U.S. patent application number 14/498852 was filed with the patent office on 2015-01-15 for plastics container.
The applicant listed for this patent is Nampak Plastics Europe Limited. Invention is credited to Andrew Glover.
Application Number | 20150014274 14/498852 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40084012 |
Filed Date | 2015-01-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150014274 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Glover; Andrew |
January 15, 2015 |
PLASTICS CONTAINER
Abstract
A blow moulded container has a body portion defining a chamber
for storing liquid and a neck portion extending from the body
portion. The body portion defines a central longitudinal axis and
said neck portion is coaxial therewith. The body portion defines an
upper shoulder region of curved profile and the neck portion
defines a circular cylindrical portion having side walls concentric
with and parallel to said central longitudinal axis. The lower end
of the cylindrical portion defines a closed loop and has a
non-planar intersection with the shoulder region of the body
portion.
Inventors: |
Glover; Andrew;
(Buckinghamshire, GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Nampak Plastics Europe Limited |
Buckinghamshire |
|
GB |
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|
Family ID: |
40084012 |
Appl. No.: |
14/498852 |
Filed: |
September 26, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14222351 |
Mar 21, 2014 |
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14498852 |
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14058892 |
Oct 21, 2013 |
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14222351 |
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12935384 |
Nov 19, 2010 |
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PCT/GB2009/051359 |
Oct 12, 2009 |
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14058892 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
215/398 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2501/0081 20130101;
B29C 49/04 20130101; B29D 22/003 20130101; B29L 2031/463 20130101;
B29C 2049/4887 20130101; B65D 1/0207 20130101; B65D 23/10 20130101;
B65D 1/0223 20130101; B65D 1/02 20130101; B65D 23/102 20130101;
B29C 49/4802 20130101; B65D 1/023 20130101; B65D 85/80
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
215/398 |
International
Class: |
B65D 23/10 20060101
B65D023/10; B65D 1/02 20060101 B65D001/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 14, 2008 |
GB |
0818830.2 |
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. (canceled)
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. (canceled)
8. (canceled)
9. (canceled)
10. (canceled)
11. (canceled)
12. (canceled)
13. (canceled)
14. (canceled)
15. (canceled)
16. (canceled)
17. (canceled)
18. (canceled)
19. (canceled)
20. (canceled)
21. A blow-molded container comprising: a bottom member; a
plurality of sidewalls including a first pair of opposing parallel
sidewalls that are spaced apart by a first dimension, a second pair
of opposing parallel sidewalls that are spaced apart by the first
dimension, and a third pair of sidewalls that are spaced apart by a
second dimension that is different than the first dimension; a
spout for receiving a closure cap; a handle section proximate to
the spout; and an upwardly converging neck member coupling the
sidewalls to the spout having a convex transition section defining
a continuous curvature that extends from the sidewalls to the
spout.
22. The blow-molded container of claim 21, wherein the convex
transition section provides a smooth transition between the
sidewalls and the spout.
23. A blow-molded container comprising: a bottom member; a
plurality of sidewalls; a spout for receiving a closure cap; a
handle section proximate to the spout; and an upwardly converging
neck member coupling the sidewalls to the spout having a convex
transition section defining a continuous curvature that extends
from the sidewalls to the spout.
24. The blow-molded container of claim 23, wherein the plurality of
sidewalls includes at least three pairs of opposing parallel
sidewalls.
25. The blow-molded container of claim 23, wherein the convex
transition section provides a smooth transition between the
sidewalls and the spout.
