CN210213173U

CN210213173U - Tamper-evident bottle case

Info

Publication number: CN210213173U
Application number: CN201920656053.7U
Authority: CN
Inventors: Jiaheng Zheng; 郑家恒; Rumsam Douglas; 道格拉斯·拉姆瑟姆; Raisin Timothy; 提摩太·雷森; Hugo Ocigerda Gelage Victor; 维克多·雨果·奥西格达·盖拉戈; Yifeng Zhang; 张义峰; Ramos Jamie; 杰米·拉莫斯
Original assignee: Sitadercas Ltd
Current assignee: Sitadercas Ltd
Priority date: 2019-05-09
Filing date: 2019-05-09
Publication date: 2020-03-31
Anticipated expiration: 2029-05-09
Also published as: WO2020227609A1

Abstract

The utility model discloses a bottle case that shows to have stolen for deposit safely and transport the product. In one example, a tamper evident bottle case includes a first container and a second container connected by a hinge. The first and/or second containers may include an interior cavity for receiving various bottle securing features. The bottle securing features may include a bottle bottom retaining station and a bottle top retaining station. The bottle top holding station may include a security seal for protecting the bottle from tampering. The security seal is removable from the bottle top retaining station to release the bottle from the corresponding container.

Description

Tamper-evident bottle case

Technical Field

Aspects of the present invention relate to an improved case or portion thereof for transporting and storing various products, including bottled liquids, and in particular to an improved case or portion thereof for improving the storage, transport and protection of products such as beverage bottles.

Background

Wine and other beverage producers typically use rectangular boxes made of wood or cardboard to transport the bottles. These boxes include internal compartments separated by wood, cardboard, plastic or foam to provide a degree of protection for the bottles inside. After the bottles are placed in the box, the box is closed and shipped to the wholesaler, retailer or customer. These closed bottle cases present a number of problems due to the inherent deficiencies of case design. For example, it may be difficult for a wholesaler, retailer or customer to view the contents of a case, determine if someone has tampered with the contents of a case, display the contents of a case, or any combination of these limitations.

Typically, in order to view the contents of a bottle box, each bottle must be removed from the box. Handling of each bottle creates the opportunity to damage the bottle. The ability to remove each bottle from the box also means that someone can tamper with the contents of the box. For example, a person inspecting the bottle may replace the bottle with a different, less valuable bottle. Current cases do not provide any evidence of such tampering. Finally, current methods do not provide an aesthetic system for displaying bottles. For example, expensive containers made from cardboard boxes are discarded once opened. Wooden boxes require tools to wedge the lid open and are susceptible to damage when the lid is pried from the box. Accordingly, there is a need for a system that provides visibility of the bottle, prevents tampering, and maintains the aesthetic appearance of the bottle for display.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art and to provide an improved case or portion thereof for transporting and storing various products including bottled liquids and in particular to a case or portion thereof for improving the storage, transport and protection of products such as beverage bottles.

The technical scheme of the utility model is that:

a tamper-evident bottle case, comprising:

a first container, comprising:

a first base plate;

a plurality of first side panels having first and second ends, the first ends of the side panels being connected to the first bottom panel,

a second end of the side panel forms a first container opening;

a first interior cavity disposed between the plurality of first side panels and extending from the first bottom panel to the first container opening;

a first bottom holding station disposed within the first interior cavity; and

a first bottle top holding station disposed within the first interior cavity, the first bottle top holding station having a first safety bar removably connected thereto;

a second container, comprising:

a second base plate;

a plurality of second side panels having a first end and a second end, the first ends of the side panels being connected to the second bottom panel, the second ends of the side panels forming a second container opening; and

a second interior cavity disposed between the second plurality of side panels and extending from the second bottom panel to the second container opening; and

a hinge connected to one side panel of the first container and one side panel of the second container, the hinge connected adjacent the first container opening and the second container opening.

One aspect of the utility model discloses a bottle case that shows to have stolen and application method. The tamper-evident bottle case may include a first container having a bottom panel and a side panel extending from the bottom panel to form an interior cavity having a container opening at a top. Within the internal cavity, the first container may have a bottom bottle holding station and a top bottle holding station. The bottle top holding station may include a tamper-evident mechanism to securely hold the bottles. The tamper-evident mechanism may include a security strip removably connected to the bottle top retaining station. Removing the security strip allows the bottles to be removed from the first container.

