Patent ID: 7455189

Claim:
A plastic container comprising: an upper portion having a mouth defining an opening into said container, a shoulder region extending from said upper portion, a sidewall portion extending from said shoulder region to a base, said base closing off an end of said container; said upper portion, said shoulder region, said sidewall portion and said base cooperating to define a receptacle chamber within the container into which product can be filled; said shoulder region defined in part by at least two vacuum panels formed therein, said vacuum panel being movable to accommodate vacuum forces generated within the container resulting from heating and cooling of its contents, wherein a projected surface area of said vacuum panels is at least approximately 20% of a total projected surface area of said shoulder region; said sidewall portion having a generally rectangular body including opposing longer sidewalls and opposing shorter sidewalls, defining a continuous container sidewall portion having a generally rectangular horizontal cross section and defined in part by a support ledge, said support ledge including a rigid support ledge formed in an upper portion of each of said opposing longer sidewalls of said sidewall portion, said rigid support ledge including a peripheral ridge having an underlying radius; and said base defined in part by tapered walls.