Squeezable bottle filled aseptically with viscous food product, packaged viscous product, preform and method of filling queezable bottle

Abstract

A semi-rigid bottle (10) for packaging viscous food products wherein the bottle (10) is made of a material suitable for sterile treatment, distillation and / or hot filling, is stable in profile, can be squeezed and collapsed by radially inward flattening grip forces, does not restore its original shape after collapsing, and is blow-molded. The bottle (10) comprises a wall (50) having at least one oxygen and light blocking layer, and a neck portion (20) extending from the wall (50) and comprising a dispensing opening (40) at the top of the neck portion (20), a thread (21), and an orifice section (41) extending from the top of the dispensing opening (40) to the thread (21) without any thread, wherein the inner diameter of the dispensing opening (40) is in the range of 6 mm to 28 mm, and wherein the nozzle section (41) extends in the range of 6 mm to 10 mm along a vertical distance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to bottles, and in particular to bottles that can be aseptically processed, are suitable for hot filling and / or are capable of retorting, and that can be squeezed and collapsed to empty the contents of the bottle. Background Art

[0002] Aseptic packaging is often used for packaging perishable substances; such perishable substances include food and medicines.

[0003] In aseptic packaging technology, perishable materials are sterilized by rapid exposure to heat, followed by rapid cooling to ambient temperature and then filling into sterilized packages. The sterilized packages are then sealed in a sterile environment. Compared with retort sterilization technology, aseptic packaging technology retains more nutrients and properties of perishable materials and uses less energy.

[0004] Aseptic packaging technology is usually used in applications where perishable materials are flowable. In these cases, aseptic packaging technology utilizes squeezable bags. These squeezable bags contain perishable materials. When these squeezable bags are squeezed, they collapse to allow the contents of the squeezable bags to be easily emptied by the applied pressure. These squeezable bags are usually made of flexible, multi-layer, multi-material (e.g., plastic, metal, paper). These flexible, multi-layer, multi-material (e.g., plastic, metal, paper) are usually manufactured to have specific barrier properties to the outside environment.

[0005] Hot filling is when a sterile product is filled into a non-sterile package while being heated. Using this process, the product has been sterilized based on a predetermined time and temperature (such as 85°C-100°C) before the filling step in the process. Retorting is a process in which a non-sterile product is filled into an airtight sealed non-sterile package. The retorting process involves temperatures greater than 100°C (212°F). The retorting process begins when the product is mixed and then filled into the package. Once the package has been filled with the product, the package is loaded into a retort pressure chamber. While in this chamber, the contents of the package are sterilized with pressurized steam.

[0006] These squeezable bags cause many problems. Due to the use of these multi-layer, multi-material (such as plastic, metal, paper), the recycling of these squeezable bags requires a large amount of resources to handle, so these squeezable bags cannot be recycled with conventional recyclable materials. In addition, the shape of the squeezable bag is formed by welding the different surfaces of these multi-layer, multi-material (such as plastic, metal, paper) together. Because welding produces sharp edges, these squeezable bags are not easy to hold. Squeezable bags are not easy to hold and store because these flexible, multi-layer, multi-material are not rigid. Squeezable bags are difficult to manufacture because it is necessary to manufacture the individual layers of these flexible, multi-layer, multi-material, and each individual layer of these flexible, multi-layer, multi-material requires different processing conditions. In addition, it is also necessary to weld the nozzle and lid to these squeezable bags. Due to the flexible nature of these squeezable bags, the efficiency of filling flowable materials in these squeezable bags is relatively low. Due to the flexible nature of these squeezable bags, these squeezable bags are easy to break during filling flowable materials and during transportation. Due to the flexible nature of these squeezable bags, it is necessary to fill the squeezable bag with an internal pressure greater than the ambient pressure in order to maintain the shape of the squeezable bag; however, such pressure changes may also cause the squeezable bag to rupture.

[0007] There is a need to overcome at least some of the above-mentioned deficiencies by providing a squeezable container that collapses when squeezed by applying relatively low pressure (ie, by hand) so that the contents of the squeezable container are easily emptied. Summary of the invention

[0008] According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a semi-rigid bottle, wherein the bottle is made of a material suitable for aseptic processing, distillation and / or hot filling and is shape-stable. The bottle can be squeezed and collapsed by a radially inward squeezing grip, and the bottle does not recover its original shape after collapse. The bottle is blow-molded. The bottle comprises: a wall having at least one oxygen and light barrier layer, and a neck portion extending (preferably upward) from the wall. The neck portion comprises: a dispensing opening at the top of the neck portion, a thread, and a nozzle section, which extends from the top of the dispensing opening to the thread and does not have any thread. The inner diameter of the dispensing opening is in the range of 6mm to 28mm, preferably 7mm to 15mm, more preferably 8mm to 10mm, and particularly 8mm to 9mm. The nozzle section extends along a vertical distance in the range of 6mm to 10mm, preferably 7mm to 9mm, more preferably 7.5mm (or 7mm) to 8.5mm. The nozzle section may extend along a vertical distance in the range of 7 mm to 7.5 mm, preferably 7.1 mm to 7.3 mm.

[0009] In one embodiment, the neck portion comprises a locking wall portion having an upper surface, wherein the thread extends between the nozzle section and the upper surface of the locking wall portion. The locking wall portion can be configured to engage with a closure screwed onto the neck portion. The upper surface is preferably arranged to face the top of the dispensing opening.

[0010] In one embodiment, the vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening to the upper surface of the locking wall portion is in the range of 8 mm to 15 mm, preferably 10 mm to 14 mm, more preferably 11 mm to 13 mm.

[0011] In one embodiment, the locking wall portion comprises a plurality of teeth. These teeth may be designed to engage with a corresponding and / or complementary structure consisting of a closure member screwed onto the neck portion. These teeth may be evenly distributed around an axis defined by the neck portion.

[0012] In one embodiment, the locking wall portion is designed to secure the closure, such as a ring formed integrally with the closure, to the neck portion once the closure is unscrewed from the thread to open the bottle. In other words, the closure can be fastened to the locking wall portion to provide a tethered closure application. Thereby, it is ensured that the closure cannot be lost once unscrewed from the neck portion. On the contrary, the closure can always remain fixed to the neck portion to ensure waste disposal, in particular recycling, of the bottle and the closure.

[0013] In one embodiment, the locking wall portion is configured as a tamper-evident form. For example, the locking wall portion can engage with a closure that is screwed onto the neck portion to provide a mechanism suitable for indicating tampering. In one embodiment, unscrewing the closure causes a portion of the closure, such as a tamper-evident element, to be captured by the locking wall portion and separated from a portion of the closure (e.g., by rupture), thereby indicating tampering or that the bottle is in a state where it has been opened for the first time.

[0014] In one embodiment, the outer diameter of the locking wall portion is in the range of 15 mm to 21 mm, preferably 17 mm to 20 mm, more preferably 18 mm to 19 mm.

[0015] In one embodiment, the locking wall portion has a thickness in the range of 2 mm to 5 mm, preferably 2 mm to 4 mm, more preferably 2 mm to 3 mm.

