MXPA00003240A - Ovalization and crush resistant container - Google Patents

Abstract

A container dome (12) with arch-like structures in elevation and polygon-shaped structures in plan. The arch-like structures are provided by pairs of chordal stiffening facets (30, 30a) disposed in an endwise adjacent array extending transversely about the periphery of the dome (12) to enhance top loading capability. Each pair of facets (30, 30a) has an inwardly-convex chordal stiffening rib (36) which defines a regular transverse polygon having an uneven number of sides to prevent dome ovalization. Preferably, multiple vertically-stacked tiers (42, 44) of facet pairs (30, 30a) arrays are utilized with each array being radially offset from adjacent tiers (42, 44).

Description

CONTAINER RESISTANT TO CRUSHING AND OVALIZATION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a blow molded plastic container having a dome specifically designed to resist ovalization and to provide an improved load capacity at the top, and in particular, the present invention relates to a dome configuration which is especially useful in wide-mouth bottles or 10 narrow-neck bottles that are filled cold or hot.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Blow-molded plastic containers are becoming increasingly common in consumer packaged goods, such as peanut butter, pickles, applesauce and similar food products. Traditionally, such products have been supplied in wide-mouth glass jars that provide a relatively heavy, inflexible and rigid container. The blow molded plastic containers 20 offer the advantage of a light weight, reducing transportation costs. Plastic containers are continually designed as an effort to reduce the amount of plastic required to make the container. While there are savings with respect to the cost in the material, the reduction of the plastic can decrease the rigidity of the container and the structural integrity. In this way, a problem with plastic containers is that many forces act on the shape designed in this way and alter the shape of the container, particularly its dome configuration, from the moment it is blow molded to the moment when it is blown. It is placed on a shelf in a store. In the packaging of food and drink products, blow molded plastic containers can be used in the This process is called "hot filling", ie filling the containers with a food or drinkable product at an elevated temperature, sealing the containers, and subsequently allowing the food or drinks to cool down. The internal vacuum force acts on the container as a result of the hot filling procedure. The filled plastic containers hot can provide a sufficient flexure to compensate for internal changes in pressure and temperature, while maintaining its structural integrity and aesthetic appearance. Flexure is commonly achieved with flexible vacuum panels located under a label below the dome. When packing, shipping and storing, external forces are applied to the sealed containers. Full containers are packaged in batches in cardboard boxes or plastic wrap, or both. A lower row of packed, full containers can support various top layers of filled containers, and potentially, various top boxes of full containers. In this way, it is important that the container has a sufficient load capacity at the top to avoid distortion of the intended shape of the container. The ovalization of the dome region is a common distortion 5 associated with blow molded plastic containers, especially if they were hot filled. Some dome configurations are designed to have a horizontal cross section that substantially has a circular shape. The forces resulting from hot filling can change the shape of the horizontal cross section intended, for example, to move to oval, creating packaging problems in the boxes and adhesion of the label, among others. Although various containers that have a specific dome configuration can function satisfactorily for the purposes for which they were created, there is a need for a molded plastic container by blowing, particularly a blown mouthed plastic bottle with a wide mouth or a narrow neck bottle, having an improved reinforced dome that resists distortion by ovalization due to hot filling, and that resists compression distortions caused by the load on top. A container with a dome must be able to have made of a minimum amount of plastic to face efficient processing. ? "^ á e ^. ¿my **» ^ * »**** * ^ - * ^.» * - ¿I * i ilTüntlilBín i?? ii -y ™ * * • "* • - *** - - - OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION With the foregoing in mind, a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a blow molded plastic container having a dome that resists distortion. Another object of the present invention is to provide a container with dome configuration capable of maintaining its structural integrity and aesthetic appearance despite the internal pressure of the container which induces the distortion caused by hot filling. 