Abstract: A plastic container that may be used in hot fill applications includes a finish portion having an opening, a main body portion and a bottom portion. The main body portion includes a vacuum panel area and a circumferentially extending reinforcement groove that has reinforcement structure provided therein positioned substantially adjacent to the vacuum panel area. The bottom portion includes a standing ring, a central interior substantially flat portion that has a plurality of alternating parallel ribs and grooves defined therein and a transitional surface between the standing ring and the substantially flat portion. The parallel ribs and grooves define a complex structure with respect to the transitional surface that provides a stiffening effect, particularly in containers that are fabricated from polypropylene.

Abstract: A blow-molded container includes an opening section that can be closed, a side wall, and a closed bottom. The material in the region of the side wall is shaped by blow forming an injection-molded preform. At least three recessed grips are arranged along an outer perimeter of the container. At least two longitudinal ribs oriented in a longitudinal direction of the container are arranged between each pair of recessed grips. The longitudinal ribs are separated from each other by a recess, which also extends in a longitudinal direction. At least one circumferential rib, which extends in a circumferential direction of the container, is arranged inside each of the recessed grips.

Abstract: A plastic container is disclosed comprising a base portion for supporting the container on a surface, an upper portion, and a body portion. The upper portion includes a neck and a dispensing opening. The body portion extends between the base portion and the neck, the body portion including a shoulder portion below the neck portion and a sidewall portion between the shoulder portion and the base portion. The body portion includes at least one elongated vertical formation that substantially extends along the sidewall portion from the base portion toward the shoulder portion, the elongated vertical portion being continuous along at least 0.60 the total height of the container.

Abstract: Containers having improved load-bearing and vacuum-resistance features are provided. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides a container (10) having a shoulder (16) including four faces forming compound-radiused comers at intersections (28,30) with a body of the container. In another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a container having a shoulder (16) with four faces, at least two of the four faces having a cut-away (32) with a shape that is substantially U-shaped. The structural features of the present containers advantageously provide for improved compression capacity and vacuum-resistance when compared to similar containers currently on the market.

Abstract: A hot fill type plastic container includes a finish portion that defines an opening and a main body portion having a sidewall that defines a plurality of vacuum panels and a plurality of creased wall portions. Each of the creased wall portions is positioned between two adjacent vacuum panels. At least one of the creased wall portions has an axis of longitudinal orientation when viewed in side elevation that has a vertical component and a circumferential component. The creased wall portions further preferably are substantially non-curved when viewed in side elevation and also preferably have a compound curvature to increase stiffness.

Abstract: A bottle has a body intermediate a neck and a closed bottom of the bottle. The body has an exterior surface defining a circumference of the body. The body includes a plurality of panel segments. Each panel segment has an upper panel end, a lower panel end, a length extending from the upper panel end to the lower panel end, opposite longitudinal sides, and a panel centerline extending at a substantially constant acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the bottle. The panel segments are disposed generally side-by-side around the circumference of the body. The exterior surface of each panel segment may be substantially planar along the circumferential width of the panel segment.

Abstract: A bedding box has a container formed by sloped end plates and side plates joined to a bottom plate, with gusseted wing plates reinforcing the side plates. The wing plates extend outwards from the container to facilitate loading. A frame attaches to each of the end plates, one frame having horizontally-extending, vertically-spaced apart bars to allow the bucket of a compact excavator to be wedged therebetween to lift the bedding box, while the other end serves to attach one or more support brackets that can be lifted by a scraper blade of the excavator, allowing support at both ends of the bedding box for transportation over uneven terrain. Skids can be affixed to the bottom plate to reinforce it, to facilitate dragging the bedding box, and to facilitate lifting the bedding box from one end with a forklift.

Abstract: A blank for being formed into a container. The blank has a marginal area that includes a plurality of score lines for facilitating forming of the blank into the container. The score lines are positioned to facilitate formation of denesting features of the container. A container formed from the blank has denesting features.

