GB2588443A

GB2588443A - Fibrous pulp container

Info

Publication number: GB2588443A
Application number: GB1915431.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Nicholas Scott
Original assignee: Supa Water Ltd
Current assignee: Supa Water Ltd
Priority date: 2019-10-24
Filing date: 2019-10-24
Publication date: 2021-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 2039-10-24
Also published as: GB201915431D0; GB2588443B

Abstract

A container, suitable for storing a liquid, comprising a body portion 12 having an opening (44, figure 4). The body is made from a pulp material. The opening is closed with a closure 30 which comprises a stopper (42, figure 4) formed from a bio-degradable or compostable material and a seal 32 formed from a pulp material. Preferably, the body portion is comprised of two parts 14, 20. Wherein both the body portions have peripheral flanges 18, 24 extending from a rim. Ideally, the flanges are sealed together. Preferably the body portions a tapered and have a generally square cross-section. Ideally, the internal surfaces of the container are coated with a waterproof coating which may be beeswax. The cover may comprise a cap structure 32 which ideally is also made from a pulp material. Ideally, the cover is attached to the body with an adhesive.

Description

FIBROUS PULP CONTAINER

The present invention relates to a container having a container body formed of fibrous pulp material and a closure for sealing the container.

Containers, such as bottles, are traditionally manufactured from highly durable materials, such as plastic, glass and/or metallic materials, which can persist for hundreds if not thousands of years in the natural environment. If discarded carelessly by users, such containers can therefore accumulate and present a significant negative impact on the environment. In recent years, attempts have been made to provide viable containers made of naturally biodegradable and/or compostable materials, such as fibrous cellulosic pulp, which can break down more rapidly in the natural environment. However, it has proven difficult to provide adequate closures for such containers because of the inherent weaknesses and imperfections in the fibrous cellulosic pulp structures. Manufacturers therefore often resort to using traditional more durable materials in order to provide closures for such containers.

It is desired to provide an improved closure for sealing a container having a container body formed of fibrous pulp material.

Thus, according to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a container comprising: a container body for holding a liquid product, the container body being formed of fibrous pulp material and having an opening for dispensing the liquid product therethrough; and a closure for sealing the opening, the closure comprising a stopper formed of biodegradable and/or compostable material and a cover formed of fibrous pulp material, the stopper -2 -being sealingly and removably inserted into the opening, and the cover being located over the stopper and affixed to the container body.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of sealing a container, the container comprising a container body that holds a liquid product, the container body being formed of fibrous pulp material and having an opening for dispensing the liquid product therethrough, the method comprising: providing a closure to seal the opening, the closure comprising a stopper formed of biodegradable and/or compostable material and a cover formed of fibrous pulp material, the stopper being sealingly and /0 removably inserted into the opening, and the cover being located over the stopper and affixed to the container body.

As will be appreciated, embodiments of the present invention can provide both a container body and a closure which are primarily or entirely formed of (naturally) biodegradable and/or compostable materials. Furthermore, the use of a stopper means that the container can be opened to access the liquid and then resealed repeatedly as desired. Moreover, since the cover must initially be separated from the container body to remove the stopper from the opening, the cover can provide a tamper evident feature, indicating whether or not the stopper may previously have been removed from the opening.

In embodiments, the container body may comprise a first (upper) container body section attached to a second (lower) container body section. The first and second container body sections may each be distinct and/or unitary structures formed of the fibrous pulp material. The first container body section may comprise a first hollow and/or cup-like structure. The first container -3 -body section may have a first peripheral flange about a rim thereof. The first peripheral flange may project outwardly from the first container body section. The second container body section may comprise a second hollow and/or cuplike structure. The second container body section may have a second peripheral flange about a rim thereof. The second peripheral flange may project outwardly from the second container body section. The first peripheral flange may be sealingly attached to the second peripheral flange so as to form the container body. The first peripheral flange may be sealingly attached to the second peripheral flange by adhesive and/or mechanical crimping. In embodiments, the /0 container body (e.g. the first container body section) may have a top through which the opening is provided. The container body (e.g. the second container body section) may have a (e.g. substantially horizontal) base on which the container can be stood. The planes of the first and second peripheral flanges may be substantially horizontal and/or parallel to the base of the container body.

