CN111465561A

CN111465561A - Container with integrated protection features

Info

Publication number: CN111465561A
Application number: CN201880079762.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 斯科特·德马雷斯特; 奥斯卡·索伊
Original assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
Current assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
Priority date: 2017-12-21
Filing date: 2018-12-13
Publication date: 2020-07-28
Also published as: MX2020006418A; US20210094747A1; AU2018388873A1; EP3728056B1; EP3728056A1; WO2019125905A1; AU2018388873B2

Abstract

A container comprising: a container body having a cavity for receiving a product therein and a lid sealing an opening of the cavity, the container body having a front surface, a rear surface, a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and a first bumper attached to the first sidewall of the container body, the first bumper configured to absorb a force applied to the container, wherein the first bumper comprises a first engagement mechanism configured to lockingly engage a second engagement mechanism located on the container body.

Description

Container with integrated protection features

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/608,950, filed on 21.12.2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to the field of packaging, and in particular to protective packaging containers for dispensing fluids or gels.

Background

Various containers are known in the art for holding and displaying fluids or gels, such as cleaning products, fabric care products, or oral care products. Such containers are typically formed with primary packages whose shape and size are selected to minimize weight and/or external profile, thereby maximizing the number of containers that can be received in a shipping carton. However, the primary package may sacrifice structural integrity due to other factors such as weight, size, and aesthetics. Therefore, in order to transport the containers, they must be provided with a secondary or tertiary packaging to protect the containers during transport. In some cases, the primary packages are loaded into shipping cartons (secondary packages) and the shipping cartons are provided with means to prevent further damage to the containers during shipping (tertiary packaging). For example, cushioning material (e.g., loose-fill styrofoam packaging material or "packing peanuts", inflatable bladders, etc.) is inserted into shipping cartons to prevent free movement of the containers during shipping. However, these packaging systems are cumbersome and require the addition of additional packaging materials at various stages of shipping, thus increasing the labor required to ship the goods to the consumer, creating additional steps for the shipper and any intermediary parties (e.g., third party vendors) to complete, and increasing the overall cost of shipping the container.

Furthermore, where only a small number of containers are to be transported, the containers are typically loaded in large shipping boxes, thereby using valuable space in the shipping vehicle and reducing the number of items that can be shipped together.

There is a need for a container that is configured to withstand the pressure exerted thereon during shipping (e.g., electronic commerce) while preventing the need to repackage the container during shipping.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates to a container comprising: a container body having a cavity for receiving a product therein and a lid sealing an opening of the cavity, the container body having a front surface, a rear surface, a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and a first bumper attached to the first sidewall of the container body, the first bumper configured to absorb a force applied to the container, wherein the first bumper comprises a first engagement mechanism configured to lockingly engage a second engagement mechanism located on the container body.

The invention also relates to a container comprising: a container body having a cavity for receiving a product therein and a lid sealing an opening of the cavity, the container body having a front surface, a rear surface, a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and a first bumper and a second bumper attached to the container body, the first and second bumpers being movable from a first configuration having a first outer profile to a second configuration having a second outer profile that is less than the first outer profile, wherein the bumpers are bellows, the first and second bumpers comprising a plurality of folds extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container body.

The invention also relates to a container comprising: a container body having a cavity for receiving a product therein and a lid sealing an opening of the cavity, the container body having a front surface, a back surface, a first sidewall and a second sidewall, a first bumper attached to the first sidewall of the container body, and a second bumper attached to the second sidewall of the container body, wherein the first and second bumpers are configured to absorb forces applied to the container, wherein each of the first and second bumpers extends over an edge connecting the front surface to the first and second sidewalls, respectively.

The invention also relates to a method of transportation comprising: affixing a shipping label directly to a container to be shipped, the container comprising a container body having a cavity for containing a fluent product therein and a lid closing the cavity, the container body having a front surface, a back surface, a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and a first bumper attached to the first sidewall of the container body, the first bumper configured to absorb a force applied to the container, wherein the first bumper comprises a first engagement mechanism configured to lockingly engage a second engagement mechanism located on the container. The method further comprises the step of transporting the container, with the proviso that no secondary packaging is provided for the container, wherein the container is configured to withstand forces exerted thereon during transport without rupturing or leaking.

Drawings

Features of the exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to the following drawings, in which like elements are labeled in a similar manner. The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of a container in a biased, rest configuration according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a side view of the container of FIG. 1A in a partially compressed configuration;

FIG. 2A is a front perspective view of a container in a biased, rest configuration according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a side view of the container of FIG. 2A in a partially compressed configuration;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3B is a partial cross-sectional view of the container body of the container of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4C is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4D is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention with the lid in a partially retracted configuration;

FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 5A with the lid in a locked position on the container body;

FIG. 5C is a partial cross-sectional configuration of the cover of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the invention with the lid in a partially retracted configuration;

FIG. 6B is a top view of the container of FIG. 6A with the lid in a locked position on the container body;

FIG. 6C is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the invention with the lid in a partially retracted configuration;

FIG. 7A is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention with the lid in a fully seated configuration;

FIG. 7B is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 7A with the lid in a partially retracted configuration;

FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention with the lid in a fully seated configuration;

FIG. 8B is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 8A with the lid in a partially retracted configuration;

FIG. 8C is a partial cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 8A;

FIG. 9A is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention with the lid in a fully seated configuration;

FIG. 9B is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 9A with the lid in a partially retracted configuration;

FIG. 9C is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the invention with the lid in a partially retracted configuration;

FIG. 10A is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10B is a partial perspective top view of the container of FIG. 10A;

FIG. 10C is a partial perspective top view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10D is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10E is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10F is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

fig. 10G is a perspective view of the container of fig. 10C and 10D with the lid in an open configuration.

