EP0511596A1 - Collapsible bottle - Google Patents

Abstract

In a foldable bottle, two lines of the outer surface located opposite one another are provided as folding lines. Each of these folding lines intersects a bead-type lower folding line, running round transversely to the folding line, at a point of intersection, and intersects a bead-type upper folding line, running round transversely to the folding line, at a point of intersection. Below the point of intersection, each folding line branches into two bead-type folding lines which are arranged in a V-shape and continue from the lower portion of the bottle down to the bottom surface. Above the point of intersection, each folding line branches into two bead-type folding lines which are arranged in a V-shape and extend in the upper portion of the bottle up to the top surface. When the outer surface is folded flat between the folding lines to form a two-ply layer, the upper portion an the lower portion can be folded flat simultaneously on the principle of a folding bottom, as with paper bags. Subsequently, the upper and lower portions can be folded over through 90 DEG and placed against the other bottle parts which have been folded flat.

Description

The invention relates to a foldable bottle according to the preamble of claim 1.

Known bottles of this type are made, for example, of plastic, possibly by blowing, and are used to hold liquid or granular substances. With the design as foldable bottles it is achieved that they can be folded flat when empty and therefore take up little space, whether in waste containers or during transport to a filling system for reuse or to a recycling or disposal point.

A foldable bottle of this type known from EP-A-0 408 929 has a substantially rectangular cross section above its base part. An indentation in the form of an inverted V is provided in the bottom part, the upper edge of which forms a folded edge running horizontally when the bottle is standing. The two ends of this horizontal folding edge meet with a folding edge which runs vertically when the bottle is standing and runs on opposite bottle walls, so that the empty bottle can be folded into an approximately flat configuration essentially along the three folding edges. The V-type indentation transversely transversely to the horizontal folding edge in rounded transitions into two narrow, strip-shaped shelves parallel to the horizontal folding line and further into two opposite bottle walls, which have no folding edges. This V-type indentation divides the bottom bottle section into two rooms that only communicate when the level of the bottle is higher than the top edge of the indentation.

A disadvantage of this bottle is that its stability is very poor, for the following reasons: Even when filled, this bottle does not have a flat bottom surface, but only the two parallel strip-shaped shelves, which merge into the vertical bottle walls; this reduces the stability. In an almost empty state, it is possible that the surface area is only in one of the two rooms of the lower section of the bottle, so that the bottle is very unstable. The V-shaped indentation also reduces the bottle volume, so that such a bottle must be taller than a bottle of the same content with a flat bottom, which also has a negative impact on stability.

Another disadvantage of this bottle is that in order to fold it completely flat, the material has to be bent in places by applying pressure, because there are not enough prefabricated folded edges.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of creating a bottle of the type mentioned which has a good stability when in use in its fully and partially filled state and can be brought into a flat shape by simple folding without additional pressure being exerted.

This object is achieved according to the invention in a bottle of the type mentioned at the outset by the features of the characterizing part of patent claim 1. Further refinements and preferred exemplary embodiments are defined by the characterizing parts of the dependent claims.

The new bottle is characterized by its good stability, both full and empty, since it has a large footprint, because at least the outer edge area of the bottom surface serves as a footprint. The bottom surface is flat or slightly curved upwards or inwards in its central zone, so that the new bottle is no higher than another bottle of the same content, which also contributes to its stability. It can also be easily folded into a flat shape, as a bottom bottle part encompassing the base area and a lower bottle part encircling the spout area, which are pre-fabricated and folded horizontally when the bottle is upright, can be bent by 90 °, so that they can be attached to the flat-folded and therefore stacked bottle walls come to lie.

Fig. 1

eine erste Ausführungsform der Flasche in einer Breitseiten-Ansicht;

Fig. 2

die in Fig. 1 dargestellte Flasche in einer Schmalseiten-Ansicht;

Fig. 3

die in den Fig. 1 und 2 dargestellte Flasche in einer Ansicht von oben;

Fig. 4

die in den Fig. 1 bis 3 dargestellte Flasche ausschnittweise in einem Schnitt längs der Linie 1 - 1 der Fig. 1;

Fig. 5

die in den Fig. 1 - 4 dargestellte Flasche ausschnittweise in einem Schnitt längs der Linie 2 - 2 der Fig. 2;

Fig. 6

die in den Fig. 1 - 5 dargestellte Flasche in einem Schaubild vor dem Zusammenfalten;

