EP3056445A1

EP3056445A1 - Handle-equipped container

Info

Publication number: EP3056445A1
Application number: EP14853030.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Makoto Sunohara
Original assignee: Nissei ASB Machine Co Ltd
Current assignee: Nissei ASB Machine Co Ltd
Priority date: 2013-10-07
Filing date: 2014-10-07
Publication date: 2016-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 2034-10-07
Also published as: JP6180537B2; EP3056445B1; JPWO2015053257A1; MX370830B; MX2016004414A; CN105593129A; WO2015053257A1; CN105593129B; EP3056445A4

Abstract

A container body 10 has a recess section 17 inwardly recessed in apart of a trunk section 13 in the circumferential direction thereof and provided in a boundary section between a shoulder section 14 and the trunk section 13. A handle member 20 is fixed to a steeply inclined wall surface 18 defining the recess section 17. The handle member 20 is composed of a mounting portion 21 including a mounting plate 23 provided along the steeply inclined wall surface 18, and a handle portion 22 protruding arcuately along the circumferential direction of the container body 10 and located on one surface side of the mounting plate 23.

Description

[Technical Field]

This invention relates to a handle-equipped container and, more particularly, to a large-sized handle-equipped container comprising a resin material and having a volume of 10 liters or more.

[Background Art]

Large containers having a volume of the order of 5 gallons (about 20 liters) have been adopted worldwide, for example, as refillable bottles for mineral water. Such a large container is generally formed from a resin material and, if empty, it is lightweight, and thus it is relatively easy to carry. However, if filled with mineral water, the container has a considerable weight and is burdensome to carry. Moreover, when the container is to be placed in a water server, for example, the container needs to be lifted and then further inverted so that its opening faces downward. Its handling thus takes much effort.
For facilitation of the transportation and handling of such large containers, some containers are configured to have a handle on an outer peripheral part of a container body (plastic bottle), the handle extending along the axial direction (vertical direction) of a trunk section of the container (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[Prior Art Documents]

[Patent Documents]

[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2006-198863

[Summary of the Invention]

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

By providing a handle as described in Patent Document 1, the handleability of a container is greatly improved. The handle provided along the axial direction (vertical direction) of the trunk section of the container, however, renders the transportation of the container per se considerably easy, but in making a specific motion such as inversion of the container, the handle poses the problem of presenting difficulty in handling the container.
The present invention has been accomplished in light of the above-mentioned circumstances. It is an object of this invention to provide a handle-equipped container capable of improving the handleability of a container.

[Means for solving the problems]

A first aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems lies in a handle-equipped container comprising: a container body including an opening neck section, a cylindrical trunk section, and a shoulder section connecting the neck section and the trunk section; and a handle member fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the container body, wherein the container body has a recess section inwardly recessed in a part of the trunk section in a circumferential direction thereof and provided in a boundary section between the shoulder section and the trunk section; the handle member is fixed to a wall surface portion defining the recess section; and the handle member is composed of a mounting portion including a mounting plate provided along the wall surface portion, and a handle portion protruding arcuately along a circumferential direction of the container body and located on one surface side of the mounting plate.
According to the above first aspect, the mounting portion includes the mounting plate. Even when the handle portion is provided along the circumferential direction of the container body, therefore, sufficient mounting strength of the handle member relative to the container body can be secured. As a result, the manageability of the container is improved.
A second aspect of the present invention lies in the handle-equipped container according to the first aspect, wherein the mounting portion includes a pair of engagement portions provided integrally on another surface side of the mounting plate and engaged with and held by the container body.
According to such a second aspect, the mounting strength of the handle member with respect to the container body is further improved.
A third aspect of the present invention lies in the handle-equipped container according to the first or second aspect, wherein the wall surface portion inclines so as to face obliquely upwardly when the container body is in a placed state with the neck section being directed upward, and the handle portion is provided to protrude in a direction nearly perpendicular to the surface of the wall surface portion.
According to such a third aspect, the manageability of the container is further improved.

[Effects of the Invention]

According to the present invention described above, the manageability of the container can be improved by arranging the handle portion along the circumferential direction of the container body. This is particularly effective in a relatively large container for use, for example, as a refillable bottle for mineral water.

[Brief Description of the Drawings]

