FR2797624A1 - CONTAINER FOR FLOWING PRODUCT, ESPECIALLY FOR LIQUID - Google Patents

Abstract

Container (1) for a flowable product, in particular for a liquid, comprising a body (2) and a neck (4) provided or capable of being provided with a maneuverable shutter device (8), characterized in that the body (2) , in its upper part adjacent to the neck (4), comprises a zone (5) which is substantially planar at least partially and inclined which defines a bearing plane having an extent and an inclination relative to the axis (X) of the neck ( 4) such that, when the container (1) is placed by its bearing plane on an approximately horizontal support (7), this container (1) occupies a stable position and the neck (4) then constitutes the lowest part of the container, whereby it is possible to cause the product flowing by simple gravity to flow through a selective operation of the closure device (8) with which the neck (4) must then be fitted.

Description

CONTAINER FOR FLOWING PRODUCT,

ESPECIALLY FOR LIQUID

  The present invention relates to improvements

  nements brought to the containers, in particular of large capacity, intended to contain a flowable product, in particular a liquid, and comprising a body and a neck provided or capable of being provided with an operable shutter device. For the distribution of drinking water, there are currently commercially available containers of the aforementioned type having a relatively large capacity (generally of the order of 5 liters), very significantly greater than that of a traditional bottle, the

  capacity generally varies between 0.30 and 2 liters.

  However, due to their high weight and their large size, these large capacity containers are difficult to handle for the pouring of their contents, in particular for the elderly or children, and more generally the pouring of their contents directly into a small volume container such as a

glass turns out to be delicate.

  The object of the invention is essentially to remedy this drawback and to provide an improved container whose content can be poured without difficulty and with precision, in particular directly into

a small volume container.

  For these purposes, a container for a flowable product as mentioned above is characterized, being arranged in accordance with the invention, in that the body, in its part

  near the neck, has a sensitive area

  at least partially flat and inclined plane which defines a support plane having an extent and an inclination relative to the axis of the neck such that, when the container is placed by its support plane on an approximately horizontal support, this container occupies a stable position and the neck then constitutes the lowest part of the container, whereby it is possible to let flow of the product flowing by simple gravity by a selective operation of the device

  shutter with which the neck must then be fitted.

  In one possible embodiment, the area defining the support plane is substantially planar, said area advantageously being able to be provided with reliefs

re-entry of stiffening.

  In another possible embodiment, the support plane is defined by protruding reliefs provided

in the substantially flat area.

  In yet another possible embodiment, the zone defining the support plane is constituted by at least one protruding bead situated at the periphery of a recessed central area, this protruding bead being able to extend in a continuous closed contour or well be discontinuous. Advantageously, the recessed central area is shaped to be stiffened, for example by being curved and / or by being provided with projecting reliefs

and / or re-entrant stiffening.

  The arrangements specific to the invention which are set out above make it possible to place the container on a support in a stable inclined position in which, due to the situation of the neck, it is ensured that the entire product will be able to flow by simple gravity. The container, when used, can be left in this position and there is no longer any need to handle it during fractional sampling of its contents. To further facilitate the implementation of such a container, it is very desirable that the operable shutter device be of the type operable with one hand and that it comprises, on the one hand, a movable shutter valve coaxially with the 'axis of the neck and maneuverable with the single thumb of one hand, and, on the other hand, an outer flange under which support the index and middle fingers of the same hand. Preferably then, the operable shutter device is provided with a flow duct for the flowable product which extends approximately perpendicular to the abovementioned support plane. It is further desirable that the shutter device is provided with an air inlet allowing the admission of air inside the container during the flow of the flowable product. Thus it becomes easy to fill a container of small volume, such as a glass, which is held with one hand while the other hand is used for

operation of the shutter device.

  Although the arrangements according to the invention may be suitable for all kinds of containers, it

  clearly appears to be particularly

  particularly suitable for containers which are difficult to handle, in particular because of their weight and / or their size. This is particularly the case for large capacity containers, and these arrangements may be particularly suitable for pot-bellied containers, in the form of cylinders, which can then be equipped with a neck arranged centrally at

the upper end of the body.

