CONTAINER, THE BODY OF WHICH HAS A GRIPPING HANDLE FORMED BY A SINGLE BOXING OPERATION

Abstract

The invention relates to a plastic container comprising a body that extends along a central axis between an opening and a base, the body having an overstroked holding recess extending parallel to the central axis over a predetermined height, the overstroked holding recess being the only overstroked recess on the body over the predetermined height, and having a median line of maximum indentation, the median line of maximum indentation being able to be inscribed in a diametrical plane.

Claims

1. A plastic container (1) comprising a body (10) that extends along a central axis (C) between an opening (11) and a base (12), the body (10) having an overstroked holding recess (2) extending parallel to the central axis (C) over a predetermined height (H), wherein the overstroked holding recess (2) is the only overstroked recess on the body (10) over the predetermined height (H), and has: a median line (20) of maximum indentation; a right-hand lateral rim (21) and a left-hand lateral rim (22) that frame the median line (20) of maximum indentation; the median line (20) of maximum indentation being able to be inscribed in a diametrical plane (P) equidistant from the right-hand lateral rim (21) and the left-hand lateral rim (22).

2. The container (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one deepest point (200) of the median line (20) of maximum indentation is located 15 millimeters or less from the central axis (C).

3. The container (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the deepest point(s) (200) are/is located 5 millimeters or more from the central axis (C).

4. The container (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the body (10) has a first opening-out portion (101) and a second opening-out portion (102) on either side of the diametrical plane P of the body (10), between said deepest point (200) and a point (23) diametrically opposite said deepest point (200), the lengths of the first opening-out portion (101) and of the second opening-out portion (102) each being from 100 to 160 millimeters.

5. The container (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body (10) is symmetrical with respect to the diametrical plane (P) over the predetermined height (H).

6. The container (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the overstroked holding recess (2) has, on either side of the median line (20) of maximum indentation, a right-hand lateral face (210) and a left-hand lateral face (220) which can be inscribed in a first plane (L1) and a second plane (L2), respectively, that intersect at an opening angle of between 25° and 45°.

7. The container (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body (10) has, over its predetermined height (H) and along the central axis (C), a cross section which can be inscribed inside a circle the diameter of which decreases from a top end of the predetermined height (H), then increases to a bottom end of the predetermined height (H).

8. The container (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body (10) has, over its predetermined height (H), a swage (3) in which a finger can be positioned, the positioning swage (3) being diametrically opposite the overstroked holding recess (2).

9. The container (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the body (10) has annular reinforcing corrugations at least over its predetermined height (H), the positioning swage being positioned between two annular corrugations.

10. The container (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein, in the diametrical plane (P) and along an orthogonal projection onto the central axis (C), the positioning swage (3) is located above the halfway point (M) of the height of the overstroked holding recess (2).

11. The container (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the median line (20) of maximum indentation is convex toward the central axis (C), between a top end and a bottom end that are remote from the central axis (C), the median line (20) of maximum indentation having, in succession from the top end: a first portion (201) having a radius of curvature R1; a second portion (202) having a radius of curvature R2; the radius of curvature R1 being less than the radius of curvature R2.

12. The container (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the median line (20) of maximum indentation is convex toward the central axis (C), between a top end and a bottom end that are remote from the central axis (C), the median line (20) of maximum indentation having, in succession from the top end: a first curved portion (201); an essentially straight intermediate portion (203); a second curved portion (202).

13. The container (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the body (10) has a first opening-out portion (101) and a second opening-out portion (102) on either side of the diametrical plane P of the body (10), between said deepest point (200) and a point (23) diametrically opposite said deepest point (200), the lengths of the first opening-out portion (101) and of the second opening-out portion (102) each being from 100 to 160 millimeters.

14. The container (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the body (10) is symmetrical with respect to the diametrical plane (P) over the predetermined height (H).

15. The container (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the body (10) is symmetrical with respect to the diametrical plane (P) over the predetermined height (H).

16. The container (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the overstroked holding recess (2) has, on either side of the median line (20) of maximum indentation, a right-hand lateral face (210) and a left-hand lateral face (220) which can be inscribed in a first plane (L1) and a second plane (L2), respectively, that intersect at an opening angle of between 25° and 45°.