These embodiments can provide a convenient way in which to manufacture a robust container body formed of fibrous pulp material.

In embodiments, the container body may be substantially bottle-shaped. The container body (e.g. the first container body section) may taper in cross-section towards the top of the container body with the cross-section being smaller towards the top of the container body. The container body (e.g. the second container body section) may taper in cross-section towards the base of the container body with the cross-section being smaller towards the base of the container body. The container body (e.g. the first and/or second container body section) may be generally polygonal, e.g. square, in cross-sections parallel to -4 -the base of the container body. The container body may have plural (e.g. eight) substantially planar side faces. For example, the container body sections may each have plural (e.g. four) substantially planar side faces. When compared with containers having a circular cross-section, containers having a polygonal (e.g. square) cross-section can provide a relatively greater (e.g. -25% greater) liquid storage capacity for a given packing area when the containers are stacked adjacent one another.

In embodiments, the fibrous pulp material may comprise cellulosic and/or plant-based pulp material. For example, the fibrous pulp material may comprise /0 paper pulp or sugar cane (bagasse) pulp. The fibrous pulp material may comprise moulded fibrous pulp material. The fibrous pulp material may be formed from a slurry of pulp fibres which is then compressed in a mould and/or dried. The internal surfaces of the container may be coated with a substantially waterproofing internal coating. The internal coating may be biodegradable and/or compostable. The internal coating may comprise a wax material, such as beeswax. These embodiments can allow the container to be formed primarily or entirely of (naturally) biodegradable and/or compostable materials whilst still being substantially waterproof and/or food-safe internally. In embodiments, the internal coating may comprise a spray coating. The internal coating may be applied to the internal surfaces of the container body prior to attaching the first container body section to the second container body section. This can provide a convenient and effective way in which to manufacture a substantially waterproof and/or food-safe container body. -5 -

In embodiments, the container body (e.g. the top of the container body) may comprise a neck portion having the opening. The neck portion may have an outer surface which is substantially vertical and/or perpendicular to the base of the container body. The outer surface of the neck portion may extend downwardly to a shoulder portion of the container body. The shoulder portion may be substantially horizontal and/or parallel to the base of the container body. The cover may comprise a cap-like structure, e.g. having a closed end that covers the stopper and a downwardly extending wall that surrounds the outer surface of the neck portion. The wall of the cover may conform substantially to the outer surface of the neck portion. This can allow a friction fit between the cover and neck portion. The neck portion may taper towards the top of the container with the neck portion being narrower towards the top of the container. The wall of the cover may taper outwards from the closed end of the cover with the cover being wider towards the rim of the wall. This can allow the cover to be placed more easily over the neck portion of the container body. In embodiments, the container body (e.g. the neck portion) may further comprise a recess with a shelf having the opening. The closed end of the cover may be provided across the top of the neck portion and/or may cover the recess. The stopper may be received (at least partially or completely) within the recess.

These embodiments can provide a robust opening for the container into which the stopper can repeatedly be inserted with sufficient force to seal the container but with the force being limited by the depth of the recess and the amount the stopper protrudes from the recess (if at all) when inserted into the opening. -6 -

In embodiments, the stopper may be tapered with the narrower end of the stopper being inserted into the opening. In some embodiments, the stopper may comprise natural cork material. In other embodiments, the stopper may comprise fibrous pulp material. Again, the fibrous pulp material may comprise cellulosic and/or plant-based pulp material. The fibrous pulp material may comprise paper pulp or sugar cane (bagasse) pulp. The fibrous pulp material may comprise moulded fibrous pulp material. The fibrous pulp material may be formed from a slurry of pulp fibres which is then compressed in a mould and/or dried. These embodiments can again allow the container to be formed primarily or entirely of (naturally) biodegradable and/or compostable materials.

In embodiments, the cover (e.g. the wall of the cover) may comprise one or more inner surface structures, such as ribs, channels and/or corrugations. The one or more inner surface structures may create one or more gaps between the wall of the cover and the outer surface of the neck portion. The one or more inner surface structures can help to reduce the frictional contact between the wall of the cover and the outer surface of the neck portion, and allow the cover to be more easily twisted about the neck portion in order to separate the cover from the container body. It should be noted here that the container is sealed primarily by the stopper of the closure rather than by the cover of the closure.

