Abstract: A roller bottle is provided with a bottom wall, a top wall and a cylindrical side wall extending between the bottom and top walls. The top wall includes an is opening to provide access to the interior of the roller bottle. The cylindrical side wall of the roller bottle is formed with a helical pleat extending substantially from the bottom to the top for increasing cell growth surface area and for facilitating the flow of liquid to all interior surface areas of the bottle as the bottle is rolled about the axis of the side wall.

Abstract: A hot fill container is provided having a base, a body portion connected to the base, a shoulder portion connected to the body portion, and a neck portion connected to the shoulder portion. At least two panels in the shoulder portion are adapted to flex to accommodate pressure changes within the hot fill container. A longitudinal strut between each of the at least two panels provides longitudinal support to the neck portion.

Abstract: A wide-mouth blow-molded plastic container capable of accommodating, without undesirable distortion, super-baric pressures when filled with volatile food products and pasteurized, and sub-baric pressures after cooling to ambient temperatures. A method of packaging a food product in the container is also disclosed.

Abstract: A squeezable bottle is provided that has a hollow body with an intermediate panel section that is bounded by upper and lower recessed reinforcing rings. The intermediate panel comprises a plurality of recessed gripper rings, each of which is bounded by a pair a raised reinforcing rings. A plurality of recessed vertical ribs extends between the upper and lower recessed reinforcing rings and through the raised reinforcing rings. The vertical ribs are spaced asymmetrically about the vertical axis of the bottle.

Abstract: An improved blow molded plastic non-round container having rectangular sidewalls is adapted for hot-fill applications. The hot-fill container has vacuum panel reinforcement panels with rib structures located in a label mounting area on the sidewalls. In each panel, the ribs extend across the panel and are parallel to each other where the edge of one rib faces in each array faces inward and the others in the array face outward. The inward rib resists the bulge of the panel and improves bumper denting, ease of manufacture and light weigh capability.

Abstract: A container having an inverted active cage generally includes an enclosed base portion, a body portion extending upwardly from the base portion, and a top portion with a finish extending upwardly from the body portion. The body portion further includes a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, and a network of pillars. Unlike the prior art, each of the plurality of active surfaces is outwardly displaced with respect to the longitudinal axis, while each of the network of pillars is inwardly displaced with respect to the longitudinal axis. The plurality of active surfaces, together with the network of pillars, are spaced about the periphery of the container in order to accommodate vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof.

Abstract: A container includes an enclosed base portion. A body portion extends upwardly from the base portion. The body portion includes a central longitudinal axis and at least six deflectable panels. The deflectable panels have side edges extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis. A top portion with a finish extending upwardly from the body portion is provided. A first indentation is disposed between the body portion and the top portion and extends for 360 degrees around the container. The first indentation is offset towards the central longitudinal axis with respect to the deflectable panels. A second indentation is disposed between the body portion and the base portion and extends for 360 degrees around the container. The indentations are offset towards the central longitudinal axis with respect to the deflectable panels.

Abstract: A plastic container comprised of a closed base, a body portion, and a neck portion with a dispensing opening. The closed base includes a substantially rigid support portion and a flexible portion. The body portion preferably includes a shoulder portion and a substantially rigid wall portion that includes a plurality of reinforcement formations. The container is configured so that the flexible portion of the base contracts upwardly about the support portion in response to vacuum pressures generated within the container, while the substantially rigid support portion of the sidewall remains substantially firm, for example, to accept or receive a label. If desired, the shoulder portion may include a logo and/or one or more pressure relief formations. A method for producing hot-filled, labeled containers is also disclosed.

Abstract: A plastic container with a self-supporting base, a body portion extending above the base and a neck portion above the body portion. The neck portion includes a dispensing opening. The body portion includes a substantially rigid sidewall portion with structural reinforcement thereon.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved blow molded plastic non-round container having generally rectangular sidewalls that are adapted for hot-fill applications. The hot-fill container has two adjacent sides one with a vacuum panel and the other with a series of ribs in the label mounting area on the sidewalls. The opposing sidewalls are symmetric relative to the vacuum panel and rib shape and placement. The ribs and vacuum panel cooperate to resist container upon filling and cooling and also improves bumper denting resistance, ease of manufacture and light weight capability.

