US20080314862A1

US20080314862A1 - Beverage container with easy label removal

Info

Publication number: US20080314862A1
Application number: US11/812,606
Authority: US
Inventors: Kenshi Matsuoka; Yufuko Suga
Original assignee: Coca Cola Co
Current assignee: Coca Cola Co
Priority date: 2007-06-20
Filing date: 2007-06-20
Publication date: 2008-12-25

Abstract

A beverage container or plastic bottle that allows easy label or film removal is provided. The beverage container includes a shoulder portion, a base portion, a body portion extending between the shoulder portion and the base portion, the body portion having a reinforcing concave rib circumferentially formed on the body portion, the concave rib having an asymmetrical shape at a vertical cross-section of the concave rib, and a heat shrink film disposed over the body portion, the heat shrink film having an edge disposed over the concave rib.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a plastic beverage container or bottle for storing liquids such as refreshing beverages or carbonated beverages. In particular, the invention is directed to a plastic beverage container or bottle with a heat shrink film that can be easily peeled off or removed.

BACKGROUND

Plastic bottles, such as PET bottles, are widely known as beverage containers. This type of bottle is provided with, from the top of the bottle, a mouth portion, a shoulder portion, a body portion, and a base portion. A concave rib is often formed about the entire circumference of the body portion to provide a lateral strength to the bottle. Typically, upper and lower concave ribs are formed in the body of small bottles with not more than 500 ml, and an additional concave rib is often formed in the middle section of large bottles above 1500 ml.
Bottles provided to consumers are often covered with a film or a shrink-wrap label printed with, for example, a brand name. This label has heat shrink properties, and after the label is wrapped around the outer surface of the bottle, it tightly fits around the outer surface of the bottle when heated.
Labels may cover only a part of the bottle body, the entire body, a part of the shoulder portion, or a part of the base portion. For example, Japanese Published Patent Application 2003-335343 discloses a bottle with a label, and an upper edge and a lower edge of the label extend over upper and lower concave ribs to the shoulder portion and the base portion of the bottle. By wrapping the upper edge of the label around the conical shoulder portion, it is more difficult for the label to move or peel off compared to just wrapping it around a flat surface of the cylindrical body.
Recently, recycling of bottles has been widely practiced, and as a result, labels are often provided with perforations so that a consumer can easily remove the label from the bottle after consuming the beverage in the bottle. Efforts have been made to facilitate peeling of labels. (See, for example, Japanese Published Patent Applications 2002-104419, 2006-347598, and H5-16634). Also, a notch may be provided in a label so that a consumer can peel it off.
To draw the attention of consumers in stores, such as supermarkets, many bottles have been provided with unique cross-sectional shapes or profiles. However, a decorative design has generally not been formed on the body portion, the shoulder portion, or the base portion because any decorative design formed on those portions would be covered by a label defeating the purpose of the design.
The label location can be adjusted to emphasize the design. However, if the upper edge of the label were located on a flat surface of the shoulder portion, the label would easily move and slip off the bottle. On the other hand, if the upper edge of the label is located within concave ribs, the label may not move. However, such an arrangement would make it difficult for consumers to insert their fingernails in the concave ribs and to pull off the upper edge of the label. Consequently, peeling off the label becomes more difficult.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a beverage container or bottle that addresses the aforementioned problems. In one aspect, a beverage container or bottle is provided to enhance the design of the shoulder and base portions. It is another object of the invention to provide a beverage container or plastic bottle with a label or film that can be easily removed while maintaining the strength of the bottle. A beverage container includes a shoulder portion, a base portion, a body portion extending between the shoulder portion and the base portion, the body portion having a reinforcing concave rib circumferentially formed on the body portion, the concave rib having an asymmetrical shape at a vertical cross-section of the concave rib, and a heat shrink film disposed over the body portion, the heat shrink film having an edge disposed over the concave rib.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a beverage container or bottle according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the beverage container in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the beverage container in FIG. 1 with a heat shrink film;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a region IV in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is another enlarged view of a region IV in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a region VI in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a comparative example of a beverage container with a finger peeling a heat shrink film;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the beverage container with a finger peeling a heat shrink film according to one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 9 is a front view of the beverage container according to another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the present exemplary embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
