Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D1/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous material, by throwing ceramic material, by moulding pulped fibrous material, by deep-drawing operations performed on sheet material
  • B65D1/02—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents
  • B65D1/0223—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents characterised by shape
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D1/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous material, by throwing ceramic material, by moulding pulped fibrous material, by deep-drawing operations performed on sheet material
  • B65D1/40—Details of walls
  • B65D1/42—Reinforcing or strengthening parts or members
  • B65D1/44—Corrugations
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/0009—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures designed for pouring contents
  • B65D2501/0018—Ribs
  • B65D2501/0027—Hollow longitudinal ribs
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/0009—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures designed for pouring contents
  • B65D2501/0018—Ribs
  • B65D2501/0036—Hollow circonferential ribs
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/0009—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures designed for pouring contents
  • B65D2501/0018—Ribs
  • B65D2501/0045—Solid ribs

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a slender bottle which integrates aesthetic and functional features without clearly segregating such features from one another More particularly, the present invention relates to a slender blow-molded plastic bottle which is useful in packaging a hot-filled beverage
• blow-molded plastic containers made from, for instance, PET
• hot-filled containers are promptly sealed and are permitted to cool resulting in internal pressure and temperature changes that reduce the volume of the sealed container
• container sidewalls having flexible panels are disclosed in U S Patent No 4,749,092 issued to Sugiura et al , U S Patent No 3,923, 178 issued to Welker III, U S Patent No 4,497,855 issued to Agrawal et al , U S Patent No 5,740,934 issued to Brady, and U S Patent No 5,704,504 issued to Bueno
• the Sugiura, Welker and Agrawal patents disclose inwardly deflecting vacuum flex panels which are located between substantially planar lands
• the Bueno patent discloses inwardly deflecting panels which are located between spiral-shaped grooves
• the Brady patent discloses outwardly deflecting panels which intersect at vertically disposed corners
• a primary object of the present invention is to provide a hot-fillable bottle which integrates vacuum absorption, structural reinforcement, and other functional features with aesthetic and ergonomic properties by providing various interactive functional zones in the container structure
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle having a plurality of alternating non-framed flex panels and non-framed lands, or columns, which laterally merge together directly and which are jointly reactive to hot-fill process forces acting thereon.
• a further object is to provide a blow-molded, plastic, slender bottle having a grip structure which both enhances the structural integrity of the container and the visual appearance of the container.
• the present invention provides a blow-molded plastic container having a neck with an upstanding threaded finish, a close-ended base, and a tubular sidewall located between the base and the neck
• the sidewall includes, in an alternating pattern, a plurality of circumferentially-spaced, vertically-elongate columns and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced substantially smooth-surfaced panels
• Each of the columns, as formed is outwardly convex in horizontal cross section, and each of the panels, as formed, is inwardly concave in horizontal cross section such that each of the panels extends laterally between and directly connects to an adjacent pair of the columns
• each of the columns, as formed is outwardly convex in vertical cross-section, and each of the panels, as formed, is inwardly concave in vertical cross section such that each of the columns and panels have opposite ends which merge directly into adjacent portions of the container.
• each of the panels flexes outwardly to expand the volume of the container during hot-filling, and each of the panels flexes inwardly in response to a reduction in internal volume when the container is capped and permitted to cool.
• the inward deflection of the panels interactively increases the horizontal cross-sectional convexity of each column and decreases the vertical cross-sectional convexity of each column.
• aforedescribed structure is particularly suited for slender, single-serve size bottles
• a plurality of vertically-aligned finger alignment projections are formed integrally on each of the columns to define finger grip locations, to structurally reinforce the columns, and to provide points of visual interest
• FIG 1 is an elevational view of a container embodying the present invention
• FIG 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 2—2 of the container illustrated in FIG 1 ,
• FIG 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 3—3 of the container illustrated in FIG 1 ,
• FIG 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 4—4 of the container illustrated in FIG 1 ,