Abstract: A container has a body which comprises front and rear walls, and the side walls. Each of the front and rear walls has an elliptic cross section, and is provided with a lateral recess. Each of the side walls is a vertical plane which intersects the elliptic cross section of the front and rear walls, and is provided with a plurality of reinforcements. The container has a bottom which comprises a peripheral wall connected to the body and a bottom wall. The peripheral wall comprises slightly inclined front and rear walls, and side walls inclined by a predetermined angle. The peripheral wall is provided with a reinforcing rib.

Abstract: A retortable plastic container includes a finish portion and a main body portion that is unitary with the finish portion and that includes a sidewall having an inner surface that defines an interior space and an outer surface. The sidewall is preferably fabricated from a material comprising a plastic and is shaped so as to have at least one radially inwardly extending annular projection defined therein that provides reinforcement against radial expansion of the main body portion during the retort process. In addition, a transition portion between a main body of the container and the bottom of the container preferably includes at least one annular step that increases the rigidity of the bottom portion of the container.

Abstract: A plastic carafe includes a body portion having an enclosed base defined by a plurality of upstanding posts and a plurality of panels separating the posts from one another. The carafe further includes a neck portion having a blown finish at the top of the carafe that defines a wide-mouth. A shoulder portion transitions the posts and panels to the neck portion.

Abstract: A blow-molded plastic bottle body for use in containing hot-filled beverages. The bottle body has a dome with various interactive functional zones. For example, some of the zones are primarily responsible for accommodating vacuum absorption, while other zones are primarily intended to rigidify the container such as by providing column strength to improve container top loading capability. Although each zone may have a primary function, each zone also aids adjacent zones in providing their functions. Thus, the entire dome, and not merely selected locations, reacts in a progressive manner to the forces generated by the hot-fill process on the bottle body. Preferably, the bottle body is slender and capable of readily being gripped by a single hand, and preferably the flex panels in the dome accommodate at least 90% of the total vacuum absorption required by the bottle.

Abstract: A blow-molded plastic container is provided suitable for hot-filling under pressurize-fill conditions, and under gravity-fill conditions. The container includes opposing handgrips within panels, which lack hinges and thus do not function as conventional vacuum panels as the inward deformation is spread beyond the panels. The hand grip includes a distal, relatively stiffened portion formed by a sidewall that forms a thumb piece and a proximal, relatively un-stiffened portion the smooth merges into a cylindrical sidewall of the container.

Abstract: A bubble 6 formed in the wall 7 of a plastic container having, an interior surface 8, an exterior surface 9 and a wall thickness 29 and being suitable for containing a liquid under pressure e.g., a carbonated beverage, including an integral structure formed of a central dome 10 having a convex outer surface 11 facing toward the adjacent exterior surface 9 and connected with an annular trough 18 having an annular concave surface facing the adjacent the exterior surface 9, a frustum 20 interconnecting the trough 18 with the dome or an outer ring of curved cross-section, the outer ring having an annular concave surface facing toward the interior 14, integrally formed with the container wall 7 surrounding the bubble, the bubble having a thickness approximately equal to the wall thickness. An associated container, blow mold and method are also included.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for storing liquids comprised of a plastic container, which is produced by a blowing process, which has a single layer or multilayer wall, and which is provided with at least one filling and emptying opening. The aim of the invention is, on the one hand, to economically manufacture a device of the aforementioned type by using inexpensive forming tools and, on the other hand, to be able to transport the device from the production site to the storing site also without incurring large expenditures. To this end, the container (1) is formed from at least two separately manufactured and largely identical container parts (2, 3), each of which comprising an approximately rectangular cross section with an underside (4) and a upper side (5) and having a height that is considerably greater than the largest cross section measure.

Abstract: A plastic blow molded bottle or wide mouth jar useful in containing hot-filled beverages or food products. The container has a multi-sided sidewall which is capable of accommodating vacuum associated with hot filling, capping and cooling of the container, which is reinforced to resist unwanted deformation, and which enables a label to be aesthetically displayed on the container sidewall. To this end, the sidewall comprises a plurality of panels which include outwardly bowed arcuate sections, as-formed, which flatten to accommodate induced vacuum. Thus, a label can be supported on the sidewall with very few voids, or like sunken areas, behind the label to ensure that the label is prominently displayed on the aesthetically appealing novel container configuration.

