U.S. patent application number 10/871379 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-15 for pet bottle and method of manufacturing the same.
Invention is credited to Higuchi, Mitsuo.
Application Number | 20050202192 10/871379 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34824625 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050202192 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Higuchi, Mitsuo |
September 15, 2005 |
Pet bottle and method of manufacturing the same
Abstract
The present invention provides a PET bottle that is adapted such
that a capacity of a container body can be extremely reduced when
juice or mineral water in the container body is drunk off and the
container body is discarded. The present invention proposes a
method of manufacturing the PET bottle. In addition, the present
invention makes it possible to extremely reduce cost for collection
of PET bottles and personal expenses for cleaning and collection.
The PET bottle is manufactured using a pair of cylindrical mold
bodies for PET bottle that is formed in a bellows shape in a
horizontal direction in an entire length or a part of the length in
a longitudinal direction thereof excluding a mouth portion on a
side in an inner periphery, is lower than a height of the PET
bottle body when content is filled therein, and is drilled in a
shape substantially the same as a PET bottle body.
Inventors: |
Higuchi, Mitsuo; (Yamanashi,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
REED SMITH LLP
Suite 1400
3110 Fairview Park Drive
Falls Church
VA
22042
US
|
Family ID: |
34824625 |
Appl. No.: |
10/871379 |
Filed: |
June 21, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
428/35.7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C 2049/4807 20130101;
B29C 53/08 20130101; B29L 2031/703 20130101; Y10T 428/1352
20150115; B29C 61/06 20130101; B29C 53/30 20130101; B65D 1/0292
20130101; B29L 2031/7158 20130101; B29C 49/4802 20130101; B29L
2016/00 20130101; B29K 2067/00 20130101; B29C 49/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/035.7 |
International
Class: |
B65D 001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 12, 2004 |
JP |
2004-070550 |
Claims
1. A PET bottle having different heights at the time when the PET
bottle is filled with content and at the time when the PET bottle
is empty, wherein the PET bottle is manufactured using a pair of
cylindrical mold bodies for PET bottle that is formed in a bellows
shape in a horizontal direction in an entire length or a part of
the length in a longitudinal direction thereof excluding a mouth
portion on a side in an inner periphery, is lower than a height of
a PET bottle body when content is filled therein, and is drilled in
a shape substantially the same as the PET bottle body.
2. A method of manufacturing a PET bottle having different heights
at the time when the PET bottle is filled with content and at the
time when the PET bottle is empty, wherein the method manufactures
a PET bottle body using a pair of cylindrical mold bodies for PET
bottle that is formed in a bellows shape in a horizontal direction
in an entire length or a part of the length in a longitudinal
direction thereof excluding a mouth portion on a side in an inner
periphery, is lower than a height of the PET bottle body when
content is filled therein, and is drilled in a shape substantially
the same as a PET bottle body, and guiding a pre-form, which is a
preliminary molded production formed in a predetermined shape in
advance, to the mold body and subjecting the pre-form to heat
processing to force the pre-form to thermally expands.
3. The method of manufacturing a PET bottle having different
heights at the time when the PET bottle is filled with content and
at the time when the PET bottle is empty, according to claim 2, =p1
wherein the cylindrical mold bodies include: ring shape mold pieces
that have the same height as the folds of the bellows shape,
respectively, and are divided into two to the left and right in the
horizontal direction; a movable mold that is constituted by putting
the ring shape mold pieces one on top of another in substantially
the same number as the number of the folds of the bellows shape; a
coupling member that couples the ring shape mold pieces adjacent to
each other vertically such that the ring shape mold pieces are in
contact closely or are slightly spaced apart from each other; and
an opening/closing mechanism that operates this coupling member to
perform action for causing the ring shape mold pieces adjacent to
each other to come into contact or to form a space.
4. The method of manufacturing a PET bottle having different
heights at the time when the PET bottle is filled with content and
at the time when the PET bottle is empty, according to claim 2,
wherein the pre-form is PET bottle resin.
5. The method of manufacturing a PET bottle having different
heights at the time when the PET bottle is filled with content and
at the time when the PET bottle is empty, according to claim 2,
wherein the PET bottle body is formed of memory resin that
memorizes a height at the time when the PET bottle body is
empty.
6. The method of manufacturing a PET bottle having different
heights at the time when the PET bottle is filled with content and
at the time when the PET bottle is empty, according to claim 3,
wherein the pre-form is PET bottle resin.
7. The method of manufacturing a PET bottle having different
heights at the time when the PET bottle is filled with content and
at the time when the PET bottle is empty, according to claim 3,
wherein the PET bottle body is formed of memory resin that
memorizes a height at the time when the PET bottle body is
empty.