• FIG 5 is an elevational view of a second embodiment of a container according to the present invention.
• FIG 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 6—6 of the container illustrated in FIG 5
• FIG 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 7—7 of the container illustrated in FIG 5
• FIG. 8 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 8—8 of the container illustrated in FIG 5,
• FIG 9 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 9—9 of the container illustrated in FIG 5,
• FIG 10 is an elevational view of a third embodiment of a container according to the present invention.
• FIG 1 1 is an elevational view of the container illustrated in FIG 10 rotated 30° about a vertical axis extending centrally through the container Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
• FIG 1 One embodiment of a slender bottle, or container, 10 according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG 1
• the container 10 has a dome 12, a close ended base 14 and a sidewall 16 located between the dome and base
• An upper portion of the dome 12 includes an upstanding threaded finish 18 to which a closure, such as a cap, (not shown) can be attached
• a lower portion of the dome 12 includes a circumferential groove, or waist, 20 which provides hoop strength to the bottle to resist ovalization distortion which may otherwise result due to hot-filling and to stiffen the transition between the lower portion of the dome and the sidewall
• a label can be mounted on the dome 12 between the finish 18 and the groove 20
• the sidewall 16 which is inset between an upper bumper 16a and a lower bumper 16b and lies entirely within an imaginary cylindrical plane "P" tangent to the outer surface of both Functionally, the sidewall 16 is capable of expanding when the bottle is filled and is capable of accommodating vacuum absorption when the hot-filled bottle is capped and permitted to cool
• the sidewall 16 is provided with structure which enhances grip-ability of the container 10 and the aesthetic visual appearance of the container 10
• the sidewall 16 is provided with various interactive zones of function For example, some of the zones are primarily responsible for accommodating vacuum absorption, while other zones are primarily intended to rigidify the container such as by providing post strength to improve container top loading capability Although each zone may have a primary function, each zone also aids adjacent zones in providing their functions Thus, the entire sidewall 16, and not merely selected locations, reacts to the forces generated by the hot-fill process on the container 10
• a plurality of unframed and substantially smooth-surfaced flex panels 22 are provided on the sidewall 16 in an alternating pattern with a plurality of vertically elongate columns 24
• the panels 22 provide zones of expansion and vacuum absorption, and the columns 24 provide structural reinforcement zones Both the panels 22 and the columns 24 react to the forces created by hot-fill processing In the "as-formed" condition, ie after blow-molding but before hot-filling, and in the absence of any internal or external applied forces, the panels 22 are slightly inwardly concave This is best illustrated in the vertical cross-section of the right hand side of
• each column 24 is substantially rectangular and is not surrounded by any distinct framing structure, such as a stepped wall Rather, each column 24 merges smoothly and directly into the adjacent portions of the container For example, the lateral edges of each panel 22 merge directly into the side edges of an adjacent pair of columns 24 The juncture of the panels 22 and columns 24 are not delineated by other structure, rather, they smoothly transition directly into one another As best illustrated in FIGs 1 and 2, the upper and lower edges of the panels 22 and the columns 24 also merge directly into the upper and lower bumpers 16a and 16b, respectively
• each panel 22 is inset into the container 10 an equal pre-determined distance to the most outwardly projecting portion of each column
• each panel 22 is inset approximately 2 mm from an imaginary container datum plane "D" as-formed, then each column projects 2 mm from the container datum plane "D" as-formed
• the "container datum plane 'D'" is defined as an imaginary cylindrical plane about which the panels bow inwardly and about which the columns bow outwardly See the dashed line "D" in FIG 4
• each column such as the column 124, has an hourglass- shape in vertical elevation, with its narrowest region located at the vertical median of the sidewall 1 16 as determined by section line 7—7 From there, the column flares outwardly in both upward and downward directions
• Each panel 122 between adjacent columns 124 is complementary and has its widest portion at the sidewall median and narrows therefrom in both upward and downward directions Both the columns and the panels merge smoothly outwardly with the upper and lower bumpers 1 16a and 1 16b, respectively
• each of the finger grip protrusions 132 as discussed below, is of equal size, shape and radial extent providing better grip-ability without sacrificing flexural performance