Abstract: A plastic bottle is disclosed, which comprises a cylindrical sidewall having a predetermined thickness, an upper mouth-forming portion, a neck extending from this mouth-forming portion, a dome-shaped portion between the neck and one axial end of the cylindrical sidewall, a lower bottom-forming base extending from the other axial end of the cylindrical wall, all about a central axis. The bottle also has at least three substantially vertical exterior ribs that are substantially uniformly angularly spaced from each other about the axis on the neck, and these ribs have maximum cross-sectional radial dimensions along the axis generally greater than said predetermined thickness. The ribs reinforced the neck and distribute forces resulting from impact of a localized force to the mouth-forming portion towards the dome-shaped portion and cylindrical sidewall.

Abstract: An efficient and cost-effective method of designing and manufacturing a plastic blow molded container having highly artistic sculptural relief. Computer software is utilized to graphically design a container skin shape, create 2-D artwork designs, add 3-D relief to the artwork designs, and apply the artwork to the container skin to develop a desired container. The graphics data of the desired container is utilized to make blow molds which, in turn, are utilized to blow containers. A preferred container is disclosed which has a dome with an intricate fruit basket design.

Abstract: A container body of which length in the longitudinal direction or a part thereof is formed into horizontal accordion shape except the tap portion, wherein a force in one direction acts on a piece of folds constituting the accordion shape and/or a part of inner periphery, while a force in the opposite direction acts on the outer periphery thereof, when a force from a substantially right-angle direction thereof is applied to the accordion-shaped portion of said container body, thereby a compressed state in a longitudinal direction is maintained.

Abstract: A water bottle with an integrally molded handle in which the opening defined by the handle has a contour that corresponds substantially to the contours of the fingers of the hand when the bottle is held during use. The bottle can include a series of ribs and furrows approximately matching the contour of the insides of the fingers that allow the user to securely grip the bottle during use. In a second embodiment the integrally molded handle is attached by a fluted arrangement and can be extended from or collapsed to the sides of the bottle.

Abstract: A blow molded container is provided. The container has a base, a body portion attached to the base, a concave waist attached to the body portion, a dome attached to the waist, a plurality of structural ribs, and a finish attached to the dome. The dome has a plurality of panels arranged around a perimeter of the dome. The finish has an opening and a portion of the dome is located between the panels and the waist. Each of the structural ribs is located between two adjacent panels and is raised relative to the panels.

Abstract: A baby bottle including an upper and lower circular shaped cylindrical body portion having a first radius, a elliptical shaped cylindrical body portion intermediate the cylindrical upper and lower body portions, where the center portion has a minor axis radius and a major axis radius that are each smaller than the first radius, and a cylindrical top portion located proximate the upper body portion and adapted to receive a removable closure.

Abstract: A universal bottle that interfits into a plurality of different housings for liquid vaporization devices. Two of the current commercial devices have specially constructed bottles that are not interchangeable, that is, the bottle intended for use with one of the commercial devices cannot be used with the other device and vice versa. The present bottle is dimensioned so as to interfit into both of the commercial devices and has a neck having an opening and two sets of opposite external surfaces that are dimensioned so that in one orientation, the bottle will fit into one of the commercial devices, and, by rotating the bottle a predetermined amount to another orientation, the bottle can be operatively inserted into the other of the commercial devices. In each instance, a locking system on the bottle cooperates with the housing of the commercial device to retain the bottle in its operative position.

Abstract: A pressure wide-mouth container made of synthetic resin and having a cylindrical body portion, a flange portion projecting from the periphery of a wide mouth formed at one end of the body portion; and a bottom portion closing the other end of the body portion. The flange portion and a peripheral portion of the wide mouth are formed by injection molding and not drawn after the injection molding is carried out. The body portion except the peripheral portion of the wide mouth and the bottom portion are formed by the injection molding and drawn by a blow molding to be performed after the injection molding is carried out and the bottom portion is drawn at a lower drawing ratio than the body portion.