8. The method of manufacturing a PET bottle having different
heights at the time when the PET bottle is filled with content and
at the time when the PET bottle is empty, according to claim 4,
wherein the PET bottle body is formed of memory resin that
memorizes a height at the time when the PET bottle body is
empty.
9. The method of manufacturing a PET bottle having different
heights at the time when the PET bottle is filled with content and
at the time when the PET bottle is empty, according to claim 6,
wherein the PET bottle body is formed of memory resin that
memorizes a height at the time when the PET bottle body is empty.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention is directed to molding that is used in
a blow molding method, which is mainly called stretch blow or
indection blow or is generally called PET resin blow, to mold a
container for juice or mineral water. In particular, the present
invention relates to a PET bottle, which has different heights at
the time when the PET bottle is filled with content and at the time
when the PET bottle is empty, and a method of manufacturing the
same.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] In recent years, a quantity of production of synthetic resin
bottles has been extremely large.
[0005] However, when a container body is disposed after juice or
mineral water in the container body is drunk off, the container
body keeps a shape before the container body is drained. If the
container body is thrown in a trash can, the trash can is filled
with empty container bodies in a short time as if the trash can is
filled with the air. Eventually, empty container bodies are thrown
on the street to deteriorate the living environment. In addition,
cost for collection of the empty container bodies and personal
expenses for cleaning impose a significant burden on the public
service.
[0006] Further, whereas the synthetic resin bottle of this type can
be manufactured by convenient means such as blow molding, it cannot
be said that the synthetic resin bottle has sufficient strength for
withstanding an impact during transportation by an automobile or
other transportation means involving heavy vibration and a weight
at the time when synthetic resin bottles are stacked for exhibition
at the store.
[0007] Moreover, when the containers are transported from a
manufacture to a company that fills juice or mineral water in the
containers, cost for transportation of the containers is
significant because the container bodies are bulky as if the air is
transported.
[0008] Therefore, the inventor provided a liquid container that was
worked out such that the liquid container could be easily reduced
in size when the liquid container was collected as a waste
article.
[0009] This liquid container is made of relatively soft synthetic
resin, and peripheral folds of a liquid container body having a
mouth portion at an upper end is formed in bellows (see Abstract of
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-213418).
[0010] In addition, the inventor proposed an invention for means
for manufacturing a container body in a shape, in which a capacity
thereof was substantially reduced by giving load in a vertical
direction and/or a twisting direction of the container body, and
maintaining this reduced shape and an invention for the container
body. (see Abstract of Patent Application Laid-Open No.
2002-68156).
[0011] As a result, the invent or could attain the above-described
objects. In other words, the inventor could further reduce a height
and a capacity of the container body when the container body is
crushed and keep that state.
[0012] In the conventional PET bottle manufacturing means, a
so-called biaxially oriented blow molding method using a pre-form
is mainly used.
[0013] For example, there is an invention for performing opening
and closing operations of a pair of molds, in which the pre-form
can be set, with a ring and a rotating disc that are axially
provided so as to be capable of rotating 180.degree. (see pages 3
and 4 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-48327).
However, there is almost no invention for a new and excellent mold
for manufacturing bellows of the container body and folds
constituting the bellows and a method of manufacturing the
mold.
[0014] However, a well-known invention for subjecting a pre-form,
which is a primary molded product formed in a predetermined shape
in advance, to biaxially oriented blow molding with a primary blow
mold to form a primary intermediate molded product, subjecting the
primary intermediate molded product to heat processing to force the
primary intermediate molded product to thermally shrunk and
deformed into a secondary intermediate molded product, and
subjecting the secondary intermediate molded product to secondary
blow molding to form a bottle or other containers by hardly
extending and deforming the secondary molded product compared with
primary blow (see page 2 of Japanese Patent No. 2777790).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] In general, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a PET bottle that can be reduced in capacity when juice or
mineral water in a container body is drunk off and the container
body is discarded. Moreover, the present invention proposes a
method of manufacturing the PET bottle. The number of container
bodies manufactured by the method, which are put in a trash can, is
remarkably increased compared with container bodies that cannot be
put in a trash can in a sufficiently large number. This makes it
possible to transport a large number of empty container bodies
simultaneously. Thus, cost for collection of the container bodies
and personal expenses for cleaning and collection can be reduced
remarkably.
[0016] In addition, a mold for such a container body is suitable
for manufacturing a large number of container bodies, and a bellows
portion and folds constituting the bellows are formed surely. As a
result, a PET bottle, which is adapted to keep a crushed state when
the container body is crushed, and a method of manufacturing the
PET bottle could be proposed.