Detailed Description

The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

The description of the illustrative embodiments in accordance with the principles of the invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is intended only for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the invention. Relative terms such as "lower," "upper," "horizontal," "vertical," "above," "below," "top" and "bottom" as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., "horizontally," "downwardly," "upwardly," etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless specifically stated to the contrary. Terms such as "attached," "connected," "coupled," "interconnected," and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or immobile attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. Furthermore, the features and benefits of the present invention are described with reference to exemplary embodiments. The invention should therefore obviously not be limited to such exemplary embodiments illustrating non-limiting combinations of features that may be present alone or in other feature combinations; the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with respect to packaging systems for fluid or fluid-like materials, including, but not limited to, cleansing products, aqueous solutions, skin care products, fabric care products, hair care products, and/or oral care products. However, other embodiments of the invention may be used to store and dispense any suitable type of fluid, and the invention is expressly not limited to any particular fluid material alone.

The container according to the invention is formed with a protective feature in the form of a bumper on its outer surface, the protective feature being configured to allow transport of the container without the need for secondary packaging. While conventional containers (e.g., containers containing oral care products such as toothpaste or mouthwash; containers containing household care products such as detergents, softeners, cleaning solutions, dishwashing soaps, etc.) are packaged in shipping cartons that include cushioning material therein to prevent container rupture and/or leakage during shipping, the containers described herein are configured to allow shipping without the use of any secondary packaging To be removably attached to the container. Further, any of the containers described herein can be provided with any combination of the protective features described herein. The exemplary containers described herein are also configured to receive a shipping label directly thereon. The shipping label may be removably or permanently attached to the container. The exemplary containers described herein may be shipped by themselves without any secondary packaging or with any number of additional containers. Further, the exemplary container may be shipped to a brick and mortar retail store and sold with the exemplary protective buffer disposed thereon.

The containers described herein may be formed with an integrally formed bumper permanently attached thereto. For example, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the container may be manufactured with a bumper disposed thereon (e.g., by injection stretch blow molding, extrusion blow molding, etc.). In another embodiment, the bumper may be formed separately from the container body and attached to the container body during the manufacturing step by one or more of adhesives, welding, mechanical attachment (e.g., tongue and groove, snap fit, friction fit, keyed fit, etc.), or any other attachment method known to those skilled in the art. Any of the container bodies described herein may be modified to include one or more bumpers described in any of the embodiments described herein to provide increased strength to particular portions of the container body. Furthermore, various features of the containers described herein may be combined with one another without departing from the scope of the invention. By way of non-limiting example, the shape of the container body may be generally rectangular as shown in fig. 1A-8C, frustoconical as shown in fig. 9A-9C, cylindrical, oval, or any other shape. In embodiments in which a cylindrical container body is used, the front surface of the container body may correspond to a portion of the container outer body oriented in the first direction. The side surface of the container body may be offset from the front surface by about 90 degrees, and the rear surface of the container body may correspond to a surface located opposite the front surface and separated from the side surface by about 90 degrees. As described herein, the bumper can be attached to the cylindrical container body in the same manner as described herein with respect to the rectangular container body. Further, any container body can be modified to include any of the caps described herein, necked down or otherwise. Additionally, any of the protective bumpers described herein can be formed with a solid or hollow configuration.

The integrally formed bumper containers described herein may be formed from one or more of polyolefins (polypropylene, low, medium, and high density polyethylene), which may be formed by extrusion blow molding, polyethylene terephthalate ("PET") (made by injection stretch blow molding), and elastomeric materials, and any combination thereof. Such containers comply with the limitations of the blow molding process and can therefore be manufactured faster than multicomponent parts and can be completely recycled. Non-integrally formed containers including separately formed bumpers provide the additional advantage that a variety of different materials may be used to provide the desired combination of strength, resiliency, weight, and aesthetic appeal to the finished container. The container body of the separately formed container may be formed of the same materials as described above. The bumpers of the separately formed containers may be formed from extruded resins, polyolefins (polypropylene, low density, medium density, high density polyethylene) (made by extrusion blow molding), PET (made by injection stretch blow molding), elastomeric materials, rubber, molded or extruded cellulose (e.g., pulp), and any combination of the above.