The tamper-evident bottle container may include a second container. In some embodiments, the second container is substantially similar to the first container. The first container and the second container may be connected by a hinge. The hinge may open and close the container. For example, in some embodiments, the tamper-evident bottle bin may be separated 50/50 with a first container on one side of a hinge and a similar second container on the other side of the hinge. A tamper-evident bottle case may be closed by rotating one container into an adjacent container and bringing the container openings of each container into close proximity, forming a seam between the two container openings.

In some embodiments, the bottle crate may employ other safety measures. For example, the bottle top holding station may include a security strip with perforations or tamper evident tape. In this manner, if the bottle is removed from the first or second container, the security strip will evidence tampering. The security measures may also include providing an envelope covering the tamper-evident bottle container. The wrapper may also prove tamper evident, for example, by providing a tamper evident tape at the seam between the two containers.

Any of the containers of the tamper-evident bottle case may further include a bottle retaining support. The bottle holding support may be made of a barrier material. For example, foam (e.g., extruded polystyrene foam) may be placed within the first container and/or the second container to form a support for the bottle and to provide insulation for the liquid within the bottle. Other materials, including but not limited to gel packs, may also be placed within the container as a bottle holding support.

In any of the embodiments described herein, the component of the tamper evident bottle case may comprise wood, cardboard, plastic, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the component may comprise a biomass composite. In particular, many of the bottles described herein may originate from locations with excess biomass byproducts. These byproducts may include grapevine, grape seed, grape skin, barley, rye, sugar cane, and the like. In some embodiments, the biomass composite may comprise about 20-40% by weight of the biomass material, with the remainder of the composite being a thermoplastic polymer.

It should be apparent, however, that embodiments of the present invention solve these and other needs and problems upon reading the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Briefly, aspects of the present invention relate to an improved case or portion thereof for transporting and storing various products, including bottled liquids, and in particular to an improved case or portion thereof for improving the storage, transport and protection of products such as beverage bottles.

Drawings

The following description is made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary tamper-evident bottle case having a first container and a second container, according to some embodiments of the present invention;

fig. 2 illustrates an exemplary tamper-evident bottle case having a center insert placed over a first container and a second container, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary tamper-evident bottle case in a closed configuration, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of an exemplary tamper-evident bottle case, according to some embodiments of the present invention;

fig. 5A illustrates an exemplary bottle top retaining table having a safety bar partially detached from the bottle top retaining table portion, according to some embodiments of the present invention;

fig. 5B illustrates an exemplary bottle top holding station with a safety bar completely separated from the bottle top holding station, according to some embodiments of the present invention;

fig. 6 illustrates an exploded view of an exemplary bottom retainer station and bottom retainer station, according to some embodiments of the present invention;

fig. 7 illustrates an exemplary bottom holding station and bottom holding station in a safety configuration, according to some embodiments of the present invention;

fig. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a tamper-evident bottle case in a closed configuration, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments and examples. Before exemplary embodiments of the devices and methods of the present invention are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the embodiments are not limited to those described in the present invention. There are many obvious modifications and variations to those skilled in the art, which still fall within the scope of the invention. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting. Some embodiments of the invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. The technical solution of the invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description. References to "one embodiment," "an example embodiment," "some embodiments," "certain embodiments," "various embodiments," etc., indicate that the embodiment(s) described herein may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, repeated use of the term "in an embodiment" does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may.

Unless otherwise indicated, the terms used herein should be understood in accordance with conventional usage by those of ordinary skill in the art. In addition to the definitions of the terms provided below, it should be understood that the use of "a" or "an" in the specification and claims may mean one or more, depending on the context in which it is used. Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms take at least the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or". Furthermore, the terms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to mean one or more, unless otherwise indicated or clearly indicated in the context.

Unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives "first", "second", "third", etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

Furthermore, in describing the exemplary embodiments, terminology is used for the sake of clarity. It is intended that each term shall be given the broadest meaning as understood by those skilled in the art and include all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles and features of embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments are not limiting.

The materials described hereinafter as constituting the elements of the embodiments of the invention are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many suitable materials that can perform the same or similar function as the materials described herein are intended to be included within the scope of the exemplary embodiments. Such other materials not described herein may include, but are not limited to, for example, materials developed after the present disclosure.

