US20200178714A1 - A Beverage Container - Google Patents
A Beverage Container Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20200178714A1 US20200178714A1 US16/316,343 US201716316343A US2020178714A1 US 20200178714 A1 US20200178714 A1 US 20200178714A1 US 201716316343 A US201716316343 A US 201716316343A US 2020178714 A1 US2020178714 A1 US 2020178714A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- stem
- beverage
- beverage container
- mouth
- container
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
- A47G19/00—Table service
- A47G19/22—Drinking vessels or saucers used for table service
- A47G19/2205—Drinking glasses or vessels
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
- A47G19/00—Table service
- A47G19/22—Drinking vessels or saucers used for table service
- A47G19/2205—Drinking glasses or vessels
- A47G19/2255—Details related to the connection between the liquid containing part and the supporting part
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
- B65B3/02—Machines characterised by the incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
- B65B3/04—Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
- B65B3/04—Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
- B65B3/06—Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles by gravity flow
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
- B65B3/18—Controlling escape of air from containers or receptacles during filling
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B39/00—Nozzles, funnels or guides for introducing articles or materials into containers or wrappers
- B65B39/12—Nozzles, funnels or guides for introducing articles or materials into containers or wrappers movable towards or away from container or wrapper during filling or depositing
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B7/00—Closing containers or receptacles after filling
- B65B7/16—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons
- B65B7/28—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons by applying separate preformed closures, e.g. lids, covers
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D1/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous material, by throwing ceramic material, by moulding pulped fibrous material, by deep-drawing operations performed on sheet material
- B65D1/02—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents
- B65D1/06—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents with closable apertures at bottom
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D23/00—Details of bottles or jars not otherwise provided for
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
- Closures For Containers (AREA)
- Packages (AREA)
- Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The disclosure generally relates to beverage containers and a method of filling beverage containers, for example containers that can be used for single-serve applications.
- Some beverages, such as wine, are unstable in the presence of oxygen (e.g., the wine goes off). As a result, reducing the amount of oxygen in the headspace in the packaging of these beverages can extend the shelf life of the packaged beverage.
- Recently there has been demand from consumers to purchase wine in single-serve portions, with the containers sometimes resembling a cup, including those that have a standard wine glass shape. However, due to the smaller volume of wine in a single-serve container, a single serving of wine will deteriorate proportionately faster than, for example, a bottle of wine. This is because the amount of oxygen/headspace present in the single-serve container, as a ratio of the entire volume of the container, is significantly greater than in a bottle of wine. Accordingly, the shelf life of these single-serve products can be relatively short compared to bottles of wine.
- Some manufacturers have opted to fill the cup close to the top, in order to reduce the amount of oxygen/headspace present in the cup. However, this can lead to the contents being splashed or spilled during removal of the lid. In addition, drinking from a cup that is filled to the top is awkward, and not desirable for consumers as the aromas of the wine cannot be appreciated prior to tasting.
- It is in view of some of the above problems that the invention was conceived.
- The present disclosure provides a beverage container that is inverted into a cup comprising: a body having a mouth and a stem, wherein the mouth is larger than the stem, the body defining an internal volume that is filled with a beverage, the mouth being sealed by a removable seal, wherein the stem has a filling opening leading to a passage in fluid communication with the internal volume, the opening being sealed by a volume reducing closure after filling.
- By providing a stem through which the beverage container can be filled, and wherein the stem is smaller or narrower in size, area, or diameter than the mouth of the container, the volume of headspace in the beverage container, and therefore the amount of oxygen in the beverage container, can be reduced. The internal diameter of the stem is smaller than the internal diameter of the mouth. Beverage filling equipment usually needs to leave a minimum headspace height between the surface of the liquid and the top of the stem or mouth rim. If the beverage container was filled through the mouth the result would be a greater volume of headspace (and therefore oxygen) for the same minimum height of headspace at which the stem could be filled.
