FR2790734A1 - Bottle has narrow central zone which is extended at top and bottom by zones of larger diameter and base zone of same diameter as narrow zone - Google Patents

Abstract

The bottle (70) has a narrow zone (72, 80, 82) which is extended at the top and bottom by zones of larger diameter (84, 86). A further zone at the base (88) is of the same diameter as the narrow zone.

Description

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  IMPROVEMENTS TO A BOTTLE

  The invention relates to a bottle having a hollow relief on its outer surface on which is

applied a label.

  Often plastic bottles and, some-

  sometimes, the glass bottles have a slight hollow relief to facilitate the sticking of a label. The slight relief in relief is mainly intended to prevent the label from constituting an extra thickness of the external surface of the bottle so that, when labeling a plurality of bottles on a chain, the labels do not come into contact with each other. Indeed, if the labels were thicker, the freshly stuck labels of two successive bottles on the chain would come into contact and this contact, associated with the rotation of each bottle around its axis, would cause a

  significant risk of the labels taking off or deteriorating-

  your. The recessed relief also facilitates the positioning of the label. However, so far, the recess for receiving the labels has a shallow depth, at most of the order of two to three millimeters, because it reduces the volume of

the bottle.

  In addition, the bottles often have, in one

  separate location of the relief for the label, a hollow

  reading the manual intake of the bottle.

  The machines or chains used for filling, capping and labeling are suitable only for a specific type of bottle. Indeed, the section of a bottle

  varies from one type to another and the label has neither the same posi-

  tion in height nor the same dimensions. In addition, for conveying, there are generally provided two gripping zones, one

  in the lower part of the bottle and the other in the upper part

  and these gripping areas must not come into contact with the freshly stuck labels so as not to

deteriorate them.

  However, the same conveyor chain can be used

  to fill, stopper and label several types of stopper

  teilles. However, to use a second type of bottle on a chain designed for a first type of bottle, specialized personnel must be called in to make adjustments.

  which take considerable time, often several hours.

  This downtime limits the capacity of the chain.

  An object of the invention is to provide a bottle which can be filled, capped and labeled on the same chain as a conventional bottle of lower volume, the settings for switching from use for a conventional bottle to use for a bottle according to the invention, and vice

  conversely, having a reduced or negligible duration.

  The bottle according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a narrowed zone, which preferably comprises the label zone, extended upwards and downwards by zones of substantially upper sections, and a bottom zone having a section substantially equal to the section of

the narrowed area.

  With this arrangement, the same conveyor as that used for a weaker bottle can be used

  volume with a body whose section is equal to the sec-

  tion of the narrowed area and to the section of the bottom area of

the bottle according to the invention.

  When the labeling area is in the narrowed area, the same labeling machine can also be used as that used for the lower volume bottles, provided that the labels in the two bottles have the same

  heights and the same position in relation to the bottom.

  The labeling area presents, in one embodiment,

  the same height as the narrowed area.

  Alternatively, the narrowed area extends above the

  labeling area so that the upper gripping device

  the conveyor of the filling, capping and labeling chain does not risk coming into contact with this label. The narrowed area may also extend below the

  labeling area, the areas of the narrowed part that are

  wind above and below the labeling area having for

example of equal heights.

  The narrowed area can be used for gripping

  manual operation of the bottle according to the invention.

  The conventional bottle of smaller volume and the bottle according to the invention, of larger volume, which can

  be filled, corked, labeled on the same line, presented

  try equal or different heights. In the latter case, the larger volume bottle will have the most

great height.

  The present invention provides a bottle which

  carries a narrowed area extended upward and downward

  by section areas with larger dimensions

  aunts and in that it comprises at its lower part a bottom zone having a section of substantially the same dimensions

than those in the narrowed area.

  According to one embodiment, the difference between the dimensions of the section of the narrowed area and the dimensions of the section of the area lying above is such that the rim between these two areas has a sufficient depth to oppose the sliding of the bottle in the hand of the user when the latter holds the latter by the narrowed area. According to one embodiment, a label area is

included in the narrowed area.

