AN INJECTION-MOULDED PREFORM FOR USE IN MAKING A CONTAINER, AND A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING A CONTAINER WITH A HANDLE

摘要

A wide-mouth container (1) has a body and a rim (3) defining an opening for the container, and is made of a material such as PET or PEN. The first step in its manufacture comprises injection moulding a preform (15) which has a rim (3) formed at its mouth and a continuous body-forming portion (120) extending across the preform from the inner periphery (21 ) of the rim. An injection-moulded handle (90) is then attached to the preform, with the handle having two opposed ends received respectively at different locations around the rim and being pivotable on the rim. The preform can then be stored or transported in this condition. In the final step, the preform after heating is placed in a moulding cavity (61 ) of a blow moulding apparatus (60) with the preform being located by means of the rim (3). The mould includes a recess (115) around the rim to accommodate the handle (90) attached to the rim (3) during the operation of the blow moulding apparatus. The body-forming portion (120) expands in the cavity to form the side walls (20) and bottom wall (2) of the container. The side wall (20) of the container contacts a skirt (26) forming the outer part of the rim (3), thus forming a box section which serves to retain the handle. The skirt (26) and the interior surface of the ends of the handle (90) adjacent thereto have cooperating detent arrangements which tend to latch the handle on the container in one or more predetermined pivotal positions to assist pouring. The ends of the handle can be received in the rim other than at diametrically-opposed locations, for example at locations which are spaced around the rim by 90 to 175 degrees.