US 11,905,095 B2
Variable displacement base and container and method of using the same
Raymond A. Pritchett, Jr., Mt. Wolf, PA (US); Willie F. Hatcher, Hanover, PA (US); and Michael T. Kelly, Manchester, PA (US)
Assigned to CO2PAC LIMITED, Auckland (NZ)
Filed by CO2PAC LIMITED, Auckland (NZ)
Filed on Aug. 17, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/889,925.
Application 17/889,925 is a continuation of application No. 17/013,163, filed on Sep. 4, 2020, granted, now 11,420,803.
Application 17/013,163 is a continuation of application No. 16/110,735, filed on Aug. 23, 2018, granted, now 10,766,683.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/550,493, filed on Aug. 25, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0396408 A1, Dec. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. B65D 79/00 (2006.01); B67C 7/00 (2006.01); B65D 1/02 (2006.01)
CPC B65D 79/0081 (2020.05) [B65D 1/0276 (2013.01); B67C 7/00 (2013.01); B65D 2501/0036 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A hot-fillable plastic bottle, the bottle comprising:
a finished portion defining an opening;
a body portion disposed below the finished portion and defining a central longitudinal axis, the body portion comprising a body sidewall defining an interior, the body sidewall having at least one circumferential rib extending about its circumference and configured to resist radial distortion; and
a base portion disposed below the body portion, the base portion comprising:
a base sidewall,
a bottom support surface extending radially inward from the base sidewall toward the central longitudinal axis and defining a reference plane,
an inner support wall extending upwardly from the bottom support surface, and
a diaphragm extending radially inward toward the central longitudinal axis from the inner support wall, the diaphragm comprising an inner wall and a central conical structure, the inner wall extending from the inner support wall to the central conical structure and consisting essentially of a single continuous arcuate shape in a side cross section, wherein the diaphragm is in an initial as-formed position with the conical structure above the reference plane, the diaphragm configured to move from the initial as-formed position toward a second position when an internal pressure relative an external pressure external of the bottle exceeds a threshold value, wherein the diaphragm is configured to move downwardly in response to an increase in the internal pressure and wherein the second position is below the as-formed position, and further wherein the diaphragm is configured to move upwardly and axially inward in response to a decrease in internal pressure corresponding to an internal vacuum being created within the bottle due to cooling of a hot-fill liquid provided in the bottle.