Fig. 7

die in den Fig. 1 - 6 dargestellte Flasche in einem Schaubild nach einem ersten Schritt des Zusammenfaltungsvorgangs;

Fig. 8

die in den Fig. 1 - 7 dargestellte Flasche in einem Schaubild nach dem vollständigen Zusammenfalten;

Fig. 9

eine zweite Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Flasche in einer ersten Seitenansicht;

Fig. 10

die in der Fig. 9 dargestellte Flasche in einer zweiten Seitenansicht senkrecht zur ersten Seitenansicht der Fig. 9;

Fig. 11

die in den Fig. 9 und 10 dargestellte Flasche in einer Ansicht von oben;

Fig. 12

die in den Fig. 9 bis 11 dargestellte Flasche in einer Ansicht von unten;

Fig. 13

die in den Fig. 9 - 12 dargestellte Flasche ausschnittweise in einem Schnitt längs der Linie 9 - 9 der Fig. 9;

Fig. 14

die in den Fig. 9 - 13 dargestellte Flasche ausschnittweise in einem Schnitt längs der Linie 10 - 10 der Fig. 10;

Fig. 15

eine dritte Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Flasche in einer Breitseiten-Ansicht;

Fig. 16

die in der Fig. 15 dargestellte Flasche in einer Schmalseiten-Ansicht;

Fig. 17

die in den Fig. 15 und 16 dargestellte Flasche in einer Ansicht von oben;

Fig. 18

die in den Fig. 15 - 17 dargestellte Flasche in einer Ansicht von unten;

Fig. 19

die in den Fig. 15 - 18 dargestellte Flasche ausschnittweise in einem Schnitt längs der Linie 15 - 15 der Fig. 15;

Fig. 20

die in den Fig. 15 - 19 dargestellte Flasche ausschnittweise in einem Schnitt längs der Linie 16 - 16 der Fig. 16;

Fig. 21

eine vierte Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Flasche in einer ersten Seitenansicht;

Fig. 22

die in der Fig. 21 dargestellte Flasche in einer zweiten Seitenansicht senkrecht zur ersten Seitenansicht der Fig. 21;

Fig. 23

die in den Fig. 21 und 22 dargestellte Flasche mit einer teilweisen Umhüllung in der gleichen Seitenansicht wie Fig. 22

Fig. 24

die in den Fig. 21 - 23 dargestellte Flasche in einer Ansicht von oben;

Fig. 25

die in den Fig. 21 bis 24 dargestellte Flasche in einem Schnitt längs der Linie 22 - 22 der Fig. 22;

Fig. 26

die in den Fig. 21 bis 25 dargestellte Flasche in einer Ansicht von unten; und

Fig.27

die in den Fig. 21 bis 26 dargestellte Flasche ausschnittweise in einem Schnitt längs der Linie 24 - 24 der Fig. 24.

Further details and advantages result from the following description and the drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the foldable bottle according to the invention are shown purely by way of example. It shows:

Fig. 1

a first embodiment of the bottle in a broadside view;

Fig. 2

the bottle shown in Figure 1 in a narrow side view.

Fig. 3

the bottle shown in Figures 1 and 2 in a view from above.

Fig. 4

the bottle shown in Figures 1 to 3 in sections in a section along the line 1-1 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5

the bottle shown in Figures 1 - 4 in sections in a section along the line 2 - 2 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6

the bottle shown in Figures 1-5 in a diagram before folding;

Fig. 7

the bottle shown in Figures 1-6 in a diagram after a first step of the folding process;

Fig. 8

the bottle shown in Figures 1-7 in a diagram after the complete folding;

Fig. 9

a second embodiment of the bottle according to the invention in a first side view;

Fig. 10

9 in a second side view perpendicular to the first side view of FIG. 9;

Fig. 11

the bottle shown in Figures 9 and 10 in a view from above.

Fig. 12

the bottle shown in Figures 9 to 11 in a view from below.

Fig. 13

the bottle shown in Figures 9-12 in sections in a section along the line 9-9 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 14

the bottle shown in Figures 9-13 in sections in a section along the line 10-10 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 15

a third embodiment of the bottle according to the invention in a broadside view;

Fig. 16

the bottle shown in Figure 15 in a narrow side view.

Fig. 17

the bottle shown in Figures 15 and 16 in a view from above.