Abstract: A bottle includes a bridge forming a fluid channel, and extending radially outwardly on a bottle neck, from a location spaced axially from a bottle finish to a bottle shoulder. The bridge includes an outer wall offset radially outwardly with respect to walls of the neck and the shoulder and, in transverse cross section, the outer wall includes an incurvate inner surface. The bridge also includes side walls extending between the outer wall of the bridge and the walls of the neck and shoulder and, in transverse cross section, the side walls include straight inner surfaces disposed at chordal angles.

Abstract: A pressure vessel having reduced weight while satisfying required design conditions has polygonal upper and bottom walls, a side wall provided therebetween, an upper curved surface portion for connecting the upper and side walls, and a lower curved surface portion for connecting the bottom and side walls. An upper wall center rib includes an upper wall center part, and upper wall annular ribs respectively connecting substantially center parts of the upper wall and surrounding the upper wall center rib. Ribs are formed substantially centrally in the upper curved surface portion. A bottom wall center rib includes a center part in the bottom wall. Bottom wall annular ribs are formed connecting the bottom wall and surrounding the bottom wall center rib. Lower curved surface portion ribs are formed substantially centrally in the lower curved surface portion, and main surface ribs are formed substantially centrally in the side wall.

Abstract: Disclosed is a bottle for containing liquid content including a body portion, at least part or the entire portion of an upper portion of which is provided with a plurality of guides which protrudes inward from an inside surface thereof and is in a spiral pattern so that the liquid content can be guided towards an opening of a neck portion of the bottle while spirally revolving inside the bottle.

Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed toward containers with improved anti-buckling performance by incorporating one or more structural reinforcement features into the containers. The container may include a bottom wall, opposing sidewalls each including a plurality of ribs, and opposing end walls interconnecting the sidewalls. The sidewalls may include at least one reinforcement protrusion having a geometric center disposed in the upper half of the sidewall. The container may also include a non-planar top rim to redistribute top load so that the anti-buckling performance of the container can be improved.

Abstract: A multi-gallon capacity container comprising which comprises a substantially rectangular bottom portion having a chime and a plurality of base channels; a shoulder portion with a neck section for facilitating filling and discharging of liquid from the container and a plurality vertically extending shoulder channels; a body portion which seamlessly connects the bottom portion with the shoulder portion and having a plurality of spaced apart horizontal ribs and rib channels for increasing a lateral wall strength of the container. The container includes a first and second primary columns for increasing a top load strength of the container. Each primary column commences in the shoulder portion, extends substantially continuously along the shoulder portion, across the plurality of horizontal ribs, and terminates at the bottom portion.

Abstract: A container having a finish, a sidewall portion extending from the finish, a base portion extending from the sidewall portion and enclosing the sidewall portion to form a volume therein for retaining a commodity, and a panel area disposed in the sidewall portion. The panel area includes a belt land portion and a pair of inset portions in mirrored arrangement relative to the belt land portion, and a generally oval boundary area surrounding and containing the belt land portion and inset portions.

Abstract: A bottle is a bottle formed of synthetic resin materials in a cylindrical shape with a bottom. A bottom wall portion in a bottom portion thereof includes a grounding portion positioned at an outer circumferential edge thereof, a rising circumferential wall portion connected to the grounding portion from an inside of a bottle radial direction and extending upward, a movable wall portion protruding from an upper end part of the rising circumferential wall portion toward the inside of the bottle radial direction, and a recessed circumferential wall portion extending upward from an inner end part in the bottle radial direction of the movable wall portion. The movable wall portion is arranged to be movable upward together with the recessed circumferential wall portion, around a connected portion with the rising circumferential wall portion. A plurality of ribs are arranged in the movable wall portion radially around a bottle axis.

