Container With Rib Elements Patterned in a Brick Pattern
A container for beverages has a plurality of side panels having rib elements. The container preferably has the rib elements arranged in a brick pattern. The container reduces the deformation of the side panels that occurs when gripped.
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This application is a continuation in part of U.S. Design Pat. Application No. 29/335,849, filed Apr. 23, 2009, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the field of containers. In particular the present invention is related to containers that may have increased side panel strength.
2. Description of the Related Technology
In the past, containers used for the storage of products, such as beverages, were made of glass. Glass was used due to its transparency, its ability to maintain its structure and the ease of affixing labels to it. However, glass is fragile and heavy. This results in lost profits due to broken containers during shipping and storage caused by the usage of glass and additional costs due to the transportation of heavier materials.
Plastic containers are used more frequently today due to their durability and lightweight nature. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is used to construct many of today's containers. PET containers are lightweight, inexpensive, recyclable and manufacturable in large quantities.
Many of the design aspects that go into the formation of containers are directed to the creation appealing aesthetic features. In some instances the preferred design for a container has features that pose issues with respect to the underlying utility of the container.
While the container 10 is suitable for holding beverages, the side panels 16 have a limited amount of structural rigidity and strength. This can result in spillage from the top of the container 10 when the container 10 is grabbed too forcefully after being opened. This spillage is undesirable for a number of reasons including loss of product, undue mess, etc. Therefore, there is a need to make the side panels 16 structurally stable so as to prevent deformation of the side panels 16 during gripping of the container 10 in an opened state.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn object of the present invention is a container that has side panels with reduced deformation when gripped.
Another object of the invention is a container having a plurality of rib elements arranged in a brick pattern.
An aspect of the present invention may be a plastic container comprising: a top portion; a body comprising a plurality of side panels located below the top portion; a base located below the body portion; and wherein at least one of the plurality of side panels has a plurality of rib elements arranged in a brick pattern.
Another aspect of the present invention may be a plastic container comprising a top portion; a body comprising a plurality of side panels located below the top portion; a base located below the body portion; and wherein a thickness of each of the plurality of side panels is between 0.01 to 0.02 inches, and further wherein when a force less than 1.65 lbf is applied to the at least one of the plurality of side panels then the surface is not displaced at least ¼ of an inch in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the container.
Still yet another aspect of the present invention may be a plastic container comprising; a top portion; a body comprising a plurality of side panels located below the top portion; a base located below the body portion; and wherein at least one of the plurality of side panels further comprises a first rib element, a second rib element and a third rib element, and further wherein a first end of the first rib element and a second end of the second rib element are located proximate to each other and a center portion of a side panel of the third rib element is located proximate to the first end of the first rib element and the second end of the second rib element.
These and various other advantages and features of novelty that characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.
In the present invention the constructed container may be a one-piece construction and may be prepared from a monolayer plastic material, such as a polyamide, for example, nylon; a polyolefin such as polyethylene, for example, low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene, a polyester, for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphtalate (PEN), or others, which may also include additives to vary the physical or chemical properties of the material. For example, some plastic resins may be modified to improve the oxygen permeability. Alternatively, the container may be prepared from a multilayer plastic material. The layers may be any plastic material, including virgin, recycled and reground material. The layers may include plastics or other materials with additives to improve physical properties of the container. In addition to the above-mentioned materials, other materials often used in multilayer plastic containers include, for example, ethylvinyl alcohol (EVOH) and tie layers or binders to hold together materials that are subject to delamination when used in adjacent layers. A coating may be applied over the monolayer or multilayer material, for example to introduce oxygen barrier properties. In an exemplary embodiment, the present container is prepared from PET.
The container discussed herein may also be made by conventional blow molding processes including, for example, extrusion blow molding, stretch blow molding and injection blow molding. These molding processes are discussed briefly below.
With extrusion blow molding, a molten tube of thermoplastic material, or plastic parison, is extruded between a pair of open blow mold halves. The blow mold halves close about the parison and cooperate to provide a cavity into which the parison is blown to form the container. As so formed, the container may include extra material, or flash, at the region where the molds come together. A moil may be intentionally present above the container finish.
After the mold halves open, the container drops out and is then sent to a trimmer or cutter where any flash of moil attached to the container is removed. The finished container may have a visible ridge formed where the two mold halves used to form the container came together. This ridge is often referred to as the parting line.
