EP1038785A2

EP1038785A2 - Plastic bottle, suitable for stacking after consumption of its content

Info

Publication number: EP1038785A2
Application number: EP00104900A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gianfranco Meloni
Original assignee: Meloni Vini Srl
Current assignee: MELONI VINI S.R.L
Priority date: 1999-03-10
Filing date: 2000-03-08
Publication date: 2000-09-27
Also published as: ITGE990028A1; IT1309461B1; EP1038785A3

Abstract

Plastic container, preferably a bottle, particularly suitable for the stacking after the consumption of its content, comprising a mouth end (101; 102; 103; 104), a bottom end (201; 202; 203; 204) and a continuous side wall (301; 302, 402; 303, 403; 304, 404, 504); once determinated a cross separating plane of the said container dividing the said container in two substantial portions (1a, 1b; 2a, 2b; 3a, 3b; 4a, 4b), the separation being complete or incomplete, at least one of the said portions comprises dilating means (311; 412; 413; 514) of its cross section, means for guiding (311; 412; 413, 313; 514) the insertion in the said portion of a corresponding second portion, and means of mutual restraint (311; 412, 502, 512, 602, 612; 413, 703, 713; 514, 604, 614) of the said portions of container.

Description

The present invention relates to the plastic containers, and more precisely to a plastic container, preferably a bottle, particularly suitable for the stacking after the consumptio of its content.
It is well known, especially in the packaging of beverages, the use of containers, that is to say mainly bottles, made of plastic materials. However, as years go by, the demand of a packaging system, combining the undoubtable qualities of the plastic materials and an higher respect for the environmental prerogatives, becomes much more urgent from various directions, either from the public opinion or from national and supernational institutions.
The materials presently used are already definitely suitable to almost complete recycling; however a number of problems persist about the organisation of such a recycling. An important difficulty is in providing a bottle which allows the storage by the user of a great quantity of empty containers in little space, and which is then easily transportable under this form. Particularly, the possibility of stacking a great number of bottles has been considered as advantageous.
A number of solutions are taken into account at the state of the art for the stacking of the bottles, but practically several of these solutions are ineffective and anyway affected by drawbacks that are not easy to be overcome. In fact, to allow the stacking of objects not having the same size, it is necessary that the section of the said objects is variable in dimension, either by tapering toward one of their ends, or by forming cuttings or foldings in the sense of their length. These solutions from one hand do not allow to keep unchanged the format of the container, namely a bottle, and from the other hand, in the case of cuttings or foldings, they introduce considerable operative complications for the user or the producer.
A task of the present invention is then a container for fluids, and preferably a bottle, being particularly suitable for the stacking after the consumption of its content, even maintaining a format generally comprised into the commercial standards, and also without requiring particular operations to the user in the recovery phase.
A subject of the present invention is therefore a plastic container, preferably a bottle, particularly suitable for the stacking after the consumption of its content, comprising a mouth end, a bottom end and a continuous side wall, characterised in that, once determinated a cross separating plane of the said container dividing the said container in two substantial portions, the separation being complete or incomplete, at least one of the said portions comprises dilating means of its cross section, means for guiding the insertion in the said portion of a corresponding second portion, and means of mutual restraint of the said portions of container.
In an embodiment, said dilating means of the cross section comprise a plurality of substantially longitudinal grooves or relieves, formed on the said continuous side wall.
The guiding means can comprise a plurality of substantially longitudinal grooves or relieves formed on the said continuous side wall, each groove or relief having sections geometrically similar the one to the other all along its length.
In another further embodiment, the said mutual restraint means comprise a plurality of substantially longitudinal grooves or relieves formed on the said continuous side wall, having depth or height increasing from the end toward the separation plane of the container.
Alternatively, the mutual restraint means can comprise a plurality of cavities formed on the continuous side wall angularly equidistant the one to the other, the said cavities are substantially disposed in an annular simmetry, so as to cooperate with one or more hollow elements disposed in an annular simmetry near the said cavities toward the end of the said portion.
Further advantages and features will become more appearent from the following description of some embodiments of the container according to the present invention, given by the way of non-limiting examples, and referring to the appended drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a side elevational view having parts in section of a first embodiment of the container according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross sectional view along the line II-II of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a side elevational view having parts in section of the two portions of the container of Figure 1, during the stacking;