Abstract: A hot fill type plastic container includes a bottom portion and a main body having a vacuum uptake portion that is bounded by upper and lower horizontal grooves. The vacuum uptake portion has four side panel portions, and each of the side panel portions has at least one vertical groove defined therein. The vertical grooves are substantially centered with respect to the side panel portions. No surface features other than the vertical grooves are included on the side panel portions. The main body further includes upper and lower round portions that are respectively positioned above and below the vacuum uptake portion.

Abstract: A plastic container is disclosed comprising a base portion for supporting the container on a surface, an upper portion, and a body portion. The upper portion includes a neck and a dispensing opening. The body portion extends between the base portion and the neck, the body portion including a shoulder portion below the neck and a sidewall portion between the shoulder portion and the base portion. The body portion includes at least one elongated vertical formation that substantially extends along the sidewall portion from the base portion toward the shoulder portion, the elongated vertical portion being continuous along at least 0.60 the total height of the container.

Abstract: A surgical fluid basin includes a receptacle member having a lower wall and a peripheral wall extending from the lower wall and arranged about a longitudinal axis, and having an internal chamber within the peripheral wall for reception of fluids. The peripheral wall has at least one terrace defined within the peripheral wall corresponding to a volume of fluid contained within the internal chamber. The at least one terrace defines an internal rise surface and an internal run surface intersecting the internal rise surface. The internal run surface includes indicia markings corresponding to the volume of fluid contained within the internal chamber. A plurality of terraces may be defined within the peripheral wall with each terrace corresponding to a predetermined volume of fluid contained within the internal chamber. The internal run surface defined by each terrace includes indicia markings corresponding to the volume of fluid contained within the internal chamber.

Abstract: A water holding tank with an approximately rectangular bottom wall and four side walls that are connected respectively to the sides of the bottom wall, each side wall has number of upper support platforms that are arranged periodically along one side of the bottom wall, a number of lower support platforms that are arranged alternately relative to the upper support platforms at a distance from the bottom wall, and a number of connecting walls, whereby each connecting wall connects an upper support platform to a lower support platform while leaving open a passage for water, in which the upper support platforms of a side wall are arranged in mirror positions of the lower support platforms of the opposite side wall relative to a 180° rotation and vice versa.

Abstract: The plastic container includes a hollow body of plastic material having a lower supporting base, a sidewall extending upwardly from the lower base and an upper neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall with an opening therein. The sidewall includes at least one panel having a central region and an outer boundary, with the outer boundary being depressed with respect to the central region.

Abstract: Disclosed is a bottomed tubular bottle including an annular groove which is formed so as to be circumferentially and radially recessed inward along the outer peripheral surface of a body of the bottle with a bottle axis as a center and which contracts and deforms the body in the axial direction of the bottle when the internal pressure is reduced. The annular groove is recessed and formed by a first wall surface arranged on a mouth side of the bottle and a second wall surface arranged on a bottom side of the bottle. The body is formed so that the outer diameter on the bottom side is larger than the outer diameter on the mouth side with the annular groove interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A plastic container including an upper end having an aperture defining an opening of the container. A lower end defines a base of the container. A sidewall portion merges into a grip portion and extends between the upper end and the lower end. The sidewall portion and the grip portion each include a plurality of horizontal ribs. The horizontal ribs of the sidewall portion each include at least one chamfered rib that provides additional structural strength and support to the container during hot fill, packaging and shipping operations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning, sanitizing, and refilling reusable containers in order to reduce the non-biodegradable waste and environment contamination. The apparatus and process allows a person/consumer to refill the container with any fluid dispensed by said apparatus such as a vending machine. Depending on the fluid selection of the consumer the vending machine sanitizes the container before any fluid is dispensed in it. Further, the machine provides the branding of the container depending on the consumer selection allowing people and consumer recognition of the product and enticing manufacturers to participate.

Abstract: A hot-fillable container that has an aesthetically pleasing shaped after the hot-fill process. The side walls of the container have structural aspects that permit the side walls to retain a substantially similar shape after the hot-fill process. This allows for an aesthetically pleasing design that compensates for the deformation that can occur during the hot-fill process.

