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.

Abstract: A container with an improved container side wall is disclosed. The improved container side wall including a top end and a bottom end, an open top and a bottom wall. The top of the container merges with the top end of the side wall and the bottom wall merges with and closes the bottom end of the side wall. The side wall also includes a plurality of ribs which protrude radially outward from an inside surface of the side wall and which are integrally displaced upon the inside surface of the side wall. These ribs cause the inside surface of the container side wall to form a varying thickness. In this manner, an improved container side wall is provided that increases the resistance of the side wall to deformation caused by internal/external positive or negative pressures without significantly increasing the overall amount of material needed to manufacturer the container. The container side wall may assume a cylindrical, rectangle, oval, or square geometry.

Abstract: A retortable plastic container with a side wall having at least one flexing portion extending from a top horizontal line around a circumference of the side wall to a bottom horizontal line around the circumference of the side wall. The flexing portion has an inwardly directed surface relative to the circumference of the side wall. The inwardly directed surface has a first length measured along the inwardly directed surface, in a central vertical plane from the top horizontal line to the bottom horizontal line, which is greater than a straight line distance between the top and bottom horizontal lines in the same vertical plane.

Abstract: Improved bottles for dispensing liquid household products such as liquid detergents and fabric softeners. The package is comprised of a multilayer body in which the inner layer includes polyethylene made with a metallocene catalyst. The bottles have improved stress cracks resistance yet may be lighter then traditional bottles. They may be made by blow molding.

Abstract: A plastic container comprising a bottom portion which has a substantially rectangular bottom surface, a trunk portion which is formed by four planes which rise up vertically from respective sides of the bottom surface and which is substantially rectangular pipe-shaped, a mouth portion whose surface area of a portion surrounded by a horizontal cross section is smaller than the surface area of the trunk portion, and a shoulder portion which is narrowed down from the trunk portion to the mouth portion, characterized in that: the amount of the contents of the plastic container is 800 to 3000 ml; the average thickness of the trunk portion is 0.2 to 0.

Abstract: Hot-fillable, blow molded, wide-mouth plastic containers having a pair of flex panels (11, 111, 211) for accommodating thermally induced volumetric and pressure variations while affording easy contents scoopability, and desirable labeling features. The containers are capable of being blow-molded from injection molded preforms or from extruded parisons. The containers may be hot-filled and retorted. A desirable base (27, 127, 227) for a retortable container is also disclosed.

Abstract: A combined drinking cup and horn comprises a generally L-shaped cup portion having a small diameter first end and a larger diameter second end. The second end of the cup portion is large enough to permit a user to drink from the cup portion through the second end thereof when a lid on the second end of the cup portion has been removed to expose a beverage contained in the cup portion. A mouthpiece is attached by a reduced diameter neck to the first end of the cup portion. An opening in the mouthpiece is normally closed by a removable stopper. When the cup portion is empty of the beverage, the user can then remove the stopper. The user can then blow through the mouthpiece to create a tonal sound similar to that provided by a horn. The combined drinking cup and horn could be sold at sporting events or the like for use at the event.

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 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 set of bottles for containing dialysate chemical formulations, chemical cleaning agents or the like is described. The chemical formulation bottles come in two varieties, sodium bicarbonate and liquid acid formulations, each bottle having a slightly different shape. The different shapes cooperate with a bottle mounting structure in the dialysis machine to insure that bottles are correctly installed on their respective bottle opening mechanism. The bottles also have a detection feature comprising either a raised rim or groove extending around the periphery of the bottle. A sensor assembly in the bottle mounting and opening system detects the detection feature. The detection feature is used by the machine to distinguish between dialysate formulation bottles and chemical cleaning bottles, which do not have the detection feature. The detection feature prevents unintentional installation of the chemical bottle on the opening mechanism for the dialysate chemical formulation bottles.

