EP2055650A2

EP2055650A2 - A Single-use Container for Alcoholic Beverages

Info

Publication number: EP2055650A2
Application number: EP08167455A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Corrado Gasparri
Original assignee: Tecnica Automat Consul Sas Di Gasparri Corrado & C
Current assignee: Tecnica Automat Consul Sas Di Gasparri Corrado & C
Priority date: 2007-10-30
Filing date: 2008-10-23
Publication date: 2009-05-06
Also published as: EP2055650A3; ITMI20070365U1

Abstract

A single-use container for alcoholic beverages, in particular for containing wine or beer, comprising at least a beaker (11, 11', 11"), providing an upper edge (14), a base (13) and a protective film (16) destined to be applied to an edge of the beaker (11, 11', 11") for keeping the beaker (11, 11', 11") hermetically closed, before consumption of the beverage. The closing of the container with the film (16) prevents oxidation of the alcoholic drink contained therein.

Description

The invention relates to a single-use container for alcoholic beverages, in particular for containing wine or beer.
The prior art comprises single-use and single-portion containers made of a plastic material, for containing drinks such as water, or carbonated drinks or other food products such as for example yoghurt. These containers are typically used, though not exclusively, in situations in which a consumer requests a portion of drink to be consumed immediately, for example in a train or on an aeroplane.
These containers are generally constituted by a beaker made of a plastic material, closed by an adhesive or heat-welded film which can be removed to enable the product to be consumed.
In the case of non-single portion containers, these can be provided with a reusable cover, hermetically sealed, made of a synthetic material.
Known containers are not suitable for containing alcoholic drinks, and in particular wine and beer, i.e. beverages provided with particular physical-chemical and aesthetic/taste qualities, which make conservation thereof particularly delicate due both to the partial volatility of the product and to the facility of oxidation.
In the case of wine, there exist known-type containers made of a plastic material, for example in several layers of polyethylene with an interposing of aluminium, in order to adequately contain the wine for prolonged periods.
These known containers are not however suitable for packaging and consumption of single portions of wine or beer due to their poor handling qualities, as they are made by heat-forming, and are therefore not sufficiently rigid, as well as due to the fact that they are not really suitable for maintaining the temperature of the contents.
Further, the containers are not suitable for use without pouring the drink into another container, such as a beaker.
In order to provide the consumer with single-use containers for drinks such as wine or beer which can be widely used, it is essential for the drinks contained therein to be preserved from oxidation. It is therefore necessary to prevent undesired ingress of oxygen into the container during the period of storage thereof before consumption.
The ingress of oxygen occurs through many materials widely used in the food industry.
The aim of the present invention is to realise a single-use and single-portion container for alcoholic beverages, in particular for wine or beer, which obviates the above-mentioned technical problems.
A further aim is to create a single-use and single-portion container for alcoholic drinks which can be used as a normal meal-time-type beaker for the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
A further aim of the invention is to realise a single-use and single-portion container which maintains the aesthetic and taste qualities of the alcoholic beverages before their consumption.
A further aim of the invention is to realise a single-use container for wine or beer which can be used while travelling.
The aims are attained with a single-use container for alcoholic beverages, as in claim 1, to which reference is made for the sake of brevity.
Further characteristics of the invention are deducible from the dependent claims.
The characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from a reading of the following description provided by way of non-limiting example, with the aid of the figures illustrated in the accompanying tables of the drawings, in which:

figure 1 illustrates the various components of the single-use container of the invention and figure 2 illustrates a detail, in perspective view, of the container of figure 1;
figure 3 illustrates the components of a container of a second realisation of the present invention and figure 4 illustrates a detail, in perspective view, of elements of the container of figure 3;
figure 5 illustrates the components of a container of a third embodiment of the invention and figures 6 illustrates a detail, in perspective view, of elements of the container of figure 5; and
figure 7 illustrates the components of a single-use container of a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and figure 8 is a detail, in perspective view, of elements of the container of figure 7.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a single-use container for alcoholic beverages, denoted in their entirety by number 10.
The container 10 exhibits a beaker-shaped containing body 11, made of a plastic material, which is possibly transparent or partially transparent, provided with a slimmer stalk portion 12 and a base 13 for resting the container 10 or only the beaker 11.
In more detail, the base 13 is shaped such that it provides an annular edge 70 of the base, which will come into contact with the rest surface, and a recessed surface 71.
The beaker 11 superiorly terminates with an edge 14, provided with a flat annular surface 15, and is superiorly closed by a film 16 provided with a tab 17 for facilitating opening thereof.
To close the beaker 11, the film 16 is joined to the flat annular surface 15 of the edge 14, for example by means of heat welding or adhesive.
The beaker 11 further includes a protective closing lid 18, applicable onto the edge 14 of the beaker, both when, before use of the beaker, the film 16 is attached to the edge 14, and during the use of the beaker 11 to cover the drink and prevent, for example, its accidental opening.
The beaker 11 can be realised by injection moulding.
The internal volume of the beaker 11 is calculated in order to contain a predetermined quantity of wine or beer or another alcoholic beverage, for example 200 cc for wine or 350 or 500 cc for beer.
The alcoholic drink can be packed in an inert atmosphere, in order to avoid the presence of oxygen during the period preceding the consumption of the drink by the consumer, which would also the physical-chemical and aesthetic/taste qualities of the drink itself.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the film 16 can be realised using materials of know type which realise a barrier effect against oxygen.
Alternatively the film can comprise various layers, of which at least one of which realises a barrier effect against oxygen.
Materials which are impermeable to gas, for realising the barrier effect, can be selected from among PVC (polyvinyl chloride); resins having a high nitrile content; PA (polyamide); EVOH (poly/vinyl alcohol); PEN (polyethylene naphthalate).
With the aim of further reducing the possibility of the contained beverage coming into contact with oxygen, the material associated to the side of the film facing the inside of the container can be added-to by chemical substances, such as sodium ascorbate or sodium sulphite, which can chemically react with oxygen, preventing oxidation of the contents both in reaction with the oxygen already present in the container and with the oxygen which might enter it.
These substances are also known as oxygen scavengers.
It is also possible to combine the above-described use of an oxygen scavenger material with the filling of the beaker in an inert atmosphere.
The use of the beaker 11 is extremely simple and convenient for the consumer: after removal of the lid 18 and then the protective film 16, the drink can be consumed as with a normal wine or beer beaker. The lid 18 can also serve to temporarily cover the beaker 11 during pauses in consumption.
Figure 3 illustrates the components of a single-use container of a second realisation of the present invention, and figure 4 shows a detail, in perspective view, of elements of the container of figure 3.
Identical or similar components to those in the preceding figures are denoted with the same numerical references and the container in its entirety is denoted by number 20.
In this embodiment, the beaker 11', which is substantially similar to the previously-described one, with the difference that it includes a flat base 72, is contained internally of a substantially cylindrical external container body 21. The external container body 21 exhibits a cylindrical surface 22 and a base 23.
The base 23 is shaped such as to include an annular edge 80 of the base, destined to contact the rest surface, and a recessed surface 81.
The cylindrical surface 22 is designed to couple with an upper portion of the beaker 11' in the area denoted using numerical reference 49, and this coupling can be realised by means of heat-welding.
The coupling can also be realised by gluing.
A further possibility for coupling the cylindrical surface 22 with the upper portion of the beaker 11' is to realise, in both elements, an annular groove which defines an edge in relief towards the outside with the aim of enabling a reciprocal coupling by jointing along the groove by means of inserting the annular edge in relief of the beaker in the annular groove of the external container body.
The cylindrical surface 22 goes into contact with the lower portion of the edge 14 of the beaker 11', while the base 23 is in contact with the base 72 of the beaker 11'.
A hollow space forms 24 between the cylindrical surface 22 of the external container body 21 and the portion of stalk 12 of the beaker 11', which space 24 thermally insulates the beaker 11' from the outside.
The cylindrical surface 22 of the external container body 21 can be transparent or partially transparent in order to enable the consumer to see the shape of the beaker 11', or can even be decorated with marks or writing and/or labels.
In general, the surface of the external container body can be chosen to be transparent, partially transparent, opaque, not transparent or a combination of these characteristics.
Figure 5 illustrates the components of a single-use container of a third embodiment of the present invention and figure 6 shows a detail, in a perspective view, of elements of the container of figure 5.
Identical or similar elements to the realisation of the preceding figures are denoted using the same numerical references and the container in its entirety is denoted with number 30.
In this embodiment too, the beaker 11' is contained internally of the cylindrical external container body 21, but in this case between the base 23 of the cylindrical container body 21 and the base 72 of the beaker 11' there is a small hollow space 23' which insulates the base 72 of the beaker 11' from the outside. In this case, an annular welding is made between the upper edge of the external container body 21 and the flat lower surface 15 belonging to the edge 14 of the beaker 11'.
Further, it is also possible to realise the container in a single piece, by means of injection moulding.
Figure 7 shows the components of a single-use container of a fourth embodiment of the present invention and figure 8 shows a detail, in perspective view, of elements of the container of figure 7.
Components which are the same as or similar to the realisation of the preceding figures are denoted with the same numerical references and the container in its entirety is denoted by number 40.
This embodiment comprises a beaker 11" which has a substantially truncoconical shape, terminating with a base 33. The beaker 11" is contained internally of an external container body 21', which is provided with a portion of slim stalk 39 and a base 43 for resting thereof.
The surface of the container body 21' is destined to couple with an upper portion of the beaker 11" in the area indicated by numerical reference 59 and the coupling can be realised by heat welding.
The coupling can also be realise by gluing.
The base 43 is shaped such as to include an annular edge 90 of the base, which contacts the rest surface, and a recessed surface 91.
The surface of the container body 21' enters into contact with an upper portion of the beaker 11" and, in the use configuration, enters into contact with the lower portion of the edge 14 of the beaker 11 ", while between the base 43 of the container body 21' and the base 33 of the beaker 11" there is a considerable hollow space 25.
In this case too, the surface of the external container body 21' can be transparent or partially transparent in order to enable the consumer to see the shape of the beaker 11 ", or can be decorated as described above.
Further, the external surface of the external container body 21' can also be decorated with marks and writings, or applications of labels.
The presence of the hollow space 25 insulates the base 33 of the beaker 11". This hollow space extends upwards, comprising an annular portion of space 26, which separates the surface of the container body 21' from the surface of the beaker 11", contributing to insulate the beaker 11", for example from transmission of heat coming from contact with the consumer's hand.
The use of the containers described in figures 3-8 is similar to that of the container of figures 1-2, with the difference that the presence of the external container contributes to heat-insulating the internal beaker and its contents.
Liquids or solids can be included in the hollow spaces 24 and 25, also having decorative functions, or a high thermal capacity.
Obviously modifications or improvements dictated by contingent motivations or details can be brought to the invention without its forsaking the ambit as claimed herein below.

