DESCRIPTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a reversibly collapsible bottle, in particular for containing detergents both for household cleaning and for deterging in industrial settings. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bottle having a central body with a bellows conformation so as to be not only partially or totally collapsible, depending on the desired volume, but also remains in the set conformation without the need to close it, until the user modifies said conformation manually. Furthermore, as mentioned, said bottle is reversibly collapsible, i.e., owing to the central body with bellows conformation, said bottle can be brought into the totally or partially collapsed conformation and then pulled back into the extended conformation, repeatedly. The compressibility of the bottle according to the invention is therefore reversible and progressive, and is implemented by generating a vertical pressure so as to push the neck closer to the bottom of said bottle and the length is restored by pulling back the neck away from the bottom.

BACKGROUND ART

The bottles currently used to contain and transport detergents, both for domestic and industrial use, are typically produced through processes such as extrusion/blow moulding, injection/blow moulding (single-stage process) or stretching/blow moulding of preforms (two- stage process).

The plastic materials normally used are Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene (PE - HDPE - LDPE), PVC, PET and PETG. Where possible, second life materials (PSV) and recycled materials (RPET) are used.

The main problem with these bottles is the overall size due to the fact that they typically have a capacity of 0.5 litres to 25 litres, with a commercially attractive but usually irregular shape, which inevitably takes up space during the transport and in storage stages, as well as at the end-of-use disposal stage.

Manual presses have already been proposed for domestic use for crushing plastic bottles lengthwise, which, in addition to being bulky also require the application of considerable physical force in order to crush the bottles thoroughly, not to mention that the crushing procedure with these manual presses also requires additional operations, since it is necessary to remove the cap from the bottle first and then reapply it after crushing to prevent the bottle from resuming, at least partly, its initial shape.

Collapsible bottles have also already been proposed which are equipped with retaining means for mutually constraining the bottom and the neck once said bottle has been folded or collapsed. These retaining means are intended to keep the bottle in a collapsed condition, preventing said bottle from resuming, at least partially, the initial shape thereof due to the elastic reaction forces of the body of the bottle. These retaining means are featured on the bottom of the bottle and at the neck thereof and are made of the same plastic material as the bottle. However, the application/production of said means involves high costs for processing said bottle, which therefore renders it scarcely appealing from a commercial point of view.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a bottle which overcomes the technical drawbacks of the prior art.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a bottle which is easily recyclable.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a bottle which optimises transport costs and which can be efficiently arranged on the shelves in a shop.

This and other objects are achieved by a bottle produced according to the claims appended hereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the invention, illustrated by way of a non-limiting example in the drawings annexed hereto, wherein:

- Figure 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the bottle according to the invention in a first extended configuration (I), in a second partially collapsed configuration (II), and in a third completely collapsed configuration (III);

- Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bottle in Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the bottle according to the invention;

- Figure 4 is a simplified sectional view along direction A-A in the upper part of the bottle in Figure 1;

- Figure 5 is a simplified enlarged view with a scale of 5:1 of section B in Figure 4; and

- Figure 6 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the bottle according to the invention, with an elliptical base, showing a cross section (I), a first lateral section (II), and a second lateral section (III). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With respect to the Figures 1-5, a bottle according to the present invention is shown, as overall indicated with the reference number 1, being in particular for detergents.

The bottle 1 comprises a neck 2 with an opening 2A, a shoulder 4, a bottom 6, and a tubular body 5, being between the shoulder 4 and the bottom 6, wherein both the tubular body 5 and the bottom 6 have a circular or polygonal section, and wherein said tubular body 5 comprises a reversibly compressible bellows 7.

In the present description, the term "circular" means that the cross section of the tubular body 5, as well as the bottom 6, is a circumference, an ellipse, or an oval, while the term "polygonal" means that the cross section of the tubular body 5, as well as the bottom 6, is a convex polygon which is preferably regular, such as a square, a rectangle, or a hexagon, or is an essentially convex polygon, i.e. the sides may feature a curvature.

In the present description, the term "detergent" or "detergents" means a product for deterging in household or industrial settings, which is present in the bottle according to the invention in the form of a powder, granules, or concentrated fluid essentially without water, i.e. with a minimum amount of water as strictly necessary for the formulation of the active ingredients. Actually, therefore, the bottle essentially includes only the active ingredients, as most of the water is added at the time of use.

It should be considered that almost all liquid detergents on the market, including washing aids, contain from a minimum of 1% to a maximum of 30% active ingredients, however the latter maximum quantity applies only in a few cases. This shows how much water can be spared by the bottle according to the present invention, water that normally affects the volume and the final weight of a bottle of detergent and its handling and storage, as will be further discussed hereinafter.