- The closure may be a plug that extends through the opening and into the passage, thereby reducing the headspace. A removable base can be attached to the beverage container. The base can be selectively attached to the stem so that the container can be inverted and stabalised in an inverted position for use as a cup. In this embodiment the base is positioned across the mouth. In one embodiment the base sits within the mouth and may be attached across the mouth or retained within the mouth by a lid, such as a foil or plastic lid, overlying the base and attached to the mouth.
- The removable seal may include a lid and/or may include a punt that extends into the internal volume of the beverage container. The punt can be hollow. The base can sit substantially within the hollow punt. The removable seal may have a tab to assist in removal. The punt has the effect of raising the level of the liquid relative to the rim of the mouth but to drop the liquid level to a more practical and appropriate level for drinking once the punt is removed.
- The beverage container may be designed to have the shape and appearance of a wine glass. The beverage container is designed to accommodate a single serving of the beverage (i.e., the beverage container may be a single-serve container). The beverage container can have the appearance of a small bottle before use and may be inverted to be used as a cup.
- In another aspect, there is disclosed a method of filling a beverage container that is inverted into a cup including: attaching a seal to a mouth of the beverage container; filling an interior volume of the beverage container through a passage in a stem of the beverage container via an opening located in the stem, wherein the mouth is larger than the stem; and sealing the opening in the stem after the beverage container has been filled.
- The method may include sealing the opening in the stem, either permanently or removably, with a plug that extends through the opening and into the passage. The method may include attaching a hollow punt to seal the mouth of the beverage cup. The method may include attaching a base to the hollow punt so that the base sits substantially within the hollow punt.
- In another aspect, there is disclosed a beverage container that is inverted into a cup comprising: a body having a mouth and a stem, wherein the mouth is larger than the stem, the body defining an internal volume that is filled with a beverage, the mouth being sealed by a removable seal, wherein the stem has a filling opening leading to a passage in fluid communication with the internal volume, the filling opening being 17 mm or less in diameter, the filling opening being sealed by a closure after filling.
- In another aspect, there is disclosed a beverage container that is inverted into a cup comprising: a body having a mouth for drinking from and a stem, the body defining an interior volume to be filled with a beverage, the mouth being sealed by a removable seal, and wherein the stem has a filling opening leading to a passage in fluid communication with the interior volume to allow the beverage container to be filled through the stem, the filling opening being 17 mm or less in diameter.
- In another aspect, there is disclosed a beverage container that is inverted into a cup comprising: a body having a mouth and a stem, wherein the mouth is larger than the stem, the body defining an internal volume that is filled with a beverage, the mouth being sealed by a removable seal, wherein the stem has a filling opening leading to a passage in fluid communication with the internal volume, the opening being permanently sealed by a closure after filling.
- In another aspect, there is disclosed a beverage container that is inverted into a cup comprising: a body having a mouth for drinking from and a stem, the body defining an interior volume to be filled with a beverage, the mouth being sealed by a removable seal, and a removable punt extending into the interior volume; wherein the stem has an opening leading to a passage in fluid communication with the interior volume to allow the beverage container to be filled through the stem.
- In another aspect, there is disclosed a beverage container comprising: a body having a stem and a pair of openings disposed at opposing ends thereof, a first opening of the pair being larger than a second opening of the pair, the body and stem together defining an internal volume that is fillable through the stem with a beverage, wherein the first opening is sealed by a removable seal and the second opening is sealed by a closure, each of the removable seal and the closure being configured to protrude into the internal volume of the body to adjust a headspace therein.
- In another aspect, there is disclosed a beverage container that can be used as a cup, in which the beverage container contains a beverage and comprises: a body defining an internal volume in which a single-serve of the beverage is retained, the body having a mouth at one end including a removable seal for drinking the beverage from the container and a stem having a filling opening at second end, wherein the filling opening is sealed by a closure after filling, and the filling opening and the stem adjacent to the filling opening are narrower than the mouth to control oxygen trapped within the container.
