The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 10, 1998
Filed:
Feb. 04, 1997
Carl Thomas Eiten, Byron, IL (US);
Dean Foods Company, Franklin Park, IL (US);
Abstract
There is provided a plastic container having a bottom portion, side wall portions, and a top wall portion. The side wall portions include four face panels, and four somewhat narrower in width connector panels connected at their vertical sides to one side of each one of the face panels, respectively. The connection of the four face panels and the four connector panels forms an octagon. There is an area in each side wall portion between the bottom portion and the top wall portion which is indented inwardly a slight amount. Within the area of the indented portion there is a plurality of concave horizontal ribs circumscribing at least part way around the side wall portion. The top wall portion extends from the side wall portions and merges to a neck which defines an outlet for the container. The container includes a round handle which combats weakness during light weighting. On the shoulder of the top wall portion approaching the neck there are raised supports which improve top loading. In another feature of the present invention, the bottom portion has a concave groove extending across its bottom. The cross-bottom groove may incorporate a lightweight rib perpendicular to the parting line and a modified parting line correction profile that runs all the way through the bottom portion.