MXPA97001033A - Volume variation bottle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system of a bottle and an associated device cooperating therewith. The invention comprises a bottle (1) of variable volume whose outer side wall (4) is deformable in the direction of height (H). The bottle includes a device (2), as an integral part thereof, which maintains it in a succession of volume states, making it possible to gradually deform it from a given volume state to a reduced volume state. The bottle of the invention is used particularly for aerated beverages

Description

The present invention refers to a system of a bottle elaborated for example from plastic material with a variable volume, designed to contain a liquid, in particular a gaseous drink or gasified or effervescent beverage (called hereinafter as a gaseous drink) and an associated cooperating device. To contain a food liquid, substantially a substantially cylindrical or polygonal bottle made of plastic material is used, and having at its top a neck through which the liquid can be inserted into the bottle or emptied outwardly thereof. In the case of effervescent or sparkling beverages, bottles with a fixed volume do not allow to conserve their gaseous content in a satisfactory way during the consumption thereof. Of course, before the first use of the bottle, for example, before it is first opened, the volume of the gas that is in the upper part of the contained liquid, is reduced to a minimum in the area inside the neck, and a balance Pressure is constituted between the gas dissolved in the REF: 2VI22 liquid and the gas in the upper part of the latter. The initial gas content of the liquid is determined by this pressure equilibrium and can be predetermined in the case of a gasification of the liquid. In each successive use of the bottle, a portion of the contained liquid is emptied outwards and the air enters the bottle for replacement by an equal volume of the liquid emptied outwards. After each use, a new pressure balance is established between the volume of the gas in the upper part of the liquid and the dissolved gas bubbles in the latter. The gas bubbles are migrating towards the surface of the liquid to balance the pressure inside the bottle. Therefore, in each use, the air entering the bottle decreases the partial pressure of the gas in the upper part of the liquid, and thus causes a degassing of the latter. This physical phenomenon is the more important when the uses are spaced over time, which occurs in general when so-called "family" bottles are used, namely bottles with a volumetric capacity of 1.5 to 2 liters, for example. This degassing constitutes a major inconvenience in the consumption of carbonated beverages since the decrease in the gas content of these beverages results in a deterioration of their flavor. From US-A-4,456,434 in the name of Cooper, a container having an upper opening for filling and emptying gaseous beverages, whose opening is extended towards the bottom of the container by a flexible intermediate wall, is already known. and compressible or deformable. This document also proposes a device that externally connects the part above the bottom of the container to progressively adjust and maintain the internal volume thereof. This external device encloses the container at least partially and concentrically, or is offset from it, to be easily adaptable to the different types of existing containers and to be reusable completely or in part on another container after the complete consumption of the liquid contained in the container. the original container. The solution proposed by Cooper has the inconvenience of requiring the user to always carry with him the external device that allows to keep the bottle in a reduced volume state, with which the volume of the bottle is significantly increased, for example in the bag of the bottle. user without taking into account the fact that the user can easily forget to take that device with them. In addition, after the initial filling of the bottles during conditioning, the latter are stored for a more or less prolonged period in warehouses or distribution centers where the consumer will later buy the desired beverage. For this storage period the bottles, which always have some elasticity, in the end they generally come to deform or elongate under the effect of the strong internal pressure exerted by the gas dissolved in the liquid, which results in the formation of a gas space above the liquid in the bottle, in which space the gas can escape and thus result in a prior degassing of the beverage before an external device can be used.