A beverage container or a bottle has a shoulder portion, a base portion, a body portion that extends vertically between the shoulder portion and the base portion, a heat shrink film that covers the body, and a reinforcing concave rib circumferentially formed on the body portion, the concave rib having an asymmetrical shape at a vertical cross-section of the concave rib. A heat shrink film is disposed over the body portion, and the heat shrink film has an edge disposed over the concave rib. The bottle may be provided with one or more concave ribs.
Since one edge of the film is within the concave rib, at least one of the shoulder portion and the base portion is not covered by film. Therefore, a decorative design can be provided to the uncovered portion enhancing the bottle design. The reinforcing effect of the concave rib is expected to be impaired if the ease of peeling is maintained and the vertical cross-sectional shape of the concave rib is symmetrical in the vertical direction. However, since the concave rib has a vertically asymmetrical cross-sectional shape in this embodiment, the concave rib maintains the strength of the bottle and facilitates insertion of a fingernail by a consumer in the rib. This allows easy peeling of the film at the edge within the concave rib and provides sufficient bottle strength.
In one preferred embodiment, the concave rib has a maximum depth section situated on the innermost side of the bottle at the concave rib, an upper side surface that extends from the top ridge toward the maximum depth section, and a lower side surface that extends from the bottom ridge toward the maximum depth section. One of the upper side surface and the lower side surface may have a more gradual slope than the other one.
By forming a surface of the rib in this manner, a consumer can easily insert a fingernail within the concave rib and slide their fingernail to pull one edge of the film. This allows easy peeling of the film from one edge within the concave rib. Furthermore, by providing a surface that is less gradually sloped then the other one, the reinforcing effect of the concave rib can be maintained.
In another preferred embodiment, a distance from the maximum depth to a flat portion of the bottle is longer for one of the upper side surface or the lower side surface than the other.
In another embodiment, one edge of the heat shrink film may be disposed at the surface of either the upper side surface or the lower side surface that is gradually sloped or at the maximum depth section. Such a structure enables a consumer to pull one edge of the film with a fingernail easily to peel off the film.
In another embodiment, the concave rib may be provided closer to the shoulder portion than to the base portion with the upper edge of the heat shrink film disposed at the lower side surface. In this structure, the strength of the concave rib near the shoulder portion can be elevated, and a consumer can pull the upper edge of the film with a fingernail.
Preferably, the lower side surface and the maximum depth section are connected by an arc that has a center of curvature outside of the bottle so that a step between the lower side surface and the maximum depth section is gradual. A consumer can peel the film easily even if the upper edge of the heat shrink film is in the arc section between the lower side surface and the maximum depth section.
In another embodiment, the concave rib may be located near the base portion than the shoulder portion, and the lower edge of the heat shrink film may be located at the upper side surface. In this case, the strength in the concave rib near the base portion can be improved, and each consumer can pull the lower edge of the film with a fingernail.
In one embodiment, the upper side surface and the lower side surface may be flat without curves. The reinforcing effect of the concave ribs can be elevated in this structure. Also, a second concave rib for reinforcement may be circumferentially formed on the body of the plastic bottle. The other edge of the heat shrink film may be situated within this second concave rib.
In another exemplary embodiment, moreover, at least one of the shoulder portion or the base portion may be provided with a decorative design formed away from the heat shrink film. The design of the shoulder portion or the base portion can be enhanced.
Also, the heat shrink film may have perforations formed in the vertical direction, so that a consumer can peel the heat shrink film along the perforations.
In another embodiment, a plastic bottle has a shoulder portion, a base portion, a body portion, a heat shrink film, and a concave rib as described above. In this bottle, one edge of the heat shrink film may be situated within the concave rib and have perforations that extend from one edge. The concave rib has a structure that permits a consumer to insert a fingernail in the rib and peel the heat shrink film along the perforations by tearing at one edge of the heat shrink film.
Embodiments of the plastic bottle are explained below with reference to the appended drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, a beverage container or bottle 1 (“bottle” hereinafter) may be made of a variety of thermoplastic resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, etc., as the main material, and it may be formed by various molding methods including blow molding, injection blow molding, biaxial stretching molding, etc. For example, bottle 1 having a round cross-sectional shape may have a height of approximately 207 mm, a maximum diameter of approximately 60 mm, and a volume of approximately 450 ml.
