Multi-component pulp-based container with secondary base

Abstract

A multi-component pulp-based container comprises a plurality of pulp-based parts bonded together, including one or more body sections and a secondary base. At least one of the body sections features an integrated base region on its lower edge, forming a primary base when the sections are assembled into a complete body. The secondary base features structural elements including a plurality of push-up regions with valleys between them and cut-outs which serve multiple purposes including accommodating the base seam if present at the bottom of the primary base, providing gaps at multiple points between the primary base and secondary base for shock absorption before direct contact is made, or both. The separate push-up features offer flexibility in design and placement, enhancing the structural strength, handling ability, and stability of the container base. The cut-out design accommodating the seam enhances the visual appeal and provides a sleek appearance to the container.

Description

MULTI-COMPONENT PULP-BASED CONTAINER WITH SECONDARY BASEFIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to multi-component pulp-based containers comprising one or more body sections and a secondary base. At least one body section features an integrated base part on the lower edge to form a primary base when the body sections are attached to form a body. The secondary base enhances the strength, handling, and stability of the container.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Pulp based containers can be manufactured as a single piece or as multiple pieces which are then assembled to form a container. However, the production of single-piece pulp containers requires more complex and sophisticated equipment which significantly limits the scalability of the production process.

[0003] The concept of a modular container, made up of multiple components, presents numerous advantages. Compared to single-piece production, modular containers offer easier molding and enable various methods of applying barrier materials. They also provide design versatility by allowing the use of diverse materials for distinct parts depending on their specific functions. Furthermore, modular containers can significantly contribute to sustainable practices by minimizing material consumption and facilitating recycling when different materials are used for different parts.

[0004] In modular containers, the body consists of multiple sections, which can be transverse, longitudinal, or a combination of both. The body may include an integrated base and neck or these components can be produced separately and attached to the body. The base requires additional support to withstand drop impacts, support the weight of the filled container, and prevent toppling when empty.

[0005] Conventionally, pulp containers have addressed strength and stability issues by increasing the thickness of the bottom region. This approach is exemplified in US4256231 A which describes a method of providing additional thickness to the base for enhanced strength. WO2021069584A1 combines increased thickness with a curved bottom design featuring support elements. This patent application details a cambered container bottom with three to five or more support elements arranged circularly aroundthe container's longitudinal axis. These elements are positioned equidistantly and can optionally be arranged concentrically. The cambered design allows for even distribution of internal forces acting on the container bottom, while the thickened support elements provide increased stiffness in specific areas.

[0006] Modular containers are typically formed by attaching different parts together using various methods such as adhesive bonding, thermal bonding, interlocking designs, or mechanical fastening. Among these, adhesive and thermal bonding are widely used. To ensure effective bonding strength, these methods require a sufficient surface area for bonding, often achieved through tabs or flange designs that provide ample bonding area. However, these design elements present challenges in certain areas, particularly at the bottom of the base region when the base is formed by attaching two pieces. This issue is especially significant in containers where body parts have integrated bases, as the protruding seam flanges can significantly affect the bottom design structure crucial for the container's stability when placed on a surface.

[0007] Patents such as JP2009196644A, JP2022148425A, JP2023055410A, and US2012145710A1 describe containers composed of two longitudinal body sections with integrated bases, typically joined using adhesives. While some designs incorporate hinges, these documents generally fail to adequately address the impact of seam joints on overall container stability, particularly in the base region. JP2001039425A proposes an alternative approach by eliminating the joint between the body and the bottom altogether, thus avoiding seam-related stability issues. However, it didn't address the strength issue of the primary base.

