Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE
CONTAINERS HAVING IMPROVED LOAD-BEARING CAPACITY
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to containers. More
specifically, the
present disclosure relates to containers having improved load-bearing
capacity.
[0002] Currently, the market comprises many different shapes and sizes of
containers
capable of housing consumable products. The shape and size of containers can
depend,
among other things, on the amount of product to be housed therein, the type of
product to be
housed therein, consumer demands, desired aesthetics, cost considerations, or
structural
requirements. For example, it may be important to provide a consumable product
container
that is inexpensive to manufacture if the final product is to be available to
consumers at a
competitive price.
[0003] Alternatively, it may also be important to provide a consumable product
container having a structural integrity that provides improved structural and
aesthetic features
by preventing compression of the container at pressures typically associated
with packaging,
shipping, storing and displaying the products. One example of this type of
pressure includes
top-loading forces. In this regard, containers may be stacked one on top of
another during
packaging, shipping and display. Thus, the containers should be manufactured
so as to
withstand the compressive forces applied by one or more filled containers
placed on top of
the container without buckling. Accordingly, a need exists for a consumable
product
container having improved structural features that provide for affordable,
structurally sound
containers.
SUMMARY
[0004] The present disclosure relates to load-bearing containers for housing
consumable products. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides
a container
including at least one beveled portion at a location where a side wall meets a
bottom wall.
The container has an axial load compression capacity that is substantially the
same as a
similar container having a greater wall thickness without the at least one
beveled portion.
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[0005] In another embodiment, a container is provided and includes an interior
formed by a bottom and a wall, at least one beveled portion at a location
where the wall
meets the bottom, and an axial load compression capacity that is substantially
the same as a
similar container having a greater wall thickness without the at least one
beveled portion.
[0006] In yet another embodiment, a container is provided and includes a
bottom
wall, and at least four side walls. The side walls form corners where adjacent
side walls
meet, and the corners have a beveled shape at a location where the corners
meet the bottom
wall.
[0007] In an embodiment, the similar container is formed from a sheet having a
thickness of about 52 mil.
[0008] In an embodiment, the axial load capacity is about 50 ft-lbs.
[0009] In an embodiment, the container comprises at least 2 beveled portions,
or at
least 3 beveled portions, or at least 4 beveled portions.
[0010] In an embodiment, the beveled portion has an angle ranging from about
100 to
about 60 , or from about 20 to about 50 , or from about 30 to about 40 , or
about 10 , or
about 15 , or about 20 , or about 25 , or about 30 , or about 35 , or about 40
, or about 45 ,
or about 50 , or about 55 , or about 60 .
[0011] In an embodiment, the container includes a flange portion that extends
in a
direction that is substantially perpendicular to the side wall. The flange may
have a flat top
surface.
[0012] In an embodiment, the container includes a border portion along a top
portion
of the container. The border portion may include a textural feature such as,
for example, a
plurality of ridges. The textural feature can help to improve a consumer's
grip of the
container or the stackability of the container.
[0013] In an embodiment, the container further includes a lid. The lid may be
made
of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, cardboard,
cardstock, paperboard,
styrofoam, or combinations thereof
[0014] In an embodiment, the container has a volume ranging from about 1.0
ounce
to 10.0 ounces, or from about 2.0 ounces to 9.0 ounces, or from about 3.0
ounces to 8.0
ounces, from about 4.0 ounces to 7.0 ounces, from about 5.0 ounces to 6.0
ounces.
[0015] In an embodiment, the container is configured to house a consumable
product
selected from the group consisting of a solid, a semi-solid, a liquid, a gel,
or combinations
thereof
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[0016] In an embodiment, the container is configured to house a consumable
product
selected from the group consisting of an infant food, a toddler food, or
combinations thereof.
[0017] In an embodiment, the container is manufactured from a material
selected
from the group consisting of polyethylene, low density polyethylene, high
density
polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, or
combinations
thereof.
[0018] In an embodiment, the container has a shape selected from the group
consisting of cube, cuboid, cylindrical, prism, or combinations thereof.
[0019] In still yet another embodiment, a method for reducing the wall
thickness of a
container while maintaining an axial compression load capacity of the
container is provided.