Molded bottle 1 may be cleaned or sterilized by hot-water sterilization, chlorine-sterilization, etc., and then filled with a beverage. Such a beverage includes noncarbonated beverages such as tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea, coffee, or juice. The noncarbonated beverages can be filled in bottle 1 using a well-known sterile filling equipment such as hot pack filling (comparatively high temperatures: for example, 80° C.) or aseptic filling (room temperature: for example, 15 to 35° C.).
Since the pressure within a bottle is usually negative (that is, lower than the ambient pressure) when using noncarbonated beverages, the bottle has low strength, and ribs must be formed in the bottle to provide necessary strength. Bottle 1 in this embodiment is suitable to be filled with noncarbonated beverages because it has a reinforcing rib ( concave ribs 41, 42 as discussed below). Bottle 1 can also be filled with carbonated beverages. The bottle is not restricted for beverages, and it may be used to contain food items such as sauces or sweet sake (mirin).
After the bottle is filled with a beverage, mouth 2 of bottle 1 is sealed with a cap (not illustrated in the figure) and the interior of bottle 1 is sealed. Next, the bottle 1 is wrapped with film 100 (see FIG. 3) on which a brand name or ingredients may be printed, and it is then marketed. Film 100 may be a label.
FIG. 2 is a front view of bottle 1. FIG. 3 is a front view of bottle 1 with heat shrink film 100. In FIGS. 2 and 3, decorative designs 500 and 510 are not provided in the bottle.
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, bottle 1 has mouth 2, shoulder portion 3, body portion 4, and base portion 5 from the top along the central axis Y-Y. These portions (2-5) may be integrally formed and provides a wall of the bottle that can hold a beverage. Two concave ribs 41, 42 mutually separated vertically and a plurality of panels 43 are formed on body portion 4.
In this embodiment, film 100 is a heat shrink film. Film 100 may be formed in a cylindrical shape by connecting both rectangular edges with 10 to 80 μm thickness. Film 100 that may be made of polyester resin, polystyrene resin, polypropylene resin, or polyvinyl chloride resin is molded by, for example, uniaxial stretching. Film 100 has heat shrink properties in the circumferential direction as a result of cylindrical shaping of film 100 with a primary stretching direction in the circumferential direction.
To cover body portion 4 with film 100, film 100 is placed so that the back of the film faces the bottle, and steam is applied to film 100. Film 100 shrinks in the circumferential direction as a result of the exposure to steam, and it tightly wraps around the outer circumferential surface of body portion 4 other than panels 43. In this state, upper edge 101 of film 100 is located within concave rib 41, and lower edge 102 of film 100 is located within concave rib 42.
Two perforations 103 may be formed in film 100 parallel to the central axis Y-Y. Perforations 103 forms a line from upper edge 101 to lower edge 102. Accordingly, both edges of perforations 103 are situated within concave rib 41, 42. A consumer can easily separate film 100 from bottle 1 by cutting or peeling film 100 along perforations 103.
In another embodiment, perforations 103 may extend along the direction intersecting the central axis Y-Y, specifically, obliquely in the vertical direction. Furthermore, a tab may be provided so that a consumer can easily hold the tab to peel film 100. In that case, the tab may be provided in concave rib 41 or 42.
Some terms used in the specification are defined as follows. Central axis Y-Y direction refers to the vertical direction of bottle 1. Height of bottle 1 refers to the length of bottle 1 along the central axis Y-Y direction. Vertical cross-section means a cross-section of bottle 1 at a flat plane that is along the central axis Y-Y. Horizontal cross-section means a cross-section of bottle 1 at a flat plane that crosses the central axis Y-Y. Radial direction means a radial direction of a circle with its center at an arbitrary point on the central axis Y-Y. Circumferential direction means a circumferential direction along a contour of the horizontal cross-section.
Each part of bottle 1 is explained below.
Mouth 2 is situated at the upper edge of bottle 1 and forms the section of bottle 1 with the smallest diameter. Mouth 2 that opens at the upper edge functions as a port for filling the bottle with a beverage and for pouring or drinking the beverage out of the bottle. Mouth 2 may be sealed with a cap (not illustrated).
Shoulder portion 3 includes dome section 31 and cylindrical section 32. Dome section 31 is a section that connects to the bottom of mouth 2 and has a truncated circular conical shape in the embodiment. Cylindrical section 32 is a section that connects to the lower edge of dome section 31. Concave rib 41 is connected to the lower edge of cylindrical section 32 and concave rib 41 forms the boundary between shoulder portion 3 and body portion 4.
Base portion 5 has bottom wall 51 and circumferential wall 52. Bottom wall 51 forms a surface that bottle 1 stands on and has an upward depression to provide sufficient bottle strength. Circumferential wall 52 is a section that connects to the rim of bottom wall 51 and has a cylindrical shape. Concave rib 42 connects to the upper edge of circumferential wall 52, and concave rib 42 is formed at the boundary between base portion 5 and body portion 4.
