Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE
VACUUM-RESISTANT CONTAINERS
HAVING OFFSET HORIZONTAL RIBS AND PANELS
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to containers. More
specifically, the
present disclosure relates to containers having improved vacuum resistance
capacities and
improved aesthetics.
[0002] Currently, the market includes many different shapes and sizes of
containers
capable of housing fluids. The shape and size of fluid containers can depend,
among other
things, on the amount of fluid to be housed, the type of fluid to be housed,
consumer demands
and desired aesthetics. For example, toxic fluids can be required to be housed
in containers
that have thicker walls and a more rigid structure. More often than not, the
market for these
types of fluids is determined by safety of the containers more so than the
containers'
aesthetics. On the contrary, consumable fluids such as water can be housed in
containers that
generally have thinner walls and a less rigid structure. Indeed, the market
for consumable
fluids can be determined by the aesthetics desired by the consumer instead of
safety
requirements.
[0003] Regardless of the specific size and shape, a container should be able
to
withstand different environmental factors encountered during, for example,
manufacturing,
shipping and retail shelf stocking or storage. One example of such an
environmental factor
includes oxygen absorption into the product housed in the container. In this
regard, certain
liquid consumers products are susceptible to absorption of oxygen that is
present in the
headspace of the container and/or oxygen that ingresses from the outside
environment. This
oxygen absorption can create a vacuum inside the container that can contribute
to
deformation of the bottle, resulting in poor overall aesthetics. In case of
lightweight
containers, the deformation of the bottle is enhanced due to the fact that the
walls thickness
are lower than the ones of standard bottles.
[0004] Accordingly, a need exists for a fluid container having improved
structural
features as well as desirable aesthetic characteristics.
[0005] Additionally, a need further exists for a lightweight fluid container
having
improved structural features as well as desirable aesthetic characteristics.
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SUMMARY
[0006] The present disclosure relates to vacuum-resistant containers for
housing
liquid products. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides a
container
including a body with at least one indented rib and at least one indented
panel, the at least one
indented rib and the at least one indented panel being continuous around a
circumference of
the body.
[0007] In an embodiment, the at least one indented rib and the at least one
indented
panel are continuous in a substantially horizontal plane.
[0008] In an embodiment, the substantially horizontal plane is located
approximate to
a vertical center of the at least one indented panel.
[0009] In an embodiment, the container includes a sleeve and the at least one
indented
panel provides a substantially flat surface for the sleeve.
[0010] In an embodiment, the at least one indented rib and the at least one
indented
panel each encircle approximately 180 degrees of the circumference of the
body.
[0011] In an embodiment, the container includes a base, wherein the at least
one
indented panel extends into the base.
[0012] In an embodiment, the at least one indented panel includes a first
indented
panel and a second indented panel, the first indented panel differing in
height from the second
indented panel.
[0013] In an embodiment, the at least one indented rib includes a first
indented rib
and a second indented rib, the first indented rib differing in height from the
second indented
rib.
[0014] In an embodiment, the body tapers in an inward or outward direction.
[0015] In another embodiment, a container includes a body with a plurality of
indented ribs and a plurality of indented panels, wherein at least one of the
indented ribs and
at least one of the indented panels are located on a first side of the body,
and at least one of
the indented ribs and at least one of the indented panels are located on a
second side of the
body.
[0016] In an embodiment, the at least one indented panel on the first side of
the body
is vertically offset from the at least one indented panel on the second side
of the body.
[0017] In an embodiment, the at least one indented rib on the first side of
the body is
vertically offset from the at least one indented rib on the second side of the
body.
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[0018] In an embodiment, the at least one indented rib on the first side of
the body is
continuous with the at least one indented panel on the second side of the
body.
[0019] In an embodiment, the at least one indented rib on the first side of
the body is
located approximate to a vertical center of the at least one indented panel on
the second side
of the body.
[0020] In an embodiment the container comprises at least one additional rib,
said rib
being horizontal and continuous around a circumference of the body and
preferably located
approximately in the middle of the container.
[0021] In a further embodiment, the vacuum-resistant container is lightweight
container.
[0022] In yet another embodiment, a method of manufacturing a container for a
liquid
includes forming an indented panel on an outer surface of the container, and
forming an
indented rib continuous with the indented panel around a circumference of the
container.
[0023] In an embodiment, the method further includes providing a preformed
container, and wherein forming the indented panel and forming the indented rib
include
forming the indented panel on an outer surface of the preformed container and
forming an
indented rib continuous with the indented panel around a circumference of the
preformed
container.
[0024] In an embodiment, the method further includes molding the container.
[0025] In an embodiment, forming the indented panel on the outer surface of
the
container includes molding the indented panel on the outer surface of the
container, and
forming the indented rib continuous with the indented panel around the
circumference of the
container includes molding the indented rib continuous with the indented panel
around the
circumference of the container.
[0026] In an embodiment, the method includes forming a plurality of indented
panels
on an outer surface of the container and forming a plurality of indented ribs
each continuous
with one of the plurality of indented panels around the circumference of the
container.
