BOTTLE SHIPPING SYSTEM WITH MULTIPURPOSE INSERT
Disclosed are systems and methods for an improved bottle packaging system and shipping container, and more particularly to a container wherein a common insert design is employed to stabilize the bottle(s) and to provide padding therefore during shipment to resist breakage and damage. The improved insert design permits a common insert to provide stabilization to the bottom and shoulder of the necked bottle(s) used for shipping chemicals and the like.
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Priority is claimed from the following provisional application, which is also hereby incorporated by reference for its teachings, “IMPROVED BOTTLE SHIPPING SYSTEM WITH MULTIPURPOSE INSERT”, by Gilfert et al., Application No. 60/942,584, filed on Jun. 7, 2007. This application is also a continuation-in-part of the following co-pending and commonly assigned design patent applications:
U.S. Ser. No. 29/280,840, filed Jun. 8, 2007, for a “MULTI-USE INSERT FOR A SINGLE CONTAINER;”
U.S. Ser. No. 29/280,846, filed Jun. 8, 2007, for a “MULTI-USE INSERT FOR FOUR CONTAINERS;” and
U.S. Ser. No. 29/280,843, filed Jun. 8, 2007, for a “MULTI-USE INSERT FOR SIX CONTAINERS,” all of which are also hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The disclosed packaging system is directed to an improved bottle shipping container, and more particularly to a container wherein a plurality of common inserts are employed to stabilize the bottle(s) and to provide impact resistant cushioning during shipment of liquids and the like. The improved insert design includes, in one embodiment, at least a plurality and preferably three commonly configured inserts, one to receive and secure a bottle bottom, another to receive and restrain a bottle shoulder and neck region (bottle top) and a third placed over the bottle tops and other inserts as a spacer, used for shipping chemicals and the like.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARYGlass bottles and similar containers are used for shipment of liquid products that may, for one reason or another, not be storable or shippable in plastic containers (e.g., made from polystyrene, polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride). For example, chemical products that must retain a high level of purity, are shipped in glass bottles because of the adverse reactions with plastic containers. However, glass bottles are brittle and shatter on impact. Therefore, it is necessary to cushion glass bottles containing chemical products to prevent breakage during shipping and storage. This is necessary, not only to protect the product itself, but also because these products are frequently solvents or other chemicals that present an environmental hazard if leaked or spilled.
Disposing of packaging material is an additional burden on those who receive bottles and who are already burdened with disposing of not only chemical waste but also of the bottles and packaging materials themselves. Any arrangement that can reduce the disposal burden on an end user of chemical products shipped and stored in bottles is of substantial importance. Moreover, it is desirable that such packaging materials be recyclable and made from recycled, or at a minimum, biodegradable materials.
Currently, it is generally known to package bottles of chemicals in expanded foam polystyrene (EPS) packing material, which is placed around the bottles within a corrugated paper board container. A drawback of using EPS is that solvents in or on the bottles can dissolve the EPS, thus reducing or eliminating its cushioning purpose. Moreover, once the package is opened there are two discreet material groups which must be disposed of—the corrugated paper board as well as the expanded polystyrene. Polystyrene foam also has environmental impacts itself, both because the gases that it releases as it decomposes and because of its exaggerated physical presence resulting from its rigid expanded cell structure that consumes a great deal of volume in landfills. Restricting the use of foamed polystyrene packaging is a priority of many solid waste and environmental organizations as well as governments. For example, a number of US cities have banned polystyrene food packaging.
In view of these considerations, there is a need for an economical replacement of polystyrene with a packing system that eliminates the dual waste streams and that uses a biodegradable packing material for which there are established, environment-friendly waste management processes in place.