Abstract: A base including an inwardly and upwardly projecting flexible surface within a continuous seating ring supports a generally cylindrical wall extending upward from the base. A plurality of annular inwardly projecting, and vertically flexible rings interrupting the cylindrical wall. At least one of rings projects inwardly more than some others of the rings to achieve an improved sidewall crush resistance A shoulder portion, includes a plurality of vertical ribs separating a plurality of vacuum responsive panels. The vertical flexibility of the bottle sidewall reduces the amount of flexing required in the shoulder panels and base to accommodate the same vacuum development, and enhances the total amount of post capping vacuum development that can be accommodated by the bottle as a whole.

Abstract: A sewage tank for use with a pump such as a grinder pump to convey sewage. The sewage tank includes a container having an upper portion and a lower tapering portion defining a chamber for containing the pump. The lower tapering portion has a reduced size compared to the upper portion. The upper portion and the lower portion may include a plurality of intersecting vertical ribs and horizontal ribs defining a plurality of recessed pockets. The lower portion of the sewage tank may also include an outwardly-extending flange sufficiently sized so that soil may be backfilled around the bottom of the tank to prevent the tank from floating upward out of the ground due to its buoyancy under high ground water conditions. A sewage tank having a stepped flange is also disclosed.

Abstract: A thermoplastic container (1) adapted to be filled with a hot liquid, comprising a body (2) having a plurality of recessed panels (3) parallel to the axis (4) of the body and separated by beams (5) parallel to the axis; the panels are arranged on a number of levels (A, B, . . . ), the panels of two consecutive levels being separated by a collar (6) in surface continuity with the beams; each beam is recessed to form a longitudinal central channel section (7), and the channel sections (7) of the beams (5) of the successive levels are connected to one another, in an angularly offset manner from a beam (5) of one level to the consecutive beam (5) of the adjacent level, by strongly inclined channel sections (8) extending in the collars (6), channel sections (7, 8) forming channels configured as parallel successive steps and distributed over the periphery of the body.

Abstract: A one-piece plastic container includes a cylindrical body defining a longitudinal axis. The plastic container has an upper portion, a sidewall portion and a base portion. The base portion defines a radial sidewall and a continuous contact surface formed around a central pushup portion. A plurality of modulating vertical ribs are defined on the base portion generally at a transition between the continuous contact surface and the radial sidewall. The sidewall portion can be integrally formed with and extends from the upper portion to the base portion. According to one example, the plastic container can have six (6) modulating ribs. The base portion can define a plurality of facets formed between adjacent modulating vertical ribs.

Abstract: A plastic container (10) that exhibits an optimal ratio of hoop strength to top load strength includes a finish portion (12) and generally cylindrical main body portion (14). The main body portion includes a sidewall (16) that has a first plurality of generally vertical ribs (18, 20, 21, 24) defined therein. In addition, a second plurality of generally horizontal wave (26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36) shaped ribs is defined in the sidewall. The generally horizontal wave shaped ribs intersect with the generally vertical ribs, thereby imparting enhanced strength characteristics to the container (10).

Abstract: The invention provides a roller bottle for cell growth culturing including a plurality of axial pleats therearound for increasing cell growth surface area and further including circumferential ribs integrally formed therewith for reinforcing the pleated wall structure. These circumferential ribs prevent the bottle walls from bowing outward when the inside of the bottle becomes pressurized during cell growth culturing.

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: A closure for covering an opening of a container. The closure includes an inverted U-shaped peripheral channel for receiving the rim of a container therein. A tear strip is formed with the skirt of the closure via a tear line that circumscribes the skirt. A breakaway pull tab having an inner surface with U-shaped ribs, the combination of the surface and ribs being such as to provide a concavity which assists in gripping the tab to pull the strip away. Linear vertical ribs may be provided on the outer surface to provide further assistance in the gripping function. The skirt includes a recessed area underlying the pull tab for providing access to the pull tab. An alternative embodiment uses a zig-zag structure of strengthening ribs in the skirt to reduce the amount of material necessary to provide the undercut. This reduces the probability of warpage in the closure structure.

