Inventors:
Wayne N. Collette - Merrimack NH
Suppayan M. Krishnakumar - Nashua NH
Chih C. Lin - Nashua NH
Assignee:
Continental PET Technologies, Inc. - Florence KY
International Classification:
B29C 4918
B29C 4912
B29C 4964
Abstract:
A plastic container, particularly suited for returnable and refillable PET carbonated beverage bottles, having an enhanced level of crystallinity in the sidewall but maintaining a very low level of crystallinity in the base. The container can withstand higher caustic wash temperatures and exhibits reduced flavor carryover from one product to another. The container is formed from a preform, wherein a sidewall-forming section of the preform is initially expanded and then heated to contract and crystallize the same before being reexpanded, and a base-forming portion of the preform is shielded from the heat treatment and expanded either before or after the heat treatment.