CONTAINER WITH CONCERTINA SIDE WALLS AND BASE
A collapsible container or reservoir including at least one side wall region (4-7) and a basal wall region or base (1) surrounding a containment region having an upper opening or mouth (10) surrounded by a perimeter flange (9) at the ends of the side walls distal from the basal wall region, the side walls include a region of coneeitina (14) whereby, upon squeezing or compression of the side walls, the basal wall region of the container is compacted more, relative to the extent of the upper opening. The container can be used for dispensing foods such as pet food, sauces, yoghurt, custard or the like, or other liquids or semi fluid materials such as oil, grease, glue or resin.
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The present invention relates to a container which may for example be used for the containment and convenient dispensing (preferably without utensils) therefrom of foods such as pet food, sauces, yoghurt, custard or the like or other liquid or semi fluid materials, e.g. oil or grease, glue, resins.
BACKGROUNDConsumer packaging is designed to take into consideration functionality and appearance. By way of example most single serve yogurt containers are made from a thermoformed plastic. A sheet of thermoplastic is drawn by a thermoforming machine into a container shape. This generally consists of either round or square side wall configuration to define a containment region with an upper opening surrounded by a perimeter flange. The flange provides a place for a foil seal to engage with the thermoformed plastic to create an openable closure to the containment region. Some of such containers provide their opposed side wall(s) substantially parallel to each other although a slight taper may be provided to allow for the thermoformed product to be extracted from the thermoforming machine. However where, the side walls of such a container are parallel, an empty container (for example to be shipped from its place of manufacture to its place of packaging), will not be able to nest with like containers to reduce the total space required for the transport of such containers in their empty state.
One serve yogurt containers may also need to be stacked, one on top of each other, after they have been filled and sealed. There is a limit to the height that a stack of such containers can reach in light of the strength of the side walls of each of the containers. The containers will need to have sufficient wall thickness to allow for a stack of a suitable or desired height to be achieved without problems with buckling of the side walls and a collapsing of such containers under the weight of the stack above, increasing the wall thickness will increase the material costs of each container manufacture. It would be desirable for such a wall thickness to be able to be reduced so as to reduce the cost of goods manufactured yet still provide a container that is of a comparable strength to a container with plain side walls.
Consumption of the food contained within a one serve sized container is often achieved by the use of a spoon. The spoon may transfer the food content directly to the mouth of a consumer. A spoon is a further element that needs to be provided to allow for the contents of such a container to be consumed. Yogurt and custard or other food consumer products such as those having a jelly like consistency are not to any significant extent able to be poured or dispensed quickly from a container due to their high viscosity and/or gelatinous nature. It is therefore necessary to use a spoon to transfer some if not a substantial part of the contents from as container. There also seems to be a trend with consumer packaging products for food containers to allow the food contents to be dispensed without the need for any farther implements or utensils. Whilst some non viscous fluids or non gelatinous fluids product contained within a container can be poured from such a container, yogurt or other similar food products can have poor pour characteristics. Such fluids may be Newtonian or non Newtonian fluids that may not necessarily, purely by its viscosity characteristics, have such poor pour characteristics. It is for this reason that normally a spoon is used to dispense the contents of the product from a container. The capability of a package to self dispense a significant part of the contents is being addressed by consumer packaging designers and manufacturers.
Recycling of containers containing consumables is also an important consideration in packaging design. The plain rectangular form of yogurt containers, do not conveniently lend themselves to being compacted. To facilitate efficiencies in recycling, compacting of consumable packaging is a distinct advantage.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a container which will address any one or more of the abovementioned desiderata or the abovementioned disadvantages and/or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONIn a first aspect the present invention consists in a container including at least one side wall region and a basal wall region surrounding a containment region having an upper opening surrounded by a flange at the ends of the side wall(s) distal from said basal wall region, said side wall(s) include a region of concertina whereby, upon the squeezing of the side wall(s), said basal wall region of the container is compacted more, relative to the extent of the upper opening.
