JP2010526737A - Easy to grip bottle - Google Patents

Abstract

  An easy-to-open bottle with multiple grooves for multiple fingers.

Description

  The present invention relates to a container. Specifically, the present invention relates to a bottle that is easy to open.

  One type of container is a bottle with an external helical screw around the opening. Typically, the bottle closure is a cap having a screw that cooperates with the screw around the bottle opening. Accordingly, the cap is screwed into the bottle to seal the bottle. The cap is twisted in the opposite direction to remove the cap and open the bottle.

  This type of bottle with a removable closure is common, but such bottles are not always easy to open and close. For example, it is difficult for a person with a weak grip to twist a typical screw-type bottle cap. Also, it is often difficult to properly grasp relatively small bottles such as containers for drugs, particularly drug tablets. Similarly, it is difficult to hold the container if the bottle or cap is slippery, for example due to moisture or oil. Therefore, it is difficult to open the container unless the bottle and the cap can be firmly grasped.

  For example, an accessory for opening a bottle having a twist-off cap as in Patent Document 1 has been proposed. Similarly, various bottle shapes have been proposed that facilitate the holding of the bottle. For example, the hot-fillable bottle of Patent Document 2 is designed to be easily held. Similarly, the bottle of patent document 3 makes it easy to grasp by narrowing toward the upper part. However, these designs are not completely satisfactory. Thus, there remains a need for a bottle that is easy to open.

US Pat. No. 5,921,154 US Pat. No. 7,191,910 US Pat. No. 5,156,285

  The first embodiment relates to a bottle that is easy to open.

  The second embodiment relates to a round bottle having a plurality of finger grooves.

  The third embodiment relates to a round bottle having a plurality of deep finger grooves on the lower side wall of the bottle.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of one embodiment of a bottle. FIG. 2 shows a top view of the embodiment according to FIG. The bottom view of the Example which concerns on FIG. 1 is shown.

  The present invention relates to a bottle that is easy to open. In one embodiment, a round bottle has a plurality of finger grooves on the side wall of the bottle. In another embodiment, the round bottle has a plurality of deep finger grooves in the lower sidewall.

  Bottles that are wet or oily and slippery are difficult to open. Similarly, it is difficult to open a bottle for people who are elderly, physically disabled or who have a weak grip.

  The inventor has discovered that bottles with grooves for fingers can be easily opened. An embodiment of the bottle according to the present invention is round, and a plurality of deep finger grooves are provided on the lower side wall thereof. The plurality of grooves allow the user's fingers to enter the groove. Since a plurality of human fingers can be inserted into the plurality of grooves, the gripping force in the diametrical direction between the opposing fingers is increased. Also, because multiple fingers of a person can be placed in multiple grooves, an opportunity is provided to use the side surfaces of the multiple fingers to exert additional force in a direction that resists rotation where the cap is removed.

  The drawing shows an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 is a side view of the present embodiment. The bottle 1 has an opening 2 at the distal end of the neck 3 and a closed end 5 at the opposite end of the bottle 1. There are a plurality of helical screws 4 on the outside of the neck 3. A plurality of finger grooves 6 are formed in the closed end 5 of the bottle.

  The plurality of finger grooves 6 are gently formed to accommodate one finger. The finger groove 6 provides an opportunity for the finger to be placed sufficiently deep in the groove, and gives an additional twisting force to the side surface of the finger placed in the groove by exerting a firm gripping force. The dimensions are such that The plurality of grooves are oriented substantially vertically on the side wall 7 of the bottle and extend upward from the bottom 5. Often, the plurality of grooves surround the periphery of the bottom of the bottle and extend to some extent toward or across the bottom 5. Often, the plurality of grooves are about 3.8 mm to about 12.7 mm (about 0.15 inches to about 0.5 inches) wide at the bottle surface and about 2.5 mm to about 10.2 mm (about 0.1 mm). 1 inch to about 0.4 inch) deep. Often, the plurality of grooves extend around the bottom 5 of the bottle 1 and typically extend up the lower side of the bottle as shown in FIG. The plurality of grooves are gently formed so that it is significantly easier to apply force with a firmer grip.

  FIG. 2 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. The bottle 1 has an opening 2 at the distal end of the neck 3 and a plurality of helical screws 4 around the outside of the neck. In the drawing, a plurality of finger grooves 5 can be clearly seen.

  FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the embodiment shown in FIG. A plurality of finger grooves 6 are shown in the bottom view of the embodiment according to the bottle 1 of FIG. It can be seen that the plurality of finger grooves 6 extend to some extent over the bottom 5 of the bottle 1.

