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(11) | EP 0 263 211 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Double-unit beverage package container |
| (57) A beverage container 11 comprises a front container 12 and a rear container 13 formed
by folding one sheet of packaging material into two equal parallelepiped bodies connected
to each other at the edge 10 of a common end wall 2. |
Abstract of The Disclosure:
[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage package container, comprising a front container and a rear container, and is characterized in that the front container and the rear container are connected to each other at a common end wall to form a joint double-unit beverage package container.
Detailed Description:
[0002] The present invention relates to a lovers' type twin beverage package container, comprising two samll containers connected in juxtaposition at a common end wall. The two small containers may be filled with one or two kinds of beverage depending upon occasions. Non-returnable type packaging containers are used for various beverages such as milk, juice and the like. The packaging containers are usually made of the following types of materials and manufactured in the following principles:
The first type of containers is made from laminated material which comprises layers of paper and plastics. According to the principle of manufacture, the packing material sheet coated with thermoplastics is rolled into a tubular shape with a longitudinal, liquid tight seal. The upstanding tubes so formed pass continuously under a filling machine where they are filled with contents and then compressed and sealed transversely at uniform intervals. With the help of transverse cuts, the tubes are divided into individual packaging containers which are further processed into the desired, e.g. parallelepipedal, shape.
The second type of containers is manufactured by folding and sealing of laminated material in the form of sheets or a webs, which comprises at least on the outside a layer of thermoplastic material serving on the one hand as a liquid-tight layer, and on the other hand as a seal bonding the container together to form the desired U-shaped body
[0003] Currently the volume of a general beverage container on the market is about 236 to 250 c.c. That volume of beverage is still too much for the average children. Therefore, it is often seen that children discarded containers with part of the contents because they could not finish them. What a waste! Especially when one is on the move, it is not easy to keep the container of beverage after it is opened, so one has to throw it away with reluctance even though the beverage is not all consumed. Or when one travels by a vehicle, trying to keep an unfinished beverage container for drinking later is quite a nuisance as the bouncing and shaking of the vehicle would cause the beverage to spill.
[0004] The present invention is directed to improving the above-mentioned shortcomings and other disadvantages of existing beverage containers. One of the purposes of the present invention is to provide a lovers' type twin beverage package container, comprising two relatively smaller containers connected together at a common end wall. Since each smaller container has a volume only about one half of that of a regular container currently on the market, it contains just enough beverage for a child and one dose not have to discard a container when one cannot finish the beverage at one time, nor worry about spilling as one tries to keep a container still having some beverage therein. When the beverage of one of the small containers is consumed, one can keep the package of beverage with the other small container still unopened for future composition.
[0005] Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a lovers' type twin beverage package container which can be filled with one or two kinds of beverage. This novel container is a breakthrough in current beverage package. It offers more than one taste of beverage for choice by the purchaser (consumer) and provides more convenience. A consumer just buys one lovers' type container of beverage, he (or she) may enjoy two different kinds and tastes of beverage. Such beverage containers are more convenient and advantageous to the public users, especially to the lovers. Lovers may choose beverage according to their preference, then drink the beverage from the twin container simultaneously in a romantic mood.
[0006] In addition, the beverage container of the present invention also provides great convenience to ordinary families. Ordinarily beverages suitable for children are those free from stimulants, while parents in general prefer beverages of slightly stimulating nature; therefore, a family may have to buy various packages of beverage which cause inconvenience in carrying. The present invention has overcome this shortcoming. By utilizing the twin beverage package container of the present invention two different kinds of beverage can be provided in one package, one free from stimulants such as milk, fruit juice, etc. while the other, such as coffee, etc, containing stimulants. The twin beverage package container is not only suitable for children, but also for parents who like different tastes, thus eliminating the need of carrying many packages of different beverages. Furthermore, mother and child or father and child drinking together will enhance the affection between parent and child while avoiding waste of the beverage.
[0007] In addition, the present invention has the following advantages: (1) hygienic: using separate straw for each samll container; (2) choice of sugar content: even when one kind of beverage is filled in the above-mentioned twin package container, sugar content of the beverage in each small container may vary for choice by the consumer; (3) easy to keep: no worry about spilling of the beverage if unfinished.
