WO2019066652A2

WO2019066652A2 - Bottle

Info

Publication number: WO2019066652A2
Application number: PCT/NL2018/050640
Authority: WO
Inventors: Holding B.V. Smart; Corstiaan Johannes Van Goolen
Original assignee: Smart Holding B V
Priority date: 2017-09-27
Filing date: 2018-09-27
Publication date: 2019-04-04
Also published as: WO2019066652A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaging in the form of a plastic PET bottle for packaging liquids such as water, soft drinks and the like, carbonated or non-carbonated. The plastic bottle is provided on the neck with a special screw thread, whereby the closing cap, also embodied with a special screw thread with a short stroke, can be twisted open and shut. The cap and neck hereby have a low height, which is material-saving. The plastic bottle is provided with a hollow space which serves to enable the bottle to be stacked with bottles of the same shape, the shape of the bottle also being adapted to the shape of the hollow space in the bottom of the bottle so that stacking of the bottles becomes possible. The hollow space also provides the option of placing a cooling element in the hollow space so as to thus keep the content cool for a longer time. The cooling element and the bottle have a mutually adapted snap connection which ensures that the element remains in position when it is placed in the bottle. The cooling element is provided with a grip for placing and removing the element. The content of the cooling element can consist of water and/or cooling liquid.

Description

BOTTLE

The present invention relates to a (plastic) bottle comprising a first, open outer end which can be closed with a closing unit, a second, closed outer end and an intermediate part between the two outer ends.

Such a plastic bottle can be manufactured from a plastic material such as PET. Other materials, for instance bioplastics such as PEF, are likewise possible. Bottles are intended particularly for packaging liquids such as water, soft drinks and many other forms of liquid. Many embodiments are known and have largely corresponding properties. Embodiments are for instance known wherein the bottle has a "star"-shaped base in order to preserve the shape of the bottle when pressure is created when the bottle is filled with carbonated liquids. Most liquids, particularly in the food industry, which are packaged in bottles are more pleasant to consume when the temperature of the liquid is cool or cold. This improves the flavour and sensation. Current bottles are intended to be cooled in a refrigerator themselves or to have their content poured into a glass or cup containing ice cubes so as to thus bring the liquid to a cool, colder temperature.

The current plastic bottles have a rather long neck with screw thread positioned thereon, this screw thread being longer in the case of carbonated liquids than in the case of non-carbonated liquids in order to prevent the cap rotating loose due to the pressure which is built up in the bottle. This has the result that a lot of plastic is used in the cap and neck of the bottle, and that the situation is slightly unpleasant for the lips when drinking from the bottle.

A further drawback of the known plastic bottles is that they have a shape such that they are not well adapted to logistical issues such as transport, warehousing and storage, because they are simply not stackable.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a plastic bottle wherein at least one of the above stated and/or other drawbacks of the existing plastic bottles is obviated.

According to a first aspect of the invention, this object is at least partially achieved in a plastic bottle of the type stated in the preamble, wherein the wall comprises in the lower outer end a recess formed for receiving therein an exchangeable cooling element for cooling the content of the bottle, and wherein the wall of the bottle comprises a fixing element for releasable fixing of the cooling element received in the recess. By arranging a cooling element in the recess the content of the bottle can be easily cooled, or the content can at least be kept cold for a relatively long time.

Although the fixing element can in principle be provided at any position on the bottle, the fixing element is preferably provided in the wall of the recess. The cooling element is further preferably embodied such that the cooling element can be wholly received in the recess. The cooling element can disappear wholly into the recess so that a flat underside of the bottle can be realized. In other embodiments the cooling element protrudes below the bottle. In these embodiments the cooling element preferably has a flat underside. In all these embodiments the underside of the bottle or the underside of the cooling element is flat, so that the bottle can be placed stably on a surface.

In an embodiment the fixing element is formed by an internal peripheral edge (i.e. an edge protruding into the interior of the bottle) or an external peripheral edge (i.e. an edge protruding into the recess). The fixing element is hereby concealed well and does not mar the appearance of the bottle, while still enabling a simple coupling of the cooling element to the bottle.

In a further embodiment the bottle also comprises a fixing member arranged close to the first outer end of the bottle. The fixing member can here be configured to be fixed releasably to a fixing element of another bottle, for instance by placing the other bottle on top of the original bottle and fixing (for instance snap-fixing) the other bottle to the original bottle.