Fig. 1A-1B illustrate a container 100 for storing a fluid material. The container includes a unitary container body 102 formed of a polymer and extending along a longitudinal axis 101. A lid 104 is disposed on an upper surface 106 of the container 100, the lid 104 selectively sealing an opening (not shown) formed in the upper surface 106 to provide access to the container contents. In a preferred embodiment, the lid 104 is coupled to the container 100 by a hinge mechanism, wherein the hinge may be integrally formed with the lid. The lid 104 may alternatively be detachable from the container 100. In a preferred embodiment, the container body 102 is generally rectangular and includes rounded edges to minimize damage thereto upon impact. This shape further facilitates box filling and is strong enough to minimize the need for secondary packaging. The upper surface 106 also includes a recessed portion 108 adjacent the opening (not shown). The recessed neck of the container body 102 also includes a retaining ring (not shown) that engages a corresponding retaining ring on the cap 104. The recessed portion 108 is longitudinally offset from the upper surface 106 by a predetermined depth selected such that the cover 104 is flush with or below the upper surface 106 when the cover 104 is positioned thereon. This configuration reduces the forces applied to the lid during transport and thus reduces the risk of the lid accidentally disengaging from the container. The lid 104 also includes a protrusion or tab 110 disposed on a gripping surface thereof to enhance the ability of a user to grip and open the lid. The lid 104 may alternatively be coupled to the container 100 by a threaded engagement, a friction fit, or another attachment means known in the art. Additional securing means (e.g., a removable sealing mechanism, such as a sticker, etc.) may optionally be provided on the cover 104. At least the outer portion of the cover 104 is rectangular to prevent the cover 104 from rotating and changing orientation once received on the container body 102.

The container includes a front surface 112, a lower surface 114 opposite the upper surface 106, opposite side surfaces 116, 118 and a rear surface 120. One or both of the front and

back surfaces

112, 120 may include a label or decoration indicating, for example, the contents of the package. For example, the front surface 112 may include a label indicating the contents of the package, while the back surface 120 may remain blank, or may include instructions regarding the use of the product, instructions for use, or any other information conventionally provided on the package for ultimate consumer reference. The rear surface 120 is also adapted to receive a shipping label (not shown) thereon. The rear surface 120 may be surface treated (e.g., a high gloss surface treatment) that allows the end recipient to remove the shipping label therefrom without tearing, damaging or otherwise hindering the use instruction label. Alternatively, the instruction label may not be obscured by the shipping label. In yet another embodiment, the instruction label may be included in a separate booklet (not shown) that is shipped with the container 100. Alternatively, the shipping label may be a two-layer sticker, wherein a first transparent layer (not shown) is permanently attached to the rear surface 120 by a permanent or semi-permanent adhesive and a second removable layer is disposed thereon, the second removable layer including shipping information including, but not limited to, sender details, recipient details, order number, QR code, and the like.

An optional bevel 107 may be provided between the upper surface 106 and the front surface 112. Corresponding inclined surfaces may be provided between the front surface 112 and the lower surface 114, between the rear surface and the upper surface 106 and/or between the rear surface 120 and the lower surface 114.

Container 100 also includes bumpers in the form of first and

second bellows

122, 124 separating

side surfaces

116, 118 from front and

rear surfaces

112, 120, respectively, bellows 122, 124 are formed as folded layers of the container that are adapted to be compressible when subjected to an external force exceeding a predetermined minimum, hi a preferred embodiment, bellows 122, 124 are biased to a rest configuration in which adjacent folds 124 are in a partially compressed configuration and are capable of radial compression as indicated by arrow A, as shown in FIG. 1B, or radial expansion (not shown). folds 124 are oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of container 100. as shown in FIG. 2, the folds are configured such that, when radially compressed, folds 124 remain flush with the outer profile of container 100, generally aligned with front and

rear surfaces

112, 120. that is, when radially compressed, the height of

bellows

122, 124 does not increase beyond the height H of container 100. the configuration is selected to minimize the expansion of the height of container 100 when the bellows is compressed.

The

bellows

122, 124 are adapted to be radially compressible a predetermined distance in a preferred embodiment, for example, the

bellows

122, 124 may be configured such that the length of the container 100 is moved from a length L in a biased rest configuration (i.e., when no external force is applied to the container) to a radially compressed configuration that may be a percentage of the length L. this configuration is selected to allow the container to deform under the application of an external force that would otherwise cause the container to crack or break. this configuration is also selected to strengthen the container 100 while avoiding any unnecessary volume being added to the container, which would result in increased manufacturing and shipping costs.

For example, if a force exceeding a predetermined minimum force is applied to any of the upper, lower, front or rear surfaces, the bellows may radially expand to absorb the compressive force applied to the container and prevent rupture or breakage of the container. When the external force applied thereto is removed, the container 100 may be biased to return to the rest configuration of fig. 1. It should be noted that although the

bellows

122, 124 are shown as having six folds 126, any number of folds (e.g., one or more folds) may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. The

bellows

122, 124 may be identical to one another or may include a variable number of folds.

The

bellows

122, 124 are integrally formed with the container 100 such that the inner walls of the bellows define the inner surfaces of the container that are in direct contact with the fluid, gel, or other material contained therein. In such a configuration, the container body is filled with an amount of fluid to allow compression of the

bellows

122, 124 without causing flooding. Alternatively, the

bellows

122, 124 may be formed separately from the container and attached thereto by adhesive, sealing/welding other mechanisms as previously described, wherein the

bellows

122, 124 are hollow. In one embodiment, the bellows may be slidably received on the container body via a tongue and groove mechanism such as shown in fig. 9A-9B. Optionally, additional sidewalls (not shown) may be provided in the non-integral bellows configuration to restrict the flow of fluid, gel, or other material therein.