The utility model discloses an embodiment is including showing the case of opening of stealing that is used for depositing and transporting the beverage bottle. In various embodiments, a tamper evident wine case may provide improvements that may protect the integrity of the bottled wine as well as features that enable a user to more easily use the wine case. The tamper-evident bottle box of the utility model can be used for packing wine bottles by wine makers and also can be used for storing wine bottles or transporting bottles by consumers at home.

The present invention has been described in an illustrative manner with respect to certain embodiments relating to the storage and transportation of wine bottles. Embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the disclosed technology can effectively store and transport bottles or containers of many other types of liquids. For example, but not by way of limitation, a bottom holding station and a top holding station as described herein may be configured for use with sparkling wine bottles, beer bottles, water bottles, and other bottles having different shapes and sizes.

Various devices and methods for providing and using tamper-evident bottle cases are disclosed, exemplary embodiments of which will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary tamper-evident container 100 having a first container 102 and a second container 104, according to some embodiments of the present invention. The first container 102 has a bottom panel 106 (below the bottle bin 100) and a plurality of side panels 108. As shown in FIG. 1, one embodiment of the bottle bin 100 has four side panels 108, thereby forming a square or rectangular first container 102. However, other shapes are also contemplated, including but not limited to a triangular box (having three side panels 108), a pentagonal box (having five side panels 108), and so forth. In some embodiments, the side panel 108 may be connected to the bottom panel 106 at one end thereof, and the other end may form a container opening 110. The illustrated container opening 110 may be an opening of the first container 102 to the interior cavity 112.

In some embodiments, the side panels 108 and the bottom panel 106 form an interior cavity 112 that extends from the bottom panel 106 to the container opening 110. The interior cavity 112 may be a receptacle through which a bottle (e.g., bottle 114) may be placed within the first container 102. The figure shows an example in which three bottles 114 are stored, and the three bottles 114 form a first container 102 that is substantially square. Other shapes are contemplated and more or less than three bottles 114 may be present in some embodiments of the first container 102. The interior cavity 112 may also have other bottle safety and protection features as described herein.

Similar to the first container 102, the second container 104 may include a bottom panel 116 (below the bottle bin 100) and side panels (e.g., side panel 118). In some embodiments, a side panel 118 may be connected to the bottom panel 116 at one end and form a container opening 120 at the other end similar to the container opening 110 of the first container 102 as described. The second container 104 may also include an interior cavity 122 similar to the interior cavity 112 of the first container 102 as described. In some embodiments, the interior cavity 122 of the second container 104 may also be a receptacle for storing one or more bottles (e.g., bottle 124).

In some embodiments, the first container 102 may be connected to the second container 104 by a hinge 126. The hinge 126 may be connected to the first container 102 and the second container 104 at the side panels 108,118 of the

respective containers

102, 104. As shown, the hinge 126 may also be located proximate the first container opening 110 and proximate the second container opening 120. The location of the hinge 126 allows one container 102,104 to rotate to the other container 104,102, i.e., from an open configuration to a closed configuration. For example, FIG. 1 shows an open configuration in which the container openings 110,120 are separated. The open configuration shown in FIG. 1 allows bottles 114,124 to be placed into and removed from the

interior cavities

112, 122. In contrast, the closed configuration is such that the container openings 110,120 abut each other at the seam when one container is rotated to the other. This closed configuration is discussed in fig. 3. In some embodiments, the hinge 126 may be a metal hinge, including but not limited to a butt hinge, a shell hinge, a double-fold hinge, a piano hinge, and the like. In some embodiments, the hinge 126 may be a soft hinge, such as a hinge made of leather, fabric, plastic, or the like. The hinge 126 shown in fig. 1 is a piano hinge consistent with certain embodiments.

