Containers

Abstract

A container includes a substantially cylindrical body portion comprising panels arranged about substantially the entire body portion and defining a body portion interior. Each panel includes substantially parallel side edges and an upper and lower edge. Each side edge of each panel is joined to a side edge of an adjacent panel. The upper edges of the panels form an upper edge of the body portion and the lower edges of the panels form a lower edge of the body portion. The upper edge and the lower edge of each panel are displaced circumferentially from one another. A closure member can be joined to the lower edge of the body portion. A recessed portion of the body portion can be concave and a most inward point of the recessed portion can be located approximately at the midpoint between the body portion upper edge and the body portion lower edge.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container including a substantially cylindrical body portion comprising a plurality of panels arranged seriatim about substantially the entirety of the substantially cylindrical body portion and defining an interior of the substantially cylindrical body portion, each panel including two panel side edges, a panel upper edge and a panel lower edge, each panel side edge of each panel joined to a corresponding panel side edge of a panel located immediately adjacent that panel, whereby the panel upper edges collectively form a body portion upper edge of the substantially cylindrical body portion and the panel lower edges collectively form a body portion lower edge of the substantially cylindrical body portion, the panel upper edge and the panel lower edge of each panel of the plurality of panels being displaced circumferentially from one another about the substantially cylindrical body portion. 
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein a recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion encircling the cylindrical body portion is concave in a direction toward the interior of the substantially cylindrical body portion. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2  wherein a most inward point of the recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion is located approximately at the midpoint between the body portion upper edge and the body portion lower edge. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1  wherein an exposed surface of at least one portion of at least one panel is substantially planar. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4  wherein a recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion encircling the cylindrical body portion is concave in a direction toward the interior of the substantially cylindrical body portion. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 5  wherein a most inward point of the recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion is located approximately at the midpoint between the body portion upper edge and the body portion lower edge. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 4  wherein the exposed surface of the at least one portion of the at least one panel is located adjacent at least one of the body portion upper edge and the body portion lower edge. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7  wherein a recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion encircling the cylindrical body portion is concave in a direction toward the interior of the substantially cylindrical body portion. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8  wherein a most inward point of the recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion is located approximately at the midpoint between the body portion upper edge and the body portion lower edge. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 1  wherein an exposed surface of at least one portion of each panel of the plurality of panels is substantially planar. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 10  wherein a recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion encircling the cylindrical body portion is concave in a direction toward the interior of the substantially cylindrical body portion. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11  wherein a most inward point of the recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion is located approximately at the midpoint between the body portion upper edge and the body portion lower edge. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 10  wherein the exposed surface of the at least one portion of each panel of the plurality of panels is located adjacent at least one of the body portion upper edge and the body portion lower edge. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13  wherein a recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion encircling the cylindrical body portion is concave in a direction toward the interior of the substantially cylindrical body portion. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 14  wherein a most inward point of the recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion is located approximately at the midpoint between the body portion upper edge and the body portion lower edge. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 13  wherein the exposed surface of the at least one portion of each of the plurality of panels is located both adjacent the body portion upper edge and the body portion lower edge. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 16  wherein a recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion encircling the cylindrical body portion is concave in a direction toward the interior of the substantially cylindrical body portion. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 17  wherein a most inward point of the recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion is located approximately at the midpoint between the body portion upper edge and the body portion lower edge. 
     
     
         19 . A method of making the container of  claim 3  including:
 joining the plurality of panels to one another to form a substantially cylindrical forerunner of the substantially cylindrical body portion of the container, wherein the substantially cylindrical forerunner includes a central axis, with the panel upper edges of the plurality of panels collectively forming a forerunner upper edge at the substantially cylindrical forerunner and the panel lower edges of the plurality of panels collectively forming a forerunner lower edge at the substantially cylindrical forerunner, and wherein the plurality of panels of the substantially cylindrical forerunner are arranged so that the panel upper edge and the panel lower edge of each panel are not displaced circumferentially from one another about the substantially cylindrical forerunner but are in line with one another about the substantially cylindrical forerunner; and 
 rotating the forerunner upper edge about the central axis of the substantially cylindrical forerunner while maintaining the forerunner lower edge substantially stationary, whereby the panel upper edge of each of the plurality of panels is displaced circumferentially from the respective panel lower edge of the panels about the substantially cylindrical forerunner to form the substantially cylindrical body portion of the container. 
 
     
     
         20 . A method of making the container of  claim 12  including:
 joining the plurality of panels to one another to form a substantially cylindrical forerunner of the substantially cylindrical body portion of the container, wherein the substantially cylindrical forerunner includes a central axis, with the panel upper edges of the plurality of panels collectively forming a forerunner upper edge at the substantially cylindrical forerunner and the panel lower edges of the plurality of panels collectively forming a forerunner lower edge at the substantially cylindrical forerunner, and wherein the plurality of panels of the substantially cylindrical forerunner are arranged so that the panel upper edge and the panel lower edge of each panel are not displaced circumferentially from one another about the substantially cylindrical forerunner but are in line with one another about the substantially cylindrical forerunner; and 
 rotating the forerunner upper edge about the central axis of the substantially cylindrical forerunner while maintaining the forerunner lower edge substantially stationary, whereby the panel upper edge of each of the plurality of panels is displaced circumferentially from the respective panel lower edge of the panels about the substantially cylindrical forerunner to form the substantially cylindrical body portion of the container.