WO2017133996A1

WO2017133996A1 - Pressurized bottle made of plastics material

Info

Publication number: WO2017133996A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/051891
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeanne GAUDILLOT; Gilles Baudin; Patrick Charnay
Original assignee: L'oreal
Priority date: 2016-02-02
Filing date: 2017-01-30
Publication date: 2017-08-10
Also published as: EP3411312A1; FR3047234B1; FR3047234A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pressurized bottle (1) having a container (3) made of plastics material, comprising: - a body (10) extending along a longitudinal axis (X), the body having at least one portion (11) which extends over at least one third of the total height (H) of the container (3), - a neck (20) formed integrally with the body, characterized in that said portion (11) has a substantially frustoconical shape, better still a frustoconical shape with a rectilinear generatrix.

Description

PRESSURIZED BOTTLE MADE OF PLASTICS MATERIAL

The present invention relates to pressurized bottles, also known as aerosol bottles, the container of which is made of plastics material.

The application US 2014/0209633 describes an aerosol bottle having a container made of plastics material, the neck of which has a collar for fastening a closure cup of the container, said closure cup being equipped with a dispensing valve. The body of the container has, along the majority of its length, a constant external section in the form of a cylinder of revolution.

US 2007/0278253 discloses an aerosol bottle, the neck of which is attached to an upper part of the body which can have various profiles in longitudinal section. In particular, the body of the bottle is produced with a hemispherical bottom surmounted by a part which has a profile that is slightly concave toward the outside in longitudinal section. The top part of the body, under the neck, can be frustoconical or hemispherical. The bottom is received in a base which provides a vertical seat. In variants, the bottom is produced with lobes. When the body has a frustoconical portion, the latter remains relatively short. International application WO 2007/140407 discloses as well such an aerosol bottle.

US 2012/0261439 and US 2004/0149781 describe aerosol bottles of which the upper part of the body of the container is rounded in a convex manner toward the outside.

WO2014/116904 Al discloses an aerosol bottle, the neck of which has a crystallized portion. The body of the bottle is produced in the form of a cylinder of revolution. The transition to the neck has a rounded profile. The bottom of the bottle can be hemispherical.

Generally, a pressurized bottle made of plastics material has to be able to resist an operating pressure of generally several bars on account of the presence of a pressurized gas inside it. This resistance has to be verified at a relatively high temperature in order to ensure safety in use.

Furthermore, the bottle can be filled under vacuum, thereby also ensuring squeeze resistance when the reduced pressure is at a maximum, before filling with gas is started. Finally, the bottle has to be resistant to impacts, notably to being dropped at different temperatures. The bottle also has to be easy to decorate by methods used in the field of packaging (labeling, screen printing, etc.). The invention aims to provide a bottle that meets all of these demands in a satisfactory manner.

The invention meets this need by virtue of a pressurized bottle having a container made of plastics material, comprising:

a body extending along a longitudinal axis,

a neck formed integrally with the body,

characterized in that the body has a portion with a substantially frustoconical shape, better still a frustoconical shape with a rectilinear generatrix, which extends over more than one third of the total height of the container, better still over more than half, even better still over at least two thirds.

Such a pressurized bottle exhibits satisfactory mechanical strength since the frustoconical shape proves to provide an excellent compromise between resistance to the operating pressure and crushing strength on account of being placed under vacuum.

In addition, the bottle can easily be provided with a label for decorating it and can easily be produced, if desired, with a bottom which allows it to rest on a horizontal flat surface in a stable manner without the need to attach a base.

The expression "substantially frustoconical" should be understood as meaning that the external surface of the body deviates from a rectilinear frustoconical geometric reference surface by a maximum deflection f, measured perpendicularly to this surface, of more of less 1.7% L_gen, where L_gen is the total length of the frustoconical part measured along a generatrix. The "rectilinear frustoconical part" denotes a frustoconical part, the generatrix of which is a straight line.

Preferably, the container has a bottom that is designed to allow it to rest vertically on a horizontal flat surface in a stable manner. Preferably, the bottom has a downwardly concave indentation. This indentation may be delimited over a part of its height by a frustoconical wall. The bottom of the indentation may be domed or flat and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the container, making it possible to define the accommodating region for the injection point. The bottom is preferably designed, notably with the aid of the abovementioned frustoconical wall, to allow the dip tube to be positioned properly when the valve is introduced. The greatest outside diameter of the neck is preferably between 34.7 mm and 51 mm. The smallest outside diameter of the neck is preferably between 15 and 28.7 mm. The distance between the planes in which the greatest outside diameter and the smallest outside diameter are measured is preferably between 1.5 and 11.5 mm.

The neck may have two rings that define an annular groove between one another.

One of the rings of the neck advantageously serves to crimp a dispensing valve cup and the other ring, situated beneath the first ring, may serve to transport the container along production and/or filling lines.