[0027] In an embodiment, the method includes forming at least one of the
plurality of
indented panels and at least one of the plurality of indented ribs on a first
side of the container
and forming at least one of the plurality of indented panels and at least one
of the plurality of
indented ribs on a second side of the container.
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[0028] In an embodiment, the method includes forming the at least one indented
panel on the first side of the container to be vertically offset from the at
least one indented
panel on the second side of the container.
[0029] An advantage of the present disclosure is to provide an improved
container.
[0030] Another advantage of the present disclosure is to provide a lightweight
container that resists vacuum deformation.
[0031] Still another advantage of the present disclosure is to provide a
container
having improved vacuum-resistance features.
[0032] Yet another advantage of the present disclosure is to provide a
container
having improved aesthetics.
[0033] Another advantage of the present disclosure is to provide a container
that is
constructed and arranged for easy handling by a consumer.
[0034] Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will be
apparent
from the following Detailed Description and the figures.
DEFINITIONS
[0035] Some definitions are here below introduced to help understanding the
wording
used in the current application.
[0036] A cold-fill process is a filling process used for filling liquid
products such as
water or carbonated drinks into containers. The containers are blow molded and
filled with
the liquid product at room temperature in a conventional atmosphere.
[0037] An aseptic filling process is a filling process carried out under
aseptic
conditions in which a container that has already been sterilized is filled
with a liquid beverage
or with food.
[0038] A hot-fill process is a filling process that pasteurizes to neutralize
the
microbiological state of the product prior to being poured, in a hot state,
into the bottle. The
bottle is then capped, turned on the side which in turn sterilizes the cap,
killing unwanted
organisms. Immediately after this step, the bottles are rapidly cooled down by
water (steam,
shower, etc.) to ensure the product and vitamin integrity. The hot-fill
process creates vacuum
after filling, which along with the high filling temperatures requires a very
robust container.
This process unable storing acid beverages (pH lower than 5) that will be
shelf stable at
ambient temperature.
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[0039] A rib is a structural element provided on a container to strengthen it
or hold it
in place.
[0040] In the frame of a container packaging, a panel is a distinct flat
portion of a
wall, which surface lies above or below the general level of the container or
enclosed by a
frame or border.
[0041] A standard container is a container having standard walls thickness,
said walls
thickness being greater than 100 p m.
[0042] A lightweight container is a container having thin walls thickness,
said wall
thickness being less than 100 p m thereby leading to a container weighting at
least 10% less
than a standard container.
[0043] A container sleeve is a thin, plastic film that is arrange around a
circumference
of the container and that can include indicia thereon and is typically used in
the marketplace
for product identification and for displaying product information.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0044] Figure 1 shows a side view of a container in an embodiment of the
present
disclosure.
[0045] Figure 2 shows a detailed view of the container of Figure 1.
[0046] Figure 3 shows a detailed view of the container of Figure 1.
[0047] Figure 4 shows a side view of the container of Figure 1.
[0048] Figure 5 shows a side view of the container of Figure 1.
[0049] Figure 6 shows a side view of a container tested in comparison to the
container
of Figure 1.
[0050] Figure 7 shows a side view of a container tested in comparison to the
container
of Figure 1.
[0051] Figure 8 shows a side view of a container tested in comparison to the
container
of Figure 1.
[0052] Figure 9 shows a side view of a container of Figure 1 comprising at
least one
added continuous rib for hot-fill filling.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0053] The present disclosure relates to vacuum-resistant bottles and/or
containers for
providing consumable products and other fluids. The bottles are constructed
and arranged to
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be vacuum resistant to provide a bottle having not only improved structural
features, but also
improved aesthetics.
[0054] It is known that many liquid consumable products are oxygen sensitive.
This
becomes increasing relevant, for example, when the liquid consumable products
are shelf-
stable and can spend an amount of time sitting on a retail shelf. During the
shelf-life of a
product, oxygen can be absorbed by the product from the headspace in the
container or from
the outside environment that permeates through the container walls. Such
oxygen absorption
can induce a vacuum inside the bottle that causes the bottle to deform.
Similarly, during
packaging, distribution and retail stocking, bottles can be exposed to widely
varying
temperature and pressure changes (e.g., bottle contraction in the
refrigerator), liquid losses,
and external forces that jostle and shake the bottles. If, for example, the
bottles contain
carbonated fluids, these types of environmental factors can contribute to
internal pressures or
vacuums that affect the overall quality of the product purchased by the
consumer. For
example, existing types of vacuum panels, or thin plastic labels, can occupy
large areas of the
exterior of the bottle to which they are added and tend to have great visual
impacts. When an
internal vacuum is created within the bottle, the shrink sleeve labels do not
always follow the
slightly inverted shape of the bottle created by the vacuum, thereby
accounting for poor
aesthetics of the bottle. This effect is observed in standard plastic bottle.
[0055] The above effect is far more important in case of lightweight plastic
bottle
where the thickness of the plastic walls of the bottle is lower than the one
of the standard
bottle.
[0056] Applicants have surprisingly discovered how to provide a container that
resists
internal vacuums without increasing the wall's thickness of the container. In
this regard,
containers of the present disclosure include features that help to avoid
bottle deformation that
cause loss of stability of the container and the potential perception by the
consumer that the
container has a defect and is not suitable for purchase.