[0017] In general, the present invention is characterized by
molding used for a blow molding method, which is mainly called
stretch blow or indection blow or is generally called PET resin
blow, to mold a PET bottle, which is a bottle for juice or mineral
water. In particular, the present invention provides a PET bottle
having different heights at the time when it is filled with content
and at the time when it is empty, which has a smaller height
compared with a height in the case in which it is filled with juice
or mineral water and is excellent in appearance, and is worked out
such that height and capacity thereof can be reduced when the PET
bottle is transported from a manufacturer thereof to a company that
fills juice or mineral water therein, and proposes a method of
manufacturing the same.
[0018] A characteristic as means for the above is that a PET bottle
having different heights at the time when it is filled with content
and at the time when it is empty could be provided, which is
characterized by being manufactured using a pair of cylindrical
mold bodies for PET bottle that is formed in a bellows shape in a
horizontal direction in an entire length or a part of the length in
a longitudinal direction thereof excluding a mouth portion on a
side in an inner periphery, is lower than a height of a PET bottle
body when content is filled therein, and is drilled in a shape
substantially the same as the PET bottle body.
[0019] In addition, another characteristic of the present invention
is that a method of manufacturing a PET bottle body, which has the
same inner and outer shapes as the shape of an inner peripheral
side of the mold body, could be proposed using a pair of
cylindrical mold bodies for PET bottle that is formed in a bellows
shape in a horizontal direction in an entire length or a part of
the length in a longitudinal direction thereof excluding a mouth
portion on a side in an inner periphery, is lower than a height of
the PET bottle body when content is filled therein, and is drilled
in a shape substantially the same as a PET bottle body, and guiding
a pre-form, which is a preliminary molded production formed in a
predetermined shape in advance, to the mold body and subjecting the
pre-form to heat processing to force the pre-form to thermally
expand.
[0020] As another characteristic of the present invention, the
cylindrical mold bodies include: ring shape mold pieces that have
the same height as the folds of the bellows shape, respectively,
and are divided into two to the left and right in the horizontal
direction; a movable mold that is constituted by putting the ring
shape mold pieces one on top of another in substantially the same
number as the number of the folds of the bellows shape; a coupling
member that couples the ring shape mold pieces adjacent to each
other vertically such that the ring shape mold pieces are in
contact closely or are slightly spaced apart from each other; and
an opening/closing mechanism that operates this coupling member to
perform action for causing the ring shape mold pieces adjacent to
each other to come into contact or to form a space.
[0021] As another characteristic of the present invention, the
pre-form is PET bottle resin.
[0022] Moreover, as another characteristic of the present
invention, the PET bottle body is formed of memory resin that
memorizes a height at the time when the PET bottle body is
empty.
[0023] Note that the present invention is naturally applied to a
container body that has a mouth portion at an upper end, a small
width in a height direction of a bottom, and a flat portion
provided in an intermediate part, and an entire length or a part of
the length in a longitudinal direction excluding the mouth portion,
the width in the height direction, and the flat portion is formed
in a bellows shape in a horizontal direction. It is considered
within a technical scope of the present invention that an entire
shape of the container body is selected from columnar including
elliptical, prism including rectangular, cone and pyramid including
beheaded, hourglass drum-shaped, and barrel shaped appropriately, a
horizontal sectional shape of the container body is selected from
circular including elliptical and square including rectangular
appropriately, and the present invention can be applied to
manufacturing means for a container that can wind a label, on which
a guidance for content in a container, a trademark, or the like is
printed, to an outer periphery of the container body.
[0024] Note that the present invention has other excellent objects,
characteristics, and actions and effects of the invention, which
will be clarified in the following explanation of embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1A is a front view of an entire body, which is
manufactured by an apparatus and a method of the present invention,
immediately after manufacture;
[0026] FIG. 1B is front view of an entire PET bottle body, which is
manufactured by an apparatus and a method of the present invention,
in a state in which content is filled therein;
[0027] FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional explanatory view of a fold
constituting the PET bottle body;
[0028] FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a shoulder portion
immediately after the PET bottle body is manufactured;
[0029] FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a state of an
intermediate portion of the PET bottle body;
[0030] FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a state of a bottom of
the PET bottle body;
[0031] FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway sectional view showing a
deformed state at the time when the PET bottle body is crushed;
[0032] FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional explanatory view of a mold
