Square bottle

Abstract

The present invention provides a square bottle (1) comprising a trunk portion (4) in which a plurality of panel surface portions (10) are provided continuously in the circumferential direction. Circumferential grooves (13) that extend in the circumferential direction and that divide the panel surface portions (10) into upper and lower parts are formed in the trunk portion (4). Reduced-pressure absorption panel portions (22) that are adjacent to the circumferential grooves (13) in the vertical direction are formed in the panel surface portions (10). The reduced-pressure absorption panel portions (22) have rectangular shapes with a plurality of corner portions (22a) in a front view seen from a radially outer side. In the panel surface portions (10), in corresponding portions (10a) positioned between the circumferential grooves (13) and corresponding corner portions that are adjacent to the circumferential grooves (13) in the vertical direction, among the plurality of corner portions (22a) of the reduced-pressure absorption panel portions (22), protruding portions (30) that protrude toward the inside of the circumferential grooves (13) are formed. In portions positioned between the circumferential grooves (13) and the reduced-pressure absorption panel portions (22), lateral grooves (31) that extend in the circumferential direction across central sections of said portions in the circumferential direction are formed.

Description

Square bottle

[0001] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-185369, filed on October 30, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] For example, as shown in Patent Document 1 below, a rectangular bottle is known that has a body portion with multiple panel surface portions circumferentially connected, a circumferential groove extending in the body portion that divides the panel surface portions into upper and lower sections, and vacuum absorption panel portions formed on the panel surface portions adjacent to the circumferential groove in the vertical direction, the vacuum absorption panel portions having a rectangular shape with multiple corners when viewed from the outside in the radial direction, and a protrusion formed on the panel surface portions that protrudes toward the inside of the circumferential groove at a portion of the panel surface portion between a corresponding corner of the panel portion adjacent to the circumferential groove in the vertical direction and the corresponding corner of the panel portion. In this rectangular bottle, the protrusion ensures a large planar area for the corresponding portion located between the corresponding corner and the circumferential groove, thereby alleviating stress generated in the corresponding portion when the vacuum absorption panel portion deforms due to pressure reduction inside the rectangular bottle. This prevents the corresponding portion from forming a valley fold that bends toward the inside of the bottle when pressure reduction inside the rectangular bottle occurs.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-70493

[0004] However, when an attempt is made to reduce the weight (thinner wall) of a square bottle, there is a possibility that the aforementioned folds may be more likely to occur in the portion located between the vacuum absorption panel portion and the circumferential groove, at a position shifted toward the circumferential center of the vacuum absorption panel portion from the corresponding portion.

[0005] The present invention provides a square bottle that can be made lighter and yet can prevent bending of the portion located between the vacuum absorption panel and the circumferential groove.

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention is a rectangular bottle having a body portion in which a plurality of panel surface portions are arranged circumferentially, the body portion having a circumferential groove formed therein that extends circumferentially and divides the panel surface portion into upper and lower portions, the panel surface portion having vacuum absorption panel portions formed therein that are adjacent to the circumferential groove in the vertical direction, the vacuum absorption panel portions having an angular shape with a plurality of corners in a front view seen from the outside in the radial direction, the panel surface portion having a corresponding portion located between the circumferential groove and a corresponding corner adjacent to the circumferential groove in the vertical direction, the corresponding portion having a protruding portion that protrudes toward the inside of the circumferential groove, and the portion located between the circumferential groove and the vacuum absorption panel portion has a horizontal groove formed therein that extends circumferentially across the circumferential center of the portion.

[0007] The protruding portion ensures a large planar area for the corresponding portion located between the corresponding corner portion and the circumferential groove. This relieves stress in the corresponding portion when the vacuum absorption panel portion deforms due to reduced pressure inside the rectangular bottle, preventing the corresponding portion from bending in a valley-like manner toward the inside of the bottle. A horizontal groove is formed in the band-shaped portion of the panel surface portion located between the circumferential groove and the vacuum absorption panel portion, extending circumferentially across the circumferential center of the band-shaped portion. This improves the rigidity of the band-shaped portion, preventing bending in portions other than the corresponding portion when reduced pressure is applied inside the rectangular bottle, even when the rectangular bottle is made lighter.

[0008] A second aspect of the present invention is the rectangular bottle of the first aspect, wherein the circumferential centers of the panel surface portion, the lateral groove, and the vacuum absorption panel portion are aligned, and the circumferential size of the lateral groove is smaller than the circumferential size of the vacuum absorption panel portion.