[0008] Patent application document IN202221001213A teaches a molded fiber base with a raised region called a boss on the bottom of the base and an adapting corner formed in the side wall of the base. A slot is formed within said boss where the sealing at the base part is adapted. Further, the adapting corner formed in the side wall of the base accommodates the comers of the sealing. While this prior art addresses the issue of stability to a certain extent, it still has significant limitations in effectively addressing all the associated challenges. This prior art explains a boss on which the slot is formed to accommodate the sealing. The boss formed by extrusion and the simple slot design have limitations in design flexibility for adding structural strength and stability features. The adapting corner protrudes further out from the bottle bonding / sealing surfaces, which makes the base outer diameter non-axisymmetric with the base sealing surface, creatingtwo contact points around the bottle. This not only affects the aesthetics but also can create an unstable base, potentially causing the container to wobble or tip more easily, especially when empty. The slot is sized such that the side wall of the slot is consistent with an edge of said bottom sealing, and the remaining portion of said base part is supported by the top surface of said boss. This implies the slot and the upper surface of the boss are in full contact with the sealing area and the base part of the bottle, creating the risk of transferring impact force onto the base of the body. It also claims that the sealing at the base part can be completely or partially adapted in said adaptor slot. This again poses a stability risk when the sealing is partially accommodated. The design focuses on providing maximum reinforcement but overlooks the concept of deformation of the bottle from the secondary base due to external force. Additionally, it addresses only one type of bottle with seam flanges on the base.

[0009] To address these limitations, there is a need to develop pulp-based containers with secondary base designs that overcome the challenges associated with strength of primary base and the seam flanges in the base region when using multiple pulp-based body parts where the attachment extends in the base region.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0010] The present invention relates to a container comprising a pulp-based body and a pulp-based secondary base. The secondary base is designed to provide effective stability to the container and strengthen the base, while not compromising the aesthetic appeal by providing a seamless, sleek appearance to the container.

[0011] The pulp-based body of the multi-component pulp-based container can be molded as a single piece or formed from two or more sections. When multiple sections are used, they can be arranged as transverse sections, longitudinal sections, or a combination of both. At least one of the body sections features an integrated base part on its lower edge, which forms the primary base of the container when the sections are assembled. When the body is composed of multiple sections, they are attached to form a complete body. This assembly process creates a seam where the sections join. The bonding surface on the seam and other bonding sites are appropriately sized and may have surface features to provide a larger surface area of contact between parts to be attached together, which in turn increases the bonding strength. The body sections are securely joined using adhesive or thermal sealing at the seam flanges.

[0012] Both the body parts and the secondary base are formed by a wet pulp molding or dry forming process. The wet process of pulp molding involves key steps starting with mixing the raw materials like softwood, hardwood, sugarcane bagasse, and bamboo with water in a fiber pool where a pulping machine processes them into a uniform fiber slurry. The pH value and concentration of this mixture are carefully controlled and any dyeing is also performed at this stage. Next, this fiber is built up on forming molds using a suction system, which shapes it into a wet, low density, rough part. At this point, the product lacks hardness and contains significant moisture. The subsequent thermoforming step involves heating and optional pressure to evaporate about 98% of the water, endowing the product with increased density and improved toughness and strength. After thermoforming, the product undergoes trimming to refine its edges for a more precise finish. The process's advantages include the versatility of the molding steps, allowing for a wide range of packaging shapes and textures like curved surfaces and raised or recessed geometries. It facilitates automation in production and provides products with a distinctive, high-end appeal. Additionally, this method allows for molding varied thicknesses across different parts of the container, further enhancing both strength and functionality.

[0013] Alternatively, the container components can be manufactured by any industrially well-known dry forming process. This process typically begins with dry cellulose fibers which are either deposited directly into a pre-heated forming mold or first formed into a sheet. The mold, consisting of at least two openable and closable negative parts, applies simultaneous pressure and heat to compress and shape the cellulose material into the desired container form. This may involve multiple pressing steps, progressing from a rough shape to a more refined one. Additives such as binders can be incorporated with the dry fibers to aid in forming and improve the final product's properties. The mold design is crucial, with forming surfaces engineered to create specific shapes and features. Some molds include integrated cutting devices to trim excess material and finalize the container's shape in the same pressing motion. This efficient method allows for the production of precisely shaped containers through the application of heat and pressure to dry cellulose fibers without the need for additional liquid or forming agents.