With stretch blow molding a pre-formed parison, or pre-form, is prepared from a thermoplastic material, typically by an injection molding process. The pre-form typically includes an opened, threaded end, which becomes the threaded member of the container. The pre-form is positioned between two open blow mold halves. The blow mold halves close about the pre-form and cooperate to provide a cavity into which the pre-form is blown to form the container. After molding, the mold halves open to release the container. For wide mouth containers, the container may then be sent to a trimmer where the moil is removed.
With injection blow molding, a thermoplastic material may be extruded through a rod into an injection mold in order to form a parison. The parison is then positioned between two open blow mold halves. The blow mold halves close about the parison and cooperate to provide a cavity into which the parison may be blown to form the container. After molding, the mold halves open to release the container.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding structure throughout the views and turning now to
As shown in
Unlike the container 10 described in
The rib elements 28 provide increased strength to the side panels 26 of the container 20 and decrease deformation of the side panels 26 that occurs from the gripping of the container 20. The rib elements 28 also facilitate the placement of a label on the container 20. The size, shape and spacing of the rib elements 28 results in side panels 26 that are between 25%-30% stiffer than the side panels 16 shown in
Now turning to
Now referring to
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Claims
1. A plastic container comprising:
- a top portion;
- a body comprising a plurality of side panels located below the top portion;
- a base located below the body portion; and
- wherein at least one of the plurality of side panels has a plurality of rib elements arranged in a brick pattern.
2. The plastic container of claim 1, wherein the rib elements extend further from the longitudinal axis of the container than the surface of the container.
3. The plastic container of claim 1, wherein the surface of the container extends further from the longitudinal axis of the container than the rib elements.
4. The plastic container of claim 1, wherein the plurality of rib elements are arranged in a plurality of rows.
5. The plastic container of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of rows is continuous.
6. The plastic container of claim 1, wherein two of the plurality of rib elements have a joint element connecting the two of the plurality of rib elements.
7. The plastic container of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of rib elements is discrete from each other of the plurality of rib elements.
8. The plastic container of claim 1, wherein a thickness of one of the plurality of side panels is between 0.01 and 0.02 inches, and further wherein when a force less than 1.65 lbf is applied to the at least one of the plurality of side panels then the surface is not displaced at least ¼ of an inch in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the container.
9. The plastic container of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of side panels has a plurality of rib elements arranged in a brick pattern.
10. A plastic container comprising:
- a top portion;
- a body comprising a plurality of side panels located below the top portion;
- a base located below the body portion; and
- wherein a thickness of each of the plurality of side panels is between 0.01 and 0.02 inches, and further wherein when a force less than 1.65 lbf is applied to a center of the at least one of the plurality of side panels then the surface is not displaced at least ¼ of an inch in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the container.
11. The plastic container of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of side panels further comprises rib elements which extend further from the longitudinal axis of the container than the surface of the container.
12. The plastic container of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of side panels further comprises rib elements and further wherein the surface of the container extends further from the longitudinal axis of the container than the rib elements.
13. The plastic container of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of side panels further comprises rib elements and further wherein the rib elements are arranged in a plurality of rows.
14. The plastic container of claim 13, wherein at least one of the plurality of rows is continuous.
15. The plastic container of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of side panels further comprises a first rib element, a second rib element, and a joint element, wherein the joint element connects the first and second rib element.
16. The plastic container of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of side panels comprises rib elements, wherein each of the rib elements is discrete from each other.
17. The plastic container of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of side panels has a plurality of rib elements arranged in a brick pattern.
18. The plastic container of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of side panels further comprises a first rib element, a second rib element and a third rib element, and further wherein a first end of the first rib element and a second end of the second rib element are located proximate to each other and a center portion of a side panel of the third rib element is located proximate to the first end of the first rib element and the second end of the second rib element.
19. A plastic container comprising;
- a top portion;
- a body comprising a plurality of side panels located below the top portion;
- a base located below the body portion; and
- wherein at least one of the plurality of side panels further comprises a first rib element, a second rib element and a third rib element, and further wherein a first end of the first rib element and a second end of the second rib element are located proximate to each other and a center portion of a side panel of the third rib element is located proximate to the first end of the first rib element and the second end of the second rib element.
20. The container of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of side panels comprises rib elements.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 2, 2009
Publication Date: Oct 28, 2010
Applicant: GRAHAM PACKAGING COMPANY, L.P. (York, PA)
Inventors: Matthew A. Russell (Red Lion, PA), Raymond A. Pritchett, JR. (Brogue, PA)
Application Number: 12/552,375
International Classification: B65D 90/02 (20060101);