BOTTLE PACKAGE

Abstract: This invention relates to a bottle package, for placing said bottles in a plurality of superposed layers in which the bottles (1) are upright, and comprising base plates (2) to be laid at least between the bottle layers. Particularly to provide an efficient transport and sales package for sizeable bottles, the base plates (2) incorporate on one surface thereof seats (3) the inner surfaces of which bear, for at least a portion thereof, on the mouth or neck portion (5) of the bottle (1) to be used in association with the base plate as the base plate (2) is disposed on the bottle layer, and on the other surface thereof cup-like seats (4) remaining between said seats (3) and being inverse to said seats, the dimensions and shape of said cup-like seats (4) substantially conforming to the shape of the bottom (6) of the bottles (1) to be used in association with the base plate (2).

Description: Bottle package This invention relates to a bottle package, for placing said bottles in a plurality of superposed layers in which the bottles are upright, and compris¬ ing base plates to be laid at least between the bottle layers, said base plates incorporating on one surface thereof seats the inner surfaces of which bear, for at least a portion thereof, on the mouth or neck portion of the bottles to be used in association with the base plate as the base plate is disposed on the bottle layer, and on the other surface thereof cup-like seats remaining between said seats and being inverse to said seats, the dimensions and shape of said cup-like seats substantially conforming to the shape of the bottom of the bottles to be used in association with the base plate. A package substantially as described above is known from European published application' 0 324 699. In that application, however, in distinction to the above, the seats reserved for the bottle mouth are openings, and thus the upper base plate bears on the neck portions of the lower bottle layer in the pack¬ age. An obvious result from this is wedging of the base plate to the tapered bottle necks, which substan¬ tially impedes the use of the package. Further, the supports provided for the bottle bottoms are rather small, and thus the bottles cannot stand very rigidly on the base plate after the upper base plate covering said bottle layer is removed. The package is a relat¬ ively stable entity, but this stability is based spe¬ cifically on the wedging of the base plates relative to the bottle necks and thereby presents a consider¬ able problem when the package is taken -apart. It is an object of the present invention to pro- vide a package which does not involve the problems of the above package but has the same advantages, that is, the package is stable and space-saving and the bottles are substantially visible, which is thought to be of significance in attempting to influence consumer choices. The above objects are achieved with a package according to the invention, which is characterized in that said cup-like seats comprise a generally tapered protuberance projecting centrally from the bottom of the seat, the dimensions and shape of said protuber¬ ance conforming to the dimensions and shape of the socket provided in the bottom of the bottle to be used in association with the base plate. Since the package of the invention is primarily, although not solely, intended for plastic recyclable bottles, i.e. what may be called RefPET bottles, in which the bottom of the bottle has a generally cir¬ cular shape consequent on the bottle material, but which necessarily also have a socket centrally of the bottom, a very balanced upright position is achieved for the bottle by means of a base construction as de¬ scribed above. If the bottom of the seat did not have a generally tapered protuberance, the bottle would rotate like a ball bearing in its cup-like seat. Preferably the protuberance in the bottom of the cup-like seats is generally frusto-conical in shape. Furthermore, it is preferable in view of the manage¬ ability of the base plate in other respects and also in view of lightness and cleaning that an opening is provided in the middle of said generally frusto-con¬ ical protuberance. The invention also relates to a base plate for use in a bottle package wherein the bottles are placed in a plurality of superposed layers in which the bottles are upright and between which the base plates are located; said generally rectangular base plates incorporating on their one surface seats the inner surfaces of which bear, for at least part thereof, on the mouth or neck portion of the bottles to be used in association with the base plate when the base plate is disposed on the bottle layer, and on their other sur¬ face cup-like seats remaining between said seats and being inverse to said seats, the dimensions and shape of said cup-like seats substantially conforming to the shape of the bottom of the bottles to be used in as¬ sociation with the base plate, and in which base plate the first-mentioned seats and the cup-like seats that are staggered relative to said first-mentioned seats are so located that two adjacent corners of the base plate have said first-mentioned seat and the other two adjacent corners have a cup-like seat. Such a base plate is in turn characterized in that the bottoms of the cup-like seats incorporate central openings having a diameter such as to accept entry of the protuberance provided by the first-mentioned seat on the reverse side of the plate at least partly through said