Deformable container with hoop rings
View Patent ↗Method and system for handling a plurality of hot-filled and capped containers having temporary deformations or distortions caused by vacuums induced in the containers. For each container, temporary deformations are confined or directed to a particular portion of the container. Annular hoop rings can be provided to confine the temporary deformations to a smooth sidewall portion of the container between the annular hoop rings. Alternatively, one or more supplemental vacuum panels can be provided to confine or direct the temporary deformation thereto. The annular hoop rings and the one or more supplemental vacuum panels can provide for substantially stable touch points for the container. The containers are conveyed with temporary deformations such that substantially stable contact points of each container are in contact with corresponding substantially stable contact points of other containers. After the conveying, a moveable element in a bottom end of each container is activated substantially permanently to remove the vacuum in the container.
1. A deformable plastic container with a plurality of hoop rings, comprising:
a threaded neck portion adapted to receive a cap to sealingly enclose the container;
a body portion adjacent to the neck portion and having an overall height, the body portion including a first annular portion consisting of a first rigid, concave hoop ring, and a second annular portion consisting of a second rigid, concave hoop ring having a concave contour defined in sideview by an upper section, a lower section, and middle section between the upper section and the lower section, wherein the upper section and lower section extend radially outwardly further than the middle section, the second hoop ring having an upper edge and a lower edge, the body portion further consisting of a deformable smooth sidewall portion between said first and second hoop rings, the deformable smooth sidewall portion being circular in plan view and having a first undeformed unpressurized condition and a second deformed pressurized condition between the first and second hoop rings due to negative pressure within the container, wherein the first hoop ring and the second hoop ring are spaced apart by a distance corresponding to at least a majority of the height of the body portion to substantially confine deformation due to negative pressure within the container to the deformable smooth sidewall between the first and second hoop rings;
wherein at least one of the first annular portion and the second annular portion has a maximum diameter in plan view greater than a maximum diameter of the deformable smooth sidewall in the second deformed pressurized condition; and
a base portion adjacent to the body portion that forms a stable standing surface for the container and has a bottom end thereof with a discrete moveable element configured to be selectively movable by an external force from a first, outwardly inclined stable position above the standing surface to a second, inwardly inclined stable position above the standing surface to relieve negative pressure within the container when sealingly enclosed by the cap, wherein the deformable smooth sidewall portion is coupled to and extends directly from the upper edge of the second hoop ring and the base portion is coupled to and extends directly from the lower edge of the second hoop ring, and the base portion has a maximum diameter greater than the maximum diameter of the second annular portion.
2. The container according to claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second annular portions runs entirely around an entire circumference of said body portion of the container, and wherein said first and second annular portions are identical in size and shape.
3. A plurality of temporarily deformable containers arranged in a group, each said container in the group being in touching relationship with a plurality of other ones of said containers, each said container comprising:
a neck portion adapted to receive a sealing member to seal within the container a hot-filled product;
a body portion adjacent to said neck portion and having an overall height, the body portion including a first annular portion consisting of a first rigid, concave hoop ring formed therein, and a second annular portion consisting of a second rigid, concave hoop ring having a concave contour defined in sideview by an upper section, a lower section, and middle section between the upper section and the lower section, wherein the upper section and lower section extend radially outwardly further than the middle section, the second hoop ring having an upper edge and a lower edge formed therein, the body portion further consisting of a deformable smooth sidewall portion between said first and second hoop rings, the deformable smooth sidewall portion being circular in plan view and having a first undeformed unpressurized condition and a second deformed pressurized condition between the first and second hoop rings due to negative pressure within the container, wherein the first hoop ring and the second hoop ring are spaced apart by a distance corresponding to at least a majority of the height of the body portion to substantially confine deformation due to negative pressure within the container to the deformable smooth sidewall between the first and second hoop rings;
wherein at least one of said first annular portion and said second annular portion has a maximum diameter in plan view greater than a maximum diameter of the deformable smooth sidewall in the second deformed pressurized condition; and
a base portion adjacent to said body portion that forms a stable standing surface for the container and has a bottom end thereof with a moveable element configured to be selectively moveable inwardly by an external force from a first, outwardly inclined stable position to a second, inwardly inclined stable position to relieve negative pressure within the container when sealingly enclosed by the sealing member, the moveable element being different than said stable standing surface and configured to be at or above said stable standing surface at all times, wherein the deformable smooth sidewall portion is coupled to and extends directly from the upper edge of the second hoop ring and the base portion has an upper part that is coupled to and extends directly from the lower edge of the second hoop ring, and the base portion has a maximum diameter greater than the maximum diameter of the second annular portion, wherein the upper part of the base portion is sized to contact one or more of said plurality of other ones of said containers when in said touching relationship with said plurality of containers.
