EP0958182B1 - Container with a snap bottom - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a beverage can made of sheet metal, plastic or the like a bottom area drawn into the interior of the container, the diameter of which is significantly smaller than the diameter of the container and that of an annular, axially projecting annular area is surrounded by the inside of the container normally serves as a footprint for the container.

Containers of this type are widely used. Here are the container body and the Bottom mostly formed in one piece, while the lid is made separately and after filling the container to its tight and often pressure-resistant Closing serves. The cover part usually has an easy-to-use device to expose a pouring spout. It is still common, especially that Outer surface of the can body for labeling and decorative purposes provided.

Particularly in the case of containers which are intended for packaged goods packed under pressure, it is customary to provide a base section which is drawn in in the form of a dome and which is surrounded by the annular contact area, cf. in addition WO-A 83/02577 (metal box). It is also known to use the space under the floor created by the arched floor area for other purposes, for example for means for cooling the filling material, cf. in addition DE-A 93 15 683 (Fleischmann). A highly flexible elastic membrane that is glued to the bottom edge can be found in WO 96124539 (Kohorn). EP-A 417 436 (Schmalbach-Lubeca) shows a rim which is provided on the bottom of the dome and which projects inwards all the way round and which is called "frustoconical" there. The purpose of the floor geometry shown in this way is to achieve high internal pressure stability and to be able to use even thinner sheets below 0.28 mm. A bottom edge in a paper container also appears like a truncated cone, as is explained in US Pat. No. 4,181,219 (Marion) in FIGS . 2 and 4 there. The container described there is a cup. A "relatively loose" disc inserted into the floor holds a price between the normal floor and the additional floor in a space formed between them, cf. there column 2, lines 34 to 40 and column 3, lines 24 to 35. The edge for holding the pane is not continuous, but only holds the pane at certain circumferential sections, cf. Figures 1, 3 there and column 4, lines 11 to 26. The so-called "loose fit" allows easy removal, but prevents accidental falling out. Finally, in US-A 2,120,403 (Godfrey) the other end of a container is concerned, namely a three-part container, referred to its top, on which a label is to be affixed, which is also intended to hold a brochure, cf. there Figure 2 and page 2, left column, lines 14 to 23.

It is an object of the invention to develop a container of the type mentioned in the introduction so that its usability is improved, in particular for advertising and promotional purposes . This object is solved with claim 1 or 12 or 13.

The bottom of the container is shaped so that it is a disc-shaped bottom part gives a reliable hold when it snaps into its position of use is inserted under the retracted floor area. The bottom disk appears like the bottom of the beverage can, but can be made of plastic, metal or Cardboard or composite material.

The "false bottom part" (as a bottom plate) can be emptied after the container Remain in place, or easily with the help of a small handle, for example be removed.

It can be assumed that beverage cans close together in box-shaped or box-shaped supporting devices for the purpose of shipping or offering are arranged at sales stands. Customers' eyes fall on them Lid side of the container, essentially through the opening mechanism is characterized. The lid does not offer the manufacturer or distributor Possibility of labeling, decorations or other promotional purposes Attach equipment. For this, the peripheral side of the container body used, however, in the transport box or the box at a glance remains hidden or is only visible through windows in the box or box.

The invention allows the container with the lid down in the Pack transport boxes or boxes so that the bottom side is clear accessible upwards. This has the advantage that the Lid surface with opening device to prevent damage and contamination is better protected. Above all, however, can be in the training according to the invention now the exposed bottom in various ways for the purposes of Use labeling, decoration, equipment or promotion.

It is particularly advantageous that the additional bottom plate that appears as the bottom ("False bottom part") is a separately manufactured part, so that it consists of one for the For the intended purposes, particularly suitable material can be produced. Therefor metal, plastic, cardboard or composite materials of any kind are possible. On Another major advantage is that the separately manufactured false bottom part only after filling and closing the container in its use position can be brought to the retracted floor area by snap-like Insert into a groove surrounding the recessed floor area or behind one Bead or behind a recess that widens conically to the inside of the container of the floor. It is therefore no longer necessary, for a special event, to Example of the Olympics, a variety of containers with corresponding, on the "Event" indicative information on the peripheral surface of the container body to be prepared, although it is seldom possible to estimate with sufficient accuracy how many of these are Wise decorated or printed containers are actually needed.