[0009] The circumferential centers of the panel surface, lateral groove, and vacuum absorption panel are aligned, and the circumferential size of the lateral groove is smaller than the circumferential size of the vacuum absorption panel. This ensures the planar area of ​​the corresponding portion between the corresponding corner and the circumferential groove while also ensuring the rigidity of the band-like portion between the circumferential groove and the vacuum absorption panel. This reliably prevents the band-like portion from breaking even when the weight of the rectangular bottle is reduced.

[0010] A third aspect of the present invention is the square bottle of the second aspect, wherein the vacuum absorption panel portion has a rectangular shape with rounded corners at its four corners when viewed from the outside in the radial direction, and wherein two of the corresponding corners are arranged circumferentially spaced apart, and the circumferential distance between the centers of the outer circumferential edges of each of the two corresponding corners when viewed from the front is equal to or greater than the circumferential size of the lateral groove.

[0011] At each of the two corresponding corners, the circumferential distance between the centers of the outer circumferential edges that form an arc shape in front view is equal to or greater than the circumferential size of the lateral groove. This ensures the planar area of ​​the corresponding portion between the corresponding corner and the circumferential groove while also ensuring the rigidity of the band-like portion between the circumferential groove and the vacuum absorption panel, thereby reliably preventing bending of the band-like portion even when the weight of the rectangular bottle is reduced.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, even when weight reduction is attempted, it is possible to prevent valley folds, which are folds toward the inside of the bottle, from occurring in the portion located between the vacuum absorption panel portion and the circumferential groove.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a side view of a square bottle shown as one embodiment.

[0014] An embodiment of the square bottle according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, the square bottle 1 of this embodiment comprises a mouth 2, a shoulder 3, a body 4, and a bottom 5, which are connected in this order with their respective central axes aligned on a common axis. Hereinafter, this common axis will be referred to as the bottle axis O, with the mouth 2 side along the bottle axis O being referred to as the upper side, and the bottom 5 side along the bottle axis O being referred to as the lower side, and the bottle axis O being referred to as the up-down direction. The direction intersecting the bottle axis O as viewed from the up-down direction will be referred to as the radial direction, and the direction going around the bottle axis O as viewed from the up-down direction will be referred to as the circumferential direction.

[0015] The square bottle 1 is made of a synthetic resin material and is obtained by blow molding a test-tube-shaped preform formed by injection molding. Examples of synthetic resin materials that can be used to form the square bottle 1 include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate, amorphous polyester, and blends of these materials. However, the synthetic resin material is not limited to one type of synthetic resin material; for example, the square bottle 1 can be formed by laminating different types of synthetic resin materials.

[0016] The mouth portion 2 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a cap (not shown) is removably attached to the mouth portion 2. The body portion 4 is configured by alternately arranging panel surface portions 10 and corner surface portions 11 in the circumferential direction, and is formed into a cross-sectional angular shape. In the example shown, the body portion 4 has four panel surface portions 10 and four corner surface portions 11, and the panel surface portions 10 face each other in the radial direction, and the corner surface portions 11 face each other in the radial direction. The shoulder portion 3 is also formed into a cross-sectional angular shape similar to that of the body portion 4.

[0017] The circumferential size of the panel surface portion 10 is larger than the circumferential size of the corner surface portion 11. The circumferential sizes of the four panel surface portions 10 are equal to each other. The body portion 4 may be formed in a flat shape in cross section. The panel surface portions 10 and corner surface portions 11 adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are connected in the circumferential direction via ridge portions 12 extending in the vertical direction. The ridge portions 12 are arranged over the entire length of the body portion 4 in the vertical direction.

[0018] A circumferential groove 13 is formed in the body portion 4, extending in the circumferential direction and dividing the panel surface portion 10 into upper and lower portions. In the illustrated example, the circumferential groove 13 is formed in the lower portion of the body portion 4. In the panel surface portion 10, the upper panel surface portion 20, which is located above the circumferential groove 13, is larger in the vertical direction than the lower panel surface portion 21, which is located below the circumferential groove 13. The circumferential groove 13 may be formed, for example, in the vertical center portion of the body portion 4. A plurality of circumferential grooves 13 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction. Four circumferential grooves 13 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The circumferential grooves 13 are provided around the entire circumference of the body portion 4 except for the circumferential center portion of the corner surface portion 11.

[0019] The panel surface portion 10 is formed with vacuum absorption panel portions 22 that are adjacent to the circumferential groove 13 in the vertical direction. In the illustrated example, the vacuum absorption panel portions 22 are provided on both sides of the circumferential groove 13 in the vertical direction, i.e., on the upper panel surface portion 20 and the lower panel surface portion 21. Hereinafter, the vacuum absorption panel portion 22 located on the upper panel surface portion 20 will be referred to as the first vacuum absorption panel portion 23, and the vacuum absorption panel portion 22 located on the lower panel surface portion 21 will be referred to as the second vacuum absorption panel portion 24.

