MXPA00010875A - Drainage ports for plastic containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A container that provides for drainage of fluid underneath a product label on the container is provided. The container comprises a central label portion, a bottom portion below the central label portion, and at least one drainage port (40). Each drainage port (40) comprises two ridges (20) forming a groove (10) through which fluid can drain from the central label portion to the bottom portion of the container. At a cross-sectional area of a container at the level of the drainage ports (40), the container has an outer surface (50) at a radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the container. Preferably, each groove (10) is located at the same radial distance as that of the outer surface (50) of the container.

Description

DRAINAGE PORTS AND FOR PLASTIC CONTAINERS The present invention relates to the field of containers, and more particularly, to blow molded plastic containers, such as PET bottles which are in common use today for packaging non-alcoholic beverages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION During the past twenty-five years or so, there has been a dramatic change in the packaging of beverages, such as bottled water and non-alcoholic beverages, away from glass containers and into plastic containers. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is in wide use throughout the world for such containers, because it exhibits preferred characteristics, such as, high hardness, light weight, high transparency, high pressure resistance and acts as a good barrier Of gas. PET containers are commonly hot filled, that is, when the containers are filled with a fluid, the product is above room temperature. After filling, the containers are cooled with a water atomizer. Normally, these containers also have a central label area, to which a product label, referred to as a shrink sleeve label, is applied. A problem may arise when water or other fluid invades the area between the container and the label and becomes trapped. When the water or product is not drained from this area, the trapped fluid can be spoiled, stains can form and / or unpleasant odors can result. Therefore, any improvement that reduces or eliminates this problem is highly desirable. A container of the prior art, designed to reduce any potential for fluid accumulation is described in the commonly assigned US patent no. 5,988.41 7. This application describes a small groove extending from within the central label area of the container to an area slightly below the label area, so that the fluid can flow down and out from under a label. This exemplary prior art slot for drainage is recessed from the outer surface of the container, forming a path between a vacuum panel lowered in the central label area to the area below the label. Another exemplary prior art container, which is sold in Japan, has a cross section as shown in Figure 3. This cross section is taken at the level of slot 8 just below the vacuum panels. This groove 8 of the prior art is completely recessed in the container, that is, completely formed radially inwardly. However, this prior art slot 8 has the adverse effects of structurally weakening the container, and sometimes buckling the container under vacuum conditions. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a drainage port that maintains the structural integrity of the bottle. Another bottle of the prior art, described in the international publication PCT no. WO 97/1 0998 Al has valleys that appear lowered from the outer surface, on which the vales reside. In addition, this bottle does not provide drainage of fluid from a vacuum panel below a product label. It is also desirable to provide drainage ports having a structure that can be reproduced easily and accurately by a hot mold manufacturing process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A container is provided that provides fluid drainage below a product label in the container. The container comprises a central label portion, a bottom portion below the central label portion, and at least one drain port. Each drain port comprises two ridges forming a slot through which the fluid can be drained from the central label portion to the lower portion of the container. In the alternative modalitieswherein the container further comprises evacuated vacuum panels in the central label portion, a groove extends from each vacuum panel to the lower portion, so that the fluid can be drained from the central label portion to the lower portion of the container . In a cross-sectional area of a container at the level of the drainage ports, a container has an outer surface at a radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the container. Preferably, each slot is located at the same radial distance as that of the outer surface of the container. Preferably, each flange is substantially as a ramp, starting at the outer surface of the container and culminating at the outermost point of the flange, close to the slot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a container having drainage ports according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the container of Figure 1; Figure 2A is an enlarged view of a drainage port according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art container; and Figure 4 is a top plan view of the container of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A new drain port is provided to allow fluid to drain from the area below a product label into a container, such as a blow molded plastic bottle. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a container having drain ports 40 according to the present invention. A drain port 40 comprises two flanges 20 and a slot 10, which is formed by the flanges 20.

The area of a container where a product label 100 (shown partially fixed) (or the central label area) is located, normally extends from a first point 54 near the top of the container, to a second point 52, next at the bottom of the container. Normally, vacuum panels 30 exist in this central label area to add strength to the container. However, at least a portion of these panels 30 is normally recessed from the outer surface 50 of the container, thereby providing areas under the label in which the fluid can hide and accumulate. Typically, the product label is a shrink sleeve that conforms to the shape, so that it fits relatively tightly in the container. The drainage ports 40 of the present invention provide grooves 10 which, instead of being recessed as described in the prior art containers, are formed by the placement of the flanges 20. Figure 2 shows a plan view bottom of the container of Figure 1. As seen in Fig. 2, the slots 10 are at the same radial distance as the outer surface 50 of the container. As shown more clearly in Figure 4, the radial distance R is the radial distance from the central axis C of the container to the central label surface 50 and the radial distance R2 is the radial distance from the central axis C of the container to the Slot 1 0. In the prior art containers, the slots are recessed (directed radially inwards), ie, located in a radial distance shorter from the central axis of the container than the outer surface 50 of the container.

