EP0921077B1

EP0921077B1 - Container system including a detachable collar

Info

Publication number: EP0921077B1
Application number: EP98309830A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Maria Filomena Padron Miozzo
Original assignee: Natura Cosmeticos SA
Current assignee: Natura Cosmeticos SA
Priority date: 1997-12-04
Filing date: 1998-12-01
Publication date: 2002-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 2018-12-01
Also published as: BR9706231A; ES2175626T3; PE56599A1; EP0921077A1; DE69804574T2; DE69804574D1; PT921077E; AR017769A1

Description

The present invention relates to a container system including an auxiliary collar. In particular, the present invention relates to technical, and functional improvements, specially developed to be applied to different types of bottles, particularly those of the blown-molded plastic type which are used for cosmetic products.
As is common knowledge among those skilled in the art, there exist at present countless types of bottles used for packing several products, such as cosmetics, the design of which is the main concern about them, together with other construction details to render their manipulation easier, and to render their hold more secure.
At present the details are intimately linked to the plastic shape of the bottle, and, consequently, this detail becomes inseparable from the final product.
There are no doubts that the present known bottles may provide efficient holds. However, they become limited to the shape of the bottle, which makes them inseparable, or, in other words, the mold that shapes the bottle is only one, embodying the details of the hold and the bottle itself.
Under this manufacturing concept, it is impossible to vary the details of the hold without interfering in the details of the bottle construction.
Facing such circumstances, and with the purpose of surpassing them, an auxiliary handling collar for containers was created.
DE-U-78 36 800 discloses a container system in accordance with the preamble of Claim 1 comprising a container, a removable cap for attachment to the end of an open neck of the container, and a detachable annular collar, wherein the system is so configured that the collar is capable of being held in position on the neck of the container by means of the cap.
GB 2 068 886 discloses a container system including a container having an upper, threaded end neck portion and a region disposed between the neck portion and the container on which a gripping ring may be retained in a predetermined position, the region of the neck being provided with projecting means against or between which the gripping ring is secured.
The present invention provides a container system comprising a container, a removable cap and a detachable annular collar, the container having a body, a neck provided with an upper neck portion adapted to receive the cap and a region between said upper neck portion and the container body adapted to receive the collar, said region having means for seating the annular collar thereon, characterized in that said region and the collar have complementary locking means enabling the collar to be locked non-rotatably between the cap and the container body.
In a preferred container system, the collar may be of the type to be used on different conventional bottles particularly those of the blown-molded plastic type, the body of which may present varying shapes, and shall include an upper cylindrical bottleneck with variable means in the form of threaded or snap-on settings, adequate for the coupling of a cap of any type and with or without other complements, the region between said bottleneck and the bottle itself being provided with means for the setting and locking of a superadded part or collar, usually in the shape of a plate of reduced thickness, and presenting any external or perimetral configuration which, in its turn, is provided with centered means of setting compatible with those of the bottle, and which contribute to allow said superadded part or collar to be securely locked between the cap and the corresponding portion of the bottle.
The container neck may include an indented section for receiving the collar thereon, and the cap may be sized so that it partially or fully overlaps the collar, so as to retain the same in position on the neck of the container.
The neck of the container is provided with a first, outer neck portion, optionally provided with threads, snap-on fittings or the like for securing the cap thereon, and a second, inner neck portion provided with seating and locking means, on which the collar is mounted. The second neck portion may have a larger cross-section than the first neck portion. The first and second neck portions may each include horizontal annular lips upon which the cap and collar may rest, respectively.
The opposing surfaces of the collar and second neck portion may be circular in cross-section, and the second neck portion may be provided with specific locking means adapted to engage corresponding locking means on the collar, so as to prevent rotation of the collar, when in position on the neck. The former locking means may be provided on a horizontal annular lip of the second neck portion, if present. In a further embodiment, the opposing surfaces of the collar and second neck portion may be of a non-circular cross-section that prevents rotation of the collar, when in position on the neck, obviating the need for specific locking means.
The collar may comprise an inner annular portion configured to sit upon the neck of the container, and a shaped outer portion. The latter may extend outwardly (i.e. at 90° to the container axis) or outwardly and downwardly, to act as an auxiliary handguard for assisting in the handling of the container. Alternatively, it may follow the profile of the container and may merely act as a decorative element.
Secondary collar means may also be provided, and the container may be configured so that such means may be disposed between the cap and the annular collar. The container system may also comprise a plurality of interchangeable annular collars.
The general features of the auxiliary handling collar for containers consist of a superadded device, presenting construction details in its central region, to be coupled, preferably by a mere snap-on motion, to the base of the bottleneck, where its locking is completed by the cap.
Therefore, one objective of present invention is basically to configure an independent part, to be coupled to the bottle, which in its turn presents construction details for this purpose.
A second objective of present invention is to attribute more than one function to said collar, depending, obviously, on its external or perimetral shape, which, in view of belonging to an independent part, may vary radically, to enrich the external and functional aspect of the bottle, i.e., maintaining the same snap-on central system, the collar may present external and perimetral shapes, with the purpose of acting as an auxiliary holding instrument, as a hand-guard and at the same time to serve as a decorative complement for the bottle, in which case its perimetral form may vary radically, including the imitation or simulation of known or unknown shapes.
With this range of resources, the same bottle, without being altered, may receive different collars, and thus the same bottle may be differently customized through the simple change of collars.
For a better understanding of the present invention, a detailed description of one embodiment of the present invention is presented below, by way of example only, with reference to the enclosed drawings, where:
Figure 1 represents an exploded view from an upper angle perspective, showing a bottle, partially, and a collar.
Figure 2 shows another perspective, from a lower angle, detailing other features of the bottle and collar.
Figures 3 to 6 illustrate side views of the bottle with collar attached, exemplifying how its external shape may vary radically.
According to these illustrations and their details, more particularly with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, this auxiliary holding collar for containers is of a type to be used with different conventional bottles (1), particularly those of the blown-molded plastic type, the body of which may present varying shapes and should include an upper cylindrical bottleneck (2) with different devices (3), such as threaded or snap-on devices, adequate for the coupling of a cap (4) and with or without other complements, but, independently of such aspects, the present invention is characterized by the fact of the region between said bottleneck (2) and the bottle in itself (1) presenting means (6) for seating and locking a superadded device in the form of a collar(7), usually in the shape of a plate of reduced thickness and with any external or perimetral configuration, which in its turn also presents centered means of seating (8) compatible with those (6) of the bottle (1), contributing to said superadded part being firmly locked between the cap (4) and the corresponding portion of the bottle (1).
The means for the seating and locking (6) of the bottle (1) are defined by circular sectors of different diameters, configuring a portion of horizontal seating (9) that constitutes the base of a cylindrical section (10) which, besides being positioned below the bottleneck (2), also presents at least one radial projection (11) in the shape of a parallelepipedic tooth which extends over the seating portion (9).
The means for seating (8) of the collar (7) are initially defined by a first horizontal and flat portion (12) provided in its central portion with an opening (13) with one or more radial slits (14), with all these details (12-13-14) contributing for fitness of the seating of the collar (7) upon the horizontal seating portion (9), where the locking is completed by the setting of the radial projections (11) into the slits (14).
The means for seating (6) and (8) between the bottle (1) and the collar (7) may present a geometry other than circular, such as elliptical or other, in which case specific locking means (11-14) can be dispensed with, since said collar (7) will be incapable of rotating.
In the collar (7), the perimetral portions (15) which overstep the central flat sector (12) may present varying shapes and angles, as shown in Figures 3 to 6, where one can see that said perimetral portions (15) may be designed to fit upon or to remain isolated from the corresponding portions of the bottle (1). In any of these cases, different effects may be obtained, but one of them, however, is permanent, i.e. the collar acts as a true hand-guard, helping very much the handling of the bottle and keeping it from slipping from the hand of the user.
The other effects, obviously, are directed to the decorative aspects of the set, because, although the collar has a specific function, its shape may also contribute to a final different design for the bottle, with an important advantage: the same bottle, without any changes, may receive different collars, and thus the final shape of the set is equally variable, using the same bottle.
With the above resources, different customizations may be obtained with the same bottle by just interchanging the collar (7).

