EP1516821B1

EP1516821B1 - Interdependent capacity container assembly

Info

Publication number: EP1516821B1
Application number: EP03021147A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Vittorio Pizzolotto
Original assignee: Pizzolotto SpA
Current assignee: Pizzolotto SpA
Priority date: 2003-09-22
Filing date: 2003-09-22
Publication date: 2006-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 2023-09-22
Also published as: DE60310718D1; ATE349381T1; EP1516821A1

Abstract

An assembly of containers connected to each other, comprising at least three containers (1, 2 and 3) each being designed to contain a different liquid, granular or powder material, and having a capacity that is related to the capacity of the remaining containers in the assembly, thereby making it possible to execute a predetermined number of specific operations or treatments involving the use of a dose of at least some of the materials contained in said containers. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to an assembly of containers having interdependent capacity one with respect to the other.
It has already been suggested - see EP 1 468 926 (European Patent Application no. 03008748.0 filed on April 4, 2003) relating to a multiple bottle container - to provide multiple containers for different liquids and/or granular materials or powders, particularly for materials in every-day domestic use, which are often difficult to handle and use and, above all, do not allow for an accurate dosage of a first material contained in one of them in relation to the dosage of a second or a third material contained in the remaining containers, and thus it often happens that a material in a first container runs out, while another material is still available in substantial amount in a second container. This obviously can result in waste of product and is an indication of poor efficiency.
FR-2 446 777-A discloses a container having a top handle and two chambers made of synthetic thermoplastics material for liquid plant protection products made of two components to be separately stored, wherein the capacity of the two chambers is a function of the proportion between the two components and delivery of liquid product from the smaller chamber is adjusted by the user in such a way that the level of the liquid in both chambers is always at the same height.
WO-02/074636-A discloses a multiple container comprising a main container and one or more auxiliary containers removably mounted on, or easily brokable away from, the main container so that the auxiliary containers can be used separately from the main container.
US-5 607 072 relates to a beverage container comprising a larger glass bottle (e.g. designed to contain dark coffee or chocolate) and a smaller glass bottle (e.g. designed to contain cream liqueur) which are separately formed and adhesively bonded together. For proper dosage of the beverage use is made of either a suitably sized glass which is filled up to a specified level with the first beverage, or suitable I indicator of the level in the bottles.
US-2003/0160018-A discloses a package comprising two interlocking bottles identical in configuration and joined together, e.g. by a single shrink-wrap label.
US-4 566 508 concerns the structure of a one-piece plastic cylindrical cap closure for a bottle-like container that is useful as a measuring cup per se.
US-4 889 255 discloses a dual-chambered can in which one of the chamber is so shaped as to delimit on its outer surface a seat for removably receiving a relatively short tool.
US-2001/0030191-A relates to a set of two or more interlocked, but separable, containers designed to store products to be used separately from one another. The containers may be provided with caps of different size for the user to select one cap for one container over the other simply by feel of the nipple, therefore not requiring the user to direct the eyes to the set in order to select the desired nipple.
The main aim of the present invention is to provide an assembly of containers suitable for eliminating the above-mentioned disadvantages with reference to multiple containers known in the state of the art.
Another aim of the present invention is to provide an assembly of containers with interdependent capacity suitable for enabling accurately measured packaging of several products designed to be used simultaneously in a number of operations such as washing or disinfecting, or the like.
A further aim of the present invention is to reduce the amount of plastics material required for packaging several different products usually products of wide consumption, which results in a reduced impact on the environment due to smaller amounts of plastics material to be recycled or destroyed.
These and other aims which will be better appear below are achieved by an integral assembly of at least three bottle containers as specified in claim 1.
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description set out below of the currently preferred embodiment of the invention, given as an example only and not limited to this, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective front elevation view of an assembly of three integral containers each having a different capacity but related to the capacity of the other two containers in the assembly;
Figure 2 is a side view from the left of the assembly of containers shown in Fig. 1;
Figure 3 shows a top view of the assembly of containers shown in Fig. 1;
Figure 4 shows a cross-section view taken along line IV - IV of Fig. 1;
Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross-section view taken along line V - V of Fig. 1, and
Figure 6 shows a longitudinal cross-section view taken along line VI - VI of Fig. 3.