[0057] The proposed features are particularly effective in the case of
lightweight
container.
[0058] As mentioned previously, containers of the present disclosure can be
used to
house carbonated liquids, or can be exposed to temperature and/or pressure
changes during
packaging, shipping, storage and/or retail display. Any of the above-described
factors (e.g.,
carbonation, temperature changes, pressure changes, etc.) can contribute to
the presence of an
internal vacuum within a sealed container when the container houses a liquid.
This is
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problematic for aesthetic reasons because internal vacuums created within the
sealed
container can cause deformation of the container that can pull the walls of
the container away
from any exterior label (e.g., sleeve), creating an undesirable aesthetic.
Applicants have
surprisingly found, however, that certain structural features can help to
improve a container's
vacuum resistance to avoid undesired container deformation.
[0059] As used herein, and as would be immediately appreciated by the skilled
artisan, a container "sleeve" is a thin, plastic film that can include indicia
thereon and is
typically used in the marketplace for product identification and for
displaying product
information.
[0060] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a container, or bottle, 2 having a mouth
4, a
neck 6, a shoulder 8, a body 10, and a base 12. Container 2 can be sized to
hold any suitable
volume of a liquid such as, for example, from about 50 to about 5000 mL,
including 100 mL,
200 mL, 300 mL, 400 mL, 500 mL, 600 mL, 700 mL, 800 mL, 900 mL, 1000 mL, 1500
mL,
2000 mL, 2500 mL, 3000 mL, 3500 mL, 4000 mL, 4500 mL or the like. In an
embodiment,
container 2 has a height of about 190 mm, but the height can change for
different bottles of
different volumes and can be any suitable height, for example, from about 40
mm to about
360 mm, including 80 mm, 120 mm, 160 mm, 200 mm, 240 mm, 280 mm, 320 mm, or
the
like.
[0061] As disclosed above, containers 2 of the present disclosure can be
lightweight
containers. In this regard, containers 2 of the present disclosure can require
from about 10%
to about 25% less material to manufacture than similar containers not having
the features
described herein. The containers of the present disclosure can have a weight
ranging from
about 10 g to about 40 g, or from about 15 g to about 35 g, from about 20 g to
about 30 g,
about 25 g, about 27 g, or the like.
[0062] Containers 2 of the present disclosure, as standard container or as
lightweight
container, can be configured to house any type of liquid therein. In an
embodiment, the
containers 2 are configured to house a consumable liquid such as, for example,
water, an
energy drink, a carbonated drink, tea, coffee, juice, etc. In an embodiment,
the containers 2
are sized and configured to house one or more servings of a carbonated
beverage.
[0063] Suitable materials for manufacturing containers 2 of the present
disclosure, as
standard container or as lightweight container, can include, for example,
polymeric materials.
Specifically, materials for manufacturing containers 2 of the present
disclosure can include,
but are not limited to, polyethylene ("PE"), low density polyethylene
("LDPE"), high density
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polyethylene ("HDPE"), polypropylene ("PP") or polyethylene terephthalate
("PET").
Further, containers 2 of the present disclosure can be manufactured using any
suitable
manufacturing process such as, for example, conventional extrusion blow
molding, stretch
blow molding, injection stretch blow molding, and the like.
[0064] Mouth 4 can be any size and shape known in the art so long as liquid
can be
introduced into container 2 and can be poured or otherwise removed from
container 2. In an
embodiment, mouth 4 can be substantially circular in shape and have a diameter
ranging, for
example, from about 10 mm to about 50 mm, or about 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm,
35
mm, 40 mm, 45 mm, or the like. In an embodiment, mouth 4 has a diameter that
is about
28.5 mm.
[0065] Neck 6 can also have any size and shape known in the art so long as
liquid can
be introduced into container 2 and can be poured or otherwise removed from
container 2. In
an embodiment, neck 6 is substantially cylindrical in shape having a diameter
that
corresponds to a diameter of mouth 4. Alternatively, neck 6 can have a tapered
geometry
such that neck 6 is substantially conical in shape and tapers up to or down
from mouth 4. The
skilled artisan will appreciate that the shape and size of neck 6 are not
limited to the shape
and size of mouth 4. Neck 6 can have a height (from mouth 4 to shoulder 8)
from about 5
mm to about 45 mm, or about 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm,
or the
like. Neck 6 can have a diameter ranging, for example, from about 10 mm to
about 50 mm,
or about 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm, 45 mm, or the like. In an
embodiment, neck 6 has a height of about 23.5 mm and a diameter of about 28.5
mm.
[0066] Container 2 can further include an air tight cap attached to neck 6.
The air
tight cap can be any type of cap known in the art for use with containers
similar to those
described herein. The air tight cap can be manufactured from the same or a
different type of
polymeric material as container 2, and can be attached to container 2 by re-
closeable threads
(e.g., threads 20), or can be snap-fit, friction-fit, etc. Accordingly, in an
embodiment, the cap
includes internal threads that are constructed and arranged to mate with
external threads 20 of
neck 6.