26. A blow-molded container comprising: a bottom member; a
plurality of long sidewalls, each long sidewall of the plurality of
long sidewalls being substantially planar, the plurality of long
sidewalls including a first pair of opposing parallel sidewalls
that is spaced apart by a first dimension, and a second pair of
opposing parallel sidewalls that is spaced apart by the first
dimension; a plurality of short sidewalls, each short sidewall from
the plurality of short sidewalls being disposed between an adjacent
pair of long sidewalls from the plurality of long sidewalls, the
plurality of short sidewalls including a third pair of sidewalls
that is spaced apart by a second dimension that is different than
the first dimension; a spout for receiving a closure cap; a handle
section proximate to the spout; a sidewall upper limit defined by
one or more long sidewalls from the plurality of long sidewalls and
one or more short sidewalls from the plurality of short sidewalls;
and a curved transition that is formed between the sidewall upper
limit and the spout, wherein the curved transition defines a
curvature that extends continuously from the sidewall upper limit
to the spout to provide a smooth transition between the sidewall
upper limit and the spout.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 14/222,351, filed Mar. 21, 2014, which is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/058,892, filed
Oct. 21, 2013, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 12/935,384, filed Nov. 19, 2010, which is a U.S. National
Phase application of PCT International Patent Application No.
PCT/GB2009/051359, filed Oct. 12, 2009, which claims the benefit of
United Kingdom Patent Application No. 0818830.2, filed Oct. 14,
2008, the entire disclosure of each of which are hereby
incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a plastics container,
particularly, but not exclusively, to a blow moulded plastics
container of the kind commonly used for transporting or storing
milk.
[0003] It is known to package milk in lightweight plastics
containers for retail through supermarkets and the like. There is a
desire to make such plastics containers as light as possible,
whilst ensuring that they remain fit for purpose in delivering the
product in good condition for consumers.
[0004] In an attempt to define "fit for purpose", the packaging
industry works to an empirical 60N topload force test. If a
lightweight plastics container is able to withstand a 60N topload
force applied at a rate of 4 mm per second over a set distance,
experience shows that it will survive the milk filling and
distribution system and retail successfully to the consumer.
[0005] At present, for each container of the regular capacity sizes
of milk container (e.g. 1 pint, 2 pint, 4 pint, 6 pint or 1 litre,
2 litre etc), there is a weight "ceiling" which means that it is
difficult to manufacture a lighter container that is still fit for
purpose (e.g. suitable to pass the empirical 60N topload force
test).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention has been devised with a view to
reducing the weight ceiling of standard capacity containers without
compromising structural integrity i.e. containers remain fit for
purpose.
[0007] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is
provided a plastics container for storing liquid (e.g. milk),
comprising: a body portion defining a chamber for storing liquid;
and a neck portion mounted on and extending from the body portion,
the neck portion having an open passageway therethrough for passage
of liquid to/from the chamber, wherein the neck and body portions
intersect in a closed loop which has a non-planar profile.
[0008] Historically, the intersection between the neck and body
portions of a conventional lightweight blow moulded plastics
container is a potential weak point and must be reinforced by
locally increasing the thickness of plastics material in this
region relative to that in the majority of the body portion.
However, the present inventors believe that the weak point arises
because the neck and body portions intersect in a closed loop which
has a substantially planar profile. The present inventors have
surprisingly found that by re-designing the intersection to provide
a closed loop with a non-planar profile, the need for material
reinforcement may be reduced or even obviated altogether. In this
way, the plastics container may be made significantly lighter,
perhaps even 10-15% lighter without compromising its structural
integrity (e.g. as determined by the empirical 60N topload force
test).
[0009] In preferred embodiments, the container is of the kind
configured to stand on a planar surface, e.g. on a trolley or
refrigerator shelf The container is preferably configured such that
the body portion, neck portion and open passageway have a common
longitudinal axis, intended to be generally vertical in storage
(e.g. with the rim of the open passageway presented generally
horizontally). The closed loop is preferably concentric with said
common longitudinal axis of the body portion, neck portion and open
passageway. Such concentricity is desirable to avoid twisting
forces that might otherwise occur during topload force testing.
[0010] Having an open passageway which is concentric with the
central longitudinal axis of the body portion of the container is
also advantageous in reducing foaming effects during the filling of
the container with liquid, e.g. milk. Such containers are often
referred to as "centre neck" containers and are therefore distinct
in construction from containers in which the open passageway of the
neck portion is "off centre" or arranged at an angle of inclination
away from vertical, e.g. in the case of conventional watering cans
or jerry cans.
