IE49840B1 - Bottle packages - Google Patents

Abstract

A highly stretched tubular sleeve (14) of resilient elastic plastic material is positioned about an array of two or more bottles (12) so that the upper extremity of the tube extends in a stretched condition over the shoulder (18) of the bottles as well as substantially covering the cylindrical body portion (16) of the bottles and exerts a resilient compressive force on all areas of contact between the sleeve and bottles to effectively unitise the package. When used to package plastic bottles the stretched sleeve causes the areas of contact between the bottles to be deformed to provide generally planar surface areas. A sleeve may also be used for labelling single bottles.

Description

This invention relates to bottle packages created by a highly stretched film member.

Beverages are currently being packaged in various bottle5 type containers. For example, a two-liter plastic bottle is becoming a popular beverage container. Such bottles are understandably quite heavy and any multi-packaging device for these containers must be designed to be reliable and easily handled.

There have been many prior art suggestions for multi-packages for such containers. For example, a clip device which snaps onto the tops or adjacent to the tops of the bottles creates a package and handle for such a package. However, such single contact clips have lack of stability and allow the bottles to swing freely from the top engaging point. Other prior art efforts incorporate a bag device which is slightly stretched around an array of bottles secured at either or both the top or bottom. Other efforts to multi-package bottles in general include the use of a plastic band surrounding the bodies of the containers in an array with an additional resilient plastic device secured to the tops of the bottles exerting a force tending to pull the tops together.

Past attempts to design and/or produce a multi-package for bottles have been generally unsatisfactory because of one or more of the following reasons: The package may be too expensive, the package created is unstable and difficult to handle, the package does not provide proper protection for the bottles, be they made of glass or plastic, the package is not conducive to high speed application techniques, the package is unreliable particularly as it relates to large bottles. 498 40 The package of this invention basically utilizes a thin film sleeve of uniform circumference which is positioned around a plurality of bottles and secures them relative to one another and to the sleeve by exerting a resilient compressive force on all areas of the bottles contacted by the sleeve. The bottles in question have in sequence a body section, a generally frusto-conical shoulder portion, a neck section and a generally cylindrical cap section. The sleeve encircles substantially all of the body section and at least a.part of the shoulder portion of such bottles.

The sleeve is of a stretchable elastic plastics material, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, and because of the unique design of the package, can be of a very thin gauge, less than 4 mils (0.10 mm), preferably 2 to 3 mils (0.05 to 0.075 mm). The unstretched circumference of the sleeve is substantially less than the circumference of the array of bottles at all circumferential zones that are encircled by the sleeve.

The features of a package according to the invention are set out in claim 1.

Embodiments of the invention may include a rigid handle interposed between the neck sections of the bottles, but exerting no substantial outward force on the bottles.

The accompanying drawings show some examples of packages which embody the invention. In these drawings:Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a first package, comprising two bottles; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the package shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the packaging material in strip form used to produce the package of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an enlarge cross-sectional view of the package as taken along line 4-4 of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a top plan view of a handle member; Figure 6 is a partial elevational view, similar to Figure 1, showing the handle member of Figure 5 incorporated in the package, and Figure 7 is a top plan view of a package comprising four bottles. ' j..1»' ---gag Figures 1 and 2 show a package 10 which essentially comprises a pair of substantially identical bottles 12, surrounded by a stretched sleeve 14.

As will be discussed later herein, the package has particular 5 utility with plastics bottles, and more specifically with plastics bottles of the relatively large, two-litre size. However, it should be noted that the invention is not limited to packaging of two bottles nor limited to the packaging of a large plastics bottle.

The bottles shown in Figure 1 are typical two-litre bottles made 10 from deformable plastics and with liquid contents 26. Each bottle includes a generally cylindrical body section 16, extending over a major axial dimension of the bottle. This body section leads into a shoulder portion 18 of gradually diminishing circumferential dimension which merges into a greatly reduced diameter neck section 20.

The lower part of the neck section 20 is of diminishing circumferential dimension, in the region of the surface of the liquid contents 26, and the upper part of the neck section 20 carries an annular flange 24 directly below a cap 22. The bottle terminates in a generally cylindrical cap section carrying the cap 22.

The sleeve 14 which forms an important part of the package 10 is of uniform diameter when unstretched and, as shown in Figure 3, its lay-flat width dimension A is such that the circumferential dimension of the sleeve is substantially less than the circumferential dimension around the array of bottles in the region of the body sections 16. The circumferential dimension of sleeve 14 is also less than that of the array around the lower regions of the shoulder portions 18. Such a dimensional relationship ensures that the array of bottles is tightly unitized as a package.

