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A container having an inverted active cage generally includes an enclosed base portion, a body portion extending upwardly from the base portion, and a top portion with a finish extending upwardly from the body portion. The body portion further includes a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plu

A container having an inverted active cage generally includes an enclosed base portion, a body portion extending upwardly from the base portion, and a top portion with a finish extending upwardly from the body portion. The body portion further includes a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, and a network of pillars. Unlike the prior art, each of the plurality of active surfaces is outwardly displaced with respect to the longitudinal axis, while each of the network of pillars is inwardly displaced with respect to the longitudinal axis. The plurality of active surfaces, together with the network of pillars, are spaced about the periphery of the container in order to accommodate vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof.

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1. A blow-molded plastic container, comprising:an enclosed base portion;a body portion extending upwardly from said base portion, said body portion including a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, and a network of pillars; anda top portion with a finish extending u

1. A blow-molded plastic container, comprising:an enclosed base portion;a body portion extending upwardly from said base portion, said body portion including a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, and a network of pillars; anda top portion with a finish extending upwardly from said body portion;wherein, with respect to said longitudinal axis, each of said plurality of active surfaces is outwardly displaced and each of said network of pillars is inwardly displaced, and said plurality of active surfaces together with said network of pillars are spaced about said periphery for accommodating vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof, wherein said body portion comprises a hollow body formed generally in the shape of a cylinder and, wherein a cross-section of said body in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis comprises an ellipse. 2. A blow-molded plastic container, comprising:an enclosed base portion;a body portion extending upwardly from said base portion, said body portion including a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, and a network of pillars; anda top portion with a finish extending upwardly from said body portion;wherein, with respect to said longitudinal axis, each of said plurality of active surfaces is outwardly displaced and each of said network of pillars is inwardly displaced, and said plurality of active surfaces together with said network of pillars are spaced about said periphery for accommodating vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof, wherein said body portion comprises a hollow body formed generally in the shape of a cylinder and, wherein a cross-section of said body in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis comprises an oval. 3. A blow-molded plastic container, comprising:an enclosed base portion;a body portion extending upwardly from said base portion, said body portion including a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, and a network of pillars; anda top portion with a finish extending upwardly from said body portion;wherein, with respect to said longitudinal axis, each of said plurality of active surfaces is outwardly displaced and each of said network of pillars is inwardly displaced, and said plurality of active surfaces together with said network of pillars are spaced about said periphery for accommodating vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof and, wherein said body portion comprises a hollow body formed generally in the shape of a polyhedron. 4. The container according to claim 3, wherein said body portion comprises a hollow body formed generally in the shape of a parallelepiped. 5. A blow-molded plastic container, comprising:an enclosed base portion;a body portion extending upwardly from said base portion, said body portion including a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, wherein each of said plurality of active surfaces comprises a vacuum flex panel, and a network of pillars; anda top portion with a finish extending upwardly from said body portion;wherein, with respect to said longitudinal axis, each of said plurality of active surfaces is outwardly displaced and each of said network of pillars is inwardly displaced, and said plurality of active surfaces together with said network of pillars are spaced about said periphery for accommodating vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof and, wherein said body portion comprises three vacuum flex panels. 6. A blow-molded plastic container, comprising:an enclosed base portion;a body portion extending upwardly from said base portion, said body portion including a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfac es, wherein each of said plurality of active surfaces comprises a vacuum flex panel, and a network of pillars; anda top portion with a finish extending upwardly from said body portion;wherein, with respect to said longitudinal axis, each of said plurality of active surfaces is outwardly displaced and each of said network of pillars is inwardly displaced, and said plurality of active surfaces together with said network of pillars are spaced about said periphery for accommodating vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof and, wherein said body portion comprises five vacuum flex panels. 