Thin-walled container with sidewall protrusions and reinforced cavities

Abstract

Disclosed herein are aerodynamic beverage bottles that incorporate fins or protrusions that are molded in to a bottle sidewall, having concavities or valleys between those fins or protrusions that are reinforced to be stiff and otherwise resisting deformation from, for example, pressures generated within the bottle. The sidewall in the region of the fins, protrusions, valleys or concavities may be thinner than other parts of the bottle; fins may be located on one end of a bottle which is thinner than the other end. Such a bottle may have a cylindrical section to which a label may be attached. Such a bottle may be blow-molded. Detailed information on various example embodiments of the inventions are provided in the Detailed Description below, and the inventions are defined by the appended claims.

1 . A thin-walled bottle having a varying cross-sectional perimeter, said bottle further having a sidewall incorporating a varying shape having concavities resistant to deformation, comprising:
 an enclosure including an opening defining an interior and an exterior;   a foot providing a resting position for said bottle;   a sidewall disposed between said opening and said foot;   a uniform section incorporated to said sidewall being substantially cylindrical;   a valleyed section incorporated within said sidewall, said valleyed section including a plurality of protrusions, said valleyed section also including a plurality of concavities between said protrusions, said valleyed section having a larger cross-sectional perimeter length with respect to said uniform section;   reinforcements incorporated to said concavities providing rigidity to said sidewall in the area of said valleyed section, said reinforcements providing stiffness against an internal pressure applied to said concavity whereby said concavity may be maintained, said reinforcements providing shape to said bottle while maintaining the thickness of said sidewall between the reinforced and non-reinforced areas in the regions of said reinforcements.   
   
   
       2 . A bottle according to  claim 1 , further comprising a smooth area within said uniform section to which a label may be affixed. 
   
   
       3 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness of said bottle body in the region of said uniform section is thicker than the wall thickness of said bottle body in the region of said valleyed section. 
   
   
       4 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the average wall thickness of said bottle body in the third furthest from said foot is greater than the average thickness of the other two-thirds. 
   
   
       5 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness of said bottle body in the region of said valleyed section is six one-thousanths of an inch or less. 
   
   
       6 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the perimeter length of said valleyed section is greater than the perimeter length of said uniform section by twenty percent or more. 
   
   
       7 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the perimeter length of said valleyed section is greater than the perimeter length of said uniform section by forty percent or more. 
   
   
       8 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the perimeter length of said valleyed section is greater than the perimeter length of said label section by fifty percent or more. 
   
   
       9 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein said concavities have an axis of direction, and wherein said concavities are oriented lengthwise to said bottle. 
   
   
       10 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein said concavities have an axis of direction, and wherein said concavities are oriented circumferentially to said bottle. 
   
   
       11 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcements are comprised of a mesh of intersecting ribbing. 
   
   
       12 . A container having a varying cross-sectional perimeter, said container further having a sidewall incorporating a varying shape having concavities resistant to deformation, comprising:
 an enclosure including an opening defining an interior and an exterior;   a foot providing a resting position for said container;   a sidewall disposed between said opening and said foot, said sidewall being formed through a process of blow-molding;   a label section incorporated to said sidewall configured to accept the affixing of a label;   a valleyed section incorporated within said sidewall, said valleyed section including a plurality of protrusions, said valleyed section also including a plurality of concavities between said protrusions, said valleyed section having a larger cross-sectional perimeter length with respect to said uniform section;   reinforcements incorporated to said concavities providing rigidity to said sidewall in the area of said valleyed section, said reinforcements providing stiffness against an internal pressure applied to said concavity whereby said concavity may be maintained, said reinforcements providing shape to said bottle while maintaining the thickness of said sidewall between the reinforced and non-reinforced areas in the regions of said reinforcements.   
   
   
       13 . A container according to  claim 12 , wherein the wall thickness of said bottle body in the region of said label section is thicker than the wall thickness of said bottle body in the region of said valleyed section. 
   
   
       14 . A container according to  claim 12 , wherein the average wall thickness of said bottle body in the third closest to said neck is greater than the average thickness of the other two-thirds. 
   
   
       15 . A container according to  claim 12 , wherein the wall thickness of said bottle body in the region of said valleyed section is six one-thousanths of an inch or less. 
   
   
       16 . A container according to  claim 12 , wherein the perimeter length of said valleyed section is greater than the perimeter length of said label section by twenty percent or more. 
   
   
       17 . A container according to  claim 12 , wherein the perimeter length of said valleyed section is greater than the perimeter length of said label section by forty percent or more. 
   
   
       18 . A container according to  claim 12 , wherein the perimeter length of said valleyed section is greater than the perimeter length of said label section by fifty percent or more. 
   
   
       19 . A container according to  claim 12 , wherein said concavities have an axis of direction, and wherein said concavities are oriented lengthwise to said bottle. 
   
   
       20 . A container according to  claim 12 , wherein said concavities have an axis of direction, and wherein said concavities are oriented circumferentially to said bottle.