In embodiments, the cover (e.g. the wall of the cover) may comprise one or more outer surface structures, such as ribs, channels and/or corrugations. The one or more outer surface structures can help to increase the frictional contact between the user's fingers and the wall of the cover when the user -7 -attempts to twist the cover in order to separate the cover from the container body.

In embodiments, the one or more inner and outer surface structures may comprise one or more projecting and/or recessed structures. The one or more inner and outer surface structures may comprise complementary structures, i.e. a projecting outer surface structure may correspond to a recessed inner surface structure and vice versa. The one or more surface structures may be elongate. The one or more surface structures may extend substantially vertically and/or perpendicularly to the base of the container body. The one or more surface structures may be formed when moulding the cover.

In embodiments, the cover may be affixed to the container body (e.g. to the neck portion) with (food-safe and/or biodegradable and/or compostable) adhesive. The cover may be affixed to the container body at one or more isolated points, e.g. rather than by applying adhesive around the entire inner surface of the cover and/or around the entire outer surface of the neck portion. The one or more isolated points can help to reduce the attachment force between the wall of the cover and the outer surface of the neck portion, and allow the cover to be more easily twisted about the neck portion in order to separate the cover from the container body. Again, it should be noted here that the container is primarily sealed by the stopper of the closure rather than by the cover of the closure.

In some embodiments, the cover may also be affixed to the stopper. The cover may be affixed to an upper surface of the stopper. The cover may be affixed to the stopper with (food-safe and/or biodegradable and/or compostable) -8 -adhesive. In other embodiments, the cover and stopper may form part of the same (unitarily) fibrous pulp structure. These embodiments can allow the cover and stopper to be removed and replaced together, thereby reducing the likelihood of the cover or stopper being separately discarded as litter.

In embodiments, the closure may be generally more suited to retaining non-carbonated liquid products rather than carbonated liquid products. Thus, the liquid product held within the container may comprise water, flavoured water, a juice drink, milk, a milk-based beverage, a milk substitute, a coffee-based beverage, a tea-based beverage, a chocolate-based beverage, a cocoa- /0 based beverage, etc..

By way of example only, embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of a container according to an embodiment /5 of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the container of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top view of the container of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the container taken along line A-A in Figure 3.

Figures 1-4 show various views of a bottle-shaped container 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The container 10 comprises a hollow container body 12 for holding a liquid product, such as water, therein. -9 -

The container body 12 is constructed from a first upper container body section 14 having four planar side faces 16. The first upper container body section 14 further comprises a first horizontal peripheral flange 18 that projects outwardly therefrom and a substantially horizontal top shoulder section 26.

The container body 12 is further constructed from a second lower container body section 20 having four planar side faces 22. The second lower container body section 20 further comprises a second horizontal peripheral flange 24 that projects outwardly from the first container body section 12 and a substantially horizontal base 28 on which the container 10 can be stood.

As is shown, the container body sections 14, 20 have generally square cross-sections which taper away from the flanges 18, 24 towards the top shoulder section 26 and base 28. The generally square cross-section provides relatively high liquid storage capacity for a given packing area when plural of the containers 10 are stacked adjacent one another.

The container body 12 is formed from fibrous cellulosic pulp material, such as paper or sugar cane pulp. In this regard, the first and second container body sections 14, 20 are separately formed from a slurry of pulp fibres which is compressed in appropriately shaped moulds and then dried. The internal surfaces of the container 10 are then spray-coated with a waterproofing beeswax coating. The first peripheral flange 18 is then sealingly attached to the second peripheral flange 24 by adhesive and mechanical crimping so as to form the watertight container body 12.

The container 10 further comprises a closure 30 for sealing the container body 12 in a tamper evident manner. The closure 30 comprises a cap-like cover 32, which is also formed of the fibrous pulp material. The cover 32 has a closed end 33 and a downwardly extending circumferential wall 34 which tapers outwardly slightly so as to conform generally to a tapered neck portion 38 of the container body 12. The cover 32 is affixed to the neck portion 38 of the container body 12 with one or more isolated points of adhesive. The one or more isolated points can help to reduce the attachment force between the wall 34 of the cover 32 and the outer surface of the neck portion 38, and allow the cover 32 to be more easily twisted about the neck portion 38 in order to separate the cover 32 from the neck portion 38 of the container body 12.

