Field of the invention
[0001] The invention relates to a container and, in particular, to a plastic container.
Background
[0002] Known plastic containers are often provided with a metal cage having a plastic vessel
therein. An example of such known plastic containers is a Finncont PF800 plastic container.
The metal cage supports the plastic vessel against internal overpressure in the vessel.
The metal cage accounts for a significant part of the weight of the container. Production
and assembly of such a metal cage around the plastic vessel require additional work
phases while manufacturing the plastic container, which makes the plastic container
slower to manufacture.
Brief description of the invention
[0003] An object of the invention is to solve or alleviate at least some of the aforementioned
drawbacks.
[0004] The subject matter of the present invention is a container and a method as disclosed
in the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in
the dependent claims.
[0005] The present invention enables a plastic container to be provided with a light-weight
yet firm structure. It is now possible to manufacture the plastic container faster.
List of figures
[0006] The invention is now described in closer detail in connection with preferred embodiments
and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a structure of a container according to an embodiment;
Figure 2 illustrates an upper surface of a vessel of a container according to an embodiment;
and
Figure 3 is a side view illustrating a container according to an embodiment.
Detailed description of the invention
[0007] In the following, containers according to some embodiments will be described with
reference to Figures 1 to 3, in which like reference numerals and markings identify
like elements.
[0008] A container 100 comprises a plastic vessel 102, a plastic base 104, and a collar
106 to join the vessel with the base. The collar supports the vessel with respect
to the base, serving as a joining element for the vessel and the base. Liquid may
be stored in the vessel to be transported in the container. When the vessel is provided
with contents, for instance a liquid, the collar may support the vessel inter alia
against fluctuations in hydrostatic pressure of the contents in the vessel and against
the mass of the contents in the vessel. The collar further enables support for the
vessel while the container is being handled. When handling the container, the container
may be moved for instance by means of a truck loader or a pump carriage from one place
to another, the container may be stacked on top of another container, or another container
may be stacked on top of the container.
[0009] Preferably, the collar is visible on the surface of the container, enabling the condition
of the collar to be checked readily. This enables defective collars to be detected
and the collar or the container to be replaced.
[0010] Preferably, the collar runs in the middle of an outer surface of the container. The
outer surface of the container may be formed by outer surfaces of the vessel and the
base. The outer surfaces may comprise vertical sides interconnected with one another
at corners. The collar may be placed to run across the container, in the middle of
opposite sides of the container such that the collar bisects the span of the opposite
sides of the container. This enables the support structure of the container to be
implemented by using one collar only and the support structure of the container to
be kept simple.
[0011] The vessel is mounted on top of the base. The base enables the vessel to be supported
on the ground, floor or another surface on which the container stands. The base is
open on top, leaving the upper surface of the vessel free. Thus, one or more filling
opening and/or fitting located on the upper surface of the vessel remain visible.
[0012] The base may extend upwards, at least partly around the sides of the vessel, the
base outlining and supporting the vessel on its sides. In such a case, in the container
the vessel resides at least partly inside the base and the sides of the container
are formed by the side surfaces of the vessel and the base, at least one collar being
mounted in the middle of the opposite sides thereof. The base may extend for instance
on the sides of the vessel halfway across the height thereof.
[0013] The vessel and the base may be made of plastic by rotational casting. The collar
enables the material thickness of the rotational-cast parts to be kept smaller than
without a collar. Thus, the collar may reduce the material demand in the manufacture
of the vessel and the base.
[0014] Preferably, the vessel and the base are made of a thermoplast suitable for storing
liquids, such as water, nitrogen and/or acetic acid. An example of a thermoplast is
a rotational-cast polyethylene plastic. The container is a UN type approved IBC (Intermediate
Bulk Container) package, i.e. a medium-size transport container (450-3 0001) for dangerous
or harmless liquids.
[0015] The vessel and the base are located on top of one another such that the collar has
a section A exceeding the upper surface of the vessel, and sections B1, B2 extending,
on the side surfaces of the vessel, from the section exceeding the upper surface of
the vessel towards the base. The collar sections extending towards the base are located
on the sides of the vessel and the base, on opposite sides of the container. The collar
sections located on the opposite sides of the container are located on the opposite
side surfaces of the container which comprise side surfaces of the vessel and the
base. Thus the collar supports the container on the opposite sides of and from above
the container.
[0016] In an embodiment, the material of the collar is stainless steel, providing the vessel
and the base with necessary support, but other materials may also be used.
[0017] In an embodiment, the collar may be flat or tubular in its cross-section. A profile
of the cross-section of a tubular collar may be angular or circular. An angular profile
may be rectangular, for instance. It is to be noted that when manufacturing a container,
the collar may be made by bending the collar material, such as a stainless steel tube
or strip, so as to form a collar which extends from the upper surface to the side
surfaces of the vessel. In such a case, because of the bending, the profile may change
at points of bending. It is possible that instead of bending, the collar may be formed
from separate parts extending on top of the vessel and on the sides of the container,
which may be joined together by welding, screws, bolts or notched joints. Manufacturing
the collar by bending enables work phases required by joining the separate parts together
to be avoided.
[0018] In an embodiment, the collar 106 comprises on the upper surface of the vessel at
least two spaced apart fastening points 110a, 110b for fastening lifting means to
a container for lifting the container. The fastening points are arranged to be suitable
for being fastened to the fastening means. Examples of fastening means comprise at
least one of the following: chains and hooks.
[0019] In an embodiment, the collar comprises a support arrangement 112a, 112b at edges
of the vessel for supporting from below another container to be placed on top of the
container. This enables a plurality of containers to be stacked on top of one another.
