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

A method of compensating for vacuum pressure changes within a container, the method comprising:

• a. Filling a container with a heated liquid, the container having a longitudinal axis, an upper portion having an opening into the container, a body portion extending from the upper portion to a lower portion, the body portion including a portion that is rigidified against vacuum pressure deformation, the lower portion including a base, the base closing off an end of the container, the container having at least one substantially transversely oriented pressure panel located in the lower portion, a hinge circumscribing the pressure panel, the pressure panel comprising a control portion being inclined at an angle of more than 100° relative to a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis and the opening into the container, the pressure panel comprising a centrally located push-up portion;
• b. Capping or sealing the container;
• c. Cooling the heated liquid to create a vacuum pressure;
• d. Repositioning the base about the hinge from the inclined position to an inverted position to reduce the vacuum pressure within the container;
• and
• e. Transporting the container between any steps.

A method of compensating for vacuum pressure changes within a container, the method comprising:

• a. Filling a container with a heated liquid, the container having a longitudinal axis, an upper portion having an opening into the container, a body portion extending from the upper portion to a lower portion, the body portion including a portion that deforms inwardly under vacuum pressure formation, the lower portion including a base, the base closing off an end of the container, the container having at least one substantially transversely oriented pressure panel located in the lower portion, a hinge circumscribing the pressure panel, the pressure panel comprising a control portion being inclined at an angle of more than 100° relative to the opening into the container and a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis, the pressure panel comprising a centrally located push-up portion;
• b. Capping or sealing the container;
• c. Cooling the heated liquid to create a vacuum pressure;
• d. Repositioning the base about the hinge from the inclined position to an inverted position to reduce the vacuum pressure within the container;
• and
• e. Transporting the container between any steps.

A system for handling containers, each said container having a longitudinal axis, an upper portion having an opening into the container, a body portion extending from the upper portion to a lower portion, the lower portion including a base, the base closing off an end of the container, the container having at least one substantially transversely oriented pressure panel located in the lower portion, a hinge circumscribing the pressure panel, the pressure panel comprising a control portion being inclined at an angle of more than 100° relative to a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis and the opening into the container, the pressure panel comprising a centrally located push-up portion, the section being adapted to be repositioned about the hinge element with substantially no movement of the first wall portion during the repositioning, the system comprising:

• filling means for filling the containers with a product, the product being at an elevated temperature;
• sealing means for sealing the filled containers using a cap;
• vacuum creating means for creating a vacuum in each of the filled and sealed containers by cooling;
• conveying means for conveying the containers having vacuums created therein with the pressure panel in a first position;
• and
• repositioning means for repositioning the pressure panel from the first position to an inverted second position to reduce the vacuum, wherein the second position is toward the opening into the container.

A system for processing a pre-formed plastic container filled with a hot product, the container having a longitudinal axis, the system 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 closed base comprising a standing surface and a centrally located push-up portion configured to receive a mechanical device, the base also having a pressure panel that is invertible from an outwardly inclined position to an inwardly inclined position, the pressure panel extending between the standing surface and the push-up, wherein the pressure panel is circumscribed by a hinge, and wherein the pressure panel includes a portion inclined outwardly at an angle of greater than 10 degrees relative to a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis when in the outwardly inclined position;
• means for capping a neck of the filled rigid container body with a cap in the next operation of the production line;
• means for conveying through the production line the pre-formed plastic container having the pressure panel in the outward position;
• means for cooling the rigid container body of the pre-formed plastic container filled with the hot product;
• and
• means for pushing the pressure panel from the outwardly inclined position of the cooled rigid container body into the inwardly inclined position within the interior of the rigid container.