A filling system includes a conveyance chamber in which a center wheel for conveying vessels is housed inside, a filling chamber where filling machines are housed inside, an inlet/outlet wheel that transfers the vessels from the center wheel to the filling machine, an opening that allows conveyance of the vessels, and a shutter that closes the opening. The inlet/outlet wheel includes grippers configured from a fixed section and a movable section. The movable section can be raised or lowered with respect to the rotational axis of the inlet/outlet wheel. When the shutter closes the opening, movable section is raised or lowered by a predetermined amount relative to the fixed section, after which the movable section is rotated by a predetermined amount to a position where it does not interfere with the shutter.

A system and method for simultaneously filling containers of different shapes and/or sizes are disclosed. A plurality of vehicles are routable along a track system to facilitate simultaneous delivery of first containers and second containers to different unit operation stations. The first and second containers may differ from one another in outer shape and/or interior volume.

A system and method for simultaneously filling containers with different fluent products are disclosed. The system includes a plurality of vehicles that are independently routable along a track system to deliver containers to at least one unit operation station for dispensing fluent materials into the containers. The containers receive one or more fluent materials that differ from another in ingredients and/or weight percentage of at least one ingredient.

Method for processing hot-filled plastic containers are provided. In some embodiments, the method may include hot-filling a plastic container, sealing the container, and conveying the sealed container, each with an inner annular wall and a push-up portion in a first position. In some embodiments, the method may further include creating a vacuum pressure in the hot-filled and sealed container and repositioning or inverting the push-up portion from the first position to a second position under the vacuum pressure.

A method of operating a closing station includes decoupling a first closing element from a working position of the closing station and moving it away from the working position, bringing a second closing element into the working position, and coupling it into the container transport path at the working position.

A plastic container comprises an upper portion including a finish defining an opening into the container, a lower portion including a base defining a standing surface, a sidewall extending between the upper portion and the lower portion, the sidewall defining a longitudinal axis, and at least one substantially transversely-oriented pressure panel located in the lower portion. The pressure panel is movable between an outwardly-inclined position and an inwardly-inclined position to compensate for a change of pressure inside the container. The standing surface defines a standing plane, and the entire pressure panel is located between the standing plane and the upper portion of the container when the pressure panel is in the outwardly-inclined position.

Method for processing hot-filled plastic containers are provided. In some embodiments, the method may include hot-filling a plastic container, sealing the container, and conveying the sealed container, each with an inner annular wall and a push-up portion in a first position. In some embodiments, the method may further include creating a vacuum pressure in the hot-filled and sealed container and repositioning or inverting the push-up portion from the first position to a second position under the vacuum pressure.

Method for processing hot-filled plastic containers are provided. In some embodiments, the method may include hot-filling a plastic container, sealing the container, and conveying the sealed container, each with an inner annular wall and a push-up portion in a first position. In some embodiments, the method may further include creating a vacuum pressure in the hot-filled and sealed container and repositioning the push-up portion from the first position to a second position under a mechanical force.

The present specification discloses a method of protecting an inner wall surface of a vessel from damaging interaction with an additive added to the vessel, where the method includes providing the vessel at least part way filled with a liquid product; applying a force on the vessel the force being configured to create a change in shape of a surface of the liquid product; and providing sufficient containment of the additive by the change in shape of the surface of the liquid product to substantially prevent damaging interaction between the inner wall surface of the vessel and the additive for at least an additive reaction time period at the end of which the additive is rendered substantially incapable of producing damaging interaction to the inner wall surface of the vessel.

A plastic container comprises an upper portion including a finish defining an opening into the container, a lower portion including a base defining a standing surface, a sidewall extending between the upper portion and the lower portion, the sidewall defining a longitudinal axis, and at least one substantially transversely-oriented pressure panel located in the lower portion. The pressure panel is movable between an outwardly-inclined position and an inwardly-inclined position to compensate for a change of pressure inside the container. The standing surface defines a standing plane, and the entire pressure panel is located between the standing plane and the upper portion of the container when the pressure panel is in the outwardly-inclined position.