BOUTEILLE DE REMPLISSAGE A CHAUD

HOT FILL BOTTLE

Abrégé français

L'invention concerne une bouteille de remplissage à chaud (10) en matériau polymère, comportant une pluralité de flans à dilatation thermique, espacés de manière régulière autour d'une paroi périphérique de la bouteille, ainsi que des logos en trois dimensions imprimés en relief dans la paroi périphérique de la bouteille. Les logos en trois dimensions constituent, au moins en partie, les flans à dilatation thermique. Ainsi, au lieu que les flans à dilatation thermique constituent une composante peu esthétique de la bouteille et nécessitent d'être recouverts d'une étiquette, il est désormais possible de conférer une fonction double au flan à dilatation thermique, sous forme de logo accrocheur.

Abrégé anglais

The present invention discloses a hot fill bottle (10) of polymeric material
having a plurality of thermal expansion panels equally spaced around a
peripheral wall of the bottle and three dimensional logos embossed into the
peripheral wall of the bottle. The three dimensional logos constitute, at
least in part, the thermal expansion panels. Thus, instead of the thermal
expansion panels contributing to an unsightly component of the bottle that
needs to be covered up by a label, it is now possible to make the thermal
expansion panel double as an eye catching logo.

Revendications

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CLAIMS
1. A hot fill bottle of polymeric material having a
plurality of thermal expansion panels equally spaced
around a peripheral wall of the bottle and three
dimensional logos embossed into the peripheral wall of the
bottle characterised in that the three dimensional logos
constitute, at least in part, the thermal expansion
panels.
2. A hot fill bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the three dimensional logos constitute the whole of the
thermal expansion panels.
3. A hot fill bottle as claimed in claim 1 or 2,
wherein three equally spaced thermal expansion panels are
provided.
4. A hot fill bottle as claimed in any preceding
claim, wherein at least one of the three dimensional logos
comprises two concave tear drop shapes interconnected by a
raised land whereby the tear drop shapes are able to flex
to compensate for volume changes of the bottle.
5. The hot fill bottle as claimed in claim 4,
wherein all of the logos comprise two concave tear drop
shapes interconnected by a raised land.
6 The hot fill bottle as claimed in any preceding
claim, wherein the bottle is blow moulded in a polyester
resin.
7. The hot fill bottle as claimed in claim 6,
wherein said polyester resin is polyethylene
terephthalate.
8. A hot fill bottle substantially as hereinbefore

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described with reference to any one of figures 1 to 10.

Description

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HOT FILL BOTTLE
INTRODUCTION
This invention relates to a hot fill bottle and
more particularly a hot fill drink bottle manufactured
from blow moulded polyester resin usually polyethylene
terephthalate (PET).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hot fill PET bottles have become increasingly
popular as an. attractive sturdy throw away drinks
container. The process for manufacturing and filling a
hot fill bottle is to fill the moulded PET bottle with
liquid at a temperature of about 83°C, and sealing the
container whilst the liquid is hot in order to provide
adequate sterilisation. The filling of the bottle at that
temperature and subsequent cooling to room temperature
causes, in a 700m1 bottle, about 25m1 to 30m1 contraction
of the contents. As the PET bottles are filled there is a
slight expansion caused by the gravitational effect of the
hot liquid on the softening plastics. However, as the
contents cool they contract thereby creating a partial
vacuum in the heated bottles. The partial vacuum can,
unless restricted by the structure of the bottle, cause
uncontrolled distortion of the walls) of the bottles.
Uncontrolled distortion can give the bottles a mis-shaped
appearance that makes labelling of the bottles difficult
and detracts from the marketability of the end product.
Considerable amount of research and design has
gone into designing the profile of a bottle that can
facilitate the contracting without distorting the end
shape and appearance of the bottle. One such well known

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proposal is to provide a series of thermal expansion
panels in a lower portion of the bottle. These panels
usually number six and are equally spaced around the
periphery of the bottle. The panels have a projecting
cricket bat like profile that contracts inwardly to
compensate for the volume reduction as the contents cool
to room temperature. The thermal expansion panels ensure
that the remainder and more aesthetically critical
components of the container do not distort. It is usual
to cover up the thermal expansion panels with a label to
disguise their somewhat unsightly nature.
There have bean other suggestions of varying the
number and positioning of the panels to achieve the same
contraction function.
Hot fill PET bottles of the kind described are
also designed to be aesthetically pleasing and have ribs
and other strengthening devices incorporated in the
profile of the bottle to ensure that the bottle can
withstand the stresses that it would be subjected to in
use. The designers of bottles of this kind also often
wish to include in the bottle structure itself embossed
trade marks by way of words or devices.
It is these issues that have brought about the
present invention.
SiJN~iARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention there is
provided a hot fill bottle of polymeric material having a
plurality of thermal expansion panels equally positioned
around the periphery of the bottle and three dimensional
logos embossed into the wall of the bottle characterised
in that the three dimensional logos constitute, at least
in part, the thermal expansion panels.

