Container with grip

Abstract

A container (10) comprises a base (16), a neck (18) defining a liquid outlet (21), first and second major sides (12, 14) connecting at a front (20) and a back (22) and extending between the base and the neck, and a holding structure (24) extending from the back on each of the first and second major sides and comprising a grip portion (26, 28) recessed inwardly on each of the first and second major sides, wherein the grip portion on the first major side has a different configuration and / or size from the grip portion on the second major side; characterized in that wherein the holding structure further comprises a shoulder (30) on an upper side of the grip portions on the first and second major sides; and wherein the shoulder and grip portions of each of the first and second major sides connect at the back to form a recess and shoulder at the back of the container.

Description

[0001] CONTAINER WITH GRIP

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003] The relates to a container with holding structure, and particularly towards a container with a holding structure for gripping with one hand.

[0004] Background of the Invention

[0005] Containers or bottles (e.g., made of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)) are typically light weight, with high transparency, high impact resistance, and are not easy to break. This makes them suitable for a wide variety of uses in daily necessities, beverages, daily chemical supplies packaging and other fields.

[0006] Existing handles for plastic bottles or other containers on the market (such as laundry detergent bottles, oil bottles, soybean sauce bottles and 4L / 5L water or other beverage bottles) typically have a simple and rough structural design. Often, the grip feeling when holding the handle is uncomfortable due to the heavy weight of the container when using the bottle, and some can even cause hand bruising and other injuries to the user's hand.

[0007] FR2733962A1 discloses a bottle (4) for containing toilet bowl cleaning liquids comprises a body (6) with a neck (8) inclined to the bottle axis (X-X). The bottle has a handle (34) on the side towards which the neck is inclined.

[0008] US8584856B2 discloses containers for containing a laundry product, having a helical grip translating down the container.

[0009] For some containers, such as that shown in CN219884402U, the handle is formed separately, typically through molding. The small handle is then fixed to the container, typically through one or more protrusions fitting into one or more slots on the container body. Such a handle must then include a portion which connects to the container body and a portion for gripping. Other containers include no handles, and a user must simply grab the container body or neck to maneuver, which often requires two hands.

[0010] Summary of the Invention

[0011] Thus, it is desirable to develop a container which has a grip or a handle integrally formed and which a user can easily and securely grip and maneuver with one hand, even when wet or slippery. This container could be made of PET, High Density Poly Ethylene (“HDPE”), polyethylene terephthalate-1 ,4-cyclohexanedimethylenephthalate (“PETG”), polypropylene (“PP”)or any other suitable material.

[0012] According to a first aspect of the invention, a container comprises a base, a neck defining a liquid outlet, first and second major sides connecting at a front and a back and extending between the base and the neck, and a holding structure. The holding structure extends from the back on each of the first and second major sides and comprises a grip portion recessed inwardly on each of the first and second major sides. The grip portion on the first major side has a different configuration and / or size from the grip portion on the second major side; wherein the holding structure further comprises a shoulder on an upper side of the grip portions on the first and second major sides; and wherein the shoulder and grip portions of each of the first and second major sides connect at the back to form a recess and shoulder at the back of the container.

[0013] Such a container is able to hold liquids while also allowing a user to easily and securely grip and manoeuvre the container with one hand using the holding structure. A user can grip the container with a thumb extending in the recessed grip portion on one side of the container and the user’s fingers extending in the recessed grip portion on the second major side, allowing the user to securely grip the container through the holding structure.

[0014] According to an embodiment, the holding structure is located in the top half of the container between the base and the neck, for example around 2 / 3 of the height of the container between the base and then neck. Such a location allows for easily picking up the container and pouring liquid out of the container.

[0015] The holding structure further comprises a shoulder on an upper side of the grip portions on the first and second major sides. The shoulder and grip portions of each of the first and second major sides connect at the back to form a recess and shoulder at the back of the container. Such a configuration provides a nice space for a user’s hand to grip the holding structure of the container, providing a secure place for a user to hold the container and pour out liquid stored inside the container. This configuration also is comfortable for a user, helping to reduce or eliminate hand bruising or injuries associated with uncomfortable prior art handles.