Fig. 2A-2B illustrate a container 200 according to another embodiment. The container 200 is substantially similar to the container 100, except as described below. Similar to container 100, container 200 includes a unitary outer body 202, a lid 204, an upper surface 206, a recessed portion 208, a front surface 212, a lower surface 214, side surfaces 216, 218, and a rear surface 220. Unlike the container 100 formed with two

bellows

122, 124, the container 200 includes a single bellows 222 oriented along the width w of the container 200. Bellows 222 includes a plurality of folds 226 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container and configured to allow radial compression of the container along its width.

Fig. 3A-3B illustrate a container 300 according to another embodiment. The container 300 includes a container body 302 having a lid 304, an upper surface 306, a recessed portion 308, a front surface 312, a lower surface 314, side surfaces 316, 318, and a rear surface 320. The front and

rear surfaces

312, 320 each include a pair of

longitudinal grooves

322, 324 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container 300. The

grooves

322, 324 are formed with a C-shaped cross-section that defines a passageway 326 and an opening 328 to the passageway. As shown in the partial cross-sectional view of fig. 3B, the channel 326 has a generally circular cross-section, but any other shape may be used provided the width of the channel 326 is greater than the width of the opening 328. For example, the cross-section of the channels 326 may be triangular, trapezoidal, oval, diamond-shaped, or rectangular.

Recesses

322, 324 may be provided on both the front surface 312 and the rear surface 320, for example, to ensure proper alignment of the bumper 330 on the container. Alternatively, any number of grooves may be provided on any of the front, rear or side surfaces of the container.

The container 300 also includes a buffer 330 receivable thereon. The bumper 330 may be permanently attached to the container body 302 or removable therefrom. The bumper 330 includes an upper wall 332 and a pair of

side walls

334, 336 extending perpendicular to the upper wall 332. A pair of extensions 333 are provided on either side of the opening 335 extending through the upper wall 332. The extension 333 is configured to protect the cap 304 when the cap is received through the opening 335. Preferably, the extension 333 is configured to be flush with the cover 304 or have a larger size than the cover when the cover is seated within the opening 335. The extension 333 may be solid or hollow in construction. A flap 338 extends generally orthogonally from each

side wall

334, 336 and a flap 340 extends orthogonally from the upper wall 332 on the front and

rear surfaces

312, 320 of the container 300. The junction between the upper wall 332 and the

side walls

334, 336 and flaps 338, 340 includes an optional corrugated portion 342 configured to conform to the shape of the container body.

Although the bumper 330 of fig. 3A extends over only a portion of the container body 302, the bumper 330 may be modified to cover any or all of the container body.

Bumper 330 includes a plurality of lips 344 disposed on the inner surface of tab 338 that are configured to be slidably received within

grooves

322, 324. The lip 344 may be configured to frictionally engage the

grooves

322, 324 to lock the lid in place over the container. Optionally, additional temporary locking mechanisms, such as locking tabs or adhesives, may be provided on one or both of the lid and container to lock the lid in place during shipping. Lip 344 may be formed of rubber or other compressible material to enhance grip and prevent premature detachment. Alternatively, the bumper may be locked to the container body 302 by one or more of a friction fit, an adhesive, a boss, a snap fit, a rivet, a one-way ratchet, or any alternative mechanical locking device known to those skilled in the art.

The buffer 330 is adapted to be received on the container, for example during transport. In a preferred embodiment, the buffer 330 is receivable on the container 300 in two configurations. In a first preferred configuration for shipping, the upper wall 332 covers the lid 304, thereby preventing the lid 304 from being accidentally opened. Once delivered to the end user, the cap may be removed and discarded, or the cap may be inserted over the lower end of the container such that the upper wall 332 covers the lower surface 314 of the container. The

flaps

338, 340 provide additional protection to the container 300 when the bumper 330 is received thereon.

Fig. 4A shows a container 400 having a body 402 and a lid 430 that are formed substantially similar to the container 300 and the buffer 330, except as discussed below. The container body 402 is formed with a neck that is not recessed into its body. Rather, the cap 404 is disposed on a neck 406 that extends longitudinally out of the container body 402 and defines a shoulder 407. Although the cover 404 is shown with a tapered rectangular cross-section, any other cover shape may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. A rectangular, oval or oblong cover is preferred to avoid rotation on the container body, but any other shape may be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

The cover 430 is a two-piece cover with upper and

lower portions

428, 432 configured to enclose the upper and lower surfaces of the container body 402. The first lower cover portion 432 is of rigid construction and includes first, second and

third wall portions

434, 436, 438. The inner surface 440 of the first cover portion 432 is corrugated, including a series of raised ridges 442 spaced from one another by a series of grooves 444. The ridges 442 and grooves 444 on the first and

third surfaces

434, 438 extend parallel to the longitudinal axis 401 of the container body 402. Lower cover portion 432 includes the aforementioned corrugations on the interior surface, while the interior surface of upper portion 428 may be substantially smooth, not including ridges or grooves. This configuration reduces manufacturing costs and the overall profile of the container 400.

The exemplary corrugated configuration of the cover 430 has been selected to impart a predetermined strength to the container 400. In particular, the size, depth, and orientation of the ridges 442 and grooves 444 have been selected to withstand the compressive forces applied thereto, e.g., during transport from a manufacturing facility to an end user, without the use of any excess filler or other protective means. In particular, the corrugated design is configured to reduce and/or eliminate deformation of the vessel under out-of-plane compression (i.e., any outer plane in which a radial compressive force is applied to the vessel), in-plane lateral forces, transverse shear pressures, and the like.

In a preferred embodiment, the corrugated cover 430 is capable of withstanding a predetermined shear stress on the upper surface 431 and the lower surface 433, wherein:

wherein, tau₁Shear stress;

f — the force applied to the upper surface 431 and the lower surface 433; and is

A is the area of one of the upper surface 431 and the lower surface 433.

The side surfaces 435, 437 are at least able to withstand the shear stress τ₂. The front surface 434 and the rear surface 438 are capable of withstanding at least a predetermined shear stress τ₃. Due to the orientation of the ridges 442 and grooves 444, i.e., parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container 400, the corrugated cover 430 is able to withstand greater shear stresses on the side, front, and rear surfaces. In a preferred embodiment, the cover 430 is configured such that the ridges 442 and grooves 444 extend parallel to the longitudinal axis 401. Alternatively, the ridges 442 and grooves 444 may extend orthogonally to the longitudinal axis 401 or at any other angle relative to the longitudinal axis 401.

The cover 430 is also configured to withstand at least a predetermined compressive force without deforming or breaking.

The upper portion 428 of the cover 430 also includes front and rear panels 446 extending orthogonal to the side surfaces 435, 437. The front and rear panels 446 are configured to distribute the force applied to the upper surface 431. Adjacent pairs of panels 446 may be connected to each other by abutting panels 448. The

panels

446, 448 may be sized and shaped such that the cover 404 of the container body 402 is fully or partially received therein. This configuration is selected to prevent the container body 402 from sliding or otherwise moving within the cover 430. Alternatively, the lid 404 may be flush with the upper surface of the container body 402. In this configuration, the panels 448 may be omitted and the panels 446 connected to one another across the front surface.

One or both of front and

back surfaces

412, 420 may include a product label (not shown) while one or both of front and

back surfaces

432, 437 may include a shipping label 450. Additional product labels may be provided on any outer surface of the cover 430 to indicate product content, operating instructions, and/or opening instructions.

The upper portion 428 of the cover 430 is locked in place over the lower portion 432 by adhesive, welding, or any mechanical means described above.

Fig. 4B shows a container 400' according to another embodiment. The container 400' is substantially similar to the container 400, except as detailed below. The container body 402 'is formed substantially similarly to the container body 402, except that the lid 404' is substantially similar to the lid 104 described with reference to fig. 1. The cover 430 ' includes an upper portion 428 ' and a lower portion 432 '. Lower portion 432' is formed substantially similar to lower portion 432, except for the composition of the corrugated portion. In particular, the ridges 444 'of fig. 4B are porous and adapted to absorb large amounts of fluid/gel that may inadvertently leak from the container body 402'. The ridges 444' may be formed from a porous material such as, but not limited to, open or closed cell foam, absorbent polymers, pulp, and sponge-like materials. The porous material may also be elastically deformable. Upper portion 428 ' includes corrugations in the form of ridges 444 ' and grooves 442 ' on its inner wall. The ridges 444 ' and grooves 442 ' are aligned with the ridges 444 ' and grooves 442 ' of the lower portion 432 ' and also extend parallel to the longitudinal axis 401.

Alternatively, the container 400 'may omit the panel 446 (e.g., when the container body 402' has a rectangular cross-sectional shape and no necked-down portions).

Similar to the cover 430, the cover 430 'is removably connected to the container body 402'. As described above, the cover 430 'may be locked in place on the container body 402' during shipping by adhesive, welding, or mechanical means. Once received by the end user, the cover 430 'may be separated from the container body 402' and discarded.

Fig. 4C shows a container 400 "according to another embodiment. Container 400 "includes a lid 430" having a first portion 428 "and a second portion 432". The two-piece cover 430 may be slidably received on the container body 402 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis 401, while the cover 430 'may be slidably received on the container body 402 in a direction parallel to the orthogonal axis 401'. Corrugations in the form of grooves 442 and ridges 444 are provided along the entire inner wall of only the first cover portion 428 ".

The bumpers 450 defined by the

panels

446, 448, 452 are provided and conform to the outer contour of the container body 402 (e.g., to prevent the container body 402 from moving within the cover 430 "during shipping, to secure the cover 404 during shipping, and/or to mitigate the impact of any external forces applied to the container 400"). In one embodiment, the area bounded by the

panels

446, 448, 450 may be filled with an absorbent material (e.g., a porous polymer, a sponge, an open or closed cell foam, pulp, etc.) to absorb any fluid that may inadvertently leak from the container body 402. Alternatively, the region may be filled with a non-porous material or may be hollow. The bumper 450 may be formed with any size and shape corresponding to the size and shape of the container body 402 received therein. Bumper 450 may be permanently attached to the inner surface of second portion 432 "of cover 430" (e.g., by adhesive, welding, or other known attachment means).