[0067] Shoulder 8 of container 2 in FIG. 1 extends from a bottom portion of
neck 6
downward to a top portion of body 10. Shoulder 8 comprises a shape that is
substantially a
convex conical frustum. As used herein, a "conical frustum" means that
shoulder 8 has a
shape that very closely resembles a cone having a top portion (e.g., the apex)
lopped-off.
Shoulder 8 has a lopped-off apex because shoulder 8 tapers into neck 6 for
functionality of
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container 2. In the example embodiment of FIG. 1, the sides of shoulder 8 (the
conical
frustum) are convex. In alternative embodiments, the sides of shoulder 8 can
be concave or
straight, or shoulder 8 can be substantially a square pyramid frustum, meaning
that shoulder 8
can have a shape that very closely resembles a square pyramid having four
triangular faces
with a top portion (e.g., the apex) of the square pyramid lopped-off. The
square pyramid
frustum shape can also include rounded edges between triangular faces and/or
rounded edges
between each triangular face and body 10.
[0068] Shoulder 8 can have a height (from the bottom of neck 6 to the top of
body 10)
ranging from, for example, about 15 mm to about 60 mm, or about 20 mm, 25 mm,
30 mm,
35 mm, 40 mm, 45 mm, 50 mm, 55 mm, or the like. In an embodiment, shoulder 8
has a
height of about 40 mm. At a bottom portion (e.g., before body 10), shoulder 8
can have a
diameter ranging from about 40 mm to about 80 mm, or about 45 mm, 50 mm, 55
mm, 60
mm, 65 mm, 70 mm, 75 mm, or the like. In an embodiment, the diameter of a
bottom portion
of shoulder 8 is about 58 mm. Alternatively, shoulder 8 can be different
shapes with different
widths and lengths.
[0069] Immediately below shoulder 8 is body 10 of container 2. In an
embodiment,
body 10 is a substantially cylindrical shape. Body 10 can be any size and
shape known in the
art and is not limited to a substantially cylindrical shape as shown in FIG.
1. For example,
body 10 can have a shape selected from the group consisting of round,
cylindrical, square,
rectangular, ovoid, etc. Body 10 can have any diameter or height known in the
art. In this
regard, body 10 can have a diameter ranging from, for example, about 20 mm to
about 80
mm, or about 30 mm, about 40 mm, about 50 mm, about 60 mm, about 70 mm, or the
like.
Body 10 can have a height ranging from about 50 mm to about 200 mm, or about
75 mm, 100
mm, 125 mm, 150 mm, 175 mm, or the like. In an embodiment, body 10 has a
diameter of
about 51.6 mm and a height of about 105 mm. As the height of container 2
increases or
decreases, the diameter of body 10 can change as well. The height of body 10
can also
change with respect to the diameter of body 10. If body 10 is substantially
square-shaped or
substantially rectangular-shaped with a specific length and width, the length
and width can be
the same. Alternatively, the width of body 10 can be different from the length
of body 10.
Even further, the length and width of body 10 can change with respect to the
height of body
10.
[0070] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the diameter of body 10 tapers inward at a
first
portion 14 from the bottom of shoulder 8 and tapers back outward at a second
portion 16
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from the bottom of first portion 14 to the top of base 12. In an embodiment,
the diameter of
container 2 is about 58 mm where shoulder 8 meets first portion 14 and about
51.6 mm where
first portion 14 meets second portion 16. Such a configuration helps a
consumer to grip
container 2 for ease of handling. First portion 14 can taper inward at any
suitable inward-
directed slope, for example, from about 5 to about 45 , or about 100, 15 , 20
, 25 , 30 , 35 ,
or the like. Second portion 16 can likewise taper outward at any suitable
outward directed
slope, for example, from about 5 to about 45 , or about 10 , 15 , 20 , 25 ,
30 , 35 , or the
like. In an embodiment, the inward-directed and outward directed slopes taper
at an angle of
about 15 . In an alternative embodiment, first portion 14 and second portion
16 can have the
same diameter along the height of body 10, or first portion 14 can taper
outward from the
bottom of shoulder 8 and second portion 16 can taper inward from the bottom of
first portion
14 to the top of base 12 at any suitable slope, for example, from about 5 to
about 45 , or
about 10 , 15 , 20 , 25 , 30 , 35 , or the like.
[0071] As shown in FIG. 1, body 10 includes a plurality of offset indented
ribs 22 and
a plurality of offset indented panels 24. In the embodiment shown, each
indented rib 22 is
continuous with an indented panel 24. By "continuous," it is meant that the
combination of a
rib 22 and a panel 24 provides a continuous indent around the circumference of
container 2.
In an embodiment, each continuous rib 22 and panel 24 pair is continuous in a
substantially
horizontal plane around body 10. In an embodiment, each rib 22 is only
continuous with a
single panel 24 around the circumference of body 10, and each continuous rib
22 and panel
24 pair is separated from each other continuous rib 22 and panel 24 pair by a
protruding
portion 26 of body 10. In an embodiment, each continuous rib 22 and panel 24
pair is
indented from an outer surface 30 of body 10 by the same distance.
