WO2017089851A2

WO2017089851A2 - Collapsible plastic bottle and closure for the bottle

Info

Publication number: WO2017089851A2
Application number: PCT/HU2016/050067
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andras Akos BARANYI
Original assignee: Baranyi Andras Akos
Priority date: 2015-11-26
Filing date: 2016-12-21
Publication date: 2017-06-01
Also published as: HUP1500562A2; WO2017089851A3; HU230990B1

Abstract

A collapsible bottle for the storage of carbonated beverages to preserve overpressure and/or constant specific carbon dioxide content, comprising a flexible body (2) and a manually removable, sealingly reclosable closing cap (5), the body (2) is provided with a crease-guiding line structure (6) defining independent body segments (F). From among those body segments (F) that upon creasing will be folded onto each other and, in their folded state, an angle enclosed by an imaginary plane (S) lying between said segments (F) and an axis (T) of the bottle (1) will exceed a value of 0°, on at least two body segments (F) forming a segment pair a respective element (10, 11) of a snap fastener pair (9) is arranged at identical intervals on the circumference of the body (2) at specific levels and at different distances from the bottom (3) of the bottle (1) at every designated level.

Description

COLLAPSIBLE PLASTIC BOTTLE AND CLOSURE FOR THE BOTTLE

Description

Subject of the invention

The invention may be applied with collapsible bottles for storing carbonated beverages, to preserve pressure and/or constant specific carbonic acid content. The bottle according to the invention comprises a flexible body and a manually removable, sealingly (re)closable cap. The body comprises a crease-guiding line structure defining individual body segments, designed in the known way. The closing cap is fixed by external/internal threads, its sidewall comprises at least one air discharge channel connecting the internal space of the bottle and the environment, provided with a manually operable closing element.

Background art

In recent decades, the storage of carbonated beverages has been characterised to a growing extent by storage bottles manufactured of synthetic plastic (e.g. polyethylene, PET). Gradual carbon dioxide loss after opening the bottle is a well-known phenomenon, resulting in the decrease of the enjoyment value of the product (to a particularly noticeable extent in large-volume bottles of 2-2.5 I). The reason for that is that liquid poured from the bottle is replaced by an air column to which the higher-pressure carbon dioxide escapes freely from the remaining liquid. The smaller the volume of the liquid in the bottle, the lower the specific carbon dioxide of the liquid.

The basic idea of the solution created for eliminating this problem is that if the volume of the bottle can be adjusted to the quantity ever of the liquid in it, and constant pressure is ensured in the bottle, carbon dioxide cannot escape the liquid, however little that may be. The volume of the bottle can be decreased by collapsing it. According to the solution, collapsing can be directed and thus facilitated if the deformation of the bottle is ensured by an adequately arranged deformation-assisting configuration, a so-called crease- guiding line structure, along which the bottle collapses according to a pre-defined creasing pattern. The crease-guiding line structure can be made by making the material thinner, by edges pressed in or out, by grooves etc.

One example of the best known and also the simplest solution is disclosed in utility model CN 2400366, where the sidewall is made of truncated cone surfaces arranged accordion-like that are identical but expand in alternating directions. It is easier to handle e.g. the beverage bottle disclosed in the patent specification KR 100652911, showing a groove arrangement - a crease-guiding line structure - whereby the height of the bottle can be reduced continuously by the rotation of its bottom and upper parts relative to each other.

Such solutions, however, paid attention to the problem of volume reduction alone, and not to the need to preserve the collapsed state. As is well-known, plastic bottles are rather flexible, permanent deformation could only be attained by robust over-deformation, but that road is impassable for a liquid-containing bottle. The empty bottle, too, can only be kept in compressed state if the cap is screwed back after compression, because it will then be kept in compressed state by the external air pressure. However, since carbon dioxide gas escaping from the carbonated beverages equalises external pressure, the bottle will not remain in compressed state.

The currently known bottle designs have actually tried to solve this problem by using the above-mentioned over-deformation. The starting point was provided by the sidewall presented above, constituted by cone surfaces, where over-deformation is made feasible by the adjacent cone surfaces of different shapes.

The simplest bottle of this kind is shown in WO 00/43276. The bottle wall has an accordion-like design, but the respective cone angles of the adjacent surfaces are of different sizes, but every other cone surface is identical. Upon exerting axial pressure on the bottle, the cone surfaces are first flattened, then under further pressure the cone surface with the smaller cone angle trips over and turns into the cone surface with the bigger cone angle. It could only be tripped back from this position by force, but the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas escaping from the liquid is not sufficient for that. Therefore, the two cone surfaces remain in compressed state. The bottle disclosed in WO 01/62606 is designed similarly.

The tripping of the cone surface is promoted by the solution disclosed in US 4773458, where there are deep grooves at the smaller-diameter junction of the cone surfaces, functioning like hinges. The designs presented in patent specifications KR 20070096271 and US 6598755, respectively, where the smaller cone surface is replaced by a spherical surface, also promote the tripping of the cone surface and, besides that, the more stable preservation of this state. This makes its motion guided, and it will bend easier upon tripping.

It is uncertain in the above designs which cone surface pair and how many will be deformed. If this occurs at a height below the liquid level in the bottle, the liquid surges upwards, at higher liquid levels, it sprays out of the bottle. The sequence of the compression of the cone surface pairs can be determined in advance in various ways. Instead of cone surface pairs, the bottle sidewall according to EP 0287170 comprises toroidal surfaces that have identical profiles, but their diameters are gradually diminishing downwards, so their compression occurs from the top downwards.