The sleeve 14 may be created from an endless strip of tubular material as depicted in Figure 3. Upper and lower margins 28 and 30 forming the proper length of sleeve 14 are formed by properly metered cuts in the tubular material.

While the sleeve 14 is in a highly stretched condition in the finished package, accompanied by the deformation of upper margin 28 and lower margin 30, it should be understood that a clearly identifiable and undeformed label or legend can be created by distortion printing on each and everyone of the sleeves 14. With such printing, the amount of lateral and longitudinal deformation of the margins of a label, as shown by upper margin 32 of an illustrative label, will be such that the margins become straight while the margins of the sleeve are deformed. Note in Figure 1 that the upper and lower edges of the label 32 are substantially straight while the upper and lower edges 28 and 30 of the sleeve are curved somewhat as a catenary curve. In the printing of the label 32, the upper and lower edges are correspondingly bulged upwards and downwards as shown in Figure 3.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an important aspect of the invention is the axial extent of the sleeve as it relates to the bottles which it encircles. The sleeve is dimensioned so that it has a length dimension B sufficient to cover all or most of the cylindrical body section 16 and at least part of the shoulder portion 18. It has been found that this configuration of a sleeve in highly stretched condition creates a •β. «9 Ο package of high integrity necessary with containers of this type in a multi-package. Movement oi the bottles relative to each other and to the tube device is minimized and handling of the package thus formed is facilitated when the upper regions of the bottles are tightly compressed by the same device which is tightly compressing a substantial portion of the body of the bottles.

While a package of two such bottles shown in Figures 1 and 2 may be adequately handled without a secondary carrying device, it may be desirable in certain circumstances to have a discrete handle.

With this in mind, a handle such as shown in Figures 5 and 6, has been found to be acceptable. The handle 36 is of a rigid plastics material and includes a central strut portion 38 terminating in a pair of yoke-like or C-shaped bottle neck receiving openings 40. The dimension C between the radial innermost regions of the yoke-like members 40 is not appreciably greater than and preferably equal to or less than the dimension between opposed surface regions of the neck sections 40 when packaged by the sleeve 14. With such a configuration, the handle is positioned below the flanges 24 and exerts substantially no outward pressure on the package. The abutment of the C-shaped regions against the undergo surface of the flanges 24 creates a highly stable and functional package for its intended purposes. The arms of the C-shaped regions are shown to extend a peripheral distance slightly greater than 180°, creating a slightly constricted mouth which permits the neck sections of the bottles to snap into the extremities. With such a configuration, the handle 36 could serve as a means to return or carry the empty bottles.

Turning to Fig. 4, a further important aspect of the invention will be described. When such a highly stretched sleeve 14 is used about bottles which have a deformable plastics sidewall, the abutting regions of the bottles are deformed to form conforming two-dimensional planar surface areas 34. These areas add further stability to the package, in that rotation about the axes of the bottles and relative to the sleeve are prevented, and relative rocking of the bottles in other directions is prevented. This is to be distinguished from the line or point contact between bottles in prior art packages. It should be understood that these planar surface areas 34 need not be continuous throughout the extent of the body 16, but depending upon the actual configuration of the bottle, may either be spaced planar sections, a single planar section or continuous planar sections. Even when an all plastics bottle has been filled with liquid and sealed, it will exhibit this selfstabilizing feature.

As noted above, the invention need not be limited to packaging two bottles but can be used in packaging any multiple or any type of array of bottles. For example, in Fig. 7, a top view of a package 110 of four bottles 112 is shown using a sleeve 114 which encircles the cylindrical body sections of the bottles, in keeping with the invention, the upper regions 20 of the sleeve 114 also aggressively encircles lower regions of the shoulder portions 118 of the bottles. A single handle device 136 similar to handle 36 may be used in such a package if desired. The four-pack shown in Fig. 7 is merely illustrative of the fact the invention can be adapted for use in any variety of arrays, such as 2, 3, 4, 6, or any other reasonable multiple.

An important aspect of the invention is the design of the sleeve 14 with the proper characteristics so as to function as a unitizing member. A highly stretched condition is important. Preferably the sleeve 14 has an unstretched width dimension “A which creates a circumferential dimension at least 20% smaller than, or even 30% smaller than, the maximum circumferential dimension of the array which is to be encircled by the sleeve. As an example, the sleeve 14 of Figure 3 may have a lay-flat dimension “A of 9 inches (230 mm) where the two bottles to be packaged each have approximately a diameter of 4.5 inches (115 mm). Thus, it is apparent that even in the shoulder region of each bottle, the tubular member is substantially stretched.