Preferably, the material thickness at the wall of the container at the base of the neck is greater than that along said portion with a substantially frustoconical shape. Also preferably, the material thickness at the edge of the indentation in the bottom wall, where the container rests on the support surface, is greater than that of said portion with a substantially frustoconical shape. This can help to reinforce the impact resistance, while saving material by taking advantage of the intrinsic resistance brought about by the frustoconical part.

The material thickness along the portion with a substantially frustoconical shape is preferably constant, for example between 0.6 and 1.2 mm for PET.

The container may be made of PET, PEN, PCT, PCR or bioPET, or a mixture thereof.

The ratio S2/S1, where S2 is the external section of the portion with a substantially frustoconical shape at its upper end and Si is the minimum external section of the neck, may be between 1 and 12, better still between 1.4 and 2.

The ratio D/D2 between the maximum diameter D of the body of the container and the outside diameter D₂ at the upper end of said portion with a substantially frustoconical shape may be between 0.3 and 5, preferably between 1.2 and 2. For example, D=51 mm and D₂=35 mm, i.e. D/D₂=1.46.

The container may contain a cosmetic product or the like.

The container may contain a liquefied or compressed gas, with an overpressure of between 1 and 13 bar ( 10⁵ and 13.10⁵ Pa) .

A further subject of the invention is a container for a pressurized bottle as defined above. A further aspect of the invention relates to a pressurized bottle of which the container made of plastics material has two parts with a substantially frustoconical shape that are separated by a non-frustoconical intermediate part, in particular with a radius of curvature in cross section that is chosen such that the intermediate portion is tangent at its ends to each of the portions with a substantially frustoconical shape. Although such a shape is less advantageous than a frustoconical shape of a single segment in that it limits the size of a label stuck to the container, it nevertheless remains advantageous in terms of the mechanical strength brought about. The curved intermediate part avoids the presence of sharp edges that are likely to concentrate stresses in a region in which the thickness of the wall is advantageously smallest and the container is exposed to impacts. This advantage is obtained even when the height of at least one of the frustoconical portions represents less than one third of the total height of the container. Such a shape also prevents the thickness from dropping below minimum thicknesses to be respected and ensures a better distribution of the material. Preferably, the cumulative height of the portions with a substantially frustoconical shape corresponds, according to this aspect of the invention, to more than half the total height of the container.

The attachment region may optionally be the largest diameter region of the body of the container or the smallest diameter region of the body of the container.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a pressurized bottle of which the container made of plastics material has two parts with a substantially frustoconical shape, better still a rectilinear frustoconical shape, that diverge in opposite directions, thereby giving the container the overall shape of an hourglass. These two parts may or may not meet. When the two parts do not meet, their axes may be offset and parallel.

In a variant, the two parts with a substantially frustoconical shape, better still a rectilinear frustoconical shape, converge in opposite directions, thereby giving the container a biconical overall shape. Here too, these two parts may or may not meet.

The invention may be better understood from reading the following detailed description of nonlimiting exemplary embodiments thereof and from examining the appended drawing, in which:

- figure 1 shows an elevation view of a pressurized bottle according to the invention,

- figure 2 shows a top view of the pressurized bottle from figure 1, - figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the bottle from figure 1,

- figure 4 shows the neck, very schematically, in axial section,

- figures 5 to 9 are views similar to figure 3 of variant embodiments, and

- figure 10 illustrates the measurement of the deflection over a portion with a substantially frustoconical shape (the curvature has been exaggerated in order to make it easier to understand).

The pressurized bottle 1 shown in the figures comprises a dispensing system 2 mounted on a container 3 containing the product to be dispensed, for example a cosmetic product to be sprayed.

The dispensing system 2 can be realized in various ways, being provided with an actuating member 4 which the user can press in order to dispense the product through at least one outlet orifice, for example in the form of a spray.

The dispensing system 2 has a dispensing head bearing the actuating member 4 and a cup 6, fastened to the container 3, bearing a valve 7 with a hollow control stem 9 to be controlled by being depressed or tilted, and shown schematically in figure 3.

The product contained in the container 3 leaves the valve stem 9 when the latter is actuated, and then reaches the outlet orifice of the dispensing head through one or more internal ducts thereof.

The container 3 has a body 10 that is extended at its upper end by a neck 20, the entire container 3 being made of thermoplastic material, for example PET. The formation of the container 3 may include the blow molding of a preform within a multipart mold, in a manner known per se. The thermoplastic material of which the container 3 is made is preferably transparent, at least in the region of the body 10.

The total height M of the neck 20 is for example between 15 and 20 mm.

When not in use, the neck 20 is at least partially concealed by a removable protective cap 8 which is fastened to the container for example by snap-fastening.