- Elements of the present description will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
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FIG. 1A is a side view of a beverage container in accordance with an embodiment; -
FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the beverage container shown inFIG. 1A along the line F-F; -
FIG. 1C is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the beverage container shown inFIG. 1B at Area G; -
FIG. 1D is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the beverage container shown inFIG. 1B at Area H; -
FIG. 2A is a side view of the beverage container shown inFIG. 1A inverted and with a base attached to a stem of the beverage container; -
FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the beverage container shown inFIG. 2A along the line B-B; -
FIG. 3A is a top isometric view of the beverage container shown inFIG. 1A without a closure sealing a stem opening; -
FIG. 3B is a top isometric view of the beverage container shown inFIG. 3A with a closure sealing the stem opening; -
FIG. 3C is a bottom isometric view of the beverage container shown inFIG. 3B ; -
FIG. 3D is a top isometric view of the beverage container shown inFIG. 2A ; -
FIG. 3E is a top isometric view of the beverage container shown inFIG. 3D with a seal removed from a mouth of the beverage container; and -
FIG. 4 is a flowchart, detailing the steps of a method of packaging a beverage as disclosed herein. -
FIGS. 1A to 3E illustrate a beverage container that is inverted into a cup, for example having the shape of a wine glass. The beverage container is shown as single-servewine glass 10, comprising abody 12 having amouth 14 and astem 16. As the mouth is adapted from which a consumer can drink a beverage, the mouth is larger than the stem. Thebody 12 defines aninternal volume 18 that is filled with abeverage 19. Themouth 14 is sealed by a removable seal, which in the embodiment shown ispunt 20. Thestem 16 has anopening 30 leading to apassage 32 in fluid communication with theinternal volume 18. Theopening 30 is sealed by a closure, such as an insert in the form of a volume reducing closure, which is shown asplug 34. The closure may be permanently or temporarily (i.e., removably) sealed. - The
opening 30 in thestem 16 allows thewine glass 10 to be filled through thestem 16, rather than through themouth 14 of the wine glass. In a standard filling situation a beverage cup will have a single opening that is used for both filling the cup and for drinking (i.e., the mouth). During filling a specified height of the internal volume of the cup is left unfilled. This is known as a headspace (i.e., the volume of air, and therefore oxygen, in the cup that is not filled with the consumable product). A headspace may be necessary because the filling equipment along the assembly line usually needs a headspace to avoid spillage during filling. For example, the filling head (with a valve) of a filling system may be inserted 10 mm to 15 mm into a filling opening during filling, resulting in a 10 mm to 15 mm headspace once the filling head is removed. - In practice it is envisaged that during filling, the filling head could be inserted further into the cup through the stem and almost to the base so that the cup will start to fill from the base and the filling head will gradually lift as the fluid enters until the head is at approximately 10 mm from the rim of the
mouth 14. This has the effect of decreasing the foaming effect of the liquid on filling thereby further reducing the level of oxygen that contained in the sealed cup that can impact the quality of the liquid, e.g., wine. - Furthermore, when filling a “shot” of nitrogen could be injected into the container before the container is filled so that the resulting head space after filling contains nitrogen rather than oxygen.
- By including an opening in the stem, which is narrower than the mouth, the internal volume of the cup can be filled to the same height but have a smaller headspace volume. In other words, as the diameter of the
passage 32 in thestem 16 is smaller than the diameter of themouth 14, filling thewine glass 10 through theopening 30 in the stem can reduce the headspace volume. This method of packaging a beverage is illustrated in stages in the flow chart ofFIG. 4 . - It will be understood that “permanently sealed by a closure” means that the seal is not intended to be opened by a consumer to allow the consumer to access the beverage through the opening in the stem. “Permanently sealed by a closure” is intended to mean that the opening is sufficiently sealed to discourage a consumer from unplugging the stem. In some embodiments the closure can be ultrasonically welded to the stem of the container, such that any attempt to remove the closure will damage the stem. The stem is intended to be designed solely for the purpose of filling, rather than for filling and for pouring liquid back out of the container.
