Bottle of thermoplastic material and method for the manufacture and filling of same

Abstract

The bottle is of a single-piece and comprises a main body ( 2 ) with a hermetically closing part ( 6 ) delimited by a weakening ( 7 ) of the material adjacent to the periphery of the mouth. The bottom part is constituted by a sheet of a thermoplastic material joined to the bottle body by thermowelding. The bottle is closed with a screw-on-cap ( 8 ), or a top ( 12 ), which are joined to the closing part ( 6 ) by means of an adhesive or glue ( 11 ). The method comprises the stages of feeding a thermoplastic laminate to a thermoforming machine; heating the laminate to a predetermined temperature; inserting a preformed punch ( 17 ) into a negative mold ( 18 ) of the bottle ( 1 ), situated in inverted position, with the laminate ( 16 ) interposed between the punch and the mold; conforming the body ( 2 ) of the bottle by means of pressure or pneumatic vacuum; forming the weakening ( 7 ) and the closing part ( 6 ) by means of a punch ( 19 ); filling the bottle with the product ( 22 ) to be contained therein, by the upper opening ( 20 ) which will later be the bottom part of the bottle; and thermal weld a laminate ( 21 ) of thermoplastic material to the periphery of the said upper opening, determining the bottom part or base and the bottle, being therefore, finished and hermetically sealed.

5 . (Amended) A grouping [Grouping] ( 14 ) of bottles [in accordance with the previous claims, characterized in that is comprises] comprising a plurality of bottles ( 1 ,  10 ) of  claim 1 , linked in a continuous way by their bottom part of base ( 5 ) by easily-broken straps ( 15 ), made of the constituent thermoplastic material itself of the bottom part of the bottles.  
     
     
         6 . (Amended) A grouping [Grouping] ( 37 ) of bottles [in accordance with  claims 1  to  4 , characterized in that it comprises] comprising a plurality of bottles ( 1 ,  10 ) of  claim 1 , and a linkage body ( 24 ) of the same, the linkage body being constituted by straps ( 38 ) of plastic material and at least one handle part ( 26 ), which links the straps to one another in a continuous manner on which multiple orifices ( 39 ) of diameter similar to that of the bottle neck are made, provide with notches ( 25 ) radially extending on their periphery, providing the edges with a certain flexibility, all in such a way that the bottles can be inserted by pressure in the orifices, remaining held by the effect of the tightening of the edges of the orifices on the bottles' necks.  
     
     
         7 . (Amended) Method for the manufacture and filling of a bottle ( 1 ,  10 ) of  claim 1 , [or group ( 14 ,  37 ) of bottles in accordance with the previous claims] characterized in that, starting from a sheet ( 16 ) of thermoplastic material, it comprises the [stages] steps of: 
 feeding the sheet of thermoplastic material to a thermoforming machine;    heating the sheet to a temperature greater than that of the thermofluence of the thermoplastic material;    inserting a preform punch ( 17 ) into a negative mold ( 18 ) of the bottle ( 1 ), situated in inverted position, with the sheet ( 16 ) interposed between the preform punch and the negative mould    conforming the body ( 2 ) of the bottle by applying the thermoplastic material against the inner wall of the negative mould, by means of pressure or pneumatic vacuum, and extracting the preform punch from the mould;    forming the weakening ( 7 ) and the sealing portion ( 6 ) by splitting of the thermoplastic material by means of a punch ( 19 );    filling the bottle with the product ( 22 ) to be contained therein, by the upper opening ( 20 ) which will later be the bottom part or base ( 5 ) or the bottle and which remains free because of the withdrawal of the preform punch; and    thermowelding a sheet ( 21 ) of thermoplastic material to the periphery of the aforementioned upper opening, determining the bottom part or base and, the bottle being thus finished and hermetically sealed.    
     
     
         12 . (Amended) Method according to [any of the previous claims]  claim 11 , characterized in that, after the thermowelding stage, it comprises the stage of separating by cutting, each conformed bottle ( 1 ,  10 ), filled and closed, from the rest of the sheets ( 16 ,  21 ) of the material which constitute the body ( 2 ) and the bottom part ( 5 ) of the bottles, respectively.  
     
     
         14 . (Amended) Method in accordance with [claims]  claim 7 , [to  11 , particularly applicable for the manufacture of the grouping ( 14 ) of bottles ( 1 ,  10 ) in accordance with  claim 5 ,] characterized in that it comprises the additional [stage] step of forming [the] a grouping of bottles ( 1 ,  10 ), by means of the cutting of the sheets ( 16 ,  21 ) of the material that constitute the body ( 2 ) and the bottom part ( 5 ) of the bottles, respectively.  
     
     
         1 . Bottle ( 1 ,  10 ) of thermoplastic material, of the type comprising a main body ( 2 ) and which is essentially prismatic and moulded in a single-piece, a bottom part or base ( 5 ) and a mouth ( 3 ), characterized in that it comprises a hermetically sealing portion ( 6 ) at the mouth, moulded together with the bottle body forming with the latter a single-piece, said closing part being delimited by a weakening ( 7 ) of the material which constitutes the bottle, adjacent to the periphery of the mouth and the bottom part or base being constituted by a sheet of thermoplastic material integrally joined by thermowelding to the lower part of the bottle body walls, after the bottle has been filled with the product to be contained therein, all of it adopted so that on exerting pulling or pushing force on the sealing portion which is greater than a minimum predetermined effort, the weakening is liable to breaking, either completely or partly, in order to separate the mouth sealing portion, with the aim of achieving the opening of the mouth.  
     
