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A sidewall portion of a plastic container adapted for vacuum pressure absorption. The sidewall portion including generally rectangular shaped vacuum panels equidistantly spaced about the container. The vacuum panels having, at least in part, a convex shaped surface and a series of equidistantly spac

A sidewall portion of a plastic container adapted for vacuum pressure absorption. The sidewall portion including generally rectangular shaped vacuum panels equidistantly spaced about the container. The vacuum panels having, at least in part, a convex shaped surface and a series of equidistantly spaced indents disposed therein. The vacuum panels being moveable to accommodate vacuum forces generated within the container thereby decreasing the volume of the container.

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What is claimed is: 1. A sidewall portion of a plastic container adapted for vacuum absorption, the container having an upper portion including a mouth defining an opening into the container, a lower portion forming a base, and the sidewall portion connected with and extending between the upper por

What is claimed is: 1. A sidewall portion of a plastic container adapted for vacuum absorption, the container having an upper portion including a mouth defining an opening into the container, a lower portion forming a base, and the sidewall portion connected with and extending between the upper portion and the lower portion; the upper portion, the lower portion and the sidewall portion cooperating to define a receptacle chamber within the container into which product can be filled; said sidewall portion comprising a plurality of generally rectangular shaped vacuum panels formed therein, said vacuum panels defined in at least part by an upper portion, a central portion, and a lower portion, each such portion having an underlying surface with a series of equidistantly spaced indents formed therein arranged in horizontal rows and vertical columns wherein any two adjacent indents of said series of equidistantly spaced indents have a generally equidistant pitch, at least said central portion underlying surface having a generally convex shape in cross section, said vacuum panels being movable to accommodate vacuum forces generated within the container thereby decreasing the volume of the container. 2. The sidewall portion of claim 1 wherein said series of equidistantly spaced indents are generally circular in shape. 3. The sidewall portion of claim 1 wherein said series of equidistantly spaced indents each have an inside depth of between approximately 0.047 inch (1.19 mm) and approximately 0.067 inch (1.70 mm). 4. The sidewall portion of claim 1 wherein said generally equidistant pitch along any one of said horizontal rows is different from said generally equidistant pitch along any one of said vertical columns. 5. The sidewall portion of claim 4 wherein said pitch is between approximately 0.030 inch (0.76 mm) and approximately 0.090 inch (2.29 mm) along at least one of said one of said horizontal rows and said one of said vertical columns. 6. The sidewall portion of claim 1 wherein said series of equidistantly spaced indents include a series of fused indents of various elongated shapes aligned longitudinally with said vacuum panels. 7. The sidewall portion of claim 1 wherein said series of equidistantly spaced indents include a series of fused indents of various elongated shapes having an athwart lengthwise alignment. 8. The sidewall portion of claim 1 wherein said vacuum panels further include a perimeter wall, said perimeter wall being substantially adjacent to and generally surrounding said underlying surfaces, and having a filleted surface substantially therebetween. 9. The sidewall portion of claim 8 wherein said upper portion underlying surface and said lower portion underlying surface, in longitudinal cross section, have a generally reduced concave shape substantially corresponding with said filleted surface. 10. The sidewall portion of claim 8 wherein said vacuum panels each include a pair of longitudinal grooves, said longitudinal grooves adjacent with said indents and merging into said perimeter wall. 11. The sidewall portion of claim 10 wherein said series of equidistantly spaced indents each have an inside depth which is substantially equivalent to an inside depth of said longitudinal grooves. 12. The sidewall portion of claim 1 wherein said upper portion underlying surface and said lower portion underlying surface, in longitudinal cross section, have a generally concave shape. 13. The sidewall portion of claim 1 wherein said upper portion underlying surface, said central portion underlying surface, and said lower portion underlying surface, in longitudinal cross section, have a generally straight-line shape and, in perpendicular cross section, have a generally convex shape. 14. The sidewall portion of claim 1 wherein said upper portion underlying surface and said lower portion underlying surface, in longitudinal cross section, have a generally straight-line shape. 15. The sidewall portion of claim 1 wherein said upper portion underlying surface and said lower portion underlying surface each, in longitudinal cross section, have a concave shape and said central portion underlying surface has a straight-line shape; said upper portion underlying surface and said lower portion underlying surface each having an apex; said straight-line shape of said central portion underlying surface generally merging with said apex of said upper portion underlying surface and said apex of said lower portion underlying surface; and said central portion, in perpendicular cross section, having a generally convex shape. 16. The sidewall portion of claim 1 wherein material is thickest at a bottom portion of said indent and is thinnest at an area between said indents. 17. The sidewall portion of claim 1 wherein said central portion becomes generally concave shaped in cross section when accommodating said vacuum forces generated within said container. 18. The sidewall portion of claim 1 wherein said vacuum panels further include a central longitudinal axis and at least two islands located thereon. 19. A sidewall portion of a plastic container adapted for vacuum absorption, said sidewall portion comprising: a plurality of generally rectangular shaped vacuum panels formed therein, said vacuum panels defined in at least part by an upper portion, a central portion, and a lower portion, each such portion having an underlying surface with a series of generally circular and generally equidistantly spaced indents formed therein, said indents arranged in horizontal rows and vertical columns, at least said central portion underlying surface having a generally convex shape in cross section, said vacuum panels further including a perimeter wall substantially adjacent to and generally surrounding said underlying surfaces, and a pair of longitudinal grooves adjacent with said indents arranged in vertical columns and merging into said perimeter wall, said indents each having an inside depth which is substantially equivalent to an inside depth of said longitudinal grooves, said vacuum panels being movable to accommodate vacuum forces generated within the container thereby decreasing the volume of the container. 20. The sidewall portion of claim 19 wherein said upper portion underlying surface and said lower portion underlying surface each, in longitudinal cross section, have a concave shape and said central portion underlying surface has a straight-line shape; said upper portion underlying surface and said lower portion underlying surface each having an apex; said straight-line shape of said central portion underlying surface generally merging with said apex of said upper portion underlying surface and said apex of said lower portion underlying surface; and said central portion, in perpendicular cross section, having a generally convex shape. 21. The sidewall portion of claim 19 wherein said series of generally circular and generally equidistantly spaced indents have a first pitch between adjacent indents along any one of said horizontal rows, said first pitch is different from a second pitch defined between adjacent indents along any one of said vertical columns. 22. The sidewall portion of claim 21 wherein said first pitch and said second pitch is between approximately 0.030 inch (0.76 mm) and approximately 0.090 inch (2.29 mm). 23. The sidewall portion of claim 19 wherein said series of generally circular and generally equidistantly spaced indents each have an inside depth of between approximately 0.047 inch (1.19 mm) and approximately 0.067 inch (1.70 mm). 24. The sidewall portion of claim 19 wherein material is thickest at a bottom portion of said indent and is thinnest at an area between said indents. 25. The sidewall portion of claim 19 wherein said central portion becomes generally concave shaped in cross section when accommodating said vacuum forces generated within the container. 26. A sidewall portion of a plastic container adapted for vacuum absorption, said sidewall portion comprising: a plurality of generally rectangular shaped vacuum panels formed therein, said vacuum panels defined in at least part by an upper portion, a central portion, and a lower portion, each such portion having an underlying surface with a series of generally equidistantly spaced indents formed therein, said indents arranged in horizontal rows and vertical columns, at least said central portion underlying surface having a generally convex shape in cross section, and a perimeter wall substantially adjacent to and generally surrounding said underlying surfaces, and a pair of longitudinal grooves adjacent with said series of generally equidistantly spaced indents and merging into said perimeter wall, said indents having an inside depth which is substantially equivalent to an inside depth of said longitudinal grooves, said vacuum panels being movable to accommodate vacuum forces generated within the container thereby decreasing the volume of the container. 27. The sidewall portion of claim 26 wherein material is thickest at a bottom portion of said indent and is thinnest at an area between said indents. 28. The sidewall portion of claim 26 wherein said upper portion underlying surface and said lower portion underlying surface each, in longitudinal cross section, have a concave shape and said central portion underlying surface has a straight-line shape; said upper portion underlying surface and said lower portion underlying surface each having an apex; said straight-line shape of said central portion underlying surface generally merging with said apex of said upper portion underlying surface and said apex of said lower portion underlying surface; and said central portion, in perpendicular cross section, having a generally convex shape. 29. A sidewall portion of a plastic container adapted for vacuum absorption, the container having an upper portion including a mouth defining an opening into the container, a lower portion forming a base, and the sidewall portion connected with and extending between the upper portion and the lower portion; the upper portion, the lower portion and the sidewall portion cooperating to define a receptacle chamber within the container into which product can be filled; said sidewall portion comprising a plurality of vacuum panels formed therein, said vacuum panels defined in at least part by an upper portion, a central portion, and a lower portion, each such portion having an underlying surface with a series of equidistantly spaced indents formed therein arranged in horizontal rows and vertical columns wherein any two adjacent indents of said series of equidistantly spaced indents have a generally equidistant pitch, at least said central portion underlying surface having a generally convex shape in cross section, and said upper portion underlying surface and said lower portion underlying surface having a generally straight-line shape in cross section, said vacuum panels being movable to accommodate vacuum forces generated within the container thereby decreasing the volume of the container. 30. The sidewall portion of claim 29 wherein said series of equidistantly spaced indents include a series of fused indents of various elongated shapes aligned longitudinally with said vacuum panels. 31. The sidewall portion of claim 29 wherein said series of equidistantly spaced indents include a series of fused indents of various elongated shapes having an athwart lengthwise alignment. 32. A sidewall portion of a plastic container adapted for vacuum absorption, said sidewall portion comprising: a plurality of vacuum panels formed therein, said vacuum panels defined in at least part by an upper portion, a central portion, and a lower portion, each such portion having an underlying surface with a series of generally circular and generally equidistantly spaced indents formed therein, said indents arranged in horizontal rows and vertical columns having a first pitch between adjacent indents along any one of said horizontal rows, said first pitch is different from a second pitch defined between adjacent indents along any one of said vertical columns, at least said central portion underlying surface having a generally convex shape in cross section, said vacuum panels further including a perimeter wall substantially adjacent to and generally surrounding said underlying surfaces, and a pair of longitudinal grooves adjacent with said indents arranged in vertical columns and merging into said perimeter wall, said vacuum panels being movable to accommodate vacuum forces generated within the container thereby decreasing the volume of the container.