GB2503192A

GB2503192A - Container for Nestling Between Bottles in a Crate

Info

Publication number: GB2503192A
Application number: GB201201701A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Timothy James Llewellyn
Original assignee: COLALIFE Ltd
Current assignee: COLALIFE Ltd
Priority date: 2012-02-01
Filing date: 2012-02-01
Publication date: 2013-12-25
Anticipated expiration: 2032-02-01
Also published as: GB2503192B; GB201201701D0

Abstract

A free-standing container 2 has a top surface, a bottom surface and a tapered side wall 7 extending between the top and bottom surfaces, the top surface having an opening, the bottom surface having at least one narrow portion (8a, 8c, Figure 4) adjacent one end of the container and a wider portion (8c, Figure 4), the wall having inwardly concave portions 12a either side of the wider portion configured to fit around upper portions of bottles, the container being dimensioned to nestle between the top portions of two rows of bottles 11a-d in a crate, the wider portion extending between adjacent pairs of bottles in a row. The bottom of the container may be a cruciform shape, the top being rectangular and having a membrane (3, Figure 1) and/or detachable lid 4. The container may be a transparent thermoformed plastic. The container may have a level indicator marked on it and may be used as a drinking vessel. The container may contain water, soap, rehydration salts, anti-diarrheal compound or literature and may be for distributing aid packages.

Description

A Packae The present invention relate to a package arid more particularly to a package which is alTanged to fit between the necks of bottles alTanged in a crate, so that a number of packages may be distributed with the bottles in the crate.

One charity, ColaLife TM, uses such packages to distribute aid. These packages are referred to as the AidPod' s'. and these comprise wedge shaped cardboard tubes having a length slightly less than the internal width of crates in which they are to be distributed. The cardboard tubes wedge between adjacent rows of bottles in a crate and enable aid to be distributed with the bottles, which may typically contain cola or beer.

Soft drinks, beer and specifically cola are distributed to some of the remotest locations in developing countries and therefore piggybacking' aid on the back of this distribution network enables the aid to reach places which it would not otherwise be practicable to reach due to prohibitively expensive distribution costs. The aid will typically be water sterilisation tablets, rehydration sails or other anti-diarrhoea products, soap, or similar, all of which are relatively low value products and therefore are ideal for this sort of piggyback' distribution.

The present invention aims to provide an improved package which may be suitable for distnbuting product in the manner describe above.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a package comprising a container having a length, a width and a depth, the container comprising: a top surface, a generally flat bottom surface and a peripheral wall extending between the top surface and bottom surface, wherein the top surface has an opening in it and the peripheral wall and bottom surface are closed, the bottom surface being smaller in area than the combined area of the top surface and opening, the bottom surface extending centrally along the length of the container and having at least one wider portion adjacent at least one narrower portion, the area and location of the wider and narrower portions permitting the container to stand upright when the container is free standing, wherein a narrower portion is

I

adjacent one end of the bottom surface of the container, wherein the peripheral wall has a plurality of inwardly concave portions either side of the wider portion, wherein the container is generally tapered from the top surface towards the bottom surface and dimensioned to permit it to nestle between the top portions of two rows of bottles in a crate, with the wider portion extending between adjacent pairs of bottles in a row and with the concave portions contoured to fit around upper portion of the bottles A package in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention may not only occupy volume between adjacent rows of bottles in a crate but may also occupy some of the volume between adjacent bottles in each row. Furthermore, the provision of a flat portion bottom surface provides a two dimensional footprint enabling the container of the package to stand upright when free standing.

The provision of an opening in the top surface of the container means that the opening can be relatively large, permitting easy access to the container. This in combination with the ability of the container to be free standing in an upright position, enables the container to be used as a drinking vessel or similar, in which liquids can be retained. Such an arrangement may be particularly advantageous in that it may peirnit powder products distributed in the container to then be mixed in the container with locally sources water, thereby not only providing a means of transporting the product but also providing a clean drinking or mixing vessel for the product after the package has been opened.

Preferably, the top surface of the container is substantially rectangular maximising the area of the top surface and therefore maxirnising the area available for the opening.

However the top suiface could be some other shape, such as oval.

A container can be dimensioned for a particular type of crate and bottle so that it utilises the maximum volume available between the tops of the bottles in the crate. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the bottom surface may be in the shape of a cruciform with a concave portion at each of the four bottom corners, this permitting the package to nestle in the top of a crate of bottles between four adjacent bottles arranged in a square. Also, in this manner, two or more packages may be located between two adjacent rows of bottles.

Preferably the container has a length of between 120mm and 140mm, a width of between 50mm and 70mm and a depth of between 50 and 90 mm.

Preferably the top surface of the container is arranged to extend at least partially over the tops of adjacent bottles in a crate. This maximises the area of the top surface and it is particularly convenient where the package is to be provided with a lid and the lid is in the form of a membrane. The membrane may then be sealed with the top of the container by heat sealing or some such other technique, depending on the materials of the container and the membrane.

