Further features and details of the invention will be apparent from the following description of two specific embodiments which is given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a first embodiment of a beverage bottle in accordance with the invention with the lid in an intermediate position whilst being applied to the bottle;
FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the container lid before application to the bottle;
FIG. 3 is a scrap sectional view of the upper portion of the bottle showing the lid in the applied and sealed position;
FIG. 4 is a side view of the upper portion of the bottle as seen in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a scrap view from below of part of the lid showing the rupturing tab; and
FIG. 6 is a scrap view of the lid and bottle in accordance with a second embodiment.
As seen in FIG. 1, the bottle 2 is of generally cylindrical shape with an axis 3 and at least one portion 4 of increased size whose diameter is greater than that of the lid 6, for reasons which will be explained below. The bottle is in this case moulded from plastic material and it has a wide mouth, with a diameter of greater than 28 mm defined by the neck 8 of the bottle. The neck 8 terminates at a rim portion which is defined by an internal surface 10, which is inclined upwardly and outwardly with respect to the axis 3, and an external surface 12, which is inclined upwardly and inwardly with respect to the axis 3. The surfaces 10 and 12 thus converge and the external diameter of the bottle, specifically of its rim portion, thus initially increases from the top downwards. However, it then decreases abruptly at a downwardly directed annular shoulder 14 extending substantially perpendicular to the axis 3. The internal diameter of the rim portion, however, initially decreases from the top downwards.
As best seen in FIG. 2, the lid comprises a one-piece component, preferably integrally moulded from resilient plastic material, such as polypropylene. It comprises a shaped closure plate, integral with which is a web 16 which extends, when the lid is connected to the bottle, over the rim of the bottle. Integral with the web 16 is a depending skirt 18, which extends downwardly around the exterior of the upper portion of the bottle. Integrally connected to the lower edge of the skirt 18 or to the inner surface of the skirt at a position adjacent its lower edge is an annular retaining flange 20. The flange 20 is elongate in axial sectional view and is connected to the skirt 18 by a resilient connecting web 22, which is of reduced thickness and thus constitutes an annular line of weakness or predetermined breaking point. Connected to the lid at one circumferential position is a rupturing tab 24 which extends downwardly below the lower edge of the skirt 18. This tab is connected to the skirt 18 at its side by two lines of weakness 26, i.e. regions of reduced thickness.
The closure plate of the lid is concave and thus extends into the neck of the bottle, when it is connected to the bottle. The closure plate comprises a wall portion 30 which extends generally downwardly and inwardly and merges at its lower edge with a base portion 32, which is downwardly accurate, that is to say is of downwardly curved convex shape.
The lid is shown in FIG. 2 in the configuration in which it is moulded. In this configuration, the flange 20 extends downwardly and inwardly and the diameter of its lower edge is less than that of the upper edge of the rim of the bottle whilst the diameter of its upper edge is greater than that of the upper edge of the rim of the bottle.
The lid is fastened and sealed to the bottle by a simple snap-fit procedure. This is effected simply by lowering the lid into the rim of the boffle and then applying pressure. As the lid is lowered, the lower edge of the flange 20 comes into contact with the rim. This causes the flange to rotate inwardly about the web 22. As downward movement of the lid continues, the flange 20 moves downwardly in contact with the surface 12, as shown in FIG. 1, and the increasing diameter of this surface in the downward direction results in the rotation of the flange continuing, thus moving it ever closer to the inner surface of the skirt 18. The underside of the web 16 then contacts the upper surface of the rim of the bottle. However, the pressure on the cap is maintained and this results in slight deformation of the web 16. The cap and bottle are so dimensioned that the slight further downward movement of the cap caused by the deformation of the web 16, is sufficient to permit the free end of the flange 20 to move past the shoulder 14. It is then rotated in the opposition direction, i.e. inwardly, by the resilience of the web 22 and thus becomes locked behind the shoulder, as shown in FIG. 3. The lid is now retained in position on the bottle and cannot be removed without damaging or deforming it. The tension maintains the underside of the web 16 in engagement with the upper surface of the rim with a contact pressure sufficient to ensure that a first gas seal is formed along the annular line of contact. The tension in the skirt 18 also maintains the free end of the flange 20 in engagement with the surface of the shoulder 14 with a contact pressure sufficient to ensure that a second gas seal is formed along the annular line of contact. Furthermore, the resilience of the connecting web 22 forces the side surface of the free end of the flange 20 into contact with the side surface of the bottle and the contact pressure is preferably sufficient to form a third gas seal. The integrity of the first gas seal may be further enhanced, if required, by the provision of an annular bead or flange 17, which is shown in phantom lines only on the left-hand side in FIG. 2 and which will engage the side surface of the rim of the bottle and constitute an additional lip seal. This bead 17 is positioned and dimensioned so that it is deformed laterally by contact with the rim of the bottle and thus urged by its resilience into contact with the side surface of the rim and thus forms a further seal. If the pressure in the bottle should rise to a high value sufficient to deform the cap away from the rim of the bottle, thereby breaking the first gas seal, pressurised gas will flow into the space defined by the outer surface of the rim, the skirt 18 and the flange 20. This pressure will act on the flange 20 to press it yet more firmly against the side surface of the rim, thereby increasing the integrity of the third gas seal.