In this document, the term "reversibly compressible" or "reversibly collapsible" means that the bellows of the tubular body can be compressed or collapsed, partially or totally, by exerting a vertical pressure (along direction A-A), i.e. bringing the neck closer to the bottom of the bottle, and can likewise be extended, partially or totally, by exerting a vertical traction (along direction A-A), i.e. by pulling back the neck away from the bottom of the bottle. As will become clear in the following description, the bottle according to the present invention is structured so as to maintain the conformation set by the user, i.e. extended, partially compressed, or totally compressed, even without the need to seal the bottle with a cap.

In more detail, the present invention relates to a bottle 1 comprising:

- a neck 2, wherein an opening 2A is present, the neck 2 being configured to engage a cap (not shown),

- a shoulder 4 connecting the neck 2 to the containing body 3 of the bottle, wherein said containing body 3 comprises:

- a bottom 6, and

- a tubular body 5, connecting the shoulder 4 to the bottom 6, wherein both the tubular body 5 and the bottom 6 have a circular or polygonal section, and wherein said tubular body 5 comprises a reversibly compressible bellows 7, where said bellows 7 is formed of a plurality of alternating grooves 8 and ridges 9, wherein the inner end of each groove 8 forms a curved recess 8A which is essentially symmetrical with respect to a plane C-C which is parallel with the bottom 6 and intersects said groove 8, and the outer end of each ridge 9 has a curved convexity 9A asymmetrical with respect to a plane D-D which is parallel with the bottom 6 and intersects said ridge 9, being said curved convexity 9A essentially positioned below said plane D-D and therefore facing the bottom 6.

Said combination of technical characteristics ensures that the bottle 1 according to the invention is not only advantageously compressible/extensible according to requirements, but also maintains the intermediate or complete compression/ extension positions of the bellows 7 without the need to close or fasten the bottle, for example using a cap. In fact, the resulting structure of the bottle 1, in particular the structure of the bellows 7, is designed so as to guarantee that the volume desired and imposed by the user is maintained without the latter having to close the air inlet/outlet with a cap or without the need for dedicated constraint or retaining means, as occurs instead with deformable containers belonging to prior art.

These aspects add up to the advantages in logistical terms in both the handling and storage stages and for on-shelf display, where, for example, the bottle 1 can contain detergents in concentrated form (both solid and liquid) and therefore reach the end user in a completely collapsed configuration, i.e. with minimum bulk. Likewise, the user can transport the bottle easily since it is compact in terms of both volume and overall weight, therefore the bottle according to the invention is also particularly advantageous for anyone with reduced physical capacity, such as the elderly or disabled people. At the time of use, the bellows can be partially or completely extended to house the detergent dilution water, which gives said detergent an optimal concentration. Therefore, the bottle according to the invention is extremely versatile, as said bottle can be used for different cleaners and detergents and with different final concentrations, because it is the volume that easily adapts to the intended use, not the other way around, i.e. it is no longer necessary to provide different bottles for different needs or different kinds of detergent. At the end-of-life stage, the bottle can be conveniently completely re- collapsed to reduce the volume thereof, when placed with the plastic waste before being fully recycled.

Returning to the structural elements of the bottle, as also shown by way of example in Figures 1-4, the bottle 1 according to the invention comprises a neck 2, wherein an opening 2A is present, the neck 2 being configured to engage a cap (not shown in the Figures) and a shoulder 4 connecting the neck 2 to the containing body 3 of the bottle.

Both the neck 2 and the opening 2A can have either circular and/or polygonal sections, these adjectives having the same meaning as given above with reference to the sections of the tubular body 5 and the bottom 6.

In the Figures, it can be seen that the neck 2 is configured for a sealing cap 50 to be fitted thereon. Alternatively, the neck can have means for fastening a cap, such as for example snap-fitting means or thread/counter thread means. Still more alternatively, the bottle according to the invention can further comprise a cap hinged to the neck, for example with a 'flip top' configuration. The hinge can consist of a zone which is thinner (so as to be flexible and foldable) and is made of the same material as the bottle so as not to compromise the advantageous characteristic consisting of the complete recyclability thereof.

The shoulder 4 is the portion of the bottle 1 that connects the base of the neck 2 to the containing body 3 of the bottle, in particular to the tubular body 5.