10 An additional objective is to provide a container that has an improved dome with sufficient load capacity at the top to withstand the severity of shipping and storage. A further object of the invention is to provide a hot-filled, wide-mouthed plastic bottle with a dome configuration that does not have expensive processing, is structurally sound, and has an aesthetic appearance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION More specifically, the present invention provides a blow molded container resistant to ovalization and crushing. The container has a dome that connects a side wall portion with a finish. The dome has a plurality of facets of ~ u ** * -. i * * * »* ^ - ^ * .. **. *. Bl9¡ | g | ^^ tailpiece reinforcement arranged in an adjacent edge grouping extending transversely near its periphery between the side wall portion and the finish. Each facet has an inwardly convex chordal ridge that forms an inflexion between a portion of the straight and transverse facet wall of the dome, and each portion of the facet wall has a peripheral ridge convex outwardly with an apogee located between the opposite ends of the facet. the cordal edge. The portions of the peripheral end extend in opposite directions from the apogee towards the opposite ends of the chordal edge. Preferably a non-number of chordal edges is used to define a regular transversal polygon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objects, features and advantages described and others of the present invention will be apparent from the present description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an elevation view of a container having a dome which modalizes the present invention. Figure 2 is a top plan view of the dome. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the dome taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the dome taken along line 4-4 of the figure 2 ^^^^ A ^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ of the dome taken along line 5-5 of Figure 2; and Figure 6 is a perspective view of the dome.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY Figure 1 illustrates a blow molded container 10 having a dome resistant to ovalization and crush 12 in accordance with the present invention. The preferred container 10, as illustrated, it has a wide mouth which makes it particularly useful for packing food products such as applesauce, peanut butter, or similar semi-liquid foods. However, the dome 12 can be used in any type, size or shape of blow molded container and can be used to pack various liquids or beverages different semiliquids, food and consumable products. The dome 12 is designed to provide a package with an aesthetic appearance, as well as to resist the distortion caused by hot filling and top loading. The container 10 has many features that are common to the known blow molded containers. The dome 12 has a threaded finish 14 that provides an opening 16 through which the container 10 is filled and subsequently sealed. A base 18 is located away from the finish 14 and extends to an angular side wall portion . The annular side wall portion 20 includes a stop for lower tag 22 adjacent to the base 18 and an upper tag stop 24 located adjacent the dome 12. The stops for upper and lower tag 22 and 24 define the extent of the mounting area the label 26, which if the container 10 has been created for hot filling, has a series of separate vacuum flexible panels (not shown) that accommodate the volumetric changes in the hot filled container after it has been sealed, capped and cooled to room temperature. The description of vacuum flexible panels as illustrated in the drawings of the design patent E.U.A. No. D.366, 417 is incorporated herein by reference. The only aspect of the present invention is the rigid structure in the dome 12, which provides the container 10 with a greater load capacity in the upper part and a greater control of the distortion of the dome, such as ovalization. As will be analyzed in more detail, in elevation, the dome is provided with faceted structures similar to an arc to improve the upper load capacity, and in plan, the dome is provided with edges of cordal rigidity arranged to form structures shaped like polygon to avoid ovalization of the dome. The stiffness described above of the dome 12 is provided by a plurality of pairs of facets of chordal stiffness 30 arranged in an adjacent edge grouping that extends transversely near the periphery of the dome 12 between the finish 14 and the annular side wall portion 20. In the preferred mode, multiple layers are used ^ mü ^ ¡n ^ stacked vertically from facet groupings, as will be analyzed. Each pair of facets 30 includes a straight facet wall portion 32 and a transverse facet wall portion 34 connected by an inwardly convex cordal stiffening edge to 36 that forms an inflection 5 between the straight and transverse facet wall portions. , 32 and 34. In the embodiment illustrated, the straight facet wall portion 32 extends substantially parallel to the central axis "A" of the container 10, and the transverse wall portion 34 extends substantially perpendicular to the central axis ". "Of the container 10. In this way, the inflection that is formed between The transverse and straight facet wall portions, 32 and 34, are at approximately an angle of 90 °, and the edge of cordal stiffness 36 is substantially straight and continuous between their opposite ends. As shown in Figure 1, all cordal stiffening edges 36 lie in a common plane transverse to the axis "A" of the container. Alternatively, a An angle of more than 90 ° may be formed, and the transverse wall portion 34 may otherwise extend to the perpendicular to the central axis "A". Each of the transverse and straight wall portions 32 and 34 extends from the coronal stiffness edge convex inwardly 36 towards an outwardly convex peripheral edge 38. Each of the edges Outwardly convex peripherals 38 extend from the ends, 36a and 36b, of one of the inwardly convex chordal edges 36 to an intermediate apogee 40 of the ends, 36a and 36b. As illustrated in the drawings, the outward convex peripheral edges 38 are arcades; however, you can use other forms. The facet stiffness facet pairs 30, as described, function to reinforce the dome 12 of the container 10 to protect it from distortion. Although the manner in which the facets of cordal stiffness work can not be easily explained, it is believed that each outwardly convex peripheral edge 38 of each straight facet wall portion 32 forms a tie-like structure in which, very similar to an arc, it can support