Hot fill container

1. A plastic container comprising:

an upper portion having a mouth defining an opening into said container;

a shoulder region extending from said upper portion;

a first vacuum absorbing region extending from said shoulder region, said first vacuum absorbing region further comprising:

a first pair of opposing vacuum panels having a distance between said first pair that is greater along a top edge than along a bottom edge; and

a second pair of opposing vacuum panels having a distance between said second pair that is greater along a top edge than along a bottom edge;

a plurality of bends defining a plurality of straight, linear transition edges connecting the shoulder region and the first vacuum absorbing region, the plurality of bends providing strength along said transition edges;

a second vacuum absorbing region extending from said first vacuum absorbing region; and

a base portion closing off an end of said container, said base portion having a generally cylindrical cross-section.

2. The plastic container of claim 1 wherein:

said top edges of said first pair of opposing vacuum panels and said second pair of opposing vacuum panels of said first vacuum absorbing region are molded into said shoulder region; and

said bottom edges of said first pair of opposing vacuum panels and said second pair of opposing vacuum panels of said first vacuum absorbing region are molded into a waist region, said waist region located between said first vacuum absorbing region and said second vacuum absorbing region.

3. The plastic container of claim 2 wherein said second vacuum absorbing region further comprises:

a first pair of opposing vacuum panels having a distance between said first pair that is shorter along a top edge than along a bottom circumferential edge; and

a second pair of opposing vacuum panels having a distance between said second pair that is shorter along a top edge than along a bottom circumferential edge.

4. The plastic container of claim 3 wherein:

said top edges of said first pair of opposing vacuum panels and said second pair of opposing vacuum panels of said second vacuum absorbing region are molded into said waist region; and

said bottom edges of said first pair of opposing vacuum panels and said second pair of opposing vacuum panels of said second vacuum absorbing region are molded into said base portion having a generally cylindrical cross-section.

5. The plastic container of claim 4 wherein said first vacuum absorbing region has a generally square horizontal cross-section throughout a vertical extent.

6. The plastic container of claim 1 wherein said container further defines a plurality of planar transition surfaces formed between each of said bends and at intersections between said shoulder region and said first pair and said second pair of opposing vacuum panels of said first vacuum absorbing region.

7. The plastic container of claim 6 wherein:

said plastic container defines a circumferential reinforcing rib formed at said waist region as a transition between said first and second vacuum absorbing regions;

said base portion defines a lower circumferential stiffening rib; and

said second vacuum absorbing region transitions between a first area defined by a generally rectangular cross-sectional profile and a second area defined by a generally circumferential cross-sectional profile.

8. A plastic container comprising:

an upper portion having a mouth defining an opening into said container;

a shoulder region extending from said upper portion;

a first vacuum absorbing region extending from said shoulder region and having a generally square horizontal cross-section entirely throughout its vertical extent, said first vacuum absorbing region further comprising:

a first pair of opposing vacuum panels having a distance between said first pair that is greater along a top edge than along a bottom edge; and

a second pair of opposing vacuum panels having a distance between said second pair that is greater along a top edge than along a bottom edge;

a plurality of bends defining a plurality of straight, linear transition edges connecting the shoulder region and the first vacuum absorbing region, the plurality of bends providing strength along said transition edges;

a second vacuum absorbing region extending from said first vacuum absorbing region, said second vacuum absorbing region transitioning from a first area defined by a generally square cross-sectional profile to a second area defined by a generally cylindrical cross-sectional profile; and

a base portion closing off an end of said container, said base portion having a generally cylindrical cross-section.

9. The plastic container of claim 8 , further comprising:

a waist region located between said first vacuum absorbing region and said second vacuum absorbing region, wherein:

said top edges of said first pair of opposing vacuum panels and said second pair of opposing vacuum panels of said first vacuum absorbing region are molded into said shoulder region; and

said bottom edges of said first pair of opposing vacuum panels and said second pair of opposing vacuum panels of said first vacuum absorbing region are molded into said waist region.

10. The plastic container of claim 9 wherein said second vacuum absorbing region further comprises:

a first pair of opposing vacuum panels having a distance between said first pair that is shorter along a top edge than along a bottom circumferential edge; and

a second pair of opposing vacuum panels having a distance between said second pair that is shorter along a top edge than along a bottom circumferential edge.

11. The plastic container of claim 10 wherein:

said top edges of said first pair of opposing vacuum panels and said second pair of opposing vacuum panels of said second vacuum absorbing region are molded into said waist region; and

said bottom edges of said first pair of opposing vacuum panels and said second pair of opposing vacuum panels of said second vacuum absorbing region are molded into said base portion having a generally cylindrical cross-section.

12. The plastic container of claim 8 wherein said container further defines a plurality of planar transition surfaces formed at intersections between each of said bends and said shoulder region and said first vacuum absorbing region.

13. The plastic container of claim 12 wherein said plastic container defines a circumferential reinforcing rib formed between each of and directly connecting each of said first and second vacuum absorbing regions.

14. The plastic container of claim 13 wherein said base portion defines a lower circumferential stiffening rib.

15. A plastic container comprising:

an upper portion having a mouth defining an opening into said container;

a shoulder region extending from said upper portion;

a first vacuum absorbing region extending from said shoulder region, said first vacuum absorbing region having a generally rectangular horizontal cross-section throughout a vertical extent thereof;

a plurality of bends defining a plurality of horizontal transition edges between the shoulder region and the first vacuum absorbing region, the plurality of bends providing strength along said horizontal transition edges;

a plurality of flat, planar transition surfaces formed between each of said bends and at intersections between said shoulder region and said first vacuum absorbing region;

a second vacuum absorbing region extending from said first vacuum absorbing region, said second vacuum absorbing region transitioning between a first area defined by a generally square cross-sectional profile and a second area defined by a generally cylindrical cross-sectional profile; and

a base portion closing off an end of said container, said base portion having a generally cylindrical cross-section.

16. The plastic container of claim 15 , wherein

said first vacuum absorbing region comprises a first pair of directly opposing vacuum panels and a second pair of directly opposing vacuum panels; and

each of said flat, planar transition surfaces is at an adjoining angle of 45 degrees adjacent said transition edges.

17. The plastic container of claim 16 , further comprising:

a horizontal reinforcing rib positioned between said first vacuum absorbing region and said second vacuum absorbing region.