It is also possible during the conditioning of the bottle to take into account this elongation of the bottle during storage, by filling it with a sufficient amount of drink to occupy the initial volume or the volume in the rest of the bottle increased by the estimated elongation. In this case, however, a liquid flow out of the bottle will occur after it is first opened by the user through the elastic relaxation of the bottle to its initial volume state, which is unacceptable. Another system is also known which is directed to face the degassing of beverages during their consumption, which proposes to adjust the bottle after its first opening, and after each subsequent use with a special closing plug with a check valve, and provide a gaseous overpressure in the volume of air in the upper part of the liquid, to restore the initial pressure balance and stop the escape of gaseous carbon dioxide inside the bottle. This known system, however, has the disadvantage of a high cost, a constraint of use and, above all, this system surprisingly but imperfectly restricts the escape of the gas dissolved in the liquid. In addition, the increase of the volume of air contained in the bottle during its use, as well as a possible introduction of air under pressure, can also be a drawback from the sanitary point of view due to the possible contamination of the liquid by the air entering the bottle The object of the present invention is therefore to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks and to provide a system of a bottle with a variable volume and an associated cooperation device that makes it possible to completely avoid that the contained liquid becomes unsightly or becomes detached and that its initial conditioning until its total consumption and its manufacture must be cheap, and its use must be simple. For this purpose the subject of interest of the present invention is a system of a bottle with a variable volume, designed to contain in particular a liquid with a gaseous content, of the type comprising a deformable external side wall and an associated cooperation device to maintain the bottle in one of a series of internal volume states, and to allow its gradual deformation from a given volume state to another state of particular smaller volume, to conform the internal volume of the bottle to the volume of the liquid remaining in this, characterized in that the aforementioned device is integrated into the interior of the bottle and retained therein. According to another feature of characterization of the invention, the deformation is made in the longitudinal direction of the bottle and the device is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the bottle and symmetrical with respect to that axis. According to a particular embodiment, the deformable outer side wall of the bottle shows the shape of a folded or corrugated wall, for example which is folded or formed with pleats in the form of a bellows. According to yet another characterization feature of the invention, the device consists of a stop means preventing return, which cooperates with a means for guiding the deformation preferably from the conditioning of the liquid inside the bottle, at least one being retained of said means either by the lower portion or by the upper portion of the bottle or by both. In the meaning of the invention, the upper and lower portions of the bottle are separated by the aforementioned deformable wall, and the opening for filling and emptying the liquid is formed in the upper portion. The lower portion can be formed from the bottom of the bottle and the upper portion can be formed from the neck or even from the cap or lid. In a first embodiment of the invention, the stop means preventing return comprises an interlocking or indentation mechanism that prevents return, and a stop member retained by the upper portion of the bottle, through the guide means and cooperating with the folded wall of the bottle. bottle. According to one embodiment, the folded or pleated configuration of the cylindrical circular wall of the bottle shows helical crease lines to cooperate with the stop member, which is retained in bearing relationship through the action of a vertical rod which forms a guide means in the neck of the bottle, the rotation of the rod in the neck is made unidirectional in the sense of a reduction in the volume of the bottle by the interlocking mechanism that prevents the return. The stop member cooperating with the inner part of a nut formed by the helical folded wall of the bottle, or which said member bears below the peripheral edges, which project radially towards the inside of the bottle, can be provided. from the helical folding lines. The stop member can be formed of a perforated or fragmentary disk with a diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the bottle, and parallel to the fold lines of the folded wall. The perforated disc can of course be replaced with a plurality of blades or radiant blades from the rod mentioned above. According to yet another embodiment, the guide means extends substantially longitudinally in the bottle from its lower portion or from its upper portion, and the stop means preventing return is formed of peripheral ridges perpendicular to the bottle axis and projecting towards the inside of the bottle from the fold and radially internal lines of the folded wall, and at least one pawl or projection supported by the guide means and engaging with these ridges.

The guide means can be formed of an externally toothed cylinder, coaxial with the bottle, the teeth of the cylinder being adjacent to the folded wall of the bottle. Alternatively, the guide means may be a longitudinal rod supporting one or more blades or blades, the free end of which is serrated and the length of which is equal to the distance separating two opposite lateral faces of the bottle. According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the guiding means is made up of at least two parts partially adjusted one within the other, which are retained by the lower portion and the upper portion, respectively, of the bottle, and which enter more and more into one another during a reduction of the volume of the bottle, the stop means preventing return being provided, at least in part between said parts. The stop means preventing return, comprising an anchoring member on the bottom of the bottle, and another associated cooperating member designed to be inserted through the neck, can be provided to engage itself on said anchoring member.