Fig. 4D shows an alternative configuration having a cover 430 "as discussed with respect to fig. 4C, except that both the first and second cover portions 428", 432 "include a corrugated inner surface. Preferably, the configuration of FIG. 4D is used when the cross-sectional shape of the container body 402 substantially matches the cross-sectional shape (e.g., rectangular) of the cover 430 ″. However, this configuration may also be used for non-matching cross-sectional geometries (e.g., where the container body has a necked-down portion).

The exemplary container 400, 400 ' of fig. 4A and 4B is configured with a cover 430, 430 ' that lockingly receives a standard sized container body 402, 402 '. That is, the container body need not include a separate mechanism or feature to which the lid is attached. Thus, the caps described herein are versatile and can be applied to any container sized to be received therein with a minimal degree of movement therein. Alternatively, the lid and container body may be provided with interlocking mechanisms such that only a container body having a particular engagement feature may be received in the lid, for example as described with reference to figures 3A-3B and 5A-9C.

Fig. 5A-5C illustrate a container 500 according to another embodiment. The container body 502 is formed substantially similar to the container body 402' and includes a cover 504 flush with its outer contour. The container body 502 includes two

longitudinal grooves

506, 508 extending through sidewalls 516, 518. The

recesses

506, 508 are sized and shaped to slidably receive the front and

rear cover portions

532, 534 of the bumper 530. The

grooves

506, 508 terminate in

openings

507, 509 on their upper and lower ends, respectively. The bumper 530 is configured to absorb and dissipate energy applied by the container 500 being dropped or subjected to an impact. Bumpers 530 cushion the sides and upper and lower shoulders of the container body 502. In the embodiment of fig. 5A-5C, the bumper 530 may be integrated into the structure of the container body 502 using a tongue and groove mechanism. In other embodiments, the bumper may be attached to the container body by adhesive, sealing/welding, or mechanical means such as interlocking mechanisms, as discussed later. Bumper 530 includes a front portion 532 and a rear portion 534, which may each be formed as a piece of shock absorbing foam that is removably attachable to container body 502. The front and

rear portions

532, 534 may wrap the entire container body 502 or may extend over only a portion of the container body 502 (e.g., only the portion that is most likely to deform or rupture). The front cover portion 532 includes a front surface 536 and a side surface 538, where the width of the side surface 538 is one-half the width of the sidewall 516 of the container body 502, as shown in fig. 5A and 5B. A tongue 540 extends orthogonally from each side surface 538, the tongue 540 being sized to be received in the

grooves

506, 508. In a preferred embodiment, the tongue 540 can only be inserted into the

grooves

506, 508 from one of the

openings

507, 509. Preferably, one or both of the tongue 540 and the

grooves

506, 508 include features that enable this cooperative relationship. In one example, the lip 540 may include a widened portion 542 adapted to engage corresponding features (not shown) in the

grooves

506, 508. The tongue may include a rectangular widened portion 542 or a rounded widened portion 542'. The widened portion may have any cross-sectional shape including, but not limited to, oval, square, triangular, diamond, and rectangular. In some embodiments, the front and

rear portions

532, 534 may each be independently locked to the container body. Alternatively, only one of the front and

rear portions

532, 534 may be locked to the container body. In this configuration, the free one of the front and rear portions may be locked to the other of the front and rear portions.

One or both of the front and

rear lid portions

534, 534 includes a cutout 550 extending completely therethrough, the cutout 550 adapted to provide access to the lid 504 even though the bumper 530 is locked in place on the container body 502.

The buffer 530 may include a shipping label and/or a product label on one or both of the front and

back cover portions

534, 534.

Fig. 6A-6B illustrate a container 600 according to another embodiment. The container 600 is substantially similar to the container 500, except as described below. The container 500 is provided with a container body 502 having

grooves

506, 508 formed in a side wall 516, while the container body 602 includes

grooves

606, 608 formed in front and

rear walls

612, 620. The

grooves

606, 608 define a tongue 610 on the sidewall of the container body 602.

Bumper 630 includes first and

second portions

628, 632, each of which includes a groove 634 adapted to slidably receive tongue 610. The recess 634 is defined by a wall section 636. In operation, the first and

second sections

628, 632 of the buffer 630 may be connected to the container body 602 prior to shipping to provide additional structural integrity and buffering. The buffer may optionally be removed and discarded once received by the end user.

Fig. 6C shows a container 600' according to another embodiment of the invention. The container 600 ' is substantially similar to the container 600 except that the length of the bumper 630 ' is less than the length of the container body 602 '. The bumper 630 ' is prevented from sliding freely on the container body 602 by one or more detents (not shown) provided on one or both of the container body 602 ' and the bumper 630 '. A detent (not shown) may prevent the bumper 630 'from moving beyond a predetermined position on the container body 602'. The container body 602' may be formed with structural reinforcement sections 650 on upper and lower sections thereof.