  The label area can take up almost the entire

height of the narrowed area.

  Alternatively, the upper limit of the labeling area

  quette is at a distance from the edge constituting the upper limit

  of the narrowed area and / or the lower limit of the labeling area

  quette is at a distance from the lower limit of the restricted area

  co. The dimensions of the section of the label area are, in one example, slightly smaller than the dimensions of

  the rest of the narrowed area.

  According to one embodiment, the general shape of the

  bottle is cylindrical with circular section.

  According to one embodiment, the bottle is in

plastic material.

  The present invention further provides an assembly of two bottles of different volumes, the lower volume bottle having a label area whose section has

  practically the same shape and dimensions as the sec-

  tion of the body of this same bottle, and the heights of the label areas of the two bottles being substantially equal, and

  these zones being, for these two bottles, arranged at the same

tance from the bottom.

  According to one embodiment, the bottom zones of the two bottles have in section substantially the same shape

and the same dimensions.

  Other characteristics and advantages of the invention

  will appear with the description of some of its modes of

  embodiment, this being carried out with reference to the attached drawings in which: FIG. 1 represents a known bottle, FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 for an embodiment of a bottle according to the invention intended to be filled, capped and labeled with the same chain as that used for filling, capping and labeling the bottle shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 shows, on its left, half of the

  bottle shown in Figure 1 and, on its right, the me-

  third of the bottle shown in Figure 2, these two me-

  bottle necks being presented with a bottom resting on the same horizontal plane, FIG. 4 shows the bottle represented in FIG. 1 installed on a conveyor of a filling, capping and labeling chain, FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4, but with a bottle according to the invention, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of part of the

  filling, capping and labeling line.

  In the embodiment of the invention described

  below, the bottle is made of plastic and is intended

born to contain water.

  To allow a good understanding of the characteristics

  news of the bottle according to the invention as well as its advantages

  tages, we first describe a classic bottle 10 (figure

  1) and certain parts of the chain 11 (FIGS. 4 and 6) intended

  born to fill, cap and label this classic bottle 10.

  This known bottle 10 is, in this example,

  designed to hold 1.5 liters of water. It is generally cylindrical in shape with a circular section. It has a labeling zone 12 with a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the rest of the bottle. The difference between the diameter of the labeling area 12 and the diameter of the areas 14 and 16 above and below this area 12 is not sufficient for the labeling area to constitute a manual gripping area, because

  the rim 18 between zones 12 and 14 is deep (dimension

  sion perpendicular to axis 20) insufficient to constitute

  a stop preventing the bottle from slipping from the hand of the user

  reader. In the example, the rim 18 between the labeling zone 12 and the zone 14 located above is at a distance from the neck 22 of the bottle which is less than the distance separating the lower rim 24 from the zone 12 from the bottom 26 of the bottle. Furthermore, the bottle 10 has grooves

  28 horizontal ones intended for stiffening and to facilitate crushing

bottle after use.

  The area 30 located immediately above the bottom is slightly flared down and of substantially rounded shape. The chain 11 (FIG. 6) for filling, capping and

  for labeling the bottle 10 comprises a conveyor 31 for

  and a worm screw 32 to extract the bottles from the conveyor. The section of each thread of the worm is a half-cylinder whose concavity is turned towards the outside so as to accommodate a bottle 101, 102, etc. The bottles emerging from the worm screw 32 are introduced into a circular conveyor 34 rotating around a vertical axis 36 and comprising

  at its periphery of the cells 38, also of semi-sectional

  cylindrical and intended to house the bottles 10.

  This circular conveyor 34 brings the bottles to a

  another circular conveyor 40, or carousel, of larger diameter

  meter around which the filling station and the

  capping station (not shown) as well as the labeling station

floor 42.