[0008] Detailed descriptions of the present invention are given as follows with reference to the embodiments as shown in the following drawings:
Figure 1 shows the sheet material with folding lines for forming the package container.
Figure 2 is a top, front perspective view of the first embodiment of "lovers' type beverage package container" in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 3 is a perspective top, rear perspective view thereof.
Figure 4 and 5 are top and rear perspective views thereof respectively when the samll containers are spread.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the second embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 7 shows the sheet material with folding line used for producing another embodiment of the beverage container in accordance with the present invention as shown in Figure 8.
Figure 8 is a top, front perspective view of the third embodiment of the "lovers' type beverage package container" in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 9 is a top, rear perspective view thereof.
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the "lovers' type beverage package container" in accordance with the present invention..
[0009] As described above, the first embodiment of the container is machine-made from laminated material of a continuous sheet, as shown in Fig. 1. The method of manufacturing the container from the sheet material is: firstly fold the two outer edges 9 and 9ʹ of sheet 1 to central portion 2 to form two tubes, then fill the desired contents into these two tubes, and seal them transversely to form individual containers, and finally cut them through the transverse sealed zone into separate containers.
[0010] The package material sheet 1 (Fig. 1) is provided with folding lines for folding them into the desired form. The two outer edges 9 and 9ʹ of sheet 1 are folded to the dotted line position at the central portion 2 of the sheet, and longitudinally sealed. It should be noted that the right outer edge 9 is folded to dotted line 6, while the left outer edge 9ʹ to dotted line 6ʹ, with a distance of about 1 mm therebetween. A tearing line 10 is provided at the centre of the space between two do tted lines 6, 6ʹ to facilitate tearing of the twin container apart into two separate small containers after it is properly formed. For this reason, the central portion 2 of the sheet should be slightly wider than the total width of the two side walls 3, 3ʹ. The full height of the container is represented by L.
[0011] As shown in Fig. 1, it can be clearly seen that for each packaging unit there is a zone 7, which is a common sealed zone between continuous packages. The packages can be separated by cutting through this zone. Folding lines 8 facilitate folding of the sheet material to form two parallel parallelepipedal bodies.
[0012] Figure 2 is a top, front perspective view of the novel lovers' type twin beverage package container formed by the principle described above. The beverage container 11 comprises two smaller containers 12, 13 connected together at a common end wall (not shown). The front wall of the front small container 12 is formed from the front wall 5 of the sheet of Fig. 1; the first side wall of the front small container 12 and the rear small container 13, from the side walls 3, 3ʹ respectively. The two small containers are combined to form an integrated package by means of a packaging paper.
[0013] Fig. 3 is a top, rear perspective view of the beverage container 11 described above, showing a longitudinal tearing line at the central portion 2 of the sheet in the middle of the second side walls of the front small container 12 and the rear small container 13. Marks 14 and 15 are straw holes and upper seal of the containers.
[0014] When the packaging paper of the integrated beverage package container 11 described above is removed, the front and the rear small containers 12, 13 may swing apart as shown in Fig. 4, but remain attached to the edge 10ʹ of a common side wall (shown in Fig. 5). It can be clearly seen in Fig. 4 that the second side walls of front small container and rear small container 12, 13 correspond to the central portion 2 of the sheet shown in Fig. 1.
[0015] Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view of the beverage container of Fig. 4, showing a longitudinal tearing line 10 at the edge 10ʹ of the common side wall to facilitate tearing of the beverage container 11, thus separating the front and the rear small containers 12, 13 into individual ones.
[0016] Fig. 6 shows another embodiment of the beverage container described above, wherein it similarly comprises a front small container 22 and a rear small container 23, differing only in its length (l) and width (b), while the total volume is the same as the container 11 described above.