[0016] In one embodiment, the neck portion comprises a section extending from the lower surface of the locking wall portion to the wall, wherein the width of the section is greater than the outer diameter of the nozzle section and / or is in the range of 10 mm to 22 mm, preferably 15 mm to 20 mm, more preferably 16 mm to 18 mm. Thus, the section forms a connecting section connecting the locking wall portion to the wall, for example consisting of the body or lower part of the bottle. The lower surface is arranged away from the upper surface of the locking wall portion.

[0017] In one embodiment, the section comprises a groove, which preferably does not extend circumferentially around an axis defined by the neck portion and / or preferably extends only on one side of the neck portion. The groove may give the section and thus the neck portion a defined stiffness, for example greater than the stiffness of the wall. In one embodiment, the section comprises a further groove, preferably arranged on a side different from the side comprising the (first) groove. For example, the groove may be arranged on the long side of the section and the further groove may be arranged on the short side of the section.

[0018] In one embodiment, the inner diameter of the distribution opening is the same as the inner diameter of the nozzle section at the position leaving the distribution opening. Thus, the distribution opening and the sealing contact of the nozzle section with the position leaving the distribution opening are simplified, for example, by simply inserting a sealing element (such as in the form of a cylinder) with a constant cross section along its length into the nozzle section. In other words, the design of this nozzle section allows the sealing of the distribution opening to be specially established by screwing the closure (i.e., directly closing the seal) on the neck. Thus, in particular, the aluminum foil for sealing the distribution opening can be omitted.

[0019] In one embodiment, the neck portion has a calibrated neck finish, and / or the nozzle section does not comprise any radially inwardly protruding lip defining the dispensing opening. Thus, an easily sealable neck portion and / or nozzle section is provided, in particular without the need for a sealing foil. The calibrated neck finish and / or the absence of the lip can be provided by avoiding trimming of the neck portion after the bottle has been obtained, for example by blow moulding. For example, an extrusion blow moulding (EBM) shuttle is used to obtain such a neck portion and / or avoid such a lip.

[0020] In one embodiment, the bottle comprises a closure that is screwed onto the neck portion. Thus, the closure comprises a thread that engages with the thread of the neck portion.

[0021] In one embodiment, the dispensing opening is not sealed by the metal foil on top of the dispensing opening when the closure is screwed onto the neck portion and before the closure is unscrewed to open the bottle for the first time. In other words, after sealing the bottle at the neck portion, the bottle may always be free of any metal foil on top of the dispensing opening. Due to the absence of the metal foil, such as aluminum foil, the sustainability of the bottle is increased. This means that in particular the recyclability of the bottle is increased.

[0022] In one embodiment, the closure comprises a sealing section arranged to seal the dispensing opening. Thus, the dispensing opening can be sealed by simply twisting the closure on the neck portion without providing any sealing foil on top of the dispensing opening. The sealing section can be designed to be compressed and / or plugged into the dispensing opening. The sealing section can be part of a plug seal.

[0023] In one embodiment, the sealing section is designed to contact the inner side of the nozzle section. Thus, the passage between the sealing section and the inner side of the nozzle section can be effectively sealed. Preferably, the sealing section is pressed against the inner side of the nozzle section.

[0024] In one embodiment, the closure comprises a sleeve which is arranged such that when the closure is screwed onto the neck portion, the wall of the spout section is sandwiched between the sealing section and the sleeve.Thereby, a particularly good sealing of the dispensing opening is achieved.

[0025] In one embodiment, the closure comprises a ring fastened to the locking wall portion so that once the closure is unscrewed from the thread to open the bottle, the closure is fixed to the neck portion. Thus, it is ensured that once unscrewed, the closure will not be lost relative to the bottle. The ring is not limited to a specific shape. For example, the ring may have a circular, oval, polygonal or rectangular shape.

[0026] In one embodiment, the closure comprises a spout and a cover for selectively closing or opening the spout, wherein the cover preferably comprises a hanging portion, and the hanging portion preferably comprises one or more through holes.

[0027] In one embodiment, the bottle has different areas with different wall thicknesses. Thus, different hardnesses of the bottle can be achieved in order to facilitate the use of the bottle. For example, a lower hardness can be advantageous for squeezing the bottle, while a higher hardness can be advantageous for guiding the product discharged by squeezing the bottle.

[0028] In one embodiment, the bottle comprises a first region having a first wall thickness and a second region having a second wall thickness greater than the first wall thickness, wherein the first region comprises at least a portion of the wall, and wherein the second region comprises at least a portion of the neck portion.

[0029] In one embodiment, the wall thickness (of the different regions) is in the range of 10 μm to 150 μm, preferably 30 μm to 120 μm, more preferably 50 μm to 100 μm.

[0030] In one embodiment, the material of the bottle is recyclable. This means that the material of the bottle can be placed in a recycling stream (such as a bottle recycling stream), wherein the bottle undergoes treatment (in particular chemical and / or mechanical recycling treatment steps) in order to obtain a material that can be used to manufacture another article such as the bottle of the present invention, i.e. recyclate. The high recyclability of the material of the bottle can be achieved in different ways: the material can consist of only one material (i.e., the bottle is provided by a single material) or only two materials; the material may include a material with a high mass fraction, such as a polyolefin (PE, PP, etc.), such as having at least 70% by weight, preferably at least 75% by weight or 80% by weight; and / or the material may include a (another) material with a relatively low mass fraction, such as EVOH and / or PVOH, such as having not more than 10% by weight or 5% by weight. Preferably, the closure (if present) consists of the same material as the bottle, so that the bottle and the closure can be placed in the same recycle stream.

[0031] In one embodiment, the bottle is designed to be completely washable, such as by a consumer. This means that in particular the neck portion provides easy access to the interior of the bottle in order to remove any residues therefrom. Thereby, the recyclability of the bottle is increased.

[0032] In one embodiment, the material of the bottle comprises a plastic material such as: polyethylene, preferably low density polyethylene (LDPE), medium density polyethylene (MDPE) and / or high density polyethylene (HDPE); polypropylene (PP); and / or polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0033] In one embodiment, the material of the bottle comprises a bio-based plastic material, such as: polylactic acid (PLA) and / or polyhydroxyalkane (PHA).

[0034] In one embodiment, the wall of the bottle comprises a recyclable plastic material. The recyclable plastic material may be recyclable PET (rPET), recyclable PE (rPE, rLDPE, rMDPE, rHDPE, etc.) and / or recyclable polypropylene (rPP).

[0035] In one embodiment, the material of the bottle includes a barrier material, such as EVOH, for providing the oxygen and / or light barrier.

[0036] In one embodiment, the amount of the barrier material is 5 wt% or less of the total bottle weight. The total bottle weight does not include any product contained in the bottle.

[0037] In one embodiment, the material of the bottle has a multilayer structure, wherein the multilayers of the multilayer structure are preferably PE / EVOH / PE multilayers. The multilayers of the multilayer structure may be HDPE / EVOH / HDPE multilayers.

[0038] In one embodiment, the bottle is free of metal or metal layers.

[0039] In one embodiment, the material of the bottle comprises only one type of material. For example, except for an optional ink layer on the outside of the bottle, the material of the bottle consists of only one of the following materials: plastic material, bio-based plastic material, recyclable plastic material. Thus, the wall of the bottle may have a single-layer structure made of one of these materials. In particular, the material may consist of a single plastic material, such as LDPE or EVOH.

