Plastic Aerosol Container With Footed Base

Abstract

A plastic aerosol container includes a main body portion and a base portion, both of which are fabricated from a plastic material such as polyethylene terephthalate. The main body portion has a longitudinal axis and a maximum transverse diameter. The base portion is unitary with the main body portion and has a plurality of feet that are adapted to support the container on a horizontal surface. A first rib that is positioned between adjacent feet preferably has a substantially constant radius of curvature that has a ratio with respect to the maximum transverse diameter that is substantially within a range of about 0.20 to about 1.0. The main body portion and the base portion define an interior space that is pressurized with an aerosol mixture at a pressure that is substantially within a range of about 50 psi to about 300 psi.

1 . A plastic aerosol container, comprising:
 a main body portion that is fabricated from a plastic material, and   a base portion that is unitary with said main body portion and fabricated from the plastic material, the base portion having a plurality of feet that are adapted to support the container on a horizontal surface, and at least a first rib that is positioned between adjacent feet, and wherein said first rib has a substantially constant radius of curvature.   
     
     
         2 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 1 , wherein said main body portion is substantially symmetrical about a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         3 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 1 , wherein the substantially constant radius of curvature has a ratio with respect to a maximum transverse diameter of the main body portion that is substantially within a range of about 0.20 to about 1.0. 
     
     
         4 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 3 , wherein the ratio is substantially within a range of about 0.4 to about 0.7. 
     
     
         5 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 4 , wherein the ratio is substantially within a range of about 0.45 to about 0.55. 
     
     
         6 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 1 , wherein an interior space that is defined by the main body portion and the base portion is pressurized to a pressure that is substantially within a range of about 50 psi to about 300 psi. 
     
     
         7 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 1 , wherein an upper portion of the rib is substantially tangent to an outer surface of a side wall of the main body portion. 
     
     
         8 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 1 , wherein said base portion further comprises a second rib that also has a substantially constant radius of curvature, and wherein the second rib is shaped to be symmetrical about a longitudinal axis of the container with respect to the first rib. 
     
     
         9 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 1 , wherein the base portion has four feet. 
     
     
         10 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 1 , wherein said main body portion and said base portion are fabricated using a blow molding process from a material comprising polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         11 . A plastic aerosol container, comprising:
 a main body portion that is fabricated from a plastic material, the main body portion having a longitudinal axis and a maximum transverse diameter; and   a base portion that is unitary with said main body portion and fabricated from the plastic material, the base portion having a plurality of feet that are adapted to support the container on a horizontal surface, and at least a first rib that is positioned between adjacent feet, and wherein the first rib has a radius of curvature, the radius of curvature having a ratio with respect to the maximum transverse diameter that is substantially within a range of about 0.20 to about 1.0.   
     
     
         12 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 11 , wherein the ratio is substantially within a range of about 0.4 to about 0.7. 
     
     
         13 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 12 , wherein the ratio is substantially within a range of about 0.45 to about 0.55. 
     
     
         14 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 11 , wherein an interior space that is defined by the main body portion and the base portion is pressurized to a pressure that is substantially within a range of about 50 psi to about 300 psi. 
     
     
         15 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 11 , wherein an upper portion of the first rib is substantially tangent to an outer surface of a side wall of the main body portion. 
     
     
         16 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 11 , wherein said base portion further comprises a second rib that also has a substantially constant radius of curvature, and wherein the second rib is shaped to be symmetrical about a longitudinal axis of the container with respect to the first rib. 
     
     
         17 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 11 , wherein the base portion has four feet. 
     
     
         18 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 11 , wherein said main body portion and said base portion are fabricated using a blow molding process from a material comprising polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         19 . A plastic aerosol container, comprising:
 a main body portion that is fabricated from a plastic material, the main body portion having a longitudinal axis and a maximum transverse diameter;   a base portion that is unitary with the main body portion and fabricated from the plastic material, the base portion having a plurality of feet that are adapted to support the container on a horizontal surface, and at least a first rib that is positioned between adjacent feet, and wherein the first rib has a substantially constant radius of curvature, the substantially constant radius of curvature having a ratio with respect to the maximum transverse diameter that is substantially within a range of about 0.20 to about 1.0; and wherein   the main body portion and the base portion define an interior space that is pressurized with an aerosol mixture at a pressure that is substantially within a range of about 50 psi to about 300 psi.   
     
     
         20 . A plastic aerosol container according to  claim 19 , wherein the main body portion and the base portion are fabricated using a blow molding process from a material comprising polyethylene terephthalate.