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Preferably, three equally spaced thermal
expansion panels are positioned around the bottle.
The three dimensional logos each comprise two
concave tear drop shapes interconnected by a raised land
whereby the tear drop shapes flex to compensate for volume
changes of the bottle.
Preferably, the bottle is blow moulded in
polyester resin, usually polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAInlINGS
Embodiments of the present invention will now be
described by way of example only with reference -to the
accompanying drawings in which:
Figures 1 to 3 are side elevational views of a
hot fill-PET bottle viewed from different angles,
Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken along
the lines A-A of Figure 1,
Figure 5 is an enlarged detail of the par t of
Figure 4 within the circle B,
Figures 6 to 8 are side elevational views of a
hot fill PET bottle in accordance with a second embodiment
viewed from different angles,
Figure 9 is a cross sectional view taken along
the lines A-A of Figure 6, and
Figure 10 is an enlarged view of the part of
Figure 9 within the circle B.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The drawing Figures 1 to 10 illustrate two
embodiments of hot filled PET bottles. The embodiments
are of a similar design and thus only one is described in
detail.

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In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5 a PET
bottle 10 comprises a base 11,.a body 12 that is divided
into a lower portion 13 and torso portion 14.. The torso
portion merging into a shoulder 15 which in turn
terminates in an externally threaded neck 16. The
threaded neck 16 is adapted to support an internally
threaded cap or closure (not shown). The lower body
portion is of substantially circular cross section and is
provided with a series of (preferably four) strengthening
ribs 20. Adjacent strengthening ribs are separated by an
annular groove 21. A wider annular groove 22 separates
the lower body portion 13 from the torso portion 14. The
torso portion 14 is also substantially of circular cross
section with a slight taper towards the neck 16 of the
bottle 10. The torso portion 14 comprises three equally
spaced lands 25, 26, 27 each separated by thermal
expansion panels 30, 31, 32 so that the whole portion is
constituted by the three lands 25, 26, 27 and the three
panels 30, 31, 32. Each land 25, 26, or 27 is embossed
with the trade mark AQUAVETATM that extends substantially
along the length of the land in a substantially two
dimensional array of lettering.
Each thermal expansion panel 30, 31, 32 comprises
a substantially planar area 40 that has positioned
centrally thereof two tear drop shaped recesses 41, 42.
The recesses 41, 42 are separated by a S-shaped upstanding
land 43. The tear drop recesses 41, 42 define concave
panels that can flex relative to their periphery, thus
allowing the bottle to accommodate contraction caused by
cooling of the liquid.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 6 to 10, a
substantially similar bottle 10 is illustrated except that
in this embodiment the three lands 25, 26, 27 that carry
the embossed word trade mark have the trade mark

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positioned in a bone shaped ribbed border 50.
Furthermore, the thermal expansion panels 30, 31,
32 whilst they still incorporate two tear drop shaped
recesses 41, 42 joined by an S-shaped land 43, the
recesses 41, 42 are enclosed within a raised rib 52 that
defines an oval shaped space that coxitains the tear drop
recesses 41, 42.
In both the embodiments the tear drop shaped
recesses 41, 42 constitute a three dimensional logo that
serves as an additional trade mark.
The hot fill PET bottle 10 described in both the
above embodiments elegantly incorporates a three
dimensional logo with the thermal expansion panel. Thus,
instead of the thermal expansion panels contributing to an
unsightly component of the bottle that needs to be covered
up by a label, it is now possible to. make the thermal
expansion panel double as an eye catching logo. In this
case, a three dimensional dual tear drop logo.
The invention in its broadest aspect envisages
many types of three dimensional logo and a variety of a
number of thermal expansion.panels. The embossed trade
mark that is in the preferred embodiment could vary or be
omitted. It is understood that the capacity and size of
the bottle could vary, for example from about 350m1 to 1.5
litre through 500m1 and 700m1 and 1L sizes.

Dessin représentatif