4. The plurality of temporarily deformable containers according to claim 3 , wherein, for each said container, said first and second annular portions run entirely around an entire circumference of said body portion of the container, and wherein, in a side view of each said container, each of said first and second rigid, concave hoop rings is generally C-shaped in side cross section.
5. The plurality of temporarily deformable containers according to claim 3 , wherein the group of temporarily deformable containers is a single file group of said containers.
6. The plurality of temporarily deformable containers according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of temporarily deformable containers arranged in a group has at least one internal container and a plurality of external containers which surround said at least one internal container, said upper part of said base portion for each said internal container providing for a stable touch point to at least three other of said containers of the plurality, and said upper part of said base portion for each said external container providing for a stable touch point to at least two other of said containers.
7. A temporarily deformable plastic container with a plurality of hoop rings comprising:
a threaded neck portion adapted to receive a cap to sealingly enclose the container after elevated-temperature-filling the container;
a body portion adjacent to the neck portion and having an overall height, the body portion comprising a first annular portion consisting of a first rigid, concave hoop ring, and a second annular portion consisting of a second rigid, concave hoop ring having a concave contour defined in sideview by an upper section, a lower section, and middle section between the upper section and the lower section, wherein the upper section and lower section extend radially outwardly further than the middle section, the second hoop ring having an upper edge and a lower edge, the body portion further consisting of a deformable smooth sidewall portion between said first and second hoop rings, the deformable smooth sidewall portion being circular in plan view and having a first undeformed unpressurized condition and a second deformed pressurized condition between the first and second hoop rings due to negative pressure within the container, wherein the first hoop ring and the second hoop ring are spaced apart by a distance corresponding to at least a majority of the height of the body portion to substantially confine deformation due to negative pressure within the container to the deformable smooth sidewall between the first and second hoop rings;
wherein at least one of the first annular portion and the second annular portion has a maximum diameter in plan view greater than a maximum diameter of the deformable smooth sidewall in the second deformed pressurized condition; and
a base portion adjacent to the body portion that forms a standing ring for the container and has a bottom end thereof with a moveable element different than the standing ring and configured to be moveable inwardly by an external force from a first, outwardly inclined stable position to a second, inwardly inclined stable position to relieve negative pressure within the container when sealingly enclosed by the sealing member, and to be at or above the standing ring at all times, wherein the deformable smooth sidewall portion is coupled to and extends directly from the upper edge of the second hoop ring and the base portion is coupled to and extends directly from the lower edge of the second hoop ring, and the base portion has a maximum diameter greater than the maximum diameter of the second annular portion.
8. The temporarily deformable plastic container of claim 7 , wherein the base portion further comprises creases and an anti-inverting portion.
9. The temporarily deformable plastic container of claim 7 , further comprising a part of the body portion above the first annular portion having a maximum diameter greater than the maximum diameter of the first annular portion.
10. The temporarily deformable plastic container of claim 7 , wherein the maximum diameter of the first annular portion is substantially the same as the maximum diameter of the second annular portion.
11. The temporarily deformable plastic container of claim 9 , wherein the maximum diameter of the base portion is substantially the same as the maximum diameter of the part of the body portion above the first annular portion.