     
         2 . Bottle ( 1 ) in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that, being of the type comprising a screw-on-cap ( 8 ), which works with a complementary outer threading ( 9 ) which the bottle neck is fitted with, the top is stuck by its inner face to the outer face of the sealing portion ( 6 ) by means of an adhesive or glue ( 11 ), in such a way that , on unscrewing the cap, the breaking of the annular weakening ( 7 ) takes place.  
     
     
         3 . Bottle ( 10 ) in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a top ( 12 ) constituted by a laminate material, joined to the outer face of the sealing portion ( 6 ) by means of an adhesive or glue ( 11 ), in such a way that on pulling the top manually the complete or partial breaking of the weakening ( 7 ) takes place.  
     
     
         4 . Bottle ( 10 ) in accordance with the  claim 3 , characterized in that the weakening ( 7 ) has an open-arch shape and the top ( 12 ) comprises a pulling and retention tab ( 35 ), in such a way that, once the bottle has been opened by the weakening, the bottle can be closed again by reversion of the opening movement of the sealing portion ( 6 ) so that the top covers the formed mouth ( 3 ).  
     
     
         5 . Grouping ( 14 ) of bottles in accordance with the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of bottles ( 1 ,  10 ) linked in a continuous way by their bottom part or base ( 5 ) by easily-broken straps ( 15 ), made of the constituent thermoplastic material itself of the bottom part of the bottles.  
     
     
         6 . Grouping ( 37 ) of bottles in accordance with  claims 1  to  4 , characterized in that it comprises a plurality of bottles ( 1 ,  10 ) and a linkage body ( 24 ) of the same, the linkage body being constituted by straps ( 38 ) of plastic material and at least one handle part ( 26 ), which links the straps to one another in a continuous manner on which multiple orifices ( 39 ) of diameter similar to that of the bottle neck are made, provided with notches ( 25 ) radially extending on their periphery, providing the edges with a certain flexibility, all in such a way that the bottles can be inserted by pressure in the orifices, remaining held by the effect of the tightening of the edges of the orifices on the bottles' necks.  
     
     
         7 . Method for the manufacture and filling of a bottle ( 1 ,  10 ) or group ( 14 ,  37 ) of bottles in accordance with the previous claims, characterized in that, starting from a sheet ( 16 ) of thermoplastic material, it comprises the stages of: 
 feeding the sheet of thermoplastic material to a thermoforming machine;    heating the sheet to a temperature greater than that of the thermofluence of the thermoplastic material;    inserting a preform punch ( 17 ) into a negative mould ( 18 ) of the bottle ( 1 ), situated in inverted position, with the sheet ( 16 ) interposed between the preform punch and the negative mould    conforming the body ( 2 ) of the bottle by applying the thermoplastic material against the inner wall of the negative mould, by means of pressure or pneumatic vacuum, and extracting the preform punch from the mould;    forming the weakening ( 7 ) and the sealing portion ( 6 ) by splitting of the thermoplastic material by means of a punch ( 19 );    filling the bottle with the product ( 22 ) to be contained therein, by the upper opening ( 20 ) which will later be the bottom part or base ( 5 ) of the bottle and which remains free because of the withdrawal of the preform punch; and    thermowelding a sheet ( 21 ) of thermoplastic material to the periphery of the aforementioned upper opening, determining the bottom part or base and, the bottle being thus finished and hermetically sealed.    
     
     
         8 . Method in accordance with  claim 7 , applicable to the bottle ( 1 ) in accordance with claims  1  or  2 , characterized in that it comprises the intermediate stages of applying glue or adhesive ( 11 ) between the inner face of the screw-on-cap ( 8 ) and the outer face of the sealing portion ( 6 ) of the bottle mouth ( 3 ) and of subsequently applying the cap to the mouth.  
     
     
         9 . Method in accordance with  claim 8 , characterized in that the stage of applying glue or adhesive and of applying the cap ( 8 ) is done simultaneously to the stage of conforming the body ( 2 ) of the bottle ( 1 ), for which the cap itself constitutes the bottom part of the negative mould ( 18 ), the threading of the cap forming the surface moulding of the outer threading ( 9 ) of the bottle.  
     
     
         10 . Method in accordance with  claim 8 , characterized in that the stage of applying glue and applying the screw-on-cap ( 8 ) is done immediately after the stage of forming the weakening ( 7 ).  
     
     
         11 . Method in accordance with  claim 7 , applicable to the bottle ( 10 ) in accordance with claims  1  or  3 , characterized in that it comprises the intermediate stage of applying, by sticking, the top ( 12 ) to the outer face of the sealing portion ( 6 ).  
     
     
         12 . Method according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that, after the thermowelding stage, it comprises the stage of separating by cutting, each conformed bottle ( 1 ,  10 ), filled and closed, from the rest of the sheets ( 16 ,  21 ) of the material which constitute the body ( 2 ) and the bottom part ( 5 ) of the bottles, respectively.  
     
     
         13 . Method in accordance with  claim 12 , particularly applicable for the manufacture of the grouping ( 37 ) of bottles ( 1 ,  10 ) in accordance with  claim 6 , characterized in that the stage of separating by means of cutting each conformed bottle ( 1 ,  10 ), filled and closed, done in such a way that the linkage body ( 24 ), which comprises a handle ( 26 ) is obtained from the remainder itself of the sheets ( 16 ,  21 ) of the material that constitutes the body ( 2 ) and the bottom part ( 5 ) of the bottles, respectively.  
     
     
         14 . Method in accordance the  claims 7  to  11 , particularly applicable for the manufacture of the grouping ( 14 ) of bottles ( 1 ,  10 ) in accordance with  claim 5 , characterized in that it comprises the additional stage of forming the grouping, by means of the cutting of the sheets ( 16 ,  21 ) of the material that constitute the body ( 2 ) and the bottom part ( 5 ) of the bottles, respectively.