[0072] Container 2 can have any number of indented ribs 22 and panels 24, and
is not
limited to the six indented ribs 22 and the six indented panels 24 shown in
FIG. 1. The ribs
22 and panels 24 can also be located at any place along the height of body 10.
In an
embodiment, a rib 22 can be located in a horizontal plane that passes through
the vertical
center of a panel 24. In an embodiment, a rib 22 encircles 180 degrees of body
10 and a
corresponding continuous panel 24 encircles the other 180 degrees of body 10
in the same
horizontal plane. In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of ribs 22 and a
plurality of panels
24 can continuously encircle body 10 in the same horizontal plane, for
example, two ribs 22
and two panels 24 can each encircle 90 degrees of body 10 in the same
horizontal plane, three
ribs 22 and three panels 24 can each encircle 60 degrees of body 10 in the
same horizontal
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plane, four ribs 22 and four panels 24 can each encircle 45 degrees of body 10
in the same
horizontal plane, and the like. Further alternatively, a plurality of ribs 22
and panels 24 can
encircle body 10 in the same horizontal plane by different degrees, for
example, two ribs 22
can encircle body 10 by 120 degrees in the same horizontal plane that two ribs
24 encircle
body 10 by 60 degrees, two ribs 22 can encircle body 10 by 60 degrees in the
same horizontal
plane that two ribs 24 encircle body 10 by 120 degrees, three ribs 22 can
encircle body 10 by
90 degrees in the same horizontal plane that three ribs 24 encircle body 10 by
30 degrees,
three ribs 22 can encircle body 10 by 30 degrees in the same horizontal plane
that three ribs
24 encircle body 10 by 90 degrees, and the like.
[0073] The panels 24 are advantageous in that, in combination with the ribs
22, the
panels 24 help to avoid bottle deformation that causes loss of stability of
the container. At
the same time, the panels 24 provide a substantially flat surface for a sleeve
as compared to
bottles with a plurality of ribs and no panels. The ribs 22 are preferably
connected to the
panels in a horizontal plane so as to maintain an even vertical compression
performance.
[0074] In an alternative embodiment, the ribs 22 and panels 24 can be
continuous, but
not continuous in the same horizontal plane. One or more ribs 22 and one or
more panels 24
can be continuous in a plane angled at, for example, about 1 degree to about
45 degrees, or
about 5 degrees, about 10 degrees, about 15 degrees, about 20 degrees, about
25 degrees,
about 30 degrees, about 35 degrees, about 40 degrees, or the like. In another
alternative
embodiment, one or more ribs 22 and one or more panels 24 can be continuous,
but not
continuous in the same plane. In yet another alternative embodiment, the ribs
and panels can
be protruded instead of indented.
[0075] In another alternative embodiment, each rib 22 and corresponding panel
24
can be interrupted instead of continuous. By "interrupted," it is meant that
the combination
of a rib 22 and a panel 24 does not provide a continuous indent around the
circumference of
container 2 in a substantially horizontal plane. Instead, the combination of a
rib 22 and a
panel 24 can be interrupted by one or more vertical protruded portions of body
10 that do not
allow a continuous indent around the circumference of container 2.
[0076] FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of an indented rib 22 of FIG. 1. In a
preferred
embodiment, the indented surface 28 of each rib 22 is preferably indented
about 1.5 mm from
the outer surface 30 of body 10. Indented surface 28 of each rib 22 can be
indented from
outer surface 30 of body 10 at any suitable range, for example, from about 0.5
to about 5 mm,
or 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, or the like. In an
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embodiment, the height of each indented surface 28 in the vertical direction
between corner
surface 32 and corner surface 34 is preferably about 2.5 mm. The height of
each indented
surface 28 in the vertical direction between corner surface 32 and corner
surface 34 can also
be any suitable range, for example, from about 0.5 to about 5 mm, or 1 mm, 1.5
mm, 2 mm,
2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, or the like. In an embodiment, corner
surfaces 32
and 34 of rib 22 can be rounded with a radius of about 1 mm, and comer
surfaces 36 and 38
can be rounded with a radius of about 2.5 mm. Corner surfaces 32, 34, 36 and
38 can have a
radius at any suitable range, for example, from about 0.5 mm to about 10 mm,
or 1 mm, 1.5
mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5 mm, 5.5 mm, 6 mm, 6.5 mm, 7
mm,
7.5 mm, 8 mm, 8.5 mm, 9 mm, 9.5 mm, or the like. Comer surfaces 32, 34, 36 and
38 can
also end in a straight or slightly curved angle, for example, from about 90
degrees to about
135 degrees, or 95 degrees, 100 degrees, 105 degrees, 110 degrees, 115
degrees, 120 degrees,
125 degrees, 130 degrees, or the like.
[0077] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of an indented panel 24 of FIG. 1. In an
embodiment, the indented surface 48 of each panel 22 is preferably indented
about 1.5 mm
from the outer surface 30 of body 10. Indented surface 48 of each panel 24 can
be indented
from outer surface 30 of body 10 at any suitable range, for example, from
about 0.5 to about
mm, or 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, or the like.