The method includes forming a container having a bottom wall and at least four
side walls,
the side walls forming corners where adjacent side walls meet, and the corners
having a
beveled shape at a location where the corners meet the bottom wall.
[0020] In an embodiment, the container is configured to maintain an axial load
compression capacity while having a reduced wall thickness when compared to a
similar
container not having the at least one beveled portion.
[0021] In another embodiment, a method for reducing the costs for
manufacturing a
container is provided. The method includes forming a container comprising at
least one
beveled portion at a location where a side wall meets a bottom wall, the
container having an
axial load compression capacity that is substantially the same as a similar
container having a
greater wall thickness without the at least one beveled portion. The costs are
reduced by
forming the container from a thinner preform than a preform used to form the
similar
container.
[0022] In yet another embodiment, a method for reducing the amounts of raw
materials necessary to manufacture a container is provided. The method
includes forming a
container comprising at least one beveled portion at a location where a side
wall meets a
bottom wall, the container having an axial load compression capacity that is
substantially the
same as a similar container having a greater wall thickness without the at
least one beveled
portion. The amounts of raw materials are reduced by forming the container
from a thinner
preform than a preform used to form the similar container.
[0023] In yet another embodiment, a method for reducing waste material from a
container is provided. The method includes forming a container comprising at
least one
beveled portion at a location where a side wall meets a bottom wall, the
container having an
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axial load compression capacity that is substantially the same as a similar
container having a
greater wall thickness without the at least one beveled portion. The waste
materials are
reduced by forming the container from a thinner preform than a preform used to
form the
similar container.
[0024] An advantage of the present disclosure is to provide an improved
container.
[0025] Another advantage of the present disclosure is to provide a container
having
improved load-bearing features.
[0026] Still another advantage of the present disclosure is to provide a
container
having a beveled corner to distribute axial compressive loads.
[0027] Yet another advantage of the present disclosure is to provide a
container that is
so constructed and arranged to prevent buckling at compressive loads typically
associated
with manufacturing, packaging and retail distribution.
[0028] Still yet another advantage of the present disclosure is to provide a
container
that maintains an axial compressive load-bearing capacity while being
manufactured using
less raw materials.
[0029] Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will be
apparent
from the following Detailed Description and the figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0030] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a container in accordance with an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0031] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the container of FIG. 1 in accordance with
an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0032] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a container in accordance with an
embodiment of
the present disclosure.
[0033] FIG. 4 shows a control container described in the Examples of the
present
disclosure.
[0034] FIG. 5 shows a step bottom container described in the Examples of the
present
disclosure.
[0035] FIG. 6 shows thickness zones of a control container as used in the
Finite
Element Analysis described in the Examples of the present disclosure.
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[0036] FIG. 7 shows a graph illustrating the force (N)/displacement (mm)
responses
of a control container, a step bottom container and a beveled container in
accordance with an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0037] FIG. 8 shows thickness zones of a beveled container in accordance with
an
embodiment of the present disclosure as used in the Finite Element Analysis
described in the
Examples of the present disclosure.
[0038] FIG. 9 shows a graph illustrating the force (N)/displacement (mm)
responses
of beveled containers having varying thicknesses in accordance with an
embodiment of the
present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0039] The present disclosure relates to load-bearing containers for providing
consumable products. The containers are constructed and arranged to maintain
load-bearing
properties while limiting the amount of material necessary for production of
same.
[0040] During packaging, distribution and retail stocking, containers can be
exposed
to a wide range of forces created by factors such as, for example, temperature
and pressure
changes, stacking of containers, dropping of containers, etc. Additionally,
containers may
also be exposed to forces imposed by the consumer including, for example,
stacking of
containers, gripping pressures, and compressive forces to collapse the
container (e.g., for
recycling). Accordingly, it would be desirable to produce a consumable product
container
that is capable of withstanding a desired amount of force, but which is
manufactured using a
lesser amount of materials (e.g, for cost and recycling purposes).
