EP0225251A1 - Profiled container of the non-inversive type for the receipt of a liquid - Google Patents

Abstract

A container of plastics material or other material for receiving a liquid formed by an extrusion-blowing process or by any other conventional process, comprising a neck (1) in which is formed an opening for expelling the liquid. The container comprises two sides each formed by a planar bearing portion (2A, 3A) and by a rounded portion (2B, 3B) connected to the planar portion and to the neck (1), the two planar portions forming a dihedron, and the two aforementioned bearing portions being interconnected by curved lateral portions (5). This arrangement renders the container unoverturnable, whatever be the position in which the container is placed on a support plane, and imparts thereto a maximum volume for a given amount of plastics material used in its manufacture.

Description

The present invention relates to a container of plastic or other material (glass for example), intended to receive a liquid.

French patent application 83 01 359 describes a container of this kind, arranged to receive liquids such as cleaning products, chemicals, etc., which have two flat support faces forming a dihedral, the l 'angle is less than 90 ° when the container is filled with liquid, these two flat faces being connected by a neck at the end of which is formed a liquid expulsion opening.

The cost price of this container is considerably lowered thanks to the simplification of its structure compared to previously known containers, and moreover this container has the advantage of being irreversible, that is to say whatever the position in which it is deposited on a horizontal plane, it is necessarily supported on one of the flat faces of the dihedral with the liquid outlet opening facing upwards. Thus the liquid cannot accidentally flow from the container after opening the neck.

The object of the present invention is to improve a container of this type, by increasing its volume for the same quantity of raw material used for its manufacture.

The container contemplated by the invention, formed by extrusion blow molding or by any other usual method, comprises a neck in which an opening is made for expelling the liquid.

According to the invention, this container comprises two faces each constituted by a flat support part and by a rounded part connected with a part at the flat part and other by the neck, the two flat parts forming a dihedral.

The two flat parts being dimensioned so as to serve as support faces for the container on a horizontal plane, the latter can only assume a stable position on one of its two support faces whatever the position in which we put it down. In addition, the volume available for the liquid is significantly greater than that of the anterior container mentioned above, thanks to the rounded, for example spherical, parts, and this from an almost equal amount of raw material.

In addition, the size of the container according to the invention is reduced compared to the container of French patent 83 01 359, and therefore offers better storage facilities.

• - la Figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un premier mode de réalisation du récipient selon l'invention;
• - la Figure 2 est une vue en coupe trans­versale suivant l'axe du goulot, du récipient de la Figure 1:
• - la Figure 3 est une vue de dessus en plan du récipient des Figures 1 et 2;
• - les Figures 4 et 5 sont des vues en coupe transversale analogues à la Figures 2 de deux autres formes de réalisation du récipient selon l'invention;
• - les Figures 6, 7 et 8 sont des vues ana­logues à la Figure 2 d'une quatrième forme de réali­ sation du récipient, représentés dans plusieurs po­sitions différentes sur un plan horizontal;
• - les Figures 9A et 9B sont des vues en élévation partielle respectivement dans deux plans perpendiculaires d'un premier mode de réalisation du goulot du récipient et de sa fermeture;
• - les Figures 10A et 10B sont des vues analogues aux Figures 9A et 9B d'une première variante de réalisation du goulot et de sa fermeture;
• - la Figures 11 est une vue en élévation d'une seconde variante d'exécution du goulot de la Figure 9A;
• - la Figure12 est une vue en élévation latérale d'une troisième variante simplifiée de la réalisation du goulot de la Figure 9A

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear during the description which follows, given with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of nonlimiting examples, several embodiments:

• - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the container according to the invention;
• - Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along the axis of the neck, of the container of Figure 1:
• - Figure 3 is a top plan view of the container of Figures 1 and 2;
• - Figures 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views similar to Figures 2 of two other embodiments of the container according to the invention;
• - Figures 6, 7 and 8 are views similar to Figure 2 of a fourth form of reality sation of the container, shown in several different positions on a horizontal plane;
• - Figures 9A and 9B are views in partial elevation respectively in two perpendicular planes of a first embodiment of the neck of the container and its closure;
• - Figures 10A and 10B are views similar to Figures 9A and 9B of a first alternative embodiment of the neck and its closure;
• - Figures 11 is an elevational view of a second alternative embodiment of the neck of Figure 9A;
• - Figure12 is a side elevational view of a third simplified variant of the embodiment of the neck of Figure 9A

The container shown in Figures 1 to 3 is made of a suitable material, such as plastic, complex, glass etc. and is intended to receive a liquid such as for example a household cleaning product.