Preferably, the package comprises a reusable lid. This may be in addition to a membrane lid for sealing the package during transportation, the reusable lid being used subsequently to stop the ingress of dirt into the container once the package has been opened by removal of a membrane lid.

Preferably, the container is liquid impermeable so that it may be used for reliable and long-term storage of liquids. The container may also have a evel indicator marked on it corresponding to a known volume. In this way, if a product is distributed in the container and the product is to be mixed with water before use, for example if the product is sterilisation power or tablet, the container may be used to measure the correct volume of liquid to be mixed with the product.

The container may be a one piece moulded or pressed construction and could be a thermoformed plastic.

The container may be asymmetric with a top surface extending further to one side of the centre point of the bottom surface in a lengthwise direction than it extends in the opposite lengthwise direction. The advantage of this is that most crates have some reinforcing structure, particularly in the corners so that there is less space around that side of the bottles adjacent to the crate. Thus having an asymmetric container permits the main body of the container to be offset away from the side of the crate.

A package in accordance with the present invention may advantageously be employed for the distribution of low value products to remote regions at minimal expense and such products may include aid products, for example soap, rehydration salts or anti diarrheal products to be mixed with water. In this manner, the recipient of the package, who has water locally available, has everything required in order to prepare an appropriate solution in a clean container, the container of the package, which if provided with a reusable lid may be subsequently used to store the solution.

The package, including the container and reusable lid may be formed of a clear plastic, advantageously, PET(polyethylene terephthalate), which will permit the package to subsequently be used for the disinfectation of water in the container, by prolonged exposure to sunlight, known as SODIS.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a bottle crate, a plurality of bottles and one or more packages as described above nestled between the tops of the bottles in the crate, permitting the packages to be distributed with the bottles inthecrate.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of distributing a product comprising transporting a plurality of packages as described above between the tops of bottles in a crate. This method may be particularly advantageous in the distribution of aid to remote areas.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. in which like numerals are used throughout to indicate like parts and of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a package in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates a package in accordance with the present invention being placed between bottles in a crate; Figure 3 illustrates the package of Figure 2, when lowered between the bottles; Figure 4 is an bottom view of the package of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a perspective view showing three packages in accordance with the present invention located between the tops of bottles in a crate.

RefelTing to Figure 1 there is indicated genera'ly as I a paclcage in accordance with the present invention. This comprises a container 2, membrane lid 3 and reusable lid 4.The container could, for example of the order of 130mm in length, 60mm wide and 80mm deep, but this will depend on the particular dimensions of the crate and bottles that the package is to be accommodated in.

The container 2 may be formed by being injection moulded fmm polypropylene or high density polyethylene, extrusion blow moulded from high density polyethylene, injection stretch blow moulded from PETor vacuum formed from HIPS (High impact polystyrene). All these processes will provide a one piece waterproof container.

Alternatively, the container 2 could be pressed from card which has been coated with an appropriate water proofing agent. All the above are standard techniques for producing suitable containers, but this list is not exhaustive.

The container 2 has a top surface in the form of a flange 5 having an opening 6 therein. A peripheral wall 7 of the container extends between the flange S and a bottom surface 8 the wall having a generally tapered configuration.

As can be seen more clearly from Figure 4. the bottom surface 8 is generally flat and has a narrow portion 8a towards one end of the container, a wider portion 8b towards the middle of the container and a narrower portion 8c towards the other end of the container.

The tapered peripheral wall 7 opens out at its upper end, to form an internal sill 9 in the container. The v&ume below the sill 9 is lcnown, and may for example be 250 ml. The product distributed in the container may be selected to be of a quantity and strength that it requires to be mixed with 250 ml of water, in which case the product can be emptied out of a sachet, or similar, into the container 2 with the container then being tilled with water to the level of the sill 9. Thus the recipient not only receives a product but also a clean container in which he can measure out a volume of water to be mixed with the product. If appropriate the container may be subsequently used as a cup.

A flange 5 forming the top surface of the container 2 is flat and is ideal for the application of a membrane lid 3, which may be a foil, and which maybe heat sealed to the flange 5, after the product has been inserted in the container for distribution.

A replaceable lid 4 is also provided. This may be vacuum formed from HIPS or similar and is additionally provided to the membrane Ud 3 so that a recipient may remove the lid 4, open the foil 3 and subsequently reapply the lid 4 to keep the contents of the container 2 clean. This is particularly desirable if the container is to be used to distribute a product which permits disinfectation whereby the appropriate product distributed in the container can be mixed with water and then the id applied and the container stood in strong sunlight to permit solar disinfectation.

RefelTing now to Figures 2 to 5, the container I with lids 3 and 4 in place ready for distribution, is shown in Figure 2 being lowered in the direction of arrow tO between bottles ha to lid in a crate 14, (see Figure 5). In Figure 3, package his shown resting on the bottles 1 Ia to lId and Figure 4 is an underneath view of the package I when resting on the bottles ilato lid.