In light of the above-noted problem, the disclosed packaging system provides an improved package with a molded insert using a common design. More specifically, the system provides both impact protection or cushioning for the bottle(s) and also assures the ease of use, and potential re-use, of such a system by employing a common insert design. In one embodiment, the insert may be used in several different orientations within the package to provide the requisite cushioning and shock absorption to prevent breakage. The use of three identical inserts has at least a two-fold advantage, (i) a multi-use insert limits the packing material supply chain to a single part, and (ii) eliminates operator packaging and assembly errors.
Disclosed in embodiments herein is packaging for at least one bottle, comprising: a carton of generally rectangular cross-section having paper board panels defining a space, the panels meeting to define four interior corners; and three identical inserts, a bottom insert having a curvilinear opening so as to receive the bottom of the at least one bottle and supporting the bottle in a spaced-apart and padded relationship with the bottom, sides and interior corners of the space, a middle insert placed in an inverted orientation (relative to the bottom insert) for receiving the neck and shoulder of the at least one bottle and supporting the bottle in a spaced-apart and padded relationship with the sides and interior corners of the space, and a top insert for maintaining the middle insert in position relative to a top of the space and the neck of the bottle.
Further disclosed in embodiments herein is a packaging insert cell, comprising: a generally cylindrical depression, the bottom of which includes a shoulder extending in segments about the bottom thereof, said shoulder segments providing contacts points for a bottle partially inserted into said depression, and a generally circular hole therein; an outer skirt, extending at an almost vertical direction having a draft of about 1 to about 5 degrees, preferably about 3 degrees, said skirt extending around the entire periphery of the cell; and a plurality of ribs extending between the cylindrical walls of the depression and the skirt, such that said ribs resist the compaction or compression of the skirt relative to the cylindrical walls of the depression.
Also disclosed herein is a method for packaging at least one bottle, comprising: positioning a bottom insert, having at least one bottle-receiving cell therein, within a bottom of a carton; inserting at least one bottle in the bottom insert; placing a middle insert within the carton in an inverted orientation relative to the bottom insert, the middle insert fitting over the neck of the bottle; placing a top insert within the carton, above the middle insert; and securing a top surface of the carton.
The various embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the invention to those embodiments described. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONAs more particularly set forth below, the disclosed system and methods for assembling an improved bottle shipping container, specifically a container wherein a common insert design is employed to stabilize the bottle(s) and to provide padding during shipment and handling. As used herein the term bottle is intended to cover both a conventional glass bottle having a base, sides, should, neck and re-sealable top, as well as other types of containers used for the storage and shipment of liquids and the like. The various embodiments described herein disclose various configurations for the shipping containers, and it is further contemplated that the shipping systems disclosed may also be used to ship containers other than traditional bottles. Accordingly, the use of the term bottles is not intended to limit the disclosure or claims to conventional bottles or bottle designs. The improved insert design and associated packaging system permits a common insert to provide stabilization to the bottom and upper shoulder of the necked bottle(s) used for shipping chemicals and the like. Although generally described relative to a 4-bottle (quad) pack, it will be appreciated that the disclosed insert may be employed in packaging for any number of bottles (e.g., a single, double, triple, quad and six-pack configuration). Moreover, various sizes and types of bottles may be packaged using the disclosed insert, or modifications thereof.