[0020] The vacuum absorption panel section 22 has an angular shape with multiple corners 22a in a front view from the outside in the radial direction. The vacuum absorption panel section 22 has a quadrangular shape with rounded corners 22a arranged at the four corners in the front view. The vacuum absorption panel section 22 has a rectangular shape that is long in the up-down direction in the front view. The first vacuum absorption panel section 23 and the second vacuum absorption panel section 24 have the same circumferential size. The up-down size of the first vacuum absorption panel section 23 is larger than the up-down size of the second vacuum absorption panel section 24. The planar area of ​​the first vacuum absorption panel section 23 is larger than the planar area of ​​the second vacuum absorption panel section 24.

[0021] In the panel surface portion 10, of the multiple corners 22a in the vacuum absorption panel portion 22, a corresponding portion 10a located between the circumferential groove 13 and a corresponding corner 22a adjacent to the circumferential groove 13 in the up-down direction is formed with a protruding portion 30 that protrudes toward the inside of the circumferential groove 13. The protruding portion 30 narrows the groove width of the circumferential groove 13 at a portion adjacent to the corresponding corner 22a in the up-down direction. The corresponding corners 22a are two of the four corners 22a of the first vacuum absorption panel portion 23 that are located on the lower side and spaced apart in the circumferential direction, and the corresponding portion 10a is located at the lower end of the upper panel surface portion 20.

[0022] Two protruding portions 30 are provided circumferentially spaced apart, corresponding to the two lower corners 22a of the first vacuum absorption panel portion 23. The upper end surface of the inner surface of the circumferential groove 13, which is located at the upper end and faces downward, extends upward as it moves away from the protruding portions 30 in the circumferential direction. The portion of the upper end surface of the circumferential groove 13 located between the protruding portions 30 presents a curved shape that is concave upward in the front view. Note that the protruding portions may have, for example, a semicircular, rectangular, or triangular shape that protrudes downward as a whole in the front view, or a structure that protrudes downward in multiple steps so that its circumferential size gradually decreases downward.

[0023] A lateral groove 31 is formed in the circumferentially extending band portion 20b, which is located between the circumferential groove 13 and the first vacuum absorption panel portion 23 and extends in the circumferential direction, straddling the circumferential center of the band portion 20b. The circumferential centers of the panel surface portion 10, the lateral groove 31, the first vacuum absorption panel portion 23, and the second vacuum absorption panel portion 24 are aligned.

[0024] The upper end surface of the inner surface of the circumferential groove 13, which is located at the upper end and faces downward, extends upward as it moves radially outward. The lower end surface of the inner surface of the circumferential groove 13, which is located at the lower end and faces upward, extends approximately straight in the radial direction. Note that a step having a step surface facing up and down may be provided at least one between the lateral groove 31 and the first vacuum absorption panel portion 23 and between the lateral groove 31 and the circumferential groove 13. Furthermore, a step having a step surface (upper end surface) located at the upper end and facing upward may be formed in the body portion 4, and the step surface of this step may be flush with the lower end surface of the lateral groove 31 in the radial direction.

[0025] The vertical distance between the lateral groove 31 and the first vacuum absorption panel portion 23 is equal to or less than the vertical distance between the lateral groove 31 and the circumferential groove 13. The former distance may be greater than the latter distance. The circumferential size of the lateral groove 31 is smaller than the circumferential size of the first vacuum absorption panel portion 23. At each of the two corresponding corner portions 22a located on the lower side of the first vacuum absorption panel portion 23, the circumferential distance X between the centers of the outer circumferential edges that have an arc shape in front view is equal to or greater than the circumferential size of the lateral groove 31.

[0026] The apex (lower end) of the protrusion 30 on the circumferential groove 13 side faces the corresponding corner 22 a in the up-down direction. In the front view, a straight line L that passes through the apex of the protrusion 30 and is tangent to the outer circumferential edge of the corresponding corner 22 a that faces the apex in the up-down direction faces either tangent to or spaced apart from both circumferential ends of the lateral groove 31. In the front view, the straight line L extends upward in a direction that moves away from the circumferential center of the panel surface portion 10 in the circumferential direction.

[0027] As explained above, in the rectangular bottle 1 according to this embodiment, the projection 30 ensures a large planar area for the corresponding portion 10a located between the corresponding corner 22a and the circumferential groove 13. This reduces the stress generated in the corresponding portion 10a when the vacuum absorption panel 22 deforms due to the reduced pressure inside the rectangular bottle 1, and prevents the corresponding portion 10a from bending in a valley-like manner toward the inside of the bottle.

