AU2018100436A4 - Eco bottle - pouch and holder - Google Patents

Abstract

Strictly Confidential A packaging system for bottled water or other non-carbonated drinks made up of a spouted pouch with a flip-top drinking straw closure and a reusable holder. The spouted pouch is made of a laminated plastic construction with a plastic threaded neck fitting bonded to the laminate. A closure with a flip-top drinking straw mechanism is used to provide the functionality for drinking. The holder is made of recycled material and provides the external structure of a ridged bottle making the pouch easy to use in a bottled water / drink application. A full pouch is easily slipped into the holder and locked into position with the neck clipping into the holder. When consumed, the empty pouch is easily removed from the holder and replaced by a full pouch. At a time where the world has reached a crisis point with the pollution of plastic bottles, this invention could provide significant reductions in plastic consumption in the bottle water / drinks industry and reduce plastic bottle pollution in landfills and oceans. 1| P a g e Strictly Confidential ECO BOTTLE DRAWINGS 1| P ag e

Description

Australia Patent Act 1990

INNOVATION PATENT

ECO BOTTLE

Reference: ECO BOTTLE Inventor: John Gerrie Address: 18 Hastings Road Warrawee, NSW, 2074 AUSTRALIA Date: 5th April 2018

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:

ECO BOTTLE

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION FIELD

This invention is in the field of packaging for liquids, specifically drinking water and other non-carbonated drinks. More particularly, this invention provides a method to replace a ridged plastic container with a flexible pouch, giving the flexible pouch the structural integrity to enable it to stand and perform like a ridged container.

BACKGROUND 10 million tonnes of plastic waste end up in the world's oceans each year. This corresponds to the weights of 700 billion plastic bottles. Americans alone used about 50 billion plastic water bottles last year. Elowever, the U.S.'s recycling rate for plastic is only 23 percent, which means 38 billion water bottles - more than $1 billion worth of plastic - end up in landfill or even worse in our oceans. Currently, it is estimated that there is 100 million tons of plastic in oceans around the world. Over 100 million marine animals are killed each year due to plastic debris in the ocean. The UN estimates by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish.

Not only are plastic bottle threatening our environment, but every plastic bottle consumes about 25% of its volume in non-renewable resources to produce, fill and distribute. A typical 500ml bottle you will find on any supermarket shelf consumes 1.7 megajoules of energy before it is even filled. And, while recycling is critically important, it is simply shutting the gate after the horse has bolted, requiring at least the same amount of energy again to transport, process and reuse the material to create another product, usually of a lower value.

The world must reduce our dependence on traditional rigid bottles. It takes 30 to 40 gram of nonrenewable petroleum-based plastic material to form a rigid 500ml bottle with a wall thickness of 0.75mm. Add the cost of transporting of empty bottles from bottle maker to manufacturing plant and you will soon see why this form of packaging is so inefficient.

Laminated pouches have been available as an alternative to ridged bottles and have gained significant success on the baby food market but have not be successful in other applications. The biggest problem with pouches are that as a result of their thin wall they do not have enough structural rigidity in a wide variety of applications, and consumer have shunned a form of packaging that is significantly more environmentally responsible simply because of convenience.

Pouches can safely contain the same liquids with a wall thickness of 92 microns (0.75mm v 0.092mm) 8X less plastic. But even more important is the saving in transporting empty bottles.

This invention provides structure rigidity around a pouch to provide consumer convenience, without adding cost because it is reusable, and can be made from recycled material. The user simply inserts the pouch pack into the holder. The neck of the pouch is locked into position, and the pouch can be used like any other rigid bottle.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention may be better understood with reference to the illustrations of embodiments of the invention which:-

Claims (6)

1. ECO BOTTLE CLAIMS

   1. The system provides the combination of a ridged holder and laminated pouch with a plastic threated spout bonded to the laminate.
2. 2. The holder in claim 1, is shaped like a ridged bottle, but can be reused many times over simply by inserting a new pouch filled with liquid.
3. 3. The holder, in claim 1, is made of recycled material.
4. 4. The laminated pouch with the plastic threated spout in claim 1, is fitted with a closure which has a flip-top straw feature.
5. 5. The plastic treated spout in claim 1, has a collar that enables the spout to clip into the holder neck.
6. 6. The holder in claim 1, is open at the bottom, and both front and rear sides have openings. The rear opening extends up the the neck, so that the user can easily manoeuvre the pouch and closure inside the holder so as to clip the spout neck into the holder neck