Packaging system and method

Abstract

A method and system for packaging a plurality of bottles in an efficient, compact package that maximizes the useable space in the storage and shipping of materials, such as beverages. Each pair of bottles in the package may be arranged in a mated configuration to form a space-conserving block. A holding sleeve may be used to maintain the pair of bottles in the mated configuration, while securing the blocks of the package together. The blocks are arranged and maintained together in an outer housing (e.g., a box) in a manner substantially free of dead space.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/752,314 filed on Dec. 19, 2005. The entire disclosure of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/752,314 is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to packaging, and, more particularly, to a system and method for packaging a plurality of bottles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Two of the most persistent and overarching challenges facing the packaging industry are space management and breakage concerns. Specifically, the packaging and storage of multiple bottles, such as water and/or wine bottles, in conventional lots, known as cases, often waste valuable space due to the inefficient geometry and arrangement of the bottles. This wasted, or “dead” space is commonly found around the curved surfaces of conventional bottles, such as, for example, the cylindrical neck and rounded base of a conventional water or wine bottle.

This dead space creates two significant problems. First, it provides the bottles with room to shift during movement and/or shipping, resulting in unwanted contact between the bottles and, ultimately, to breakage. Second, this dead space is unused, creating significant inefficiencies in space management. For example, in a-typical case (e.g., twelve bottles arranged in a box), the bottles fill approximately 60% of the space available, leaving the rest of the space empty.

Many residual expenses flow from the breakage or damage of bottles, including re-shipping costs, replacement costs, clean up costs, loss of labels, ancillary damage or loss of packaging materials, contamination of other bottles in the same shipment, loss of product, and failure to meet business obligations. For example, employees must be paid to separate the broken bottles out of a shipment, clean up spilled product, clean off other bottles in the case, and remove and replace stained labels. This process increases costs and decreases productivity.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary prior art packaging arrangement of conventional bottles. For illustration purposes, only two bottles are depicted. As shown in FIG. 1, there are a number of dead space pockets or areas inherently formed by arranging conventional wine bottles having a rounded neck and rounded base adjacent to one another. This failure to use significant portions of space leads to higher shipping costs. In addition, when taken in the aggregate, a significant amount of space in warehouses, distribution centers, transportation means is ultimately wasted by the dead space between conventional bottles.

Accordingly, a need exists for an efficient method and system for packaging bottles, such as water or wine bottles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention satisfy these and other needs by providing a compact, re-enforced, and space-conserving packaging system. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the packaging system includes a plurality of bottles, such as water or wine bottles, having a geometry which allows for two like bottles to “mate” when arranged in a mated configuration (i.e., with opposing ends together).

Specifically, two bottles are arranged in the mated configuration by fitting a neck of a first bottle into a corresponding groove in the base of a second bottle. The pair of mated bottles form a block having substantially flat side surfaces, which may be arranged in a substantially flush manner with adjacent block(s) and/or side walls of an outer housing (e.g., a box). Due to the geometry of the bottles, the blocks are formed and arranged together with little to no dead space in the package.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the packaging system may include a holding sleeve which secures and maintains the pairs of bottles in the mated configuration (i.e., the individual blocks), while, additionally holding the plurality of blocks together in a rigid, re-enforced fashion within the housing of the packaging system.

The compact packaging provided by the present invention reduces the amount of dead space, particularly the space typically present around the cylindrical necks of conventional bottles arranged in a package. Advantageously, breakage complications that stem from movement beyond the inherent tolerance of the packaged arrangement are also reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more readily understood from the detailed description of exemplary embodiments presented below considered in conjunction with the attached drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a prior art package including two conventional bottles;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of an exemplary bottle, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A illustrates exemplary shapes for a neck of a bottle, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a pair of exemplary bottles arranged in a mated configuration, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a plurality of blocks forming a exemplary package, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary holding sleeve, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary segment of a holding sleeve, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary housing, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7A illustrates an exemplary packaging system, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 8A-8D shows an exemplary packaging system at various stages of the packaging process, according to an embodiment of the present invention