body of an embodiment of the present invention and an apparatus
therefor;
[0033] FIG. 8 is a half vertical sectional view of the same showing
a state in which gaps among folds are closed;
[0034] FIG. 9 is a half vertical sectional view of the same showing
a state in which the gaps among the folds are opened;
[0035] FIG. 10 is a sectional explanatory view in an initial state
in which a container body has expanded; and
[0036] FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view showing a state in
which resin enters gaps between adjacent movable molds, and the
container body is crushed in the state of FIG. 10.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS
[0037] A, Trunk
[0038] A1, Trunk including a central portion and a lower
portion
[0039] B, Bottom surface portion of a container body (1)
[0040] C, Shoulder portion of the container body (1)
[0041] D, (Bell-shaped) Coupling portion
[0042] E, (Annular) groove
[0043] d, Outer diameter of the container body 1
[0044] d1, Outer diameter of a bellows shape 5 on a first stage
[0045] d2, Outer diameter of a bellows shape 6 on a second
stage
[0046] d3, Outer diameter of a bellows shape 7 on a third stage
[0047] h1, Upper part of a fold on a first stage
[0048] h2, Lower part of the fold on the first stage
[0049] 1, PET bottle body
[0050] 2, Bellows shape
[0051] 3, Mouth portion
[0052] 4, Split spherical shape
[0053] 5, Bellows shape on a first stage
[0054] 6, Bellows shape on a second stage
[0055] 7, Bellows shape on a third stage
[0056] 8, Bellows shape on a fourth stage
[0057] 10, Projected arc shape
[0058] 11, Linear shape
[0059] 12, Cap
[0060] 13, Crest
[0061] 14, Trough
[0062] 15, Upper surface of an abacus bead shape
[0063] 16, Lower surface of the abacus bead shape
[0064] 101, Metal body
[0065] 102, Pre-form
[0066] 103, Ring-shaped piece
[0067] 104, Upper split mold
[0068] 105, Lower split mold
[0069] 106, Movable mold
[0070] 107, Gap
[0071] 108, X-shaped coupling member
[0072] 109, Linear member
[0073] 110, Mold frame
[0074] 111, Piston body
[0075] 112, Crank member
[0076] 113, Intermediate portion
[0077] 114, Cam member
[0078] 115, Taper
[0079] 116, Coil spring
[0080] 117, Fold mold
[0081] 118, Crest mold
[0082] 119, Trough mold
[0083] 120, Bell shape
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0084] In the figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a PET bottle
body that is obtained according to a manufacturing method of the
present invention. In explaining embodiments of the present
invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, first, a
structure and actions and effects of the PET bottle itself will be
explained because characteristics of the present invention is
easily understood if the structures and the actions and effects are
understood.
[0085] In the PET bottle body 1 shown in FIG. 1A, in a state in
which the PET bottle body 1 is taken out from a manufacturing
apparatus therefor, a height excluding a mouth portion at the top
is A, and an outer periphery and an inner periphery in a length
direction are formed in a bellows shape 2. In this case, as a
matter of comparison, the height A of this PET bottle body 1 is
molded to be small, in other words, the PET bottle body 1 is molded
with, for example, a capacity of 200 ml even if the PET bottle body
1 has a capacity of 500 ml when content is filled therein.
[0086] The PET bottle body 1 with the small capacity in the height
A direction is transported in this state of a cap and sent to, for
example, a factory for filling mineral water. In this case, since
the PET bottle body 1 with the small capacity is transported rather
than the empty PET bottle body 1 with the capacity of 500 ml, a
larger number of PET bottle bodies can be transported
simultaneously.
[0087] The low PET bottle body 1 transported to the factory is
changed to the PET bottle body 1 having a regular height A as shown
in FIG. 1B by sending liquid other than the air into the PET bottle
body 1 in advance, or goods with liquid sent into the PET bottle 1
is transported.
[0088] Now, a person removes a cap 12 and drinks content. Since the
PET bottle body 1 of the present invention is formed in a bellows
shape pulled in a height direction in work for filling the mineral
water or the like, the height of the PET bottle body 1 is reduced
by an amount of the drunken mineral water even when a person is
drinking the mineral water.
[0089] Certainly, it is difficult even for a young person to drink
off the mineral water filled in the PET bottle body 1 with a
capacity of 200 ml each time. In addition, it is trouble to carry
the PET bottle with a capacity of 200 ml in a half empty state, and
the PET bottle is often thrown away after all. In this regard, if
the height of the PET bottle is reduced by an amount of the drunken
mineral water every time the mineral water is drunk, it is very
convenient to carry the PET bottle by, for example, packing the PET
bottle in a handbag. However, as an actual problem, even if the PET
bottle body 1 is formed in a shape of bellows, it is difficult to
reduce the size of the PET bottle body 1 by 70 to 90% from the
regular height only by a restoring force of the shape.
[0090] Thus, after, for example, the mineral water in the PET
bottle body 1 is drunk off, an external force is applied to the PET
bottle body 1 to crush the PET bottle body 1 from one side or both
sides in a height (length) direction thereof. This state is shown
in FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0091] In other words, the present invention has an excellent
structure and shows an excellent action in order to bring the PET
bottle body 1 into a restored state with the original height when a
person is drinking the mineral water or the like in the PET bottle
body 1 and in order to keep the crushed state.
