Resin-made container

Abstract

The container has a mouth portion (2), a shoulder portion (3), a body portion (4), and a bottom portion (5). The body portion (4) is substantially a square cylindrical shape. The shoulder portion (3) has a shape that continuously connects the mouth portion (2) and the body portion (4). A specific portion (42) is provided on at least a portion of the body portion (4). The specific portion (42) has a shape that forms a parallelogram with an internal angle that is not a right angle when two sets of opposite sides on a cross section of the body portion (4) are extended. The shoulder portion (3) has a rounded ridge (31) between two vertex portions. The two vertex portions are two vertex portions that are directly above the vertexes of the acute angle of the parallelogram in the specific portion in a plan view.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to containers made of resin. Background Technology

[0002] Resin containers are commonly used as containers for filling liquid products such as beverages and supplying them to distribution or sales. Resin containers are widely used because they are lightweight, easy to manufacture into any shape according to capacity or design requirements, and their transparency allows for easy identification of the contents compared to other containers.

[0003] When storing and transporting used resin containers for reuse or disposal, their volume can become an issue. For example, empty cans or paper containers are easily flattened after use. However, due to the elasticity of resin, resin containers can be difficult to flatten.

[0004] Regarding this issue, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-201448 (Patent Document 1) discloses a synthetic resin container with a transverse groove of a unique shape that causes the sidewalls to bulge locally. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-56291 (Patent Document 2) discloses a container provided with longitudinal and transverse ridges serving as the starting point for a folding operation.

[0005] Patent documents Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-201448 Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-56291 Summary of the Invention

[0006] However, the technology in Patent Document 1 only addresses the issue of easily flattened containers, without considering folding the flattened container. Furthermore, while Patent Document 2 considers folding the shoulder and bottom of the container, it does not consider folding the main body, which occupies the largest volume. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the existing technology regarding reducing the large volume of the container after use.

[0007] Therefore, the goal is to create a resin container that can be easily flattened and folded.

[0008] The first resin container of the present invention is characterized by having a mouth, a shoulder, a main body, and a bottom. The main body is generally square-cylindrical in shape. The shoulder has a shape that continuously connects the mouth to the main body. A specific portion is provided on at least a portion of the main body. The specific portion has a shape that forms a parallelogram with interior angles that are not right angles when two sets of opposite sides on the cross-section of the main body are extended. The shoulder has an arched ridge between two vertex portions. The two vertex portions are, in a top view, the two vertex portions located directly above the apex of the acute angle of the parallelogram in the specific portion.

[0009] According to this configuration, since the cross-section of a specific portion is approximately parallelogram-shaped, compared to existing containers with a rectangular cross-section, the specific portion can be flattened more easily and flattened by applying force to close the vertices of the acute angles of the parallelogram. Furthermore, since the specific portion becomes flat, it is easy to fold the container vertically from this specific portion. Additionally, since the arched ridge becomes a positive fold when the shoulder is deformed in a way that enters the inside of the container, thus becoming the starting point for deformation, the operation is easy. Therefore, by bending the resin container in half at the main body and operating in a way that allows the bottom to protrude into the shoulder, the shoulder can be easily flattened. Thus, according to the present invention, a resin container that is easy to flatten and fold can be realized.

[0010] As one embodiment, the first resin container of the present invention preferably has at least one of the convex ridges in each of the two regions of the shoulder that are divided by a diagonal line, the diagonal line connecting the two opposite vertex portions in the top view.

[0011] According to this configuration, the operating direction is not restricted when using the main body to bend it into two halves.

[0012] As one embodiment, the first resin container according to the present invention preferably also has a concave ridge along the boundary line between the shoulder and the body.

[0013] According to this configuration, since the concave ridge can function as a shoulder crease, it facilitates the operation of flattening the shoulder.

[0014] As one embodiment, the first resin container of the present invention preferably has an eave-like protrusion formed in the region between the opening and the ridge when the shoulder is bent along the ridge and the main body is bent, so that the bottom can engage with the protrusion.

[0015] According to this configuration, the bottom can be engaged with the shoulder, thus facilitating the securing of the folded state of the resin container.

[0016] As one embodiment, the first resin container according to the present invention preferably has a pair of markings provided on the vertex portion of the shoulder end without the ridge and on the vertex portion of the bottom directly below the vertex portion.

[0017] Based on this configuration, it is possible to demonstrate the steps of the folding operation to consumers, etc.

[0018] As one embodiment, the first resin container of the present invention preferably has its main body portion divided sequentially into an upper portion, a specific portion, and a lower portion from the side continuously disposed with respect to the shoulder portion toward the side continuously disposed with respect to the bottom portion.

[0019] According to this form, since a certain part is located at the top and bottom center of the main body, it is easier to fold the container in half.

[0020] As one embodiment, the first resin container of the present invention preferably has a lower portion between the specific portion and the bottom, and an edge extending along a boundary line that is continuously provided along the boundary line corresponding to the vertex of the acute angle of the parallelogram in the specific portion at the intersection of the two surfaces in the lower portion.

[0021] According to this configuration, since the ridges function as creases when the lower part is flattened, the lower part is easy to flatten.

[0022] As one embodiment, the first resin container of the present invention preferably has an edge extending along the boundary line corresponding to the vertex of the acute angle of the parallelogram at the junction of the two faces in the specific portion.

[0023] According to this configuration, since the ridges function as creases when flattening a specific part, it is easy to flatten that specific part.

[0024] As one embodiment, the first resin container involved in the present invention preferably has a cross-section of the main body that can distinguish between the long side and the short side.

[0025] Based on this configuration, a container that is easy to hold can be provided compared to containers of the same capacity achieved in other shapes.

[0026] The second resin container involved in the present invention is a resin container having a mouth, a shoulder, a main body and a bottom, characterized in that the main body is generally prismatic, and a specific portion is provided on at least a portion of the main body, the specific portion having a shape that can form a parallelogram with interior angles not being right angles when two sets of opposite sides in the cross-section of the main body are extended.