Fig. 7A-7B illustrate a container 700 according to another embodiment. The container 700 includes a removable buffer 730 having first and

second portions

728, 732 removably received on the container body 702. Unlike bumpers 530, 630', bumper 730 extends over both sidewalls and at least a portion of the upper wall of container body 702. The first and

second bumper portions

728, 730 include curved portions 736 that provide engagement between the side walls 738 and the upper wall 740. A panel 742 extends from each of the first and

second bumper portions

728, 732 to cover at least a portion of the front and rear surfaces of the container body 702, thus providing additional protection thereto. The first and

second bumpers

728, 732 are connected to the container body 702 by engagement of the tongue 710 and groove 712, as described in more detail with respect to earlier embodiments.

Fig. 8A-8C illustrate a container 800 according to another embodiment of the invention. The container includes a container body 802 and a keyed sliding bumper 830. Buffer 830 includes first and

second buffer portions

828, 832. Similar to

bumpers

530, 630, 730, bumper 830 is formed from one or more of paper, foam, corrugated material, and porous material. The bumper 830 is adapted to be removably locked to the container body 802 via the keying mechanism 850. Mechanism 850 includes tapered protrusions 810 formed on respective sidewalls of container body 802 that taper from a first width at end 812 to a second smaller width at end 814. The inner wall of each of the first and

second bumper portions

828, 832 includes a recess 840 having a shape that matches the shape of the protrusion 810. The locking button 816 further protrudes from the protrusion 810, and the locking button 816 is slidably received within a corresponding recess 846 formed in the bumper 830. The locking button 812 is received within the recess 846 with a sufficient friction fit to lock the bumper 830 to the container body 802. To remove the bumper 830 from the container 802, a longitudinal force in direction B is applied to each of the first and

second bumper portions

828, 832 to push the lock button 812 out of the recess 846. Preferably, the force required to separate the

bumper portions

828, 832 from the container body 802 exceeds the force that the container 800 is expected to withstand during transport to prevent premature removal of the bumper 830 from the container body 802.

Fig. 9A-9B illustrate a container 900 according to yet another embodiment, the container 900 including a container body 902 having a lid 904 and a bumper 930. In a preferred embodiment, the container body is formed to have a generally frustoconical cross-sectional shape, although other cross-sectional shapes may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. The container 900 also includes a set of buffers 930 that compress the first buffer 928 and the second buffer 932. Bumper 930 may be solid or hollow. Bumper 930 is formed from a series of compressible vertical ribs 936 positioned adjacent to one another. Ribs 936 are extruded or molded from the bottom surface in this geometry. The design of the thin parallel ribs 936 is designed to absorb and dissipate energy generated by an impact. The ribs 936 may extend parallel to the sidewall 916 of the container body 902 or may extend perpendicular thereto. A portion of each of the first and

second bumpers

928, 932 may extend over the front and

rear surfaces

912, 920 of the container body 902 to provide additional protection thereto. Specifically, the front and

rear surfaces

912, 920 may include grooves 938 configured to slidingly engage tongues 940 formed on the first and

second bumpers

928, 932. The ribs 936 may be integrally formed with each other or may be extruded separately and connected to each other by, for example, adhesive, sealing/welding, or mechanical means. Similar to other embodiments, the buffer 930 may be removed from the container body 902 upon receipt of a predetermined destination.

Fig. 9C shows an alternative configuration of the embodiment of fig. 9A-9B, in which groove 938' is separated from sidewall 916 by a greater distance than groove 938. This configuration thus covers a greater portion of the front and/or

rear surfaces

912, 920 of the container body 902.

The ribs 936 of the bumper 930 may be formed having any size and shape without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the ribs 936 may be replaced or supplemented by hemispherical protrusions, any combination of concave and convex surfaces, linear protrusions, curved protrusions, and pyramidal protrusions. Any alternative shape may be used as long as the requirements of bumper 930 to dissipate energy to absorb shock and protect the container contents are met.

Fig. 10A-10E illustrate a

container

1000, 1000 ', 1000 ", 1000'" according to yet another embodiment, where the bumper is integrated into the container body 1002, as previously described with respect to fig. 1A-2B. The

container

1000, 1000 ', 1000 ", 1000'" is formed with a predetermined cushioning pattern on its side walls, the cushioning pattern being selected to absorb and dissipate forces applied thereto and thereby provide protection to the container body 1002. The container 1000 includes a bumper 1030 that includes a plurality of

recesses

1034, 1036, 1038 formed in the sidewall 1016 of the container 1000. In the embodiment of fig. 10A-10B, the groove 1034 extends at an acute angle relative to a plane P that extends normal to the longitudinal axis 1001 and bisects or substantially bisects the container. The recess 1036 is angularly offset relative to the recess 1034 and preferably extends at an angle of 0 degrees along the sidewall. Grooves 1038 extend from grooves 1036 and have the same angular dimension as grooves 1034, but are negatively oriented. For example, if groove 1034 extends at an angle of X ° relative to plane P, groove 1038 is oriented at-X ° relative to plane P. Further, the

grooves

1034, 1038 may extend over at least predetermined portions of the front surface 1012 and/or the rear surface 1020. Alternatively, the

grooves

1034, 1038 can terminate at edges that connect the front and

rear surfaces

1012, 1020, respectively, to the sidewall 1016.

