Miniature container configured for recycling

Abstract

A miniature container including a finish defining an opening of the miniature container, threads at the finish configured to cooperate with a closure, a neck extending from the finish, a shoulder extending from the neck, a body extending from the shoulder, and a base. The body extends from the shoulder to the base. The base is configured to support the miniature sprits container upright when seated on a flat surface. The miniature container is made of polyethylene terephthalate and injection molded from a preform. The miniature container has a maximum capacity of not greater than 50ml. At least 51% of a total weight of the miniature container is in a bottom half of the miniature container.

Description

MINIATURE CONTAINER CONFIGURED FOR RECYCLINGCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a PCT International Application and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 524,328, filed on June 30, 2023. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a miniature container configured to be recycled.BACKGROUND

[0003] This section provides background information related to the present disclosure, which is not necessarily prior art.

[0004] Miniature containers are widely used to store a small volume of a spirit. 50ml is a common size of a miniature container. Some miniature containers are configured for spirits, and are often referred to as an “airline bottle.” Other suitable containers may include energy drinks, supplements, pharmaceuticals, and the like. While existing miniature containers are suitable for their intended use, they are subject to improvement. For example, the small size of miniature containers presents various issues regarding recycling. The present disclosure includes improved miniature containers that provide various advantages, as explained herein.SUMMARY

[0005] This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

[0006] The present disclosure includes a miniature container having a finish defining an opening of the miniature container, threads at the finish configured to cooperate with a closure, a neck extending from the finish, a shoulder extending from the neck, a body extending from the shoulder, and a base. The body extends from the shoulder to the base. The base is configured to support the miniature sprits container upright when seated on a flat surface. The miniature container is made of polyethylene terephthalate and injection molded from a preform. The miniature container has amaximum capacity of not greater than 50ml. At least 51% of a total weight of the miniature container is in a bottom half of the miniature container.

[0007] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.DRAWINGS

[0008] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of select embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a side view of an exemplary miniature container in accordance with the present disclosure; and

[0010] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a base of the container of FIG. 1 .

[0011] Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0013] Prior miniature containers (50mL and less) are considered unrecyclable due to their size because they fall through holes intended to filter out broken glass in single stream recycling facilities. In addition to issues with their small size, the shape of prior miniature containers coupled with weight distribution would contribute to the ease of which the containers would escape during the early stages of materials separation at municipal recycling facilities (MRFs). The Association of Plastics Recyclers has observed similar package behavior in the early sort stage, describing the phenomenon as “spearing,” which occurs when the container is top heavy causing the top of the container to plunge through gaps during sorting.

[0014] The APR considers containers with a retention rate of <51% to be unrecyclable, >=51% and <90% to be detrimental to recycling, and >=90% to be recyclable. Initial testing has shown that achieving more balance between the finish and the closure, as is the case with the present disclosure, delivers -62% retention and thus shifts the designation from unrecyclable to detrimental, which is an improvement of26.3% (35.7% to 62%). This improvement can be achieved by way of package design with the intent of reducing finish weight and reaching a balance in weight between the finish and the base. Sort test data comparing the original container to containers that employ the weight balancing concept of the present disclosure shows the following improvement in retention: round at 51% to 64%; oval at 46.5% to 69%; and square at 57% to 66%.

[0015] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an exemplary miniature container 10 in accordance with the present disclosure, which is configured for recycling. The container 10 is a polyethylene terephthalate container injection blow molded from a preform. The container 10 includes a finish 20 at a top of the container 10. The finish 20 defines an opening 22 into which product may be loaded into the container 10 and dispensed from within the container 10.

[0016] The finish 20 further includes threads 24 at an outer surface of the finish 20. The threads 24 may be internal or external threads. The threads 24 are configured to cooperate with any suitable closure 34. The closure 34 is configured to cooperate with the threads 24 to close the opening 22. The closure 34 is made of any suitable polymeric material. The closure 34 weighs about 2g., or may have any other suitable weight.

[0017] Extending from the finish 20 is a neck 40. At or proximate to the neck 40 is an upper flange 30 and a lower flange 32. The upper flange 30 may be configured as a tamper flange configured to cooperate with a tamper ring of the closure 34. The lower flange 32 may be configured as a support flange for supporting the preform in a mold.

[0018] The neck 40 extends to a shoulder 50 of the container 10. The shoulder 50 curves outward as the shoulder 50 extends from the neck 40 to a body 60 of the container 10. The body 60 may be round, or have any other suitable shape, such as rectangular, square, etc. The body 60 extends to a base 70 at a bottom of the container. The base 70 may be round, or have any other suitable shape, such as rectangular, square, etc.

[0019] A longitudinal axis Y of the container 10 extends along a length of the container 10 through an axial center of each of the opening 22, the neck 40, the shoulder 50, the body 60, and the base 70. The container 10 has a top half and a bottom half separated by a midline X of the container 10. The midline X extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis Y. The midline X is halfway between a first end80 and a second end 82 of the container 10. The first end 80 is a top end of the container 10 at an uppermost portion of the finish 20. The second end 82 is a lower end of the container 10 at a lowermost portion of the base 70. In some applications, the second end 82 may be at a standing ring 72 of the base 70.