open¬ ing, thus enabling the base plates which are altern¬ ately turned 180° relative to one another to be stacked one on top of the other in such a way that the protuberances in the lower plate are partly pushed through the openings in the upper plate. In the package of the invention, the bottle layers bear on one another so rigidly that especially if the number of bottle layers is maintained within reasonable bounds, the package does not even need an outer covering. The package can, however, be easily encased with an outer covering of fluted board or plastic shrink film, for instance, and such an outer covering will reliably secure the integrity of the package even in rough handling, and prevent the bottles from becoming dusty during transport and storage. In order that a maximum number of bottles may be accommodated between the base plates, it is preferred that the wall of the first-mentioned seat concurs with the wall of said cup-like seats at least at points where it bears on the mouth or neck portion of the bottle. The base plate of the invention can be developed further, if so desired, in a variety of ways with an aim to secure the bottles as effectively as possible between the base plates. In particular, such securing arrangements come into question for the mouth or neck portion of the bottle, since it is not self-evident that dimensionally accurate seats are inherently pro¬ duced for them in the base plate, as is the case with the cup-like seats for the bottoms of the bottles. As one such securing arrangement, an alternative con- struction can be mentioned in which the first-men¬ tioned seats have a flat bottom the dimensions and shape of which conform to the upper surface of the cap of the bottles to be used in association with the base plate. Such an arrangement, in which possibly rather shallow seats are provided for the bottle caps, is quite useful in the sense that for instance the dia¬ meters of caps used in association with one-litre bottles are dimensionally very similar. This arrange¬ ment does not, however, necessarily guarantee the securing of empty recycled bottles between the base plates. In the following, the package of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a cross-section of part of a package according to the invention, Figure 2 is a top view of a base plate included in the package of Figure 1, Figure 3 shows in more detail the securing of a bottle between two base plates in the package of the invention, and Figure 4 shows part of two superimposed base plates. Figure 1, and Figure 3 in more detail, shows the accommodation of bottle layers comprising upright bottles 1 between base plates 2. These bottles 1 com¬ prise a bottom portion 6, middle portion 9 and neck portion 5 terminating in a cap 8. Conventionally, the bottom portion 6 in the bottles is cup-like and tapers somewhat towards the bottom. Particularly in plastic recyclable bottles, i.e. what may be called RefPET bottles, the bottom is circular but comprises an in¬ verse generally tapered or dome-shaped central in¬ dentation. In plastic bottles, this inverse indenta- tion is indispensable for preventing the pressure in the bottle from bulging the bottle bottom out into a rounded shape. The neck portion 5 in turn is generally tapered and further comprises, in plastic bottles 1, a projecting annular shoulder 14 substantially at the point where the threaded portion of the bottle neck starts. For the cup-like bottom portion 6 of the bottles 1, cup-like seats 4 are provided in the base plate 2, the dimensions and shape of said cup-like seats sub- stantially conforming to the shape of the cup-like bottom portions 6 of the bottles. As is particularly to be seen from Figure 3, the bottom of the cup-like seat 4 incorporates a frusto-conical protuberance 10 which is of great significance for the balanced up- right standing of the bottle 1. Since the diameter and shape of the protuberance 10 conform to the dimensions and shape of the socket 11 provided in the bottom of the bottle 1, it is not possible for the bottle 1 to tilt unless it simultaneously emerges above the protu- berance 10. Since the bottle 1 is relatively heavy when filled, the protuberance 10 very effectively pre¬ vents tilting of the bottle. The significance of the protuberance 10 is still greater when the bottles are empty and are being returned to the beverage manufac- turer in packages. On account of the lightness of the bottles and the rounded shape of their bottoms, re¬ turning the bottles in upright position in their pack¬ age would be totally impossible without the support provided by the protuberance 10. Furthermore, the cen- tral portion of the frusto-conical protuberance 10 has a circular opening 12 that makes the base plate lighter and facilitates its cleaning. This opening 12 also has another function, which will be reverted to hereinafter. Further, the lowermost point of the cup- like seats 4 may have one or more smallish openings (not shown) , in order that washing water may not remain in the annular well around the protuberance 10 when the base plate is being washed. Figure 2 shows particularly the manner in which the cup-like seats 4 and the inverse seats 3 for the bottle necks 5 remaining between them are disposed in the generally rectangular base plate 2. Such a stag¬ gered compact disposition enables accommodation of a maximum number of bottles in the package. In such a case, the walls of the cup-like seats 4 concur at least partly with the walls of the inverse seats 3, as