Methods of assembling multi-layered drink-containers

• US 8,252,224 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CamelBak Products LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CamelBak Products LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Inventors: Blain, Christopher C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Edmund H.
• Application Number:
  US12/465,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20100288758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 264/511
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/243 moving linearly, i.e. without rotational motion
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3846 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53 Means to assemble or disassemble

Abstract

Multi-layered drink-containers including an inner liquid-container and an outer shell in an at least partially overlapping, telescopic relation relative to the inner-liquid-container and methods of assembling the same. In some examples of multi-layered drink-containers, the inner liquid-container includes a lower portion having an outer cross-sectional area, an orthogonal projection of which at least partially overlaps an orthogonal projection of an inner cross-sectional area of an upper portion of the outer shell. Some examples of methods of assembling multi-layered drink-containers include reducing a resiliently deformable restrictive-portion of an inner liquid-container, positioning an outer shell in an at least partially overlapping, telescopic relation relative to the inner liquid-container, and returning the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion to a neutral, un-deformed and un-reduced state. In some methods, the reducing includes applying a vacuum to the internal volume of the inner liquid-container.

Claims

1. A method of assembling a multi-layered drink-container comprised of at least an inner liquid-container and an outer shell, wherein the inner liquid-container includes a resiliently deformable restrictive-portion having a cross-sectional area bound by an outer perimeter defined within a plane that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the inner liquid-container, wherein the outer shell includes a restrictive portion having a cross-sectional area bound by an inner perimeter defined within a plane that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the outer shell, and wherein an orthogonal projection of the cross-sectional area of the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion at least partially overlaps an orthogonal projection of the cross-sectional area of the restrictive portion of the outer shell when the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion of the inner liquid-container is in a neutral, un-deformed state to define a neutral cross-sectional area of the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion, the method comprising:

reducing the cross-sectional area of the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion of the inner liquid-container from the neutral cross-sectional area to a reduced cross-sectional area in which an orthogonal projection of the reduced cross-sectional area does not overlap the orthogonal projection of the cross-sectional area of the restrictive portion of the outer shell;

after the reducing, positioning the outer shell in an at least partially overlapping, telescopic relation relative to the inner liquid-container such that the inner liquid-container extends at least partially within the outer shell so that the restrictive portion of the outer shell is longitudinally positioned beyond the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion of the inner liquid-container; and

after the positioning the outer shell, returning the cross-sectional area of the resiliently deformable portion of the inner liquid-container from the reduced cross-sectional area to the neutral cross-sectional area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the orthogonal projection of the cross-sectional area of the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion at least partially overlaps the orthogonal projection of the cross-sectional area of the portion of the outer shell regardless of radial orientation thereof, and wherein the orthogonal projection of the reduced cross-sectional area does not overlap the orthogonal projection of the cross-sectional area of the restrictive portion of the outer shell in at least one radial orientation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reducing includes collapsing the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion of the inner liquid-container to reduce the cross-sectional area thereof so that the outer shell can be positioned in the at least partially overlapping, telescopic relation relative to the inner liquid-container.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the reducing includes applying a width-reducing force to the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion of the inner-liquid container to reduce the cross-sectional area of the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion of the inner liquid-container so that the outer shell can be positioned in the at least partially overlapping, telescopic relation relative to the inner liquid-container;

and

wherein the returning includes releasing the width-reducing force from the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion so that the cross-sectional area of the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion returns to the neutral cross-sectional area.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the reducing includes applying a volume-reducing force to the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion of the inner liquid-container to reduce an internal volume of the inner liquid-container so that the outer shell can be positioned in the at least partially overlapping, telescopic relation relative to the inner liquid-container;

and

wherein the returning includes releasing the volume-reducing force from the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion so that the cross-sectional area of the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion returns to the neutral cross-sectional area.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein the reducing includes applying a vacuum to an internal volume of the inner liquid-container to reduce the internal volume so that the outer shell can be positioned in the at least partially overlapping, telescopic relation relative to the inner liquid-container;

