US20220402642A1

US20220402642A1 - Bottle neck

Info

Publication number: US20220402642A1
Application number: US17/766,004
Authority: US
Inventors: Jean-Baptiste Tanchette; Emmanuel Lesterlou
Original assignee: Societe des Eaux Minerales dEvian SA SAEME
Current assignee: Societe des Eaux Minerales dEvian SA SAEME
Priority date: 2019-10-03
Filing date: 2020-10-05
Publication date: 2022-12-22
Also published as: EP4037983A1; BR112022002124A2; EP4037985C0; CN114206736A; JP2022551384A; US20220324614A1; EP4037985B1; MX2022001763A; CN114206736B; JP7794732B2; BR112022004744A2; FR3101617B1; JP2023502839A; CN114401897B; WO2021064245A1; WO2021064246A1; FR3101617A1; ES2987371T3; MX2022003913A; EP4037985A1

Abstract

Bottle collar with a flange,

- the bottle comprising a body with a side wall and a shoulder arranged between the collar and the side wall,
- characterized in that the collar of the bottle comprises at least one
- protuberance, arranged:
- between the flange and the body,
- adjacent to the shoulder.

Description

The present invention generally relates to the field of liquid food containers, and particularly relates to a preferably thin-walled bottle collar (typically made of plastic) which contains a liquid food such as non-carbonated mineral water. The invention also relates to an object or an apparatus which can be coupled with the bottle.
It is known in the prior art containers for liquid food, and particularly for example thin-walled collar bottles for example made of plastic, for transporting and delivering mineral water to a consumer who wishes to consume quality water, with preserved flavor and quality. Such plastic containers or bottles are disclosed in documents WO201012956A1, WO201093602A2, EP1873067A1 or WO2014101957A1.
In return, the production of these plastic bottles can have an environmental impact, and recycling sectors must also be provided to minimize this impact.
Furthermore, it is known to manufacture such collar bottles by injection blow molding, where a preform is manufactured by injection, and the bottle is then obtained by blow molding of the preform. During these manufacturing methods, during transport or during end use, it may be necessary to orient or couple the bottle and/or the preform with an apparatus, a machine or another object, and solutions are proposed by providing for relief shapes at the level of the collar, such as those disclosed for example in documents
EP2522479B1 or U.S. Pat. No. 9,533,788B2. However, such relief shapes may not be suitable in case the bottle has to be coupled to another object or apparatus in order to be used. This is in particular the case when the bottle must be coupled to an object or an apparatus by a user rather than by a machine. Particularly, during a coupling with another object or apparatus, it may be necessary to provide reliable orientation, and/or a possibility of recognizing that the bottle is a genuine bottle . . . and these functions may require on the bottle mechanical actions or contacts which must be safe and repeatable, in particular by a variety of users.
In addition, it may be (economically and/or ecologically) interesting to minimize the thicknesses of the bottles, but it must be provided for the bottle to remain easy to handle, and not to deform or not too much when a consumer holds it (typically with a 20 Newton force). This aspect is particularly important for small capacity bottles (less than 2 L, preferably less than 1.5 L or even 1 L), because they are intended to be able to accompany the consumer in his movements, and a risk of deformation (which leads to an overflow if the consumer strongly squeezes the bottle) must be minimal. Documents
US20040124192A1, FR1114750A or DE29915618U1 describe bottles coupled to external structures. However, no document gives a practical and low-cost solution for providing a user with a reliable object that is simple to use and to handle, particularly during a coupling or uncoupling phase.
One aim of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the documents of the prior art mentioned above and particularly, first of all, to propose a bottle collar which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, while offering a capacity of facilitated, reliable and repeatable coupling with an object or an apparatus, in particular by a user.
For that purpose, a first aspect of the invention relates to a bottle collar with a flange,

the bottle comprising a body with a side wall and a shoulder arranged between the collar and the side wall,
characterized in that the collar of the bottle comprises at least one protuberance, arranged:
between the flange and the body,
adjacent to the shoulder.