As for the cone surface pairs constituting the sidewall of the bottle shown in GB 2475566, it is again the diameters that decrease, namely in a uniform way from the bottom and the top towards the middle, with the two cone angles remaining unchanged in the meantime. Here the deformation of the sidewall starts in the middle. In the bottle disclosed in US 2003/0121881, the external and internal diameter of the cone surface pairs is identical throughout the entire height of the bottle, but their height increases continuously from the middle downwards and upwards. Since the shorter cone surfaces are easier to deform, the deformation of the sidewall starts in the middle also here. DE 19618750 discloses a bottle where every cone surface is replaced by a spherical surface, there are grooves to promote bending at the junction of the surfaces, the height of the spherical surface pairs is identical throughout the entire circumferential surface, and the external diameter at the junction of the spherical surfaces is also identical, but the internal diameter keeps decreasing from middle downwards and upwards.

Sidewall deformation starts in the middle also here. Finally, the circumferential surface of the bottle according to EP 0733557 differs from the above in that its circumferential surface is divided into three, instead of two, sections and the diameters of the cone surface pairs decreases downwards in the two extreme ones and upwards in the middle one.

These solutions have solved volume reduction, but not fully the problem itself. As is well-known, plastic bottles are rather flexible, even an empty bottle can only be kept in compressed state if the closing cap is screwed back again after compression. Screwing back the closing cap, however is cumbersome process for a bottle still holding some liquid or compressed exactly to its volume.

Upon compression, the closing cap should be put back up loosely, to let the air escape through the narrow gap between the bottle and the threads of the closing cap. The closing cap can be turned after the bottle is compressed, but that is not easy, for it is not conveniently located, and its friction is also bigger in pushed- down state. Therefore, the traditional closing cap is not suitable for closing bottles designed for volume reduction.

The closing cap disclosed in patent HU 229326A was created to solve this problem. Its essence is that air- discharge channels are formed in its sidewall that connect the internal space of the bottle to the environment. The air discharge channels can be closed by an axially moveable sealing ring. The closing cap functions so that after part of the liquid is poured from the bottle, the closing cap can be screwed back completely on the bottle, then the air-discharge channels can be freed by moving the sealing ring downward, the bottle can be compressed to the extent corresponding to the remaining liquid and, finally, the air-discharge channels can be closed by pulling the sealing ring upwards.

It is easy to understand that this solution fully satisfies the following requirements:

- strength needed to compress the bottle can be exerted on the top of the closing cap; that does not hinder the outflow of air from the bottle,

- the closing cap does not have to be rotated after air is let out,

- closing the opening(s) that provide for the outflow of air is done by a closing part that can be drawn upwards; that can be executed by the hand holding the bottle compressed.

Critique of background techniques

Albeit the previous solutions are apparently theoretically adequate, so far the expected positive results have failed to manifest themselves during their use.

It is well-known that bottles designed with accordion-like sidewall have been in use for a long time for storing and dispensing various, mainly household, chemicals, and they fulfil their function perfectly. These, however, are made of relatively soft plastic, capable of large flexible deformation. Bottles for storing carbonated drinks are made of PET (polyethylene terephtalate) material that is definitely rigid in its state used for the bottles, to keep it intact despite any forces acting on it during use - transportation in the first place. Therefore, the bottle is so rigid that the accordion-like shape can only be compressed to a limited extent, but that is not sufficient for the structurally designated cone surface to trip over and turn into the adjacent cone surface. Consequently, a PET bottle will not preserve its compressed state; it is not suitable for ensuring the constant pressure prevailing in the bottle.

The closing cap has also posed problems, since the two elements involved in closure, the cap sidewall and the sealing ring could not be manufactured with sufficient precision to ensure perfect sealing. Without that, however, the cap is unsuitable for its function.

Objective of the invention

The objective of the invention is, on the one hand, to design the sidewall of the bottle so as to preserve the compressed state even if the two cone surfaces of the accordion-like design do not trip into each other and, on the other hand, to create a closing cap that satisfies the requirements expressed above so that the sealed closure of the air-discharge channels is also ensured.

The recognition

The invention is based on the realisation that whatever crease-guiding line structure is applied for the sidewall design, a separate structure is needed to preserve compressed state. This could be also a structure that is independent of the bottle, but according to the realisation, it is also possible to create structural elements on the bottle wall itself that interlock upon the compression of the body, and preserve the compressed state.

It is also part of the realisation that in the closing cap presented above, the sealing ring fulfils two functions: it closes the air-discharge channel as closing element, and actuates the closing element, but of these it only fulfils the actuator function as expected, but does not work as closing element. The solution is to keep the actuator function, but provide the air-discharge channel with a valve ensuring sealed closure despite the previously mentioned manufacturing inaccuracy, and can be operated by the axial movement of the sealing ring.

General description of the invention

The invention concerns, on the one hand, a collapsible bottle suitable for storing carbonated drinks, and designed for preserving over-pressure and/or a constant specific carbon dioxide content. The bottle has a flexible body and a manually removable, sealingly re-closable closing cap. The body is provided with a crease-guiding line structure defining separate body segments designed in the known way. According to the invention, this crease-guiding line structure is arranged on the body at levels that are at different distances from the bottom of the bottle; with identical spacing on the body circumference at each designated level; from among those body segments that upon creasing will be folded onto each other and, in their folded state, an angle enclosed by an imaginary plane lying between said segments and an axis of the bottle will exceed a value of 0°, on at least two body segments forming a segment pair a respective element of a snap fastener pair is arranged at identical intervals on the circumference of the body at specific levels and at different distances from the bottom of the bottle at every designated level.

