Container Construction

Abstract

A composite container construction is provided defined by an inner container made of a minimum amount of fluid-impervious material and such inner container has a cup-like bottom portion adjoined by a cylindrical portion. An outer structural tubular housing is provided made of a comparatively inexpensive non-metallic material with the housing having an inside surface bonded against the cylindrical portion and serving as the main load-carrying structure for the construction.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The container industry is a highly competitive one in which there is a continuing effort to package various products including pressurized fluid products using containers which can be produced at minimum cost. It is known that composite containers can be made comparatively inexpensively; however, in general, the composite containers proposed heretofore are not capable of reliably containing pressurized fluids such as aerosols, carbonated beverages, and the like, without leakage.

SUMMARY

This invention provides an improved comparatively inexpensive container construction particularly adapted for containing pressurized fluid products such as aerosols, carbonated beverages, and the like. The construction comprises an inner container made of a minimum amount of fluid-impervious material and an outer tubular housing made of an inexpensive non-metallic material with the housing serving as the main load-carrying structure for the construction.

Other details, uses, and advantages for this invention will become apparent as the following description of the exemplary embodiments thereof presented in the accompanying drawing proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawing shows present exemplary embodiments of this invention, in which

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary container construction of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken essentially on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1 and illustrating the thicknesses of the various materials in an exaggerated manner;

FIG. 3 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view particularly illustrating the configuration of an inner container comprising the container construction of FIG. 1 between a main cylindrical portion and a top portion of such inner container;

FIG. 3A is an enlarged fragmentary view particularly showing the container construction of FIG. 1 with its outer housing made of paper;

FIG. 3B is an enlarged fragmentary view particularly showing the container construction of FIG. 1 with its outer housing made of plastic;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, minus a top closure and with its central portion broken away, of another exemplary embodiment of a container construction of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating one way in which a typical top closure may be fixed in position against the container construction of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating another exemplary embodiment of a container construction of this invention

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Reference is now made to FIG. 1 of the drawing which illustrates one exemplary embodiment of the container construction of this invention which is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The container construction 10 is particularly adapted to contain a fluid such as a carbonated beverage under pressure yet is inexpensive when compared to the cost of a similar container, such as an all-metal can, for example, often used as a beverage container.

The container construction 10 comprises an inner container 12, see FIG. 2, which has a cup-like bottom portion 13 adjoined by a central tubular cylindrical portion 14 and portion 14 is adjoined by a tubular cylindrical top portion 15. In this example, the portions 13, 14, and 15 of the inner container 12 are provided as a single piece construction and preferably made of a fluid-impervious material in the form of metallic foil.

The construction 10 has a tubular outer structural housing 16 made of a comparatively inexpensive non-metallic material and the housing 16 has an inside surface 17 which is bonded against the cylindrical portion 14 of the inner container 12 whereby the housing 16 serves as the main loadcarrying structure for the container construction 10.

The housing 16 has a right circular cylindrical outside surface 20, a fixed height indicated at 21, and a wall thickness 22 which is substantially greater than the thickness of the material defining the inner container 14. The wall thickness 22 will vary depending on the material used to make housing 16 and is such that the effective strength of the container construction 10 is equivalent to conventional container constructions made entirely of metallic materials. The housing 16 also has an inwardly bifolded bottom edge portion 23 which is folded against its inside surface 17 so as to define a comparatively strong supporting base for the container construction 10 and the double thickness bottom edge portion 23 has a bottom edge 24 which is arranged a substantial distance, indicated at 25, beneath the cup-like bottom portion 13 of the inner container 12 whereby portion 13 is substantially recessed and is thus in a protected position.

The container construction 10 also has a conventional top closure 26 which includes a pull device 27 which is particularly adapted to be pulled outwardly from the container construction in a known manner to provide a substantially keyhole-shaped opening in the top closure 26 defined by a correspondingly shaped score line 30 in such closure so that a product, such as a carbonated beverage, contained within the container construction 10 may be easily dispensed through such opening. The closure 26 is fixed in position in a conventional manner and as will now be described.

As will be apparent particularly from FIG. 2, the top portion 15 of the inner container 12 extends above the fixed height 21 of the housing 16 and has a portion 31 provided therein which in the completed container construction 10 hooks downwardly. The top closure 26 has a peripheral flange 32 and is fixed to the construction 10 in a conventional manner whereby the flange portion 31 is formed as a downwardly hooking portion and the flange 32 reversely hooked therewithin to define a top annular bead or chime 33. The bead 33 has a circular peripheral outline and a diameter which is substantially equal to the diameter of the cylindrical surface 20 so that a plurality of container constructions identical to the container construction 10 may be packaged in a conventional manner without chime ride, or the like.

The cup-like bottom portion 13 and adjoining cylindrical portion 14 of the inner container 12 have substantially the same wall thickness; however, inasmuch as the top closure 26 is fixed directly against the top portion 15 of inner container 12, such top portion has a thickness which is substantially greater, i.e., roughly two times greater, than the wall thickness of cylindrical portion 14.

