Inmold labeled container and molding process thereof

Abstract

The objects of this invention are to set a predetermined height position for the portion of parison or preform that is the first to come in contact with body molding planes of a split mold and to prevent air from being trapped between in-mold labels and the container which is blow molded from the parison or the preform. In-mold labels 7 are fixed to the entire outer surface of body 4 of main container 1 . An annular thinnest wall portion 4 a is formed in the wall of the body 4 so that the thinnest wall portion 4 a is the first to come in contact with the body molding planes 14 of a split mold 13 . Under this construction, no bulge of air is formed between the body 4 and the in-mold labels 7 fixed to the entire surface of the body 4.

1 . An in-mold labeled container comprising a main container, which is a blow molded product having a thinnest wall portion annularly disposed at a middle height of a body, and an in-mold label or labels firmly fixed to entire outer surface of said body at the time of blow molding parison into said main containers. 
   
   
       2 . The in-mold labeled container according to  claim 1  wherein the in-mold labels are a combination of two labels, each having a length a half as much as the circumferential length of the body. 
   
   
       3 . The in-mold labeled container according to  claim 1  wherein the in-mold labels are fixed to the body over an entire height range thereof except for an upper end portion connected to shoulder and a lower end portion connected to bottom. 
   
   
       4 . The in-mold labeled container according to  claim 1  wherein the in-mold labels are fixed to the body, except for the upper end portion connected to the shoulder and the lower end portion connected to the bottom, but are separately disposed in an upper area and a lower area of the body with no labeled area in between. 
   
   
       5 . The in-mold labeled container according to  claim 1  wherein peripheral raised ribs having a maximum outer diameter are disposed at both ends of the body, i.e., the upper end connected to the shoulder and the lower end connected to the bottom. 
   
   
       6 . The in-mold labeled container according to  claim 1  wherein the in-mold labels are made of synthetic resin film belonging to the same resin series as that of the main container itself. 
   
   
       7 . The in-mold labeled container according to  claim 1  wherein the body has a shape of a straight cylinder. 
   
   
       8 . A process for blow-molding an in-mold labeled container having an in-mold label or labels fixed to entire outer surface of the body, which process comprises injection molding parison (P) so as to give a structure in which the parison (P) has an annular thin wall portion (P 1 ) in a part of the body as a result of wall thickness control, setting the thin wall portion at a position opposed to body molding planes of a split mold, pinching the parison (P) with both halves of the split mold, and blow molding the parison (P) into the main container. 
   
   
       9 . The process for molding an in-mold labeled container according to  claim 8  wherein the parison (P) is pinched with both halves of the split mold after the in-mold labels have been held in place at positions opposed to the thin wall portion (P 1 ). 
   
   
       10 . The process for molding an in-mold labeled container according to  claim 8  wherein the in-mold labels are held in place in the split mold by vacuuming all edges of the in-mold labels.