Multiple compartment collapsible bottle

• US 7,530,475 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2005
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gotohti.Com Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gotohti.Com Inc.
• Inventors: Ophardt, Heiner
• Primary Examiner(s): NGO, LIEN M
• Application Number:
  US11/198,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20060032865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 222 92- 97, 222/106, 222/107, 222/100, 222/215, 220/666, 220/667, 220/685, 220/676, 220/6, 215/6, 215/383, 215/11.3, 383 85- 91, 383 38- 40
• US Class Current: 222/94
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/0292 Foldable bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/04 Multi-cavity bottles

Abstract

A collapsible bottle having at least two independent compartments each connected to provide communication with each other and, preferably, with a non-collapsible channelway leading to an outlet opening for the bottle.

Claims

1. A collapsible container having an outlet opening and two collapsible tubular compartments,

each compartment extending beside the other compartment from a respective open end of each compartment opening into the outlet opening away from the outlet opening to a respective closed end of each compartment,

each compartment having a outboard side and an opposed inboard side with the inboard side of one compartment facing the inboard side of the other compartment,

each compartment being collapsible from an inflated condition in which the container is filled with fluid toward a collapsed condition by the withdrawn of fluid from the outlet opening,

wherein in the inflated condition, the inboard side and outboard side of each compartment are spaced, and

wherein in collapsing from the inflated condition toward the collapsed condition the outboard side and inboard side of each compartment move relatively towards each other, a shunt opening through the inboard sides of the compartments placing the two compartments in communication through their inboard sides,

the shunt comprises a plurality of shunt passageways bridging between the inboard sides of the compartments placing the two compartments in communication through their inboard sides at a plurality of locations from the open end to their closed end.

2. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shunt places the two compartments in communication continuously from their open ends substantially to their closed ends.

3. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 1 wherein in collapsing the outboard side and inboard side of each compartment are drawn together.

4. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 1 wherein

each compartment extends about a longitudinal axis from their open end to their respective closed end with the longitudinal axis of each compartment being parallel.

5. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 1 wherein

each compartment extending about a longitudinal axis from their open end to their respective closed end with the longitudinal axis of each compartment being parallel,

the passageways spaced from each other in a direction the longitudinal axes extend.

6. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shunt provides communication between containers in all conditions of the containers in collapsing from the inflated condition to the collapsed condition.

8. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the passageways provide communication between containers in all conditions of the containers in collapsing from the inflated condition to the collapsed condition.

9. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the passageways are not collapsible.

10. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 1 wherein

each compartment extending about a longitudinal axis from its open end to its respective closed end,

each compartment having a thickness measured between the outboard side and inboard side normal the longitudinal axis, and a width measured normal to both the thickness and the longitudinal axis,

in cross-section normal to its longitudinal axis, each tubular compartment being elongate in its width relative to its thickness.

11. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the container is blow molded from plastic material as a unitary element.

12. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 4 wherein the shunt includes a continuous elongate channelway extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the compartments between the compartments, the channelway open at one end to the outlet opening, the channelway open on a first side of the channelway through the inboard side of one of the compartment into the one compartment and open on a second side of the channelway through the inboard side of a second of the compartments into the second compartment.

7. A collapsible container having an outlet opening and two collapsible tubular compartments,

each compartment extending beside the other compartment from a respective open end of each compartment opening into the outlet opening away from the outlet opening to a respective closed end of each compartment,

each compartment having a outboard side and an opposed inboard side with the inboard side of one compartment facing the inboard side of the other compartment,

each compartment being collapsible from an inflated condition in which the container is filled with fluid toward a collapsed condition by the withdrawn of fluid from the outlet opening,

wherein in the inflated condition, the inboard side and outboard side of each compartment are spaced, and

wherein in collapsing from the inflated condition toward the collapsed condition the outboard side and inboard side of each compartment move relatively towards each other, a shunt opening through the inboard sides of the compartments placing the two compartments in communication through their inboard sides,

wherein the shunt provides communication between containers in all conditions of the containers in collapsing from the inflated condition to the collapsed condition and

the shunt is not collapsible.

