GB2373492A

GB2373492A - Containers for beverages

Info

Publication number: GB2373492A
Application number: GB0107091A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yee Fu Ip Ford
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-03-21
Filing date: 2001-03-21
Publication date: 2002-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 2021-03-21
Also published as: GB2373492A8; GB0107091D0; GB2373492B

Abstract

Containers, such as disposable bottles (1) for carbonated beverages, comprise side-walls (5) that are compressible to reduce the volume of the container, and a locking arrangement (15) adapted to hold the container (5) in the desired degree of compression. The containers preferably have corrugated side-walls (5) that compress to reduce the height of the container. The locking arrangement preferably comprises one or more straps (11) connecting the base and the top region of the container (5) and a lock or locks (15) on the top region for holding the strap(s) in tension. The containers allow the volume of the bottle to be reduced as the beverage is poured out so that the air space above the fluid level in the bottle is minimised and the loss of carbonation is reduced to a minimum. A ring around the bottle may have apertures (21) for guiding the straps (11) and a handle (17) may be attached to upper ends of the straps (11), the locks comprising tangs for engaging teeth on the strap. The locks may be releasable to allow the container to return to its uncompressed state.

Description

CONTAINERS FOR BEVERAGES FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to containers that are suitable for the storage of beverages, preferably disposable bottles for carbonated beverages, which are compressible to an appropriate volume as they are emptied.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventional bottles for carbonated beverages presently on the market are generally plain bottles with screw caps. Each time that drink is poured from such a bottle and the cap screwed back, the drink remaining inside the bottle loses some of its dissolved gas until the air space inside the bottle is pressurised. As a result the drink increasingly loses its carbonation and consequently its appeal to the consumer is less after each pouring.

Corrugated bottles are also known, but the corrugations are generally for decorative effect and do not allow for controllable deformation. Accordingly such bottles do not address the problem of maintaining carbonation of the drink after each successive opening and closing of the bottle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a container, hereinafter called bottle, that comprises side-walls that are compressible to reduce the volume of the bottle, and a locking arrangement, adapted to hold the bottle in the desired degree of compression.

The locking arrangement preferably comprises a strap connecting the base and the top region of the bottle and a lock on the top region for holding the strap in tension. Preferred bottles have corrugated side-walls that compress to reduce the height of the bottle. Guide means for the strap may be provided on opposite sides of the bottle that restrain lateral movement of the strap between the top and base of the bottle when the strap is passed through the guide means. Alternatively the strap arrangement may comprise a plurality of straps arranged equidistantly around the circumference of the bottle. The locking arrangement may allow continuing tightening of the strap only or may be releasable to allow the bottle to return to its uncompressed state for re-use.

The present invention has the benefit that each time beverage is poured out of the bottle, the user can reduce the volume of the bottle so that the air space above the fluid level in the bottle is minimised prior to tightening the cap. Accordingly less gas is released

and lost from the fluid in order to pressurise and saturate the air space. This allows the drink to retain a high amount of dissolved gas after each pouring. Alternatively, the user may compress the bottle after closing the cap, instead of before. As a result, the action of reducing that air space also pressurises it. Depending on the amount of gas that remains dissolved in the fluid, this may force more gas into solution in the fluid.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the bottle has a corrugated side-wall, allowing the bottle to be compressed downwards to reduce the air space above the fluid level. In addition one or more straps may be wrapped around the bottom of the bottle and may extend vertically to slide into one or more mechanical lock (s) to hold the bottle steady and in place after it has been compressed by the user. In the most common embodiments of the present invention, the locks allow the straps to pass through in one direction but not the other. However, in another embodiment, the locks may adapted to be released in order that the straps may loosen to allow the bottle to expand back upwards.

The shape of the corrugations of the bottle side-walls are selected to remain stable when the inside of the bottle is pressurised, whilst permitting the bottle to be compressed and collapsed.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a bottle of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view along line A-A of the bottle of Fig. 1; FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the locking mechanism of the bottle shown in Fig 2; FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the bottle of Fig 1 in compressed configuration; FIG. 5 is a plan view of a guide ring of the bottle of Fig. 1; FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the top of the bottle of another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the locking mechanism and handle of Fig. 7; FIG. 9 is a side view of another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is plan view of the underside of the bottle of Fig. 9; FIG. 11 is a side view of further embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is plan view of the underside of the bottle of Fig. 11 ; FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the top of the bottle of another embodiment of the invention in which the locking mechanism is releasable ; FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of the locking mechanism of Fig 13.

