PLASTIC CONTAINER HAVING A MOVABLE BASE

1 . A plastic container comprising:

an upper portion including a finish defining an opening into the container at a first end of the container;

a lower portion including a multi-axially stretch oriented base defining a standing surface having a downwardly inclined outer annular wall portion to form a support or contact surface defining a second end of the container;

a sidewall extending between the upper portion and the lower portion, the sidewall defining a longitudinal axis; and,

the base including an inner annular wall comprising an outer portion and an inner portion, wherein the outer portion extends from a region of juncture or hinge structure with the inner portion to the support or contact surface, wherein the inner portion extends from the region of juncture or hinge structure to a centrally located push-up portion along the longitudinal axis, wherein the outer portion provides a recessed portion between the inner portion and the support or contact surface, the inner portion being movable between an outwardly-inclined position and inwardly-inclined position to form or create an invertible pressure panel portion configured to compensate for a change of volume or pressure inside the container;

wherein the recessed portion of the outer portion includes a non-inverting annular wall extending in an upward direction from the standing surface to the region of juncture or hinge structure;

wherein the inner portion or the invertible pressure panel portion extends in a downward direction from the region of juncture or hinge structure; and,

wherein the support or contact surface defines a standing plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the outer portion of the inner annular wall has a length extending upwardly from the standing surface to locate the entire inner portion between the standing plane and the upper portion of the container when the inner portion is in the outwardly-inclined position;

wherein prior to filling and sealing with a liquid: the outer annular wall portion is configured to extend downwardly away from the finish to the support or contact surface, the inner annular wall is configured to extend inwardly away from the sidewall or from the support of contact surface to the centrally located push-up portion, the inner portion being configured to extend a distance downwardly away from the region of juncture or hinge structure to a lesser degree than the outer portion, wherein the inner portion extends downwardly away from the region of juncture or hinge structure and is configured to be movable upwardly toward the finish under a longitudinal force; and

wherein after sealing: the inner annular wall is configured to move upwardly closer to the first end of the container or finish to compensate for pressure or volume change within the sealed container, wherein the inner portion moves from an as-blown configuration to a first activated configuration under a first amount of longitudinal force against the base, wherein the inner portion moves closer to the first end of the container as compared to the as-blown configuration and a first portion of the inner portion begins to invert from a widest diameter, and further wherein the inner portion moves from the first activated configuration to a second activated configuration under a second amount of longitudinal force against the base, wherein the inner portion moves closer to the first end of the container as compared to the first activated configuration and the inner portion is inverted and repositioned above the outer portion in the second activated configuration.

2 . The container of claim 1 , wherein movement of the inner portion from the as-blown configuration to the first activated configuration and/or from the first activated configuration to the second activated configuration increases pressure within the internal volume of the container.

3 . The container of claim 1 , wherein movement of the inner portion from the as-blown configuration to the first activated configuration and/or from the first activated configuration to the second activated configuration provides for a reduction in vacuum within the internal volume of the container following a cooling of a heated liquid.

4 . The container of claim 1 , wherein, when in the first activated configuration, the first portion of the inner portion is inverted and repositioned under a mechanical force from the downward direction to an upward direction, and a second portion of the inner portion remains in the downward direction.

5 . The container of claim 4 , wherein the first portion is configured to invert from the widest portion adjacent the region of juncture or hinge structure.

6 . The container of claim 5 , wherein the region of juncture or hinge structure between the outer portion and the inner portion of the inner annular wall moves inwardly toward the longitudinal axis during inversion of the inner portion to the first and/or second activated configuration.

7 . The container of claim 1 , wherein, in the second activated configuration, the inner annular wall has a generally hemispherical, or deep-set recessed cross-sectional shape, and is configured to resist inversion forces to retain the inner annular wall in the second configuration.

8 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the inner annular wall includes a plurality of projections, or inward or outward flutes or indentations.

9 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the inner annular wall includes a plurality of ribs.

10 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the inner annular wall is moved to the first activated configuration following a cooling of a heated liquid.

11 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the inner annular wall is moved to the second activated configuration under an externally applied or mechanical force.

12 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the inner annular wall is moved to the first and/or second activated configuration(s) after filling and sealing with a heated liquid, to compensate for vacuum created within the container following a subsequent cooling of the heated liquid.

13 . A blow molded plastic container comprising:

an upper portion including a finish defining an opening into the container at a first end of the container;

a lower portion including a multi-axially stretch oriented base having a degree of crystallinity greater than about 20% and defining a standing surface having a downwardly inclined outer annular wall portion to form a support or contact surface defining a second end of the container;

a sidewall extending between the upper portion and the lower portion comprising a plurality of reinforced elements or ribs, the sidewall defining a longitudinal axis; and

the base including an inner annular wall comprising an inner portion and an outer portion, wherein the outer portion extends from the support or contact surface to a region of juncture or hinge structure with the inner portion, wherein the inner portion extends from the region of juncture or hinge structure to a centrally located projection configured to receive a mechanical device along the longitudinal axis, wherein the outer portion provides a recessed portion between the inner portion and the support or contact surface, the inner portion configured to be movable between an outwardly-inclined position and an inwardly-inclined position to create an invertible pressure panel portion and create a change of volume or pressure inside the container;

wherein the recessed portion of the outer portion comprises an annular wall extending in an upward direction from the standing surface to the region of juncture or hinge structure;

wherein the invertible pressure panel extends in a downward direction from the region of juncture or hinge structure;

wherein the support or contact surface defines a standing plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis; and,

wherein the outer portion of the inner annular wall has a length extending upwardly from the standing surface to locate the entire inner portion between the standing plane and the upper portion of the container when the inner portion is in the outwardly-inclined position;

wherein prior to filling and sealing with a liquid: the outer annular wall portion is configured to extend downwardly away from the finish to the support or contact surface, the inner annular wall is configured to extend inwardly away from the sidewall or from the support or contact surface to the centrally located projection, wherein the inner portion of the inner annular wall extends downwardly away from the region of juncture or hinge structure and is configured to be movable upwardly toward the finish under a longitudinal force; and,

wherein after sealing: the inner portion is configured to move under a longitudinally directed force to change pressure and volume with the sealed container, wherein the inner portion moves from an as-blown configuration to a first activated configuration under a first amount of longitudinal force against the base, and the inner portion moves from the first activated configuration to a second activated configuration under a second amount of longitudinal force against the base, wherein the first activated configuration is closer to the first end of the container following an upwardly directed longitudinal force.

14 . The blow-molded container of claim 13 , wherein the inner annular wall is concave relative to the standing surface of the container in the as-blown configuration, and the inner annular wall is convex relative to the standing surface of the container in the second activated configuration.

15 . The blow-molded container of claim 13 , wherein the downwardly directed inner portion of the inner annular wall is configured to begin inversion from a widest diameter adjacent the region of juncture or hinge structure.

16 . The blow-molded container of claim 15 , wherein the region of juncture or hinge structure between the upwardly directed outer portion of the inner annular wall and the downwardly directed inner portion is configured to move away from the sidewall of the container as the base portion moves from the first activated configuration to the second activated configuration.