If yet further sealing integrity is required, yet a further gas seal may be provided, as in the illustrated embodiment, between the surface 10 of the rim and the outer surface 34 of the wall portion 30. Thus in this embodiment, these two surfaces are formed as complementary sealing surfaces in sealing engagement with one another. If the pressure in the bottle should become super-atmospheric, either as a result of the liberation of carbon dioxide from a carbonated beverage or as a result of the expansion of gas in the head space of the bottle due to an increase in temperature, the centre of the concave base portion 32 will be deformed upwardly and this will inherently result in the outer edge of the base portion 32 and thus the lower edge of the wall portion 30 moving slightly outwards. This will result in an increase in the contact pressure between the sealing surfaces 12 and 34 and thus in an enhancement to the integrity of this further gas seal. The beverage container in accordance with the invention therefore not only has both primary and secondary gas seals but also has a further gas seal. The integrity or sealing ability of this further seal increases as the gas pressure within the container increases.
When it is desired to open the bottle, the user merely grasps the lower edge of the rupture tab 24 and pulls it outwardly. The lines of weakness 26 immediately rupture or stretch and the upper edge of the tab 24, which is connected to the web 16, rotates, thereby breaking the second and third gas seals. This rotation is transmitted to the web 16, which thus moves away from the rim of the bottle, thus breaking the first gas seal. This movement of the web 16 also causes the sealing surfaces 12 and 34 locally to move apart, thereby also breaking the further gas seal. The container is thus depressurised. The outward movement of the tab 24 initiates tearing of the thin connecting web 22, and once tearing has started it is a simple matter to keep it going by exerting upward and outward pressure on the tab 24 until the lid is completely disconnected from the flange 20, which remains in position around the neck of the bottle. The lid may now be discarded and the contents of the bottle dispensed or drunk.
As mentioned above, the body of the bottle has one or more protuberances 4 whose contour extends beyond that of the lid, when viewed in the axial direction. This means that when a number of such bottles are packaged together side by side, they will contact one another only at the protuberances and the lids of adjacent bottles will not contact one another, thereby eliminating the risk that the lids may inadvertently become dislodged, thereby venting the interior of the associated containers. The base of the bottle also has a shape which is complementary to that of the upper surface of the lid so that bottles may be simply and securely stacked on top of one another.
In the modified embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the outer surface of the wall portion 30 carries an annular protuberance 40, which engages the surface of a recess in the internal surface of the rim. If the gas pressure within the bottle should increase to a level sufficient to deform the lid upwardly to an extent sufficient to break the first gas seal, as is illustrated, the contact pressure of the upper portion of the protuberance with the surface of the recess will be increased, thereby increasing the integrity of the further gas seal, and compensate for the loss of the first gas seal. The protuberance could also be carried by the inner surface of the rim, in which case the recess will be formed in the wall portion 30. If the gas pressure in the container should increase substantially, it will be the contact pressure of the lower portion of the protuberance which will increase.
Although the container of the present invention is intended primarily for beverages, i.e. for liquids that are intended to be drunk, it will be appreciated that it will be equally applicable to other flowable foodstuffs, such as yoghurt and the term “beverage” is to be interpreted accordingly.
Patent Application
20080041808
