Container having gussets

Abstract

A container includes a base, a neck defining an outlet, and a body positioned between the base and the neck. The body includes a plurality of ribs extending around a periphery of the body and along at least a portion of a height of the body, a plurality of channels extending around the periphery and positioned between the plurality of ribs, and a plurality of support columns spaced about the periphery and extending along at least a portion of the height of the body. Each of the plurality of support columns includes a plurality of protrusions that are vertically aligned. Each of the plurality of protrusions is disposed within a respective one of the plurality of channels. The plurality of protrusions include a first plurality of protrusions having a first size and a second plurality of protrusions having a second size different from the first size.

1 . A container comprising:
 a base;   a neck defining an outlet; and   a body positioned between the base and the neck, the body including:
 a plurality of ribs extending around a periphery of the body and along at least a portion of a height of the body; 
 a plurality of channels extending around the periphery and positioned between the plurality of ribs; and 
 a plurality of support columns spaced about the periphery and extending along at least a portion of the height of the body; 
 wherein:
 each of the plurality of support columns includes a plurality of protrusions that are vertically aligned; 
 each of the plurality of protrusions is disposed within a respective one of the plurality of channels; and 
 the plurality of protrusions include a first plurality of protrusions having a first size and a second plurality of protrusions having a second size different from the first size. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions are a plurality of support column protrusions, wherein the body includes a support ring positioned below the plurality of support columns, wherein the support ring includes a plurality of support ring protrusions spaced about the periphery and disposed within a lowermost one of the plurality of channels, and wherein the plurality of support ring protrusions are offset from the plurality of support columns such that each of the plurality of support ring protrusions is positioned between an adjacent pair of the plurality of support columns. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of support ring protrusions have the first size. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein the first size is larger than the second size. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the base includes a plurality of feet with a plurality of recesses positioned between the plurality of feet, and wherein a first one of the plurality of support column protrusions aligns with a first one of the plurality of feet and a first one of the plurality of support ring protrusions aligns with a second one of the plurality of feet. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a plurality of feet with a plurality of recesses positioned between the plurality of feet, and wherein none of the plurality of support columns align with the plurality of recesses. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein an arrangement of the plurality of support columns, the first plurality of protrusions, and the second plurality of protrusions facilitate providing a height expansion of the container that is less than or equal to 3.5% of an overall height thereof when pressurized at 0.75 bar above atmospheric pressure for one hour while at a temperature of 22° C. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes:
 an upper portion;   a lower portion; and   an intermediate portion positioned between the upper portion and the lower portion.   
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein none of the plurality of protrusions are positioned along the intermediate portion. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of ribs include a plurality of upper ribs defined along the upper portion and a plurality of lower ribs defined along the lower portion. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of upper ribs has at least one of (a) a different height than each of the plurality of lower ribs or (b) a different diameter than each of the plurality of lower ribs. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein the container has a first outermost diameter along the lower portion, a second outermost diameter along the upper portion, a third outermost diameter along the neck, and a fourth outermost diameter along the base, wherein the second outermost diameter is less than the first outermost diameter, the third outermost diameter, and the fourth outermost diameter, and wherein the third outermost diameter is less than or equal to the first outermost diameter and the fourth outermost diameter. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein the upper portion has a first height and the lower portion has a second height, and wherein the first height is greater than the second height. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of protrusions and the second plurality of protrusions alternate along the support column. 
     
     
         15 . A container comprising:
 a base;   a neck defining an outlet; and   a body positioned between the base and the neck, the body including:
 an upper body portion including:
 a first plurality of ribs extending around a first periphery of the upper body portion and along at least a portion of a first height of the upper body portion; and 
 a first plurality of channels extending around the first periphery and positioned between the first plurality of ribs; 
 
 a lower body portion including:
 a second plurality of ribs extending around a second periphery of the lower body portion and along at least a portion of a second height of the lower body portion, wherein the second height of the lower body portion is less than the first height of the upper body portion; and 
 a second plurality of channels extending around the second periphery and positioned between the second plurality of ribs; and 
 
 a support column including a plurality of protrusions that are vertically aligned. 
   
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of protrusions are positioned along the upper body portion and the lower body portion. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the body includes an intermediate portion positioned between the upper body portion and the lower body portion, and wherein none of the plurality of protrusions are positioned along the intermediate portion. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of protrusions include a first plurality of protrusions having a first size and a second plurality of protrusions having a second size that is different from the first size, and wherein the first plurality of protrusions and the second plurality of protrusions alternate along the body. 
     
     
         19 . A single use plastic water bottle comprising:
 a base;   an outlet; and   a body positioned between the base and the outlet, the body including:
 a plurality of channels extending around a periphery of the body and along at least a portion of a height of the body; 
 a plurality of ribs extending around the periphery and positioned between the plurality of channels; and 
 a plurality of support columns spaced about the periphery, each of the plurality of support columns including a plurality of vertically aligned protrusions having different sizes. 
   
     
     
         20 . The single use plastic water bottle of  claim 19 , wherein an arrangement of the plurality of support columns and the plurality of vertically aligned protrusions facilitate providing a height expansion of the single use plastic water bottle that is less than or equal to 3.5% of an overall height thereof when pressurized at 0.75 bar above atmospheric pressure for one hour while at a temperature of 22° C.