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As illustrated, the combination of the three inserts (100A, 100B and 100C) thereby provides a package that is easily and repeatedly assembled (or disassembled) and enables reassembly and shipping of the bottle or other fragile containers in a manner that prevents breakage and reduces the demand for packing materials. It will be further appreciated that insert 100C provides an essential “crash zone”, whereby the insert is free to collapse in order to absorb the energy from an impact as a result of rough handling. The cutaway illustration of
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After shipment of the empty bottles, the carton is opened at 740, and the bottles are removed at 742 for filling. The bottles are filled at 744 with a liquid or other material, and are then returned to the carton at 748. Once again, the divider remains in the carton at 748 to prevent the bottles from coming into to contact with one another in the carton during bottle insertion. Once all the bottles have been placed into the carton, the divider is removed at 750. At this point the divider may be discarded, recycled, or returned to the carton manufacturer for reuse. Next, the second or middle insert is placed, in an upside-down orientation, over the bottle necks and tops at 760 so that the middle insert is “seated” and holds the bottles relative to the carton and one another. At 762, a third or top insert is then placed into the carton thereby providing the carton with an insert to fill the gap or space above the middle insert. Finally, the carton may be closed and sealed at 764 for shipment of the full bottles therein. While a general set of steps is described relative to
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In one embodiment, the fiber may include at least 50% Kraft paper material and less than 50% newsprint, and more particularly, about 60% Kraft paper and about 40% newsprint. It is however, possible to use varying compositions, even compositions that are at or about 100% Kraft paper material, or at or about 100% newsprint, as well as compositions that utilize alternative types of pulp/fiber materials as noted herein. One source of such materials may be recycled paper products such as cardboard, newsprint, etc. One process involves creating a vacuum formed plastic mold 500 representative of the insert shape depicted in the embodiments—described above. This mold or “tooling” is mounted on a plate, which is subsequently mounted in pans of pulp molding machines. These machines include a tank that is continuously supplied with a slurry of corrugated Kraft and newsprint pulp. The pans are attached to a rotating wheel and as the wheel revolves, the pans are submerged in the pulp tank. The molds are connected to a vacuum, which draws the pulp solids onto the mold surface 510 and removes water. At the end of a rotation of the wheel, the individual pan reaches the unload station where an air blast blows the semi-solid pulp insert off of the mold 500 and onto a negative fixture for support. The insert is then transferred directly to a belt of a large multi-zone drying oven (e.g. gas-fired), which removes the remaining moisture. At the end of the oven, the inserts may be packed for shipment.
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It will be further appreciated that various alternative materials may also be used, including various pulps, cellulose, sugar cane waste, palm waste, expanded starches, and foams (EPS). Preferably the materials employed in making the insert are recycled and/or recyclable. It is also contemplated that various handling tools and techniques may be employed to assist in the removal of the molded fiber inserts prior to and/or during a drying process (e.g. before stiffness and dryness of the insert achieves a desired level).
The packaging system employing the disclosed inserts not only provides for inexpensive packaging, it further provides a solution that is resistant to bottle breakage or damage. The disclosed packaging comprising inserts 100, bottles 200 and container 300, meet the requirements for packaging as tested in accordance with one or more standardized tests, including: ASTM D5276, ASTM D4577, ASTM D999 and ISO 535. Furthermore, use of the common design for the bottom, middle and top inserts in the disclosed packaging system, permits the efficient use, reuse and re-packaging of such materials—thereby reducing the cost of handling and shipping liquids in various bottle configurations. Molded pulp packaging, in accordance with one embodiment of the insert, protects the product and can safely cushion even the most delicate contents such as a bottle(s). A lightweight and cost-effective alternative to most conventional types of packaging, the product is made from 100% recycled materials and is 100% biodegradable.
As described above, the various embodiments disclosed provide packaging for at least one bottle. Such a packaging system comprises: a carton of generally rectangular cross-section having paper board panels defining a space, the panels meeting to define four interior corners; and three inserts having a common design, where one insert is used as a bottom insert and has a curvilinear opening to receive the bottom of a bottle to support the bottle in a spaced-apart and padded relationship with the bottom, sides and interior corners of the carton. A middle insert placed in an inverted orientation (relative to the bottom insert) for receiving the neck and shoulder of the bottle and supporting the bottle in a spaced-apart and padded relationship with the sides and interior corners of the carton, and a top insert for maintaining the middle insert in position relative to a top of the space and the neck of the bottle.