Abstract: A flattened bottle comprising a neck, a shoulder, a body and a bottom; said body having an upper body section, a lower body section and a middle body section, said upper body section and said lower body section showing a substantially rectangular cross section with quadrant corners; said middle body section showing an elliptic cross section and having inwardly deformable front and rear walls and inwardly curved side walls, said side walls being adapted to be deformed outwardly corresponding to any inward deformation of the front and rear walls due to pressure reduction.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a container includes a dispensing opening, a closure and a plurality of walls. At least one of the walls includes a non-uniform surface structured so that the dispensing closure can be disposed on the surface when the container is in its dispensing position. In another preferred embodiment, the top wall of the container includes a vent, a vent cap forming a closure for the vent, a handle, a pouring aperture and a pouring closure covering the pouring aperture. The top surfaces of the vent cap, the handle and the pouring closure are generally parallel, and the heights of the top surfaces of the vent cap and the pouring closure are within an inch of the height of the top surface of the handle. In another preferred embodiment, the top wall of the container includes a handle extending from a handle base within the top wall. A pouring aperture is surrounded by a pouring aperture base which also extends from the top wall.

Abstract: A pressure wide-mouth container made of synthetic resin and having a cylindrical body portion, a flange portion projecting from the periphery of a wide mouth formed at one end of the body portion; and a bottom portion closing the other end of the body portion. The flange portion and a peripheral portion of the wide mouth are formed by injection molding and not drawn after the injection molding is carried out. The body portion except the peripheral portion of the wide mouth and the bottom portion are formed by the injection molding and drawn by a blow molding to be performed after the injection molding is carried out and the bottom portion is drawn at a lower drawing ratio than the body portion.

Abstract: A semi-rigid collapsible container (10) has a side-wall with an upper portion (5), a central portion (6), a lower portion (7) and a base (8). The central protion (6) includes a vacuum panel portion having a control portion (2) and an initiator portion (1). The control portion (2) is inclined more steeply in a vertical direction, i.e. has a more acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the container (10), than the initiator portion (1). On low vacuum force being present within the container panel following the cooling of a hot liquid in the container (10), the initiator portion (1) will flex inwardly to cause the control protion (2) to invert and flex further inwardly into the container (10) and the central portion (6) to collapse. In the collapsed state upper and lower portions of the central portion (6) may be in substantial contact so as to contain the top-loading capacity of the container (10). Raised ribs (3) made an aditional support for the container in its collapsed state.

Abstract: A blow molded container is provided. The container has a base, a body portion attached to the base, a concave waist attached to the body portion, a dome attached to the waist, and a finish. The dome has a plurality of indented panels arranged around a perimeter of the dome, and the finish has an opening. A portion of the dome is located between the indented panels and the waist.

Abstract: A blow molded container is provided. The container has a base, a body portion attached to the base, a concave waist attached to the body portion, a dome attached to the waist, a plurality of structural ribs, and a finish attached to the dome. The dome has a plurality of panels arranged around a perimeter of the dome. The finish has an opening and a portion of the dome is located between the panels and the waist. Each of the structural ribs is located between two adjacent panels and is raised relative to the panels.

Abstract: A bottle-type plastic container includes a container body and an opening at one end of the container body for allowing liquid contents to be charged into the container and discharged therefrom. The container body has surface portions, which are recessed inwards and opposed to each other to define a grip region therebetween. The grip region includes a panel portion for absorbing deformation of the container body upon pressure drop therein. The panel portion has a width as measured in circumferential direction of the container body, and is provided with at least one circumferential rib having a length that is smaller that the width of the panel portion.

Abstract: A blow molded container having a multi-functional base which enables use of the container in both hot-fill operations and pasteurization/retort operations and enables efficient vertical stacking of like containers. To this end, a portion of the base is capable of flexing upwardly and/or downwardly in response to variations in pressures in a filled and sealed container. Structurally, the base has a discontinuous concave outer annular wall forming a discontinuous standing ring and an inner annular wall functioning as a flex panel. The inner annular wall connects outwardly to a plurality of radial webs extending at an elevation above the standing ring and connects inwardly to an anti-inverting, upwardly-projecting dome. Preferably, a shoulder extends radially inward on the inward facing side of the outer annular wall above a level of the standing ring to facilitate vertical stacking of containers having like bases.

Abstract: A container including a plurality of side walls, a top, a handle, a bumper, and a substantially planar label surface. The top has a neck and is joined to a top portion of the side walls. The handle is formed in a region adjacent the top and extends between two adjacent side walls within the profile of the container. The bumper extends around the periphery of the container across each of the side walls. The bumper projects outward from each of the side walls a distance. The substantially planar label surface is located on one of the side walls proximal the bumper and extends upwardly higher than a lower end portion of the handle. The distance is sufficient to prevent contact of the label surface against a flat surface abutting against the container. The bumper may be offset downwardly to extend around the label surface thereby enlarge the label surface. The container may include a plurality of corner portions interconnecting adjacent side walls.