[0011] The closed loop may have a circular or at least
substantially circular footprint. Alternatively or additionally,
the closed loop may curve in three mutually perpendicular
directions. The neck portion may have a substantially cylindrical
part with a longitudinal axis, in which case the closed loop
preferably curves around the longitudinal axis at a constant radius
and may also curve in a direction parallel to such axis. The closed
loop may lie on a hyperbolic paraboloid surface (which is often
referred to as the saddle surface or the standard saddle
surface).
[0012] Providing a closed loop having a circular footprint (i.e. of
constant radius) is desirable for providing equalisation of forces
transferred down into the body portion during topload force
testing.
[0013] In preferred embodiments, the body portion of the container
defines shoulders (typically a curved upper part of the body
portion) and the closed loop is located at the transition between
the neck portion and the shoulders of the body portion. More
particularly, the closed loop is preferably located at the
transition between the substantially cylindrical part and the
shoulders of the body portion. In that sense, the substantially
cylindrical part may define an intermediate formation between the
body portion and what is commonly referred to as the `neck
platform` of the container, i.e. the region at the base of the
threaded neck in conventional milk containers.
[0014] Preferably, the cylindrical part defines a circular
footprint and more preferably the side walls of the cylindrical
part are parallel with the longitudinal axis. This provides for
further concentricity of structure, advantageous during topload
force testing.
[0015] The neck portion may have a screw thread for engaging a lid
with a corresponding screw thread. The neck portion may have a
stepped profile, and the width of the neck portion may be greatest
where the neck portion intersects with the body portion. The
stepped profile may compromise a frusto-conical surface, providing
a gradual variation in the width of the neck portion along at least
a part of its length.
[0016] In preferred embodiments, the neck portion defines a
threaded portion for receiving a lid in threaded engagement
therewith and the body portion defines a upper shoulder region of
curved profile; wherein the neck portion defines a circular
cylindrical portion below said threaded portion, having side walls
concentric with and parallel to said central longitudinal axis, and
the intersection with the shoulder region of the body portion is
non-planar. The threaded portion preferably meets the cylindrical
portion in a closed loop of planar intersection. Preferably, the
cylindrical portion is an intermediate formation between the
threaded portion and the body portion.
[0017] The container is preferably of blow moulded construction
(e.g. formed by blow moulding).
[0018] There is also provided a method of making a plastics
container comprising the steps of providing a mould configured for
producing a container according to the first aspect of the
invention; and blow moulding plastics in the mould, i.e. to produce
a container according to the first aspect of the invention.
[0019] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is
provided a plastics container for storing a liquid (e.g. milk),
comprising a body with an integral handle defining an aperture with
a central axis extending in a first direction through the body, the
body having a footprint with a longitudinal axis extending in a
second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction,
wherein the footprint has a width which varies along its
longitudinal axis and is greater in a middle region of the
footprint than at either longitudinal end thereof.
[0020] A known plastics container has a substantially rectangular
footprint, with two corner regions on each side of a notional
centre line aligned with the longitudinal axis, with all four
corner regions equidistant therefrom. An example is shown in FIG.
14. Such a container may be of blow moulded construction, e.g.
formed by blow moulding a parison in a mould with two parts which
separate along a notional centre line (e.g. along the central
longitudinal axis of the container in FIG. 14) when ejecting the
container from the mould. However, it is often the case that when a
parison is blown into a square/rectangular cavity of the kind shown
in FIG. 14 (in which the mould split occurs on opposing parallel
faces of the container), aggressive stretching/thinning of the
parison wall thickness occurs.
[0021] The present inventors have appreciated that each corner
region represents a potential weak point in the body as a whole,
and that the conventional way of overcoming this problem (i.e. by
ensuring that the wall thickness at the corner regions does not
fall below a minimum level) does not assist with trying to reduce
the overall weight of the plastics container. Accordingly, the
present inventors have proposed a container with a novel footprint
in accordance with this second aspect of the invention, with less
tendency for localised thinning of the wall thickness in critical
areas during the blow moulding process. As a result, the overall
weight of the plastics container may be reduced, whilst maintaining
structural integrity and storage capacity.