Abstract: A hot-fillable wide-mouth jar having an opposed pair of collapse panels that move inwardly to accommodate vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the jar. The jar includes a sidewall having front and rear label panels each of a predetermined radius of curvature and each of a predetermined arcuate extent. A pair of arcuate collapse panels are located between the front and rear label panels, and each has a predetermined arcuate extent and an inset grip region affording facile handling of the jar. Desirable structural parameters are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved blow molded plastic container that is adapted for hot fill applications. The hot fill container of the present invention comprises a plurality of vacuum panels, having substantially arched upper and lower ends, as opposed to the substantially straight upper and lower ends as described in the related art. The hot fill container of the invention further comprises novel and unique vacuum panel reinforcement means. The vacuum panel reinforcement means are a series of arched ribs. One series of ribs is placed in the label mounting area above the vacuum panels and one series of ribs is placed in the label mounting area below the vacuum panels. The ribs extend noncontinuously around the circumference of the body of the plastic container and are spaced apart from each other by a land area. Each rib is also spaced apart from the vacuum panel and is centered over a land area between vacuum panels.

Abstract: The instant invention is a foldable plastic container consisting of accordion type pleats, a top having a circular depression for filling/emptying the container, a folding handle fastened to the top, and a telescoping nozzle which may be nested and contained in the cover or expanded for pouring a liquid.

Abstract: The title of the invention is the structure of reinforcing ribs around bottle waist. The purpose of the invention is to achieve enhanced buckling strength in a bottle of a reinforcing rib structure comprising a horizontal concave rib in the waist portion of the bottle body and the reinforcing ribs disposed vertically at regular intervals along the circumference of this horizontal concave rib.

Abstract: A plastic bottle comprises a label panel portion comprising a plurality of ribs extending annularly about the perimeter thereof and lands located between each rib for accepting a label thereon, wherein the ribs are configured to render the label panel substantially rigid and capable of enduring pasteurization without subjecting the lands to substantial alteration or misalignment. A pasteurizable bottle having a label panel onto which a label may be evenly secured is thus provided.

Abstract: A flattened bottle comprising a neck, a shoulder, a body and a bottom;

Abstract: An ergonomically friendly container having hot-fill capabilities is disclosed. The container has a dome with grip surfaces that undergo controlled deformation for accommodating a portion of the volumetric shrinkage due to hot filling, capping and cooling. Preferably, a major portion of each grip surface is circumscribed by a brow rib which prevents unwanted dome distortion while permitting an amount of controlled vacuum absorption. In addition, the container body is provided with vacuum flex panels of at least two different sizes which enable the grip surfaces to be located close to the center of gravity of a filled container to provide balanced pouring of the contents from the container.

Abstract: A plastic blow molded bottle (10) includes a body portion (16) that extends vertically between a lower base (12) and an upper dispensing end (14) and includes a pair of inwardly extending hand grips (28) with contiguous vertical ribs (34) that extend between a lower end (30) of each hand grip and an upper open end (32) of the hand grip. The vertically ribbed construction of the hand grips (28) with the lower end (30) and the open upper end (32) facilitates manual handling of the bottle, as well as permitting flexing that accommodates for different internal volumes of the bottle in order to permit hot filling.

Abstract: A plastic bottle comprises a label panel portion comprising a plurality of ribs extending annularly about the perimeter thereof and lands located between each rib for accepting a label thereon, wherein the ribs are configured to render the label panel substantially rigid and capable of enduring pasteurization without subjecting the lands to substantial alteration or misalignment. A pasteurizable bottle having a label panel onto which a label may be evenly secured is thus provided.

Abstract: A bottle is disclosed having a handle integral with a back wall and spaced from the plane of the bottom of the bottle, such separation being sufficient to allow a user's fingers to grip the bottle while the bottle is against a flat surface.

