Rectangular container having inset label panels and concave heel geometry

Abstract

A rectangular plastic container formed by blow molding includes an upper portion, an upper label bumper, a base portion having a heel that curves inward to meet a standing edge at a bottom of the container, and a lower label bumper. The container further includes a body portion disposed between the upper portion and the base portion. The body portion includes front, back, and side label panel areas meeting at rounded corner regions of the body portion. The label panels each having a plurality of horizontal ribs, each horizontal rib having four portions separated by gaps, such that each of the four portions extends into the corner regions of the body portion. The front and the back label panel areas are inset from the upper bumper by a distance which is greater than an inset distance of the side label panel areas with respect to the upper bumper.

1 . A rectangular plastic container formed by blow molding, the container comprising:
 an upper portion having a finish at the top for receiving a closure;   an upper label bumper extending around a periphery of the container at a bottom of the upper portion;   a base portion having a heel that curves inward to meet a standing edge at a bottom of the container;   a lower label bumper extending around the periphery of the container at a top of the base portion; and   a body portion disposed between the upper portion and the base portion, the body portion including front, back, and side label panel areas meeting at rounded corner regions of the body portion, the label panels each having a plurality of horizontal ribs, each horizontal rib having four portions separated by gaps, such that each of the four portions extends into the corner regions of the body portion,   wherein the front and the back label panel areas are inset from the upper bumper by a distance, d FI , which is greater than an inset distance, d SI , of the side label panel areas with respect to the upper bumper.   
     
     
         2 . The rectangular plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the inset distance d SI  of the side label panel areas to the inset distance d FI  of the front and back label panel area is between 0 and about 0.5. 
     
     
         3 . The rectangular plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the inset distance d SI  of the side label panel areas to the inset distance d FI  of the front and back label panel area is between about 0.2 and about 0.4. 
     
     
         4 . The rectangular plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein the front and back label panels are outwardly convex. 
     
     
         5 . The rectangular plastic container of  claim 4 , wherein the side label panels are outwardly convex. 
     
     
         6 . The rectangular plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein the heel comprises indented portions at corners thereof, the indented portions having a depth that gradually decreases with increasing elevation, so that the indented portions merge with the surface of the base at a top portion of the base. 
     
     
         7 . The rectangular plastic container of  claim 6 , wherein a ratio of a depth of each of the indented portions to a width of each of the indented portion is between 0 and about 0.5. 
     
     
         8 . The rectangular plastic container of  claim 6 , wherein, for each of the indented portions, in each plane of elevation, a ratio of a corner relief radius (d CRR ) to a maximum corner distance (d MCD ) is between about 0.55 and about 0.9, where the maximum corner distance (d MCD ) is given by: 
       
         
           
             
               
                 d 
                 MCD 
               
               = 
               
                 
                   ( 
                   
                     
                       
                         ( 
                         
                           
                             d 
                             depth 
                           
                           2 
                         
                         ) 
                       
                       2 
                     
                     + 
                     
                       
                         ( 
                         
                           
                             d 
                             width 
                           
                           2 
                         
                         ) 
                       
                       2 
                     
                   
                   ) 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
       where d depth  is a maximum depth of the container in the plane of elevation and d width  is a maximum width of the container in the plane of elevation. 
     
     
         9 . The rectangular plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein, for each rib, the gap y RG  between the portions of the rib is between 0% and about 7% of the circumference of the container at the elevation of the rib. 
     
     
         10 . The rectangular plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of an elevation of the bottom of the label panels to the height of the container measured from the standing edge to the top edge of the finish is between about 0.1 and about 0.4 
     
     
         11 . The rectangular plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of an elevation of the bottom of the label panels to the height of the container measured from the standing edge to the top edge of the finish is about 0.2. 
     
     
         12 . A rectangular plastic container formed by blow molding, the container comprising:
 an upper portion having a finish at the top for receiving a closure;   an upper label bumper extending around a periphery of the container at a bottom of the upper portion;   a base portion having a heel that curves inward to meet a standing edge at a bottom of the container;   a lower label bumper extending around the periphery of the container at a top of the base portion; and   a body portion disposed between the upper portion and the base portion, the body portion including front, back, and side label panel areas,   wherein the heel comprises indented portions at corners thereof, the indented portions having a depth that gradually decreases with increasing elevation, so that the indented portions merge with the surface of the base at a top portion of the base.   
     
     
         13 . The rectangular plastic container of  claim 12 , wherein a ratio of a depth of each of the indented portions to a width of each of the indented portion is between 0 and about 0.5. 
     
     
         14 . The rectangular plastic container of  claim 12 , wherein, for each of the indented portions, in each plane of elevation, a ratio of a corner relief radius (d CRR ) to a maximum corner distance (d MCD ) is between about 0.55 and about 0.9, where the maximum corner distance (d MCD ) is given by: 
       
         
           
             
               
                 d 
                 MCD 
               
               = 
               
                 
                   ( 
                   
                     
                       
                         ( 
                         
                           
                             d 
                             depth 
                           
                           2 
                         
                         ) 
                       
                       2 
                     
                     + 
                     
                       
                         ( 
                         
                           
                             d 
                             width 
                           
                           2 
                         
                         ) 
                       
                       2 
                     
                   
                   ) 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
       where d depth  is a maximum depth of the container in the plane of elevation and d width  is a maximum width of the container in the plane of elevation. 
     
     
         15 . A rectangular plastic container formed by blow molding, the container comprising:
 an upper portion having a finish at the top for receiving a closure;   an upper label bumper extending around a periphery of the container at a bottom of the upper portion;   a base portion having a heel that curves inward to meet a standing edge at a bottom of the container;   a lower label bumper extending around the periphery of the container at a top of the base portion; and   a body portion disposed between the upper portion and the base portion, the body portion including front, back, and side label panel areas meeting at rounded corner regions of the body portion, the label panels each having a plurality of horizontal ribs, each horizontal rib having four portions separated by gaps, such that each of the four portions extends into the corner regions of the body portion,   wherein, for each rib, the gap y RG  between the portions of the rib is between 0% and about 7% of the circumference of the container at the elevation of the rib.