Container for products comprising a body and a plurality of reinforcing structures

Abstract

The present invention relates to a container (1) comprising a body (2) extending along a longitudinal axis (X), the body (2) having a first, closed end portion (20) comprising a bottom (22), and a second, open end portion (24) intended to receive a closure element, the body (2) having a wall (3) on which are arranged a plurality of independent reinforcing structures (4) spaced apart from one another, each of the reinforcing structures (4) extending along at least two different axes.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a container for products such as liquid products (paint, oil, etc.), solid products (grease, plaster, etc.), or powder products (cement, plaster, tonner, etc.).

In particular, the container according to the disclosure finds particular application in the field of packaging, for example of paints.

BACKGROUND

The containers are used in the industrial field to transport and/or store different types of products.

The containers generally comprise a body intended to receive and contain a product as well as a closing member mounted on the body to close the body and prevent, on the one hand, access to the product and, on the other hand, leakage of the product outside the container.

The current research and development are turning towards increasingly efficient containers.

It is also sought to provide containers which have a minimum weight, that is to say increasingly lighter and thinner containers.

A solution of the prior art to respond to this problem is to provide a container whose wall has reinforcing structures which extend continuously and cross over each other on the wall so as to form a grid.

The use of these structural reinforcements makes it possible to reinforce the container and thus be able to reduce the thickness of the wall.

A disadvantage of this type of container appears when the containers are stored and stacked inside each other then unstacked from each other to be able to use them. In fact, a suction effect has been noticed between the walls of the containers when the containers are unstacked from each other, which makes the step of separating the containers difficult and restrictive.

Currently, to avoid this suction effect, it is necessary to leave a significant clearance between two containers to allow unstacking. This limits the possibilities of modifying the dimensions of the containers to respond to the problem of space requirements.

It is also sought to provide containers which are impact resistant which will be applied to the containers during their use. To evaluate the impact resistance of containers, the containers are subjected to a variety of qualification tests carried out on different surfaces of these containers. It is therefore sought to provide a container which has impact resistance over its entire surface.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The disclosure aims in particular to overcome at least one of these drawbacks and concerns, according to one aspect, a container comprising a body extending along a longitudinal axis «X», the body including a first closed end portion comprising a bottom and a second open end portion intended to receive a closing member, the body including a wall on which is arranged a plurality of independent reinforcing structures spaced from each other, each of the reinforcing structures extending along at least two different axes.

Reinforcing structures that are independent of each other mean that each of the reinforcing structures forms a single element, which does not touch or cross an adjacent reinforcing structure.

The discontinuous configuration of the independent reinforcing structures spaced from each other on the wall makes it possible to form air passages between the adjacent reinforcing structures, which makes it possible to eliminate the suction effect when a container is unstacked from another container. This makes the unstacking of containers easier.

Thanks to the elimination of this suction effect, it is no longer necessary to have to leave a significant clearance between two containers and the distance between two containers called the vertical stacking distance can be reduced.

Furthermore, the configuration of the reinforcing structures which extend along at least two different axes makes it possible to reinforce the impact resistance of the container applied over the entire surface of the container.

The reinforcing structures of the container according to the disclosure have a synergistic effect on the unstacking of the containers, which is facilitated thanks to the elimination of the suction effect, and on the resistance of the container which is improved and which is present over the entire surface of the container.

According to other characteristics of the disclosure, the container of the disclosure includes one or more of the following optional characteristics considered alone or in all possible combinations.

According to a characteristic, the reinforcing structures are parts with excess thickness of the wall.

According to a characteristic, each of the reinforcing structures comprises at least one portion extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis and at least one portion extending along an axis having an angular offset relative to the longitudinal axis.

According to a characteristic, each of the reinforcing structures comprises at least one portion extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis and at least one portion extending along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

According to a characteristic, each of the reinforcing structures has the shape of an «I» and comprises a portion extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis so as to form a vertical bar of the «I» and two portions extending along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis so as to form two lateral bars of the «I».

According to a characteristic, each of the reinforcing structures comprises a third portion extending along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis «X» between the two portions extending along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis «X» so as to form the two lateral bars of the «I».