Preferably, the lower and upper portions are sufficiently rigid to prevent their deformation after contraction of the bottle. According to a first embodiment, the guide means is formed of a rod or of a telescopic tube with sections nestable one in the other, which extend axially in the bottle, and the stop means preventing the return consists of ratchets or teeth formed at least partially on the inner and / or outer wall of the sections fit into one another. The teeth can of course be simply replaced by enhancements and ratchets by notches, recesses or grooves. If the telescopic tube consists of two sections only, one of the sections has teeth on its external face, while the other section has grooves on its internal face or vice versa. When the telescopic tube comprises at least three insertable sections one in the other, the latter are toothed both on their internal and external faces, except for the two end sections that are toothed on one face only. The mutually facing toothed faces of two sections fitted one into the other can of course comprise teeth on one of the sections, and notches, slits or grooves on the other section. According to a further embodiment, the guide means is formed of a rod and a hollow cylinder, which extend axially in the bottle, and the stop means preventing return comprises an external screw thread on the rod previously mentioned, and a portion of screw internally threaded in the vicinity of the free end of said tube, the internally threaded portion being adapted to be screwed onto the rod with screw thread in the direction of a reduction in the volume of the bottle and secured against the rotation in the opposite direction, through an interlocking mechanism. When the internally threaded portion forms a simple integral part with the tube, the tube that is operable for rotation by its upper end accessible to the level of the neck, and the aforementioned interlocking mechanism, is provided between this upper end and the internal wall of the neck. bottle neck. The thread separation can be made to be sufficiently fine to prevent any spontaneous unscrewing. Conversely, if the internally threaded portion is a separate part that forms a nut trapped within the free end of the tube, the upper end of the latter is held immobile against rotation in the neck, and the aforementioned interlocking mechanism is provided between said nut and the inner wall of the tube. In this case, the volume of the bottle can be reduced by a simple movement of compression in the way a child "readjusts" the rotation of a lid of a toy. According to an alternative modality, the guide means is formed of a rod which is made internally compact, preferably axially to the bottle, and of a structure projecting in substantially perpendicular relation to the internal wall of the bottle, for example with several crossed arms and perforated through its center for the passage of said rod and the return of the stop means preventing return, comprises serrations or notches or teeth on the aforementioned rod that cooperates with a flexible tongue forming a compact stop made compact to the aforementioned structure and projecting radially into the aforementioned internal orifice. According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the guide means is formed of a flexible link which extends axially from the bottom of the bottle and extends inside a guide with a zigzag or inclined internal passageway, retained to the upper portion of the bottle, and the stop means preventing return comprises notches in the zigzag passageway of the guide, and cooperates with the teeth formed along the flexible link. In a general manner, it can also be done that the aforementioned cooperation device, when this is retained at the level of the neck, is not fastened to the latter, but pushed in simple bearing by the coupling of the guide means and the stop means that prevents the return. The bearing surface of the device at the neck level can be either frusto-conical to rest on a corresponding surface inside the neck, or constituted by a collar adapted to the upper part of the upper end of the neck opening, or resting on a shoulder corresponding formed inside the neck. In a general manner, the stop means preventing return also provides a braking function which prevents a spontaneous contraction or collapse of the bottle, for example due to the slope of the teeth, the elasticity of the grooves, the mechanisms of interaseguramiento or friction between the parts fit into each other. According to another particular embodiment, the device is formed of a stop means preventing return, which cooperates with the folded inner wall of the bottle, which serves as a guide means for deformation, the stop means comprises flanges or peripheral protrusions projecting towards the inside of the bottle from the innermost folding lines of the folded wall, and from a plurality of hook-like elements projecting from each ledge in the direction of the height of the bottle, and adapted to engage themselves on the immediately adjacent flange for securing the bottle in the contracted or folded position. It can also be made that the aforementioned hooks are accommodated in alternating relation on the various peripheral ridges or protrusions, and can show the varying lengths. The invention will be better understood and the additional objects, characterization features, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly as the following explanatory description proceeds with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, illustrating only various currently preferred embodiments of the invention, and in which: Figure 1 is a view in elevation and in axial section of a bottle according to a first embodiment of the system of the invention, wherein the device inside the bottle is telescopic; Figures 2A through 2D are enlarged views of a detail of Figure 1, shown by arrows IIA through IID, respectively; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2D, but showing an alternative embodiment of the plug; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing an alternative embodiment; Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the internal device of Figure 4, taken on the line V-V; Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing another alternative embodiment; Figure 7 is an enlarged partial view of the device inside the bottle of Figure 6, when viewed in the direction of arrow VII; Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure ß, but showing another embodiment of the system of the invention; Figure 9 is an enlarged top view of the bottle of Figure 8, according to arrow IX; Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 8, but showing an alternative embodiment; Figure 11 is an enlarged sectional view of the internal device of Figure 10, taken on the line XI-XI; Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing another embodiment of the system of the invention; Figure 13 is an enlarged sectional view of a detail of Figure 12, designated by arrow XIII; Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a fourth embodiment of the system of the invention, wherein the folded wall of the bottle serves as a guiding means for the device within the bottle; Figure 15 is a sectional view taken on line XV-XV of Figure 14; Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 14, but showing another embodiment of the system of the invention; Figure 17 is a view in elevation and in axial section taken on line XVII-XVII of Figure 18 of a bottle according to another embodiment of the system of the invention; Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view of the bottle of Figure 17, taken on line XVIII-XVIII; Figure 19 is a partial view on a larger scale of a detail of Figure 17, designated by arrow XIX; Figure 20 is a view similar to Figure 17, but showing the bottle in the contracted or folded position; Figure 21 is a half view in elevation and in axial section of another embodiment of the system of the invention; Fig. 22 is a partial view on a larger scale of a detail of Fig. 21, designated by arrow XXII; Figure 23 is a view similar to Figure 14, but showing the wall folded in the contracted position; Y Figure 24 is a half view similar to Figure 21, but showing the bottle in the contracted or folded position.

According to the embodiment shown in figures 1 to 3, the system of the invention comprises a bottle 1 and an associated cooperating device 2, integrated within the interior of the bottle, and retained within the latter. The bottle 1 comprises a bottom 3 which is extended by an intermediate portion 4, substantially cylindrical, which becomes thinner in its upper part towards the neck 5 of the bottle. The intermediate portion of the bottle can of course have any shape, for example with a substantially elliptical or polygonal cross section, or any other adapted shape. The upper portion of the bottle 1 is advantageously made thinner at 6, so that at the end of the reduction of the volume of the bottle, the remaining space in the bottle is minimal.