In an advantageous embodiment of the collapsible bottle according to the invention, the snap fastener elements are at least tightly joined interlocking pieces, one of them being a cavity recessed in the body segment, and the other a cam protruding from the body segment.

In another preferred embodiment of the collapsible bottle according to the invention, the interlocking snap fastener elements are pot-like pieces of circular cross-section.

In a preferred embodiment of the collapsible bottle according to the invention, the interlocking snap fastener elements are pieces of elongated rectangular cross-section.

In a preferred embodiment of the collapsible bottle according to the invention, the segments of the body of the lateral surfaces of the circumferential surface of the interlocking snap fastener elements of longitudinal rectangular cross-section run parallel to each other.

In a preferred embodiment of the collapsible bottle according to the invention, the cross-section of the interlocking snap fastener elements gradually increases with the distance from the body surface.

In a preferred embodiment of the collapsible bottle according to the invention, at least at its opening at the body surface, the internal cross-section of the snap fastener element designed as cavity and, at least at its summit, the external cross-section of the snap fastener element designed as cam fit to each other with overlap.

In a preferred embodiment of the collapsible bottle according to the invention, the interlocking snap fastener elements are one of cone, truncated cone, pyramid, truncated pyramid shaped pieces, where the cone angle and at least one of the angles of inclination between the side surfaces is self-locking.

In a preferred embodiment of the collapsible bottle according to the invention, the body segments that upon creasing will be folded onto each other and comprise snap fastener elements have a size perpendicular to their corresponding folding line segment being of the same value at every level designated for them.

A preferred embodiment of the collapsible bottle according to the invention is such that the dimension of the body segments folding onto each other upon creasing, provided with snap fastener element pairs, perpendicular to the folding line segments associated with them, is diminishing upward in the direction of the bottle axis. In a tenth preferred embodiment of the collapsible bottle according to the invention, the folding line segments associated with the body segments folding onto each other upon creasing are in a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of the bottle.

In an eleventh preferred embodiment of the collapsible bottle according to the invention, the folding line segment associated with the body segments folding onto each other upon creasing are arranged ring-like in a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of the bottle.

In a twelfth preferred embodiment of the collapsible bottle according to the invention, the folding line segments associated with the body segments folding onto each other upon creasing enclose an angle with the plane that is perpendicular to the axis of the bottle.

Finally, in yet another preferred embodiment of the collapsible bottle according to the invention, the line segments between the body segments folding onto each other upon guided creasing, enclosing an angle with the plane that is perpendicular to the axis of the bottle, constitute a spiral line.

The invention relates, on the other hand, to a closing cap that can be used with a collapsible bottle suitable to preserve overpressure and/or constant specific carbon dioxide content, upon which the closing cap is fixed by means of a mating pair of external and internal threads. The sidewall of the closing cap comprises at least one air-discharge channel connecting the internal space of the bottle to the environment that is provided with a manually operable closing element. The closing element according to the invention is a valve opening towards the environment and there is an axially slideable valve sealing ring on the external surface of the closing cap.

In another preferred embodiment of the closing cap according to the invention, the valve is a plug sealingly fitting into the air-discharge channel from the outside, fixed to the closing cap from the outside by a flap made of a supple, flexible material.

In another preferred embodiment of the closing cap according to the invention, the valve sealing ring rests from the outside on the external surface of the flap.

In a third preferred embodiment of the closing cap according to the invention, in its position aligned with the air-discharge channel, the valve sealing ring forces the valve designed as plug into the air-discharge channel.

In a fourth preferred embodiment of the closing cap according to the invention, the anchorage on the closing cap of the flexible flap holding the valve designed as plug is on the section of the closing cap between the air-discharge channel and the bottom of the sidewall.

Finally, in yet another preferred embodiment of the closing cap according to the invention, the flexible flap holding the valve designed as plug is fixed on the closing cap with the help of a supporting ring. Description of the drawings

The invention can be understood in more detail based on an exemplary embodiment, with the help of the drawings, where

Figure 1 shows a bottle according to the invention in lateral view, in its original shape,

Figure 2 shows a sidewall of the bottle in vertical stepped section l-l l indicated in Figure 1, somewhat magnified,

Figure 3 shows the bottle in axially partly compressed state,

Figure 4 shows the compressed part of the sidewall of the bottle in vertical section III indicated in Figure 1, somewhat magnified,

Figure 5 shows the compressed part of the sidewall of the bottle according to vertical section III indicated in Figure 3, but with a different arrangement of the snap fastener element pair, somewhat magnified,

Figure 6 shows a closing cap designed according to the invention in its state prior to use, with the certification tape certifying unopened state, in vertical axis section IV indicated in Figure 1,

Figure 8 shows the closing cap presented in Figure 6 after removal of the tape certifying unopened state, in a state suitable for collapsing the bottle and, finally,

Figure 9 shows the closing cap presented in Figure 6 with the air-discharge channel closed after the compression of the bottle.

Exemplary embodiment (static)

An internal space VB of the embodiment of the bottle 1 designed according to the invention shown in Figure 1 is defined by a substantially cylindrical body or body 2, a bottom 3 closing it from below and a neck

4 associated with it from the top. On the neck 4 a known thread is formed into which a threaded closing cap

5 can be screwed.

