# US 10,501,225 B2 · Container handling system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,501,225 B2 - Document ID: US10501225B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/744,856 - Filed: 2015-06-19 - Published: 2015-10-08 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2003-07-30 - Assignees: Graham Packaging Company, L.P. - Applicants: Graham Packaging Company, L.P. - Inventors: Paul Kelley; Kent Goss; Philip Sheets; Ted Lyon; Charles A. Ryl-Kuchar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501225B2 ## CPC - B65D 1/0246: {Closure retaining means, e.g. beads, screw-threads} - B65B 9/042: {for fluent material} - B65B 21/12: using grippers engaging bottles, e.g. bottle necks - B65B 61/24: for shaping or reshaping completed packages - B65B 63/08: for heating or cooling articles or materials to facilitate packaging - B65D 1/0261: {Bottom construction (B65D1/06 takes precedence)} - B65D 1/40: Details of walls (other container details B65D23/00, B65D25/00) - B67C 3/045: {Apparatus specially adapted for filling bottles with hot liquids} - B67C 3/14: specially adapted for filling with hot liquids - B67C 3/242: {engaging with bottle necks (B67C3/26 takes precedence)} - B67C 7/00: Concurrent cleaning, filling, and closing of bottles; Processes or devices for at least two of these operations - B67C 7/0026: {the containers travelling along a linear path} - B67C 7/0053: {using grippers (for supporting bottle necks during filling B67C3/242)} - B67C 2003/226: {Additional process steps or apparatuses related to filling with hot liquids, e.g. after-treatment} - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - B67C: CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS ## Abstract Plastic container that is to be filled with a hot product includes a threaded neck portion, a base portion including a standing surface and a moveable element, and a body portion including a dome portion, first and second label stop portions, a supplemental vacuum panel and a sidewall relatively free of structural geometry that surrounds an interior of the body portion. During cooling, the hot product is contracted so as to create an induced vacuum. The supplemental vacuum panel is configured and operative to remove a first portion of an induced vacuum, and the moveable element is configured and operative to move from a first position to a second position to remove a second portion of the vacuum, wherein the first portion of the vacuum and the second portion of the vacuum constitute substantially the entire vacuum. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hot-fillable plastic container comprising: a threaded neck portion configured to receive a threaded cap to sealingly enclose a product hot-filled into the plastic container; a body portion including a dome portion adjacent the threaded neck portion, a first label stop portion adjacent the dome portion, a second label stop portion, a sidewall between the first and second label stop portions to accommodate placement of a label, a supplemental vacuum panel formed in the sidewall and configured to remove a first portion of an induced vacuum created within the plastic container in response to cooling after the plastic container is hot-filled and capped; and a base portion including a standing surface for conveyance of the plastic container on a flat surface and having a moveable element arranged at a bottom end thereof, the moveable element of the base portion being configured to move from a first initial pre-filling position to a second position in response to a selectively-applied pushing force to remove a second portion of the vacuum, the second position being more toward an interior of the plastic container than the first initial pre-filling position, wherein the first portion of the vacuum and the second portion of the vacuum constitute substantially the entire vacuum. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hot-fillable plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the moveable element is configured to remain in the first initial pre-filling position until the selectively-applied pushing force is sufficient to move the moveable element from the first initial pre-filling position to the second position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hot-fillable plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the plastic container is configured such that the moveable element in the first initial pre-filling position extends below the standing surface of the plastic container during hot-filling, capping, and cooling of the plastic container. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The hot-fillable plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the plastic container is configured to be conveyed by the standing surface thereof on a flat surface with the moveable element not extending below the standing surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The hot-fillable plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the body portion of the plastic container is free of surface features other than said supplemental vacuum panel that removes the first portion of the vacuum. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The hot-fillable plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the supplemental vacuum panel is defined in a grip panel in the body portion of the plastic container. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The hot-fillable plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the standing surface of the plastic container is separate from the moveable element and supports the plastic container during one or more of hot-filling, capping, creating a vacuum and removing the first portion of the vacuum. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The hot-fillable plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the supplemental vacuum panel removes the first portion of the vacuum by deflection of the supplemental vacuum panel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The hot-fillable plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the first initial pre-filling position extends below the standing surface and the second position extends above the standing surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The hot-fillable plastic container according to claim 1, wherein a projection including at least a portion of the moveable element extends below the standing surface of the plastic container in the first initial pre-filling position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The hot-fillable plastic container according to claim 10, wherein the projection includes the entire moveable element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The hot-fillable plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum created in the hot-filled and capped plastic container causes distortion of the plastic container, and removing the vacuum forms the plastic container to a desired shape. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The hot-fillable plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of the vacuum comprises most of the entire vacuum. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The hot-fillable plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the supplemental vacuum panel does not interfere with positioning of a label proximate the sidewall.