Although described herein relative to a fiber-based insert, the disclosed system may indeed be suitable for use with alternative packaging materials, including biodegradable or other plastics, starch compounds, etc. Another possible manufacturing process may involve a vacuum-formed plastic having insert shape depicted in the embodiment of
It will be appreciated that variations of the above-disclosed embodiments and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also, various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
Claims
1. A packaging system for at least one bottle, comprising:
- a carton having paper board panels defining a space, the panels meeting to define a plurality of interior corners; and
- at least three inserts, each of said inserts having a common design, including a bottom insert receiving a bottom of the bottle and supporting the bottle in a spaced-apart and padded relationship with the bottom, sides and interior corners of the carton, a middle insert receiving a neck and shoulder portion of the bottle and supporting the bottle in a spaced-apart and padded relationship with the sides and interior corners of the carton, and a top insert for maintaining the middle insert in position relative to a top of the carton.
2. The packaging system according to claim 1, wherein said carton is of a generally rectangular cross section.
3. The packaging system according to claim 1, wherein at least two sides of said carton include hand-holes, and where the hand-holes are cut at a position such that a hand inserted therein is supported by a lower portion of said middle insert.
4. The packaging system according to claim 1 wherein said inserts are made of a recyclable material selected from the group consisting of: cellulose, paper pulp, sugar cane, palm waste, and expanded starches.
5. The packaging system according to claim 1 wherein said inserts are made from re-cycled fibrous material consisting of recycled paper products.
6. The packaging system according to claim 1, wherein said inserts each include a cell for receiving the bottle, said cell comprising a generally cylindrical wall that terminates in a segmented shoulder.
7. The packaging system according to claim 6, wherein said inserts further include a skirt in contact with the sides of said carton.
8. The packaging system according to claim 7, wherein said cell is maintained in a spaced-apart relation to said skirt, and thereby the wall of said carton by a plurality of ribs.
9. A packaging insert, comprising:
- a cell including a generally cylindrical depression, the bottom of which includes a shoulder extending in segments about the bottom thereof, said shoulder segments providing contacts points for a bottle partially inserted into said depression, and a generally circular hole therein;
- an outer skirt, extending substantially around the entire periphery of the cell; and
- a plurality of ribs connecting the cell and the skirt, such that said ribs maintain the spatial relationship between the cell and the skirt.
10. The packaging insert according to claim 9, wherein said skirt has a taper such that at least a portion of the skirt contacts a container in which the insert is used.
11. The packaging insert according to claim 10 wherein said ribs resist compaction and thereby prevent the bottle from moving the container.
12. A method for packaging at least one bottle, comprising:
- positioning a bottom insert, having at least one bottle-receiving cell therein, within a bottom of a carton;
- inserting at least one bottle in the bottom insert;
- placing a middle insert within the carton in an inverted orientation relative to the bottom insert, the middle insert fitting over the neck of the bottle;
- placing a top insert within the carton, above the middle insert; and
- securing a top surface of the carton.
13. The method according to claim 12 wherein each of said inserts are of a common design.
14. The method according to claim 13, further including placing an intermediary insert in the carton between the bottom and middle inserts.
15. The method according to claim 13, further including producing each of said inserts from a common mold design.
16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said inserts are produced using a fibrous material.
17. A bottle packaging system, comprising:
- a carton having paper board panels defining a space, the panels meeting to define a plurality of interior corners; and
- a plurality of inserts, each of said inserts having a common design including cells to support bottles therein in a spaced-apart and padded relationship with respect to the bottom, sides and interior corners of the carton.
18. The bottle packaging system according to claim 17, wherein said system further includes a divider to separate the cells, and bottles therein, during bottle loading and unloading.
19. The bottle packaging system according to claim 17, wherein said system includes at least two inserts for shipment of bottles.
20. The bottle packaging system according to claim 17, wherein said system includes at least three inserts for shipment of bottles.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 4, 2008
Publication Date: Dec 11, 2008
Applicant: Fibercel Packaging, LLC (Portville, NY)
Inventors: Mike Olson (Churchville, NY), James W. Gilfert (Eldred, PA)
Application Number: 12/025,419
International Classification: B65D 65/00 (20060101); B65B 43/00 (20060101);