It is to be understood that the attached drawings are for purposes of illustrating the concepts of the invention and may not be to scale, and are not intended to be limiting in terms of the range of possible shapes, proportions, and/or number of bottles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and system for packaging a plurality of bottles in a rigid, compact arrangement. The bottles of the package each have a geometry that enables two like bottles to “mate” or fit together into a block that includes significantly less dead space as compared to conventional packaging. Advantageously, the mated bottle pairs, or blocks, each require a footprint approximately equivalent to that of a single bottle, resulting in significant space conservation.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a holding sleeve is provided that secures each pair of bottles in the mated configuration. In addition, the holding sleeve and housing combine to maintain the plurality of blocks in a compact arrangement.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the packaging system, as shown in FIG. 8D, comprises a plurality of bottles 10, a holding sleeve 20, and a housing 30. The plurality of bottles 10, or package 1, may include any number of bottles, such as, for example, twelve or twenty-four bottles. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the bottle 10 may be adapted to contain any liquid, solid, or gaseous material. One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the bottle 10 may be composed of any suitable material, including, but not limited to, plastic, glass, ceramic, cardboard, and/or a composite material. The bottle 10 may be adapted to contain any suitably sized amount or volume of material. In a preferred embodiment, the bottle 10 is composed of glass or plastic and is adapted to hold water, wine, or other beverage having a volume of approximately 187 mL, approximately 1.5 L, or other conventional water and/or wine bottle volume.

According to an embodiment of the invention, each pair of the plurality of bottles 10 may be arranged in a “mated configuration,” wherein two like bottles mate or interact to form a block having a plurality of substantially flat side surfaces. The mated configuration is described in further detail below.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary bottle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the bottle 10 includes a neck 12 and a base 14. The neck 12 is shaped to include at least one substantially flat (i.e., substantially non-cylindrical) side 12s. For example, the bottle 10 depicted in FIG. 2 includes a neck 12 having two substantially flat sides 12s.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the base 14 is geometrically configured to include at least one substantially flat side surface and a groove 15 adapted to accept or mate with the neck 12 of a corresponding bottle 10, when arranged in the mated configuration. One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the base 14 may be any suitable shape, including, but not limited to, a rectangular, a triangular, a square, and any other geometrically similar or derivative shape.

The neck 12 functions similarly to a neck of a convention bottle, in that it acts as a pouring channel or spout and includes an open top end that may be closed or capped using any suitable means, such as, for example, a cork, screw-top, threaded or crimped cap, pull tab, etc. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the neck 12 extends from the base 14 in an offset manner (i.e., from the side or corner of the base 14 opposing the groove 15). Unlike a conventional bottle, the neck 12 does not extend from the center of the base 14. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bottle 10 includes a square or rectangularly shaped base and a square or rectangularly shaped neck 12 extending from the base 14 in an offset manner (i.e., from a comer or side of the base 14, not the center). Preferably, the neck 12 extends from a comer of the substantially square or rectangular base 14 diagonally opposed to the groove 15, as shown in FIG. 2.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the neck 12 and the base 14 are shaped and sized such that when a pair of bottles 10 are arranged in the mated configuration, the neck 12 of each bottle 10 fits within the groove 15 of the corresponding bottle. Preferably, the groove 15 and the neck 12 are substantially the same length.

The neck 12 may be any suitable shape so long as one or more sides of the neck 12 come into contact with and fit the contour of the respective groove 15 of a corresponding bottle 10, when two bottles 10 are arranged in the mated configuration.

FIG. 2A shows a top view of exemplary shapes of the neck 12 of bottle 10. One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate any geometric shape having at least one substantially flat side may be used in accordance with the present invention, including shapes not shown in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 illustrates a pair of bottles, a first bottle 10A and a second bottle 10B, arranged in the mated configuration. As shown, the first bottle 10A and the second bottle 10B are in reverse orientation relative to one another (i.e., with reverse polarity), such that the neck 12A of the bottle 10A is fitted or mated with groove 15B of base 14B. Likewise, neck 12B of bottle 10B is fitted or mated with groove 15A of base 14A. As shown in FIG. 3, the first bottle 10A and the second bottle 10B in the mated configuration form a block 50.

FIG. 4 illustrates a number of blocks 50A-50F arranged together to form a package 1, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, each block 50A-50F has a plurality of substantially flat, non-cylindrical sides to allow adjacent blocks and/or the housing 30 (not shown in FIG. 4) to abut the block in a flush manner, such that there is no significant dead space therebetween. For example, block 50A has four substantially flat side surfaces, two of which are abutted by blocks 50B and 50D respectively, and two that are abutted by the side walls of the housing 30 when arranged therein. This secure arrangement provides for a reduction in movement of the bottles 10 and/or blocks 50, and reduces the amount and likelihood of damage and/or breakage of bottles 10 composed of breakable material, such as glass.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention wherein a plurality of bottles 10 and blocks 50 of a package 1 are held together in a substantially dead space-free manner by a holding sleeve 20. As shown in FIG. 5, the holding sleeve 20 includes a number of holding sleeve segments 25 corresponding to the number of blocks 50 of the package 1. The holding sleeve 20 may be a monolithic piece including integrally connected or attached holding sleeve segments 25. One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the holding sleeve 20 may be composed of any suitable material, including, but not limited to, plastic, glass, cardboard, wood, foam, or composite material.

