A blow-molded plastic structure may include an inwardly extending portion with an undercut. The inwardly extending portion may be disposed in an outer surface of the blow-molded plastic structure and the undercut may be disposed in the inwardly extending portion. The structure may be formed by placing a tool in a mold, forming a parison of molten plastic, disposing the parison of molten plastic in the mold, closing the mold around the parison of molten plastic, inflating the parison, and creating an inwardly extending portion with an undercut with the tool during the blow-molding process. The tool used to create the undercut in a blow-molded plastic structure may include a base, one or more guides, and one or more fingers movable relative to the base between a molding position and a release position. The fingers may include an elongated body and an outwardly extending portion.

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 plastic container has a mouth portion, a main body, and a base portion which adjoins the main body. The base portion has a central region as well as a diaphragm which runs in a circumferential direction and extends from the central region to the main body. The central region is pivotable relative to the main body between at least two positions which differ with regard to an internal volume of the container. The wall has at least one and preferably at least two circumferential grooves and are spaced apart from one another. The central region has a projection extending in the direction of the interior of the plastic container, and at least one web extending at least in part in a radial direction in the circumferential wall.

The present invention relates to a base assembly (100) for forming a base portion of a plastic container. The base assembly comprises a base pedestal (104), a base mold attached to the base pedestal, a push rod (102) movable between a first position and a second position with respect to the base mold to reposition a portion of the plastic container, and an activation mechanism adapted to move the push rod between the first position and the second 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.

A stretch-blow molded plastic container includes a container body. A container neck, adjoins the container body via a shoulder region and has a container opening. The container body and the container neck are mutually separated by a support ring, which substantially radially protrudes, runs circumferentially in at least some regions and which has a support ring underside. The shoulder region has a first shoulder section, which runs in immediate proximity to the support ring underside, and a second shoulder support, which is integrally connected to the first shoulder support and which substantially radially adjoins the support ring. In a stretch-blow molding method a support ring of a preform, which is placed into a mold cavity of a blow molding tool, is overblown during radial and axial stretching of the preform.

Disclosed is a molding unit for the forming of a container provided with a hollow recess toward the interior of the container, including: a mold provided with a lateral wall defining a cavity having the impression of at least one portion of the container, provided with a housing formed hollow in a protrusion forming a projection toward the interior of the cavity and opening into the cavity; and a boxing device having an insert mounted in translation relative to the lateral wall between a retracted position in which the insert is retracted in the housing, and a deployed position in which the insert projects outside of the housing, a projection whose transverse extension is less than or equal to 85% of the cumulative transverse extension of the protrusion and of the insert.

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.

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.