[0016] According to an embodiment, the holding structure further comprises one or more anti-slip features. Such features could comprise one or more grooves, ribs, bumps, dimples or other suitable protrusions or indentations that provide friction and can help a user to grip the container to prevent the container from slipping out of a user’s hand. In some embodiments this is one or more ribs in the grip portion on the first major side and / or on the second major side. Optionally, a plurality of ribs are used, for example, three ribs. Further optionally, ribs can be on only one major side, for example, the side which the user will place their fingers (opposite the major side which will receive the thumb). The ribs can be different shapes, for example, curved or crescent shaped and / or different sizes. An example rib configuration could be three crescent shaped ribs which are each about 5 mm long and about 1.5 mm in height, with rib spacing of about 10 mm. The use of ribs helps the user to firmly grasp the container with their fingers and thumb, avoiding the sliding or dropping of the container, even when wet or slippery.

[0017] According to an embodiment, the front and back are curved from the base to the neck. This can be, for example, a curve outward and then an inward curve extending toward a relatively narrow neck. One or more of the major sides can also be curved, for example, with all sides curving outwards to a largest cross-sectional area in the middle before curving inward to the neck. Such a configuration can help to make the container easy to grip with one hand by a user, hold a large amount of liquid and be aesthetically pleasing.

[0018] According to an embodiment, one or both of the grip portions of the holding structure has a height (in a direction from base to neck) which is larger at the back and tapers to a smaller height towards the front. For example, the shape of the holding structure could resemble an “S” shape on each side. The recessed grip portion could, on the first major side which is intended for accommodating a thumb, have a height of from 6.5 cm to 8 cm at the back of container, and tapers to a reduced height of from 2.5 cm to 5 cm, preferably from 3 cm to 4 cm at a centre line of the container (extending in a height direction). Such a recessed grip portion could also extend from 6 cm to 8 cm, preferably 6.5 cm to 7.5 cm across the container (between the front and back), which is generally conducive to the user’s palm stretching around to fit the hand-thumb area in such a recess. On the second major side, the recessed grip portion which is intended for the fingers could have a height of from 6.5 cm to 8 cm at the back of the container, and tapers to a reduced height of from 5 cm to 7.5 cm, preferably from 6 cm to 7 cm at a centre line of the container (extending in a height direction). Such a recessed grip portion could also extend from 8 cm to 11 cm, preferably from 9 cm to 10 cm across the container (between the front and back). In such an embodiment, the configuration and / or size of the holding structure is different between the first and second major sides, which allows the design to fit more closely to the shape of the human palm (as opposed to symmetric holding structures). Thus, the thumb and fingers more easily fit around and grip the container in such a holding structure. In particular, the grip portion intended for accommodating a thumb is smaller than the one for accommodating the fingers, which makes a tight fit for the thumb and stops it from sliding or slipping. Such a design can restrict the movement of the thumb to improve the grasp of the container, especially when the container is full or heavy. These are examples only, and the specific dimensions could vary depending on container size and configuration.

[0019] According to an embodiment, the holding structure extends from 20% to 90% of the width of the container body between the back and front, preferably from 20% to 80%, more preferably from 40% to 75%. This can be different on each side, for example, about 70%-90% on the side intended to accommodate a user’s fingers and about 50%-70% on the side intended to accommodate a user’s thumb.

[0020] Thus, the holding structure extends over a sufficient amount of the container body on the first and second major surfaces between the front and back to allow a user to securely grip the container. According to an embodiment, the container neck comprises connection means, for example threads or a snap-fit connection. Such connection means allow for connecting a cap or other dispensing device to the neck of the bottle to secure the liquid inside and / or assist with dispensing.

[0021] According to an embodiment, the container has a maximum width of from 8 cm to 12 cm between the first major side and the second major side, preferably from 9 cm to 11 cm, more preferably from 9.5 cm to 10 cm. Such a maximum width allows for holding relatively large volumes of liquid in a container than can still be easily and securely manoeuvred with one hand by a user.