17. The container (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the overstroked holding recess (2) has, on either side of the median line (20) of maximum indentation, a right-hand lateral face (210) and a left-hand lateral face (220) which can be inscribed in a first plane (L1) and a second plane (L2), respectively, that intersect at an opening angle of between 25° and 45°.

18. The container (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the body (10) has, over its predetermined height (H) and along the central axis (C), a cross section which can be inscribed inside a circle the diameter of which decreases from a top end of the predetermined height (H), then increases to a bottom end of the predetermined height (H).

19. The container (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the body (10) has, over its predetermined height (H) and along the central axis (C), a cross section which can be inscribed inside a circle the diameter of which decreases from a top end of the predetermined height (H), then increases to a bottom end of the predetermined height (H).

20. The container (1) as claimed in claim 9, wherein, in the diametrical plane (P) and along an orthogonal projection onto the central axis (C), the positioning swage (3) is located above the halfway point (M) of the height of the overstroked holding recess (2).

Description

[0065] Other features and advantages of the invention will become more clearly apparent on reading the following description of two preferential embodiments of the invention, which are given by way of illustrative and nonlimiting example, and the appended drawings in which:

[0066] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container according to a first embodiment of the invention, illustrating the overstroked holding recess in particular;

[0067] FIG. 2 is a side view of the container according to the first embodiment of the invention, having on the overstroked holding recess and the swage in which a finger can be positioned;

[0068] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the first embodiment of the container, along the diametrical plane, in which a central axis of the container is located;

[0069] FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the first embodiment of the container, passing through the deepest point of the median line of maximum indentation of the overstroked holding recess;

[0070] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of the container, in the diametrical plane, in which a central axis of the container is located;

[0071] FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the second embodiment of the container, passing through the deepest point of the median line of maximum indentation of the overstroked holding recess.

[0072] As can be seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5, a container 1 according to the invention comprises a body 10 which extends along a central axis C between an opening 11 and a base 12.

[0073] The opening 11 is conventionally present at the end of a neck 13 located above a shoulder 14 that surmounts the body 10.

[0074] More particularly, according to the embodiments illustrated, the container 1 is a bottle manufactured from a thermoplastic material such as PET (acronym for polyethylene terephthalate).

[0075] The container 1 has an overstroked holding recess 2. This overstroked holding recess 2 extends parallel to the central axis C over a predetermined height H.

[0076] Such an overstroked recess is produced during the manufacture of the container 1 using an overstroking insert which deforms the plastics material that was heated and blow molded beforehand in a molding cavity of a mold to the form of the container to be obtained, in that said overstroking insert penetrates into the mold.

[0077] The overstroked holding recess 2, produced using an overstroking insert, cannot be obtained solely by blow molding a preform over a determined form of a mold (for example, a protuberance projecting into the molding cavity), in particular facing the depth of the overstroked holding recess 2. This is because, as explained above, the depth of an overstroked recess is greater than the maximum depth attainable by blow molding a preform over a determined form of a mold.

[0078] According to the principle of the invention, and as is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5, the overstroked holding recess 2 has a median line 20 of maximum indentation.

[0079] This median line 20 of maximum indentation corresponds to the profile of the overstroking insert through the mold over the predetermined height H, and to the imprint left by the overstroking insert on the container 1.

[0080] The overstroked holding recess 2 also has a right-hand lateral rim 21 and a left-hand lateral rim 22, as is illustrated in FIG. 1. The right-hand lateral rim 21 and the left-hand lateral rim 22 frame the median line 20 of maximum indentation.

[0081] Still according to the principle of the invention and with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6, the median line 20 of maximum indentation can be inscribed in a diametrical plane P which is equidistant from the right-hand lateral rim 21 and the left-hand lateral rim 22.

[0082] This diametrical plane P corresponds to the views in FIGS. 3 and 5, and is shown in FIGS. 4 and 6.

[0083] Moreover, the overstroked holding recess 2 is the only overstroked recess on the body 10 over the predetermined height H.

