AU2010101201A4

AU2010101201A4 - Beverage vessel

Info

Publication number: AU2010101201A4
Application number: AU2010101201A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Dean Collins; David Margaritis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-11-03
Filing date: 2010-11-03
Publication date: 2010-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 2018-11-03
Also published as: AU2010101201A6

Description

1 BEVERAGE VESSEL Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to vessels for use in storing and drinking beverages. In one particular aspect, the invention relates to a vessel for 5 a single serve ready-to-drink (RTD) alcoholic beverage and it will be convenient hereinafter to describe the invention in relation to that application. It should be appreciated, however, that the present invention is not limited to that application only. Background of the Invention 10 The following discussion of the background of the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the matter referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in Australia at the priority date of the application. 15 Beverage storage vessels have in the past been manufactured from a wide variety of materials, including glass, plastic, metals including aluminium, fibres and laminates. Beverage drinking vessels have not traditionally also served as storage vessels. Instead, beverages have customarily been poured from a storage vessel 20 into a drinking vessel before consumption. The numbers and variety of products which are sold ready-to-consume has increased in line with consumer demand. One ready-to-drink package is manufactured from cardboard including a layer of plastics material and a metallic layer. This box-like receptacle has a small 25 opening through which a straw passes to gain access to the beverage. The opening has a frangible sealing membrane which keeps the beverage airtight until pierced. A problem with the package is that adult consumers find it less acceptable to drink from than a more conventional glass. Demands of specific industries have also driven development. In the airline 30 industry, for example, both weight and ease of consumption are important considerations. Weight and bulk of airplane beverage packaging can significantly increase costs. The speed with which cabin crew can serve beverages can impact both the number of cabin crew required and, on low cost airlines, the 2 revenue generated from beverage sales as the crew members pass through the cabin. More generally in the hospitality industry where beverages are served in glasses, beverages which are quick to serve can also facilitate an increase in the 5 rate of sales. Drinking vessels manufactured from glass are traditionally most acceptable to consumers. However, glass vessels are problematic. Firstly, glass is heavy, and heavy packaging leads to increased transport costs. Secondly, glass is prone to breakage. As well as resulting in general inconvenience, broken glass is 10 dangerous. Particularly where alcohol is served, venues and event managers are increasingly requiring that no drinks be served in glass. Glass-free environments decrease injury risk to staff and patrons. Beverage vessels which facilitate both storage and drinking of a beverage include cans and small, single serve bottles. Some bottles have a wider opening 15 and foil cap. These bottles are somewhere more acceptable as drinking vessels to some consumers as the need for a screw thread on the outside of the opening is removed and the size of the opening is closer to the standard opening of a glass. However, foil caps are relatively susceptible to breakage and are not suitable for storing beverages under pressure, such as carbonated beverages. 20 Further, a significant proportion of consumers remain opposed to drinking directly from such vessels, particularly in polite company or where the beverage is alcoholic. Finally, the bottles are made from glass, resulting in the injury risk problems identified above. Australian patent application no. 2003203439 discloses a sealed plastic 25 alcoholic beverage container for holding beverages such as wine. The container comprises a sealing membrane detachably fixed to a peripheral flange of a receptacle. The sealing membrane is fitted such that it can undergo displacement in the event of expansion of the contents of the container. The membrane disclosed is thin and held against the receptacle only by adhesion. Such a 30 membrane would not be suitable for storing beverages under pressure, and may be prone to breakage. Further, adhesive may remain on the rim of the receptacle after the membrane is removed, which consumers may find unacceptable.

3 In one embodiment, a lid covers the sealing membrane. The lid is placed over the sealing membrane and there is no indication that the lid creates a seal against the receptacle or that the lid would be suitable for transport before sale or containing beverages under pressure. 5 European patent application no. 2055650 discloses a disposable container for containing alcoholic beverages eg wine, comprising a beaker with an upper edge, a base and a protective film which is impermeable to gas. The protective film would suffer from the disadvantages identified in respect of the sealing membrane, above. 10 French patent application no. 19986116 discloses a combined container and drinking vessel for transport and retailing of champagne or sparkling wine. Although the container is capable of holding beverages under pressure, it is relatively complex. The container requires a wire cover to retain a cap. As with glass, a wire cover may be considered unsafe in environments where alcohol is 15 consumed. French patent application no. 2653099 discloses a wine glass seal comprising a hollow cylindrical stopper which fits inside the glass and an outer lip which fits around the outside of the glass and seals it. The stopper and outer lip are relatively bulky and complex. The stopper is designed to fill the entire space 20 between the opening and the wine (known as the headspace). The outer lip extends to the underside of the glass. The invention does not appear suitable for storing beverages under pressure. European patent application no. 1008528 discloses an injection blow moulded disposable tumbler formed from a polymeric material. The tumbler 25 includes a fortified upper rim having a thickness greater than the adjacent sidewall. However, the disclosure does not contemplate sealing the tumbler to store a beverage before drinking. It is an object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple plastic beverage vessel which is suitable for securely storing beverages in a sealed 30 condition, and which has an acceptable appearance to drink from. Preferably, the vessel of the invention is also suitable for storing beverages under pressure.

