WO2017051320A1 - Container for alcoholic beverage, notably a liquor or champagne, equipped with a decorative stiffening cladding - Google Patents

Abstract

Container for alcoholic beverage, notably a liquor or champagne, consisting of a recipient equipped with a decorative stiffening cladding that at least partially covers it, characetized by the fact that the decorative stiffening cladding is composed of at least two molded shells enclosing a fabric of fibers impregnated in heat-hardening resin, assembled around the recipient and glued onto it with no visible join; at least one of the molded shells is endowed with at least one void in which a label is accommodated and secured that is of corresponding shape and dimensions, and is made of a supple translucent material, notably with printing on the rear face, lying against the surface of the shell and interoperating with an illuminatable flexible mounting that can be switched on by a battery-powered or accumulator-powered power module.

Description

 "CONTAINER FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE, IN PARTICULAR SPIRIT DRINK OR CHAMPAGNE EQUIPPED WITH A DRESSING

 DECORATIVE RIGIDIFICATION »

 The present invention relates to a container for alcoholic beverage, including spirit drink or Champagne equipped with a decorative stiffening covering which covers at least partially.

 In the context of many events, festive events such as weddings, birthdays, commemorations of all kinds, baptism of boats, ... the organizers may wish to offer their guests or other participants personalized bottles they will keep in memory.

 In this context, it has already been proposed to equip champagne bottles with a covering constituted by shells made of a fiber fabric, in particular of resin-impregnated carbon fibers having a particular weaving appearance which gives them both a great hardness and attractive aesthetic properties.

 Such dressing, however, is a very expensive artisanal process of manually applying to the bottles several layers of filament windings covered with resin.

 In addition, the bottles and dressed are all identical and difficult to customize.

 In order to overcome these drawbacks, it has been the idea, in accordance with the invention, to equip receptacles with alcoholic beverages, in particular spirit drinks or Champagne, with a decorative stiffening covering which covers them at least partially, which can be manufactured in series, so at a lower cost and to facilitate their personalization and at the same time improve their characteristics.

The invention thus relates to an alcoholic beverage container consisting of a receptacle equipped with a decorative stiffening covering constituted by at least two molded shells containing a fiber fabric impregnated with thermosetting resin. gathered around the receptacle and glued on it without visible joints.

 At least one of these molded shells is equipped with at least one non-through recess in which a label of corresponding shape and size is housed and fixed, in a flexible translucent material, printed in particular on its rear face, flush with the surface of the shell and cooperating with a flexible flashable support that can be activated by a battery or battery powered power module.

 The choice of the label and the flexible brightenable support makes it possible to personalize the container.

 In addition, the activation of the flexible brightenable support makes it possible to improve to a large extent the aesthetics of this container, thus making it more attractive.

 It is however necessary to choose the characteristics of this support so that it also has a satisfactory appearance when it is not lit.

 It should be noted that the non-through recess in which is housed and fixed the label corresponds to a depression having a depth of 1 to 1.5 millimeters while the thickness of the shells is of the order of 2 to 3 millimeters .

 According to the invention, the fiber fabric may be a fiber fabric of plant or animal origin, for example and without limitation a fabric of flax fiber, bamboo, sisal, silk or wool so as to develop a very wide range of finished products at the aesthetic level.

 This fiber fabric is, however, preferably a carbon fiber fabric.

 According to the invention, the shells containing a resin-impregnated fiber fabric can be mass-produced by a molding process in a mold comprising a hollow female part and a male part acting as an impression.

During the implementation of this process, filament windings consisting of strands of fibers, in particular carbon fibers with a diameter of the order of 0.2 mm or fabrics made from these same fibers, are introduced and applied. in the cavity of the female part of the mold, so as to form a monolayer or multilayer fabric which is impregnated with thermosetting resin, generally epoxy resin or polyester resin and the fabric thus formed is compressed with the male part of the mold which thus serves as a footprint.