[0020] The top half of the container 10, which is between the midline X and the first end 80, includes the finish 20, the neck 40, and at least a majority of the shoulder 50. The top half may include all of the shoulder 50 in some applications. The bottom half of the container 10, which is between the midline X and the second end 82, includes the base 70 and the body 60. In some applications, the bottom half may include a portion of the shoulder 50. The center of gravity (COG) of the container is indicated by line COG .

[0021] The container 10 has a capacity of 50ml, or less. The container 10 has a total weight, not including the closure 34, of 9g. -12g., such as 12g. or about 12g. The closure 34 weighs 2g., or about 2g. Including the closure 34, the container 10 weighs 11g. - 14g., such as 14g. or about 14g. At least 51% of a total weight of the container 10, including or not including the closure 34, is in the bottom half of the container 10 (below the midpoint line X). In some applications, at least 58% - 65% of the total weight of the container 10 (including or not including the closure 34) is below the midpoint X. Configuring the container 10 such that at least 51% of the total weight is in the bottom half of the container 10 advantageously resolves the issue of “spearing” in which previous miniature containers would fall through gaps in sorting equipment thereby rendering such previous containers difficult to recycle. Thus, the center of gravity COG of container 10 is always below the midpoint X. With the container 10 of the present disclosure, the container 10 remains upright and reduces the possibility of the container 10 inverting and falling first end 80 first through gaps in sorting equipment at a recycling center. The container 10 provides numerous additional advantages as well.

[0022] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:1 . A miniature container comprising: a finish defining an opening of the miniature container; threads at the finish configured to cooperate with a closure; a neck extending from the finish; a shoulder extending from the neck; a body extending from the shoulder; and a base, the body extends from the shoulder to the base, the base configured to support the miniature container upright when seated on a flat surface; wherein: the miniature container is made of polyethylene terephthalate and injection molded from a preform; the miniature container has a maximum capacity of not greater than 50ml; and at least 51% of a total weight of the miniature container is in a bottom half of the miniature container.

2. The miniature container of claim 1 , wherein the bottom half and a top half of the miniature container intersect at a midpoint of the miniature container, and a center of gravity of the miniature container is below the midpoint.

3. The miniature container of claim 1 , wherein the miniature container is a spirits container.

4. The miniature container of claim 1 , wherein the bottom half includes an entirety of the base and an entirety of the body.

5. The miniature container of claim 4, wherein a top half of the miniature container includes an entirety of the neck and an entirety of the finish.

6. The miniature container of claim 5, wherein the top half of the miniature container includes at least a portion of the shoulder.

7. The miniature container of claim 1 , further comprising the closure; wherein at least 51% of the total weight of the miniature container, plus the closure, is in the bottom half of the miniature container.

8. The miniature container of claim 1 , wherein at least 58%-65% of the total weight of the miniature container is in the bottom half of the miniature container.

9. The miniature container of claim 1 , wherein the miniature container weighs 12g. or less without the closure.

10. The miniature container of claim 9, wherein the closure weighs about 2g.11 . The miniature container of claim 1 , wherein the total weight of the miniature container plus the closure is 11 g. - 14g.

12. A miniature container comprising: a finish defining an opening of the miniature container; a closure configured to cooperate with threads of the finish; a neck extending from the finish; a shoulder extending from the neck; a body extending from the shoulder; and a base, the body extends from the shoulder to the base, the base configured to support the miniature container upright when seated on a flat surface; wherein: the miniature container has a maximum capacity of not greater than 50ml; and at least 51% of a total weight of the miniature container including the closure is in a bottom half of the miniature container.

13. The miniature container of claim 12, wherein the miniature container is made of polyethylene terephthalate and injection molded from a preform.

14. The miniature container of claim 12, wherein the total weight of the miniature container including the closure is 14g.

15. The miniature container of claim 12, wherein the total weight of the miniature container including the closure is 11g - 14g.

16. The miniature container of claim 12, wherein the bottom half of the miniature container includes an entirety of the base and an entirety of the body.

17. A miniature container comprising: a finish defining an opening of the miniature container; a closure configured to cooperate with threads of the finish; a neck extending from the finish; a shoulder extending from the neck; a body extending from the shoulder; and a base, the body extends from the shoulder to the base, the base configured to support the miniature container upright when seated on a flat surface; wherein: the miniature container is made of polyethylene terephthalate and injection molded from a preform; the miniature container has a maximum capacity of not greater than 50ml; at least 51% of a total weight of the miniature container including the closure is in a bottom half of the miniature container, the bottom half includes an entirety of the base and an entirety of the body; and the total weight of the miniature container includes the closure is 11g - 14g.

18. The miniature container of claim 17, wherein the miniature container is a spirits container.

19. The miniature container of claim 17, wherein the bottom half and a top half of the miniature container intersect at a midpoint of the miniature container, and a center of gravity of the miniature container is below the midpoint; wherein the top half of the miniature container includes the finish and the neck.

20. The miniature container of claim 19, wherein the top half of the miniature container includes at least a portion of the shoulder. 21 . The miniature container of claim 17, wherein the closure weighs 2g.

22. The miniature container of claim 17, wherein the miniature container weighs 12g or less.

23. The miniature container of claim 17, wherein the miniature container weighs 9g - 12g.

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