[0027] According to this configuration, since the cross-section of the specific portion is approximately parallelogram-shaped, compared to existing containers with a rectangular cross-section, the specific portion can be flattened more easily and evenly by applying force to close the vertices of the acute angles of the parallelogram. Furthermore, since the specific portion becomes flat, it is easy to fold the container vertically from this specific portion. Thus, according to the present invention, a resin container that is easy to flatten and fold can be realized.

[0028] As one embodiment, the second resin container of the present invention preferably has its main body portion divided sequentially into an upper portion, the specific portion, and a lower portion from the side continuously disposed with respect to the shoulder portion toward the side continuously disposed with respect to the bottom portion.

[0029] According to this form, since a certain part is located at the top and bottom center of the main body, it is easier to fold the container in half.

[0030] As one embodiment, the second resin container according to the present invention preferably has a particular portion that is recessed further inward than the upper portion and the lower portion.

[0031] Based on this configuration, specific parts can function as appropriate gripping positions when the user holds the container.

[0032] As one embodiment, the second resin container according to the present invention preferably has a recess that is further recessed inward from the specific portion.

[0033] According to this design, when a user holds the container, hooking their fingers into the recess makes it easier to hold the container more stably.

[0034] As one embodiment, the second resin container involved in the present invention preferably has transverse ridges extending in the circumferential direction on the specific portion.

[0035] Based on this structure, for a specific part, it is easy to balance the strength of the container during use and the folding capability of the container after use.

[0036] As one embodiment, the second resin container of the present invention preferably has a plurality of transverse ridges arranged in parallel on a pair of opposite faces of the particular portion.

[0037] Based on this configuration, it is easy to further improve the strength of the surface with multiple transverse ridges arranged in parallel.

[0038] As one embodiment, the second resin container of the present invention preferably has a lower portion between the specific portion and the bottom, and an edge extending along a boundary line that is continuously provided along the boundary line corresponding to the vertex of the acute angle of the parallelogram in the specific portion at the boundary line of the two surfaces in the lower portion.

[0039] According to this configuration, since the ridges function as creases when the lower part is flattened, the lower part is easy to flatten.

[0040] As one embodiment, the second resin container of the present invention preferably has an upper portion between the specific portion and the shoulder portion in the main body portion, and is provided with an ridge extending along the boundary line between the shoulder portion and the upper portion.

[0041] According to this configuration, since the ridges function as creases when the upper part is flattened, the upper part is easy to flatten.

[0042] As one embodiment, the second resin container of the present invention preferably has an edge extending along the boundary line corresponding to the vertex of the acute angle of the parallelogram at the boundary line of the two faces in the specific portion.

[0043] According to this configuration, since the ridges function as creases when flattening a specific part, it is easy to flatten that specific part.

[0044] As one embodiment, the second resin container according to the present invention preferably has a cross-section of the main body that can distinguish between the long side and the short side.

[0045] Based on this configuration, a container that is easier to hold can be provided compared to containers of the same capacity achieved in other shapes.

[0046] The third resin container of the present invention is characterized by having a mouth, a shoulder, a main body and a bottom, wherein the main body is generally square cylindrical, the shoulder has a shape that continuously connects the mouth and the main body, and the shoulder has an arched ridge between two opposite vertices in a top view.

[0047] In this configuration, when the shoulder is deformed by entering the inside of the container, the arched ridge becomes a positive fold, thus serving as the starting point for deformation, making the operation easy. Therefore, by bending the resin container in half on the main body and causing the bottom to protrude into the shoulder, the shoulder can be easily flattened, making it easy to fold the resin container.

[0048] As one embodiment, the third resin container of the present invention preferably has at least one of the convex ridges in each of the two regions of the shoulder that are divided by a diagonal line, the diagonal line connecting the two opposite vertex portions in the top view.

[0049] According to this configuration, the operating direction is not restricted when bending the main body into two halves.

[0050] As one embodiment, the third resin container according to the present invention preferably has the convex ridge extending continuously between the two vertex portions.

[0051] According to this configuration, by forming the convex ridges into continuous ridges, the shoulder can easily function as the starting point for deformation.

[0052] As one embodiment, the third resin container according to the present invention preferably also has a concave ridge along the boundary line between the shoulder and the body.

[0053] According to this configuration, since the concave ridge functions as a shoulder crease, it is easy to flatten the shoulder.

[0054] As one embodiment, the third resin container according to the present invention preferably has an eave-like protrusion formed in the region between the opening and the ridge when the shoulder is bent along the ridge and the main body is bent, so that the bottom can engage with the protrusion.

[0055] According to this configuration, the bottom can be engaged with the shoulder, making it easy to fix the folded state of the resin container.

[0056] As one embodiment, the third resin container according to the present invention preferably has a pair of markings provided on the vertex portion of the shoulder end without the ridge and on the vertex portion of the bottom directly below the vertex portion.

[0057] Based on this configuration, it is possible to demonstrate the steps of the folding operation to consumers, etc.

[0058] The fourth resin container of the present invention is characterized by having a mouth, a shoulder, a main body and a bottom, wherein the main body has protruding ridges extending in the vertical direction at two positions symmetrical with respect to a plane containing a central axis, and the central axis connects the center of the mouth and the center of the bottom.

[0059] According to this configuration, since the ridges function as creases when folding the resin container, the main body is easier to fold compared to existing resin containers.

[0060] As one embodiment, the fourth resin container according to the present invention preferably has the convex ridges substantially parallel to the central axis.

[0061] According to this configuration, since resin containers folded with ridges as creases are easy to flatten, it is more advantageous in terms of reducing the volume of the container after use.

[0062] As one embodiment, the fourth resin container according to the present invention preferably has a concave ridge extending circumferentially through the main body portion, the convex ridge traversing the concave ridge.

[0063] According to this configuration, in a resin container, it is possible to simultaneously improve strength by setting concave ridges extending in the circumferential direction, and to facilitate folding by using convex ridges as creases.

[0064] As one embodiment, the fourth resin container according to the present invention preferably has a generally cylindrical main body, and the protruding ridge is provided along the ridge of the main body.