[0040] In one embodiment, the bottle is obtainable by extrusion blow molding (EBM) and / or by stretch blow molding (SBM) and / or by blow-fill-seal (BFS).

[0041] In one embodiment, the volume of the bottle is 5ml to 1000ml, preferably 20ml to 1000ml. The volume of the bottle can be 5ml to 500ml, preferably 20ml to 400ml, more preferably 20ml to 300ml, most preferably 20ml to 200ml. The volume of the bottle can be 500ml to 1000ml, preferably 600ml to 1000ml, more preferably 700ml to 1000ml, most preferably 800ml to 1000ml.

[0042] In one embodiment, the bottle may collapse by at least 30% of its volume, preferably by at least 60% of its volume, even more preferably by 90% of its volume when a crushing grip force of 2.5N to 10N, preferably 4N to 8N is applied.

[0043] In one embodiment, the bottle has a shape and volume suitable for a human hand.

[0044] In one embodiment, the bottle has a free-standing shape.

[0045] In one embodiment, the bottle comprises a first side wall and a second side wall, wherein the dispensing opening and / or the neck portion is arranged closer to the first side wall than to the second side wall. By such an offset arrangement of the dispensing opening and / or the neck portion relative to the central axis of the bottle, two identical bottles can be effectively arranged next to each other without the neck portions interfering with each other.

[0046] In one embodiment, the wall comprises a first wall segment and a second wall segment extending transversely relative to the first wall segment such that outer surfaces of the wall segments enclose an angle of less than 180°.

[0047] In one embodiment, the bottle further comprises a bottom having a shape that can be matched with a top portion provided on the top of the bottle.Thus, bottles can be stacked one upon another without requiring large spaces and additional attachment elements.

[0048] In one embodiment, the neck portion is connected to the wall in such a way that the neck portion is movable (e.g., vertically) between a first position and a second position, wherein in the second position the dispensing opening is further away from the top edge than in the first position. Thus, the second position is a position for conveniently consuming the product contained in the bottle, while the first position is a position for retracting the neck portion and thereby reducing the space occupied by the bottle.

[0049] The overflow capacity of the bottle may be in the range of 50 ml to 300 ml, preferably 90 ml to 210 ml, more preferably 110 ml to 190 ml.

[0050] The empty weight of the bottle may be in the range of 6 g to 14 g, preferably 7 g to 13 g, more preferably 7.5 g to 12.5 g.

[0051] In one embodiment, the bottle may have an overflow capacity in the range of 100 ml to 250 ml, more preferably 150 ml to 200 ml, most preferably 175 ml to 185 ml, for example 180 ml, and an empty weight in the range of 10 g to 14 g, preferably 11 g to 13 g, more preferably 12 g.

[0052] In one embodiment, the overflow capacity of the bottle may be in the range of 50ml to 250ml, preferably 60ml to 200ml, more preferably 70ml to 150ml, most preferably 80ml to 120ml, in particular 110ml to 115ml (e.g., from 113ml to 114.5ml, or 113.8ml±5.0ml), and the empty weight is in the range of 5g to 10g, preferably 6g to 9g, more preferably 7g to 8g, such as 7.5g. In one embodiment, the empty weight of the bottle may be from 7.5g to 8.5g.

[0053] The overflow capacity is measured using H20 at a temperature of 20° C. The empty weight of the bottle is understood to be the weight of the bottle without any contents.

[0054] The bottle may have a design that is easily grasped by a human hand (such as that of an infant or young child). The bottle may have a substantially flat form. For example, the bottle may have a width and a depth, wherein the width may be at least a multiple of the depth (e.g., width ≥ x*depth, where x = 1.5, 2, 2.5, etc.). In particular, the width may be at least twice the depth.

[0055] According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a packaged viscous product (such as a food, beverage and / or pharmaceutical product) that is aseptically packaged, hot filled or retorted in a bottle. The aseptic packaging may include aseptic filling, such as by using vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP), peracetic acid (PAA), electron beam technology or a combination thereof.

[0056] In one embodiment, the weight of the bottle is between 3% and 8%, preferably between 4% and 6%, of the weight of the viscous food, beverage or medicament packaged outside the bottle.

[0057] According to a second aspect the invention provides a preform for use in making a blow moulded bottle as described above.

[0058] The present invention according to a third aspect provides a method of filling a squeezable bottle as described herein, preferably via hot filling or via aseptic filling. The method comprises the steps of: providing a squeezable bottle as defined herein; providing a liquid, semi-liquid or semi-solid composition; and filling the liquid, semi-liquid or semi-solid composition.

[0059] In one embodiment, filling comprises hot filling. In hot filling the liquid, the temperature of the semi-liquid or semi-solid composition that can be filled into the bottle can range from 80°C to 100°C, preferably 82°C to 91°C (180°F to 195°F).

[0060] The liquid, semi-liquid or semi-solid composition may be heated, for example, by flowing in a pipe and / or by a heater device, to reach the temperature and to reach the temperature for a defined period of time. Thus, it is ensured that the product is properly sterilized, such that harmful pathogens (bacteria, microorganisms, etc.) are removed. Following the heating and sterilization treatment, the liquid, semi-liquid or semi-solid composition (product) may be filled into the bottle, such that when the liquid, semi-liquid or semi-solid composition is filled into the bottle, the product still has a temperature during sterilization.

[0061] In one embodiment, filling comprises aseptic filling.

[0062] In one embodiment, the method may include the further steps of providing a closure (such as a closure described herein); and closing the bottle with the closure. The step of closing the bottle with the closure may be after the filling (including hot filling). After the closing step, the bottle may be moved (such as turned from vertical to horizontal, or turned upside down) so that the semi-liquid or semi-solid composition, which is hot due to hot filling, contacts the closure (such as, the surface of the closure is exposed to the interior of the bottle) in order to sterilize the closure. Thus, the closure may be placed (screwed, etc.) on the bottle in a non-sterile state. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063] Figure 1-Figure 6 Different views of a bottle according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention are shown.

[0064] Figure 7-Figure 11 Shows Figure 1-Figure 6 Detailed view of the neck portion of the bottle shown in .

[0065] Fig.12 A detailed view of the neck portion is shown, having a radially inwardly projecting lip.

[0066] Figure 13-14 A detailed view of an embodiment of a closure for a bottle according to the invention is shown.

[0067] Fig.15 Different side views of a bottle according to a preferred embodiment of the invention are shown.

[0068] Fig.16 Shows Fig.15 Top view of the bottle shown in .

[0069] Fig.17 Shows Fig.15 Bottom view of the bottle shown in .

[0070] Fig.18 Shows Fig.15 Neck detail.

[0071] Figure 19-Figure 29 Different views of a bottle according to a preferred embodiment of the invention are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0072] For a complete understanding of the present invention and its advantages, please refer to the following detailed description.

[0073] It should be understood that the various aspects and embodiments of the detailed description disclosed herein are examples of specific ways to make and use the invention, and these contents do not limit the scope of the invention when considered in conjunction with the claims and the detailed description herein. It should also be understood that the features of different aspects and embodiments of the invention can be combined with the features of other aspects and embodiments of the invention.