  Thanks to the provisions of the invention, containers can be formed in the form of large capacity cylinders, for example of 5 liters or more, for the distribution of drinking water or the like (fruit juice, lemonade, etc.). which, once the container is placed in a stable inclined position on a table or on a tray inside a refrigerator, can be taken without difficulty, including by a child, to fill a glass. The invention will be better understood on reading the

  detailed description which follows of certain modes of

  realization given only as examples in no way

  limiting. In this description, we refer to

  attached drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a side view of a container arranged in accordance with the invention, shown in a vertical position; - Figure 2 is a side view of the container of Figure 1 arranged lying in the position of use; - Figures 3 and 4 are partial views of a container according to the invention illustrating two alternative embodiments of a part thereof; - Figure 5 is a partial cross section of part of the container of Figure 3; - Figure 6 is a partial cross section illustrating another embodiment of a container according to the invention; - Figure 7 is a front view of yet another embodiment of a container according to the invention; and - Figure 8 is a partial sectional view of an alternative embodiment of part of the container of the

figure 7.

  Referring first to FIG. 1, the container 1 which is represented therein essentially comprises a body 2 terminated below by a bottom 3 and above by a neck 4. The general shape and dimensions of this container can be any, although, as already indicated, the arrangements in accordance with the invention seem to have to find an optimal application in large capacity containers (for example of at least 5 liters), heavy and bulky, and

therefore difficult to handle.

  In the example illustrated, the body 2 has a generally swollen shape and is shaped into a cylinder, with the neck 4 disposed approximately centrally at the

upper body.

  According to the invention, the body 2, in its upper part adjacent to the neck, comprises an inclined zone 5 which is substantially planar at least partially and which defines a support plane, which has an extent and an inclination relative to the X axis of the neck 4 (which is also here the axis of the body 2) such that, when the container 1 is placed by its support plane on a support 7 approximately horizontal (Fig. 2), the container 1 occupies a stable position and the neck 4 then constitutes the lowest part of said container. In the inclined position of the container 1 illustrated in FIG. 2, a flowable product contained in the container flows by simple gravity. By equipping the neck 4 with a maneuverable shutter device 8, it is then possible to cause the flowing product (for example a liquid) to flow by simple gravity on demand, by a selective operation of this shutter device including one

  preferred example will be shown later.

  The substantially flat area 5 defining the support plane can give rise to various embodiments which are part of the general design of the container, and in particular with regard to its resistance.

mechanical and aesthetic.

  As illustrated first of all in fig. 3, the support plane can be defined quite simply by the substantially flat inclined zone 5 itself. Because the flat area 5 then has a relatively large area and has less mechanical resistance, it may prove advantageous to equip it with re-entrant reinforcement reliefs 9 (illustrated in section in FIG. 5), which in particular can be in the form of elongated gutters of variable length, extending

  horizontally (fig. 3) or vertically (fig. 4).

  It is also possible to provide that the inclined substantially flat area 5 is provided with projecting reliefs 10 as illustrated in section in FIG. 6. These projecting reliefs can be shaped into elongated gutters, which can correspond, for example, to the re-entrant reliefs 9 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, or else be shaped into cones or pellets. In this case the support plane is discontinuous and defined by all of the ends 11 of the

reliefs 10.

  In another embodiment, an example of which is illustrated in FIG. 7, the zone 5 defining the support plane can be constituted by at least one protruding bead 12 (shown in gray in FIG. 7) located at the

  periphery of a recessed central beach 13. This bour-

  relet 12 can extend along a substantially closed and continuous contour as shown in FIG. 7, or else be discontinuous. Due to its relatively large area, the central area 13 can be stiffened, for example by

  to protruding reliefs 14 (the projection of which does not

  beyond the support plane defined by the bead 12) and / or re-entrant (fig. 7), and / or by conforming the central area 13 in convex form with convexity facing outward (fig. 8) without the bulging protrudes beyond the plane

defined by the bead 12.