[0092] As an example of the structure of the container, reference
numeral 3 denotes a mouth portion of the container body 1 having a
male screw carved in an outer periphery thereof. The mouth portion
has a diameter of about 28 mm and a height of about 23 mm. In
addition, immediately below the mouth portion, a bell-shaped
coupling portion (D) having a height of 5 to 10 mm with a diameter
expanded to about 51 mm in a lower part thereof is connected on an
axis of the mouth portion 3.
[0093] There is a U-shaped annular groove E with a horizontal inner
end in a shoulder portion C of the container body 1. An end of the
bell-like coupling portion D and a side on the inside of the
annular groove E are coupled.
[0094] In addition, a side on the outside of the U-shaped groove E
is formed in a split spherical shape 4 facing downward. An outer
diameter d1 of a bellows shape 5 in a first stage, that is, an
outer diameter d1 on an uppermost stage of the bellows shape 2 is
set to smaller than an outer diameter d of the container body
1.
[0095] An outer diameter d2 of a bellows shape 6 on a second stage
is larger than the outer diameter d1 of the bellows shape 5 on the
first stage and smaller than the outer diameter d of the container
body 1.
[0096] The side on the outside of the U-shaped groove E is formed
in a step shape viewed from the side such that an outer diameter d3
of a bellows shape 7 on a third stage is larger than the outer
diameter d2 of the bellows shape 6 on the second stage and smaller
than the outer diameter d of the container body 1. However, it is
needless to mention that the side is not limited to three stages
but may be plural stages according to circumstances. In the
embodiment shown in the figures, it is assumed that the side is
formed in the three stages.
[0097] More specifically, in the container shown in FIG. 1, the
container body 1 with a height of 195 mm, a maximum diameter of
71.5 mm, and a capacity of 500 ml is formed in a shape having folds
of twelve stages.
[0098] However, in this case, the outer diameter d1 of the bellows
shape 5 on the first stage is set to 60.5 mm, and the outer
diameter d2 of the bellows shape 6 on the second stage is set to
67.0 mm. A diameter between the bellows shape 5 on the first stage
and the bellows shape 6 on the second stage is set to 47 mm.
[0099] Similarly, the outer diameter d3 of the bellows shape 7 on
the third stage is set to 69.0 mm, and an inner diameter between
the bellows shape 6 on the second stage and the bellows shape 7 on
the third stage is set to 51.1 mm.
[0100] Moreover, an outer diameter d of a bellows shape 8 on a
fourth stage, which is equal to the maximum outer diameter of the
container body 1, is set to 71.5 mm, and an inner diameter between
the bellows shape 7 on the third stage and the bellows shape 8 on
the fourth stage is set to 54.5 mm.
[0101] Outer diameters of bellows shapes on fifth to twelfth stages
below the fourth stage are the same as the outer diameter d of the
bellows shape of the fourth stage. Inner diameters of adjacent two
bellows shapes are identical with the inner diameter between the
bellows shape 7 on the third stage and the bellows shape 8 on the
fourth stage.
[0102] In this case, the folds take a shape like an unidentified
flying object (UFO) called the Adamski type. Therefore, the folds
are vertically divided into two in the horizontal direction.
[0103] In this case, in the figure, heights of an upper part (h1)
and a lower part (h2) of the fold on the first stage are 6.5 mm and
5.5 mm, those of the fold on the second stage are 7 mm and 5 mm,
and those of the fold on the third stage are 8.5 mm and 6.5 mm.
[0104] More specifically, a sectional shape of these folds is shown
in FIG. 4 and other figures.
[0105] That is, this is an example of dimensions of the folds on
the first stage 5 to the third stage 7. In the figure, it is
important that a shape of an upper surface 15 of a wide abacus bead
shape is a bay shape projecting to an outer direction with 20 mmR
in this embodiment, whereas a lower surface 16 is formed in a
linear shape 11 via a projected arc shape 10 with 0.8 mmR.
[0106] To explain this structure of this embodiment together with
an action thereof, in general, the PET bottle body 1 in the state
of FIG. 1 is divided into a trunk portion A1 including a central
part and a lower part and a shoulder portion C on the upper part as
shown in FIG. 6. In comparison of the portions A1 and C, since
diameters of the portions A1 and C consist of large and small
diameters, a stable vertical state is maintained.
[0107] That is, the trunk portion A1 including the central part and
the lower part is formed by an identical fold in inner and outer
diameters thereof. The shoulder portion C is bent in a protruded
shape with a gentle inclination in a direction of the mouth portion
3 in appearance. In particular, in the shoulder portion C, an inner
diameter of a trough 14 forming the fold is gradually reduced from
the central part to the mouth portion 3, and a difference of an
angle of inclination thereof is made larger than that of the trunk
portion A1. Thus, in a state in which this central part extends,
even when a person is drinking content, inner diameters and slopes
of a crest 13 and the trough 14 forming the fold can keep the state
of reduced heights with strength and an elastic force inherent in a
material.