[0022] In particular, with the mould tool split line arranged
`corner to corner`, as shown by way of example in FIG. 15 (wherein
the split line is arranged generally 45 degrees to that shown in
FIG. 14) and providing that the corners arranged at 90 degrees to
the split line are not excessively deep, it has been found that the
stretching/thinning effect on the parison is likely to be less
extreme than with conventional mould tools of the kind shown in
FIG. 14, resulting in more even distribution of plastic within the
wall thickness.
[0023] The central longitudinal axis of the footprint is preferably
aligned with the split line of the mould tool in which the
container is to be blow moulded.
[0024] In preferred embodiments, the footprint is non-rectangular
(i.e. the footprint does not define internal right angles). The
internal angles of the footprint in the middle region are
preferably greater than the internal angles at the longitudinal
ends of the footprint.
[0025] The integral handle is preferably arranged at a corner of
the container, and more preferably has a longitudinal axis which
extends in line with the longitudinal axis of the body.
[0026] The body may define a chamber for storing liquid, with the
chamber extending into and/or through the integral handle. The
footprint may be at least partially diamond-shaped (i.e. generally
defining a rhombus), and the at least partially diamond-shaped
footprint may be truncated at either longitudinal end thereof. Any
corner region may be rounded, rather than sharp, without departing
from the diamond-shaped footprint. The footprint may thus be
substantially six-sided, with one pair of parallel sides at opposed
longitudinal ends of the footprint. The parallel sides are
preferably shorter than the other four sides (which are preferably
of equal length). This six-sided configuration is distinct from a
four-sided or square footprint known in the art, as well as known
quasi-octagonal footprints defined by a generally square body
having curved or truncated corner regions which themselves define
diametrically opposing sides/surfaces. The novel six-sided
footprint allows for close packing of multiple identical
containers, with little or no wasted space therebetween.
[0027] The width of the footprint may be greatest at the middle
region, which may be at least 25%, possibly even at least 50%,
greater in the middle region than at either longitudinal end of its
maximum length. Further, the width of the footprint in the middle
region may be less than 10 times, possibly less than about 5 times,
the width at either end of the maximum length.
[0028] The footprint may include a peripheral step, for example
created by a groove in the body. The groove may extend in a
direction perpendicular to the central and longitudinal axes and
may be formed between the middle region and one longitudinal end of
the footprint. The step may be adjacent a widest part of the
footprint. Such a step may be useful for aligning a container in a
predetermined orientation relative to an external datum, for
example when multiple containers of the same kind and configuration
are conveyed in series along a production line.
[0029] It should be understood that containers of the first aspect
may include one or more features of the containers of the second
aspect and vice versa. For example, the container of the first
aspect may include an integral handle and may define a
diamond-shaped footprint, preferably with the handle arranged at a
corner of the body portion, more preferably in line with the
longitudinal axis of the body and along a tool split line running
corner to corner. By way of further example, a container of the
second aspect may include the non-planar neck intersection of the
first aspect.
[0030] Additionally or alternatively, a container of the second
aspect preferably includes a centre neck open passageway, to reduce
foaming effects during the filling of the container with liquid,
e.g. milk.
[0031] According to another aspect of the invention, there is
provided a container for storing and dispensing liquids (e.g.
milk), preferably of blow moulded construction, comprising a body
portion defining a chamber for storing liquid; and a neck portion
mounted on and extending from the body portion, the neck portion
having an open passageway therethrough for passage of liquid
to/from the chamber; wherein the container is configured to stand
on a planar surface for liquid storage purposes; wherein the body
portion defines a central longitudinal axis and said neck portion
and open passageway are coaxial therewith; wherein the neck portion
defines a threaded portion for receiving a lid in threaded
engagement therewith and the body portion defines an upper shoulder
region of curved profile; wherein the neck portion defines a
circular cylindrical portion below said threaded portion and having
side walls concentric with and parallel to said central
longitudinal axis, wherein the lower end of the cylindrical portion
defines a non-planar intersection with the shoulder region of the
body portion.
[0032] The threaded portion preferably meets the cylindrical
portion in a closed loop of planar intersection. Preferably, the
cylindrical portion is an intermediate formation between the
threaded portion and the body portion. The container preferably
includes an integral handle and may define a diamond-shaped
footprint, preferably with the handle arranged at a corner of the
body portion, more preferably with the handle eye extending along a
tool split line running corner to corner.
