Containers having improved load-bearing capacity

Abstract

Containers having improved load-bearing features are provided. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides a container having at least one beveled portion at a location where a side wall meets a bottom wall. In another embodiment, a container includes a bottom wall and at least four side walls, the side walls forming corners where adjacent side walls meet. The corners have a beveled shape at a location where the corners meet the bottom wall. The containers of the present disclosure have an axial load compression capacity that is substantially the same as a similar container having a greater wall thickness without the at least one beveled portion.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A container comprising:
 at least one beveled portion at a location where a side wall meets a bottom wall, the container having an axial load compression capacity that is substantially the same as a similar container having a greater wall thickness without the at least one beveled portion, wherein the container comprises at least four side walls and an interior formed by a bottom and the side walls, and wherein the beveled portion has an angle ranging from about 10° to about 60°.   
     
     
         2 . The container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a flange portion that extends in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the side wall, wherein flange has flat top surface. 
     
     
         3 . The container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a border portion along a top portion of the container, wherein border portion comprises a textural feature. 
     
     
         4 . The container according to  claim 3 , wherein the textural feature improves a consumer's grip of the container. 
     
     
         5 . The container according to  claim 3 , wherein the textural feature improves stackability of the container. 
     
     
         6 . The container according to  claim 1 , further comprises a lid. 
     
     
         7 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a volume ranging from about 1.0 ounce to 10.0 ounces. 
     
     
         8 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is configured to house a consumable product selected from the group consisting of a solid, a semi-solid, a liquid, a gel, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is configured to house a consumable product selected from the group consisting of an infant food, a toddler food, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container has a shape selected from the group consisting of cube, cuboid, cylindrical, prism, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A method for reducing the costs for manufacturing a container, the method comprising:
 forming a container comprising at least one beveled portion at a location where a side wall meets a bottom wall, the container having an axial load compression capacity that is substantially the same as a similar container having a greater wall thickness without the at least one beveled portion, wherein costs are reduced by forming the container from a thinner preform than a preform used to form the similar container.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising a flange portion that extends in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the side wall, wherein flange has flat top surface. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising a border portion along a top portion of the container, wherein border portion comprises a textural feature. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the textural feature improves a consumer's grip of the container. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the textural feature improves stackability of the container. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprises a lid. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the container comprises a volume ranging from about 1.0 ounce to 10.0 ounces. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the container is configured to house a consumable product selected from the group consisting of a solid, a semi-solid, a liquid, a gel, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the container is configured to house a consumable product selected from the group consisting of an infant food, a toddler food, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the container has a shape selected from the group consisting of cube, cuboid, cylindrical, prism, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the reducing the costs for manufacturing a container comprises reducing the amounts of raw materials necessary to manufacture a container.