According to the invention, uniformly manufactured containers can be used in the shortest possible time of one or the other kind of individualized floors. It is even without great effort possible, if necessary or need the "false bottom part" against new Exchange false base parts with other motifs or texts or decoration. The cans no longer have to be destroyed, only the floors with a possible Prohibited advertising needs to be exchanged.

Snap-in and take-out of the base plate can be essential be simplified, by applying significantly lower axial forces or without a bulging of the additional base plate produced with radial forces if the Edge area in a narrow ring strip is more flexible than the remaining one Remaining area (claim 6.15). This greater flexibility can be achieved in several ways e.g. by radial slitting or by providing spaced apart Teeth, the slots and teeth each having a depth that is about half the difference between the outer diameter of the inner wall - about the must be snapped over - and corresponds to the outer diameter of the disc. Usually the diameter of the inner wall is also approximately the diameter of the Upright ring, on which the can with the axially projecting outwards (below) Ring area can stand on a flat surface.

If tooth-shaped segments are used that can lie close together, then there is the possibility to put a thin thread or a loop around one of the teeth, so that by pulling on the thread loop a loosening of the base plate through Snap back can be facilitated.

If the width of the ring strip is slightly smaller than that previously specified Dimension selected, so no cuts or strip segments are visible from the outside they are covered by the radially slightly inwardly inclined ring area. There will be no teeth and no circumferentially distributed and radially directed incisions used, one variant consists in making the bottom pane thinner in the edge area to design in terms of material thickness, so that the higher elasticity or Flexibility is not visible from the outside, especially in the peripheral area.

For promotional purposes, it is also advantageous that the consumer uses the "false bottom part" can easily be extracted to collect different motifs and texts.

Another advantage is that the separate floors before insertion printed lighter and more decorative or in other ways with decorations and texts can be provided. Because of the flat shape of the disc, too complicated decorating and printing processes are used, even those that need multiple prints. Holographic printing processes are also suitable. These prints come on the flat or only slightly curved The false floor area also has a much better and clearer effect.

In addition, there is a significant simplification in the manufacture of the cans, achieved especially when printing, since it is now only necessary Manufacture standard containers or cans.

Finally, the disc-shaped bottom part can be removed from the Bottom after opening the container also for temporarily covering the Use the exposed pouring opening.

It can also be advantageous to design the false bottom part with two walls and approximately lenticular in cross section. This can be useful for reasons of stability. However, it is also possible to use the resulting cavity for other known purposes, for example for hygienically accommodating a CO ₂ or flavor-releasing tablet, which can be added to the contents of the container after opening the container.

The invention also proposes a method for marking or decorating (Equipping) a two-part beverage can, one to the inside of the container retracted bottom area of smaller diameter compared to the container and a surrounding this, away from the interior of the container in the axial direction projecting annular contact area. The disc-shaped bottom is produced separately and - preferably after filling and closing the Container - arranged under the floor area.

The base plate can snap into the ground with particularly little force, if the edge area is greatly increased in flexibility or in its stripe shape Stiffness is reduced compared to the remaining interior. A hang up of the Bottom disc on the ring area creates the prerequisite for that by a low pressure the high flexibility of the edge area to yield this Area leads and the disc is easily snapped into the ground in terms of production technology can be. It also makes it easier to remove the base plate when the Edge area has greater flexibility than the interior.

Figur 1

zeigt einen Ausschnitt eines Behälters gemäß einem Beispiel der Erfindung in einer die Behälterachse enthaltenden Schnittebene.

Figur 2, Figur 3

zeigen in gleicher Darstellung wie Figur 1 vergleichbare Behälter, die sich bezüglich der Konfiguration des Bodens unterscheiden.

Figur 4

veranschaulicht einen Behälter in der Ausführung nach Figur 3 mit einem in seine Gebrauchsstellung eingesetzten Scheinbodenteil.

Figur 5

zeigt in ähnlicher Darstellung wie Figur 4 eine abgewandelte Ausführungsform des Behälters gemäß der Erfindung.

Figur 6

veranschaulicht ein Scheinbodenteil vor dem Einsetzen in die Gebrauchsstellung in Seitenansicht.

Figur 7

zeigt eine abgewandelte Ausführungsform eines Scheinbodenteils in einer Schnittdarstellung, und zwar wiederum vor dem Einsetzen in die Gebrauchsstellung.

