JP2019507073A - A regular priced liquid container with unique optical properties - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and apparatus for creating lenses and lens arrays with uniform and normal thickness clear sides and a highly articulated lens and lens array through the synergistic effect of clear fluid and container can be manufactured at normal method and normal price It is. The side of the container is formed into the surface shape of a lens or lens array and cooperates with a clear fluid in it, which has a refractive index close to that of the container wall, usually by a single lens of glass or plastic Performs the function performed and collects light on a plane inside or outside the container. Such containers can be used both as an advanced label display for clear fluid containers such as water, soda, alcohol, liquid soap, and many other liquid products and as a display-only device, impractical An alternative to thick and expensive lenses. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid container having a lenticular label, and more specifically to a container having a lens or lens array formed on a side wall of the container.

  In the packaging industry, it is well known to utilize the lenticular effect, such as lenticular labels for fluid containers. The disadvantage of lenticular labels is that they are relatively expensive relative to normal printing prices. Since labels and lenses must be thin, it is necessary to increase the number of lenses per inch. Therefore, the number of images that can be displayed is reduced, and quality control problems are increased.

  As another lens effect, for example, in a part of a liquor bottle, it is known that an inward image of the label on the opposite side is projected by the natural enlargement effect of the curved bottle so that it stands out behind the bar. ing. Many plastic water bottles have an irregular surface and the water inside exhibits a random lens effect.

  U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,445 by Sekiguchi et al. Describes using a container assembly having an empty bottle. The empty bottle of the container assembly has a butterfly image superimposed (combined) on the back wall, and has a lattice on the facing front wall. The empty bottle has a transparent label printed as a grid and another printed label on the back wall. However, this “grating” method suffers from the optical loss inherent in the “barrier strip” method and the like.

  Raymond U.S. Pat. No. 7,057,823 B1 discusses placing an image on one side of a container and projecting it with a lens molded on the opposite side instead of a barrier strip. However, this requires the use of additional glass or plastic. With regard to the appropriate strength of the glass container, the thickness of the container should generally be about 3/16 inch or more and at least as thick as the narrowest part of the lens. When the lens covers most of one side, it is added to the volume of the material. Alternatively, if the lens is recessed to the same curved plane as the outside of the bottle, this requirement makes the entire bottle thicker. In plastic containers, which can be about 5000 or 1/6000 inch, the lens substantially increases the amount of plastic normally used and also requires a blow molded or injection molded container that requires a uniform wall thickness. May cause manufacturing problems.

  Both Sekiguchi and Raymond designs and methods have disadvantages. In the Sekiguchi method, the image is inferior to the lens method, and in the Raymond technology, the manufacturing cost is higher than usual.

  According to the present invention, the side surface of the container is formed into a surface shape of a lens or lens array having a uniform thickness with plastic or glass, and thereby the lens effect is obtained by cooperating with a clear fluid in which the side surface of the container is contained. Provide an optimally clear and bright display to complete. The cost of manufacture does not exceed that of ordinary containers and labels that can be formed by injection molding, blow molding, or other methods, and is a register for lenticular lenses, eyeglass lenses, or other types of lenses. It is not necessary to print together. The surface profile of the lens or lens array is substantially more articulated than the surface profile of a rounded or curved bottle or container.

  The first embodiment is a clear side container having at least two parallel sides. One of the at least two parallel sides is formed as the surface of the lens or lens array. The focal plane of the lens or lens array is on the back of the opposing smooth flat side. There may optionally be a slight recessed area on the opposite side, to which the label is adhered. An image corresponding to the lens or the lens array is printed on the inward side of the label. When two such containers are bonded together on flat sides, a dual display container can be created that can display an image through both outer sides. The joined recessed area may be accessible from the bottom or side, and a double-sided image may be inserted instead of first labeling each container.

  Such a dual display container may be formed as one container instead of bonding two containers together. It is made so that clear fluid is filled in both halves, so only one mouth is required. In a dual display container formed in either a double or single form, the recessed portion may be a flat side or a side formed in the shape of a lens profile. In the case of a lens shape, the recessed portion may be slightly enlarged and the lens has a focal plane on that of the inserted image and the outside of the container is flat for viewing. When the side surface of the hollow part is flat, the outer surface of the container is formed in a lens shape, and its focal length is in the plane of the inserted image.

  In other embodiments, the image is printed on a thin flexible sheet. The flexible sheet is inserted through the mouth of the container and opened by restoration with the support of a spacer formed either on the image sheet or the container itself, the side surface is parallel to the lens that it creates It fits in the position of the focal plane of the lens to be created. The container and image may be plastic or any suitable material. As long as the fluid is clear enough to exhibit the required optical properties, it may be lightly colored, filled with carbon dioxide, or viscous.