[0074] As used herein, reference Figure 1-Figure 6 The term "bottle" 10 shown means a bottle in the conventional sense, i.e., a container having a neck portion 20 that is narrower than the body 30 of the bottle 10. The bottle 10 also has a dispensing opening (or mouth) 40 formed by the neck portion 20. The neck portion 20 also includes a thread 21 and a nozzle section 41. The nozzle section 41 extends from the top of the dispensing opening 40 to the thread 21 and does not have any thread. The body 30 and / or one or more walls 50 define at least a portion of the body 30 and do not have threads, i.e., spiral grooves and spiral ridges. The body 30 and / or the wall 50 may be substantially linear; however, the body 30 and / or the wall 50 may be formed into a variety of shapes, depending on the intended use of the bottle 10.

[0075] The bottle may be adapted for direct consumption (e.g., "portable" to consume products such as nutritional products). Thus, the nozzle section 41 may be adapted to discharge or deliver the product within the bottle 10 directly into the mouth of the consumer. Additionally or alternatively, the bottle may be adapted for tube feeding, such as direct batch feeding. Thus, the nozzle section 41 may be connected to a supply tube. The supply tube is adapted to be guided through a body opening (such as a mouth or nose) into the stomach. The connection between the supply tube and the nozzle section 41 may be provided by any suitable connection module, such as by a threaded and / or bayonet fit.

[0076] The term "wall" 50 about bottle 10 means the wall 50 of bottle 10 and includes the side / surface of bottle 10, such as the side / surface of body 30 and / or the side / surface of bottom 60. "Neck portion" 20 extends from wall 50, such as upward (i.e. away from bottom 60). Preferably, wall 50 is a sidewall. Wall 50 can be connected to neck portion in many different ways. As shown, wall 50 can be connected to neck portion 20 via one or more steps 51, 52, such as a first step 51 on a first side and a second step 52 on a second side.

[0077] The term "aseptically processable material" means at least one material that can be processed under aseptic conditions without causing any degradation of the material and / or deterioration of any property of the material. The term "material suitable for hot filling" means at least one material that can be processed in a hot filling process without causing any degradation of the material and / or deterioration of any property of the material. The term "material suitable for retorting" means at least one material that can be processed in a retorting process without causing any degradation of the material and / or deterioration of any property of the material.

[0078] The term "crush grip" refers to the fact that the bottle (shape and material) is designed so that any external force applied to the bottle wall (with a direction normally applied by a human hand) will result in squeezing and collapsing of the bottle.

[0079] like Figure 1-Figure 6 As shown in FIG. 1 , in a first aspect, the present invention relates to a semi-rigid bottle 10. The bottle 10 is made of a material suitable for aseptic processing, hot filling and / or retorting (i.e., a material that can be aseptically processed). The bottle 10 is dimensionally stable. When a radially inward crushing grip force is applied, the bottle 10 can be squeezed and collapsed, and the bottle does not return to its original shape after collapse.

[0080] The wall 50 of the bottle 10 comprises at least one oxygen barrier and a light barrier, preferably provided by one or more layers, such as an oxygen barrier and a light barrier.

[0081] The bottle 10 includes all the advantageous features of the pouch, but overcomes the disadvantages of the pouch, particularly the poor recyclability. Thus, the bottle 10 is particularly advantageous with respect to recyclability. For example, the bottle 10 can be designed such that it is not only recycling-ready, but also fully recyclable.

[0082] According to the invention, the neck portion 20 has dimensions defined as follows:

[0083] The inner diameter of the dispensing opening 40 is in the range of 6 mm to 28 mm, preferably 7 mm to 15 mm, more preferably 8 mm to 10 mm. Preferably, the inner diameter of the dispensing opening 40 is 10 mm. In one embodiment, the inner diameter of the dispensing opening 40 is in the range of 9 mm to 11 mm, more preferably 9.5 mm to 10.5 mm. In one embodiment, the inner diameter of the dispensing opening 40 is in the range of 8 mm to 9 mm, preferably 8.1 mm to 8.8 mm, more preferably 8.3 mm to 8.6 mm. In one embodiment, the inner diameter may be in the range of 25 mm to 28 mm, preferably 26 mm to 27.5 mm. The inner diameter is measured between the inner sides of the nozzle section 41, wherein these inner sides define a channel including the dispensing opening 40 for dispensing / discharging the product from the channel by squeezing the bottle 10.

[0084] The nozzle section 41 extends along a vertical distance in the range of 6 mm to 10 mm, preferably 7 mm to 9 mm, more preferably 7.5 mm to 8.5 mm. The nozzle section 41 may extend along a vertical distance in the range of 7 mm to 8 mm, more preferably 7 mm to 7.5 mm. In particular, the neck portion 20 may have a total height starting from the wall 50 or the one or more steps 51, 52, wherein the nozzle section 41 extends along a vertical distance, which is at least 25%, preferably at least 35% and / or less than 50%, preferably less than 40% of the total height of the neck portion 20.

[0085] can be substantially perpendicular to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The direction of the axis Y shown applies a radially inward crushing gripping force to the bottle 10. The axis Y is preferably an axis extending from the center of the dispensing opening 40 to the center of the bottom 60 of the bottle 10.

[0086] However, the radially inward crushing gripping force need not be applied to the bottle 10 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis Y, but rather the radially inward crushing gripping force may be applied in all directions, including the direction of the axis Y, and any combination and angular variations thereof. The bottle 10 is made of a material that can be aseptically processed, is suitable for hot filling and / or is suitable for retorting. In particular, the material defines a wall 50 of the bottle 10.

[0087] The material defining, for example, the wall 50 of the bottle 10 may be a single material or a mixture thereof. The material defining the wall 50 of the bottle 10 may be in the form of a layer of material or a mixture thereof.

[0088] The plastic material that can be aseptically processed and / or is suitable for hot filling and / or retorting can be, for example, a single material, a mixture, a multilayer, or a combination thereof:

[0089] Thermoplastic polyolefins such as: linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), medium density polyethylene (MDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP).

[0090] Ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH).

[0091] Polyolefin based plastics.

[0092] Thermoplastic polyolefin (selected from above) and ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH).

[0093] Bio-based plastic materials such as: polylactic acid (PLA) and / or polyhydroxyalkane (PHA).

[0094] A recyclable plastic material, such as recyclables obtained from one or more of the aforementioned plastics or bio-based plastic materials.

[0095] The wall 50 of the bottle 10 preferably comprises at least one oxygen barrier layer and a light barrier layer, such as for example the mentioned EVOH layer.

[0096] Preferably, the wall 50 is a multilayer material (e.g., plastic) and is arranged as any of the thermoplastic polyolefins and ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) as described above. Most preferably, the wall 50 is a multilayer of plastic and is arranged as medium density polyethylene (MDPE) / ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) / medium density polyethylene (MDPE).

[0097] When the bottle 10 is squeezed and collapsed by applying a radially inward crushing grip force, the bottle 10 no longer recovers its shape. In this regard, when measured perpendicular to a tangent to the wall 50 of the bottle 10, preferably when a crushing grip force of 2.5N to 10N, preferably 4N to 8N is applied, the bottle 10 can collapse by at least 30% of its volume, preferably by at least 60% of its volume, and even more preferably by 90% or even 95% of its initial volume.

