CA2336166A1 - Flasks, in particular collapsible feeding bottles - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bottle, in particular a baby bottle, having a retractable body of substantially cylindrical plastic material, characterized in that the body is constituted by a succession of rigid conical sections (3 to 10) allowing the production of at least two stable extension positions, and a plurality of stable intermediate positions exhibiting axial symmetry, and in that the angle .alpha. is greater than the angle .beta., .alpha. designating the angle formed between the upper flank and a transverse plane; .beta. designating the angle formed between the lower flank and a transverse plane and in that the radius of curvature of the hollow is less than 0.2 millimeters.

Description

CA 02336166 2000-12-18 ' . t8 ~ 9-00; 17:25 ~; +33 t 47 03 87 78 # 4 / t9 FhACONB, Hbi PAR'fICïJLIB'R HIES F..RCADaOT88LES.
The present invention coacQrnQ in bottles, we especially baby bottles.
The bu> r of the invencioa is to offer srcamotablec bottles, the height of which can be $ trQ rQduitQ Qa outside periods of use.
In the state of the art, it has been proposed various realizations of flasks or bottles retractable.
1o The French brave gR2467146 discloses in particular a sami-rigid conditioning constituted by ua corrugated sleeve whose waves, with shape section essentially triangular, allow stable clipping by baseul ~ nent from a part to the monk of them beyond an equilibrium position so that each of said waves has a stable position in the compressed state or at deployed state. LQ sleeve defines an interior volume may vary in a significant relationship between the states extremes where all the waves are compressed or deployed.
Another document of the prior art, the patent US $ 348,173 discloses construction details a retractable packaging.
We coaaa3t eaaox ~ e the American patent US 2,780,378, American patent US 3,143 ~ 429. the patent English 682181062 or European patent EP300786 concerning In their efficient containers there is also a form general bellows. Indeed, the products of art anterior retains the memory of folding. when we unfold the bottle after a long period of holding in position folded up, it does not regain its nominal capacity.
However, these packaging have defaults. They do not guarantee the capacity in position deD7.oyée_ Indeed, significant variations can SHEET MO ~ iFfEE
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2 intervene when the conditioning of the prior art is the subject of multiple extension manipulations and retractions.
On the other hand, the art devices do not guarantee a fallback or harmonious and regular deployment of the bellows, and often do not guarantee the stability of the extreme positions and intermediaries.
These drawbacks make the device the prior art unsuitable for certain applications, notazm ~ nent to the realization of a bottle_ Indeed, for such applications, certain characteristics are required.
It is desirable that the capacity of the bottle in the deployed position is constant and reproducible, for allow precise dosing of content using benchmarks graduation sides.
The devices of the prior art do not not guarantee such consistency of capacity, and the lateral marks which could be affixed to the wall would not allow the deduction of the volume of liquid introduced into the packaging.
Besides, we will see that no art documentation does suggest the use of such benchmarks graduation.
In rQCOnd place, a bottle must 6trQ
sui ~ isement stable, in the deployed position, to avoid that inappropriate axial pressure causes the Completely untimely. Such a fallback should have QffQtc very harmful, by creating an overpressure of the content.
liquid overflowing, there is a risk of suffocation of the infant by excess liquid delivered by the bottle.
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CA 02336166 2000-12-18; +33 1 ~ 7 03 87 78 ~ # 8 / t9 i8 ~ 9-00; 5:25 p.m.

3 Finally, it may be desirable for the bottle capacity can be adjusted periodically to expel the air, to reduce the risks air absorption by the infant. The absorption of a excess air causes dQS to risk aerotherapy translating, for the infant, by pain abdominal. zl must for this allow the folding in stable intermediate positions.
Furthermore, the shape of the bellows in position retracted or partially folded must allow>r> rre a liquidQ flow without formation of stagnation zoaQS
liquid in the container.
The object of the invention is to improve the bellows conditianaements of the prior art for remedy these drawbacks.
for this purpose, the invention relates to a bottle, ea _ particular bottle. with an esoamotablQ oa body substantially cylindrical plastic material, characterized in what the body is cons>: izued by a succession of ZO conical, alternating, rigid / flexible sections allowing obtaining at least two stable extension positions, and a plurality of stable intermediate positions having an axial symmetry,. t an ae that the angle cx wst greater than the angle (3, - designating the angle formed between the side upper and a transverse plane - ~ designating the angle formed between the side lower and a transverse plane.
Preferably, a- ~ greater than or equal to 4 °.
For this purpose, the nupdri ~ aur flank is thicker, and therefore more rigid, than the lower flank. which is from Ce made more flexible than the upper side.
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t8'- 9-OO; t7: 25; ; +33 t 47 03 67 7 $ ~ i 7 / t9

