Method and apparatus for making a light weight container

Abstract

A blow-molded container includes a bottom member, a plurality of sidewalls, a spout for receiving a closure cap, a handle section proximate to the spout, and an upwardly converging neck member. The plurality of sidewalls includes a first pair of opposing parallel sidewalls that are spaced apart by a first dimension, a second pair of opposing parallel sidewalls are spaced apart by the first dimension, and a third pair of sidewalls that are spaced apart by a second dimension that is different than the first dimension. The upwardly converging neck member couples the sidewalls to the spout and has a convex transition section defining a continuous curvature that extends from the sidewalls to the spout.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A blow-molded container comprising:
 a bottom member;   a plurality of sidewalls including a first pair of opposing parallel sidewalls that are spaced apart by a first dimension, a second pair of opposing parallel sidewalls are spaced apart by the first dimension, and a third pair of sidewalls that are spaced apart by a second dimension that is different than the first dimension;   a spout for receiving a closure cap;   a handle section proximate to the spout; and   an upwardly converging neck member coupling the sidewalls to the spout having a convex transition section defining a continuous curvature that extends from the sidewalls to the spout.   
     
     
         2 . The blow-molded container of  claim 1 , wherein the convex transition section has a length of about 2.5 inches. 
     
     
         3 . The blow-molded container of  claim 2 , wherein an overall height from the bottom member to the spout is approximately 10 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The blow-molded container of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the first dimension to the second dimension is 1.06. 
     
     
         5 . The blow-molded container of  claim 1 , wherein the convex transition section provides a smooth transition between the sidewalls and the spout. 
     
     
         6 . A blow-molded container comprising:
 a bottom member;   a plurality of sidewalls;   a spout for receiving a closure cap;   a handle section proximate to the spout; and   an upwardly converging neck member coupling the sidewalls to the spout having a convex transition section defining a continuous curvature that extends from the sidewalls to the spout.   
     
     
         7 . The blow-molded container of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls includes at least three pairs of opposing parallel sidewalls. 
     
     
         8 . The blow-molded container of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls includes four pairs of opposing parallel sidewalls. 
     
     
         9 . The blow-molded container of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls includes a first pair of opposing parallel sidewalls that are spaced apart by a first distance, a second pair of opposing parallel sidewalls that are spaced apart by the first distance, a third pair of opposing parallel sidewalls that are spaced apart by a second distance, and a fourth pair of opposing parallel sidewalls that that are spaced apart by a third distance. 
     
     
         10 . The blow-molded container of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls includes a first pair of opposing parallel sidewalls having a first width, a second pair of opposing parallel sidewalls having the first width, a third pair of opposing parallel sidewalls having a second width, and a fourth pair of opposing parallel sidewalls having a third width. 
     
     
         11 . The blow molded container of  claim 10 , wherein the first width is larger than the second width and the second width is larger than the third width. 
     
     
         12 . The blow-molded container of  claim 6 , wherein the convex transition section has a length of about 2.5 inches. 
     
     
         13 . The blow-molded container of  claim 12 , wherein an overall height from the bottom member to the spout is approximately 10 inches. 
     
     
         14 . The blow-molded container of  claim 6 , wherein the convex transition section provides a smooth transition between the sidewalls and the spout. 
     
     
         15 . A blow-molded container comprising:
 a bottom member;   a plurality of long sidewalls, each long sidewall of the plurality of long sidewalls being substantially planar, the plurality of long sidewalls including a first pair of opposing parallel sidewalls that is spaced apart by a first dimension, and a second pair of opposing parallel sidewalls that is spaced apart by the first dimension;   a plurality of short sidewalls, each short sidewall from the plurality of short sidewalls being disposed between an adjacent pair of long sidewalls from the plurality of long sidewalls, the plurality of short sidewalls including a third pair of sidewalls that is spaced apart by a second dimension that is different than the first dimension;   a spout for receiving a closure cap; and   a handle section proximate to the spout;   a sidewall upper limit defined by one or more long sidewalls from the plurality of long sidewalls and one or more short sidewalls from the plurality of short sidewalls; and   a curved transition that is formed between the sidewall upper limit and the spout, wherein the curved transition defines a curvature that extends continuously from the sidewall upper limit to the spout to provide a smooth transition between the sidewall upper limit and the spout.   
     
     
         16 . The blow-molded container of  claim 15 , wherein the curved transition has a length of about 2.5 inches. 
     
     
         17 . The blow-molded container of  claim 16 , wherein an overall height from the bottom member to the spout is approximately 10 inches. 
     
     
         18 . The blow-molded container of  claim 15 , wherein a ratio of the first dimension to the second dimension is 1.06.