To assure that the inner container 12 has optimum structural integrity it has an integral transition portion 34, see FIG. 3, wherein the cylindrical wall portion 14 gradually increases in thickness until it equals the thickness of the top portion 15. The transition portion 34 has a height, indicated at 39, which is only a small fractional part of the overall height of the container construction 10 and for a typical 12 ounce container for carbonated beverages may be roughly 1/2 inch.

Other exemplary embodiments of the container construction of this invention are illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6. The container constructions illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6 are similar to the container construction 10; therefore, such constructions will be designated by the reference numerals 10A and 10B respectively and representative parts of each construction which are similar to corresponding parts of the construction 10 will be designated in the drawings by the same reference numeral as in the construction 10 (whether or not such components are mentioned in the specification) followed by an associated letter designation, either A or B, and not described again in detail. Only those component parts of each construction which are substantially different from corresponding parts of the construction 10 will be designated by a new reference numeral also followed by the associated letter designation and described in detail.

The container construction 10A of FIG. 4 has an inner container 12A and an outer housing 16A with the inner container 12A being defined as a single piece container having a bottom cup-like portion 13A, an integral adjoining central cylindrical portion 14A, and an integral top portion 15A, all of which have substantially the same thickness. The inner container 12A has its entire central portion 14A and top portion 15A bonded against the inside surface 17A of housing 16A to define a laminated structure of substantial height which terminates in a top portion which, for convenience, will be designated by the reference numeral 35A. As seen in FIG. 5, the top laminated structural portion 35A is suitably formed so that it defines a downwardly hooking flange 31A during the process of fixing a top closure 26A in position against the container construction 10A.

The container construction 10B illustrated in FIG. 6 comprises an outer tubular housing 16B which has an inner right circular cylindrical sleeve made of a fluid-impervious plastic material bonded thereagainst, using any suitable means known in the art, along its full height and such plastic sleeve is designated by the reference numeral 36B. The container construction 10B has what will be referred to as an inner container 12B which is comprised of three separate pieces and the central portion 14B of such container is defined by a central portion of the sleeve 36B.

The container 12B has a bottom cup-like portion 13B made of a metallic material and portion 13B has a right circular cylindrical portion 37B which is bonded against the inside surface of the central portion 14B using a suitable adhesive means 41B. The inner container 12B also has a tubular top portion 15B made of a metallic material bonded against the inside surface of portion 14B using suitable adhesive means 42B whereby the top portion of the construction 10B is thus defined as a three piece laminated structure comprised of tubular housing 16B, the top portion of plastic sleeve 36B, and the tubular cylindrical portion 15B made of metallic material. The top portion 35B of the container construction 10B may be formed with a top flange similar to the flange 31A of the container construction 10A once a top closure is fastened in position thereagainst. Further, it will be noted that in the container construction 10B the bottom portion of the outer structural housing 16B and its adjoining sleeve 36B terminate in a planar annular bottom edge 44B.

In each embodiment of the container construction of this invention the main structural load is carried by an outer tubular housing (either 16, 16A or 16B) made of a comparatively inexpensive material which may be either paper or a suitable plastic. The inner container in each embodiment is made of a comparatively more expensive fluid-impervious material; however, the quantity of such material is kept at a minimum. Thus, in the container construction 10 the main portion of the inner container is made of metallic foil with only the top portion 15 thereof having a greater thickness so that the closure 26 may be fastened in position directly thereagainst; in container construction 10A metal foil of uniform thickness is used to define the entire container 12A; and in the container construction 10B only the bottom portion 13B and top portion 15B are made of metallic material while the central portion 14B is made of a fluid-impervious plastic material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or other suitable plastic material.

Any suitable metallic material may be used to make either the entire inner container or portions thereof, and such metallic material may be either ferrous or aluminous in character.

For a typical twelve ounce container construction 10 containing a carbonated beverage CB (see FIGS. 1 and 2) it is desirable to provide the housing 16 made of a suitably treated paper, as shown in FIG. 3A, or plastic, as shown in FIG. 3B, and having a sufficient thickness to withstand the desired pressures. Further, the outer surface 20 may be provided with any suitable printing, embossing, decoration, or the like. The inner container 12 is preferably made of an aluminum alloy and so that its cup-like bottom wall portion 13 as well as its central portion 14 each has a thickness ranging between 0.002-0.004 inch with the top portion 15 having a thickness ranging between 0.005-0.008 inch and the top portion 15 providing the sole support for closure 26. The bottom wall portion 13 is arranged above the bottom edge 24 by the distance 25 which may range between 0.062-0.125 inch. With such a container a conventional closure 26 made of a suitable aluminum alloy may be fixed in position to the top portion 15 using conventional equipment.

In this disclosure of the invention the inner container 12 is shown as having a transition portion 34 having a height 39 which is a small fractional part of the overall height of the container construction 10; however, it will be appreciated that in some applications the height 39 of this transition portion 34 may extend over the major portion of the height of such container construction.