Figures 2 and 3 show two alternative embodiments of the neck and shoulder. In Figure 2, the neck has a large circular cross section, which minimises the surface area of the shoulder 4, while in Figure 3, the neck has a smaller circular cross section, and the shoulder 4 is consequently wider. The containing body 3 comprises a bottom 6, and a tubular body 5 connecting the shoulder 4 to the bottom 6, wherein both the tubular body 5 and the bottom 6 have a circular or polygonal section, and wherein said tubular body 5 comprises a reversibly compressible bellows 7. Figures 1-3 show a bottle, by way of example wherein both the tubular body 5 and the bottom 6 have an essentially square section with rounded corners.

In preferred embodiments, the cross section of the bottom 6 and the cross section of the tubular body 5, at the outer end of the ridges 9 of the bellows 7, have the same shape and the same surface area.

Preferably, the tubular body 5 comprises the bellows 7 and a non-compressible portion 10. In preferred embodiments, the bellows 7 extends from the shoulder 4, leaving the non- compressible portion 10 of the tubular body 5 connected to the bottom 6, as illustrated for example in Figures 1-3. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide a second non-compressible portion between the shoulder 4 and the bellows 7 (variant not shown).

Preferably, when the bellows 7 is in the fully extended configuration (e.g. in Fig. 1-1), the ratio between the height of the tubular body 5 and the height of said bellows 7, along direction A-A, is of 1.1:1 to 5:1, more preferably, 1.2:1 to 3:1. In preferred embodiments, the ratio is of 1.2:1 to 1.5:1.

Preferably, when the bellows 7 is in the fully compressed configuration (e.g. in Fig. 1- III), the ratio between the height of the tubular body 5 and the height of said bellows 7, along direction A-A, is of 1 : 1 to 3 : 1 , more preferably, it is about 2:1.

As already mentioned, the bellows 7 is formed of a plurality of grooves 8 alternating with ridges 9, wherein the inner end of each groove 8 forms a curved recess 8A which is essentially symmetrical with respect to a plane C-C which is parallel with the bottom 6 and intersects said groove 8, and the outer end of each ridge 9 has a curved convexity 9A which is asymmetrical with respect to a plane D-D which is parallel with the bottom 6 and intersects said ridge 9, said curved convexity 9A being essentially positioned below said plane D-D and therefore facing the bottom 6.

As shown for example in Figure 4 and in its relative enlargement of sub-section B in Figure 5, at the inner end of each groove 8, instead of an edge, there is a concave curved surface which delimits a rounded protrusion, i.e. the essentially symmetrical curved recess 8A. The term "essentially symmetrical" means that the shape of the recess can be perfectly symmetrical with respect to a plane C-C which is parallel with the bottom 6 and intersects said groove 8, however said recess is preferably slightly asymmetrical, since the opening angle α of the recess 8A below the plane C-C is greater than the opening angle P above the plane C-C, such as for example in the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5 .

Preferably, in the fully extended configuration of the bellows 7, the angle α is up to 4 times the angle P; more preferably, the angle α is 3-4 times the angle p.

Preferably, in the fully extended configuration of the bellows 7, the angle α+β is 10°- 20°, more preferably 10°-15°.

As shown for example in Figure 4 and its relative enlargement of sub-section B in Figure 5, at the outer end of each ridge 9, instead of an edge, there is a curvature which delimits a convexity 9A which is asymmetrical with respect to a plane D-D, i.e. facing the bottom 6. The term "asymmetrical" means that the outer end of the ridges 9 is rounded off to form a curved convexity positioned essentially below, i.e. almost entirely below, said plane D-D, therefore facing the bottom 6. This curved convexity ends at the vertical line of the bottom 6 (i.e. direction A-A), then continuing parallel therewith in the flat portion I9A, before rejoining the adjacent recess 8, via the surface 12.

The first surfaces 11 of the bellows 7 connect each recess 8 to the successive ridge 9, while the second surfaces 12 of the bellows 7 connect each ridge 9 to the successive recess 8.

In fact, the overall profile of the ridge 9, as a sectional view, recalls the shape of a "nose", as shown for example in the enlargement of sub-section B in Figure 5. It has surprisingly been observed that this profile of the ridge 9 is one of the determining factors of the ability of the bottle to maintain the conformation set by the user, i.e. extended, partially compressed, or totally compressed, even without the need to close the bottle with a cap.

Preferably, the inner radius of curvature 'r _8A ' of the recess 8A is smaller than the inner radius of curvature ' r _9A ' of the convexity 9A, where "inner" means measured inside the tubular body 5. In preferred embodiments, r _9A is 2 to 5 times R _8A , preferably about 4 times.

In another embodiment according to the present invention, the bottle 1 features a cross section of the tubular body 5, as well as the bottom 6, in ellipse form, as shown for example in Figure 6. In particular, the ellipse form of the cross section is clearly shown in Figure 6(I), while the same profile, including ridges and recesses, as in the embodiments of the previous Figures is clearly visible in Figures 6(II) and 6(III). Therefore, the aspects above indicated as preferred and advantageous, are to be understood as being similarly preferred and advantageous also for this embodiment, in addition to being described herein.

The bottle 1 according to the invention can be obtained as a single piece by blowmoulding. This process is known as "blow moulding" because it is a manufacturing process that involves blowing air into the centre of a hollow tube of molten plastic, known as a parison, and inserting said into a mould cavity. The result is a blown hollow object that acts as a container. In relation to the weights handled during the production of the final product, i.e. the bottle containing the active ingredients ready to be placed on the market, the volumes of water required are drastically lower, if not eliminated altogether, thereby streamlining and reducing the overall water and energy consumption of the production plant.

Not only that, warehouse storage and consequently the need for housing facilities are also considerably reduced. Compared to conventional detergents, 3 to 10 times the quantities of the bottle according to the invention (as opposed to standard detergents) can be positioned on a conventional pallet. The same can be said for transport, where one third to one tenth of the vehicles would be used to move the same quantities.

Therefore, not only does said bottle offer said advantages, but the production process (for both the bottle and for the filling thereof with the active ingredients) also contributes to making the bottle according to the invention particularly environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Preferably, the bottle 1 according to the present invention is made of a thermoplastic monomaterial, more preferably of polyethylene (PE).

In preferred embodiments, the average thickness ('S' in Fig. 5) of the wall of the tubular body 5 is 0.5- 1.5 mm, preferably 0.7-1.0 mm. It is understood that the thickness as the "average thickness" as the stretching and blow-moulding stage can generate slight localised variations, in particular at the recesses and ridges of the bellows 7.

Preferably, when the bellows 7 is fully extended, the bottle 1 has a capacity of 0.10-5.00 litres, preferably 0.15-2.00 litres. For example, a bottle which has a capacity of 2 litres in the fully extended configuration, can have a capacity of just only 0.5 litres in the fully collapsed configuration.

As extensively described and illustrated above, owing to the presence of the suitably shaped bellows, the bottle according to the invention is not only partially or totally collapsible, depending on the desired volume, but also remains in the conformation set - without needing to close said bottle - until the user does not change it manually. Furthermore, as mentioned, said bottle is reversibly collapsible because said bottle can be brought into the totally or partially collapsed conformation and then pulled back into the extended conformation, repeatedly. The compressibility of the bottle according to the invention is therefore reversible and progressive and is implemented by generating a vertical pressure so as to push the neck closer to the bottom thereof.

As can be immediately deduced from all the advantages discussed above, although conceived in the context of containing detergents for domestic or industrial use, the bottle according to the invention lends itself well to other products which require large quantities of water, or in any case significant dilutions, prior to consumer use. In fact, likewise, other products - in the form of powder, granules, or concentrated fluid - can be contained and transported in the bottle according to the invention, leading to the same advantages. For example, mineral salts, supplements, and/or plant extracts can be placed in the bottle and suitably diluted/dissolved prior to consumption. Advantageously, this also entails a significant increase in the shelf life of the product contained in the bottle, due to the essential absence of water, at least until the time of use. Consequently, this also drastically reduces the amount of expired products that are sent to waste facilities.

In this sense, the bottle according to the invention can be supplied in combination with pre-dosed sachets containing active deterging ingredients for detergents, or active food ingredients, in the case of mineral salts, supplements, and/or vegetable extracts. Therefore, the present invention also relates to a kit comprising the bottle and at least one pre- dosed sachet of active ingredients, as a ready-to-use refill. Preferably, the kit will comprise from 6 to 20 pre- dosed sachets, so as to allow, for example, weekly or multi-weekly coverage of the product concerned. In this way, instead of having to dispose of several bottles, one for each occasion of use, a single bottle (collapsed and therefore compact) and essentially flat empty sachets will be disposed of, with also an evident overall advantage from the point of view of disposal and subsequent recycling.

It should be understood that all the aspects identified as preferred and advantageous for the bottle are to be considered similarly preferred and advantageous also for the production process therefor and for the kit, and vice versa.

It should be also understood that all the possible combinations of the preferred aspects of the components of the bottle and kit disclosed above, and likewise the uses thereof and the production processes therefor, are deemed described herein and therefore are also preferred.