[0098] The bottle 10 according to the present invention is expected to be squeezed by human hands (including adults and children). Therefore, it is preferred that the bottle 10 has a shape and volume suitable for human hands. The shape and volume of the bottle 10 are designed according to the user.

[0099] Preferably, the bottle 10 has a volume between 5 mL and 250 mL. The bottle 10 may have a volume of 10 ml, 25 ml, 50 ml, 75 ml, 100 ml, 125 ml, 150 ml, 175 ml, 200 ml, 225 ml.

[0100] The dimensions of the body 30, such as the radius and height, determine the volume of the bottle 10. Thus, by making the body 30 of the bottle 10 have a relatively small radius and height, a relatively small bottle 10 can be grasped by a smaller hand. Conversely, by making the body 30 of the bottle 10 have a relatively high radius and height, a relatively large bottle 10 can be grasped by a larger hand.

[0101] When the bottle 10 has a relatively small volume (i.e., a volume of 5 mL to 50 mL), the bottle 10 can be used to provide "shots" of its contents. This is useful, for example, when the bottle 10 contains a nutraceutical or a medicine that needs to be administered in "shots". When the bottle 10 has a relatively large volume (i.e., a volume of 50 mL to 250 mL), the bottle 10 can be used to provide portable consumption of its contents. This is useful, for example, when the bottle 10 contains, for example, a beverage. Of course, it should be understood that the volume of the bottle is not limited to these situations.

[0102] It may be desirable to manipulate the properties of the material defining the wall 50 of the bottle 10. The material defining the wall 50 of the bottle 10 may be transparent. This can ensure that the contents of the bottle 10 are visible, so that the user knows how much of the contents of the bottle 10 are left. This has the additional advantage that, for example, when the bottle 10 is filled during aseptic filling, hot filling or retorting, the filling of the bottle 10 is easily visible in quality control.

[0103] The material defining the wall 50 of the bottle 10 preferably comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH). The EVOH provides an oxygen barrier to the bottle 10. The EVOH also maintains the flavor of any contents within the bottle 10.

[0104] The material defining the wall 50 of the bottle 10 preferably comprises at least one of a linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), a low density polyethylene (LDPE), a medium density polyethylene (MDPE), a high density polyethylene (HDPE). These polyethylenes provide a particularly good water / moisture barrier for the bottle 10 and thus prevent any water / moisture from entering or leaving the bottle 10. These polyethylenes thus maintain the integrity (e.g., freshness) of the contents of the bottle 10 and prevent any degradation of the bottle 10 that may be caused by water / moisture.

[0105] The material defining the wall 50 of the bottle 10 may be selected to absorb UV light and / or may be tinted. This ensures that the contents of the bottle 10 are protected from light, which could degrade the contents of the bottle 10.

[0106] The material of the wall 50 defining the bottle 10 may be selected to withstand high temperatures, such as 85° C. or more and / or 120° C. or less, preferably in the range of 85° C. to 90° C. and / or in the range of 110° C. to 120° C. Preferably, the wall 50 is selected in such a way that the bottle 10 is suitable for being hot-filled (85° C.-90° C.) or retorted (110° C.-120° C.).

[0107] The bottle 10 according to the invention is manufactured by blow molding, such as extrusion blow molding, stretch blow molding or blow fill and seal (BFS). The advantage of blow molding is that the material and the bottle 10 can be manufactured with a defined thickness, such as a uniform thickness in the area of ​​the wall 50. By configuring the blow molding device (in particular by adjusting the mold or parison and / or the mold gap), different thicknesses can also be easily provided in dedicated areas of the bottle 10, such as a first area with a first uniform wall thickness (the first area includes, for example, at least a part of the wall 50) and a second area with a second uniform wall thickness (the second area includes, for example, at least a part of the neck portion 20). During extrusion blow molding, the pin and sleeve tool of the extrusion blow molding equipment can be adjusted to adjust the thickness of the bottle 10. In particular, extrusion blow molding (EBM) allows the wall of the bottle 10 to be produced onto the wall, thereby providing the advantage of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

[0108] Blow molding has the following advantages: the bottle 10 can be easily manufactured into a desired shape. Blow molding has the following advantages: the dispensing opening 40, the neck portion 20 and the body 30 are integrated into the bottle 10 one by one. Therefore, blow molding does not require individual welding of the components of the bottle 10, which may form a weak point in the structure of the bottle 10. Since the dispensing opening 40, the neck portion 20 and the body 30 are integrated into the bottle 10 one by one, the entire bottle 10 can be squeezed to collapse the bottle 10, so that the contents of the bottle 10 can be easily emptied from the entire bottle 10 (including the neck 20, the mouth 40 and the body 30). The blow molded bottle 10 also has such an advantage that all parts of the bottle 10 (especially the wall 50 and the neck portion 20) can be easily formed of the same material.

[0109] The bottle 10 according to the present invention is suitable for filling or the like under aseptic conditions and for packaging and dispensing flowable substances.

[0110] When the bottle 10 according to the present invention is filled, for example under aseptic conditions, the bottle 10 is sealed. Preferably, the bottle 10 is sealed by not using a metal foil, such as an aluminum foil, on top of the dispensing opening 40. In particular, in order to seal the bottle 10, a metal foil or layer is not welded to the dispensing opening 40. Alternatively, the bottle 10 is sealed (e.g., by welding) at the dispensing opening 40, using a foil that does not include any metal, such as a foil that can be recycled with the bottle 10 in the same recycling stream and / or a biodegradable or compostable foil, and / or without any foil.

[0111] The bottle 10 may be provided with a closure member such as Fig.13 and Fig.14 20) is sealed with a closure member 70 shown in the figure. The closure member 70 is screwed on the neck portion 20 and thus engages the thread 21. The closure member 70 may include a sealing section 71, which is arranged to seal the dispensing opening 40. For example, the sealing section 71 is designed to contact the inner side 41a of the nozzle section 41 in a sealing manner. Preferably, the closure member 70 includes a sleeve 72, which may be at least partially in the form of a cylinder. When the closure member 70 is screwed on the neck portion 20, the wall of the nozzle section 41 is sandwiched between the sealing section 71 and the sleeve 72. Optionally, the sleeve 72 may be arranged to contact the outer side 41b of the wall of the nozzle section 41. Thus, the sealing effect provided by the closure member 70 can be further increased. The inner side of the sleeve 72 (i.e., the side facing the nozzle section 41) may include a thread for screwing the closure member 70 on the neck portion 20. The sealing section 71 may extend into the dispensing opening 40 and may have a raised form, such as in a direction through the dispensing opening 40 and / or out of the bottle 10. The closure 70 may include an outer sleeve 73 surrounding at least a portion of the (inner) sleeve 72.

[0112] like Fig.13 and Fig.14 As shown in , the inner diameter of the dispensing opening 40 is defined by the upper or distal end of the inner side 41a, which is the same as the inner diameter of the nozzle section 41 at a position away from the dispensing opening 40. As a result, the sealing section 71 can easily contact the inner side 41a at the dispensing opening 40 and at a position away from the dispensing opening 40. For example, the outer side of the sealing section 71 can be simply formed as a cylinder having a diameter equal to or greater than the inner diameter of the inner side 41a, so as to establish sealing contact with different positions of the inner side 41a. Preferably, the nozzle section 41 has a constant inner diameter at its dispensing opening and along its entire length (which is in contact with the sealing section 71). The neck portion 20 shown has a calibrated neck finish, which specifically means that the nozzle section 41 does not include any radially inwardly protruding lip (see Fig.12 ).