The invention also relates to the bottle having such a collar. The invention also relates to some bottle preforms having such a collar. The invention also relates to an object comprising the bottle and a device, associated with the collar, arranged to cooperate with the protuberance.
The bottle according to the implementation above comprises a protuberance at the level of the collar, but located under the flange and adjacent to the shoulder. Thus located under the flange, the protuberance can interact with a device, for example an object or an apparatus, without risk of influence by the presence or not of a cap because the latter is arranged on the other side of the flange. In addition, the protuberance is adjacent to the shoulder, which means that it is adjoining or contiguous to the shoulder, which eliminates any risk that a portion of a device, for example an object or an apparatus, provided to be coupled with the protuberance, passes between the protuberance and the shoulder. Thus, the cooperation with the device, for example the object or the apparatus, is robust. In other words, the protuberance comprises a part adjacent to the shoulder or which encroaches on the shoulder so that a counter-shape or a sensing or bearing member of the protuberance cannot pass between the protuberance and the shoulder.
According to one embodiment, the bottle is made of plastic, glass, metal or cellulosic material. According to one embodiment, the collar is made of plastic, glass, metal or cellulosic material. According to one embodiment, the body of the bottle is made of plastic, glass, metal or cellulosic material. According to one embodiment, the collar and the body are made of the same material, plastic, glass, metal or cellulosic material.
According to one embodiment, the bottle is a thin-walled bottle.
According to one embodiment, the protuberance extends along an angular sector in a plane normal to an axial direction of the bottle, the angular sector having an angular dimension of at least 40°, preferably at least 50°. Such an angular range provides easy visual detection for an end user who can naturally use it to locate an orientation to be applied for a particular use.
According to one embodiment, the angular dimension does not exceed 180°. In other words, in at least one front view of the bottle and of its protuberance, the passage dimension at the level of the collar is that of the diameter of the collar over its entire height.
According to one embodiment, the collar comprises a cylindrical portion between the flange and the protuberance of height X1 of at least 2.5 mm and preferably at least 3.5 mm along an axial direction of the bottle. In other words, between the flange and the protuberance, the collar comprises a perfectly cylindrical portion (that is to say the generatrices are segments carried by parallel straight lines passing through a base curve, typically a circle, but a rounded square, an oval . . . can be envisaged).
Particularly, and starting from the upper end of the bottle, the collar comprises:

a terminal end defining an opening of the bottle,
a bottle closing/opening interface, for example a thread or an elastic interlocking (snap fitting) interface,
the flange,
a cylindrical part over 360°, free of protuberances,
a lower part which joins the shoulder, and comprising the protuberance.

In at least one cross section plane normal to an axial direction of the bottle, the lower part of the collar has:

in an area distinct from the protuberance: at least a first dimension relative to the axial direction, and
at the level of the protuberance: at least a second dimension relative to the axial direction greater than the first dimension.

According to one embodiment, the second dimension is greater than the first dimension by at least 1.5 mm, and preferably 2.0 mm.
According to one embodiment, the protuberance comprises a lower portion arranged on the shoulder.
According to one embodiment, the protuberance is solid. In this embodiment, the bottle can be obtained from a preform comprising the collar, the flange and the protuberance under the flange. In other words, the protuberance is at least partially and preferably completely obtained or formed thanks to a variation (an increase) in the thickness of the collar at the level of the protuberance. Typically, the protuberance is already provided at the level of the preform, before the blow molding step.
According to one embodiment, the protuberance is hollow. In other words, the protuberance is at least partially and preferably completely obtained or formed during the blow molding operation. A recess inside the collar (internal to the bottle) is then visible.
According to one embodiment, the protuberance has a thickness greater than or equal to 150 μm, preferably 200 μm and very preferably greater than 250 μm. Typically, the protuberance has a thickness similar to that of the upper part of the shoulder, which can give it better rigidity than the side wall of the body for example.
According to one embodiment, the protuberance has a thickness less than or equal to 600 μm, preferably 500 μm and very preferably greater than 400 μm.
According to one embodiment, the protuberance has a thickness, taken in an area less than 1 mm from the shoulder, equal by ±20% to a thickness of the shoulder, taken in an area less than 1 mm from the protuberance.
According to one embodiment, the bottle can be obtained from a preform comprising a flange and in which the preform is free of protuberance under the flange.
According to one embodiment:

the protuberance has a first radius R1 relative to an axial direction of the bottle,
the flange has a second radius R2 relative to an axial direction of the bottle, and in which:

0.8×R2≤R1≤1.2×R2
According to one embodiment, in a cross section plane comprising an axial direction of the bottle and passing through the protuberance, a side surface of the protuberance has a radius of between 4 mm and 11 mm, and preferably between 5.5 mm and 8.5 mm.
According to one embodiment, the collar comprises a cap arranged to open and close the bottle, preferably in a reversible manner, said cap being of the type detachable from the bottle or of the type attached to the bottle, in which the protuberance is arranged to receive therewithin and/or between it and the flange at least part of the cap when the bottle is open. According to this implementation, the protuberance can serve as an abutment, a support or a storage for the cap when the bottle is open. In other words, the protuberance can comprise an at least partial counter-shape or cavity of the cap to receive it and/or keep it in place. It is also possible to provide, between the protuberance and the flange, for a spacing, a distance or a particular shape to provide the possibility of receiving at least part of the cap and thus hold it in place.
According to one embodiment, the protuberance is arranged to provide a support portion or form a bearing counter-shape for the cap. The protuberance, protruding relative to the rest of the collar, can have a recessed counter-shape to receive the cap in a stable manner.
According to one embodiment, the protuberance is arranged to engage with the cap, for example by elastic interlocking. In other words, the protuberance comprises means for holding the cap, for example by elastic deformation, clamping, snap fitting.
According to one embodiment, the bottle comprises a cap arranged to open and close the bottle, preferably in a reversible manner, and the protuberance is arranged to form an abutment or a stop at the cap when the bottle is closed. An abutment in rotation for a screw-on cap or with ¼ turn, or a stopper for a swing cap can be envisaged.
According to one embodiment, the protuberance bears a marking, preferably in relief. The position of the protuberance under the flange is repeatable, easy to identify, visible, so that a marking will be easily accessible and at sight or within reach of the user. It is possible to envisage Braille marking for example.
According to one embodiment, the protuberance has a constant thickness, to within ±15%.
According to one embodiment, the bottle comprises a bottom, adapted to accommodate the collar (21) of a similar bottle, the bottom having a first counter-shape to accommodate the collar of the similar bottle, the first counter-shape being provided with a second counter-shape to accommodate the protuberance of the collar of the similar bottle. Such an implementation provides a stacking capacity while ensuring an angular orientation of the bottles, the protuberance offering the stop at the right orientation. Chamfers can be implanted on the side edges of the protuberance to facilitate the unstacking, a small rotation causing the “detachment” of the upper bottle.
According to one embodiment, the bottle comprises a plurality of protuberances between the flange and the shoulder, at least one of the protuberances, preferably each one of them, being adjacent to the shoulder. According to one particular embodiment, each protuberance has an angular dimension of between 20° and 60°, and is separated from a neighboring protuberance by a cylindrical collar portion having an angular dimension of between 20° and 60°. A plurality of protuberances provides a possibility of coding or of improved recognition.
According to one embodiment, the protuberance is arranged to be deformed by a user, to become a recessed part. A personalization or an identification of the bottle is possible in order to distinguish two bottles from one another.
According to one embodiment, the protuberance has V-shaped side ends; in a front view. It is possible to provide for a V or an inverted V to generate a vertical force upwards or downwards, when the protuberance is engaged with a counter-shape of an object or of an apparatus to be coupled.
According to one embodiment, the bottle comprises a single wall, which is not laminated. In other words, the wall of the bottle is continuous, does not form a sandwich and does not comprise several layers or sheets. The bottle is typically obtained from a single preform.
A second aspect of the invention relates to a bottle comprising the collar according to the first aspect.
A third aspect of the invention relates to a bottle preform comprising the collar according to the first aspect.
A fourth aspect of the invention relates to an object comprising the bottle and a device associated with the collar of the bottle, arranged to cooperate with the protuberance. The device can be another object or an apparatus. The device is for example a shell, a system for dispensing a fluid contained in the bottle, or a device for connecting the bottle to a circuit for dispensing a fluid contained in the bottle. The device is for example a fluid dispenser contained in the bottle, a bubbler, a faucet or a valve.
A fifth aspect of the invention relates to an object to be held by a user, comprising:

an external structure arranged to be held by the user,
a bottle according to the first aspect,
characterized:
in that the external structure is a shell in contact with at least part of the body of the bottle,
and in that the shell comprises an upper collar forming an open U or C and arranged to elastically interlock on at least part of the collar of the bottle.

The object according to the fifth aspect above is easy to handle, thanks to the elastic interlocking of the collar of the bottle on the shell. Such an elastic interlocking is also called snap fit. However, the shell has a U or C-shaped open upper collar, that is to say it forms an open clamp easy to open to insert or remove the collar of the bottle, which guarantees a moderate effort to apply for the user. However, the rigid shell reliably and robustly maintains the bottle, which provides an object that is easy to handle and to set up (coupling and uncoupling).
Advantageously, the shell comprises a side wall and a shell shoulder arranged between the collar and the side wall, and the shell shoulder comprises a passage opening arranged to provide a passage for the collar of the bottle, and the passage opening opens into the opening of the U or C of the upper collar of the shell. The passage opening allows inserting and presenting the collar of the bottle at the level of the opening of the upper collar of the shell, which provides easy installation.
Advantageously, the passage opening, arranged to provide a passage for the collar of the bottle, has a passage dimension greater than a passage dimension of the U or C of the upper collar of the shell arranged to elastically interlock on at least part of the collar of the bottle.
Advantageously:

the passage dimension of the shell passage opening arranged to provide a passage for the collar of the bottle is strictly greater than a dimension of the bottle collar comprising for example a flange, and/or
the passage dimension of the U or C of the upper collar of the shell, arranged to elastically interlock on at least part of the collar of the bottle, is strictly smaller than the dimension of the bottle collar, comprising for example a flange. The installation of the collar of the bottle in the passage opening does not require any particular or meticulous precaution, and it is then sufficient to tilt or push the collar of the bottle into the open upper collar of the shell to achieve the elastic interlocking and the coupling.

Advantageously, the shell comprises an introduction opening arranged in the side wall and arranged to allow a user to introduce the bottle into the shell. The introduction opening is typically located opposite the passage opening so that the bottle can simply pass therethrough and its collar can be positioned in the passage opening, the rest of the bottle easily passing in the introduction opening.
The collar of the bottle comprises a flange and a protuberance arranged under a flange. The protuberance can engage in the opening of the U or C of the upper collar of the shell. The protuberance provides a rotational stop useful for opening and closing the bottle, especially if the bottle is equipped with a screw-on cap. However, other types of closing are possible, such as lids or hinged caps with elastic interlocking. Such a protuberance also provides an angular indexing, which allows for example guaranteeing that an inscription on the bottle will face an opening in the shell.
In other words, the bottle comprises closing means such as a screw-on or interlock cap or top, a lid or a valve. The closing means may further comprise tamper-evident proof means such as a tamper-evident finish linked to the top or cap by bridges to be broken during a first use. It can also be a lid sealed on the collar, to be removed permanently during the first use. The closing means may, where appropriate, comprise reversible means that allow closing the bottle again after a first use. This is the case, for example, with screw-on and screw-off caps or tops. It is mentioned that the filled bottle is preferably closed by means of a screw-on or interlock cap or top and provided with a tamper-evident finish whose bridges are not broken.
According to one embodiment, the top or cap is arranged so as to be able to remain attached to the collar of the bottle after opening. This is referred to as attached-type top or cap. The top or cap can for example comprise a connection, in the form of at least one strip of material and/or a hinge, between a tamper-evident strip and the body of the cap or part of the body of the cap.
Advantageously, the bottle comprises a drinking liquid filling at least 80% of an internal volume of the bottle, preferably water, preferably non-carbonated water.
Advantageously:

the opening of the U or C of the upper collar of the shell has a first angular dimension relative to an axial direction of the object,
the protuberance has a second angular dimension relative to the axial direction of the object, smaller than the first angular dimension. The presence of the protuberance does not disturb the opening of the upper collar of the shell and does not compromise the elastic interlocking.

Advantageously, the bottle, seen from outside, has a concave, for example hemispherical, bottom and the shell has a bottom defining at least one planar support portion for laying the object along a vertical position. The planar or flat bottom allows providing a stable vertical bearing, although the thin-walled bottle alone, therefore soft by definition and whose bottom is hemispherical in shape, cannot be laid and held vertically on a work plane.
Advantageously, the shell has an external diameter and the bottom of the shell comprises at least one planar crown, or support portions distributed along a planar crown (that is to say contained in a plane), the planar crown having a diameter greater than or equal to 50% of the external diameter. Such a crown can also be called a planar ring, that is to say contained in a plane, which provides a stable bearing.
Advantageously, the shell comprises at least one gripping handle, forming for example a grip. Two grips can be provided to facilitate the handling.
Advantageously, the bottle has a preferably cylindrical body with a thickness comprised:

in a range from 30 μm to 150 μm,
and for example, in a range from 30 μm to 50 μm or from 50 μm to 70 μm or from 70 μm to 100 μm, or from 100 μm to 125 μm or from 125 μm to 150 μm,
and preferably in a range from 100 μm to 125 μm. A bottle with such thicknesses does not have sufficient rigidity to withstand a clamping or gripping force of 20 Newton for example, and the locking in the (rigid) shell allows limiting or avoiding these deformations. In other words, the bottle is naturally soft and deformable, particularly when it is handled by the user.

Advantageously, the bottle has a bottom with a thickness equal by ±20% to the thickness of the body of the bottle, with the exception of a central portion of the bottom comprised in a diameter:

less than or equal to 50% of the diameter of the cylindrical part of the body,
preferably less than or equal to 35% of the diameter of the cylindrical part of the body,
more preferably less than or equal to 20% of the diameter of the cylindrical part of the body.

Advantageously, the upper collar of the shell elastically interlocks under the flange of the collar of the bottle. The flange is a peripheral protuberance of the collar of the bottle.
Advantageously, the collar of the bottle and/or the flange of the bottle has a thickness greater than 150 μm, preferably greater than 200 μm and more preferably greater than 250 μm, preferably from 1 mm to 2 mm.
Advantageously, the bottle and/or the shell can have at least one cylindrical part. It is meant by “wall or cylindrical part” a shell or bottle portion which has a side surface whose generatrices are parallel straight lines, and which follow a base curve (defined by the intersection of the side surface with a plane perpendicular to an axial direction of the bottle) which is a closed curve. This closed base curve can have a circular shape (a circle), an oval shape (an ellipse or any oval shape) or a square or rectangular shape, where appropriate with rounded corners.
Such a section of the cylindrical part can improve the gripping, limit the flexibility and/or limit the risk of leakage when the bottle is opened.
Advantageously, the bottle, the collar and/or the body of the bottle is an at least partially recycled plastic. Advantageously, the bottle, the collar and/or the body of the bottle is formed from polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Advantageously, the bottle, the collar and/or the body of the bottle is formed from at least partially recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
The bottle can have an internal volume of at least 0.25 L, for example at least 0.5 L, for example at least 1 L for example at least 1.5 L for example at least 2 L, for example at least 5 L, for example at least 10 L. The bottle can have an internal volume less than or equal to 20 L, for example less than or equal to 2 L, for example less than or equal to 1.5, for example less than or equal to 1 L, for example less than or equal to 0.8 L. The bottle can have an internal volume from 0.25 to 0.5 L or from 0.5 to 1 L or from 1 L to 1.5 L, or from 1.5 L to 2 L, or from 2 L to 3 L, or from 3 L to 4 L, or from 4 L to 5 L, or from 5 L to 6 L, or from 6 L to 7 L, or from 7 L to 8 L, or from 8 L to 9 L, or from 9 L to 10 L, or from 10 L to 15 L, or from 15 L to 20 L.
Advantageously, the upper collar of the shell has an upper rim, and the upper rim is formed over more than 180° relative to an axial direction of the object. In other words, more than half of the perimeter of the collar of the bottle is received and held by the open upper collar of the shell, which provides an effective holding.
Advantageously, the upper rim is comprised in a plane.
Advantageously, the shell is formed:

from polymer material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or polyamide (PA), or polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and optionally comprises a filler material such as fibers or mineral particles, or
from a metal such as aluminum.

