Container comprising a recess in the container wall

Abstract

The invention relates to a plastic container having a container wall delimiting an interior of the container, and an outlet on the container wall for pouring out a product contained in the plastic container. A recess that projects into the interior of the container and is provided for accepting a functional element is formed on the container wall, with the recess being accessible through an insertion hole.

Claims

1. A container produced from a plastic material, comprising: a container wall delimiting a container interior and a container exterior; and an outlet opening provided on the container wall for emptying a product that can be stored in the plastic container; the container wall formed by extrusion blowmolding and defining a recess protruding into the container interior, the recess having a first passage opening at a base of the recess in fluid communication with the container interior, the recess forming a receptacle chamber with an enclosed sidewall formed on the container wall, wherein the recess is accessible through an insertion opening on the container exterior; a functional element configured to be insertable within the recess and, when inserted, enclosed thereby without extending into the container interior where the product can be stored, wherein a fitting surface between an outer shape of the functional element and a wall of the recess is configured such that the functional element is held fluid-tight in the recess in relation to the product that can be accommodated in the plastic container in the container interior, the functional element having a second passage opening to enable a fluid exchange between inside the container interior and outside the container interior.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the recess has a canopy at least in a subregion, which is formed by a section of the container wall delimiting the insertion opening.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein the recess has a wall and a base.

4. The container of claim 3, further comprising a passage opening in at least one of the base or the wall of the recess.

5. The container of claim 2, wherein a maximum width of the canopy of the recess measured transversely to a center axis of the recess is between 0.05 mm and 1 mm or between 0.25 and 0.5 mm.

6. The container of claim 3, wherein the wall of the recess and a section of the canopy adjoining the wall of the recess enclose an angle between 20 and 50° or between 30 and 40°.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein the recess has a center axis that is essentially perpendicular to the container wall.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the recess has a center axis that encloses an angle with the container wall and that is less than 90 and greater than 0°, less than 88 and greater than 10°, or less than 80 and greater than 15°.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the insertion opening has a first width and the recess widens in a direction of the container interior to a second width, wherein the second width is greater than the first width.

10. The container of claim 1, wherein the insertion opening has a first width and the recess widens in a direction of the container interior in relation to the first width to a second width and constricts to a third width.

11. The container claim 1, wherein the recess has an essentially rotationally-symmetrical shape.

12. The container of claim 1, wherein the second passage opening is closed by a gas-permeable membrane.

13. The container of claim 1, wherein the functional element is a sintered, porous part made of HDPE.

14. The container of claim 1, wherein the functional element comprises a shelf life indicator.

15. The container of claim 1, wherein the functional element comprises a substance in fluid communication with the container interior.

16. The container of claim 15, wherein the substance comprises at least one of an antimicrobial substance, an odor absorber, an oxygen absorber, a water vapor absorber or a CO.sub.2 absorber.

17. The container of claim 1, wherein the recess encloses a lateral surface of the functional element and an undercut holds the functional element relative to the recess in a formfitting manner.

18. The container of claim 1, wherein a canopy of the recess has an overlap with respect to the recess that holds the functional element in the recess and enables the functional element to be pressed through an insertion opening.

19. The container of claim 1, wherein the recess forms a chamber having a base, sidewalls and an opening configured for receiving the functional element.

20. The container of claim 1, wherein the functional element is pressed into the chamber until it abuts the base of the chamber.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages and features result from the following description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention with reference to the schematic illustrations. In the figures, which are not to scale:

(2) FIG. 1: shows a cross section through the container wall of a plastic container comprising a recess in a first embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2: shows a cross section through the container wall of a plastic container comprising a recess in a second embodiment;

(4) FIG. 3: shows a cross section through the container wall of a plastic container comprising a recess in a third embodiment;

(5) FIG. 4: shows a cross section through the container wall of a plastic container comprising a recess in a fourth embodiment; and

(6) FIG. 5: shows a side view of a plastic container comprising a recess.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) A detailed view of a container made of plastic material is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. The container is identified in its entirety with the reference sign 11. A recess 15 is formed in a container wall 13 of the container 11 at an arbitrary point. The recess 15 is used as a receptacle chamber for a functional element 17. The functional element 17 is inserted through an insertion opening 19 into the recess 17. In FIG. 5, the recess 15 is provided by way of example in the container wall 13 of the container 11, which is formed in the present exemplary embodiment as a side wall, in the vicinity of the container bottom. The recess 15 is arranged at a point at which the functional element 17 can be in contact with the product stored in the container 11, even if the container is partially emptied. Any position on the container wall 13 is possible in principle.