The
height of each panel 24 is greater than the height of each corresponding
continuous rib 22. In
an embodiment, the height of each indented surface 48 in the vertical
direction between
corner surface 52 and corner surface 54 is preferably about 21 mm. The height
of each
indented surface 48 in the vertical direction between comer surface 52 and
comer surface 54
can also be any suitable range, for example, from about 5 to about 25 mm, or
7.5 mm, 10
mm, 12.5 mm, 15 mm, 17.5 mm, 20 mm, 22.5 mm, or the like. In an embodiment,
comer
surfaces 52 and 54 of panel 24 can be rounded with a radius of about 1 mm, and
corner
surfaces 56 and 58 can be rounded with a radius of about 2.5 mm. Corner
surfaces 52, 54, 56
and 58 can have a radius at any suitable range, for example, from about 0.5 mm
to about 10
mm, or 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5 mm, 5.5 mm, 6
mm,
6.5 mm, 7 mm, 7.5 mm, 8 mm, 8.5 mm, 9 mm, 9.5 mm, or the like. Corner surfaces
52, 54,
56 and 58 can also end in a straight or slightly curved angle, for example,
from about 90
degrees to about 135 degrees, or 95 degrees, 100 degrees, 105 degrees, 110
degrees, 115
degrees, 120 degrees, 125 degrees, 130 degrees, or the like.
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[0078] From FIGS. 1 to 3, the rib angle coverage is 6 x 180 = 1080 . Indeed,
container 2 has 6 ribs having each angle coverage of 180 around the
circumference of the
container.
[0079] FIGS. 4 and 5 show side views of the first 18 and second 19 sides,
respectively, of container 2 of FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIG. 4, first side
18 includes a rib 22
at the top of body 10 and a panel 24 at the bottom of body 10. The panels 24
are each about
21 mm in height as described above. The lowest panel 24 extends into base 12.
As
illustrated in FIG. 5, second side 19 includes a panel 24 at the top of body
10 and a rib 22 at
the bottom of body 10. The panel 24 at the top of body 10 is only about 15 mm
in height as
compared to the about 21 mm heights of the rest of the panels because the
upper most panel
has been lessened to accommodate shoulder 8. The height of one or more panels
24 of a
container 2 can accordingly differ from the height of one or more other panels
24. The height
of one or more ribs 22 of a container 2 can also differ from the height of one
or more other
ribs 22. In an embodiment, the indented panels 24 on the first side 18 of the
container 2 are
vertically and/or horizontally offset with the indented panels 24 on the
second side 19 of the
container 2, and the indented ribs on the first side 18 of the container 2 are
vertically offset
with the indented ribs on the second side 19 of the container 2. In an
embodiment, the ribs 22
and panels 24 on first side 18 of body 10 are separated by protruding portions
26 of body 10,
and the ribs and panels 24 on second side 19 of body 10 are separated by
protruding portions
26 of body 10.
[0080] Container 2 can have a broad base 12 so as to be able to stand up when
the
container is completely filled, partially filled or empty. Base 12 can have
any size or shape
known in the art. However, in an embodiment, base 12 includes a size and shape
corresponding to the size and shape of body 10. In this regard, if body 10 is
substantially
round with a specific diameter, base 12 can also be substantially round with a
similar
diameter. Alternatively, the skilled artisan will appreciate that base 12 is
not limited to the
size and shape of body 10 and can have a different size and shape than body
10. Base 12 can
have a height ranging from about 5 mm to about 45 mm, or about 10 mm, or 15
mm, or 20
mm, or 25 mm, or 30 mm, or 35 mm, or 40 mm, or the like. Base 12 can be
substantially
vertical in arrangement, or can be shaped (e.g., semi-circular), or can taper
inward or outward
in an upward direction from a bottom surface 60 of container 10. Base 12 is
shaped and
configured to contract under vertical load, absorbing and distributing loads
over a greater
area.
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[0081] Base 12 can also include one or more outer indents 62 and/or a punt 64
formed
therein. Punt 64 can provide additional structural integrity to container 2
and can aid in
stacking containers 2 one on top of another. In a preferred embodiment, the
outer edge 66 of
punt 64 can be formed with a stability angle of about 15.1 degrees from the
center of the
overall height of container 2. The stability angle can be any suitable angle,
for example, from
about 5 degrees to about 30 degrees, or 10 degrees, 15 degrees, 20 degrees, 25
degrees, or the
like.
[0082] In an embodiment, container 2 can be manufactured by forming indented
ribs
22 and indented panels 24 into a preformed container by forming indented ribs
22 and
indented panels 24 to be continuous around a circumference of the preformed
container. In
another embodiment, container 2 can be manufactured by molding a container 2
with
integrally formed indented ribs 22 and indented panels 24. In either
embodiment, container 2
can be manufactured by forming a plurality of indented ribs 22 each continuous
with one of
the plurality of indented panels 24 around the circumference of the container.