[0065] When folding a diagonal cylindrical object, the operation is performed by folding along the edges, which is easy for the user to understand. Based on the above configuration, since raised ridges that function as creases are provided at positions that facilitate this easy-to-understand operation, the folding operation is easy for the user to comprehend.

[0066] Further features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following illustrative and non-limiting description of embodiments, which are illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0067] Figure 1 This is a front view of the bottle according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 This is a side view of the bottle according to the first embodiment. Figure 3 This is a top view of the bottle according to the first embodiment. Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of a specific portion of the main body of the bottle according to the first embodiment. Figure 1 (Cross-sectional view of line IV-IV). Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating the steps of the bottle folding method according to the first embodiment. Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating the steps of the bottle folding method according to the first embodiment. Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating the steps of the bottle folding method according to the first embodiment. Figure 8 This is a front view of the bottle according to the second embodiment. Figure 9 This is a top view of the bottle according to the second embodiment. Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the bottle during the folding process according to the second embodiment. Figure 11 It is Figure 10 A diagram comparing part XI with the case without protruding ridges. Figure 12 This is a front view of the bottle of Comparative Example 1, which is compared with the embodiment involved in the second embodiment. Figure 13 This is a front view of the bottle of Comparative Example 2, which is compared with the embodiment involved in the second embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0068] 1. First Implementation Method A first embodiment of the resin container according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter, an example of applying the resin container according to the present invention to a plastic bottle 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as bottle 1) will be described.

[0069] (The overall composition of the bottle) The bottle 1 involved in this embodiment is made of polyethylene terephthalate and is a colorless and transparent container. Bottle 1 is obtained by biaxial stretch blow molding from a pre-shaped polyethylene terephthalate blank. Furthermore, the material constituting the bottle is not limited to polyethylene terephthalate; for example, it can also be polyethylene or polypropylene. In addition, the material can be sourced from petroleum, plant-based raw materials, recycled materials, etc.

[0070] In this embodiment, the capacity of bottle 1 is 2L. However, the capacity of bottle 1 is not particularly limited, and can also be approximately 200mL to 2L, such as 280mL, 350mL, or 500mL, which are commonly used in general circulation.

[0071] Bottle 1 is used to fill liquid products such as soft drinks (carbonated drinks, fruit drinks, coffee drinks, tea drinks, mineral water, soy milk, vegetable drinks, sports drinks, cocoa drinks, etc.), alcoholic drinks, milk drinks, soups and other liquid foods, sauces or soy sauces and other liquid condiments.

[0072] The bottle 1 involved in this embodiment has a mouth 2, a shoulder 3, a main body 4, and a bottom 5. Figure 1 and Figure 2 Additionally, in the following explanation, when referring to the vertical direction of bottle 1, it refers to the orientation of bottle 1 with its bottom 5 grounded. Figure 1 and Figure 2The vertical direction (as shown in the diagram) refers to the orientation of bottle 1. Specifically, the upper side of bottle 1 is the mouth side 2, and the lower side of bottle 1 is the bottom side 5. Furthermore, when referring to the horizontal direction of bottle 1, it refers to the direction orthogonal to the aforementioned vertical direction (i.e., perpendicular to the vertical direction). Figure 1 (In the left-right direction or the direction perpendicular to the paper). In addition, the opposite sides of bottle 1 have the same shape.

[0073] In the top view, bottle 1 is roughly quadrilateral. Figure 3 Furthermore, "approximately quadrilateral" refers not only to the shape of a quadrilateral as defined mathematically, but also to any shape that can be substantially considered a quadrilateral, such as one with rounded edges, and is used as an industrial product. More specifically, this quadrilateral is a rectangle, and for the side of bottle 1, it has a face that can divide the cross-section along the longer side (the face). Figure 1 ) and the face on the short side ( Figure 2 ).

[0074] The opening 2 is for accessing the liquid product filled inside, and has external threads on its exterior for screwing on a cap (not shown). The shoulder 3 is the portion of the bottle 1 that gradually enlarges from the opening 2 towards the main body 4. The line between the shoulder 3 and the main body 4 is defined as the height direction of the bottle 1 after it has enlarged to its maximum extent from the opening 2 downwards. The bottom 5 is the portion of the bottle 1 that becomes the contact surface when placed on a table or similar surface, and the bottle 1 also gradually enlarges from the bottom 5 towards the main body 4. The line between the bottom 5 and the main body 4 is defined as the height direction of the bottle 1 after it has enlarged to its maximum extent from the contact surface upwards. Since the structure and function of the opening 2 and the bottom 5 are largely the same as those of the opening and bottom of a known plastic bottle, detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0075] (Shoulder structure) The shoulder portion 3 has a shape that continuously connects the opening portion 2 and the main body portion 4. Since the opening portion 2 is shaped with external threads on the outside of a generally cylindrical body, and the main body portion 4 is a generally square prism shape, the shoulder portion 3 has a generally circular cross-section at its upper end and a generally quadrilateral cross-section at its lower end. (In the top view...) Figure 3 In the figure, the shape of shoulder 3 is represented by a roughly quadrilateral shape at the lower end.

[0076] On the shoulder 3, two arched protrusions 31 are provided. Each protrusion 31 extends continuously between two opposite vertex portions A, A in the top view. In addition, in each of the two regions of the shoulder 3, which is divided into two parts by the diagonal L1 connecting the two vertex portions A, A, one protrusion 31 is provided. Furthermore, "protrusion ridge" refers to a ridge that protrudes from the surface of the bottle 1.

[0077] In the side view ( Figure 2In the diagram, the convex ridge 31 extends obliquely upward at an angle of approximately 45° from the end located at vertex portion A. Near the diagonal L2 connecting vertex portions B and B, which are different from vertex portions A and B, the position of the convex ridge 31 in the height direction becomes the maximum.