While concave ribs 41 and 42 are formed at the boundaries of shoulder portion 3, body portion 4, and base portion 5, body portion 4 may have concave rib 41 located on the upper side surface and concave rib 42 located on the lower side surface. In short, at least one of cylindrical section 32 and circumferential wall 52 may constitute a part of body portion 4. Furthermore, cylindrical section 32 and circumferential wall 52 may be the maximum diameter sections of bottle 1.
Body 4 extends in the vertical direction between shoulder portion 3 and base portion 5. It may have a height of approximately 110 mm, for example. Panels 43 in body portion 4 may provide support for a decrease in the internal pressure of the bottle after being filled with a beverage and prevent deformation of bottle 1. Panels 43 may be provided with various shapes, and in this embodiment, they have an elliptical shape. Panels 43 extend between concave rib 41 and concave rib 42 and are situated so that their upper and lower edges are separated from concave rib 41 and concave rib 42.
In this embodiment, eight panels 43 are formed with a uniform distance in the circumferential direction of body portion 4. Each panel 43 is concavely formed on bottle 1. The surface between the panels 43 is on the same plane as the surface between each panel 43 and concave ribs 41, 42. The outer surface of body portion 4 other than concave ribs 41, 42 and panels 43 is formed at a uniform level surface 45. Level surface 45 extends parallel to the central axis Y-Y and the contour is located on a circle with its centers on the central axis Y-Y.
Concave ribs 41, 42 that are formed along the circumferential direction in body portion 4 are curved inwardly, toward the inside in the radial direction of bottle 1. Concave rib 41 reinforces the strength of the bottle on the side of shoulder portion 3, and concave rib 42 reinforces the strength of the bottle on the side of base portion 5. In this embodiment, the reinforcement by concave ribs 41, 42 primarily refers to the lateral rigidity of bottle 1.
The vertical cross-section of concave rib 42 has a vertically symmetric, semi-circular shape. The upper edge or ridge and the lower edge or ridge of concave rib 42 are rounded so that the upper edge and the lower edge smoothly connect to level surface 45 and the circumferential wall 52, respectively. The height of concave rib 42 (length in the direction of the central axis Y-Y) may be approximately 10 mm, for example.
Concave rib 41 is explained in detail below in reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. The vertical cross-section of concave rib 41 differs from that of concave rib 42 so that they are vertically asymmetrical. The outer surface of concave rib 41 has central surface 61, upper side surface 62, and lower side surface 63. Central surface 61 is a surface located on the innermost side in concave rib 41. Central surface 61 corresponds to the maximum depth section of concave rib 41. The maximum depth dimensions may be in the range of 0.5 mm to not more than 5 mm, and preferably it is 2 mm. Upper side surface 62 is a flat surface that extends upwardly from central surface 61 and connects to the outer surface of cylindrical section 32. Lower side surface 63 is a flat surface that extends downwardly from central surface 61 and connects to level surface 45.
The edges of central surface 61, upper side surface 62, and lower side surface 63 are rounded. Central surface 61 and upper side surface 62 form an arc with a radius of curvature of 2 mm (R2), as shown in FIG. 4, while central surface 61 and lower side surface 63 form an arc with a radius of curvature of 10 mm (R10) so as to smoothly connect. The center of curvature of these arcs may be located outside of the bottle. On the other hand, the outer surfaces of upper side surface 62 and cylindrical section 32 may form an arc having a radius of curvature of 2 mm (R2) while lower side surface 63 and level surface 45 may form an arc having a radius of curvature of 10 mm (R10) so as to smoothly connect. The center of curvature of these arcs is located inside of the bottle. The four radii of curvature can be varied (for example, in the range of 2 mm to 20 mm); however, the radius of curvature associated with lower side surface 63 should be larger than the radius of curvature associated with upper side surface 62.
As shown in FIG. 5, central surface 61 extends along line X-X parallel to central axis Y-Y. Lower side surface 63 gradually extends beyond upper side surface 62. Inclination angle or slope a at lower side surface 63 is smaller than the inclination angle or slope β at upper side surface 62. In this embodiment, inclination angles α and β represent, respectively, the angles between extensions of lower side surface 63 and upper side surface 62 relative to the line X-X. Inclination angle α should be sufficient to permit smooth insertion of a fingernail in concave rib 41, and preferably it is in the range of 5 degrees to 45 degrees, and more preferably 20 degrees.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, lower side surface 63 is longer than upper side surface 62 in the line X-X direction. Length L3 of lower side surface 63 in the line X-X direction is greater than length L2 of upper side surface 62 in the line X-X direction. In other words, the distance from central surface 61 to the flat surface of lower side surface 63 is longer than to the flat surface of upper side surface 62. The flat surface of bottle 1 is level surface 45 in the case of lower side surface 63 and is the outer surface of cylindrical section 32 in the case of upper side surface 62. In one embodiment, length L3 is in the range of 2 mm to 14 mm, and length L2 is in the range of 1 mm to 5 mm. Preferably, length L3 is about 5 mm, and length L2 is about 2.5 mm. The total height of concave rib 41 adding length L1 of central surface 61 to lengths L2 and L3 may range between 5 mm and 15 mm, and preferably it is about 12 mm.
