GB1604614A - Containers for liquids - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO CONTAINERS FOR LIQUIDS (71) We, JAMES MICHAEL BUTLER, EDWARD JOHN TAYLOR and ERIC MOSES, all British subjects of 2 Gregory Close, Basingstoke, Hants; 17 Attwoods Drove, Winchester, Hants; and 40 Milverton Road, Winchester, Hants, respectively do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to storage containers for liquids and more especially to storage containers for small measured quantities of liquids, especially beverages.

Aircraft normally have bars for dispensing of drinks to passengers. Most airlines carry such drinks as spiritous liquors and fortified wines as unit measures in 'miniature bottles holding two to three ounces of liquid. Although such bottles are nowadays often made from plastics material, because of the small capacity of the bottle, the weight of the bottle compares unfavourably with the weight of its contents. Moreover, it is necessary also to carry glasses or other drinking vessels which means that a considerable amount of weight has to be carried for a single drink. Further, when the bottle has been emptied it cannot be disposed of from an aircraft until after landing.

This invention provides a storage container for alcoholic liquids especially beverages, which comprises a drinking vessel portion and a lid portion, the lid portion fitting within the drinking vessel portion to seal off hermetically in liquid and vapour tight manner a portion of the interior of the vessel within which sealed portion the alcoholic beverages contained for storage and transportation, the unsealed portion of the drinking vessel being so shaped that a plurality of containers can be stacked one within the other.

The invention also includes a container as described above and containing a measured quantity of liquid within the sealed portion and a stacked assembly of such filled containers.

The lid portion fits within the drinking vessel portion and may be sealed to the interior wall of the drinking vessel portion by a frangible seal, preferably a seal which is easily broken when the liquid is pulled outwardly of the drinking vessel portion but less easily broken when the lid is pushed into the drinking vessel portion.

Alternatively, and preferably however, provided that the necessary seal can be achieved for example by suitable shaping of the periphery of the lid portion, the lid portion may simply be a riction or inter erence fit in the drinking vessel Portion. It will, of course, be appreciated that the lid must not only retain liquid within the sealed portion but must also be effective to prevent losses by evaporation or the like.

The lid portion should, of course, be provided with means by which it can be removed from the drinking vessel portion. It may, for example, be provided with an upstanding tab which can be grasped and pulled to remove the lid. Such an upstanding tab may be, for example provided by a moulding sprue.

The container of the invention may be made from any desired material and the drinking vessel portion and the lid portion may be made from the same or different materials.

The drinking vessel portion at least, is preferably made from a glass-like plastics material for example crystal polystyrene, polycarbonate or an alpha-methyl pentene polymer. The material is preferably of as low a density as possible consistent with adequate strength properties. In one form of the invention a drinking vessel has been made from crystal polystyrene with a wall thickness of 5 to 7 mix. with a lid of polyethylene with a 2 mil. interference fit.

The container of the invention is primarily intended for beverages which are conventionally dispersed in small measures of the order of two to four fluid ounces and for such uses the sealed portion of the container will have a volume adequate to hold such a quantity. The unsealed portion of the container will normally be of such capacity as to provide a drinking vessel of say eight to ten ounces capacity so as to hold a 'split' size mixer drink and/or ice in addition to the beverage from the sealed portion of the container.

It will of course, be appreciated, however, that if the sealed portion is of larger capacity the container can hold such beverages as wine or, if the seal for the lid is adequate, beer or other carbonised beverages.

A stacked assembly of containers according to the invention may be prink wrapped" since shrink wrapping is for example, a plastic film wiE provide a tamperproof seal which may well be adequate for systems for handling purposes.

The container of the invention has several advantages over the present system in that it does away with the need for both bottles and glasses thus giving a saving in weight to be carried and space occupied; there is also a considerable reduction in the amount of waste materials to be disposed of and, since the plastics material normally used for bottles and disposable drinking vessels especially by airlines are relatively expensive, the reduction in waste provides a reduction in costs; also there is an advantage to the consumer in that it is easier and quicker to disperse drinks using the containers of the invention than by providing, say, a glass, a minature bottle of whisky and a can of soda.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A storage container for alcoholic liquids, which comprises a drinking vessel portion and a lid portion, the lid portion fitting within the drinking vessel portion to seal off hermetically in liquid and vapour tight manner a portion of the interior of the vessel, within which sealed portion an alcoholic beverage is contained for storage and transportation, the unsealed portion of the drinking vessel being so shaped that a plurality of containers can be stacked one within the other.

2. A container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the lid portion is an interference fit in the drinking vessel portion.

3. A container as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein at least the drinking vessel portion as made from a glass-like plastics material.

4. A container as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the glass-like plastics material is crystal polystyrene, polycarbonate or an alpha-methyl pentene polymer.

5. A container as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, whenever the drinking vessel portion is made from crystal polystyrene and the lid portion from polyethylene.

6. A container as claimed in Claim 1, substantially as described herein.

7. A container as claimed in anyone of Claims 1 to 6 alcoholic beverage is a spiritous liquor.

8. A stacked assembly of containers as claimed in any one of claims I to 7.

9. An assembly as claimed in Claim 8, shrink wrapped in a plastics film.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. primarily intended for beverages which are conventionally dispersed in small measures of the order of two to four fluid ounces and for such uses the sealed portion of the container will have a volume adequate to hold such a quantity. The unsealed portion of the container will normally be of such capacity as to provide a drinking vessel of say eight to ten ounces capacity so as to hold a 'split' size mixer drink and/or ice in addition to the beverage from the sealed portion of the container. It will of course, be appreciated, however, that if the sealed portion is of larger capacity the container can hold such beverages as wine or, if the seal for the lid is adequate, beer or other carbonised beverages. A stacked assembly of containers according to the invention may be prink wrapped" since shrink wrapping is for example, a plastic film wiE provide a tamperproof seal which may well be adequate for systems for handling purposes. The container of the invention has several advantages over the present system in that it does away with the need for both bottles and glasses thus giving a saving in weight to be carried and space occupied; there is also a considerable reduction in the amount of waste materials to be disposed of and, since the plastics material normally used for bottles and disposable drinking vessels especially by airlines are relatively expensive, the reduction in waste provides a reduction in costs; also there is an advantage to the consumer in that it is easier and quicker to disperse drinks using the containers of the invention than by providing, say, a glass, a minature bottle of whisky and a can of soda. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A storage container for alcoholic liquids, which comprises a drinking vessel portion and a lid portion, the lid portion fitting within the drinking vessel portion to seal off hermetically in liquid and vapour tight manner a portion of the interior of the vessel, within which sealed portion an alcoholic beverage is contained for storage and transportation, the unsealed portion of the drinking vessel being so shaped that a plurality of containers can be stacked one within the other.

2. A container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the lid portion is an interference fit in the drinking vessel portion.

3. A container as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein at least the drinking vessel portion as made from a glass-like plastics material.

4. A container as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the glass-like plastics material is crystal polystyrene, polycarbonate or an alpha-methyl pentene polymer.

5. A container as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, whenever the drinking vessel portion is made from crystal polystyrene and the lid portion from polyethylene.

6. A container as claimed in Claim 1, substantially as described herein.

7. A container as claimed in anyone of Claims 1 to 6 alcoholic beverage is a spiritous liquor.

8. A stacked assembly of containers as claimed in any one of claims I to 7.

9. An assembly as claimed in Claim 8, shrink wrapped in a plastics film.