[0078] By providing a protruding ridge 31 on the shoulder 3, the shoulder 3 can be easily folded along the ridge 31. More specifically, the shoulder 3 can be bent in a forward fold using the portion of the ridge 31. At this time, the area between the main body 4 and the ridge 31, i.e., the lower part 32 of the shoulder, can be inserted into the area between the opening 2 and the ridge 31, i.e., below the upper part 33 of the shoulder. By deforming the shoulder 3 in this way, the upper part 33 of the shoulder becomes an eave-shaped protrusion, which can engage with the bottom 5 when the main body 4 is bent (described later).

[0079] On the vertex portions B, B (the vertex portions of the ends without the protrusion 31) of the shoulder portion 3, a circular engraving 34 (an example of a mark) is applied. Figures 1-3 Furthermore, a circular engraving 51 is also applied to the bottom 5 (as an example of a mark). Figure 1 , Figure 2 On the bottom 5, the engraving 51 is applied at the apex portion B, directly below the apex portion B of the shoulder 3. Furthermore, "engraving 51 is directly below engraving 34" means that from engraving 34, it extends downwards along the surface of the bottle 1. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The positional relationship can be traced back to the engraving 51 from the bottom of the paper. That is, in the arrangement on bottle 1, it is sufficient for engraving 51 to be "directly below" engraving 34; engraving 34 and engraving 51 do not need to exist strictly on the same vertical line. Furthermore, in the following description, when referring to the vertical positional relationship between constituent elements as "directly above" or "directly below," it also refers to the vertical positional relationship in the arrangement on bottle 1, and it does not need to exist strictly on the same vertical line.

[0080] (The composition of the main body) The main body 4, starting from the side continuously connected to the shoulder 3 (upper side) and moving towards the side continuously connected to the bottom 5 (lower side), is sequentially divided into an upper portion 41, a specific portion 42, and a lower portion 43. Because the upper portion 41, specific portion 42, and lower portion 43 have different horizontal dimensions and multiple edges (described later), the main body 4 appears uneven in both the front and side views. However, for use during manufacturing or distribution, it can be used as a roughly square tube shape. That is, "roughly square tube shape" for the main body 4 means that it does not need to be mathematically square.

[0081] (1) Upper part 41 The upper portion 41 is the part of the main body 4 that is higher than the specific portion 42, that is, the part between the specific portion 42 and the shoulder 3. In the upper portion 41, a first transverse ridge 61 (an example of a concave ridge) and a plurality of (five in this embodiment) second transverse ridges 62 are provided along the boundary line between the shoulder 3 and the upper portion 41. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The first transverse edge 61 is the surface on the long side of the cross-section ( Figure 1 ) and the face on the short side ( Figure 2 On each of the four faces of the bottle 1, there are concave edges (meaning edges that protrude into the inside of the bottle 1, the same applies below) with a length that converges within the range of each face. The depth of the first transverse edge 61 is uniform. In addition, the depth of the concave edge refers to the depth to which the edge protrudes into the inside of the bottle 1, and the same applies to the other concave edges below.

[0082] The second transverse ridge 62 is a concave ridge arranged horizontally along the entire circumference of the upper portion 41. The second transverse ridge 62 has a wavy shape with alternating deep and shallow portions. More specifically, a deeper portion is provided on the portion corresponding to the edge of the cross-section, and a shallower portion is provided on the portion corresponding to the vertex of the cross-section.

[0083] In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the upper part 41 is the same as that of the top view of bottle 1. Figure 3 They are essentially the same.

[0084] (2) Specific part 42 The specific portion 42 is formed as a portion that is recessed further inward than the upper portion 41 and the lower portion 43 of the bottle 1. Figure 1 and Figure 2 ). Figure 4 A cross-section of a specific portion 42 is shown. On this cross-section, two opposing sets of edges 44 and 45 can be observed, with one set's edge 44 facing the longer side of the face (…). Figure 1 Correspondingly, the other group's side 45 is opposite to the face on the shorter side ( Figure 2 Correspondingly, when these two pairs of opposite sides 44 and 45 are extended, a parallelogram P is formed. This parallelogram P has a vertex P1 with an acute interior angle and a vertex P2 with an obtuse interior angle; therefore, the interior angles of parallelogram P are not right angles. That is, parallelogram P is not a rectangle.

[0085] The positional relationship between the vertex portion A (the end with the protrusion 31) and vertex portion B (with the engraving 34) on the shoulder portion 3 and the vertex P1 (acute angle) and vertex P2 (obtuse angle) on the specific portion 42 is such that vertex portion A is located directly above vertex P1, and vertex portion B is located directly above vertex P2.

[0086] The face along the long side of a specific portion 42 ( Figure 1 ) and the face of the short side ( Figure 2 The first longitudinal edge 71 is provided on the boundary line between the long side face and the short side face. More specifically, the first longitudinal edge 71 is provided on the two boundary lines corresponding to the vertex P1 of the acute angle of the parallelogram P. In addition, in this embodiment, the first longitudinal edge 71 is a convex edge that is provided in a shape that protrudes outward from the bottle 1.

[0087] The specific portion 42 has a recess 42b that is further recessed inward from the main portion 42a of the specific portion 42. The recess 42b is provided on the surface of the long side of the cross-section. Figure 1 The center of the left-right direction of the recess 42b. In addition, a cross-shaped ridge 46 is provided in the center of the recess 42b. The ridge 46 is composed of two orthogonal concave ridges.

[0088] On the main portion 42a of the specific portion 42, a third transverse rib 63 extending in the circumferential direction is provided. More specifically, on the left and right sides of the recess 42b, three third transverse ribs 63 are arranged parallel to each other in the height direction, wherein the length of the central rib is slightly longer than the lengths of the upper and lower ribs. Figure 1 , Figure 2 The third transverse edge 63 is a concave edge with uniform depth. In addition, a first longitudinal edge 71 is provided in a shape that runs through these three third transverse edges 63.

[0089] The specific portion 42 functions as a suitable gripping position for the user when holding the bottle 1. First, since the specific portion 42 is formed to be recessed further inward than the upper portion 41 and the lower portion 43, even users with small hands can easily and naturally grasp the specific portion 42. Second, since the user can hook their fingers into the recess 42b when grasping the specific portion 42, it is easy to stabilize the grip on the bottle 1.