Figur 8a, Figur 8b

sind zwei Bodenscheiben (Scheinbodenteile 15), die in Aufsicht gezeigt, im umfänglichen Randbereich in einem Streifen eine höhere Elastizität oder Flexibilität haben.

Figur 9

veranschaulicht im Ausschnitt einen Schnitt des Boden-Randbereiches des Behälters, wie schon in Figur 4 gezeigt, nur mit einer Andeutung der Größe des stärker elastischen Randbereiches 15a der Bodenscheibe 15.

Figur 10

veranschaulicht das Ansetzen einer Fadenschlaufe 30 an einem der Zähne 15c im Ringstreifenbereich der Bodenscheibe 15.

Figur 11

veranschaulicht in dreidimensionaler Darstellung eine eingesetzte Bodenscheibe 15 am Boden des Behälters 1, bei der noch geringe Bereiche des zahnförmigen Ringstreifens am Rand der Bodenscheibe 15 innerhalb des Ringbereiches 2 zu ersehen sind.

The invention is explained and supplemented using schematic drawings of several execution examples .

Figure 1

shows a section of a container according to an example of the invention in a sectional plane containing the container axis.

Figure 2, Figure 3

show in the same representation as Figure 1 comparable containers that differ in the configuration of the bottom.

Figure 4

illustrates a container in the embodiment of Figure 3 with a false bottom part used in its use position.

Figure 5

shows in a similar representation as Figure 4 shows a modified embodiment of the container according to the invention.

Figure 6

illustrates a false bottom part before insertion into the use position in a side view.

Figure 7

shows a modified embodiment of a false bottom part in a sectional view, again before insertion into the use position.

Figure 8a, Figure 8b

are two floor panes (false floor parts 15), which are shown in supervision, have a higher elasticity or flexibility in a strip in the peripheral edge area.

Figure 9

illustrates in section a section of the bottom edge area of the container, as already shown in FIG. 4, only with an indication of the size of the more elastic edge area 15a of the bottom disk 15.

Figure 10

illustrates the attachment of a thread loop 30 to one of the teeth 15c in the ring strip area of the base plate 15.

Figure 11

illustrates a three-dimensional representation of an inserted base plate 15 on the bottom of the container 1, in which still small areas of the tooth-shaped ring strip can be seen on the edge of the base plate 15 within the ring area 2.

A common beverage can is in two parts and consists of one piece with the Bottom connected can body and a lid, not shown, the one generally known tear-open device for exposing a pouring opening. Such beverage cans are usually made of metal.

In the figures, the same can areas and the same parts are the same Reference numbers marked.

The beverage can 1 according to the figures has a cylindrical fuselage wall 1 a on the bottom in an axially projecting away from the container interior 10 Ring area 2 merges. Whose radially outer wall 4 is down Tapered in the shape of a truncated cone and ends in an annular contact surface 4a. The Ring area 2 is on the inside by one facing the container axis 9 Limited wall area 5, which in a drawn into the container interior 10, arched floor area 3 merges.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the drawn-in floor area 3 is covered to the outside by a false floor part 15. According to FIGS. 6 or 8a, 8b, this consists of a circular disk which can be made of metal, plastic, cardboard or composite material of any kind. The disc has a certain rigidity, so that it can be brought into its use position under the floor area according to FIG. 4 in a snap.

The certain stiffness is such a stiffness that either the entire disc has an elasticity that allows it to be slightly radially compressed in order to bring it over the ring region 2 of the base and snap it under it, i.e. to fix it in the axial direction, or to In a narrow, annular edge region, as is shown in FIGS . 8a, 8b , the pane has increased flexibility compared to the remaining inner region of the false bottom part (the bottom disk 15). The increased flexibility is achieved by an equidistant slitting in the radial direction, which allows circumferential, approximately rectangular segments to be created, which are mutually flexible in the axial direction and thus allow the disk 15 to be snapped behind the ring region 2 with little axial force or slight axial pressure , with the circumferentially oriented strip area giving way slightly and springing back just as easily for fixing. With the same effect, a toothed area of teeth and recesses 15c, 15b is shown in FIG. 8b , which leaves somewhat densely scattered segments on the circumference, which have greater flexibility than a completely circumferential, non-slotted and non-toothed area of the bottom disk 15. Another - Not graphically represented - variant is to reduce the thickness of the base plate in the annular edge area, for example to half or a third of the thickness of the inner area, so that this results in increased flexibility.