[Fig. 1] is a front view of a handle-equipped container according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 2] is a rear view of the handle-equipped container according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 3] is a side view of the handle-equipped container according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 4] is a plan view of the handle-equipped container according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 5] is a bottom view of the handle-equipped container according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in Figs. 1 to 5, a handle-equipped container 1 according to the present embodiment is to be used as a refillable bottle for mineral water which has a volume of the order of 5 gallons (about 20 liters). This container 1 is composed of a container body 10 and a handle member 20.
The container body 10 is formed from a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin, and is composed of a neck section 12 having an opening 11 at the upper end, a cylindrical trunk section 13, a shoulder section 14 connecting the neck section 12 and the trunk section 13 and gradually increasing in inner diameter from the side of the neck section 12 onward, a bottom section 15 sealing one end of the trunk section 13, and a heel section 16 connecting the trunk section 13 and the bottom section 15. In a boundary section between the shoulder section 14 and the trunk section 13, a recess section 17 is formed by cutting out a part of the container body 10 in its circumferential direction. The recess section 17 has a stepped structure which is convex toward the central axis of the container in a side view of the container 1, as shown in Fig. 3. Concretely, the recess section 17 comprises a steeply inclined wall surface 18, which extends downwardly from the shoulder section 14 and which is to be mounted with the handle member 20, and a gently inclined wall surface 19 which extends diametrically from the steeply inclined wall surface 18 and connects with the trunk section 13.
The handle member 20 is mounted on the steeply inclined wall surface 18 defining the recess section 17. By so disposing the handle member 20 in the recess section 17, it becomes possible to arrange the handle member 20 near the central axis of the container body 10. The steeply inclined wall surface 18 inclines so as to face obliquely upwardly when the container body 10 is in a placed state, with the neck section 12 directed upward. That is, the steeply inclined wall surface 18 is provided at a predetermined inclination angle θ1 with respect to the bottom surface of the container body 10 (see Fig. 3). Moreover, the steeply inclined wall surface 18 is a curved surface concave on the central side of the container body 10 (see Fig. 4). That is, the steeply inclined wall surface 18, in a plan view of the container 1, is of a curved surface structure which has a greater curvature than that of the trunk section 13 and whose central part is convex toward the diametrical exterior of the container body 10.
The length L1 of the shoulder section 14 on the side where the handle member 20 is provided is set to be equal to or larger than 1/3 of the length L2 of the shoulder section 14 on the side where the recess section 17 is absent, with the stability of the container when placed on a water server being taken into consideration. If the handle member 20 is provided below the middle height of the trunk section 13, an operator needs to lean forward in order to grasp the handle member 20. Thus, the vertical length of the steeply inclined wall surface 18 to which the handle member 20 is assembled is set at avalue equal to or less than 1/3, preferably equal to or less than 1/4, of the total height of the trunk section 13.
The handle member 20 is composed of a mounting portion 21 to be mounted on the container body 10, and a handle portion 22 which is a portion to be actually gripped by the operator. The mounting portion 21 is equipped with a mounting plate 23 provided along the steeply inclined wall surface 18. The mounting plate 23 is integrally provided with a pair of engagement portions (not shown) provided so as to protrude toward the container body 10 and engaged with and held by the container body 10. That is, the paired engagement portions are provided on the mounting plate 23 so as to protrude in the direction of the center of the container, on a side opposite to the handle portion 22 near the junction of the handle portion 22 and the container body 10, in a plan view of the container 1.
The handle portion 22 is provided to protrude arcuately on a surface of the mounting plate 23 on aside opposite to the container body 10. That is, the handle portion 22 is coupled at both ends to the mounting plate 23, with a predetermined gap being secured between the handle portion 22 and the mounting plate 23. In the present embodiment, the handle portion 22 is provided to protrude in a direction nearly perpendicular to the surface of the mounting plate 23. The gap region (through-hole) between the handle portion 22 and the mounting plate 23 is formed in a horizontally long, nearly elliptical shape so that the hand of the operator easily enters there. The handle portion 22 and the mounting portion 21 including the mounting plate 23 are formed by integral molding.
The weight of the container (5-gallon size) full of potable water or the like reaches about 20 kg at the greatest. Thus, the site of assembly of the handle member 20 to the container side is placed under a very heavy load. If the handle member 20 is easily deformable, therefore, there is a possibility that the container body 10 will be detached from the site of engagement, or that the handle portion 22 will snap off at the base of the mounting plate 23. In an attempt to enhance the rigidity of the handle member 20 for precluding such a possibility, the present invention provides a first convex rib 22a on the outer peripheral surface of the handle portion 22, and second convex ribs 22b on the inner and outer surfaces near the base of the handle portion 22. A horizontal cross section of the mounting plate 23 is in the shape of a curved surface whose central part is convex toward the handle portion 22.
The above-mentioned handle member 20 is integrated with the container body 10 when a preform is blow molded to form the container body 10. That is, during blow molding, the engaging portion (not shown) constituting the mounting portion 21, and the mounting plate 23 are engaged with and held by the steeply inclined wall surface 18 of the container body 10, whereby the handle member 20 is integrated with the container body 10. Since the mounting plate 23 is in the above-mentioned curved surface shape when the container body 10 is formed by blow molding, the draw ratio of the preform is nearly uniform at the center and opposite ends of the mounting plate 23. In comparison with a case where the mounting plate 23 is a mere flat plate, therefore, a sufficient wall thickness can be secured in a part of the container body 10 corresponding to the mounting portion 21. Consequently, the handle member 20 can be attached firmly to the container body 10.
The method of molding the container body 10 is not limited, but the preferred molding method is, for example, a two-blow method as disclosed in a prior application by the present applicant ( JP-A-2011-037139 ) . Concretely, suchatwo-blowmethodcomprises initially forming a primarybottle, which has a depression of nearly the same size and same shape as those of the recess section 17, by a primary blow mold, and then assembling the handle member 20 to the depression within a secondary blow mold. By this method, a preferred wall thickness distribution can be provided throughout the container body 10, and heat resistance is also improved compared with a one-blow method.
With the features of the present embodiment, as described above, the mounting portion 21 of the handle member 20 includes the mounting plate 23. Even when the handle portion 22 is provided along the circumferential direction of the container body 10, therefore, sufficient mounting strength of the handle member 20 can be secured relative to the container body 10. When the operator grips the handle portion 22 to lift the container 1, for example, the force on the mounting portion 21 is dispersed by the mounting plate 23, and the problem of the handle member 20 being detached from the container body 10 can be inhibited from occurring.
By disposing the handle portion 22 along the circumferential direction of the container body 10, moreover, the manageability of the container 1 can be improved. This is particularly effective, for example, in a relatively large container for use as a refillable bottle for mineral water or the like.
In the present embodiment, moreover, the mounting portion 21 includes the pair of engagement portions which is integrally provided on the other surface side (container body 10) of the mounting plate 23 and engaged with and held by the container body. Thus, the mounting strength of the handle member 20 relative to the container body 10 can be improved further.
Furthermore, the steeply inclined wall surface 18 of the container body 10 is provided to be inclined at the predetermined angle θ1 with respect to the bottom surface of the container body 10 (see Fig. 3), as mentioned above. Besides, the mounting plate 23 is formed along the steeply inclined wall surface 18, and the handle portion 22 is provided to protrude in the direction nearly perpendicular to the mounting plate 23. That is, the handle portion 22 is provided to protrude in the direction nearly perpendicular to the steeply inclined wall surface 18, and is provided to be inclined upwardly at the predetermined angle with respect to the bottom surface of the container body 10.
When the container 1 filled up is lifted by grasping the handle portion 22, a rotational moment occurs, because the center of gravity and the fulcrum (handle portion 22) of the container 1 are different. As a result, the container 1 rotates, with the handle portion 22 as the fulcrum, whereupon the container body 10 becomes inclined. In the container 1 according to the present invention, however, the handle member 20 is disposed near the central axis of the container body 10 as stated earlier. Thus, this container 1 has a smaller rotational moment than a conventional container having a handle member disposed on the side surface of a trunk section. Moreover, the handle portion 22 inclines upwardly at the predetermined angle. Thus, an angle between a straight line from the center of gravity to the fulcrum (leading end side of the handle portion 22) and a vertical line is smaller than when the handle portion 22 is in a horizontal state, so that the resulting rotational moment is even smaller. Hence, the container 1 can be held stably. When the container 1 filled up is inverted for placement in a water server, moreover, the handle portion 22 in the present invention is easier to grip than if the handle member 20 is provided in the up-down direction of the trunk section 13. Thus, the container 1 can be stably held. Consequently, the manageability of the container 1 is further improved. Furthermore, the handle portion 22 is desirably disposed within the range of a region defined by the intersection of extension lines of the shoulder section 14 and the trunk section 13, as shown by imaginary lines in Fig. 3. Because of this configuration, even when the container 1 is inverted to be set in the water server, the handle member 20 does not contact its setting stand. Accordingly, the handle-equipped container 1 of the present invention, when in use, does not require the change of the water server, and can be used in combination with a conventional water server.
The one embodiment of the present invention has been described as above. It goes without saying, however, that the prevent invention can be changed or modified variously without departing from its spirit and scope.