[0017] In another embodiment, the beverage container is formed by packaging material sheet shown in Fig. 7. The manufacturing method is similar to that described above, i.e. fold the two outer edges 9a, 9b of sheet 1a to the central portion 2a of the sheet and sealed longitudinally. In Fig. 7 it can be seen that at the lower end of the first side walls 4a, 4aʹ a location is marked in dotted lines for a round hole 6a, 6aʹ respectively with its outer layer of material already removed, and at the second side wall 5aʹ there is an insertable hole for mixing beverage. The whole length of the package is represented by L.
[0018] Fig. 7 shows a zone 7a for each package unit, which is a common sealed zone between continuous packages. The packages can be separated by cutting through this zone. Folding line 8a facilitates folding of the sheet material to form two parallel parallelepipedal bodies.
[0019] Fig. 8 is a top, front perspective view of the novel lovers' type twin beverage package container 31 formed by the principle described above. The beverage container 31 comprises two smaller containers 32, 33 connected together at their first side walls 38, 39, The front walls 35, 36 of the two small containers 32, 33 are formed respectively from the front walls 3a, 3aʹ shown in Fig. 7. The second side wall 34 of the front small container 32 is formed from the side wall 5a shown in Fig. 7. Near one of the lower corners of the second side wall 34, there is an insertable hole 10a for mixing beverages, which aligns with the round holes 6a, 6aʹ on the first side walls 38, 39. A straw can be inserted into the insertable hole 10a and directly pierces through the round holes 6a, 6aʹ on the first side walls 38, 39 to mix the different beverages in the front and rear smalll containers through the round holes 6a, 6aʹ.
[0020] Fig. 9 is a top, rear perspective view of the foregoing package container 31, wherein 37, 40 and 41 are the second side wall, the hole for the straw and the upper seal of the rear small container 33 respectively. The common rear wall of the two small containers 32, 33 is formed from the central portion 2a of the sheet shown in Fig. 7.
[0021] Fig. 10 shows another embodiment of the present invention. The package container 51 shown in the figure is made of four pieces of laminated material coated with an outer thermoplastic layer, that is, a heat-melted material layer (such as polystyrene and the like). The first and the second pieces of material form the top wall 54 and the bottom wall 55 of the package container repectively. The third piece of the material forms the central wall 56 of the container 51, which divides container 51 into front container 52 and rear container 53. The fourth piece of material is bent into an elliptical shape sealed with the above-described first and second pieces of material to form the side wall 57 of the package container 51. The four pieces of material which are heat fused at the contact surfaces thus form the package container 51. A tearable cover and an opening are respectively shown in the figure by 58 and 59.
[0022] The purpose of the description herein is only to illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention. These embodiments should in no way limit the scope of the present invention. Those who are skilled in the art can make modifications and variations to the beverage containers illustrated in the above embodiments without deviating from the principle and scope of the present invention.
Brief Description of the Drawings:
(1) A beverage package container comprising a front container and a rear container,
wherein the front container and the rear container are formed by folding one packaging
material sheet into two equal parallelepipedal bodies connected to each other at the
edge of a common end wall.
(2) A beverage package container according to claim 1, wherein a longitudinal tearing
line is provided at the edge of the end wall where the front container and the end
container are connected to facilitate separation of the front container from the rear
container by tearing along the tearing line.
(3) A beverage package container comprising a front container and a rear container,
wherein the front container and the rear container are formed by folding one packaging
material sheet into two equal parallelepipedal bodies connected to each other at one
of the side walls.
(4) A beverage package container according to Claim 3, wherein a coinciding round
hole is provided on the side wall of the front container and the rear container where
the two containers are connected together, said round holes having covers theron to
avoid interflow of beverages between the two containers.
(5) a beverage package container according to Claim 4, wherein one of the front and
rear containers is provided with a straw insertion hole on the other side wall, said
hole being in alignment with said round holes.
(6) A beverage package cotainer according to Claim 4 and 5, wherein a straw can be
inserted into the straw insertion hole and can pierce through the cover of the round
holes so that the beverages in the front and rear containers may mix with each other
through said round holes.
(7) A beverage package container comprising a front container and a rear container,
wherein said front container and rear container are in a U shape and are connected
to each other at a common end wall.