Single serve plastic container and package incorporating same

Abstract

A container (10) for packaging a single serve quantity of a hot-fillable beverage, the container being blown from a multi-layer co-extruded thermoplastic parison and having a generally cylindrical central panel (12) with a spaced plurality of vacuum panels (36) therein and a plain unreinforced bottom (30). The container also has bulbous heel and shoulder portions (14, 16) at opposed ends of the central panel and projecting outwardly therefrom to a protect a double-ended or other label applied to the central panel. The wall of the container has innermost and outermost layers (44, 46) of virgin PPE, a main structural layer (48) of reground like containers with or without virgin PPE mixed therein and positioned in contact with the innermost layer and directly bonded thereto, a layer of an oxygen-barrier material (5), such as EVA, positioned between the structural layer and the outermost layer, and layers of adhesive (52, 54) between the oxygen-barrier layer and the opposed layers and serving to adhesively join the oxygen-barrier layer to the opposed layers. Also, a package made up of a hot-filled container (10) with a sealing film (70) applied to a rim at a free end of a finished portion (20) of the container and a molded plastic or other closure (60) removeably applied to the finish portion of the container.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.