Container base having volume absorption panel
View Patent ↗A plastic container is provided having a container body and a closed base. The base includes a base body and a plurality of deflection ribs configured to buckle as the base deforms in response to an increase in negative pressure internal to the container.
1. A plastic container configured to absorb negative internal pressure, the plastic container comprising:
a container body defining an upper portion that extends upwardly to a finish, and an opposing lower portion;
an enclosed base connected to the lower portion of the container body, the base comprising:
a standing member configured to rest on a support surface;
a centrally disposed hub disposed radially inward from the standing member, said hub having a convex exterior wall directed toward a support surface upon which a base of the container is placed, said convex exterior wall defining an internal recess;
a base body including a wall that extends between the standing member and the central hub, said wall including a convex ring interface portion between the standing member and the central hub,
at least one deflection rib attached to said wall and configured to buckle in response to a threshold level of negative internal pressure, the at least one deflection rib extending across said convex ring interface portion,
wherein the base body can deform from an as-molded state to a deformed state in response to an increase in negative internal pressure, and further deformation of the base body in response to further increased negative internal pressure causes the rib to buckle, thereby allowing the base body to further deform from the deformed state to a deflected state.
2. The plastic container as recited in claim 1 , wherein the base body further comprises, a first sloped surface at a position radially inward from a raised ring, a second sloped surface disposed proximate to the first sloped surface, said first and second sloped surfaces forming said convex ring interface portion, wherein said at least one deflection rib is connected between said first sloped surface and said second sloped surface.
3. The plastic container as recited in claim 2 , wherein said at least one rib defines a closed perimeter.
4. The plastic container as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first sloped surface slopes downward along a radially inward direction from the standing member toward the hub, and the second sloped surface slopes upward along the radially inward direction.
5. The plastic container as recited in claim 4 , wherein the second sloped surface defines a flat medial panel.
6. The plastic container as recited in claim 1 , wherein the base body further comprises an annular medial member disposed between the standing member and the hub, the annular medial member defines a plurality of flat panels adjoined at corresponding intersections, and said at least one rib is disposed at one of the intersections of a pair adjacent ones of the plurality of flat panels.
7. The plastic container as recited in claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of ribs, wherein one of said ribs is disposed at each intersection.
8. The plastic container as recited in claim 1 , wherein the container is a hot-fill plastic container.
9. A plastic container configured to deform from an undeformed state to a deflected state, the plastic container comprising:
a container body; and
a base connected to the container body, the base comprising:
a peripherally located standing member;
a hub located in a center of said base and forming a convex, radiused shape extending toward a support surface upon which the container is placed; and
a base body including a wall that extends from said standing member to said hub, said wall including a convex ring interface portion between said standing member and said hub, said base body including at least one rib attached to said wall and extending across said convex ring interface portion, said at least one rib being located between said standing member and said hub, and defining an enclosed perimeter, wherein said at least one rib is configured to create a deflection location in said at least one rib configured to buckle in response to deformation of said base from the undeformed state to the deflected state, thereby causing a portion of said base apart from said at least one rib to initially resist deflection.
10. The plastic container as recited in claim 9 , wherein said base further comprises a plurality of flat medial panels, such that adjacent flat medial panels are adjoined at respective interfaces, and said at least one rib is disposed at one of the interfaces.
11. The plastic container of claim 1 , wherein said base includes eight medial panels and eight deflection ribs, each of said medial panels and said ribs being spaced circumferentially about said base.
12. The plastic container of claim 9 , wherein said base includes eight medial panels and eight deflection ribs, each of said medial panels and said ribs being spaced circumferentially about said base.