Abstract: A plastic bottle comprises a label panel portion comprising a plurality of ribs extending annularly about the perimeter thereof and lands located between each rib for accepting a label thereon, wherein the ribs are configured to render the label panel substantially rigid and capable of enduring pasteurization without subjecting the lands to substantial alteration or misalignment. A pasteurizable bottle having a label panel onto which a label may be evenly secured is thus provided.

Abstract: In a crushable plastic bottle, a plurality of foldable creases are formed on a wall surface of a body of the plastic bottle so as to in a longitudinal direction thereof in parallel. The foldable creases are formed so that wide and narrow creases are arranged alternately so as to form inequilateral lambda's (&Lgr;'s). When the foldable creases are folded, the narrow creased are roughly turned over in such a way that each inner surface of the narrow crease is brought into contact with the inner surface of each outward adjacent wide crease. Thus, with each narrow crease sandwiched between the two adjacent wide creases, the wide crease are overlapped with each other and fixed in shape as they are.

Abstract: A wire-frame or supporting framework for a bottle has an interior portion of high barrier, thin, non-toxic plastic, for example, blow-molded polyethylene naphalate, and an outer portion of rigid or semi-rigid plastic cage-like structure, for example, injection molded polyethylene terephthalate. A method of manufacturing the aforesaid bottle includes the steps of forming the outer supporting wire-frame structure, inserting a preform therein and blow-molding the preform within the supporting wire-frame structure to form the bottle of defined size and shape.

Abstract: Tubular containers can be produced by injection stretch blow molding processes. Such processes comprise the biaxial stretching of the preform as the preform is being converted into the tubular container. The preform will be stretched longitudinally by means of a stretch rod and laterally by means of the pressure of the blowing gas. The tubular containers produced by these processes will have burst strengths three to five times that of other tubular containers and can be produced in a thin wall collapsible form. Further, the tubular container will have a tensile strength in the machine direction along a tensile strength in the cross direction greater than other tubes, including laminate tubes, coextruded blow molded tubes and injection stretch tubes. In addition, the tubular containers can be single chamber containers or multichamber containers.

Abstract: A bottle for storing and dispensing contents comprises at least one grip portion for improving a user's grip on the bottle. The grip portion is situated on the side of the bottle and extends at least partially along the height of the bottle and comprises a recessed grip panel formed in the side of the bottle adapted to receive the user's fingers and the grip panel is tapered at an angle with respect to the vertical direction. Preferably, the back of the bottle is thinner than the front so that a user can grip the bottle from the back. Preferably, there are a plurality of ribs inclined at a first angle with respect to the horizontal direction and a plurality of cross-hatch ribs inclined at a second angle, the second angle differing from the first at approximately ninety degrees and the ribs forming a lattice arrangement. Preferably, the bottle further comprises a plurality of ridges, situated on the side wall of the bottle for providing strength and rigidity to the bottle.

Abstract: A bottle for storing and dispensing contents comprises a grip portion for improving a user's grip on the bottle. The grip portion is situated on a side of the bottle and extends at least partially along the height of the bottle. The grip portion comprises a recessed panel having a concave shape, formed in the first side of the bottle and adapted to receive the user's fingers. In addition, the grip portion further comprises a grip panel situated on the recessed panel and comprising a plurality of ribs projecting radially outward from the recessed panel. The ribs are oriented substantially vertically to improve the vertical strength of the bottle in the area of the grip portion and spaced-apart so as to form depressions therebetween to receive the user's fingers.

Abstract: A plastic bottle having a substantially uniform side wall thickness yet having a sculptured appearance is formed generally symmetrically about a vertical axis. The bottle includes a base portion, a side wall portion extending upward from a lower margin united to the base portion to an upper margin, a shoulder portion extending from the upper margin of the side wall portion to a neck portion, and a finish portion united to the neck portion and adapted to receive a closure. At least one of the side wall and shoulder portions includes a plurality of generally vertical ribs spaced uniformly around a circumference of the bottle, each generally vertical rib having an upper and lower end and, in cross-section, a central portion situated at a first radius from the bottle axis and a pair of generally symmetric side portions leading to the bottle surface at a second radius from the bottle axis, at least one set of the upper and lower ends of the ribs terminating at a common height on the container.