[0022] According to an embodiment, a width between the grip portions of the first major side and the grip portion of the second major side (i.e. , the cross-sectional width of the container at the holding structure) is from 5 cm to 15 cm, preferably from 5 cm to 10 cm, more preferably from 6 cm to 8 cm. This is an ideal width for an average user to be able to securely grip the container at the handling portion between a user’s thumb (on one side) and the user’s fingers (on the other side) resting the palm area on the back of the container.

[0023] According to an embodiment, the container is integrally formed. Integrally formed means that the container is formed as one piece. This can be, for example, through moulding, blow moulding, printing or extrusion. Forming the container integrally provides a secure container with a relatively fast, simple and economical manufacturing process. According to an embodiment, the container is configured to hold from 1 L to 5L of liquid, for example from 1 L to 3L, or from 1 ,6L to 2L. Such sized containers are ideal for handling a variety of daily necessities (e.g., detergents, oils, sauces, beverages); daily chemical supplies or other liquids which need to be stored and handled.

[0024] According to an embodiment, the container is formed of polyethylene terephthalate. Such material can provide a simple to form container which is light weight, with high transparency and high impact resistance. Such PET containers are suitable for a wide variety of uses in daily necessities, daily chemical supplies packaging and other fields.

[0025] According to a further aspect, a method of forming the container previously described is presented. Such a method involves moulding the container, for example blow moulding or injection moulding. Such a method of manufacture can be an efficient and economical way to form a container with a handling structure without requiring a two-step process or having to fit or secure different parts together.

[0026] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] The invention will now be further described with reference to the following non-limiting embodiments and with reference to the drawings, of which:

[0028] Figure 1 A shows a side view of a first major side of a container;

[0029] Figure 1 B shows a side view of a second major side of the container of Fig. 1 A;

[0030] Figure 1 C shows a side view of the first major side of the container of Fig. 1 A being gripped by a hand;

[0031] Figure 1 D shows a cross-sectional view of the container of Fig. 1C along line D-D; and

[0032] Figure 1 E shows a side view of the container with hand of Fig. 1C in a pouring orientation.

[0033] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0034] The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings but the invention is limited by only by the claims. The drawings are only schematic and are not limiting. In the drawings, the size, shape and placement of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn to scale for illustration purposes. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention. The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. The terms “having”, “comprising”, “including”, and variations thereof signify the presence of a component.

[0035] The container can take a form of a bottle that is suitable to hold liquids, such as cleaning liquids (e.g., detergent, fabric softener, washing or sanitizing liquids); cooking liquids (e.g., oils, sauces) or beverages such as water. The container can be formed of PET, making the container light weight with good impact resistance and resistance to breaking. Alternatively, the container could be formed of HDPE or another suitable material.

[0036] The container is able to accommodate liquid in an interior and can be rigid or somewhat flexible depending on the configuration. The container can also be refilled and / or cleaned for reuse though the liquid outlet. While the container is shown and described as having curved surfaces with two major surfaces connected by a front and a back, this could vary in different embodiments with the container taking on a different shape, for example more rectangular or any other suitable shape which could accommodate the holding structure.

[0037] The container typically comprises a base, a neck defining a liquid outlet, first and second major sides connecting at a front and a back and extending between the base and the neck, and a holding structure extending from the back on each of the first and second major sides and comprising a grip portion recessed inwardly on each of the first and second major sides. Optionally, the front and / or back of the container can be curved from the base to the neck. This could be a single curve or multiple curves. Further optionally, the maximum width of the container between the first and second major sides is from 8 cm to 12 cm, preferably from 9 cm to 11 cm, more preferably from 9.5 cm to 10 cm.

[0038] The liquid outlet opening may be on an end of the container to allow pouring or discharge of the liquid from inside the container, though in some embodiments the opening could be on a side or partially on an end and partially on a side. The liquid outlet can be defined by the neck and can optionally comprise connection means (e.g., threads or a bayonet connection) for securing a cap or other connector, such as a pouring or dosing spout. The container can have a cap or other connector placed on the liquid outlet opening. The cap or connector can include means controlling the liquid product flow from inside to outside the container, for example a pour spout or stop valve.