[0041] Applicant has surprisingly developed a container that is able to
optimize
container performance by improving the top load on the container, which
provides material
downgauging opportunities. The structure of the improved containers includes
beveled
corners that help to eliminate failure points in currently marketed containers
that occur in the
bottom corners of the containers. The structure of the improved containers
also, accordingly,
allows material to be more evenly distributed throughout the container.
Similarly, by
providing an improved axial compression load capability, Applicant is able to
reduce the
occurrence of damaged products that are not sellable and, instead, must be
disposed of By
decreasing the number of containers that are not sellable, and by
manufacturing the
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containers using less raw materials, Applicant is able to dramatically reduce
the cost of
production of the containers.
[0042] Containers of the present disclosure may be configured to house any
type of
consumable product therein including solids, semi-solids, liquids, gels, etc.
In an
embodiment, the containers are configured to house a solid or semi-solid
consumable product
such as, for example, an infant or toddler food.
[0043] Suitable materials for manufacturing containers of the present
disclosure can
include, for example, polymeric materials. Specifically, materials for
manufacturing bottles
of the present disclosure can include, but are not limited to, polyethylene
("PE"), low density
polyethylene ("LDPE"), high density polyethylene ("HDPE"), polypropylene
("PP"),
polystyrene ("PS"), and polyethylene terephthalate ("PET"). Further, the
containers of the
present disclosure can be manufactured using any suitable manufacturing
process such as, for
example, thermoforming, conventional extrusion blow molding, stretch blow
molding,
injection stretch blow molding, and the like.
[0044] Containers of the present disclosure may be manufactured using a flat
sheet of
raw materials. The sheet of material may be any thickness including, for
example, about 45
mil, or about 46 mil, or about 47 mil, or about 48 mil, or about 49 mil, or
about 50 mil, or
about 51 mil, or about 52 mil, or about 53 mil, or about 54 mil, or about 55
mil. As
understood by the skilled artisan, a "mil" is a unit of length equal to one
thousandth (10) of
an inch (0.0254 millimeter).
[0045] The containers may be sized to any suitable volume such as, for
example,
from about 1.0 ounce to about 10 ounces, or from about 2 ounces to about 9
ounces, or from
about 3 ounces to about 8 ounces, or from about 4 ounces to about 7 ounces, or
from about 5
ounces to about 6 ounces, or about 2.0 ounces, 2.5 ounces, 3.0 ounces, 3.5
ounces, 4.0
ounces, 4.5 ounces, 5.0 ounces and the like.
[0046] Similarly, the containers may have any suitable shape that can include
a flat
bottom and beveled edges to maintain axial compressive loads but allow for a
reduction in
the amount of materials used to manufacture the containers. For example, the
containers may
have a shape that is cube, cuboid, cylindrical, prism, etc. As such, the
skilled artisan will
appreciate that, although the present figures illustrate a substantially cube
or cuboid
container, other shapes may be manufactured having the structural features
described herein.
[0047] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and in an embodiment, the present
disclosure
provides a container 10 including side walls 12 that meet at corners 14, a
bottom wall 16, and
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a flange 18 at a top portion of container 10. Corners 14 include beveled
portions 20 at a
lower portion of container 10 where corners 14 meet bottom wall 16. The
skilled artisan will
appreciate, however, that in embodiments wherein container 10 has a shape that
does not
include corners (e.g., cylindrical, oval, etc.), a beveled portion of the
container may be
located where a side wall meets a bottom wall.
[0048] In an embodiment, container 10 also includes a border portion 22
between side
walls 12 and flange 18. Border portion 22 may have a slightly lesser or
slightly greater
perimeter measurement than that formed by side walls 12. Additionally, border
portion 22
may have include textural or structural features that aid in improving a
consumer's grip of
container 10, or stackability of container 10. For example, border portion 22
may include
ridges 24 that protrude toward an interior of container 10 and provide
indented portions on an
exterior of container 10. Ridges 24 may improve a consumer's grip of container
10, or may
aid in stacking empty containers on top of each other.
[0049] Flange 18 is located a top portion of container 10 and may extend in a
direction that is substantially perpendicular to side walls 12. Flange 18 may
extend past a
perimeter defined by side walls 12 and may have a substantially flat top that
allows for easy
stacking of containers 10 and allows for a cover (not shown) to be placed over
top of
container 10. Any suitable covers or lids may be used with containers 10
including, for
example, thin films, snap-fit lids, friction-fit lids, adhered lids, etc.
