Layered PET Container Preform for Additive-Free Scrap Reuse

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing plastic blow-molded containers face issues with scrap material containing additives that cause reprocessing complications and cost inefficiencies due to the presence of oxygen scavengers, colorants, and other additives, leading to clarity and activation problems when reintroduced into the PET stream.

Innovation Solution

A two-phase injection system is employed to form containers with specific layer configurations, where the inner and outer layers consist of virgin PET and additives are limited to a discrete intermediate layer, ensuring the scrap material is free of additives, thereby allowing for cost-effective reuse and minimizing processing issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If additives are distributed uniformly throughout the preform, then oxygen barrier performance is improved, but scrap material reprocessing becomes complicated and costly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoxygen barrier performanceVSAvoidscrap material reprocessing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The preform is segmented into multiple injection phases where additives are confined to specific regions (intermediate layer) rather than distributed uniformly. This segmentation allows the scrap material from trimmed portions to be free of additives while the functional layers retain oxygen barrier properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the preform are assigned different material compositions: the intermediate layer contains oxygen scavengers and colorants for barrier performance, while the inner and outer layers use virgin PET without additives. This local quality differentiation enables selective reprocessing of additive-free scrap.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If a two-phase injection system is used to create layered structure, then scrap material can be reused without additives, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescrap material reuseVSAvoidinjection molding system

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The injection molding system employs dynamic control of injection phases, where the first phase injects virgin PET and the second phase injects material with additives. This dynamic, time-sequence injection approach creates the layered structure with additive confinement, enabling scrap reuse while managing device complexity through process control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If additives are present in the entire preform, then oxygen scavenging is effective, but clarity and activation problems occur during reprocessing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoxygen scavenging effectivenessVSAvoidclarity and activation consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Additives are extracted from the bulk virgin PET material and confined specifically to the intermediate layer. This extraction ensures that oxygen scavenging functionality is maintained in the functional layer while the inner and outer layers remain clear and free of reprocessing issues associated with additive contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively prevents additives from being present in the scrap material, reducing reprocessing complications and maintaining the quality of the PET stream while enhancing oxygen barrier performance and shelf life of packaged products.

Implementation Method 1

injection molding a preform using a two phase injection system having a first phase in which a material is injected into the preform and a second phase in which the material is injected into the preform

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInjection molding:

Implementation Method 2

The preform is blow molded into an intermediate article

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBlow molding:

Data Source

PatentUS12472674B1Container and method of manufacture

Publication Date: 2025.11.18 RING CONTAINER TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

A method includes injection molding a preform using a two phase injection system having a first phase in which a material is injected into the preform and a second phase in which the material is injected into the preform. The preform is disposed in a mold. The preform is blow molded into an intermediate article. The intermediate article is trimmed to form a finished container. The first phase includes injecting a material into the preform to form a single layer of the preform and the second phase includes injecting the material to form inner and outer layers and an intermediate layer between the inner and outer layers. The inner and outer layers include the material and the intermediate layer includes at least one additive. Finished containers are disclosed.