FIG. 6 illustrates concave rib 41 and upper edge 101 of film 100. As described above, upper edge 101 is located within concave rib 41, and it is located at region S1, which extends from center surface 61, which is the maximum depth section, to level surface 45 of body portion 4. Preferably, the upper edge 101 is located at region S2, which is a sloped surface on lower side surface 63. Having upper edge 101 at region S1 or S2 in concave rib 41 prevents slipping of upper edge 101 and provides easy access to upper edge 101 by a consumer.
As described above, a consumer can peel film 100 by hooking a fingernail on upper edge 101 and pulling it downward. It would be difficult to peel the film if upper edge 101 is located on upper side surface 62 in concave rib 41. However, if upper edge 101 is located at region S1, the film can be peeled easily, and it may more easily peeled if the edge is located in region S2. In a preferred embodiment, upper edge 101 is located at the center in the vertical direction on lower side surface 63, as shown in FIG. 6. However, since film 100 covers the bottle by heat shrinking, upper edge 101 may be located on center surface 61.
The technical effect of bottle 1 will be explained in reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 shows a bottle as a comparative example. Concave rib 410 of the bottle corresponds to concave rib 41 in the embodiment of the present invention and has a similar configuration to concave rib 42 in the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, a finger must be placed at an acute angle when a consumer tries to hook fingernail 200 on upper edge 101. In addition, even if the fingernail 200 is placed on upper edge 101, fingernail 200 strikes the upper side surface of concave rib 410, making it difficult for the consumer to pull down upper edge 101.
On the contrary, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 8, fingernail 200 can hook upper edge 101 without placing a finger at an acute angle on bottle 1. The consumer can then easily peel film 100 along perforations 103 by pulling upper edge 101 downwardly using the tip of fingernail 200 without striking or only lightly placing fingernail 200 against the upper side surface of concave rib 41. That is because the vertical cross-section of concave rib 41 is configured to facilitate peeling of the film by allowing fingernail 200 in concave rib 41.
Peeling of the film may be facilitated by forming the angle of the vertical walls of the concave ribs more gradually than the angle shown in FIG. 7. However, such a configuration of a bottle reduces reinforcing effect of the concave ribs, and it becomes difficult to maintain the strength of the bottle.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, however, the vertical cross-section of concave rib 41 is vertically asymmetrical, and the reinforcing effect of concave rib 41 is maintained by upper side surface 62 while allowing easy peeling of film 100 in one direction (downward direction in the embodiment) by lower side surface 63.
In addition, if a crease is formed in concave rib 41, upper edge 101 becomes tightly wrapped at the crease when the film is heat shrunk, making it difficult to peel.
In this embodiment, individual arcs (R2, R10) are formed in concave rib 41, and film 100 can be easily peeled even if upper edge 101 is tightly wrapped around the arc between central surface 61 and lower side surface 63.
Furthermore, the design of shoulder portion 3 can be enhanced since film 100 does not reach shoulder portion 3. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a diamond-cut decorative design 500 can be formed on cylindrical section 32. In addition, upper edge 101 of film 100 does not reach base portion 5, and the design of base portion 5 can also be improved by forming diamond-cut decorative design 510.
It is not necessary to dispose film 100 at shoulder portion 3 or at base portion 5 because film 100 can cover only body portion 4, and as a result, film 100 can be shortened and the cost of film 100 can be reduced. Also, slipping of film 100 can be prevented because upper edge 101 is located in concave rib 41.
In another embodiment, the vertical cross-section of concave rib 41 in bottle 1 may be modified. For example, upper side surface 62 may be extended with a more gradual slope than lower side surface 63, or length L2 of upper side surface 62 may be extended longer than length L3 of lower side surface 63. In other words, configuration of the concave rib 41 may be inverted from the embodiment described above.
Also, it may not be necessary to place lower edge 102 of film 100 in concave rib 42. In addition, concave rib 42 may have the same shape as concave rib 41, in which case both edges of film 100 could be situated within both concave ribs 41, 42. When concave rib 42 and concave rib 41 have the same shape, the vertical cross-section of concave rib 42 may have a vertically inverted configuration from the vertical cross-section of concave rib 41, as shown in FIG. 9. Film 100 can be easily peeled upwardly using lower edge by placing lower edge of film 100 on upper side surface 620 or at center surface 610 in concave rib 42.
Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.

