Preform, a container, and a method for fabrication of a preform

Abstract

A method for fabricating a preform by providing a plurality of preform segments which each define a portion of a preform, positioning said preform segments in continuous contact with each other along at least one edge of said preform segments such that said plurality of preform segments define a cavity, and bonding each of said preform segments to at least one other preform segment such that said plurality of preform segments forms a continuous whole.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM[0001]This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 14 / 414,756 filed Jan. 14, 2015, which is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT / EP13 / 065729 filed Jul. 25, 2013, which claims priority to European Application No. 12179128.9 filed Aug. 3, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]This invention relates to a method for the fabrication of preforms notably for use in the fabrication of containers. In a general way, it concerns the fabrication of containers, and for instance beverage containers, from preforms. This invention further relates to a preform so produced by this method and a container which is fabricated therefrom.[0003]A well-known and commonly-employed technique in the art of fabricating containers is the method of blow-molding, wherein a mass of material is expanded to match the contours of a mold disposed about said mass. This is achieved by the injection of a working fluid, usuall...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This invention relates to a method for making preforms that can be used to create containers. The method is advantageous because it allows for the optimization of each region of the preform based on the shape of the container it will become. This results in a more efficient use of material, reducing the cost and weight of the final container. The preform is designed in such a way that it is perfectly suited for the shape of the container, making it more cost-effective and suitable for various applications.

Problems solved by technology

The method of fabricating preforms known in the prior art is disadvantageous in several aspects.

First, the prior art process for fabricating preforms is disadvantageous in that it requires the preform to be of a minimum thickness, generally about 2 millimeters.

Injection molding components which have dimensions thinner than this induces undesirable stresses in the preform material and molding apparatus, and requires a higher injection pressure and greater injection time to complete the injection-molding process compared to components which respect this minimum.

This increased process time will render the use of injection molding economically infeasible for mass production of preforms in configurations which may be otherwise ideal.

In addition, the molten plastic may solidify prematurely if it is injected into a mold cavity feature thinner than this minimum thickness, preventing the entire mold cavity from being filled.

This method of fabricating preforms is therefore disadvantageous in that it does not permit the economical mass-production of preforms with walls which are not at least 2 millimeters thick.

Thus, in many cases preforms must be fabricated with more material than is strictly necessary to form the beverage container into which they will eventually be expanded, wasting material and increasing costs.

Second, the prior art process is disadvantageous in that the segment of the preform mold which defines the inside of the preform reduces the number of possible shapes that the preform may have.

If not, it will be impossible to extract said mold segment from the preform.

Thus, preforms which have a cross-section with an interior diameter greater than that of the open end may not be produced by the injection molding process.

This limits the possible geometries of the preforms, constraining their utility and, by extension, the flexibility and utility of the containers ultimately fabricated from those preforms.

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