Patent ID: 7712624

Claim:
A rigid container for a particulate product with enhanced top load support, comprising: an interior volume formed by a base, a surrounding wall member upstanding from said base, and a top; and a particulate product provided in said interior volume, said particulate product provided in sufficient quantity to fill said interior volume up to where a predetermined minimum headspace is provided such that said particulate product provides a significant resistance force to compression of the surrounding wall member when a top load on the container is present, the predetermined minimum headspace being that which produces a top load ratio of at least 3:1, where the top load ratio is defined as a ratio of the top load force sufficient to cause a 0.30″ deflection in the rigid container when filled to the predetermined minimum headspace and when said particulate product is providing a resistance force to compression over the top load force sufficient to cause a 0.30″ deflection in the rigid container when empty.