[0033] The container may include one or more features from the
first and second aspects of the invention set forth above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] Other aspects and features of the invention will be apparent
from the claims and the following description of preferred
embodiments, made by way of example with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0035] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of part of a plastics
container embodying one aspect of the invention;
[0036] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the plastics container of FIG.
1;
[0037] FIG. 3 shows a front view of the plastics container of FIG.
1;
[0038] FIG. 4 illustrates a standard saddle surface;
[0039] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross section through a three-piece
mould tool for blow moulding the container of FIGS. 1 to 3;
[0040] FIGS. 6-8 illustrate a first plastics container embodying a
second aspect of the invention;
[0041] FIG. 9 illustrates the first plastics container of FIGS. 6-8
being conveyed in series;
[0042] FIG. 10 illustrates the first plastics container of FIGS.
6-8 stored with other such containers on a trolley;
[0043] FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate a second plastics container
embodying the second aspect of the invention;
[0044] FIG. 13 illustrates the second plastics container of FIGS.
11 and 12 stored with other such containers on a trolley;
[0045] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section
through a mould tool for blow moulding a plastics container of
substantially rectangular footprint; and
[0046] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a preferred mould tool for
producing a blow moulded container of non-rectangular
footprint.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0047] FIG. 1 shows a lightweight blow moulded plastics container
10 embodying one aspect of the invention. The container 10
comprises a body portion 12 and a neck portion 14. The body portion
12 defines a chamber 16 for storing liquid (e.g. milk). The neck
portion 14 is mounted on and extends from the body portion 12 and
has an open passageway 18 therethrough which communicates with the
chamber 16 and through which the container 10 is filled with, and
emptied of, liquid. As is normal in the art, the passageway 18 may
by covered with a hermetic seal.
[0048] The neck portion 14 intersects the body portion 12 in a
closed loop 20 with a non-planar profile. The closed loop 20 is
located at the transition between the substantially cylindrical
wall 22 at the base of the neck portion 14 and the upper part or
shoulders 24 of the body portion 12.
[0049] The non-planar profile of the closed loop 20 is best
illustrated with reference to FIG. 4 which shows a standard saddle
surface 30. The closed loop 20 lies on such a surface at a fixed
distance from the central axis XX. The closed loop 20 has a pair of
maxima 32 and a pair of minima 34, and these are seen in FIGS. 2
and 3 disposed equidistantly around the circumference of the
cylindrical wall 22.
[0050] In the illustrated embodiment, the closed loop 20 has a
substantially circular footprint, being bound by cylindrical wall
22.
[0051] The neck portion 14 may have a substantially cylindrical
upper part 40 with a screw thread 42 for engaging a lid (not shown)
with a corresponding screw thread. The cylindrical upper part 40
and cylindrical wall 22 at the base of the neck portion 14 are
separated by a frusto-conical section 44, arranged such that the
neck portion is wider at its base than at its free end. The
cylindrical upper part 40, cylindrical wall 22 and frusto-conical
section 44 are all centred on a common longitudinal axis. The
height of the cylindrical wall 22 (in a direction parallel to the
common longitudinal axis) varies in a circumferential direction
around the periphery of the neck portion 14, dependent upon
curvature of the closed loop 20 in a direction parallel to the
common longitudinal axis. The lower end of the cylindrical wall 22
defines the non-planar intersection with the shoulder region of the
body portion 12.
[0052] It should be noted that the container 10 is of the kind
configured to stand on a planar surface, e.g. on a trolley or
refrigerator shelf More particularly, the body portion 12, neck
portion 14 and open passageway 18 have a common (central)
longitudinal axis, intended to be generally vertical during storage
of the container (i.e. with the rim of the open passageway 18
presented generally horizontally). The closed loop 20 is coaxial
with said common longitudinal axis of the body portion 12, neck
portion 14 and open passageway 18. The concentricity of the body
portion 12, neck portion 14, open passageway 18 and closed loop 20
is desirable to avoid twisting forces that might otherwise occur
during topload force testing.
