Heat sterilizable plastic container

Abstract

A retortable container includes a neck portion defining an opening, a main body portion and a bottom portion. The bottom portion includes four support feet, each of which has an inwardly extending convex surface, giving the bottom portion a cross-like configuration as viewed in bottom plan. Each of the support feet further includes an outwardly extending concave surface. The outwardly extending concave surface of at least one of the support feet extends upwardly into the main body portion as a substantially longitudinally oriented groove.

1 . A retortable container, comprising:
 a neck portion defining an opening;   a main body portion; and   a bottom portion, said bottom portion comprising four support feet, each of said support feet having an inwardly extending convex surface, whereby the bottom portion has a cross like configuration as viewed in bottom plan, and wherein each of said support feet further includes an outwardly extending concave surface.   
     
     
         2 . A retortable container according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the support feet has an arc like appearance as viewed in bottom plan. 
     
     
         3 . A retortable container according to  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion further includes a recessed central portion that is substantially centered with respect to the cross like configuration. 
     
     
         4 . A retortable container according to  claim 1 , wherein the outwardly extending concave surface of each of the support feet extends upwardly into the main body portion as a substantially longitudinally oriented groove. 
     
     
         5 . A retortable container according to  claim 1 , wherein the main body portion is shaped to be substantially symmetrical about a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         6 . A retortable container according to  claim 1 , wherein the main body portion has at least one circumferentially extending groove defined therein. 
     
     
         7 . A retortable container according to  claim 6 , wherein the main body portion has a plurality of said circumferentially extending grooves defined therein. 
     
     
         8 . A retortable container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is fabricated using an extrusion blow molding process. 
     
     
         9 . A retortable container according to  claim 1 , wherein the support feet are substantially evenly spaced about an outer circumference of the bottom portion. 
     
     
         10 . A retortable container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a material that is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and polyolefins. 
     
     
         11 . A retortable container, comprising:
 a neck portion defining an opening;   a main body portion; and   a bottom portion, said bottom portion comprising a plurality of support feet, each of the support feet having an inwardly extending convex surface and an outwardly extending concave surface, and wherein the outwardly extending concave surface of at least one of the support feet extends upwardly into the main body portion as a substantially longitudinally oriented groove.   
     
     
         12 . A retortable container according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the support feet has an arc like appearance as viewed in bottom plan. 
     
     
         13 . A retortable container according to  claim 11 , wherein the bottom portion further includes a recessed central portion that is substantially centered with respect to the support feet. 
     
     
         14 . A retortable container according to  claim 11 , wherein the main body portion is shaped to be substantially symmetrical about a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         15 . A retortable container according to  claim 11 , wherein the main body portion has at least one circumferentially extending groove defined therein. 
     
     
         16 . A retortable container according to  claim 15 , wherein the main body portion has a plurality of the circumferentially extending grooves defined therein. 
     
     
         17 . A retortable container according to  claim 11 , wherein the container is fabricated using an extrusion blow molding process. 
     
     
         18 . A retortable container according to  claim 11 , wherein the support feet are substantially evenly spaced about an outer circumference of the bottom portion. 
     
     
         19 . A retortable container according to  claim 11 , wherein the container comprises a material that is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and polyolefins.