Very light beverage container

Abstract

The present invention relates to a container for a liquid or viscous product, comprising a substantially ovoid or spherical container body having a diameter D 1, and a neck having a diameter D 2, said neck comprising a dispensing opening and means for allowing closing means to be attached thereto, D 1 being greater than D 2, said container being made out of semi-cristalline PET, the walls of said container body having a thickness inferior or equal to 100 μm at least in the middle-height region of said container. In a highly preferred embodiment of the invention, the container body comprises at least two opposite flat, substantially vertical, surfaces, and a flat, substantially horizontal, surface located opposite the neck and forming a bottom side.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A container comprising:
 a substantially oval or spherical container body having an outer diameter D 1  and a wall thickness of not greater than 100 μm at least in a middle-height region of the container, the container body comprising at least four vertical flat surfaces that are disk-shaped, each of the vertical flat surfaces is opposite to another one of the vertical flat surfaces, and each of the vertical flat surfaces has a circumference that overlaps an adjacent one of the vertical flat surfaces on a first side of the circumference and overlaps another adjacent one of the vertical flat surfaces on a second side opposite to the first side; and   a neck having a diameter D 2  and comprising a dispensing opening, D 1  is greater than D 2 , the container is made from semi-crystalline PET, the ratio of D 1 /D 2  is between 1.2 and 15.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container body comprises a horizontal flat surface that is disk-shaped. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the neck is located symmetrically opposite to the horizontal flat surface. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein the neck is offset relative to a vertical axis of the container. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the circumference of each of the vertical flat surfaces overlaps a circumference of the horizontal flat surface. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the horizontal flat surface and each of the vertical flat surfaces have equal area relative to each other. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container has a weight of less than or equal to 5 g and a total contents volume of at least 25 cl. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , comprising reinforcing ribs extending from the horizontal flat surface. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a liquid product. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein the liquid product is selected from the group consisting of a water-based product and a milk-based product. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of D 1 /D 2  is between 2 to 5. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the weight of the container is less than or equal to 3 g. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the total contents volume is 25 cl. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the neck comprises a flange configured for a closing member to be attached thereto. 
     
     
         15 . A container comprising:
 a substantially oval or spherical container body having an outer diameter D 1  and a wall thickness of not greater than 100 μm at least in a middle-height region of the container, the container body comprising at least four vertical flat surfaces that are disk-shaped, each of the vertical flat surfaces is opposite to another one of the vertical flat surfaces, and each of the vertical flat surfaces contacts two adjacent vertical flat surfaces; and   a neck having a diameter D 2  and comprising a dispensing opening, D 1  is greater than D 2 , the container is made from semi-crystalline PET, the ratio of D 1 /D 2  is between 1.2 and 15.   
     
     
         16 . A container comprising:
 a substantially oval or spherical container body having an outer diameter D 1  and a wall thickness of not greater than 100 μm at least in a middle-height region of the container, the container body comprising at least four vertical flat surfaces that are disk-shaped, each of the vertical flat surfaces is opposite to another one of the vertical flat surfaces, and each of the vertical flat surfaces has a circumference that comprises at least one point in common with the circumference of another vertical flat surface and at least one other point in common with the circumference of yet another vertical flat surface; and   a neck having a diameter D 2  and comprising a dispensing opening, D 1  is greater than D 2 , the container is made from semi-crystalline PET, the ratio of D 1 /D 2  is between 1.2 and 15.