Multi-functional base for a plastic, wide-mouth, blow-molded container
AssigneeGraham Packaging Company, L.P.
InventorsGreg TRUDE, John W. Tobias, Richard K. Ogg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A container can have a body with an integrally formed base attached to the body. The base includes a concave annular wall extending from the container sidewall to a standing surface, and an inner wall extending from the standing surface to a substantially flat inner annular wall. The inner annular wall is recessed in the base and is substantially perpendicular to the container sidewall. The inner annular wall includes a centrally located dimple. The dimple includes a plurality of spaced apart and radially extending indented ribs. One or more of the ribs extend radially into a brace that tapers to meet the inner annular wall.
Claims19
1-21. (canceled)
A method comprising:
- providing a container comprising a body having an integrally formed base attached thereto, said base including:
- a concave annular wall extending from a sidewall of the container to a standing surface;
- an inner wall extending from the standing surface to a substantially flat inner annular wall that is substantially perpendicular to the sidewall;
- and
- a dimple centrally located within said inner annular wall and comprising a plurality of spaced apart radially extending indented ribs, each of said ribs comprising a brace extending radially from said dimple and tapering toward said inner annular wall, the tapering braces each including a wide portion and a narrow portion narrower than the wide portion, the wide portion being arranged at a junction with the inner annular wall,
- wherein said inner annular wall of said base has a position to which it flexes upwardly and has another position to which it flexes downwardly in response to variations in pressures within the container, when filled and sealed, without undergoing unwanted permanent deformation;
- filling the container;
- sealing the container;
- and
- upwardly and downwardly flexing the inner annular wall of the filled container above a standing ring, the flexing being in response to variations in pressures within the container, when filled and sealed.
A method of processing a plastic container, comprising:
- (a) providing a plastic container having an upper portion including a finish, a sidewall, a lower portion including a base defining a standing surface, and a substantially transversely-oriented pressure panel located in the base;
- (b) introducing heated liquid contents into the plastic container with the pressure panel located in an outwardly-inclined position entirely between the standing surface and the upper portion;
- (c) capping the plastic container;
- and
- (d) moving the pressure panel to an inwardly-inclined position entirely between the standing surface and the upper portion.
A method of blow molding a plastic container, comprising:
- (a) enclosing a softened polymer material within a blow mold defining a mold cavity, the blow mold comprising at least first and second side mold portions and a base mold portion;
- (b) inflating the polymer material within the blow mold to at least partially conform the polymer material to the blow mold cavity;
- and
- (c) displacing the base mold portion with respect to the first and second side mold portions to form a transverse pressure panel deeply set within a base portion of the plastic container.
A method of processing a bottle, comprising:
- blowing the bottle in an as-blown position;
- filling the bottle with a hot liquid;
- moving a pressure panel down from the as-blown position;
- capping and sealing the filled bottle filled with the hot liquid;
- creating a vacuum force in the filled bottle by cooling the hot liquid;
- in response to the vacuum force, the pressure panel moving up into the interior of the bottle, the moving up causing a reduction in the vacuum force.
A method of processing a plastic container, comprising:
- forming a plastic container;
- filling the plastic container with a substance;
- capping the filled plastic container;
- creating a pressure variation within the interior of the plastic container;
- and
- wherein the plastic container, as formed, includes a body including a base portion, the base portion having:
- a support portion configured to support the plastic container,
- a central portion having an anti-inverting portion located on a longitudinal axis of the container and a wall portion circumscribing said anti-inverting portion, and
- wherein said wall portion is configured so as to have a surface at a first angle with respect to said longitudinal axis of the plastic container, and
- wherein said wall portion is configured to move to a second angle, different from said first angle, relative to a horizontal plane extending perpendicular to said longitudinal axis to adapt to the pressure variation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.