 The molds used in accordance with the invention have a geometry making it possible to equip at least some of the recess shells in which labels may then be housed.

 Such labels may advantageously be made from a polycarbonate film which has the advantage of being flexible, translucent and well resistant to abrasion.

 According to the invention, the illuminable flexible support is advantageously positioned and fixed at the bottom of the recess, at the rear of the label.

 This flexible brightenable support may consist of a film made of an electroluminescent material of different colors which may optionally be designed so as to obtain a luminous halo around the label.

 This flexible brightenable support can also be constituted by a film of a flexible plastic material, in particular PVC or polyurethane in which is embedded a printed circuit board equipped with a network of micro LEDs.

 It is indeed currently possible to obtain very thin micro LEDs having a great power.

 However, and given the thickness of such films, the latter embodiment is more especially suitable for large containers such as Champagne magnums or larger bottles.

 Furthermore, it can not be ruled out according to the invention that the flexible brightenable support has a different configuration and is, for example, constituted by a flexible screen on which video messages could be programmed.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the recess is equipped with a through hole through which a wire passes electrical connection to connect the illuminable flexible support to the power module.

 This electrical wire is preferably glued on the shell.

 The power module which contains a switch, an electronic circuit and batteries or a battery and a charging system is also advantageously attached to the shell at the bottom thereof.

 According to the invention, it is necessary to be able to access batteries or batteries from the outside and the shell is thus equipped for this purpose with a lid that can be opened or closed.

 According to a variant of the invention adapted to the embodiment in which the illuminable support is constituted by a flexible plastic film in which is embedded a printed circuit board equipped with a network of micro LEDs, the power module can be constituted by a battery embedded in the plastic material and by a switch that can be actuated by pressing on the label, so that the micro LEDs light up, because of the flexibility of the material constituting the label, in polycarbonate.

 According to another variant of the invention, it is also possible to integrate a small switch and a small battery in the label to enable lighting thereof; such an embodiment however has the disadvantage of not allowing to replace the battery. Such an embodiment possible in the case of micro LEDs is however not conceivable in the case where the illuminable support is constituted by a light-emitting film because it would then require a battery of at least 3.5 volts, which does not is currently not feasible because occupying too much volume

 It should be noted, however, that in such embodiments the thickness of the assembly consisting of the label and the illuminable flexible support should not exceed about 2 mm, which can lead to difficulties.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the shell, the label, the illuminable flexible support, the electric wire and the power supply module constitute an integrated prefabricated assembly which is continued glued on the receptacle preferably by means of a quick glue at room temperature or lower.

 Such integrated prefabricated assemblies can thus be directly supplied to producers of alcoholic beverages or winemakers, in particular to producers of Champagne where they can be glued to receptacles, in particular bottles.

 It is then essential to position these receptacles especially these bottles so that the integrated prefabricated assembly constituting the dressing can be glued aesthetically without visible joints, without requiring manipulation that may be detrimental to the quality of the alcoholic beverage that they enclose.

 During this operation, the electrical wire connecting the illuminable flexible support to the power module is embedded in the glue.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the molded shell also contains a glass fiber fabric impregnated with thermosetting resin which is added to the fiber fabric, so as to obtain a composite fabric.

 The glass fibers of this fabric, which constitute optical fibers are scraped without being broken in places so as to allow the light output.

 The presence of such a fiberglass fabric improves to a large extent the aesthetics of the container by giving the dressing, when illuminated the appearance of a starry sky.

 According to the invention, the receptacle containing the alcoholic beverage can be made of any material, in particular glass or synthetic material, or even be constituted by a pocket of a retractable food polymer material.

In its basic embodiment, this receptacle is however constituted by a bottle, in particular glass, in particular by a bottle of Champagne and is coated with two essentially identical molded shells containing a fiber fabric impregnated with thermosetting resin. These two shells which are generally symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal plane of the bottle must of course be glued to one another so that the joint is essentially invisible.

 It should be noted that such a stiffening lining may be equipped, not with a single recess made on one of the two shells, but with several recesses advantageously made identically on each of the shells.