As is well-visible in Figure 1, instead of the usual smooth surface or the shape typical of the brand of the manufacturer, the body 2 is provided with a crease-guiding line structure 6. Several solutions have been proposed for designing a crease-guiding line structure 6 that might be applied also for the realisation of the present invention. In this embodiment variant, the crease-guiding line structure 6 is made of horizontal grooves 7 and transversal grooves 8 formed along line segments vs constituting a web. Since the design of the crease-guiding line structure 6 and horizontal grooves 7 and transversal grooves 8 assisting deformation has been thoroughly described in connection with previous similar solutions, there is no need address the issue more extensively here. Let us note in advance that since the position of bottles 1 according to the invention is usually vertical when in use, in what follows, the vertical direction coinciding with the plane that is perpendicular to axis T of bottle 1, the transversal direction enclosing an angle with that and the upward and downward directions, respectively, will be interpreted relative to that position.

Horizontal grooves 7 form circular, parallel rings on planes that are perpendicular to axis T of bottle 1. The distance dv between every two horizontal groove 7 is identical.

Transversal grooves 8 run in two directions on the body 2, enclosing angles of identical value but of contrary sign with horizontal groove 7, and intersecting each other at vertical grooves 7. Distance df is identical between transversal grooves 8 in both inclination directions, but it is very clearly different from distance dv between horizontal grooves 7.

Thanks to their arrangement, horizontal grooves 7 and transversal grooves 8 define together uniform independent body segments F of identical size, shaped as very elongated obtuse-angled isosceles triangles, their height mv being perpendicular to the horizontal groove 7, i.e. the line segment vs designating that, is identical with a distance dv between horizontal grooves 7. (Of course, as we speak of the body segments F of a cylindrical surface, we could only speak of isosceles triangles in the mathematical sense if body segments F were spread out in a plane.)

It follows from the arrangement of horizontal grooves 7 and transversal grooves 8 that the triangles defining body segments F are positioned between two horizontal grooves 7 with their tips alternately upward and downward, and the triangles that are placed one above the other, adjacently, are symmetrical in pairs in relation to horizontal grooves 7 between them, that is, line segments vs designating their place, that is, their tips and bases, respectively, are in contact with each other, alternately.

As can be seen in Figure 2 showing the original state of body 2 prior to compression, the arrangement of horizontal grooves 7 and transversal grooves 8 relative to body 2 is not the same. The figure represents the uppermost four horizontal grooves 7, and body segment Fl is located above the second horizontal groove 7 from the top and body segment F2 below that. As can be seen, horizontal grooves 7 are embossed towards internal space VB of the bottle 1, transversal grooves 8 are embossed outwards. Horizontal grooves 7 are interrupted at nodes C at the intersection of horizontal grooves 7 and transversal grooves 8, and body 2 is embossed outwards there, too, in line with transversal grooves 8.

The shape and size of horizontal grooves 7 is chosen so as to ensure that the two body segments F on its two sides lie on one another upon compression of bottle 1.

Snap fastener pairs

As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, snap fastener pairs 9 are configured on some of the adjacent body segments F contacting each other at their base. Snap fastener pair 9 is similar to the interlocking snap fasteners that are closed by being pressed; accordingly, one of its snap fastener elements 10 is a pot-like cavity with circular cross-section recessed into body segment F, its other snap fastener element 11 is a cam protruding from body segment F, also pot-like, with circular cross-section. Similarly to horizontal grooves 7 and transversal grooves 8, snap fastener elements 10 and 11 are embossed from the material of the bottle 1 itself.

Circumferential surfaces 12 and 13 of snap fastener elements 10 and 11, respectively, are cylindrical; external cross-section Ab of the cam-shaped snap fastener element 11 and internal cross-section Af of cavity-shaped snap fastener element 10 fit tightly.

The two snap fastener elements 10 and 11 are positioned at equal distances from horizontal groove 7 and on identical segments of the body pa of body 2; in other words, in identical meridian planes of bottle 1. Cam-shaped snap fastener element 11 is positioned on body segment F so that it extends outwards from body 2 relative to internal space VB of bottle 1, whereas cavity-shaped snap fastener element 10 is as a matter of course recessed relative to internal space VB.

Closing cap

Preferably, a closing cap 5 should be used with the bottle 1 according to the present invention presented here, that can be understood in more detail based on Figure 6. Closing cap 5 comprises a closure head lid 16 and a cylindrical sidewall 17 attached to it. Sidewall 17 is provided inside with an internal thread 18 fitting into external thread 19 on neck 4 of bottle 1. A certification tape 20 certifying the unopened state of bottle 1 is formed at the bottom of sidewall 17, of the same piece, separated by incision and/or perforation, and it gets torn from sidewall 17 upon the first opening of closing cap 5 in the known way.

A pot-shaped cavity 21 is formed in closure head lid 16 from the inside, with a diameter that is smaller than the internal diameter of the neck 4 of bottle 1. From the lower edge of cavity 21, an inwardly narrowing conical sealing flange 22 extends towards internal space VB of bottle 1. Upon closure of the closing cap 5, the sealing flange 22 extends into the neck 4, and due to the tight fitting of the two, it provides for sealed closure between closing cap 5 and neck 4.

On the external surface of sidewall 17 and overlapping the cavity 21, there is an encircling, wide, flat recess 23, the bottom of which is a regular cylindrical body surface. Four air-discharge channels 24 are made at equal intervals in the sidewall 17 that connect the cavity 21 and the recess 23. Air-discharge channels 24 are conical holes narrowing towards the cavity 21.

