Lightweight containers with improved load resistance

Abstract

Lightweight containers having improved stability and side- and top-loading features are provided. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides a first body portion with ribs having a constant depth and a constant width; a second body portion connected to the first body portion and having several undulating ribs, each undulating rib having a constant depth, a constant width, and at least one bridge member located within the width of its corresponding rib; and a third body portion connected to the second body portion and having at least one rib having a constant depth and a constant width. The structural features of the present containers advantageously provide for improved compression capacity and stability when compared to similar containers currently on the market.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A container comprising:
 a first body portion comprising a plurality of ribs having a constant depth and a constant width;   a second body portion connected to the first body portion and comprising a plurality of undulating ribs, each undulating rib comprising a constant depth, a constant inner width, and a constant outer width, and at least one bridge member; and   a third body portion connected to the second body portion and comprising at least one rib having a constant depth, a constant inner width, and a constant outer width.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein first body portion comprises three ribs having a constant depth and a constant width, each rib comprising a width of about 1 mm to about 5 mm, and a depth of about 1 mm to about 4 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the second body portion comprises at least three ribs having a constant depth, a constant inner width, and a constant outer width, each rib having an inner width of about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm, an outer width of about 2 mm to about 5 mm, and a depth of about 0.5 mm to about 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the third body portion comprises one rib having a constant depth, a constant inner width, and a constant outer width, the rib having an inner width of about 1.0 mm to about 4 mm, an outer width of about 5 mm to about 15 mm, and a depth of about 0.5 mm to about 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1  comprising at least six undulating ribs, each undulating rib comprising a peak-to-peak amplitude of about 1 mm to about 10 mm, and each undulating rib completes two wave periods around a circumference of the container. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the bridge members comprise projections having a depth that is less than a depth of a corresponding rib. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein each undulating rib comprises at least two bridge members and each bridge member comprises a substantially semi-circular shape that projects outward from an inner-most portion of a corresponding rib. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein each undulating rib comprises at least ten bridge members evenly spaced from each other. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of ribs of the first body portion comprises at least ten bridge members evenly spaced from each other, and wherein each undulating rib of the second body portion comprises at least ten bridge members evenly spaced from each other. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first connecting portion tapers from a first container diameter to a second container diameter in a downward direction over a distance from about 3 mm to about 7 mm, and with a first inward radius of curvature of about 8 mm, and with a second outward radius of curvature of about 1 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the second connecting portion tapers from a first container diameter to a second container diameter in an upward direction over a distance from about 0.5 mm to about 3.5 mm, and with a first inward radius of curvature of about 2 mm, and with a second outward radius of curvature of about 1 mm. 
     
     
         12 . A container comprising:
 a first connector portion connecting (i) a first body portion having at least one rib with a constant width and a constant depth and (ii) a second body portion having at least one undulating rib having a constant inner width, a constant outer width, and a constant depth, the first connector portion tapering downward from a first container diameter to a second container diameter over a distance of about 3 mm to about 7 mm; and   a second connector portion connecting (i) the second body portion and (ii) a third body portion having at least one rib with a constant inner width, a constant outer width and a constant depth, the second connector portion tapering upward from a first container diameter to a second container diameter over a distance of about 0.5 mm to about 3.5 mm.   
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein a tangential line intersecting a bottom inner width and a bottom outer width of the undulating rib and a tangential line intersecting an upper inner width and an upper outer width of the undulating rib form an angle 0 therebetween. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the angle 0 is from about 25° to about 75°. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein a tangential line intersecting a bottom inner width and a bottom outer width of the at least one base rib and a tangential line intersecting an upper inner width and an upper outer width of the at least one base rib form an angle θ therebetween. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the angle θ is from about 45° to about 135°. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first connector portion comprises a first inward radius of curvature of about 8 mm, and a second outward radius of curvature of about 1 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein the second connector portion comprises a first inward radius of curvature of about 2 mm, and a second outward radius of curvature of about 1 mm. 
     
     
         19 . A container comprising an internal volume of about 500 mL, an empty weight that is less than 10.0 g, and a characteristic selected from the group consisting of over-splashing between 17.0 and 18.0 mm with a force between 1.0 and 1.5 kg; a prehension sinking between 2.5 mm and 4.0 mm, and a level after breaking between 21.0 and 23.0, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . A container comprising:
 a neck;   a shoulder connected to the neck;   a label portion connected to the shoulder, the label portion comprising at least two ribs having a constant width and a constant depth;   a prehension portion connected to the label portion via a first connecting portion, the prehension portion comprising at least five undulating ribs, each undulating rib comprising a plurality of bridge members; and   a base portion connected to the prehension portion via a second connecting portion, the base portion comprising at least one rib having a constant width and a constant depth.