WO1996000178A1

WO1996000178A1 - Container

Info

Publication number: WO1996000178A1
Application number: PCT/GB1995/001477
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael John Rahr; Timothy Robin Thomas
Original assignee: Symbiotic Sampling Limited
Priority date: 1994-06-24
Filing date: 1995-06-23
Publication date: 1996-01-04
Also published as: GB9412706D0; AU2747595A

Abstract

A container (1) is shaped to be positionable over the top of a bottle, to occupy at least a part of the space left void when bottles are crated or packed together on shelves. Such containers (1) are provided with an external shape adapted to receive an upper portion of a bottle. In preferred embodiments, the internal volume (6) of the container (1) which is available for the packaging of goods, is in a ring form positionable around the neck of the bottle. The otherwise wasted space left void between the upper parts e.g. the necks of bottles, may be put to use for the transport, storage and/or display of goods packaged within a container (1) according to the invention.

Description

CONTAINER

The present invention relates to a container

shaped to be positionable over the top of a bottle.

When bottles are packed together on shelves or

in crates for transport, there is a significant volume of

unoccupied space between the bottles, especially where

the bottles narrow to form a neck towards the mouth of

the bottle. The invention provides a container having an

external shape adapted to receive an upper portion of a

bottle.

Preferably the container is shaped to be

positionable upon a bottle such that, in a plan view, at

least a part of the internal volume of the container

occupies a space between the minimum cross-section and

the maximum cross-section of the bottle. In this arrangement, at least a part of the space left void when

the bottles are crated may be occupied by the container,

the internal volume of which is available for the

packaging of goods. This otherwise wasted space may then

be put to use for the transport, storage and/or display

of goods packaged within the container. Desirably, the maximum cross-section of the

container does not exceed that of the bottle. This

allows the packaging of bottles bearing containers

according to the invention in conventional crates for the

bottles alone.

Preferably the container has inner and outer

walls defining between them a space, the internal volume

of the container, into which goods may be packaged. In

this arrangement, at least the inner wall or walls may be

shaped such that, when the container is positioned on a

bottle, they embrace the cap, part of the neck, or both

the cap or neck of the bottle. In preferred embodiments the internal volume of the container is in a ring form

positionable around the neck of a bottle. Such an

arrangement allows for efficient use of the otherwise

wasted space around the bottle neck and gives lateral

stability to the container when in position on a bottle.

In preferred embodiments, the outer periphery of

the container, which is defined by one or more outer

walls, matches the shape of the outer periphery of a

bottle. The outer periphery of the container can be

shaped to contact the outer surface of the bottle on which the container is to be placed. If necessary, this region of contact may extend around the entire periphery

of the bottle. The region of contact may act as a site

for attachment of the container and bottle, for example

the container could be glued to the bottle at this point.

Alternatively or additionally a positive attachment of

the container to be a bottle may be provided by a snap-

fit of a resiliently deformable protrusion from the

container over any raised area on e.g. the neck of the

bottle.

The inner wall or walls of- the container may be

formed by indentation of the base of the container. This

indentation may define a shape which fits over and around

the cap of a bottle. In such embodiments, the outer wall

or walls of the container may be the same height as the

internal walls, so that the internal volume of the container does not extend above the cap of a bottle

positioned within the indentation defined by the inner

walls. Alternatively, the outer periphery of the

container may extend beyond the height of the inner

walls, so that the internal volume of the container lies

both above and around the inner walls and, in use, above

and around the cap and neck of a bottle.

Containers according to the invention may be formed from any convenient materials, eg plastics

materials, including those commonly used in the

manufacture of plastic bottles, or from strengthened

paper or card, metal or metallized foil, or other

suitable lightweight materials. The containers may be

formed in one or more pieces by moulding, for example

vacuum moulding of plastics materials, stamping, cutting

or by other means. The pieces may be joined by heat

welding, gluing etc. The containers may be closed with a

lid, seal or other suitable closure. Alternatively the

lid and external walls may be formed together as a unit.

The internal and external walls of the

containers according to the invention may be joined

directly to one another, or may each be joined to a base

defining the lower limit of the internal volume of the

container in which goods may be packaged. The base may

be attached to the bottom or part way up the external

walls. In one such embodiment, the external walls, base

and internal walls form an annular trough which, in use, is placed over the neck of a bottle so that the cap or

cork of the bottle extends through the middle of the

annulus.

In preferred embodiments, the internal walls of the container are closed at the top. With this

arrangement the internal walls form the shape of a cup or

goblet-like vessel when the container is inverted. The

liquid contained within a bottle with which a container

is used may be then poured into this vessel.

Containers according the invention may be used

for packaging any kind of goods which it is desired to

transport, display, store or sell in conjunction with

bottles. Examples could be snack foods to be eaten with

a drink contained in the bottle, party tricks or

decorations which may be used by persons purchasing a

bottled drink for a party, secondary drinks for use with

a main drink in the bottle (for example spirits to be

sold with a bottle of mixer drink) , and so on. The

container will be especially useful for the marketing of

new products, as a small trial amount may be packaged

within the container and sold in conjunction with an

established product in the bottle.

The invention will now be further described, by

way of example only, with reference to the accompanying

drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container

according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the

container of Fig. 2 positioned on top of a bottle;

Fig. 3 is plan view of the container of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of a second embodiment

of the invention positioned on top of a bottle;

Fig. 5 is cross-sectional view of a third

embodiment of the invention in position on top of a

bottle; and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a further

embodiment of the invention in position on top of a

bottle.