4 Advantageously, the radius of curvature of the connection area between the upper ceniquQ wall and the lower conical wall is greater than or equal to 2 times the thickness of the wall.
The angle ~ formed QatrQ the transverse plane and the lower conical wall is between 35 ° and 40 °
According to a particular variance, the I / R ratio between the length I of the lower flank and the radius R at trough level is between 0.35 and 0.50.
According to another variant, the bottom has a ring to exert traction on the body of the bottle.
Before, the relationship between generators S and I of two consecutive cynical sectors is approximately 1.25.
Salon an advantageous embodiment, the bottle according to the invention has marks on its wall scale for determining the volume of liquid contained in the bottle in the deployed position.
The invention will be better understood on reading the description of an exemplary embodiment which follows, is referring to the attached drawings where.
- Figures 1 and 2 show views in us cup detail of making us bottle, in the respectively unfolded and folded position;
- Figures 3 and 4 show views in feeding bottle;
- Figures 5 and 6 show views of details of the body of the bottle.
Lc body of the bottle according to the invention, represented on the attached cracks, is constituted by use succession of connected conical sections (1 to 2), when the bottle is in the deployed position, ea in the form of lenses to form a wavy hollow body. CQS conical sections SHEET IVIO ~ IFIEE
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18 ~ 9-OOIt7: 25; ~ + 33 t 47 03 B7 78 # 8/19 upper (1) and lower (2) are connected in their vertices (100) and in their troughs (200).
When the bottle is folded, the section lower conical (1) comes down> are under the section

5 upper conical (2). The lower conical section (2) tilt with respect to the transverse median plane (300). The lower section (2) is above the transverse plane (300) passing through the cret, ix (200) of a lenticular segment (400) when the bottle is deployed. I1 is below the transverse plane (300) when the bottle is folded. .
The bottle comes out described in the following as non-limiting example, for maximum capacity (corresponding to the deployed position) of the 305 container milliliters, for a height of 147.4 mm and a cross-section maximum 1 e of 6 4 min.
The body includes a plurality of elements -lenticulars (3 to 10) formed by the adjunctiva of two conical sections (l, 2).
The connection between two elements lenticular, at the level of the hollow, has a radius of curvature close to 0, in any case less than or equal to O, a millimeters. Thickness is an element that can disturb how the pi3cQ works, folding and unfolding as well as keeping the coil in the folded position, Qllo can even pocket folding if it is important.
1-InfluencQ of the optimal distribution of thicknesses on the geometry.
2- Influence of the rigidity of the material.
Young's modulus on folding and unfolding forces.
The condition of folding and packing of ana turns at the thickness level not to mention the energy of folding but only feasibility results in a radius of the neighboring hollow from 0 to 0.2 millimeters.
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6 The hollow is a crossroads of the thickness of the lower flank and upper flank In this place unlike the summit, the matter expands less due to its approximation of the center.
To create the nesting, you have to break the accumulation of material at this point so that the whorl folds and stays folded.
The mechanisms involved in folding the baby bottle are as follows.
Two types of buckling modes can appear.
The ter mode is a mode accompanied by large displacements which leads to a sudden increase in the rigidity of the piece (figure 5) 2 .The 2nd is a more local mode accompanied by much more displacement weak localized on the sides of the turns.
The appearance of this 2nd mode does not induce significant increase in rigidity (figure 6).
Uneven distribution of thicknesses (thicknesses at the tops, hollows and flanks of turns different depending on the turns) promotes the appearance of the ter buckling mode. Homogenization of thicknesses therefore as a direct consequence of reducing the energy required folding.
The decrease in thickness at the hollow of turns as well as at the level of the tops allows a substantial gain in bending energies. But in them.
two cases, the thickness reductions do not allow better control the appearance and type of buckling mode shown in Figures 5 and 6.
The introduction of a greater thickness on the upper flanks than on the lower flanks of on the one hand allows better control and prevention the appearance of the first fashion types by increasing stiffness of the upper flanks on the other hand to create preferred bending zones on the lower flanks. This concept therefore allows a significant gain on energy necessary for folding the bottle.
Unfolding does not lead to the appearance of buckling mode but the previous conclusions remain true. a more homogeneous distribution with thicknesses reduces the energy of unfolding, the effect of hinge of vertices is more important than that of hollow, creating thicker areas and therefore more rigid on the upper flanks and correlatively that preferred flexion zones on the lower flanks reduces the energy required for unfolding.
The decrease in the YOUNG modulus of the material does not bring significant gains compared to those from an optimized thickness distribution. Reduction of the module if it leads to more folding energies weak also leads to more flexible parts whose stability, especially lateral, in operation can be greatly diminished.
Better distribution of thicknesses and possibly a lower YOUNG modulus material that 950 Mpa, (800 and 650 Mpa) allow to decrease (almost 1000 the energy required for unfolding and folding the bottle. It should be noted that for an effort identical, the unfolding energy is globally equivalent to the bending energy but that the observations made higher allow to unfold the bottle with low intensity efforts that do not allow the folding. We can therefore generally unfold the bottle with a lower effort than that required for folding.
The lower lenticular element (3) comprises a lower element whose external section is 64 mm and the height of 5.4 mm, as well as a conical element upper whose generator is 13.0 mm, and forms with the vertical an angle of 28.5 °. The total height of this first lenticular element (3) is 17.7 mm.
The following lenticular element (4) has a height of 16.9 mm. The lower conical sector presents 8.9 mm long and forms an angle with the vertical 39 °. The upper conical sector has a length of 10.5 mm and forms an angle of 44 ° with the vertical.
The following five lenticular elements (5 to 9) are formed by a lower conical sector whose generator has a length of 10.2 mm and forms with vertical an i3 angle of 40 °, and a conical sector upper whose generator has a length of 12 mm and forms with the vertical an oc angle of 47 °.
To avoid the effects of hysteresis, respect a certain geometry of the sides between them. The dimensions and angles are designated with reference to the figure 3.
Dimension of the Lower flank = I
Dimension of upper flank = S
R = Radius which goes from the hollow towards the center, on the transverse plane.
ocest the angle formed between the upper flank and the transverse plane f3 is the angle formed between the Lower flank and the transverse plane.