[0084] That is to say that the body 10 has no other overstroking over the predetermined height H. The body 10 may, however, have other recesses which are not made by overstroking over the predetermined height H.

[0085] With reference to FIGS. 4 and 6, the deepest point 200 of the median line 20 of maximum indentation is located 5 millimeters to 15 millimeters from the central axis C of the container 1 without the overstroked holding recess 2 interfering with the central axis C.

[0086] According to the present embodiment, the deepest point 200 of the median line 20 of maximum indentation is located at a distance D of 7.5 millimeters from the central axis C.

[0087] As is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6, it will be understood that the overstroking insert, when this container 1 is being manufactured, is displaced along a translation axis inscribed in a median plane of the insert, intersecting the central axis C of the container.

[0088] In this way, the container 1 can be formed by stretch blow molding.

[0089] This is because, when the container is being manufactured, it is not necessary for a stretch rod to be pulled out in advance to allow the overstroked holding recess 2 to be overstroked on, or into, or through, the volume occupied by this stretch rod when it is fully pressed into the container 1.

[0090] As is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6, the body 10 is symmetrical with respect to the diametrical plane P over the predetermined height H.

[0091] The overstroked holding recess 2 is described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6.

[0092] As is illustrated in FIG. 4, the overstroked holding recess 2 has an opening angle α.

[0093] More specifically, the overstroked holding recess 2 has a right-hand lateral face 210 and a left-hand lateral face 220 on either side of the median line 20 of maximum indentation.

[0094] The right-hand lateral face 210 can be inscribed in a first plane L1 and the left-hand lateral face 220 can be inscribed in a second plane L2.

[0095] The first plane L1 and the second plane L2 intersect at the opening angle α which is between 25° and 45°, and more preferentially from 30° to 40°. This opening angle α is measured in a plane orthogonal to the central axis C.

[0096] According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the opening angle α is equal to 35°. According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the opening angle α is equal to 37°.

[0097] With reference to FIGS. 2, 4 and 6, the first plane L1 and the second plane L2 intersect in a plane orthogonal to the central axis C and over the predetermined height H at a meeting point 5.

[0098] This meeting point 5 is located behind the central axis C with respect to the overstroked holding recess 2.

[0099] This meeting point 5 is also located in the diametrical plane P.

[0100] As is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5, the median line 20 of maximum indentation is convex toward the central axis C, between a top end and a bottom end that are remote from the central axis C.

[0101] In other words, the median line 20 of maximum indentation is curved between its top and bottom ends in such a way that a central part of this median line 20 of maximum indentation is closer to the central axis C than said ends.

[0102] As is illustrated by the detail in FIG. 3, and according to the first embodiment, the median line 20 of maximum indentation has: [0103] a first portion 201; [0104] a second portion 202.

[0105] The first portion 201 extends from the top end of the median line 20 of maximum indentation to the deepest point 200 of the median line 20 of maximum indentation.

[0106] For its part, the second portion 202 extends from the first portion 201, in particular from the deepest point 200, to the bottom end of the median line 20 of maximum indentation.

[0107] The first portion 201 has a radius of curvature R1, and the second portion 202 has a radius of curvature R2.

[0108] As is illustrated in FIG. 3, the radius of curvature R1 is less than the radius of curvature R2.

[0109] This design displaces the deepest point 200 of the median line 20 of maximum indentation above the halfway point M of the height of the overstroked holding recess 2, that is to say toward the opening 11 in the container.

[0110] As is illustrated by the detail in FIG. 5, and according to the second embodiment, the median line 20 of maximum indentation has: [0111] a first portion 201; [0112] a second portion 202; [0113] an intermediate portion 203.

[0114] The first portion 201 extends from the top end of the median line 20 of maximum indentation to the deepest point 200 of the median line 20 of maximum indentation.

[0115] The intermediate portion 203 extends from the first portion 201, in particular from the deepest point 200, to an intermediate point 204 along the median line 20 of maximum indentation.

[0116] For its part, the second portion 202 extends from the intermediate portion 203, in particular from the intermediate point 204, to the bottom end of the median line 20 of maximum indentation.

