Patent ID: 11905095
Assignee: CO2PAC LIMITED
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 15:
16. A method of hot-filling a plastic bottle, the method comprising:
providing a 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
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,
a diaphragm extending radially inward toward the central longitudinal axis from the inner support wall, the diaphragm comprising an inner wall extending from the inner support wall to a central conical structure, the inner wall 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;

filling a portion of the bottle with a hot-fill liquid having a temperature above an ambient temperature;
sealing the opening, wherein the diaphragm moves from the initial as-formed position toward a second position when an internal pressure of the sealed bottle relative an external pressure external of the sealed bottle exceeds a threshold value, wherein the second position is below the as-formed position; and
providing for a cooling of the hot-fill liquid and moving the diaphragm upwardly and axially inward to a third position in response to a decrease in internal pressure, wherein the third position is above the second position.