Technical field

The present invention relates to a beverage package, e.g. combining a bottle with an over cap to produce a pack with the attributes of both a bottle and a gift pack. The bottle is a form of consumer packaging useful for holding liquids, e.g. beverages.

Background to the invention

It is desirable to reduce plastics and general material use in consumable items, particularly packaging. One form of packaging is a so-called "gift pack" or "collector's edition" where a glass bottle or the like (e.g. of high value liquid such as an alcoholic spirit) is supplied with additional packaging, placed inside a handsomly decorated gift carton made of paper, plastic or metal; to provide a premium feel. Alternatively, the pack may be a capped over sleeve/cylinder which houses the bottle. The cylinder/carton is printed with brand and promotional information but is not needed to house the liquid itself. The cylinder may be discarded after purchase, retained while the bottle still contains liquid and/or preserved for display/collection.

Summary of the invention

The present invention seeks to provide beverage packaging suitable for gift pack/collectible use but, ideally, with consideration to minimising additional packaging/materials.

In a broad aspect the invention provides a novel construction according to claim 1, e.g. a combination of a beverage-containing bottle having a neck and closure, with an over-cap; wherein the over-cap substantially conforms to the beverage bottle external dimension (e.g. to result in a uniform cylinder or other extruded/elongate cross-section shape). Both the main body and cap are made substantially from a paper/pulp/cellulose based method of manufacture. A main body of the bottle is comprised of paper, e.g. a spiral formed tube, with a neck (e.g. neck fitment) and/or shoulder of the bottle formed as a separate component from the main body by paper pulp or other suitable material. Likewise, the over-cap may be a spiral wound paper or pulp formation. In other words, the invention utilises the bottle itself to provide the lower portion of the gift pack, thus substantially reducing the packaging required. In this aspect the invention can be defined as a beverage package comprised of a bottle and an over cap wherein the bottle itself provides a substantive lower portion of the pack.

As mentioned, one form is to use fibre-based body, base, and shoulder components, laminated or coated on the inside with a barrier layer, and a plastic or metal neck fitment for the closure, to form the "bottle". The over-cap may also be fibre based, and may or may not have an internal or external barrier layer. "Fibre-based" should be given a broad interpretation herein and encompasses cellulose fibre, synthetic fibre or equivalents suitable for forming a bottle body and over cap as described.

Various techniques could be used to make the body components and over-cap, including thermoformed pulp, spiral winding, pressed card etc. For assembly of the bottle, various techniques can be used to join the components, such as heat seal, ultrasonic or spin welding, adhesives etc.

In principle the bottle could be made in one piece from paper pulp. In any event, the over cap would preferably be retained on the bottle with an interference fit, which could be bolstered with a label or sticker pre-opening. Alternative forms may feature a threaded engagement, bayonet fitting or clip element.

In one form, the over-cap may have a barrier layer applied to the inside surface to allow its use as a drinking vessel

In the exemplary form, the bottle shape is formed according to a suitable method of manufacture. The main body portion may be a tube of any cross-section, e.g. circular (most common bottle shape), rectangular (a flask shape), sq round (generally square with rounded corners) or any other closed geometry, i.e. in principle tubes constructed from spirally wound layers of paper may take any closed cross-section form. An internal layer may be a barrier layer against egress of liquid. Decorative/identification material may be printed directly on the outer layer or incorporated into a sleeve that surrounds the main body, potentially heat shrunk and overlapping the shoulder and base.

In a particular form, the shoulder portion is an end/lid made from thermoformed pulp. It may include a central opening to take the neck fitment or be integrally formed therewith. Likewise, the base portion may be an end made from formed paper/card or pulp to close off the open tube of the main body. However, the shoulder (housed within the over cap) is not limited to a fibre-based material. It may be plastic, glass or metal and separable for recycling.

In one form the neck is a plastic threaded fitment that provides a pouring spout and thread for fixing a cap. The neck portion may be alternatively adapted for other closure types, such as a cork or recloseable spout (e.g. a "sipper bottle").

