WO2001046026A1

WO2001046026A1 - Container for liquids and closure for said container

Info

Publication number: WO2001046026A1
Application number: PCT/ES2000/000474
Authority: WO
Inventors: José Luis GOMEZ CAO
Original assignee: Gomez Cao Jose Luis
Priority date: 1999-12-20
Filing date: 2000-12-15
Publication date: 2001-06-28

Abstract

The invention concerns a container for liquids that can be used for any type of beverages, especially carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks. Said container comprises a tubular body with a variable section that is preferably made of plastic owing to the fact that it is provided with a plurality of peripheral grooves (2) having variable configuration: horizontal, inclined or truncated. The top part of the container has an eccentric neck (3) whose outer wall includes a series of annular recesses and projections on which the cap or stopper (10) is fixed and sealed by means of a thread or any other traditional means while the bottom area of the cylindrical body (1) has an overall configuration in the shape of an inverted truncated cone (19). The lower face thereof has a hollowed area (20) with a circular section centered in the axial axis of the container, which defines a peripheral border serving as the support for the container. The tubular body has a raised area (21) on the upper side thereof in the form of a circular sector which reaches up to a height that is approximately the same as that of the neck, said area having a hollow segment (22) that coincides both with the position and shape of the annular support section.

Description

PACKING FOR LIQUIDS AND CLOSING FOR SUCH PACKAGE OBJECT PE THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention, as expressed in the statement of this specification, consists of a "liquid container", of the type used to preferably contain soft drinks, both carbonated and non-carbonated, formed from a monobloc body of plastic material, its use being oriented to the replacement of traditional beverage cans normally made of metal, mainly aluminum and tin. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, the use of metal cans for the consumption of refreshing drinks has experienced a notable boom to the detriment of traditional glass bottles.

The factors that have consolidated this dominant position of metal containers compared to glass in this sector serve two values, first of all the economic factor, given that the cost of production of the already traditional beverage cans is clearly linked to a economy of scale with which the unit cost becomes lower than that of a glass bottle although the price of aluminum is much higher than that of glass; In this regard, it should also be noted that the improvement of production processes and specifically the advances in the capacity of drawing of the metal have played an important role when currently achieving minimum wall thicknesses with substantial material savings compared to the first versions of cans . Within this economic factor we must also consider arguments such as the weight and volume of the container, much higher in the case of glass, which implies that for the transport and storage of a given volume of liquid the logistics needs and expenses will be clearly lower with the use of metal cans.

Another decisive factor for the widespread use of metal cans lies in the practicality of their design in terms of ease of use, as well as in their advantageous configuration for storage and recycling.

However, against these advantages, this type of metal container also has a number of drawbacks. On the one hand, the opening of these containers is done by pressure tearing of a surface sector previously weakened by a precut by die. This opening is not appropriate for the direct consumption of the content both for its configuration and for the compromise of the edges resulting from the precut. On the other hand, the area where the opening is located is not protected against dirt, even though it is an area where the consumer will apply their lips to drink. Finally, this type of container does not allow the closure of the opening once its seal has been broken, so consumption must be done immediately, especially in those carbonated beverages, which quickly lose their gas content when opened .

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The package object of this invention constitutes an alternative to the use of traditional metal cans for the packaging of carbonated or non-carbonated soft drinks. This package is preferably made of plastic and has an outstanding mouthpiece on its upper face covered by a reusable cap with safety seal that guarantees until the moment of opening, ideal hygienic conditions in the area that will come into contact with the lips of the consumer . At the same time, the special configuration of the cap allows its reuse and the closure of the container once it has been opened, which minimizes the loss of gas from the liquid content, significantly lengthening the working time of consumption.

In this way, all the advantageous characteristics of the usual metal cans are maintained and at the same time the problems common to them are solved.

Basically, the new package is constituted by a tubular body of variable section made of plastic material, in some cases provided with a plurality of perimetral grooves arranged in a variable way, being able to be in a horizontal, inclined or broken position, and appropriate to facilitate bending and compacting the container by axial pressure in its final recycling phase. In this way it is possible to significantly reduce its volume and thus optimize the load of the recycling containers, as is the case with metal cans. The difference in this case would be marked by the need to use a press for compacting cans, while with the new packaging the compaction can be done without any difficulty with the hands.

The new package has an eccentric neck and sometimes slightly inclined with respect to the vertical one, whose outer wall experiences a series of annular recesses and projections on which the capsule or cap with seal or a traditional thread is attached. Specifically, said neck has, starting from its upper end, first a short cylindrical annular section that ends abruptly in an annular shoulder constituting the second section. Contrary to the first, this second section has a slightly curved surface, which in turn is of a lower height, approximately 1/3 of the previous section, thus configuring a marked annular step. A third section extends from the lower edge of the second section, this being constituted by a set of chained curves that form an annular surface whose cross section has an "S" shaped development. This section has a height that triples approximately that of the first section. A fourth straight section of height and diameter similar to the first is chained, and after this a fifth section as a prominent annular projection in which a first inclined surface is observed approximately 15 degrees above the horizontal, followed by another vertical surface and a third that closes the set with an approximate inclination of 3 degrees also with respect to the horizontal.

From here the neck is extended with a straight final section, until its birth on the upper face of the container, this section being slightly larger than the second section of the described neck.

On the other hand, the neck of the container may optionally be formed by a flat sector that partially surrounds the neck whose upper edge is below the upper plane of the sector previously mentioned, and whose neck externally has complementary projections to others provided in the cap that is snapped onto it, said cap being complemented with a tear-off seal that keeps it on the neck until the tear of such a seal is made, at which time the cap can be subtracted and leave the neck free to allow not only the emptying of the content, but the direct consumption of it. A plug comprising pressure is applied to the neck a body on whose upper face and specifically in its center a slight bulge can be provided, while in the lower area it has a straight cylindrical wall, producing the hermetic seal of the container. Of the two concentric walls provided in the cap, the one located outside extends into a plurality of pins separated by vertical grooves that facilitate flexion. These pins have an internal surface whose profile coincides with that of the outer surface of the neck on which they overlap, while their outer surface experiences a flat cylindrical wall. A second ring-shaped piece whose internal diameter is sized so that it can move axially on it exerts a radial pressure inwardly against all the pins on this plug. In the upper area of the ring, a partially detachable seal ring of the assembly is provided through a plurality of thin strips that are distributed along its perimeter except in a narrow strip by which it will be linked to the ring.

The cap, optionally, will have two concentric partitions in correspondence with the underside of the same, between whose partitions a groove is determined in which the upper edge of the neck of the container is precisely positioned, making a hermetic closure as a result of staggering and projections provided in both cases, which are complementary, achieving a labyrinth seal. In this case, the cap comprises a curved-convex upper surface body, with two lower and concentric walls, between which an annular and inverted groove of location for the upper section corresponding to the neck of the container is determined, establishing supports between the surface internal side of the neck and a bulge established in the lateral and external part of the internal wall, as well as between the upper and annular projection of the neck with a staggering provided in the internal face of the external wall of the cap, said supports forming a closure of tightness in labyrinth.

Optionally, the lower edge of the outer wall of the cap is extended by pins, whose separations determine grooves for the flexion of the throat that forms the assembly of those pins in its assembly on the neck of the container; having referred to those pins, in this second case study, have a bulge inwardly positioned on the concave neck depression.

Finally, the cap can be complemented with a wrap-around closure ring that is coupled by axial sliding on said cap by pressing radially inwards against all the pins, collaborating in the tightness, tightening and blocking of the cap on the neck of the container; it being provided that said pressing and wrap-around ring has a seal ring that is tear through thin strips, being linked after tearing to said seal ring by means of a sector of greater thickness.