In the first embodiment, a container 1 has a

cylindrical outer wall 3 bearing a return lip 4 at the

top of the container 1. The internal volume 6 of the

container 1, in which goods may be packaged, lies between

the outer cylindrical wall 3 and an inner wall 8. The

inner wall 8 conforms generally with the shape of the

neck of a bottle over which the container is positioned

in use. This inner wall 8 is closed by a top surface 9

which, in use, lies over the cap of the bottle. The

container may be closed by a foil lid attached to the

return lip 4. The heights of the outer wall 3 and the

inner wall 8 are approximately equal. When in position on the top of a bottle, the

outer cylindrical wall 3 of the container 1 extends

substantially vertically, continuing the cylinder formed

by the walls of the bottle. The inner wall 8 sits over

the neck of the bottle (Fig. 2) . The return lip 4 and

the top surface 9 lie approximately level with the top

cap of the bottle. Thus the internal volume 6 of the

container corresponds to space left void when bottles are crated.

The internal wall 8 and top surface 9 may be

formed in one piece with the outer cylindrical wall 3,

for example by vacuum forming over a suitably shaped

mould. Alternatively, the outer cylindrical walls 3 and

return lip 4 may be formed in one piece and later joined

by, for example, heat welding to a second piece

comprising internal wall 8 and top surface 9 which

themselves may be formed integrally or separately.

Individual pieces may again be made by vacuum forming a

suitable plastics material. When the container is formed

by moulding, either in one or several portions, the outer

wall section may be formed with a slight taper to ease

release from the mould. Conveniently, the lower end where the container will meet the bottle, may be of slightly smaller diameter than the upper end of the outer

wall.

The external cylindrical wall 3 may, in a second

embodiment, extend further than the internal wall 8. The

internal volume 6 of the container is thereby increased,

and goods may be packaged both between the internal and

external walls 8,3 and in the area above the top surface

9. Alternatively, the outer cylindrical wall 3 may not

extend as far as the internal wall 8. In both these

cases the container is again closed by a seal of foil or

other suitable material secured to the return lip 4.

Fig. 4 shows an alternative embodiment in which

the internal wall 8 is in the form of a cylinder to

surround the cap or the top of the neck of a bottle and

extends substantially horizontally to form a floor 12 for

the internal volume 6 of the container. The floor 12

joins the cylindrical outer wall 3 at a junction 14.

This join may be by heat welding. The cylindrical outer

wall 3 extends beyond the floor 12 to come into contact with the surface of a bottle at its shoulder, or against

its substantially vertical walls. This gives stability

to the container as well as providing a convenient

attachment site for the container 1 to the bottle. In a third embodiment, the internal wall of the

container is not closed by a top surface. In this

arrangement, the neck and the cap of the bottle protrude

through the container which rests on the shoulder of the

bottle (Fig. 5) . The internal walls, base and external

walls are formed in a single annular trough-shaped unit

3, 12, 8. Both the internal and external walls have a

return lip 4, 4' on which a foil or other suitable

closure may be sealed.

In a further embodiment (Fig. 6a) the external

walls 3 of the container are formed integrally with a lid

15, this unit being sealable to the inner walls 8 which

are closed by a top surface 9 at their top and having a

sealing lip 16 at their bottom edge. Sealing may occur

after filling in an inverted position (Fig. 6b) .

To provide a positive attachment to a bottle,

the above described embodiments can be provided with one

or more resiliently deformable projections to give a

snap-fit over any raised area on the neck or shoulder of

a bottle. For example, as shown in Figures 7 and 8

resiliently deformable indentations 20 in the inner wall

8 of a container 1 are formed to protrude from the

container 1. These projections 20 are shaped to allow the container to slide over the raised disc 30 (Fig. 8)

commonly found on drinks bottles moulded from

polyethylene terephthalate, but resist removal of the

container.

Claims

1. A container having an external shape adapted to

receive an upper portion of a bottle.

2. A container according to claim 1 shaped to be

positionable upon a bottle such that, in plan view, at

least a part of the internal volume of the container

occupies a space between the minimum cross-section and

the maximum cross-section of the bottle.

3. A container according to claim 1 or claim 2

wherein the maximum cross-section of the container does

not exceed that of the bottle.

4. A container according to any preceding claim

comprising at least one inner wall and least one outer

wall defining between them a space into which goods may

be packaged, wherein the at least one inner wall is

shaped to embrace an upper portion of a bottle.

5. A container according to claim 4 wherein the at

least one inner wall is formed by indentation of the base

of the container.

6. A container according to claim 4 or claim 5

wherein the at least one outer wall is the same height as

the at least one inner wall.

7. A container according to any one of claims 4 to 6 further comprising a lip integral with at the least one

outer wall, wherein said lip is adapted to be

positionable in sealing cooperation with a container lid.

8. A container according to any one of claims 4 to

7 further comprising a lid integral with the at least one

outer wall.

9. A container according to any preceding claim carrying a substantially annular internal volume and

being positionable around the neck of a bottle.

10. A container according to any preceding claim

wherein the outer periphery of the container matches the

shape of the outer periphery of a bottle.

11. A container according to any preceding claim

further comprising means to form a snap-fit attachment

with a bottle.