Plastic container

Abstract

The plastic container includes a hollow body of plastic material having a lower supporting base, a sidewall extending upwardly from the lower base and an upper neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall with an opening therein. The sidewall includes at least one panel having a central region and an outer boundary, with the outer boundary being depressed with respect to the central region.

1 ) A plastic container, which comprises: 
 a hollow body of plastic material having a lower supporting base, a sidewall extending upwardly from the lower base, and an upper neck portion with an opening therein, said neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall;    wherein the sidewall includes at least one panel having a central region and an outer boundary, with the outer boundary being depressed with respect to the central region, with the depressed outer boundary having side portions and top and bottom portions; and    wherein said sidewall including opposed sidewall sections with said at least one panel at least in part extending substantially across a sidewall section.    
   
   
       2 ) A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the depressed outer boundary comprises a substantially continuous, channel-like structure which substantially circumscribes the central region.  
   
   
       3 ) A container according to  claim 2 , wherein two opposed sidewall sections each include one of said panels.  
   
   
       4 ) A container according to  claim 2 , wherein said panels are one of oval, round and square with rounded corners.  
   
   
       5 ) A container according to  claim 2 , wherein the container is essentially rectangular.  
   
   
       6 ) A container according to  claim 2 , wherein the container is essentially round.  
   
   
       7 ) A container according to  claim 5 , wherein the container has two opposed, relatively larger sidewall sections and two opposed relatively smaller sidewall sections, including one of said panels on each of the opposed, relatively larger sidewall sections.  
   
   
       8 ) A container according to  claim 7 , wherein each of said panels extend over a major portion of a sidewall section.  
   
   
       9 ) A container according to  claim 7 , wherein each of the opposed smaller sidewall sections include an inwardly depressed panel.  
   
   
       10 ) A container according to  claim 7 , wherein said panels are oval.  
   
   
       11 ) A container according to  claim 6 , wherein the container sidewall has a lower portion and an upper portion, and wherein said container includes said at least one panel on the lower portion.  
   
   
       12 ) A container according to  claim 11 , including two of said panels on the lower portion, with each of said panels being positioned on opposed sidewall sections.  
   
   
       13 ) A container according to  claim 12 , wherein the upper portion of said container includes a plurality of brick-like panels extending around the circumference of the container.  
   
   
       14 ) A container according to  claim 12 , wherein said panels are square with rounded corners.  
   
   
       15 ) A container according to  claim 2 , wherein the depressed outer boundary includes curved corner portions.  
   
   
       16 ) A container according to  claim 1 , including a shoulder portion between the sidewall and upper neck portion.  
   
   
       17 ) A container according to  claim 16 , wherein the shoulder portion extends generally inwardly of the sidewall.  
   
   
       18 ) A container according to  claim 1 , wherein at least part of the side portions of the outer boundary of said at least one panel running adjacent the edges of a sidewall section.  
   
   
       19 ) A container according to  claim 11 , wherein said outer boundary includes two, parallel, outer boundary portions spaced from each other with said parallel outer boundary portions being generally centrally located on said panel to separate said panel into side by side panel portions.  
   
   
       20 ) A container according to  claim 19 , wherein said side by side panel portions are separated by a vertical land, and wherein said parallel outer boundary portions are depressed with said respect to said vertical land.  
   
   
       21 ) A container according to  claim 19 , wherein the container sidewall has a lower portion and an upper portion, and wherein said side by side panel portions are on the lower portion, including two of said side by side panels on the lower portion, with each of said side by side panels being positioned on opposed sidewall sections.  
   
   
       22 ) A container according to  claim 21 , wherein the upper portion includes a plurality of spaced panels having a central region and an outer boundary.  
   
   
       23 ) A container according to  claim 22 , wherein the central region of the upper portion spaced panels includes a raised central area surrounded by a depressed peripheral region, with the outer boundary depressed with respect to the depressed peripheral region.  
   
   
       24 ) A container according to  claim 19 , including a recessed base with a plurality of outwardly extending struts.  
   
   
       25 ) A container according to  claim 11 , wherein the container sidewall includes a central sidewall portion between the lower and upper sidewall portions which is depressed with respect to the lower and upper sidewall portions.  
   
   
       26 ) A container according to  claim 25 , wherein said central sidewall portion includes outwardly extending, vertical columns.