- It will be understood that the term “wine glass” when referring to the shape of the container is not limited to containers made from glass, and that the term is widely used to describe both glass and plastic containers for holding wine.
- The term “single-serve” is understood herein to refer to a serving of a beverage that equates to one portion. It is understood that for alcoholic drinks, the portion may be varied according to local laws and/or preferences.
- The method of filling the
wine glass 10 includes attaching the seal, shown aspunt 20, to themouth 14 of thewine glass 10. It also includes filling theinterior volume 18 of thewine glass 10 through thepassage 32 in thestem 16 of thewine glass 10 via anopening 30 located in thestem 16, and sealing theopening 30 in thestem 16 after thewine glass 10 has been filled. - As mentioned above, the closure that seals the
opening 30 in thestem 16 is shown as avolume reducing plug 34. Theplug 34 extends through theopening 30 in thestem 16 and into thepassage 32 and sits flush with theopening 30. Theplug 34 is tapered so that when theplug 34 is inserted into theopening 30 the air in the headspace that is displaced by theplug 34 is able to escape from the beverage cup, rather than simply being pressurised. This helps to further reduce the amount of oxygen left in thewine glass 10 once it has been sealed. For example, the headspace may be reduced from 10-15 mm to about 2 mm-3 mm once theplug 34 has been inserted into thestem 16. Theplug 34 is ultrasonically sealed at theopening 30. - Referring to
FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B , thewine glass 10 has a base 40 that is removably attached to thewine glass 10. InFIGS. 2A and 2B thewine glass 10 is inverted and thebase 40 is shown attached to thestem 16 of thewine glass 10. This is the position that the base 40 would be in when a user is drinking from thewine glass 10. InFIGS. 1A and 1B thebase 40 is shown attached to thepunt 20. This is preferably the position that the base 40 would be in when the wine glass is being sold in store (and how it is transported to a store). In other words, thebase 40 is first attached to the mouth of theglass 10 and/or to the removable seal, and is provided in this form for consumption, whereafter a consumer can remove the base from the mouth and attach it to the stem to take the form of a cup, such as having a wine glass shape. - While it is envisaged that the punt could be designed to act as the base, having a base 40 that is separate and distinct from the punt 20 (which is in contact with the beverage) allows the base 40 to remain dry. This is an advantage for consumers, as it avoids the chance of the base transferring unwanted beverage onto clothing or other objects, such as tables, etc.
- The
punt 20 is shaped so that it extends into theinternal volume 18 of thewine glass 10. Thepunt 20 has two preferred functions. The first is to seal themouth 14 of thewine glass 10. The seal is achieved for example only, either through heat sealing or ultrasonic welding. The seal is fluid proof but allows the seal to be broken when a user peels the material back on itself. In other words, the seal is preferably a peelable seal. The second is to displace a volume of the beverage in thewine glass 10. The punt facilitates this by having a domed shape. The domed shape of thepunt 20 allows the beverage to occupy a space between the punt and thebody 12 of the wine glass 10 (in a similar way to a punt in a wine bottle). This allows the wine glass, which is bigger than it needs to be to hold the beverage volume, to appear full when packaged for sale. In addition, removal of thepunt 20 causes the height of the wine to drop below themouth 14 of thewine glass 10, reducing the likelihood of spillage by the consumer. - The
punt 20 is hollow and has protrusions (not shown) that extend into thehollow area 24 of thepunt 20 and act as friction points. The protrusions hold the base 40 in contact with thepunt 20. Thehollow area 24 of the punt allows the base 40 to sit substantially within thepunt 20. Alternatively, the protrusions may support thebase 40, and a cover, such as a shrink wrapped sleeve (not shown) may be used to retain the base 40 in position. In such an embodiment the protrusions can be designed to not be equally spaced around thepunt 20, thereby allowing a consumer to push down on an area of the base 40 that is not supported by a protrusion in order to tilt or pivot the base 40 relative to thepunt 20 so that it rocks upwards, providing easy removal of the base 40 from thepunt 20. - Referring to
