A method for hot-filling a polymeric container with heated product. The method includes mechanically inverting a base of the polymeric container prior to the heated product cooling in order to create a positive pressure within the container prior to cooling, and a vacuum in the container after cooling.

An apparatus for producing filled containers has a transport device which is suitable and intended for transporting containers which are filled with a liquid and are closed by a closure. Furthermore, the apparatus has a penetration device which is suitable and intended for producing an opening in at least one region of the closure and/or of the container, and an application device, which applies a flowable and in particular gaseous medium to the interior of the container through this opening (or feeds the gaseous medium to this interior). Furthermore, the apparatus has a closing device which closes the opening again.

In one embodiment, a method of processing a plastic container having a longitudinal axis is disclosed. The method includes: blow-molding a plastic container having an upper portion including a finish, a sidewall, a lower portion including a base defining a standing surface, and a substantially transversely oriented pressure panel having an inner annular wall and a central push-up portion located in the base, wherein a base mold portion is displaced longitudinally with respect to first and second side mold portions to form the pressure panel set above the standing surface; introducing heated liquid contents into the plastic container with the pressure panel located in an outwardly-inclined position entirely between the standing surface and the upper portion; capping the plastic container; and, moving the pressure panel to an inwardly-inclined position entirely between the standing surface and the upper portion.

A sealing and pressure dosing apparatus, and container filling method, including a capping machine (102) which receives containers (1). Closures (80) are applied to the containers (1) immediately following the raising of pressure within the containers (1) by a pressure dosing system in a pressure sealing chamber (84). Preferably a cooling system is integrated with the capping machine.

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.

Disclosed is a container made of a plastic material, provided with a base including a standing ring forming a support flange and a diaphragm extending from the standing ring to a central portion, the diaphragm being capable of standing in an outwardly-inclined position. The diaphragm connects to the standing ring at an outer junction forming an outer articulation of the diaphragm. The diaphragm connects to the central portion at an inner junction forming an inner articulation of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is invertible with respect to the standing ring from the outwardly-inclined position to an inwardly-inclined position. In the outwardly-inclined position, the diaphragm has an outer curved portion and an inner curved portion of opposite curvatures.

Method for forming a packaging (2) from a container (1) that has a body (5), a neck (8), and a bottom (6), the container (1) having a deformable zone (15) with an extended configuration in which the zone (15) projects toward the outside of the container (1), with a retracted configuration in which the zone (15) projects toward the inside of the container (1), with this method including the following operations: filling the container (1) with a hot product; closing in an airtight manner the thus filled container (1); measuring the temperature of the stoppered container (1); comparing the measured temperature to a preset threshold value; if the measured temperature is less than or equal to the threshold value, moving the deformable zone (15) back toward its retracted position.

Exemplary hot-fillable plastic containers are disclosed. In some embodiments, the containers may include a threaded neck portion, a body portion, and a base portion including a standing surface and a movable element. In some embodiments, the moveable element may be arranged to be recessed either substantially above, or substantially below, the standing surface in an initial pre-filling 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.

A container including a finish defining an opening at a first end of the container that provides access to an internal volume defined by the container. A base portion of the container includes a diaphragm that is concave relative to an exterior of the container. The diaphragm extends from a standing surface of the container to a center push-up portion of the base portion. The standing surface is at a second end of the container opposite to the first end. The diaphragm is configured to move from an as-blown first configuration to a second configuration in which the diaphragm is closer to the first end as compared to the first configuration in order to reduce residual vacuum within the container. The diaphragm is generally hemispherical in cross-section when in the second configuration.