Fig. 18

the bottle shown in Figures 15-17 in a view from below;

Fig. 19

the bottle shown in Figures 15-18 in sections in a section along the line 15-15 of Fig. 15 .;

Fig. 20

the bottle shown in Figures 15-19 in sections in a section along the line 16-16 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 21

a fourth embodiment of the bottle according to the invention in a first side view;

Fig. 22

21 in a second side view perpendicular to the first side view of FIG. 21;

Fig. 23

21 and 22 with a partial covering in the same side view as FIG. 22

Fig. 24

the bottle shown in Figures 21-23 in a view from above;

Fig. 25

the bottle shown in Figures 21 to 24 in a section along the line 22-22 of Fig. 22;

Fig. 26

the bottle shown in Figures 21 to 25 in a view from below. and

Fig. 27

the bottle shown in FIGS. 21 to 26 in sections in a section along the line 24-24 of FIG. 24.

According to FIGS. 1 to 8, the first embodiment of the foldable bottle has an essentially rectangular cross section with narrow sides that are curved slightly outwards. The bottle body 1 comprises an outer surface 2 which extends between a bottom surface 3 and an upper head surface 4 with a pouring part 5 arranged thereon. In its central zone, the bottom surface 3 is curved slightly into the inside of the bottle without the volume of the bottle being significantly reduced. The footprint, which is supported on a base when the bottle is standing, is formed by the edge area of the bottom surface. The pouring part 5 can be closed by a closure, not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, such as a screw closure. The outer surface 2 has bead-like fold lines 6 on the two narrow sides of the bottle, in the middle of these narrow sides and diametrically opposite one another, which run vertically or along outer surface lines and each between a fold line 7 that runs horizontally at a distance from the base surface 3 and one extend at a distance from the top surface 4 horizontally circumferential fold line 8. The fold lines 7 and 8 thus run across and cross the fold lines 6. From a lower crossing point 9 and an upper crossing point 10 close quasi in extension of the fold lines 6 but branching in a V-shape further folding lines 11 in the lower bottle section and further folding lines 12 in the upper bottle section on the folding lines 6. These fold lines 11 and 12 form an angle with the transverse or horizontal fold lines 8 and 9, which in the present exemplary embodiment is 45 °, but which can also assume other values.

The cross-section shown in detail in FIG. 4 through the lateral surface according to line 2-2 of FIG. 2 shows the shape of one of the fold lines 11, which is formed by a bead 13 which curves outwards in an arc shape. The wall thickness is somewhat reduced in the central area of the bead 13. The configuration of this fold line 11 is such that it tends to move outwards when the bottle is folded or folded flat. The fold lines 6 in the middle bottle section and the fold lines 12 in the upper bottle section are designed in the same way.

In contrast to fold lines 6, 11 and 12, transverse fold lines 7 and 8 tend to fold when the bottle is folded, i.e. when folding over the bottle sections delimited by them, to dodge inwards. In Fig. 4, the fold line 7 is shown on a larger scale in a cross section through the lateral surface along the line 1-1 of Fig. 1. The fold line 7 is formed by an inwardly curved bead 14. The wall thickness is somewhat reduced in the transition areas from the bead 14 to the adjoining outer surface.

7 and 8, due to the different design of the outward folding lines 6, 11 and 12 on the one hand and the inward folding lines 7 and 8 on the other hand, the bottle can be folded flat and an upper section 16 and a lower section 17 of the bottle 1 can be folded flat or folded over, according to the principle of a folding base, as is known from paper bags.

When the bottle is folded up, which must not be closed, pressure is exerted on the opposite halves of the bottle 1, which are free of fold lines, according to arrows 20 in FIG. 6. 7, the lower section 16 and the upper section 17 are folded flat. Subsequently, sections 16 and 17 can be folded over or folded over by 90 ° according to arrows 21 and 22 in FIG. 7 and thereby placed against the flat-folded outer surface. Depending on the elasticity of the bottle material used, it can be useful to close the folded bottle again so that it does not unfold itself.

A pouring part 5 has a groove 26 underneath a circumferential collar 25, into which holding means engage when the bottles are filled mechanically, in order to guide the bottles at the upper end, so that the foldable bottle does not collapse during the filling process.

In the manufacture of such bottles in the blow molding process, a central, transverse weld seam 27 is created in the head part and in the base part. In contrast to the previously known bottles, this weld seam does not impair the folding properties of the new bottle, which is a further advantage of the bottles according to the invention.