The stripe width in which the flexibility is greatly increased is indicated by "dd" in FIG. 9 and results in FIG. 8b from the difference between the outer diameter d2 and the inner diameter d1 of the base plate 15, half of which. The outer diameter d2 is adapted to the diameter 12 according to FIG. 2, which the inner wall 5 of the ring area 2 has. The inner diameter d1 is roughly adapted to the diameter 8 of FIG. 1, which corresponds to the inner diameter of the inner wall, which is smaller in the case of a conically inclined stand-up ring according to FIG. 3 than the diameter 12 of FIG. 2. Mostly the diameter of the stand-up ring 4a in correspond approximately to the diameter 8 of FIG. 1 .

For the snap-in insertion of the false bottom part 15, the Boundary wall 5 of the ring area 2 facing the container axis 9 also in be trained in a special way.

According to FIG. 1 , an annular groove 6, which is open to the container axis 9 and into which the edge 15a of the false bottom part 15 can snap in, is formed in the boundary wall 5. According to Figure 2 , the wall 5 has an annular bead or a rib 11, behind which the edge 15a of the false bottom part can snap.

According to FIG. 3 , the boundary wall 5 of the ring part 2 is of a slightly frustoconical shape, the inner diameter increasing in the direction of the interior 10 of the container, that is to say an acute angle to the axis 9 of the container, which is negative (counterclockwise).

The false bottom part 15 can, however, also with its peripheral edge 15a on the Container axis 9 facing wall 5 permanent and / or even sealing, for example be fixed with the help of an adhesive. However, a snap-like and is preferred thus also easily detachable attachment of the snap bottom part 15.

From Figures 1 and 2 it can be seen that the diameter 12 of the retracted bottom area is significantly smaller than the diameter of the container body 1a.

The false bottom part has a diameter 16 or d2, which is larger than that Inner diameter 8 of the annular contact surface 4a. The size ratio is so that depending on the material and the rigidity of the false bottom part secure fit is ensured in the snapped position while on the on the other hand, the curvature of the false bottom part is preferred in the use position is as low as possible.

The dimensional relationships can also be such that there is a clear curvature of the false bottom part towards the container interior 10 or away from it in direction 17, as can be seen in the false bottom part 15 according to FIG. 5 , the radius of curvature of the false bottom part being smaller than that of the retracted bottom region 3 is.

In order to facilitate the releasing of the false bottom part 15, this can be on a peripheral point with a handle 23, which is close to the Peripheral edge 15a ends.

For special purposes, the false bottom part can also be designed with two walls, as shown in FIG. 7 .

Even before insertion or as a result of the snap-in insertion into the bottom of the container, the two wall regions 19 and 20 can bulge away from one another, as is shown in FIG. 7 for the false bottom part 18. As previously described, the dummy bottom part is snap-fitted with its edge region 18a in the same way as the dummy bottom part 15, by being compressed in the main axial direction in order to be snapped into the edge region 2 of the bottom with the peripheral edge 18a.

The outwardly tight chamber 21 between the two wall parts 19 and 20 can to accommodate one after opening the container in its content additive to be introduced.

With a tooth-shaped or slotted ring edge region 15a, 15b, 15c according to FIGS. 8a, 8b , the removal of the “snapped-in base part” 15 can be facilitated by a thread loop 30 which is placed around at least one tooth, so that the thread 30 according to FIG Figure 10, the false floor 15 can be separated without the use of additional tools. Without a thread 30, a variant works in which one or two of the teeth have broken out or are missing. Here, a knife or a screwdriver can be used to reach under the base plate 15 in order to snap it out of the base.

FIG. 11 illustrates in a three-dimensional representation an additional base plate 15 fastened to the floor with a tooth-shaped ring edge configuration according to FIG. 8b. Slight remaining openings can be seen, which originate from the recesses 15b from FIG. 8b and are only narrow in nature. The more precisely the diameter d1 is matched to the inside diameter 8 of the ring area 2, the less the teeth can be seen in the edge area of the disk 15.