Preferably said side wall(s) are conoertinaed in diametrically opposed regions of said side wall(s).
Preferably the region of concertina of said side wall(s) extend between the basal wall region and said flange.
Preferably said region of concertina extend from said basal wall region upwards towards said flange.
Preferably said basal wall region includes a region of concertina.
Preferably the region of concertina of said basal wall, extend in a direction parallel to a plane parallel to which the side wall(s) concertina features extend.
Preferably said container is of a quadrilateral plan shape and includes four side walls extending between said flange and said basal region.
Preferably said four side walls include a first pair of opposed side walls by which the region of concertina of said side walls are defined.
Preferably said region of concertina of said side wall(s) include at least one trough formed in said side wall(s) and that extends between said flange and said basal wall region.
Preferably said region of concertina of said side wall(s) include at least two troughs and a ridge intermediate of two troughs, formed in said side wall(s) and that extends between said flange and said basal wall region.
Preferably said region of concertina of said side wall(s) include a series of ridges and troughs extending between said flange and said basal wall region.
Preferably (each) said trough extends from said basal wall region towards said flange but is/are terminated by a web that transitions the side wall between said trough and said flange.
Preferably each said web is a planar triangular web with one of its base sides parallel to said flange and cue of its apex in the trough.
Preferably each said web is a planar triangular web with one of its base sides parallel to and contiguous said flange and one of its apex in the trough.
Preferably said trough is one defined by said side wall(s) to extend towards said containment region.
Preferably a partition wall is included in the containment region to define two partition wall separated compartments said partition wall extending perpendicular to the direction of squeezing.
Preferably said flange includes a zone of weakness to allow for a fracturing of the flange.
Preferably said flange includes a zone of weakness to allow for a fracturing of the flange and wherein said zone of weakness is located intermediate the non-concertina opposed side walls.
Preferably said opposed side walls that include said concertina, at a given height above the basal wall region, vary in distance from each other by virtue of the concertina.
Preferably the variation of distance is symmetrical about a vertical mid-plane intermediate of said opposed side walls that include said concertina.
Preferably said container is a food container.
Preferably said concertina of said side walls meet at said basal wall region.
Preferably said side walls are curved forwards each other from said opening and meet at said basal wall region.
Preferably said other pair of side walls are planar sidewalls.
Preferably said container is an open top container.
Preferably said opening is the same or larger in size than said basal wall region.
Preferably said flange extends in a plane parallel to the direction of squeezing.
Preferably said flange projects outwardly from said opening and beyond the side wall(s)
In a further aspect the present invention consists in a container as herein described and as shown in the accompanying representations.
In a further aspect the present invention consists in a container as shown in the accompanying representations.
In a further aspect the present invention consists in a collapsible container comprising;
a containment region defined by two opposed side walls extending between a flange surrounding opening and a base region and between two other opposed side walls that extends between said two opposed side walls and between said base region and said flange, said two side walls being of a shape to facilitate their concertinaing in a direction bringing the two other opposed side walls together at least at the base region.
Preferably said flange is a planar flange extending about said opening.
Preferably said two side walls, at any given plane parallel to said flange, are not constant in distance from each other save for at a region at or proximate said flange.
Preferably said two side walls, at any given plane parallel to said flange, are not constant in distance from each other save for at a region at or proximate said flange, the distance being proximate most at at least one point of each opposed side wall, said at least one point being intermediate of said other two opposed side walls.
Preferably said at least one point is midway between said two opposed side walls.
Preferably said distance proximate most is defined at at least two points of each opposed side wall.
Preferably said base region is defined by a quadrilateral shaped base wall.
In a further aspect the present invention consists in an open top container defining an opening surrounded by a flange at the top of its wall(s) and including concertinaing features in at least some of its walks), the indent of said concertinaing feature(s) transitioning to the flange with a region adapted to encourage compaction of the basal region of said container relative to compaction of the flange.
In a further aspect the present invention consists in a reservoir including a mouth and at least one concertina feature functionally non intrusive of the perimeter of the mouth whereby, by squeezing, the volume of the reservoir can be reduced without any corresponding concertinaing of the mouth of the perimeter.
Preferably a rim surrounding said mouth perimeter for foil sealing said mouth perimeter.
Preferably the mouth perimeter is rendered less planar in its disposition upon the squeezing.
Preferably that is freestanding and has an open top as said mouth.
In a further aspect the present invention consists in a container including at least one side wall and a basal wall surrounding a containment region that includes an upper opening at the top of the side wall(s), said side wall(s) including concertina side wall features save for at or towards the top of said side wall(s), whereby upon the squeezing of the side walls, at least said basal wall of the container is compacted more relative to the extent of the upper opening.
In a further aspect the present invention consists in a collapsible container comprising:
a containment region defined by at least two opposed side walls extending between a flange surrounding opening and a base region and between at least one other wail that extends between a opposed side wails and from said flange and that defines a base, said wall being of a shape to facilitate its concertinaing in a direction bringing the two opposed side walls together at least at the base region.
In a further aspect the present invention consists in a dispensing container comprising or including
a mouthed reservoir containing or to contain material able to be expressed, wherein the reservoir has at least one concertina feature functionally non intrusive of the mouth perimeter whereby, by squeezing, the volume of the reservoir can be reduced without any corresponding concertinaing of the mouth of the perimeter thereby to at least in pat express any content material via the mouth.
In a further aspect the present invention consists in a few sided container comprising
a first pair of opposed side wall,
a second pair of opposed side wall extending between said first pair of opposed side walls,
a base wall extending between said first pair of opposed side walls and said second pair of opposed side walls,
said first pair of opposed side walls and said second pair of opposed side wall and said base wail defining a containment region to contain material and having an open or openable top mouth opening via which said material can be dispensed from said containment region,
wherein the length (measured in a direction parallel to the base wall) of said first pair of opposed side walls in greater than the distance between the second pair of opposed side walls by virtue of at least one elongate trough formed in each said first pair of opposed side wails and extending into or towards said containment region and having an elongate direction extending hi a direction between said mouth and base to provide a predisposition to a collapsing of said first pair of opposed side walls under the action of a squeezing force applied to said second pair of side walls
and wherein said opening includes a perimeter of a configuration resistant to compression in the squeezing direction to prevent the same extent of collapsing of said mouth as at least the lower regions of said first pair of side was to thereby dispense material via an open said mouth.
Preferably said opening is of a quadrilateral perimeter shape.
Preferably said opening is surrounded by a flange that extends outwardly from said containment region.
Preferably said flange is a planar flange that is perpendicular to the planes of said first and second opposed side walls.
Preferably said mouth is of a perimeter shape the same as the base wall plan shape.
Preferably the distance between the ridges and troughs of on of said side walls is no greater than ⅓ the distance between opposed sidewalls.
Preferably the distance between the ridges and troughs of on of said side walls is greater than 1/20 the distance between opposed sidewalls.
Preferably the distance between the ridges and troughs of on of said side walls is greater than 1/10 the distance between opposed sidewalls.
Preferably there are at least two troughs per concertina feature.
Preferably there are three troughs per concertina feature.
Preferably there are four troughs per concertina feature.
Preferably there are five troughs per concertina feature.
Preferably there are six troughs per concertina feature.
Preferably a concertina feature is identical to the opposed concertina feature.
Preferably wherein said peaks of said concertina features extend to the underside of the flange.
Preferably said partition wall extends from the basal region to said flange.
Preferably said partition wall extends between said basal region and said flange.
Preferably said food is one selected from yogurt, custard, ice cream and jelly.
Preferably said container is a food container to include a liquid beverage.
Preferably said container is a non-food containing container.
This invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or Indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of said parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.
With reference to
The moulded container 1 consists of a side wall or walls and a base wail or region. In the example shown in
Intermediate and at the bottom of the opposed pair of side walls 4, 5 and 6, 7 is a base 8.
The base is provided below the aide walls 4, 5 and 6, 7 and in conjunction with the side walls defines the containment region 2. At the upper cad of the side walls 4, 5 and 6, 7 may be a perimeter flange 9. The perimeter flange need however not be present.
This perimeter flange 9 is preferably provided about the mouth opening 10 of the moulded container 1. The perimeter flange 9 flares outwardly from the containment region 2 and from the side walls 4, 5 and 6, 7 to present a surface 12 with which a lidding 11 can engage. The perimeter flange 9 may present a substantially continuous and planar engagement surface 12 onto which the lidding 11 can engage. The lidding may for example be a foil material and may be affixed by commonly known techniques that may allow for the lidding 11 to be peeled from the perimeter flange 9. Such peeling is in part demonstrated with reference to
In the peelable foil arrangement shown in
The opposing pair of side walls 6 and 7 include surface features that are preferably of a concertina like profile. The surface features ensure that the side walls have a predisposition to forming a concertina like profile. The concertina like profile is a profile that will allow for a compression of the other side walls 4 and 5, towards each other.
The V shaped profile is the most preferred form of profile. Alternatively the profile may be arcuate as shown in
The preferred concertina profile may also be defined as indents provided in an otherwise planar side wall of the opposing side wall 6 and 7.
These indents or concertina features extend vertically and preferably near or from the lower end of the side walls at or adjacent the base 8, to or towards the upper end of the side walls at or towards the mouth 10. With reference to
The container shown in
For the preferred “V” shaped indents, over a given distance between the side walls 4 and 5, and for any given depth of indent an increasing number of indents 14 in the side walls 6 and 7 will result in the angle between the trough of the indent and the peak of the indent (angle A) increasing towards 90 degrees. The closer the angle is to 90 degrees the easier it will be for the container to be squeezed. The action of squeezing will hereinafter be described in more detail.
Whilst there is described a container which is generally of a square or rectangular plan shape, it is envisaged that the present invention can provide a container in a more circular or oval shape yet still incorporate opposed side walls 6 and 7 which incorporate the concertina relief features. Diametrically opposed regions of such a circular container may incorporate concertina features for the purposes of allowing the container to be squeezed in a manner as hereinafter described,
With reference to
In the most preferred form the side walls 4 and 5 are of a planar shape. Such side walls preferably do not include any concertina relief features and may for example be of a flat or slightly curved surface.
At or towards the upper end of the indents 14 a transition web 15 may be provided. It transitions the side walls from the indents, (being in plan view, angled to the straight edge of the flange 9) to being straight. In the examples shown where the Indents are V shaped, the transition web extends substantially diagonal (when viewed in side view) to the longitudinal direction of the indents 14. With reference to
With reference to the containers of the kind as for example depicted in
The webs 15 assist in creating a transition between the indents 14 and the perimeter flange 9 or the straight upper edge of side walls 6, 7. The transitioning from a concertina side wall profile (or profile that is predisposed to forming a concertina profile) to a straight upper edge, assists in providing the desired effect in the movement of the features of the container during compacting. It may be the straight and preferably substantially continuous upper edge at region 118 (as shown in
One or more of such aspects assist in ensuring that the mouth does not compact like the base of the container compacts. Instead they encourage the flange 9 to are about the containment region 2, as for example shown in
The web or webs 15 (in the preferred form where they are triangular in shape) are planar in form. Their plane is preferably parallel to the direction in which the compacting force PP is applied. As a result these webs present resistance to this region being compacted. In particular at the upper edges 118 of the webs 15, where the webs may substantially abut each other, a straight edge is formed parallel to direction PP.
The container of the present invention may or may not be provided with the upper flange 19. Even without the upper flange 19, sufficient resistance to compacting at the mouth, to achieve the desired than of the container in its compacted state, can be achieved by the containers as herein described.
When provided, the upper flange 9 does assist in providing additional resistance to compacting at the mouth opening as well as providing a surface for a lid to seal with. Alternatives to the flange 9 may be provided depending on the nature of the closure or lidding that is desired for the container.
In a preferred form, the webs 15 help create an arc or arcuate like form of the perimeter flange 9 during compacting of the base. As can be seen in
For edible contents, when the perimeter flange 9 is in such an arcuate form, it is more convenient for a person's mouth or tongue to engage with lower portions of the containment region without the person's nose impinging or hitting the perimeter flange. Part of the perimeter (and where provided, the perimeter flange) has been folded, down thereby reducing the possibility of a person's nose from touching the perimeter (and flange) and thereby allowing for a person to gain access to previously deeper parts of the containment region. Furthermore The webs 15 eliminate any significant pockets in the compacted form of the container at and below the perimeter flange 9.
As well as forming of the perimeter into an arcuate forms exposure of the upper regions of the side walls 4 and 5, to what can be seen in
With reference to
The provision of the concertina opposing side walls 6 and 7 may also enhance the side wall strength of the container 1. As a result of the concertina configuration the side wall strength is enhanced to resist any buckling of the walls under a pressure pressing onto the container in a top to bottom direction. The concertina increases the total effective side wall length as well as being of a shape which provides greater resistance to buckling than a planar side wall. Such increase in strength can allow for a reduction in the side wall thickness to occur. A reduction in thickness can lead to a reduced cost of manufacture.
The concertina features are also provided to assist in a squeezing of the container. In conjunction with the concertina side walls where such are provided for the purposes of a squeezing of the container, the base 8 is preferably also provided with surface relief 20 that can facilitate in the compacting of the base 8 when the container is being squeezed. Such surface relief can be corrugations or concertina like features that have a longitudinal characteristic. Longitudinal directions of the surface relief 20 preferably extends in a direction parallel to the general plane of the first opposed pair of side walls 4, 5. The surface relief 20 preferably extends substantially all the way between the second pair of opposed side walls 6, 7. As can be seen in
The number of such surface relief features 20 need not (but preferably do) correspond to the number of indents 14 provided to the second pair of opposed side walls 6 and 7. A sufficient number of such surface relief features are provided to assist in the compacting of the base 8 upon the squeezing of the container.
In the most preferred form when looking at the base from below, the surface relief 20 are recesses extending into the containment region. The relief 20 thereby preferably does not project downwardly beyond the otherwise generally planar base 8.
They could be relief extending (when compacted an/or pre-compacting) away from the container.
As mentioned it is desirable to allow for the contents contained within the container to be dispensed without the need for additional utensils or implements. The present invention allows for this to be achieved by the fact that the side walls 6, 7 allow for the bringing together of the side walls 4 and 5. The force applied to the side walls 4 and 5, such as by a thumb and forefinger, will displace the opposing side walls 4 and 5 together. The concertina relief features will each condense towards each other and the indents will decrease in size upon the squeezing of the opposing side walls 4 and 5 together. The base will also compact.
The volume reducing effect of the squeezing of the container will in a first instance displace the contents out through the opening 10 for a person to use their mouth directly, to consume the contents. Any content remaining within the then partially reduced volume of the containment region 10 can then be conveniently reached by for example a tongue or mouth of a person to transfer the remaining food contents from the containment region 10. This allows for convenient access and substantially full consumption of the contents of the container to be achieved by a person.
With the preferred tapered form of the container as shown in the accompanying drawings, the nesting of such a container with like containers can also occur. This will aid in the transport of the yet to be filled containers from its place of manufacture to a place where it may be filled.
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
Also with reference to
Alternatively the graphics on the side walls 4, 5 may be provided to encourage the appropriate use of the container.
The preferred wall thickness of the container (although such may vary from place to place) is in the range of 0.3 mm to 2.2 mm—preferably 0.7 mm. The materials that may be used for the container may be P.S. or PET or PE. It may also be formed out of a metal, cellulosic material, waxed card etc.
Claims
1. A container having an upper portion and a lower portion comprising:
- a containment region including at least one side wall defining a pair of opposed side wall regions extending between the upper portion and the lower portion, and a basal wall at the lower region of the container;
- an upper opening at least partially surrounded by a flange disposed at the upper portion at an end of said at least one side wall distal from said basal wall; and
- a plurality of compaction enabling features at each of said at least one side wall and said basal wall readily enabling compaction of said lower portion compared to said upper portion configured to substantially completely compact said basal wall to bring at least a lower region of said opposed side wall regions substantially adjacent to one another upon squeezing of said opposed side wall regions;
- said compaction enabling features including at least one surface relief on said basal wall and a region of concertina in said side wall;
- said region of concertina extending from said basal wall upwards towards said flange.
2. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one side wall is concertinaed in opposed regions of said at least one side wall.
3. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the region of concertina of said at least one side wall extends in a direction between the basal wall and said flange.
4. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one surface relief includes a region of concertina.
5. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the region of concertina of said basal wall extends in a direction parallel to a plane parallel to which the at least one side wail concertina features extend.
6. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said container is of a quadrilateral plan shape and includes four side walls extending between said flange and said basal wall.
7. The container as claimed in claim 6, wherein said four side walls include a first pair of opposed side walls in which the region of concertina of said side walls are defined.
8. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said region of concertina of said at least one side wall includes at least one trough formed in said at least one side wall and said at least one trough extends in a direction between said flange and said basal wall.
9.The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said region of concertina of said at least one side wall includes at least two troughs and a ridge intermediate of two troughs, formed in said at least one side wall and the at least two troughs and the ridge extend in a direction between said flange and said basal wall.
10.The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said region of concertina of said at least one side wall includes a series of ridges and troughs extending in a direction between said flange and said basal wall.
11. The container as claimed in claim 9, wherein each said trough extends from said basal wall towards said flange and is terminated by a web that transitions the at least one side wall between said trough and said flange.
12. The container as claimed in claim 11, wherein each said web is a planar triangular web with one base side parallel to said flange and one apex in the trough.
13.The container as claimed in claim 12, wherein each said web is a planar triangular web with one base side parallel to and contiguous said flange and one apex in the trough.
14. The container as claimed in claim 9, wherein said trough is one defined by said at least one side wall to extend towards said containment region.
15. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flange includes a acne of weakness to allow for a fracturing of the flange.
16. The container as claimed in claim 7, wherein said concertina of said side walls meet at said basal wall.
17. The container as claimed in claim 6, wherein said other pair aside walls are planar sidewalls.
18. A set of containers, wherein
- each container having an upper portion and a lower portion, each container including
- i) at least one side wall surrounding an opening, said upper portion including at least said opening, and
- ii) a containment region defined by the at least one side wall and a base wall, said base wall including at least one surface relief allowing compression of the base wall, said lower portion including at least said base wall,
- iii) said opening being at least partially surrounded by a flange,
- iv) said at least one side wall including vertically aligned collapsible formations for facilitating collapse of opposed regions of the at least one side wall towards each other when opposed regions of the at least one side wall are compressed to reduce volume of the containment region, thereby to facilitate dispensing of contents from the container,
- a rigidity of said upper portion being greater than a rigidity of said lower portion,
- said containers being integrally formed with each other.
19. The set of containers as claimed in claim 18, wherein the set of containers is integrally formed in an injection moulding, vacuum forming, rotary moulding or blow moulding process.
20. The set of containers as claimed in claim 18, wherein the set of containers is formed from a single sheet of material in a deep drawing thermoforming machine.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 19, 2016
Publication Date: Jun 9, 2016
Applicant: Tarvis Technology Limited (Auckland)
Inventors: Michael Ross Kessell (Auckland), Charles Graeme Murray (Auckland)
Application Number: 15/000,967