9 to 14 show another foldable bottle according to the invention. This bottle has an essentially round cross-section, but without being of central symmetry. Otherwise, in particular with regard to its foldability, it is practically the same as the bottle shown in Figs. 1 to 8 and described above.

The round bottle has a bottle body 101, a lateral surface 102, a flat bottom surface 103 and a top surface 104, to which a pouring part 105 is attached. A corrugated fold line 106 is provided on each of two diametrically opposed surface lines of the outer surface 106. A lower fold line 107 and an upper fold line 108 run transversely thereto; the lower fold line 107 defines a lower bottle section 117 and the upper fold line 108 defines an upper bottle section 116. Continuing each of the fold lines 106, the lower bottle section 117 has two pairs of V-shaped folding lines 111 starting from a lower crossing point 109 and the upper bottle section 118 has two pairs of V-shaped folding lines 112 starting from an upper crossing point 110. FIG. 13 shows a cross section of an inwardly curved bead 114, corresponding to the bead 14 of FIG. 4, as is formed for the fold lines 107 and 108. FIG. 14 shows a cross section of an outwardly curved bead 113, corresponding to the bead 13 of FIG. 5, as they are formed for the fold lines 106, 111 and 112.

The procedure for folding this round bottle is the same as for folding the rectangular bottle described first. When the closure is open, the bottle is first folded flat, and then the lower section 111 and the upper section 112 are folded over or folded over so that they abut the flat-folded outer surface.

15 to 20 show a further, similar bottle, in which the central section has a cross section which is referred to as rectangular-oval, which means that two opposite sides are formed by flat lateral surfaces 202a and the two other opposite sides are formed by cylindrical surfaces, for example circular cylindrical surfaces 202b.

The bottle has a bottom surface 203 with a footprint 203a and an arch 203b and a top surface 204 with a pouring part 205. Longitudinal fold lines 106 are arranged on the lateral surfaces 202b, furthermore on the lower section 217, i. H. below a crossing point 109, two pairs of V-shaped folding lines 211 and at the upper section 218, i. H. Above a crossing point 210, two pairs of fold lines 212 arranged in a V-shape are arranged. The lower section 217 is delimited by a transverse fold line 207 and the upper section 216 by a transverse fold line 208. With this bottle, the fold lines 207 and 208 are gem. 19 as inwardly curved beads 214 and fold lines 206, 211 and 212 according to FIG. 29 is formed as outwardly curved beads 213.

The folding of this bottle is done in a similar way to the folding of the bottles already described.

21 to 26 a further bottle is shown, the middle section according to. 24 to 26 has a so-called square-round cross section. This bottle has four slightly outwardly curved outer surfaces 302, a bottom surface 303 with a standing surface 303a and an arch 303b, and a top surface 304 with a threaded pouring part 305, which according to FIG. 22 and 23 is closed with a screw cap 305a. This bottle also has longitudinal fold lines 306 on opposite lateral surfaces 302, and also on the lower section 317, ie below a crossing point 309 arranged V-shaped folding lines 311 and at the upper section 316, ie above a crossing point 310 arranged V-shaped folding lines 312. The lower section 317 is delimited by a transverse folding line 307 and the upper section 316 by a transversely extending folding line 308 . All fold lines are arranged essentially the same and are configured identically, ie as beads, like those of the bottles already described.

According to FIG. 27, the bottle cross sections of the regions of the middle section adjoining the fold lines are smaller at least over part of the circumference, in the corner parts in the present example, than the bottle cross sections of the regions of the lower section 317 or of the upper section 316 adjoining the fold lines , so that there the upper section 316 and the lower section 317 protrude beyond the middle section. This shape is particularly suitable for attaching a label or sleeve 318 which does not have to be glued to the bottle and which, if it is made of a suitable material such as cardboard or hard plastic, can serve as protection and can take on a stiffening function given the bottle design.

Although this configuration option is described here with reference to the exemplary embodiment of the bottle shown in FIGS. 21 to 27, it can also be used in a corresponding manner for bottles with different cross sections.

Suitable materials for the new bottles are plastics such as polypropylene, polyethylene, PET and PVC, but also metals such as Aluminum and also composite materials.