4 Summary of Invention In a first aspect, the invention provides a plastic vessel for use in both storing and drinking a beverage, the vessel including * an opening for filling and drinking from the vessel, 5 e a lip around the opening, and * sidewalls extending below the lip; wherein * the section across the interior of the opening is not the section across the interior of the vessel having the greatest area, 10 e the lip is adapted to receive a cap which releasably seals the vessel, and * an underside of the lip is adapted to secure the cap when the vessel is sealed. Preferably, the lip has a thickness greater than the adjacent sidewall. 15 Preferably, the vessel is adapted to receive a base for holding the vessel. Preferably, the vessel is tulip-shaped. This feature is common in ordinary wine glasses, and adds to aesthetic appeal and acceptance by consumers. Preferably, the vessel is manufactured by stretch blow moulding. The stretch blow moulding technique facilitates the production of a vessel in which the 20 width of the opening is narrower than the greatest interior width of the vessel. The process can also be used to produce clear plastic vessels, which appear similar to glass. In a second aspect, the invention provides a plastic beverage vessel fitted with a strip closure cap. 25 Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a product including a plastic vessel according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The plastic vessel contains 30 a beverage and is connected to a base. A cap seals the beverage in the plastic vessel. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the plastic vessel containing the beverage and connected to the base of Figure 1, with the cap removed.

5 Figure 3 is a side view of the plastic vessel, base and cap of Figure 1, without the beverage. Detailed Description of the Drawings Referring to Figure 1, the plastic vessel 10 according to a preferred 5 embodiment is substantially filled with the beverage 12. A cap 14 seals the beverage 12 in the plastic vessel 10. The plastic vessel 10 is connected to a base 16. The product shown in Figure 1 is ready-to-drink, and may be sold to consumers in the state shown. The plastic vessel 10 and base 16 resembles a common wine glass. With the cap 14 sealing the vessel 10, the vessel 10 stores 10 the beverage 12. The cap 14 may be released, for example, by way of a strip closure (or "rip-pull") tab 30 mechanism on a side of the cap 14. Referring to Figure 2, removing the cap reveals a lip 18 around an opening 20 of the plastic vessel 10 according to the preferred embodiment of the 15 invention. Removing the cap facilitates drinking the beverage in the usual manner. Before the cap seals the vessel 10, the vessel 10 may be filled with the beverage via the opening 20. Referring now to Figure 3, the plastic vessel 10 includes the opening 20 for filling and drinking from the vessel 10, a lip 18 around the opening 20, and 20 sidewalls 22 extending below the lip 18. The vessel 10 is tulip-shaped. Because the vessel 10 has a vertical axis of symmetry, the area of any section across the interior of the vessel 10 is proportional to its width. In particular, the area of the section across the interior of the opening 20 is proportional to the width (shown by double-headed arrow 24) across the interior 25 of the opening 20. Likewise, the area of the section across the interior of the vessel 10 having the greatest area is proportional to the greatest width (shown by double-headed arrow 26) across the interior of the vessel 10. The width across the interior of the opening 20 is narrower than the greatest width across the interior of the vessel 10. It follows that the section across the interior of the 30 opening 20 is not the section across the interior of the vessel having the greatest area. Reducing the area of the section across the interior of the opening 20 is advantageous. Force may be exerted upwards on the cap 14. For example, force 6 may be exerted upwards by the beverage if the vessel 10 is suddenly moved downwards during transport. Alternatively, force may be exerted upwards by pressurised gas, for example if the beverage is carbonated. A sparking wine such as Champagne must be stored at a high pressure of approximately 80 psi, which 5 results in a significant force on the cap 14. The pressure required for storing beer is also significant, at 40 to 50 psi. The force is proportional to the inner area of the cap 14, which is related to the area of the section across the interior of the opening 20. Reducing the area of the section across the interior of the opening 20 reduces the potential upwards force on the cap 14. In turn, this reduces the 10 chances of the cap 14 inadvertently coming off, for example when the vessel 10 is pressurised or during transport motion. Reducing the area of the section across the interior of the opening 20 also reduces the volume of the headspace between the top surface of the beverage and the cap 14. The headspace volume is proportional to the area of the section. 15 Reducing the headspace volume can reduce quality degradation that is prone to occur when a beverage is stored. When wine is stored, for example, reducing the headspace volume reduces the amount of oxygen available to react with the wine, which reduces undesirable oxidation of the wine. Maintaining the area of the section across the interior of the opening 20 20 less than the area of the section across the interior of the vessel 10 having the greatest area maximises the volume of beverage that can be stored. When the beverage is wine, maximising the wine volume minimises the amount of headspace oxidation per millilitre of wine. Reducing the area of the section across the interior of the opening 20 also 25 enables the sidewalls 22 to be angled in towards the opening 20. This can result in a vessel shape which is aesthetically pleasing to drink from and consistent with a common wine glass. The lip 18 is adapted to receive the cap 14 which releasably seals the vessel 10. The cap 14 may be released from the lip 18 of the vessel 10, for 30 example, by way of a strip closure (or "rip-pull") tab mechanism on a side of the cap 14. Pulling the strip closure tab releases the sides of the cap 14 at one point so that they are capable of moving laterally away from the lip 18 and releasing the cap 14. The cap 14 is preferably made of aluminium.