[0108] Consequently, the shoulder portion C and the trunk portion
A1 of the PET bottle body 1 presses the folds of the shoulder
portion C, which would be in a shrunk state due to a restoration
force thereof, and an end face of the trough 14 compresses a trough
end face of the folds located adjacent to each other in a vertical
relation.
[0109] In a state viewed from the peak of the crest 13 of the fold
at this point, this is equivalent to a state in which the troughs
14 on both sides are pushed to the peak side of this crest 13. In
this case, since an upper surface 15 of the fold is less inclined
compared with a lower surface 16, a compression component of force
on a gentle inclination side is larger than a compression component
of force on a steep inclination side of the lower surface 16, the
trough 14 on the steep inclination side moves to the peak side of
the crest 13.
[0110] At this point, two significant changes occur in the
container body 1.
[0111] A first change is an increase in the inner diameter of the
crest 13 constituting the fold due to an expansion pressure or a
decrease in the inner diameter of the trough 14 due to a
compression pressure. A second change is bending of the steep side
of the lower surface 16 constituting the fold.
[0112] Subsequently, when this steep inclination side passes right
below the crest 13 and further creeps into the inside on the gentle
inclination side of the upper surface 15 as shown in FIG. 5 to move
the height of the container body 1 to a reduced state, a force of
restoring the inner diameter of the crest 13 and the inner diameter
of the trough 14 works or to restore the lower surface 16, which is
in a bent state due to the above-described operation, to an
extended state and stabilize the lower surface 16.
[0113] Therefore, even if a compression force is not always
applied, this reduced state could be kept.
[0114] Then, the trough 14 with a small inner diameter is subjected
to a compression pressure to be further reduced in the inner
diameter, whereby a pressure stress occurs.
[0115] When the compression pressure disappears, a stress acts so
as to open the trough 14 and restores the trough 14 to the extended
state.
[0116] Thus, the PET bottle body 1 maintains a reduced state under
the atmospheric pressure. In the case in which a compression stress
does not occur due to a difference of the inner diameter of the
trough 14, the PET bottle body 1 maintains the reduced state.
[0117] As a result, in repeated experiments, a height (capacity) of
the container body 1 decreased to 1/4 to 1/8. Even if the container
body 1 was thrown in a trash can, a space occupied by the container
body 1 could be reduced remarkably.
[0118] Next, an embodiment of a mold, with which the
characteristics and the excellent actions and effects in the PET
bottle body 1 of the present invention can be shown and which is
suitable for mass production of the container body 1, will be
described.
[0119] In the figure, reference numeral 101 denotes a cylindrical
mold body divided into two. A pre-form 102 can be inserted from a
bottom surface thereof.
[0120] This mold body 101 is constituted by ring-shaped mold pieces
103 of several stages staked in a height direction.
[0121] The ring-shaped mold pieces 103 formed in a disc shape
divided into two in a horizontal direction. A lowest stage thereof
is an upper split mold 104 in which molds for forming the container
body 1, the mouth portion 3, and the split spherical shape portion
4 are carved. A lowest stage thereof is a lower fixed split mold
105 in which a mold for forming the bottom of the container body 1
is carved. Between the upper spit mold 104 and the lower fixed
split mold 105, there are movable molds 106 equivalent to the
number of folds for forming the bellows shapes 2 of the container
body 1.
[0122] A height of a split mold for the PET bottle body carved in
this mold body 101 is lower than the height at the time when
content such as mineral water is actually filled in the PET bottle
body.
[0123] Usually, there are slight gaps 107 between the upper and
lower split molds 104 and 105 and the movable molds 106 and between
the adjacent movable molds 106. When a part of a swell of the
pre-form 102 enters the gaps 107 slightly, the gaps 107 are
closed.
[0124] Various structures are possible as this structure.
[0125] For example, an intermediate part of an X-shaped coupling
member 108 is pivotally attached to both sides of the upper split
mold 104, the movable molds 106, and the lower fixed split mold
105.
[0126] This X-shaped coupling member 108 can be formed by
respective linear members 109 with the pivotally attached portion
as a fulcrum. The respective both ends are pivotally attached to
both ends of the linear members 109 which are adjacent to each
other in a vertical relation.
[0127] As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, the characters "X" of the
X-shaped coupling member 108 are coupled in the vertical direction
on the side of the mold body 101.
[0128] In addition, in the figure, reference numeral 110 denotes a
mold frame that is provided in contact with both sides of the mold
body 101 and guides the movable molds 106. An upper part thereof is
provided above the mold body 101 and is provided with a piston body
111, upper and lower parts of which are guided by the mold frame
110.