In each of the Figures 2, 3 and 4, for clarity only those portions of the bottles 1 la to lid that extend above the dividers in the crate 14 of Figure 5.

In Figures 2 to 4, the peripheral wall 7 can be seen to have four inwarWy concave portions 12a and h2b permitting the package ito be lowered between the bottles 1 ha to lid so that the package 1 nestle around the upper portions of the bottles 1 la to lid within a crate l4the crate. As most clearly seen in Figure 3, when the package I is nestled within the bottles 11 a to lid, the flange 5 extends over the tops of the botfies II a to lid permitting the peripheral wall 7 to extend the full width between the bottles 11 to 1 ld, thus maximising the volume of the container 2, with width of the flange 5 being accommodated above the level of the bottles.

As most clearly seen in Figures 1 and 4, the flange S is wider at an end Sb than it is at an opposite end Sa. that is to say that the container 2 is asymmetric with the top surface, in the form of flange 5, extending further to one side of a centre point of the bottom surface in a lengthwise direction than the top surface 5 extends in the opposite lengthwise direction.

As can be seen from Figure 4, this leaves the area 13 below the end of the flange Sb clear, as the peripheral wall 7 does not extend into this area. This in turn permits the package 1 to be placed in a crate as illustrated in FigureS with the end Sb adjacent to the edge of the crate. Here the area 13 below the flange Sb, seen in Figure 4, accommodates reinforcing ribs 15 located around the sides of the crate 14.

A package as described can be inserted into a crate 14. as shown in Figure 5. and distributed with the bottles I Ia to lid in the crate 14. This is particularly advantageous in distributing aid, because soft drinks such as cola, are very widely distributed through developing countries enabling aid or other packages to be distributed with the soft drinks at negligible extra cost to the distributor.

One example of a package in accordance with the present invention has been illustrated with reference to the accompanying figures for illustrative purposes only.

However, many modifications will be apparent to the skilled person. particularly it will be appreciated that the invention is equally applicable to larger packages arranged and nestled between six bottles in two rows, or eight bottles in two rows, where the bottom of the container of such packages could have the form of two or three cruciform's respectively.

Such modifications are within the scope of at least Claim I of the appended claims.

Claims

Claims 1. A package comprising a container having a length, a width and a depth, the container comprising: a top surface, a generally flat bottom surface and a penpheral wall extending between the top surface and bottom surface, wherein the top surface has an opening in it and the peripheral wall and bottom surface are closed, the bottom surface being smaller in area than the combined area of the top surface and opening, the bottom surface extending centrally along the length of the container and having at least one wider portion adjacent at least one narrower portion, the area and location of the wider and narrower portions permitting the container to stand upright when the container is free standing, wherein a narrower portion is adjacent one end of the bottom surface of the container, wherein the peripheral wall has a plurality of inwardly concave portions either side of the wider portion, wherein the container is generally tapered from the top surface towards the bottom surface and dimensioned to permit it to nestle between the top portions of two rows of bottles in a crate, with the wider portion extending between adjacent pairs of bottles in a row and with the concave portions contoured to fit around upper portion of the bottles.
2. A package as claimed in any one of Claims I. wherein the bottom surface of the container is in the shape of a cruciform with a concave portion at each of the four bottom corners, permitting the container to nestle in the top of a crate of bottles, between four adjacent bottles arranged in a square.
3. A package as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the top surface of the container is substantially rectangular.
4. A package as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the top surface of the container is arranged to extend at least partially over the tops of adjacent bottles in a crate.
5. A package as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a detachable lid.
6. A package as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the lid is a membrane.
7. A package as claimed in Claim S or 6. comprising a reusable lid.
8. A package as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container is liquid impermeable.
9. A package as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the container has a level indicator marked on it corresponding to a known v&ume.
10. A package as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the container is of a one piece moulded or pressed construction.
II. A package as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the container is formed of a thermoformed plastic.
12. A package as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container is asymmetric with the top surface extending further to one side of a centre point of the bottom surface in a lengthwise direction than it extends in the opposition lengthwise direction.
13. A package as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container is arranged to be used as a drinking vessel.
14. A package as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a lid and one or more products retained in the container by the lid.
15. A package as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the products comprise one or more of soap, rehydration salts, anti-diarrheal compound or informative literature.
16. A package as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a container formed of a transparent material to permit the solar disinfectant of water inside the container.
17. A package as claimed in any preceding claim, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to andlor as illustrated in one or more of the accompanying drawings.
18. A package as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the length of the container is between 120mm and 140mm, the width is between 50mm and 70mm and the depth is between 50 and 90 mm.
19. A bottle crate comprising a plurality of bottles and one or more packages, as recited in any preceding claim, nestled between the tops of the bottles in the crate.
20. A method of distributing a product. comprising transporting a plurality of packages as claimed in any preceding claim between the tops of bottles in a bottle crate.
21. A method as claimed in Claim 20, for distributing packages of aid.