Flexible base for aseptic-fill bottles

Abstract

An aseptic-fill beverage container can include a body and a base having a standing ring, a central portion, and an isolation ring that surrounds the central portion. One or more ribs can extend from the isolation ring to the standing ring such that the ribs do not extend outward the standing ring or inward to the central portion. The ribs can be s-shaped to provide rigidity and limit or prevent deformation to the base.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A base for a beverage container, the base comprising:
 a standing ring that defines a plane normal to a longitudinal axis of the base, wherein a surface of the standing ring extends in a continuous, uninterrupted circle on the plane; and   ribs extending radially inward from the standing ring, each rib comprising a first curved segment, a second curved segment, and a straight segment extending at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the base between the first curved segment and the second curved segment.   
     
     
         2 . The base of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a central portion; and   an isolation ring surrounding the central portion and disposed between the central portion and the ribs.   
     
     
         3 . The base of  claim 2 , wherein the ribs do not extend radially inward to the central portion. 
     
     
         4 . The base of  claim 1 , wherein each rib comprises:
 a height measured from a horizontal plane defined by the standing ring; and   a width,   wherein the height is greater than the width.   
     
     
         5 . The base of  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises between 20 and 30 ribs. 
     
     
         6 . The base of  claim 1 , comprising a central portion positioned radially inward of the standing ring, wherein the base is configured to permit the central portion to move longitudinally while the standing ring remains stationary 
     
     
         7 . The base of  claim 6 , comprising an isolation ring between the central portion and the standing ring, wherein the isolation ring is configured to flex to permit the central portion to move longitudinally while the standing ring remains stationary. 
     
     
         8 . The base of  claim 6 , wherein the ribs are configured to tilt relative to the longitudinal axis to permit the central portion to move longitudinally while the standing ring remains stationary. 
     
     
         9 . The base of  claim 6 , comprising a skirt located radially outward of the standing ring, wherein the standing ring is configured to remain stationary relative to the skirt while the central portion moves longitudinally. 
     
     
         10 . A beverage container comprising:
 a body extending along a central longitudinal axis; and
 a base comprising: 
 a standing ring; 
 a skirt located radially outward of the standing ring; 
 a central portion; and 
 an isolation ring between the standing ring and the central portion, wherein: 
 the isolation ring is configured to flex to permit the central portion to move longitudinally relative to the standing ring while the standing ring remains stationary relative to the skirt, 
 the isolation ring comprises a radially inner wall and a radially outer wall, and 
 the isolation ring is configured to flex such that an interior angle defined between the radially inner wall and the radially outer wall changes when the central portion moves longitudinally relative to the standing ring. 
   
     
     
         11 . The beverage container of  claim 10 , wherein the base comprises a flexible portion that is configured to flex such that the central portion moves longitudinally relative to the standing ring in response to changes in pressure within the beverage container, and wherein the flexible portion comprises the isolation ring. 
     
     
         12 . The beverage container of  claim 11 , wherein the isolation ring is configured to flex to increase the interior angle defined between the radially inner wall and the radially outer wall when pressure within the beverage container falls below neutral relative to atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         13 . The beverage container of  claim 10 , comprising ribs between the standing ring and the central portion, wherein each of the ribs comprises a radially inner end, and the radially inner ends are configured to move radially as the isolation ring flexes to permit the central portion to move longitudinally. 
     
     
         14 . The beverage container of  claim 13 , wherein the base is configured to transition between a neutral state and an under-pressured state in response to changing in pressure within the beverage container, and wherein the radially inner ends of the ribs are configured to move radially outward when the base transitions from the neutral state to the under-pressured state. 
     
     
         15 . A beverage container comprising:
 a base comprising:
 a skirt; 
 a rigid portion located radially inward of the skirt and comprising a standing ring and ribs extending radially inward from the standing ring; and 
 a flexible portion located radially inward of the rigid portion and configured to act as a diaphragm to accommodate pressure differentials, wherein the flexible portion comprises a central portion and an isolation ring located between the central portion and the ribs; and 
   wherein beverage container is configured to transition between an over-pressured state and an under-pressured state, and the central portion of the flexible portion of the base is configured to travel a greater difference in the transition between the over-pressured state and the under-pressured state than the rigid portion of the base.   
     
     
         16 . The beverage container of  claim 15 , wherein the over-pressured state of the beverage container has a greater volume than the under-pressured state of the beverage container. 
     
     
         17 . The beverage container of  claim 15 , wherein the isolation ring is configured to transition from first radial cross-sectional shape to a second radial cross-sectional shape when the beverage container transitions from the over-pressured shape to the under-pressured shape. 
     
     
         18 . The beverage container of  claim 17 , wherein the isolation ring comprises a radially inner wall and a radially outer wall, and an interior angle defined between the radially inner wall and the radially outer wall is greater in the first radial cross-sectional shape than in the second radial cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         19 . The beverage container of  claim 15 , wherein each rib comprises a straight segment extending in a direction with a radial component and a longitudinal component relative to a central longitudinal axis of the beverage container. 
     
     
         20 . The beverage container of  claim 19 , wherein each rib comprises a first curved segment located radially inward of the straight segment and a second curved segment located radially outward of the straight segment.