[0113] The closure 70 may include a nozzle and a cover for selectively closing or opening the nozzle. Thus, the nozzle has a dispensing opening that can be in fluid communication with the dispensing opening 40. In the closed state of the closure 70, the cover can seal the nozzle. The cover can be connected to the nozzle via a hinge, which preferably includes a tamper-evident element, such as a frangible connection that breaks when the cover is moved (for the first time) into the open state (particularly one or more frangible bridges connecting the cover to the ring). The closure (such as a cover) may include a hanging portion, so that the cover and thus the bottle 10 can be hung on, for example, a hook. The hanging portion may include one or more through holes.

[0114] In one embodiment, the bottle 10 may be sealed by a material such as aluminum welded to the opening of the dispensing opening 40, for example in conjunction with the closure 70. The sealing of the bottle 10 generally depends on the nature of the contents to be filled in the bottle 10. Preferably, the bottle is sealed with a metal foil such as aluminum.

[0115] The neck portion 20 preferably includes a locking wall portion 23. The locking wall portion 22 may be arranged to engage with the closure 70. For example, the locking wall portion 22 may be configured in a tamper-evident form. This means that when engaged with each other, the locking wall portion 22 and the closure 70 may be adapted to indicate tampering. The closure 70 may include a tamper-evident element (such as a ring) that is connected to another part of the closure 70, such as a sleeve 72 and / or a sleeve 73, via a frangible connection on the one hand. On the other hand, the tamper-evident element engages with the locking wall portion 22, so that unscrewing the closure 70 to open the bottle 10 breaks the frangible connection, leaving the tamper-evident element, broken from another part of the closure 70, engaged with the locking wall portion 22, thereby indicating that the tamper-evident element has been opened or unsealed for the first time or that the bottle 10 has been opened.

[0116] The locking wall portion 22 can be designed to secure the closure 70 to the neck portion 20, such as via a ring (not shown) formed integrally with the closure 70. Thus, once the closure 70 is unscrewed from the threads 21 to open the bottle 10, the closure 70 is still connected to the bottle 10, i.e., connected to the locking wall portion 22 by its attachment (e.g., via the ring). Thus, the closure 70 is a captive closure application. The ring can be integrally formed with the closure 70 (such as with one or more sleeves 72, 73). The ring can be integrally formed with the closure 70 via a hinge. Preferably, the ring is a tamper-evident element of the closure 70.

[0117] The locking wall portion 22 has an upper surface 23 and a lower surface 24. The thread 21 preferably extends on one side of the upper surface 23, namely between the nozzle section 41 and the upper surface 23 of the locking wall portion 22. The lower surface 24 preferably faces away from the top of the dispensing opening 40, such as towards the bottom 60. The locking wall portion 22 may include a plurality of teeth (see Fig.11 ), these teeth can engage corresponding or complementary structures (e.g. recesses) provided in the closure 70, such as tamper-evident elements. The teeth are preferably evenly distributed around a central axis passing through the locking wall portion 22 and / or the dispensing opening 40.

[0118] The arrangement and dimensions of the locking wall portion 22 are preferably as follows:

[0119] The locking wall portion 22 is arranged such that a vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening 40 to the upper surface 23 of the locking wall portion 22 is in the range of 8 mm to 15 mm, preferably 10 mm to 14 mm, more preferably 11 mm to 13 mm.

[0120] The outer diameter (ie, the diameter of the smallest circle surrounding the locking wall portion 22) is in the range of 15 mm to 21 mm, preferably 17 mm to 20 mm, and more preferably 18 mm to 19 mm.

[0121] The thickness (measured between the surfaces 23, 24) is in the range of 2 mm to 5 mm, preferably 2 mm to 4 mm, more preferably 2 mm to 3 mm.

[0122] The neck portion 20 may include a section ("connection section") 25 extending from the lower surface 24 of the locking wall portion 22 to the wall 50. Figure 7As shown in , the connecting section 25 may be connected to the one or more steps 51, 52, or may be integral with the one or more steps. In other words, the transition from the wall 50 to the connecting section 25 may be at least partially via the one or more steps 51, 52. Preferably, the width of the section 25 is greater than the outer diameter of the nozzle section 41 and / or is in the range of 10mm to 22mm, preferably 15mm to 20mm, more preferably 16mm to 18mm. The section 25 may have a polygonal (rectangular, etc.) cross-section. Such a cross-section may be advantageous for easy gripping of the bottle 10, for example, in a packaging process involving the bottle 10 and / or in a process of filling the product into the bottle 10.

[0123] like Figure 6 and Fig. 9 As shown, the segment 25 may include a groove 26 that preferably extends only on one side of the neck portion 20. For example, the groove 26 may extend parallel to only one of the sides of the polygonal cross-section of the segment 25, such as the long side or the short side of the cross-section. Preferably, the groove 26 does not extend circumferentially around the axis defined by the neck portion 20. The segment 25 may include a further groove (not shown) that extends parallel to one side of the cross-section to which the groove 26 extends transversely but not parallel. Preferably, the further groove extends parallel to the short side of the cross-section of the segment 25. The one or more grooves may provide several advantages. The one or more grooves may impart rigidity to the neck portion 20, such that the rigidity of the neck portion 20 is increased relative to the wall 50. The one or more grooves may help to grip the bottle 10. For example, the engagement between the one or more grooves and a gripping tool (used in a packaging process involving the bottle 10 and / or in a process of filling the product into the bottle 10, etc.) may affect the neck portion 20 relative to the gripping tool to move to a defined orientation.

[0124] Preferably, the bottle 10 has different regions with different wall thicknesses, respectively. For example, the first region has a first wall thickness and includes at least a portion of the wall 50 (thus it includes the first wall thickness), while the second region has a second wall thickness and includes at least a portion of the neck portion 20 (thus it includes the second wall thickness), wherein the second wall thickness is greater than the first wall thickness. Thus, a bottle 10 can be provided which, on the one hand, provides sufficient rigidity to conveniently consume the product via the dispensing opening 40 provided by the less flexible neck portion, and on the other hand can be conveniently squeezed, i.e., via the more flexible first region having at least part of the wall 50, in order to drive the product contained in the bottle 10 to and from the dispensing opening 40.

[0125] Such different wall thickness regions can be easily provided by blow molding, such as by configuring the blow molding device accordingly and / or designing the mold gap and / or the mold. Additionally or alternatively, a preform comprising one or more wall thicknesses can be provided, such that the wall thickness is achieved by processing the preform in the blow molding process. Thus, by designing the preform accordingly, i.e. without configuring the blow molding device, different wall thicknesses can be provided.

[0126] The wall thickness of the first region or the wall 50 may be 10 to 150 μm, preferably 30 to 120 μm, more preferably 50 to 100 μm. The wall thickness of the second region or one or more parts of the neck portion 20 may be 10 to 150 μm, preferably 30 to 120 μm, more preferably 50 to 100 μm.