[Explanations of Letters or Numerals]

1: Handle-equipped container
10: Container body
11: Opening
12: Neck section
13: Trunk section
14: Shoulder section
15: Bottom section
16: Heel section
17: Recess section
18: Steeply inclined wall surface
19: Gently inclined wall surface
20: Handle member
21: Mounting portion
22: Handle portion
22a: First convex rib
22b: Second convex rib
23: Mounting plate

Claims

A handle-equipped container, comprising:
a container body including an opening neck section, a cylindrical trunk section, and a shoulder section connecting the neck section and the trunk section; and

a handle member fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the container body,

wherein the container body has a recess section inwardly recessed in a part of the trunk section in a circumferential direction thereof and provided in a boundary section between the shoulder section and the trunk section;

the handle member is fixed to a wall surface portion defining the recess section; and

the handle member is composed of a mounting portion including a mounting plate provided along the wall surface portion, and a handle portion protruding arcuately along a circumferential direction of the container body and located on one surface side of the mounting plate.
The handle-equipped container according to claim 1, wherein
the mounting portion includes a pair of engagement portions provided integrally on another surface side of the mounting plate and engaged with and held by the container body.
The handle-equipped container according to claim 1 or 2,
wherein
the wall surface portion inclines so as to face obliquely upwardly when the container body is in a placed state with the neck section being directed upward, and
the handle portion is provided to protrude in a direction nearly perpendicular to a surface of the wall surface portion.