Claims (8)

Foldable bottle with a closable pouring part, which maintains its shape when filling and removing the contents, with fold lines formed in the lateral surfaces of the bottle for the purpose of flattening the bottle when empty, characterized by an at least approximately flat floor surface (3, 103, 203, 303), of which at least the edge area forms the footprint, - By a head surface (4, 104, 204, 304) with a closable pouring part (5, 105, 205, 305); - an upper section (16, 116, 216, 316) delimited by fold lines (8, 108, 208, 308) running transversely to the generatrices, which contains the top surface with the pouring part; - a lower section (17, 117, 217, 317) delimited by fold lines (7, 107, 207, 307) and containing the bottom surface; - A lateral surface (2) in which two longitudinal folding lines (6) delimit two at least approximately identical parts from each other, which lateral surface (2) forms the central section that connects the upper section (16) and the lower section (17) and can be folded into a common plane by means of the folding lines (6); - Two V-shaped branching fold lines (11), which extend from the lower ends of the two fold lines (6) of the central section to the bottom surface (3) of the lower section (17); and - Two V-shaped branching fold lines (12), which extend from the upper ends of the two fold lines (6) of the middle section to the top surface (4) the upper section (16); - With the help of the folding lines (7, 8, 11, 12) the upper section (16) and the lower section (17) can be folded flat and folded into the common plane of the lateral surface (2) of the central section. Bottle according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the lateral surface (2) of the central section has a cross-sectional shape that is at least approximately rectangular, at least approximately circular, rectangular-oval or square-round, and that the lower section (17) is towards the bottom surface (3) and the upper section (16) tapering towards the head surface (4). Bottle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lateral surface (2, 102, 202, 302) at a distance from the bottom surface (3, 103, 203, 303) has a first folding line (7, 107, 207,) running parallel to it. 307) and at a distance from the top surface (4, 104, 204, 304) a second folding line (8, 108, 208, 308) running parallel to the first folding line (7, 107, 207, 307) for folding inwards and further on diametrically opposite Jacket lines of the bottle (1, 101, 201, 301) each have a fold line (6, 106, parallel to the bottle center axis and connecting the first fold line (7, 107, 207, 307) with the second fold line (8, 108, 208, 308) 206, 306), each of crossing points (9 & 10, 109 & 110, 209 & 210, 309 & 310) with the first fold line (7, 107, 207, 307) or with the second fold line (8, 108 , 208, 308) branching out in a V-shape and folding lines (11 & 12, 111 & 112, 211 & 212, 311 & 312) for folding outwards almost to r Floor surface (3, 103, 203, 303) or to the top surface (4, 104, 204, 304). Bottle according to claim 3, characterized in that the fold lines (6 & 11 & 12, 106 & 111 & 112, 206 & 211 & 212, 306 & 311 & 312) for folding outwards as beads (13, 113, 213) which are arched outwards , 313) are formed in the lateral surface (2, 102, 202, 302) and the fold lines (7 & 8, 107 & 108, 207 & 208, 307 & 308) for inward folding as inwardly curved beads (14, 114, 214, 314) are formed. Bottle according to claim 4, characterized in that the beads (13 & 14, 113 & 114, 213 & 214, 313 & 314) are symmetrical with respect to their longitudinal central surface and that they have a reduced area in the transition areas to the adjoining lateral surface or in the central area of the bead arch Have wall thickness. Bottle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer surface (2, 102, 202, 302) between the first circumferential fold line (7, 107, 207, 307) and the second circumferential fold line (8, 108, 208, 308) can be folded in two layers on top of one another, at the same time by folding inwards on the circumferential folding lines (7 & 8, 107 & 108, 207 & 208, 307 & 308) lateral surface parts of an upper section (16, 116, 216, 316) against the top surface (4, 104 , 204, 304) and lateral surface parts of a lower section (17, 117, 217, 317) come to rest against the bottom surface (3, 103, 203, 303), and that the two last-mentioned flat-folded sections are each at 90 ° to the two-layer flat folded outer surface (2, 102, 202, 302) are foldable to form a completely flat folded bottle. Bottle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a circumferential groove is formed on the pouring part (5, 105, 205, 305), which serves to hold and guide the bottle during filling in order to prevent the foldable bottle from collapsing. Bottle according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross section of the part of the upper section (16, 116, 216, 316) adjacent to the upper fold line (8, 108, 208, 308) and the cross section of the lower fold line (7, 107, 207, 307) adjacent part of the lower section (17, 117, 217, 317) protrude at least on part of the circumference of the cross sections of the adjacent parts of the central section, in order to form stops for a casing (18, 118, 218, 318).

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