At the end of the reduction of the volume of the bottle, of course the lower end of the thinned portion 6 has reached the vicinity of the bottom 3 of the bottle, so that the free space or compartment remaining in the latter is confined to the part internal portion of the thinned portion 6. According to the invention, the intermediate portion 4 of the bottle is deformable in the axial direction of the bottle 1, for example, in the direction of its height H and shows a corrugated or pleated wall, for example folded or in the form of a bellows. The peripheral protrusions or flanges can be provided at the level of the folding lines 7 of the folded wall 4, in order to avoid any risk of breakage or tearing of the bottle at these points. The folded wall 4 of figure 1 consists of a series of frustoconical rings 4a with a rectilinear section in an axial plane of the bottle, two adjacent frustoconical rings 4a, which are joined by their respective major base or small base along a folding line 7. The folded wall 4 of the bottle 1 shows here an alternation of the reinforcing circular arcs, with a small diameter 7a and a large diameter 7b, which are separated from one another in the direction of the height H of the bottle by its portion 4a substantially flat. During the folding of the bottle 1, the pleated wall 4 could fold itself in the direction of the axis H of the bottle 1, without generating too substantial deformation in the substantially flat portions 4a, which are defined between a reinforcement with a smaller diameter 7a and a reinforcement with a larger diameter 7b. The bottle 1 is generally made of rigid plastic material, while the intermediate portion 4 can be made of a semi-rigid material, or have a thickness such as to allow the folding of its wall. Bottom 3 of the bottle is separated from this folded wall 4 by a rigid, cylindrical, lower tubular portion 4b. In Figures 2D and 3 two alternative embodiments of a cap or cap 8 provided with a sealing gasket 9 for sealing the open end of the neck 5 of the bottle 1 in a fluid-tight manner have been shown. In Fig. 2D, Sealing gasket or washer 9 is provided outside the threading 8a of the cap or cap 8, while in FIG. 3 it is provided inside the cap or cap 8 with upward direction of the threading 8a. The device 2 consists of a telescopic rod 10 having three sections that fit one inside the other, and designated from the upper part to the lower part by the reference numerals 10a, 10b and 10c, respectively. The hooks 11 project into the bottle 1 from the bottom 3 to retain the lower end of the telescopic rod 10. The upper end of the first section 10a is supported through the middle of a collar or flange 12 on the upper edge of the opening of the neck 5, while the lower end of the third section 10b becomes hooked by the teeth 13 on the hooks 11. It could be considered of course that the telescopic rod 10 is formed of the sections 10a and 10b only, the section 10c forming a toothed rod or grid retained at the bottom 3 of the bottle 1. It could be further contemplated that the sections 10a and 10b are formed of at least two vertical toothed fingers, extending at right angles to a common base , instead of an internally serrated tube. The intermediate section 10a is indented at 14 on its entire inner wall, but at one end only of its outer wall, in order to avoid a redundant use thereof with the internal teeth. 14 of the first section 10a. In the same way, an end only of the section 10c is extremely serrated at 15, in order to enter into engagement with the teeth 14 of the inner wall of the intermediate section 10b. In the case of course where the reference number 10 designates a telescopic rod, openings are provided on its wall to allow the passage of liquid into and out of the bottle. An elasticity slot 16 is provided at the lower end of the section 10c, to allow retraction of the teeth 13 when they are hooked onto the hooks 11. Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, an alternative embodiment of the telescopic rod previously mentioned. The telescopic rod 100 here comprises three sections which are insertable one on the other, 100 a to 100 c. The upper end of the first section 100a comprises an enlarged, substantially frusto-conical portion 112 which is intended to be supported on a corresponding enlarged portion 5a within the neck 5, thereby allowing a sealing disc to be directly applied onto the opening of the neck, together with an adapted cap. The lower end of the last section 100c is externally threaded at 113, to cause it to be screwed into the hollow base 111, internally threaded, female, to serve as a stop means for the telescopic guide tube 100. The section with a larger diameter here is in the vicinity of the bottom 3 of the bottle 1, while in the alternative embodiment of figure 1, the section with a larger diameter is in the vicinity of the upper portion of the bottle. The sections 100b and 100c are internally grooved hollow cylinders, the internal channels 114 which are designed to cooperate with the clamping legs 115 which project radially from the lower end of the outer wall of the sections 100a and 100b.

The elastic grooves 116 are provided in the vicinity of these clamping legs 115, to allow easier flexing of the latter during their passage from a channel 114 to an underlying one. A longitudinal channel 17 is formed along the outer wall of the intermediate section 100b, to receive a corresponding rib 18, which projects radially from the inner wall of the section 100c, along its height to prevent any rotation of sections 100b and 100c with respect to each other. Section 100a also comprises a channel 17 'formed along its outer wall, to fit over the enhancement of channel 17, which is projected towards the inside of the section 100b (see figure 5). The inner end 113 can thus be screwed into the base 111, by rotating the telescopic tube 100 around itself from the neck 5. The windows 19 are also provided through the wall of the different sections of the telescopic tube 100. , in order to allow the passage of the liquid contained in the bottle.

The sections of the telescopic tubes 10 and 100 can of course be in any given number according to the maximum reduction of the bottle, which one wishes to obtain. In figures 6 and 7 another alternative embodiment of the system of the invention has been shown. The device 2 consists here of a hollow cylinder 20 made compact at one end of the bottom 3 of the bottle 1, and extending axially within the latter, and of another hollow cylinder 21 with a diameter smaller than the cylinder 20 and the upper end 21a of which is widened in order to support a corresponding enlarged portion 5a on the neck 5. The means of the stop preventing return consists here of the teeth 22 which project from the outer wall of the cylinder 21, the vicinity of its lower end, and of a series of slots 23 formed through the cylinder wall 20 about its full height, and in which the teeth 22 are intended to be retained. Windows 19 are also provided in the cylinders 20 and 21 for the passage of the liquid. In the alternative embodiments shown in Figures 1 through 7, the internal guide means 10, 100 and 20, 21 can of course have, for example, elliptical or polygonal section. In the embodiments shown up to now, the reduction in the volume of the bottle 1 is carried out in a gradual and step by step manner, according to the number and the height of the teeth on the internal guide means. In the alternative embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the deformable folded wall 104 of the bottle 1 is constituted by a series of annular strips 104a bent outward and joined to one another along the peripheral folding lines 107. The wall folded 104 comprises a series of reinforcing arcs 107 with the same diameter, and spaced apart from each other in the axial direction H by a flexible portion 104a which is bent outwardly of the bottle 1. The warped portions 104a show a wall thickness substantially thinner than that of the reinforcing arcs 107. In both variants of the embodiments shown in figures 8 to 11, the device 2 allows a continuous and / or infinitely variable reduction of the volume of the bottle 1.