FIGS. 1B and 1C , thepunt 20, which seals themouth 14 of thewine glass 10, has atab 22 to assist removal of thepunt 20. Thetab 22 is connected to the rest of the punt by ahinge 26 so that the tab can lie flat along the wall of the glass during transport and sale. Thehollow area 24 of thepunt 20 can also be used to house items other than, or in addition to, thebase 40. For example, thehollow area 24 could hold small food items, mixer liquid, a novelty item or a toy (e.g., for non-alcoholic beverages). - The
wine glass 10 may be sold with external information and graphics. For example, the wine glass may have a label or a shrink wrapped sleeve (not shown) to provide details about the product and the contents, and also for promotional purposes. As described above, the shrink wrapped sleeve can also hold the base in position in ahollow area 24 of thepunt 20. By having the base 40 detachable from thestem 16 during transport a tight fitting shrink wrapped sleeve made from light resistant colour and materials to be securely shrunk over thestem 16,body 12,mouth 14 andbase 40 to protect the fluids during storage, transport and presentation. Moving the base 40 from thestem 16 to themouth 14 is advantageous because it simplifies the shape of the transportable and sellable product, thereby allowing a sleeve to be more easily applied to theglass 10. - If the beverage is red wine, or any other light sensitive beverage, a black film may be applied underneath the shrink wrapped sleeve. It is envisage that the shrink wrapped sleeve could cover part of the
body 12 of thewine glass 10, cover theentire body 12 of thewine glass 10, or cover theentire body 12 of thewine glass 10 and thepunt 20. Alternatively, the wine glass may have a lid (not shown) that protects thepunt 20 andbase 40. The shrink wrapped sleeve can also act as a tamper evidence device. The shrink wrapped sleeve can also provide hygienic protection of the rim of themouth 14. - The shrink wrapped sleeve can cover the
entire body 12 of thewine glass 10; however, in some embodiment themouth 14 can be left partially uncovered by the sleeve to allow a consumer to grasp an edge of the shrink wrapped sleeve and remove the sleeve from theglass 10. - The shrink wrapped sleeve can be perforated or otherwise formed to provide a line of weakness along which the shrink wrapped sleeve can be opened and removed from the container. For example, if the shrink wrapped sleeve extends at least partially over the
mouth 14, the line of weakness may be arranged in radial direction of themouth 14 and extend to an edge of the shrink wrapper sleeve. The line of weakness can be formed in a circumferential direction around themouth 14 of theglass 10. The line of weakness can be formed in a longitudinal direction that extends from themouth 14 of theglass 10 towards thestem 16. Multiple lines of weakness can be formed in each of a circumferential and a longitudinal direction to facilitate removal of the shrink wrapped sleeve. - The shrink wrapped sleeve can comprise a plastic or polymer plastic, such as bi-axially oriented polypropylene (BOP). The sleeve is shrunk over the
glass 10 once in place by the application of heat. A very fine gauge polypropylene having a thickness of less than 15 microns and preferably less than 10 microns is contemplated, for ease of disposal. - The shrink wrapped sleeve can extend the entire length of the
glass 10 and can be used to display information. The surface of the sleeve can be printed upon or pre-printed to convey at least one of the following: product information, branding and logos, nutritional information, and a decorative motif or pattern. - The
stem opening 30 is designed to allow filling of thewine glass 10, but it is not intended to be used for drinking from the wine glass. As a result the internal diameter of theopening 30 can be made much smaller than on a standard drinking bottle. The internal diameter of theopening 30 in thestem 16 of the wine glass is less than 18 mm, and is preferably 17 mm or less. More preferably the internal diameter is between about 10 mm and about 16 mm, and still more preferably between about 10 mm and about 14 mm, and at about 12 mm, 13 mm or 14 mm. - The