The lower area of the cylindrical body has a general inverted truncated conical configuration, with a recessed area of circular section centered on the axial axis of the container, which determines an annular flange that acts as the foot of the container. In order to facilitate the stacked positioning of the new container, it presents on its upper face an elevated area in the form of a circular sector that reaches a height approximately equal to that of the neck. This raised area has on its surface a recessed section concordant in position and in shape with the section of the annular seat foot described above, which is perfectly coupled to said section when several packages are stacked. The stability is assured by resting the opposite area of the perimeter flange on the cap, where it is locked with the circular projection that it presents on its upper face.

Optionally, said lower part of the package may be formed by a perimeter and lower flange, determined by a concentric recess of the base, and whose edge has inclined planes, converging precisely on the lower edge, all in such a way that the stacking between two containers will produce a flat support between the upper sector of one and another angular and flat sector of the base of the immediately superior, while the guidance and stability in the stacking is achieved as a result of that annular and inferior flange with its Internal inclined plane rests on the upper lateral surface of the container body, which allows an effective stacking between packages, in addition to achieving optimum stability between them. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to illustrate how far we have exposed, this descriptive report is attached, forming an integral part of it, of a sheet of drawings in which a simplistic and schematic example has been represented in a simplified and schematic way limiting the practical possibilities of the invention.

In said drawings: Figure 1 corresponds to a sectional view of the elevation of the novel package.

Figure 2 corresponds to two views of the profile of the package. Figure 3 corresponds to a sectional view of the cap with the ring open and closed.

Figure 4 corresponds to a detailed view of the neck of the container where its characteristic profile is observed.

Figure 5 corresponds to two views of the plug in perspective. Figure 6 corresponds to a view of the stacking of two packages. Figure 7 corresponds to a sectional view of a second embodiment of the bottle.

DESCRIPTION OF A FIRST PRACTICAL CASE The new package consists of a tubular body of variable section (1) made of plastic material, which may optionally be provided with a plurality of perimeter grooves (2) arranged in a variable position such as horizontal, inclined , wavy or broken, which are appropriate to facilitate the crushing and compaction of the container by axial pressure in its final recycling phase.

The new container has an eccentric neck (3) on its upper face and sometimes slightly inclined with respect to the vertical one, whose outer wall experiences a series of annular recesses and projections on which the capsule or cap is sealed with a seal. Specifically, said neck has, from its upper end, first a short cylindrical annular section (4) abruptly ending in an annular shoulder (5) constituting the second section. Contrary to the first, this second section has a slightly curved surface, which in turn is of a lower height, approximately 1/3 of the previous section, thus configuring a marked annular step. A third section (6) extends from the lower edge of the second section, this being constituted by a set of chained curves that form an annular surface whose section transversal presents a development in the form of "S". This section has a height that triples approximately that of the first section. A fourth straight section (7) of height and diameter similar to the first one is chained, and after this a fifth section as a prominent annular projection (8) in which a first inclined surface is observed approximately 15 degrees above the horizontal, followed of another vertical surface and a third that closes the set with an approximate inclination of 3 degrees also with respect to the horizontal.

From here the neck is extended with a straight final section (9), until its birth on the upper face of the container, this section (9) being a diameter slightly larger than the second section (5) of the described neck.

On this neck (3) a plug (10) comprising a body on whose upper face and specifically in its center, a circular projection of basically trapecial section with widely rounded edges (11) is applied by pressure, while that in the lower zone it has two concentric lower walls (12) between which a straight cylindrical wall is determined in which the upper edge of the neck is inserted, producing the hermetic seal of the container. Of the two concentric walls (12) provided in the cap, the one located outside extends into a plurality of pins (12 ') separated by vertical grooves that facilitate flexion. These pins have an internal surface whose profile coincides with that of the outer surface of the neck (3) on which they overlap, while their outer surface experiences a straight wall (13).

A second ring-shaped piece (14) whose internal diameter is sized so that it can move axially on it exerts radial pressure inwardly against all the pins (12 ^' ) locks over this plug. This ring (14) has a slight bulge (15) in its inner zone whose wall presses that of the straight cylindrical wall (13), and in which it is housed when the ring is arranged in the closed position.