With reference to the above listed Figures, it will be noted that an assembly of three bottle- shaped containers 1, 2 and 3 in accordance with the present invention constitutes a single integral unit and is preferably obtained by any suitable moulding or blowing method of a suitable plastics material, e. g. polyethylene, PET, polypropylene and the like. The capacity of one container or bottle 1, 2 and 3 is interdependent, i. e. depending upon the capacity of the other two bottles according to a predetermined specific dosage, as explained below.
Each container or bottle 1, 2 and 3 is designed to contain a different liquid, granular or powder material. The capacity of each container is such as to ensure supply of a predetermined number of doses from all the containers in the container assembly, the number of doses corresponding to the number of treatments requiring the use of material contained in more than one or in each container. Correct dosage of each product contained in its respective container 1, 2 and 3 can be determined by using a respective bottle cap 4, 5 and 6 as a dose measuring beaker.
A typical use of an assembly of containers 1, 2 and 3 integral with one another is that of containing products either in liquid or powder form for use in a washing machine, i. e. a detergent, a fabric softener and a bleaching product and/or a stain remover. Packages of one single product for washing machines are generally available on the market in separate plastics containers. Just before use, the user determines the amount of each product to be used for each washing operation in an empirical and rough way, which results in products being used in excess with respect to the optimum amount required most of the time or else the user finds himself unwary unprovided with, or short of, one or more washing products.
Typically, the user finds the following washing products on the Italian market:

3000 ml packages of detergent for washing machines, which is an amount usually required for 25 washings, the weight of the plastics container (bottle) being equal to about 140 g. The market price ranges from 6.80 to 7.20 €;
1750 ml packages of bleaching product, that is an amount sufficient for about 17.5 washings, the weight of the plastics bottle being about 95 g. The market price is about 2.30 €;
2000 ml packages of fabric softener which is an amount usually required for carrying out 20 washings with the weight of the bottle being about 105 g.

This means that the user-consumer has to purchase 6750 ml of products and 340 g of bottle weight (processed plastics material) and spends between 11.80 and 12.00 € for an unspecified number of washings that, in any case, depends on his/her ability to calculate or determine a suitable dose of each of the three purchased washing products.
An integral assembly of bottle containers in accordance with the present invention enables both the user and the supplier to know in advance the number of washings that can be carried out with an optimum amount or dose of each washing ingredient without waste and always with satisfactory results in so far as quality of the washing operations is concerned.
By way of example, the assembly of containers 1, 2 and 3 in accordance with the present invention has an overall capacity of 3500 ml (against 6750 ml currently available on the market), a weight of plastics material for the bottles ranging from 160 and 170 g (against 340 g currently available on the market) for a guaranteed 25 washings as against approximately 20 washings currently obtainable with washing products available on the market, and at a cost of about 6-7.00 € against 11.80-12.00 €. Saving on plastics material is around 50%, which also means less environmental pollution, lower production and lower transport costs due to much lower weight and, above all, smaller transport and stocking space required, and improved practicality and convenience of use.
The invention described above is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations within the scope as defined by the claims.
Thus, for example, bottles 1, 2 and 3 can be connected to one another by gluing or any other suitable constraining system.
The same bottles 1, 2 and 3 can be connected by means of suitable wrapping or bandage, e.g. with bandage material bearing information on the contents, instructions for use, etc. of the products contained in each bottle.
If desired, a handle or another suitable means for hand gripping can be provided for one or for each container 1, 2 and 3, such as for example a respective hole, 7, 8 and 9 (Figures 1, 4, 5 and 6) for easy handling of the whole assembly.

Claims

An assembly, of at least three bottle containers (1, 2 and 3) each bottle container being designed to contain a respective liquid, granular or powder washing product to be used with at least some washing products contained in the remaining bottle containers in the assembly, each bottle container being provided with a respective bottle cap (4, 5 and 6) acting as a dose measuring beaker suitable for providing a dose of its respective washing product, whereby the amount of washing product that can be contained in a bottle container differs from that in the remaining bottle containers and can be delivered in specific doses measurable by its cap, characterised in that the assembly is integral and each bottle container has a capacity that is related to the capacity of the remaining bottle containers in the assembly, such that the doses of washing product deliverable from all the bottle containers are predetermined in number.
An integral assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it has an overall capacity of 3500 ml and is made of plastics material with a weight ranging from 160 to 170 g.