Patent Publication Number: US-2007108069-A1

Title: Clip for elliptically-shaped containers

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      (1) Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a packaging device for elliptically-shaped containers.  
      (2) Description of the Related Art  
      Commercially available containers, such as infant feeding bottles, are typically packaged in groups. In order to do so, the containers are often packaged in paperboard cartons or shrink-wrapped trays. This type of packaging is designed to protect the containers from being separated from one another or being damaged during shipment, handling, and storage. Upon purchase of the packaged containers, the consumer must open the packaging and remove a container to further use it. Unfortunately, once the paperboard carton or shrink wrapped tray is opened, the carton or tray can no longer securely retain the remaining containers. The containers are permitted to move freely inside the packaging, causing them to become susceptible to being damaged or mishandled.  
      Plastic clip systems designed to retain such containers have been developed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,975 to Pezzoli, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,028,189 to Gialanella. In these systems, the clip device comprises an longitudinal central section and a plurality of opposed gripping members attached to the longitudinal central section. Each pair of gripping members forms an opening for receiving and retaining a cylindrical container, such as a baby bottle.  
      One disadvantage to the clip systems of Pezzoli and Gialanella is that they require two flexible members to retain each container. Because two flexible gripping members are required to retain each container, both gripping members must work against each other to flexibly adjust in order to receive a container or allow a container to be removed. This makes it physically difficult to insert or remove a container from the gripping members without using excessive force, which could ultimately damage the container or clip system.  
      Another disadvantage to the Pezzoli and Gialanella clip systems is that they are adapted to receive and retain only cylindrical containers. A container or bottle that has any other body configuration would not fit securely into the gripping members of the Pezzoli or Gialanella invention.  
      Non-cylindrical containers are becoming commercially popular. For example, some manufacturers of sports drinks are producing bottles with oval or elliptical body shapes in order to provide a bottle that is easy to grip and drink from while participating in a sports activity. The oval or elliptical shape fits into the hand more comfortably than a cylindrical drink bottle would.  
      Similarly, infant feeding bottles having an elliptical body configuration provide a bottle that is easier for both the infant and the caregiver to grasp. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,344 to Kipperman relates to a baby bottle having an elliptically-shaped body, which ensures that the bottle is sufficiently narrow to enable a caregiver to comfortably hold the bottle while feeding the infant. For premature infants, the elliptical configuration of the bottle is especially important, as it is often necessary to encourage the infant to feed by stimulating its cheek during feedings. In one embodiment of the Kipperman elliptically-shaped bottle, the caregiver can hold the bottle between her middle and forefinger, allowing her to stimulate the baby&#39;s cheek with her thumb during the feeding. Bottles having this shape could not be contained within either the Pezzoli or Gialanella clip.  
      Thus, it would be useful to provide a packaging device for elliptically-shaped containers that allows the containers to remain secure after one container is removed from the packaging and retains the containers through the use of one fixed arm and one flexible arm.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Briefly, therefore, the present invention is directed to a novel packaging clip for retaining a plurality of elliptically-shaped containers. The packaging clip comprises a frame having a length dimension with opposite sides and a plurality of arms extending from opposite sides of the frame. The frame length, a flexible arm and a fixed arm arcuately form an open cavity which is adapted to receive and retain an elliptically-shaped container. The cavity has at least one length dimension that is slightly smaller than a major axis diameter of the elliptically-shaped container.  
      The present invention is also directed to a novel packaging assembly for retaining a plurality of elliptically-shaped containers. The packaging assembly comprises a frame having a length dimension with opposite sides and a plurality of arms extending from opposite sides of the frame. The frame length, a flexible arm and a fixed arm arcuately form an open cavity which is adapted to receive and retain an elliptically-shaped container. The cavity has at least one length dimension that is slightly smaller than a major axis diameter of the elliptically-shaped container. A plurality of elliptically-shaped containers are retained within said cavities.  
      The present invention is also directed to a novel packaging clip for retaining a plurality of elliptically-shaped containers. The packaging clip has a frame having a length dimension, the frame comprising a plurality of straight arms connected at substantially equal angles to form the length dimension and open cavities along the length dimension, wherein adjacent cavities open to opposite sides of the length dimension. The packaging clip also has two fingers located substantially equidistant from the vertex of each angle, adapted to receive and retain the elliptically-shaped containers within the open cavity.  
      The present invention is also directed to such a novel packaging clip having retained elliptically-shaped containers.  
      It is an object of the invention to provide a device that retains a plurality of elliptically-shaped containers. It is also an object of the invention to provide a device that stabilizes containers during shipment, displays the containers while in inventory, distributes the containers easily and permits the re-storage of the containers.  