Accordingly, any covers
or lids used with containers 10 may be manufactured using any suitable
material including,
but not limited to, plastic, cardboard, cardstock, paperboard, styrofoam, etc.
[0050] Beveled portions 20 may have any suitable angle of incline with respect
to
bottom wall 16. For example, beveled portions 20 may have an angle of incline
0 ranging
from about 100 to about 60 , or from about 20 to about 50 , or from about 30
to about 40 ,
or about 10 , 15 , 20 , 25 , 30 , 35 , 40 , 45 , 50 , 55 , 60 , or the like.
For example, and as
shown in FIG. 2, container 10 may have a beveled corner portion 20 of about 20
. In another
embodiment, however, and as shown in FIG. 3, container 10 may have a beveled
corner
portion 20 of about 45 .
[0051] As will be described further in the Examples below, Applicant has
surprisingly
found that containers 10 having beveled portions 20 provide structural
advantages when
compared to other similarly shaped containers. To demonstrate the structural
advantages of
beveled portions 20, Applicant performed several experiments comparing a
beveled container
shape, as in FIG. 1, with a control figure shape, as in FIG. 4, and a step-
bottom container, as
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in FIG. 5. As will be described further below, Applicant surprisingly found
that beveled
containers 10 of the present disclosure were able to be manufactured using
less materials, but
still maintained the compressive load performance of the containers.
[0052] As discussed above, when containers 10 are mass produced for retail
distribution, they may be packaged, shipped, stored and/or displayed in a
stacked position
that exposes containers 10 to top-loading. Applicant has surprisingly found,
however, that
certain structural features (e.g., beveled corners) can help to improve a
container's
performance when exposed to top-loading or compressive forces.
[0053] The structural features of the present containers described herein
advantageously allow for a preform of less mass to be used. The reduced use of
resin in the
containers provides the advantage of a lower cost per unit and increased
sustainability when
compared to a container without such structural features. Further, by
manufacturing the
containers of the present disclosure using lower amounts of raw materials, the
containers can
provide lower environmental and waste impact. Along the same lines, the
containers can be
constructed to use less disposal volume than other containers designed for
similar uses.
[0054] Additionally, the containers of the present disclosure can also improve
the
ease of use and handling by manufacturers, retails and consumers. In this
regard, the
structural features described herein provide for improved top-loading, which
reduces and
special treatment required by the containers for manufacturing, packaging,
shipping,
displaying, etc.
[0055] By way of example and not limitation, the following examples are
illustrative
of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0056] EXAMPLES
[0057] Example 1
[0058] Applicant performed several experiments using finite element analysis
("FEA") to investigate the load-bearing capacities of various container
structures, and to
investigate the possibility of material reduction without loss of compressive
load
performance. The analysis included evaluation of the containers of the present
disclosure and
as illustrated in FIG. 1, as well as a control container, as illustrated in
FIG. 4, and a step
design container, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Unless otherwise indicated, the
containers were
manufactured using a commercial 52 mil sheet for thermoforming. The
experiments were
designed to first correlate the base line buckling modes of a control
container structure under
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axial compressive load, and then to analyze the container structure of the
present disclosure
using the validated FE model to predict its behavior. Finally, the experiments
evaluated the
possibility to down gauge material used to make containers having specific
structural features
without affecting the compressive load performance of the containers.
[0059] To construct the model for the FEA, Applicant divided the control
container of
FIG. 4 into thirteen (13) different thickness zones, as shown in FIG. 6.
Actual thickness
measurements of a plurality of manufactured control containers were used to
construct the
FEA model. Further, the following assumptions were made for purposes of model
construction: (i) fixed and moving platens were modeled as rigid bodies; (ii)
a displacement
profile was provided to the top plate for loading; (iii) inertia effects were
assumed negligible
due to lower mass of cup; and (iv) no strain rate effect was considered.