body 12 of the wine glass is moulded. For example, thebody 12 of thewine glass 10 can be injection moulded, for example using a plastics material, such as clear PET, for example PET WK811. The material that thebody 12 is made from can also have oxygen scavenging additives, which reduce the rate of oxygen transmission to further increase the shelf life of the beverage in thewine glass 10. For example, the oxygen scavenging additive may be an Amosorbm oxygen scavenger. The material of the body has a low transmission of oxygen, for example less than 0.3 cm3/m2/day, or less than 0.1 cm3/m2/day (under Standard Temperature and Pressure (STP) conditions). The material is also a food-grade material, allowing it to be in contact with the beverage. - The
body 12 of thewine glass 10 is preferably transparent, allowing a consumer to see the beverage through the wine glass, thereby allowing a consumer to visually inspect the wine while drinking the wine. It is envisaged that thebody 12 could instead be made from any other suitable material, such as A-PET; polycarbonate; polystyrene or polyvinyl chloride. The diameter of themouth 14 is preferably between about 65 mm and 80 mm, and is preferably 72 mm. - The
plug 34 can be made using the same process as thebody 12 of the wine glass, and can be made from any of the above-listed materials. Thebody 12 and theplug 34 are preferably made from the same material. Thebody 12 and theplug 34 are ultrasonically welded together to form a permanent seal. The base 40 can also be made using the same process as thebody 12 of the wine glass, and can be made from any of the above-listed materials. - The
punt 20 is formed from a laminate material. For example, the punt may be thermo-formed using a multi-layer film with oxygen resistance properties and a peelable seal, for example, as is used in some pharmaceutical packaging. The multi-layer film may have three main layers, with two tie layers to hold the three layers together. The multi-layer film may have a peel seal layer (which will be in contact with thebody 12 to form the peelable seal), a high oxygen resistant layer (such as EVOH, PVDC or Al foil), and an abrasive and/or impact resistant layer (such as PET, Polypropylene, Nylon). These layers are fused together with a tie layer of specially selected compatible materials. The high oxygen resistant layer is located between the peel seal layer and the abrasive and/or impact resistant layer. This protects the high oxygen resistant layer from the beverage, which may be acidic (such as wine). The thickness of thepunt 20 is less than about 2 mm, and preferably between about 0.6 mm and about 1.3 mm. Thepunt 20 is rigid enough to resist the weight of the wine during filling, but flexible enough to allow easy peeling during removal. - It will be understood that the material used for the peelable seal will depend on the material used to make the
body 12. The material for the peelable seal is therefore achieved by careful selection of two compatible plastic materials. In addition, it is envisaged that a hydrophobic surface treatment or layer could be applied to the peelable seal of thepunt 20 in order to reduce the amount of the beverage on the punt when the punt is removed. For example, the “lotus effect” may be applied to the liquid-facing surface of the punt. - Alternatively, the punt could also be made from aluminium that has been pressed formed into the shape of the punt. The aluminium punt will have a peel seal layer on the side that is sealed to the
body 12 and a protective lacquer on the other side. The edge of the aluminium punt will be formed to roll down to provide protection and strength for the punt. - Referring to
FIG. 1B , the method of filling thewine glass 10 includes: -
- attaching a
hollow punt 20 to amouth 14 of thewine glass 10; filling aninterior volume 18 of thewine glass 10 through apassage 32 in astem 16 of thewine glass 10 via anopening 30 located in thestem 16; - sealing the
opening 30 in thestem 16 with aplug 34 that extends through theopening 30 and into thepassage 32 in thestem 16 after thewine glass 10 has been filled; - attaching a base 40 to the
hollow punt 20 so that thebase 40 sits substantially within thehollow punt 20; and - attaching a shrink wrapped sleeve to the exterior of the
wine glass 10.