[0014] The secondary base is a separate component of the multi-component pulp-based container of a shape and size complementing the container. It is designed to be attached to the formed body with the primary base to enhance its stability, handling, and strength. The secondary base is a concave structure characterized by an upper edge, a sidewalland a bottom. The top edge has an outer diameter that matches the outer diameter of the body in the case of a circular cross-section of a cylindrical body or the outer diameter of any flanges or seams. The sidewall connects the upper edge to the bottom. The secondary base incorporates a plurality of push-up regions arranged either symmetrically or asymmetrically in its central area from its bottom. These push-up regions are ingeniously designed with heavily tapered side walls so that they are more likely to crumple without transferring as much force onto the primary base. The valleys formed between these push-up regions can be deliberately shaped to avoid precise conformity with the seam, creating a gap that further enhances shock absorption capabilities. Having multiple push-up regions and valleys formed between them allows for more flexibility in designing the container, allowing for various configurations and placements of the pushup regions, strategically placed and designed to enhance the overall performance, structural strength and stability of the container base.

[0015] The top surfaces of the push-up regions do not need to directly contact the primary base. This configuration creates space for shock absorption and allows for deformation of the push-up regions without transferring impact forces to the body. In some cases, there may be contact points established between the top surface of push-up regions and the primary base of the container for providing reinforcement to the primary base. Contact points can also be established by adding shock-absorbing material apart from direct contact. The push-ups regions and the valleys are strategically designed such that they accommodate the seam flange, provide a gap for shock absorption, or both.

[0016] To accommodate the seam of the body, the secondary base features one or more cut-outs on its top edge. These cut-outs are strategically placed on the top edge, aligned with the valley region, and contained within the area of the secondary base, ensuring a seamless joint without the need for lateral protrusions. This is particularly required when the seam flanges continue from the body to the primary base as they cross the top edge and then are accommodated in the valley of the secondary base. The secondary base may not have cut-outs when the container is designed without seam flanges on the sides of the body and on the primary base.

[0017] The secondary base also includes a continuous flat region or multiple unconnected flat regions located outside the push-up regions, serving as stable contact points with the supporting surface. The flat regions can be of any shape like circular, oval, square, etc., with an area as small as a width of 1 mm or less to accommodate multiple push-up regionsin the central region. Additional contact points may be incorporated, apart from the flat regions, with a supporting surface on which it is placed for enhanced stability. These contact points are formed outside the flat regions with extended elements from the side walls, from the outside of the valleys on the bottom side of the secondary base, or at both sites.

[0018] The secondary base has structural features on its upper edge that complement corresponding features on the body's lower surfaces, forming secure bonding sites. These features strengthen the bonding by forming interlocking joints and providing more surface area for adhesive joints. These features may include narrow tabs, protrusions and cavities, or ridges and grooves providing various options for robust attachment between the secondary base and the body.

[0019] The multi-component pulp-based container incorporates a barrier method to enhance its functionality which is selected from a group consisting of a liner lamination, a coating, impregnated barrier materials, and an inner flexible bag. The liner lamination involves applying a film to the inside surfaces of the pulp molded parts creating a seamless barrier layer. Alternatively, a flexible inner bag can serve as the barrier mechanism attached to either the neck or the neck insert of the container. While these barrier components can be made from various materials such as polyethylene or polypropylene, they are preferably manufactured using the same material as the neck insert or shrink sleeve to improve recyclability. Among the material options, biomaterials such as PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) are the preferred choice for both the barrier method and other components, offering a balance of barrier properties and environmental considerations. This approach ensures that the pulp-based container can effectively protect its contents while maintaining consistency in materials, thus enhancing the overall recyclability of the product.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] To further illustrate the invention, the following figures are included. These figures provide visual representations of various aspects and embodiments of the multicomponent pulp-based container described in this disclosure. It should be noted that these figures are included to illustrate certain aspects of the embodiments and should not be viewed as exclusive embodiments. The subject matter disclosed is capable of considerable modifications, alterations, combinations, and equivalents in form and function, as will occur to those skilled in the art and having the benefit of this disclosure. FIG 1a depicts an embodiment of the multi-component pulp-based container in bottle form, highlighting its key components (2 longitudinal sections + secondary base).FIG 1b and FIG 1c depict an embodiment of the multi-component pulp-based container in jar form, highlighting its key components (single body piece + secondary base).FIG 2 series depicts different options of pulp-based body:FIG 2a and FIG 2b illustrate longitudinal sections, presenting two variations: two longitudinal halves and four longitudinal sections, both with integrated bases.FIG 2c and FIG 2d show transverse sections, depicting separate shoulder, trunk, and base sections.FIG 2e demonstrates a combination design featuring a transverse section with a shoulder and a neck on the top and lower two longitudinal sections with a base in the bottom.FIG 2f presents a single-piece body design.FIG 3 illustrates a secondary base with two push-up regions, featuring both cut-outs and valleys.FIG 3a offers a bottom view of the secondary base with two push-ups, cut-outs, valleys and continuous flat region.FIG 3b offers a bottom view of the secondary base with two push-ups, cut-outs, valleys and multiple flat regions.FIG 4 depicts a secondary base design with four push-up regions, including cut-outs and valleysFIG 4a offers a bottom view of the secondary base with four push-ups, cut-outs, valleys and multiple flat regions.FIG 5 depicts a secondary base with five push-ups, cut-outs, valleys and multiple flat regions.FIG 5a offers a bottom view of the secondary base with five push-ups, cut-outs, valleys and multiple flat regions.FIG 6 illustrates a secondary base design featuring valleys but without cut-outsFIG 7a illustrates the non-contact region between the top surface of the push-up region of the secondary base (3) and the bottom of the primary base (2).FIG 7b illustrates the direct contact region between the top surface of the push-up region of the secondary base (3) and the bottom of the primary base (2).FIG 7c illustrates a shock-absorbing material that creates the contact between the top surface of the push-up region of the secondary base (3) and the bottom of the primary base (2).DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The key components of the multi-component container according to the invention are explained in detail with respect to Figures 1-6. While aspects of the described multicomponent container can be implemented with any number of additional components, the embodiment is described in the context of the following exemplary components. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment.

[0022] Accordingly, the description in the following sections has been provided in the context of a multi-component bottle and jar design. It should be appreciated that these examples have been provided for ease of understanding and are not to be construed as a limitation in any way.

[0023] FIG 1a provides an exploded view of the multi-component container in bottle form, showcasing its key components as detailed in this invention. This bottle comprises a pulpbased body (1) and a secondary base (3). The pulp-based body (1) has two distinct longitudinal sections (1a, 1b), each with respective base regions (2a, 2b), side seam flanges (1 a1 , 1 b1 ) and base seam flanges (2a1 , 2b1 ). The secondary base (3) showcases 2 push-up regions (301a, 301b), a valley (302) and 2 cut-outs (305) on an upper edge (304). The upper edge of the secondary base can be either the cut surface of a base sidewall tangent with the trunk or a flared design with the same outer diameter as the flange.

[0024] FIG 1 b and FIG 1 c provide exploded views of the multi-component container in jar form, showcasing its key components as detailed in this invention. This jar comprises a pulp-based body (1) and a secondary base (3). The pulp-based body (1) is a single piece without seam flanges. The secondary base (3) showcases two push-up regions (301a, 301b) and a valley (302).

[0025] The pulp-based body has one or more body sections that are attached together to form a body. At least one of the body sections features an integrated base part on its lower edge, forming a primary base when the sections are assembled into a complete body. The body sections can be transverse sections, longitudinal sections or both of the container body. The FIG 2 series depicts different options for sections of the pulp-based body. FIG 2a and FIG 2b illustrate the longitudinal sections with two and four longitudinal sections with integrated base. FIG 2c and FIG 2d illustrate transverse sections with a combined shoulder and neck section and a trunk section with a separate and integrated bottom section. FIG 2e illustrates the combination of transverse and longitudinal sections with a transverse shoulder with a neck section and two longitudinal bottom sections with the base. Fig 2f illustrates a single piece pulp-moulded body with a primary base without seam flanges. The above listed options are examples of possible body designs but the invention is not limited to these listed designs.

[0026] FIG 3 illustrates a secondary base (3) with two push-up regions (301a, 301b). The design includes cut-outs (305a, 305b) on the upper edge (304) of the secondary base. Between the two push-up regions is a valley (302). The push-up regions (301a, 301b) have heavily tapered side walls (303a, 303b). The secondary base also includes a flat region (306), typically 1-2mm in width, located outside the push-up areas.