As shown in FIG. 6, the holding sleeve segment 25 may include an aperture 26 and a carved-out portion 27. The aperture 26 is shaped and sized to accept and secure a neck (e.g., neck 12A shown in FIG. 3). The carved-out portion 27 of the holding sleeve segment 25 is provided in the corner of the holding sleeve segment 25 diagonally opposing the aperture 26 such that a side edge of an adjacent holding sleeve segment or a side wall of the housing 30 couple with the carved-out portion 27 to form or define a slot to secure a neck (e.g., the neck of bottle 10B of FIG. 3). The aperture 26 and the carved-out portion 27 each provide an opening adapted to surround and secure a portion of the necks of the bottles arranged in the mated configuration. One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the holding sleeve segments 25 of the holding sleeve 20 are shaped and sized to correspond with the base 14 of the bottles in the package 1. For example, the holding sleeve segments 25 may be shaped like a square, rectangle or triangle. Optionally, the holding sleeve segments 25 may be individually attached and/or detached from one another to form an adjustably sized holding sleeve 20 that may be adapted to fit various sized packages.

Optionally, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the outer side surface (i.e., the outer perimeter) of the holding sleeve 20 may include one or more notches 21 (shown in FIGS. 4 and 5), which, upon proper alignment, fit into a corresponding holes 31 (shown in FIG. 7) in a side wall of the housing 30, to provide a more secure fit therein. One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any alternative arrangement may be used to secure the holding sleeve 20 within the housing 30. In addition, it is to be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art that the holes 31 need not extend through the entire side wall of the housing 30, but only need be of sufficient depth to accept and securely fit the notches 21.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the packaging system includes a housing 30 within which the package 1 is arranged. As described above and shown in FIG. 7, the housing 30 may include one or more holes 31 adapted to align with the corresponding number of notches arranged along the outer side surface (i.e., outer perimeter) of the sleeve 20. The housing 30 may be composed of any suitable material, such as, for example, cardboard. The housing 30 may be any shape, with the important consideration being that the interior cavity of the housing be sufficiently shaped and sized to securely enclose the package 1 with the minimal amount of dead space provided therein.

One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the housing 30 may be any size or shape, including, but not limited to, a size adapted for storage and/or placement in a small space such as, for example, a refrigerator (e.g., “fridge pack” sized). FIG. 7A illustrates an embodiment of the present invention wherein the packaging system includes a number of blocks 50, preferably composed of smaller sized bottles 10 (e.g., approximately 187 L bottles), in a horizontally stacked arrangement within the housing 30. As shown in FIG. 7A, the housing 30 includes an end which allows access to, and the removal of, the bottles 10 therein. One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that this access point may be a movable or removable piece. For example, FIG. 7A shows the access point with the ‘door’ or cover removed, such that the bottles may be accessed by a user. Alternatively, the access point may comprise a moveable door which is lifted or otherwise moved to allow for access to the bottles. One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the access point may be arranged at any location on the housing, such as, for example, the top, side, back, or front of the housing.

Although FIG. 7A depicts a two-by-two arrangement of blocks 50A-50D, one having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the bottles may be arranged in a number of alternative ways, and may include any number of rows and/or columns, such as, for example, a single vertical column arrangement.

Referring to FIG. 7A, bottle 10A may be removed via the opening in housing 30. Removing bottle 10A bifurcates block 50A, thus freeing up bottle 10B for removal. Once block 50A is removed, blocks 50B and 50C are in position for removal.

One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that in this embodiment, the packaging system does not include a holding sleeve 20, thus allowing the next block (e.g., block 50B in FIG. 7A) to fall into position for removal from the housing 30 (i.e., into alignment with the access panel 35). Advantageously, the packaging system illustrated in FIG. 7A may be arranged in a refrigerator or other limited space.

FIGS. 8A-8D illustrate a packaging system at various stages of the packaging process, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8A, a first load of bottles is placed base-side 14 down into the housing 30. For illustration purposes, the housing 30 is depicted as having transparent (i.e., cut-away) sides so that the interior enclosure of the housing 30 may be seen. One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the housing 30 may or may not be composed of a transparent material.