Abstract: A plastic container includes a finish, a shoulder extending from the finish, a closed base, and a sidewall connecting the shoulder to the base. The sidewall is of blow molded construction and generally uniform wall thickness. The sidewall has an array of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending radially recessed channels, and an array of axially spaced circumferentially extending radially recessed channels intersecting the longitudinally extending channels. The longitudinally extending channels have radially inner portions that lie on an hourglass-shaped common surface of revolution around the axis of the container sidewall. In the preferred embodiments of the invention, a plurality of axially and circumferentially spaced land areas are disposed in spaces between the intersecting longitudinally and circumferentially extending channels, with the land areas lying on a common surface of revolution, preferably a cylindrical surface of revolution, around the axis of the container sidewall.

Abstract: A container system includes interchangeable components to form an enclosed container. A base in the form of a pallet, a sidewall and a cover are assembled to form an enclosed container. The containers include nesting portions on the pallet and cover so that containers may be stacked when assembled and the components may also be stacked when in storage and nest to resist lateral sliding. The sidewalls include a first embodiment with single wall construction and a second embodiment with double wall construction. The walls are a corrugated plastic construction and include spaced apart reinforcing rods extending into the flutes. The double wall sidewall includes an inner wall with vertically extending flutes having reinforcing rods inserted into spaced apart ones of the flutes while the outer wall has horizontally extending flutes with one or more reinforcing rods inserted therein to provide added strength.

Abstract: A blow-molded bottle includes a shoulder and a body that includes an upper body section, a lower body section, and a transversal recessed rib disposed between the upper body section and the lower body section. The upper body section has four lateral walls and four corner walls, each being arranged between two adjacent lateral walls. The lower body section also has four lateral walls and four corner walls, each being arranged between two adjacent lateral walls. The corner wall is formed with an axially extending recess that includes tapered walls.

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: It is an object of the present invention to prevent the edge of the in-molded label from the crack due to the impact of dropping the container, especially to prevent the occurrence of the crack on the thin synthetic resin container and to provide the synthetic resin container which a reinforce rib is disposed on the wall surface of the container body corresponding to the edge of the in-molded label to surround the label edge or to locate the label edge in said rib.

Abstract: The present invention overcomes many of the shortcomings inherent in previous containers for packaging potato chips, corn based chips, cookies and the like. The improved implosion-resistant container of the present invention utilizes a collection of stress dissipating mechanisms that counteract the forces causing thermoplastic container deformation, implosion and loss of seal integrity. This collection of stress dissipating mechanisms, employed collectively or separately, allows a container for storing fragile food products to be fashioned as a relatively lightweight, thin-walled blow molded thermo-plastic container that is capable of adapting to changing environmental conditions while maintaining its visual aesthetic appearance.

Abstract: A container having opposing ends joined by a closing member, which closing member carries (a) a plurality of spread-apart ribs that radially encompass the periphery of the closing member, and (2) a plurality of radial sub-portions between adjacent ribs which sub-portions encompass the periphery of the closing member and a plurality of facets carried by the sub-portions.

Abstract: A hot-fillable grip container having a sidewall with a front label panel on which a label can be adhesively secured and prominently displayed. The label panel includes horizontally disposed stiffening grooves and transversely disposed channels connecting between adjacent pairs of grooves. The channels are preferably vertically disposed such that they are perpendicular to said grooves and provide anti-barreling and anti-buckling functions. In addition, the channels enable ready drainage of cooling liquid applied to a hot-filled and capped container so that proper label adhesion can be achieved.

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: A hot-fillable container having an opposed pair of collapse panels that move inwardly to accommodate vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container. The container 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 said front and rear label panels, and each has a predetermined arcuate extent and an inset grip region affording facile handling of the container. Desirable structural parameters are disclosed.