[0117] The first portion 201 has a radius of curvature R1, the second portion 202 has a radius of curvature R2, and the intermediate portion 203 has a radius of curvature R3.

[0118] As is illustrated in FIG. 5, the radius of curvature R1 and the radius of curvature R2 are such that the first portion 201 and the second portion 202 have a significant curvature, and are therefore curved.

[0119] The intermediate portion 203 is essentially straight. Specifically, the radius of curvature R3 is large enough that the intermediate portion 203 can be likened to a straight line.

[0120] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the body 10 has, on its predetermined height H and along the central axis C, a cross section, as shown in FIG. 4, which can be inscribed inside a circle.

[0121] Preferably, over the predetermined height H, the diameter of the circle decreases from a top end of the predetermined height H, that is to say toward the opening 11 in the container 1, then, after having reached a predetermined minimum diameter, increases to a bottom end of the predetermined height H, that is to say toward the base 12 of the container 1.

[0122] In other words, when there is such a decrease in the diameter, the container 1 has a thinning over its predetermined height H.

[0123] As is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5, the body 10 has, over its predetermined height H, a swage 3 in which a finger can be positioned.

[0124] This positioning swage 3 is diametrically opposite the overstroked holding recess 2.

[0125] This positioning swage 3 is obtained by virtue of the form of the cavity of the mold.

[0126] More specifically, the positioning swage 3 is obtained by the blow molding of the plastics material, while the container 1 is being produced, and thus by the application of the plastics material against the surface of the mold, which has a complementary form to that of the container 1 illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0127] The positioning swage 3 is substantially smooth.

[0128] As is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the body 10 may have annular reinforcing corrugations 4, distributed evenly over its height. These annular reinforcing corrugations 4 are present in particular over the predetermined height H.

[0129] As is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the annular reinforcing corrugations 4 over the predetermined height H may be configured in such a way that the positioning swage 3 is positioned between two adjacent annular corrugations 4.

[0130] This is because, above the positioning swage 3, the annular corrugations 4 extend with upward orientation from the overstroked holding recess 2, and, below the positioning swage 3, the annular corrugations 4 extend with downward orientation from the overstroked holding recess 2.

[0131] The two annular corrugations 4 framing the overstroked holding recess 2 are thus spaced apart from one another at the positioning swage 3.

[0132] With reference to FIG. 3, in the diametrical plane P and along an orthogonal projection onto the central axis C, the positioning swage 3 is located above the halfway point M of the height of the overstroked holding recess 2.

[0133] Such a container 1 according to the invention is more ergonomic when the bottle is held in the hand by virtue of the presence of the overstroked holding recess 2 and the swage 3 in which a finger can be positioned.

[0134] This is because, when the container is gripped using a hand, the user's fingers, except for the thumb, are naturally inserted into the overstroked holding recess 2. The thumb of the hand is then oriented toward the opening 11 in the container. Therefore, the position of the positioning swage 3, above the halfway point M of the height of the overstroked holding recess 2, supports a natural positioning of the thumb for clamping the bottle.

[0135] With reference to FIGS. 4 and 6, the body 10 has a first opening-out portion 101 and a second opening-out portion 102 on either side of the diametrical plane P of the body 10.

[0136] The first opening-out portion 101 and the second opening-out portion 102 correspond to the perimeter of the body 10, in a plane orthogonal to the central axis C, between the deepest point 200 and a point 23 that is diametrically opposite the deepest point 200.

[0137] The lengths of the first opening-out portion 101 and of the second opening out portion 102 are each between 100 and 160 millimeters.

[0138] According to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6, the first opening-out portion 101 and the second opening-out portion 102 are equal given that the body 10 is symmetrical with respect to the diametrical plane P over the predetermined height H.

[0139] With reference to the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the first opening-out portion 101 and the second opening-out portion 102 are equal to 126 millimeters.

[0140] With reference to the second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the first opening-out portion 101 and the second opening-out portion 102 are equal to 140 millimeters.

[0141] Such holding opening-out portions allow containers to be held well by hands of different dimensions.