In the upper area of the ring (14) a seal ring (16) partially detachable from the assembly is provided through a plurality of thin strips (17) that are distributed along its perimeter except in one narrow strip (18) by which it will be linked to the ring.

The lower area of the cylindrical body (1) has a general inverted truncated conical configuration (19) with a recessed area (20) of circular section centered on the axial axis of the container, which determines an annular flange acting as a foot of container seat

In order to facilitate the stacked positioning of the new container, it has a raised area (21) in its upper face in the form of a circular sector that reaches a height approximately equal to that of the neck. This raised area has on its surface a recessed section (22) in accordance with position and in shape with the section of the annular seat foot described above, which is perfectly coupled to said section when several packages are stacked. The stability is ensured by resting the opposite area of the perimeter flange on the plug (10), where it is locked with the circular projection (11) that it has on its upper face.

DESCRIPTION OF A SECOND PRACTICAL CASE In a second embodiment, the bottle has a neck (3) that can be formed on its lateral surface by an annular projection (24) followed by a concave depression (25) and then a determining flange of a suffering ring (26) for supporting the container in the corresponding capping machine, a section of neck (27) constituting the service means for the capping system being established below said flange.

The plug (10) can comprise a curved-convex upper surface body (29), with two lower and concentric walls (30 and 31), between which an annular and inverted groove (40) of location for the upper section is determined corresponding to the neck (3) of the container, establishing supports between the inner lateral surface of the neck (3) and a bulge (30 ') established in the lateral and external part of the inner wall (30), as well as between the upper edge and annular projection (24) of the neck with a stepping (31 ') provided on the inner face of the outer wall (31) of the cap, said supports forming a seal in the labyrinth.

The lower edge of the outer wall (31) of the cap, is extended by pins (32), whose separations determine grooves (33) for the flexing of the throat that forms the set of those pins (32) in its assembly on the neck (3) of the container; having been provided that the said pins, in this second practical case, have a bulge (34) inwardly positioned on the concave depression (25) of the neck (3).

The plug is complemented by the wrap-around sealing ring (14) which is coupled by axial sliding on said plug (10) pressing radially inwards against all the pins (32), collaborating in the tightness, tightening and blocking of the plug on the neck (3) of the container; it being provided that said pressing and wrap ring (14) also has the seal ring (16) which is tear-off through thin strips (17) being linked after tearing to said seal ring (16) by a narrow strip (18).

The novel stopper has a perimeter flange (37), arranged in its upper part, which stops at the bottom with a step (28) formed in the pins themselves (32).

Also, the plug is provided on its inner face with reinforcement ribs (23).

The recessed area (20) of the lower part of the package may have a flat surface annular band (38) for support on a flat and upper sector (39) in the stacking between packages; it being provided that said recessed zone (20) is provided perimeter with an annular conformation (19), protruding downwards and constituting a guide means and centered on the stacking, in which said annular conformation (19) is positioned on a section inclined (36) caused by a recess intended for the purpose in the upper side of the package itself.

The annular conformation (19) established perimeter to the recessed zone (20), can be determined by two inclined sections (35 and 35 ') converging on a lower support edge for the container itself, the inner section (35 ^{λ being provided for)} ) present the same inclination as the section (36) established as recessed in the upper and lateral part of the container, collaborating through its tangency on the cap (10) in the stacking guide.

Once the concept expressed has been established, the claims note is written below, thus summarizing the novelties that are to be claimed:

Claims

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N E S

I ^a . - "CONTAINER FOR LIQUIDS", applicable to any type of beverages, especially carbonic and non-carbonated soft drinks of the type configured from a tubular body of variable section materialized preferably in plastic, essentially characterized in that it is provided in some cases with a plurality of grooves perimetral (2), of variable configuration: horizontal, inclined or broken, presented on its upper face an eccentric neck (3), whose outer wall experiences a series of annular recesses and projections on which the capsule or cap (10) is fitted with seal, by means of a thread or other traditional means, while the lower area of the cylindrical body (1) has a general inverted truncated conical configuration (19) with a recessed area (20) of circular section centered on the axial axis of the shaft being observed container, which determines a perimeter flange that acts as the foot of the container. 2 .- "CONTAINER FOR LIQUIDS" according to preceding claim, wherein the tubular body has on its upper surface a raised area (21) as a circular sector that reaches a height approximately equal to that of the neck, said area its surface a recessed section (22) concordant in position and in shape with the section of the annular seat foot described above.