7 The cap 14 with strip closure tab mechanism is preferably tamper-evident. The cap 14 cannot be re-closed after opening. If the cap 14 has been tampered with in other ways, such as penetration by a syringe, evidence of the tampering is visible on the cap 14. 5 An underside 28 of the lip 18 is adapted to secure the cap 14 when the vessel 10 is sealed, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. Securing the cap 14 in this manner prevents upward movement of the cap 14, and minimises inadvertent release. Preferably, the lip 18 has a thickness greater than the adjacent sidewall 10 22. This thickness can prevent the lip 18 from buckling when the vessel 10 is being capped. Preferably, the vessel 10 is adapted to receive a base 16 for holding the vessel 10. The base 16 may include a flat bottom and a stem between the flat bottom and the vessel 10. The base 16 may assist in stabilising the vessel 10 15 and/or adding to aesthetic appeal. The base 16 may be mechanically fastened or glued to the vessel 10. The vessel 10 and base 16 may be supplied in two pieces, for assembly before consumption. Supply of the vessels separated from their corresponding bases may reduce bulk during transport and storage. 20 In a preferred embodiment, the vessel may be manufactured by stretch blow moulding. Injection stretch blow moulding is a type of stretch blow moulding. In the preferred process, the vessel is formed from a plastic preform which is injected, and subsequently stretch-blow moulded. The plastic is stretched in both a hoop direction and the axial direction when the preform is blown into its desired 25 container shape. Stretching may be facilitated, for example, by a vacuum, or a rod. Preferred materials for the vessel include thermoplastic materials such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA, for example from corn starch), acrylnitrile, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyamide, 30 polycarbonate, polysulfone, acetal, polyarlyate and polypropylene. The invention may be used in relation to a wide variety of beverages. Without limitation, suitable beverages include water, soft drinks such as juices, carbonated soft drinks such as colas and soda waters, alcoholic beverages such 8 as wine, spirit and soft drink mixes, and carbonated alcoholic beverages such as beer and sparkling wine. Suitable vessel shapes include goblet, flute and tulip. Vessels may be combined with a base including a stem and flat bottom, resulting in a product 5 resembling a common wine or sparkling wine glass. In certain embodiments, the beverage vessel is not connected to a separate base. The beverage vessel may, for example, have a flat bottom which stabilises the vessel on flat surfaces. Alternatively, a base having a shape similar to that of the base shown in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, including a stem, 10 may be integrated as part of the beverage vessel, in a single piece of plastic. While the present invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, it will be appreciated that various modifications and changes could be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the invention may be applied to vessels which are not symmetrical about an axis.

Claims

1. A plastic vessel for use in both storing and drinking a beverage, the vessel including * an opening for filling and drinking from the vessel, " a lip around the opening, and a sidewalls extending below the lip; wherein " the section across the interior of the opening is not the section across the interior of the vessel having the greatest area, e the lip is adapted to receive a cap which releasably seals the vessel, and e an underside of the lip is adapted to secure the cap when the vessel is sealed.

2. The vessel of claim I wherein the lip has a thickness greater than the thickness of the adjacent sidewall.

3. The vessel of claim 1 or 2 adapted to receive a base for holding the vessel.

4. The vessel of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the vessel is tulip-shaped.

5. A plastic beverage vessel fitted with a strip closure cap. DEAN COLLINS AND DAVID MARGARITIS WATERMARK PATENT AND TRADE MARKS ATTORNEYS UIP1258AU00