The downwardly extending wall 34 is further provided with outwardly projecting surface structures 36 in the form of elongate ribs which create corresponding internal gaps between the wall 34 of the cover 32 and the neck portion 38 of the container body 12. The surface structures 36 help to increase the frictional contact between the user's fingers and the wall 34 when the user attempts to twist the cover 32 in order to separate the cover 32 from the container body 12. The surface structures 36 also help to reduce the frictional contact between the wall 34 and the neck portion 38 of the container body 12, and again allow the cover 32 to be more easily twisted to separate the cover 32 from the container body 12.

Figure 4 shows the closure 30 of the container 10 in more detail. As is shown, the neck portion 38 of the container body 12 further comprises a recess 40 which completely receives a tapered natural cork stopper 42 of the closure 30. As is also shown, the stopper 42 is removably inserted into an opening 44 in a shelf 46 of the recess 40. The closed end 33 of the cover 32 is provided -11 -across the top of the neck portion 38 and entirely covers the recess 40. The closed end 33 of the cover 32 is also adhered to the stopper 42 so that the cover 32 and stopper 42 can be removed and replaced together, thereby reducing the likelihood of the cover 32 and stopper 42 being separately discarded as litter. In other embodiments, the natural cork stopper 42 may instead be replaced with a fibrous pulp material stopper that is unitarily formed with the cover 32.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A container comprising: a container body for holding a liquid product, the container body being formed of fibrous pulp material and having an opening for dispensing the liquid product therethrough; and a closure for sealing the opening, the closure comprising a stopper formed of biodegradable and/or compostable material and a cover formed of fibrous pulp material, the stopper being sealingly and removably inserted into the opening, and the cover being located over the stopper and affixed to the container body.
2. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container body comprises a first container body section attached to a second container body section.
3 A container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first container body section and second container body section are distinct unitary structures formed of fibrous pulp material.
4. A container as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the first container body section has a first peripheral flange about a rim thereof and the second container body section has a second peripheral flange about a rim thereof.
5. A container as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first peripheral flange projects outwardly from the first container body section and the second peripheral flange projects outwardly from the second container body section.
6. A container as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the first peripheral flange is sealingly attached to the second peripheral flange so as to form the container body.
A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container tapers in cross-section towards the top of the container body with the cross-section being smaller towards the top of the container body and/or wherein the container tapers in cross-section towards the base of the container body with the cross-section being smaller towards the base of the container body.
8. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container body is generally polygonal in cross-sections parallel to the base of the container body.
9 A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container body is generally square in cross-sections parallel to the base of the /0 container body.
10. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container body has plural substantially planar side faces.
11. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fibrous pulp material comprises cellulosic and/or plant-based and/or moulded /5 fibrous pulp material.
12. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the internal surfaces of the container are coated with a substantially waterproofing internal coating.
13. A container as claimed in claim 12, wherein the internal coating comprises beeswax.
14. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container body comprises a neck portion having the opening.
15. A container as claimed in claim 14, wherein the cover comprises a cap-like structure having a closed end that covers the stopper and a downwardly extending wall that surrounds the outer surface of the neck portion.
16. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container body comprises a recess with a shelf having the opening.
17. A container as claimed in claim 16, wherein the closed end of the cover covers the recess.
18. A container as claimed in claim 16 or 17, wherein the stopper is received within the recess.
19. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stopper comprises natural cork material.
20. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stopper comprises fibrous pulp material.
21. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover comprises one or more inner surface structures and/or one or more outer surface structures.
22. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover is affixed to the container body with adhesive.
23. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover is affixed to the container body at one or more isolated points.
24. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover is also affixed to the stopper.
25. A method of sealing a container, the container comprising a container body that holds a liquid product, the container body being formed of fibrous pulp material and having an opening for dispensing the liquid product therethrough, the method comprising: providing a closure to seal the opening, the closure comprising a stopper formed of biodegradable and/or compostable material and a cover formed of fibrous pulp material, the stopper being sealingly and removably inserted into the opening, and the cover being located over the stopper and affixed to the container body.