Plastics container

Abstract

A blow moulded plastics container for storing liquid (e.g., milk) has a body with a central axis intended to be generally vertical during storage. A part line of the container bisects an integral handle on the body. The body defines a footprint having a width which is greater in a middle region than at either longitudinal end of the footprint. The body has opposing side surfaces extending in a direction at least generally aligned with the part line of the container and forming part of the footprint. In one embodiment, the footprint is longer than it is wide and is asymmetrical about a transverse axis extending in a direction perpendicular to said part line. This reduces thinning effects associated with blowing a parison in a mould cavity.

1 . A blow moulded plastics container for storing liquid and having a body intended to be generally vertical during storage, a pouring aperture that is concentric with a central axis of the body, and an integral handle defining a handle eye, wherein the handle eye is taller than it is wide and has an aperture axis extending in a first direction through the body, wherein the body has a footprint in plan view with a part line extending in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, said footprint having a centre point through which said part line extends; further wherein said footprint has four major sides arranged as two opposing pairs, wherein the sides in the first pair are longer than the sides in the second pair and are at least generally parallel with the part line and at least generally orthogonal to the sides in the second pair, with the part line bisecting the sides in the second pair; and further wherein the footprint includes four truncated corner regions between adjacent major sides of the footprint, for reducing the stretch required to form the corner regions of the footprint when a parison is blown within a mould tool cavity configured for blow moulding the container, the truncated corner regions defining sides or faces of the footprint each at an angle of inclination to the part line, and wherein a length of said second pair of opposing sides of said footprint is less than a diameter of the pouring aperture. 
     
     
         2 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein each truncated corner region is defined by a minor side which extends between the adjacent major sides of the footprint at the angle of inclination to the part line of the container, such that the container has eight sides. 
     
     
         3 . A container according to  claim 2  wherein the length of the minor sides is less than the length of the shortest major sides of the footprint. 
     
     
         4 . A container according to  claim 3  wherein the length of the minor sides is no less than about 65% of the length of the shortest major side. 
     
     
         5 . A container according to  claim 4  wherein the length of the minor sides is generally the same or greater than the diameter of the pouring aperture. 
     
     
         6 . A container according to  claim 3  wherein the length of the minor sides is no less than about 50% of the length of the longest major side. 
     
     
         7 . A container according to  claim 3  wherein the minor sides are of equal length. 
     
     
         8 . A container according to  claim 3  wherein the footprint is symmetrical about the part line of the container and about an axis orthogonal to the part line of the container. 
     
     
         9 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the footprint is substantially rectangular for storage purposes, for storage in side by side in rows and columns on a storage trolley, in an array which has the same effective area as conventional rectangular containers, but defines an octagon which is symmetrical about the part line, wherein said octagon is elongated along the direction of the part line. 
     
     
         10 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the centre point of the foot print is concentric with the central axis of the body. 
     
     
         11 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the integral handle has a main handle portion which is generally upright when the container is in normal storage.