In further embodiments the cooling element is provided with a fixing part which can be fixed releasably to the fixing element of the bottle. The fixing member and the fixing part can particularly have substantially the same shape and dimensions. Either another bottle or a cooling element can then be placed in the recess of a bottle and be fixed to the bottle.

In determined embodiments the fixing part of the cooling element and/or the fixing member of the bottle can comprise an external or internal peripheral edge. Such a peripheral edge is suitable to snap-fix to the internal or external peripheral edge of the fixing element in the wall of the recess of the bottle.

In preferred embodiments of the invention the outer surface of the cooling element is adapted to the inner surface of the recess. More particularly, the wall of the cooling element can be formed to lie partially or preferably wholly against the wall of the recess when the cooling element is received in the recess. This provides for an improved thermal transfer so that the content of the bottle can be kept cold for a relatively long time.

In a further embodiment the closing unit comprises:

- a first closing element configured to be mounted or formed integrally on the bottle, wherein the first closing element comprises a receiving part provided with a passage and to be arranged in or round the throughflow opening;

- a second closing element comprising a closing part configured to be received by the receiving part and to be releasably coupled thereto for the purpose of closing or leaving clear the throughflow opening;

wherein the releasable coupling between the receiving part and closing part comprises a conical threaded coupling.

The apex angle (2β) of the cone of the conical screw thread can for instance amount to between 5 and 20, preferably between 8 and 12 degrees. The closing unit can further comprise: - a first closing element configured to be mounted or formed integrally on the bottle, wherein the first closing element comprises a receiving part provided with a passage and to be arranged in or round the throughflow opening;

wherein the releasable coupling between the receiving part and closing part is a threaded coupling comprising first screw thread formed on the receiving element and second screw thread formed on the closing element, wherein the first and second screw thread is multi-thread screw thread.

The multi-thread screw thread can be embodied to couple or uncouple the closing part and receiving part over essentially the whole periphery in a relative rotation of the closing part and receiving part through an angle smaller than 180 degrees, preferably smaller than 90 degrees, still more preferably smaller than 50 degrees.

According to another aspect of the invention, an assembly is provided of at least a cooling element and the plastic bottle defined herein.

The shape of the bottle is adapted with determined shapes and a hollow base, which serves to provide firmness for the bottle in order to preserve its shape in the case of carbonated liquids when a high pressure is created in the bottle. In addition, the hollow space is intended for placing an external element therein. This element, which is for instance made of plastic but can also be embodied in other materials, serves as cooling unit. The cooling unit can be provided with water or special cooling liquid, which will freeze at temperatures below freezing point. This achieves that the content of the cooling unit freezes and can thereby function as cooling element. The cooling element can be reused repeatedly by once again freezing it after it has defrosted. The cooling element can be taken hold of with two fingers by means of the special grip on the underside of the element and be placed in the hollow space of the (plastic) bottle. The cooling element is provided with a special edge which functions as "grip". When the element is placed in the hollow space, the outward directed "grip" edge snaps into the inward directed "grip" edge positioned in the bottle. This ensures that the cooling element remains properly in place in the hollow space of the bottle. Because the cooling element is pressed tightly against the walls of the bottle, the release of cooling/cold will be optimal, whereby the content of the plastic bottle is cooled. The object achieved hereby is that cold time is "added", which means that the warming up of liquid which is in the bottle in cooled state is postponed. The duration of the liquid being kept cool depends to some extent on the environment and the ambient temperature. Once the content of the bottle has been consumed, the cooling element can once again be taken hold of with two fingers in the gripping recess present especially for this purpose and be pulled from the bottle and optionally be prepared once again by freezing the cooling element again.

Because use is made in the design of the bottle of a so-called specially designed self- braking screw thread, the neck of the bottle is shorter than in the current bottles. The specific screw thread has a conical action with a self-braking function so that the cap does not rotate loose in the case of pressure build-up. The stroke for twisting open and shut is also many times shorter than in the current closures. In this specific screw thread the stroke for twisting open and shut is 45 degrees, which also means that the cap does not need to be as high and, just as the neck of the bottle, is material-saving. The edge of the cap can be embodied with ridges so as to still maintain a good grip. The tamper-evident function can usually be formed on the cap so that the seal can be felt and seen clearly.

The neck and the cap of the bottle have a special shape which is the same as the shape of the hollow space in the base of the bottle. These are adapted to each other in order to thus enable stable stacking of the bottles, which is favourable for storage and logistical purposes. The stability is obtained in that the outward directed edge which is present and is positioned on the neck of the bottle snaps into the inward directed edge, which is positioned in the hollow space of the base of the bottle, during stacking.