[0090] Provided that parallelogram P is a parallelogram, the size of the interior angles of each vertex of the acute and obtuse angles of parallelogram P is not limited. In other words, using an angle θ greater than 0°, the interior angle of the vertex of the acute angle is expressed as 90°-θ, and the interior angle of the vertex of the obtuse angle is expressed as 90°+θ. In this embodiment, θ is 5°, that is, the interior angle of vertex P1 is 85°, and the interior angle of vertex P2 is 95°. As in this example, it is preferable that θ is 1° or more and 30° or less. The cross-sectional shape of the specific portion 42 is parallelogram P, which can facilitate the operation of flattening the specific portion 42 (described later), but this effect is particularly easy to achieve when θ is 1° or more. In addition, when θ is 30° or less, it is less likely to impair the function of the specific portion 42 as a holding position of the bottle 1. More preferably, θ is 3° or more, and even more preferably, 4° or more. Furthermore, more preferably, θ is 10° or less, and even more preferably, 6° or less.

[0091] (3) Lower part 43 The lower portion 43 is the part of the main body 4 that is lower than the specific portion 42, that is, the part between the specific portion 42 and the bottom 5. On the lower portion 43, from top to bottom, there are sequentially arranged wavy ridges 64, spring ridges 65, and multiple (two in this embodiment) fourth transverse ridges 66. These ridges are all concave ridges. Furthermore, on the long side surface of the cross-section of the lower portion 43... Figure 1 ) and the face of the short side ( Figure 2 In the boundary line of the first longitudinal ridge 71, a second longitudinal ridge 72 is provided, extending along the two boundary lines below the first longitudinal ridge 71. The second longitudinal ridge 72 is a convex ridge provided in the form of traversing the wavy ridge 64 and the fourth transverse ridge 66. In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the lower part 43 is similar to that of the top view of the bottle 1. Figure 3 They are essentially the same.

[0092] The wavy ridge 64 is a ridge whose vertical position changes continuously along the circumference of the lower portion 43. The spring ridge 65 has: a groove portion 65a, provided on the entire circumference of the lower portion 43; and small recesses 65b, formed on the entire circumference of the lower portion 43, one above and one below the groove portion 65a. Alternatively, the spring ridge 65, including the groove portion 65a and the small recesses 65b, can be understood as a single ridge.

[0093] A fourth transverse ridge 66 is provided horizontally along the entire circumference of the lower portion 43. However, as mentioned earlier, the second longitudinal ridge 72 crosses the fourth transverse ridge 66. The depth of the fourth transverse ridge 66 is uniform except where the second longitudinal ridge 72 crosses it.

[0094] (How to fold a bottle) By incorporating the aforementioned components into the bottle 1 according to this embodiment, a container that is easier to fold than existing plastic bottles can be achieved. By folding the used bottle 1, the volume required for storage and transportation of the used bottle 1 for reuse, disposal, etc., can be reduced. The method for folding the bottle 1 will be described below.

[0095] First, perform the operation of flattening a specific part 42. Figure 5 Specifically, the two faces of the long side of the cross section are moved differently toward each other, each toward vertex P1 (acute angle) of the parallelogram P of the cross section. When this operation is performed, a specific portion 42 is deformed (flattened) in such a way that the interior angle of vertex P1 of the parallelogram P becomes smaller and the interior angle of vertex P2 approaches 180°.

[0096] In this embodiment, since the cross-section of the specific portion 42 is a parallelogram, the interior angles are easily deformed by the force applied when the acute angle at vertex P1 is closed. Therefore, compared to existing plastic bottles with rectangular cross-sections, the specific portion 42 can be flattened more easily and flatter. Furthermore, by setting the first longitudinal ridge 71 to protrude outward from the bottle 1, the mobility of the vertex P1 portion, which deforms by narrowing its interior angles, can be improved. Thus, the first longitudinal ridge 71 functions as a crease, thereby also facilitating the aforementioned deformation.

[0097] Second, on the flattened specific portion 42, fold bottle 1 ( Figure 6 At this moment, the operation can be performed simply by bringing the bottom 5 against the shoulder 3. This operation can be achieved by moving the shoulder 3 so that the engraving 34 matches the engraving 51 on the bottom 5. The engraving 34 and the engraving 51 are the same circular shape, which serves to indicate the operation to the consumer.

[0098] After the bottom 5 is brought into contact with the shoulder 3, when the bottom 5 is pressed onto the shoulder 3, the shoulder 3 folds forward on the protruding ridge 31, and the lower part 32 of the shoulder enters below the upper part 33 of the shoulder, which becomes an eave-shaped protrusion. This protrusion finally engages with the bottom 5, thus securing the bottle 1 in its folded state. Furthermore, during this operation, the first transverse ridge 61 functions as a crease, easily flattening the shoulder 3.

[0099] Third, flatten the upper part 41, the lower part 43, and the bottom 5. Flattening these parts allows the bottom 5 to engage with the upper shoulder part 33 (protrusion), thus securing the folded state of the bottle 1. Figure 7At this moment, if the mouth 2 is folded up and the upper shoulder 33 is placed over the bottom 5, the folded state of the bottle 1 can be easily secured. In addition, similar to the first longitudinal ridge 71, the second longitudinal ridge 72 functions as a crease, making it easy to flatten the lower part 43.

[0100] In this embodiment, because the cross-section of the specific portion 42 is a parallelogram and the flattened shape is made flat, the specific portion 42 is easier to bend vertically compared to existing plastic bottles. Furthermore, because a protruding rib 31 is provided on the shoulder 3, the bottom 5 is easily engaged, thus easily securing the bottle 1 in a folded state. Therefore, the bottle 1 is easier to fold than existing similar containers, thereby reducing its volume for reuse, disposal, etc.

[0101] (Other implementation methods) Other embodiments of the resin containers according to the present invention will be described. Furthermore, without causing contradiction, the configurations disclosed in the following embodiments can also be combined and applied with the configurations disclosed in other embodiments.

