Abstract: A closure and container combination for packaging and sealing a commodity in a container that reduces headspace gases, in particular oxygen, allowing the packaged commodity to have a longer shelf life.

Abstract: A hot-fill container may have a shoulder portion, body portion, bottom portion, and numerous strengthening grooves and a thin-walled, flexible, bag-like, collapsible portion in the body portion. The collapsible portion may be located between the strengthening ribs. The container structure may also employ one or more vacuum panels in the body portion that may lie between the collapsible portion and the bottom portion. The vacuum panels and the collapsible body portion may move toward a central vertical axis when the container is subjected to an internal vacuum pressure. Strengthening grooves may border the collapsible body portion, which may be circular in pre-vacuum cross-section but polygonal in post-vacuum cross-section. Part of the collapsible portion may be concave inward toward a central vertical axis of the container while part of the collapsible portion may move away from the central vertical axis. Vertical columns may support the collapsible portion.

Abstract: A method of making a one-piece plastic container includes disposing a preform into a mold cavity having a mold surface. Blowing the preform against the mold surface to form an intermediate container. The intermediate container having a body portion, a spout and a moil portion. An intersection between the spout and the moil portion defines a cutting plane extending at an angle. Severing the moil portion from the spout at the intersection thereby defining an opening into the container at the spout.

Abstract: A one-piece plastic container includes a container body and an upper portion having a finish. Integrally formed with the finish and extending downward therefrom is a shoulder region. The shoulder region merges into and provides a transition between the finish and a sidewall portion. The sidewall portion extends downward from the shoulder region to a base portion having a base. The sidewall portion defines a series of horizontal lands and horizontal ribs. The horizontal lands and horizontal ribs extend continuously in a vertical direction from the shoulder region to the base portion. The horizontal ribs are designed to achieve optimal performance with regard to vacuum absorption, top load strength capabilities and dent resistance.

Abstract: The polymeric composition comprising (A) a polyester resin and (B) micrometrical silica particles, preferably particles made of cristobalite or quartz, dispersed in the polyester resin preferably at concentration of at least 2 wt %. The polyester resin preferably comprises a PET homo or copolymer. Packaging articles, especially biaxially stretched blow moulded containers, made with the said polymeric composition exhibit high opacity to UV and visible light radiations as well as improved barrier properties to O2 and to water vapour, and improved thermal and mechanical properties.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for simultaneously forming and filling a plastic container is provided. A mold cavity defines an internal surface and is adapted to accept a preform. A pressure source includes an inlet and a piston-like device. The piston-like device is moveable in a first direction wherein liquid is drawn into the pressure source through the inlet and in a second direction wherein the liquid is urged toward the preform. A blow nozzle may be adapted to receive the liquid from the pressure source and transfer the liquid at high pressure into the preform thereby urging the preform to expand toward the internal surface of the mold cavity and creating a resultant container. The liquid remains within the container as an end product.

Abstract: Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a container and method of making a container. In one example, a preform is disposed into a mold cavity having a base forming assembly. The base forming assembly includes a base insert and a movable ring insert. The preform is blown against the mold cavity to form a body defining a base portion. The movable ring insert is advanced into the base portion to form a thinned flex point in the base portion while keeping the base insert fixed. The container is hot-filled with a commodity. The commodity is allowed to cool causing a vacuum in the container that results in the upward movement or inversion of a central inset portion defined at the thinned flex point.

Abstract: A plastic container having a base portion adapted for vacuum pressure absorption. The base portion including a contact ring that supports the container, an upstanding wall, and a central portion. The upstanding wall being adjacent to and generally circumscribing the contact ring. The central portion defined in at least part by a pushup and an inversion ring that generally circumscribes the pushup. The pushup and the inversion ring being moveable to accommodate vacuum related forces generated within the container.

Abstract: The bottle-shaped plastic container comprises a hollow body with an integrated hand-grip. The hand-grip is constituted by a palm-recess and two opposite finger-recesses; said palm-recess has preferably a depth of at least 5 mm; said two opposite finger-recesses are an extension of the bottom of said palm-recess, and the bottom of said palm-recess comprising ribs that extend in the finger-recesses.