3 .- "LIQUID CONTAINER", according to previous claims, characterized in that optionally, the recessed region (20) has a peripheral annular band planar surface (38) for support on a flat upper sector (39) in the stack between packaging; it being provided that said recessed zone (20) is provided perimetrically with an annular conformation (19), determined by two inclined sections (35 and 35 ') converging on a lower support edge for the projection downwards and constituting a means of guidance and centered in the stacking, in which said annular conformation (19) is positioned on an inclined section (36) caused by a recessed intended for the purpose in the upper lateral part of the container itself, which has the same inclination as the section internal (35 ¹ ) of the bottom of the container.

4 ^a . - "PACK FOR LIQUIDS", according to previous claims, characterized in that in some cases the neck has a slight inclination with respect to the vertical, while its outer face has a configuration such that starting from its upper end, first a short cylindrical annular section (4) is observed that ends abruptly in an annular shoulder (5) constituting the second section. Contrary to the first, this second section has a slightly curved surface, which in turn is of a lower height, approximately 1/3 of the previous section, thus configuring a marked annular step. A third section (6) extends from the lower edge of the second section, this being constituted by a set of chained curves that form an annular surface whose cross section has an "S" shaped development. This section has a height that triples approximately that of the first section.

A fourth straight section (7) of height and diameter similar to the first one is chained, and after this, a fifth section as a prominent annular projection (8) in which a first inclined surface is observed approximately 15 degrees above the horizontal, followed by another vertical surface and a third that closes the set with an approximate inclination of 3 degrees also with respect to the horizontal. From here, the neck is extended with a straight final section (9), until its birth on the upper face of the container, this section (9) being slightly larger in diameter than the second section (5) of the described neck. 5 .- "LIQUID CONTAINER" according to preceding claim, characterized in that optionally the neck (3) has on its lateral surface an annular projection (24) followed by a concave depression (25) and then a determining rim of a ring sufridero (26) for support of the container in the corresponding capping machine, being established below said flange a section of neck (27) constituting the service means for the capping system.

6 ^a . - "PACKAGING FOR LIQUIDS", according to claim one, characterized in that the cap is optionally constituted by a body on whose upper face and specifically in its center a circular projection of basically trapecial section with broadly rounded edges (11) is provided, while in the lower area it has two concentric lower walls (12), of which the one located outside extends into a plurality of pins (12 ') separated by vertical grooves that have an internal surface whose profile coincides with that of the surface outside of the neck (3) on which they overlap, while their outer surface has a straight wall (13), on which a bulge (15) is present on the inner face of a complementary ring (14) that looms over this plug.

7 ^e .- "PACKAGING FOR LIQUIDS", according to the preceding claim, characterized in that a second ring-shaped piece (14) which has a seal ring (16) that is tear through thin strips locks over the cap (17), being linked after the tear to said seal ring (16) by a narrow strip (18) of greater thickness,

8 ^a. "PACKAGING FOR LIQUIDS", according to previous claims, characterized in that, optionally, the plug (10) can comprise a curved-convex upper surface body (29), with two lower and concentric walls (30 and 31) between the that an annular and inverted groove (40) of location for the upper section corresponding to the neck (3) of the container is determined, establishing supports between the internal lateral surface of the neck (3) and a bulge (30 ') established on the lateral part and external of the inner wall (30), as well as between the upper edge and annular projection (24) of the neck with a stepping (31 ') provided on the inner face of the outer wall (31) of the cap, said supports forming a sealing in labyrinth.