[0102] In one embodiment of the invention, the number of divisions of the main body is not limited as long as a specific portion is provided on the main body. For example, the entire area of ​​the main body may be designated as a specific portion. Furthermore, the main body may be divided into two areas that include the specific portion. That is, the main body may be divided into an upper portion and a specific portion, or it may be divided into a specific portion and a lower portion.

[0103] In one embodiment of the invention, the structure of a particular portion is not limited under the following condition: when the two sets of opposite sides on the cross-section of the particular portion are extended, a parallelogram shape with interior angles not being right angles can be formed.

[0104] In one embodiment of the invention, the presence and arrangement of edges in a specific portion are arbitrary. Therefore, one or both of these edges may be omitted. Furthermore, other edges may also be provided.

[0105] In one embodiment of the invention, the shape is approximately square in the top view, but it can also be a shape in which the long-side and short-side faces of the cross-section cannot be distinguished. In this case, the parallelogram formed by extending two pairs of opposite sides on the cross-section of a specific portion is a rhombus, and in this case, the condition that the interior angles are not right angles is also satisfied. Furthermore, in this case, although the long-side and short-side faces cannot be distinguished, as long as one of the two pairs formed by the two opposite faces is taken as the long-side face in the above embodiment (…),… Figure 1 ), and the other pair as the short side faces ( Figure 2If the above-described embodiments are also implemented, then the present invention can be carried out in the same manner.

[0106] Furthermore, if we compare the shape of the long side and short side of the container's cross-section (which is approximately rectangular) with a shape that cannot be distinguished (which is approximately square), then, assuming the containers have the same capacity, the former has the characteristic of reducing the width of the short side. The advantage of this feature is that, in larger capacity containers (e.g., 1.5L or more), the width of the short side can be limited to a size that is easily accommodated in the user's hand, thus providing a container that is easy to hold.

[0107] In one embodiment of the invention, the presence and arrangement of the ridges in the lower portion are arbitrary.

[0108] In one embodiment of the invention, the presence and arrangement of the ridges in the upper portion are arbitrary.

[0109] In one embodiment of the invention, the number of arched protrusions is arbitrary. Furthermore, when multiple protrusions are provided, their arrangement is arbitrary; for example, protrusions may be provided only on one side of the two regions of the shoulder bisected by a diagonal, where the diagonal connects the two vertices of the ends where the protrusions are located.

[0110] In one embodiment of the invention, the protrusions may also be discontinuous.

[0111] In one embodiment of the invention, the presence or absence of a concave ridge along the boundary line between the shoulder and the main body is arbitrary.

[0112] In this invention, the presence or absence of markings is arbitrary. When markings are provided, their form is not limited to engraving; they can also be raised, patterned, printed, adhesive, etc. Furthermore, the markings on the shoulder and bottom can be any form that consumers can recognize as a pair of markings; they can be the same shape as in the above embodiments, or they can be different shapes related to each other. Examples of the latter include combinations such as a horn and a cross, or a raised portion and a recessed portion.

[0113] 2. Second Implementation Method A second embodiment of the resin container according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter, an example of applying the resin container according to the present invention to a plastic bottle 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as bottle 10) will be described.

[0114] (The overall composition of the bottle) The bottle 10 involved in this embodiment is made of polyethylene terephthalate and is a colorless and transparent container. Bottle 10 is obtained by biaxial stretch blow molding using a pre-shaped polyethylene terephthalate blank as raw material. Furthermore, the material constituting the bottle is not limited to polyethylene terephthalate; for example, it can also be polyethylene or polypropylene. In addition, the material can be sourced from petroleum, plant-derived raw materials, recycled raw materials, etc.

[0115] In this embodiment, the capacity of bottle 10 is 525 mL. However, the capacity of bottle 10 is not particularly limited, and can also be approximately 200 mL to 2 L, such as 280 mL, 350 mL, or 500 mL, which are commonly used in circulation.

[0116] Bottle 10 is used for filling liquid products such as soft drinks (carbonated drinks, fruit drinks, coffee drinks, tea drinks, mineral water, soy milk, vegetable drinks, sports drinks, cocoa drinks, etc.), alcoholic drinks, milk drinks, soups and other liquid foods, sauces or soy sauces and other liquid condiments.

[0117] The bottle 10 according to this embodiment has a mouth 12, a shoulder 13, a main body 14, and a bottom 15. Figure 8 , Figure 9 Additionally, in the following explanation, when referring to the vertical direction of bottle 10, it refers to the orientation of bottle 10 with its bottom 15 grounded. Figure 8 The vertical direction (as shown in the diagram) refers to the orientation of the bottle 10. Specifically, the upper side of the bottle 10 is the mouth 12 side, and the lower side of the bottle 10 is the bottom 15 side. Furthermore, when referring to the horizontal direction of the bottle 10, it refers to the direction orthogonal to the aforementioned vertical direction (i.e., perpendicular to the vertical direction). Figure 8 (The left and right directions or the directions perpendicular to the paper).

[0118] In the top view, bottle 10 is roughly quadrilateral. Figure 9 Furthermore, "approximately quadrilateral" refers not only to the shape of a quadrilateral as defined mathematically, but also to any shape that can be substantially considered a quadrilateral, such as one with rounded edges, and is provided as an industrial product. In this embodiment, the quadrilateral is a square.

