Small carbonated beverage packaging with enhanced shelf life properties

A Carbonated Soft Drink (CCD) container, having:

• an open top end, a closed bottom end, a vertical axis extending from the center of the top end to the center of the bottom end, and a diameter perpendicular to the axis which varies from the top end to the bottom end;
• and
• a series of horizontally divided sections comprising, from the top end to the bottom end, [i] a neck finish at the top end, [ii] a support ring below the neck finish, [iii] a top section extending from the bottom of the support ring to a first largest diameter, [iv] a panel section extending from the first largest diameter to a second largest diameter, the panel section having a maximum diameter less than either the first largest diameter or the second largest diameter, [v] a grip section extending from the second largest diameter to a third largest diameter, the grip section having a maximum diameter less than either the second largest diameter or the third largest diameter, and [vi] a base section comprising a standing ring at the closed bottom end extending from the third largest diameter to the standing ring and having a maximum diameter less than the third largest diameter,
• the container comprising the following properties:
• a) a difference between area distribution (%) and weight distribution (%), based upon the total area and total weight, respectively of the top section, the panel section, the grip section, and the base section, in the container base section, the container top section, or both the container base and the container top sections is less than 8%;
• b) a shelf life of a CSD contained therein (elapsed time as measured using FT-IR for a reduction in CO2 volume in the container from 4.2 volumes CO2 to 3.3 volumes CO2 at 22° C.) of greater than or about 250 days;
• c) a sectional area to weight ratio (A/W, cm2/g) for any of the top section, the panel section, the grip section, and the base section is within 25% of the ratio of the combined surface area of the top section, the panel section, the grip section, and the base section to the combined weight of the top section, the panel section, the grip section, and the base section;
• d) a weight distribution efficiency (WDE) greater than or about 95%, as measured by Method B;
• and
• e) a local diameter creep (a diameter increase when the CSD container is filled with carbonated water at 4.2 Gas Volumes (GV) and conditioned at 38° C. for 24 hours) measured at any location in the CSD container, of less than or about 4 percent;
• wherein the container comprises an internal gas barrier coating, an external gas barrier coating, or both an internal and an external gas barrier coating;
• and
• wherein Method B comprises the steps of [1] horizontally dividing the CSD container to provide the top section, the panel section, the grip section, and the base section;
• and [2] calculating the weight distribution efficiency (WDE) by Method B according to the formula:
• WDE
• =
• A
• W
• ∑
• i
• =
• 1
• i
• =
• 4
• ⁢
• a
• i
• w
• t
• ×
• Ai
• ;
• wherein
• ai is the area of the ith container section;
• wi is the weight of the ith container section;
• A is the total area of the container;
• Ai is the area fraction for section i;
• W is the total weight of the container;
• and
• i is one of Sections 1-4 corresponding to the top section, the panel section, the grip section, and the base section, respectively.