Abstract: A disposable bottle (1) having a gradually collapsible structure, of the type in which the sidewalls (2) of the bottle have an accordion-like structure comprising several adjacent folds. Each fold is formed by two opposed surfaces (7, 8) of different width, comprising blocking means to prevent the recovery of the fold, under a predetermined force, once the same fold has collapsed for the first time.

Abstract: A container includes a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion includes a shoulder that extends away from a neck of the container, and a grip portion. The grip portion defines an integral logo portion and is recessed within the top portion of the container. A waist or groove is provided on adjacent lateral sides of the grip portion and may include a lateral stiffening rib. The bottom portion of the container includes a plurality of vacuum panels that accommodate for internal forces tending to cause collapse of the vacuum panels during a hot-fill process. Any portion of the internal forces not accommodated by the vacuum panels in the bottom portion of the container is accommodated by an auxiliary vacuum panel, which is provided in the grip portion of the container.

Abstract: A thin walled, plastic hot-fill container has a closable neck, a shoulder portion situated below the neck, a base, and a body portion connecting the shoulder portion to the base. The body portion includes a label mount area bounded by upper and lower margins having a plurality of vacuum panels with vertical land areas separating each adjacent pair of vacuum panels. Each vacuum panel includes an upper area and a lower area, the upper and lower areas of each vacuum panel being mutually asymmetric and connected by a tapering geometry providing a range of pressure response through varying flexibility without significant movement of the components parts of the vacuum panels.

Abstract: A container having a side wall having an exterior surface with at least one friction portion effective to prevent skidding of the side wall on a surface adjacent the side wall.

Abstract: The invention concerns improvements to containers, in particular plastic bottles, having a body (2) with a circular non-cylindrical wall, so as to reinforce them and prevent cross-section variation when they are subjected to compression forces. Part at least of the wall is provided with a substantially planar relief. The wall is reinforced with peripheral grooves (26, 27, 28, 29, 30) oriented in planes substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X) of the container, and the part including a substantially planar relief is run through with several grooves. The width of each of the grooves is such that it is less wide (L2) where it emerges in the part of the wall than at the middle (L1) of its crossing. The invention is particularly useful for reinforcing large capacity bottles.

Abstract: A bottle-type plastic container has a body and an opening at one end of the container that allows liquid content to be filled into the container and emptied therefrom. The body includes at least one body portion having a substantially regular polygonal cross-section defined by a plurality of generally flat walls. The generally flat walls of the body portion include flexible walls and less-flexible walls, which are arranged alternately to each other in a circumferential direction of the body portion. When the container is filled with liquid contents at a high temperature and subsequently cooled to room temperature, a resultant pressure drop within the container is absorbed by the walls, initially by a primary inward deflection of the flexible walls and subsequently by a secondary inward deflection of the less-flexible walls. As such, the plastic container is particularly suited for hot fill applications.

Abstract: The improved glass container for freeze-dried products includes a casing section (1) with a bottom portion (3) and an outlet portion (2). The casing section (1) is thin-walled in comparison to the bottom portion (3) and the outlet portion (2) is formed so as to be closable by a closure device. The bottom portion (3) has a nonuniform geometry and is provided with at least one interior depression (3b), a reinforced section (3a) and an outer bottom surface (3o) that is completely planar or planar with a comparatively slight central indentation (3c) but with a sufficient contact area for a cooling plate used in freeze-drying. The structure of the bottom portion guarantees a uniform crystalline lyophilizate structure. The glass container has a very low breakage rate and can be nearly completely emptied.

Abstract: This invention discloses a storage vessel, namely a wine bottle having a liquid volumetric capacity of from about 750 milliliters to about 1,500 milliliters and including an integral pedestal base configured to fit typical glassware fixtures employed in restaurants and taverns. The stem and base portions of the pedestal may be solid or hollow. A hollow pedestal may be advantageous to capture sediments settling out of the wine when the bottle is in an upright position. Pigments may be included in the glass construction to minimize photochemical reactions with the wine contained within the bottle.