The support arrangement may comprise support pieces, a bed or a frame which may be
manufactured from polyethene or steel. The support pieces may be manufactured by casting,
edging or welding. The support arrangement, for instance support pieces, is preferably
arranged to provide support on opposite edges of the upper surface of the vessel so
as to firmly support the other container. The support arrangement may provide support
on all edges of the upper surface. In an embodiment, a space is provided between the
support arrangement and the vessel for an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag.
The space may be formed as a recess in the upper surface of the vessel and/or in the
support arrangement.
[0020] In an embodiment, in front of each support piece placed on the edges of the upper
surface of the vessel, towards an opposite edge, is provided a fastening point for
fastening lifting means to the container for lifting the container.
[0021] In an embodiment, the base comprises fastening parts 114 on oppositely residing sides
of the base for fastening the collar to the base. Opposite ends of the collar may
thus be fastened to the base, in which case the collar joins the base and the vessel
into one entity. This enables the vessel and the base to be lifted by fastening the
fastening means in the fastening points provided in the collar. The weight of a container
stacked on top of another container is transmitted through the collar to the fastening
parts, enabling the load being exerted from the stacked-on container to the vessel
to be distributed over the base. Preferably, the fastening parts may extend from the
sides of the base to a lower surface of the base. Thus, the collar fastened to the
fastening parts supports the container from above, on the sides and from the bottom
at the edges of the base, where the collar is fastened by the fastening parts.
[0022] In an embodiment, the container comprises a groove 116 in which the collar is mounted.
The groove may be formed from grooves in the vessel and the base, which meet when
the vessel is mounted in the base. The collar is thus allowed to run in a groove between
the vessel and the base, and the collar stays in place around the vessel and the base.
The groove may preferably run across the entire surface outside the base of the vessel
to the base. The vessel and the base may be provided with several grooves, in which
case the container may be provided with several collars. With respect to one another,
the grooves may run parallelly or perpendicularly around the container. A groove may
be a groove in the outer surfaces of the vessel and the base, or a so-called casing
hidden inside the structure of the vessel and the base. The groove may encircle the
entire container.
[0023] It is to be noted that the container is not necessarily provided with a groove for
the collar. It is possible to mount the collar in the container also as a so-called
surface mounting, in which case no groove is necessary.
[0024] In an embodiment, the container may be provided with several collars when a groove
runs between the vessel and the base on each side of the container. Thus, for instance
a container with four sides may be provided with two collars that intersect on top
of the vessel.
[0025] In an embodiment, the collar or collars completely encircle(s) the vessel and the
base. In such a case, instead of two fastening parts, one fastening part can be used
for fastening the collar to the base. A fastening point is necessary in order for
the collar not to be allowed to rotate around the container and to make the fastening
points and/or the support arrangement in the collar stay in place. It is also possible
to omit such fastening parts, in which case the collar is fastened to itself. Without
any fastening parts, the movement of the collar with respect to the vessel and the
base can be prevented in other manners. Depending on the implementation, it is also
possible to allow the collar to move with respect to the vessel and the base.
[0026] An embodiment relates to a method of manufacturing a plastic container. The plastic
container may be any one of the above-described plastic containers. Such a plastic
container comprises a plastic vessel 102 and a plastic base 104. The method comprises
forming the vessel 102 and the base 104 by rotational casting. The formed vessel 102
is placed in the base 104, and the vessel 102 placed in the base is joined with the
base by means of a collar 106. This provides a firm and light-weight container which
is quick to manufacture.
[0027] In an embodiment, the method is used for manufacturing a container in which the vessel
102 resides at least in part inside the base 104. The method comprises forming the
vessel 102 and the base 104 by rotational casting. The rotational casting of the vessel
and the base may be carried out for instance as described above. The vessel 102 thus
formed is placed at least in part inside the base 104. The vessel and the base that
are at least in part placed inside one another are joined by means of a collar 106.
This provides a container in which the base outlines and supports the vessel on the
sides of the vessel.
[0028] The above-described embodiments describe the structure of the container and its parts
as regards the base, the collar and the vessel. The steps of the described methods
may be modified and/or added for manufacturing a container or parts thereof according
to the above-described embodiment.
[0029] It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that as technology advances, the basic
idea of the invention may be implemented in many different ways. The invention and
its embodiments are thus not restricted to the examples described above but may vary
within the scope of the claims.
1. A container (100) comprising a plastic vessel (102), a plastic base (104), and a collar
(106) to join the vessel (102) with the base (104).
2. A container (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collar (106) comprises a support
arrangement (112a, 112b) on an upper surface of the vessel (102) for supporting another
container to be placed on top of the container (100).
3. A container (100) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the collar (106) comprises on
the upper surface of the vessel (102) at least two spaced apart fastening points (110a,
110b) for fastening lifting means to the fastening points (110a, 110b) for lifting
the container (100).
4. A container (100) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the base (104) comprises
fastening parts (114) on oppositely residing sides of the base (104) for fastening
the collar (106) to the vessel (102).
5. A container (100) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, the container (100) comprising
a groove (116) in which the collar (106) is mounted.
6. A container (100) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the base (104) extends
upwards at least in part around the sides of the vessel (102).
7. A container (100) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the vessel (102)
is at least in part inside the base (104).
8. A container (100) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the base (104) outlines
and supports the vessel (102) on the sides of the vessel, and the collar (106) joins
the vessel (102) with the base (104) in a vertical direction.
9. A container (100) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the collar (106)
runs to the base (104) across the vessel.
10. A method of manufacturing a plastic container (100), the plastic container comprising
a plastic vessel (102) and a plastic base (104), the method comprising:
forming the vessel (102) and the base (104) by rotational casting;
placing the formed vessel (102) in the base (104);
joining the vessel (102) placed in the base (104) with the base (104) by means of
a collar (106).