[0119] The mouth 12 is an opening for accessing the liquid product filled inside, and has external threads on its exterior for screwing on a cap (not shown). The shoulder 13 is the portion of the bottle 10 that gradually enlarges from the mouth 12 toward the main body 14. The line between the shoulder 13 and the main body 14 is defined as the position of the bottle 10 in the height direction after it has enlarged to its maximum extent from the mouth 12 downwards. The bottom 15 is the portion that touches the ground when the bottle 10 is placed on a surface such as a table, and the bottle 10 also gradually enlarges from the bottom 15 toward the main body 14. The line between the bottom 15 and the main body 14 is defined as the position of the bottle 10 in the height direction after it has enlarged to its maximum extent from the ground surface upwards. Since the structure and function of the mouth 12, shoulder 13, and bottom 15 are largely the same as those of the mouth, shoulder, and bottom of a known plastic bottle, detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0120] (The composition of the main body) The main body 14 is a generally square-cylindrical (an example of a generally angular cylindrical) portion extending between the shoulder 13 and the bottom 15. It has a longitudinally protruding ridge 141 extending in the vertical direction (an example of a protruding ridge extending in the vertical direction) and a transversely concave ridge 142 extending in the horizontal direction (an example of a concave ridge extending in the circumferential direction of the main body). Since the main body 14 is generally square-cylindrical, it has four facets 143, and a ridge 144 extending in the vertical direction is formed at the junction of two facets 143. Although the main body 14 appears uneven due to the presence of the longitudinally protruding ridge 141 and the transversely concave ridge 142, it can be used as a generally square-cylindrical shape as a feature for use during manufacturing or distribution. That is, the generally square-cylindrical (generally angular cylindrical) shape for the main body 14 means that it does not need to be mathematically square-cylindrical (angular cylindrical).

[0121] The longitudinal ridge 141 is a ridge protruding from the surface of the bottle 10, and is arranged such that it extends along the four ridges 144 in the top view. Figure 9 The two ridges 144a located diagonally in the body 14 are approximately parallel to the central axis X. Therefore, the two longitudinal ridges 141 are positioned symmetrically with respect to the plane containing the central axis X. Furthermore, "approximately parallel" means that the ridges 141 are arranged in a manner that is considered industrially or practically parallel to the central axis X; the two ridges 141 do not need to be mathematically parallel. Moreover, each longitudinal ridge 141 extends continuously from near the upper end (the boundary with the shoulder 13) of the body 14 to near the lower end (the boundary with the bottom 15).

[0122] The transverse concave ridge 142 is a ridge that protrudes inward toward the inside of the bottle 10 and extends in the circumferential (horizontal) direction of the main body 14. In this embodiment, seven transverse concave ridges 142 are provided.

[0123] The longitudinal convex ridge 141 and the transverse concave ridge 142 are arranged such that the longitudinal convex ridge 141 is configured to traverse the seven transverse concave ridges 142. That is, the portion of the longitudinal convex ridge 141 that protrudes from the surface of the bottle 10 extends continuously, while the portion of the transverse concave ridge 142 that protrudes toward the inside of the bottle 10 is interrupted by the longitudinal convex ridge 141.

[0124] (How to fold a bottle) In the bottle 10 of this embodiment, when the main body 14 is flattened in order to fold the bottle 10, the two longitudinal ridges 141 function as creases, causing the main body 14 on the two ridges 144a to bend. Figure 10 The diagram shows the change in the cross-sectional shape of the main body 14 when the two ridges 144b without longitudinal protrusions 141 are pressed together, and through this operation, the main body 14 can be flattened.

[0125] Figure 11 It is Figure 10 The diagram shows an enlarged view of the longitudinal protruding ridge 141 and a view without the longitudinal protruding ridge 141 side by side. When the longitudinal protruding ridge 141 is provided, since the longitudinal protruding ridge 141, which is originally designed to protrude outwards, bears the deformation of the ridge portion 144a, the rebound force generated by the deformation is not easily increased. Conversely, when the longitudinal protruding ridge 141 is not provided, since the corner portion 145, which is designed to be approximately right-angled, directly bears the deformation of the ridge portion 144a, the rebound force easily increases as the deformation progresses.

[0126] Thus, by providing the longitudinal ridge 141 on the bottle 10 according to this embodiment, the rebound force on the bent ridge 144a can be suppressed, thereby achieving a container that is easier to fold compared to conventional plastic bottles. Furthermore, suppressing the rebound force also helps to prevent the folded bottle 10 from returning to its original shape. Through these effects, the volume of the used bottle 10 can be reduced when folding, storing, or transporting it for reuse, disposal, etc.

[0127] (Example) The following examples further illustrate this embodiment. However, the following examples do not limit the present invention.

[0128] (The bottle used in the experiment) As an example, bottle 10 (as described in the above embodiments) was used. Figure 8 , Figure 9 ).

[0129] As a comparative example 1, it was used Figure 12Bottle 16 is shown. Except that it has a longitudinal concave ridge 146 extending in the vertical direction instead of the longitudinal convex ridge 141 of bottle 10, bottle 16 is the same as bottle 10.

[0130] As a comparative example 2, the following was used Figure 13 Bottle 17 is shown. Except for not having ridges extending in the vertical direction, bottle 17 is the same as bottle 10 and bottle 16.

[0131] (Experimental Methods) (1) Determination of full-fill capacity For each bottle in the examples and comparative examples, the tare weight and the weight after filling with water were measured. The value obtained by subtracting the two was taken as the full-fill capacity of the bottle. Water was filled by immersing the bottle in a horizontal position (meaning the mouth 12 and bottom 15 are positioned in the left-right direction) into a water tank filled with an amount of water sufficient to completely immerse the bottle. Although the value obtained by this method is in mass (in grams), it is referred to as "full-fill capacity" because it can be considered an approximation of volume (in mL).

[0132] (2) The flattening of the bottle For the bottles in the embodiments and comparative examples, a ridge of the bottle was selected, and three pressing points were set on that ridge. The first pressing point is the midpoint between the first and second horizontal concave ridges 142 starting from the bottom 15 side. The second pressing point is the midpoint between the third and fourth horizontal concave ridges 142 starting from the bottom 15 side. The third pressing point is the upper end of the main body 14 (the boundary between the shoulder 13 and the main body 14). The flattening unit operation is as follows: with the ridge opposite the pressing point supported by the four fingers other than the thumb, the pressing point is pressed down with the thumb until the two opposing ridges contact each other. This unit operation was performed in the order of the first pressing point, the second pressing point, and the third pressing point. In addition, the number of unit operations is once for each pressing point. Furthermore, for bottle 10 (Example), the pressing point is set on the edge where the longitudinal protruding ridge 141 is not provided, and for bottle 16 (Comparative Example 1), the pressing point is set on the edge where the longitudinal concave ridge 146 is not provided.