is also to be seen from Figures 1 and 3. Furthermore, the seats 3 and the cup-like seats 4 are so arrayed that two adjacent corners of the plate have seats 3 and the other two adjacent corners have seats 4. Thus only one kind of plates is needed for a package as shown in Figure 1, and said plates in superimposed layers are turned 180° relative to one another. Figure 1 also shows that by removing the bottles from the package, the plates 2 can be stacked as shown in Fig¬ ure 4. Thus the protuberances 13 provided by the seats 3 on the other surface of the plate can partly project through the openings 12 located centrally in the bot¬ toms of the cup-like seats. Thus the base plates can be stacked in a rigid and space-saving manner one on top of the other, yet so that they are not wedged within one another. As will be seen from Figures 1 and 3, the seats 3 are so dimensioned that the collar 14 in the neck portion of the bottle centers the bottle accurately relative to the seat 3. The seats 3 further have a flat bottom 7, the dimensions and shape thereof con¬ forming to the upper surface of the cap 8 of the bottle 1. Thus also the bottle cap 8 will be reliably housed in its correct place. When the bottle is empty and without cap, the centering is performed by the collar 14. In the above, the invention has been described by means of only one exemplary embodiment. Thus it is to be understood that there are also a number of other ways obvious to a person skilled in the art for modi¬ fying the base plate described, yet without departing from the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims: Claims: 1. A bottle package, for placing said bottles in a plurality of superposed layers in which the bottles (1) are upright, and comprising base plates (2) to be laid at least between the bottle layers, said base plates (2) incorporating on one surface thereof seats (3) the inner surfaces of which bear, for at least a portion thereof, on the mouth or neck portion (5) of the bottles ( 1 ) to be used in association with the base plate as the base plate (2) is disposed on the bottle layer, and on the other surface thereof cup¬ like seats (4) remaining between said seats (3) and being inverse to said seats, the dimensions and shape of said cup-like seats substantially conforming to the shape of the bottom ( 6) of the bottles ( 1 ) to be used in association with the base plate (2), c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that said cup-like seats (4) com¬ prise a generally tapered protuberance (10) projecting centrally from the bottom of the seat, the dimensions and shape of said protuberance conforming to the dimensions and shape of the socket (11) provided in the bottom (6) of the bottle (1) to be used in associ¬ ation with the base plate. 2. A package as claimed in claim 1, c h a r ¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the protuberance (11) in the bottom of the cup-like seats (4) is generally frusto-conical in shape. 3. A package as claimed in claim 2, c h a r - a c t e r i z e d in that an opening (12) is pro¬ vided in the middle of said generally frusto-conical protuberance (11 ) . 4. A package as claimed in claim 1, c h a r ¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the wall of. the first-men- tioned seat (3) concurs with the wall of said cup-like seats (4) at least at points where it bears on the mouth or neck portion (5) of the bottle. 5. A package as claimed in claim 1, c h a r ¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the first-mentioned seats (3) have a flat bottom (7) the dimensions and shape of which conform to the upper surface of the cap (8) of the bottles ( 1 ) to be used in association with the base plate (2). 6. A base plate for use in a bottle package wherein the bottles are placed in a plurality of superposed layers in which the bottles ( 1 ) are upright and between which the base plates (2) are located; said generally rectangular base plates (2) incorporat¬ ing on their one surface seats (3 ) the inner surfaces of which bear, for at least part thereof, on the mouth or neck portion ( 5) of the bottles (2 ) to be used in association with the base plate when the base plate (2) is disposed on the bottle layer, and on their other surface cup-like seats (4) remaining between said seats (3) and being inverse to said seats, the dimensions and shape of said cup-like seats substan¬ tially conforming to the shape of the bottom ( 6 ) of the bottles ( 1 ) to be used in association with the base plate (2) , and in which base plate the first-men- tioned seats (3) and the cup-like seats (4) that are staggered relative to said first-mentioned seats are so located that two adjacent corners of the base plate have said first-mentioned seat (3) and the other two adjacent corners have a cup-like seat (4), c h a r - a c t e r i z e d in that the bottoms of the cup¬ like seats (4) incorporate central openings (12) hav¬ ing a diameter such as to accept entry of the pro¬ tuberance ( 13) provided by the first-mentioned seat (3) on the reverse side of the plate at least partly through said opening ( 12 ) , thus enabling the base plates which are alternately turned 180° relative to one another to be stacked one on top of the other in such a way that the protuberances (13) in the lower plate (2) are partly pushed through the openings (12) in the upper plate (2) .

Inventors: AIKIO VEIJO, AIKIO, VEIJO
Applicants: AIKIO VEIJO, DYNOPLAST AS
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B65D71
IPC codes: B65D71