[0129] An end of this piston body 111 is in contact with an upper
end of the X-shaped coupling member 108 and performs an action for
pressing the coupling member 108 downward.
[0130] An end of a usually V-shaped crank member 112, an
intermediate portion 113 of which is pivotally attached, is
pivotally attached to an upper part of the piston body 111. An
upper end of the crank member 112 is pivotally attached to the mold
frame 110.
[0131] Reference numeral 114 denotes a cam member that moves up and
down with means provided in parallel with the coupling member 108
appropriately. A side of the cam member 114 is in contact with the
intermediate portion 113 of the crank member 112, and a taper 115
is formed in an axial direction at a tip thereof.
[0132] When the cam member 114 as shown in FIG. 8 is not in contact
with the intermediate portion 113 of the crank member 112, the
crank member 112 forms a V-shape. However, when the cam member 114
falls, the taper 115 presses the intermediate portion 113 of the
crank member 112, and the crank member 112 takes a linear shape or
a shape close to the linear shape in a vertical direction, the
crank member 112 presses the upper end of the X-shaped coupling
member 108 downward via the piston body 111. As a result, the gaps
107 of the movable molds 106 are closed.
[0133] Note that in the figure, reference numeral 116 denotes a
coil spring, an end of which is fastened to the lower split mold
115 of the mold body 101, an upper part thereof passes through the
movable molds 106, and an upper end thereof is fastened to the
upper spit mold 104 of the mold body 101. A force in a direction of
opening the gaps 107 between the upper split mold 104 and the
movable molds 106 usually acts on the coil spring 116.
[0134] In addition, in FIG. 11, in a fold mold 117 carved inside
the movable molds 106 and the lower split mold 105, a part to be
the trough 14 of the fold constituting the bellows shape 2 of the
container 1 is formed as a crest mold 118. A part between the
movable molds 106 overlapping each other or adjacent to each other
in the vertical relation is formed as a trough mold 119 for
constituting the crest 17 of the fold of the container body 1.
[0135] In this case, a coupling portion between the mouth portion 3
of the container body 1 and the container body 1 is formed in a
bell shape 120 in order to mold this, and the mold body 101 is
constituted so as to reverse and cause the coupling portion to
penetrate into the container body 1.
[0136] A fold mold 117 for the mouth portion 3 is formed in a wide
shape like the Adamski UFO so as to realize the container body 1
that can reduce a height (i.e., capacity) thereof sufficiently even
if the mouth portion 3 is not crushed and forced into the container
body 1. Therefore, the fold mold 117 is vertically divided into two
in a horizontal direction, and shapes of upper and lower parts
thereof are specifically common to the container body 1.
[0137] To explain a process of manufacturing the container body 1
using the mold body 101 in this embodiment, the gaps 107 of the
movable molds 106 are in the opened state.
[0138] In this state, the pre-form 102 is inserted into the mold
body 101 from the bottom thereof.
[0139] At the same time, sufficiently heated air is sent into the
pre-form 102 to swell the pre-form 102.
[0140] As a result, the pre-form 102 comes into contact with the
mold inside the mold body 101 to mold the container body 1.
However, a part of the pre-form 102 enters the gaps 107 between the
upper and lower split molds 104 and 105 and the movable molds 106
and between the adjacent movable molds 106.
[0141] Here, the cam member 114 is lowered by appropriate means,
and the taper 115 in the lower part thereof presses the
intermediate portion 113 of the crank member 112 little by
little.
[0142] As a result, the crank member 112 is straightened gradually.
A force of the crank member 112 presses the upper end of the
X-shaped coupling member 109 downward via the piston body 111.
[0143] As a result, a part of the resin of the container body 1,
which has entered the gaps 107 between the upper and lower split
molds 104 and 105 and the movable molds 106 and between the
adjacent movable molds 106, is crushed as shown in FIG. 10.
[0144] Whereas the trough 14 constituting the fold of the container
body 1 was molded only through contact with the mold on the inner
surface of the mold in the past, the substantially V-shaped trough
14 is crushed upward and downward to be doubled as shown in the
figure in addition to forming a natural fold according to the
mold.
[0145] As a result, the container body 101, which is molded by the
mold body 101 of this embodiment, is easily crushed in the trough
14 thereof, the crushing work can be performed with a finger tip
with little power to reduce a height (capacity) of the container
body 101.
[0146] Note that, in the mold body 101, the cam member 114 rises
when the container body 1 is manufactured, the crank member 112
returns to the original V-shape, the gaps 107 are formed between
the adjacent movable molds 106 by a restoring force of the coil
spring 116. After the container body 1 is removed, the mold body
101 comes into a state for repeating the work for manufacturing a
new container body.
[0147] The PET bottle body 1 obtained in this way is provided with
the above-described characteristics of the present invention and
realizes the above-described excellent actions and effects.