Abstract: A thin-walled multi-label container generally includes side walls, a bottom, a top having a neck, a handle, a first label surface and a bumper. Corner portions interconnect adjacent side edge portions of respective side walls. A curved base portion interconnects an adjacent bottom edge portion of a respective side wall with an adjacent edge portion of the bottom. A curved crown portion interconnects an adjacent top edge portion of a respective side wall with an adjacent edge portion of the top. The handle is formed in a region extending along one of the curved corner portions within the profile of the container and provides an aperture for receiving the fingers of a user. The first label surface is located on one of the side walls. The bumper extends around the periphery of the container across each of the upstanding side walls and projects outward from each of the side walls a distance sufficient to prevent contact of the first label surface against any flat surface abutting against the container.

Abstract: A preform for forming a hollow blow molded plastic container is provided with a closed base, a multilayer body-forming portion extending from the base, and an open neck portion that extends from the body portion. The body portion includes a co-extruded inner liner that includes (a) an innermost polymer layer, (b) at least one oxygen-scavenging layer, and (c) at least one high-oxygen barrier layer for retarding the migration of gases and moisture therethrough. An outermost layer is molded over the inner liner to form a preform. The liner and preform are formed so that the wall thickness of the individual layers can easily be varied along their lengths, however, at any given point along the length of the co-extruded liner (a) the wall thickness of the innermost polymer layer is less than 0.50 of the wall thickness of the inner liner and (b) the wall thickness of the inner liner is less than 0.25 of the total wall thickness of the preform body portion.

Abstract: A container having an inverted active cage generally includes an enclosed base portion, a body portion extending upwardly from the base portion, and a top portion with a finish extending upwardly from the body portion. The body portion further includes a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, and a network of pillars. Unlike the prior art, each of the plurality of active surfaces is outwardly displaced with respect to the longitudinal axis, while each of the network of pillars is inwardly displaced with respect to the longitudinal axis. The plurality of active surfaces, together with the network of pillars, are spaced about the periphery of the container in order to accommodate vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof.

Abstract: A plastic massage bottle has a neck portion with a mouth openably closed by a cap, a shoulder portion extending from the neck portion, a bottom portion, and a body portion interconnecting the shoulder portion and the bottom portion. The body portion is formed with a thickness of 0.1 to 0.6mm so that the body portion can be subjected to elastic deformation in the event of the massage bottle being tapped on or pressed against a human body. The body portion includes a plurality of pressure massage protrusions so shaped and arranged that they can make contact with and apply massage pressure to a multiplicity of discrete, adjoining points of the human body as the bottle is tapped on or pressed against the human body. Massage-aiding fluid is at least partially filled in the bottle for generating kinetic energy in response to the tapping or pressing motion of the bottle.

Abstract: The invention concerns improvements to containers, in particular plastic bottles, having a body (2) with a circular non-cylindrical wall, so as to reinforce them and prevent cross-section variation when they are subjected to compression forces. Part at least of the wall is provided with a substantially planar relief. The wall is reinforced with peripheral grooves (26, 27, 28, 29 30) oriented in planes substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X) of the container, and the part comprising a substantially planar relief is run through with several grooves. The invention is characterized in that the width of each of the grooves is such that it is less wide (L2) where it emerges in said part of the wall than at the middle (L1) of its crossing. The invention is particularly useful for reinforcing large capacity bottles.

Abstract: A plastic blow molded bottle or wide mouth jar useful in containing hot-filled beverages or food products. The container has a multi-sided sidewall which is capable of accommodating vacuum associated with hot filling, capping and cooling of the container, which is reinforced to resist unwanted deformation, and which enables a label to be aesthetically displayed on the container sidewall. To this end, the sidewall comprises a plurality of panels which include outwardly bowed arcuate sections, as formed, which flatten to accommodate induced vacuum. Thus, a label can be supported on the sidewall with very few voids, or like sunken areas, behind the label to ensure that the label is prominently displayed on the aesthetically appealing novel container configuration.

Abstract: A container of variable volume includes an inner flexible member substantially enclosed in a number of interlocking outer sleeves. The volume of the container can be varied by moving at least one outer sleeve relative to another outer sleeve. The outer sleeves are moved to vary the volume of the container by rotating screw-threaded outer sleeves, moving an outer sleeve relative to another by a ratchet, or by using a multi-level bayonet type connection.