Abstract: Several bottle assemblies 10, 50, 662, 70, and 80 are disclosed having a cap retention portion, respectively identified by reference numbers 28, 54, 64, 73, and 84 which are adapted to allow removable storage of bottle cap 22.

Abstract: The present thermoformed containers are recloseable and resealable. This is accomplished primarily by providing a thermoformed container with a threaded neck and the use of a conventional type of closure on the threaded neck of the thermoformed container. The threads are on the neck and preferably also on an outwardly extending peripheral edge on the neck. This outwardly extending peripheral edge is created in thermoform molding. The neck preferably also is in the form of a two or more ply structure and in a further preferred embodiment the neck is reinforced by the closure. The closure in the embodiment of external threads on the neck has a reinforcing plug. In this embodiment the reinforcing plug fits into the neck adjacent the inner wall of the neck while the threads of the closure contact the exterior wall of the neck. In the embodiment of internal threads on the neck the closure can have a skirt which is in close contact with the exterior wall of the neck. This will likewise reinforce the neck.

Abstract: Pressurized plastic container having the appearance of ribs but with substantially reduced creep and without delamination, i.e., having an enhanced shelf life compared to prior art ribbed containers. In multilayer containers, the scribe lines reduce delamination of the layer structure so as to avoid loss of transparency and/or barrier properties. The reduction in creep is particularly useful for smaller volume containers having a greater surface area to volume ratio.

Abstract: A contraction-controlled bellows container (1) is disclosed, which can retain half or fully contracted configurations of the bellows ridges (2) whose upper walls (21) and/or lower walls (22) have at least one circumferential indentation (3) adjacent the corresponding outer hinges (23) and/or inner hinges (24). The indentations utilize the pressure applied onto the container effectively and get depressed further into the corresponding bellows ridges prior to the corresponding portions of the other walls, reducing the total pressure requirement. The indentations bring together the walls in which the indentations are provided into the bellows ridges (2). These walls are gradually turned in shape to lose their shape restoration thanks to their generally protruding configuration. Adjustment of the sizes of the indentations makes it possible to selectively contract the bellows ridges.

Abstract: A bottle for storing and dispensing fluid comprises a side and at least one vertical rib section situated on the side for improving the bottle's vertical strength. Each vertical rib section comprises a plurality of vertical ribs being vertically and radially-outward extending projections, and panels that separate the vertical ribs. Preferably, the bottle further comprises at least two shoulders on the side, each shoulder being a radially-outward extending projection on the side and being centered at a height along the side of the bottle, wherein each shoulder and each rib section completely surround the side of the bottle such that the plurality of ribs are evenly spaced around the circumference of the bottle.

Abstract: A container that provides for drainage of fluid underneath a product label on the container is provided. The container comprises a central label portion, a bottom portion below the central label portion, and at least one drainage port. Each drainage port comprises two ridges forming a groove through which fluid can drain from the central label portion to the bottom portion of the container. At a cross-sectional area of a container at the level of the drainage ports, the container has an outer surface at a radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the container. Preferably, each groove is located at the same radial distance as that of the outer surface of the container.

Abstract: A liquid container for a comestible product such as milk or juice includes a base having a substantially planar region, a top surface having a substantially planar region parallel to the substantially planar region of the base and having a pour spout. A sidewall is integrally formed with and extends between the base and top surface, and includes a structural load distributing feature that transfers loads from the top surface to the base. A handle is interposed between the base and top surface and integrally formed with the base, top surface, and sidewall. The containers can be arrayed into units and stacked on top of one another.