  Further embodiments relate to lenticular or other lens array displays rather than conventional utility containers. Flat or curved substantially flat containers that exhibit the same characteristics as the containers described above are made for image display only purposes, using any lens that is larger than the lenses used in normal lens arrays. May be. In any case, since the lens is delivered empty and a clear fluid such as water can be filled on site, the cost will be substantially reduced both in the amount of plastic used and in the delivery weight. Very large lenses or lenses with very long focal lengths usually require more plastic for their thickness or lamination to thick spacers, in which case such display containers are It will be particularly economical. Such a liquid filled display lens can also be inserted to place a thin image in the focal plane of the lens. The thin images are virtually moved without weight using the attached ferrous metal piece, which is actuated or moved by an external magnet on the motor shaft, using the attached levitation device. Brings dramatic changes to the image without requiring any movement on the side. Furthermore, a new toy or display may be created by changing the buoyancy of the floating image by the “floating and sinking” method in which the image is moved up and down by applying a slight pressure to the container. Such a liquid-filled lens would also be useful for field displays. In that case, sunlight usually heats the image, but the inclusion liquid significantly reduces the heat.

  If the lens-shaped side of the clear container works in cooperation with the clear fluid contained in it, the rounded or curved bottle or container will exhibit a lens effect that exceeds the natural effect produced by the container, circular, Many different container shapes and configurations are possible including rectangular, oval, polygonal, and asymmetric shapes. Once used, the container may be refilled with water or any clear liquid to display the image.

1 is a perspective view of an embodiment according to the present invention. In the drawing from the top of the embodiment, which is a double container affixed back to back, each container has its own mouth and a separate interior area. FIG. 2 is a top view of an embodiment of a double container having a single mouth with containers connected inside, and a perspective view of the same container. FIG. 5 is another embodiment having an image spaced from a lens wall. FIG. Schematic approximation of one lens in the lens array, and the path that the ray follows when a clear liquid having substantially the same refractive index as the vessel wall enters the vessel, and the ray that passes through the empty vessel follows A comparison with the route is shown.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention are described, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

  FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a generally rectangular container “A”. Its front surface, i.e. the first side surface, is formed in the surface shape of the lens array and cooperates with the clear fluid in the container "A" to achieve its lens effect. The first side surface has a focal plane on the rear side, the opposite side, that is, the outer side surface of the second side surface, and a label having a corresponding image is attached to the plane.

  FIG. 2 shows a double container consisting of two adhered containers. The labels of the two containers fit snugly into the joint recessed space between the two containers at a position that becomes the focal plane of the outer surface. Double containers can hold two different liquids, such as oil and vinegar or shampoo and conditioner, and each of the two containers can only be accessed from its own container mouth. The recessed space may be created so that either the attached label or the double-sided label can be inserted after assembly.

  FIG. 3 shows a single forming mold of two joined containers. As in the double container of FIG. 2, the internal space of the two containers is connected in a state where one double-sided label is inserted, and there is one mouth.

  FIG. 4 shows the container in which the lens side faces are focused on the plane of the inserted image printed on the flexible substrate in the container. The flexible substrate can be rolled or otherwise compressed and inserted through the container mouth. Thereafter, it is opened by restoration with a flexible image or a spacer formed in the container, and is arranged on the focal plane of the side surface that becomes the lens.

  FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of one lens element in the array and the path that the light ray follows in the empty container relative to the path that the light ray takes in the fluid container. Container wall “A” may be of uniform thickness, and may be as thin as about 0.005 inches for plastic bottles. As shown in region “B”, when the container is empty, the light beam “D” passes through the wall with little deviation from that direction. This changes from outside air with a refractive index of 1 to about 1.5 of glass or plastic (slightly higher in the case of PET plastic commonly used in plastic bottles), but the rays pass through the walls, This is because it returns to the original state when returning to the air in the container. As a result, the rays are out of focus.

  However, as shown in region “C”, when the container is filled with a substantially refractive index liquid, the thin curved surface of the container wall can be made of two types of glass in cooperation with the encapsulating fluid. Acts as a single lens, much like a “double” lens. The ray is focused as determined by the radius of curvature of the container surface. The container label “E” and its image on the opposite side of the lens array, corresponding to the lens array, face inward and are located in the focal plane of the array. For illustration purposes, the rays are depicted as moving into the container, but of course they are moving in both directions. An observer on the array side of the container views the inner image of the label as a three-dimensional, animated or optical display that represents either these properties commonly associated with such lens arrays.

