Plastic container with improved handling formation and method

Abstract

A plastic container is provided that includes a hollow body portion that extends vertically and has upper and lower extremities; a lower freestanding base that closes the lower extremity of the body portion; an upper dispensing end located above the upper extremity of the body portion and including a shoulder portion, a dispensing opening, and a radially outwardly projecting formation positioned above the shoulder portion and below the dispensing opening; wherein at least a portion of the outwardly projecting formation extends radially above and outwardly over the shoulder portion adjacent to the formation to form a recessed portion therebetween and the outer periphery of the formation includes one or more projected segments to facilitate rotational handling of the container. If desired, the container may be microwavable. A method for producing a container in accordance with the principles of the invention is also disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A plastic container comprising: 
 a hollow body portion that extends vertically and has upper and lower extremities;    a lower freestanding base that closes the lower extremity of the body portion;    an upper dispensing end located above the upper extremity of the body portion and including a shoulder portion, a dispensing opening, and a radially outwardly projecting formation positioned vertically above the shoulder portion and below the dispensing opening;    wherein the radially outwardly projecting formation includes upper and lower segments and the shoulder portion includes a top segment;    wherein at least a portion of the lower segment of the formation extends vertically above and radially outwardly over the shoulder portion to form a recessed portion therebetween; and further wherein the formation includes one or more projected segments to facilitate rotational handling of the container.    
     
     
         2 . A container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the container formed from a microwavable plastic.  
     
     
         3 . A container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the upper dispensing end includes a closure-receiving member.  
     
     
         4 . A container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the outwardly projecting formation is ergonomically designed to facilitate handling by a user.  
     
     
         5 . A container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the angle formed by and between a lower segment of the formation and a top segment of the shoulder is less than 90 degrees.  
     
     
         6 . A container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the angle formed by and between an upper and lower segment of a portion of the outwardly projecting formation is less than 70 degrees.  
     
     
         7 . A container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the walls of the formation are about 1.0 to 3.0 times the thickness of the walls of the body portion.  
     
     
         8 . A container as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the thickness of the walls of the formation are about 1.5 to 2.0 times the thickness of the walls of the body portion  
     
     
         9 . A container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the container is blow molded.  
     
     
         10 . A container as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the formation is formed by blow molding.  
     
     
         11 . A container as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the formation is formed by injection molding  
     
     
         12 . A container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the radial horizontal distance from an outer radial edge of the formation to a most radially inward portion of the recessed portion is greater than about 0.5 inches.  
     
     
         13 . A container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the container is multi-layered.  
     
     
         14 . A method for forming a plastic container, including the steps of: 
 extruding a plastic material;    enclosing the plastic material in a set of molds;    blow molding the plastic material to form a container having a hollow body portion that extends vertically and has upper and lower extremities; a lower freestanding base that closes the lower extremity of the body portion; an upper dispensing end located above the upper extremity of the body portion and including a shoulder portion, a dispensing opening, and a radially outwardly projecting formation positioned vertically above the shoulder portion and below the dispensing opening; wherein the radially outwardly projecting formation includes upper and lower segments and the shoulder portion includes a top segment; wherein at least a portion of the lower segment of the formation extends vertically above and radially outwardly over the shoulder portion to form a recessed portion therebetween; and further wherein the formation includes one or more projected segments to facilitate rotational handling of the container.    
     
     
         15 . A method for forming a plastic container, including the steps of: 
 providing a plastic preform including a substantially solid radially outwardly projecting formation; and    blow molding the preform to form a container having a hollow body portion that extends vertically and has upper and lower extremities; a lower freestanding base that closes the lower extremity of the body portion; an upper dispensing end located above the upper extremity of the body portion and including a shoulder portion, a dispensing opening, and a substantially solid radially outwardly projecting formation positioned vertically above the shoulder portion and below the dispensing opening; wherein the radially outwardly projecting formation includes upper and lower segments and the shoulder portion includes a top segment; wherein at least a portion of the lower segment of the formation extends vertically above and radially outwardly over the shoulder portion to form a recessed portion therebetween; and further wherein the formation includes one or more projected segments to facilitate rotational handling of the container.