In one form the body and base may be curled/seamed together. The base may be paper- based or another material.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 illustrates a beverage package according to the invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a perspective overview of a cylindrical bottle/cap formation according to the invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a perspective overview of a separated bottle and over cap;

Figure 3 illustrates a side cross section view of the bottle and over cap from the embodiment of Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 4 illustrates a side cross section view of a bottle and over cap from a sqround embodiment of the invention;

Figures 5 and 6 illustrates exploded perspective over and under views of the bottle and over cap from the embodiment of Figures 2 and 3; and Figure 7 illustrates an exploded perspective over view of the bottle and over cap from the embodiment of Figure 4.

Detailed description of the invention

The following description presents exemplary embodiments and, together with the drawings, serves to explain principles of the invention. However, the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to the precise details of the embodiments or exact adherence with all steps, since variations will be apparent to a skilled person and are deemed also to be covered by the description. Terms for components used herein should be given a broad interpretation that also encompasses equivalent functions and features. In some cases, several alternative terms (synonyms) for structural features have been provided but such terms are not intended to be exhaustive.

Descriptive terms should also be given the broadest possible interpretation; e.g. the term "comprising" as used in this specification means "consisting at least in part of" such that interpreting each statement in this specification that includes the term "comprising", features other than that or those prefaced by the term may also be present. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprises" are to be interpreted in the same manner. Directional terms such as "vertical", "horizontal", "up", "down", "upper" and "lower" are used for convenience of explanation usually with reference to the illustrations and are not intended to be ultimately limiting if an equivalent function can be achieved with an alternative dimension and/or direction. The term "tubular" herein generally refers to an elongate hollow shape, although a tube may have a greater diameter than its length. A tube may be circular in cross section or any other closed shape.

The description herein refers to embodiments with particular combinations of manufacturing steps or features, however, it is envisaged that further combinations and cross-combinations of compatible steps or features between embodiments will be possible. Indeed, isolated features may function independently as an invention from other features and not necessarily require implementation as a complete combination. Figure 1 illustrates a cross-section view, taken along a vertical plane through a longitudinal axis of a beverage package 10, according to a first embodiment of the invention. The package 10 generally comprises: a bottle having a main body 11 with a shoulder 12 and neck 13 for receiving a closure via a threaded surface 14, and a base 15; an over-cap 16 is configured to couple with a shoulder region of the bottle, resulting in a uniform tubular construction as viewed externally.

In the illustrated form, body 11 may be formed by a spirally wound paper process (such as is common for a core of rolled sheet material, or a protective cylinder for rolled artwork). Shoulder/neck portion 12/13 may be connected to the main body 11 by a perimeter fitment piece/joining ring 17 having a downwardly extending flange 18 and an upstanding flange 19 for engaging and sealing/adherence against the main body 11 and shoulder 12 respectively. In a preferred form, the seal is liquid proof such that liquid beverage may be housed and stored for later consumption within the bottle structure. Alternative forms may feature a flexible bag to be housed within the bottle, for separation after use and recycling.

In the illustrated form it will be apparent that joining ring 17 forms a ledge at the shoulder portion of the bottle against which an annular rim of cap 16 (e.g. its main opening) may abut in an interference fit. The uppermost end of cap 16 is closed over so that the shoulder/neck portion of the bottle is hidden within the package during normal display, unless cap 16 or part of it were formed from transparent material. A seam between main body 11 and cap 16 may be covered by a shrink wrap or other adhesive-type label for later removal upon use, at which point the cap is to be pulled away from the main body.

The threaded surface 14 of the neck 13 may be integral or, as shown, a separate fitment piece that receives a cap closure (e.g. a tamper evident cap), not shown. The cap closure, opening access to the contents of the bottle itself can only be removed after the external over-cap 16 has been removed.

Base 15 may be formed from card, pulp or plastic (e.g. clear plastic to serve as a window) and glued to an internal surface of main body 11 to provide a permanent closure of the open end of the main body. It will be apparent that the base 15, over cap 16, main body 11, and connecting ring structure 17 will have substantially the same plan view outline shape (not shown) so that the resulting packaging is a uniform elongate shape from the base to the top end of the cap. The cross section/plan shape may be a circle, polygon such as a square, triangle, rectangle, hexagon, octagon or any other closed shape or combination of shapes (e.g. a bottle may have a hexagonal base transitioning to a circular end cap - such shapes are possible by roll forming an indeterminate length of paper around a shaped mandrel). In assembled form the package has a smooth and continuous/uniform side wall and/or cross section from the base to the cap end.