CA 02336166 2000-12-18 '"
18 ~ 9-00; 17:25; ; +33 t 47 03 87 78 # 9/19 For the bottle according to the invention, the formulas following should be checked.
a> $.
a being M angle of the upper flank,! 5 that of flaming lower blanks.
z / R must be between 35% and 50%
In the example described.
I = 8.9 mm R = Z5 mm The ratio is 35.6.
Oc must be greater than! ~ By at least 4 °. This value includes the possible thickness of the Lower Flank.
Idéalemex ~ t! 3 must be between 35o and ~ 0 °. Beyond 400, it becomes difficult to fold it. _ o ~ must be at least 4 ° pat larger x contribution to i, because after cinematics, 1Q lower flank i ~ goes place yourself at Q ~. If i ~ 'abuts against the flank greater than 8'-flc, the 1st flank does not bend but deforms and can bounce. If the dimensions are otherwise rQSpectQes, alpha must be larger but not more than 20%
According to an exemplary embodiment, a = a4o i ~ = 39% (i ~ = 88% of a) The more the angle! ~ Approaches the line which from the tops, the easier the folding.
The concept of retractable bottles whose height can be reduced ea outside of periods of use is applied here for disposable bottles characterized by a Qeometry with turns.
The bottle is sold sterile and folded, it must therefore be unfolded to be used.
After use, the bottle is folded to be thrown away. In all cases, the user must be able to unfold and fold the bottle easily. Ea MODIFIED SHEET
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revenge. he must be able to use it without any risk of folding during use. For such as baby bottles, the folding and unfolding phases must ability to perform with minimal effort ensuring 5 however the stability in use rates The constraint "Point de nassaae °.
To ensure a buckling of the lower flank before the buckling of the upper flank, and avoid phenomena d ~ hysteresis, it is necessary to optimize the constraint of the sides.
At folding Inferior _ The project of the lower flank for a point virtual located on the horizontal starting from the summits, represents with the radius of this same flank on horizontoQ, the value of the constraint.
The constraint of Q must not exceed 22% + -1 ~ of the dimension of the lower flank.
The Stress dQ i ~ must Glass between 21 and 23% of I (dimension of the Lower flank) The constraint of a must be greater than cel7.e of ü If the opposite occurs, it is the upper flank which will tend to warp first. So that the flank lower only bends, it is necessary to ensure that the coatraintq of the upper flank oct greater than that of the lower flank.
However, the gap between the two constraints must BtrQ tablet. For cala, the constraint i ~ knows greater than or equal to 60% of the constraint of a. In less than 60%, we encounter a problem of strong energy to deploy. Uni constraint of $ = 47 $ dc la constraint of oc translates nar example by a excessively hard handling.
Ex. Upper stress 2.9 mm InfQriQUrQ 2.0 mm constraint IPF ~ EP