According to a characteristic, each of the reinforcing structures comprises two portions extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis «X» and two portions extending along an axis having an angular offset relative to the longitudinal axis «X».

According to a characteristic, each of the reinforcing structures has a «V» shape.

For example, each of the reinforcing structures has an inverted «V» shape.

According to a characteristic, each of the reinforcing structures comprises a first portion extending in a zigzag from the first end portion of the body of the container to the second end portion of the body of the container and a second portion extending in a zigzag from the first end portion of the container body to the second end portion of the container body so that the first portion and the second portion form diamonds.

According to a characteristic, each of the reinforcing structures comprises at least one third portion extending in each of the diamonds along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis «X».

Other characteristics and advantages of the disclosure will appear on reading the non-limiting description which follows and the appended figures which schematically illustrate several embodiments of the container according to the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a container according to a first embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the container according to the first embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the container according to a variant of the first embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the container according to a second embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the container according to a third embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the container according to the third embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the container according to the third embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the container according to a first variant of the third embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the container according to the first variant of the third embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the container according to the first variant of the third embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the container according to a second variant of the third embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the container according to a third variant of the third embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For the sake of simplification, identical elements are identified by identical reference signs in all of the figures.

FIGS. 1 to 12 illustrate a container according to different embodiments of the disclosure.

In all the shown embodiments, the container 1 comprises a body 2 extending along a longitudinal axis «X».

The body 2 includes a first closed end portion 20 comprising a bottom 22 and a second open end portion 24 intended to receive a closing member (not shown), such as a cover.

By end portion of the body of the container is meant a portion comprising an edge of the body of the container, a free end of the body of the container.

The body 2 of the container has a cylindrical shape of decreasing section from the second end portion 24 to the first end portion 22. This allows the container to be stacked in another container for storage reasons, for example. Of course, the body of the container according to the disclosure is not limited to a cylindrical shape and can be for example square, rectangular, oval, etc.

The body 2 of the container 1 comprises a wall 3 on which a plurality of reinforcing structures 4 are arranged.

In the shown examples, the plurality of reinforcing structure 4 is arranged on an internal face of the wall 3 of the body of the container. For example, the external face of the wall 3 of the body of the container is smooth so that a label can be stuck there.

In the examples shown, the reinforcing structures 4 are parts with excess thickness of the wall.

In the shown examples, the reinforcing structures 4 are independent and spaced from each other.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the discontinuous configuration of the reinforcing structures 4 which are independent and spaced from each other on the wall 3 makes it possible to form air passages «S» between the adjacent reinforcing structures 4 which makes it possible to eliminate the suction effect when a container 1 is unstacked from another container. This makes the unstacking of the containers easier.

Thanks to the elimination of the suction effect, it is no longer necessary to leave a significant clearance. The distance between two containers, known as the vertical stacking distance, can thus be reduced.

For example by increasing the thickness of the reinforcing structures 4 and reducing the thickness of the wall 3 to save material.

For example, the containers of the prior art, without reinforcing structure, have a wall thickness of 0.98 mm for a weight of 145 grams. The container according to the disclosure comprising a plurality of reinforcing structure has a total thickness of 0.98 mm comprising a wall thickness of 0.62 mm and a reinforcing structure thickness of 0.36 mm for a weight of 100 grams, that is to say lower than the weight of the containers of the prior art. In addition, the containers of the prior art have a lateral clearance of 0.55 mm between two containers compared to a clearance of 0.3 mm between two containers according to the disclosure. Moreover, the containers of the prior art have a vertical stacking distance between two containers of 25 mm. Thanks to the container according to the disclosure, the vertical stacking distance between two containers is reduced to 21 mm.

In the shown examples, the reinforcing structures 4 are arranged regularly over the entire wall 3 of the container body.

For example, the reinforcing structures 4 are adjacent and are separated from each other with an identical pitch between each reinforcing structure 4.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the reinforcing structures 4 are arranged in staggered rows.

According to the present presentation, each of the reinforcing structures 4 extends along at least two different axes.

This configuration makes it possible to reinforce the resistance of the container to impacts applied to various surfaces of the container unlike a container comprising a reinforcing structure which extends along a single axis such as the longitudinal axis «X» only, for example.