a load applied downwards along the upper periphery of the arc. It is believed that arc-like structures transfer loads by acting downward in opposite directions from apogee 40, towards the ends 32a and 36b, at the inward convex cordal stiffness edge 36, thereby placing it into tension, and also transferring the load down between the ends of the adjacent cordal stiffening edges 36. In this way, the structure works in a similar way to an attached "A" frame subject to a load at the top at its apogee. These structures combine to resist movement in vertical and flat directions. The distortion is also resisted by the configuration of the coronal convex stiffness edges inwardly around the periphery of the dome 12 defining a regular polygon structure transverse to the longitudinal axis of the container. To maximize resistance to ovalization, the regular polygon structure is preferably formed with a non-number of cordal stiffening edges 36 and facets 30. As illustrated, five coronal convex stiffening ribs 36 are used to form a i & ^ £ ^^ 3¿ | ggj, -J? *.? ~~ ..-- aiz- * et? i * ~. * «-.1 * t ^^ ¡m ^ m? iJ? «A pentagon structure; however, a polygon with three, seven or nine sides are also within a preferred range. If all conveniences of ovalization resistance are not necessary, an even number of cordal stiffness edges 36 and facet 30 may be used as, for example, four, six or eight. Functionally, the use of a number of non-stiffening edges 36 and facets 30 is believed to resist ovalization more firmly due to the fact that apogeees resist movement in a flat direction, and since they do not oppose each other, the proclivity to ovalize is neutralized. The preferred embodiment of the reinforced dome 12 utilizes two vertically stacked layers 42 and 44 of facet pairs 30 and 30a in adjacent edge groupings. As illustrated, the second plurality of facet pairs of chordal stiffness 3a is overlaid on the facet pairs described above 30 and have a similar construction to the pairs of facets described above 30, but smaller in general. To improve the strength of the dome 12, preferably the second facet plurality pairs 30a are configured in such a way that their apogee 40a are radially misaligned from the apogee 40 of the lower layer 42 of the facet pairs 30. As illustrated, each one at the adjacent ends of the inwardly convex chordal stiffening ribs 36 is disposed adjacent the apogee 40 of each portion of underlying straight facet pairs 32. If desired, 3 or more vertical stacked faceted layer groupings can be used. The number of facets per grouping gH! ^ g! ! ^ á ^^ & ^^^^^ may vary in each layer, or, as illustrated, each grouping may have an equal number of facets. Each upper layer 44 extends to a smaller radial extent than the adjacent lower layer 42, such that the dome 12 tilts up and inward from the annular side wall portion 20 towards the finish 14. The dome 12 has a upper thin transition annular wall portion 46 extending between the outwardly convex peripheral ridges 38 of the layer lying at the top 44 of the straight facet wall portions 32a towards the finish 14, and a portion of narrow lower transition wall 48 extending between the outwardly convex peripheral edges 38 of the layer at the lower portion 42 of the transverse facet wall portions 34 towards the annular side wall portion 20 of the container 10. The dome 12 is particularly useful in plastic wide-mouth bottle-type containers, which tend to present an ovalization of the dome. For definition purposes, a container is considered to have a wide mouth if the annular finish 14 has a diameter of at least 45 mm. By way of example, and in no way limiting, the embodiment illustrated has a finish diameter of approximately 55 mm and a sidewall body diameter of 110 mm with the remaining container portions drawn to scale. If the container will be used in a hot fill procedure to contain a food or drinkable product, the container It is preferably made of PET. However, other plastics can be used, such as HDPE, PP, PVC, LDPE or multilayer structures or mixed materials from the above materials with other plastic materials. The container 10 is preferably blow molded of injection molded preforms (not shown). The injection molded out of the preform can be used as the finish 14 of the container 10. Alternatively, the finish 14 of the container 10 can be blow molded and the remaining portion of the preform on the blow molded finish can be cut as a feature. . The blow molding of the finish 14 is particularly useful when manufacturing wide-mouth containers sealed with a layer of aluminum foil, on which a lid is installed. The described container having a reinforced dome allows an improved load capacity in the upper part and resists the ovalization of the dome. The container can be blow molded economically and efficiently from any commercially available plastic and provides an aesthetic appearance despite the rigors of the hot filling process and the top loading during shipment. While a preferred container has been described in detail, various modifications, alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (1)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS 5 1.- A container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) having a dome (12) that connects an annular side wall portion (20) to a finish (14), said dome (12) has a plurality of pairs of facets of chordal rigidity (30) arranged in a cluster adjacent edge that extends transversely near the periphery of said dome 10 (12) between said finish (14) and said side wall portion (20), each pair of facets (30) has an inwardly convex cordal stiffening edge that forms an inflection between a straight facet wall portion (32). ) and transverse (34) of said dome (12), each facet wall portion (32, 34) has an outward convex peripheral ridge (38) with an apogee (40) 15 located at the intermediate opposite ends (36a, 36b) of said ridge stiffening edge 36 and with portions extending from it in opposite directions towards the opposite ends of said edge stiffening edge (36), said plurality of stiffness edges chord 36 defines a regular transverse polygon. 