IE20080346A1

IE20080346A1 - A container

Info

Publication number: IE20080346A1
Application number: IE20080346A
Authority: IE
Inventors: John Harding
Original assignee: John Harding
Priority date: 2007-05-04
Filing date: 2008-05-01
Publication date: 2009-07-22
Also published as: GB0807967D0; IES20080347A2; GB2448988A

Abstract

A container 1 for housing a bottle 2 is fabricated from wood and comprises a base 4 and a lid 5 which is hinged by hinges 6 to the base 4. The base 4 and lid 5 have grooves 7, 8 to slidingly receive bracing elements which hold the bottle in place in the container. There are a pair of neck-engaging bracing elements 10, 11 which engages a neck 12 of the bottle 2 and a body-engaging bracing element 13 that engages a main body 15 of the bottle 2. At least some of the bracing elements have strips 20 of a flexible material applied thereto. When the lid 5 is opened the bottle 2 sits on the strips 20 in the bracing elements 10, 11. On closing the box 1 a slight pressure is applied by the lid 5 which causes the bottle 2 to be slightly compressed against the strips 20 and held when the base is closed and clasped to the lid 5. The resilience of the strips 20 in combination with the lid 5 thereby effectively and efficiently holds the bottle 2 in the container 1 during transportation. The bottle 2 does not move in transport so that when the user opens the container 1 the label is still in the optimum display orientation. <Figure 8>

Description

Wooden containers for bottles are known. One of the problems with known boxes is that the bottles are not securely held in position in the box to prevent rattling of the bottle in the container during transportation. This is due to dimensional variations in bottle and box production. To address this problem it is known to use a block of polystyrene to partially fill the space between the bottle and its container. Such measures however severely detract from the image of a high value product displayed in a wooden container.

The invention is directed towards providing a bottle container which will address these problems.

Statements of Invention According to the invention there is provided a container for a bottle comprising a base to receive a bottle and a lid for the base, the base and/or the lid having bracing elements for holding the bottle in the container, at least one of the bracing elements being at least partially flexible for engaging a bottle to substantially prevent movement of the bottle during transportation.

In one embodiment the bracing element comprises a flexible strip. The bracing element preferably defines a bottle receiving recess and the flexible strip is applied to the bottle engaging surface of the recess.

The strip may be applied along substantially all of the surface of the recess.

Alternatively the strip is applied to only a portion or portions of the recess. ln one embodiment the bracing elements comprise a bottle neck-engaging bracing element.

In one case the bracing elements comprise a bottle body-engaging bracing 5 element.

The base, lid and bracing elements may be of wood. The flexible strip may be of foam, rubber or the like flexible material.

In one embodiment the lid is hinged to the base and the flexible material is compressed on closing of the lid.

The invention also provides an assembly comprising a container of the invention with a bottle mounted therein.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description 20 thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a container in an open configuration according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container when closed; Figs. 3A and 3B are perspective views of different bottles that may be housed in the container; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a base of the container with a bottle in place; -3Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a pair of bracing elements used in the container; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a bracing element used in the container; Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of the container in the direction of the arrows B-B in Fig. 4; Figs. 8 and 9 are cross sectional views illustrating the effect of opening 10 and closing a lid of the container on a bottle housed in the container; and Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 7 illustrating alternative bracing elements.

Detailed Description Referring to the drawings and initially to Figs. 1 to 9 there is illustrated a container 1 according to the invention for housing a bottle 2. The container 1 is fabricated from wood and comprises a base 4 and a lid 5 which is hinged by hinges 6 to the base 4. Clasps 16 are used to hold the container closed. The base 4 and lid 5 have grooves 7, 8 to slidingly receive bracing elements which hold the bottle in place in the container. There is a pair of neck-engaging bracing elements 10, 11 which engage a neck 12 of the bottle 2 and a body-engaging bracing element 13 that engages a main body 15 of the bottle 2.

At least some, and in this case all, of the bracing elements 10, 11 have strips 20 of a suitable flexible material such as a rubber or foam applied thereto. The strips 20 may for example be adhesively bonded to the bracing elements 10, 11. I have found that the use of such strips 20 greatly improves the operation of the box.

Referring in particular to Figs. 8 and 9, when the lid 5 is opened the bottle 2 sits on the strips 20 in the bracing elements 10, 11. On closing the box 1 a slight pressure is applied by the lid 5 which causes the bottle 2 to be slightly compressed against the strips 20 and held when the base 4 is closed and clasped -4to the lid 5. The resilience of the strips 20 in combination with the lid 5 thereby effectively and efficiently holds the bottle 2 in the container 1 during transportation. This is important not only because it avoids the annoyance of the noise of a bottle 2 rattling in the box 1 but also because the bottle 2 is retained in the orientation in which it is packaged. A bottle 2 is packaged with the label uppermost and centred. Because of the improved container 1 the bottle 2 does not move in transport so that when the user opens the container 1 the label is still in the optimum display orientation.

In most of the drawings the bottle 2 is illustrated with a small projection 25 on the base thereof which is engagable in a corresponding recess 26 in the bracing element 13. However, the container 1 is suitable for use with any type of bottle 2 such as a plain bottle 2 illustrated in Fig. 3B.

To facilitate the interaction between the lid 5 and the bottle 2 it is preferred that the body of the bottle 2 is contactable directly by the lid 5 as illustrated particularly in Fig. 9 However to allow the box 1 to be used with smaller bottles an upper bracing element may also be used.

Referring to Fig. 10 there is illustrated an alternative arrangement in which flexible strips 20 are applied to the base and/or lid engaging faces of the bracing elements 13.

The invention prevents lateral, horizontal and turning movement of the bottle 2 within the presentation box 1 so that on opening the box 1 the bottle 2 will present with the label facing outwards. Rattling noise and/or damage caused by a loose bottle 2 within the presentation box 1 is eliminated.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described, which may be varied in detail.

Claims

1. A container for a bottle comprising a base to receive a bottle and a lid for the base, the base and/or the lid having bracing elements for holding the 5 bottle in the container, at least one of the bracing elements being at least partially flexible for engaging a bottle to substantially prevent movement of the bottle during transportation.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bracing element comprises 10 a flexible strip.

3. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein the bracing elements define a bottle receiving recess and the flexible strip is applied to the bottle engaging surface of the recess.

4. A container as claimed in claim 3 wherein the strip is applied along substantially all of the surface of the recess.

5. A container as claimed in claim 3 wherein the strip is applied to only a 20 portion or portions of the recess.

6. A container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 wherein the bracing elements comprise a bottle neck-engaging bracing element. 25

7. A container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein the bracing elements comprise a bottle body-engaging bracing element.

8. A container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 wherein the base, lid and bracing elements are of wood.

9. A container as claimed in claim 8 wherein the flexible element is of foam, rubber or the like flexible material. -6£ 0 80 3 46

10. A container as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the lid is hinged to the base and the flexible material is compressed on closing of the lid.

11. A container substantially as hereinbefore described.

12. An assembly comprising a container as claimed in any preceding claim and a bottle mounted therein.