Claims

A container system comprising a container, a removable cap (4) and a detachable annular collar (7), the container having a body (1), neck (2) provided with an upper neck portion adapted to receive the cap and a region between said upper neck portion and the container body adapted to receive the collar, said region having means for seating (9, 10) the annular collar thereon, characterized in that said region and the collar have complementary locking means (11) enabling the collar to be locked non-rotatably between the cap and the container body.
A container system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said region has a larger cross-section than said upper neck portion.
A container system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the annular collar is coupled by a snap-on motion to said region.
A container system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising secondary collar means disposed between the cap and the collar.
A container system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the opposing surfaces of the collar and said region are circular in cross-section, and said region is provided with specific locking means (11) adapted to engage corresponding locking means on the collar (14), so as to prevent rotation of the collar, when in position on the neck.
A container system as claimed in claim 5, the seating and locking means of the container being defined by circular sectors of varying diameters, there being configured a portion of horizontal seating which constitutes the base of a cylindrical sector and which, besides being situated below the upper neck portion also presents at least one radial projection (11) in the shape of a parallelepipedic tooth which extends over the seating portion (9).
A container system as claimed in claim 6, the seating means of the collar being initially defined by a first horizontal and flat portion (12) provided in its central portion with an opening (13) with one or more radial slits, with all these details contributing for fitness of the seating of the collar upon the horizontal seating portion of the container, where the locking is completed by the setting of the radial projections into the slits.
A container system as claimed in claim 7, wherein, in the collar, the perimetral parts which overstep the central flat portion of the collar present varying shapes and angles.
A container system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the opposing surfaces of the collar and said region are of a non-circular cross-section that prevents rotation of the collar, when in position on the neck.