20 2.- The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) according to claim 1, further characterized in that a number of cordal stiffening edges (36) is used. 3.- The container resistant to crushing and ovalization L = a_ifag »A, ..» ^ ^^ '^^ eí Éi ^ á & ^ ^ - ^ í ^^ á », (10) in accordance with claim 1, further characterized in that said dome (12) includes at least a second plurality of pairs of facets of chordal rigidity (30a) superimposed on said first plurality of facet pairs (30), said second plurality of facet pairs (30a) having a construction similar to said first plurality and being arranged with adjacent edge ends (36a, 36b) of the adjacent peripheral chordal edges (36) disposed adjacent the apogee (40a) of each portion of the underlying straight facet wall (32a). 4. The container resistant to crushing and ovalization 10 (10) according to claim 3, further characterized in that said outwardly convex peripheral edge (38) of at least said portion of straight phase wall (32) is shaped of Arc. 5. The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) according to claim 4, further characterized in that said peripheral edge convex outwardly from said portion of transverse facet wall (34) is arc-shaped. 6. The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) according to claim 4, further characterized in that said dome 12 is inclined upward and inward on said apogee 20 (40, 40a). 7. The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) according to claim 4, further characterized in that said dome (12) has a portion of narrow annular wall (46) that connects said apogee (40, 40a) of the straight facet walls (32, 32a) to the finish (14). 8. The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) according to claim 1, further characterized in that said finish (14) is annular and has a diameter of at least 44 mm. 9. The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) in accordance with claim 1, further characterized in that said container (10) is made of polyethylene tristalate. 10. The container resistant to crushing and ovalization 10 (10) according to claim 2, further characterized in that said number of chordal stiffness edge (36) is in a range of about 3 to about 9. 11 .- The container resists crushing and ovalization (10) having a finish (14), a base (18) away from the finish (14), a side wall (20) extending from the base (18) and a dome (12) extending between and connecting the finish (14) to the side wall (20), characterized in that wherein said dome (12) has a layer row (44) and a lower layer (42), said upper layer (44) has a plurality of pairs of facets of chordal rigidity (30a) arranged in an adjacent cluster of edge 20 extending transversely near the periphery of said dome (12) between said finish (14) and said lower layer (42), said lower layer (42) having a plurality of facet pairs of chordal stiffness (30) arranged in an adjacent edge grouping that extends transversely near from the periphery of said dome (12) between said upper layer (44) and said side wall (20), each pair of facets (30, 30a) has an edge of coronal stiffness convex inwards (36) forming an inflection between a transverse facet wall portion and a straight line (32, 34) of said dome (12), each facet wall portion (32, 34) has an outward convex peripheral ridge (38) with an apogee (40, 40a) located at the intermediate opposite ends (36a, 36b) of said edge of chordal stiffness (36) and with portions extending from it in opposite directions towards the set ends (36a, 36b) of said edge of stiffness (36), said plurality of cordal stiffening edges (36) in each of the mentioned upper and lower layers (44, 42) being a non-number and defining a regular transversal polygon. 12. A container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) according to claim 11, further characterized in that said layer (44) is arranged, with respect to said lower layer (42), in such a manner of said apogee (40a) ) of said upper layer (44) are misaligned from said apogee (40) of said lower layer (42). 13. A container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) according to claim 11, further characterized in that said regular transverse polygon formed in said lower layer (42) by said ridges of coronal convex stiffness inwardly (36) is a pentagon. 14. A container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) according to claim 11, further characterized in that said regular transverse polygon formed in said upper layer (44) by said edges of chordal stiffness convex inwards (36) is a pentagon. 15. The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) having a finish (14), a base (18) remote from the finish (14), a side wall (20) extending from the base (18), and a dome (12) that extends and connects the finish (14) to the side wall (20), characterized in that said dome (12) has an upper layer (44) and a lower layer (42), said upper layer (44) having a plurality of facet pairs of chordal rigidity (30a) arranged in an adjacent edge grouping extending transversely near the periphery of said dome (12), 10 between said finish (14) and said lower layer (42), said lower layer (42) have a plurality of pairs of facets of chordal rigidity (30) arranged in an adjacent edge grouping that extends transversely near the periphery of said dome (12) between said top layer (44) and said side wall (20), each pair of facets (30, 30a) has a stiffening edge 15 cordal convex inwardly (36) forming an inflection between a portion of transverse facet wall and a straight line (32, 34) of said dome (12), each portion of facet wall (34, 32) having a convex peripheral edge out (38) with an apogee (40, 40a) located between the opposite ends (36a, 36b) of said edge of chordal stiffness (36) and with portions that are 20 extend from this in opposite directions towards the opposite ends of said chordal stiffening edge (36), said plurality of chordal stiffness edges (36) in each of the upper and lower layers (44, 42) defining a regular transverse pentagon , said top layer (44) is arranged, with respect to A ^^ ritói ^^ i ^^^ = g ^ tó | jj ^ ¡^^^^ said lower layer (42), so that said apogee (40a) of said upper layer (44) are misaligned said apogee (40) of said lower layer (42). 