  Although several embodiments have been described, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and other modifications and variations that can be considered by those skilled in the art are possible. The scope of the present invention is defined only by the following claims.

Claims (33)

A container for a substantially transparent or clear fluid,
Surface contours of rounded or curved bottles or containers formed in the surface contour shape of the lens and / or lens array so that the encapsulated clear fluid completes the lens effect and is in focus at the focal plane A container with thin and clear sides that are substantially more articulated than shape. The container according to claim 1,
At least one outer surface of the container is formed as a lens or a lens array, a focal plane of the outer surface is on an outer surface of an opposing smooth flat side surface, and a label having an image on the inner side is attached to the side surface. Attached container. A container according to claim 2,
A container in which the sides of two containers are attached to each other to form a dual container. A container according to claim 3,
The side is recessed and includes a label, the outer surface of the label being flush with the remaining outer surface of the container for ease of attachment, A container that can hold two different types of clear fluid accessible from two separate container ports. A container according to claim 3,
A container in which a recessed portion is extended to reach one side of the container to define a thin cavity, and labels having images on both sides can be inserted into the thin cavity. The container according to claim 5,
The container of which the wall part of the said recessed part has a lens shape which focuses on the plane of the said label to be inserted, and the outer surface which the said wall part opposes is a smooth plane. A container according to claim 3,
The dual container is a container that is molded integrally so that the fluid is filled in both halves and the container has only one mouth. The container according to claim 1,
The outer surface of the container is formed in the surface contour shape of a lens or a lens array, and the lens effect of the outer surface is completed by a clear fluid contained therein, and the focal plane of the outer surface is within the volume of the fluid. Present in the container. A container according to claim 8,
An insertion image is printed on a thin flexible substrate with ink that does not dissolve in the encapsulated clear fluid. A container that is opened by restoring to the outside so that it can be placed in the focal plane of the lenticular side by the support. The container according to claim 1,
A flat or curved substantially flat, liquid-filled container is substantially thinner relative to its width and height and is primarily a display lens or lens rather than as a normal practical fluid container A container that functions as an array. The container according to claim 1,
The said focal plane is a container which exists in the outer side surface of the smooth flat side which opposes. The container according to claim 1,
A container in which the focal plane is present in the container. A container according to claim 12,
A container in which a levitating device is provided in the image so that the image can be inserted into the focal plane of the side surface that becomes the lens in the clear fluid and the image can be moved. A container according to claim 13,
A container in which the image can be moved by at least one of magnetic or variable buoyancy means. A container for a substantially transparent or clear fluid,
Surface contours of rounded or curved bottles or containers formed in the surface contour shape of the lens and / or lens array so that the encapsulated clear fluid completes the lens effect and is in focus at the focal plane Comprising a first clear side that is substantially more articulated than the shape;
The container defines a label position area for holding a label with an image at the focal plane. A container according to claim 15,
The focal plane is disposed on a second side opposite to the first side, and the label position area is disposed on the second side. A container according to claim 15,
A container comprising two containers attached to each other. A container according to claim 17,
The two containers define separate internal fluid inclusion regions that are not in fluid communication, and the container has two ports. A container according to claim 17,
The two containers define two internal fluid inclusion regions in fluid communication, the container having a single mouth. A container according to claim 17,
The label position area is a container located between the two containers. A container according to claim 20,
The label position area is a container for holding a label having an image on both sides. A container according to claim 15,
The label position region is a container located in the container extending from the first clear side surface. A container according to claim 15,
The label location area is a container defined by a recessed area in the container. A container according to claim 22,
The container includes an image printed with insoluble ink, and the label is a thin flexible substrate configured to be inserted from the mouth of the container. A container according to claim 24,
The container is folded so as to be inserted from the mouth of the container, and is unfolded after insertion to become basically flat, and is distributed in the focal plane. A container according to claim 25,
The container has a space for positioning the substrate in the focal plane. A container according to claim 15,
The lens is a container that defines a focal plane within the container along with a fluid contained therein. A container according to claim 15,
A distance between the first side and the second side is substantially less than the width and height of the container. A container according to claim 15,
The label position area is accessed from outside the container, and the container allows insertion of a label after the container is formed. A container according to claim 15,
The lens is a container that defines a focal plane on an outer surface of the second side surface together with a fluid contained therein. A container according to claim 15,
The label position region is a container including a label positioned in the container and floating in the container. A container according to claim 31, wherein
The label has magnetic properties and can be moved by an outer magnet. A container according to claim 31, wherein
A container comprising a device for controlling the position of the label within the label position area.