Figure 2A shows an enlarged view of a drainage port 40. It is important that the ridges 20 have height, i.e., a radial distance from the outer surface 50 of the container, so that a groove 10 will result and the fluid can be drained. . Preferably, each flange 20 substantially forms as a ramp, starting at the outer surface 50 of the container and culminating at the outermost point of the flange 20, close to the slot 1 0. A product label will substantially surround the container and cover the slots 10, but the ridges 20 will provide sufficient space between the label and the slots 10 so that the fluid drains downward and out from under the label. The drain ports 40 according to the present invention allow the fluid to drain by providing the space between a product label and a container. Moreover, the flanges 20 provide structural strength to a container, and particularly to a PET container by stabilizing the hinge point, around which the drain port is located. The present design also lends itself to replication for manufacturing purposes. Preferably, in a 375 ml container with an outer surface diameter 50 of about 65 mm, the flanges 20 have a height in the range of about 0.3 mm to about 0.8 mm, more preferably in the range of about 0.4 mm to about 0.7 mm , still more preferably in the range of about 0.45 mm to about 0.6 mm, and most preferably in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 0.55 mm. Preferably, in the same container with vacuum panels having a width on the outer surface 50, i.e., encompassing a sector, of about 45 degrees, each slot 10 has a width in the range of about 2 degrees to about 8 degrees, more preferably in the range of about 2.5 degrees to about 6 degrees, even more preferably in the range of about 3 degrees to about 5 degrees, and most preferably in the range of about 3.5 degrees to about 4.5 degrees. Preferably, the length of the slot 10 extends from a recessed area in the central label area to a lower portion of the container below the label. More preferably, the length of the slot 10 extends from a recessed area in a vacuum panel 30 to a lower portion of the container below the central label area. A preferred embodiment of a container utilizing drain ports 40 of the present invention has a drain port 40, which extends from each vacuum panel 30. Alternatively, a container utilizing drain ports 40 of the present invention, it may comprise a plurality of drain ports 40 extending from each vacuum panel 30, including, for example, two or more drain ports 40 extending from each vacuum panel 30. It will be understood that even when they have been exposed Numerous features and advantages of the present invention in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the description is only illustrative. Accordingly, changes can be made in details, especially in matter of form, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention indicated to a large extent by the broad general meaning of the terms, in which the terms are expressed. appended claims.

Claims (7)

Reivifications

1 . A container that provides fluid drainage below a product label (1 00) in the container, the container comprising: a central label portion having an exterior surface to which the label is affixed, said label portion being central a generally cylindrical body having a radius (R ^ defining a generally cylindrical side wall (50), the radius (Ri) extending between a central axis (C) of said generally cylindrical body and the side wall (50); lower between said central label portion, said lower portion of the central label portion being separated by a circumferential formation, a vacuum panel (30) recessed in said central label portion, and wherein the improvement comprises at least one port of drain (40) for draining fluid from said vacuum panel (30) comprising: two flanges (20) extending outward from the side wall (50) of the container and far from the central axis (C), said ridges (20) forming a groove (10) between them, the upper end of said groove being joined by the vacuum panel (30) and the lower end of said groove being joined ( 1 0) by said circumferential formation, the slot (10) has a radius (R2) which is substantially the same in its entirety from its upper end to its lower end, the radius (R2) of the slot being substantially equal ( 1 0) and the radius (R ^ of the side wall (50). The container according to claim 1, further comprising a tag (1 00) secured to said central tag portion. 3. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is a plastic container. The container of claim 1, having at least one drain port (40) for each vacuum panel (30) in the container. The container of claim 1, wherein each flange (20) substantially forms a ramp in said side wall. 6. A drainage port (40) that provides fluid drainage below a product label (100) in a container, the drainage port (40) comprising: two ridges (20) forming a groove (10) ), such projections (20) being of an outer surface (50) in the container, in which the label is fixed, the outer surface (50) being located in a central label portion of the container, the slot (10) ) from a vacuum panel (30) to a lower portion, so that fluid can be drained through the slot (10) from the central label portion to the lower portion, the lower portion being located below the base portion. central tag portion and the vacuum panel (30) being recessed in the central tag portion, wherein: the outer surface (50) is located at a first radial distance (R?); and the slot (10) is located at a second radial distance (R2) equal to that of the first radial distance (R ^ 7. The drain port container (40) of claim 6, wherein each flange (20) ) is substantially ramp-like on said outer surface (50) of the container.