Figure 4 shows the two portions of Figure 3 stacked one on another;
Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a second embodiment of the invention;
Figure 6 is a side elevational view having parts in section of two portions of the container of Figure 5, stacked one on another;
Figure 7 is a side elevational view of a third embodiment of the invention;
Figure 8 is a side elevational view of a fourth embodiment of the invention;
Figures from 9A to 9C show a method of stacking of the portions of the container according to the invention; and
Figures from 10A to 10C show another method of stacking of the portions of the container according to the invention.
A first embodiment of the container according to the present invention is shown in Figure 1; with the numeral 1 is designated a container, in the specific case a bottle. The bottle 1 has a body comprising a frusto-conical mouth end 101 in which is axially placed a neck 111 having a cap 121 on its opening, a bottom end 201, also frusto-conical, and a side wall 301, substantially cilindrycal. On the said side wall 301 are formed, having a V-shaped cross-section, the grooves 311, which have, as results in the figure, width and depth increasing from the ends of the bottle toward the center of the same. The line II-II determinates the cutting plane of the bottle 1.
Figure 2 is a top plane view of a portion of the bottle 1 formed by cutting along the plane II-II of the figure 1. The portion 1b, comprising the bottom end 201 has, such as the bottle 1 has at the beginning, the grooves 311 on the side wall 301.
In Figure 3 is shown the insertion of a portion of bottle comprising the mouth portion and designated as 1a, in another portion of bottle of the same kind; the same parts having the same numeral references. In Figure 4 are shown two portions 1a of the bottle 1 stacked one onto another.
In the opening phase of such an insertion, the shoulder 131 placed along the edge of the mouthe end 101 urges against the wall of the grooves 311, helping by this way their dilatation, and thus allowing the penetration of a portion 1a into another. Once the cap 121 of a portion has reached the fitting position against the base of the neck 111 of the other portion 1a, the grooves 311 spring back elastically to their original position, thus blocking together both the portions 1a of the bottle 1. The blocking is ensured by means of the variation of depth of the grooves, which locates the maximum elastic load toward the open end of the portion 1a. Advantageously, the grooves have at the same time ensured the sliding guide to the insertion shown in figure 3, owing to the fact that the V-shaped walls of the said grooves show a constant angular spread along their entire length. The insertion of a portion 1b in another portion 1b appears to be analogous, in view of the substantial simmetry of the grooves 311 with respect to the cutting plane II-II.
By this way, the stacking of a number of portions of bottles 1 is allowed, the user not having to perform complicate cutting operations, and the format of the bottle standing not excessively aside from the formats normally comprised into the commercial standards. Moreover, the grooves 311 give to the bottle 1 an increased vertical stiffness and make the exterior shape of the bottle more suitable to the grip by the user, and then more handy.
In figure 5 is shown a second embodiment of the bottle according to the present invention. The bottle 2 comprises a mouth end 102 provided with a axial neck 112 on which opening is located a cap 122, a bottom end 202, a frusto-conical side wall 302 extending from the mouth end until the medial plane of the bottle, which can be identified as the cutting plane V-V, and a cylindrical side wall 402, extending below the said medial plane, and showing at the said plane a belt of polyhedric cavities 502, angularly equidistant the one to the other, and a plurality of longitudinal grooves 412, substantially similar to those formed in the bottle 1 previously described. Between the cavities 502 and the wall 302 is formed an annular gorge 512. Similarly, between the mouth end 102 and the side wall 302 is formed an annular gorge 612, under which are disposed, angularly equidistant the one from the other, the polyhedric cavities 602. The cutting effected in respect to the plane V-V separates the bottle 2 in the two portions 2a and 2b.
In the Figure 6 are shown two portions 2a of the bottle 2 stacked one onto the other; the same parts correspond to the same numeral references.
Once effected the complete or partial cut in respect to the plane V-V, the two portions 2a and 2b act, at the stacking, in a different way one from the other. In fact, the portion 2b shows features very similar to those of the portion 1b of the bottle 1; even in this case the dilatation, which is possible owing to the presence of the grooves 412, and the blocking, allowed by the variation of depth of the same grooves from the end toward the center, both allow the correct stacking of the portions 2b.
On the contrary, the portions 2a show the frusto conical side wall 302 that does not need either particular dilatation or particular guiding means. A certain dilatation of the open end of the portion 2a is provided by the polyhedric cavities placed at the cutting plane V-V. At the stacking of the portions 2a, the mutual blocking is ensured by the cooperation between the gorge 512 of the inner portion 2a and the part of polyhedric cavity 502 of the outer portion 2a. In the same way the gorge 612 of the inner portion 2a and cavity 602 of the outer portion 2a cooperate the one with the other.
