U.S. patent application number 12/552025 was filed with the patent office on 2011-03-03 for base for pressurized bottles.
Invention is credited to John R. Ross, Anthony J. Scott.
Application Number | 20110049083 12/552025 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43127269 |
Filed Date | 2011-03-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110049083 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Scott; Anthony J. ; et
al. |
March 3, 2011 |
BASE FOR PRESSURIZED BOTTLES
Abstract
A plastic bottle with a base centered on a vertical axis, a
continuous standing ring to support the bottle, a side wall formed
unitarily with the base extending from the base upward to an upper
side wall end, and a neck connected to the side wall upper end, the
neck including a finish adapted to receive a cap to close an
opening into the bottle interior. The bottle base standing ring is
defined in vertical cross-section by a continuous curve bounded on
a radial inside by an interior region that can include a plurality
of concave domed wedge-shaped sections interspaced with buttress
sections having substantially planar inclined outer portions. The
bottle base standing ring has a diameter less than 80% of the
maximum side wall width and is bounded on a radial outside by a
conic section portion centered on the vertical axis having an apex
angle of less than 1600 to improve the perpendicularity of the
bottle.
Inventors: |
Scott; Anthony J.;
(Westminster, CO) ; Ross; John R.; (Westminster,
CO) |
Family ID: |
43127269 |
Appl. No.: |
12/552025 |
Filed: |
September 1, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/371 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 1/0276
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
215/371 |
International
Class: |
B65D 90/02 20060101
B65D090/02 |
Claims
1. A plastic bottle comprising a base centered on a vertical axis,
the base having a standing ring to support the bottle on any
underlying support surface, a side wall formed unitarily with the
base and extending from the base upward to an upper end of the side
wall, and a neck connected to the upper end of the side wall, the
neck including a finish adapted to receive a cap to close an
opening into the bottle interior, the bottle having a height
defined by the distance between the opening and the standing ring,
and a maximum width across the side wall, the base standing ring
being defined in vertical cross-section by a continuous curve, the
continuous curve being bounded on a radial inside by an interior
region, the continuous curve being bounded on a radial outside by a
conic section portion centered on the vertical axis, the base
standing ring having a diameter less than 80% of the maximum side
wall width.
2. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the conic section portion
has an apex angle of less than 160.degree..
3. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the base standing ring
diameter is more than 70% of the maximum side wall width.
4. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the standing ring has an
average thickness that is between 1.0 and 1.3 times the average
thickness of the side wall.
5. The plastic bottle of claim 4, wherein the variation in standing
ring thickness is less than .+-.20%.
6. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the continuous curve of
the standing ring has a defining radius in vertical cross-section
of between 0.100 inches and 0.300 inches.
7. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the interior region
comprises a plurality of concave domed wedge-shaped sections
interspaced with buttress sections having substantially planar
inclined outer portions.
8. The plastic bottle of claim 7, wherein the concave dome portion
is defined by a curve having a radius of at least 1.0 times the
standing ring diameter.
9. The plastic bottle of claim 7, wherein the planar inclined outer
portions of the buttress sections are inclined at an angle of
between 8.degree. and 16.degree. with respect to a plane defined by
the base standing ring.
10. The plastic bottle of claim 7, wherein the angle of tangency at
the point of intersection of the concave dome portion and the curve
defining the standing ring measured from the plane defined by the
standing ring is between 45.degree. and 55.degree..
11. A plastic bottle comprising a base centered on a vertical axis,
the base having a continuous circular standing ring to support the
bottle on any underlying support surface, a cylindrical side wall
formed unitarily with the base and extending from the base upward
to an upper end of the side wall, and a neck connected to the upper
end of the side wall, the neck including a finish adapted to
receive a cap to close an opening into the bottle interior, the
bottle having a height defined by the distance between the opening
and the standing ring, and a maximum diameter across the side wall,
the base standing ring being defined in vertical cross-section by a
continuous curve of constant radius having a diameter of between
70% and 80% of the maximum side wall diameter, the continuous curve
of the standing ring being bounded on a radial inside by an
interior region, the continuous curve of the standing ring being
bounded on a radial outside by a constant angle tapered portion
defined by a conic section centered on the vertical axis having an
apex angle of less than 160.degree..
12. The plastic bottle of claim 11, wherein the standing ring has
an average thickness that is between 1.0 and 1.3 times the average
thickness of the side wall and the variation in standing ring
thickness is less than .+-.20%.