[0148] As another embodiment, it is possible that memory resin is
used for the resin material itself forming the PET bottle body
1.
[0149] Shape memory in this context generally means a
characteristic of the PET bottle body 1 that softens to return to a
restored form thereof when a pressure of hot air for filling
content therein is applied thereto or the PET bottle body 1 is
humidified to humidity higher than usual, for example, content with
relatively high humidity is filled for sterilization or the like.
Plastic having such a characteristic is referred to as shape memory
resin.
[0150] The PET bottle body 1 molded in a low state changes to, for
example, the PET bottle body 1 of a predetermined height with a
capacity of 500 ml when content is filled therein. Thereafter, even
if the PET bottle body 1 is placed under the normal temperature or
cooled, the height or the like is never reduced because the PET
bottle body 1 is filled with the content.
[0151] However, when an empty portion is formed in the PET bottle
body 1 or the PET bottle body 1 is drained, for example, the
content is drunk off, the PET bottle body 1 returns to the original
low shape.
[0152] The resin material may be polystyrene that is frequently
used as a material for the PET bottle body 1. This is because
polystyrene has a characteristic that it is hard under the normal
temperature but softens when temperature is raised. Moreover,
polystyrene shows a characteristic like rubber that softens when
temperature is raised, that is, a restoring force of returning to
an original shape when temperature rises
[0153] Note that temperature at which such a change occurs is
referred to as "glass transition point" meaning that a material
changes from a glass state to a soft rubber state. Since all kinds
of resin have this glass transition point, when the present
invention is implemented, it is advisable to select and use most
excellent resin having such a characteristic. In addition,
polyethylene softens in the same manner when it is heated.
[0154] The resin returns to the original shape because the resin
performs crosslinking reaction to fix molecules each other in a
mesh shape. The shape memory resin has a characteristic that is a
combination of a characteristic of a plastic material that hardness
is changed according to temperature and a characteristic that a
shape can be prevented from changing by crosslinking.
[0155] A certain material is formed in a desired shape in advance,
and a shape thereof is fixed by the crosslinking reaction. When
this material is heated to the glass transition temperature or a
temperature, at which the material softens, equal to or higher than
the melting point to be deformed into a different shape and is
cooled in that state, the material changes to the glass state or
crystallizes to be hard and fixed in that shape. When this material
is heated again to the glass transition temperature or the
temperature equal to or higher than the melting point, the material
softens to show a rubber-like characteristic and is about to return
to the shape fixed by the crosslinking reaction in advance. This is
a mechanism of the shape memory.
[0156] In this way, the shape memory resin utilizes the two
characteristics, that is, the change in hardness according to
temperature and the fixing of a shape by the crosslinking reaction.
Theoretically, the shape memory performance is developed by
utilizing the characteristic that hardness changes at two different
temperatures. Other than the crosslinking and the melting point, a
method of utilizing a combination of the glass transition
temperature and the melting point is also possible. Consequently,
various plastics (polymeric materials) can be applied as the shape
memory resin.
[0157] As described above, in the present invention, when a PET
bottle is manufactured, a height (capacity) thereof is low (small)
compared with a case in which content such as mineral water is
filled in the PET bottle. Thus, when the PET bottles are
transported for filling content, a quantity of PET bottles to be
transported can be increased compared with that in the past.
[0158] As a result, in general, advantages of the present invention
are that, in a PET bottle body that is formed in a bellows shape in
a horizontal direction in an entire length or a part of the length
in a longitudinal direction thereof excluding a mouth portion at an
upper end and a small width in a height direction of a bottom, when
juice or mineral water in the PET bottle body is drunk off and the
PET bottle body is discarded, a capacity of the PET bottle body is
reduced, and as a result, a large quantity of empty bottles can be
discarded in a fixed area compared with that in the past.
[0159] In addition, since products on the market as a container for
drink usually has a capacity of 500 ml, contents in the container
is rarely "drunk off" at a time.
[0160] Therefore, the container including an empty part, the
capacity of which never changes even if the content remains, has to
be carried.
[0161] In this regard, since the container of the present invention
can be carried with an empty part compressed, the container can be
easily packed even in a handbag.
[0162] Moreover, the container body of the present invention looks
nice in an external shape thereof to significantly attract users'
interest. A shape of bellows in the container body can function as
slip resistance to prevent the container body from slipping to fall
during use or prevent content from excavating.
[0163] Main advantages of the container body described above are
that, when the container body is discarded, a capacity thereof can
be extremely reduced, and the number of container bodies, which can
be put in a trash can or the like, is extremely increased.
[0164] In addition, since such a compressed container body can be
transported in a large quantity at a time, cost for collection of
container bodies and personal expenses for cleaning and collection
can be extremely reduced.
* * * * *