In figures 8 and 9, the device 2 comprises a guide means formed of a rod 24 projecting axially inside the bottle from its bottom 3, and a cylindrical tube 25 which is retained at its upper end 25a in the neck 5, and which is adjusted with its lower end 23b on the aforementioned rod 24. The stop means preventing the return here comprises a stop means formed of an external threading 24a on the rod 24, and a corresponding tapping or internal threading within the lower end 25b of the tube 25. Of course, it could alternatively be made that the The internal surface of the tube 25 is threaded by screw and the upper end only of the rod 24 is threaded by screw. The tube 25 is retained in bearing relation at the level of its upper end 25a on the internal enlarged surface 5a of the upper end of the neck 5, through the means of a hand-shaped element (see figure 9). The hand-shaped element 25a comprises on one side of a central core 26, two openings 26a which both serve for the passage of the liquid through the neck 5, and for the fastening of said element by a user with the intention of turning the tube 25 around the axis H. The stop means preventing the return, further comprises a means for preventing the return, consisting for example of an interlocking mechanism between the manual-like element 25a and the inner wall of the neck 5 , of the type shown in figure 11. Figures 10 and 11 show a modification of the device of figure 8. The rod 24 here comprises an external screw thread 24a, the separation of which is definitely greater than that of figure 8, to allow an easy sliding of a nut 27 on the rod 24. The nut 27 is clamped at the lower end 125b of a tube 125, the upper end 125a of which is retained in coji relation. nete in the neck 5, and secured against rotation for example by a clamping leg 28. It is seen in figures 10 and 11 that the nut 27 has an axial tapping or threaded internal screw 27a with an identical separation with external threading 24a of the rod 24, as well as the inclined teeth 27b on their outer periphery, adapted to cooperate with a tongue 29 in the form of a latching finger or ratchet which is secured to the inner surface of the lower end 125b of the tube 125. The ratchet 29 allows the rotation of the nut 27 in the direction of the arrow F in figure 11, but prevents its rotation in the reverse direction. The mechanism illustrated in Figure 11 could be adapted to the manual handle-like element 25a of the embodiment of Figure 8, by providing the inclined teeth 27b on the periphery of the element 25a and the pawl 29 on the inner face of the neck 5. , or vice versa. Figures 12 and 13 show another embodiment of the system of the invention, wherein the device 2 comprises a flexible link 30 which is secured with one end to the bottom 3 of the bottle 1, and the other end of which is inserted inside the a guide with an internal passage way 31, in zigzag which is retained by two clamping legs 32 inside the neck 5. The clamping legs 32 are bent outwardly at their upper end 32a, in order to make them bear on the enlarged upper portion 5a of the neck 5.

The stop means preventing return is here formed of the teeth 31a in the zigzag passage of the guide 31, and of the inclined teeth 30a, which project longitudinally from the flexible link 30 to cooperate with the teeth 31a previously mentioned. The flexible link 30 is therefore in a stretched or tensioned state between the bottom 3 of the bottle and the guide 31, and in a released state at the exit of the guide 31 at the level of the neck 5. It could also be provided, although this has not been shown, an elastic link without teeth secured on the bottom of the bottle, with one end and the other end of which is retained at the level of the neck by an adapted means, by making a knot with the link or by means of tightening retainers. In Figures 14 and 15, another embodiment of the system of the invention has been shown, wherein the folded wall 204 of the bottle 1 is cylindrical and shows helical folding lines 207, so that the internal surface of the frustoconical rings 204a, they serve as a ramp for a stop member 33. The stop member 33 is retained by a vertical rod 34, which is carried on the neck 5 through the action of the aforementioned manual handle-like element 25a. In Figure 14, a clamping member 35 is shown in broken lines, which can be used to rotate the handle-shaped element 25 around the H-axis of the bottle. As in the embodiment of FIG. 8, an interlocking mechanism is provided between the hand-shaped element 25a and the neck 5 of the bottle, although not shown in FIGS. 14. The stop member 33 consists here (see Figure 15) of several blades or radiant vanes from the vertical rod 34, and the free end of which is inserted into a walnut of the helically folded wall 204. The blades or vanes 33 could of course be replaced with a perforated disk. In Figure 14, it is noted that the stop member 33 is substantially parallel to a folding line 207 of a nut of the folded wall 204. The vanes 33 are of course made firm for rotation with the vertical rod 34.