 The covering may in particular also be equipped with an auxiliary recess for receiving a counter-label that may have the same size or another dimension on which information can be displayed to satisfy the legislation in force, or to a smaller recess for receiving a badge on cap.

 According to such an embodiment, the battery or battery power module can advantageously be housed in the base of the bottle; this power module may have dimensions greater than those of the shell on which it is attached, while being able to be housed in the base of the bottle.

 It is also essential that this supply module is sealed to allow the bottle to be positioned in an ice bucket.

 Moreover, the receptacle may without departing from the scope of the invention be constituted by a bottle other than a bottle of Champagne, in particular a bottle of alcohol such as a bottle of spirits not containing a base.

 In this case, the hulls must be completed at their bottom by a housing containing the power module.

According to another embodiment of the invention, according to which the receptacle is constituted by a bottle of Champagne, in particular by a bottle of white rosé champagne, the molded shells cover only the lower part of this bottle whereas the its upper surface, remaining free is covered with an opalescent material that can be illuminated by a micro LEDs system mounted in the base. This characteristic makes it possible to give rosé champagne bottles a particularly attractive aesthetic appearance.

 According to the invention, the bottle can also be equipped with a luminous plug, in particular snap-on which can also be actuated from the power module, in particular housed in the base thereof and replacing the initial plug after opening.

 Such a cap keeps after use a bottle having a particularly attractive appearance allowing the holder to keep a pleasant memory of the event or the festive event to which it was linked.

Claims

R E V E N D I C A T IO N S 1 °) Container for alcoholic beverage, in particular a spirit drink or Champagne constituted by a receptacle equipped with a decorative stiffening covering which covers it at least partially, characterized in that the decorative stiffening covering is constituted by at least two molded shells containing a fiber fabric impregnated with thermosetting resin gathered around the receptacle and glued to the latter without any visible joint, and at least one of the molded shells is equipped with at least one recess in which is housed and fixed a label of corresponding shape and dimensions in a flexible translucent material, printed in particular on its rear face, flush with the surface of the shell and cooperating with an illuminable flexible support that can be activated by a battery or battery powered power module. 2 °) Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the fiber fabric is a fiber fabric of plant or animal origin, especially a fabric of flax fiber, bamboo, sisal, silk or wool. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the fiber fabric is a carbon fiber fabric. 4 °) container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the illuminable flexible support is positioned and fixed at the bottom of the recess, at the rear of the label. 5 °) container according to claim 4, characterized in that the illuminable flexible support consists of an electroluminescent film. Container according to claim 4, characterized in that the flexible brightenable support is constituted by a flexible plastic film, in particular PVC in which is embedded a printed circuit board equipped with a network of micro LEDs. 7 °) container according to any one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the recess is equipped with a through hole through which passes an electrical wire for connecting the illuminable flexible support to the feed module, which is preferably glued to the shell. 8 °) container according to claim 7, characterized in that the hull, the label, the illuminable flexible support, the electrical wire and the power supply module constitute an integrated prefabricated assembly which is then glued to the receptacle preferably by means of a fast glue at room temperature or lower. 9 °) container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the molded shell contains a fiberglass fabric impregnated with thermosetting resin, the glass fibers of this fabric which constitute optical fibers being scraped without being broken in places so as to allow the light to exit. Container according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the receptacle is constituted by a bottle, in particular glass, in particular by a bottle of Champagne and is coated with two essentially identical molded shells containing a fiber fabric impregnated with thermosetting resin. 1 1 °) Container according to claim 10, characterized in that the feed module is housed in the bottom of the bottle. 12 °) Container according to claim 1 1, wherein the receptacle is constituted by a bottle of Champagne, in particular by a pink champagne bottle of white color, characterized in that the molded shells cover only the lower part of the bottle while the upper part of this bottle, remaining free is covered with a coating of an opalescent material that can be illuminated by a system of micro LEDs mounted in the base of that -this.