Advantageously, the shell has a thickness:

at least greater than twice the thickness of the body of the bottle, or
at least greater than 200 μm. The shell is therefore more rigid than the bottle.

Advantageously, during an operation of coupling the bottle with the shell, the latter is arranged to be deformed less than the bottle. In other words, the shell is rigid and not deformable when it is handled by the user. Consequently, such a rigid shell allows handling a thin, soft and deformable bottle, which could not be handled on its own without a proven risk of overflowing or falling from the user's hands.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly upon reading the following detailed description of one embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 represents a first perspective view of a shell to be coupled with a bottle to form an object to be handled by a user;

FIG. 2 represents a second perspective view of the shell of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 represents a third perspective view of the shell of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 represents a perspective view of a bottle to be coupled with the shell of FIG. 1 to form an object to be handled by a user;

FIG. 5 represents a side view of the bottle of FIG. 4 ;

FIG. 6 represents a phase of coupling the bottle of FIG. 4 with the shell of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 7 represents a section of the bottle of FIG. 4 coupled with the shell of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 8 represents a front view of the bottle of FIG. 4 ;

FIG. 9 represents a sectional view of the bottle of FIG. 4 , in a plane normal to an axial direction of the bottle, and passing through the collar;

FIG. 10 represents a first preform produced by injection and which can be used to form the bottle of FIG. 4 by blow molding.