Claims

1. A beverage container, comprising:

a shoulder portion;

a base portion;

a body portion extending between the shoulder portion and the base portion, the body portion having a reinforcing concave rib circumferentially formed on the body portion, the concave rib having an asymmetrical shape at a vertical cross-section of the concave rib; and

a heat shrink film disposed over the body portion, the heat shrink film having an edge disposed over the concave rib.

2. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the concave rib has a maximum depth section at the innermost location of the body portion, an upper side surface extending from a top ridge of the concave rib toward the maximum depth section, and a lower side surface extending from a bottom ridge toward the maximum depth section, wherein one of the upper side surface and the lower side surface has a more gradual slope than the other one of the upper side surface and the lower side surface.

3. The beverage container of claim 2, wherein the edge of the heat shrink film is disposed over the more gradual slope or the maximum depth section.

4. The plastic bottle of claim 2, wherein the concave rib is formed more proximate to the shoulder portion than to the base portion, and the edge of the heat shrink film is an upper edge disposed over the lower side surface of the concave rib.

5. The beverage container of claim 4, wherein the lower side surface and the maximum depth section are connected by an arc with a radius of curvature located outside of the container.

6. The beverage container of claim 2, wherein the concave rib is formed more proximate to the base portion than to the shoulder portion, and the edge of the heat shrink film is a lower edge disposed over the upper side surface of the concave rib.

7. The beverage container of claim 2, wherein the upper side surface and the lower side surface are flat surfaces.

8. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein at least one of the shoulder portion and the base portion has a decorative design formed at a position away from the heat shrink film.

9. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the heat shrink film has perforations formed along a vertical direction.

10. A beverage container, comprising:

a shoulder portion;

a base portion;

a body portion extending between the shoulder portion and the base portion, the body portion having a reinforcing concave rib circumferentially formed on the body portion; and

a heat shrink film disposed over the body portion, the heat shrink film having an edge disposed over the concave rib and perforations extending from the edge,

wherein the concave rib allows a fingernail to be inserted therein and peel the heat shrink film along the perforations by the fingernail.