Further examples are shown by the remaining drawings. Figures 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 illustrate a cylindrical form, while Figures 5 and 8 illustrate a "sqround" form.

Referring to Figures 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7, a round bottle body 11 with corresponding over cap 16 is shown. In the illustrated embodiment, a shoulder structure 12 is detailed which includes a pulp formed two-part construction of over and inner shoulder. However, the details of the shoulder constructions are not essential to operation of the present invention.

In common with the embodiment of Figure 1, Figure 4 shows an annular ledge 20 formed as part of shoulder 12 where it joins with and encloses the substantive main tubular body 11 of the bottle. Ledge 20 provides an abutment surface for receiving over cap 16.

A formed cap end 21 of the over cap 16 provides an inwardly/downwardly protruding structure that can cooperate with an inner cap 22 closure for neck 14 of the bottle. Cap 22 may fit tightly (or be glued) into the lid pulp-moulding 21 so as to be operable by manually twisting the over cap 16. In other words, twisting over cap 16 about a longitudinal axis may effectively open the inner (e.g. screw) cap 22 simultaneously for removal and access to bottle contents by a user. Alternatively, the recess formed into moulding 21 may merely provide sufficient tightness to retain itself upon cap 22, for later removal. As apparent from Figures 6 and 7, cap end 21 may be a press-formed component having a flat disc 23 applied above it to hide the inner structure from view. The full componentry of one exemplary gift pack bottle according to the invention, from top to bottom, with reference to Figures 6 and 7 is as follows: cover disc 23, formed cap end 22, tubular-walled over cap 16, inner screw top cap 21, a first part of neck fitment 14A, over shoulder 12A, inner shoulder 12B, a second part of neck fitment 14B, main tubular body 11, a base 15.

Over shoulder 12A and inner shoulder 12B are aligned via radial ribs and joined together while the second part of neck fitment 14B is received and bonded into the upper first part of neck fitment 14A. The rim of assembled shoulder 12, proximate ledge 20, is bonded to the main tubular body 11. Base 15 is bonded or otherwise joined to the lower open end of body 11. According to one form, the neck pieces 14A and 14B may be plastic but, in any event, comprise only a small fraction of the total mass of the bottle. Future forms may propose a solution where all parts are formed from a paper/fibre based material.

Figures 5 and 8 illustrate substantially similar components to that of Figures 4, 6 and 7, in a "sqround" bottle format best seen in Figure 8 where both the over cap 16 and main tubular body 11 have a square cross section with rounded corners. In this embodiment, cap 21 is not needed to fit tightly into end cap mould 22 because the square nature of the bottle will not allow twisting. Instead over cap 16 is aligned with but disengageable from cap 21 to expose it for removal and access to contents in the bottle by a user.

The cross section of Figure 5 shows that the cap receiving recess of moulded end 22 may be shallow to aid alignment. However, features of all embodiments are interchangeable as deemed suitable by a person skilled in the art. A feature to secure cap 21 is not essential as in the simplified embodiment of Figure 1.

In principle the side wall of the package may be tapered such that the cross-sectional area (taken across a horizontal plane through the package) diminishes or increases from the base to the cap, but remains uniform with the appearance of continuity. The invention can be summarised as a beverage package forming process and associated product. The bottle comprises a hollow body with a narrow neck, for connection to an over cap that has an external circumferential shape consistent with the body of the bottle. The cross section may be chosen from a variety of closed shapes; e.g. circle, square, rectangle, triangle. Indeed, any multi sided or curved shape. The over cap is received at a shoulder portion of the bottle where it meets the body. A base portion is joined to a second, opposite, open end of the body portion. In its primary form the beverage package (10) is comprised of a bottle (11, 12, 13, 15) and an over-cap (16) that is received in interference fit at a ledge proximate a shoulder portion (12) of the bottle. The assembled package results in an elongate shape with substantially continuous side walls, e.g. at the transition between the main body and over-cap. The package is particularly suited for use as a gift pack and minimises additional packaging materials by utilising the bottle itself for forming a substantive part of the display/decorative surface; rather than requiring additional external cladding or a box.