Plastic container having a freestanding, self-supporting base

1. A plastic blow molded container having a central axis, a freestanding, self-supporting base, a body portion extending upwardly from the base, and a neck portion extending upwardly from the body portion said neck portion including a dispensing opening therein, said base comprising:

at least six downwardly projecting hollow legs spaced circumferentially from each other, each leg having a lower flat foot coplanar with the feet of the other legs to cooperate therewith in supporting the container in an upright position;

a plurality of curved ribs spaced circumferentially from each other with each rib located between two downwardly projecting legs, said ribs corresponding in number to the number of legs, said ribs having a tapered width along the length thereof and connecting to the legs, each rib having an inner portion that extends outwardly from the central axis and an outer portion that extends upwardly from the inner portion for connection to the body portion, wherein the outer portion of each rib has a circumferential width greater than the circumferential width of the inner portion thereof; and

a generally round hub located along the central axis, wherein the curved ribs and legs extend radially therefrom;

wherein the body portion has a diameter; each rib has a radius of curvature (Rr) from 30 to 75% of the diameter of the body portion; the legs include a heel having a radius of curvature (Rj) from 6 to 25% of the diameter of the body portion; the distance between the center of the radius of curvature (Rj) of the heel of the legs and the center of the adjacent radius of curvature (Rr) of the ribs is the depth of the heel, and the ratio of the depth of the heel to the diameter of the body is from 0.06 to 0.16.

2. A container according to claim 1 , including from six to eight of said legs.

3. A container according to claim 2 , including eight of said legs.

4. A container according to claim 2 , wherein the body portion has an outer diameter (D) and the legs have an outer diameter (Df), and the outer diameter (Df) of the lower most portion of the legs is 60 to 80% of the outer diameter (D) of the body portion.

5. A container according to claim 4 , wherein the outer diameter of the lowermost portion of the legs is 65 to 70% of the outer diameter of the body portion.

6. A container according to claim 2 , wherein each leg has an outer wall and the body portion is a cylindrical body portion which has a diameter, and wherein the outer wall of each leg has a radius of curvature from 15 to 80% of the diameter of the cylindrical body portion.

7. A container according to claim 2 , wherein the body portion includes an upper inwardly extending shoulder portion.