[0060] The control container of FIG. 4 and as used in the experiments had a
volume
of about 93.7 cc, the beveled container of FIG. 1, and as used in the
experiments, had a
volume of about 93.6 cc, and the step bottom container of FIG. 5, and as used
in the
experiments, had a volume of about 93.77 cc. The initial compressive loading
of each of
these containers indicates that the control container and the step bottom
container exhibited
buckling in the corners at a lower portion of the corner near a bottom of the
container. In
contrast, the beveled container structure of the present disclosure moved the
buckling
location upward along the corner to a middle height location on the corner.
[0061] Additionally, and as shown in FIG. 7, the buckling load of the beveled
containers of the present disclosure increased from about 116 N to about 142 N
(about a 22%
increase over the buckling load of the control containers). As is also shown
in FIG. 7, the
buckling load of the step bottom container was increased from about 116 N to
about 131 N
(about a 13% increase over the buckling load of the control container). More
specifically,
Applicant found an average peak top load (ft-lbs) of about 40.3 for a control
container, about
40.8 for a step bottom container, and about 57.6 for a beveled container of
the present
disclosure. Accordingly, Applicant surprisingly found that the beveled edge
containers of the
present disclosure provide structural advantages over similarly sized, but
differently shaped
containers.
[0062] Example 2
[0063] To investigate the possibility of manufacturing containers using less
materials,
but maintaining the compressive load performance of the containers, Applicant
performed
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axial compression load testing using a control thickness beveled container of
the present
disclosure. Then, Applicant reduced the thickness of a beveled container of
the present
disclosure by about 5% and performed the same axial compression load test.
Finally,
Applicant reduced the thickness of a beveled container of the present
disclosure by about
10% and performed the same axial compression load test. In other words, the
control
thickness beveled container was the same as previously described using a
commercial 52 mil
sheet for thermoforming. To evaluate a 5% reduction in thickness, a commercial
sheet of
about 49 mil was used, and to evaluate a 10% reduction in thickness, a
commercial sheet of
about 47 mil was used.
[0064] Similar to the initial FEA described, above, to construct the model for
the
material thickness testing FEA, Applicant divided the beveled container of the
present
disclosure into fifteen (15) different thickness zones, as shown in FIG. 8.
Actual thickness
measurements for a plurality of manufactured containers were used to construct
the material
thickness testing FEA model.
[0065] As shown by FIG. 9, a 5% thickness reduction for a beveled container of
the
present disclosure provides the same, or a similar, buckling load as the
control container of
FIG. 4 (e.g., about 116 N). A 10% thickness reduction for a beveled container
of the present
disclosure provides a buckling load of about 103 N, which is about an 11%
decrease when
compared to the control container of FIG. 4. More specifically, Applicant
found an average
peak top load (ft-lbs) of about 49.2 for a beveled container of the present
disclosure, and
about 32.7 for a control container.
[0066] Accordingly, Applicant has surprisingly found that the corner thickness
of the
beveled containers of the present disclosure plays a significant role in
improving and/or
maintaining a compressive load performance of the containers. Applicant has
also found that
optimizing material distribution could further increase buckling load
capacity.
[0067] Example 3
[0068] After preliminary tests from Experiment 2 above showed promising
results for
the 49 mil sheet used to form a beveled container of the present disclosure, a
sample of 30
such containers was measured. Additionally, Applicant performed experiments to
compare a
49 mil beveled container of the present disclosure with a 49 mil control
container, a 52 mil
control container, and a 55 mil control container. The structure of the
control containers is
illustrated in FIG. 4.
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[0069] After testing about 30 samples of each container, Applicant found an
average
peak load (ft-lbs) of about 49.2 for the 49 mil beveled container of the
present disclosure,
about 40.1 for the 52 mil control container, and about 30.6 for the 55 mil
control container.
Applicant surprisingly found an 80% increase in top load strength when using
the same
forming process but changing the structure of the container from the control
container to the
beveled containers of the present disclosure. Applicant also surprisingly
found that the 49
mil beveled container outperformed both the 52 mil and 55 mil control
containers.
[0070] It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the
presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those
skilled in the art.
Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit
and scope of
the present subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It
is therefore
intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended
claims.
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