  The plurality of grooves according to the present embodiment of the present invention are designed including shape and size so that the plurality of fingers of the user can be accommodated and the side surface of the fingers can provide resistance to turning the bottle . Thus, these deep finger grooves are fundamentally different from other bottles such as soft drinks or water bottles. Such a bottle has a geometry similar to that shown in the drawings. However, soft drinks and water bottles have indentations and bulges for different purposes. For this reason, the indentations and bulges on such bottles are not designed to facilitate opening. Rather, these bulges and depressions are provided to increase the strength of the bottle or to make it easier to stand the bottle vertically. Therefore, these shapes are different from the shapes of the plurality of grooves for the plurality of fingers. The well-known soft drink and water bottle shapes are not intended to accommodate multiple fingers to improve grip and facilitate bottle opening. A person skilled in the art will know the difference in shape caused by the intentional difference simply by examining such bottles and comparing them with the drawings herein.

  The number of finger grooves is often related to the size of the container. For example, the bottle shown in FIG. 1 has six finger grooves. The six finger grooves can be easily accommodated in bottles having a diameter of about 50.8 mm to about 63.5 mm (about 2 inches to about 2.5 inches). With the guidance provided herein, one of ordinary skill in the art can place a plurality of finger grooves to an appropriate size.

  The bottle can be formed from any material known to make the bottle. A plurality of finger grooves according to embodiments of the present invention can be incorporated into plastic, metal or glass bottles, either blown, molded, cast or otherwise molded.

  The bottle was blow molded from plastic. The bottle had a diameter of 54.0 mm (2.125 inches) and an overall height of about 69.9 mm (2.75 inches). The aperture had a diameter of about 3.375 inches. The bottle has a helical screw on the outside of the bottle neck. The radius of curvature between the vertical sidewall and the bottom was 12.7 mm (0.5 inch). Six finger grooves having a width of about 0.7 inches (about 17.8 mm) at the widest portion of the top surface (ie, at the bottle wall) extend vertically upward on the side wall and about 17.8 mm toward the center from the side wall to the bottom. (About 0.7 inches).

  The present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments including the presently preferred method of practicing the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that there are numerous variations and permutations of the systems and techniques described above that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims (20)

A bottle that is easy to open,
A side wall extending upward from the closed bottom;
A neck having a distal end at the end opposite the bottom of the bottle;
An opening at the distal end of the neck and having an outer helical screw;
A plurality of finger grooves extending substantially vertically above the side wall.   The bottle of claim 1, wherein the finger groove is gently formed to accommodate a user's finger.   The bottle of claim 2, wherein the finger groove has a dimension sufficient to provide a user with an opportunity to exert a firm gripping force and provide additional twisting force to the side of the finger in the groove.   The bottle of claim 1, wherein the groove surrounds a periphery of the bottom and extends across the bottom.   The bottle of claim 2, wherein the groove surrounds the periphery of the bottom and extends across the bottom.   The bottle of claim 3, wherein the groove surrounds a periphery of the bottom and extends across the bottom.   The bottle of claim 1, wherein the groove has a width of about 3.8 mm to about 12.7 mm (about 0.15 inch to about 0.5 inch) at the surface of the bottle.   The bottle of claim 1, wherein the groove is about 2.5 mm to about 10.2 mm (about 0.1 inch to about 0.4 inch) deep.   The bottle of claim 8, wherein the groove has a width of about 3.8 mm to about 12.7 mm (about 0.15 inch to about 0.5 inch) at the surface of the bottle.   The bottle of claim 2, wherein the groove is about 3.8 mm to about 12.7 mm (about 0.15 inch to about 0.5 inch) wide at the surface of the bottle.   The bottle of claim 4, wherein the groove is about 3.8 mm to about 12.7 mm (about 0.15 inch to about 0.5 inch) wide at the surface of the bottle.   The bottle of claim 5, wherein the groove is about 3.8 mm to about 12.7 mm (about 0.15 inch to about 0.5 inch) wide at the surface of the bottle.   The bottle of claim 6, wherein the groove is about 3.8 mm to about 12.7 mm (about 0.15 inch to about 0.5 inch) wide at the surface of the bottle.   The bottle of claim 2, wherein the groove is about 2.5 mm to about 10.2 mm (about 0.1 inch to about 0.4 inch) deep.   5. The bottle of claim 4, wherein the groove is about 2.5 mm to about 10.2 mm (about 0.1 inch to about 0.4 inch) deep.   6. The bottle of claim 5, wherein the groove is about 2.5 mm to about 10.2 mm (about 0.1 inch to about 0.4 inch) deep.   The bottle of claim 6, wherein the groove is about 2.5 mm to about 10.2 mm (about 0.1 inch to about 0.4 inch) deep.   The bottle of claim 14, wherein the groove has a width of about 3.8 mm to about 12.7 mm (about 0.15 inch to about 0.5 inch) at the surface of the bottle.   The bottle of claim 15, wherein the groove is about 3.8 mm to about 12.7 mm (about 0.15 inch to about 0.5 inch) wide at the surface of the bottle.   The bottle of claim 17, wherein the groove is about 3.8 mm to about 12.7 mm (about 0.15 inch to about 0.5 inch) wide at the surface of the bottle.

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