In some embodiments, the first container 102 can have an interior cavity 112 with a depth from the container opening 110 to the length of the interior cavity 112 of the floor 106. In some embodiments, the depth of the lumen 112 may be selected based on the diameter of the vial 114 placed in the lumen 112. In some embodiments, the depth of the internal cavity 112 may be equal to or greater than the maximum diameter of any bottle 114, i.e., the widest portion of the bottle 114 below the plane of the container opening 110. In some embodiments, the second container 104 may have an interior cavity 122 with a depth that is the length of the interior cavity 122 from the container opening 120 to the floor 116. The depth of the cavity 122 may be similar to the depth of the first cavity 112, i.e., the cavity 112 of the first container 102. However, there is no requirement that the first container 102 and the second container 104 have the same dimensions. For example, the first interior cavity 112 may be larger than the second interior cavity 122, as the first interior cavity 112 may be configured to store and hold bottles that are wider than the second interior cavity 122. It is also contemplated that in some embodiments, only one side of the bottle bin 100 holds bottles. For example, and without limitation, it is contemplated that in some embodiments, the bottle 114 may be thicker than the depth of the interior cavity 112 and that the bottle 114 may be at least partially located within the first interior cavity 112 and the second interior cavity 122 by rotating the second container 104 to the first container 102.

Fig. 1 also illustrates the improved aesthetics of the bottle bin 100 described herein. It can be seen that the bottles 114,124 can be displayed in the case without removing the bottles 114,124 from the bottle case 100. Additionally, as described herein, various tamper-evident mechanisms may remain intact while the bottles 114,124 are displayed.

In some embodiments, the bottle bin 100 may include a center insert 128. The center insert 128 may be used to provide additional isolation between the internal chambers 112,122 when the vial box 100 is in the closed configuration. In some embodiments, the central insert 128 may be sized to cover the first container opening 110, the second container opening 120, or both. FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary center insert 128 sized to cover the first container opening 110 and the second container opening 120. The center insert 128 may comprise an insulating material, such as foam, corrugated cardboard, or the like. In some embodiments, the center insert 128 may also provide space to display graphics or text. For example, but not limiting of, the center insert 128 may include company information or information about products placed inside the bottle bin 100.

Fig. 2 illustrates an exemplary tamper-evident bottle bin 100 having a center insert 128 placed over the first container 102 and the second container 104, according to some embodiments of the present invention. The exemplary bottle bin 100 shown in FIG. 2 is in an open configuration (i.e., the container openings 110,120 are separated). As described above, the bottle bin 100 may include a center insert 128 that at least partially covers the first container opening 110, the second container opening 120, or both. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, both the first and second container openings 110,120 are covered by the central insert 128. In some embodiments, the central insert 128 may provide another heavy tamper evident protection for the contents within the bottle bin 100. For example, but not by way of limitation, the center insert 128 may be attached to the container openings 110,120 with an adhesive, tamper evident tape, or the like to indicate whether the center insert 128 has been removed from the bottle bin 100. Throughout this document, reference to tamper evident tape may include any type of tamper evident tape known in the art for indicating whether the tape has been removed, broken, or cut. For example, the tamper evident tape may include wording to inhibit realignment and reattachment of the tape after removal. The tamper evident tape may also include text similar to "check contents if the seal is broken".

Fig. 3 illustrates an exemplary tamper-evident bottle case 100 in a closed configuration, according to some embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments, the bottle crate 100 may form a closed package. For example, the second container 104 may be rotated about a hinge (not shown in fig. 3) such that the container opening 120 of the second container 104 abuts the container opening 110 of the first container 102 at the seam 302. In this closed configuration, the bottom panels 106,116 and the plurality of side panels 108,118 of the first and second containers 102,104 become the exterior walls of the enclosed bottle box 100.

In some embodiments, the closed bottle box 100 may include an envelope 304 covering the seam 302. The illustrated envelope 304 may be used to join the first and second containers 102,104 together along the seam 302. In some implementations, the envelope 304 may provide another area for graphics or text. For example, but not by way of limitation, the envelope 304 may include company information or information about the product placed within the bottle bin 100. The illustrated envelope 304 may also provide another heavy tamper-evident protection for the contents of the bottle bin 100. For example, the sleeve 304 may be attached to the exterior of the bottle bin 100 with an adhesive to indicate whether the bottle bin 100 has been opened. In some embodiments, the sleeve 304 may include tamper evident tape to indicate whether the sleeve 304 has been removed. In some embodiments, the jacket 304 may be made of paper, card, plastic, or the like.