Abstract: A stackable glass tumbler is disclosed having minimal contact between the outer surface of the upper tumbler with the inner surface of the lower tumbler, thus decreasing sticking between the stacked tumblers. The tumbler provides a desirable capacity to height ratio when stacked, and has a plurality of surfaces to which decorative material can easily be added.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved blow molded plastic container that is adapted for hot fill applications. The hot fill container of the present invention comprises a plurality of vacuum panels, having substantially arched upper and lower ends, as opposed to the substantially straight upper and lower ends as described in the related art. The hot fill container of the invention further comprises novel and unique vacuum panel reinforcement means. The vacuum panel reinforcement means are a series of arched ribs. One series of ribs is placed in the label mounting area above the vacuum panels and one series of ribs is placed in the label mounting area below the vacuum panels. The ribs extend noncontinuously around the circumference of the body of the plastic container and are spaced apart from each other by a land area. Each rib is also spaced apart from the vacuum panel and is centered over a land area between vacuum panels.

Abstract: A liquid container for a comestible product such as milk or juice includes a base having a substantially planar region that slopes toward a dispensing opening. A vent opening spaced from the dispensing opening is also dimensioned for filling the container. A handle is integrally formed in the container and serves the dual purpose of a structural load transferring member and for carrying the container. Like containers can be arrayed and stacked on top of one another so that the stacked containers can be wrapped in a flexible material and the use of shipping cases eliminated.

Abstract: A collapsible container comprising a body having a bottom portion, a top portion and an intermediate accordion fold style portion. The top portion has a fill mouth and a vent opening, so that a liquid can be inserted through the fill mouth when the body is in an extended mode. A pour spout engages with the fill mouth in a removable manner, so as to allow the liquid to pour out therefrom. A facility is for holding the body in a collapsed mode being approximately one quarter the height of the extended mode when not in use, for easy storage and transportation.

Abstract: A hot fill container formed from a polymeric material is disclosed. The container comprises a base (4), a body (2), and a neck (1), wherein the body (2) comprises an odd number of spaced-apart panels (5) that are responsive to internal pressure changes in the container. Hot fill bottles of a given capacity having an uneven number of deformable panels, e.g., five of a given wall thickness, unexpectedly accommodate significantly higher volume reductions before collapsing and distorting in an uncontrolled manner than known hot fill bottles of the same capacity having an even number of panels, e.g., six of the same wall thickness.

Abstract: An ergonomically friendly container having hot-fill capabilities is disclosed. The container has a pre-ovalized dome with grip surfaces that undergo controlled deformation for accommodating a portion of the volumetric shrinkage due to hot filling, capping and cooling.

Abstract: A plastic blow molded bottle (10) includes a pair of vertically extending hand grips (32) depressed inwardly at a rib reinforced shoulder (22) and at a body portion (16) of the bottle. Each hand grip (32) has a plurality of horizontally extending reinforcing ribs (34) that have curved shapes and are spaced vertically from each other.

Abstract: A blow molded, thin walled plastic container for filling with a liquid whose temperature is elevated above ambient. The container includes a first portion of a first diameter, a second portion of a second diameter, and reduced diameter region between the first and second portions. The reduced diameter portion extends circumferentially around the container and a plurality of ribs which are located to extend between the first and second portions. The ribs form reinforcing members in the reduced diameter portion and increase the top load capabilities of the container. The first and second portions can both be formed in the shoulder portion of the container or one in the shoulder portion and one in the sidewall of the container.

Abstract: A preform and container design for a pressurized refillable plastic container, such as a PET carbonated beverage container, having a base section with increased resistance to sprue cracking. Sprue cracking, which may be a problem in warmer climates, is believed to be caused in prior designs by an entrapment of material between the stretch rod tip and the blow mold base during blow molding of the container, which entrapment causes surface defects in the container adjacent the sprue. These surface defects expand during flexing of the container dome, caused by alternating cycles of thermal shrinkage and expansion during container cleaning and filling. Sprue cracking can be reduced by eliminating a depressed dish adjacent the sprue in prior known refillable containers, and may further be reduced by modifications to the preform and container wall thickness ratios and base clearance height.