• each panel 22, 122 When the containers 10, 1 10 are hot-filled with a beverage, each panel 22, 122 initially deflects outwardly slightly, as best shown for container 1 10 exaggerated in dot-dash line in FIG 6, to increase the volume of the containers 10, 1 10 After the containers 10 and 1 10 are hot-filled, capped and permitted to cool, each panel 22, 122 deflects inwardly to effectively reduce the volume of each container 10 and 1 10, as best illustrated greatly exaggerated for container 1 10 by the dashed lines in FIGs 6 and 7-9
• Each of the columns 24, 124 also reacts to the forces created in the hot-filled, capped and cooled containers 10 and 1 10 In horizontal cross-section, the convexity of each column 24, 124 increases due to the lateral pinching of the inwardly deflecting adjacent panels 22, 122 In vertical cross-section, each column 24, 124 straightens The combination of the lateral pinching and the vertical straightening creates more column structure as more vacuum develops in the container The increase in column structure increases the post strength provided by
• the protrusions are defined by laterally undulating lines of inflection 34, 134 and radially undulating surfaces 36, 136
• the outward extent of the radially-undulating surfaces 36 may vary in radial extent, from maximum at the top to minimum at the bottom, such as illustrated in FIG 1, or may be of equal extent such as illustrated in the embodiment of FIG 5
• the outward protrusions 32, 132 define therebetween valleys 38, 138 affording finger placement locations to improve gripability of the container
• the pattern of protrusions 32, 132 also provides visual interest and structurally reinforces the columns 24, 124 at certain desired locations while affording the desired flexure at certain other desired locations
• the present invention is particularly suited for use in slender bottles, ie bottles having a predetermined slenderness ratio Slenderness ratio as used herein is the length of the bottle 10, of FIG 1, measured axially from the upper edge 18a of the finish 18 to the bottom of the standing ring 14a of the base 14 divided by the mean diameter of the sidewall 16, or body portion, located between the bottom of the dome 12 and the base 14 In the illustrated bottle 10, the slenderness ratio is 3 3 1
• the bottle 10 is drawn to full scale In has an overall length of about 22 9 cm (9 inches) and a 0 7 liter (24 ounce) filled capacity
• each bottle, such as the bottle 10 may be designed to contain between about a 0 2 liters (about 8 ounces) to about 1 9 liters (about 64 ounces) of a beverage
• the sidewall 16 may include any number of panels 22, 122 and columns 24, 124, such as in a range of two through ten The deepest inset portion 26 of each
• the hot-fillable plastic container 210 has a dome 212 with a finish 218, a lower sidewall 216 adjacent a base 214, and a substantially cylindrical intermediate sidewall 234 to which a label (not shown) can be secured.
• the lower sidewall 216 includes six vertically- elongate unframed flex panels 222 in an alternating array with six vertically-elongate columns 224 which, when hot-filled, function similar to the unframed flex panels and columns as disclosed above for containers 10 and 1 10.
• the present invention provides a hot-fillable container which integrates various functional and aesthetic features without clearly segregating the features.
• Unframed panels and columns interact to provide vacuum absorption functions and structural reinforcement functions. As more vacuum develops in the container, greater structural functions develop in the container sidewall to provide a container which is functional, structurally strong and visually aesthetic.
• Various modifications to the container are contemplated. For instance, such modifications may include the use of an odd or an even number of panels, vacuum absorption and structural zones located in the dome of the container, and finger grips provided by indentations instead of protrusions.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Containers Having Bodies Formed In One Piece (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)
• Blow-Moulding Or Thermoforming Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)

Priority Applications (10)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=22459515

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (11)

Cited By (16)

Families Citing this family (8)

Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2000
  • 2000-05-09 TR TR2001/03230T patent/TR200103230T2/xx unknown
  • 2000-05-09 BR BR0010491-4A patent/BR0010491A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-05-09 AU AU48305/00A patent/AU757904B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2000-05-09 EP EP00930494A patent/EP1192085A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-05-09 CA CA002370320A patent/CA2370320C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-05-09 WO PCT/US2000/012625 patent/WO2000068095A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2000-05-09 JP JP2000617087A patent/JP2003531774A/ja active Pending
  • 2000-05-09 HU HU0202620A patent/HUP0202620A3/hu unknown
  • 2000-05-09 NZ NZ516023A patent/NZ516023A/en unknown
  • 2000-05-09 MX MXPA01011518A patent/MXPA01011518A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2000-05-09 PL PL00356679A patent/PL356679A1/xx not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (7)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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