13. The plastic bottle of claim 11, wherein the continuous curve of
the standing ring has a defining radius in vertical cross-section
of between 0.100 inches and 0.300 inches.
14. The plastic bottle of claim 11, wherein the interior region
comprises a concave domed shaped portion.
15. The plastic bottle of claim 14, wherein the concave domed
shaped portion includes a plurality of concave domed wedge-shaped
sections interspaced with buttress sections having substantially
planar inclined outer portions.
16. The plastic bottle of claim 15, wherein the buttress sections
planar inclined outer portions are inclined at an angle of between
8.degree. and 16.degree. with respect to a plane defined by the
base standing ring.
17. The plastic bottle of claim 14, wherein the concave dome
portion is defined by a curve having a radius of at least 1.0 times
the standing ring diameter.
18. The plastic bottle of claim 14, wherein the angle of tangency
at the point of intersection of the concave dome portion and the
curve defining the standing ring measured from the plane defined by
the standing ring is between 45.degree.and 55.degree..
19. The plastic bottle of claim 11, wherein the constant angle
tapered portion outside the base standing ring has a width of
between 0.035 inches and 0.095 inches.
20. A plastic bottle comprising a base centered on a vertical axis,
the base having a continuous circular standing ring to support the
bottle on any underlying support surface, a cylindrical side wall
formed unitarily with the base and extending from the base upward
to an upper end of the side wall, and a neck connected to the upper
end of the side wall, the neck including a finish adapted to
receive a cap to close an opening into the bottle interior, the
bottle having a height defined by the distance between the opening
and the standing ring, and a maximum diameter across the side wall,
the base standing ring having a diameter of between 70% and 80% of
the maximum side wall diameter, the base standing ring being
defined in vertical cross-section by a continuous curve of constant
radius of between 0.100 inches and 0.300 inches, the continuous
curve of the standing ring being bounded on a radial inside by an
interior region that includes a plurality of concave domed
wedge-shaped sections defined by a curve having a radius of at
least 1.0 times the standing ring diameter, the concave domed
wedge-shaped sections intersecting the continuous curve of the
standing ring at an angle of tangency measured from a plane defined
by the base standing ring of between 45.degree. and 55.degree., the
plurality of concave domed wedge-shaped sections being interspaced
with wedge-shaped buttress sections having substantially planar
outer portions inclined at an angle of between 8.degree. and
16.degree. with respect to the plane defined by the base standing
ring, the continuous curve of the standing ring being bounded on a
radial outside by a constant angle tapered portion defined by a
conic section centered on the vertical axis having an apex angle of
less than 160.degree. and having a width of between 0.035 inches
and 0.095 inches.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present disclosure is directed to plastic bottles, and
particularly to a supporting champagne style base that is unitary
with the remainder of the bottle, which improves the
perpendicularity of the bottle.
[0002] Plastic bottles that include a base having a continuous
uninterrupted standing ring for supporting the bottle on any
underlying surface are sometimes referred to having a champagne
style base. The perpendicularity or vertical alignment of such
bottles can depend on the evenness of material distribution in the
area of the standing ring, particularly when the bottles are
subjected to even small internal pressures of 15 psi or less. While
small variations from a true vertical alignment can be tolerated,
any significant variation may cause problems in subsequent labeling
and boxing of such bottles. While a large diameter standing ring is
generally thought to provide enhanced stability as a result of the
larger foot print, the large diameter standing ring is more
flexible as a result of less material being present in the standing
ring. As a result, even small variations in material distribution
in large diameter standing rings can lead to unacceptable
variations in the vertical alignment or perpendicularity of the
bottle. This problem has in the past been addressed by forming a
preform with significant non-uniform wall thicknesses so that a
substantial amount of material is placed in the chime in direct
alignment with the standing ring. Examples are to be found in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 4,725,464; 4,780,257; 4,889,752 and 6,248,413.
[0003] A significant disadvantage of using preforms having
significant non-uniform wall thicknesses to place additional
material in the chime in direct alignment with the standing ring is
the additional polymer itself, which increases the cost of the
bottle. There is thus a need for a lower-cost solution to enhance
the perpendicularity or vertical alignment of blow molded plastic
bottles having a champagne style base.
