COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER

• US 20110174814A1
• Filed: 01/06/2011
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Inventors: Leslie, Stuart, Ortiz, Diana, Billig, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 8,529,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/23.83
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/265 Drinking cups B65D81/3865 takes precedence, holders for plastic cups A47G23/0208
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0233 Nestable containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/0493 and retained at a distance of the inner side-wall of the outer container, e.g. within a bottle neck
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/72 for edible or potable liquids, semiliquids, or plastic or pasty materials

Abstract

A collapsible container includes an outer cup, an inner cup located inside the outer cup, and a seal covering the container. The inner cup includes a base and a plurality of concentric sections that are configured to collapse toward an opening in the container, when a force is exerted toward the opening on the base. The plurality of concentric sections may include three concentric sections: a base section, a middle section, and a top section, wherein the base section perimeter is smaller than the middle section perimeter, and the middle section perimeter is smaller than the top section perimeter.

Claims

1. A container configured to hold edible contents, the container comprising:

an outer cup comprising a bottom portion located at the bottom of the outer cup, a sidewall section engaged with the bottom portion, and an outer cup top portion engaged with the sidewall section, the bottom portion further including a hole, and the outer cup top portion further including an outer cup perimeter flange that flares outwardly from the outer cup top portion;

an inner cup located inside the outer cup, the inner cup comprising a base, a plurality of collapsible sections, and an inner cup top portion, the plurality of collapsible sections further including a top section, a middle section, and a base section, and the inner cup top portion further including an inner cup perimeter flange that flares outwardly from the inner cup top portion, wherein a container opening is defined in the inner cup top portion, and the base is accessible through the hole in the outer cup; and

a seal covering the container opening and affixed to the inner cup perimeter flange,

wherein the base is configured to collapse toward the container opening when a force is exerted toward the container opening through the hole on the base, such that the base section collapses inside the middle section, and the base section and middle section collapse inside the top section, thereby discharging the edible contents from the container.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the inner cup perimeter flange engages the outer cup perimeter flange.

3. The container according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of collapsible sections are concentric.

4. The container according to claim 3, wherein the base section perimeter is less than the middle section perimeter and the middle section perimeter is less than the top section perimeter.

5. The container according to claim 1, wherein the inner cup is made of a thermoform plastic.

6. The container according to claim 1, wherein the outer cup is made of a thermoform plastic.

7. The container according to claim 1, wherein the seal is made of a foil material.

8. The container according to claim 1, wherein the container opening is circular.

9. The container according to claim 1, wherein the container opening is oval.

10. The container according to claim 1, wherein the outer cup is stackable with a second outer cup such that the outer cup perimeter flange does not engage a perimeter flange on the second outer cup.

11. The container according to claim 1, wherein the inner cup is stackable with a second inner cup such that the inner cup perimeter flange does not engage a perimeter flange on the second inner cup.

12. The container according to claim 1, wherein the sidewall section includes one or more of the following:

logos, advertising content, or nutritional information.

13. A container comprising:

a first cup comprising a first cup perimeter flange that flares outwardly from the perimeter of the top of the first cup;

an second cup located inside the first cup, the second cup comprising a base, a plurality of concentric sections, and a second cup perimeter flange that flares outwardly from the perimeter of the top of the second cup;

an opening located at the top of the second cup and defined by the second cup perimeter flange; and

a seal covering the opening and affixed to the second cup perimeter flange,

wherein the second cup is configured to collapse within the first cup when a force is exerted toward the opening on the base, such that the plurality of concentric sections collapse toward the opening.

14. The container according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of concentric sections includes three concentric sections, a base section, a middle section, and a top section, wherein the base section perimeter is smaller than the middle section perimeter, and the middle section perimeter is smaller than the top section perimeter.

15. The container according to claim 13, wherein the first cup includes a top portion that engages a top portion on the second cup.

16. The container according to claim 13, wherein the second cup perimeter flange engages the first cup perimeter flange.

17. The container according to claim 13, wherein the first cup and the second cup are made of a thermoform plastic.

18. The container according to claim 13, wherein the seal is made of a foil material.

19. The container according to claim 13, wherein the first cup includes one or more of the following:

logos, advertising content, or nutritional information.

20. A container configured to hold edible contents, the container comprising:

an outer cup comprising a bottom portion located at the bottom of the outer cup, a sidewall section engaged with the bottom portion, and an outer cup top portion engaged with the sidewall section, the bottom portion further including a hole, and the outer cup top portion further including an outer cup perimeter flange that flares outwardly from the outer cup top portion;

an inner cup located inside the outer cup, the inner cup comprising a base, a plurality of concentric and collapsible sections, and an inner cup top portion that engages the outer cup top portion,

the plurality of concentric and collapsible sections further including a top section, a middle section, and a base section, wherein the base section perimeter is less than the middle section perimeter, and the middle section perimeter is less than the top section perimeter,

the inner cup top portion further including an inner cup perimeter flange that flares outwardly from the inner cup top portion, such that the inner cup perimeter flange engages the outer cup perimeter flange,

and wherein a container opening is defined in the inner cup top portion, and the base is accessible through the hole in the outer cup; and

a seal covering the container opening and affixed to the inner cup perimeter flange,

wherein the base is configured to collapse toward the container opening when a force is exerted toward the container opening through the hole on the base, such that the base section collapses inside the middle section, and the base section and middle section collapse inside the top section, thereby discharging the edible contents from the container.