Plastic container with varying depth ribs
View Patent ↗A bottle may have varying depth ribs to achieve a balance of strength and rigidity while maintaining hoop strength. The varying depth ribs may smoothly transition around the circumference of the bottle from a flattened and/or shallow depth rib portion to a deep rib portion. A collection of flattened and/or shallow depth ribs act as recessed columns in the body of the bottle to resist bending, leaning, crumbling, and/or stretching. The deep rib portions provide hoop strength and make the bottle body more rigid and/or stiffer when gripped by a user. A balance may be achieved between of flattened and/or shallow depth ribs and deep ribs to attain a desired resistance to bending, leaning, and/or stretching while maintaining stiffness in a lightweight bottle.
1. A container comprising:
a base;
a sidewall connected to the base, the sidewall extending over a length substantially along a central axis to define at least part of an interior of the container, the sidewall comprising a label portion that defines a label portion perimeter and a grip portion that defines a grip portion perimeter;
a bell connected to the sidewall and leading upward and radially inward to a finish connected to the bell, the finish adapted to receive a closure; and
a plurality of varying depth ribs positioned along the sidewall in the grip portion, wherein each varying depth rib comprises a shallow section, a middle section, and a deep section;
wherein the shallow sections have a rib depth less than a rib depth of the middle sections, and the deep sections have a rib depth greater than the rib depth of the middle sections;
wherein the shallow sections of the plurality of varying depth ribs substantially vertically line up along the central axis and form a recessed column;
wherein the recessed column is configured to resist at least one of bending, leaning, crumbling, or stretching; and
wherein the deep sections are configured to provide hoop strength.
2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of varying depth ribs transition from the shallow sections to the middle sections to the deep sections as at least one of a gradual transition or an abrupt transition.
3. The container of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of varying depth ribs have a shape of at least one of trapezoidal, triangular, rounded, squared, oval, or hemispherical.
4. The container of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of varying depth ribs angulate around the sidewall.
5. The container of claim 1 , wherein each varying depth rib has a plurality of shallow sections, a plurality of middle sections, and a plurality of deep sections.
6. The container of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of shallow sections of each of the plurality of varying depth ribs substantially vertically line up along the central axis and form a plurality of recessed columns whereby the recessed columns are configured to resist at least one of bending, leaning, crumbling, or stretching.
7. The container of claim 1 , further comprising a rib of a constant depth positioned substantially along the sidewall, between at least one of the base and the sidewall or the sidewall and the bell, or both.
8. The container of claim 1 , wherein the bell has an obtuse angle as measured from the central axis to a wall of the bell of at least 120 degrees.
9. The container of claim 1 , wherein the rib depth of the shallow sections is between 0 and 2.5 millimeters.
10. The container of claim 1 , wherein the rib depth of the shallow sections is 0 millimeters.
11. The container of claim 1 , wherein the rib depth of the deep sections is between 1 and 10 millimeters.
12. The container claim 1 , wherein the recessed column extends substantially entirely the length of the sidewall.
13. A container comprising:
a base;
a sidewall connected to the base, the sidewall defining a generally cylindrical wall having a perimeter and extending upwardly from the base to define at least part of an interior of the container, the sidewall comprising a label portion that defines a label portion perimeter and a grip portion that defines a grip portion perimeter;
a bell connected to the sidewall and leading upward and radially inward to a finish connected to the bell, the finish adapted to receive a closure; and
a plurality of varying depth ribs positioned substantially along the cylindrical wall, wherein each varying depth rib comprises a plurality of shallow sections, a plurality of middle sections, and a plurality of deep sections;
wherein the plurality of shallow sections have a rib depth less than a rib depth of the plurality of middle sections, and the deep sections have a rib depth greater than the rib depth of the plurality of middle sections;
wherein the plurality of shallow sections of the varying depth ribs substantially vertically line up on the sidewall to form a plurality of recessed columns that resist at least one of bending, leaning, crumbling, or stretching; and
wherein the plurality of deep sections and the plurality of middle sections comprise at least 70% of the cylindrical wall perimeter at a rib of the plurality of varying depth ribs.
14. The container of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of deep sections and middle sections comprise 70 to 80% of the cylindrical wall perimeter at the rib.
15. The container of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of recessed columns are positioned equidistant from each other around the cylindrical wall.
16. The container of claim 13 , wherein the rib depth of the shallow sections is 0 millimeters.
17. A container comprising:
a base;
a sidewall connected to the base, the sidewall extending over a height to define at least part of an interior of the container, the sidewall comprising a label portion that defines a label portion perimeter and a grip portion that defines a grip portion perimeter;
a bell connected to the sidewall and leading upward and radially inward to a finish connected to the bell, the finish adapted to receive a closure; and
a plurality of varying depth ribs positioned substantially about the sidewall, wherein each varying depth rib comprises a plurality of shallow sections, a plurality of middle sections, and a plurality of deep sections;
wherein at least one varying depth rib is positioned every 10 centimeters along the height of the sidewall;
wherein the shallow sections have a rib depth less than a rib depth of the middle sections, and the deep sections have a rib depth greater than the rib depth of the middle sections;
wherein the shallow sections of the varying depth ribs substantially vertically line up along the sidewall to form a plurality of recessed columns that resist at least one of bending, leaning, crumbling, or stretching; and
wherein the plurality of deep sections provide hoop strength.
18. The container of claim 17 , wherein between 1 and 30 varying depth ribs are positioned every 10 centimeters along the height of the sidewall.
19. The container of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the plurality of varying depth ribs angulates about the sidewall.
20. The container of claim 17 , wherein the rib depth of the shallow sections is 0 millimeters.