In another embodiment, as shown in the partial perspective view of fig. 10C, the

grooves

1044, 1048 may be formed substantially similar to the

grooves

1034, 1038 except that the

grooves

1044, 1048 converge directly with one another at a circular intersection that is midway between the front and rear surfaces of the container body. In another embodiment, as shown in fig. 10D, the groove 1034' may extend parallel to the plane P. In another embodiment, as shown in fig. 10E, only one set of angled recesses 1034' is provided that extends along the entire length of the sidewall of the container body. In yet another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10F, notches 1034 '"and 1036'" are formed substantially similar to

notches

1034, 1036, except that the two sets of notches 1034 '", 1036'" extend along the entire length of the sidewall and overlap one another. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, this configuration provides cushioning for both vertical and horizontal stresses.

The bumper 1030 depicted in fig. 10A-10F may be integrally formed with the container body 1002 or permanently attached thereto. Alternatively, the bumper 1030' may be removably attached to the container body 1002. For example, as shown in fig. 10G, the bumper 1030' may be a two-piece bumper that is removably received on the container body 1002. Bumper 1030' can be provided with a locking mechanism that locks the bumper tabs to each other or to the container body, as described in more detail above.

The containers described herein may be used to store any of a variety of liquid, gel, solid, or semi-solid products, such as toothpastes, oral care solutions, household cleaning products, soaps, fabric softeners, deodorants, lip care products, and the like, as well as non-liquid products.

The embodiments described herein may be modified to add or replace features of one embodiment with features of another embodiment. For example, any of the embodiments described herein may be modified to be integrally formed on the container body or removably attached thereto. Further, any of the protection features described herein may be incorporated into the container body to provide additional protection. Any combination and modification of the elements described herein is contemplated as within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A container, comprising:

a container body having a cavity for receiving a product therein and a lid sealing an opening of the cavity, the container body having a front surface, a rear surface, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall; and

a first bumper attached to the first sidewall of the container body, the first bumper configured to absorb a force applied to the container, wherein the first bumper comprises a first engagement mechanism configured to lockingly engage a second engagement mechanism located on the container body.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the first bumper is integrally formed with the container body.

3. The container of claim 1, further comprising a second bumper on the second sidewall of the container body.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the first bumper is removably attached to the container body.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein the first and second engagement mechanisms are each one of: a tongue and a groove; or a groove and tongue.

6. The container of claim 5, further comprising a second bumper configured to lockingly engage the container body.

7. The container of claim 6, wherein the first and second bumpers comprise a plurality of ribs extending in one of the following ways: parallel and orthogonal to the container body.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the first bumper includes a plurality of first grooves formed therein, the first grooves extending in one of the following ways: parallel to a plane extending orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the container body, angularly offset with respect to said plane.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein the first groove is angularly offset relative to the plane in a first direction, the container further comprising a plurality of second grooves angularly offset relative to the plane in a second direction different from the first direction.

10. The container of claim 3, wherein the first bumper and the second bumper are formed as bellows and are compressible along one of a width and a height axis.

11. The container of claim 1, wherein the lid is flush with an upper surface of the container body.

12. The container of claim 1, further comprising an extension disposed adjacent the lid, the extension having a height greater than the lid.

13. The container of claim 1, further comprising a shipping label directly attached to one of the container body and the first buffer.

14. A container, comprising:

a first bumper and a second bumper attached to the container body, the first and second bumpers being movable from a first configuration having a first outer profile to a second configuration having a second outer profile that is smaller than the first outer profile, wherein the bumpers are bellows, the first and second bumpers comprising a plurality of folds extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container body.

15. The container of claim 14, wherein the first and second bumpers lockingly engage the container body.

16. The container of claim 14, wherein the first and second bumpers are integrally formed with the container body.

17. The container of claim 14, wherein inner surfaces of the first and second bumpers define walls of the cavity.

18. The container of claim 14, wherein the first and second bumpers are separated from the cover along a width of the container body.

19. The container of claim 14, further comprising a shipping label directly attached to one or more of the container body, the first buffer, and the second buffer.

20. A container, comprising:

a first bumper attached to the first sidewall of the container body; and

a second bumper attached to the second sidewall of the container body, wherein the first and second bumpers are configured to absorb forces applied to the container, wherein each of the first and second bumpers extends over an edge connecting the front surface to the first and second sidewalls, respectively.

21. The container of claim 20, wherein the first and second bumpers comprise first engagement mechanisms configured to lockingly engage corresponding second engagement mechanisms on the container body by one or more of a snap-fit, a friction fit, a tongue-and-groove engagement, and a keyed engagement.

22. The container of claim 20, further comprising a shipping label directly attached to one or more of the container body, the first buffer, and the second buffer.

23. A method of transportation, comprising:

affixing a shipping label directly to a container to be shipped, the container comprising a container body having a cavity for containing a fluent product therein and a lid closing the cavity, the container body having a front surface, a back surface, a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and a first bumper attached to the first sidewall of the container body, the first bumper configured to absorb a force applied to the container, wherein the first bumper comprises a first engagement mechanism configured to lockingly engage a second engagement mechanism located on the container; and

shipping the container with the proviso that the container is not provided with a secondary package, wherein the container is configured to withstand forces exerted thereon during shipping without rupturing or leaking.