A respective valve 25 is inserted from the outside into each of the air-discharge channels 24. In the present case, valve 25 is a plug with conical surface, made of a supple, flexible material, e.g. silicone rubber, fitting precisely to the internal surface of the air-discharge channel 24.

The plugs making up valve 25 are held by a flap 26, more visible in Figure 7. Flaps 26 are elongated components, arranged axially in the recess 23. Valve 25 is formed at one extreme of flaps 26, on the internal side of the other extreme, snap fastener element 27, a small cam, is positioned. Snap fastener element 27 fits into a cavity 28 made in sidewall 17 in the surface of the recess 23. The extreme end of flaps 26 on the side of a fastener element 27 connects to a supporting ring 29. As shown in Figure 7, in unassembled state, flaps 26 bend outwards.

In addition to flaps 26, a flat, ring-shaped valve-sealing ring 30 and an inhibitor ring 31 are inserted side by side into the recess 23. Both valve-sealing ring 30 and inhibitor ring 31 are made as one piece, separated from each other by incision and/or perforation facilitating their separation. The material of the pair of valve-sealing ring 30 - inhibitor ring 31 is chosen so that it can be drawn easily through sidewall 17 then snap into recess 23. Valve-sealing ring 30 is provided with outward-extending brim 32. The internal surface of the valve-sealing ring 30 rests on flaps 26.

In the part below the recess 23, the external surface of the sidewall 17 is provided with knurling 33 that promotes the rotation of the closing cap 5 when it is being closed.

Operation

The operation of the design according to the invention, that is, the use of bottle 1 and closing cap 5, can be understood by collating Figures 2 and 4 and Figures 6, 8 and 9, respectively.

In Figure 6, closing cap 5 is screwed onto bottle 1 that is still in unopened state. Certification tape 20 is not yet detached from side-wall 17 of closing cap 5, and inhibitor ring 31 is also in its place, squeezing valve 25 through flaps 26 into air-discharge channel 24.

When liquid is poured the first time from bottle 1, upon the rotation of closing cap 5, certification tape 20 gets torn from sidewall 17. Subsequently, closing cap 5 can be removed, and then screwed back on again after the desired amount of liquid is poured.

When the level of the liquid in bottle 1 diminishes to below the third horizontal groove 7 from the top, the free volume of internal space VB of bottle 1 can be reduced. To do that, first the inhibitor ring 31 should be removed as can be seen in Figure 8. This eliminates the support of valves 25, the flexible flaps 26 lift them from the air discharge channels 24. Bottle 1 is ready for volume reduction.

The removal of inhibitor ring 31 concurrently allows to push the valve-sealing ring 30 axially in recess 23.

To achieve volume reduction, the neck 4 of the bottle 1 needs to be pushed downwards by exerting pressure on closing cap 5 in the direction of axis T of the bottle 1. (Since in this embodiment the arrangement of crease-guiding line structure 6 does not automatically ensure the creasing sequence, it makes sense to facilitate the deformation of the desired body segments F manually.)

Deformation starts under the impact of pressure exerted on neck 4 (and as the case may of the above- mentioned manual control). Body segments F trip along the first three horizontal grooves 7, so that they - li berie! outward along the horizontal grooves 7 they contact with their base, and inwards along those that they contact with their tip.

In line with the above, body segments Fl and F2 shown in Figure 2 will bend outward along the second horizontal groove 7. The body 2 collapses - as shown in Figure 3 -, and bands G for creasing are formed between horizontal grooves 7. As can be seen, in every band G for creasing, there are body segments F bending out along horizontal grooves 7 above and below it, alternately.

Under the impact of further pressure, body segments F touching the same horizontal groove 7 from below and from above, hence also body segments Fl and F2, bend more and more closely towards each other. In the meantime, snap fastener elements 10 and 11 on body segments Fl and F2 bending onto each other move so that they are on top of each other.

Ultimately, body segments Fl and F2 come to lie completely on each other, in the way shown in Figure 4. In this state, it is possible to insert in between the two an imaginary plane S that encloses an angle of 90 ⁰ with axis T of bottle 1.

Then snap fastener elements 10 and 11 on top of each other can be pressed into each other like snap fasteners by exerting manual pressure on the tip of body segments Fl, F2. Snap fastener pair 9 fixes thereby body segments Fl and F2 to each other, and prevents that folded body segments Fl, F2 should straighten out again after the termination of pressure exerted on neck 4 of bottle 1.

In Figures 2 and 4, segment of the body pa of body 2 before creasing is indicated by dashed line. As can be seen, as the end result of deformation, the groove 7 along which body segments Fl and F2 had bent straightens out and comes to within segment of the body pa, while the tips extend outside of the segment of the body pa. Consequently, the circumference of the body 2 does not have to change during deformation; that would require much bigger deformation work due to the rigidity of the material of bottle 1 than simple bending.

Air squeezed out when internal space VB of bottle 1 is reduced escapes through the air-discharge channels 24. If the outward-bent flaps 26 did not raise sufficiently valves 25 from air-discharge channels 16, escaping air would open valve 25 anyway.

When the remaining liquid fills the internal space VB of the compressed bottle 1 completely, the valve- sealing ring 30 can be pulled to the place of the inhibitor ring 31 removed previously, as shown in Figure 9. The valve-sealing ring 30 restores the flaps 26 to their straight position and the latter push the valves 25 back to the air-discharge channels 24. This way valves 25 sealingly close the air-discharge channels 24, so air does not flow back to bottle 1.

