Collapsible, self-expanding liquid container

• US 5,429,437 A
• Filed: 08/09/1994
• Issued: 07/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ultratech International Incorporated (Veeco Instruments Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ultratech International Incorporated (Veeco Instruments Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shaw, Mark D., True, Dorian T. III, Jones, Marion L. Jr., Heyman, J. Tad, Bierce, Laurence M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pascua, Jes F.
• Application Number:
  US08/287,761
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 383/3, 383/33, 383/43, 383/70, 383/71, 383/104, 383/119, 383/127, 220/9.2, 220/9.3, 220/904
• US Class Current: 383/33
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 31/006 Drip trays
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 5/002 Containers for fluid radioactive wastes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 220/904 Pail or bucket of flexible or flaccid material, e.g. fabric, rubber

Abstract

A liquid container especially suited for use in the capture of liquid hazardous materials is disclosed, the container comprising a bottom, preferably circular, and a generally vertical wall, preferably annular or conical, attached to the perimeter of the bottom to form a container with a large open top. The bottom and wall are composed of a flexible, liquid impermeable material, preferably a material that is also chemical resistant and wear resistant. The container may further comprise a liner. The top edge of the wall incorporates a semi-rigid floating member which completely encircles the opening, the floating member being collapsible or foldable for storage purposes. The perimeter portion of the bottom incorporates a structural or frame member which is composed of a flexible, resilient material which provides rigidity to the perimeter and acts to spread the bottom to its maximum size. The frame member is collapsible on itself such that the device can be collapsed into a small size for storage. The frame member is self-opening from the collapsed state to the full open rigid state.

Claims

1. A collapsible liquid container device comprising a bottom member having a perimeter, a wall member having a bottom edge and an upper edge, said bottom edge connected to the perimeter of said bottom member to form a liquid impermeable container having an open top, a floating member connected to said upper edge of said wall member, and a resilient frame member connected adjacent to said perimeter of said bottom member, said frame member being collapsible from an open stable configuration into a smaller stable configuration, said frame member utilizing stored energy to self-open from the smaller stable configuration to the open stable configuration, whereby said device can be collapsed into a small configuration for storage and self-opens into a full open configuration for use.

2. The device of claim 1, where said floating member is composed of a semi-rigid foam.

3. The device of claim 1, where said floating member is ring-shaped and composed of a semi-rigid, collapsible foam.

4. The device of claim 1, where said frame member is composed of an annular strip of spring steel.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a liquid impermeable inner liner member.

6. The device of claim 5, where said liner member has good chemical resistance properties.

7. The device of claim 1, where the diameter of said open top is smaller than the diameter of said perimeter of said bottom.

8. The device of claim 1, where said upper edge of said wall member has a smaller circumference than said bottom edge of said wall member.