[0039] The grip portions in the holding structure are recessed inwardly on each of the first and second major sides for accommodating a user’s hand. Optionally, the holding structure can be located in the top half of the container between the base and the neck. The holding structure includes a shoulder extending above the recessed grip portions on each of the first and second major sides (on the side closest to the neck) and connect in the back to form a recess and shoulder at the back of the container. Such a shoulder and recessed grip portions can provide a comfortable area for a user to grip, with a thumb extending around one major side and the user’s fingers gripping the grip portion on the other major side. In some embodiments, one or more anti-slip features can be included to provide additional gripping and anti-slip support on one or both sides. Such features could include one or more grooves, ribs, bumps, dimples or other suitable protrusions or indentations for providing friction to reduce or eliminate slippage or dropping when a user is gripping the container. In some embodiments, the anti-slip features comprise one or more ribs (e.g., three ribs) in the grip portion on the first major side and / or on the second major side. Such a holding structure is generally shaped to accommodate a user’s typical hand shape and size, and can taper from the back of the container toward the front. This allows for more space to accommodate the palm portion of the user’s hand at the back of the container and tapers with a smaller recessed area as the recessed grip portions extend toward the front of the container. Such recessed grip portions are typically from 5 cm to 15 cm apart (cross-sectional width of the container at the grip portions), preferably from 5 cm to 10 cm or from 6 cm to 8 cm, accommodating a typical hand size for a user to securely grasp for easy and confident holding and pouring out from the container. Such a holding structure could extend, for example, from 20% to 90% of the width of the container between the back and front, for example, from 20% to 80%, or from 40% to 75%. For example, on the first major side which is intended for accommodating a thumb, have a height of from 6.5 cm to 8 cm at the back of container, and tapers to a reduced height of from 2.5 cm to 5 cm, preferably from 3 cm to 4 cm at a center line of the container (extending in a height direction). Such a recessed grip portion could also extend from 6 cm to 8 cm, preferably 6.5 cm to 7.5 cm across the container (between the front and back), which is generally conducive to the user’s palm stretching around to fit the hand-thumb area in such a recess. On the second major side, the recessed grip portion which is intended for the fingers could have a height of from 6.5 cm to 8 cm at the back of the container, and tapers to a reduced height of from 5 cm to 7.5 cm, preferably from 6 cm to 7 cm at a center line of the container (extending in a height direction). Such a recessed portion could also extend from 8 cm to 11 cm, preferably from 9 cm to 10 cm across the container (between the front and back). In such an embodiment, the configuration of the holding structure is different between the first and second major sides, which allows the design to fit more closely to the shape of the human palm (as opposed to symmetric holding structures). Thus, the thumb and fingers more easily fit around and grip the container in such a holding structure. In particular, the grip portion intended for accommodating a thumb is smaller than the one for accommodating the fingers, which makes a tight fit for the thumb and stops it from sliding or slipping. Such a design can restrict the movement of the thumb to improve the grasp of the container, especially when the container is full or heavy.

[0040] The container can be formed integrally, for example, through moulding, blow moulding or injection moulding. Optionally, the container can be configured to hold from 1 L to 5L of liquid, for example, from 1 L to 3L or from 1 ,6L to 2L. The materials used can be using PET or HDPE material.

[0041] Manufacturing by moulding, blow moulding or injection moulding allows for easy and quick manufacture of a container with a handle, avoiding needing to separately make and later connect a handle, which was typically required for prior art PET containers. As described in the background, past PET containers typically were formed without a handle, and the user would either have to simply grab the neck or side to pour out liquid or a handle was separately made and connected to the PET container. This resulted in less comfortable handling for a user or much less efficient and economical manufacturing of the PET containers with a handle. By forming the PET container with the holding structure, a user is able to confidently and easily hold and pour out of the container, and the manufacturing process is efficient and therefore more cost-effective from the integral manufacture of the container with integrally formed holding structure.