[0028] In the panel surface portion 10, a horizontal groove 31 is formed in the band portion 20b located between the circumferential groove 13 and the first vacuum absorption panel portion 23, extending in the circumferential direction across the circumferential center of the band portion 20b. This makes it possible to improve the rigidity of the band portion 20b, and even if the weight of the square bottle 1 is reduced, it is possible to prevent bending of the band portion 20b in parts other than the corresponding part 10a when the pressure inside the square bottle 1 is reduced.

[0029] The circumferential centers of the panel surface portion 10, the lateral groove 31, and the vacuum absorption panel portion 22 are aligned, and the circumferential size of the lateral groove 31 is smaller than the circumferential size of the first vacuum absorption panel portion 23. This ensures the planar area of ​​the corresponding portion 10a located between the corresponding corner portion 22a and the circumferential groove 13, while also ensuring the rigidity of the band-like portion 20b located between the circumferential groove 13 and the first vacuum absorption panel portion 23. This reliably prevents the band-like portion 20b from bending even when the weight of the square bottle 1 is reduced.

[0030] At each of the two corresponding corners 22a, the circumferential distance X between the centers of the outer circumferential edges that form an arc shape in front view is equal to or greater than the circumferential size of the lateral groove 31. This ensures the planar area of ​​the corresponding portion 10a located between the corresponding corners 22a and the circumferential groove 13, while also ensuring the rigidity of the band-like portion 20b located between the circumferential groove 13 and the first vacuum absorption panel portion 23. This reliably prevents the band-like portion 20b from bending even when the weight of the square bottle 1 is reduced.

[0031] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0032] For example, the number of the four panel surface portions 10 and the corner surface portions 11 is not limited to four and may be changed as appropriate. The body portion 4 does not need to have any corner surface portions 11. The circumferential groove 13 may extend continuously around the entire circumference. Only one of the first vacuum absorption panel portion 23 and the second vacuum absorption panel portion 24 may be formed on the panel surface portion 10. The front view shape of each of the first vacuum absorption panel portion 23 and the second vacuum absorption panel portion 24 is not limited to a rectangular shape and may be changed as appropriate, as long as it is an angular shape having multiple corners 22a. Of the multiple corners 22a in the vacuum absorption panel portion 22, only one corresponding corner 22a may be vertically adjacent to the circumferential groove 13. The protrusion 30 may be formed on the lower panel surface portion 21 in a portion located between the circumferential groove 13 and two upper corners (corresponding corners) 22a of the second vacuum absorption panel portion 24 that are spaced apart in the circumferential direction. The protrusions 30 may be formed on both the upper panel surface 20 and the lower panel surface 21 .

[0033] In addition, within the scope of the spirit of the present invention, it is possible to replace the components in the above-described embodiments with well-known components as appropriate, and the above-described embodiments and the above-described variations may be combined as appropriate.

[0034] According to one aspect of the present invention, even when weight reduction is attempted, it is possible to prevent valley folds, which are folds toward the inside of the bottle, from occurring in the portion located between the vacuum absorption panel portion and the circumferential groove.

[0035] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Square bottle 4 Body 10 Panel surface 10a Corresponding portion 13 Circumferential groove 22 Vacuum absorption panel portion 22a Corner portion, corresponding corner portion 30 Projection portion 31 Horizontal groove

Claims

1. A rectangular bottle having a body portion having a plurality of panel surface portions arranged circumferentially, wherein a circumferential groove extending circumferentially and dividing the panel surface portion into upper and lower portions is formed in the body portion, wherein vacuum absorption panel portions are formed on the panel surface portion adjacent to the circumferential groove in the vertical direction, wherein the vacuum absorption panel portions have an angular shape having a plurality of corners when viewed from the outside in the radial direction, wherein a corresponding portion of the panel surface portion between the circumferential groove and a corresponding corner adjacent to the circumferential groove in the vertical direction among the plurality of corners of the vacuum absorption panel portion is formed with a protruding portion protruding toward the inside of the circumferential groove, and wherein a horizontal groove extending circumferentially across a circumferential center of the portion is formed in the portion located between the circumferential groove and the vacuum absorption panel portion.

2. The rectangular bottle according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential centers of the panel surface portion, the horizontal groove and the vacuum absorption panel portion are aligned, and the circumferential size of the horizontal groove is smaller than the circumferential size of the vacuum absorption panel portion.

3. The rectangular bottle according to claim 2, wherein the vacuum absorption panel portion has a rectangular shape with rounded corners at its four corners when viewed from the outside in the radial direction, and two of the corresponding corners are arranged at a distance in the circumferential direction, and the circumferential distance between the centers of the outer periphery edges of each of the two corresponding corners which have an arc shape when viewed from the front is equal to or greater than the circumferential size of the horizontal groove.

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