Patent Application
20240262561
The present disclosure relates to a protector device for containers, and especially for containers, such as bottles or cans, for beverages.
The protector device of this disclosure may be used for holding and isolating at least one container, and preferably a plurality of containers, against impacts or shocks, and resultant damage, during transport and it will be convenient to describe the present disclosure in this exemplary context. It will be understood, however, that the protector device of the disclosure is not limited to this application and may be used for containers in a range of other circumstances, and not solely for beverage containers.
The following discussion of background is intended to enable an understanding of the present disclosure only. This discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part of the common general knowledge as at the date of this patent application.
Many containers for foodstuffs, and especially for beverages, are susceptible to damage during transport. Bottles or other containers made from glass, for example, are highly susceptible to breakage caused by inadvertent impacts or shocks. Cans or other containers made from aluminium or made from plastics are similarly susceptible to dints or punctures from impacts or shocks. When such containers are transported, whether in a domestic or a commercial context, they may have some freedom for movement within a confined space during transport. In such a situation, any acceleration, deceleration, or change in direction of the vehicle in which the containers are transported can lead to the containers moving and impacting against other objects (including other containers) within the confined space, potentially then resulting in damage to the containers.
One example of this phenomenon in the domestic context occurs in transporting containers of beverages, such as cans or bottles of beer, bottles of wine, bottles of milk, etc., in a road vehicle. Even where the containers are held within the relatively confined space of a car refrigerator, cool box, or Esky®, the containers may have some freedom for movement with which a sufficient impact against side walls of the refrigerator or cool box or Esky®, or against other objects or containers, can be generated, leading to some breakage or damage.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide a new container protector for beverage containers, such as bottles or cans, containing beverages.
According to one aspect, the present disclosure provides a protector device for containers, and especially for containers, such as bottles or cans, containing beverages. The protector device comprises: a plurality of receptacles, each of which is configured to receive and hold a respective container, wherein each of the receptacles is configured to extend at least partially around a circumference or periphery of the respective container and comprises a material that is adapted to isolate the respective container from impacts or shocks. In this way, the receptacle may provide a buffer that can substantially avoid or prevent an impact or shock from being imparted to the container directly and/or that can reduce or minimise an impact or shock and/or potentially absorb such an impact or shock. The material adapted to isolate the respective container from impacts or shocks is thus relatively soft and impact dampening, such as a resilient polymer material with a hardness that is preferably in the range of 0 to 100 on the Shore 00 scale, and more preferably in the range of 10 to 90 on the Shore 00 scale.
According to another aspect, the present disclosure provides a protector device for one or more containers, especially for beverage containers, such as bottles or cans, the protector device comprising: at least one receptacle configured to receive and hold a container, wherein the or each receptacle is configured to extend at least partially around a circumference or periphery of the container and is comprised of an impact dampening material adapted to isolate the container at least partially from an impact or shock. In an embodiment, a plurality of the receptacles are interconnected with one another in an array, especially a rectangular array, to hold the containers together in a compact group.
In an embodiment of the disclosure, each receptacle is configured or adapted to extend substantially fully around a circumference or periphery of a respective container, thereby to substantially surround the circumference of the respective container. To this end, each of the receptacles may include a band or sleeve that comprises the isolating material and is configured to substantially encompass or surround the circumference or the periphery of the respective container. In this way, the band or sleeve of the isolating material may surround the circumference of the respective container, such as a bottle or a can, to form a protective layer that forms a buffer or spacer between the container and neighbouring objects.
To operate effectively, each of the receptacles is preferably configured to extend around a circumference or periphery of the respective container at a part or region of the container defining its maximum diameter or near to its maximum diameter. The protection device is preferably designed for use with containers, such as bottles or cans, having a substantially uniform or constant outer diameter, so that a position of the protector device along a length or a height of the container does not substantially alter the efficacy of the device. In this regard, each of the receptacles of the protector device preferably forms or comprises a substantially cylindrical cavity for receiving and accommodating the body of the container. As noted above, the material is desirably a resilient polymer material that is suitable to absorb or dampen an impact load or shock load. For example, the material preferably has a hardness in the range of 20 to 80 on the Shore 00 scale, and/or in the range of 0 to 60 on the Shore A scale. The material thickness is typically at least one millimetre, and preferably in a range of about 1 mm to about 10 mm, more preferably in a range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm. The material thickness may vary in different parts of the protector device and may exceed the above ranges, at least in some parts.