Also the bottle 2 achieves the scope of allowing the stacking of a great number of bottle portions with the minimum effort by the user and using extremely reduced spaces. Advantageously, the belt of polyhedric cavities 512 realizes a strong catching means for the handling of the user, which even resists to the pressure normally generated in the bottles of aerated beverages. This kind of bottle can be therefore used also with inner pressure greater than the atmospheric pressure, without its properties risulting modified.
In the Figure 7 is shown a third embodiment of the container according to the invention; the bottle 3 shows features very similar to those of the embodiments previously described. The said bottle 3 comprises a mouth end 103 axially provided with a neck 113 on which opening is placed a cap 123, a bottom end 203, a side wall 303 substantially frusto-conically shaped extending from the said mouth end 103 until the medial plane of the bottle, which can be identified with the element 603 of predeterminated tear.
Below of the said element is the side wall 403, extending until the bottom end 203, substantially cylindrical in shape. At the said medial plane is formed a belt of cavities 503 shaped as spheroidal vaults. On the side wall 303 are formed the grooves 313, the cross section of which is circle arc shaped, having width and depth increasing from the end of the bottle toward the center of the same. The grooves 413 formed on the side wall 403 of the bottle 3 have almost the same features as above. Between the end portion 103 and the side wall 303 is formed the gorge 713. Under the said gorge 713 are placed, angularly equidistant, the polyhedric cavities 703. The element of prederminated tear 603, provided with the lip 613, will have to separate the bottle 3 in the two portions 3a and 3b.
When the user has consumed all the content of the bottle 3, the first operation to be carried out in view of the stacking is the separation of the bottle in the portion 3a and 3b. This is obtained catching the lip 613 of the element 603 of predeterminated tear and tearing the same element. The thus obtained two portions can be the stacked with the similar portions deriving from the separation of bottles of the same kind. Also this bottle, like those described above, is provided with means for the dilatation of the open end of every portion, said means being identified as the grooves 413 for the portion 3b and the cavities 503 for the portion 3a; furthermore, means for the guiding of the insertion are provided, also these means can be identified as the grooves, respectively 413 and 313; the said grooves have the cross section shaped as a circle arc, having a curving radius constant along the whole length of the said grooves, so as to ensure the guiding in the more effective way. Finally, restraint means are shown, the said restraint being operated in the portion 3a by means of the cooperation between the gorge 713 and the cavities 703, and in the portion 3b owing to the variation of depth of the grooves from the end 203 toward the separation plane.
In Figure 8 is shown a fourth embodiment of the container according to the present invention. The bottle 4 comprises a mouth end 104, provided with an axial neck 114 on which opening is located a cap 124; a bottom end 204, and a composite side wall, consisting of a frusto-conical sector 304, extending directly below the mouth end 104, an hyperboloid sector 504, extending above and below the separation plane VIII-VIII of the portions 4a and 4b of the bottle 4, and a cylindrical sector 404, extending from the lower border of the sector 504 to the bottom end 204. The hyperboloid sector shows for its whole length the grooves 514 slooping in respect of the vertical axis of the bottle 4; the said grooves have a section substantially V-shaped, having width and depth increasing toward the center of the sector 504. Between the mouth end 104 and the sector 304 of the side wall is formed a gorge 614, under which are provided the polyhedric cavities 604, angularly equidistant.
Even in this case, after the separation of the bottle 4 operated with respect to the plane VIII-VIII, the portions 4a, 4b thus obtained can be grouped in their respective stacks in a way essentially similar to those of the embodiments previously described. In this latter case, the grooves 514 allow the dilatation of both the open ends of the two portions 4a and 4b; furthermore, the position of the said grooves ensures either the guiding or the mutual restraint of the portion thus stacked. By a very similar way to that described for the embodiments of the Figures 5 and 7, the restraint between the portions 4a is further ensured by the cooperation between the cavities 604 and the gorge 614.
The Figures from 9A to 9C show diagrammatically a method of stacking of a container according to the present invention. The bottle 1 is separated in two portions 1a and 1b in respect to the plane II-II, which is perpendicular to its longitudinal axis. The separation is carried out except for the limb 401, which keeps the two portions connected the one to the other (see Fig. 9B). The portions 1a and 1b are then stacked with the similar portions of bottles 1, so as to form two stacks coupled the one to the other.
Alternatively, as illustrated in the Figures from 10A to 10C, the bottle 1 can be separated in two portions 1a and 1b completely separated the one from the other, which may be indipendently stacked so as to form two separate stacks. The said stacks may be successively be connected in a single stack by the insertion of a bottle 1, not yet divided, between the two stacks of portion 1a and 1b, as shown in the Figure 10C.