As shown in FIG. 8B, the holding sleeve 20 is mounted over the first load of bottles such that each neck 12 of the first load is aligned with and passes through a corresponding aperture 26 of the holding sleeve segment 25, as described in detail above. As indicated above, the holding sleeve 50 is an optional feature of the packaging system, and need not be included. Because each holding sleeve segment 25 is shaped and sized to match the base of the bottles 10, the holding sleeve 20 may form a friction or snap fit with the bottles 10 when mounted thereon. As described above, the notches 21 formed on the perimeter of the holding sleeve 20 fit into the corresponding holes 31 (not shown in FIG. 8B) of the housing 30 upon proper alignment of same.

Next, a second load of bottles is arranged into the mated configuration with the first load of bottles, as shown in FIG. 8C. The bottles of the second load are introduced in the housing such that each neck of the second load is aligned with and passes through a corresponding carved-out portion 27 of the holding sleeve segment 25. When properly aligned, the first and second loads are secured in place within the housing 30 in the mated configuration by the holding sleeve 20. Each corresponding pair of bottles of the first and second loads are coupled together in the mated configuration by the holding sleeve 20, thereby forming a substantially rigid package 1. In this arrangement, the side walls of the housing 30 provide additional support to the package 1, while the holding sleeve 20 provides both exterior and interior support to the package 1, as shown in FIG. 8D.

One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the above described steps do not have to be performed in the order presented above. For example, the second load of bottles 10 may be introduced into the housing 30 with the holding sleeve 20 mounted thereon, such that the holding sleeve 20 is mounted over the first load when the second load is arranged into the mated configuration with the first load.

One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the blocks 50 of the package 1 may be arranged within the housing 30 with a vertical orientation (i.e., standing upright as shown in FIG. 8D), with a horizontal orientation (i.e., with the blocks 50 lying side down as shown in FIG. 7A), or a combination of the two arrangements.

It is to be understood that the exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative of the invention and that many variations of the above-described embodiments can be devised by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore intended that all such variations be included within the scope of the above description.

Claims

1. A system for packaging bottles, each bottle having a neck and a base having a groove, comprising:

at least two bottles having a geometry that allows the bottles to mate with each other, the geometry of each bottle being configured such that the groove of one bottle mates with the neck of a corresponding bottle when arranged in a mated configuration,

wherein the bottles in the mated configuration form a block having a plurality of substantially flat side surfaces.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of blocks arranged such that the substantially flat side surfaces of adjacent blocks are in flush contact with one another.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mated configuration comprises arranging a pair of bottles in a reverse orientation.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the neck comprises at least one substantially flat side.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a holding sleeve including at least one holding sleeve segment configured to secure each pair of bottles in the mated configuration.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the holding sleeve includes a plurality of holding sleeve segments comprising:

an aperture configured to secure a neck of a first bottle of a block; and

a carved-out portion configured to secure a neck of a second bottle of the block.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the holding sleeve comprises a plurality of holding sleeve segments configured to maintain a plurality of blocks in a secure arrangement.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of holding sleeve segments is detachable.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a housing configured to enclose the plurality of bottles in the mated configuration.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the holding sleeve comprises at least one notch on its outer side surface, the at least one notch configured to fit into a corresponding hole in a side wall of the housing.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the housing is configured to enclose a plurality of horizontally-oriented blocks arranged in a vertical stack.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the housing comprises an access point configured to allow access to the blocks.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one bottle comprises a water bottle.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one bottle comprises a wine bottle.

15. A method of packaging bottles, each bottle having a neck and a base having a groove, comprising the steps of:

disposing a first load of the bottles in a housing; and

arranging a second load of the bottles in a mated configuration with the first load of bottles such that the neck of each of the bottles mates with a groove of a corresponding bottle, wherein each pair of bottles in the mated configuration forms a block having a plurality of substantially flat surfaces.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the block comprises a substantially flat top surface and a substantially flat bottom surface.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of arranging a plurality of blocks such that the substantially flat side surfaces of adjacent blocks are in flush contact with one another.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of mounting a holding sleeve over the first load of bottles such that each neck of the first load of bottles is secured by a corresponding aperture of the holding sleeve.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the neck of each bottle in the second load is secured by a corresponding carved-out portion of the holding sleeve.

20. A system for packaging bottles, each bottle having a neck and a base having a groove, comprising:

at least two bottles having a geometry that allows the bottles to mate with each other, the geometry of each bottle being configured such that the groove of one bottle mates with the neck of a corresponding bottle when arranged in a mated configuration, wherein the bottles in the mated configuration form a block having a plurality of substantially flat side surfaces; and

a housing configured to store the block.