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DESCRIPTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention refers to a collapsible plastic bottle that, in addition to the conventional containment function of liquids, i.e. beverages, also serves as packaging film spool, i.e. to wrap objects.

State of the art

The use of films to wrap objects to be transported or shipped, for example packages or more simply suitcases, is known. In particular the custom of wrapping suitcases with transparent film became popular recently, before they are taken on board on an airplane, in order to shield them from dirt, scratches and atmospheric agents. As a matter of fact, in many airports there are apposite stands offering this pay service.

EP 2923956 describes machinery expressly designed to wrap the suitcases with plastic film in the airports.

However, it is known the prohibition on taking on board bottles containing liquids on the flights for security reasons, in particular if the volume is greater than 100 ml. Therefore, passengers are forced to get rid of the bottles they have and to throw them away full, or partially full, in the litter bins. Passengers wishing to drink must buy new bottles in the refreshment bars usually available after the security controls have been gone past.

US 5,819,989 describes a dispenser of detergent liquid, which is provided with a handle and a trigger. The dispenser is designed also as a roll holder, meaning that the body of the dispenser can be used as a support for a roll of disposable paper towel.

Summary of the invention

Object of the present invention is to provide a plastic bottle that, in addition to have the classic function of containing drinkable liquids, can be used also as technical accessory for passengers, in particular for the baggage protection.

Therefore, the present invention concerns a bottle according to claim 1 . In particular the present invention refers to an assembly comprising a beverage bottle made of a plastic material, and a bobbin of plastic film. The bobbin of plastic film is fittable on the bottle body, or the film is directly wound on the bottle body. Advantageously, the bottle can be gripped by the user like a spool to unwind the bobbin of plastic film from the bottle and to use the film to wrap other objects, such as suitcases, baggage, packages, etc.

In other words, the bottle is for either containing drinkable liquids, such as water or fruit juices, and as packing film spool. Therefore, purchasers can drink from the bottle and use the film to wrap suitcases, baggage or other objects by themselves, for example in an airport, instead of using pay private services.

Furthermore, bottles can be carried in the suitcase on the airplane as well, so that baggage can be wrapped also in the homeward journey.

Preferably the bottle body can collapse when the bottle is empty and is rigid and cannot collapse when the bottle is full to effectively serve the function of spool and support of the bobbin of plastic film. In other words, by making the bottle so that it can collapse, for example as the common bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate PET, the bottle will be able to serve as spool only when full. In case of collapsible bottle, if the user drinks the content before using it as a spool, the bottle would go limp and the wrapping of objects with the film would become almost impossible; the empty bottle would not be sufficiently rigid.

Preferably the body of the bottle is made of PET.

Preferably the plastic bottle is made of polyethylene, more preferably of biodegradable type. As an alternative, the film can be made of corn starch polymer.

In the preferred embodiment the thickness of the plastic film is between 5 and 10 microns and the length is equal to at least 50 meters, preferably 70 meters, to allow also the bigger suitcases to be wrapped.

In the preferred embodiment the body of the bottle comprises a bottom, a neck and an intermediate portion extending between the bottom and the neck. The bobbin of plastic film is fittable on the intermediate portion, or the film is directly wound thereon. The neck of the bottle acts as a handle. Preferably the assembly further comprises a sleeve fittable on the bottle neck, so that to be rotated with respect to the latter. The sleeve fitted on the bottle can be gripped by the user to facilitate the operations of wrapping the objects. In fact, the user can simply grip the sleeve and move the assembly so that the bottle can rotate with respect to the sleeve, thus allowing the film to be unwound rapidly and easily, exactly like a spool. By applying a slight hand pressure on the sleeve, the sliding of the bobbin can be stopped, thus facilitating the better tensioning of the film and higher adhesion to the baggage surface during the wrapping step.

Preferably the intermediate portion of the bottle body is provided with a plurality of circumferential and equidistant grooves, i.e. they are spaced by regular pitch. The grooves serve for stiffening.

Preferably the assembly further comprises a cutter allowing the user to cut the film, depending on requirements. The cutter is preferably made of a plastic material as the other components, so that the whole can be recycled easily.

For example, the cutter is firstly inserted between the bobbin of plastic film and the bottle body. When the bobbin runs out and thus the underlying bottle body becomes exposed, the cutter can be withdrawn and gripped in order to cut the film used for wrapping objects, for example to release the wheels and handles of the suitcase the user previously wrapped, or to cut the film once the destination has been reached, by releasing the suitcase from the protecting envelope.

