Container with stackable base

Abstract

A stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container is disclosed. The container has a body that has top and bottom ends and a tubular sidewall. The container also has a dome with a finish having an opening. The dome is connected to the top end of the body and the finish is adapted to engage a first closure. Finally, the container has a base connected to the bottom end of the body. The base is contoured to engage at least a portion of a protrusion on a second closure, thus causing the two containers to be stackable.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container comprising: 
 a body having top and bottom ends and a tubular sidewall;    a dome with a finish having an opening, the dome being connected to the top end of the body, the finish adapted to engage a first closure; and    a base connected to the bottom end of the body, the base being contoured to engage a portion of a protrusion on a second closure.    
     
     
         2 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion defines a peripheral ring.  
     
     
         3 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein the finish and the first closure threadedly engage each other.  
     
     
         4 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 1 , the second closure further comprising: 
 an outer ring portion; and    an inner disc portion,    wherein the protrusion is formed on the outer ring portion.    
     
     
         5 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 1 , the second closure further comprising: 
 an outer ring portion; and    an inner disc portion,    wherein the protrusion is formed on the inner disc portion of the closure.    
     
     
         6 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein the finish and the first closure sealingly engage each other.  
     
     
         7 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein the second closure is a press-fit lid.  
     
     
         8 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein the second closure is attached to a second container.  
     
     
         9 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein the base of the container straddles the protrusion of the second closure.  
     
     
         10 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein the base further comprises: 
 an annular standing ring having an outer portion and an inner portion, the outer portion merging with the substantially cylindrical sidewall;    a bottom wall defining a central concavity surrounded by the standing ring; and    an annular stacking ring interposed between the inner portion of the annular standing ring and the bottom wall operative to engage the portion of the protrusion of the second closure.    
     
     
         11 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 10 , wherein the annular stacking ring has outer and inner walls, the stacking ring being more elevated at the outer wall.  
     
     
         12 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 11 , wherein the annular stacking ring angles downward from the outer wall towards the inner wall.  
     
     
         13 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 12 , wherein the angle from the outer wall to the inner wall is between 1 and 15 degrees from horizontal.  
     
     
         14 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded plastic container of  claim 13  wherein the angle from the outer wall to the inner wall is approximately 7 degrees from horizontal.  
     
     
         15 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 10 , wherein the bottom wall of the base further comprises: 
 a plurality of external ribs having an external rib base disposed upwardly into the central concavity and an external rib apex disposed downwardly towards the stacking ring.    
     
     
         16 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 10 , wherein the annular stacking ring has a shape in radial cross-section which is one of square, rectangular, triangular, frustoconical, semi-circular, and semi-circular.  
     
     
         17 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 16 , wherein the protrusion of the second closure has a shape in radial cross-section which is one of square, rectangular, triangular, frustoconical, semi-circular, and semi-circular.  
     
     
         18 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises: 
 a pair of flex panels for accommodating internal changes in pressure and volume in the container, the panels being disposed opposite one another in the body and each panel being planar.    
     
     
         19 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein the opening of the finish has a diameter that is smaller than a width of the body.  
     
     
         20 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 1 , further comprising ribs in the sidewall.  
     
     
         21 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded container of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second closures are identical.  
     
     
         22 . The stackable, heat processable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 10 , wherein the annular stacking ring has a diameter that is less than a width of the body.  
     
     
         23 . A stack of heat processable, blow molded, plastic containers comprising: 
 a first container having a body having top and bottom ends and a tubular sidewall, a dome with a finish having an opening, the dome being connected to the top end of the body, and a base connected to the bottom end of the body, the base having a stacking ring; and    a second container having a body having top and bottom ends and a tubular sidewall, a dome with a finish having an opening, the dome being connected to the top end of the body, a closure having a protrusion and being adapted to engage the finish of the second container, and a base connected to the bottom end of the body,    wherein the protrusion of the closure of the second container is adapted to engage the stacking ring of the first container.    
     
     
         24 . The stack of heat processable, blow molded, plastic containers of  claim 23 , wherein the dome of the second container creates an indentation in the stack such that the base of the first container only makes contact with the closure of the second container.  
     
     
         25 . The stack of heat processable, blow molded, plastic containers of  claim 23 , wherein the bodies of the first and second containers have different widths.  
     
     
         26 . The stack of heat processable, blow molded, plastic containers of  claim 25 , wherein the openings of the first and second containers have the same diameter.  
     
     
         27 . The stack of heat processable, blow molded, plastic containers of  claim 25 , wherein the closures of the first and second containers have the same diameter.  
     
     
         28 . A stackable, blow molded, plastic container comprising: 
 a body having top and bottom ends and a tubular sidewall;    a dome with a finish having an opening, the dome being connected to the top end of the body, the finish adapted to engage a first closure; and    a base connected to the bottom end of the body, the base being contoured to engage a portion of a protrusion on a second closure,    wherein one of the body, dome and base has a distortion resistant structural element.    
     
     
         29 . The stackable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 28 , wherein the distortion resistant structural element resists distortion caused by one of hot-fill processing, retort processing and pasteurization.  
     
     
         30 . The stackable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 28  , wherein the base further comprises: 
 an annular standing ring having an outer portion and an inner portion, the outer portion merging with the substantially cylindrical sidewall;  
 a bottom wall defining a central concavity surrounded by the standing ring; and  
 an annular stacking ring interposed between the inner portion of the annular standing ring and the bottom wall operative to engage the portion of the protrusion of the second closure.  
 
     
     
         31 . The stackable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 30 , wherein the distortion resistant structural element resists distortion caused by one of hot-fill processing, retort processing and pasteurization.  
     
     
         32 . A stack of blow molded, plastic containers comprising: 
 a first container having a body having top and bottom ends and a tubular sidewall, a dome with a finish having an opening, the dome being connected to the top end of the body, and a base connected to the bottom end of the body, the base having a stacking ring; and    a second container having a body having top and bottom ends and a tubular sidewall, a dome with a finish having an opening, the dome being connected to the top end of the body, a closure having a protrusion and being adapted to engage the finish of the second container, and a base connected to the bottom end of the body,    wherein the protrusion of the closure of the second container is adapted to engage the stacking ring of the first container, and one of the dome, body and base of the first container has a distortion resistant structural element.    
     
     
         33 . The stackable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 30 , wherein the distortion resistant structural element of the first container comprises means for resisting distortion caused by hot-fill processing of the container.  
     
     
         34 . The stackable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 30 , wherein the distortion resistant structural element of the first container comprises means for resisting distortion caused by retort processing of the container.  
     
     
         35 . The stackable, blow molded, plastic container of  claim 30 , wherein the distortion resistant structural element of the first container comprises means for resisting distortion caused by pasteurization.  
     
     
         36 . A method of manufacturing a plastic container adapted for use with a selected heating process comprising: 
 providing a body having top and bottom ends and a tubular sidewall;    providing a dome with a finish having an opening, the dome being connected to the top end of the body, the finish adapted to engage a first closure; and    providing a base connected to the bottom end of the body, the base having a stacking ring contoured to engage a portion of a protrusion on a second closure.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the selected heating process comprises hot-fill processing.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the selected heating process comprises retort processing.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the selected heating process comprises pasteurization.