This container, formed by extrusion blow molding or by any other usual method, comprises a neck 1 in which an opening is made for expelling the liquid and two faces 2, 3 each constituted by a flat support part 2A, 3A respectively and by a rounded part, for example spherical 2B, 3B respectively connected on the one hand to the corresponding flat part 2A, 3A and on the other hand to the neck 1 by a flat surface 4, the two flat parts 2A, 3A forming a dihedron of which the angle in this example is less than 90 degrees.

The section of the container in a plane perpendicular to the plane parts 2A, 3A, that is to say in the plane of Figure 2, fits in the mode of Figures 1 to 3, inside a rhombus L, with vertices A, B, C, D, the neck 1 however projecting slightly outside of this rhombus until its edges intersect the extensions of the sides of said diamond, beyond the angle A. As a variant, the neck 1 can obviously either be completely inscribed inside the diamond L, or extend more outside than in FIG. 2.

Thus, in a plane perpendicular to the flat parts 2A, 3A, the bottle has, from the top of the neck 1 to the top S of the dihedral 2A, 3A, two profiles symmetrical with respect to the great diagonal D connecting the vertices A and B of the diamond L, on which is preferably located the center of curvature 0 of the spherical parts 2B and 3B. In other words, the large diagonal D of the diamond L constitutes, in section, the axis of symmetry of the two halves of the container. Thus, the bottom 2A, 2B whose apex S is preferably rounded, is inscribed in one of the angles of the rhombus, while the neck 1 is placed in the opposite angle (or slightly beyond).

Whatever its filling level, the bottle or container has its center of gravity always offset to the bottom 2A or 3A on which it rests, behind the vertical EF or GH (Figure 2) drawn from the points contact F (or G) of the rounded part 3B (ou2B) with the adjoining flat surface 3A (or 2A) on which it is placed. In this way, regardless of how the container is placed, it is always forced, under the effect of its own weight and under the effect of the mass of liquid it contains, to stabilize on one of its flat parts 2A or 3A after having switched over to its rounded truncated parts 3B or 2B. In its position stabilized, the container always retains the opening of its neck 1 above the level of liquid it contains, so that the latter cannot then flow by simple gravity out of the bottle.

The two arcs of circle GE and FH of a section of the container in the plane of Figure 2 are inscribed in the diamond L, and have for common center 0, point of intersection of the two diagonals AB and CD of the container. These arcs of circle GE and FH connect two by two the opposite sides of the angles where the bottom 2A, 3A and the neck 1 of the bottle are respectively inscribed. The flat surface 4 cuts the diagonal AB perpendicularly and is connected to the rounded parts 2B, 3B by the points E and H.

As a variant, the arcs of a circle GE and FH can be replaced by non-circular curves, the function of which obviously remains identical. Similarly, the geometry of the neck 1 can vary widely.

It is also possible to provide, instead of a rounded edge S connecting the flat parts 2A, 3A, to truncate them along a segment NM (Figure 2). The flat parts 2A, 3A can also be replaced by a conical structure, possibly provided with facets.

According to a feature of the invention, the two faces 2A, 2B and 3A, 3B are connected by rounded side faces 5 (Figure 1). Thus the container cannot be placed on one of its edges or side faces 5 and is, on the contrary, forced to position itself on one of the two bearing faces 2A, 2B or 3A, 3B if it is placed on the one of the faces 5.

Apart from the characteristics mentioned above, the container can have various shapes. However, the S end of the bottom, preferably Rence rounded or possibly truncated NM must be located as close as possible to the top of the adjacent angle of the rhombus L.

The second embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, differs from the previous one in that the receptacle 6 is here inscribed in section in a square Aʹ, Bʹ, Cʹ, Dʹ and that the neck 7, the end of which slightly exceeds the upper angle of this square is significantly shorter than the neck 1. The flat parts 7A and 8A here extend over half of the sides of the square, and are connected to parts 7B, 8B of circular section, the common center 0 is at the intersection of the diagonals AʹBʹ and CʹDʹ of the square.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the container 9 is inscribed in a rhombus Lʹ, and its flat parts 11A and 12A, delimiting a dihedron whose angle is greater than 90 degrees, connected by a rounded top Sʹ, are connected to the respective spherical parts 11B and 12B at points Gʹ and Fʹ. The latter are constituted by the intersections of the corresponding sides of the diamond Lʹ with the straight lines H ʹGʹ and EʹFʹ perpendicular to its sides and passing through the center 0ʺ of the spherical parts 11B, 12B, the container being provided with a short neck 10.

It can be seen that the flat parts 11A, 12A are here considerably less important than the flat parts of the preceding embodiments.

