CONTAINER WITH APERTURED SHRINK SLEEVE AND RELATED PROCESSES

• US 20200130895A1
• Filed: 10/17/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: YATES, Claire Rebecca, HARTSHORN, Richard Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 11,365,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/423 specially applied to the mass-production of externally coated articles, e.g. bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/463 Grips, handles handgrips as part of the body finishing of the vehicles B29L2031/3029
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/02 Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents thermally-insulated containers B65D81/38, A47J41/00; feeding-bottles A61J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/0223 characterised by shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/40 Details of walls other container details B65D23/00, B65D25/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/00 Decoration means, markings, information elements, contents indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/0878 Shrunk on the bottle
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/10 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/2802 fixed, i.e. non-swingable, handles B65D25/2867, B65D25/2882 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/54 Inspection openings or windows
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2501/0009 Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures designed for pouring contents
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2501/0081 Bottles of non-circular cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2525/281 Details relating to handles

Abstract

A container at least partially surrounded by a shrink sleeve, the shrink sleeve including a shrink sleeve aperture being defined by an aperture peripheral boundary having a peripheral length, where the shrink sleeve and the container are substantially the same color along at least a portion of the peripheral length. Processes for making such containers. Containers where the shrink sleeve and the container are substantially different colors along the peripheral length.

Claims

1. A container at least partially surrounded by a shrink sleeve,

the shrink sleeve comprising a shrink sleeve aperture,

the shrink sleeve aperture being defined by an aperture peripheral boundary,

the aperture peripheral boundary having a peripheral length,

wherein a portion of the shrink sleeve adjacent to the aperture peripheral boundary has a first color;

wherein a portion of the container adjacent to the aperture peripheral boundary is visible through the aperture, wherein the portion of the container has a second color,

the portion of the container having the second color being located across the aperture peripheral boundary from the portion of the shrink sleeve having the first color,

wherein the first color and the second color are substantially similar along at least about 10% of the peripheral length of the peripheral boundary.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the container comprises a handle, and wherein the shrink sleeve aperture is substantially aligned with the handle.

3. A container according to claim 2, wherein the handle is a pinch grip or a through handle, preferably a through handle.

4. A container according to claim 2, wherein the handle comprises surface irregularities.

5. A container according to claim 1, wherein the shrink sleeve comprises at least two shrink sleeve apertures.

6. A container according to claim 1, wherein the at least two shrink sleeve apertures are on opposing sides of a handle of the container.

7. A container according to claim 1, wherein the at least two shrink sleeve apertures are symmetrical.

8. A container according to claim 1, wherein the first color and the second color are substantially both white, black, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, or purple, preferably white or purple.

9. A container according to claim 1, wherein the first color and the second color are characterized by a Δ

E value that is less than about 10, or less than about 7.5, or less than about 5, or less than about 3, or is equal to or less than about 2, or equal to or less than about 1.

10. A container according to claim 1, wherein the first color and the second color are substantially similar in a continuous fashion along at least about 10% of the peripheral length of the peripheral boundary.

11. A container according to claim 1, wherein the first color and the second color are substantially similar along at least about 25%, or at least about 50%, or at least about 75%, or at least about 90%, or about 100% of the peripheral length of the aperture peripheral boundary.

12. A container according to claim 1, wherein the aperture has a minor dimension, wherein the portion of the sleeve having the first color has a sleeve depth dimension measured perpendicularly from the aperture, and at least one of the following is true:

a) the sleeve depth dimension is at least 1% of the aperture'"'"'s minor dimension; and

/or

b) the sleeve depth dimension is at least about 2 mm, or at least about 5 mm, or at least about 10 mm, or at least about 15 mm, or at least about 20 mm.

13. A container according to claim 1, wherein the aperture has a minor dimension, wherein the portion of the container having the second color has a container depth dimension measured perpendicularly from the edge, and at least one of the following is true:

a) the container depth dimension is at least 1% of the aperture'"'"'s minor dimension; and

/or

b) the container depth dimension is at least about 2 mm, or at least about 5 mm, or at least about 10 mm, or at least about 15 mm, or at least about 20 mm.

14. A container according to claim 1, wherein the container is a blow molded container.

15. A container according to claim 1, wherein the container further comprises a window.

16. A container according to claim 1, wherein the container contains a household care composition.

17. A container according to claim 1, wherein the container contains a liquid composition, preferably a liquid composition characterized by a viscosity of from about 1 to about 2000 centipoise (1-2000 mPa·

s), more preferably from about 100 to about 1200, even more preferably from about 200 to about 800 centipoise (200-800 mPa·

s),

wherein the viscosity is determined using a Brookfield viscometer, No. 2 spindle, at 60 RPM/s, measured at 25°

C.

18. A process for preparing a container according to claim 1, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a shrink sleeve to a container;

conform the shrink sleeve to the container via increased temperature;

cutting a predetermined removeable portion from the shrink sleeve;

removing the predetermined removeable portion from the shrink sleeve, thereby forming the shrink sleeve aperture.

19. A process according to claim 18, wherein the the predetermined removeable portion is cut from the shrink sleeve with a laser.

20. A container at least partially surrounded by a shrink sleeve,

the shrink sleeve comprising a shrink sleeve aperture,

the shrink sleeve aperture being defined by an aperture peripheral boundary,

the aperture peripheral boundary having a peripheral length,

wherein a portion of the shrink sleeve adjacent to the aperture peripheral boundary has a first color;

wherein a portion of the container adjacent to the aperture peripheral boundary is visible through the aperture, wherein the portion of the container has a second color,

the portion of the container having the second color being located across the aperture peripheral boundary from the portion of the shrink sleeve having the first color,

wherein the first color and the second color are substantially different along at least about 10% of the peripheral length of the peripheral boundary.

21. A container according to claim 20, wherein the Δ

E between the first color and the second color is greater than about 10, or greater than about 15, or greater than about 20, or greater than about 30, or greater than about 40, or greater than about 50.