In an
embodiment, a plurality of indented panels 24 can be formed on the first side
18 of the body
so as to be vertically and/or horizontally offset from a plurality of indented
panel 24 on the
second side 19 of the body. In an embodiment, a plurality of indented ribs 22
can be formed
on the first side 18 of the body so as to be vertically and/or horizontally
offset from a
plurality of indented ribs on the second side 19 of the body. In an
embodiment, each
continuous rib 22 and panel 24 pair can be formed so as to be separated from
each other rib
22 and panel 24 pair by a protruding portion 26 of body 10.
[0083] The skilled artisan will appreciate that the features described herein
with
respect to the cylindrical container of FIG. 1 can also apply to any other
shaped container.
For example, the ribs 22 and panels 24 could be applied to a square or
rectangular shaped
container. The skilled artisan will also appreciate that ribs 22 and panels 24
can extend
different amounts around the circumference of container 2. In the preferred
embodiment
shown in FIG. 1, each rib 22 and panel 24 extends around approximately 50% of
the
circumference of container 2. Ribs 22 and panels 24 can also cover any
suitable amount of
the circumference of container 2, for example, from about 30% to about 75%,
from about
35% to about 70%, from about 40% to about 65%, from about 45% to about 60%, or
from
about 50% to about 55% of the circumference of container 2.
[0084] 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
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containers provides the advantage of a lower cost per unit and increased
sustainability when
compared to a bottle without such structural features. In this regard, the
containers of the
present disclosure are able to be manufactured using a raw material reduction
from about
10% to about 25%, if not greater. Further, by manufacturing the containers of
the present
disclosure using lower amounts of raw materials, the bottles can provide lower
environmental
and waste impact. Along the same lines, the bottles can be constructed to use
less disposal
volume than other plastic bottles designed for similar uses.
[0085] Additionally, the containers of the present disclosure can also improve
vacuum resistance and the ease of use and handling by manufacturers, retails
and consumers.
In this regard, the structural features described herein provide for reduced
vacuum
deformation to help achieve a pre-set shape of the containers that is
desirable by consumers.
[0086] The containers of the present disclosure can be used in several filling
processes namely, cold-fill filling process, aseptic filling process and hot-
fill filling process
as previously defined.
[0087] To be used in hot-fill filling process which requires very robust
containers, the
container can be reinforced, especially if the container is built as a
lightweight container.
[0088] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of a container, or bottle, 3 similar to the
embodiment of container 2 of FIGS. 1 to 5, further comprising at least one
added continuous
rib.
[0089] Similarly to container 2 of FIG. 1, the container 3 has a mouth 4, a
neck 6, a
shoulder 8, a body 10, and a base 12.
[0090] Container 3 can be sized, light weighted, manufactured and can house
products, similarly as container 2 of FIG. 1.
[0091] In addition container 3 comprises one added continuous rib 23. Said rib
23 is
horizontal and continuous around a circumference of the body of container 3.
In the present
disclosure, rib 23 is located approximately in the middle of the container and
through one of
the panels 24.
[0092] Rib 23 aims at reinforcing the container as it can receive liquids at
high
temperature (between 90 C to 110 C) during the hot-fill filling process.
[0093] In addition, container 3 also comprises two supplemental ribs 25
located at the
top and at the bottom of the body 10 that participate to reinforcing and
stabilizing the
container.
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[0094] The foregoing can be better understood by reference to the following
examples, which are presented for purposes of illustration and are not
intended to limit the
scope of the present disclosure.
[0095] EXAMPLES
[0096] Applicants tested several bottles having continuous ribs and panels
against
bottles having continuous ribs only and offset interrupted ribs and no panels
to demonstrate
that the bottles having continuous ribs and panels are able to provide the
same or better
resistance as other rib types.
[0097] Applicants decided to make tests on lightweight bottles as bottles on
which
deformation is more important.
[0098] Example 1 ¨ Continuous Ribs Only
[0099] In a first example, several 15 g bottles having six continuous ribs and
panels
were compared to several 15 g bottles having three continuous ribs and six
continuous ribs.
[00100] The
bottles having six continuous ribs and panels were similar to FIG.
1. The indented surface of each rib and panel was about 1.5 mm from the outer
surface of the
body. The height of each indented surface of each rib in the vertical
direction was about 2.5
mm. The height of each indented surface of each panel in the vertical
direction was about 21
mm, except for the uppermost panel, which was about 10 mm. The largest
diameter of the
bottles was about 58 mm at the bottom of the shoulder, and the diameter
tapered to about
51.6 mm at a central portion of the body.
[00101] The
bottles having three continuous ribs are shown in FIG. 6. A first
rib was located at the top of the body, a second rib was located at a center
of the body, and a
third rib was located at the bottom of the body. The indented surface of each
rib was about
1.5 mm from the outer surface of the body. The height of each indented surface
of each rib in
the vertical direction was about 1.5 mm. The largest diameter of the bottles
was about 58
mm at the bottom of the shoulder, and the diameter tapered to about 51.6 mm
just below the
second rib. The bottles also included a punk formed in the base that was 7.5
mm high and
had a stability angle of 15.1 degrees.