Abstract: A plastic container that is designed for optimal strength and lightweighting characteristics includes a finish portion, a bottom portion that has a plurality of support feet and a corresponding number of grooves defined between the support feet, and a main body portion. According to one feature of the container, the main body portion has at least one groove defined in its smooth label area that is oriented so as to have an axial component and so as to extend to near a bottom of the label portion for permitting condensate to drain from the label portion. This reduces the potential for condensation-induced label delamination. According to another feature of the container, the main body portion further has a tapered neck portion that has a plurality of undulating grooves defined therein to provide structural reinforcement. The main body of the container also has a lower end that is configured so as to have a number of generally axially extending channels that extend toward the bottom portion.

Abstract: A packing container for liquid products comprises a closure which opens and closes automatically when the pressure in the container varies, such that the container is easy to handle irrespective of its filling level and can be reliably secured to a wall or the like. The container also includes at least one flat side wall for securing it to a flat surface, and at least one concave or convex actuation surface in the region of opposing side walls such that the user can apply manual pressure.

Abstract: To remarkably decrease the amount of material for the manufacture of ink containers and the volume of the ink containers after use, so as to contribute to the economy of natural resource consumption and solving the problem of destruction of global environment by the waste of products, without sacrificing the easiness of handling of the ink containers for printers, the ink container for directly storing ink is principally constructed by a thin walled vessel contractible according to discharge of ink therefrom, with a nozzle being connected to an end portion of the vessel, with a disk handle being mounted to the nozzle, so that the disk handle can be grasped by five fingers of a hand for carrying the ink container by hand and for removing a cap therefrom. For the ink container being housed in a printer, the ink container is charged into a reinforcing case with the nozzle and the disk handle engaged with an end wall portion of the case, so that the ink container is handled like the case.

Abstract: A hot-fillable plastic container having a panel section of a size suitable for gripping the container in one hand. The panel section includes two opposing vertically-elongated and radially-indented vacuum panels, and two opposing horizontally-disposed and radially-indented finger grips. Each vacuum panel preferably has an invertible central wall portion movable from a convex first position prior to hot-filling of the container, to a concave second position under vacuum pressure following hot-filling and sealing of the container.

Abstract: A packaging material web for a self-supporting packaging container wall which includes a number of continuous wall panels manufactured from flexible material layers which are interconnected with one another by means of a pattern of seals. Between the seals, there are formed cells which are inflatable with a view to imparting to the material the requisite rigidity. A packaging container manufactured from the packaging material comprises a number of wall panels provided with inflatable cells, the length of the wall panels on inflation of the cells being reduced so that the height of the packaging container shrinks. Along one of the vertical side edges of the packaging container, there is a sealing joint (10) which is less flexible and counteracts such shrinkage so that the packaging container tends to be warped. In order to counteract this, the seals defining the cells are given asymmetric form, with one narrow and one broad end.

Abstract: Tubular containers can be produced by injection stretch blowmolding processes. Such processes comprise the biaxial stretching of the preform as the preform is being converted into the tubular container. The preform will be stretched longitudinally by means of a stretch rod and laterally by means of the pressure of the blowing gas. The tubular containers produced by these processes will have burst strengths three to five times that of other tubular containers and can be produced in a thin wall collapsible form. Further, the tubular containers can be single chamber containers or multi-chamber containers.

Abstract: A collapsible container is disclosed having a top portion and a base portion joined by a generally cylindrical side wall structure, the generally cylindrical side wall structure has a central axis and a collapsible helical portion and the collapsible helical portion has a generally uniform radius and a generally flat side cross sectional shape with respect to the central axis. A cup section is also disclosed which can cause deformation of the collapsible container's side wall. The container is particularly suitable to store carbonated beverages and other consumer products.