In general, the bottle according to the present disclosure comprises a protuberance housed under the flange. The protuberance can provide several functions. A coupling with a shell will be described below, but it is also possible to envisage interactions with a device, for example an apparatus for dispensing liquid contained in the bottle. Interactions or functions are described below.
First, FIGS. 1 to 3 represent a shell 10 to be coupled with a bottle and seen from different directions. In general, the shell 10 comprises an upper collar 11, a side wall 15, a bottom 14 and a shell shoulder 16 arranged between the upper collar 11 and the side wall 15.
In the represented example, the side wall 15 is cylindrical or substantially cylindrical (that is to say its external surface comprises parallel straight generatrices which follow a base curve, here a circle). The bottom 14 has for its part a lower plate, which allows laying the shell 10 along a vertical position, as will be discussed in FIG. 7 .
Furthermore, the shell 10 comprises a passage opening 12 mainly visible in FIGS. 1 and 3 , arranged in the shell shoulder 16 and an introduction opening 13 mainly visible in FIG. 2 .
Finally, the upper collar 11 is a C-shaped (or U-shaped) open collar, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 . The upper collar 11 has a passage dimension D2 according to its largest internal diameter and a passage dimension D′2 at its opening. As can be seen in FIG. 3 , the opening of the upper collar 11 (of dimension D′2) leads to or opens into the passage opening 12, and it can be noted that the passage dimension D1 of the passage opening 12 is greater than the passage dimensions D2 and D′2 of the upper collar 11. The details will be explained in FIG. 6 below.
FIGS. 4, 5, 8 and 9 represent a bottle 20 which comprises a collar 21 (or neck), a shoulder 28, a side wall 24 and a bottom 25. In the represented example, the collar 21 is threaded to receive a cap 26 (visible in FIG. 6 ), and a flange 22 is provided under the thread, and a protuberance 27 is arranged under the flange 22. The bottle 20 also contains a liquid food (non-carbonated mineral water for example).
As explained above, the collar 21 is threaded to receive a cap 26, but other closing means can be envisaged (a lid, an hinged cap with elastic interlocking, etc.). FIG. 5 represents an external dimension D3 of the flange 22, and this external dimension D3 is smaller than the passage dimension D1 of the passage opening 12 of the shell 10, but greater than the passage dimension D2 or D′2 of the upper collar 11 of the shell 10.
Indeed, and as represented in FIGS. 6 and 7 , it is provided that the shell 10 and the bottle 20 can be coupled and held together. Particularly, the upper collar 11 of the shell 10 is provided to elastically interlock with the collar 21 of the bottle 20. In the example represented, the upper collar 11 of the shell 10 has dimensions adapted to elastically interlock on the bottle 20, under the flange 22.
To this end, and as visible in FIGS. 1 and 3 , the upper collar 11 of the shell 10 is formed over more than 180° (for example 270°, at ±45°) so as to be able to move away from, receive and retain the collar 21 of the bottle 20, in particular by retaining the flange
To couple the bottle 20 with the shell 10, and as shown in FIG. 6 , it suffices for the user to introduce the bottle 20 through the introduction opening 13 of the shell 10, to thread the collar 21 capped with the cap 26 of the bottle 20 in the passage opening 12 of the shell 10 (because the external dimension D3 of the flange 22 (and of the cap 26) is smaller than the passage dimension D1 of the passage opening 12) and then to tilt the bottle 20 in order to finish threading the bottom 25 into the shell 10 and especially elastically interlocking the collar 21 of the bottle 20 into the upper collar 11 of the shell 10 (because the passage dimension D′2 and D2 of the upper collar 11 is smaller than the dimension of the collar 21 and than the external dimension D3 of the flange 22).
In detail, the upper collar 11 of the shell has a cylindrical rim of a few millimeters, the bottle 20 comprises the flange 20, and a cylindrical collar portion arranged between the flange 22 and the shoulder of the bottle 20, and the cylindrical rim of the upper collar 11 squeezes the cylindrical collar portion of the bottle 20, while coming into axial abutment with the flange 22, which provides an assembly of the shell 10 and the bottle 20.
To release the bottle 20 from the shell 10, it suffices to apply a transverse, lateral or skew force on the cap 26 to “unclip” the collar 21 of the bottle 20 out of the upper collar 11 of the shell 10. It is also possible to arrange an orifice in the lower part of the shell 10, opposite the introduction opening 13, to allow the user to push the bottle laterally out of the shell 10, with a finger.
As shown in FIG. 7 , once coupled, the shell 10 and the bottle 20 form an object 30 easy to handle for a user. The bottom 14 of the shell 10 is flat, so that the object 30 has a stable vertical position when it is laid on a work plane. In addition, a return 16 is provided on the lower part of the shell 10 to secure the coupling and the holding of the bottle 20—shell 10 assembly.
As already mentioned above, the cap 26 is screwed on the bottle 20. To provide a rotational stop of the bottle 20 relative to the shell 10, a protuberance 27 is provided on the bottle 20 to be housed in the opening of the upper collar 11 of the shell 10. Thus, a torque applied on the bottle 20 is transmitted to the shell 10 via the protuberance 27. It is possible to envisage other implementations for such indexing, such as a collar 21 of the bottle 20 with a non-circular section, crenellations at the level of the upper collar 11 which engage in counter-shapes of the flange 22.
Unrelated to the screwing/unscrewing of the cap 26, it is also possible to take advantage of the angular indexing between bottle 20 and shell 10 provided by the protuberance 27 engaged in the opening of the upper collar 11, to print or affix markings on the bottle 20, so that they are visible after coupling, and face the passage opening 12 or the introduction opening 13, or any other opening of the shell 10.
Furthermore, it can be noted that the protuberance 27 is adjacent to the shoulder 28 of the bottle 20, so that the wall of the shell 10 at the level of the flange 11 or of the shell shoulder 16 cannot slip between the shoulder 28 and the protuberance 27 of the bottle 20. The rotational stop and stop position are well controlled.
FIG. 8 shows a front view of the bottle 20 and of the protuberance 27. The flange 22 has a diameter D3, and the collar under the flange has for its part a diameter D4 less than D3, over a height X1 of 2.5 mm at least, and over 360°. Thus, a gripping by a clamp is possible under the flange 22, even in the presence of the protuberance 27. In this front view, it can be noted that the protuberance 27 has a width smaller than the value of the diameter D4 under the flange, so that it is possible to guide the bottle 20 during the manufacture via rails which bear under the flange 22.
It can also be noted in FIG. 5 , which shows the bottle 20 from the side, that the protuberance has a radial dimension similar to that of the flange 20 and that it does not protrude. Particularly, when referring to FIG. 9 which shows the bottle 20 in section along a plane normal to the axial direction of the bottle and passing between the protuberance 27 and the flange 22, the radial dimension A3 of the protuberance 27 is substantially equal to D3/2. On the other hand, the rest of the collar has a radial dimension A2 smaller than A3.
FIG. 9 also shows that the protuberance 27 extends along an angular sector A1, with a value of approximately 90° here, but values between 30 and 150° can for example be envisaged.
These implementations allow proposing a reusable shell 10 that is fairly rigid or at least not too flexible to be held (typically with a 20 Newton force) without significantly deforming, and proposing a very thin disposable bottle 20, and therefore too soft or too flexible to be held (typically with the same 20 Newton force) without deforming. This coupling allows proposing a disposable and recyclable bottle 20 manufactured with little material and yet with correct ergonomics, since the shell 10 is sufficiently rigid and reusable.
A strap or a wrist strap or textile loop and hook fastener strips (known under the trademark “Velcro”, or called scratch) can also be provided to allow the consumer to transport the object 30 in various activities (sport, hiking, etc.). It is also possible to provide for one or several grips on the shell 10.
The bottle 20, the collar and/or the body of the bottle is preferably formed from a preferably thin-walled thermoplastic material. The material is preferably a polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), poly-trimethylene terephthalate (PTT), polyethylene furanoate (PEF) or poly-trimethylene furanoate (PTF). The material can be an at least partially recycled material. The bottle is preferably shaped by an Injection Blow Molding process, for example an Injection Stretch Blow Molding process. In these processes, a solid preform (represented in FIG. 10 ) is manufactured by injection of the material into a mold and then by cooling, the preform is then heated in order to soften it, optionally stretched longitudinally using a rod, then stretched axially and longitudinally by blow molding in a mold in the shape of the bottle.
These polyester materials and methods are known to those skilled in the art. Their combination allows obtaining thin, light walls, with good mechanical resistance and good sealing or other barrier properties. These properties are due to the orientation of the macromolecular chains at least partially inducing crystallization. In addition to saving material, these polyesters have the advantage of being easily recyclable. The recovery, sorting and regeneration sectors are organized. The regeneration can be a mechanical recycling involving melting and shaping, for example into granules prior to new plastics processing operations such as the injection blow molding or chemical recycling involving depolymerization, recovery of monomers or precursors, then a new polymerization.
The implementation and the use of the thin-walled bottles of the invention consequently presents a very advantageous environmental record, in addition to good practicality, in particular in relation to the implementation of non-activatable and thicker conventional PET bottles.
The thin wall is preferably such that the body of the bottle has a thickness within a range from 30 μm to 150 μm, for example in a range from 30 μm to 50 μm or from 50 μm to 70 μm or from 70 μm to 100 μm, or from 100 μm to 125 μm or from 125 μm to 150 μm, preferably in a range from 100 μm to 125 μm. The thickness mentioned is the thickness at least at one point of the body, preferably the average thickness over a portion representing at least 50% in length or in surface of the body, preferably at least 80%, preferably the average thickness over the whole body. The bottom of the bottle can be slightly thicker than the body, for example up to 50% thicker than the body, for example up to 20% thicker. The bottom can also have a cup typically corresponding to the bottom of the preform and at its injection point.
The thickness can be adjusted by adapting, for a target bottle volume, the characteristics of the preform, in particular its shape and the thickness of its walls, as well as the stretching characteristics. It is mentioned that the thickness of the preform walls, the geometry of the preform such as its length, its diameter and its bottom shape determine, together with the collar that may form a bottle neck, the weight. The unfilled, unclosed bottle and/or the preform generally have an identical weight. Subsequently, the weights given refer either to the bottle weights or to the preform weights. For a 75 cl bottle, it is advantageously possible to implement preforms from 8 to 13 g. The overall stretching rate can for example be comprised between 12.0 and 27.0, preferably between 15.0 and 20.0. The axial stretching rate (typically the ratio between the height of the bottle and the length of the stretchable part of the preform, typically the distance under the collar) can for example be comprised between 3.0 and 4.5. The radial stretching rate (typically ratio between the diameter of the bottle and the diameter of the stretchable part of the preform) can for example be comprised between 4.0 and 6.0. It is mentioned that the overall stretching rate is generally equal to the product of the axial stretching rate and of the radial stretching rate.
Good results are for example obtained with the characteristics of the Table 1 below:

