Patent ID: 8627944

Claim:
A method for conveying a plurality of filled and sealed plastic containers, each of the filled and sealed plastic containers including a deformable side portion and a bottom portion having a standing portion and a vacuum panel, the method comprising: conveying, by a conveyor apparatus, the plurality of filled and sealed plastic containers single file, each of the filled and sealed plastic containers having respective side portions that are deformed and vacuum panels that are un-activated and arranged so as not to extend below the standing portion, wherein a first side portion of the standing portion of each of the filled and sealed plastic containers rests on a portion of the conveyor apparatus; creating a substantially uniform distance between adjacent ones of the filled and sealed plastic containers having respective deformed side portions and vacuum panels that are un-activated and arranged so as not to extend below the standing surface, said creating a substantially uniform distance including providing two positive control points for each of the filled and sealed plastic containers; and after said creating a substantially uniform distance, sequentially feeding the plurality of filled and sealed plastic containers, wherein the substantially uniform distance is based on said sequentially feeding, wherein one of the positive control points is at a top portion of the filled and sealed plastic container, wherein the other of the positive control points is at the bottom portion of the filled and sealed plastic container, wherein the one positive control point is at a central longitudinal axis of the filled and sealed plastic container, and wherein the other positive control point is at a second side portion of the bottom portion.