frictional heating results from relative movement of the said lower extremity and the said blown container wall with said relative movement having a nonrotary vibration component.

Claim 22

Method of claim 20 in which said vibration is ultrasonic.

Claim 23

Method of claim 17 in which said welding is produced by an ac field of energy for which the said plastic in the position of the weld has a substantial absorption cross-section.

Claim 24

Method of claim 22 in which the field is a magnetic field.

Claim 25

Method of claim 22 in which the field is an electric field.

Claim 26

Method of claim 24 in which the said electric field is a uhf field.

Claim 27

Method of claim 17 in which welding results by use of electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 28

Method of claim 26 in which said radiation is of such wavelength that the absorption cross-section of the said plastic is inherently sufficient to produce welding.

Claim 29

Method of claim 26 in which absorption for the said electromagnetic energy is increased by inclusion of particulate matter within the said plastic.

Claim 30

Method of claim 16 in which bonding is effected by polymeric cross-linking.

Claim 31

Method of claim 29 in which said cross-linking is irradiation cross-linking.

Claim 32

Method of claim 30 in which said irradiation cross-linking is effected through bonding of the said plastic via a polyfunctional cross-linking agent.

Claim 33

Method of claim 31 in which the said polyfunctional cross-linking agent is a difunctional cross-linking agent.

Claim 34

Method of claim 16 in which bonding is at least partially due to an adhesive.

Claim 35

Method for forming a plastic container from an expanded preform, comprising: forming a preform with an integral handle having a ring and projection, wherein said ring is formed intermediate the ends of the preform and is integral with and extends substantially about a region of the preform that remains substantially constant in size during expansion, and wherein said projection is formed with upper and lower extremities in which said upper extremity extends from the ring for gripping, lifting and pouring and for distributing the stresses resulting therefrom about said ring, and said lower extremity is formed to provide the container with a generally L-shaped handle with the lower extremity in intimate contact with the final blown container, placing the preform in means for expansion and holding said ring by such means to properly locate and restrict the movement of the preform therewithin, and expanding the preform below said ring to form the plastic container with the lower extremity of the handle in intimate contact with the blown container, and bonding a button to the blown container and the lower extremity where they are in intimate contact to secure the lower extremity to the container.

Claim 36

Method for forming a plastic container from an expanded preform, comprising: forming a preform with an integral handle having a ring and projection, wherein said ring is formed intermediate the ends of the preform and is integral with and extends substantially about a region of the preform that remains substantially constant in size during expansion, and wherein said projection is formed with upper and lower extremities in which said upper extremity extends from the ring for gripping, lifting and pouring and for distributing the stresses resulting therefrom about said ring, and said lower extremity is formed to provide the container with a generally L-shaped handle with the lower extremity in intimate contact with the final blown container, placing the preform in means for expansion and holding said ring by such means to properly locate and restrict the movement of the preform therewithin, and expanding the preform below said ring to form the plastic container with the lower extremity of the handle in intimate contact with the blown container, and bonding a button to the blown container and the lower extremity where they are in intimate contact to secure the lower extremity to the container.