- attaching a
- Referring to
FIGS. 1A and 1B , the configuration in which a consumer would buy the single-servewine glass 10 is shown. To open the single-servewine glass 10 and drink the wine the consumer first removes the shrink wrapped sleeve. The shrink wrapped sleeve may have perforations or other lines of weakness to allow easy removal of the shrink wrapped sleeve. Once the shrink wrapped sleeve has been removed, the consumer removes the base 40 from thepunt 20 and installs it on thestem 16 of thewine glass 10. Thewine glass 10 is then inverted so that it rests on the base 40 (as shown inFIGS. 2A, 2B and 3D ). The consumer then holds onto thetab 22 of thepunt 20 and peels thepunt 20 away from sealing engagement with themouth 14 of thewine glass 10. - Referring to
FIG. 3E , removing thepunt 20 from thewine glass 10 causes theheight 21 of thewine 19 to drop below anupper rim 15 of themouth 14 of thewine glass 10 as the punt was displacing a volume of the wine in thewine glass 10. The lower height of wine in thewine glass 10 is more comfortable for the consumer, as it reduces the likelihood of spillage by the consumer. Utilising apunt 20 has the benefit of allowing thewine glass 10 to be filled to the top (to reduce the amount of oxygen) while also providing a product that is not filled to the top once it is opened. - As the
wine glass 10 is a single serve wine glass (i.e., it is designed to hold a standard single-serve, or portion size, of the desired beverage e.g., 120 ml or 150 ml), once the consumer has drunk the beverage thewine glass 10 can be placed in the garbage/recycling bin. - Referring to
FIG. 1B , thebase 40 has ahub 42 located in the centre of the base to allow for easy attachment to thestem 16 of thewine glass 10. When attaching the base 40 to thestem 16 an inner surface 44 of thehub 42 comes into contact with and surrounds anouter surface 17 of thestem 16.Surface 17 has a reduced outer diameter relative to the outer diameter ofstem 16. The inner surface 44 of thehub 40 also hasprotrusions 46 that create a stronger fit between the base 40 and thestem 16. The base has a circular outer perimeter. - It is envisaged that the
wine glass 10 may be sold empty to wine manufacturers and contract fillers in the wine industry (seeFIG. 3A ). The wine manufactures and or contract fillers would then fill thewine glass 10 and seal theopening 30 in the stem 16 (seeFIG. 3B ). They would then insert the base 40 into the punt 20 (seeFIG. 3C ) and apply a shrink sleeve over the body as required. - While the closure has been described as a
plug 34, it is envisaged that the closure could be any suitable type of closure. For example, the closure could be a foil cover or a plastic cap. The closure does not need to extend through theopening 30 and into thepassage 32 in thestem 16. However, it will be appreciated that by including a closure, such asplug 34, that does extend through theopening 30 and into thepassage 32 the volume of air, and therefore oxygen, in the beverage cup can be further reduced. - While the removable seal has been described as a
punt 20, it is envisaged that the seal could be any suitable type of seal. For example, the seal could be a foil cover or a plastic cap. If the seal was to still include a protrusion that extends into the internal volume, the protrusion could be attached to an inner part of the seal (i.e., away from the perimeter where the seal contacts the mouth). It is envisaged that the seal does not need to extend into theinternal volume 18 of thewine glass 10. However, it will be appreciated that by including a removable seal, such aspunt 20, that does extend into the internal volume the height of the beverage in the beverage container can be lowered by removing the seal, thereby providing a more convenient drinking height for a consumer. Furthermore, although themouth 14 of thebody 12 is shown as being sealed at an upper rim of the mouth, it is envisaged that the seal may be positioned lower down from the upper rim of the mouth. In other words, the seal may be positioned lower inwardly into the mouth of thebody 12, thereby creating a hollow area between an inner wall of the body and the upper portion of the seal. - While the beverage cup has been described as a single-serve
wine glass 10, having the shape of a standard wine glass, it is envisaged that the beverage cup could be any shape having a mouth and a stem, where the mouth is larger than the stem. Relative largeness between the mouth and stem can be defined by the size of their internal diameters, or the area at their minimum openings. - While the
base 40 is described as being located substantially within thepunt 20, it is envisaged that the base 40 could also be mounted to the mouth end of the beverage cup in other ways. For example, thebase 40 could be attached so that the base is substantially outside of the hollow area of the punt. In addition, rather than being secured to the punt by the protrusions on the punt, thebase 40 could have a perimeter skirt that could contact an outer surface of the mouth of the beverage cup. - It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.