7. A blow-molded plastic container, comprising:an enclosed base portion;a body portion extending upwardly from said base portion, said body portion including a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, wherein each of said plurality of active surfaces comprises a vacuum flex panel, and a network of pillars; anda top portion with a finish extending upwardly from said body portion;wherein, with respect to said longitudinal axis, each of said plurality of active surfaces is outwardly displaced and each of said network of pillars is inwardly displaced, and said plurality of active surfaces together with said network of pillars are spaced about said periphery for accommodating vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof and, wherein said body portion comprises six vacuum flex panels. 8. A blow-molded plastic container, comprising:an enclosed base portion;a body portion extending upwardly from said base portion, said body portion including a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, wherein each of said plurality of active surfaces comprises a vacuum flex panel, and a network of pillars; anda top portion with a finish extending upwardly from said body portion;wherein, with respect to said longitudinal axis, each of said plurality of active surfaces is outwardly displaced and each of said network of pillars is inwardly displaced, and said plurality of active surfaces together with said network of pillars are spaced about said periphery for accommodating vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof and, wherein said body portion comprises twelve vacuum flex panels. 9. A blow-molded plastic container, comprising:an enclosed base portion;a body portion extending upwardly from said base portion, said body portion including a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, and a network of pillars, wherein said network of pillars comprises one or more grooves separating each of said plurality of active surfaces; anda top portion with a finish extending upwardly from said body portion;wherein, with respect to said longitudinal axis, each of said plurality of active surfaces is outwardly displaced and each of said network of pillars is inwardly displaced, and said plurality of active surfaces together with said network of pillars are spaced about said periphery for accommodating vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof and, wherein each said groove extends substantially between said top portion and said base portion. 10. The container according to claim 9, wherein a top portion of each said groove is displaced from a bottom portion thereof by approximately sixty degrees around said periphery of the container. 11. A blow-molded plastic container, comprising:an enclosed base portion;a body portion extending upwardly from said base portion, said body portion including a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, and a network of pillars; anda top portion with a finish extending upwardly from said body portion;wherein, with respect to said longitudinal axis, each of said plurality of act ive surfaces is outwardly displaced and each of said network of pillars is inwardly displaced, and said plurality of active surfaces together with said network of pillars are spaced about said periphery for accommodating vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof and, wherein a portion of each of said plurality of active surfaces extends by approximately one-third around said periphery of the container. 12. A blow-molded plastic container, comprising:an enclosed base portion;a body portion extending upwardly from said base portion, said body portion including a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, and a network of pillars, wherein said plurality of active surfaces and said network of pillars together comprise an active cage; anda top portion with a finish extending upwardly from said body portion;wherein, with respect to said longitudinal axis, each of said plurality of active surfaces is outwardly displaced and each of said network of pillars is inwardly displaced, and said plurality of active surfaces together with said network of pillars are spaced about said periphery for accommodating vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof, wherein said active cage comprises a substantially rigid cage. 13. A blow-molded plastic container, comprising:an enclosed base portion;a body portion extending upwardly from said base portion, said body portion including a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, and a network of pillars, wherein said plurality of active surfaces and said network of pillars together comprise an active cage, wherein said active cage comprises a substantially flexible cage; anda top portion with a finish extending upwardly from said body portion;wherein, with respect to said longitudinal axis, each of said plurality of active surfaces is outwardly displaced and each of said network of pillars is inwardly displaced, and said plurality of active surfaces together with said network of pillars are spaced about said periphery for accommodating vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof and, wherein said network of pillars comprises a substantially sinusoidal-shaped groove extending about said periphery of the container. 14. The container according to claim 13, wherein said groove extends substantially between said top portion and said base portion. 15. The container according to claim 13, wherein each of said plurality of active surfaces further comprises an initiator portion and a flexure portion. 