Bottles and jars – Sidewall structure – Apertured sidewall
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-22
2001-06-19
Castellano, Stephen (Department: 3727)
Bottles and jars
Sidewall structure
Apertured sidewall
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247606
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to high strength, lightweight containers. More particularly, this invention relates to containers that have a high longitudinal and lateral strength and a reduced lateral deformation when filled with a substance.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There is a continuing need for lightweight containers that have a high longitudinal and lateral strength. A high longitudinal and lateral strength container resists both bulging and paneling. Paneling is when some of the head space gases are absorbed by the contents of the bottle to create a slight vacuum. This can cause the front or rear wall to buckle inwardly. A container will bulge when the wall strength is less than the force exerted on the container walls by a contained substance or from container stacking. Both of these effects are problems. Each changes the original shape of the container.
There also is a need for lightweight, high strength containers at the manufacturing and distribution levels. The containers must be sufficiently strong to withstand the forces during filling and handling, and then later during distribution when packing cases and/or the containers will be stacked, one on the other. Also there must be a sufficient strength when handled by the consumer during use. The container must retain its integrity so that there will be no spills or other such events.
There is a continuing need for containers that have a lighter weight. This results in a lower cost and less material to recycle once the container is emptied of its contents. The problem is how to make a lightweight container that will substantially retain its shape during usage, that is, how to make a bottle that has a high lateral and longitudinal strength. These are competing objectives.
This problem is partially addressed by the Perwoll product bottle. This is a German product. In this bottle there are front and rear walls and connecting sidewalls. There also are flat sections between each of these walls. This bottle partially solves the problem. However, in order to get lightweight container and high longitudinal and lateral strength between the front wall and the sidewalls, and between the rear wall and the sidewalls, there should be concave transition walls. A concave shape to a transition wall increases the strength of the container both laterally and longitudinally. In addition, it has been found that the handle area can likewise be strengthened if between the wall of the handle area and the front, rear and sidewalls, there also is a concave transition wall. That is, in any transition from one container wall to another container wall there should be a concave transition wall. A transition wall with a concave structure permits the use of less container material but yet retains the overall container strength.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The container has a front wall, a rear wall and sidewalls connecting the front wall and the rear wall. The container is closed at the bottom end by a bottom wall with a dispensing channel at the other end. Between the front wall and each sidewall, and the rear wall and each sidewall, there is a concave transition wall. The concave transition wall extends from about the bottom wall up to at least about half the distance to the dispensing channel. In an upper part of the container the concave transition walls can merge into the structure of the container.
The container has a handle which preferably is comprised of an aperture in the front wall which extends to the rear wall. An aperture wall connects the front wall to the rear wall. Between the aperture wall and the front wall and the aperture wall and the rear wall, there are concave aperture transition walls. In the handle area of the container the concave transition wall for purposes of the extension up the container includes the aperture concave transition walls which also strengthen the handle side of the container.
The concave transition walls and the aperture concave transition walls serve to increase the lateral strength of the container. These concave transition walls reduce the longitudinal and lateral distortion of the container when the container is filled with a substance. Also, they provide for a handle that undergoes minimal deformation when the handle is gripped.
The upper part of the container in a preferred embodiment will have a dome shape with hyperbolic walls. The hyperbolic walls transfer longitudinal forces on the container downwardly to the body of the container and to the walls of the container with the concave transition walls functioning as columns to assist in the transfer of the longitudinal forces to the base and the bottom wall.
The bottom wall preferably will have at least one longitudinal concave portion and at least one concave lateral portion. More preferably for larger size containers, there are at least two concave lateral portions. The concave portions increase the strength of the bottom of the container.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 38430 (1907-01-01), Pressing
patent: D. 333433 (1993-02-01), Segati
patent: D. 347175 (1994-05-01), Segati
patent: 4193699 (1980-03-01), Haygeman et al.
patent: 4372455 (1983-02-01), Cochran
patent: 4572384 (1986-02-01), Vesborg
patent: 4609106 (1986-09-01), Gentili
patent: 4765514 (1988-08-01), Berglund
patent: 4804119 (1989-02-01), Goodall
patent: 4858758 (1989-08-01), Mitchell et al.
patent: 5156285 (1992-10-01), Zogg et al.
patent: 5366101 (1994-11-01), Krall et al.
patent: 9212023 (1992-11-01), None
patent: 2127375 (1984-04-01), None
PCT Search Report; Jun. 8, 1998.*
Photographs of “Perwoll” bottle, no date.
Castellano Stephen
Colgate-Palmolive Company
McGreal Michael J.
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