Figure 16 shows a fifth embodiment of the system of the invention, in which the guide means is formed of a cylinder 36 concentric with the bottle, fastened on the bottom 3 of the latter and adjacent to the internal folded wall 4. The cylinder 36 could of course be alternatively provided at the level of the upper portion of the bottle 1, in the form of an internal skirt. The stop means preventing return is formed here of the peripheral edge tabs 37, which project radially inwardly of the bottle from the innermost folding lines 7a of the folded wall 4, and from the teeth 36a inclined towards the bottom 3, and which project from the external lateral surface of the cylinder 36. The folding lines 7 are of course here perpendicular to the axis H of the bottle 1. In the form of the embodiment of the folded wall 4 shown in Figure 16, the flanges 37 of the peripheral edge are provided at the level of each second folding line since the more internal folding lines 7a can only enter into engagement with the teeth 36a.

Conversely, if the folded wall 104 of Figure 4 is used, the flanges of the peripheral edge can be provided at the level of all the folding lines 107. The assembly and operation of the system of the invention will now be briefly described, with reference to figures 1 to 3. Firstly, a preform which is subsequently blown or inflated to form the bottle 1, which is provided with the hooks 11 in its bottom 3, is provided through injection into the same mold. then through the neck 5 the telescopic rod 10, the sections of which have already been partially engaged one in the other, and one engages the teeth 13 of the last section 10c with the hooks 11. The device 2 is then inside of the bottle 1 and retained therein at its lower end by the hooks 11, and at its upper end by the collar or flange 12 which is falling to the level of the upper end of the neck 5. The following step consists in filling the bottle 1 with the desired liquid until near the upper end of the neck 5, to reduce in a maximum way the volume of air in the upper part of the liquid contained in the bottle. The opening of the neck 5 is then closed in a fluid-tight manner by the cap or cap 8, and the bottle is ready for use. In this way, an undesirable lengthening of the bottle in the direction of the height H is avoided during the storage of the bottle, after its conditioning, since the device 2 prevents any movement away from the bottom 3 of the bottle, with respect to its upper portion 5, 6. In figures 6 and 10 it is therefore necessary to couple both parts of the device 2 with one another, before filling the bottle 1, in order to produce the result set forth hereinabove. Alternatively, a threaded base 11 (FIG. 4), a tube 20 (FIG. 6), a threaded rod 24 (FIGS. 8 and 10) or a toothed cylinder 36 (FIG. 16) can be made integrally in a single piece through of molding with the bottle 1. When a user opens the bottle 1 for the first time by unscrewing the lid 8 and emptying a part of the contained liquid out of the bottle, the user before closing the bottle again could compress it by pressing for example on its top, to deform the folded wall 4 and to fold or pleat it until the level of liquid remaining in the bottle reaches the upper portion of the neck 5. At the same time as the folding of the pleated wall 4, the sections fit into each other 10a to the 10c of the telescopic rod 10, they could retract one inside the other and retain the bottle 1 in the new reduced volume state, due to the cooperation of the teeth 14 and 15. Once the user has made the internal volume of the the bottle is in accordance with the volume of the remaining liquid in the latter, this could place the lid 8 back in place over the opening of the neck 5. In addition, as the successive consumption of the liquid contained in the bottle, the sections of the Telescopic rod 10 are adjusted more and more one within the other, which contributes to reinforce the axial guidance of the contraction through the formation of a multiple wall, in the present case a double or triple wall. The other modes shown operate in a manner similar to that of the figure system 1, except for the modalities of figures 8, 12 and 14. In the embodiments of Figures 8 and 14, the contraction or folding of the bottle is produced by causing the manual handle 25a to be rotated about its axis within the neck, either directly by hand by the user or indirectly through the means of the member 35. A compression can also be exerted on the bottle 1 in the direction of the arrow IX of figure 8, in order to facilitate the rotation of the manual handle 25a. In the embodiment of figure 12, it is necessary to pull on the flexible toothed link 30 at the same time as or subsequent to the compression of the bottle 1. After the complete consumption of the liquid contained in the bottle, the latter can be given its last form initial again with a view, for example, to reuse it or recover some parts of it. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, due to the elastic groove 16, it is sufficient to uncouple or disengage the teeth 13 from the hooks 11 with the help of an adapted tool, inserted from the neck 5 to remove the telescopic tube 10. In the embodiment of Figure 4, it is sufficient to rotate the telescopic tube 100 about its axis to unscrew the lower end 13 of this tube. In the embodiment of figure 6, it is possible to uncouple the tube 21 from the tube 20 by inserting from the neck 5 a tool adapted to retract the teeth 22 belonging to the elasticity groove 21b. In the embodiment of Figure 16 if the elasticity slits in the cylinder 3 are provided, it is sufficient to insert a tool adapted through the neck 5, to bring the teeth 36a back to their retracted position, and in this way to allow the Bottle 1 returns to its initial position. It may also be desirable to return to a state of greater volume of the bottle, with a view to emptying a certain quantity of the liquid within the latter, from another bottle, for example, already opened and partially used. In figure 1 it can be provided for example that the teeth 4 are present in a sector only of the section 10a, so that when rotating the latter with respect to the section 10b, the teeth 14 of the teeth 15 can be uncoupled, and in this way allow the return to a state of greater volume of the bottle, without removing the telescopic tube 10. In figure 8 can be returned selectively to a state of greater volume, by first compressing the bottle in order to reduce its volume, to unlock the interlocking relationship between the manual handle 25a and the neck 5 and then by unscrewing the tube 25 from the threaded rod 24, until