Fig. 4 illustrates an exploded view of an exemplary tamper-evident bottle bin 100, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Fig. 4 illustrates various bottle securing functions that may be included in the bottle bin 100 of the present invention. In some embodiments, the bottle bin 100 can include one or more bottle bottom retaining stations 402. An exemplary bottom retainer table 402 may be disposed within the interior cavities 112,122 of the first and

second containers

102, 104. For example, a first bottle bottom holding station 402 may be disposed within the first interior cavity 112, while a second bottle bottom holding station 402 may be disposed within the second interior cavity 122. Although some embodiments described herein may have bottle retention features disposed in both lumens 112,122, it should be understood that in some embodiments, these bottle retention features may be disposed in only one lumen. The bottle bottom retaining station 402 may receive the heel or bottom of the bottles 114 to be stored in the bottle bin 100. For example, the bottom retaining station 402 may include a circular cup (not shown in fig. 4) to receive a circular bottle bottom. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the bottom retaining station 402 may include a cup for receiving a differently shaped bottom.

In some embodiments, the bottle crate 100 may include one or more bottle top retaining tables 404. An exemplary bottle top holding station 404 may be disposed within the interior cavities 112,122 of the first and

second containers

102, 104. For example, a first bottle top retaining land 404 may be disposed within the first interior cavity 112 and a second bottle top retaining land 404 may be disposed within the second interior cavity 122. The bottle top retaining station 404 may receive the tops of the bottles to secure the bottles in the

respective containers

102, 104.

The bottle top holding station 404 may provide additional tamper-evident features to provide security for the bottles 114,124 within the bottle cage 100. In some embodiments, the tops of the bottles 114,124 may be secured in holes 406 in the bottle bottom retaining table 404. The tops of the bottles 114,124 may be released from the apertures 406 by removing the safety bar 408 from the bottle top retaining station 404. The security bar 408 may release tabs on the bottle top retaining station 404 to allow the tops 114,124 of the bottles 114,124 to slide out of the platform. As will be described in greater detail herein, the safety bar 408 is detachable from the bottle top retaining table 404 to allow removal of the bottles 114,124 from the apertures 406.

In some embodiments, the bottom and top bottle holding tables 402, 404 may comprise a variety of materials. These materials may include card, cardboard, plastic, wood, rubber, or any other material known to those skilled in the art. Other materials may include biomass composites as described herein.

In some embodiments, the bottle bin 100 may include one or more bottle retaining supports 410. A bottle retaining support 410 may be disposed within the internal cavity 112,122 of the container 102,104 to provide additional support for the

bottle

114, 124. As shown, the bottle holding support 410 may be formed as the outline of a bottle. In some embodiments, bottle holding support 410 may comprise an insulating material. The insulating material may include paper, foam (e.g., extruded polystyrene foam), or any other material known in the art to provide cushioning and insulation to the

bottles

114, 124. Bottle holding support 410 may also comprise other materials including, but not limited to, gel packs for maintaining the temperature within bottle box 100.

Fig. 5A and 5B illustrate detailed views of an exemplary bottle top holding station 404, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Fig. 5A illustrates an exemplary bottle top holding station 404, wherein the safety bar 408 is partially detached from the bottle top holding station 404. As described above, the tops of the bottles 114 may be secured within the apertures 406 of the bottle top retaining station 404. Some embodiments of the present invention require removal of the tamper evident strip 408 to release the bottle 114 from the aperture 406. The safety bar 408 is removably attached to the bottle top holding station 404 such that removal of the safety bar 408 opens the tab 502. Opening tab 502 allows removal of bottle 114 by pulling the bottle top out of aperture 406. Fig. 5A shows the safety strap 408 only partially removed from the bottle top retaining table 404. As shown in fig. 5A, this means that the bottles remain in the bottle bin 100.

In some embodiments, the security strip 408 may be removably attached to the bottle top retaining station 404 by a perforation line. The perforation line may be torn when the safety strip 408 is pulled to release the tab 502 from the bottle top retaining station 404. This configuration is shown in fig. 5A. In other embodiments, the security strip 408 may be removably attached to the bottle top holding station 404 by tamper evident tape as described herein. In these embodiments, pulling on the security strip 408 may break or tear the tamper evident tape to release the tab 502 from the bottle top holding station 404.

Fig. 5B illustrates an exemplary bottle top holding station 404, wherein the safety bar 408 is completely separated from the bottle top holding station 404. As shown, once the safety bar 408 is removed, the tab 502 may be released from the bottle top retaining station 404. With the tab 502 released, the top of the bottle 114 can be removed by lifting the bottle 114 out of the aperture 406.

