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:
Oct. 08, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 16, 1999
Kerry W. Silvers, Chelsea, MI (US);
Timothy J. Boyd, Ypsilanti, MI (US);
Dwayne G. Vailliencourt, Manchester, MI (US);
Richard J. Steih, Britton, MI (US);
Schmalbach-Lubeca AG, , DE;
Abstract
A sidewall portion for a plastic container used to receive a commodity and to retain the commodity during high temperature pasteurization and after cooling. The plastic container has an upper portion defining an aperture sealed by a closure, a lower portion forming a base, and a sidewall portion unitarily connected with and extending between the upper portion and the lower portion. The sidewall portion includes panels having a vacuum panel portion unitarily formed in and inwardly recessed from the sidewall, and a pressure panel portion unitarily formed with the vacuum panel portion. The pressure panel portion is movable from a first position to a second position during pasteurization thereby increasing the volume of the container and avoiding any significant deformation of the sidewall portion. The panels are movable from an increased volume position to a reduced volume position thereby decreasing the volume of the container and increasing apparent volume of the commodity in the container upon cooling after high temperature pasteurization.