Three panel grippable container

Abstract

A plastic, hot-fillable, blow-molded, singleserve container having a four-sided body. Three sides of the container include vacuum relief panels that can flex inwards when fluid in the container cools and contracts. In an embodiment of the invention, the rear panel is a vacuum relief panel that includes a raised island structure on which a label may be applied and supported. The left and right sides of the container also include vacuum relief panels. These left and right side panels can include, for example, ergonomic D-shaped depressions that allow a person to grip the container with one hand.

1 . A plastic, hot-fillable, blow-molded container having a body comprising: 
 four sides, of which three sides comprise three respective vacuum relief panels that can flex inwards when fluid in the container contracts.    
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said three sides having vacuum relief panels comprise a rear side having a rear vacuum relief panel.  
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein said rear vacuum relief panel can support a label.  
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein said rear vacuum relief panel comprises a raised island portion and a recessed area surrounding said island portion.  
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 4 , wherein, when fluid in the container contracts, said rear vacuum relief panel flexes and is drawn inward.  
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said three sides having vacuum relief panels comprise two side panels having two respective side vacuum relief panels.  
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein said two side vacuum relief panels are ergonomically shaped to allow a person to grip the container with one hand.  
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of said two side vacuum relief panels comprise an ergonomically shaped recess.  
   
   
       9 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein said recess is D-shaped.  
   
   
       10 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one side vacuum relief panel further comprises a portion that surrounds said D-shaped recess.  
   
   
       11 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein said D-shaped recess and said surrounding portion flex inward independently of each other when fluid in the container contracts.  
   
   
       12 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the plastic material comprises polyethylene terephthelate.  
   
   
       13 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a neck having a finish at one end;    a shoulder having a top end and a lower end, such that the top end of the shoulder is adjacent to the neck at an end of the neck opposite the finish, and the lower end of the shoulder is adjacent to the body; and    a base adjacent to the body and located at an end of the body opposite the shoulder.