In an embodiment, each band or sleeve comprises or forms one or more aperture or region exposing part of a circumferential side of the respective container received and held by the receptacle. In this way, if the containers are within a car refrigerator, cool box, or Esky®, the one or more apertures or regions provided by the band or sleeve provide for direct thermal transfer with the container held in the receptacle. That is, the band or sleeve does not provide an unwanted or unnecessary thermal isolation of the container from the cooling effect of the refrigerator, cool box, or Esky®. Each aperture is preferably elongate, e.g., rectangular or oblong, and extends generally vertically along a side of the respective container received and held by the receptacle.
In an embodiment, each of the receptacles has a base for supporting a bottom part of the respective container. This way, each of the containers can be inserted into its respective receptacle and seated on the base thereof.
In an embodiment, each receptacle has one or more inwardly directed projections for engaging or contacting a side of a container inserted into the respective receptacle. In a preferred embodiment, each receptacle has a plurality of inwardly directed projections spaced apart around a circumference of the receptacle. In this way, the inwardly directed projections present less contact area or a smaller contact surface to engage or contact the side of a container as it is inserted into, or withdrawn from, the receptacle, thereby making insertion (and removal) of the container easier. The one or more inwardly directed projections may also operate to enhance the isolation of the respective container from impacts or shocks. Each of the one or more inwardly directed projections is preferably in the form of a bead or rib which may be arranged to extend (e.g., generally vertically) along a side of the respective container.
In an embodiment, each of the inwardly directed projections is preferably flexible and deformable against the side of the container inserted into the respective receptacle. For example, each of the inwardly directed projections may be formed as a fin or rib that is able to flex or bend. In this way, the flexible nature of the inwardly directed projections can accommodate variation in a diameter of the body of the container to be received and housed or accommodated in the receptacle. The inwardly directed projections, especially when formed as an elongate fin or rib, may also provide structural stability to the individual receptacles, especially when the material is a particularly soft polymer.
In an embodiment of the disclosure, the base of each receptacle is configured to stack on top of another respective container. To this end, an underside of the base of each receptacle preferably includes a recess configured to receive and/or nest with a top of another respective container arranged below it. The recess may, for example, be in the form of an annular or ring-shaped recess for receiving or nesting with an upstanding rim of a beverage can. The recess may also be in the form of a generally circular recess for receiving or nesting with a top or cap of a bottle.
In an embodiment of the disclosure, the plurality of receptacles of the protector device are interconnected with one another in an array, and especially in a rectangular array, for holding the containers together in a compact group. For example, the protector device may be configured with six receptacles arranged in a 3×2 array for receiving and holding six cans or six bottles, such as is typical of a six-pack of beverage containers. In an alternative arrangement, the protector device may be configured with four receptacles arranged in a 2×2 array for receiving and holding four cans or four bottles. In another arrangement, the protector device may be configured with four receptacles in a 4×1 array for receiving and holding four cans or bottles. In a further alternative arrangement, the protector device may be configured with two receptacles in a 2×1 array for receiving and holding, for example, two wine bottles or two milk bottles. A protector device with a single receptacle for receiving and holding a single container is also contemplated.
In an embodiment, the protector device includes at least one gripping element to facilitate carrying of the protector device when it accommodates a plurality of containers. The at least one gripping element may be formed as a recess or hole for insertion of a finger of a user during lifting or carrying. The protector device may include two or more of such recesses or holes for insertion of, for example, a thumb and forefinger of the user during lifting or carrying. The at least one gripping element may alternatively be formed as a strap or loop to be grasped and held by the user. The at least one gripping element is preferably formed on a top surface or in an upper region of the protector device for easy access during use. The at least one gripping element is preferably also formed integrally or unitarily with the protector device.
In an embodiment, the protector device is configured for stacking a group of the containers on top of a corresponding group. To this end, an underside of the protector device includes a plurality of recesses configured to receive and/or to nest with the tops of a group of containers arranged below the containers that are received and held within the receptacles of the protector device. In doing so, the underside of the protector device operates to isolate the containers that are received and held within the receptacles of the protector device from the group of containers arranged below. That is, the bottom of the protector device forms a buffer that substantially prevents or avoids damage from impacts or shocks transferred vertically between the containers. It may also operate to consolidate or hold the containers arranged below in a group.