13. A collapsible container having an outlet opening and two collapsible tubular compartments,

each compartment extending beside the other compartment from a respective open end of each compartment opening into the outlet opening away from the outlet opening to a respective closed end of each compartment,

each compartment having a outboard side and an opposed inboard side with the inboard side of one compartment facing the inboard side of the other compartment,

each compartment being collapsible from an inflated condition in which the container is filled with fluid toward a collapsed condition by the withdrawn of fluid from the outlet opening,

wherein in the inflated condition, the inboard side and outboard side of each compartment are spaced,

wherein in collapsing from the inflated condition toward the collapsed condition the outboard side and inboard side of each compartment move relatively towards each other, a shunt opening through the inboard sides of the compartments placing the two compartments in communication through their inboard sides,

each compartment extends about a longitudinal axis from their open end to their respective closed end with the longitudinal axis of each compartment being parallel,

the shunt includes a continuous elongate channelway extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the compartments between the compartments, the channelway open at one end to the outlet opening, the channelway open on a first side of the channelway through the inboard side of one of the compartment into the one compartment and open on a second side of the channelway through the inboard side of a second of the compartments into the second compartment,

wherein the channelway is generally cylindrical about a channelway axis parallel the longitudinal axes of the compartments,

a plurality of cylindrical passageways spaced along the channelway,

a first set of the passageways extending from a first side of the channelway about an axis transverse to the channelway axis from the channelway through the inboard side of the one compartment into the one compartment,

a second set of passageways extending from a second side of the channelway about an axis transverse to the channelway axis from the channelway through the inboard side of the second compartment into the second compartment, the plurality of passageways placing each of the two compartments in communication with the channelway through their inboard sides at a plurality of locations from their open ends substantially to their closed ends.

14. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 13 wherein the channelway being substantially non-collapsible and the passageways being substantially non-collapsible such that in the compartments collapsing from the inflated condition toward the collapsed condition,

each compartment remains in communication with the outlet opening via the passageways and channelway at multiple locations spaced along their length where the passageways connect with the compartments.

15. A thin walled collapsible container closed but for an opening from an outlet end,

the outlet end merging with front, rear and two side walls extending longitudinally of the container away from the outlet end to a closed base end,

the front wall and rear wall each carrying a respective front and rear valley having side valley walls extending centrally into each front and rear walls toward a respective other of the rear and front wall to a respective front and rear valley valley apex each extending longitudinally of the container,

each of the front and rear valley extending continuing from the base end towards the outlet end toward the outlet end,

the front and rear valley apex spaced from each other and providing a channelway therebetween along their length from the base end toward the outlet end in all collapsed and uncollapsed conditions of the container,

each of the front and rear valley apex comprising a part-cylindrical wall portion about an axis extending longitudinally of the container, each of the part-cylindrical wall portion providing a portion of the channelway longitudinally therein under all collapsed conditions of the container, and,

lateral passageways on the interior of the side walls or the valley side walls extending transversely of the channelway and opening at one end into communication with the channelway.

16. A container as claimed in claim 15 wherein where each front and rear valley ends in a respective front and rear valley end wall which bridges between the valley side walls of its respective of the front and rear valley.

17. A container as claimed in claim 16 wherein each front and rear valley end wall is a respective generally triangular gusset-like end wall extending from a respective end wall inner center apex at an end of the respective valley apex closest to the outlet end and widening towards the outlet end.

18. A container as claimed in claim 17 wherein each front and rear valley end wall extending from its center apex diagonally at an angle longitudinally of the container towards the outlet end and outwardly away from the other of the front and rear valley, the front and rear valley apex spaced from each other and providing the channelway therebetween from the base end to the center apex of each front and rear valley end wall.

19. A container as claimed in claim 18 wherein on collapsing of the container under a vacuum applied to withdraw fluid from the outlet end, the side walls are drawn together about the front valley apex and the rear valley apex with the channelway provided at least as a front continuous channel substantially from the base end adjacent the front valley apex and a rear continuous channel substantially from the base end adjacent the rear valley apex.

20. A container as claimed in claim 15 wherein the outlet end has a frusto-pyramidal portion about the opening at the outlet end with four generally trapezoidal wall portions each merging into one of the front, rear and two side walls.

21. A container as claimed in claim 15 wherein:

a first compartment is defined on a first side of the channelway bounded by an interior of a first of the side walls and the interiors of the front valley side wall and the rear valley side wall opposed thereto, and

a second compartment is defined on a second side of the channelway bounded by an interior of a second of the side walls and the interiors of the front valley side wall and the rear valley side wall opposed thereto.

22. A container as claimed in claim 21 wherein each compartment is in communication with the opening in the outlet end throughout its length longitudinally of the container via the channelway in all collapsed conditions of the container.

23. A container as claimed in claim 15 wherein each lateral passageway comprises a lateral part-cylindrical wall portion about an axis extending transversely of the channelway, the lateral part-cylindrical wall portion providing the lateral passageway longitudinally therein under all collapsed conditions of the container.

24. A container as claimed in claim 15 wherein the container comprises a continuous tube of plastic material open at one end comprising the outlet end and closed at another end comprising the base end of the container along a generally linear seal joint extending across the tube,

wherein the seal extends across the middle of base end from one side wall toward the other side wall.

25. A container as claimed claim 15 in which the front wall and rear wall each being generally a symmetrical mirror image of each other,

the side walls each being generally a symmetrical mirror image of each other.