Retortable plastic containers
View Patent ↗A plastic container includes a sidewall defining a bottom portion, a main body portion and an upper rim. The main body portion of the sidewall has at least one groove defined therein that has a circumferential component. Reinforcement structure is provided on the portion of the sidewall that defines the groove for limiting vertical expansion and contraction of the main body portion in response to force that is applied to the sidewall.
1. A plastic container, comprising:
a sidewall defining a bottom portion, a main body portion and an upper rim, the main body portion of the sidewall having at least one groove defined therein having a circumferential component; and
reinforcement structure provided on the portion of the sidewall that defines the groove for limiting vertical expansion and contraction of the main body portion in response to force that is applied to the sidewall.
2. A plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement structure comprises a plurality of flutes provided on the portion of the sidewall that defines the groove, each of the flutes having a vertical component.
3. A plastic container according to claim 2 , wherein each of the flutes is oriented so as to be substantially vertical.
4. A plastic container according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of flutes are spaced substantially evenly about a circumference of the groove.
5. A plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the groove extends about an entire circumference of the container.
6. A plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one groove comprises two grooves defined in the main body portion of the sidewall, each of the two grooves extending about an entire circumference of the main body portion, the two grooves being vertically spaced with respect to each other.
7. A plastic container according to claim 6 , wherein a first groove of the two grooves is positioned substantially at a minimum width of the main body portion.
8. A plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the groove has a minimum depth and a maximum depth, and a ratio of the minimum depth to the maximum depth is substantially within a range of about 0.1 to about 0.9.
9. A plastic container according to claim 8 , wherein the ratio of the minimum depth to the maximum depth is substantially within a range of about 0.2 to about 0.8.
10. A plastic container according to claim 9 , wherein the ratio of the minimum depth to the maximum depth is substantially within a range of about 0.35 to about 0.65.
11. A plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the container has a maximum lateral dimension and the groove has at least one location having a minimum depth and at least one location having a maximum depth, with the location of minimum depth having a groove bottom as viewed in longitudinal cross-section, a first upper groove sidewall that is angled with respect to the groove bottom at a first angle and connected to the groove bottom by a first fillet having a first radius, with the first upper groove sidewall connected to an outer sidewall portion by a second fillet having a second radius.
12. A plastic container according to claim 11 , wherein a ratio of the minimum depth to the maximum lateral dimension is substantially within a range of about 0.005 to about 0.10.
13. A plastic container according to claim 12 , wherein the ratio of the minimum depth to the maximum lateral dimension is substantially within a range of about 0.008 to about 0.08.
14. A plastic container according to claim 13 , wherein the ratio of the minimum depth to the maximum lateral dimension is substantially within a range of about 0.010 to about 0.04.
15. A plastic container according to claim 11 , wherein a ratio of the first radius to the minimum depth is substantially within a range of about 0.15 to about 0.65.
16. A plastic container according to claim 15 , wherein the ratio of the first radius to the minimum depth is substantially within a range of about 0.25 to about 0.55.
17. A plastic container according to claim 16 , wherein the ratio of the first radius to the minimum depth is substantially within a range of about 0.35 to about 0.45.
18. A plastic container according to claim 11 , wherein a ratio of the second radius to the minimum depth is substantially within a range of about 0.4 to about 1.0.
19. A plastic container according to claim 18 , wherein the ratio of the second radius to the minimum depth is substantially within a range of about 0.5 to about 0.9.
20. A plastic container according to claim 19 , wherein the ratio of the second radius to the minimum depth is substantially within a range of about 0.6 to about 0.8.
21. A plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the container has a maximum lateral dimension and wherein the reinforcement structure comprises a plurality of flutes and the groove includes an upper groove sidewall and a lower groove sidewall, and wherein an intersection between the flute and the upper groove sidewall as viewed in side elevation has a convex curvature that has a radius of curvature, and wherein a ratio of the radius of curvature to the maximum lateral dimension is substantially within a range of about 0.05 to about 1.0.
22. A plastic container according to claim 21 , wherein the ratio of the radius of curvature to the maximum lateral dimension is substantially within a range of about 0.08 to about 0.7.
23. A plastic container according to claim 22 , wherein the ratio of the radius of curvature to the maximum lateral dimension is substantially within a range of about 0.12 to about 0.4.
24. A plastic container according to claim 11 , wherein the groove has a second lower groove sidewall that together with the upper groove sidewall defines a wedge that is angled with respect to the groove bottom at a wedge angle that is substantially within a range of about 15° to about 45°.
25. A plastic container according to claim 24 , wherein the wedge angle is substantially within a range of about 20° to about 40°.
26. A plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the container has a maximum lateral dimension and the groove has at least one location having a minimum depth and at least one location having a maximum depth, with the location of maximum depth having a groove bottom as viewed in longitudinal cross-section, a first upper groove sidewall that is angled with respect to the groove bottom at a second angle and connected to the groove bottom by a first fillet having a first radius, with the first upper groove sidewall connected to an outer sidewall portion by a second fillet having a second radius.
27. A plastic container according to claim 26 , wherein a ratio of the maximum depth to the maximum lateral dimension is substantially within a range of about 0.01 to about 0.20.
28. A plastic container according to claim 27 , wherein the ratio of the maximum depth to the maximum lateral dimension is substantially within a range of about 0.015 to about 0.16.
29. A plastic container according to claim 28 , wherein the ratio of the maximum depth to the maximum lateral dimension is substantially within a range of about 0.02 to about 0.08.
30. A plastic container according to claim 26 , wherein a ratio of the first radius to the maximum depth is substantially within a range of about 0.05 to about 0.6.
31. A plastic container according to claim 30 , wherein the ratio of the first radius to the maximum depth is substantially within a range of about 0.10 to about 0.5.
32. A plastic container according to claim 31 , wherein the ratio of the first radius to the maximum depth is substantially within a range of about 0.15 to about 0.4.
33. A plastic container according to claim 26 , wherein a ratio of the second radius to the maximum depth is substantially within a range of about 0.1 to about 0.6.
34. A plastic container according to claim 33 , wherein the ratio of the second radius to the maximum depth is substantially within a range of about 0.2 to about 0.5.
35. A plastic container according to claim 34 , wherein the ratio of the second radius to the maximum depth is substantially within a range of about 0.3 to about 0.4.
36. A plastic container according to claim 26 , wherein the groove is further defined by a first upper groove surface that together with a second lower groove surface forms a wedge shape that defines a wedge angle that is substantially within a range of about 15° to about 45°.
37. A plastic container according to claim 36 , wherein the wedge angle is substantially within a range of about 20° to about 40°.