Claims

Plastic container, preferably a bottle, particularly suitable for the stacking after the consumption of its content, comprising a mouth end (101; 102; 103; 104), a bottom end (201; 202; 203; 204) and a continuous side wall (301; 302, 402; 303, 403; 304, 404, 504), characterised in that, once determinated a cross separating plane of the said container dividing the said container in two substantial portions (1a, 1b; 2a, 2b; 3a, 3b; 4a, 4b), the separation being complete or incomplete, at least one of the said portions comprises dilating means (311; 412; 413; 514) of its cross section, means for guiding (311; 412; 413, 313; 514) the insertion in the said portion of a corresponding second portion, and means of mutual restraint (311; 412, 502, 512, 602, 612; 413, 703, 713; 514, 604, 614) of the said portions of container.
Container according to claim 1, in which said dilating means of the cross section comprise a plurality of substantially longitudinal grooves or relieves (311; 412; 413; 514), formed on the said continuous side wall.
Container according to claim 1, in which said guiding means comprise a plurality of substantially longitudinal grooves or relieves (311; 412; 413; 514) formed on the said continuous side wall, each groove or relief having sections geometrically similar the one to the other along its whole length.
Container according to claim 1, in which the said mutual restraint means comprise a plurality of substantially longitudinal grooves or relieves (311; 412; 413; 514) formed on the said continuous side wall, having depth or height increasing from the end toward the separation plane of the container.
Container according to claim 1, in which the mutual restraint means can comprise a plurality of cavities (502; 503, 703; 604) formed on the continuous side wall angularly equidistant the one to the other, the said cavities are substantially disposed in an annular symmetry, so as to cooperate with one or more hollow elements (512; 313, 713; 614) disposed in an annular symmetry near the said cavities (502; 503, 703; 604) toward the end of the said portion.
Container according to anyone of the preceding claims 1 to 5, in which the said container (1; 2; 3; 4) has on a considerable sector of its side wall (301; 402; 403; 504) a plurality of substantially longitudinal grooves, each groove or relief having sections geometrically similar the one to the other along its whole length, and having depth increasing from the end toward the separation plane of the container.
Container according to claim 6, in which the said grooves (311; 412; 514) have a cross section substantially V-shaped having constant spread.
Container according to claim 6, in which the said grooves (413) have the cross section shaped as a circle arc, having a constant radius of curvature.
Container according to anyone of the preceding claims from 6 to 8, in which the said considerable sector (504) of the side wall of the said container (4) is substantially formed as an hyperboloid, and located above and below the said separation plane of the container (49, the said grooves (514) being formed so as to have an helical development.
Container according to anyone of the preceding claims from 6 to 8, in which the said considerable sector (402; 403) of the side wall is located below the separation plane of the said container (2; 3), in the portion (2b; 3b) comprising the bottom end (202; 302) of the said container (2; 3), and is formed so as to have a cylindrical symmetry.
Container according to anyone of the preceding claims 6 to 8, in which the said considerable sector (301) of the side wall comprise substantially the whole side wall of the said container (1) and is formed so as to have a cylindrical symmetry.
Container according to anyone of the preceeding claims 6 to 10, in which the portion (2a; 3a; 4a) comprising the mouth end (102; 103; 104) has a considerable sector of the side wall (302; 303; 304) having frusto-conical simmetry, being tapered toward the said mouth end ((102; 103; 104).
Container according to claim 5 and to claim 12, in which the said cavities (502; 503) are disposed in annular simmetry by the separation plane of the said container (2; 3), the said hollow elements (512; 313), suitable for the cooperation with the said cavities, being located on the side wall (302; 303) immediately above the said cavities (502; 503).
Container according to the claim 13, in which the said hollow elements comprise a continuous annular gorge (512).
Container according to the claim 5 and to the claim 12, in which the said cavities (602; 703; 604) are located having annular simmetry immediately below the mouth end (102; 103; 104), the said hollow elements (612; 713; 614), suitable for the cooperation with the said cavities, being located on the side wall (302; 303; 304) immediately above the said cavities (602; 703; 604).
Container according to anyone of the preceeding claims, in which, by the said separation plane, the said container (3) is provided with an element of predeterminated tear (603) provided with catching means (613).
Method for the stacking of the plastic containers according to anyone of the preceeding claims from 1 to 16, comprising the steps of:

separation, complete or incomplete, of every container (1; 2; 3; 4) in two substantial portions (1a, 1b; 2a, 2b; 3a, 3b; 4a, 4b) in respect of a cross separation plane;

stacking of the portions (1a, 1b; 2a, 2b; 3a, 3b; 4a, 4b) of container which are similar one to another.
Method according to the claim 17, in which the said separation is incomplete, the two portions (1a, 1b) being connected together by a limb (401).
Method according to the claim 17, in which the said separation is complete, the stacks of the two portions (1a, 1b) being connected by means of the insertion into same of an intact container.