Plastic container and method of integrally securing a neck attachment thereto

Abstract

A method of making a container by providing a container having a neck, providing a container attachment having a circumferentially continuous ring, telescoping the ring over the neck, and radially expanding at least a portion of the neck to secure the attachment to the neck.

1 . A method of making a container that includes the steps of: 
 (a) providing a container having a neck,    (b) providing a container attachment having a circumferentially continuous ring,    (c) telescoping said ring over said neck, and    (d) radially expanding at least a portion of said neck to secure said attachment to said neck.    
     
     
         2 . The method set forth in  claim 1  wherein said attachment has at least one external thread segment.  
     
     
         3 . The method set forth in  claim 1  wherein said attachment includes a handle coupled to said ring.  
     
     
         4 . The method set forth in  claim 1  wherein said step (a) includes providing at least one external engagement element on said neck to engage said ring upon expansion of said neck in said step (d).  
     
     
         5 . The method set forth in  claim 4  wherein said step of providing at least one external engagement element includes providing spaced beads on said neck for engaging said ring.  
     
     
         6 . The method set forth in  claim 1  wherein at least one of steps (a) and (b) includes providing at least one anti-rotational feature on at least one of said neck and said ring.  
     
     
         7 . The method set forth in  claim 6  wherein said providing step includes providing knurling on at least one of said neck and said ring.  
     
     
         8 . The method set forth in  claim 6  wherein said providing step includes providing at least one lug on one of said neck and said ring and at least one corresponding pocket on the other of said neck and said ring such that said at least one lug engages said at least one corresponding pocket.  
     
     
         9 . The method set forth in  claim 1  wherein step (d) includes axially driving an anvil into said container to radially outwardly expand at least a portion of said neck into engagement with said attachment.  
     
     
         10 . The method set forth in  claim 9  wherein said step (a) includes providing at least one external engagement element on said neck to engage said ring upon expansion of said neck in said step (d), further wherein said anvil simultaneously expands a finish portion of said neck and said at least one external engagement element on said neck.  
     
     
         11 . The method set forth in  claim 9  wherein said step (a) includes providing at least one external engagement element on said neck to engage said ring upon expansion of said neck in said step (d), further wherein said anvil expands said at least one external engagement element on said neck but does not expand a finish portion of said neck.  
     
     
         12 . A container produced by the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         13 . A method of making a handled container that includes the steps of: 
 (a) providing a container having a neck,    (b) providing a handle having a circumferentially continuous ring,    (c) telescoping said ring externally over said neck, and    (d) radially expanding at least a portion of said neck to secure said handle to said neck.    
     
     
         14 . The method set forth in  claim 13  wherein said attachment ring includes at least external thread forming an externally threaded finish when said ring is secured to said neck in said step (d).  
     
     
         15 . The method set forth in  claim 13  wherein said neck includes at least one external thread, a capping flange, and a pair of spaced beads.  
     
     
         16 . The method set forth in  claim 15  wherein said neck and said pair of spaced beads are smaller in diameter than that of said capping flange and said at least one external thread, and wherein said step (d) includes expanding that portion of said neck having said spaced beads without expanding that portion of said neck having said capping flange or said at least one external thread.  
     
     
         17 . The method set forth in  claim 13  wherein at least one of steps (a) and (b) includes providing at least one anti-rotational feature on at least one of said neck and said ring of said handle.  
     
     
         18 . The method set forth in  claim 17  wherein said providing step includes providing knurling on at least one of said neck and said ring of said handle.  
     
     
         19 . The method set forth in  claim 17  wherein said providing step includes providing at least one lug on one of said neck and said ring and at least one corresponding pocket on the other of said neck and said ring such that said at least one lug engages said at least one corresponding pocket.  
     
     
         20 . The method set forth in  claim 13  wherein step (d) includes axially driving an anvil into an open end of said container to radially outwardly expand at least a portion of said neck into engagement with said ring of said handle.  
     
     
         21 . A handled container produced by the method set forth in  claim 1   
     
     
         22 . A method of making a handled container that includes the steps of: 
 (a) pressure molding a preform having a body and a neck with at least one external engagement element,    (b) providing a handle having a circumferentially continuous attachment ring,    (c) blow molding said body of said preform to form a body of a container having said neck extending therefrom, and    (d) either prior to or subsequent to said step (c):    (d1) telescoping said ring of said handle over said neck of said container until said ring is adjacent to said at least one external engagement element, and then    (d2) expanding at least a portion of said neck containing said at least one external engagement element radially outwardly into engagement with said ring to secure said handle to said neck.    
     
     
         23 . A handled container produced by the method set forth in  claim 22 .  
     
     
         24 . A container that includes: 
 a body,    a neck extending from said body, and    an attachment that includes an attachment ring encircling a portion of said neck,    said portion of said neck being strain hardened by radial expansion against an inside diameter of said attachment ring.    
     
     
         25 . An attachment for a container having a body and a neck extending from said body wherein said neck includes a pair of external engagement beads, said attachment includes a ring having an internal diametrical surface having at least one anti-rotational engagement feature, wherein said attachment is adapted for securement to said neck of said container between said pair of external engagement beads by radially outward expansion of said neck and further wherein said pair of external engagement beads axially restrain said ring and said at least one anti-rotational engagement feature rotationally restrains said ring from movement relative to said container.