it reaches the desired volume state, and at least by releasing the pressure on the bottle for the interaseguramiento coupling again. The system of the invention can of course be applied to bottles designed to contain non-carbonated beverages, and even pasty fluids, in order to avoid a maximum contact of the fluid contained with the upper air inside the bottle. In the meaning of the invention, the bottle designates any type of container that is provided, whether or not with its closure cap. The device of the system of the invention can be incorporated partially inside the closure lid or inside the wall of the bottle, without departing from the scope of the invention. It is thus possible to provide an elastic or rigid toothed rod fastened with one end on the bottom of the bottle, and the other end of which extends through the cover in which an interlocking or stop mechanism is provided, adapted. It should be noted that the teeth in Figures 1 to 7 ensure the function of a brake that prevents spontaneous contraction or folding of the bottle. In the alternative embodiment shown in Figures 17 to 20, the associated cooperating device 2 comprises a toothed rod 310 forming a grid projecting inside the bottle 1 from the bottom 3 thereof., and extending for example up to above the deformable intermediate portion 4. The device 2 further comprises a guide member such as a transverse structure 311, which is formed inside the bottle 1 in a plane perpendicular to the axis H, and which fits tightly to the inner side wall of the bottle. It can, of course, be varied in any manner whatsoever, the number of arms or legs of the guide member 311, or even take any other form. The transverse structure 311 is perforated through its center to form an opening 312 for the passage of the upper end of the toothed rod 310. A flexible tongue 313 projects radially into the opening 312, to cooperate with the teeth 314 and the teeth associated 315 of the toothed rod 310. In FIG. 17 it is seen that the teeth 314 are directed towards the bottom 3 of the container 1 to allow the flexible tongue 313 to slide while curling itself over the inclined portion of the teeth. teeth 314, when the bottle 1 is twisted in the direction of the axis H. Several tongues 313 could alternatively be provided as well as a toothed rod on its entire periphery. The toothed rod 313 comprises a stop collar or flange 316 below the toothed portion of the rod 310, in order to abut against the aforementioned guide member 311, to limit the shrinkage or folding of the bottle, and to avoid in this way that the toothed rod 310 extends beyond and protrudes from the neck 5, thereby preventing the closure of the bottle 1, or that the folded wall 4 becomes cracked after too great a deformation. In figure 20 the bottle 1 is shown in the contracted position, in which the height of the bottle 1 has been decreased by several teeth 315. The tongue 313 serves as a stop means in the contracted position, since it is it abuts against the face of a tooth 315, which is opposite its face inclined toward the bottom 3 of the bottle. The toothed rod 310 thus allows to decrease the height and volume of the bottle 1, gradually according to the number and height of the teeth on this rod. During twisting of the bottle 1, the warped walls 104a could curl out of the bottle, and the reinforcing circular arcs 107 could move towards each other in the axial direction H. The circular reinforcements 107 have the function both of avoiding any risk of breaking the folded wall 4 at the level of the folding lines, and of resisting the circumferential force generated by the liquid. enclosed in the bottle 1. Of course, when the bottle 1 contains a gaseous liquid, the internal pressure of the bottle 1 when the latter is closed, can reach 6 bar, for example. It could, of course, alternatively be done that the toothed rod be clamped within the upper portion of the bottle 1, its free end being directed towards the bottom 3 of the bottle and the guide member 311 that is placed below that arc of the bottle. reinforcement 107, which is closer to the bottom of the bottle without changing the principle of operation of the system of the invention. Figures 21 to 24 show another embodiment of the system of the invention, in which the associated cooperating device 2 comprises edge flanges 334 engageable with hooks 335. The folded wall 104 of this embodiment is substantially identical with that of the bottle shown in figure 4, except that the circular reinforcements 107 are extended by peripheral edge tabs 334 projecting radially inward from the bottle 1, in the manner of the edge tabs 37 of figure 16. Hook-shaped elements 335 project from each flange 334 of peripheral edge in the direction of the height of the container and its flexed end 335a facing the inner wall of the container 1, so that this flexed end 335a is made to hook on a immediately adjacent edge flange, during twisting or folding of the bottle 1 in the axial direction H. The hooks 335 can be accommodated in relation to lternada on different peripheral edge tabs 334 and can show a variable length, to carry out a gradual contraction of the bottle 1 during its folding. The system of the invention thus makes it possible to adapt the volume of the bottle to the volume of the liquid remaining in the latter after use. The upper portion 6 of the bottle 1 is preferably made widened, so that a smaller volume of the liquid is contained in the upper portion. Thus, in the maximum contracted position of the bottle 1, only a very small volume of liquid could remain in the bottle 1, which can be consumed by the user during a subsequent simple use. It can be done of course that the bottle 1 and its different securing means are made integral in a piece of material and made of one and the same plastic material. The system of the invention can be provided by injection into the same mold of a preform, which is subsequently blown or inflated to form the bottle fitted with its associated cooperation device. In the case of the embodiment of the system of the invention shown in FIGS. 17 to 20, the bottle 1 can be made in two parts, namely an upper part and a lower part, for example to allow an easy mounting of the transverse structure 311 inside the bottle 1. Although the invention has been described in connection with the various particular embodiments, it is obvious that this should not be limited thereto, and that it comprises all the technical equivalents of the described means and their combinations, if the latter fall within the scope of the appended claims.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it refers.

Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following:

Claims (20)

1. A system of a bottle with a variable volume, designed to contain in particular a liquid with a gaseous content, of the type comprising a deformable outer side wall and an associated cooperating device, to maintain the bottle in one of a series of states of internal volume, and to allow its gradual deformation from a state of given volume to another state of smaller particular volume, characterized the system because the improvement consists in that the aforementioned device is integrated within the interior of the bottle and retained therein.

2. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the deformable external side wall of the bottle shows the shape of a pleated wall, for example folded.

3. A system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the device is formed of a stop means preventing return, which cooperates with a means for guiding the deformation, at least one of said means is retained either by the portion lower or upper portion of the bottle or both.

4. A system according to claim 3, characterized in that the guide means is made in at least two parts partially adjusted one within the other, which are retained by the lower portion and by the upper portion, respectively, of the bottle, and which are also entering one another during a reduction in the volume of the bottle, the stop means preventing return is at least partially provided between said parts.

5. A system according to claim 4, characterized in that the guide means is formed of a rod or a telescopic tube with sections nestable one on the other, which extend axially in the bottle, and the stop means preventing the return consists of ratchets or teeth formed at least partially on the inner and / or outer wall of the sections nestable one in the other.

6. A system according to claim 4, characterized in that the guide means is formed of a rod and a hollow cylinder, which extend axially in the bottle, and the stop means preventing return comprises an external thread on the previously mentioned rod and an internally threaded portion in the vicinity of the free end of the aforementioned tube, the internally threaded portion is adapted to be screwed onto the threaded rod in the direction of a reduction in the volume of the bottle.

7. A system according to claim 6, characterized in that the internally threaded portion is integral with the tube, the tube being operable for rotation at its upper end, accessible at the level of the neck, and an interlocking mechanism is provided between the inner wall of the neck of the bottle and the upper end, for securing the latter against rotation in the opposite direction for volume reduction.

8. A system according to claim 6, characterized in that the internally threaded portion is a separate part that forms a nut clamped at the free end of the tube, the upper end of this tube is held immobile against rotation within the neck, and the mechanism Said securing is provided between the nut and the inner wall of the tube.

9. A system according to claim 4, characterized in that the guide means is formed of a flexible link which extends axially from the bottom of the bottle, and extends within a guide with an internal passage in a zigzag or inclined manner , retained in the upper portion of the bottle, and the stop means preventing return comprises teeth in the zigzag or inclined passage of the guide, and cooperates with the teeth formed along the flexible link.

10. A system according to claim 4, characterized in that the guide means is formed of a rod, which is made compact within and to the bottle, preferably axially, and of a structure projecting in substantially perpendicular relation to the internal wall of the bottle, for example with several transverse arms and perforated through its center for the passage of the rod, and wherein also the stop means preventing return comprises ratchets or teeth on the aforementioned rod that cooperates with a flexible tongue forming a stopper made compact to the aforementioned structure, and which projects radially into the aforementioned perforation.

11. A system according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the folded configuration of the circular cylindrical wall of the bottle, shows helical folding lines to cooperate with a stop member, which is retained in bearing relationship through the medium of a vertical rod forming a guide means in the neck of the bottle, the rotation of the rod inside the neck becomes unidirectional in the direction of a reduction in the volume of the bottle by means of an interlocking means preventing return.

12. A system according to claim 11, characterized in that the stop member cooperates with the interior of a nut formed by the helically folded wall of the bottle or is supported below the peripheral edge flanges which project radially inwardly from the bottle from the helical folding lines.

13. A system according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the guide means extends substantially longitudinally in the bottle from its lower portion, or from its upper portion, and the stop means preventing return is formed from tabs of peripheral edge perpendicular to the axis of the bottle, and projecting into the bottle from the radially internal folding lines of the folded wall, and of at least one tooth or projection supported by the guide means, and engageable with these Edge tabs.

14. A system according to any of claims 3 to 13, characterized in that the stop means preventing return comprises an anchoring member on the bottom of the bottle, and another associated cooperating member designed to be inserted through the neck , to make it hooked on the anchor member.

15. A system according to any of claims 3 to 14, characterized in that the device when it is retained at the level of the neck of the bottle is pushed towards a support or bearing relationship with the latter by coupling the guide means and the medium Stop that prevents the return.

16. A system according to claim 15, characterized in that the bearing or support surface of the device at the level of the neck is resting on a corresponding surface inside the neck.

17. A system according to claim 2, characterized in that the device is formed of a stop means that prevents the return, which cooperates with the internal folded wall of the bottle, which serves as a means to guide the deformation, the means of stop comprises peripheral edge tabs which project into the bottle from the innermost folding lines of the folded wall, and from a plurality of hook-like elements projecting from each edge flange in the height direction of the bottle, and adapted to be hooked onto the immediately adjacent edge flange, to secure the bottle in the contracted position.

18. A system according to claim 17, characterized in that said hooks are arranged in alternating relation on the different peripheral edge flanges, and can show variable lengths.

19. A system according to any of claims 3 to 18, characterized in that the stop means preventing return also ensures a braking function that prevents a spontaneous contraction or folding of the bottle.

20. A system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the deformation occurs in the longitudinal direction of the bottle, and characterized in that the device is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the bottle and symmetric with respect to that axis.