The body 10 in this case has a main part 11 which extends a distance L along the longitudinal axis X of the container 3, this main part 11 having a rectilinear frustoconical shape that widens towards the bottom, is axisymmetrical about the axis X and has a top angle a, where a is for example between 3 and 4.5°, the angle a being equal to 3.7° in the example in question. The height L of the main part 11 is between 100 and 140 mm in the example in question, being for example around 125 mm.

The outside diameter D of the main part 11 at its base is for example between 15 and 75 mm, better still between 40 and 60 mm, being for example around 50 mm in the example in question.

The main part 11 can be extended downwards by a first rounded portion 13 with a radius of curvature Ri in longitudinal section, and by a second rounded portion 14 with a radius of curvature R₂ in longitudinal section, where R₂≠Ri. The second portion 14 is attached to a bottom 15 by which the container 3 can rest vertically on a horizontal flat surface.

The bottom 15 of the container 3 has an indentation defined by a frustoconical wall 18 that converges towards the inside of the container and has a top angle β of 90° for example.

The frustoconical wall 18 is attached at its top to a flat wall 19 which bears the trace of the injection point of the preform used to produce the container 3 by injection blow molding or compression blow molding.

The container 3 has an annular groove 28 around the frustoconical wall 18, in which the end of a dip tube connected to the dispensing system can extend if need be, this tube not being shown in figure 3.

The neck 20 of the container 3 is produced with a ring 21 at its upper end, said ring 21 allowing the dispensing system 2 to be attached and more particularly the cup 6 to be crimped. The neck may or may not be crystallized.

With reference to figure 4, the thickness N, measured along the axis X, of the ring 21 is for example between 2.5 and 3.5 mm. The outside diameter W of the ring 21 is for example between 30 and 35 mm. The inside diameter Q of the neck 20 at the ring 21 is for example between 22 and 28 mm.

Under the ring 21, the neck 20 has a portion 24 in the form of a cylinder of revolution of axis X, the outside diameter U of which is for example between 28 and 31 mm.

As can be seen in figure 4, the portion 24 is connected at the bottom, by a rounded portion 25 with a small radius of curvature, to a second ring 26 with an outside diameter Y greater than W, for example greater than W by at least 1 mm. For example, Y is between 30 and 35 mm.

The ring 26 has a lower face 38 which is flat and perpendicular to the axis X, as can be seen in figure 4. This face 38 is attached to a portion 30 in the form of a cylinder of revolution of axis X, with an outside diameter Di of between 15 and 28.7 mm, Di preferably being less than U.

The ring 26 can be less thick than the ring 21.

The rings 21 and 26 define a groove 70 between one another, the role of said groove being to allow the crimping pliers for the cup 6 to be fitted under the ring 21.

The outside diameter at the upper end of the main part 11 is D₂. For example,

D₂ is between 15 and 51 mm, better still between 34.7 and 51 mm.

Preferably, D₂ ²/Di² is between 1 and 12, better still between 1.4 and 2.

The distance between the plane in which D₂ is measured and that in which Di is measured, halfway up the portion 30, is for example between 1.5 and 11.5 mm.

The internal section of the neck 20 can be constant from an entry chamfer in the upper part of the ring 21 to the ring 26.

The material thickness ei at the portion 11 may be less than that e₂ at the base of the neck 20 and also less than that e₃ in the region which defines the bearing surface when the container 3 is positioned vertically on a horizontal flat surface.

Preferably, the thickness ei is less than 1.1 mm, notably for PET.

The container 3 can be provided, as illustrated in figure 1, with a label 40 which is stuck to the outer surface of the main part 11. The fact that the main part 11 is frustoconical makes its outer surface developable and makes it possible to stick the label without creases.

Figure 5 illustrates a variant embodiment in which the values of the outside diameter D₂ at the upper end of the main part 11 with a frustoconical shape and the maximum outside diameter D of the body of the container 3, in this case measured at the lower end of the main part 11, are relatively close together.

For example, D/D₂ is between 0.3 and 5, better still between 1.2 and 2, where for example D= 56 mm and D₂= 51 mm. The neck 20 of the example in figure 5 can be identical to that of the example in figure 3. In this example, the angle a at the top of the main part 11 is for example between 3 and 4 degrees.

The total height H of the container, measured between its lower end and the upper end of the neck 20, is for example between 120 and 130 mm, and the height M of the neck is between 10 and 20 mm, for example.

The shape of the container under the main part 11 is for example similar to that of the example in figure 3, with two successive portions 13 and 14 with different radii of curvature, and a bottom having a frustoconical part 18 extending towards the inside of the container.

At its base, the neck 20 has a downwardly diverging frustoconical wall 90 with a thickness e₄ greater than the thickness ei of the portion 11. The angle at the top of the wall 90 is for example greater than 90°, as illustrated.

In figures 6 and 7, the lower part of the container 3 has not been shown.