[00102] The
container of FIG. 6 has three continuous ribs, each on them with
angle coverage of 360 . This is giving the container total rib angle coverage
of 1080 which
is the same total rib angle coverage as container 2 of FIG. 1. The bottle of
FIG. 6 has no
panel.
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[00103] The
bottles having six continuous ribs are shown in FIG. 7. The six
ribs were spaced equally across the body with the first rib located at the top
of the body and
the sixth rib located at the bottom of the body. The indented surface of each
rib was about
1.5 mm from the outer surface of the body. The height of each indented surface
of each rib in
the vertical direction was about 1.5 mm. The largest diameter of the bottles
was about 58
mm at the bottom of the shoulder, and the diameter tapered to about 51.9 mm
between the
third and fourth ribs. The bottles also included a punk formed in the base
that was 7.5 mm
high and had a stability angle of 15.1 degrees.
[00104] The
bottle of FIG. 7 has no panel and total rib angle coverage of 2160
(6 ribs having angle coverage of 360 ).
[00105] Each of
the bottles was placed under a vacuum force, and the average
visual start of deformation and average collapse of the bottles was observed.
For the bottles
having six continuous ribs and panels the average visual start of deformation
was observed at
180.4 mbars and the average collapse was observed at 191 mbars. For the
bottles having
three continuous ribs, the average visual start of deformation was observed at
61.2 mbars and
the average collapse was observed at 78.4 mbars. For the bottles having six
continuous ribs,
the average visual start of deformation was observed at 195.2 mbars, and the
average collapse
was observed at 195.2 mbars.
[00106] The
results show that for the same amount of surface coverage (rib
angle coverage) : three ribs at 360 degrees - FIG. 6 - versus six ribs at 180
degrees each
continuous with a panel - FIG. 1-, the bottles with ribs and panels (six ribs
at 180 degrees
each continuous with a panel) perform 3 times better for the start of
deformation and almost
2.5 times better for collapse than the bottles with three continuous ribs
(three ribs at 360
degrees), without compromising the surface quality of the bottles with ribs
and panels.
[00107] The
results also show that for 2 times less surface coverage: six ribs at
360 degrees - FIG. 7- versus six ribs at 180 degrees each continuous with a
panel - FIG. 1-,
the bottles with ribs and panels (six ribs at 180 degrees each continuous with
a panel) perform
almost identically to the bottles with six ribs. The results also indicate
that the bottles with
ribs and panels could perform even better if the 2.5 mm rib height is further
increased. It was
also noted that the sleeve quality was not compromised by using the bottles
with ribs and
panels.
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[00108] Example 2 ¨ Interrupted Ribs
[00109] In a second example, several 15 g and 11 g bottles having six
continuous ribs and panels (container of FIG. 1) were compared to several 15 g
and 11 g
bottles having six offset interrupted ribs and no panels (container of FIG.
8).
[00110] The bottles having six continuous ribs and panels were similar
to FIG.
1. The indented surface of each rib and panel was about 1.5 mm from the outer
surface of the
body. The height of each indented surface of each rib in the vertical
direction was about 2.5
mm. The height of each indented surface of each panel in the vertical
direction was about 21
mm, except for the uppermost panel, which was about 10 mm. The largest
diameter of the
bottles was about 58 mm at the bottom of the shoulder, and the diameter
tapered to about
51.6 mm at a central portion of the body. The rib angle coverage was 1080 (6
ribs with angle
coverage of 180 ).
[00111] The bottles having six offset interrupted ribs and no panels
are shown
in FIG. 8. As illustrated, the bottles are similar to the bottles of FIG. 1
except that the six ribs
are not continuous with panels. The bottles having six offset interrupted ribs
and no panels
had similar dimensions to the bottles having six continuous ribs and panels.
The rib angle
coverage of the bottle was 1080 (6 ribs with angle coverage of 180 ).
[00112] Each of the bottles was observed under a vacuum force. For 15
g
bottles, the bottles having six continuous ribs and panels began to deform at
142.4 mbars by
ovalizing at a belt, whereas the bottles having six offset interrupted ribs
and no panels began
to deform at 126 mbars by ovalizing at a belt. For 11 g bottles, the bottles
having six
continuous ribs and panels began to deform at 33.6 mbars by collapsing at the
base, whereas
the bottles having six offset interrupted ribs and no panels began to deform
at 26.2 mbars by
collapsing in a middle portion where no rib was located.
[00113] The results show that bottles having ribs continuous with
panels
perform superior to bottles without the panels. At 15 g, the bottles with
continuous ribs and
panels performed 13% better than the bottles with offset interrupted ribs and
no panels. At
11.5 g, the bottles with continuous ribs and panels performed 28% better than
the bottles with
offset interrupted ribs and no panels.
[00114] 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
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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.
1001151 For
example, the concept can be scaled up for any size of bottle in
which the rib angle coverage is adapted to the bottle volume: continuous ribs
and panels with
6 ribs of 180 coverage for a 300m1 bottle, continuous ribs and panels with 8
ribs of 180
coverage for a 500m1 bottle, continuous ribs and panels with 12 ribs of 180
coverage for a 1
1 bottle, etc. .
19