SUMMARY
[0004] A plastic bottle has a base centered on a vertical axis. The
base has a continuous standing ring to support the bottle on any
underlying support surface. A side wall is formed unitarily with
the base and extends from the base upward to an upper end of the
side wall. A neck is unitarily connected to the upper end of the
side wall that includes a finish adapted to receive a cap to close
an opening into the bottle interior. The bottle has a height
defined by the distance between the opening and the standing ring,
and a maximum width across the bottle. To enhance the vertical
alignment or perpendicularity of the bottle, the base standing ring
can be defined in vertical cross-section by a continuous curve. The
base standing ring can have a diameter less than 80% of the maximum
side wall width. The continuous curve of the base standing ring can
be bounded on a radial inside by an interior region that includes a
plurality of concave domed wedge-shaped sections interspaced with
buttress sections having substantially planar inclined outer
portions. The continuous curve of the base standing ring can be
bounded on a radial outside by a conic section portion centered on
the vertical axis.
[0005] The vertical alignment or perpendicularity of the bottle can
be enhanced by limiting the apex angle of the conic section portion
to less than 160.degree.. The vertical alignment or
perpendicularity of the bottle can be further enhanced by
maintaining the width of the conic section portion to at least
0.035 inches (0.889 cm).
[0006] The vertical alignment or perpendicularity of the bottle can
also be enhanced by limiting the standing ring diameter to be more
than 70% of the maximum bottle side wall width. The vertical
alignment or perpendicularity of the bottle can be further enhanced
by limiting the average standing ring thickness to between 1.0 and
1.3 times the thickness of the side wall. The vertical alignment or
perpendicularity of the bottle can be further enhanced by limiting
variation in the standing ring thickness to less than .+-.20%.
Another feature of the base that can improve the vertical alignment
or perpendicularity of the bottle is confining the vertical
cross-sectional radius defining the standing ring to between 0.100
inches (0.254 cm) and 0.300 inches (0.762 cm).
[0007] Another feature of the base that can improve the vertical
alignment or perpendicularity of the bottle is limiting the
curvature of the concave dome portion to a radius of at least 1.0
times the standing ring diameter. The vertical alignment or
perpendicularity of the bottle can be further enhanced by buttress
sections that have inclined outer portions that can be inclined at
an angle of between 8.degree. and 16.degree. with respect to a
plane defined by the base standing ring. The vertical alignment or
perpendicularity of the bottle can be further enhanced by providing
the angle of tangency at the point of intersection of the concave
dome portion and the standing ring vertical cross-section to be at
least 45.degree..
[0008] Other features of the present bottle base and the
corresponding advantages of those features will become apparent
from the following discussion of the preferred embodiments of the
present container, exemplifying the best mode of practice, which is
illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The components in the
figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed
upon illustrating the principles of the features. Moreover, in the
figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts
throughout the different views.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a sectional outline of an exterior surface of a
bottle.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the base of the bottle in
FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a sectional outline view of the base taken along
line 3-3 of FIG. 2.
[0012] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the left side of
FIG. 3.
[0013] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the right side of
FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] A bottle 10 is shown in FIG. 1 and the other Figs that has a
generally cylindrical body 12 surrounding a longitudinal axis Y and
a closed base 14 that is unitary with the remainder of the bottle.
The 14 base has a continuous standing ring 16 to support the bottle
10 on any underlying support surface. The standing ring 16 has a
standing ring diameter D. A side wall 18 is formed unitarily with
the base 14 and extends from the base upward to an upper end 20 of
the side wall 18. A neck 22 is unitarily connected to the upper end
20 of the side wall 18 by a shoulder portion 21. The neck 22
includes a finish 24 adapted to receive a cap (not shown) to close
an opening 26 into the bottle interior 28. The bottle 10 has a
height H defined by the distance between the opening 26 and the
standing ring 16, and a maximum width W across the bottle 10.
[0015] To enhance the vertical alignment or perpendicularity of the
bottle 10, the base standing ring 16 can be defined in vertical
cross-section by a continuous curve of radius R.sub.S, shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5, which can be between 0.100 inches (0.254 cm) and
0.300 inches (0.762 cm). The radius R.sub.S is independent of the
standing ring diameter D, where the standing ring diameter D is
measured at the lowest point on the standing ring 16. The curve
defining the standing ring 16, being continuous, does not include
any flattened portion in the plane X defined by the standing ring,
shown in FIG. 3. The base standing ring 16 can have a diameter D
less than 80% of the maximum side wall width W. The base standing
ring 16 can have a diameter D greater than 70% of the maximum side
wall width W.
