阅读说明：本技术 具有波浪形凹槽的热填充容器 (Hot-fill container with wave-shaped groove ) 是由 杰弗里·科洛克 斯特林·莱恩·斯图尔德 文卡特·戈文达拉扬 石峰 于 2018-05-09 设计创作，主要内容包括：本申请提供一种用于在热填充过程中填充的饮料的容器。所述容器可以包括上部区段和下部区段。所述下部区段可以包括限定多个舌形面板的波浪形凹槽,并且其中,所述波浪形凹槽可以包含大体上Z状的形状。(The present application provides a container for beverages filled during hot filling. The container may include an upper section and a lower section. The lower section may include a wave-shaped groove defining a plurality of tongue-shaped panels, and wherein the wave-shaped groove may comprise a generally Z-shaped shape.)

1. A container for a beverage filled during a hot-filling process, the container comprising:

an upper section; and

a lower section;

the lower section includes an undulating groove defining a plurality of tongue panels; and is

Wherein the undulating groove comprises a substantially Z-like shape.

2. The container of claim 1, further comprising a dome, and wherein the dome is separated from the upper section by an upper circumferential groove.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the upper section and the lower section are separated by a central circumferential groove.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the upper section includes an upper section circumferential groove therein.

5. The container of claim 1, further comprising a base, and wherein the base is separated from the lower section by a lower circumferential groove.

6. The container of claim 1, wherein the lower section comprises a generally hourglass configuration in the form of an upper reduced diameter region and a lower increased diameter region.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein the undulating groove comprises a continuous undulating groove extending around the lower section.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the undulating groove comprises a plurality of repetitions.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the wave-shaped groove bisects the first and second tongue panels.

10. The container of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tongue panels comprises a contoured shape.

11. The container of claim 1, wherein the container comprises a 250 ml bottle.

12. The container of claim 1, further comprising less than about 15 grams of thermoplastic.

13. The container of claim 1, wherein the material to size ratio comprises about one (1) to seventeen (17) or less.

14. The container of claim 1, wherein the lower section comprises about forty percent (40%) or more of the container.

15. A method of filling a container with a hot liquid, the method comprising:

positioning a wave-shaped groove and a plurality of tongue panels along a section of the container;

filling the container with the hot liquid;

cooling the container;

forming a vacuum within the container; and

flexing the container about the undulating groove and the plurality of tongue panels.

Technical Field

The present application and the resultant patent relate generally to beverage containers and, more particularly, to a lightweight beverage bottle having a recess and panel structure that provides increased rigidity for accommodating forces typically associated with hot fill processes in a highly aesthetic design.

Background

Beverages such as sports drinks, juices, tea, water and the like are often bottled by hot-fill processes to prevent microbial growth. The hot-fill process typically involves pasteurizing the beverage at about 95 degrees celsius for about 20 seconds, cooling the beverage to about 85 degrees celsius, and then injecting the beverage into the bottle. A temperature of 85 degrees is generally sufficient to sterilize the vials. A closure is then applied to the vial to create a sealed container. After filling and capping, the bottle body may then pass through a cooling channel to be cooled via water spray or other methods. The final temperature of the beverage after the cooling process may typically be below about 40 degrees celsius. Other types of hot fill processes using different times, temperatures, and equipment may be known. Different types of beverages may also require different types of bottling techniques.

During the cooling process, the beverage may shrink such that a vacuum is formed within the closed container. To help counteract the effects of such a vacuum, the bottles used in hot-fill processes are typically formed with special vacuum panels therein. These vacuum panels and the areas therebetween generally facilitate controlled deformation or deflection to accommodate the forces generated by the vacuum while maintaining the overall integrity of the bottle body. These hot-filled bottles generally require relatively complex shapes and may use significantly more thermoplastic material than cold-filled bottles and the like. As a result, hot-filled vials may be more expensive to produce in terms of both tooling and materials, and may also provide less design freedom.