[0127] Bottle 10 is suitable for a variety of products. Preferably, bottle 10 can contain a flowable substance. The flowable substance can include food and / or medicine, and can be in the form of a powder, liquid, gel or paste material that does not flow under their own weight. When the flowable substance is in the form of a powder, the powder is generally intended to be reconstituted with a liquid before taking it. In this case, the consumer directly adds the liquid (e.g., water) to the bottle 10 to form a liquid, gel or paste material that can be consumed. Flowable substances are generally perishable substances, and thus require aseptic packaging, hot filling, and / or retorting to maintain their usability. The product can have any pH value, such as acid pH (pH>7) or low acid pH (7 <ph>6).

[0128] Flowable substances include, for example, foods, beverages, and medicines. Preferred types of flowable substances include dairy products, yogurts, fruit and / or vegetable products, and cereal-based products. Such products are most preferably intended for children or the elderly. When the flowable substance is a food, it may be intended to be taken as a snack or as a complete nutritional product.

[0129] The bottle 10 of the present invention is surprisingly light weight and when used with viscous food, beverage or medicine, the weight of the bottle is between 3% and 8%, preferably between 4% and 6%, of the weight of the viscous food, beverage or medicine bottled in addition to the bottle 10.

[0130] The bottle 10 according to the present invention is made of materials such as plastic (as mentioned) that are aseptically processable and / or suitable for hot filling and / or retorting. For example, the bottle 10 can be used in an all sterile environment and aseptically filled. Thus, the flowable substance can be filled into the bottle at ambient temperature and then refrigerated. This process is much less energy intensive than the high pressure sterilization process.

[0131] The material of the bottle 10 according to the present invention, such as plastic, ensures that the bottle 10 can be easily recycled by conventional techniques.

[0132] The shape of the bottle 10 of the present invention is conventional, so the bottle 10 of the present invention is easy to hold, fill, package and store.

[0133] Since the entire bottle 10 is made of a material with relatively thin walls and a specific deformation limit, the user can easily squeeze the bottle 10 by applying relatively low pressure (i.e., hand) to collapse the bottle 10, so that the contents of the bottle 10 are easily emptied from the entire bottle 10 (including the neck 20, the dispensing opening 40 and the body 30). This is important, for example, when the bottle 10 is used by children and the elderly. In addition, since the entire bottle 10 can be squeezed in all directions, this ensures that the contents of the bottle 10 are effectively emptied. Since the entire bottle 10 can be squeezed in all directions, this is beneficial to environmental waste disposal because the bottle 10 takes up less space when empty.

[0134] Since the entire bottle 10 is made of a material with relatively thin walls and a certain deformation limit, the bottle 10 provides a relatively rigid structure that can maintain the shape of a conventional bottle. This makes it easy to fill the bottle 10 according to the present invention through the dispensing opening 40 because the bottle 10 is not easy to tip over. The rigid structure of the bottle 10 allows the bottle 10 to be transported when full, thereby avoiding the possibility of the bottle breaking. Since the bottle 10 is in the form of a rigid structure, there is no need to add gas to the interior of the bottle 10 to maintain its shape.

[0135] The bottle 10 according to the present invention does not have any sharp edges, which are visible in bag-type packaging, since it is in the shape of a conventional bottle and is made by blow moulding, such as extrusion blow moulding.

[0136] The bottle 10 according to the present invention can be squeezed, and there is no noise when the bottle 10 is squeezed.

[0137] Since the entire bottle 10 is made of a material with relatively thin walls and a specific deformation limit, the bottle 10 has a slightly elastic property. The slightly elastic property of the bottle 10 contributes to the effective squeezing and collapsing of the bottle 10.

[0138] The bottle 10 may have an inclined or curved shape. The wall 50 of the bottle 10 may include a first wall section and a second wall section extending transversely (or obliquely) relative to the first wall section, so that the second wall section protrudes from the first wall section. Thus, the outer surface of the wall section encompasses an angle of less than 180°. When the bottle 10 supports its bottom 60 on a support, the second wall section may extend obliquely or perpendicularly to the support (such as a horizontal surface or plane, for example consisting of a table or the same material). Preferably, the oblique extension of the second wall section is such that the dispensing opening 40 and / or the neck portion 20 and thus the closure 70 (if present) are also inclined.

[0139] The bottle 10 may comprise a further wall arranged opposite to the (first) wall 50. The further wall may have a first wall section and a second wall section which preferably extends transversely (or obliquely) relative to the first wall section. Thus, the outer surface of the wall section preferably encompasses an angle greater than 180° and / or forms a shape which is formed complementarily to the shape formed by the wall sections of the (first) wall. In particular, the first wall section may extend at least partially parallel to the first wall section of the (first) wall, and the second wall section may extend at least partially parallel to the second wall section of the (first) wall. The (further) wall is not limited to a shape having wall sections extending transversely relative to each other. For example, the wall may also extend only in an upright (straight or vertical) direction.

[0140] The dispensing opening 40 may be arranged in an eccentric position relative to a central axis defined by the body 30. For example, the body 30 may include a first side wall and a second side wall, wherein the dispensing opening 40 is arranged closer to the first side wall than to the second side wall. The central axis defined by the body 30 is preferably equidistant from the side walls and / or is preferably an axis of symmetry of the body 30.

[0141] The bottle can be designed so that it can be arranged relative to bottles 10 of the same shape without requiring a large space. In particular, two identical bottles 10 can have such a design that they can be matched with each other so that the first side wall of one bottle 10 is flush with the second side wall of the other bottle 10 (and / or the second side wall of one bottle 10 is flush with the first side wall of the other bottle 10), so that the (first) walls of the bottles 10 are in contact with each other, and so that the closures 70 do not contact each other and / or do not interfere with each other. In this mating state, the packager can be wrapped around the body 30 of the bottle 10, for example, so as to provide the bottle 10 as a unit.

[0142] The bottle 10 may include a bottom having a shape that can be matched with a top portion provided on the top of the bottle 10. Thus, bottles of the same shape can be easily stacked on each other. Preferably, the bottom and top portions can be connected to each other to form a form and / or friction fit. The top portion can be a recess in which the bottom 60 can be arranged. The bottom may include a recess, for example by convex toward the interior of the bottle 10 when the bottom is connected to the top portion or by being recessed, wherein the recess can accommodate or accommodate the closure 70.

[0143] The neck portion 20 can be connected (e.g., via the top portion) to the body 30 or the wall 50 in such a way that the neck portion 20 can be displaced (or moved) between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the second position, the dispensing opening 40 is further away from the top edge than in the first position. The first position can be a retracted position, wherein the closure 70 is preferably at least partially arranged in a recess provided by the top portion. The second position is preferably an extended position particularly suitable for consuming the product contained in the bottle. In the second position, the closure 70 is preferably completely arranged outside the recess provided by the top portion. When the bottom 60 (of the first bottle) is connected to the top (of the second bottle), the neck portion 20 (of the second bottle) is preferably in the first position. The movability of the neck portion 20 between the first position and the second position can be provided by integrally connecting the neck portion 20 to the wall 50 via a connecting portion (e.g., constituted by the top portion), wherein the connecting portion is more flexible than the wall 50 and / or the neck portion 20. Therefore, by bending the connecting portion, the neck portion 20 can be moved relative to the wall 50 and thus between two positions. The neck portion 20 is movable in such a way that during its movement between the first position and the second position, the neck portion moves along a linear and / or vertical axis.