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 pallet bin comprises a generally rectangular base having a generally planar support surface. A pair of opposite side panels and a pair of opposite end panels between the side panels each stand vertically at one side of the rectangular base to define a parallelepiped interior space. Each of the side panels and end panels comprises a planar outer wall and a planar inner wall and an internal rib structure connecting the outer wall spaced from the inner wall to define hollow portions therebetween.

Abstract: A method of making a non-cylindrical shaped metal can that is provided with a stylized, irregular shape includes steps of forming a substantially cylindrical sidewall portion (12) that has a plurality of ribs integrated therein. These ribs provide additional strength to the sidewall portion. The cylindrical sidewall portion may then be shaped into a non-cylindrical, stylized shape. The ribs (26) are preferably positioned at portions of the shaped sidewall portion (12) that are anticipated to need increased strength in order to withstand deformation under pressure. The sidewall (12) is then assembled to at least one can end member (30) to form a completed shaped metal can (28). The ribs may either be arranged longitudinally, circumferentially, or both may be provided to form a grid structure.

Abstract: A sleeve pack to be used with a pallet base and cover to form a container for shipping bulk goods comprises four vertical walls arranged such that each vertical wall is orthogonal to two adjacent walls. At least one vertical wall of corrugated plastic is joined by an edge-to-edge butt welded seam. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention a vertical wall panel having vertically oriented corrugations is edge-to-edge butt welded with a corner piece of corrugated plastic having horizontally oriented corrugations to form a continuous one ply sleeve pack. An alternative embodiment of the present invention is a double thickness, corrugated plastic sleeve pack in which one thickness has horizontal corrugations for side impact resistance and the other thickness has vertically oriented corrugations for increased stacking strength but with all seams butt welded.

Abstract: A plastic bottle for filling with hot liquid, of the type including a circumferential lateral wall (10), which is incorporated at its lower part to a bottom portion (F) and at its upper part to a neck portion (G) of said bottle. A plurality of grooves (20) are incorporated along the lateral wall (10) and disposed slightly inclined in relation to the longitudinal axis of the bottle and spaced between the bottom portion (F) and the neck portion (G). The grooves (20) are substantially parallel and spaced from each other by panels (11) of the lateral wall (10) and the grooves (20) have a wall thickness which is symmetrical in relation to the respective longitudinal planes of symmetry and which is dimensioned so that the grooves provide a vertical reinforcement, absorb homogeneously and make imperceptible the circumferential thermal and mechanical contractions of the bottle after cooling.

Abstract: A plastic blow molded container (10) of polyethylene terephthalate has a side wall (18) at least three vertically spaced horizontal ribs (38) of an annular shape and at least (12) vertical ribs (40) spaced circumferentially and extending between the horizontal ribs to cooperate therewith to define generally rectangular panels (42) that are capable of flexing inwardly to accommodate for shrinkage upon cooling. The construction of the container allows it to have a lightweight construction according to the equation:W.sub.G <12.sub.G +34V.sub.Gwherein W.sub.G is the weight in grams of the container, 12.sub.G is 12 grams, and 34V.sub.G is a weight in grams that is 34 times the internal volume of the container in liters. The horizontal ribs (38), the vertical ribs (40), and the rectangular panels (42) are constructed and positioned to facilitate label application to the container side wall (18).

Abstract: A more efficient flat bottom pot or pan is obtained by (a) the introduction of an initial central downward depression in the bottom plate in the order of twice the plate thickness to avoid the undesirable upward bulging of the pot bottom as a result of aging, (b) providing heat transferring fins in a spiral pattern to the bottom and helical pattern to the side wall of the pot or pan for more effective heat transfer from the stove flame to the pot or pan, and to stabilize the pot with its central depression for placement on flat surfaces, and (c) providing a detachable shielding skirt around the pot to reduce the heat loss from radiation and convection.