Abstract: A plastic container includes an upper portion having a mouth defining an opening into the container. A shoulder region extends from the upper portion. A sidewall portion extends from the shoulder region to a base portion. The base portion closes off an end of the container. The sidewall portion is defined in part by at least two vacuum panels formed therein. The vacuum panels are movable to accommodate vacuum forces generated within the container resulting from heating and cooling of its contents. The shoulder region and the base portion each define an interlocking structure suitable to achieve a nesting relationship with complementary mating surfaces of an adjacent container.

Abstract: A rectangular plastic container having a shoulder region adapted for vacuum pressure absorption, a sidewall portion having a rigid support ledge and a tapered base structure having an octagonal shaped footprint. The shoulder region including vacuum panels being moveable to accommodate vacuum related forces generated within the container. The shoulder region, sidewall portion and base each having differing horizontal cross sectional shapes.

Abstract: A plastic container having a base portion adapted for vacuum pressure absorption. The base portion including a contact ring that supports the container, an upstanding wall, and a central portion. The upstanding wall being adjacent to and generally circumscribing the contact ring. The central portion defined in at least part by a pushup and an inversion ring that generally circumscribes the pushup. The pushup having a generally truncated cone shape in cross section and the inversion ring having a generally S shaped geometry in cross section. The pushup and the inversion ring being moveable to accommodate vacuum related forces generated within the container.

Abstract: A device for conveying closures (D) made from metallic sheet in an essentially vertical direction from a collecting point (1) to a release point (6) is proposed. The closures are selected to be in correct position during conveying in order to release at the release point (6) only same-lying closures in a row of closures following one another closely. A conveyer belt (10) serves for the transport (v1, v2) of the closures. A sensor and discharge device (17, 16, 19, 18; 3) serves for detecting wrong-position closures and for lateral discharge (q1, q2) of individual wrong-position closures. In the course of the conveyer belt (10) upstream of the sensor and discharge device, a bar (15) is arranged above the conveyer belt, which terminates after the sensor and discharge device (17, 16, 19, 18; 3). More than one row (R1, R2) of closures next to one another may be supplied separately to the sensor and discharge device (17, 16, 19, 18; 3).

Abstract: A system for controlling a design process having a first design sub-process and a second design sub-process, outcomes of one of the first and second design sub-processes being linked to outcomes of the other of the design sub-processes by a relationship between one or more first design sub-process variables and one or more second design sub-process variables. The system comprises a user configurable interface between the first and second design sub-processes, the interface allowing a user to the system to control the design process by specifying which of the one or more variables are active variables which can have their domains modified by at least one process within the sub-process to which the variable belongs and which of the one or more variables are passive variables which have their domains determined within allowable values by the domains of the other variable(s) in the relationship.

Abstract: A system for creating an artwork includes artwork creation structure for creating an artwork incorporating an art object, and control structure for controlling the manner in which an art object can be incorporated into the artwork in accordance with a rule. When the artwork creation structure is creating an artwork incorporating an art object, the art object control structure controls the incorporation of the art object into the artwork to ensure that it is in accordance with the rule.

Abstract: A sidewall portion of a plastic container adapted for vacuum pressure absorption. The sidewall portion including generally rectangular shaped vacuum panels equidistantly spaced about the container. The vacuum panels having, at least in part, a convex shaped surface and a series of equidistantly spaced indents disposed therein. The vacuum panels being moveable to accommodate vacuum forces generated within the container thereby decreasing the volume of the container.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a carton suitable for transporting bottles, the carton including: i) a series of side wall panels that are interconnected and form an enclosure and can be manipulated from an empty collapsed orientation for storage in a space saving manner to an assembled orientation into which bottles can be loaded; and ii) an internal wall structure positioned inside and connected to the side wall panels at pre-selected locations such that as the enclosure is manipulated from the collapsed orientation to the assembled orientation the internal wall structure is located in an operative position which defines separate compartments each adapted to receive a bottle and thereby avoid bottles loaded into the carton from contacting each other.

Abstract: A polymer container suitable for hot-filling featuring at least one circumferential rib having a plurality of varying width regions transitioning from a smaller dimension area, to a larger dimension area, to the smaller dimension area. The larger dimension area is adjacent a land area between any two adjacent vacuum panels.