[0144] Having described the present invention and its advantages above, it should be understood that the various aspects and embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention.

[0145] The various aspects and embodiments of the present invention do not limit the scope of the invention when considered in conjunction with the appended claims and the foregoing detailed description.

[0146] What is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the claims.< / ph>

Claims

1. A semi-rigid bottle (10) for packaging viscous food, wherein the bottle (10): Made of materials suitable for aseptic processing, retorting and / or hot filling, Stable appearance, capable of being squeezed and collapsed by a radially inward squeezing gripping force, the bottle (10) not returning to its original shape after collapse, For blow molding, The bottle (10) comprises: a wall (50) having at least one oxygen and light barrier, and a neck portion (20) extending from the wall (50) and comprising: a dispensing opening (40) at the top of the neck portion (20), a thread (21), and a nozzle section (41) extending from the top of the dispensing opening (40) to the thread (21) and being free of any thread, wherein the inner diameter of the dispensing opening (40) is in the range of 6 mm to 28 mm, preferably 7 mm to 15 mm, more preferably 8 mm to 10 mm, and The nozzle section (41) extends along a vertical distance in the range of 6 mm to 10 mm, preferably 7 mm to 9 mm, more preferably 7.5 mm to 8.5 mm.

2. The bottle (10) according to claim 1, wherein the neck portion (20) comprises a locking wall portion (22) having an upper surface (23), wherein the thread (21) extends between the spout section (41) and the upper surface (23) of the locking wall portion (22).

3. The bottle (10) according to claim 2, wherein the vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening (40) to the upper surface (23) of the locking wall portion (22) is in the range of 8 mm to 15 mm, preferably 10 mm to 14 mm, more preferably 11 mm to 13 mm.

4. Bottle (10) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the locking wall portion (22) comprises a plurality of teeth.

5. Bottle (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the locking wall portion (22) is designed to secure the closure (70), such as a ring formed integrally with the closure (70), to the neck portion (20) once the closure (70) is unscrewed from the thread (21) to open the bottle (10).

6. Bottle (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the locking wall portion (22) is configured in a tamper-evident manner.

7. The bottle (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the outer diameter of the locking wall portion (22) is in the range of 15 mm to 21 mm, preferably 17 mm to 20 mm, more preferably 18 mm to 19 mm.

8. The bottle (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the locking wall portion (22) has a thickness in the range of 2 to 5 mm, preferably 2 to 4 mm, more preferably 2 to 3 mm.

9. A bottle (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the neck portion (20) includes a section (25) extending from the lower surface (24) of the locking wall portion (22) to the wall (50), wherein the width of the section (25) is greater than the outer diameter of the nozzle section (41) and / or is in the range of 10 mm to 22 mm, preferably 15 mm to 20 mm, and more preferably 16 mm to 18 mm.

10. Bottle (10) according to claim 9, wherein the section (25) comprises a groove (26) which preferably does not extend circumferentially around an axis defined by the neck portion (20) and / or preferably extends only on one side of the neck portion (20).

11. Bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner diameter of the dispensing opening (40) is the same as the inner diameter of the spout section (41) at a location away from the dispensing opening (40).

12. The bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the neck portion (20) has a calibrated neck finish, and / or wherein the spout section (41) does not include any radially inwardly protruding lip defining the dispensing opening (40).

13. Bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a closure (70) screwed onto the neck portion (20).

14. The bottle (10) of claim 13, wherein the dispensing opening (40) is not sealed by a metal foil on top of the dispensing opening (40) when the closure (70) is screwed onto the neck portion (20) and before the closure (70) is unscrewed to open the bottle (10) for the first time.

15. Bottle (10) according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the closure (70) comprises a sealing section (71) arranged to seal the dispensing opening (40).

16. The bottle (10) according to claim 15, wherein the sealing section (71) is designed to contact the inner side (41a) of the nozzle section (41), wherein the sealing section (71) preferably contacts the inner side (41a) at least at two different positions having the same inner diameter.

17. A bottle (10) according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the closure (70) includes a sleeve (72), which is arranged so that when the closure (70) is screwed onto the neck portion (20), the wall of the nozzle section (41) is sandwiched between the sealing section (71) and the sleeve (72).

18. Bottle (10) according to any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the closure (70) comprises a ring fastened to the locking wall portion (22) so as to secure the closure (70) to the neck portion (20) once the closure (70) is unscrewed from the thread (21) to open the bottle (10).

19. The bottle (10) according to any one of claims 13 to 18, wherein the closure (70) comprises a nozzle (74) and a cover (75) for selectively closing or opening the nozzle (74), wherein the cover (75) preferably comprises a hanging portion, and the hanging portion preferably comprises one or more through holes (77).

20. The bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bottle has different regions having respectively different wall thicknesses.

21. A bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a first area having a first wall thickness and a second area having a second wall thickness greater than the first wall thickness, wherein the first area comprises at least a portion of the wall (50), and wherein the second area comprises at least a portion of the neck portion (20).

22. Bottle (10) according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the wall thickness is in the range of 10 to 150 μm, preferably 30 to 120 μm, more preferably 50 to 100 μm.

23. The bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material of the bottle (10) is recyclable.

24. Bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material of the bottle (10) comprises a plastic material, such as: Polyethylene, preferably low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (LDPE), medium density polyethylene (MDPE) and / or high density polyethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene (PP), and / or Polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

25. The bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material of the bottle (10) comprises a bio-based plastic material, such as: Polylactic acid (PLA), and / or Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA).

26. The bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material of the bottle (10) comprises recycled plastic material.

27. Bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material of the bottle (10) comprises a barrier material, such as EVOH, for providing the oxygen and / or light barrier.

28. The bottle (10) of claim 27, wherein the amount of barrier material is 5 wt. % or less of the total bottle weight.

29. The bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material of the bottle (10) has a multilayer structure, wherein the multilayers of the multilayer structure are preferably PE / EVOH / PE multilayers, more preferably HDPE / EVOH / HDPE multilayers.

30. The bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bottle (10) is free of metal or metal layers.

31. Bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material of the bottle (10) comprises only one type of material.

32. Bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, obtainable by extrusion blow moulding and / or by stretch blow moulding and / or by blow-fill-seal (BFS).

33. Bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the volume of the bottle is from 5 ml to 250 ml.

34. The bottle (10) according to any of the preceding claims is capable of collapsing at least 30% of its volume, preferably at least 60% of its volume, and even more preferably 90% of its volume when a crushing grip force of 2.5N to 10N, preferably 4N to 8N, is applied.

35. Bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bottle (10) has a shape and volume adapted to a human hand.

36. Bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, having a free-standing shape.

37. A packaged viscous product aseptically packaged, hot filled or retorted in a bottle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims.

38. A preform for making a blow moulded bottle according to any one of the preceding claims.

39. A method of filling a squeezable bottle according to any one of the preceding claims, preferably via hot filling or via aseptic filling, the method comprising the steps of: Providing a squeezable bottle according to any one of the preceding claims; Providing a liquid, semi-liquid or semi-solid composition; as well as Filling the liquid, semi-liquid or semi-solid composition.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein filling comprises hot filling.

41. The method of claim 39 or 40, wherein filling comprises aseptic filling.

Images