In an embodiment of the disclosure, a height of each receptacle is less than a height of the respective container, and preferably less than or equal to three quarters of the container height. Preferably, the height of each receptacle is two thirds, or less than two thirds, of the height of the respective container. For example, the height of each receptacle may be half, or even one third, of the height of the respective container. In this way, each of the containers typically projects substantially from a top of each receptacle for easy insertion into and/or withdrawal from the receptacle.
In an embodiment, the protector device is moulded or 3D-printed from a resilient polymer material, preferably from food-grade silicone rubber. For example, the protector device is preferably formed by injection moulding. The protector device may be highly flexible and deformable and may be collapsible to a substantially flat configuration.
In an embodiment, the protector device is formed as an integral or unitary (i.e., one-piece) component. In this regard, the protector device may be formed or comprised substantially entirely of the material adapted to isolate the respective container at least partially from impacts or shocks. The protector device is preferably dishwasher safe.
According to a further aspect, the present disclosure provides a set of protector devices for containers and each protector device of the set is a protector device according to any one of the embodiments of the disclosure described above.
For a more complete understanding of the disclosure and advantages thereof, exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing figures, in which like reference signs designate like parts, and in which:
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate particular embodiments of the disclosure and together with the description serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. Other embodiments of the disclosure and many of the attendant advantages will be readily appreciated as they become better understood with reference to the following detailed description.
It will be appreciated that common and/or well understood elements that may be useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are not necessarily depicted in order to facilitate a more abstracted view of the embodiments. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily illustrated to scale relative to each other. It will also be understood that certain actions and/or steps in an embodiment of a method may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrences while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required.
Referring firstly to
In this embodiment, the protector device 1 is integrally moulded from a resilient polymer material, such as food-grade silicone rubber (e.g., Shore Hardness of 0 A to 30 A), and each receptacle 2 comprises a generally cylindrical sleeve 3 with an upper opening 4 into which a respective container is able to be inserted. An upper rim portion 5 of each cylindrical sleeve 3 forms a ring or band that is configured to extend substantially fully around a circumference or periphery of the respective container C. In this way, the sleeve 3 of resilient polymer material operates to isolate the container around its circumference or periphery from an impact or shock being imparted to the bottle or can directly and can absorb such an impact or shock to avoid or prevent any resultant damage to the bottle or can. The material thickness T is preferably in a range of about 3 mm to 8 mm but may vary in different parts of the protector device 1 and may exceed that range, at least in some parts.
As can be particularly well seen in
With reference to drawing
Referring now to
As like reference signs designate like parts in the protector device 1 shown in the drawing
With reference to drawing
Although specific embodiments of the disclosure are illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternative and/or equivalent implementations exist. It should be appreciated that each exemplary embodiment is an example only and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Generally, this disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein. By way of example, a skilled person will readily appreciate that the protector device of the disclosure is not limited to being made from a specific material as described in the embodiments. Rather, the skilled person will appreciate that a range of suitable materials exist and the skilled person can select a material based upon the known mechanical properties of that material which make it suitable for use in the protector device.
It will also be appreciated that the terms “comprise”, “comprising”, “include”, “including”, “contain”, “containing”, “have”, “having”, and any variations thereof, used in this document are intended to be understood in an inclusive (i.e. non-exclusive) sense, such that the process, method, device, apparatus, or system described herein is not limited to those features, integers, parts, elements, or steps recited but may include other features, integers, parts, elements, or steps not expressly listed and/or inherent to such process, method, process, method, device, apparatus, or system. Furthermore, the terms “a” and “an” used herein are intended to be understood as meaning one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise. Moreover, the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on or to establish a certain ranking of importance of their objects. In addition, reference to positional terms, such as “upper”, “lower”, and “underside”, used in the above description are to be taken in context of the embodiments depicted in the figures, and are not to be taken as limiting this disclosure to the literal interpretation of the term but rather as would be understood by the skilled addressee in the appropriate context.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023900290 | Feb 2023 | AU | national |
| 2023901773 | Jun 2023 | AU | national |