Although the valve-sealing ring 30 is not subject to such forces as would aggravate its movement, that is easier to execute by holding on to brim 32. Valve-sealing ring 30 can be pulled up easily without reducing the compressive force by holding the brim 32 between two fingers of the hand compressing the bottle 1 from above.

Of course, to pour liquid again, the closing cap 5 is to be removed again then it is to be screwed back again after pouring. If the internal space VB of the bottle 1 needs to be reduced again, valve-sealing ring 30 should be pulled down from behind valves 25 towards the lower extreme of flaps 26, and the operation is repeated by folding and fastening to each other of new body segments F step by step, from one band G for creasing to the next, as above.

Theoretically, the compression of bottle 1 might be started earlier than described above, but that is risky since, on the one hand, it is not known whether the already empty part of the internal space VB of bottle 1 is equal in size to the volume reduction concurrent with compression and, on the other, stronger pressure might compress several bands G for creasing. In both cases, liquid could be ejected, so from this point of view it is safer if the level of the liquid is below several horizontal grooves 7.

Operation defines two more arrangement requirements not described yet.

It is clearly perceptible that if the compressed body 2 were anchored at a single point only, given the flexibility of the material, it would open up again at several points due to the termination of pressure, and the bottle 1 would trip to one side. Therefore, a second snap fastener element pair 9 is to be provided along the horizontal grooves 7 around which body segments F placed above each other fold on each other, at least opposite one another, at quasi-identical level. It is preferable anyway to apply several snap fastener pairs 9 to ensure safe anchoring.

Apart from the fact that at least two snap fastener pairs 9 are needed by level, snap fastener pairs 9 must be placed at the level concerned at equal distances, otherwise the compressed part might again be inclined.

Variants

The embodiment presented above is the simplest representative of the invention in terms of crease-guiding line structure 6; the arrangement and design of snap fastener element pair 9; and the design of closing cap 5. Of course, the invention can be realised also by embodiments that differ from previous one. The following is about a few such variants. Since the differences and not substantial, generally no illustrative figures are needed.

Shapes of snap fastener elements:

The modification options related to the design of snap fastener elements 10, 11 may be used also in the embodiment variant shown above.

In the previous embodiment variant, the fixing strength of snap fastener pair 9 was secured by the tight fitting of cylindrical circumferential surfaces 12 and 13 of snap fastener elements 10, 11 alone. That can be enhanced significantly if the circumferential surfaces 12, 13 of both snap fastener elements 10, 11 - using the reference signs in Figure 2 - are slightly conical; their cross-section Ab and Af, respectively, increases with the distance from the surface of body 2; and external cross-section Af of the snap fastener element 11 designed as cam, and internal cross-section Ab of snap fastener element 10 designed as cavity, fit together at least at their top 15 and opening 14 positioned at body 2, respectively.

Since the material of bottle 1 is difficult to deform in its own plane, snap fastener elements 10, 11 of circular cross-section are relatively difficult to compress; their snapping together may be easier or even very difficult depending on the wall thickness of bottle 1. The operation can be facilitated by designing snap fastener elements 10, 11 so that their respective cross sections Ab and Af are elongated rectangles instead of being cylindrical. This can also be produced by having parallel segment of the body pa as a pyramid with a cross-section that increases with the distance from the surface of the body 2. This shape has the advantage that elongated straight sidewalls 12, 13 are easier to deform than cylindrical ones.

Likewise, easier fixing is provided if cross-sections Af and Ab, respectively, of the two snap fastener elements 10, 11 decrease with the distance from body 2, in other words, if they are shaped like cones, truncated cones, pyramids or truncated pyramids fitting into each other. If the cone angle or the inclination angle of the pyramid sidewalls is selected in consideration of the frictional bevel-semi-angle determined by the material and surface quality of bottle 1, the cone or pyramid surfaces will be self-closing.

Snap fastener arrangement:

The following modification option is open also for the embodiment presented above in detail. Snap fastener element 11 designed as cam and snap fastener element 10 designed as cavity can be arranged relative to the internal space VB of the bottle 1 also in the opposite direction relative to the one shown previously, that is - as can be seen in Figure 5 - so that snap fastener element 11 designed as cam looks inwards relative to internal space VB of bottle 1, and snap fastener element 10 designed as cavity protrudes outward from internal space VB.

The two body segments F2 and F3 folding onto each other bend here along two separate horizontal grooves 7, that is, along folding line segment vs, and they bend together at the tip of the triangular shape. As crease- directing line structure 6 is not changed, the imaginary plane S that can be inserted between body segments F2 and F3 folded on each other still encloses an angle of 90° with the axis T of the bottle 1.

Snap fastener elements 10, 11 fitting into each other can be snapped closed by exerting pressure manually on the two body segments F2, F3. This is easier to do, since only the two body segments concerned, F2, F3 or, more precisely, body segments F at that level, need to be deformed.

Controlled creasing sequence:

As mentioned above, during the compression of bottle 1, it is desirable that, upon the gradual compression of the bottle, body segments F of the uppermost creasing band G l be the first to close upon each other, followed by the second below them, then the third, and so on. In the embodiment presented in detail above, triangle-shaped body segments F are identical in size, so it is uncertain at which horizontal groove 7 creasing would start and, therefore, the sequence needs to be facilitated manually.