Improved hot-fill containers and methods of filling such containers are therefore desired. Such an improved container can accommodate shrinkage of the beverage therein while maintaining the overall integrity of the container without the complexity, weight, and cost typically associated with hot-fill containers and the like.

Disclosure of Invention

The present application and the resultant patent thus provide a container for beverages filled during hot filling. The container may include an upper section and a lower section. The lower section may include a wave-shaped groove defining a plurality of tongue-shaped panels, and wherein the wave-shaped groove may comprise a generally Z-shaped shape.

The present application and the resultant patent further provide a method of bottling hot liquids. The method may comprise the steps of: positioning a wave-shaped groove and a plurality of tongue panels along a section of the container; filling the container with a hot liquid; cooling the container; forming a vacuum within the container; and flexing the container about the wave-shaped groove and the tongue panel.

The present application and the resultant patent further provide a 250 ml container. The container may include an upper section and a lower section. The lower section may include a continuous undulating groove bisecting the first and second tongue panels, and wherein the undulating groove may comprise a generally Z-like shape.

These and other features and improvements of the present application and the resultant patent will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the several drawings and the appended claims.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hot-fill container as may be described herein.

Fig. 2 is a front plan view of the hot-fill container of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side plan view of the hot-fill container of fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the hot-fill container of fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the hot-fill container of fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the hot-filled container of fig. 3 taken along line 6-6.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the hot-filled container of fig. 3 taken along line 7-7.

Detailed Description

Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views, fig. 1-7 illustrate a container 100 as may be described herein. The container 100 may be in the shape of a bottle 110 or the like. The bottle 110 may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration. The bottle body 110 may be made from an injection molded preform. The preform may be made from various types of polymer resins. These polymeric resins may include polyesters, polyolefins, polypropylenes, polycarbonates, nitrates, and copolymers thereof. Biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate ("PET") can generally be used. Other materials such as polylactic acid ("PLA") and the like may also be used herein. The polymer may be transparent or opaque. Other types of materials may be used herein.

In general, the bottle body 110 can include an open mouth 120, a mouth 130, a shoulder 140, an upper section 150, a lower section 160, and a base 170 in any desired size, shape, or configuration. The open mouth 120 and finish 130 may be largely of conventional design. The mouth 130 may have one or more threads 180 thereon. The finish 130 and threads 180 may be sized to receive a closure (not shown) thereon. The closure may be of largely conventional design. Shoulder 140 may be largely dome-shaped and expands in diameter from finish 130 down to the upper section 150. The size, shape, and configuration of the shoulder 140 may vary.

The upper section 150 may extend from the shoulder 140 to the lower section 160. The upper section 150 may be separated from the shoulder 140 by an upper circumferential groove 190. The upper section 150 may be separated from the lower section 160 by a central circumferential groove 200. The grooves 190, 200 may be in the shape of indentations 210 in the sidewall 220 of the bottle body 110. The size, shape, and configuration of the grooves 190, 200 and dimples 210 may vary. The upper section 150 may have one or more upper section circumferential grooves 230 formed therein. Although only one upper segment circumferential groove 225 is shown, any number of circumferential grooves in any suitable size, shape, or configuration may be used herein. The upper section 150 may have a slightly decreasing diameter from the upper circumferential groove 190 to the middle circumferential groove 200. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

The lower section 160 may extend from the upper section 150 to the base 170. The lower section 160 may be separated from the upper section 150 by a central circumferential groove 200. Lower segment 160 may be separated from base 170 by a lower circumferential groove 230. The size, shape, and configuration of the lower circumferential groove 230 may vary. The lower section 160 may have a somewhat "hourglass" configuration 240 having an upper reduced diameter region 250 and a lower increased diameter region 260. The nature of the hourglass configuration 240 may vary.

The lower section 160 may have one or more undulating grooves 270 therein. The undulating groove 270 may extend in an angled configuration from the lower circumferential groove 230 to the middle circumferential groove 200 in a repeating pattern 205. Although three (3) repetitions 205 are shown, any number may be used herein. In this example, one undulating groove 270 is shown as a continuous ring 280 around the entire lower section 160. Any number of undulating grooves 270, in either continuous or discontinuous form, may be used herein. The undulating groove 270 may also be an indentation 210 in the sidewall 220 of the bottle body 110. The depth and width of the dimples 210 of the wavy groove 270 may vary.

Each repeat 205 of the undulating groove 270 may extend across the lower section 160 in a generally "Z-like" shape 280. By the term "Z-like" shape 280, we refer to cutting the undulating groove 270 once, twice, or three times along a vertical line along the length of the lower section 160 (i.e., in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vial 110). The undulating groove 270 and the generally "Z-like" shape 280 may define therebetween a plurality of tongue panels 290 in the sidewall 220 of the bottle body 110. Specifically, the "Z-like" shape 280 of the undulating groove 270 forms a tongue-shaped panel 290 therebetween. Where a single continuous undulating groove 270 is used, the undulating groove 270 may bisect the first continuous tongue panel 300 and the second continuous tongue panel 310. Further, the tongue panel 290 may have a varying contoured shape 320 that may vary along its length. The size, shape, and configuration of the undulating groove 270 and tongue 290 may vary. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

Base 170 may extend from lower section 160. Base 170 may be separated from lower segment 160 by a lower circumferential groove 230. The base 170 may be of conventional design and may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration. The base 170 may be of a similar design to bases typically used in cold fill processes.

Herein, the bottle body 110 may be used for a beverage size of about 250 milliliters intended for use with a standard 28 millimeter finish 130 and a standard base 170. The bottle body 110 may have an overall height of about 167 mm. However, the bottle body 110 and its features may be enlarged or reduced in size as desired. In the 250 milliliter size, about 15 grams or less of PET material or other types of thermoplastics may be used for the bottle body 110. The indentations 210 of the undulating groove 270 may extend about 3.3 mm to about 3.7 mm within the sidewall 220 of the bottle body 110. Which in the present example may be about 3.5 millimeters. The depth of the dimple 210 may vary.

In use, the vials 110 may be filled in a conventional hot-fill process and capped in a conventional capping station. As the beverage in the bottle body 110 cools, the beverage will contract and begin to draw a vacuum therein. The bottle body 110 herein has improved rigidity due to the use of the wave-shaped groove 270 and tongue panel 290 in the lower section 160 as compared to conventional hot-fill containers that may be designed to accommodate a vacuum by deforming about the base. The undulating groove 270 and tongue panel 290 allow limited flexing and flexing to absorb vacuum while maintaining the integrity and shape of the bottle body 110. The use of the Z-like shape 280 may also allow a controlled amount of distortion to accommodate further vacuum therein. If the overall surface area under the collar is about 26,426 square millimeters and the surface area of the lower section 160 is about 11,461 square millimeters, the overall ratio of the flexed lower section 160 to the entirety of the vial 110 can be about 43.3 percent. The diameter reduction of the lower section 160 may be less than about 1.5% or so. Further, the upper section 150 provides a comfortable grip with improved hoop strength and improved top loading. Labels or other types of packaging can be applied to the bottle body 110 in whole or in part in a conventional manner.

Notably, the use of the wave-shaped groove 270, the zigzag shape 280, and the tongue-shaped panel 290 provides this stiffness with a reduced amount of material. Even at 250 ml sizes, conventional hot-fill vials may require additional material, especially if the vial is vacuum-compliant through the base. Thus, the reduced amount of material provides significant savings in the cost of hot filling the bottle. Herein, the bottle body 110 may be ultra lightweight but have improved rigidity. Where less than about 15 grams of material is used for a 250 milliliter vial, the material to size ratio may thus be about one (1) to seventeen (17) or less.

It should be clear that the foregoing relates only to certain embodiments of the present application and the resultant patent. In this context, many changes and modifications may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.