FIG. 15 is a view of various alternative locking mechanism components for use with any of the foregoing embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figures 1 and 2 show a bottle indicated generally by reference numeral 1. The shape of the bottle illustrated is that of a two-litre round bottle, but other bottle capacities and shapes may be substituted. Bottle 1 comprises a neck 2 that is closed with a conventional screw cap 3. Compressible sides 5, 5a have a concertina cross-section and extend between top 7 and base 9, and a cover 8 is provided to fit closely over top 7. Cover 8 has locking mechanism 15, 15a located on opposite sides. Locking mechanism 15 is illustrated in Figure 3 and will be described in more detail later. In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, a single strap 11 passes through a first locking mechanism 15, down the side 5, under base 9, via recess 10 formed in base 9, and returns up the side 5a and through the second locking mechanism 15a. The free ends 12 of strap 11 are attached to handle 17 by any conventional means, and in the present instance lugs 19 passes through apertures 21 near the ends of strap 11 and the lugs are secured to allow handle 17 to rotate about the strap. In this particular embodiment, guides 13, 13a are formed on mid-section stabilising ring 14 and restrict the lateral movement of strap 11 at about mid-bottle height. As shown in more detail in Figure 5, the mid-section stabilising ring 14 comprises apertures 21 formed in guides 13, 13a through which the strap 11 is able to pass. The ring is split at region 25, and a hinge 23 opposite allows the ring to open to pass over the sides 5, 5a of bottle 1 when initially fitting the ring to the bottle. A securing mechanism 27 holds the ring 14 closed after it has been fitted around the bottle.

The components of the bottle are assembled by first placing the open mid-section ring 14 around the middle of the bottle and snapping the ring together. The strap 11 is then wrapped round the base 9 of the bottle and slid through the apertures 21 of the protruding guides 13, 13a of the mid-section ring 14. The cover 8 is then placed on the top of the bottle and the straps are passed through the two locks 15 on the cover until the straps and cover fit snugly round the bottle in its normal non-compressed position. The bottle may

then be filled with the carbonated beverage and the cap 3 screwed on. Finally, the handle 17 can be snapped onto the two protruding ends 12 of the strap, allowing the handle to swing down when not in use.

Turning to Figure 3, the locking mechanism, or lock, 15 has a mechanism similar to that found in locking straps used, for example, for securing electrical wiring. A tang 27 engages with teeth 25 on strap 11 to form a ratchet arrangement that, in this embodiment, allows only upward movement of the strap. The teeth 25 may be formed only on the outer edges of the strap with a plain land in between, or may occupy the whole of the strap width, and tangs may be provided on corresponding positions on the fixed part of lock 15.

A further embodiment of a bottle of the invention is shown in Figure 6, which illustrates just the central portion of sides 5 and 5a of bottle 1. In this embodiment the guides for the strap 11 are provided by two protruding rings 30,30a that are integrally moulded onto the wall material of the bottle sides, but otherwise function in the same way as guides 13, described above. This eliminates the need for an external stabilising ring.

In both of the foregoing embodiments, the mid-section stabilising ring 14, or the protruding rings 30,30a, together with the width of the strap 11 would stop the bottle from bulging out sideways under the compressed pressure inside the bottle. Only mid-height rings are shown, but more rings 14 or 30,30a could be provided and in the extreme case stabilising rings could be provided at every crest of the corrugations on the side-wall of the bottle.

Turning to the embodiment of Figures 7 and 8, the mid and lower portions of the bottle are as described above and either a mid-section stabilising ring 14 or protruding rings 30,30a may be present. Accordingly only the top view of the bottle 1 is shown. This embodiment differs from the previous embodiments in having a cover 28 with strap 31 already moulded on to the cover 28 at one end 30, and a knob type handle 37 situated on the opposite side of the cover. The handle and locking arrangement is shown in more detail in Figure 8. The lock 15 is identical to the lock already described in relation to Figure 3. The knob type handle 37 is seen in edge-on view in Figure 7 and its circular shape would be similar to the side view of the knob of the subsequent embodiment shown in Figure 9. Assembly of the bottle of this embodiment is as described for the previous embodiments, except that the strap 31 is slid through one of the protruding rings from the mid-section ring first (or is slid through one of the two apertures 21 of the mid-section stabilising ring 14). The strap is then wrapped around the bottom of the bottle before being

slid through the other protruding ring 30 (or through other aperture 21 of the mid-section stabilising ring 14) and is then passed through the lock 15 on the cover. The free end 42 of the strap 31 is secured in handle 37 by the method described above for handle 17. Lug 39 accordingly passes through an aperture in strap 31, the edges of which are indicated by reference numerals 41 and 41a, and is secured in the body of the handle.