The designs, known from previous solutions, whereby the sequence of creasing can be made controlled in the direction of axis T of bottle 1 can be used also for bottle 1 according to the invention. To that effect, for example, the embodiment presented in detail above can be modified so that distance dv between the adjacent horizontal grooves 7, i.e. height mv of body segments F perpendicular to their respective folding line segments vs should gradually decrease as we move upwards in the direction of axis T of bottle 1. Since the folding of shorter body segments onto each other requires less strength, creasing occurs from the top down.

Of course, the arrangement of transversal grooves 8 must be adjusted to distance dv of horizontal grooves 7.

Body segment shapes:

It is known that manufacturer companies strive to use bottles of a shape or pattern that is typical of the brand. As a matter of fact, provided that the requirements according to the invention are met, there is no hindrance to that; crease-guiding line structure 6 can be made in numberless variants. Thus, for example, although currently it constitutes triangle-shaped body segments F, other forms such as the trapeze or the one defined by the wavy line between horizontal grooves 7 are of course equally convenient. Ring-like line segments vs themselves can also made of curves and the other line segments vs can also be curved.

Instead of horizontal grooves 7, spiral grooves designed like threads on body 2 can also be applied. In this case, simultaneously with compression, bottom 3 and neck 4 of bottle 1 must be rotated relative to each other. This makes it much easier to reduce the internal space VB of the bottle 1. Snap fastener pairs 9 can be designated on body segments F contacting each other on the two sides of the spiral groove, along a longer line segment, and folding on each other during creasing. It is worth making several parallel spiral grooves on the body 2 to ensure the arrangement of several snap fastener pairs 9 at identical intervals at each level.

Of course, the controlled creasing sequence can be implemented also in this embodiment.

It will be easy to understand from the above, without any special explanation being needed, that the operation of the solution according to the invention is not influenced by whether body segments F carrying the snap fastening pairs 9 fold on each other along horizontal or slanting line segments vs, the essential thing being that

- the angle enclosed by an imaginary plane S that can be inserted between them in folded state and by axis T of bottle 1 has a value exceeding 0°,

- snap fastening pairs 9 meet after the deformation of bottle 1, - there are at least two body segments F in pair, at the same level and at identical intervals, on the circumference of body 2.

The first condition is apparently superfluous and neither is it realistic with bottles 1 that are easy to compress, but in case of twisting it may theoretically happen that some body segment pairs F do lie on one another, but the plane S that can be laid between them is parallel with axis T.

Closing cap variant:

Of course, other variants of the closing cap than the simplest embodiment shown above are also conceivable. For example, the cap can be designed also according to the arrangement disclosed in HU- 228.315 so that sealing flange 22 is formed right at the bottom of closure head lid 16, and air-discharge channels 24 are formed in the zone below that. Since in this arrangement the neck 4 of the bottle 1 must extend up to the bottom of lid 16, the air-discharge channels 24 must be formed also in the neck 4, on the same plane as the air-discharge channels 24 when closing cap 5 is in closed position. It is advantageous to design the air-discharge channels in the neck 4 with a flat, elongated shape, and to have one more of them than the number of the air discharge channels 24 in the closing cap 5, to be certain that at least one air discharge channel 24 gets in front of one of the air discharge channels in the neck 4.

Advantage

The above presentation clearly shows the advantages of the invention.

By using the solution according to the invention, it is easier to compress the bottle to a creased state than a bottle designed with accordion-like body, since there is no need to trip over cone surfaces. Moreover, the snap fastening pairs permanently ensure the compressed state of the bottle.

Furthermore, the risk of reducing the volume of the bottle to an undesired extent due to exerting a bigger compressive force is smaller.

Since the snap fastener pairs can be actuated separately, there is no need to finish the total deformation along the circumference of the bottle at once. That is, the volume-reducing operation concerned can also be executed so that the bottle is compressed somewhat lopsidedly, and when the snap fastener pairs meeting earlier get snapped, the bottle can be compressed also on the other side, and snap the snap fasteners also there. The force needed for compression can be reduced also this way.

Although the invention has been developed to solve the problem occurring in case of the compression of bottles made of PET material, its application is of course not restricted to PET bottles.

In a further preferred embodiment, by altering the crease-guiding line structure, compression forms meeting other design or marketing requirements can also be realised. The closing cap according to the invention is provided with a valve design that ensures the perfect closure of the air discharge channels and, moreover, is easy to operate by the hand holding the closing cap when the bottle is compressed already.

In summary, the volume reduction of the bottle according to the invention can be executed easily and reliably, an advantage also during use, since the reduction of the volume of the bottle prevents the separation of carbon dioxide dissolved in the liquid, thus preserves the quality of the product stored in the bottle; an advantage also during storage, because it takes up less space during storage due to shrinking, and advantage from the point of view of waste management, since waste bottles are expected to be compressed, crumbled, in today's separate collection regime.