Claims

A single-use container for alcoholic beverages, in particular for containing wine or beer, comprising at least a beaker (11, 11', 11"), provided with an upper edge (14), a base (13) and a protective film (16) destined to be applied to an edge of the beaker (11, 11', 11") for keeping the beaker (11, 11', 11") hermetically closed, before consumption of the beverage, characterised in that the film (16) is made of a material which is impermeable to gas.
The container for alcoholic beverages of claim 1, characterised in that the film (16) exhibits a plurality of coupled layers of which at least one layer is made of a material which provides a barrier effect against oxygen.
The container for alcoholic beverages of claim 2, characterised in that the material making a barrier effect against oxygen possible can be selected from among PVC (polyvinyl chloride); resins having a high nitrile content; PA (polyamide); EVOH (poly/vinyl alcohol); PEN (polyethylene naphthalate).
The container for alcoholic beverages of claim 2, characterised in that at least one layer of the film (16) comprises chemical oxygen-scavenger substances which can rapidly react with oxygen in order to prevent contents from being oxidised.
The container of claim 1 or 4, characterised in that the closure of the container with the film (16) maintains an inside of the container in an inert atmosphere.
The container of claim 1, characterised in that the closing film (16) of the container is fixed to a flat annular surface (15) belonging to the edge (14) of the beaker, by means of heat-welding or adhesive.
The container of claim 1, characterised in that the beaker (11', 11 ") is wholly contained internally of an external container body (21, 21') provided with a rest base (23, 43).
The container of claim 7, characterised in that the external container body (21, 21') is coupled to the beaker (11', 11") by means of heat welding or gluing.
The container of claim 7, characterised in that the beaker (11', 11") is joint-coupled to the external container body (21, 21') by means of an annular channel which defines an edge in externalwise relief which is insertable in a corresponding annular groove of the external container body (21, 21').
The container of claim 7, characterised in that it comprises an annular weld between the upper edge of the external container body and the lower flat surface (15) belonging to the edge (14) of the beaker (11', 11 ").
The container of claim 7, characterised in that it is made in a single piece, by means of injection moulding.
The container of claim 7, characterised in that between the external container body (21, 21') and the beaker (11'. 11") there is at least a first hollow space (24, 25).
The container of claim 7, characterised in that a second hollow space (23') is afforded between the base (23) of the external container body (21) and the base (72) of the beaker (11').
The container of claim 7, characterised in that liquid or solid substances having a high thermal capacity are contained in at least one of the hollow spaces.
The container of claim 7, characterised in that a surface of the external container body (21, 21') can be made transparent, partially transparent, opaque, not transparent or a combination of said characteristics.
The container of claim 1 or 7, characterised in that the base (13, 23, 43) is shaped such as to comprise an annular edge of the base, destined to contact the rest surface, and a recessed surface.
The container of claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a protective closing lid (18).