(8) The recesses or the receptacle chamber 15, respectively, has, in addition to the insertion opening 19, a wall 21 and a base 23. If the functional element 17 is accommodated in the recess 15, it is may be configured to touch the base 23. The functional element 17 can be held in a friction-locked and/or formfitting manner in the recess 15. The external dimensions of the functional element 17 and the internal dimensions of the recess 15 are adapted to one another for holding under friction lock such that a press fit is provided. Holding under friction lock is shown in FIG. 4.

(9) For holding the functional element 17 in the recess 15 with a form fit, the recess 15 has a canopy 25. To form the canopy 25, the recess 15 has a first clear width 27 in the region of the insertion opening 19, which widens in the direction of the container interior to a second clear width 29. The external dimensions of the functional element 17 are essentially adapted to the canopy dimensions. For this purpose, the functional element 17 widens from a collar 31 to a larger-diameter shoulder 33.

(10) The difference between first and second clear width 27, 29 is between 0.6 and 1 mm or between 0.7 and 0.9 mm. This difference enables reliable holding of the functional element 17 in the recess 15 and enables the shoulder 33 to still fit through the smaller-diameter insertion opening 19 with widening thereof.

(11) The transition between first and second clear width 27, 29 is formed by a canopy flank 35. The flank 35 forms an angle between 20 and 50° or between 30 and 40° with the wall 21 and/or the center axis 37 of the recess.

(12) If the center axis 37 is perpendicular to the partition plane of the container 11, the canopy is thus simpler to demold than with another orientation of the center axis 37. This is because the half shells of the container open in the direction of the center axis 37. However, it is also conceivable that the center axis has an angle between 0 and 90°, between 10 and 88°, and or between 15 and 80° and the recess 15 is nonetheless demoldable. Movable elements in the mold are also conceivable to implement the demolding. Recesses 15 having such an orientation are desired if the container design requires it. For example, an orientation of the center axis 37 perpendicular to the container surface is advantageous for a uniform container design.

(13) It is also conceivable that according to FIG. 3, the recess 15 constricts proceeding from the second clear width 29 to a third clear width 39. This design of the recess 15 is selected if the functional element 17 is accommodated with the collar 31 in front in the recess 15.

(14) For reasons of simplified production, the functional element 17 and the recess 15 may have a rotationally-symmetrical design.

(15) To enable a fluid exchange between container interior and surroundings, a first passage opening 41 can be provided at the base of the recess 15. It is obvious that for this reason a second passage opening 43 can also be provided at the functional element 17. As FIGS. 3 and 4 show, the second passage opening 43 can be set back in accordance with the outer contour of the functional element 17.

(16) The functional element 17 can perform greatly varying tasks. The following applications are conceivable by way of example and therefore not as an exhaustive list:

(17) As shown in the figures, the functional element 17 can be a housing having the second passage opening 43 provided therein. A membrane 45 is inserted into the second passage opening 43. Since the membrane is expediently only permeable to gases, the same pressure always prevails in the container interior as in the surroundings. A gas exchange therefore takes place between container interior and the atmosphere enclosing container 11. A deformation of the container 11 because of partial vacuum or overpressure in the container interior can therefore be prevented. The membrane 45 can be produced from typical membrane materials, for example, polyethylene (PE) or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyamide (PA), or polyacrylonitrile.

(18) A simplified membrane function of the functional element 17 can be achieved in that the functional element 17 is a sintered, porous plug, for example, made of HDPE. This porous material has the properties of a gas-permeable membrane.

(19) The functional element 17 can also be a shelf life indicator. It is connected for this purpose to the container interior. If a gas should form in the container interior, which permits the end of the shelf life of the field product to be concluded, the functional element can thus change the color. For example, a chemical substance can be present in the functional element, which changes the color by reacting with the gas arising.

(20) It is also conceivable that a chemical substance is contained in the functional element 17 which can be emitted through the first and second passage opening 41, 43 into the container interior. The shelf life of the stored product can thus be lengthened.

(21) A chemical substance can also be placed in the functional element 17, which indicates an interruption of the refrigeration chain and thus suggests a spoiled food in the container.

(22) The container 11 having the above-described recess 15 may be produced in the production method of extrusion blowmolding. The method described in EP 2 227 369 represents one possibility for the production.

(23) A displaceable mandrel can be provided in one of the mold half shells for producing the canopy 25. Upon opening of the half shells, the mandrel is displaced from the mold half shell into the cavity at the same velocity as the separation of the mold half shells takes place, and therefore the mandrel does not move in relation to the container upon opening of the mold half shells. The mandrel is then withdrawn from the molded recess 15, wherein the container is held back by a counter holder.

(24) If the recess 15 is formed as in FIG. 4, the mandrel can thus be drawn out of the recess 15 upon opening of the half shells, without a counter holder being necessary for holding back the container.