List of reference signs:

Ab - cross-section

Af - cross-section

C - node

F - body segment

Fl - body segment

F2 - body segment

F3 - body segment

F4 - body segment

G - band for creasing

G l - band for creasing

G2 - band for creasing

G3 - band for creasing

G4 - band for creasing

S - plane

T - axis

VB - internal space

dv - distance

df - distance

mv - height

pa - segment of the body

vs - line segment

1 - bottle

2 - body

3 - bottom

4 - neck

5 - closing cap - crease-guiding line structure

7 - horizontal groove

8 - transversal groove

9 - snap fastener pair

10 - snap fastener element

11 - snap fastener element

12 - circumferential surface

13 - circumferential surface

14 - opening

15 - top-end

16 - closure head lid

17 - side wall

18 - internal thread

19 - external thread

20 - certification tape

21 - cavity

22 - sealing flange

23 - recess

24 - air-discharge channel

25 - valve

26 - flap

27 - fastener element

28 - recess

29 - supporting ring

30 - valve sealing ring

31 - inhibitor ring

32 - brim

33 - knurling

Claims

Claims:

1. A collapsible bottle for the storage of carbonated beverages to preserve overpressure and/or constant specific carbon dioxide content, comprising a flexible body (2) and a manually removable, sealingly reclosable closing cap (5), wherein the body (2) - designed in a known way - is provided with a crease- guiding line structure (6) defining independent body segments (F), characterised in that

from among those body segments (F) that upon creasing will be folded onto each other and, in their folded state, an angle enclosed by an imaginary plane (S) lying between said segments (F) and an axis (T) of the bottle (1) will exceed a value of 0°,

on at least two body segments (F) forming a segment pair a respective element (10, 11) of a snap fastener pair (9) is arranged at identical intervals on the circumference of the body (2) at specific levels and at different distances from the bottom (3) of the bottle (1) at every designated level.

2. The collapsible bottle as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the respective elements (10; 11) of the snap fastener pair (9) are pieces interlockable at least by tight fitting, one of the elements (10; 11) is a cavity recessed in the body segment (F) and the other element (10; 11) is a cam protruding from the body segment (F).

3. The collapsible bottle as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the interlocking snap fastener elements (10; 11) are pot-like pieces of circular cross-section.

4. The collapsible bottle as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the interlocking snap fastener elements (10; 11) are pieces of elongated rectangular cross-section.

5. The collapsible bottle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the segments of the body of the lateral surfaces of the interlocking snap fastener elements (10; 11) of elongated rectangular cross- section run parallel to each other.

6. The collapsible bottle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the interlocking snap fastener elements (10; 11) have cross-sections gradually increasing with the distance from the surface of the body (1).

7. The collapsible bottle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the internal cross-section of the snap fastener element (10) designed as a cavity at its opening located at the surface of the body (1) as well as the interlocking external cross-section of the snap fastener element (11) designed as a cam at least at its tip fit together with overlap.

8. The collapsible bottle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the interlocking snap fastener elements (10; 11) are one of cone, truncated cone, pyramid, truncated pyramid shaped pieces, where at least one of the cone angle and the inclination angle between the side surfaces is a self-closing angle.

9. The collapsible bottle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the body segments (F) that upon creasing will be folded onto each other and comprise snap fastener elements (10; 11) have a size perpendicular to their corresponding folding line segment (vs) being of the same value at every level designated for them.

10. The collapsible bottle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the body segments (F) that upon creasing will be folded onto each other and comprise snap fastener elements (10; 11) have a size perpendicular to their corresponding folding line segment (vs) decreasing upwards towards the axis (T) of the bottle (1).

11. The collapsible bottle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the folding line segments (vs) associated with the body segments (F) that upon creasing will be folded onto each other extend in the plane (S) perpendicular to the axis (T) of the bottle (1).

12. The collapsible bottle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the folding line segments (vs) associated with the body segments (F) that upon creasing will be folded onto each other are arranged ring-like on the plane (S) that is perpendicular to the axis (T) of the bottle (1).

13. The collapsible bottle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the folding line segments (vs) corresponding to the body segments (F) that upon creasing will be folded onto each other include an angle with a plane (S) that is perpendicular to the axis (T) of the bottle (1)

14. The collapsible bottle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10 or 13, characterised in that the line segments (vs) corresponding to the body segments (F) folding on each other upon guided creasing and including an angle with a plane (S) that is perpendicular to the axis (T) of the bottle (1) constitute a spiral line.

15. A closing cap for a collapsible bottle (1) for the storage of carbonated beverages to preserve overpressure and/or constant specific carbon dioxide content, upon which the closing cap (5) can be fixed or released by means of a mating pair of an external thread (19) and an internal thread (18), and in the sidewall (17) of the closing cap (5) there is at least one air discharge channel (24) formed, connecting the internal space (VB) of the bottle (1) with the environment of the bottle (1), said air discharge channel (24) is provided with a manually operable closing part, characterised in that the closing part is a valve (25) opening towards the environment, and on the external surface of the closing cap (5) a valve sealing ring (30) is arranged in axially slideably manner.

16. The closing cap as claimed in claim 15 characterised in that the valve (25) is a plug sealingly fitting into the air discharge channel (24) from the outside, said plug is fastened to the closing cap (5) from the outside by a flap (26) made of a supple, flexible material.

17. The closing cap as claimed in claim 15 or 16, characterised in that the valve-sealing ring (30) rests on the external surface of flap (26) from the outside.

18. The closing cap as claimed in any of claims 15 to 17, characterised in that the valve-sealing ring (30) in its position in line with the air discharge channel (24) squeezes the valve (25) designed as plug into the air discharge channel (24).

19. The closing cap as claimed in any of claims 15 to 18, characterised in that an anchorage of the flexible flap (26) holding the valve (25) designed as plug on the closing cap (5) is arranged on the section of the closing cap (5) between the air discharge channel (24) and the bottom of the sidewall (17)

20. The closing cap as claimed in any of claims 15 to 19, characterised in that the flexible flap (26) holding the valve (25) designed as plug is fixed on the closing cap (5) with the help of a supporting ring (29).