[0053] The container may also be referred to as a "centre neck"
container, by virtue of the open passageway being concentric with
the central longitudinal axis of the body portion of the container.
Such a configuration is particularly advantageous in reducing
foaming effects during the filling of the container with liquid,
e.g. milk.
[0054] The container 10 is manufactured by blow moulding using an
appropriately shaped mould tool. An example of a suitable tool is
shown in FIG. 5, wherein the tool 50 includes a neck block 52, body
block 54 and base block 56. The body block 54 and base block 56
define a continuous cavity 58 in which the body portion 12 of the
container 10 is formed. The neck block 52 defines a cavity 60 in
which the threaded neck portion 14 of the container 10 is
formed.
[0055] As is common in the art, the neck block 52 is provided with
a neck insert 62 configured to define the desired shape and thread
formation of the neck portion 14. Neck inserts of different
internal configuration are interchangeable within the neck block
52. Similarly, the neck block 52 may be interchangeable with
different body blocks 54.
[0056] It will be understood that the body portion 12 and neck
portion 14 are distinct parts of the container 10, which are
conventionally defined by distinct pieces of the mould tool 50,
i.e. the body block 54 and neck block 52, respectively, separated
by a split line 64 of the tool 50 (at the transition between the
neck block 52 and the body block 54). However, in preferred
embodiments of the invention, the closed loop 20 is below the split
line. More particularly, the cylindrical part 22 of the neck
portion 14 is formed below the split line 64, within the body block
54. Hence, the closed loop 20 is located adjacent, yet below, what
is commonly referred to as the `neck platform` of the container
(known conventionally as the part of the neck portion which meets
the shoulders of the body portion). However, in this case, the
cylindrical part is effectively an intermediate formation between
the neck platform and the shoulders of the body portion. In each
case, it will be preferred if the closed loop and associated
intermediate formation is formed in the body block 54, so that
different threaded portions can be blow moulded therewith using
different neck blocks 52.
[0057] The result is a strengthened container, which overcomes the
conventional requirement for increased wall thickness between the
neck and body portions in order to overcome structural
weakness.
[0058] FIGS. 6-8 illustrate respectively perspective, plan and
front views of a first plastics container 110 embodying a second
aspect of the invention, and FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate
respectively plan and front views of a second plastics container
210 embodying the second aspect of the invention. The first and
second plastics containers 110, 210 have different capacities, with
the first container 110 having a 1 pint capacity and the second
container 210 having a 6 pint capacity. Otherwise, the first and
second containers 110, 210 have many features in common, including
a body 120, 220 with a neck portion 124, 224 which intersects the
rest of the body in a closed loop 126, 226 with a non-planar
profile.
[0059] The body 120 of the first container 110 has an integral
handle 130 defining an aperture 132 (often referred to as the
handle `eye`) with a central axis AA extending in a first direction
through the body 120. The central axis AA is parallel to the
direction of separation of the two parts of the mould--shown
schematically in FIG. 8--in which the first container 110 is
formed.
[0060] The body 120 projects a footprint 140 which in the present
case is taken to be the outermost periphery visible in the plan
view. The footprint 140 has a longitudinal axis BB extending in a
second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction. The
footprint 140 has a width which varies along its longitudinal axis
BB, and is greater in a middle region 142 of the footprint 140 than
at either longitudinal end 144 thereof. In fact, the maximum width
(Wmax) is in the middle region 142 and the minimum width (Wmin) is
at either longitudinal end 144. The ratio of Wmax:Wmin is about
5:1. The footprint 140 has a substantially truncated-diamond shape,
with the longitudinal ends 144 being present in place of one pair
of corners along the longitudinal axis BB. The longitudinal ends
144 represent the opposed parallel sides of the container 110, with
central axis AA parallel thereto. The internal angles are non-right
angles, i.e. at the middle region the opposing internal angles are
greater than 90 degrees. The footprint 140 is generally six-sided
and is distinct from four-sided or square footprints known in the
art, as well as known quasi-octagonal footprints defined by a
generally square bodies having curved or truncated corner regions
which themselves define diametrically opposing sides/surfaces.