and

wherein the returning includes releasing the vacuum from the internal volume so that the cross-sectional area of the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion returns to the neutral cross-sectional area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning the outer shell includes inserting the inner liquid-container into the outer shell.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning the outer shell includes positioning the outer shell at least partially around the inner liquid-container.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein in the at least partially overlapping, telescopic relation, the longitudinal axis of the inner liquid-container and the longitudinal axis of the outer shell are at least approximately coaxial.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein in the at least partially overlapping, telescopic relation, the inner-liquid container is at least substantially within the outer shell.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein in the at least partially overlapping, telescopic relation, the inner-liquid container is completely within the outer shell.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after the reducing and before the positioning the outer shell, positioning a sleeve in an at least partially overlapping, telescopic relation relative to the inner liquid-container such that the inner liquid-container extends at least partially within the sleeve.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the sleeve is constructed of a material having a thermal resistance greater than a thermal resistance of air.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the sleeve includes a restrictive portion having a cross-sectional area bound by an inner perimeter defined within a plane that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve, and wherein the orthogonal projection of the neutral cross-sectional area of the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion of the inner liquid-container at least partially overlaps an orthogonal projection of the cross-sectional area of the restrictive portion of the sleeve, wherein the cross-sectional area of the restrictive portion of the sleeve is defined after the positioning.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the inner liquid-container includes a non-circular portion with a non-circular profile and the outer shell includes a non-circular portion with a non-circular profile that corresponds to the non-circular portion of the inner liquid-container, wherein the non-circular profiles of the inner liquid-container and the outer shell are defined transverse to the longitudinal axes of the inner liquid-container and the outer shell, respectively, and wherein the method further comprises:

aligning the non-circular profile of the non-circular portion of the outer shell with the non-circular profile of the non-circular portion of the inner liquid-container.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after the positioning the outer shell, attaching the outer shell to the inner liquid-container to form an enclosed space between the inner liquid-container and the outer shell, wherein the attaching defines an attaching region.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the attaching includes forming a seal between the outer shell and the inner liquid-container at the attaching region.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the attaching includes forming a hermetic seal between the outer shell and the inner liquid-container at the attaching region.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein after the attaching, the inner liquid-container and the outer shell engage each other only at the attaching region.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the outer shell includes a resiliently deformable portion.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the inner liquid-container and the outer shell are both substantially resiliently deformable.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after the returning, coupling a cap to one of the inner liquid-container and the outer shell, wherein the cap is adapted to be selectively coupled to and decoupled from the one of the inner liquid-container and the outer shell.

23. A method of assembling a multi-layered drink-container comprised of at least an inner liquid-container and an outer shell in an at least partially overlapping, telescopic relation relative to the inner liquid-container, wherein the inner liquid-container includes a resiliently deformable restrictive-portion having a cross-sectional area bound by an outer perimeter defined within a plane that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the inner liquid-container, wherein the outer shell includes a restrictive portion that restricts positioning the outer shell in the at least partially overlapping, telescopic relation relative to the inner liquid-container without deformation of the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion of the inner liquid-container, the method comprising:

reducing the cross-sectional area of the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion of the inner liquid-container from a neutral cross-sectional area, in which the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion is in a neutral, un-deformed state, to a reduced cross-sectional area, in which the restrictive portion of the outer shell does not restrict positioning the outer shell in the at least partially overlapping, telescopic relation relative to the inner liquid-container;

after the reducing, positioning the outer shell in the at least partially overlapping, telescopic relation relative to the inner liquid-container such that the inner liquid-container extends at least partially within the outer shell so that the restrictive portion of the outer shell is longitudinally positioned beyond the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion of the inner liquid-container; and

after the positioning the outer shell, returning the cross-sectional area of the resiliently deformable restrictive-portion from the reduced cross-sectional area to the neutral cross-sectional area.