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 and a ledge provided along at least one lateral extreme of the grip portion due to inward recessing of 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. A hot-fillable plastic container comprising:
a top portion including a shoulder and grip portion that is depressed about 2-10 mm into the top portion; 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.
- 13. The hot-fillable container according to claim 12, further comprising a plurality of lateral ribs positioned within each of the vacuum panels provided in the bottom portion.
- 14. The hot-fillable container according to claim 12, further comprising at least one lateral rib provided on the top portion and laterally adjacent the auxiliary vacuum panel.
- 15. The hot-fillable container according to claim 12, wherein a deformation capability of the auxiliary vacuum panel is less than a deformation capability of each of the vacuum panels in the bottom portion of the container.
- 16. The hot-fillable container according to claim 12, wherein the container is substantially rectangular and defines two longer sides and two shorter sides, each of the longer sides having one said auxiliary vacuum panel, and each of the shorter sides including at least one lateral rib provided on the top portion and laterally adjacent each said auxiliary vacuum panel.
- 17. The hot-fillable container according to claim 12, further comprising a waist portion that extends into the top portion, the grip portion and the auxiliary vacuum panel being provided laterally adjacent the waist portion.
- 18. The hot-fillable container according to claim 17, further comprising at least one lateral rib provided in the waist portion.
- 19. The hot-fillable container according to claim 12, wherein the grip portion is adjacent a center of gravity of the container.
- 20. The hot-fillable container according to claim 12, wherein the auxiliary vacuum panel defines an integral logo portion having a logo.
- 21. The hot-fillable container according to claim 20, wherein the logo includes an anti-slip surface.
- 22. The hot-fillable container according to claim 20, wherein the logo portion has a height that is about one-quarter to about one-half of a height of the top portion and a width that is about 50-90% of a width of the top portion.
- 23. A plastic container, comprising:
a body portion having a top portion and a bottom portion, the body portion defining a center of gravity in a region along a transition between the top and bottom portions, the top portion including a shoulder and a grip portion that at least partially coincides with the center of gravity of the body portion, the bottom portion providing a surface that is adapted to receive a wrap-around label.
- 24. The container according to claim 23, further comprising a plurality of vacuum panels in the bottom portion and an auxiliary vacuum panel in the grip portion.
- 25. The container according to claim 24, 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.
- 26. The container according to claim 24, further comprising a plurality of lateral ribs within each of the plurality of vacuum panels in the bottom portion.
- 27. The container according to claim 24, 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.
- 28. The container according to claim 27, further comprising at least one lateral rib provided in the waist portion.
- 29. The container according to claim 23, further comprising at least one lateral rib provided in the top portion and laterally adjacent the grip portion.
- 30. The container according to claim 23, wherein the grip portion defines an auxiliary vacuum panel and logo integrally formed therewith.
- 31. A container comprising:
a body portion having a top portion and a bottom portion integral with the top portion, the top portion having a generally rectangular shape 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.
- 32. The container according to claim 31, 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.
- 33. The container according to claim 31, wherein the grip portion is provided substantially along a center of gravity of the body portion.
- 34. The container according to claim 31, wherein the grip portion includes a vacuum panel portion having a logo formed integrally therewith.
- 35. 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 the container is substantially rectangular and 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.
- 36. A plastic container, comprising a body portion having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion including a grip portion that has a height, width and depth that are dimensioned and structured to provide a good hand-fit for a variety of hand sizes.
- 37. The container according to claim 36, wherein the bottom portion includes a wrap-around label.
- 38. The container according to claim 37, wherein the grip portion defines a logo portion adapted to receive an auxiliary label.
- 39. The container according to claim 36, wherein the height of the grip portion is about 25-50% of a height of the top portion, the width of the grip portion is about 50-90% of a width of the grip portion, and the depth of the grip portion is about 2-10 mm.
- 40. The container according to claim 36, wherein the height of the grip portion is about 33% of the height of the top portion, the width of the grip portion is about 60-80% of the width of the top portion, and the depth is about 5 mm.
- 41. The container according to claim 40, wherein the width is about 70% of the width of the top portion.
- 42. The container according to claim 36, wherein the grip portion has at least one of an oval shape, a circular shape, a rectangular shape and a diamond shape.
- 43. The container according to claim 36, wherein the grip portion defines an anti-slip surface.
- 44. The container according to claim 43, wherein the anti-slip surface includes at least one of embossments and raised portions.
- 45. The container according to claim 44, wherein a center of gravity of the container falls within a region where the top and bottom portions meet, and the grip portion and the region have at least one overlapping area.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] 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.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60262641 |
Jan 2001 |
US |