16. The container resistant to crushing and ovalization 5 (10) according to claim 1, further characterized in that each of the cordal stiffening edges mentioned (36) is substantially straight between their opposite ends (36a, 36b). 17. The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) according to claim 16, further characterized in that said cordal stiffening edges (36) are coplanar between them. 18.- The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) according to claim 17, further characterized in that said straight facet wall portion (32) is substantially vertical, and said transverse facet wall portion (34) is substantially 15 horizontal. 19. The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) according to claim 11, further characterized in that each of said edges of chordal stiffness (36) is substantially straight between their opposite ends (36a, 36b). 20 20.- The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) according to claim 19, further characterized in that said cordal stiffening edges (36) are coplanar between them. 21.- The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) in accordance with claim 20, further characterized in that said straight facet wall portion (32) is substantially vertical and said transverse facet wall portion is substantially horizontal. 22. The container resistant to crushing and ovalization wing 5 (10) according to claim 1, further characterized in that said second superimposed plurality of pairs of facets (30a) is inserted radially inwardly of said plurality of facet pairs (30). ). 23. The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) according to claim 22, further characterized in that said container (10) has a wide mouth finish (14) located adjacent to said second plurality superimposed pairs of facets (30a) and connected thereto by a narrow transition annular wall portion (46). 24.- The container resistant to crushing and ovalization 15 (10) according to claim 11, further characterized in that said plurality of facet pairs (30a) of said upper layer is inserted radially inwardly of said plurality of facet pairs (30) of said lower layer. 25.- The container resistant to ovalization and crushing 20 (10) according to claim 24, further characterized in that said container (10) has a wide-mouth finish (14) located adjacent to said plurality of facet pairs (30a) of said upper layer and is connected to said same by a portion of ^ g Annular transition wall (46). 26.- The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) according to claim 15, further characterized in that said plurality of facet pairs (30a) of said top layer is inserted 5 radially inwardly of said plurality of facet pairs (30) of said lower layer. 27. The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) in accordance with claim 26, further characterized in that said container (10) has a wide mouth finish (14) located towards 10 in adjacent said plurality of facet pairs (30a) of said top layer and is connected thereto by a narrow transition annular wall portion (46). 28.- A container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) having an annular wide-mouth finish (14), a side wall (20) and 15 a dome (12) connecting said finish (14) to said side wall (20), said dome (12) has a narrow annular transition wall portion (46) located immediately below said finish (14) and surrounding said finished (14), said dome (12) having a plurality of pairs of facets of chordal rigidity (30) arranged in an adjacent edge grouping that 20 extends transversely near the periphery of said dome (12) between said finish (14) and said side wall (20), each facet pair (30) having an edge of inwardly convex cordal stiffness (36) that forms a inflection between a portion of the transverse facet wall and a straight portion (32, 34) of said dome (12), each facet wall portion (32, 34) has an outward convex peripheral ridge (38) with an apogee (40) located between the opposite ends (36a)36b) of said chordal stiffening edge (36) and with portions extending from it in opposite directions towards the opposite ends of said chordal stiffening edge (36), said narrow annular transition wall portion (46) connects said apogee (40) of said portion of straight facet wall (32) to said finish (14) and is inclined downwardly and radially outwardly between the adjacent portions of said convex edges outwardly (38) defining said faceted walls straight (32). 29. The container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) in accordance with claim 28, further characterized in that said straight facet wall edge (32) and said transverse facet wall edge (34) of each pair of facets (30) is arched with opposite intercepting ends, and where said edge of stiffness (36) of each pair of facets extends between said ends. 30.- A container resistant to crushing and ovalization (10) according to claim 29, further characterized in that said wide-mouth finish (14) has a diameter of at least about 45 mm.