Claims
- 1. A hot-fillable plastic container, comprising:a body portion having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion including a shoulder, a grip portion below the shoulder and inwardly recessed into the body portion and a ledge provided along at least one lateral extreme of the grip portion due to inward recessing of the grip portion, wherein the ledge connects the recessed grip portion with non-recessed wall portions of the top portion of the body portion adjacent the grip portion, the grip portion defining at least one first vacuum panel, the bottom portion including a plurality of second vacuum panels and a base portion below the plurality of second vacuum panels, each of said plurality of said vacuum panels having a deformation capability that is different than a deformation capability of the at least one first vacuum panel.
- 2. The hot-fillable container according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of lateral ribs positioned within each of the second vacuum panels.
- 3. The hot-fillable container according to claim 1, further comprising at least one lateral rib provided on the top portion of the body portion and laterally adjacent the at least one first vacuum panel.
- 4. The hot-fillable container according to claim 1, wherein the deformation capability of the at least one first vacuum panel is less than the deformation capability of each of the second vacuum panels.
- 5. The hot-fillable container according to claim 1, wherein the container is substantially rectangular and defines two longer sides and two shorter sides, each of the longer sides having said at least one first vacuum panel, and each of the shorter sides including at least one horizontal rib provided on the upper portion of the body portion and laterally adjacent each said at least one first vacuum panel.
- 6. The hot-fillable container according to claim 1, further comprising a waist portion that extends into the body portion, the grip portion and the at least one first vacuum panel being provided laterally adjacent the waist portion.
- 7. The hot-fillable container according to claim 6, further comprising at least one lateral rib provided in the waist portion.
- 8. The hot-fillable container according to claim 1, wherein the grip portion is positioned substantially along a center of gravity of the body portion.
- 9. The hot-fillable container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first vacuum panel provided in the grip portion defines an integral logo portion having a logo.
- 10. The hot-fillable container according to claim 9, wherein the logo includes raised lettering that serves as an anti-slip surface.
- 11. The hot-fillable container according to claim 9, wherein the logo portion has a height that is about one quarter to about one-half of a height of the top portion.
- 12. The hot-fillable container according to claim 1, wherein the bottom portion includes a wrap-around label.
- 13. The hot-fillable container according to claim 1, wherein the grip portion defines a logo portion adapted to receive an auxiliary label.
- 14. The hot-fillable container according to claim 1, wherein the ledge substantially circumscribes the grip portion.
- 15. The hot-fillable container according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the body portion and the base portion is substantially rectangular along substantially an entire axial extent thereof.
- 16. The hot-fillable plastic container according to claim 1, wherein a center of gravity of the container is positioned in a region of the body portion spanning a transition between the top and the bottom portions.
- 17. A plastic container, comprising:a body portion having a top portion and a bottom portion that meet along a transition shoulder, the top portion having a height that is greater than a height of the bottom portion, the body portion defining a center of gravity in a region along the transition shoulder, the top portion including a grip portion positioned above the transition shoulder, wherein said grip portion at least partially coincides with the region of the body portion, the bottom portion providing a surface that is adapted to receive a label positioned below the transition shoulder.
- 18. The container according to claim 17, further comprising a plurality of vacuum panels in the bottom portion and an auxiliary vacuum panel in the grip portion.
- 19. The container according to claim 18, wherein the auxiliary vacuum panel has a deformation capacity that is less than a deformation capacity of each of the vacuum panels in the bottom portion.
- 20. The container according to claim 18, further comprising a plurality of lateral ribs within each of the plurality of vacuum panels in the bottom portion.
- 21. The container according to claim 18, further comprising a waist portion that extends into the body portion, the grip portion and the auxiliary vacuum panel being provided laterally adjacent the waist portion.
- 22. The container according to claim 21, further comprising at least one lateral rib provided in the waist portion.
- 23. The container according to claim 17, further comprising at least one lateral rib provided in the top portion and laterally adjacent the grip portion.
- 24. The container according to claim 17, wherein the grip portion defines an auxiliary vacuum panel and logo integrally formed therewith.
- 25. A container comprising:a body portion having a top portion and a bottom portion integral with the top portion, the body portion having a generally rectangular shape along substantially an entire axial extent thereof and defining two shorter sides and two longer sides, a grip portion provided in each of the longer sides of the top portion, a waist portion provided laterally adjacent the grip portion and along the two shorter sides of the top portion, and at least one laterally extending stiffening rib provided within the waist portion and laterally adjacent the grip portion.
- 26. The container according to claim 25, further comprising a plurality of vacuum panels in the bottom portion of the container and an auxiliary vacuum panel in the grip portion of the container.
- 27. The container according to claim 25, wherein the grip portion is provided substantially along a center of gravity of the body portion.
- 28. The container according to claim 25, wherein the grip portion includes a vacuum panel portion having a logo formed integrally therewith.
- 29. A hot-fillable plastic container comprising:a top portion including a shoulder, an inwardly depressed grip portion and a waist portion that extends into the top portion where the grip portion is positioned; and a bottom portion integrally formed with the top portion, the bottom portion including a plurality of vacuum panels that accommodate internal forces tending to collapse the vacuum panels inwardly due to filling of the container with a liquid at an elevated temperature and subsequent cooling of the liquid, wherein the grip portion in the top portion defines an auxiliary vacuum panel that accommodates for any portion of the internal forces not accommodated by the vacuum panels in the bottom portion, and wherein a cross-sectional shape of the top and bottom portions of the container is substantially rectangular along substantially an entire axial extent thereof, and the container defines at least a first side and a second side, the first side having said auxiliary vacuum panel, and at least the second side including the waist.
- 30. A hot-fillable PET plastic container, comprising:a body portion having a top portion and a bottom portion each defining a pair of opposed relatively longer walls and a pair of opposed relatively shorter walls, the body portion including rounded corner portions connecting the relatively longer and shorter walls, the top portion including a shoulder, a pair of opposed grip portions below the shoulder and inwardly recessed with respect to the relatively longer walls of the top portion, each said grip portion having a ledge provided along a perimeter of each grip portion due to inward recessing of the grip portions, wherein: each said ledge forms a transition between each said recessed grip portion and non-recessed wall portions of the top portion surrounding the grip portions, each of the grip portions includes a central portion with at least one raised portion, and each said grip portion has a height that is about one quarter to about one-half of a height of the top portion, the bottom portion including a plurality of vacuum panels and a base portion below the plurality of vacuum panels, the base portion including a pair of opposed relatively shorter walls and a pair of opposed relatively longer wall corresponding, respectively, to the relatively shorter and longer walls of the body portion, each of the vacuum panels being structured to accommodate internal forces tending to collapse the vacuum panels inwardly due to filling of the container with a liquid at an elevated temperature and subsequent cooling of the liquid, wherein: each of the relatively shorter walls in the bottom portion includes at least one said vacuum panel, each said relatively longer wall of the bottom portion includes at least four lateral ribs and a label portion covering the at least four lateral ribs, and each of the two relatively shorter walls in the top portion includes a concave portion laterally adjacent to the relatively longer walls each said concave portion defining a waist portion that extends into the top portion.
- 31. The hot-fillable container according to claim 30, wherein each of the grip portions defines an auxiliary vacuum panel having a deformation capacity that is less than a deformation capacity of the vacuum panels in the bottom portion.
- 32. The hot-fillable container according to claim 30, wherein the body portion defines a center of gravity in a region along a transition between the top and bottom portions, and each of the grip portions at least partially coincides with the center of gravity of the body portion.
- 33. The hot-fillable container according to claim 30, wherein a cross-sectional shape of at least the body portion is substantially rectangular along an entire axial extent thereof.
- 34. The hot-fillable container according to claim 30, wherein each said grip portion is generally oval shaped.
- 35. The hot-fillable container according to claim 34, wherein each said grip portion is recessed about 2-10 mm into the top portion.
- 36. The hot-fillable container according to claim 35, wherein each said grip portion is recessed about 5 mm into the top portion.
- 37. The hot-fillable container according to claim 35, wherein a distance between the grip portions is about 75-90 mm.
- 38. A hot-fillable PET plastic container, comprising:a body portion having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion including a shoulder, a pair of opposed grip portions below the shoulder and inwardly recessed into the body portion of the container, each said grip portion having a ledge provided along a perimeter of each grip portion due to inward recessing of the grip portions, wherein each said ledge forms a transition between each said recessed grip portion and non-recessed wall portions of the top portion surrounding the grip portions, wherein each of the grip portions includes a central portion with at least one raised portion, the bottom portion including at least four vacuum panels and a base portion below the plurality of vacuum panels, each of the vacuum panels being structured to accommodate internal forces tending to collapse the vacuum panels inwardly due to filling of the container with a liquid at an elevated temperature and subsequent cooling of the liquid, the bottom portion including a wrap around label covering the plurality of vacuum panels.
- 39. The hot-fillable container according to claim 38, wherein each of the grip portions defines an auxiliary vacuum panel having a deformation capacity that is less than a deformation capacity of the vacuum panels in the bottom portion.
- 40. A hot-fillable PET plastic container, comprising:a body portion having a top portion and a bottom portion each defining a pair of opposed relatively longer walls and a pair of opposed relatively shorter walls, the body portion including rounded corner portions connecting the relatively longer and shorter walls, the top portion including a shoulder, a pair of opposed grip portions below the shoulder and inwardly recessed up to about 2-10 mm with respect to the relatively longer walls of the top portion, wherein each said grip portion has a height that is about one quarter to about one-half of a height of the top portion, the bottom portion including a plurality of vacuum panels and a base portion below the plurality of vacuum panels, the base portion including a pair of opposed relatively shorter sides and a pair of opposed relatively longer walls corresponding, respectively, to the relatively shorter and longer walls of the body portion, each of the vacuum panels being structured to accommodate internal forces tending to collapse the vacuum panels inwardly due to filling of the container with a liquid at an elevated temperature and subsequent cooling of the liquid, wherein: each of the relatively shorter sides in the bottom portion includes at least one said vacuum panel, each said relatively longer wall of the bottom portion includes at least four lateral ribs and a label portion covering the at least four lateral ribs, and each of the two relatively shorter walls in the top portion includes a concave portion laterally adjacent to the relatively longer sides.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/051,138 filed Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,321. This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/262,641, filed Jan. 22, 2001, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.
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Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/262641 |
Jan 2001 |
US |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10/051138 |
Jan 2002 |
US |
Child |
10/387535 |
|
US |