[0061] The footprint 140 of the container 110 includes a peripheral
step 150, which is formed by a vertical groove or rib 152 in the
body 150. The rib 152 helps with aligning multiple containers 110
in a predetermined orientation relative to an external datum, such
as a conveyor 160, as shown in FIG. 9. In this way the containers
110 may be arranged into a close packed array, for example when
filling a standard trolley shelf 170 as shown in FIG. 10.
[0062] FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate the body 220 of the second
container 220 having an integral handle 230 defining an aperture
232 with a central axis A'A' extending in a first direction through
the body 220. The body 220 has a footprint 240 which is visible in
FIG. 12. The footprint 240 has a longitudinal axis B'B' extending
in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first
direction. The footprint 240 has a width which varies along its
length, and is greatest (Wmax) in a middle region 242, and smallest
(Wmin) at either longitudinal end 244. The ratio of Wmax:Wmin is
about 3:1. The footprint 240 has a substantially truncated-diamond
shape; the longitudinal ends 244 replacing two corners along the
longitudinal axis B'B' and adding an additional two sides to the
otherwise four-sided shape. The footprint 240 includes a slight
peripheral step 250 formed by a vertical rib 252 which in the case
of container 210 is more for styling than alignment purposes. As
shown in FIG. 13, multiple containers 210 are arranged in a close
packed array, with adjacent rows offset by half a container length
to fit the width of a standard trolley shelf 270.
[0063] The containers described in respect of FIGS. 6 to 13 are
preferably formed by blow moulding. Preferably, the mould tool is
configured such that the longitudinal axis of the handle and
longitudinal axis of the body are in line with one another along a
centre split line of the tool (such that the handle is arranged at
one corner of the body). Put another way, the mould tool is
configured so that the mould split line is arranged corner to
corner with respect to the body, with the middle region of the body
extending in the direction of opening of the tool (perpendicular to
the split line).
[0064] As with the embodiment of the FIGS. 1 to 3, the containers
110, 210 include a centre neck open passageway, which is useful in
reducing foaming effects during filling of the container with
liquid, e.g. milk. The neck and passageway are arranged with the
same concentricity considerations (with respect to the central
vertical axis of the body) as the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 3, to
reduce for adverse topload forces during testing.
[0065] A known plastics container has a substantially rectangular
footprint, with two corner regions on each side of a notional
centre line aligned with the longitudinal axis, with all four
corner regions equidistant therefrom. An example of such a known
footprint is shown at 300 in FIG. 14. Such a container may be of
blow moulded construction, e.g. formed by blow moulding a parison
310 in a mould with two parts 320, 330 which separate along a
notional centre line 340 (e.g. along the central longitudinal axis
of the footprint of the container in FIG. 14) when ejecting the
container from the mould.
[0066] FIG. 15 shows a modified mould tool 400, wherein the split
line 440 of the mould tool pieces 420, 430 is arranged generally
`corner to corner` of a footprint of non-rectangular diamond shape
of the kind described above (i.e. effectively at 45 degrees to that
shown in FIG. 14). Providing that the corners 460 arranged at 90
degrees to the split line 400 are not excessively deep, it has been
found that the stretching/thinning effect on the parison 410 is
likely to be less extreme than with conventional mould tools of the
kind shown in FIG. 14, resulting in more even distribution of
plastic within the wall thickness.
[0067] As can be seen, the central longitudinal axis of the
footprint in FIG. 15 is aligned with the split line 440 of the
mould tool 400. Preferably, the handle eye of the container (not
visible in FIG. 15) is also aligned with the split line 440, as
would be the case for the containers shown in FIGS. 8 and 12.
[0068] The footprint defined by the mould tool 400 is generally
diamond-shaped, being six-sided with two generally opposing
longitudinal end surfaces 470 separated by four angled side
surfaces 480. The footprint is non-rectangular and the internal
angles of the footprint in the middle region are greater than the
internal angles at the longitudinal ends of the footprint. Hence,
the width of the footprint is greatest at the middle region and
smallest at either longitudinal end.
[0069] While the invention has been described in connection with
what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred
embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be
limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is
intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements
included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *