Easy grip bottle

Abstract: The bottle (10) has two essentially identical indentations (20) on essentially opposite sides for gripping and manipulating the bottle. The indentation are designed to provide for the same gripping feel whether gripped front or the back. The indentations are also designed to accept a thumb and one to four fingers. The positive gripping with the same grip feel allows the bottle to be used in either hand. This decreases the number of times that a bottle must be handled during use. It also decreases the likelihood that the bottle will be dropped while being handled.

Description: The invention relates to a bottle according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a bottle is disclosed in DE-A-34 31 557. The invention aims to provide a bottle which can be easily gripped from the front or rear. More particularly, the invention aims to provide a bottle that when gripped from the front or rear provides the same gripping feel thereby decreasing probability that the bottle would be dropped. As larger size bottles are used in packaging various household products, there is a need to provide for an effective way to grip the bottles. This is the case since from the time of purchase by the consumer until the liquid that is in the bottle has been consumed the bottle will be handled many times. During this handling, it is important that the bottle not be dropped. Whenever a bottle is dropped, there is the possibility of spillage of some of the contained substance as well as the possibility of causing the bottle to fracture. It is, thus, a continuing concern on the part of manufacturers of household products to provice bottle containers which can be easily gripped and which can be maneuvered with a minimal probability of being dropped. Smaller sized bottles generally do not require a separate gripping means. This is the case since the bottle will be fairly tightly gripped within a person's hand. However, as the size of the bottle exceeds about a 500 ml volume size the technique that is to be provided for the gripping of the bottle becomes important. Further, as the size of the bottle increases to one to two liters in size the technique that is to be provides for gripping the bottle becomes a very distinct concern. One technique that has been utilized with regard to the larger sized bottles is to provide the bottle with a handle. Such handles are usually integrally molded with the body of the container. Bottles with handles are used for packaging milk in a volume of about four liters as well as various fabric detergents in the two liter to four liter size. For these bottles, it is convenient to utilize handles which can be easily and readily gripped by a person's hand. However, for bottles in a size range of about one half liter to about two liters there is generally no convenient and positive gripping technique. These bottles are generally of too small a volume to efficiently incorporate a separate handle, but yet must be able to be positively gripped and manoeuvred while being gripped. The bottle disclosed in DE-A-3,431,557 is provided with two indentations of similar oval-like shape, positioned opposite to each other. The present invention is directed to the problem of providing a positive gripping technique for bottles which are within this size range. It also provides a means for gripping a bottle manufactured from materials which do not allow the integral molding of handles. The gripping technique that is utilized with this bottle is comprised of at least two indentations in the body portion of the bottle. Each indentation is similar in shape. The bottle according to the present invention is characterized by the features of the characterizing part of claim 1. There are also known bottles with indentations on the front and rear side - e.g. Spanish Industrial Model 116.116 or 118.926. These indentations are however relatively small in vertical extention and their edges do therefore not essentially define the contour of the sides of the bottle. Furthermore they extend over more than the half of the width of the bottle. The design of these bottles is thus basically different from the one according to claim 1 of the present invention. One curved edge of the indentation will have essentially the same contour as the side of the bottle. The second edge of each indentation will have a contour which is displaced into the contour of the bottle. In this way, there are two gripping edges. One is an edge which follows along the contour of the bottle while the other edge is a recessed edge. In gripping the bottle a person's thumb will be placed over a recessed edge into one of the indentations and one or more fingers of the hand will be placed over the edge which is along the contour of the bottle. This provides for a firm grip on the bottle. Further, it is an embodiment of the present invention that the bottle has an upper shoulder portion which is located above the indentations. This enhances the gripping of the bottle. It is an additional embodiment that the bottle be oval or rectangular in shape. This problem is now solved in a very unique manner. In the present invention, there is provided a gripping means for a bottle whereby whether the bottle is gripped from the front or from the rear, the gripping action and the gripping hand feel is essentially the same, due to the fact that each indentation has two different edges and is therefore in itself not symmetrical, the thumb and fingers of a gripping person can be comfortably positioned in these indentations, on the sides of the bottle, one of the edges positioned firmly approximately under a joint of the fingers or the thumbs. In this way in order to get a comfortable gripping feel, a person does not have to turn a bottle to a different orientation or pass the bottle from one hand to the other in order to dispense a product. Further, there is a decreased likelihood of the bottle being dropped since the gripping feel is the same whether the bottle is gripped from the front or from the rear. This provides an added degree of confidence when the bottle is picked up and product dispensed from the bottle. The present invention is directed to a bottle which can be easily gripped in a positive manner and thereafter manoeuvred with a high degree of confidence that the grip on the bottle will be maintained. Further, the gripping means for this bottle is such that the bottle can be gripped from the front or from the back with the result that the bottle has the same gripping feel. That is, it is symmetrical on the front and back. This serves to increase the degree of confidence of the person gripping the bottle that it will not be accidentally dropped. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the present bottle showing the gripping indentations. Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the bottle of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a bottom view of the bottle of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a top view of the bottle of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a view of the bottle of Figure 1 along line 5-5 looking upwardly to the top part of the bottle. Figure 6 is a sectional view of the bottle of Figure 1 along line 6-6 of Figure 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As has been pointed out the present invention is directed to a unique gripping means for a bottle. Bottles the size of less than about 500 milliters can be easily gripped in a persons hand and fairly easily manipulated to dispense the contained product. It is also the case that for bottles of a volume of two liters or more that an integral handle which can be gripped by the full hand is a convenient method for carrying the bottle and for maneuvering the bottle when it is desired to dispense the contained product. However, in the size range of about 500 milliters to about two liters there is no convenient and positive technique for gripping these bottles and for maneuvering the bottle in order to dispense the contained liquid. The present bottle resolves this problem and provides for a convenient and positive technique for gripping a bottle and for thereafter maneuvering the bottle to dispense the contained product. The present-bottle also provides a method for the positive gripping of bottles which cannot be formed with a handle. Polyethylene terephthalate bottles fall within this class. The present gripping technique is an advantage since the gripping force is caused by the full hand. The thumb is on one side of the bottle and other fingers on the other side. This allows for the use of the strength of the full hand. This is in distinction to the use of a pinching action. A pinching action is primarily the result of work primarily by the fingers. Further, it is characteristically the work of only two fingers. This does not provide for an optimum grip. This is the case even when more than two fingers are used for the squeezing action. In Figure 1 there is shown the front or back of an embodiment of the present bottle. This bottle is shown to be of an oval shape. However, the bottle can have a rectangular shape. In Figure 1, bottle 10, is shown having a front wall surface on a lower body portion 11 and an upper portion 12 which is located above shoulder 26. On the top of the bottle there is shown a cap 13 which has a dispensing closure 13(a). This cap 13 can be of any design and need not have the dispensing closure. This cap can be maintained on the bottle by means of threads or by being a pressed fit into the neck of the bottle. The front 14 of the body portion of the bottle is defined by curved side edges 15 and 16 and lower edge 23. Connecting the lower edge and the side edges are corners 24. The gripping indentations in the bottle are designated as 17 and 20. The gripping indentation 17 is formed into the right side of the front surface 14. The gripping indentation 20 is formed into the left side of the back wall 14a. indentation 17 is formed by the edge 15 which is the edge of the contour of the side wall of the bottle in the region of the indentation. Recessed edge 18 forms the other edge of the indentation 17. On the other side of the front 14 of the bottle, edge 16 defines the contour of the left side of the bottle. Shown in a dotted line view is the recessed edge 19 on the back surface 14a of the bottle. In gripping this bottle a person would place their thumb into indentation 17 on the front wall 14 with one or more fingers of the same hand being placed within indentation 20 on the back wall 14a. Usually the remaining four fingers would be put into indentation 20. This provides for a firm grip and a grip which is complimentary to the motion of a persons wrist in dispensing the material contained within the bottle. Figure 2 is a view of the bottle from the right side. However, since the right side and the left side are identical, this can also be considered to illustrate the view of the left side of the bottle. The side surface is designated 27. The back surface of the bottle is designated 14a. In this view, the indentation 17 is shown to be defined by bottle contour edge 15 and recessed edge 18. The shoulder of the bottle is shown at 26 and the upper portion 12 of the bottle being defined by surface 25. Figure 3 is a bottom view of the present bottle. The bottom surface is shown designated as 28. The line 30 designates the axis between the edge 15 and the edge 16 of the bottle. It is seen that these edges are at opposing corners of the bottle. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bottle is symmetrical on each side of a plane through the bottle along the axis at 30. Figure 4 is a top view of the present bottle. Here, there is shown the cap 13 with the dispensing means 13(a) Shown in this view, is the dispensing aperture 13(b) of the dispensing means. Below the cap is upper surface 25 and shoulder 26. Shown in a dotted line view is the front surface 14 and rear surface 14a of the bottle. Also shown is indentation 20 formed by edges 16 and 19 and indentation 17 formed by edges 15 and 18. Figure 5 is a sectional view of the bottle of Figure 1 looking upwardly into the dispensing end of the bottle. Here, there is seen indentation 20 formed by edges 16 and 19 and indentation 17 formed by edges 15 and 18. There is also shown shoulder 26. Shown in a dotted line depiction is the cap 13 and the dispensing means 13(a). Figure 6 is a sectional view of the right side of the present bottle. In this view, there is shown edges 15 and 18 which define the gripping indentation 17. Also shown is the shoulder 26 and the upper surface 25. The indentations 17 and 20 can be the same surface smoothness as the bottle or may be textured in order to enhance gripping and holding. The textured surface of the indentations can be formed while making the bottle. Essentially any texture design can be used. An advantage of this type of a grip over a handle is that during filling the bottle does not need handle orienting. When filling a bottle with a handle, the handle of each bottle must be oriented in a specific direction. This results in the need for an additional step in the filling sequence. This is not required for the present bottle. These bottles can be constructed of essentially any material. That is, they can be glass bottles or plastic bottles. These bottles can be transparent or opaque. If the bottles are plastic bottles, they can be constructed of polyethylene terephthalate or of polyenes. Suitable polyenes are polyethylene, polypropylene, polyisobutylene, vinyl acetate, and polyene copolymers such as polyethylene-vinyl acetate. When the bottles are glass bottles, they can be produced utilizing currently available glass making equipment and techniques. When the bottles are of a plastic, it is preferred that the bottle be made by blow molding. However, known techniques other than blow molding can also be utilized. These bottles are very conveniently used for personal care products such as shampoos, bath oils and lotions, detergents such as dishwashing detergents, fabric softeners, window washing liquids, disinfectants and other household products. The bottle has a very wide utility. As shown in the present drawings, the bottle has a dispenser cap assembly. However, the top of the bottle can be adapted to provide for essentially any convenient means for dispensing the contained product. This can range from a simple cap to complex closing dispensing arrangements. Further, there can be utilized on the top of the bottle a membrane closure which essentially is a membrane across the opening of the bottle with one or more slits in this opening. The slits function to aid in cutting off the substance which is being dispensed and to essentially isolate the substance remaining in the bottle from the atmosphere. This will prevent a drying out of the substance remaining in the bottle.

Claims: A bottle comprising a body portion (11) and a top portion (12) with a dispensing opening in the top portion; the body portion (11) having gripping means; said gripping means comprising at least two spaced indentations (17, 20) extending vertically below said toe portion (12), each formed by two curved edges (15, 16; 18, 19); each indentation being similar in shape and positioned at opposite sides of said body portion (11); and the bottle having a front side (14) and a similar rear sided (14a) characterized in that the body portion (11) is at substantially oval or rectangular; the contour of the front (14) and rear side (14a) being, viewed from the front or rear of the bottle, defined by at least a first edge (15, 16) of each indentation (17, 20); said each first edge (15, 16) being a curved line having essentially the contour of the side of said body portion (11); each indentation having a second edge (18, 19) being curved and more flexed into the side contour of the bottle than the first edge; and each second edge (18, 19) being positioned in one half of the front or rear surface (14, 14a) of the bottle. A bottle as in claim 1 wherein said top portion (12) comprises a shoulder (26). A bottle as in claim 2 wherein said indentations (17, 20) are in said body portion and adjacent to said shoulder (26). A bottle as in claim 1 wherein said indentations (17, 20) have a maximum depth in the region of said top portion (12). A bottle as in claim 1 wherein said indentations (17, 20) are of a size to accept up to four fingers for gripping. A bottle as in claim 5 wherein each indentation (17 or 20) can accept a thumb or four fingers. A bottle as in claim 1 wherein the surface of each indentation (17, 20) is textured to enhance gripping. A bottle as in claim 1 wherein said bottle is oval in shape. A bottle as in claim 1 wherein said bottle is rectangular in shape. A bottle as in claim 1 wherein said bottle has a volume of about 500 ml to 2000 ml. A bottle as in claim 1 wherein said bottle has a threaded cap closure (13). A bottle as in claim 9 wherein said cap closure (13) is a dispensing cap closure (13a,b). A bottle as in claim 1 wherein said bottle is comprised of polyethylene terephthalate. A bottle as in claim 1 wherein said bottle is comprised of a polyene. A bottle as in claim 1 wherein said bottle is suitable to contain a detergent.

Inventors: STINGA ENRIQUE F, ZOGG JON, STINGA, ENRIQUE F., ZOGG, JON
Applicants: COLGATE PALMOLIVE CO, COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY (A DELAWARE CORPORATION)
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B65D23
IPC codes: B65D1, B65D23, B65D25, B65D85