CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/264,646 filed December 8, 2015. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to blown plastic containers, and more specifically to plastic containers for packaging beverages.

BACKGROUND

[0003] The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.

[0003] Plastic containers have been used to package liquids intended for various purposes including, for example, consumable beverages and cleaning detergents among other common applications. Beverage containers are used to store carbonated and non-carbonated consumable beverages in a variety of volume sizes and functional shapes.

[0004] While current plastic beverage containers are useful for their intended purpose, there is room in the art for an improved plastic beverage container that provides a consumer with an improved experience, allows for improved efficiency in manufacturing and transport, and enhances environmental stewardship.

SUMMARY

[0005] A beverage container assembly is provided, the beverage container assembly comprising a base, a beverage container, and a sealable cap. The beverage container includes an open end and a closed end opposite the open end. The open end of the beverage container includes an external thread. The sealable cap includes an internal thread. The sealable cap is disposed on the open end of the beverage container creating a sealed opening. The base is disposed on the closed end of the beverage container. The base is detachable from the beverage container. The cap seals the open end of the beverage container.

[0006] In another example of the present invention, the beverage container is manufactured of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0007] In yet another example of the present invention, the beverage container includes an oxygen O2 ingress barrier and a carbon dioxide CO2 retention barrier.

[0008] In yet another example of the present invention, the beverage container comprises a volume from about 165ml to about 220ml.

[0009] In yet another example of the present invention, the base includes a base portion, a stem, and a cup portion. The stem is disposed between the base portion and the cup portion. The closed end of the beverage container is disposed in the cup portion of the base.

[0010] In yet another example of the present invention, the beverage container further includes a pin extending from the closed end. The base includes a bore extending from the cup portion of the base into the stem. The pin of the beverage container is disposed in the bore of the cup portion of the base.

[0011] In yet another example of the present invention, the beverage container further includes a bottom diameter, a middle diameter, and a top diameter. The bottom diameter is the less than the middle diameter and the top diameter. The middle diameter is larger than the top diameter.

[0012] In yet another example of the present invention, the middle diameter and top diameter of the beverage container range from 32.00mm to about 50.00mm.

[0013] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

[0014] The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary plastic beverage container according to the principles of the present disclosure; [0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary plastic beverage container according to the principles of the present disclosure;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a side view of a portion of an exemplary plastic beverage container according to the principles of the present disclosure;

[0018] FIG. 4 is a side view of a portion of an exemplary plastic beverage container according to the principles of the present disclosure;

[0019] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a portion of an exemplary plastic beverage container according to the principles of the present disclosure; and

[0020] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method of manufacturing a plastic beverage container according to the principles of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses.

[0022] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a plastic beverage container assembly 10 is illustrated and will now be described. The plastic beverage container assembly 10 includes a beverage container portion 12, a base 14, and a cap 16. More specifically, the base 14 includes a circular base portion 18, a stem 20 and a saddle or cup portion 22. The stem 20 has a smaller cross sectional diameter than the base and cup portions 18, 22, is disposed between the base portion 18 and the cup portion 22, and thus conjoins the base portion 18 and the cup portion 22. The cup portion 22, disposed atop the stem 20, provides a shallow radius bore 24 for receiving the beverage container portion 12. [0023] The beverage container portion 12 includes a first end 26, a second end 28, and a hollow interior 30. The first end 26 of the beverage container portion 12 is closed and has an outer radius 32 that mimics the radius bore 24 of the base 18. The beverage container portion 12 and the base portion 18 are capable of being detached and reassembled from each other without damage to either the beverage container portion 12 or the base portion 18. The second end 28 of the beverage container portion 12 is open to allow communication between the hollow interior 30 and the exterior of the beverage container portion 12. Furthermore, the second end 28 includes a threaded fastening feature 34 on the exterior surface 36 of the beverage portion 12. The cap 16 has a complementing threaded interior surface 38 that secures and seals the cap 16 to the second end 28 of the beverage portion 12.

[0024] Turning now to FIG. 3, an example of the beverage container portion 1 12 of a plastic beverage container 1 10 is illustrated and will now be described. The beverage container portion 1 12 includes a first end 126, a second end 128 and a hollow interior 130. The first end 126 is closed and has an outer radius 132 terminating to a frusto conical location pin 138. The second end 128 is open to allow communication between the hollow interior 130 and the exterior of the beverage container portion 1 12. Furthermore, the second end 128 includes a threaded fastening feature 134 on the exterior 136 of the beverage container portion 1 12. The beverage container portion 1 12 also includes a profile 140 having at least a first, second, and third cross-sectional diameter Di, D2, D3. The first cross-sectional diameter Di is the smallest of the three diameters and is disposed proximate the first end 126 of the beverage container portion 1 12. The second cross-sectional diameter D2 is the next largest of the cross-sectional diameters Di , D2, D3 and disposed proximate the second end 128 of the beverage container portion 1 12. The third cross-sectional diameter D3 is the largest of the cross-sectional diameters Di , D2, D3 and disposed between the first and second cross-sectional diameters Di , D2. In some embodiments, the second cross-sectional diameter D2 ranges from about 32.00mm to about 38.00mm, the third cross-sectional diameter D3 ranges from about 40.00mm to about 50.00mm, and the volume of the beverage container portion 1 12 is approximately 165ml to about 220ml. Additionally, the beverage container portion 1 12 of the beverage container assembly 1 10 may be made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET provides the beverage container portion 1 12 with an O2 ingress barrier and a CO2 retention barrier. However, other materials may be used to form the beverage container portion 1 12 without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0025] Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, an example of a base 1 14 of a beverage container assembly 1 10 is illustrated and will now be described. The base 1 14 includes a circular base portion 1 18, a stem 120 and a saddle or cup portion 122. The stem 120 has a smaller diameter than the base and cup portions 1 18, 122, is disposed between the base portion 1 18 and the cup portion 122, and thus joins the base portion 1 18 and the cup portion 122. The cup portion 122, disposed atop the stem 120, provides a shallow radius bore 124 for receiving the beverage portion 1 12 and includes a frusto conical bore 142 extending from the base or bottom of the cup portion 122 into the stem 120. The bore 142 is designed to mirror the shape of the frusto conical location pin 138 of the first end 126 or base of the beverage portion 1 12. The insertion of the frusto conical location pin 138 of the beverage container 1 12 into the frusto conical bore 142 of the base 1 14 prevents the beverage container 1 12 from rotating out of the base 1 14.

[0026] Turning now to FIG. 6, a flowchart depicting a method of manufacturing 200 a beverage container assembly 10 is illustrated and will now be described. For example, a first step 210 of manufacturing the beverage container assembly 10 includes one of injection molding and compression molding a base 14 of the beverage container 10. A second step 212 includes stretch blow molding a beverage container portion 12 of the beverage container assembly 10. A third step 214 includes filling the beverage container portion 12 with a beverage. A fourth step 216 includes sealing the beverage container portion 12 with a cap 16. A fifth step includes assembling the beverage container portion 12 with the base 14.

[0027] The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.