While present exemplary embodiments of this invention, and methods of practicing the same, have been illustrated and described, it will be recognized that this invention may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A container construction comprising; an inner container made of a fluid-impervious material; said inner container having a cup-like bottom portion, a central cylindrical portion, and a top cylindrical portion; and an outer structural housing made of a comparatively inexpensive material, said housing having an inside surface bonded against said cylindrical portions and serving as the main load-carrying structure of said construction; said bottom and central portions of said inner container having substantially the same wall thickness while said top portion has a thickness which is greater than said same wall thickness, said inner container also having a transition portion between its central and top portions, said inner container being defined as a single piece construction with its bottom, central, and top portions provided as an integral part thereof.

2. A construction as set forth in claim 1 in which said housing comprises a tubular housing made of paper and said inner container is made of metallic foil.

3. A construction as set forth in claim 1 in which said housing comprises a tubular housing made of a platic material.

4. A construction as set forth in claim 1 in which, said housing comprises a right circular cylindrical tubular housing which has said inside surface and a fixed height, said cylindrical portions of said inner container are bonded against said inside surface along said fixed height, and said cylindrical top portion of said inner container has a portion thereof extending above said fixed height and is adapted to have a top closure for said construction fastened in position thereagainst.

5. A construction as set forth in claim 1 in which said housing comprises a right circular cylindrical tubular housing which has a fixed height and said central and top portions of said inner container adjoin said housing to the top of its fixed height.

6. A construction as set forth in claim 5 in which said housing is made of a non-metallic material and said cylindrical top portion of said inner container and said housing define a laminated structure which terminates in a downwardly hooking portion, and said construction further comprises a top closure having a flange portion which is reversely hooked within said downwardly hooking portion to define a fluid-tight annular bead for the top closure for said construction.

7. A container construction comprising; an inner container made of a fluid-impervious material, said inner container having a cup-like bottom portion, a central cylindrical portion, and a top cylindrical portion; an outer structural housing made of a comparatively inexpensive material, said housing having an inside surface bonded against said cylindrical portions and serving as the main load-carrying structure of said construction; said housing comprising a right circular cylindrical tubular housing which has said inside surface and a fixed height; said cylindrical portions of said inner container being bonded against said inside surface along said fixed height, said cylindrical top portion of said inner container having a portion thereof extending above said fixed height and being adapted to have a top closure for said construction fastened in position thereagainst, said bottom and central portions of said inner container having substantially the same wall thickness and said top portion having a thickness which is greater than said same wall thickness, said inner container also having a transition portion between its central and top portions, said inner container being defined as a single piece construction with its bottom, central, and top portions provided as an integral part thereof; and said construction further comprising a top closure fixed against said top portion in a fluid-tight manner with said top portion providing the sole support for said closure.

8. A container construction comprising; an inner container made of a fluid-impervious material, said inner container having a cup-like bottom portion, a central cylindrical portion, and a top cylindrical portion; and an outer structural housing made of a comparatively inexpensive material, said housing having an inside surface bonded against said cylindrical portions and serving as the main load-carrying structure of said construction, said housing comprising a right circular cylindrical tubular housing which has said inside surface, a fixed height, and a tubular sleeve made of a plastic material bonded against said inside surface along its entire fixed height; said central cylindrical portion of said inner container being defined by the central portion of said plastic sleeve; said cup-like bottom portion of said inner container being made of a metallic material and being bonded against the inside surface of said central portion; and said top portion of said inner container being made of a metallic material and being bonded against said central portion to define a lamination at the top portion of said construction which has a triple thickness, said triple thickness lamination being adapted to have a top closure for said construction fastened in position thereagainst.

9. A construction as set forth in claim 8 and further comprising adhesive means bonding said cup-like bottom portion and said cylindrical top portion against said central cylindrical portion made of plastic material.

10. A construction as set forth in claim 1 in which said structural housing is made of a non-metallic material and extends below the lowermost surface of said cup-like bottom portion and defines an annular support for said construction which has optimum stability.

11. A composite container construction comprising; an inner container made of a minimum amount of fluid-impervious metallic material, said inner container having a cup-like bottom portion, a central cylindrical portion, and a top cylindrical portion with said top portion having a thickness which is greater than said central portion; and an outer structural tubular housing made of a comparatively inexpensive non-metallic material, said housing having an inside surface bonded against said cylindrical portions and serving as the main load-carrying structure of said construction; said inner container also having a transition portion between its central and top portions; said inner container being defined as a single piece construction with its bottom, central, and top portions provided as an integral part thereof, and said construction further comprising a top closure fixed against said top portion in a fluid-tight manner with said top portion providing the sole support for said closure.

12. A construction as set forth in claim 11 in which said outer structural housing has a portion which extends below the bottom surface of said cup-like bottom portion and terminates in an annular surface which provides the entire support for said container construction.

13. A contruction as set forth in claim 12 in which said inner container is made of an aluminous material and its bottom and central portions are substantially the same thickness ranging between 0.002 inch and 0.004 inch.

14. A construction as set forth in claim 13 in which said inner container has its top portion formed so that it is roughly two times greater in thickness than the thickness of its bottom and central portions.