In first embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, each of the reinforcing structures 4 comprises at least one portion 40 extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis «X» and at least one portion 42 extending along an axis having an angular offset relative to the longitudinal axis «X».

The angular offset can be for example 10°, 45°, 90° relative to the longitudinal axis «X».

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a first embodiment in which each of the reinforcing structures 4 comprises at least one portion 40 extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis «X» and at least one portion 42 extending along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis «X».

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the reinforcing structures 4 has the shape of an «I» and comprises a portion 40 extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis «X» so as to form a vertical bar of the «I» and two portions 42′, 42″ extending along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis «X» so as to form the two lateral bars of the «I».

FIG. 3 illustrates a variant of the first embodiment in which each of the reinforcing structures 4 comprises a third portion 42″′ extending along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis «X» between the two portions 42′, 42″ extending along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis «X» so as to form the two lateral bars of the «I».

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the container 1 according to a second embodiment in which each of the reinforcing structures 4 comprises two portions 40′, 40″ extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis «X» and two portions 44′, 44″ extending along an axis having an angular offset relative to the longitudinal axis «X».

In the example shown in FIG. 4, each of the reinforcing structures 4 has a «V» shape with two vertical ends formed by the two portions 40′, 40″ extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis «X».

FIGS. 5 to 7 illustrate a preferred embodiment in terms of mass/resistance performance of the container in which each of the reinforcing structures 4 extends along a plurality of axes. In the shown examples, each of the reinforcing structures 4 comprises a first portion 400′ which extends in a zigzag from the first end portion 20 of the container body to the second end portion 24 of the container body and a second portion 400″ which extends in a zigzag from the first end portion 20 of the container body to the second end portion 24 of the container body. The first portion 400′ and the second portion 400″ form diamonds on the wall.

In the illustrated examples, the reinforcing structures are adjacent to each other. Every second reinforcing structure has a triangle shape at each of its ends.

FIG. 5 illustrates the container 1 during a first qualification test called «stacking test» in which a vertical compression «C» is applied to the closing member such as a cover (not shown) and the container.

FIG. 6 illustrates the container 1 during a second qualification test called «drop test at 45°» in which the container on which is mounted a closing member such as a cover (not shown) is dropped/fell with an inclination of 45°.

This test makes it possible to apply an impact to the corners 6 of the container body.

FIG. 7 illustrates the container 1 during a second qualification test called «drop test at 90°» in which the container is dropped/fell with the closing member such as a cover mounted on the body (not shown) with an inclination of 90°. This test makes it possible to apply an impact to the sides 7 of the body of the container 1.

Thanks to the reinforcing structures 4 which extend along at least two axes of the container, the qualification tests have demonstrated an increased resistance of the container to the various impacts subjected over the entire surface of the container. Furthermore, the container is deformed very little or even is not deformed during the «stacking test» and «drop test at 45°», and the closing member is not detached from the body during the «drop test at 90°» test despite the impact applied to the sides of the container body which are deformed and generally propel the closing member of the body.

The configuration of the reinforcing structures 4 which extend along at least several axes allows the container 1 according to the disclosure to resist impacts applied to any surface of the container.

The reinforcing structures 4 make it possible to provide rigidity to the wall 3 and to limit the deformation of the body 2 of the container.

In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the vertical reinforcing structure portions 40, 40′, 40″, which extend parallel to the longitudinal axis «X» make it possible to provide resistance to vertical pressure, applied to the container and evaluated during the «stacking test». The portions of reinforcing structure 42, 43 which extend along an axis having an angular offset relative to the longitudinal axis make it possible to provide resistance to the sides and corners of the container which is evaluated during «drop tests».

FIGS. 8 to 10 illustrate a first variant of the third embodiment of the container 1 according to the disclosure. In this variant, each of the reinforcing structures 4 comprises a portion 400″′ called the third portion extending in one of the diamonds along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis «X». In this presentation, the third portion extends between two opposite angles of the diamond. In the shown example, each of the reinforcing structures comprises a plurality of portions, each extending in one of the diamonds, along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis «X». Each of the reinforcing structures 4 thus forms a plurality of triangles that extend one below the other. This makes it possible to further strengthen the impact resistance of the container according to the disclosure.

