Bottle assembly

Abstract

A 1-gallon bottle with a carry-handle. The bottle includes a plurality of selectively reinforced panels that distribute a top load through a top portion and a body portion of the bottle and into a base portion. The top portion can include a top panel having a plurality of radially oriented grooves. The body portion can include a back panel, a lower back panel, first and second label panels, first and second side panels, first and second front panels, and a center panel. Each of the panels can be connected with adjacent panels along interconnecting edges or corners. Certain of the panels (e.g., larger panels) can be selectively reinforced, while certain other panels can remain unreinforced. The back panel can include a concave portion to allow a user to easily grip the carry-handle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A 1-gallon bottle assembly comprising:
 a top portion, including:
 a neck having an opening into an interior enclosure; 
 a top panel; 
 a plurality of radial grooves in the top panel, the radial grooves spaced apart and disposed radially about the neck; 
   a body portion connected with the top portion, the body portion including:
 a back panel, first and second label panels, first and second side panels, first and second front panels, and a center panel; 
 a first front-center corner connecting the first front panel with the center panel, a second front-center corner connecting the first front panel with the center panel; 
 a first side-front corner connecting the first front panel with the first side panel, a second side-front corner connecting the second front panel with the second side panel; 
 a first label-side corner connecting the first side panel with the first label panel, a second label-side corner connecting the second side panel with the second label panel; 
 a first back-label corner connecting the first label panel with the back panel, a second back-label corner connecting the second label panel with the back panel; 
   a base portion connected with the body portion, the base portion including:
 a lower rear panel aligned with the back panel, first and second lower label panels aligned with the respective first and second label panels, first and second lower side panels aligned with the respective first and second side panels, first and second lower front panels aligned with the respective first and second front panels, and a lower center panel aligned with the center panel; 
 a bottom panel connected with each of the lower rear panel, first and second lower label panels, first and second lower side panels, first and second lower front panels, and the lower center panel and configured to enclose a lower end of the interior enclosure; 
 wherein the plurality of grooves are configured to reinforce the top panel against deformation and distribute a top load through the body portion. 
   
     
     
         2 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a first groove of the radial grooves is aligned with the first center panel corner, a second groove of the radial grooves is aligned with the first front panel, and a third groove of the radial grooves is aligned with the second front panel to distribute the top load. 
     
     
         3 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 2 , wherein a fourth groove of the radial grooves is aligned with the first side panel, and a fifth groove of the plurality of radial grooves is aligned with the second side panel to distribute the top load. 
     
     
         4 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a first groove of the radial grooves is aligned with the first back-label corner and a second groove of the radial grooves is aligned with the second back-label corner. 
     
     
         5 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the radial grooves is triangularly shaped. 
     
     
         6 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the top panel connects with the back panel at an upper corner, the upper corner having a first end at the first label panel, a second end at the second label panel and an intermediate portion therebetween, the intermediate portion extending radially inwardly and arcing upwardly towards the neck portion relative to a straight-line distance between the first end and the second end of the upper corner. 
     
     
         7 . A 1-gallon bottle assembly comprising:
 a top portion, including:
 a neck having an opening into an interior enclosure; 
 a top panel extending from the neck; 
   a body portion connected with the top portion, the body portion including:
 a back panel, first and second label panels, first and second side panels, first and second front panels, and a center panel; 
 a first front-center corner connecting the first front panel with the center panel, a second front-center corner connecting the first front panel with the center panel; 
 a first side-front corner connecting the first front panel with the first side panel, a second side-front corner connecting the second front panel with the second side panel; 
 a first label-side corner connecting the first side panel with the first label panel, a second label-side corner connecting the second side panel with the second label panel; 
 a first back-label corner connecting the first label panel with the back panel, a second back-label corner connecting the second label panel with the back panel; 
   a base portion connected with the body portion, the base portion including:
 a lower rear panel aligned with the back panel, first and second lower label panels aligned with the respective first and second label panels, first and second lower side panels aligned with the respective first and second side panels, first and second lower front panels aligned with the respective first and second front panels, and a lower center panel aligned with the center panel; 
 a bottom panel connected with each of the lower rear panel, first and second lower label panels, first and second lower side panels, first and second lower front panels, and the lower center panel and configured to enclose a lower end of the interior enclosure; 
   wherein the center panel, the first and second side panels, and the first and second label panels lack any reinforcing structure and the first and second front panels each comprise a plurality of lateral grooves.   
     
     
         8 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 7 , wherein a horizontal width of each of the center panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel is less than a horizontal width of each of the first and second front panels. 
     
     
         9 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the base portion comprises a circumferential groove within the lower rear panel, the first and second lower label panels, the first and second lower side panels, the first and second lower front panels, and the lower center panel. 
     
     
         10 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the circumferential groove includes shallow portions and deep portions, the shallow portions aligned with the center panel and the first and second side panels, and the deep portions aligned with the first and second front panels and the first and second label panels. 
     
     
         11 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the label panels are triangularly shaped. 
     
     
         12 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a lower body panel positioned between the back panel and the lower rear panel, the first label panel connected with the lower body panel at a first lower corner and the second label panel connected with the lower body panel at a second lower corner. 
     
     
         13 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the back panel comprises a plurality of vertically oriented grooves. 
     
     
         14 . A 1-gallon bottle assembly comprising:
 a top portion, including:
 a neck having an opening into an interior enclosure and having an axis aligned with the neck; 
 a top panel extending at least partially around the neck; 
   a body portion, the body portion including:
 a back panel connected with the top panel at an upper corner, the upper corner extending from a first end to a second end with an intermediate portion therebetween; and 
 a lower panel connected with the back panel at a lower corner; 
   a base portion connected with the body portion, the base portion including:
 a lower rear panel aligned with the lower panel; and 
 a bottom panel enclosing a lower end of the interior enclosure; 
   a handle coupled with the top portion, including:
 an attachment portion coupled with the neck; and 
 a handle portion coupled with the attachment portion and extending therefrom to a lower end, the handle portion aligned over the back panel and spaced therefrom to create a hand grip region therebetween; 
   wherein the back panel includes a concave portion extending inwardly towards the axis relative to a straight-line distance between the upper corner and the lower corner, and the concave portion extends radially inwardly towards the axis relative to a straight-line distance between the first end and the second end of the upper corner, the concave portion configured to form part of the hand grip region.   
     
     
         15 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the back panel includes a first vertically oriented convex portion and a second vertically oriented convex portion disposed on opposing sides of the concave portion. 
     
     
         16 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the back panel includes a plurality of vertically oriented grooves, the grooves configured to stiffen the back panel and direct a load force towards the lower rear panel. 
     
     
         17 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 16 , wherein a central groove of the plurality of vertically oriented grooves is disposed within the concave portion. 
     
     
         18 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the back panel includes a first vertically oriented convex portion and a second vertically oriented convex portion disposed on opposing sides of the concave portion, a first groove of the plurality of vertically oriented grooves is disposed on the first vertically oriented convex portion, and a second groove of the plurality of vertically oriented grooves is disposed on the second vertically oriented convex portion. 
     
     
         19 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the handle portion includes an upper horizontal portion coupled with the attachment portion and a lower vertical portion having a taper that tapers down to the lower end, the taper configured to enlarge the hand grip region. 
     
     
         20 . The 1-gallon bottle assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the handle portion includes an outer wall and an inner wall extending from the attachment portion to the lower end, the outer wall connected with the inner wall by a plurality of ribs, the attachment portion including a ring disposed around the neck, and the outer wall and the inner wall coupled with the ring and a lower projection configured to brace the handle portion against the top panel.