      Among the several advantages found to be achieved by the present invention is that the packaging device is adapted to receive elliptically-shaped containers and allows the containers to remain secure after one container is removed from the packaging. Additionally, the containers can be firmly reattached to the packaging device with ease by inserting the container into the cavity. This eliminates the possibility of dropping or mishandling due to unsecured containers. The present invention can be used to package containers for commercial distribution purposes, to collect empty containers, or re-used with other elliptically-shaped containers. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
       FIG. 1  is a top view of a packaging clip of the present invention in which one container is retained by the clip.  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a packaging assembly of the present invention in which a plurality of containers are retained by the clip.  
       FIG. 2   a  is a top view of an alternate embodiment of a packaging clip of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a top view of an alternate embodiment of a packaging clip of the present invention in which one container is retained by the clip.  
       FIG. 4  is a top view of an alternate embodiment of a packaging clip of the present invention. 
    
    
      Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Reference now will be made in detail to the embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are set forth below. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not a limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment, can be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment.  
      Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Other objects, features and aspects of the present invention are disclosed in or are obvious from the following detailed description. It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present invention.  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , the present invention is directed to a novel packaging clip  10  for retaining a plurality of elliptically-shaped containers  40 . The clip  10  has a frame  20  with a length dimension and opposite sides. A plurality of arms  21  and  22  extend from opposite sides of the frame  20 . The frame length  20 , flexible arms  21  and fixed arms  22  arcuately form opposing container-retaining cavities  30  that are adapted to receive and retain elliptically-shaped containers  40 . In some embodiments, the cavities  30  may be present on only one side of the frame length (shown in  FIG. 1   a ). In this embodiment, flexible arms  21  and fixed arms  22  would be disposed on one side of the clip length. The opposite side of the clip length would be, therefore, straight or have another design without cavities.  
      The cavity  30  has at least one length dimension that is slightly smaller than a major axis diameter of an elliptically-shaped container  40 . In one embodiment of the invention, the cavity  30  has multiple length dimensions that are slightly smaller than the corresponding major axis diameter of the elliptically-shaped container  40  when a container is not being retained within the cavity  30 . The length dimensions D 1 , D 2  and D 3  of the cavity  30  are shown in  FIG. 1 . The major axis diameters D 4 , D 5  and D 6  of the elliptically-shaped container  40  are also shown. In this embodiment, length dimensions D 1 , D 2  and D 3  are slightly smaller than the corresponding diameter dimensions D 4 , D 5  and D 6  of the elliptically-shaped container  40 .  
      The elliptically-shaped container  40  can be retained by the packaging clip  10  by inserting the container  40  into the cavity  30  so that a minor axis diameter D 7  is first positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis  23  of the frame  20 . The container  40  should then be turned approximately 90°. In a particular embodiment, the container  40  is turned 90° in a direction toward the flexible arm  21 . The flexible arm  21  flexibly adjusts to receive the container  40  in cavity  30 . Once the container has been inserted into the cavity  30  and turned 90°, the flexible arm  21  returns to its original position, securely retaining the container.  
      The minor diameter D 7  of the container  40  is then perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  23  of the frame  20  and the container is locked into position. The major axis diameter D 5  of the container  40  is parallel to a length diameter D 2  of the cavity  30  and will be parallel to the longitudinal axis  23  of the frame  20 .  
      A container can be released from the packaging clip  10  by turning the container  40  approximately 90°. In a particular embodiment, the container  40  is turned 90° is the opposite direction, against the flexible arm  21 . Again, the flexible arm  21  flexibly adjusts to release the container  40 . The flexible arm  21  then returns to its original position. The container  40  can then be easily removed from the cavity  30 .  
      In certain embodiments of the invention, the packaging clip  10  has a retention barb  24  on the terminal end of each flexible arm  21 . The retention barb  24  enhances the ability of the packaging clip  10  to retain the containers  40 . Although the retention barbs  24  are shaped in a particular manner in the drawings, the retention barbs  24  of the invention may encompass various shapes. The retention barbs  24  can be of any shape that enhances the ability of the clip  10  to retain the containers.  
      In an embodiment, the frame length  20  is substantially flat and has sufficient rigidity to support at least six containers  40  without being distorted. In a particular embodiment, the packaging clip of the present invention has a handle  25  fixedly attached to the frame length (shown in  FIG. 2 ). The handle  25  can be present on any of the embodiments of the invention.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a packaging assembly  50  of the present invention. The packaging assembly  50  is designed to retain a plurality of elliptically-shaped containers  40 . The packaging assembly  50  comprises a packaging clip  10  as described above and a plurality of elliptically-shaped containers  40  retained within the cavities of the clip  10 .  