  In the conveyor 34, each bottle 10 rests on a support 44 preferably rotating (FIG. 4) around an axis

  vertical 46. In addition, the bottle is kept partially un-

  lower, immediately above the support 44, by an arm 50

  having a semi-cylindrical opening. The bottle is also

  Lement maintained, in the upper part, immediately above the label area 12, by another arm 52 also comprising a semi-cylindrical opening. Finally, in the same plane as the arm 52, a guide 54 is provided opposite the bottom of the semi-cylindrical notch (not shown) at the end of the arm 52. Thus, above the label , the bottle is held between the

  guide 54 and the notch at the end of the arm 52, while in par-

  lower tie, it is held by the support 44 and by

  the notch at the end of the arm 50.

  Alternatively (not shown), the arm 52 and the guide 54 are arranged at the level of the upper part of the zone

label (not yet pasted).

  At post 42, the labels are supplied by a maga-

  sin 56 and are driven by a glue roller 57 applying the labels against the zone 12. In the carousel 40, the bottles rest on a rotating support, similar to the

  support 44, driven in rotation about its axis for the application

  cation of the label. At this station 42, each bottle is main-

  held by a top support (not shown) applying against

the rim 22.

  Finally, the filled bottles, capped and labeled at the stations associated with the conveyor 40, are evacuated by a

  conveyor 60 similar to the input conveyor 34.

  To allow filling, capping and labeling

  for a larger bottle, two liters in

  the example, using the same chain (Figures 4 and 6) as that intended

  born to fill the bottle 10 with a volume of 1.5 liters, the bottle according to the invention (Figure 2) has a label area 72

  which has practically the same diameter as zone 12 of the bou-

  teille 10, the same height h and the same position relative to the bottom 74. Thus, the distance h1 from the bottom 74 of the bottle 70 to

  bottom edge of label area 72 is equal to the dis-

  tance h1 from the bottom 26 to the rim 24 of the bottle 10.

  In addition, the label zone 72 is extended, upwards, by a zone 80, and downwards by a zone 82 which have substantially the same diameter as this zone 72, or a diameter

  slightly greater than the diameter of zones 14 and 16 of the bou-

  teille 10. In addition, above zone 80, the bottle

  has a zone 84 of diameter substantially greater than the diameter

  meter of this zone 80. Similarly, below zone 82, the bottle has another zone 86 of the same diameter as zone 84, and therefore of diameter substantially greater than the diameter

from area 82.

  The bottom area 88 of the bottle presents sensitive-

  ment the same shape and the same dimensions as the bottom zone 31 of the bottle 10. Thus, this bottom zone 88 has,

  in this example, a cylindrical portion 90 of appreciable diameter

  completely equal to the diameter of zones 80 and 82 and this cylindrical part is connected to the bottom 74 by means of a rounded flaring 92 similar to the rounded flaring 32 of the

bottle 10.

  Finally, the bottle 70 has a higher height

by bottle 10.

  The zones 72, 80, 82 together constitute a narrowed zone with respect to the lower 86 and upper 84 zones and the bottom zone 88 has a diameter substantially equal to that of this narrowed zone. The upper limit of this narrowed area constitutes a rim 94 opposing the sliding of the bottle when a user holds the latter by this area. In other words zone 72, 80, 82 can be considered

  as a manual gripping area of the bottle.

  In FIG. 3, it is clearly seen that the zones 12 of the bottle 10 and 72 of the bottle 70 have the same position relative to their respective bottoms 26 and 74, and that the height of the bottle 70 is greater to that of the

bottle 10.

  Alternatively, as shown by lines 100 and 102 in broken lines in FIG. 3, the narrowed area is limited to the label area 72. In other words, in this variant, the zones 84 and 86 directly adjoin the label zone 72, the narrowed zone being entirely covered by the label. FIG. 5 represents the bottle 70 installed on

the conveyor 34 of the chain 11.

  We see that the area 80 has a height substantially equal to the height, or thickness, of the arm 52 while the bottom area 88 has a height slightly greater than the thickness, or height, of the arm 50. In other words, the area 80 is arranged to be able to be maintained by the same arm 52 and

  the same guide 54 as those used for maintaining the bou-

  teille 11. Likewise the bottom zone 88 is maintained by the same

  support 44 and the same arm 52 as those used for the bou-

teille 10.