Fig. 6 illustrates an exploded view of an exemplary bottle bottom holding station 402 and bottle top holding station 404, according to some embodiments of the present invention. The bottom holding station 402 may include a cup 602 for holding the bottom of the bottle 114, as described herein. The cup 602 may be shaped according to the shape of the bottom of the bottle that the cup 602 holds. For example, if the bottom of the bottle 114 is circular (as shown), the cup 602 may be circular, and if the bottom of the bottle 114 is square, the cup 602 may be square. Any other shape of cup 602 is contemplated and is possible with the presently disclosed system. In some embodiments, the cup 602 may form a snug fit with the bottom of the bottle. In some embodiments, the cup 602 may be smooth to allow the bottle to rotate within the cup 602. Such an embodiment would allow a user to inspect the bottles 114 by rotating the bottles 114 without removing the bottles 114 from the bottle bin 100. In other embodiments, the cup 602 may include a friction fit surface to prevent the bottle 114 from rotating. The friction fit surface may also provide additional shock absorption and protection for the bottle 114. The friction fit surface may include a rubber pad, rubber washer, or the like. As shown, the bottom retaining station 402 may completely surround the bottom of the bottle 114 to inhibit the bottle from being pulled directly from the bottom retaining station 402. For example, the tops of the bottles 114 may be removed from the bottle top retaining table 404 prior to removing the bottles 114 from the bottle bin 100. Thus, the bottles 114 may be pulled axially from the bottom retainer table 402 at an angle.

Fig. 6 also shows the bottle bottom holding station 404 disassembled, according to some embodiments of the present invention. As described herein, the top of the bottle 114 may be secured within the aperture 406 of the bottle top retaining table 404. The aperture 406 may be formed in a tab 502 on the bottle top retaining station 404. In some embodiments, the top of the bottle 114 may be secured within the aperture 406 by folding the tab 502 around the top of the bottle 114. Once folded around the top of the bottle 114, the tab 502 may be attached (e.g., by adhesive) to the bottle top retaining station 404 to form a tamper evident structure. Once adhered to the bottle top holding station 404, the safety strip 408 may be exposed. The bottle 114 may then be secured within the bottle top holding station 404 and the bottle may only be removed by removing the security bar 408. As described above with reference to fig. 5A and 5B, in some embodiments, tab 502 can only be opened by removing security bar 408 and opening tab 502 to remove bottle 114 from aperture 406.

Fig. 7 illustrates an exemplary bottle bottom holding station 402 and bottle top holding station 404 in a safety configuration, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Fig. 7 shows the bottom of the bottle 114 secured within the cup 602 of the bottom holder 402. The figure also shows the top of the bottle 114 secured within the sealed bottle top retaining table 404. It can be seen that the tab 502 is sealed and the tab 502 cannot be released until the harness 408 is removed.

As described above, the bottom and top

bottle holding platforms

402, 404 shown in FIG. 7 may be incorporated into the

internal cavities

112, 122. The bottom and top bottle holding tables 402, 404 may be, for example, glued or affixed within the cavities 112,122 to form the tamper evident bottle box 100. It will be appreciated that the bottom and top bottle holding tables 402, 404 may also be modular components that may be placed in other situations. For example, the bottle-bottom holding station 402 and the bottle-top holding station 404 may be sold as separate items that are not attached to the case. The user may then incorporate the bottle bottom holding station 402 and the bottle top holding station 404 into any prefabricated box, such as a cardboard or wooden box, to form a tamper evident structure.

Fig. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the tamper-evident bottle bin 100 in a closed configuration, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the bottle box 100 at about the middle position of the bottle box 100. Thus, the figure does not show the bottom bottle holding station 402 and the top bottle holding station 404. The figure shows various other internal components for protecting the bottles 114,124 within the bottle cage 100. This figure shows the bottle bin 100 in a closed configuration in which the first container 102 has been hinged (or rotated) to abut the second container 104 at seam 302. The hinge 126 in this exemplary bottle bin 100 is flush with the side panels 108,118 of the bottle bin 100. In some embodiments, the hinge 126 may be flush with the side panels 108,118 by providing a hidden metal hinge. In some embodiments, the hinge 126 may be made flush by providing a strip of fabric, leather, or the like material. The exemplary bottle bin 100 shown in fig. 8 includes: a bottle holding support 410 disposed within the first container 102 and the second container 104. In the exemplary embodiment, a center insert 128, consistent with other embodiments, is also provided between the two

containers

102, 104.