16. The container according to claim 15, wherein said initiator portion and said flexure portion are positioned substantially parallel to and in the direction of said longitudinal axis within each of said plurality of active surfaces. 17. A blow-molded plastic container, comprising:an enclosed base portion;a body portion extending upwardly from said base portion, said body portion including a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, and a network of pillars; anda top portion with a finish extending upwardly from said body portion;wherein, with respect to said longitudinal axis, each of said plurality of active surfaces is outwardly displaced and each of said network of pillars is inwardly displaced, and said plurality of active surfaces together with said network of pillars are spaced about said periphery for accommodating vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof and, wherein said annulus comprises a substantially sinusoidal-shaped groove extending about said periphery of the container. 18. The container according to claim 17, wherein each of said plurality of active surfaces further comprises an initiator portion and a flexure portion. 19. The container accordin g to claim 18, wherein said initiator portion and said flexure portion are positioned substantially parallel to and in the direction of said longitudinal axis within each of said plurality of active surfaces. 20. The container according to claim 19, wherein at least one of said initiator portions is positioned above said substantially sinusoidal-shaped groove and at least another of said initiator portions is positioned below said substantially sinusoidal-shaped groove. 21. A blow-molded plastic container, comprising:an enclosed base portion;a body portion extending upwardly from said base portion, said body portion including a central longitudinal axis, a periphery, a plurality of active surfaces, and a network of pillars, wherein said network of pillars comprises a plurality of grooves positioned substantially parallel to and in the direction of said longitudinal axis within each of said plurality of active surfaces, and wherein said network of pillars further comprises an annulus; anda top portion with a finish extending upwardly from said body portion;wherein, with respect to said longitudinal axis, each of said plurality of active surfaces is outwardly displaced and each of said network of pillars is inwardly displaced, and said plurality of active surfaces together with said network of pillars are spaced about said periphery for accommodating vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof and, wherein said annulus comprises a substantially sinusoidal-shaped groove extending about said periphery of the container. 22. The container according to claim 21, wherein each of said plurality of active surfaces further comprises an initiator portion and a flexure portion. 23. The container according to claim 22, wherein said initiator portion and said flexure portion are positioned substantially parallel to and in the direction of said longitudinal axis within each of said plurality of active surfaces. 24. The container according to claim 23, wherein at least one of said initiator portions is positioned above said substantially sinusoidal-shaped groove and at least another of said initiator portions is positioned below said substantially sinusoidal-shaped groove. 25. In a blow-molded plastic container having an enclosed base portion, a body portion extending upwardly from the base portion and including an active cage that includes a plurality of active surfaces, each of which further comprises an initiator portion and a flexure portion, wherein the initiator portion is longitudinally displaced from the flexure portion and is, thereby, adapted to accommodate vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof, and a top portion with a finish extending upwardly from the body portion, the improvement comprising inverting the active cage. 26. In a blow-molded plastic container having an enclosed base portion, a body portion extending upwardly from the base portion, and a top portion with a finish extending upwardly from the body portion, wherein the body portion includes a periphery and an active cage disposed about the periphery, and the active cage includes a plurality of active surfaces, each of which further comprises an initiator portion and a flexure portion, wherein the initiator portion is longitudinally displaced from the flexure portion to accommodate vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof, the improvement comprising inverting the active cage. 27. An inverted active cage for a plastic container, comprising:a plurality of active surfaces, each of which is outwardly displaced with respect to a longitudinal axis of the container; anda network of pillars, each of which is inwardly displaced with respect to said longitudinal axis;wherein said plurality of active surfaces together with said network of pillars are spaced about a periphery o f the container in order to accommodate vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof. 28. The inverted active cage according to claim 27, further comprising an annulus. 29. An inverted active cage for a plastic container, comprising:a plurality of active surfaces, each of which is outwardly displaced with respect to a longitudinal axis of the container; anda network of pillars, each of which is inwardly displaced with respect to said longitudinal axis; andan annulus comprising a waist;wherein said plurality of active surfaces together with said network of pillars are spaced about a periphery of the container in order to accommodate vacuum-induced volumetric shrinkage of the container resulting from a hot-filling, capping and cooling thereof.