Plastic container with improved petaloidal base

Abstract

A molded plastic cylindrical container has a petaloidal base with a plurality of feet for supporting the container. A plurality of spacings are between the feet, with at least one of the spacings or one of the feet being of a different size or shape than the other spacings for ascertaining the position of the container.

1 . A plastic container comprising a base with a plurality of feet symmetrically spaced about said base such that a plurality of spacings are formed between said feet, at least one of said spacings or at least one of said feet having a different size or shape than other respective spacings or feet.  
   
   
       2 . A plastic container as defined in  claim 1  wherein said at least one of said spacings has a greater circumferential angular span than said other spacings.  
   
   
       3 . A plastic container as defined in  claim 2  wherein all of said support feet are substantially the same size, and spacings other than said at least one spacing are substantially the same size.  
   
   
       4 . A cylindrical plastic container comprising a base with a circumferential array of feet, spacing between said feet including at least one first spacing between at least one first pair of circumferentially adjacent feet and a plurality of second spacings between all other pairs of circumferentially adjacent feet, said at least one first spacing being greater than said second spacings.  
   
   
       5 . A method of indexing a plastic container around an axis including the steps of: 
 providing a plastic container having a base with a plurality of feet symmetrically spaced about said base such that a plurality of spacings are formed between said feet with at least one of said spacings or at least one of said feet having a different size or shape than other respective spacings or feet,    providing a sensor for detecting said at least one of said spacings or feet, and    positioning said container based upon the detected at least one spacing or foot.    
   
   
       6 . A method of applying at least one label to a container, which includes the steps of: 
 (a) providing a cylindrical plastic container having a base with a plurality of feet circumferentially spaced about said base such that a plurality of spacings are formed between said feet, with at least one of said spacings having a different circumferential angular span than other spacings,    (b) providing a sensor for detecting said at least one spacing,    (c) rotating said container about its longitudinal axis until said detector senses the location of said at least one spacing, and    (d) applying at least one label to the container at a predetermined orientation relative to said at least one spacing.    
   
   
       7 . The method set forth in  claim 6  wherein said step (d) includes applying at least two labels to the container at predetermined orientations with respect to said at least one spacing.  
   
   
       8 . A container comprising a base with a plurality of feet circumferentially spaced about said base to form a plurality of spacings between said feet, at least one of said spacings or at least one of said feet having a different size or shape than the other respective spacings or feet.  
   
   
       9 . A container as defined in  claim 8  wherein said at least one of said spacings is larger than said other spacings, all of said other spacings have the same shape and size, and all of said feet having the same shape and size.  
   
   
       10 . A method of making a container that includes the step of blow molding a cylindrical plastic container having a base with a circumferential array of feet, circumferential spacing between said feet including at least one first spacing between first pairs of circumferentially adjacent feet and a plurality of second spacings between all other pairs of circumferentially adjacent feet, said at least one first spacing being circumferentially greater than said second spacings.