[0027] FIG 3a presents a bottom view of the secondary base (3) depicted in FIG 3. This view shows the continuous circular flat region (306) and the valleys that are on the same plane as the flat region (306). The symmetrical arrangement of the push-up regions (301a, 301b) is visible from this perspective.

[0028] FIG 3b presents a bottom view of the secondary base (3) showing non-continuous, multiple, flat regions (306) and the valleys that are on the same plane as the flat region (306). The symmetrical arrangement of the push-up regions (301a, 301b) is visible from this perspective.

[0029] FIG 4 and FIG 4a present a top and bottom view respectively that showcase a variation of the secondary base (3) design with four push-up regions (301a, 301b, 301c, 301 d), cut-outs (305a, 305b) on the upper edge (304), multiple valleys (302) between the push-up regions, and non-continuous multiple flat regions flat regions (306).

[0030] FIG 5 and FIG 5a present a top and bottom view respectively that showcase variation of the secondary base (3) design with five push-up regions (301a, 301b, 301c, 301 d, 301 e), cut-outs (305a, 305b) on the upper edge (304), multiple valleys (302) between the push-up regions, and non-continuous multiple flat regions flat regions (306).

[0031] FIG 6 illustrates a secondary base (3) design with two push-up regions (301a, 301b) and a valley (302) between them. The upper edge (304) of this secondary base design is continuous without cut-outs. The design includes a flat region (306) on the bottom surface. The push-up regions (301 a, 301 b) have heavily tapered side walls (303a, 303b). This configuration of the secondary base (3) is designed to attach to a single-piece pulp-based body (1) with a primary base (2) or with transverse sections as depicted in FIG 2f and FIG 2d respectively.

[0033] FIG 7a illustrates a secondary base (3) with a non-contact region between the top surface of each of the push-up regions (301 a, 301 b) and the lower surface of the primary base (2) of the body (1 ), thereby creating a space between the top surface of each of the push-up regions (301 a, 301 b) and the lower surface of the base (2) for shock absorption.

[0034] FIG 7b illustrates a secondary base (3) where the top surface of each of the pushup regions (301a, 301b) is in direct contact with the lower surface of the primary base (2) of the body (1 ) and thereby creating a reinforcement for the primary base (2).

[0035] FIG 7c illustrates a secondary base (3) where the contact is established by shock absorbing material between the top surface of each of the push-up regions (301a, 301b) and the lower surface of the primary base (2) of the body (1 ).Embodiment 1 (bottle)

[0036] The pulp-based body (1) is formed by attaching two longitudinal sections (1a, 1b), each with respective base regions (2a, 2b), side seam flanges (1 a1 , 1 b1 ) and base seam flanges (2a1, 2b1) as depicted in FIG 1a. The top portion of each section comprises a shoulder and a trunk region. The shoulder section may include an integrated pulp-based neck. When these two longitudinal sections (1a, 1b) are attached together, they form a complete body with the primary base (2).

[0037] The bonding surfaces on the side seam flanges (1a1, 1 b1 ) and the base seam flanges (2a1, 2b1) are appropriately sized and may have surface features to provide a larger surface area of contact between the two longitudinal sections (1a, 1b), which increases the bonding strength. These sections are bonded together by means of adhesive or by thermal sealing at the side seam flanges (1 a1 , 1 b1 ) and the base seam flanges (2a1, 2b1).

[0038] The secondary base (3) is then attached to the primary base (2). The secondary base (3) has an outer diameter at a top edge (304) that matches an outer diameter of the body (1), such that the secondary base (3) and the body (1) form a seamless joint when attached together. The secondary base has two push-up regions (301a, 301b) arranged symmetrically in a central area of the secondary base with a valley (302) between them.

[0039] Each of the push-up regions (301a, 301b) is configured with heavily tapered side walls (303a, 303b) that allow deformation of push-up regions (301a, 301b) without transferring impact force onto the primary base (2) of the pulp-based body (1). The top surface of each of the push-up regions (301 a, 301 b) is not in contact with a lower surface of the primary base (2) of the body (1) as depicted in FIG 7a, thereby creating a space between the top surface of each of the push-up regions (301a, 301b) and the lower surface of the base (2c) for shock absorption.

[0040] The valley (302) between the push-up regions (301a, 301b) does not precisely match or conform to a shape of the base seam (2a1 , 2b1 ), such that a gap exists between the base seam (2a1 , 2b1 ) and the sidewalls of the push-up regions (303a, 303b), allowingfor shock absorption before the base seam (2a1 , 2b1 ) comes into direct contact with the primary base (2). There are two cut-outs (305a, 305b) on an upper edge (304) of the secondary base (3) that are configured to accommodate the base seam flanges (2a1, 2b1) outside the valley (302) region of the secondary base (3), such that the secondary base (3) and the body (1) form a seamless joint without protruding on the sides.

[0041] The secondary base (3) has a continuous flat region (306) that serves as a contact region with a supporting surface on which the bottle is placed, located outside the area where the push-up regions (301 a, 301 b) are formed, as depicted in FIG 3a. The flat region (306) is a circle with a width of 1 mm -2mm. There are additional contact points, apart from the flat region (306), with a supporting surface on which it is placed. These contact points are formed by the valleys designed to have a depth such that they are on the same plane as that of the flat region (306) on the bottom of the secondary base (3).

[0042] The pulp-based body (1) is provided with a lamination or inner bag as a barrier method (5). The thermal sealing method alone or in combination with adhesive is used for bonding the sections of the body if lamination on the inner surfaces is used as the barrier method.Embodiment 2 (jar without cut-outs)

[0043] The pulp-based body (1) is formed as a single piece with the primary base (2) as depicted in FIG 1b. There are no seam flanges as there are no attachments of different pieces.

[0044] The secondary base (3) is then attached to the primary base (2). The secondary base (3) has an outer diameter at a top edge (304) that matches an outer diameter of the body (1 ), such that the secondary base (3) and the body (1 ) form a seamless joint when attached together. The secondary base has two push-up regions (301a, 301b) arranged symmetrically in a central area of the secondary base with a valley (302) between them.

[0045] Each of the push-up regions (301a, 301b) is configured with heavily tapered side walls (303a, 303b) that allow deformation of push-up regions (301a, 301b) without transferring impact force onto the primary base (2) of the pulp-based body (1). The top surface of each of the push-up regions (301 a, 301 b) is in contact with a lower surface of the primary base (2) of the body (1 ), thereby creating a reinforcement for the primarybase (2). The contact can be established by direct contact or by shock absorbing material between the top surface of each of the push-up regions (301 a, 301 b) and a lower surface of the primary base (2) of the body (1 ) as depicted in FIG 7b and FIG 7c.

[0046] The valley (302) between the push-up regions (301a, 301b) creates a gap without contact with the lower surface of the primary base (2) of the body (1 ) allowing for shock absorption. The upper edge (304) of the secondary base (3) is continuous without cut-outs and the secondary base (3) and the body (1) form a seamless and effective joint.

[0047] The secondary base (3) has multiple flat regions (306) that serves as a contact region with a supporting surface on which the jar is placed, located outside the area where the push-up regions (301a, 301b) are formed, as depicted in FIG 3b. There are additional contact points, apart from the flat regions (306), with the supporting surface on which it is placed. These contact points are formed by the valleys designed to have a depth such that they are on the same plane as that of the flat regions (306) on the bottom of the secondary base (3).

[0048] This single piece body (1) is formed by a wet pulp molding process. The pulpbased body (1) is provided with inner coating or impregnated barrier materials in the pulp or a combination of both as a barrier method (5).

Claims

CLAIMS1. A multi-component pulp-based container, comprising:a body (1) molded as one or more body sections (1a, 1b, etc.), with at least one body section featuring an integrated base region (2a, 2b, etc.) on the lower portion to form a primary base (2); anda secondary base (3);wherein the secondary base (3) comprises plurality of push-up regions (301a, 301b, etc.), one or more cut-outs (305a, 305b, etc.) or combination of both; wherein the secondary base (3) comprises one or more valleys (302a, 302b, etc.) formed between the plurality of push-up regions (301a, 301b, etc.); wherein the valleys create sufficient gaps on multiple points between the secondary base (3) and the bottom surface of the primary base, thereby forming a shock-absorbing zone that protects the container's contents by dissipating impact forces.

2. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary base (3) has an outer diameter at a top edge (304) that matches the outer diameter of the body (1 ), such that the secondary base (3) and the body (1 ) form a seamless interface when attached together.

3. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary base (3) includes plurality of push-up regions (301a, 301b, etc.) arranged either symmetrically or asymmetrically in a central area of the secondary base (3).

4. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1 , wherein any base seam (2a1 , 2b1 , etc.) present on the primary base (2c) of the body (1) is accommodated by one or more cut-outs (305a, 305b, etc.), by one or more valleys (302a, 302b, etc), or by a combination thereof.

5. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1 , wherein the valleys (302a, 302b, etc) between the plurality of push-up regions (303a, 303b, etc.) do not precisely match or conform to a shape of the base seam (2a1 , 2b1 ,etc.), such that a gap exists between the base seam (2a1 , 2b1 , etc.) and the sidewalls (303a, 303b, etc) of the push-up regions (301a, 301b, etc.), allowing for shock absorption before the base seam (2a1 , 2b1 ) comes into direct contact with the secondary base (3).

6. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1 , wherein a top surface of each of the push-up regions (301 a, 301 b) is not in contact with a lower surface of the primary base (2c) of the body (1), thereby creating a space between the top surface of each of the push-up regions (301 a, 301 b) and the lower surface of the primary base (2c) for shock absorption.

7. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1 , wherein a top surface of each of the push-up regions (301 a, 301 b) is in contact with a lower surface of the primary base (2c) of the body (1), either by direct contact or by shock absorbing material placed in between them, to provide reinforcement to the primary base (2c)8. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 7, wherein a top surface of each of the push-up regions (301 a, 301 b) is in contact with a lower surface of the primary base (2c) of the body (1), one or more valleys (302a, 302b, etc) create space between the top surface of each of the push-up regions (301a, 301 b) and the lower surface of the primary base (2c) for shock absorption.

9. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1 , wherein each of the push-up regions (301a, 301b) is configured with heavily tapered side walls (303a, 303b) that allow deformation of push-up regions (301a, 301b) without transferring impact force onto the primary base (2c) of the body (1 ).

10. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1, wherein the one or more cut-outs (305a, 305b) on an upper edge (304) of the secondary base (3) are configured to accommodate the base seam (2a1 , 2b1 ) outside the valleys (302a, 302b, etc.) region of the secondary base (3), such that the secondary base (3) and the body (1) form a seamless joint without protruding on the sides.

11. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary base (3) has a flat region (306) that serves as a contact region with asupporting surface on which the container is placed, located outside the area where the push-up regions are formed.

12. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 11 , wherein the flat region (306) can be one continuous flat region or multiple unconnected flat regions (306a, 306b, etc).

13. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1, wherein the secondary base (3) has one or more contact points, apart from the flat region (306), with a supporting surface on which it is placed.

14. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary base (3) has structural features near the upper edge (304) that complement structural features on a lower edge of the body (1 ) to form a bonding site for attaching the secondary base (3) and the body (1 ).

15. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 14, wherein the structural features are selected from a group consisting of a narrow tab, a protrusion and cavity, and ridges and grooves.

16. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1 , wherein the body (1) and the secondary base (3) are pulp-based parts.

17. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1, wherein the pulpbased parts are formed by wet fiber molding or dry forming methods.

18. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1, wherein the body (1 ) is a single whole piece or made of two or more sections.

19. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1, wherein the body sections are transverse sections, longitudinal sections or both of the container body.

20. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1 , wherein the pulp based container includes a neck region and a closure.21.A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 20, wherein the neck region is a separate piece or integrated with the sections of the body.

2. A multi-component pulp-based container according to claim 1 , wherein the container is provided with a barrier method (5), and wherein the barrier method (5) consists of one or more methods including a film lamination, a coating, barrier materials impregnated in the pulp parts, and an inner flexible bag.

Images