Because the bottle is specially designed, an ergonomic shape is created which improves the grip of the bottle and thereby increases the ease of drinking from the bottle. Since the shape of the base of the bottle is flat, this provides a stable result, this in contrast to the known "star"-shaped bottle bases. The bottle can also be embodied without the convex space in the base of the bottle.

Weight and thus material are thereby saved, but stacking of the bottles and cooling of the content is then no longer possible. The other unique elements of the design, such as the unique closure and the ergonomic shape of the bottle, are however preserved herein.

Further advantages, features and details of the present invention will be elucidated on the basis of the following description of several embodiments thereof. Reference is made in the description to the accompanying figures, in which:

figures 1 and 2 are side views of an embodiment of a bottle, respectively without and with closing cap;

figure 3 is a bottom view of the embodiment of figure 1 , without cooling element and without closing cap;

figure 4 is a longitudinal section through the embodiment of figures 1 and 2, with cooling element;

figure 5 is a bottom view of the embodiment of figures 1-4, with cooling element;

figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the embodiment of figures 1-5, with cooling element; figure 7 is a side view of an embodiment of a cooling element of a bottle according to figures 1-6;

figures 8 and 9 are respectively a side view and bottom view of the embodiment of the cooling element of figures 5 and 6;

figures 10A, 10B, 11 A and 1 IB are respectively a cross-section, a bottom view, a side view and a top view of an embodiment of a closing cap of the bottle of figures 1-6;

figure 12 is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of a closing cap;

figure 13 is a top view of a further embodiment of a closing cap with clamping ring;

figure 14 is a bottom view of the embodiment of figure 13;

figures 15 and 16 are side views of the neck of the bottle provided with the embodiment of figures 13 and 14, in respectively an opened and closed position.

Figures 1-3 show a container in the form of a bottle 1. The bottle has an elongate form, wherein the bottle comprises roughly halfway along the height of the bottle a narrowed portion 2 to enable the bottle to be gripped firmly. More particularly, the middle portion of bottle 1 can have an ergonomic shape which is narrower than the upper outer end and the lower outer end of the bottle in order to provide grip for a hand. This facilitates the pouring/drinking. The shape of the bottle can however also be different, such as a cylindrical form (with a rectangular, oval or circular cross- section). The underside 3 of the bottle is embodied such that the bottle is able to stand stably on a surface. Underside 3 can for instance take a flat form. Bottle 1 can further have a curve which runs toward the inner side of the bottle so as to preserve the shape of the bottle when pressure is created in the bottle by carbonated liquids. The bottle is further provided on the side and/or upper side with a dispensing opening through which the bottle can be filled and emptied again. The dispensing opening can be closed using a removable closing cap 5. Bottle 1 can be manufactured from any material. The bottle is however preferably manufactured from plastic, such as PET. The closing cap 5 is provided with a ridged pattern 13 in order to thus obtain more grip during opening and closing of the cap.

Figure 2 shows the bottle in closed state, i.e. with closing cap 5 tightened. Bottle 1 further has a relatively short neck 8 provided on the outward facing side with an external peripheral edge 9 (also referred to here as outward directed edge). The peripheral edge is used in holding in place a tamper-evident ring (not shown) which is connected by means of thin plastic strips to closing cap 5. The strips can be broken when closing cap 5 is unscrewed, thus making it is visible that bottle 1 has not been opened since production. As will be elucidated below, an external peripheral edge 19 can provide for a fixation, for instance a snap function, when the bottles are stacked onto each other.

Closing cap 5 can be screwed onto the bottle using self-braking, conical screw thread. In the shown embodiment bottle 1 is provided for this purpose at the upper outer end with external screw thread 12 and internal screw thread 16 is arranged on the inner side of closing cap 5. The self-braking conical screw thread has a relatively short stroke, whereby the length of the screw thread is shorter and it is easier to twist closing cap 5 open and shut. Not only does this make it possible to limit the height over which the bottle is provided with screw thread, the height of closing cap 5 is also considerably less high since a short stroke of self -braking conical screw thread is incorporated therein. The special form and function of the screw thread will be elucidated below.

Also positioned on the neck 8 is the retaining edge 15 (also referred to herein as hold edge). This serves to clamp the preform of the bottle during the production process and then form the preform into a bottle in a mould under heat and pressure.