In the example in figure 6, the container 3 has two successive frustoconical portions 11 and 11 ' that are separated by an intermediate portion 60 in the form of a portion of a torus, with a radius of curvature Rint in longitudinal section for example greater than 150 mm, notably equal to 200 mm. The frustoconical parts 11 and 11 ' can have a substantially equal length, the angle a at the top of the frustoconical part 11 being for example between 10 and 12 degrees, while the angle a' at the top of the frustoconical part 11 ' is less than the angle a, being for example between 4 and 6 degrees.

The generatrices of the portions 11 and 11 ' are tangent to the intermediate portion 60 at their junction therewith.

In the example in figure 7, the part 11 with a frustoconical shape is situated under an upper part 80 in the form of a cylinder of revolution of axis X.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the possibility for the part 11 not to be a rectilinear frustoconical part, but rather substantially frustoconical and slightly convex towards the outside, as in the case in figure 8, or slightly concave, as in the case in figure 9.

In order to to be covered by the definition of a part with a substantially frustoconical shape, the maximum deflection f, measured in this case halfway L_gen/2 along the generatrix of the part 11, as illustrated in figure 10, is less than 1.7% of the length L_gen.

The maximum deflection is the difference between the external surface of the part 11 in the case of a strictly frustoconical shape of axis X and the external surface in the case of a substantially frustoconical shape. The maximum deflection is less than or equal to 1 mm in the examples in figures 8 and 9.

Needless to say, the invention is not limited to the examples that have just been described. It is possible notably to further modify the shape of the pressurized bottle, and notably that of the container 3 or of the dispensing system 2.

The container 3 can contain any propulsion means for the product, for example a liquefied gas or a compressed gas. If need be, the container 3 can be provided at its bottom with a filler valve for propellant, notably when compressed air is used as the propellant.

The pressurized bottle may or may not have a pouch or a dip tube. When a pouch is present, it contains the product while the propellant exerts a pressure on the pouch, inside the container.

The dispensing system 2 can have several outlet nozzles, if need be. The pressure inside the container 3, before it is used for the first time, at 20°C, is for example between 1 and 13 bar (10⁵ and 13 10⁵ Pa). During filling, the reduced pressure is for example greater than or equal to 0.3 bar (310⁴ Pa).

Claims

1. A pressurized bottle (1) having a container (3) made of plastics material, comprising:

- a body (10) extending along a longitudinal axis (X), the body having at least one portion (11) which extends over at least one third of the total height (H) of the container (3),

- a neck (20) formed integrally with the body,

characterized in that said portion (11) has a substantially frustoconical shape, better still a frustoconical shape with a rectilinear generatrix.

2. The bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portion (11) extends over at least half the total height (H) of the container.

3. The bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portion (11) extends over at least two thirds of the total height (H) of the container.

4. The bottle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the outside diameter (D₂) at the upper end of said portion (11) is between 15 mm and 51 mm, better still between 34.7 mm and 51 mm.

5. The bottle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the smallest outside diameter (Di) of the neck (20) is between 15 and 28.7 mm.

6. The bottle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ratio

S2/S1, where S₂ is the external section of the portion (11) with a substantially frustoconical shape at its upper end and Si is the minimum external section of the neck, is between 1 and 12, better still between 1.4 and 2.

7. The bottle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the neck (20) has two rings (21, 26) that define an annular groove (70) between one another.

8. The bottle as claimed in the preceding claim, wherein the annular groove (70) has an outside diameter (U) greater than the minimum outside diameter (Di) of the neck.

9. The bottle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ratio D/D₂ between the maximum diameter (D) of the body (10) of the container (3) and the outside diameter (D₂) at the upper end of said portion (11) with a substantially frustoconical shape (11) is between 0.3 and 5, preferably between 1.2 and 2.

10. The bottle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body of the container has several parts with a substantially frustoconical shape, notably all diverging toward the bottom, all converging toward the bottom, or at least two parts diverging in opposite directions, notably giving the container the overall shape of an hourglass or a biconical overall shape, these two parts with a substantially frustoconical shape having the same axis or parallel offset axes.

11. The bottle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container has been produced by injection blow molding or compression blow molding.

12. The bottle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container is made of PET, PEN, PCT, PCR or bioPET, or a mixture thereof.

13. The bottle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which contains a liquefied or compressed gas, with an overpressure of between 1 and 13 bar (10⁵ and 13.10⁵ Pa) inside the container.

14. The bottle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which contains a cosmetic product.

15. A container (3) for a pressurized bottle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, having:

- a body (10) extending along a longitudinal axis (X), the body having a portion (11) which extends over at least one third, better still over more than half, even better still at least over two thirds of the total height (H) of the container (3),

- a neck (20) formed integrally with the body,

characterized in that the main portion (11) has a substantially frustoconical shape, better still a frustoconical shape with a rectilinear generatrix.