In the embodiment of Figure 9, each of two straps 51, 51a is moulded at one of its ends onto the cover 38 at positions that are 120'to the handle 37. In this embodiment, assembly of the bottle is similar to that described previously, except that neither a midsection stabilising ring is needed nor protruding rings are required. This is because the number of straps present also serves to stabilise the bottle. If desired, the knob type handle 37 may be secured to the free end of straps 50, 51a by a ratchet arrangement within the handle, similar to that of lock 15. If this fixing arrangement is adopted, the handle 37

would be pushed onto straps 51, 51a instead of being snapped on. This arrangement is similar to that shown in Figure 14, as applied to the handle of a subsequent embodiment. The lock in the embodiment of Figure 9, of course, accommodates two straps side by side, but is otherwise of the general construction previously described. Figure 10 shows the underside of base 9 for this embodiment. As indicated, the cover 38 has two straps 51,51a originating from two separate points and 1200 apart. The straps 51,51a wrap themselves around the bottom of the bottle, and are guided by the shape of the bottom grooves 57, 57a in base 9 to twist spirally sideways and then back. This serves to compensate for the path of travel of each strap which has to make a turn with an angle of approximately 120'as it wraps around the bottom, as depicted.

In the embodiment of Figure 11, two straps 71, 71a are instead moulded onto the cover 78 at positions 70, 70a that are 180'to each other and 90'to locks 15, 15a. Strap 71 passes under base 9 and into lock 15. Strap 71a also passes under base 9 and up the rear side of the bottle to another lock 15a that is hidden from view in Figure 11. The rear view of Figure 11 would accordingly be identical to the front view, as shown. As shown in Figure 12, the straps 71, 71a wrap themselves around base 9 of the bottle and are guided by the shape of the grooves 77,77a to twist spirally and then back in order to compensate for the path of travel of each strap as it has to make a turn to wrap around the bottom of the bottle. As in the previous embodiment, the number of straps present also serves to stabilise the bottle. Also in both this and the previous embodiment thinner straps can be used than in

the single strap arrangement and no mid-section stabilising rings or protruding rings are required.

In the embodiment of Figure 13, a different type of cover 88 is shown, which incorporates handles 83,83a that are connected to release mechanisms of lock 15. The release arrangement is illustrated in more detail in Figure 14. This alternative cover 88 may be incorporated, with appropriate modification, in bottles of any of the previously mentioned embodiments of the invention. As shown in Figure 13, a U-shaped handle 87 is secured to cover 88 by a ratchet arrangement, as previously described. Handles 83,83a are formed of flexible plastics material and one end of each handle is connected to cover 88 at regions 81 near the neck 2. The other ends of the handles 83,83a are connected by flexible connections 91 near the lower rim of the cover 81 (as shown in more detail in Figure 14). When the handles 83,83a are squeezed together towards cap 3, lower extensions 90 are pulled upwards and, in turn, pull tangs 82 away from teeth 25 formed on strap 11, releasing the strap and allowing the bottle to expand upwards. The location on the lock assembly of the two ends of the handle 87 prevents the bottle from over-extending when the locks on the cover are released.

The bottle 1 is shown in a partially compressed form in Figure 4, with the fluid level indicated by the dashed line 30.

The bottles of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 10, are used by first unscrewing the cap of the bottle and then pouring out carbonated drink for consumption. There would then be two choices: (a) to pull up with the handle and at the same time press down on the cover to collapse the bottle down as far as possible without causing the fluid to overflow from the top of the bottle, then screw the cap tightly back on, or (b) to screw the cap back on first, then pull up with the handle while pressing down on the cover at the same time with some force until the air-space inside the bottle is observed to be reduced to a very minimal volume. Option (b) has the benefit of compressing gas back into the carbonated drink, as previously described.