  To facilitate the use of the container according to the invention, it is desirable that it be equipped with a shutter device 8 which can be operated with one hand. One can in particular have recourse to a device 8 commercially available which comprises (see fig. 1), on the one hand, a shutter valve (not visible) movable coaxially to the axis of the neck and maneuverable by a sliding pusher 15 to using the thumb of one hand and, on the other hand, an outer flange 16 under which take

  support the index and middle fingers with the same hand.

  In addition, it is advantageous that, whatever its constitution, the operable shutter device 8 is provided with a conduit 17 for the flow of the flowable product which, once the device in place on the neck

  of container 1, extends approximately perpendicular to

  rement to the support plane defined by the inclined zone 5 of the body 2. Thus, when the container rests in an inclined position on the approximately horizontal support 7 (FIG. 2), the conduit 17 opens downwards in an approximately vertical configuration, which facilitates the installation, below, of a receptacle such as a

  glass to receive the product flowing.

  Still with the aim of facilitating the use of the container and ensuring that the flowable product, in particular when it is a liquid, can flow in a perfectly continuous manner, it is very advantageous for the closure device to be arranged to present an air inlet allowing the admission of air inside the

  container when the product flows.

  Of course, for the rest, the shutter device 8 can be constituted in any suitable manner, and in particular be shaped to be

  mounted on the neck either by screwing or by clipping.

  The container 1 can be made of any material compatible with the product that it is intended to contain, in particular of thermoplastic material such as PVC, PE, PET, PEN, etc .; it can be manufactured by any

  known technique such as molding, blowing, drawing-

blowing, etc.

Claims (16)

  1. Container (1) for a flowable product, in particular for a liquid, comprising a body (2) and a neck (4) provided or capable of being provided with a maneuverable shutter device (8), characterized in that the body ( 2), in its upper part adjacent to the neck (4), comprises a zone (5) substantially planar at least partially and inclined which defines a support plane having an extent and an inclination relative to the axis (X) of the neck (4) such that, when the container (1) is placed by its support plane on an approximately horizontal support (7), this container (1) occupies a stable position and the neck (4) then constitutes the part lower of the container, which makes it possible to make flow of the product flowing by simple gravity by a selective operation of the shutter device (8) which must then be equipped with the neck (4).   2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the zone (5) defining the support plane is substantially flat.   3. Container according to claim 2, characterized in that the substantially flat area (5) is provided with   re-entrant stiffening reliefs (9).   4. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the support plane is defined by reliefs   projections (10) provided in the substantially planar zone (5).   5. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the zone (5) defining the support plane consists of at least one protruding bead (12) located at   the periphery of a central recess (13).   6. Container according to claim 5, characterized in that the protruding bead (12) extends according to a continuous closed contour.   7. Container according to claim 5, characterized in that the protruding bead (12) is discontinuous.   8. Container according to any one of the claims.   cations 5 to 7, characterized in that the central range in   withdrawal (13) is shaped to be stiffened.   9. Container according to claim 8, characterized in that the recessed central area (13) is curved outwards.   10. Container according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the recessed central area (13) is provided with protrusions (14) projecting and / or reentrant stiffening.   11. Container according to any one of the claims.   previous cations, characterized in that the neck (4) is located substantially centrally at the end upper body (2).   12. Container according to any one of the res-   previous indications, characterized in that the body (2) is conformed into a cylinder.   13. Container according to any one of the res-   dications preceding, characterized in that the operable shutter device (8) is of the type operable with one hand and comprises, on the one hand, a shutter valve (15) movable coaxially to the axis of the neck (4) and maneuverable using the thumb of one hand, and, on the other hand, an outer flange (16) under which   support the index and middle fingers with the same hand.   14. Container according to any one of the res-   dications preceding, characterized in that the operable shutter device (8) is provided with a conduit (17)   flow of the flowable product which extends approximately   vertically perpendicular to the above support plane.   15. Container according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the shutter device is provided with an air inlet allowing the admission of air to   the interior during the flow of the flowing product.   16. Use of the container according to any one   than previous claims as a container   large capacity, at least 5 liters, containing   drinking water or a drinking liquid.