  The labels used for bottle 70 present

  try substantially the same shape and the same dimensions as the labels used for the bottle 10. However, it is possible to provide a slightly greater length for the label of the bottle 70 in order to avoid confusion between the labels of the two bottles. It is also possible to

  provide a diameter of zone 72 slightly greater than the diameter

  meter from zone 12 of bottle 10.

  Similarly, in the carousel 40 and in the conveyor 60, the bottle 70 rests on the same support as that provided for

the bottle 10.

  In the case where the bottle 70 has a narrowed area limited to the label area, the arm 52 and the guide 54 are preferably located at the top of the label area 12 and 72 of the bottles 10 and 70 To limit the risk of damage to the label, you can, in

  the conveyor 60, provide that the upper arm and the guide

  cié (corresponding to the arm 52 and the guide 54 of the conveyor 34) are located above the label area. In this hypothesis, it is then necessary to modify the setting of the upper arm and of the associated guide for this conveyor 60 because, in this case, this

  arm and this guide cooperate with zones of different diameters

  rents from bottles 10 and 70. But this is a setting that

can be done quickly.

  In a variant, a series of at least three types of bottles of different volumes but all having substantially the same diameters of label zone, the same height of label zone and the same position of this zone relative to the bottom surface. In addition, the areas of

  background are the same for all these types of bottle.

  Although the invention has been described in relation to a plastic bottle intended to contain water, it is not limited neither to the material constituting the bottle nor to

  its content. It also applies to a bottle whose sec-

  tion is not circular but, for example, square or rectangular

flat or flat.

  Although the bottles 10 and 70 have been described in relation to their filling, capping and labeling, a bottle 70 can also be used on other chains or machines intended to carry out other treatments on the

bottle 10 of lower volume.

Claims (11)

  1. Bottle (70) characterized in that it comprises a narrowed zone (72, 80, 82) extended upwards and downwards by zones (84, 86) of sections having dimensions   more important and in that it involves its lower part   behind a bottom zone (88) having a section which is substantially   same dimensions as those of the narrowed area.   2. Bottle according to claim 1, characterized in that the difference between the dimensions of the section of the narrowed area and the dimensions of the section of the area (84) located above is such that the rim (94) between these two   zones has sufficient depth to oppose slippage   bottle from the user's hand when   Ci holds the latter by the narrowed area.   3. Bottle according to claim 1 or 2, character-   that a label area (72) is included in the narrowed area.   4. Bottle according to claim 3, characterized in that the label area (72) occupies practically the entire height of the narrowed area.   5. Bottle according to claim 3, characterized in that the upper limit (82) of the label area is at a distance from the rim (94) constituting the upper limit of the narrowed area.   6. Bottle according to claim 3 or 5, character-   in that the lower limit (76) of the area (72) of   quette is at a distance from the lower limit of the narrowed area.   7. Bottle according to claim 3, 5 or 6, charac-   terized in that the dimensions of the section of the labeling area   quette (72) are slightly smaller than the dimensions of the   section of the rest of the narrowed area.   8. Bottle according to any one of the claims   previous, characterized in that its general shape is cylindrical drique of circular section.   9. Bottle according to any one of the claims   previous, characterized in that it is made of plas-   tick. 10. Set of two bottles (10, 70) of different volumes, characterized in that the bottle (70) more   large volume according to any one of the claims   3 to 7, and in that the bottle (10) of lower volume pre-   feels a label zone whose section has practically the same shape and the same dimensions as the section of the body of this same bottle, in that the heights (h) of the label zones of the two bottles are substantially equal, and in what these areas are, for these two bottles, arranged at same distance from the bottom (26, 74).   11. An assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that the bottom zones (88, 31) of the two bottles have   in section substantially the same shape and the same dimensions.