	TABLE 1

	Preform type	Preform with an unstretched collar
		with a screw pitch and a flange

	Preform weight	12.8	g
	Collar weight	3.68	g

	Bottle type	Cylindrical-shaped bottle with circular
		section and concave or flat bottom

Bottle diameter	71.5	mm
Bottle height	238.5	mm
Bottle volume	75	cl

	Overall stretching rate	17.96
	Radial stretching rate	4.35
	Axial stretching rate	4.13

Thickness at the level	110	μm
of the body
Blow molding preform	100°	C.
temperature
Blow molding pressure	30	Bars

In detail, FIG. 10 represents a preform 40 produced by injection and which can be used in a blow molding process to produce the bottle 20 of FIG. 4 . The preform 40 has a threaded upper part CF which will not be stretched during the blow molding process and which therefore has the same dimensions as the collar of the bottle 20. Particularly, the presence of the flange 22 which is of the same dimensions as that of the bottle 20 can be noted. A cylindrical part separates the flange 22 from a slightly tapered part Ep, adjacent to a lower part Co of the preform.
Typically, the part Ep of the preform approximately corresponds to the shoulder 28 of the bottle 20, and the part Co approximately corresponds to the side wall 24 and to the bottom 25 of the bottle 29. It is important to note that the cylindrical area between the part Ep and the flange 22 of the preform 40 is free of bosses or protuberances. Indeed, the protuberance 27 will be formed during the blow molding operation in this exemplary embodiment.
As seen above, the preform 40 or 40A can be formed in a thermoplastic material, and it can have:

a total height of between 50 mm and 80 mm;
a weight of between 7 g and 17 g;
a thickness at the level of the collar of between 1 mm and 2 mm;
a thickness at the level of the part Co of between 1.6 mm and 2.8 mm;
a flange 22 with a diameter of between 29 mm and 35 mm and a thickness of between 0.7 mm and 1.5 mm;
a height of the part CF of between 10 mm and 15 mm.

As seen above, a protuberance 27 arranged under the flange 22 and adjacent to the shoulder 28 of the bottle allows reliably coupling the bottle 20 to a shell 10.
On the basis of the protuberance 27 arranged under the flange 22 and adjacent to the shoulder 28 of the bottle, other functions of interactions with devices or caps can be implemented.
It is in particular possible to:

orient a faucet mounted on the bottle during the manufacture of bottles filled and plugged with the faucet, or during the mounting of a faucet, for example reusable, by a user after opening the bottle.
provide a support or a final abutment to the opening of an attached, for example hinged, cap;
provide the user with a visual indication of the direction or the opening area of an attached, for example hinged, cap;
provide a receiving or accommodating area for a cap attached with a hinge or a soft link connecting it to the bottle,
provide an abutment or a snap fitted cap blocking.