Various materials for the components of the bottle bin 100 are described herein. Exemplary materials for the bottom panels 106,116 and side panels 108,118 may include, for example, wood, cardboard, medium density fiberboard, polymers, and the like. The paperboard described herein may be made from recycled fibers. The recycled fibers may include recycled wood, paper, and/or cardboard. It is also contemplated that the materials used for the bottle crate 100 may also utilize the original resources found at the bottling site. For example, wine bottle packagers may have excess biomass byproducts generated during the wine brewing process. The biomass byproduct may include grapevine, remaining grape seeds, and remaining grape skins. The spirit bottle merchant may have, for example, remaining barley, rye, sugar cane, or other fermentation byproducts. Thus, it is contemplated that the bottle box 100 may utilize this excess biomass. In some embodiments, the recycled cardboard may comprise waste from liquid manufacturing processes, including but not limited to grape vines, grape seeds, grape skins, barley, rye, and/or sugar cane.

In some embodiments, the bottle bin 100 can also include a biomass-plastic composite. Biomass-plastic composites are composites of natural biomass materials combined with thermoplastics to form a composite that benefits from the properties of both materials. The thermoplastic material creates a matrix or scaffold, and the matrix may be embedded with small particles of the biomass material. Unlike wooden boxes, composite materials have corrosion and moisture resistance. However, these materials can be formed by using ordinary woodworking techniques. The composite material provides the durability of plastic materials and the processability of natural fiber products, such as wood. Biomass-plastic composites are also highly sustainable because the materials used to make the composites can use waste products, i.e., recycled plastic and biomass waste from various industries.

Thermoplastics that may be used in the biomass-plastic composite may include polyesters, polyolefins, polystyrenes, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polyvinyl chlorides, polylactic acids, and/or the like. The thermoplastic used in the biomass-plastic composite may also include a combination of polymers. The biomass material may be a wood-based or cellulose-based product, such as wood flour. As mentioned above, other biomass materials may include, but are not limited to, pulp fiber, bamboo, or other natural materials, such as grapevine, grape seed, grape skin, barley, rye, or sugar cane. The biomass material used in the composite material may include a combination of natural materials.

The material properties of biomass composites are affected by the amount of biomass material in the composite and the particle size of the biomass material in the composite. The results have shown that the tensile and flexural strength of the composite increases with increasing particle size. For example, for particles ranging between 0.25-2.00mm, an increase in particle size corresponds to an increase in tensile and flexural strength. However, this characteristic also depends on the weight percentage of biomass within the composite. For example, composites with less than 20% by weight biomass do not show a relationship between strength increase and particle size increase. However, a composite with 40% biomass by weight does show this relationship. Thus, it is contemplated that the components of the flask 100 may comprise a biomass-plastic composite material containing 20% to 40% biomass material by weight. It is also envisaged that the biomass particles may be between 0.25 and 2.00mm in size.

Aspects of the present invention also provide the following:

a method of securing a bottle comprising:

providing a bottle box, wherein the bottle box comprises:

a first container, the first container comprising:

a first base plate;

a plurality of first side panels having first and second ends, the first ends of the side panels being connected to the first bottom panel, the second ends of the side panels forming a first container opening;

a first interior cavity between the first plurality of side panels and extending from the first bottom panel to the first container opening;

a first bottom holding station disposed within the first interior cavity; and

a first crown holding station disposed within the first interior cavity, the first crown holding station having a first safety bar;

a second container, the second container comprising:

a second base plate;

a second interior cavity disposed between the second plurality of side panels and extending from the second bottom panel to a second container opening; and

a hinge connected to one side panel of the first container and one side panel of the second container, the hinge connected adjacent the first container opening and the second container opening;

the method further comprises the following steps:

providing a first bottle having a first bottle bottom and a first bottle top;

inserting the first bottom into the first bottom holding station;

inserting the first crown into the first crown holding station; and

the first safety bar is secured on top of the first bottle.