Figure 3 shows a bottom view of bottle 1, with a recess 20 or hollow space visible. Recess

20 provides the option of being able to stack the bottles, as will be elucidated below. In a determined embodiment recess 20 has essentially the same shape and dimensions as the upper outer end of the bottle (i.e. neck 8 and closing cap 5). In other embodiments the recess is overdimensioned to some extent relative to the upper outer end of bottle 1. The recess on the underside takes essentially a concave form, while the upper outer end of the bottle takes substantially a convex form. The upper outer end of the bottle and the lower outer end of a subsequent bottle can preferably be placed into each other in more or less fitting manner. In both embodiments it is possible to provide a stable combination, which can remain in place on a flat surface without further support, when two bottles are stacked on and snap-fixed to each other.

Recess 20 also provides the option of placing a cooling element 30 therein. The curved inner side 21 of recess 20 after all also has the function of preserving the shape of the bottle when pressure is created in the bottle by carbonated liquids.

Figures 4 and 5 show bottle 1 with cooling element 30 positioned in the hollow space 20, while figure 6 shows the situation in which no cooling element 30 is situated in recess 20. Cooling element 30 itself is shown in more detail in figures 7-9.

When cooling element 30 is arranged in the recess, cooling element 30, particularly the outer wall 34 thereof (figure 7), lies tightly against curved inner side 21 of wall 25 of the bottle so as to thus obtain the best possible thermal conduction between cooling element 30 on the one hand and on the other the wall 25 of the bottle and thereby also the possible content (for instance liquid) thereof. In this way a relatively high effective efficiency of the cooling can be realized so that the cooled wall 25 of the bottle can pass the cooling on to the liquid in the bottle.

Figures 7-9 show views of cooling element 30 with a fixing part 35 on the outer side thereof. In the shown embodiment the fixing part is an outward protruding/external peripheral edge 36. This external peripheral edge 36 can engage in the internal peripheral groove 24 of fixing element 23 in wall 25 of the bottle (i.e. the wall of recess 20). Fixing part 35 and fixing element 23 together form a fixation, for instance a snap connection, on the inner side of bottle 1. Figure 8 shows a view of the cooling element with a filling opening 39 on the upper side for thus filling the cooling element with cold storage material, particularly a suitable liquid such as water and/or cooling liquid. The opening can then be closed by means of a small cap, or the cooling element can be filled in the factory and then be permanently closed. The cooling element can for instance be placed in frozen state in recess 20 on the underside of the bottle so that the external edge of cooling element 30 snaps into the internal edge on the inner side of the hollow space. In this way the content of the bottle can be easily kept cool for longer. When the cooling element has relinquished its heat, it can be replaced with a new (cold) cooling element in simple manner. In this way the content of the bottle can be kept cool for an essentially unlimited time. The cooling element can further be refrozen after use and be reused.

Cooling element 30 can further optionally be provided with a number of (for instance two or more) recesses 31 to enable cooling element 30 to be gripped with two or more fingers in order to place the cooling element in recess 20 or remove it from recess 20. Cooling element 30 further has a substantially flat underside 32 which, when the cooling element is secured in recess 20, preferably lies flush with the underside 3 of the bottle or is recessed to some extent so that the bottle can be placed also with arranged cooling element 30 stably on a flat surface.

Figures 10A and 10B show respectively a section through and bottom view of the closing cap with the self-braking conical screw thread 16 on the inner side.

Figure 11 A shows a view of the closing cap having a ridged structure on the outer side for the purpose of increasing the grip during twisting open and shut of the cap, this because the cap is considerably shorter/lower than existing caps.

Figure 10B shows a bottom view of the closing cap with the self-braking conical screw thread therein.

Figures 10A-12 show closing cap 5 in more detail. Figure 12 shows the inner side of the cap with a lip seal 40 therein. This seal 40 provides for the seal on the flange of the bottle when closing cap 5 is screwed on. The lip seal further hermetically seals the flange, whereby regular and carbonated liquids have no chance of exiting the bottle packaging.

Figures 13-16 show a (bottle provided with a) further embodiment of a closing unit with a closing cap 42 attached to the bottle itself. Shown with reference to figures 13 and 14 is a closing cap 42 which is connected via a hinge element 43 to a ring 41. The construction of closing cap 42 corresponds to that of the above described closing caps, and a detailed description is therefore dispensed with here. The only difference is that hinge element 43 is mounted or formed integrally on the radial side edge of the closing cap. Hinge element 43 enables the cap to be pivoted between an opened position (as for instance shown in figure 15) and a closed position (as for instance shown in figure 16). Hinge element 43 is preferably a bi-stable hinge, i.e. a hinge having two preferred positions. Closing cap 42 hereby tends to be or remain in one of the two preferred positions. The bi-stable hinge element is preferably configured such that closing cap 42 tends to remain either in the opened position (first preferred position) or in the closed position (second preferred position). Hinge element 43 is mounted or formed integrally on ring 41. Ring 41 can be slid over the neck of the bottle and be fixed thereon in known manner.

