Graham Packaging Company, L.p.

Graham Packaging, L.p.

John W Tobias

Richard K Ogg

Greg Trude

Frank E Semersky

Crawford Lyons

Robert L Diller

Gregory J Luka

A container can have a body with an integrally formed base attached to the body. The base includes a concave annular wall extending from the container sidewall to a standing surface, and an inner wall extending from the standing surface to a substantially flat inner annular wall. The inner annular wall is recessed in the base and is substantially perpendicular to the container sidewall. The inner annular wall includes a centrally located dimple. The dimple includes a plurality of spaced apart and radially extending indented ribs. One or more of the ribs extend radially into a brace that tapers to meet the inner annular wall.

Method of processing a plastic container including a multi-functional base

Multi-functional base for a plastic, wide-mouth, blow-molded container

Method of hot-filling a plastic, wide-mouth, blow-molded container having a multi-functional base

A preform and method used to make a container which has a blown wide-mouth finish and a multilayer wall structure. The injection molded preform has a multi-layer container body forming portion, a mono-layer moil forming portion and a blown finish forming portion located between the container body forming portion and the moil forming portion. The preform is blown into an intermediate article consisting of a blown finish wide-mouth multi-layer container and a mono-layer moil portion which is severed from the intermediate article and recycled. The multilayer wall structure can include at least one layer of a gas barrier material, a cost-effective recycled material, or a material which strengthens and/or lightweights the container.

Preform and method for manufacturing a multi-layer blown finish container

A blow molded container having a multi-functional base which enables use of the container in both hot-fill operations and pasteurization/retort operations and enables efficient vertical stacking of like containers. To this end, a portion of the base is capable of flexing upwardly and/or downwardly in response to variations in pressures in a filled and sealed container. Structurally, the base has a discontinuous concave outer annular wall forming a discontinuous standing ring and an inner annular wall functioning as a flex panel. The inner annular wall connects outwardly to a plurality of radial webs extending at an elevation above the standing ring and connects inwardly to an anti-inverting, upwardly-projecting dome. Preferably, a shoulder extends radially inward on the inward facing side of the outer annular wall above a level of the standing ring to facilitate vertical stacking of containers having like bases.

A process for blow-molding and coating plastic containers under conditions of positive control in a close-coupled, compact machine to enhance operational efficiency. According to one of the preferred methods, the containers are coated promptly after the containers are discharged from hot molds to take advantage of the residual heat of the freshly blown containers to enhance curing/drying of the coating and to enhance bonding of the coating to the container surface. According to another one of the preferred methods, the containers are aseptically filled and capped either before or after the containers are coated. Alternatively, the process can include hot-filling and capping of containers in which the containers are coated promptly after being hot-filled to take advantage of the elevated temperature of the hot-filled containers.

Process for coating blow-molded plastic containers

A blow-molded plastic container and a separately formed injection-molded plastic handle adapted to be ultrasonically welded together. A pattern of energy directors is located on one of the confronting welding areas of the handle and the container sidewall. The handle has an elongate grip defining a grip centerline and the energy directors are located on both sides of the grip centerline adjacent opposite ends of the elongate grip.

Plastic container and non-integral handle

A hot-fillable, blow-molded plastic container having a reinforced dome which controls dome distortion otherwise caused by forces associated with hot-filling and shipping. In one embodiment, the reinforced dome resists distortion, and in a second embodiment, the reinforced dome enhances ovalization distortion. The container dome is bell-shaped with an inwardly extending waist and has a plurality of vertically extending grooves passing through the waist. Each groove is inwardly concave and extends from below the waist to adjacent the finish. Arcuate lands are formed between the grooves, and optionally, can have panels with a textured pattern which add to the aesthetic appearance of the container and which provide further stiffening of the dome. When two grooves are utilized, ovalization distortion is enhanced, and when three or more grooves are utilized, distortion is prevented.

Hot-fillable, blow-molded plastic container having a reinforced dome

A method for attaching a service device, such as a plastic handle, to a flexible container sidewall, and a container prepared by the method. The inside of the container is supported rigidly to effect a strong bond between the container and the handle.

Container having an attached separate handle

A reinforced finish is on a blow-molded container. An insert is permanently attached on the finish of a preform from which the container is blown, or directly on the finish of the blow-molded container. The insert is ring-shaped, forms a portion of the top surface of the finish, is made from a rigid plastic material, and is positioned entirely above the threads.

Preform and hot-fill blow-molded container having reinforced finish

Method for attachment of a service device to a container

A hot-fillable, blow-molded container has a grip panel structure which resists inverting when the container is filled with a hot liquid and after the container has been capped. The container and grip panel structure retain their aesthetic appearance and their structural integrity through use by the consumer.

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Spartanburg, SC, United States of America

John W Tobias