The fourth embodiment of the container 13 illustrated in Figures 6 to 8, is inscribed in section in a vertical plane in a square C. In Figure 6, the container 13 is placed in abutment on its neck 14 and on its edge 15 connecting its rounded part 16B to the flat surface 18 of connection to the neck 14, this container having two flat parts 16A, 17A and a second rounded part 17B. The vertical XY passing through point 15 and through the center of curvature of the rounded parts 16B, 17B separates the container into two volumes, the volume on the right filled with the liquid being greater than the volume filled with this liquid to the left of this vertical XY, whatever the level of the liquid L1, L2, L3, ... and this due to the geometric characteristics of the container conforming to the invention. Therefore, this position of the container 13 is not stable, and it tends to tilt automatically to come to be placed in the position of Figure 8, aPpui on one of the flat parts 16A, 17A after rolling on the corresponding rounded part: in this case the container 13 rests on its flat part 16A in Figure 8, position in which it is stable. This is explained by the fact that whatever the level of the liquid (L1, L2, L3, L4, ...), the volume of liquid located in the part of the container opposite its neck 14 and delimited by the vertical XY is greater than the volume of liquid located on the other side of this vertical XY, which ensures the stability of the container on one or the other of its flat bearing faces 16A or 17A.

Similarly if it is placed in support by one of its spherical parts 16B or 17B on a horizontal plane (Figure 7), the volume of liquid located between the vertical XY passing through the support line 19 defined by the middle of the rounded part 16B (or 17B) and the flat parts 16A, 17A, is greater than the volume of liquid contained in the part of the container situated on the other side of the vertical XY, that is to say between the latter and the neck 14. As a result, the container 13 automatically switches over on its rounded part 16B (or 17B) to come back to its stable position in FIG. 8, in which its neck 14 is oriented upwards.

Thus, all the containers meeting the characteristics provided by the invention are reversible and are automatically placed in one of their two stable positions, regardless of the position in which they are placed on a support plane. This is of course also verified when the container is placed in abutment on one of its rounded side faces 5.

For containers produced from flexible or semi-rigid materials, FIGS. 9A and 9B show an embodiment of the neck of the container, in which the neck itself 21 is connected to the body 22 of the container by a closure 23 and a neck. 24. The closure 23 is constituted by two wall parts 23a, 23b profiled so as to be applied elastically against one another to close the container, these parts 23a, 23b being in this example hemispherical. They can be separated from each other by letting the liquid pass when sufficient pressure is exerted on the faces of the container, and come back elastically to apply against one another as soon as this pressure ceases. Thus, these curved parts 23a, 23b close like lips due to the elastic effect due to their shape. This elastic effect is caused by the reaction of the wall of the neck 24 with respect to the forces which are transmitted to it at a certain angle, by the curved shapes 23a, 23B.

In the variant of Figures 10A and 10B, the closure 25 is constituted by two wall parts 25a, 25b profiled in a broken line, and more precisely in this example in trapezium whose small bases are applied elastically against one another. These small bases can move away elastically when sufficient pressure is exerted on one or the other of the walls of the container or on both and come back to be applied one against the other by sealing the container when the pressure stops. In the variant of FIG. 11, the upper edges 26a, 26b of the closure 26 have convex profiles facing one another, the lateral edges 27a, 27b being rounded as in the case of the closure 23.

In the variant of FIG. 12, the closure 30 is formed by a flat wall part 31 and a curved wall part 32, in this hemispherical example, applied one against the other.

Claims (5)

1- Container intended to receive a liquid, comprising a neck (1, 7, 10, 14) in which an opening is made for expelling the liquid, characterized in that it comprises two faces each constituted by a flat part of support (2A, 3A; 7A, 8A, ...) and by a rounded part (2B, 3B; 7B, 8B, ...) connected on the one hand to the flat part and on the other hand to the neck (1 , 7, 10, ...), the two flat parts forming a dihedral, and the two abovementioned bearing faces are connected by rounded lateral faces (5). 2 - Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the section of the latter in a plane (A, B, C, D, ...) perpendicular to the flat parts is inscribed inside a rhombus ( L, Lʹ) or a square (C), with the exception of the neck (1, 7, 10, ...) which may possibly extend outside the rhombus or the square (C). 3 - Container according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the neck (1, 7, ..) is connected to the spherical parts (2B, 3B, ...) by a flat surface (4, 18, ..). 4 - Container according to one of claims 1 to 3, made of a flexible or semi-rigid material, characterized in that the neck (21, 23) comprises two sections of profiled walls (23a, 23b; 25a, 25b) of so as to apply elastically against one another to close the container, which can be separated from one another by letting pass liquid when a pressure is exerted on the faces of the container, and return elastically l one against the other as soon as the pressure stops. 5 - A container according to claim 4, ca characterized in that the sections of profiled walls are semi-cylindrical (23a, 23b) or have a broken line section (25a, 25b)

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