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Provided is a hot-fill container adapted to provide vertical vacuum compensation in response to negative pressure inside the container. The container comprises one or more horizontal ribs that are configured to diminish in height in response to vacuum conditions inside the container. Each rib compri

Provided is a hot-fill container adapted to provide vertical vacuum compensation in response to negative pressure inside the container. The container comprises one or more horizontal ribs that are configured to diminish in height in response to vacuum conditions inside the container. Each rib comprises an upper wall connected to a lower wall. The upper and lower walls are inclined from a horizontal reference line and adapted to hinge with respect to each other to provide vertical vacuum compensation.

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1. A pressure-responsive container comprising: a lower portion including an enclosed base;an upper portion including a dome and a finish; anda generally cylindrical body portion extending vertically along a longitudinal axis between the lower portion and the upper portion, the body portion including

1. A pressure-responsive container comprising: a lower portion including an enclosed base;an upper portion including a dome and a finish; anda generally cylindrical body portion extending vertically along a longitudinal axis between the lower portion and the upper portion, the body portion including an upper sidewall and a lower sidewall, the body portion further comprising: at least one circumferential rib disposed between the upper and lower sidewalls, the rib comprising: a single, substantially straight upper wall, wherein an entire length of said upper wall defines a first angle less than 35 degrees with respect to a horizontal reference line that is transverse to the longitudinal axis;a curved upper transition extending from said upper wall to said upper sidewall, said curved upper transition having a single radius of curvature between said upper wall and said upper sidewall;a single, substantially straight lower wall, wherein an entire length of said lower wall defines a second angle less than 35 degrees from the horizontal reference line;a curved lower transition extending from the lower wall to the lower sidewall, said curved lower transition having a single radius of curvature between said lower wall and said lower sidewall; anda curved central portion extending between the upper wall and the lower wall;wherein the substantially straight upper wall and the substantially straight lower wall are adapted to hinge with respect to each other in response to a vacuum created inside the container such that a height of the container is reduced while the body portion retains a substantially cylindrical shape. 2. The container of claim 1 wherein the curved central portion has a single radius of curvature. 3. The container of claim 2 wherein the curved central portion has a radius of curvature of about 0.06 inches. 4. The container of claim 1 wherein the body portion does not include vacuum compensation elements that operate in a radial direction. 5. The container of claim 1 wherein the body portion consists of three circumferential, substantially horizontal ribs and two substantially cylindrical portions between the ribs. 6. The container of claim 5, further comprising a stiffening rib carried by one of the substantially cylindrical portions. 7. The container of claim 1 wherein each of the upper and lower walls defines an angle of 30 degrees or less with respect to the horizontal reference line. 8. The container of claim 1 wherein each of the upper and lower walls defines an angle of about 22 degrees with respect to the horizontal reference line. 9. A pressure-responsive and generally cylindrical container, comprising: a lower portion, and upper portion, and a body portion extending vertically between the upper and lower portions, the body portion comprising: at least one circumferential, substantially horizontal rib;at least two substantially cylindrical sidewalls disposed above and below the at least one rib;wherein the at least one rib comprises: a single straight upper wall, a single straight lower wall, and a curved central portion extending between the upper and lower walls, such that the upper and lower walls are adapted to hinge with respect to each other in response to a vacuum created inside the container such that a height of the container is reduced while the body portion retains its generally cylindrical shape in the absence of vacuum panels;a curved upper transition extending between the upper wall and one of the at least two sidewalls, said curved upper transition having a single radius of curvature between said upper wall and said one of the at least two sidewalls;a curved lower transition extending between the lower wall and another of the at least two sidewalls, said curved lower transition having a radius of curvature between said lower wall and said one of the at least two sidewalls; andwherein a junction of the upper wall and the upper transition defines a first upper junction, a junction of the upper wall and the central portion defines a second upper junction, and a line extending through an entire length of the upper wall extending between the first upper junction and the second upper junction defines a single angle of 35 degrees or less with respect to a horizontal reference line. 10. The container of claim 9 wherein a junction of the lower wall and the lower transition defines a first lower junction, a junction of the lower wall and the central portion defines a first lower junction, and a line extending along an entire length of the lower wall between the first lower junction and the second lower junction defines an angle of 35 degrees or less with respect to the horizontal reference line. 11. The container of claim 9, wherein the central portion has a single radius of curvature. 12. The container of claim 11, wherein the central portion has a radius of curvature of about 0.06 inches. 13. The container of claim 10, wherein each one of the lines extending between the upper junction points and the lower junction points defines an angle of 30 degrees or less with respect to the horizontal reference line. 14. The container of claim 10, wherein each one of the lines extending between the upper junction points and the lower junction points defines an angle of 22 degrees or less with respect to the horizontal reference line. 15. The container of claim 9 wherein the upper portion defines a dome and a finish, the container further comprising an upper label bumper formed on a lower portion of the dome. 16. The container of claim 9 wherein the container is devoid of vacuum-panels. 17. A method of hot-filling a container that includes a lower portion, an upper portion, and a body portion extending between the lower portion and the upper portion, wherein the lower portion, the upper portion, and the body portion define an interior, and the body portion includes at least one vacuum compensation rib having: (1) a single, substantially straight upper wall, wherein an entire length of the upper wall defines a first angle with a horizontal reference line,(2) a single, substantially straight lower wall, wherein an entire length of the lower wall defines a second angle with the horizontal reference line,(3) a curved upper transition extending between the upper wall and the upper portion, said curved upper transition having a single radius of curvature between said upper wall and said upper portion;(4) a curved lower transition extending between the lower wall and the lower portion, said curved lower transition having a single radius of curvature between said lower wall and said lower portion; and(5) a curved central portion extending between the upper wall and the lower wall, the method comprising the steps of:introducing a product into the interior of the container at a fill temperature that is increased with respect to an ambient temperature;cooling the product to a cooled temperature that is less than the fill temperature, thereby causing internal pressure within the interior to accumulate; andcausing the substantially straight upper wall and the substantially straight lower wall to hinge with respect to each other about the curved central portion, such that the at least one vacuum compensation rib deflects in a substantially vertical direction. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first angle is less than 35 degrees with respect to the horizontal reference line, and the second angle is less than 35 degrees from the horizontal reference line. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the body has a generally cylindrical shape before the introducing step and during the causing step.