Flex ring base

Abstract

A plastic container includes a cylindrical body defining a longitudinal axis. The body has an upper portion, a sidewall portion and a base portion having a base. The base portion defines a radial sidewall and a central inset portion defined inboard of a thinned wall portion formed around at least a portion of the base.

1 . A plastic container comprising:
 a cylindrical body defining a longitudinal axis and having an upper portion, a sidewall portion and a base portion having a base, the base portion defining a radial sidewall and a central inset portion defined inboard of a thinned wall portion formed around at least a portion of the base.   
     
     
         2 . The plastic container of  claim 1  wherein the base portion further defines an outer heel portion wherein the outer heel portion has an average wall thickness greater than an average wall thickness of the thinned wall portion. 
     
     
         3 . The plastic container of  claim 1  wherein the thinned wall portion is a continuous annular structure around the container base. 
     
     
         4 . The plastic container of  claim 1  wherein the thinned wall portion is a discontinuous annular structure around the container base. 
     
     
         5 . The plastic container of  claim 1  wherein the thinned wall portion is a segmented annular structure around the container base. 
     
     
         6 . The plastic container of  claim 1  wherein the plastic container is composed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). 
     
     
         7 . The plastic container of  claim 1  wherein the upper portion includes a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) blown finish. 
     
     
         8 . A molding system for making a blow-molded plastic container having a base portion that supports the container, the molding system comprising:
 a mold defining a mold cavity, the mold having a base forming assembly that is configured to form the base portion of the container, the base forming assembly including a base insert and a movable ring insert that is movable relative to the base insert; and   an actuator that is configured to move the movable ring relative to the base insert while the base portion remains in the mold cavity to advance the movable ring insert into the base portion to define a thinned flex point in the base portion.   
     
     
         9 . The molding system of  claim 8 , wherein the actuator is configured to move the movable ring relative to the base insert to also define a central inset portion on the base portion that is moveable relative to another portion of the base portion due to a vacuum in the container. 
     
     
         10 . The molding system of  claim 8 , wherein the mold defines a void that is configured to form an annular projection on the base portion, the movable ring configured to advance into and retract the annular projection to define the thinned flex point. 
     
     
         11 . The molding system of  claim 8 , wherein the movable ring insert is at least partially cylindrical. 
     
     
         12 . The molding system of  claim 8 , wherein the actuator is configured to move the movable ring insert substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container. 
     
     
         13 . The molding system of  claim 8 , wherein the base forming assembly is configured to form an outer heel portion of the base portion, and wherein the actuator is configured to move the movable ring to define the thinned flex point having a wall thickness that is less than an average wall thickness of the outer heel portion. 
     
     
         14 . The molding system of  claim 8 , wherein the movable ring insert is configured to form the thinned flex point to be continuously annular. 
     
     
         15 . The molding system of  claim 8 , wherein the movable ring insert is configured to form the thinned flex point to have a segmented annular structure. 
     
     
         16 . A plastic container comprising:
 a body defining a longitudinal axis, a container interior, and a container exterior, the body having an upper portion, a sidewall portion, and a base portion, the base portion having a heel portion and a hinge portion, the hinge portion being disposed inboard and extending toward the container interior relative to the heel portion.   
     
     
         17 . The plastic container of  claim 16  wherein the heel portion has an average wall thickness that is greater than an average wall thickness of the hinge portion. 
     
     
         18 . The plastic container of  claim 16  wherein the hinge portion is a continuous annular structure extending around the base portion. 
     
     
         19 . The plastic container of  claim 16  wherein the hinge portion is a discontinuous annular structure extending around the base portion. 
     
     
         20 . The plastic container of  claim 1  wherein the plastic container is composed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).