FR2734790A1 - Compressible bottle for drinks - Google Patents

Abstract

The compressible plastics bottle has a bottom (1), a body (2), a top (3) , a neck (4) and a plug (5). In its initial position it has a maximum volume and when compressed a smaller volume. The change in volumes is made by opening the plug. The container is irreversibly squashed by flutings (6) of identical conical section forming the body and fitting into each other. In the large volume state the flutings are spaced from one another. In the compressed state the conical sections are juxtaposed in the compressed zone.

Description

 The invention relates to a plastic container allowing the preservation of a carbonated drink in an almost constant state of gasification, whatever the volume of liquid contained in the plastic bottle.

When a plastic bottle (of constant volume), containing a carbonated liquid is emptied of its content and then recapped, atmospheric air relatively low in COz, replaces the volume of evacuated liquid.

provient du fait que la pression partielle en CO2 de l'air ambiant est inférieur à celle de la boisson.This reaction:

stems from the fact that the partial pressure of CO2 in the ambient air is lower than that of the drink.

The more ambient air there is in contact with the gaseous liquid, the more the reaction is displaced in direction 1.

A reduction in this volume of air allows less degassing of the drink.

 the plastic container in question here, has one (or more) accordion-shaped section and therefore is of variable volume and solves the problem previously posed.

The French patent application published under the number 2 701 454 addresses the problem of volume reduction without ensuring the irreversibility of the compression or the maintenance of the cylindrical shape: this having the aim of facilitating the waste disposal of the bottle.

One of the aims of the invention is as follows:
During the evacuation of the carbonated drink, a splaying of the bottle makes it possible to maintain a small volume of air between the free surface of the liquid and the neck provided with a cap.

Another object of the invention is as follows:
As a result of successive crushing of the container, which are irreversible transformations, the chemical qualities as well as the impermeability to liquids and gases are not altered; the longitudinal and lateral rigidity increases even with the degree of compression of the bottle.

Another object of the invention is to keep the base and the apex of the container in a conventional non-deformable and smooth molding, in such a way as to respectively guarantee a certain longitudinal rigidity of these parts which are particularly exposed to shocks as well as to provide a space where could be stuck a label.

Another object of the invention is to guarantee the variable volume section of the bottle, regardless of the degree of crushing thereof, greater lateral rigidity than that of the same section of a conventional plastic bottle. .

Another object of the invention is to give the container a volume just corresponding to the amount of liquid it contains.

Another object of the invention is to confer on the container (disposable stil st) when it is empty a small volume making it easy to discard.

Another object of the invention is to preserve, whatever the volume of liquid contained, the container in a generally cylindrical shape with a vertical axis.

Another object of the invention is to guarantee this container a certain aesthetic.

Figure 1 is a general view of the container in its initial state of larger volume as a consumer can buy it.

FIG. 2 (section along II II) is a detail of the accordion moldings of the container shown in FIG. 1.

Figure 3 is a general view of the container in its state of smallest volume.

FIG. 4 (section according to IV IV) is a detail of the accordion moldings of the container shown in FIG. 3.

The container of Figure 1 the fact that the central part is an accordion, can once opened, be subjected to a vertical stress on the part of the user in order to adapt its volume to the volume of the liquid contained.

The number of moldings represented in FIG. 1 is not limiting, its modification will make it possible to modulate the irreversibility of the deformation and its ease. The more molds there will be, the more they will be fine and short, and the more they will be numerous , the more precise and easy the deformation will be.

 It will also be possible to provide in the body of the container, a smooth and incompressible cylindrical section allowing easy bonding of a label or part of a label.

Finally, it is possible to vary the height of these accordion moldings at certain points in the body of the container in order to favor, firstly, the crushing of part of the bottle, then then by exerting stronger constraints, successively, that other parts of the container.

The moldings in Figure (2) have a part (2) two to three times lower than the part (1), which gives the container good resistance to torsion.

The moldings in FIG. 2 ensure an irreversible deformation allowing the user not to have to recompress the bottle after each opening. In addition, this also helps to prevent the tendency of the capped container to increase in volume, which would have accelerated the degassing of the drink.

Figure 3 is a general view of the container in its final state of minimum volume, which has generally retained its shape even if the proportions are changed.

This state makes the container easy to throw away because it is not very bulky.

The container is in whatever state of compression it is always as easy to store, for example in the bottle compartment of the refrigerator.

FIG. 4 shows a detail of the irreversible transformation undergone by the accordion moldings which allows a reduction in volume of compressible section (s) of the order of three times the initial volume.

Such a container initially containing 1.5 L of drink, height: 33 cm and radius of compressible section: 4.5 cm could contain after total compression 0.57 L of drink for a height of 18.5 cm.

When there is only 0.57 L of liquid left in the container, it will be almost as gaseous as when there were 1.5 L.

The production of such a bottle can be carried out by slack 1 age.

This container has a certain aesthetic for each degree of crushing.

Many variants of design and uses can be envisaged, in particular those below:
Drawings could be printed on the deformable surfaces of the container, these drawings could be seen differently depending on whether the surface in question is compressed or not.

 It would be possible to make this container in a more noble plastic in order to make it reusable. Thus it would be possible to use it to contain carbonated drinks whose long-term storage in plastic bottles is impossible, or which are not packaged in such containers.

Claims (7)

1) Compressible container of the type comprising, a bottom (1), a body (2), a top (3), a neck-forming part (4) and a stopper (5), characterized in that it has an initial position maximum volume, and retraced positions of lower volume. 2) A container according to claim 1, characterized in that the transition from the position of greatest volume to the positions of lower volume is achieved by opening said plug. 3) Container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the crushing is done in an irreversible manner thanks to a series of grooves (6> forming the body and fitting into each other. 4) A container according to claim 3, characterized in that said grooves are all identical cone sections. 5) A container according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in this quota the state of greatest volume said grooves are spaced from each other, while in the compressed positions, these cone sections are juxtaposed in the compressed areas.  6) A container according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in layer the compressed states (eg: Figure 3) are obtained by successive irreversible deformations, made possible due to the configuration of the grooves (Figure 2). 7) Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is adapted to contain in its different states a carbonated drink, and in that the deformations do not modify the overall shape as well as the intrinsic qualities of the plastic.  a> Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is made of semi-rigid plastic material 9) Container according to any one of the preceding claims., characterized in that in all its states of compression curbs the liquid contact always a small volume of atmospheric air. 10) Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has an airtight stopper 9.