Pressure reinforced plastic container and related method of processing a plastic container

A system for processing a pre-formed plastic container filled with a hot product, comprising:

• hot filling means for filling a rigid container body of the pre-formed plastic container with the hot product in a production line, the rigid container body having a surface surrounding an interior of the rigid container body and having a projection extending from the rigid container body;
• means for capping a neck of the filled rigid container body with a cap in the next operation of the production line;
• means for transporting through the production line the pre-formed plastic container having the projection extending from the rigid container body;
• means for supporting, during the transporting, the rigid container body having the projection extending from the rigid container body;
• means for cooling the rigid container body of the pre-formed plastic container filled with the hot product;
• and means for pushing the projection extending from the cooled rigid container body into the interior of the rigid container body so that the resultant, filled and cooled rigid container body is relatively free of structural geometry over a substantial portion of the surface.

A system for processing a pre-formed plastic container filled with a hot product, comprising:

• hot filling means for filling a container body of the pre-formed plastic container with the hot product in a production line, the container body having a surface surrounding an interior of the container body and having a projection extending from the container body;
• means for capping a neck of the filled container body with a cap in the next operation of the production line;
• means for transporting through the production line the pre-formed plastic container having the projection extending from the container body;
• means for supporting, during the transporting, the container body having the projection extending from the container body;
• means for cooling the container body of the pre-formed plastic container filled with the hot product;
• and means for pushing the projection extending from the cooled container body into the interior of the container body so that the resultant, filled and cooled container body is relatively free of structural geometry over a substantial portion of the surface.

A system for processing a pre-formed plastic container filled with a hot product, comprising:

• a hot fill apparatus for filling a container body of the pre-formed plastic container with hot product, the container body having a surface surrounding an interior of the container body and having a projection extending from a portion of the container body;
• a capping apparatus for capping a neck of the container body with a cap;
• a conveyor for transporting the pre-formed plastic container having the projection extending from the container body;
• a support for supporting the container body having the projection extending from the container body;
• and an engagement element for pushing the projection extending from the cooled container body into the interior of the container body.

A system for processing a plastic container, comprising:

• means for blow-molding a parison to form a container body with a bottom and a projection extending outwardly from the bottom of the container body;
• means for inverting the projection to extend inwardly from the container body bottom such that the projection is fully above a standing ring to achieve a geometrically stable position in which the standing ring can rest on a planar surface;
• means for transporting the container body in its geometrically stable position;
• means for filling the container after the transporting;
• means for sealing the container after the transporting;
• and means for pushing up at least part of the projection after the container is sealed by the means for sealing, to reduce volume inside the container.