Thin-walled plastic container for pressurization
View Patent ↗This invention proposes a light-weight, thin-walled plastic container, in particular made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), intended for post-filling pressurization so as to increase the rigidity of said container, and a process for manufacturing such container.
1. A filled and sealed thin-walled plastic container, wherein the container comprises:
a closure sealing the container;
a neck finish; and,
a body portion having a material weight to wall surface ratio on the order of 150 g/m 2 to 250 g/m 2 ;
wherein the container contains a liquid and has a positive internal pressure that initially reconfigures the plastic material of the body portion, and the body portion having a structure further configured from being externally heated, after filling and sealing the container, to a temperature to release residual stresses associated with the cooling of the liquid; and wherein, with the release of residual stresses associated with the liquid, the body portion is heated without raising the temperature of the liquid.
2. A filled and sealed thin-walled plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the container comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
3. A filled and sealed thin-walled plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the container is bi-oriented.
4. A filled and sealed thin-walled plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid is non-carbonated.
5. A filled and sealed thin-walled plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the container generally has an internal pressure of 1 bar or less.
6. A filled a sealed thin-walled plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the container body portion has a material weight to wall surface ratio on the order of 150 g/m2 to 200 g/m2.
7. A filled and sealed thin-walled plastic container, wherein the container comprises:
a closure sealing the container;
a neck finish; and,
a body portion having a material weight to wall surface ratio on the order of 150 g/m2 to 250 g/m2;
wherein the container is bi-oriented, comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET), contains non-carbonated liquid, has a positive internal pressure of 1 bar or less, and the body portion having a structure configured from being externally heated, after filling and sealing the container, to a temperature to release residual stresses associated with the cooling of the liquid.
8. A filled and sealed thin-walled plastic container according to claim 7 , wherein, with the release of residual stresses associated with the liquid, the body portion is heated without raising the temperature of the liquid.
9. A filled and sealed thin-walled plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein, the release of residual stresses provides a reduction in internal volume of the container.
10. A filled and sealed thin-walled plastic container according to claim 7 , wherein the filling and sealing of the container, prior to the body portion being heated to a temperature to release residual stresses associated with the cooling of the liquid, reconfigures the plastic material of the container and generates an internal pressure.