US 7,543,713 B2
Multi-functional base for a plastic, wide-mouth, blow-molded container
Greg Trude, Seven Valleys, Pa. (US); John W. Tobias, Spartanburg, S.C. (US); and Richard K. Ogg, Littlestown, Pa. (US)
Assigned to Graham Packaging Company L.P., York, Pa. (US)
Filed on May 24, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/851,083.
Application 10/851083 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/444616, filed on May 23, 2003, abandoned.
Application 10/444616 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/124734, filed on Apr. 17, 2002, granted, now 6,612,451.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/284795, filed on Apr. 19, 2001.
Prior Publication US 2004/0211746 A1, Oct. 28, 2004
Int. Cl. B65D 90/12 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 215—373  [215/375; 215/382; 206/501; 220/609] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A container comprising a body having an integrally formed base attached thereto, said base comprising:
a concave annular wall extending from a sidewall of the container to a standing surface;
an inner wall extending from the standing surface to an inner annular wall that is substantially perpendicular to the sidewall; and
a dimple centrally located within said inner annular wall and comprising a plurality of spaced apart radially extending indented ribs, each of said ribs comprising a brace extending radially from said dimple and tapering toward said inner annular wall, the tapering braces each including a wide portion and a narrow portion narrower than the wide portion, the wide portion being arranged at a junction with the inner annular wall, wherein the tapering braces are oriented substantially vertically and indented away from the dimple into an interior of the container,
wherein the container further comprises a blow molded plastic material,
wherein said inner annular wall of said base has a position to which it flexes upwardly and has another position to which it flexes downwardly in response to variations in pressures within the container, when filled and capped, without undergoing unwanted permanent deformation.