Base having a flexible vacuum area
AssigneeGraham Packaging Company, L.P.
InventorPaul V. Kelley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A non-round base structure for a hot-fill plastic container provides the container with enhanced structural integrity. The base structure is roughly rectangular and is composed of a flexible vacuum absorbing area and a bearing edge which support the container in an upright position. The flexible vacuum absorbing area abates with a central ellipse shaped push-up, which is a concave surface. A series of ribs with an outward facing rounded edges are fashioned on the concave surface. The ribs extend outwardly from the center of the ellipse. The disclosed base structure enables the container to withstand the various forces encountered in filling, cooling and handling.
Claims18
A non-round base structure for a blow-molded container having rectangular sidewalls, comprising:
- a support heel comprising a bearing edge and a flexible vacuum absorbing area having an outer portion and a roughly ellipsoidal inner portion, said outer portion merging with the container rectangular sidewalls and said inner portion merging with a central concave wall;
- the central concave wall having an apex and a plurality of ribs extending outward from the apex along the concave wall, each rib having a rounded edge extending outward from the interior of the container;
- and
- whereby the vacuum absorbing area and ribs cooperate to enhance the structural integrity of the container by rigidifying said central concave wall and by providing multiple paths of interengageable surfaces that make it difficult for deflection, once initiated, to propagate to undesired distortion.
A non-round base structure for a blow-molded container having rectangular sidewalls, comprising:
- a support heel comprising a bearing edge and a flexible vacuum absorbing area having a roughly rectangular outer portion and a roughly ellipsoidal inner portion, said outer portion merging with the container rectangular sidewalls and said inner portion merging with a central concave wall;
- the central concave wall having an apex and a plurality of ribs extending outward from the apex along the concave wall, each rib having a rounded edge extending outward from the interior of the container;
- and
- whereby the vacuum absorbing area and ribs cooperate to enhance the structural integrity of the container by rigidifying said central concave wall and by providing multiple paths of interengageable surfaces that make it difficult for deflection, once initiated, to propagate to undesired distortion.
A non-round base structure for a blow-molded container having rectangular sidewalls, comprising:
- a support heel comprising a bearing edge and a flexible vacuum absorbing area having a roughly ellipsoidal outer portion and a roughly ellipsoidal inner portion, said outer portion merging with the container rectangular sidewalls and said inner portion merging with a central concave wall, wherein the flexible vacuum absorbing area is adapted to enhance the support bearing edge upon container filling and defines a cord length between the inner portion and the outer portion that is no more than about 25% longer at its longest point than at its shortest point;
- the central concave wall having an apex and a plurality of ribs extending outward from the apex along the concave wall to form a substantially star-shaped symmetric array, each rib having a rounded edge extending outward from the interior of the container;
- and
- whereby the vacuum absorbing area and ribs cooperate to enhance the structural integrity of the container by rigidifying said central concave wall and by providing multiple paths of interengageable surfaces that make it difficult for deflection, once initiated, to propagate to undesired distortion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.