Further, in the method of fixing a bottle, the second container further includes: a second bottom holding station disposed in the second interior cavity; and a second bottle top holding station disposed in the second interior cavity, the second bottle top holding station having a second safety strap; the method of securing a bottle may further comprise: providing a second bottle having a second bottle bottom and a second bottle top; inserting the second bottom into the second bottom holding station; inserting the second bottle top into the second bottle top holding station; and securing the second security strip atop a second bottle.

Further, the method of fixing a bottle may further include: closing the bottle box, wherein closing the bottle box comprises: the first and second container openings are adjacent to form a seam between the first and second container openings.

Further, the method of fixing a bottle may further include: a wrapper, preferably a tamper-evident tape, is provided over the seam between the first and second container openings.

Further, in the method of securing a bottle, the first lumen includes a first bottle holding support, and the second lumen includes a second bottle holding support, the method of securing a bottle may further include: inserting the first bottle into the first bottle holding support; and inserting the second bottle into a second bottle holding support.

Further, in the method of securing a bottle, the first and second bottle holding supports comprise a barrier material.

Further, in the method of securing a bottle, the first bottle top retaining station comprises a first tab configured to retain a first bottle top, wherein securing the first security bar around a first bottle bottom comprises: folding a first tab around the first crown to secure the first crown and expose the first security strip; the second bottle top retaining station comprises a second tab configured to retain a second bottle top, wherein securing the second security bar around a second bottle bottom comprises: folding a second tab around the second bottle top to secure the second bottle top and expose the second security bar.

Further, in the method of fixing a bottle, the first security strip is detachably attached to the first bottle top holding stage by a perforated or tamper-evident tape, and the second security strip is detachably attached to the second bottle top holding stage by a perforated or tamper-evident tape.

It is to be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein and the claims are not to be limited to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the description and illustrated in the drawings. Rather, the description and drawings provide examples of the embodiments contemplated. The embodiments and claims disclosed herein are capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting the claims.

It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception upon which this application and claims are based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes presented in the embodiments and claims of this application. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions.

Further, the purpose of the foregoing Abstract is to enable the patent office and the public generally, and especially those skilled in the art who are not familiar with patent and legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the present application. The abstract is neither intended to define the claims of the application nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the claims in any way. Rather, the scope of the application is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A tamper-evident bottle case, comprising:

a first container, comprising:

a first base plate;

a first bottom holding station disposed within the first interior cavity; and

a second container, comprising:

a second base plate;

2. The tamper-evident bottle case of claim 1, wherein: the second container further comprises:

a second bottom holding station disposed in the second interior cavity; and

a second bottle top holding station disposed in the second interior cavity, the second bottle top holding station having a second safety bar removably connected thereto.

3. The tamper-evident bottle case of claim 1, wherein: the hinge is configured to provide an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein in the open configuration the first container opening and the second container opening are separated; and in the closed configuration, the first container opening and the second container opening are adjacent at a seam.

4. A tamper-evident bottle case as in claim 3, wherein: the tamper-evident vial further comprises an envelope covering the seam when the vial is in the closed configuration.

5. The tamper-evident bottle case of claim 4, wherein: the envelope is an anti-unsealing adhesive tape.

6. The tamper-evident bottle case of claim 1, wherein: the first bottle top holding station is configured to hold a bottle when the first security bar is connected to the first bottle top holding station; and the first bottle-top holding station is configured to release a bottle when the first security bar is detached from the first bottle-top holding station.

7. The tamper-evident bottle case of claim 2, wherein:

the first bottle top holding station is configured to hold a first bottle when the first security bar is connected to the first bottle top holding station;

the first bottle-top holding station is configured to release the first bottle when the first security bar is detached from the first bottle-top holding station;

the second bottle top holding station is configured to hold a second bottle when the second security bar is connected to the second bottle top holding station;

the second bottle-top holding station is configured to release the second bottle when the second security bar is detached from the second bottle-top holding station.

8. The tamper-evident bottle case of claim 2, wherein:

the first security strip is removably attached to the first bottle top holding station by a perforation or tamper evident tape; and

the second security strip is removably attached to the second bottle top holding station by perforations or tamper evident tape.

9. The tamper-evident bottle case of claim 2, wherein: also included is a first bottle retaining support disposed in the first interior cavity, and a second bottle retaining support disposed in the second interior cavity.