FIG. 11 illustrates a second variant of the third embodiment of the container according to the disclosure. In this variant, each of the reinforcing structures 4 comprises a portion 402 called the fourth portion which extends in one of the diamonds along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis «X». The fourth portion 402 extends between two opposite angles of the diamond. In the shown example, each of the reinforcing structures 4 comprises a plurality of portions 402, each extending into one of the diamonds, along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis «X». In the shown example, the plurality of portions 402 extends along the same axis and forms a continuous portion.

FIG. 12 illustrates a third variant of the third embodiment of the container according to the disclosure. In this variant, each of the reinforcing structures 4 comprises a portion 400″″ called the third portion extending in one of the diamonds along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis «X» and a portion 402 called the fourth portion extending in one of the diamonds along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis «X».

In the shown example, each of the reinforcing structures 4 comprises a plurality of portions 400″′ called third portions each extending in one of the diamonds, along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis «X» and a plurality of portions 402 called fourth portions, each extending in one of the diamonds, along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis «X». In this variant, each of the portions 400′″, 402 extends between two opposite angles of the diamond.

Thus, the container according to the disclosure makes it possible to easily unstack said container from another container when they are in the storage position, to reduce the stacking pitch, to reduce its mass and to present optimal impact resistance on its entire surface.

According to an embodiment, the container according to the disclosure is made of plastic. Thanks to the extra thicknesses formed by the plurality of reinforcing structures, the dynamic injection phase of the plastic material during the manufacturing method is facilitated. Indeed, the plurality of reinforcing structures facilitates the filling of the cavity by significantly reducing the injection pressure. Consequently, the extra thicknesses formed by the plurality of reinforcing structures allow the use of more viscous plastic material (lower fluidity index (IF)) improving the characteristics of the container.

Claims

1. A container comprising a body extending along a longitudinal axis, the body including a first closed end portion comprising a bottom and a second open end portion intended to receive a closing member, the body comprising a shape of decreasing section from the second end portion to the first end portion, the body including a wall on which is arranged a plurality of reinforcing structures independent and spaced from each other over the entire wall, and air passages formed between the adjacent reinforcing structures, each of the reinforcing structures extending along at least two different axes.

2. The container according to claim 1 wherein the reinforcing structures are parts with excess thickness of the wall.

3. The container according to claim 1 wherein each of the reinforcing structures comprises at least one portion extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis and at least one portion extending along an axis having an angular offset relative to the longitudinal axis.

4. The container according to claim 3 wherein each of the reinforcing structures comprises at least one portion extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis and at least one portion extending along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

5. The container according to claim 4 wherein each of the reinforcing structures has the shape of an «I» and comprises a portion extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis so as to form a vertical bar of the «I» and two portions extending along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis so as to form two lateral bars of the «I».

6. The container according to claim 5 wherein each of the reinforcing structures comprises a third portion extending along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis between the two portions extending along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis so as to form the two lateral bars of the «I».

7. The container according to claim 3 wherein each of the reinforcing structures comprises two portions extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis and two portions extending along an axis having an angular offset relative to the longitudinal axis.

8. The container according to claim 7 wherein each of the reinforcing structures has a «V» shape.

9. The container according to claim 3 wherein each of the reinforcing structures comprises a first portion extending in a zigzag from the first end portion of the body of the container to the second end portion of the container body and a second portion extending in a zigzag from the first end portion of the container body to the second end portion of the container body so that the first portion and the second portion form diamonds.

10. The container according to claim 9 wherein each of the reinforcing structures comprises a plurality of portions called third portions each extending in one of the diamonds along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

11. The container according to claim 1 wherein each of the reinforcing structures comprises a plurality of portions called fourth portions, each extending in one of the diamonds, along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis «X».

12. The container according to claim 9 wherein each of the reinforcing structures comprises a plurality of portions called third portions each extending in one of the diamonds, along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis «X» and a plurality of portions called fourth portions, each extending in one of the diamonds, along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis «X».