      Each of the elliptically-shaped containers  40  has an elliptically-shaped cylindrical body portion  41 . With one particular container, a circular-shaped cylindrical upper body portion  42  and a circular-shaped cylindrical lower body portion  43  are also included. The circular-shaped upper body portion  42  and the lower body portion  43  have a diameter that is greater than the major diameter of the elliptically-shaped body portion  41 . This prevents the elliptically-shaped body portion  41  from slipping out of the packaging clip  10 . The containers  40  also comprise a cylindrical top portion  44  adapted to removably receive a closure.  
      If desired, a packaging assembly according to the invention could be enclosed in plastic wrap. Similarly, the packaging assembly could have the bottoms of the containers resting in a tray and the entire assembly could be enclosed in plastic wrap.  
      An alternate embodiment of the present invention employing this concept is shown in  FIG. 3 . In this embodiment, the packaging clip  100  has a frame  120  having a length dimension. The frame  120  comprises a plurality of straight arms  121  connected at substantially equal angles  122  to form the length dimension. Open cavities  130  are present along the length dimension  120 , wherein adjacent cavities  130  open to opposite sides of the length dimension  120 . The packaging clip  100  also has two fingers  123  located substantially equidistant from the vertex of each angle  122 , adapted to receive and retain elliptically-shaped containers within the open cavity  130 . In this embodiment, the substantially equal angles  122  can be right, obtuse or acute, depending on the size of the containers to be held by the clip.  
      Also shown in  FIG. 3  is an elliptically-shaped bottle  140 , positioned in one of the cavities  130 . The elliptically-shaped bottle  140  has a minor diameter D 8  and a major diameter D 9 . In a particular embodiment, there is enough space between the two fingers  123  that the minor diameter D 8  of the bottle  140  can fit between the fingers  123  but the major diameter D 9  cannot fit between the fingers  123 .  
      In this embodiment, similar to the other embodiment described above, the elliptically-shaped container  140  can be received and retained by the packaging clip  100  by inserting the minor diameter D 8  of the bottle  140  between the two fingers  123 . Once the bottle  140  has moved into the cavity  103  and beyond the fingers  123 , the bottle  140  is rotated approximately  900  in either direction. By rotating the bottle  140 , the major diameter D 7  is gripped securely by the arms  121  and fingers  123 . To remove the bottle  140  from the packaging clip  100 , the bottle  140  is again rotated  900  in either direction. This allows the bottle  140  to be removed from the packaging clip  100  by sliding the minor diameter D 8  of the bottle  140  through the opening between the fingers  123 .  
       FIG. 4  illustrates an additional embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the packaging clip  200  comprises a length dimension  220  having opposite sides. A plurality of arms  221  extend outwardly from opposite sides of the frame  220 . Each arm  221  extends substantially perpendicular to the frame length  220 . Between each arm, a cavity  230  is formed. The arms  221  are adapted so that an elliptically-shaped bottle can be inserted into the cavity  230 . The interior arms  222  are flexible and have two gripping surfaces  223  and  224 , such that a bottle can be retained on each side of interior arm  222 . The distances between the arms are designed such that they are smaller than a dimension of the elliptically-shaped container when the container is not retained within a cavity. In one embodiment, four arms  221  are present on each side of the frame  220 .  
      Like the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , the additional embodiments may have elliptical container-receiving cavities disposed on only one side of the frame length. Even the embodiment shown in FIG.  3  could have opposite side cavities or structures that would not be able to retain elliptically-shaped containers of the same size being retained on the opposite side.  
      In any of the embodiments, the packaging clip of the present invention may molded of a suitable plastic material, which may be blow molded, by extrusion or injection, so that it is a unitary member of relatively uniform wall thickness. Any plastic material known in the art can be used to form the packaging clip. A suitable plastic for forming the packaging clip includes, but is not limited to, polystyrene, polystyrene-acrylonitile, acrylonitile-butadiene-styrene, styrene-maleicanhydride, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylcyclohexane, and blends thereof.  
      The present invention provides many advantages over packaging clips of the prior art. By requiring only a flexible arm and a fixed arm to retain a container, the present invention makes the insertion and removal of containers from the clip very easy. This may allow the user to remove or replace a bottle with only one hand.  
      The packaging clip of the present invention allows the remaining containers to remain secure after one container is removed from the clip. The packaging clip can be easily reused. It is durable and relatively inexpensive to produce. It stabilizes the containers during shipment and displays the containers while in inventory. Furthermore, it allows the assembly to be shrink-wrapped in plastic, placed in a cardboard container, or mounted on a carrier tray.  
      Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described using specific terms, devices, and methods, such description is for illustrative purposes only. The words used are words of description rather than of limitation. It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit or the scope of the present invention, which is set forth in the following claims. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of the various embodiments may be interchanged both in whole or in part. For example, while methods for the production of a sterile liquid nutritional supplement made according to those methods have been exemplified, other uses are contemplated. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained therein.