Pressure resistant medallions for a plastic container

Abstract

A container made of plastic material, such as PET, that is adapted to be hot-fillable. The container has flex panels located on its sides. The flex panels are surrounded by frames. The frames and the flex panels have medallions located on them to prevent creasing from occurring during the hot-fill process.

1 . A plastic container comprising:
 a shoulder portion;   a body portion located below the shoulder portion;   a base portion located below the body portion; and   wherein the body portion further comprises a flex panel and a medallion.   
     
     
         2 . The plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein the medallion is substantially tear-drop shaped. 
     
     
         3 . The plastic container of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of medallions located on each flex panel 
     
     
         4 . The plastic container of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of medallions located on a plurality of flex panels. 
     
     
         5 . The plastic container of  claim 1 , further comprising at least four sides, wherein two sides have flex panels. 
     
     
         6 . The plastic container of  claim 1 , wherein a frame surrounds the flex panel. 
     
     
         7 . The plastic container of  claim 6 , wherein the frame has a top frame portion, a front frame portion, a bottom frame portion and a rear frame portion. 
     
     
         8 . The plastic container of  claim 7 , wherein the medallion is located on only one of the top frame portion, a front frame portion, a bottom frame portion and a rear frame portion. 
     
     
         9 . The plastic container of  claim 8 , wherein one of the four sides of the container is a front side of the container, wherein the front side of the container is larger than the other sides. 
     
     
         10 . The plastic container of  claim 9 , wherein the front side of the container is larger than the other sides and the medallion is located on the front frame portion, wherein the front frame portion is the frame portion closest to the front side of the container. 
     
     
         11 . A hot-fillable container comprising:
 a shoulder portion;   a body portion located below the shoulder portion, wherein the body portion comprises a front side, a rear side and two sides further comprising flex panels;   a base portion located below the body portion; and   wherein a medallion is located on at least one of the flex panels.   
     
     
         12 . The hot-fillable container of  claim 11 , wherein the medallion is substantially tear-drop shaped. 
     
     
         13 . The hot-fillable container of  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of medallions located on each flex panel 
     
     
         14 . The hot-fillable container of  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of medallions located on a plurality of flex panels. 
     
     
         15 . The hot-fillable container of  claim 1 , wherein a frame surrounds each of the flex panels. 
     
     
         16 . The hot-fillable container of  claim 15 , wherein each frame has a top frame portion, a front frame portion, a bottom frame portion and a rear frame portion. 
     
     
         17 . The hot-fillable container of  claim 16 , wherein the medallion is located on only one of the top frame portion, a front frame portion, a bottom frame portion and a rear frame portion. 
     
     
         18 . The hot-fillable container of  claim 17 , wherein one of the front side, the rear side and the two sides further comprising flex panels is larger than the other sides. 
     
     
         19 . The hot-fillable container of  claim 18 , wherein the front side of the container is larger than the other sides and the medallion is located on the front frame portion, wherein the front frame portion is the frame portion closest to the front side of the container. 
     
     
         20 . A hot-fillable container comprising:
 a shoulder portion;   a body portion located below the shoulder portion, wherein the body portion comprises a front side, a rear side and two sides further comprising flex panels;   a base portion located below the body portion; and   wherein a medallion is located on at least one of the flex panels, wherein the medallion further comprises a medallion apex, two medallion sides and a medallion base, wherein the medallion base is arc shaped.