During the operations of grouping bottles 20, for example using secondary packaging, the protuberance 27 can be used in order to:

block in rotation and/or axially the bottle 20 relative to a packaging or handling support like a cardboard or plastic handle or like a cardboard pickup;
orient the bottles relative to the same packaging or handling support like a cardboard or plastic handle or like a cardboard pickup;
lock identical bottles stacked on top of each other, the bottom of a bottle comprising a counter-shape to review and engage with the protuberance of a bottle located below in the stack.

During the final use, the protuberance 27 can be used in order to:

block the bottle in rotation relative to an outer device such as a shell;
provide a presence detection area or a good arrangement for a mechanical or even optical sensor;
visually or optically check a water level in the bottle, representative of a storage and/or use period, for example before initial use;
identify one bottle among others by crushing the protuberance.

Furthermore, the protuberance 27 can also be used to bear a marking, a logo for example in order to provide traceability or indication of material for a particular recycling in the case of specific material. The protuberance 27 can itself be used as a marking for example in order to provide traceability or indication of material for a particular recycling in the case of specific material.
It will be understood that various modifications and/or improvements obvious to those skilled in the art can be made to the different embodiments of the invention described in the present description without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A bottle, comprising:

a bottle collar with a flange,

a body with a side wall and a shoulder arranged between the collar and the side wall,

characterized in that the collar of the bottle comprises at least one protuberance, arranged:

between the flange and the body,

adjoining or contiguous to the shoulder, and in that the bottle collar comprises between the flange and the protuberance, a cylindrical part over 360°, free of protuberances.

2. The bottle according to claim 1 characterized in that the bottle is made of plastic.

3. The bottle, according to claim 1, characterized in that the bottle is a thin-walled bottle.

4. The bottle according to claim 1, wherein the protuberance extends along an angular sector in a plane normal to an axial direction of the bottle, the angular sector having an angular dimension of at least 40°, preferably at least 50°.

5. The bottle according to claim 4, wherein the angular dimension does not exceed 180°.

6. The bottle according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a cylindrical portion between the flange and the protuberance of height X1 of at least 2.5 mm and preferably at least 3.5 mm along an axial direction of the bottle.

7. The bottle according to claim 1, wherein the protuberance comprises a lower portion arranged on the shoulder.

8. The bottle according to claim 1, wherein the protuberance is solid.

9. The bottle according to claim 8, characterized in that the bottle is obtained from a preform comprising the collar, the flange and the protuberance under the flange.

10. The bottle according to claim 1, characterized in that the protuberance is hollow.

11. The bottle according to claim 10, wherein the protuberance has a thickness:

greater than or equal to 150 μm, preferably 200 μm, preferably 250 μm and very preferably greater than 300 μm, and/or

less than or equal to 600 μm, preferably 500 μm, preferably 400 μm.

12. The bottle according to claim 10, characterized in that the bottle is obtained from a preform comprising the flange and free of protuberance under the flange.

13. The bottle according to claim 1, wherein:

the protuberance has a first radius R1 relative to an axial direction of the bottle,

the flange has a second radius R2 relative to an axial direction of the bottle, and wherein:

0.8×R2≤R1≤1.2×R2.

14. The bottle according to claim 1, wherein, in a cross section plane comprising an axial direction of the bottle and passing through the protuberance, a side surface of the protuberance has a radius of between 4 mm and 11 mm, and preferably between 5.5 mm and 8.5 mm.

15. The bottle according to claim 1, characterized by comprising a cap arranged to open and close the bottle, preferably in a reversible manner, said cap being of the type detachable from the bottle or of the type attached to the bottle, wherein the protuberance is arranged to receive therewithin and/or between it and the flange at least part of the cap when the bottle is open.

16. The bottle according to claim 15, wherein the protuberance is arranged to provide a support portion or to form a bearing counter-shape for the cap.

17. The bottle according to claim 1, wherein the protuberance bears a marking, preferably in relief.

18. The bottle according to claim 1, characterized in that the bottle comprises a bottom, adapted to accommodate the collar of a similar bottle, the bottom having a first counter-shape to accommodate the collar of the similar bottle, the first counter-shape being provided with a second counter-shape to accommodate the protuberance of the collar of the similar bottle.

19. The bottle according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of protuberances between the flange and the shoulder, at least one of the protuberances, preferably each one of them, being adjoining or contiguous to the shoulder.

20. The bottle according to claim 1, wherein the protuberance is hollow and is arranged to be deformed by a user, to become a recessed part.

21. (canceled)

22. A bottle preform to manufacture a bottle according to claim 1.

23. An object comprising a bottle according to claim 1 and a device associated with the collar of the bottle, arranged to cooperate with the protuberance.

24. The object according to claim 23, characterized in that the device is a shell, a system for dispensing a fluid contained in the bottle, or a device for connecting the bottle to a circuit for dispensing a fluid contained in the bottle.

25. The object according to claim 24, characterized in that the device is a fluid dispenser contained in the bottle, a bubbler, a faucet or a valve.