- In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, i.e., to specify the presence of the stated features, but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.
Claims (22)
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AU2016902690A AU2016902690A0 (en) | 2016-07-08 | A beverage container | |
AU2016902690 | 2016-07-08 | ||
PCT/AU2017/050702 WO2018006134A1 (en) | 2016-07-08 | 2017-07-07 | A beverage container |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20200178714A1 true US20200178714A1 (en) | 2020-06-11 |
Family
ID=60901457
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US16/316,343 Abandoned US20200178714A1 (en) | 2016-07-08 | 2017-07-07 | A Beverage Container |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20200178714A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP3481732A4 (en) |
CN (1) | CN109689512A (en) |
AU (1) | AU2017292901A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2018006134A1 (en) |
Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2289252A (en) * | 1994-05-10 | 1995-11-15 | H & A Bottlers Ltd | Sealed drinking vessel containing a beverage |
US20120312818A1 (en) * | 2011-06-07 | 2012-12-13 | Phoenix Closures, Inc. | Knurled pull-tabs |
Family Cites Families (13)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US640860A (en) * | 1897-07-15 | 1900-01-09 | William Baum Jr | Combination beer bottle and glass. |
DE200288C (en) * | 1907-09-17 | 1908-07-13 | Gschwind Jean | BOTTLE CONVERTIBLE INTO A DRINKING GLASS |
DE1693578U (en) * | 1952-11-04 | 1955-02-24 | Franz Inselkammer | BOTTLE. |
FR2621012B1 (en) * | 1987-09-25 | 1990-02-09 | Soreau Marcel | SMALL CONTAINER, CONVERTIBLE INTO GLASS OR OTHER DRINKING TOOLS |
FR2735003B1 (en) * | 1995-06-08 | 1998-01-09 | Carvin Pascal | CONTAINER FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSE OF A DRINKING LIQUID |
GB0100012D0 (en) * | 2001-01-02 | 2001-02-14 | Roskell Tara | Bottle which converts to drinking vessel |
US6398050B1 (en) * | 2001-01-24 | 2002-06-04 | Vincent M. Allora | Liquid container with opposed openings and an end cap for each opening, the end caps engageable for stabilizing the container on a smaller end thereof |
US6662959B1 (en) * | 2002-11-08 | 2003-12-16 | John Westerhold | Wine bottle convertible to wine glass |
US8196764B2 (en) * | 2010-06-10 | 2012-06-12 | David Bernstein | Liquid container |
US8511493B2 (en) * | 2010-06-10 | 2013-08-20 | David Bernstein | Liquid container and method of serving a liquid |
IT1403054B1 (en) * | 2010-11-30 | 2013-09-27 | Benetti | BOTTLE. |
KR101424096B1 (en) * | 2011-11-30 | 2014-07-28 | 최윤정 | a container for drinking |
US20140332495A1 (en) * | 2011-11-30 | 2014-11-13 | Won Cheul Choi | Beverage or alcohol container |
-
2017
- 2017-07-07 AU AU2017292901A patent/AU2017292901A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2017-07-07 WO PCT/AU2017/050702 patent/WO2018006134A1/en active Search and Examination
- 2017-07-07 EP EP17823348.2A patent/EP3481732A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2017-07-07 CN CN201780055107.8A patent/CN109689512A/en active Pending
- 2017-07-07 US US16/316,343 patent/US20200178714A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2289252A (en) * | 1994-05-10 | 1995-11-15 | H & A Bottlers Ltd | Sealed drinking vessel containing a beverage |
US20120312818A1 (en) * | 2011-06-07 | 2012-12-13 | Phoenix Closures, Inc. | Knurled pull-tabs |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
CN109689512A (en) | 2019-04-26 |
EP3481732A1 (en) | 2019-05-15 |
AU2017292901A1 (en) | 2019-02-14 |
EP3481732A4 (en) | 2020-04-15 |
WO2018006134A1 (en) | 2018-01-11 |
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