[0133] (3) Determination of volume after flattening After the bottles of the examples and comparative examples were flattened using the steps described above, the flattened capacity was measured using the same method as for determining the full-fill capacity. The volumetric residual rate, expressed as a percentage, was compared; this percentage represents the ratio of the flattened capacity to the full-fill capacity. It can be said that the smaller the volumetric residual rate, the greater the effect of reducing the capacity of the empty container through the flattening operation.

[0134] (result) The volume retention rate of the embodiment was 53%, that of Comparative Example 1 was 60%, and that of Comparative Example 2 was 67%. That is, the bottle 10 with the longitudinal ridge 141 had the greatest effect on reducing the capacity of the empty container. Through the above experiments, it was confirmed that a bottle that is easy to fold and does not easily return to its original shape after folding can be achieved in the embodiment.

[0135] (Other implementation methods) Other embodiments of the resin containers according to the present invention will be described. Furthermore, without causing contradiction, the configurations disclosed in the following embodiments can also be combined with those disclosed in other embodiments.

[0136] In one embodiment of the invention, the shape of the main body is not limited, and for example, it can be cylindrical. Furthermore, the main body being approximately cylindrical is not limited to a roughly square tube shape with a roughly square cross-section as in the embodiments described above; it can be a roughly square tube shape with a cross-section that is not approximately square, or a roughly cylindrical shape with a cross-section of other polygons.

[0137] In one embodiment of the invention, the protruding ridge may not be substantially parallel to the central axis X. For example, even if the protruding ridge is provided obliquely relative to the direction in which the main body extends, the same effect of the invention, which facilitates the folding of the main body, will still be exhibited on the protruding ridge.

[0138] In one embodiment of the invention, the protruding ridge may also be discontinuous in shape.

[0139] In one embodiment of the invention, in addition to providing protruding ribs at two positions symmetrical with respect to the plane containing the central axis, further protruding ribs may also be provided. For example, in the above embodiment, when a longitudinal protruding rib 141 is provided on the rib 144b in addition to the rib 144a, and a total of four protruding ribs are provided, then when folding the bottle 1, it can be bent on either the rib 144a or the rib 144b.

[0140] In one embodiment of the invention, the presence or absence of the concave ridges is arbitrary. Furthermore, although the above description uses the configuration in which the longitudinal convex ridge 141 is configured to traverse seven transverse concave ridges 142 as an example, the positional relationship between the convex and concave ridges is not limited when the concave ridges are provided.

[0141] Regarding other configurations, it should be understood that the embodiments disclosed in this specification are illustrative in all respects, and the scope of the invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that appropriate modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, other embodiments modified without departing from the spirit of the invention are naturally also included within the scope of the invention. Industrial applicability

[0142] This invention can be used, for example, in containers for liquid products such as beverages. Symbol Explanation

[0143] 1. First Implementation Method 1- Plastic bottles; 2-Mouth; 3-Shoulder area; 31-convex ridge; 32 - Lower shoulder; 33 - Upper shoulder; 34-imprint; 4-Main body; 41 - Upper part; 42-Specific parts; 42a-part; 42b-concave; 43 - Lower part; 44-side; 45-side; 46-edge; 5-Bottom; 51-engraving; 61 - First transverse edge; 62 - Second transverse edge; 63 - Third transverse edge; 64-Wave ridge; 65-Spring edge; 65a - Groove section; 65b-small depression; 66 - Fourth transverse edge; 71 - First longitudinal edge; 72 - Second longitudinal edge; A - Vertex portion; B - Vertex portion; L1 - Diagonal; L2 - Diagonal; P - parallelogram; P1 - Vertex; P2 - Vertex; θ - angle.

[0144] 2. Second embodiment 10 - Plastic bottle; 12-Mouth; 13-Shoulder; 14-Main body; 141-Longitudinal convex ridge; 142-Horizontal concave edge; 143 - Face; 144-edge; 15 - Bottom; 16- Plastic bottle (Comparative Example 1); 146-Longitudinal concave edge; 17- Plastic bottle (Comparative Example 2); X-Central Axis.

Claims

1. A resin container, characterized in that, It has a mouth, a shoulder, a main body, and a bottom. The main body is generally square-cylindrical in shape, and the shoulder has a shape that continuously connects the mouth and the main body. At least a portion of the main body is provided with a specific part, which has a shape that, when two sets of opposing sides on the cross-section of the main body are extended, can form a parallelogram with interior angles that are not right angles. The shoulder has an arched ridge between two vertex portions, which, in the top view, are the two vertex portions directly above the apex of the acute angle of the parallelogram located in the specific portion.

2. The resin container according to claim 1, characterized in that, In each of the two regions of the shoulder, which is divided by a diagonal, there is at least one of the convex ridges, the diagonal connecting the two opposite vertex portions in the top view.

3. The resin container according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also has a concave ridge along the boundary line between the shoulder and the main body.

4. The resin container according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the shoulder is bent along the ridge and the main body is bent, an eave-shaped protrusion is formed in the area between the opening and the ridge, which allows the bottom to engage with the protrusion.

5. The resin container according to claim 4, characterized in that, A pair of marks are provided on the vertex portion of the end of the shoulder that is not provided with the ridge and on the vertex portion of the bottom located directly below the vertex portion.

6. The resin container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The main body is divided into an upper part, a specific part, and a lower part, starting from the side continuously provided with the shoulder and moving toward the side continuously provided with the bottom.

7. The resin container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The main body has a lower portion between the specific part and the bottom. In the boundary line between the long side face and the short side face of the cross section of the lower portion, an edge is provided that extends along the boundary line continuously provided with respect to the boundary line corresponding to the vertex of the acute angle of the parallelogram in the specific portion.

8. The resin container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, In the boundary line between the long-side face and the short-side face of the specific portion, an edge is provided that extends along the boundary line corresponding to the vertex of the acute angle of the parallelogram.

9. The resin container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The cross-section of the main body can distinguish between the long side and the short side.

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