Figure 15 shows closing cap 42 on the bottle in opened position with ring 41 slid over the edge 28. Edge 28 prevents closing cap 42 from coming loose from the neck of the bottle, and thus provides for securing of closing cap 42. As elucidated above, the bi-stable hinge element 43 has the function of holding closing cap 42 in position in the case of a set stroke, so that the cap does not co-displace while the bottle is being drunk from and thus does not become an obstacle at the mouth. Closing cap 42 can be precisely positioned on the neck of the bottle by simply moving the cap upward in the opened position. Cap 42 will then immediately take up the correct position on the neck and need then only be tightened (screwed on). During opening the reverse order is applied: closing cap 42 is unscrewed from the neck and closing cap 42 is then moved downward from the neck so that it remains in horizontal position.

Figure 16 shows the closing element in closed (sere wed-on) position with closing cap 42 screwed onto the neck. The bi-stable hinge element 43 is folded double on the outer side between closing cap and (lower) ring 41. It is possible to apply this construction for any desired type of (PET) bottle in order to thereby prevent litter.

In determined embodiments the ring 41 can further fulfil a tamper-evident function in that the ring is in these embodiments connected to cap 42 by means of one or more breakable connecting parts, for instance breakable strips (similar to the tamper-evident connection of the "loose" cap stated earlier). In addition, ring 41 then has the function of securing cap 42 so that it remains attached to the bottle during opening.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments thereof described herein. Numerous adjustments, modifications and additions can be envisaged, all falling within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. Bottle, particularly a plastic bottle, comprising a first, open outer end which can be closed with a closing unit, a second, closed outer end and an intermediate part between the two outer ends, wherein the wall comprises in the lower outer end a recess formed for receiving therein an exchangeable cooling element for cooling the content of the bottle, and wherein the wall of the bottle comprises a fixing element for releasable fixing of the cooling element received in the recess.

2. Plastic bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing element is provided in the wall of the recess.

3. Plastic bottle as claimed in any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the fixing element is formed by an internal or external peripheral edge in the wall of the recess.

4. Plastic bottle as claimed in any one of the foregoing claims, comprising a fixing member arranged close to the first outer end, wherein the fixing member is configured to be fixed releasably to the fixing element of another bottle.

5. Plastic bottle as claimed in any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the cooling element is provided with a fixing part which can be fixed releasably to the fixing element of the bottle.

6. Plastic bottle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fixing member and the fixing part have substantially the same shape and dimensions.

7. Plastic bottle as claimed in any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the fixing part of the cooling element and/or the fixing member comprises an external or internal peripheral edge embodied to snap-fix to the internal or external peripheral edge of the fixing element in the wall of the recess of the bottle.

8. Plastic bottle as claimed in any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the outer surface of the cooling element is adapted to the inner surface of the recess and/or wherein the cooling element is formed to be wholly receivable in the recess.

9. Plastic bottle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the wall of the cooling element is formed to lie partially or preferably wholly against the wall of the recess when the cooling element is received in the recess.

10. Plastic bottle as claimed in any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the closing unit comprises:

11. Plastic bottle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the apex angle (2β) of the cone of the conical screw thread amounts to between 5 and 20, preferably between 8 and 12 degrees, and/or wherein the closing unit comprises:

12. Plastic bottle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the multi-thread screw thread is embodied to couple or uncouple the closing part and receiving part over essentially the whole periphery in a relative rotation of the closing part and receiving part through an angle smaller than 180 degrees, preferably smaller than 90 degrees, still more preferably smaller than 50 degrees.

13. Assembly of at least a cooling element and a plastic bottle as claimed in any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the cooling element is provided with a fixing part which can be fixed releasably to the fixing element of the bottle.

14. Assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fixing part of the cooling element comprises an external or internal peripheral edge embodied to snap-fix to the internal or external peripheral edge in the wall of the recess of the bottle.

15. Assembly as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein the cooling element is provided with a closable filling opening for filling the cooling element with cold storage material, particularly a suitable liquid.