[0016] The continuous curve of the base standing ring 16 defined by
R.sub.S can be bounded on a radial inside, starting about at point
or ring 30, by an interior region 32. The interior region 32 can
include a plurality of concave domed wedge-shaped sections 34 as
seen in FIG. 2. The concave domed wedge-shaped sections 34 can be
formed by a constant inside radius R.sub.C of at least 1.0 times
the standing ring diameter D as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. The angle
of tangency .lamda. at the point of intersection 30 of the concave
dome portions 34 and the curve defining the standing ring 16
measured from the plane X as shown in FIG. 5 can be between
45.degree.and 55.degree.. The wedge-shaped sections 34 can be
interspaced with buttress sections 36, which can also be
wedge-shaped. The buttress sections 36 can have substantially
planar inclined outer portions 38. The planar outer portions 38 can
be inclined at an angle .theta. of between 8.degree. and 16.degree.
with respect to a plane X defined by the base standing ring 16 as
seen in FIG. 4. The buttress sections 36 can include inner portions
40 defined by a concave surface 42 that becomes circumferentially
continuous as it approaches a central downwardly protruding portion
44 surrounding the axis Y of the bottle. The lowest surface of the
downwardly protruding portion 44 can be spaced above the plane X by
a distance H.sub.C of 14% to 20% of the standing ring diameter
D.
[0017] The continuous curve of the base standing ring 16 defined by
radius R.sub.S can be bounded on a radial outside by a conic
section portion 46 starting at point or ring 48 and extending
linearly upwardly and outwardly to point or ring 50 as shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5. The distance between point or ring 48 and point or
ring 50 defines the width of the conic section portion 46, which is
preferably at least 0.035 inches (0.089 cm). The conic section
portion 46 is seen to be generated by the rotation around the
vertical axis Y of a line generating a conic section having an
included apex angle .PHI. of less than 160.degree. as shown in FIG.
3. A base outer portion 52 extending outward from point 50 to the
side wall 18 can be formed as a torus segment defined by a constant
radius R.sub.T of between about 12% and 20% of the standing ring
diameter D.
[0018] Between the point or ring 30 and the point or ring 48, the
material forming the standing ring 16 preferably has an average
thickness of between 1.0 and 1.3 times the thickness of the
material forming the side wall 18. Between the point or ring 30 and
the point or ring 48, the thickness of the material forming the
standing ring 16 desirably has a variation that is as small as
possible and less than .+-.20%.
[0019] By way of example, a bottle 10 as shown in FIG. 1 can have a
height H of 8.813 inches (22.39 cm) and a maximum width W of 2.52
inches (6.40 cm). The standing ring diameter D of the example
bottle can be 1.90 inches (4.826 cm). The vertical cross-section
radius R.sub.S defining the exterior surface of the standing ring
16 of the example bottle can be 0.150 inches (0.381 cm). The width
of the conic section portion 46 of the example bottle can be 0.064
inches (0.163 cm). The average thickness of the material forming
the side wall 16 of the example bottle can be 0.014 inches (0.0356
cm) while the average thickness of the material forming the
standing ring can be 0.016 inches (0.0406 cm). The inside radius
R.sub.C forming the concave surfaces of the domed wedge-shaped
sections 34 of the example bottle can be 1.990 inches (5.055 cm).
The angle of tangency .lamda. at the point of intersection 30 of
the concave dome portions 34 and the curve defining the standing
ring 16 measured from the plane X in the example bottle can be
50.degree.. The angle of inclination .theta. of the planar outer
portions 38 of the buttress sections 36 of the example bottle can
be 11.degree.. The radius R.sub.C defining the concave surface 40
of the example bottle can be 0.263 inches (0.668 cm). The lowest
surface of the central downwardly protruding portion 44 of the
example bottle can be spaced above the plane X by a distance of
0.315 inches (0.800 cm). The apex angle .PHI. of the conic section
generating the portion 46 of the example bottle can be 150.degree..
The radius R.sub.T forming the base outer portion 52 of the example
bottle can be 0.300 inches (0.762 cm). The example bottle showed a
36% improvement in perpendicularity over a prior design.
[0020] While these features have been disclosed in connection with
the illustrated preferred embodiment, other embodiments of the
invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art that come
within the spirit of the invention as defined in the following
claims.
* * * * *