[0042] Figure 1A shows a side view of container 10, showing first side 12; and Figure 1 B shows a second side 14 of container 10. Container 10 comprises first major side 12, second major side 14, base 16, neck 18 (with threads 19), front 20, back 22, and holding structure 24.

[0043] Container 10 generally curves outward from base 16 on each of the first and second major sides 12, 14 and front and back 20, 22 before curving back inward toward neck 18. Container 10 would generally be sized to hold from 1 L to 5L of liquid, for example 1.6L to 2L. Neck 18 defines liquid outlet 21 . Container 10 can be integrally formed, for example by blow moulding. Container 10 is sized to hold 2L liquid.

[0044] Holding structure 24 extends from back 22 on each of the first and second major sides 12, 14, and comprises grip portions 26, 28 recessed inwardly on each of the respective first and second major sides 12, 14 and back 22. Holding structure further comprises shoulder 30 extending at an upper side of the grip portions 26, 28 extending on each of the first and second major sides 12, 14 and connecting in the back 22. Such a recess and shoulder structure provide a recessed grip portion extending from the back 22 toward the front 20 which is generally shaped and configured for a user’s hand to grip container 10, with a thumb on first major side 12, fingers on second major side 14, and with shoulder 30 resting on an upper side of the user’s hand. This generally includes a curved or S-shape which tapers from the back 22 to the front 20. For example, a height HB of the holding structure recess at or near the back 22 could be 7 cm, reducing in height at an end of the grip portion 26, 28. As in the embodiment shown, this can have different tapering between the grip portion 26 and grip portion 28.

[0045] The width W of the holding structure between the back 22 and the front 20 could be from 20% to 90% of the width of the container body between the back and front, for example from 20% to 80%, or from 40% to 75%. As shown in Figs. 1A-1 B, the width can be different on the different major sides 12, 14.

[0046] Width Wi on first major side 12 (to accommodate a thumb) can be 7 cm with height Hi at the centre line of 3.4 cm. Width W2 on second major side 14 (to accommodate the fingers) can be 9.5 cm with height H2 at the centre line of 6.5 cm. These are example dimensions which can help to accommodate a user’s hand for strong and secure gripping, providing a design to more easily fit a thumb on one side and a user’s fingers on the other. While these example dimensions are given, dimensions can vary depending on the container 10 size and other requirements. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1A-1 B, on first side 12, grip portion 26 extends about 60% of the width of container 10 between back 22 and front 20; and grip portion 28 extends about 90% of the width of container 10 between back 22 and front 20. A distance D between gip portion 26 and grip portion 28 is typically from 5 cm to 15 cm apart, preferably from 5 cm to 10 cm or from 6 cm to 8 cm (see Fig. 1 D).

[0047] Holding structure 24 is typically located in an upper part of container, for example about 2 / 3 of the height of container 10 between base 16 and neck 18. This can help with manoeuvrability, particularly for pouring out of outlet 21 defined by neck 18.

[0048] Grip portion 28 includes three ribs 32 extending generally in a height direction of container 10, with a curved or crescent shape. Ribs 32 extend or protrude outwardly from grip portion 28 on second major side 14, for example about 1.5 cm. Ribs 32 are spaced about 10 cm apart and are generally centred in grip portion 28. Some embodiments could also or alternatively include one or more ribs on grip portion 26 on first major side 12 and could be differently shaped, raised and / or positioned.

[0049] Figure 1C shows a side view of the first major side 12 of container 10 being gripped by a hand 40; figure 1 D shows a cross-sectional view of container 10 along line D-D; and figure 1 E shows a side view of the container 10 with hand 40 holding the container 10 in a pouring orientation.

[0050] Hand 40 grips container 10 at holding structure 24 grip portions 26 and 28. Specifically a user’s thumb 42 extends into grip portion 26 on first major side 12 and the user’s fingers 44 extend in grip portion 28 on second major side 14. As seen in Fig. 1 D the distance D between grip portions 26 and 28 is from 5 cm to 10 cm, (e.g., 6 cm to 8 cm) and shoulder 30 extends about an upper side of hand 40 when container is being held. Ribs 32 provide holding or gripping features for the user’s fingers and help the container 10 to not slip out of the grip of the user, even when wet or slippery and / or being poured (see Fig. 1 E).