A similar procedure would be carried out using the bottle of the embodiment of

Figures 11 and 12, but in this instance the short handle 67 is located not very far above the cap of the bottle. However, the straps 71, 71a are narrow and could be flexed to permit the consumer easily to reach the cap 3 to twist it open.

The embodiment of Figure 13 has two extra benefits over the previous embodiments with one-way locks.

If the bottle has been compressed down and locked after the previous use, the handles may be squeezed together to release the locks before the cap is unscrewed. The pressurised air inside the bottle will then push and extend the bottle upwards. The tendency for the bottle to return to its relaxed state when not under any mechanical restrictions would also aid in this process, even though the previous compression of the bottle would have caused some deformation and would hinder this somewhat. Alternatively, the handles may be operated to unlock the bottle after the cap has been removed.

There are many choices for suitable corrugation formations other than those shown in the accompanying drawings. Most of these shapes are such that when the bottle is originally moulded there would be heavy deposits of moulded material at the ridges of the corrugations and, in some formations, at some of the other turns and curves of corrugations. Such corrugations have the benefit of maintaining the bottle's ability to collapse after the bottle has experienced the outward pressure of the carbonated drink and gas inside the bottle. This benefit arises because of the shape, as well as the location of the heavier deposits of moulded material in the corrugations. If the selected corrugations have more ridges in which the plastic material is concentrated and the corrugations are not aligned over the height of the bottle, the offsetting of successive corrugations would permit more compression of the bottle as the consumption of the contents causes the fluid level to approach the bottom of the bottle.

The unlocking feature of Figures 13 and 14 can, of course be applied to bottles of any of the other embodiments described. Suitable material for the bottle 1 would be polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), with the bottle cap 3 being formed of polypropylene (PP). The straps 11, the cover 8, and handles 37,67, 87 can be formed of nylon or any other suitable plastics material. The snap-together-handles and mid-section ring 14 may be formed of PP or any other suitable plastics material.

Although particular configurations of threads at the top of the bottle and on the cap are illustrated, any similar configuration could be adopted. The illustrated configurations of connections for the mid-section ring and the snap-together type handles are also of no particular significance and other alternatives could be adopted. Various other configurations of the components of locking mechanism 15 and/or handles 37,67 or 87 and some examples are shown in Figure 15. In this figure, Figures 15 (A) to (G) show various configurations of tangs 27'to 27'and two alternative profiles of teeth are shown for straps 11 and 111 in Figures 15 (H) and (I). Each of the two strap configurations

illustrated can be used with any of the tangs illustrated in locking mechanisms used in the present invention.

Labelling can be placed at any suitable position on the bottles, for example, on the covers 8 or 28; on the mid-section ring 14, if present; on the straps 11 themselves when they are wide, i. e. the straps for embodiments of Figures 1 to 7; on the flat surfaces on the top and side of the bar type handles; on the central flat surface on both sides of the knob type handles; and on the cap. The knob type handles do not necessarily have to have a round flat shape illustrated. It could be the shape of any promotional item, e. g. of a cartoon figures from a recent motion picture.

Although the foregoing description is directed towards the use of the bottles for preserving beverages, it is, of course, possible to use bottles of the invention with any other fluid that would benefit from the air-space above its surface being reduced or eliminated, as the fluid is consumed. It will accordingly be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and that modifications of detail can be made within the scope of this invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A container comprising side-walls that are compressible to reduce the volume of the container, and a locking arrangement adapted to hold the container in the desired degree of compression.
2. A container according to claim 1, in which the locking arrangement comprises a strap connecting the base and the top region of the container and a lock on the top region for holding the strap in tension.
3. A container according to claim 1 or 2, comprising corrugated side-walls that are compressible to reduce the height of the container.
4. A container according to claim 2 or claim 3 as dependent on claim 2, comprising guide means for the strap on opposite sides of the container that restrain lateral movement of the strap between the top and base of the container when the strap is passed through the guide means.
5. A container according to claim 2 or claim 3 as dependent on claim 2, in which a plurality of straps are arranged equidistantly around the circumference of the container.
6. A container according to any of the foregoing claims, in which the locking arrangement is releasable to allow the container to return to its uncompressed state for re-use.
7. A container, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5, Figure 6, Figures 7 and 8, Figures 9 and 10, Figures 11 and 12, or Figures 13 and 14 of the accompanying drawings.