The length dimension B of the example is approximately 9 inches (230 mm), which is greater than the axial extent of the body section 16 of known two-litre plastics bottles.

In addition to the dimensions of the sleeve, the actual structure of the film itself is important to the invention. The sleeve 14 is bi-axially oriented for proper strength since it is to be highly stretched and remain in a highly stretched yet resilient condition in the package. A sleeve 14 which has been oriented in the lateral direction, i.e. along dimension A, as well as in the length dimension, i.e. along dimension Β, has been found to be necessary for an attractive, stable package. The attractiveness, strength and other characteristics desired in the package have been enhanced when the degree of molecular orientation in the direction of the length dimension “B is at least equal to the degree of molecular orientation in the direction of width A. Suitable orientation patterns may be created by a proper design of the blow-up ratio of the plastics in the blowing of the tubular material relative to speed of draw and winding of the tubular material as it is blown, and/or in a post blow-up rolling or drawing. Many combinations of such manufacturing parameters are available in the creation of the necessary molecular orientation pattern to produce the necessary strength and resiliency of the plastics sleeve in the package.

When the package is to be opened, the sleeve 14 can be rapidly and efficiently removed by a simple puncturing step as with a finger. The puncture force applied to the tube in regions, such as 15 shown in Figure 4, which do not contact the bottles, followed by a force either upwards or downwards, will easily strip the sleeve from the array.

The present specification also discloses the inventions which are subject of our British Patent Applications Nos.

Claims (6)

1. A bottle package comprising a plurality of substantially identical bottles and a sleeve, each of said bottles being shaped in sequence with a body section, a generally frusto-conical

2. A bottle package according to claim 1, wherein the number of substantially idential bottles is two. 10

3. A bottle package according to claim 1, wherein the number of substantially identical bottles is more than two.

4. A bottle package according to claim 2, wherein the neck section of each bottle carries a radially enlarged flange, and there is a rigid handle interposed between the neck sections of the 15 bottles, said handle comprising a central strut and generally C-shaped neck-receiving extremities, the neck-receiving extremities being positioned beneath the radially enlarged flange on respective bottles and being able to abut against the lower surfaces of said flanges upon application of an upwardly directed carrying force to said 20 central strut.

5. A bottle package according to claim 4, wherein the handle has a dimension between innennost surfaces of said C-shaped extremities, said dimension being not substantially greater than the distance between opposed neck surfaces directly beneath 25 the flanges of said bottles. 5 shoulder portion, a neck section and a generally cylindrical cap section, said shoulder portion being of a progressively reducing circumferential dimension in an upward direction, with the smallest circumferential dimension of said shoulder portion being substantially greater than the circumferential dimension of said cap 10 section, said sleeve being of a resilient elastic plastics film material of less than four mils thickness (0.004 inch, 0.10 mm), said sleeve, when unstretched prior to co-operation with said bottles, comprising a flexible lay-flat sleeve of uniform circumferential dimension throughout its length between the open upper and 15 lower ends thereof, said plurality of bottles being arranged in an array in upstanding attitude and side-by-side body section contact, said uniform circumferential dimension being greater than the greatest circumferential dimension of the array of bottles around said cap sections, said uniform circumferential dimension further 20 being substantially less than the smallest circumferential dimension of the array of bottles around said body sections and around at least the lower regions of said shoulder portions, said sleeve prior to co-operation with said bottles further having a length no greater than the vertical dimension between the bottom of one of said bottles and 25 the upper end of said shoulder portion thereof, and a length substantially greater than the vertical dimension between the bottom of one of said bottles and the upper end of said body section thereof, the upper edge extremity of the sleeve being located above the intersection of the shoulder portion and the body section and said 30 sleeve being in highly stretched circumferential application about said array of bottles with the lower edge of said sleeve adjacent to the bottom of said array and with the upper edge engaging said shoulder portions of said bottles comprising the array, the amount of stretch being less at the shoulder portions than at the body sections, said plastics material of said sleeve being bi-axially oriented with molecular orientation in both the transverse and longitudinal directions of said sleeve.

6. A bottle package substantially as described with reference fo Figures 1 to 4, Figure 5 and 6, or Figure 7, of the accompanying drawings.