[0051] In summary, the configuration of container 10 provides a stylish design which is both easy to manufacture of PET and allows for single-handed use and pouring without needing to connect a separate handle or other part (as in prior art PET containers). Holding structure 24 with grip portions 26, 28 and shoulder 30 are configured to accommodate and provide a comfortable and stable gripping area for a user’s hand to grab, with the palm area stretching smoothly around back 22, thumb fitting into grip portion 26 and fingers accommodated by grip portion 28. Ribs 32 can provide additional gripping or non-slip functions, especially useful for when container 10 is manoeuvred and liquid is poured out. By manufacturing container 10 with holding structure 24 integrally, PET container 10 is able to be faster and more economically formed, reducing overall costs and time to produce a PET container which can accommodate single-handed gripping and use. Holding structure 24 with gripping features (e.g., ribs, shoulder, recesses) allow for secure handling of container 10 even when container 10 and / or hand 40 is wet, reducing or eliminating occurrences of dropping container 10 and causing a mess or loss of liquid inside. This is especially useful for containers 10 in the range of 1 L-5L, typical sizes for commonly used containers for everyday household items such as cleaners, detergents, oils, sauces, and beverages.

[0052] While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not to be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Claims1. A container (10) comprising: a base (16); a neck (18) defining a liquid outlet (21); first and second major sides (12, 14) connecting at a front (20) and a back (22) and extending between the base (16) and the neck (18); a holding structure (24) extending from the back (22) on each of the first and second major sides (12, 14) and comprising a grip portion (26, 28) recessed inwardly on each of the first and second major sides (12, 14); and wherein the grip portion (26) on the first major side (12) has a different configuration and / or size from the grip portion (28) on the second major side (14); characterized in that wherein the holding structure (24) further comprises a shoulder (30) on an upper side of the grip portions (26, 28) on the first and second major sides (12, 14); and wherein the shoulder (30) and grip portions (26, 28) of each of the first and second major sides (12, 14) connect at the back (22) to form a recess and shoulder at the back of the container (10).

2. The container (10) of claim 1 , wherein the holding structure (24) is located in the top half of the container (10) between the base (16) and the neck (18).

3. The container (10) of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the grip portion (26) on the first major side (12) has a width of from 6 cm to 8 cm, preferably 6.5 cm to 7.5 cm; and a height of from 2.5 cm to 5 cm, preferably from 3 cm to 4 cm.

4. The container (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the grip portion (28) on the second major side (14) has a width of from 8 cm to 11 cm, preferably 9 cm to 10 cm; and a height of from 5 cm to 7.5 cm, preferably from 6 cm to 7 cm.

5. The container (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the holding structure (24) further comprises one or more anti-slip features.

6. The container (10) of claim 5, wherein the one or more anti-slip features comprises grooves, ribs, bumps, dimples or other suitable protrusions or indentations, preferably one or moreribs (32) in the grip portion (26, 28) on the first major side (12) and / or on the second major side (12).

7. The container (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein one or both of the grip portions (26, 28) of the holding structure (24) has a height which is larger at the back (22) and tapers to a smaller height towards the front (20).

8. The container (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the container (10) has a maximum width of from 8 cm to 12 cm between the first major side (12) and the second major side (14), preferably from 9 cm to 11 cm, more preferably from 9.5 cm to 10 cm.

9. The container (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein a width between the grip portions (26, 28) of the first major side (12) and second major side (14) is from 5 cm to 10 cm, preferably from 6 cm to 8 cm.

10. The container (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the container (10) is integrally formed.

11. The container (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the container (10) is configured to hold from 1 L to 5L of liquid, preferably 1 L to 3L, more preferably 1 ,6L to 2L.

12. The container (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the container is formed of polyethylene terephthalate.

13. A method of forming the container (10) of any of the preceding claims, the method comprising: moulding the container (10), preferably blow moulding.

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