From the figures it can be seen that the false bottom part is a separately manufactured one Part is, the surface lying in the use position in a simple manner with can be decorated or treated by any printing or coating process. It can also be seen from the figures that the false bottom part advantageously introduced after filling and closing the container and even afterwards can be exchanged for a differently decorated base.

After attaching the false bottom part, the containers are in groups put together close to each other in the designated transport boxes or - Packed boxes, with the container with its lid side down be arranged so that the false bottom parts face up and therefore in Transport box or after opening in the box also for the quick Exposed view.

Claims (15)

1. Two-part drinks can (1), essentially made from sheet metal, having a base region (3) drawn in towards the container interior, the diameter (12) of which base region (3) being significantly smaller than the diameter (7) of the container (1) and being surrounded by an annular ring region (2) projecting axially away from the container interior (10), characterised by a separate disc (15) having an external diameter (16, d2) adapted to the internal diameter (8) of the ring region (2) in order to clamp the disc (15) in resiliently arched manner snap-like into the projecting ring region (2) and to fix it releasably thereto.
2. Container (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that an inner wall region (5) of the ring region (2) pointing to the container axis (9) is designed so that the disc-like base part (15) can be clamped snap-like in its use position in front of the base region (3).
3. Container (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the disc-like base part (15) consists of plastic, metal or a composite material.
4. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the disc-like base part (15) is designed as a support for information and/or promotional elements.
5. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that

   (a) the disc-like base part (15) in its use position is essentially flat, in particular slightly curved; or

   (b) the disc-like base part (15) in its use position is arched towards the container interior (10) or away from the latter, preferably having a radius of curvature deviating from the drawn-in base region (3).
6. Container according to one of the preceding claims, in which the edge region (15a, 15b, 15c) of the additional base disc (15) is designed to be considerably more flexible than the inner region, in particular in a ring strip (dd), the width of which corresponds approximately to half the difference between the diameter (8) of the inner wall region (5) and the external diameter (d2, 16) of the disc (15).
7. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the wall region (13) of the ring region (2) pointing towards the container axis (9) is designed to be essentially conical having internal diameter decreasing away from the container interior (10).
8. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the wall region (5) of the ring region (2) pointing towards the container axis (9) has an annular groove (6) receiving the edge (15a) of the clamping or gripping base part (15) or a corresponding inner bead (11).
9. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the edge of the base part (15) is held in sealing and/or permanent manner on the wall region (5) of the ring region (2) pointing towards the container axis (9).
10. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the disc-like base part is designed (Figure 7) as double wall part (18) of approximately lens-shaped cross-section.
11. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a handle, in particular a gripping flap, is provided near the edge of the disc-like base part to facilitate release of the base part from a position.
12. Process for furnishing, such as marking or decorating, a two-part drinks can, which has an integral body (1,2,3) shaped and ironed essentially from metal sheet having a base (2, 3) moulded-on in one piece, which

    (a) has a base region (3) drawn-in towards the container interior (10) of smaller diameter compared to the body (1) and

    an upright region (2)

    surrounding the latter

    away from the container interior

    essentially axially directed

    annularly circulating

    leading into a body wall of the body (1,2,3) without seam;

       characterised in that

    (b) a base disc (15) provided with a certain intrinsic stiffness is produced separately from the ironed body (1, 2, 3) and is furnished with a print or decoration;

    (c) the base disc (15) thus furnished is attached in resiliently arched manner over the drawn-in base region (3) of the base (2, 3) arched like a dome inwards.
13. Process for furnishing a two-part can with an ironed body part (1) and a drawn-in base region (3) in the one-piece base (2, 3) ofthe body part (1), in which a disc (15) provided with decoration and having a certain intrinsic stiffness is attached in resiliently arched manner over the base region (3) in the base (2, 3) of the one-piece body after filling and closing the can.
14. Process according to claim 12 or 13, characterised in that the base disc (15) as stiffer disc is pressed in resiliently arched and snap-like manner next to the base region.
15. Process according to claim 14, in which an outer edge region of the base disc (15) is pressed with slight axial pressure over an axially projecting and radially slightly drawn-in ring region (2) on the base, in order to be fixed snap-like behind the radially circulating, drawn-in edge region, for which purpose tabs or toothed regions are provided in the edge region of the base disc and are considerably more yielding than a central region of the base disc (15).

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