t8 ~ 9-00; 5:25 p.m .; ; +33 t 47 03 67 78 # tt / t9 On the other hand, when the constraint of $ is supf ~ riQUre at 7 0% of the constraintQ of ac, the souf f lvt has a shape memory producing the effect hysteresis.
~ Projection of the sidewall on the same horizontal whose distance Qar must be measured relative to the value of its radius.
The closer the angle Q is to the line which hart des sommets, the easier it is due to the fact the constraint of the lower flank approaches its prof action and therefore the constraint approaches d. This condition is obtained with an angle of 25 ° and below.
But with this value, we observe a retention of the liquid in the turns. We then lose reliability and I5 reproducibility of the capacity.
In order to improve compaction or miniaturization of the bottle, the lower flank must represent in dimension at least 80% of the dzmensioa of upper flank.
The lower flank can therefore range from 80% .d $ 100 of the dimension of the upper flank ~ ur_ If this value is exceeded, the bottle becomes after folding, a piece conical inverted. This value is preferably understood between 80% and 35%.
The bottle is made up of turns representing each a useful volume of 30 ml.
The upper lenticular element (10) is extended by a threaded cylindrical part (11).
The total height of the corrugated pztrtie is 127.6 mm Qn deployed position. E11Q prQSQatQ dQS rQpres de graduation (12) graduated in volume.
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t8- 9-00.17: 25; ; +33 1 47 03 87 78 # t2 / t9 The retraction is preferably carried out by pressures along alternating oblique axes, Qt not in an axial direction.
We exert a pressure movement with a lateral asymmetry to force tilting from one side of a lenticular element, then we exercise a second pressure with an opposite side component to complete the folding of this first lenticular element.
We then continue this alternative movement l0 until the desired number of elements is altered lenticulaire_ The bottle xestg then in a position stable intermediate.
The material chosen here is polypropylene with a 950 Mpa module for its high resistance to s5 heat, necessary for reheating the bottle as well as for its transparency allowing to visualize the training of Qrumeatlx from milk powder, and finally for its stiffness necessary for good holding and 7, has stability of the baby bottle.
FEUIt_LE NiODIFIEE
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Claims (11)

1 - Bottle, especially baby bottle. presenting a substantially retractable plastic body cylindrical formed by a succession of sections upper conical (1) and lower conical (2) connected in their vertices (100) and in their hollows (200), an .alpha angle. being formed between the upper conical section (1) and a plane transverse and an angle .beta. being formed between the stretch lower conical (2) and a transverse plane, characterized in that the body is constituted by a succession of tapered sections (1, 2), alternate, rigid / flexible allowing the obtaining of at least two positions stable extension, and a plurality of positions stable intermediates with axial symmetry, and in that the radius of curvature of the hollow (200) is less or equal to 0.2 millimeters. 2 - Bottle, in particular bottle, according to the claim 1 characterized in that the angle .alpha. form between the upper conical section (1) and a plane transverse is greater than the angle .beta. formed between the lower conical section (2) and a transverse plane, 3 - Bottle, in particular bottle, according to the claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in than .alpha .-. beta. greater than or equal to 4 °. 4 - Bottle, in particular bottle, according to the claim 1 characterized in that the radius of curvature of the connection area between the conical wall upper (1) and the lower conical wall (2) is greater than or equal to 2 times the thickness of the wall. 14 - Bottle, especially baby bottle, depending on the claim 1 characterized in that the angle .beta. formed between the transverse plane and the lower conical wall (2) is between 35 ° and 40 °. 6 - Bottle, in particular bottle, according to one at least of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ratio I / R between the length I of the lower flank (2) and the radius R at the hollow (200) is included between 0.35 and 0.50. 7 - Bottle, in particular bottle, according to one any of the preceding claims characterized in that it has graduation marks (12) on its wall for determining the volume of liquid contained in the bottle in the deployed position. 8 - Bottle, in particular bottle, according to one any of the preceding claims characterized in the length of the lower flank (2) is greater than 80%
the dimension of the upper flank (1). 9 - Bottle, in particular bottle, according to one any of the preceding claims characterized in that the stress ~ is greater than or equal to 60% of the .alpha constraint ..
- Bottle, especially baby bottle, according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the stress ~ is less than or equal to 80% of the constraint of .alpha .. 15 11 - Bottle, in particular bottle, according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the upper flanks (1) are thicker than the lower sides (2).