Brief list of figures

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more evident by the review of the following specification of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment depicted for illustration purposes only and without limitation, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

- figure 1 is an exploded view of a bottle according to the present invention;

- figure 2 is a perspective view of the bottle shown in figure 1 ;

- figure 3 is an elevation view of the bottle shown in figure 1 ;

- figure 4 is an elevation view of a member of the bottle shown in figure 1 ;

- figure 5 is a bottom plan view of a member of the bottle shown in figure

1 ;

- figure 6 is a top plan view of a member of the bottle shown in figure 1 . Detailed description of the invention

Figures 1 -6 show one of the possible embodiments of the present invention. The assembly 1 comprises a bottle 2 for beverages, whose volume is 250 ml, a bobbin 3 of polyethylene film 4 and a sleeve 5 made of plastic too (optional).

The bobbin 3 is without core or mandrel and can be fitted on the bottle 2 or, as an alternative, the film 4 is like a ribbon and is directly wound on the bottle 2.

At this point, the bottle 2 can be used as a support to unwind the bottle 4 and wrap it on an object gradually, for example a suitcase. As will be described later, the sleeve 5 eases this operation.

The body of the bottle 2 comprises a neck 6 at which end there is the opening 9 intended to be closed by a top, a bottom 8 to be rested on the plane, and an intermediate portion 7 extending between the neck 6 and the bottom 8.

The bobbin 3 is fitted on the intermediate portion 7 having a diameter greater than the neck 6, and the sleeve 5 is fitted just on the neck 6 so that to be rotated.

Figures 2 and 3 show the assembly 1 in the properly assembled arrangement. The user can drink from the bottle 2 easily and, in a different time, can use the assembly 1 to wrap up objects with the film 4 simply by gripping the sleeve 5 and pushing the bottle 2 in order to make the film 4 unwind along the desired direction. If the bottle 2 is of coaxial type, the user must use it as a spool to wrap the objects with the film 4 and will be able to drink the content of the bottle only afterwards.

Preferably, the height H1 of the neck 6 of the bottle 2 and neck 5 is about 90 mm.

Preferably, the bottle 2 and the sleeve 5 are made of polyethylene terephthalate PET, which is easy to recycle. When the bottle is full of liquid, its body is rigid sufficiently to stand all mechanical stresses coming from the use as a spool. The bottle 2 can be squeezed once it has been emptied and deprived of the film 4.

Preferably, the height H2 of the intermediate portion 7 of the bottle 2 and film 4 is about 100 mm.

Also, bulky suitcases can be wrapped completely by using a film having thickness between 5 and 10 microns and length equal to at least 50 meters, preferably 70 meters.

After use, the film can be thrown away, but recycled easily.

Figures 4-6 show the bottle 2 only in detail.

In particular, figure 4 shows the bottle 2 in elevation. From this view, it can be appreciated that the intermediate portion 7 has a plurality of circumferential grooves 10 extending along the whole perimeter of the portion 7 on overlapped planes. The circumferential grooves 10 are for stiffening the body of the bottle 2.

In the example of the figures, the width of the grooves 10 is about 4 mm and the latter are spaced apart by an even pitch of about 11 mm.

The numeral reference 11 denotes portions of the bottle 2 coarse outwardly, which allow the film 4 to better adhere to the bottle 2 with respect to what a perfectly smooth surface would do.

Preferably the portions 11 , which can be named coarse bands, protrude with respect to the rest of the bottle body. For example, the outer diameter of the bands 11 is about 51 -52 mm and the outer diameter of the remaining part of the intermediate portion 7 of the bottle 2 is about 42-43 mm. This arrangement allows the bobbin 3 to be constrained to the coarse bands 11 and not to the whole intermediate portion 7.

Figure 5 shows the bottom 8 of the bottle 2, where there are stiffening ribs 12 extending radially from the center. In the example five ribs are shown.

Figure 6 shows the upper opening 9 of the bottle 2, which can be closed by a screw cap as usually provided for the water PET bottles.

In figure 1 the numeral reference 13 denotes a cutter, usually flat, that can be used to cut to size the film 4 unwound from the bottle 2, or to free the handles and wheels of the suitcase wrapped with the plastic film 4.

The cutter 13 can be inserted between the bobbin 3 and the bottle 2, starting from a non-visible or not much visible condition. When the plastic film 4 runs out, the cutter 13 becomes available for the user, which will be then able to grip and use it.