Plastic container having gripping groove

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9399534-B2
Application number	US-66591108-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2008
Priority date	Jul 17, 2007
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

A container has a base body and a thread which includes an at least partially circumferential securing ring which extends essentially radially outwards relative to the base body of the container. The circumferential securing ring is arranged between the thread and the base body in a longitudinal direction (L) of the container and is spaced apart from the thread in the longitudinal direction (L) of the container The container has an at least partially circumferential groove between the thread and the circumferential securing ring, which groove has a smaller external cross-section than the securing ring and a smaller external cross-section than the thread.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A plastic container preform comprising a base body formed of a single material, a closure region including a threaded region having a minimum diameter and a thread extending outwardly from a minimum diameter surface, and an at least partially circumferential securing ring which extends outwards relative to the base body of the container, wherein the circumferential securing ring is arranged between the thread and the base body in a longitudinal direction (L) of the preform and is spaced apart from the thread in the longitudinal direction (L) of the preform, wherein the preform comprises an at least partially circumferential groove between one portion of the minimum diameter surface and portions of the minimum diameter surface extending to either side of the thread and the circumferential securing ring, wherein a side wall of the securing ring forms a boundary wall of the circumferential groove, wherein the circumferential groove has a minimum diameter less than the securing ring and less than said one portion of the minimum diameter surface, wherein the preform has a constant interior diameter adjacent a level of the thread, wherein an internal diameter of the container preform is reduced at a level of the circumferential groove and at the level of the circumferential securing ring, wherein the preform interior wall has below the circumferential securing ring a section that has a constant diameter, wherein the thread is an outer thread, wherein the base body has an internal diameter which widens at a point adjacent the circumferential groove as one progresses longitudinally upward from the circumferential securing ring, and wherein, besides the securing ring, no further ring exists between the thread and the securing ring.

2. The preform according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential groove directly adjoins the circumferential securing ring in the longitudinal direction (L).

3. The preform according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential groove has boundary walls which run at least partially in a straight line.

4. The preform according to claim 1 , wherein a height (H) of the circumferential groove in the longitudinal direction (L) of the preform and the length of the circumferential securing ring in the longitudinal direction (L) of the preform differ from one another by no more than 100%.

5. The preform according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential securing ring comprises a section extending radially outwards in a straight line and a section running obliquely downwards in the longitudinal direction (L) of the preform.

6. The preform according to claim 5 , wherein a length of a first section of the circumferential groove and a depth (T) of the circumferential groove differ from one another by no more than 50%.

7. The preform according to claim 5 , wherein a length of a first section of the circumferential groove and the depth (T) of the circumferential groove differ from one another by no more than 50%.

8. The preform according to claim 5 , wherein a length of a first section of the circumferential groove and the depth (T) of the circumferential groove differ from one another by no more than 10%.

9. The preform according to claim 5 , wherein a length of a first section of the circumferential groove and the depth (T) of the circumferential groove differ from one another by no more than 5%.

10. The preform according to claim 1 , wherein the preform is an expandable preform.

11. The preform according to claim 1 , formed in two or more parts.

12. A method of use comprising:
(a) providing a container according to claim 1 ;
(b) gripping the container below the securing ring by a first gripping device;
(c) gripping the container at least partially at the at least partially circumferential groove by a second gripping device; and
(d) transporting the container.

13. An apparatus comprising:
(a) a container according to claim 1 ;
(b) a first gripping device which grips the container at a first predefined region of the container; and
(c) at least a second gripping device which grips the container at a second region of the container which is different from the first region, wherein the first gripping device is configured in such a way that it grips the container below the securing ring and the second gripping device is configured in such a way that it grips the container above the securing ring in the groove of the container, wherein the apparatus transports the container.

14. The preform according to claim 1 , formed of PET.

15. The preform according to claim 1 , wherein a carrying ring for the preform is omitted.

16. The preform according to claim 1 , wherein a height of the circumferential groove extends from the end of the thread to the securing ring.

17. The preform according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential groove has a smaller external cross-section than a core of the thread.

18. The preform according to claim 1 , wherein a boundary wall of the circumferential groove runs in the longitudinal direction of the preform.

19. The preform according to claim 1 , wherein a wall thickness of the preform below the securing ring is between 2 mm and 5 mm.

20. The preform according to claim 1 , wherein a height (H) of the circumferential groove in the longitudinal direction (L) of the preform and the length of the circumferential securing ring in the longitudinal direction (L) of the preform differ from one another by no more than 50%.

21. The preform according to claim 1 , wherein a height (H) of the circumferential groove in the longitudinal direction (L) of the preform and the length of the circumferential securing ring in the longitudinal direction (L) of the preform differ from one another by no more than 25%.

22. The preform according to claim 1 , wherein a height (H) of the circumferential groove in the longitudinal direction (L) of the preform and the length of the circumferential securing ring in the longitudinal direction (L) of the preform differ from one another by no more than 10%.

23. The preform according to claim 1 , wherein an inner wall of the preform has above the circumferential securing ring and extending upwards from a level of the circumferential groove, a section which widens conically towards the thread.

24. The preform according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential groove comprises an indentation having a reduced diameter forming a step wise diameter reduction between the thread and the circumferential securing ring.

25. The preform according to the claim 1 , wherein the interior diameter of the preform is reduced at the level of the circumferential groove and at the level of the circumferential securing ring in the longitudinal direction downwards beginning from the securing circumferential ring, and
the base body has a cross-section which widens at least partially towards the constant diameter section below the circumferential securing ring in the longitudinal direction adjacent the circumferential securing ring upwards in direction of the circumferential securing ring.

26. A plastic container preform comprising a base body formed of a single material, a closure region including a threaded region having a minimum diameter and a thread extending outwardly from a minimum diameter surface, and an at least partially circumferential securing ring which extends outwards relative to the base body of the preform, wherein the circumferential securing

Assignees

• Forsthoevel Jochen
• Stoiber Christian
• Krones Ag

Inventors

• Forsthoevel Jochen
• Stoiber Christian

Classifications

• B29C49/42075

  with pivoting clamps · CPC title

• B29C2949/0715

  the preform having one end closed · CPC title

• B29C49/42073

  Grippers · CPC title

• B29C49/42093

  Transporting apparatus, e.g. slides, wheels or conveyors · CPC title

• B29B2911/1404

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic