Collapsible bottle and cover

• US 8,365,954 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gotohti.Com Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gotohti.Com Inc.
• Inventors: Ophardt, Heiner, Mirbach, Ali
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P
• Assistant Examiner(s): NICHOLS II, ROBERT K
• Application Number:
  US12/289,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20090114679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 222/92, 222/95, 222/96, 222105-107, 222/209, 222/214, 222/215, 220/666, 220/667, 220/671, 220/674, 220/907, 220/11.3, 215/900, 215/383
• US Class Current: 222/95
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/0292 Foldable bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 35/02 Body construction

Abstract

In combination with a collapsible container with a dimension that varies as the container collapses from a full position to an empty position, the bottle cover with a sight opening for viewing of indicia on the bottle to provide an indication as to the extent the bottle is full or empty.

Claims

1. A thin walled collapsible container,

the container comprising an outlet end, a closed base end, a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls,

the container closed but for an opening from the outlet end,

the outlet end having a top wall with a generally rectangular perimeter as seen in end view, the top wall including an annular central portion about an axially extending neck open to the opening and peripheral edge portions about the central portion merging with the front, rear and two side walls,

the front, rear and two side walls extending longitudinally of the container from the outlet end to the base end about a longitudinal of the container parallel an axis coaxially through the neck,

a flat central plane is disposed intermediate the side walls, the longitudinal lies in the flat central plane,

the container symmetrical about the flat central plane,

the base end having a bottom wall with a generally rectangular perimeter as seen in end view, the bottom wall including a central portion and peripheral rounded edge portions about the central portion merging the central portion into the front, rear and two side walls,

the base end having support portions of the peripheral rounded edge portions of the base end disposed in a flat plane normal to the longitudinal of the container and serving to support the container on a horizontal support surface with the longitudinal of the container to extend vertically upwardly,

the front wall and rear wall each carrying a respective front and rear valley having left and right valley side walls extending centrally into each front and rear valley toward a respective other of the rear and front wall to a respective front and rear valley apex each extending longitudinally of the container in the flat central plane from an outlet end of the respective front and rear valley apex to a base end of the respective front and rear valley apex,

each of the front and rear valley ending longitudinally in a respective front and rear valley outlet end valley end wall which bridges between the right and left valley side walls of its respective front and rear valley, the front and rear outlet end valley end wall being located between its respective front and rear valley and the outlet end,

each of the front and rear valley ending longitudinally in a respective front and rear valley base end valley end wall which bridges between the right and left valley side walls of its respective front and rear valley, the front and rear base end valley end wall being located between its respective front and rear valley and the base end,

each valley end wall presenting a generally frusto-conical surface symmetrical about the flat central plane and curving 180 degrees about its respective outlet end or base end of its front and rear valley apex,

wherein on collapsing of the container under a vacuum applied to withdraw fluid from the opening the side walls are drawn together towards the flat central plane with the front and rear walls folding about the front valley apex and the rear valley apex,

the base end having a three dimensional structure formed by its bottom wall, central portion and peripheral edge portions sufficiently strong to resist deflection and maintain its support portions in a flat plane on collapsing of the container.

2. In combination a collapsible container, a pump mechanism, and a cover for the container;

the container comprising an outlet end, a closed base end, and a side wall connecting the outlet end and the closed base end, the container closed but for an opening from the outlet end, the outlet end having a top wall;

the top wall including a central portion about an axially extending neck open to the opening and peripheral edge portions about the central portion merging with the side wall, the side wall extending longitudinally of the container from the outlet end to the base end about a longitudinal of the container, the base end having a bottom wall including a central portion and peripheral edge portions about the central portion merging the central portion into the side wall, the container being of a type which on collapsing of the container under a vacuum applied to withdraw fluid from the opening, portions of the side wall are drawn together to fold about the side wall upon itself and draw the base end longitudinally toward the outlet end with the relative longitudinal position compared to the outlet end of the base end and portions of the side wall being indicative of the extent to which the bottle is uncollapsed or collapsed, the pump mechanism coupled to the container and activatable to draw fluid out of the container via the outlet opening and creating a vacuum in the container, the cover connected to the outlet end of the container, the cover having a sighting wall panel fixed to extend longitudinally from the outlet end toward the base end longitudinally along the side wall of the container outwardly of the side wall of the container, a sight opening through the sighting wall panel through which a person may view portions of the container behind the sight opening, visual indicia provided on the base end and/or portions of the side wall which are drawn toward the outlet end on collapsing of the container, the visual indicia being visible through the sight opening and the relative longitudinal position of the visual indicia compared to the sight opening being indicative of the extent to which the bottle is uncollapsed or collapsed,

the side wall comprising a front wall portion, a rear wall portion and two side wall portions,

the container closed but for an opening from the outlet end,

the top wall having a generally rectangular perimeter as seen in end view, the top wall including an annular central portion about an axially extending neck open to the opening,

the longitudinal of the container parallel an axis coaxially through the neck,

a flat central plane is disposed intermediate the side walls, the longitudinal lies in the flat central plane

the container symmetrical about the flat central plane,

the bottom wall having a generally rectangular perimeter as seen in end view,

the base having support portions of the peripheral rounded edge portions of the base end disposed in a flat plane normal to the longitudinal of the container and serving to support the container on a horizontal support surface with the longitudinal of the container to extend vertically upwardly,

the front wall portion and rear wall portion each carrying a respective front and rear valley having left and right valley side walls extending centrally into each front and rear wall portion toward a respective other of the rear and front wall portion to a respective front and rear valley apex each extending longitudinally of the container in the flat central plane from an outlet end of the respective front and rear valley apex to a base end of the respective front and rear valley apex,

each of the front and rear valley ending longitudinally in a respective front and rear valley outlet end valley end wall which bridges between the right and left valley side walls of its respective front and rear valley, the front and rear outlet end valley end wall being located between its respective front and rear valley and the outlet end,

each of the front and rear valley ending longitudinally in a respective front and rear valley base end valley end wall which bridges between the right and left valley side walls of its respective front and rear valley, the front and rear base end valley end wall being located between its respective front and rear valley and the base end,

each valley end wall presenting a generally frusto-conical surface symmetrical about the flat central plane and curving 180 degrees about its respective outlet end or base end of its front and rear valley apex,

wherein on collapsing of the container under a vacuum applied to withdraw fluid from the outlet end the side wall portions are drawn together towards the flat central plane with the front and rear wall portions folding about the front valley apex and the rear valley apex,

the base end having a three dimensional structure formed by its bottom wall, central portion and peripheral edge portions sufficiently strong to resist deflection and maintain its support portions in a flat plane substantially normal to the central flat plane on collapsing of the container.

3. A combination as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

each of the front wall portion and rear wall portion have a substantially planar portion surrounding their respective valley,

each left and right valley side wall being disposed in a flat plane with a perimeter of each left and right valley side wall merging along a straight line with the planar portion extending parallel to the longitudinal,

a perimeter of each valley end wall merging along a curved line with the planar portion and joining an end of the straight line of the right valley wall perimeter with an end of the straight line of the left valley wall perimeter,

each perimeter of each valley end wall curving 180 degrees about its outlet end and base end of its front and rear valley apex.

4. A combination as claimed in claim 3 wherein the outlet end includes a three dimensional structure formed by its top wall, central portion, neck and peripheral edge portions sufficiently strong to resist deflection and maintain its peripheral edge portions in the same positions relative the neck on collapsing of the container.

5. A thin walled collapsible

the container comprising an outlet end, a closed base end, a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls,

the container closed but for an opening from the outlet end,

the outlet end having a top wall with a generally rectangular perimeter as seen in end view, the top wall including an annular central portion about an axially extending neck open to the opening and peripheral edge portions about the central portion merging with the front, rear and two side walls,

the front, rear and two side walls extending longitudinally of the container from the outlet end to the base end about a longitudinal of the container parallel an axis coaxially through the neck,

a flat central plane is disposed intermediate the side walls, the longitudinal lies in the flat central plane,

the container symmetrical about the flat central plane,

the base end having a bottom wall with a generally rectangular perimeter as seen in end view, the bottom wall including a central portion and peripheral rounded edge portions about the central portion merging the central portion into the front, rear and two side walls,

the base end having support portions of the peripheral rounded edge portions of the base end disposed in a flat plane normal to the longitudinal of the container and serving to support the container on a horizontal support surface with the longitudinal of the container to extend, vertically upwardly,

the front wall and rear wall each carrying a respective front and rear valley having left and right valley side walls extending centrally into each front and rear valley toward a respective other of the rear and, front wall to a respective front and rear valley apex each extending longitudinally of the container in the flat central plane from an outlet end of the respective front and rear valley apex to a base end of the respective front and rear valley apex,

each of the front and rear valley ending longitudinally in a respective front and rear valley outlet end, valley end wall which bridges between the right and, left valley side walls of its respective front and rear valley, the front and rear outlet end valley end wall being located between its respective front and rear valley and the outlet end,

each of the front and rear valley ending longitudinally in a respective front and rear valley base end valley end wall which bridges between the right and left valley side walls of its respective front and rear valley, the front and rear base end valley end wall being located between its respective front and rear valley and the base end,

each valley end wall presenting a generally frusto-conical surface symmetrical about the flat central plane and curving 180 degrees about its respective outlet end or base end of its front and rear valley apex,

wherein on collapsing of the container under a vacuum applied to withdraw fluid from the opening the side walls are drawn together towards the flat central plane with the front and rear walls folding about the front valley apex and the rear valley apex,

the base end having a three dimensional structure formed by its bottom wall, central, portion and peripheral edge portions sufficiently strong to resist deflection and maintain its support portions in a flat plane on collapsing of the container,

each of the front wall and rear wall have a substantially planar portion surrounding their respective valley,

each left and right valley side wall being disposed in a flat plane with a perimeter of each left and right valley side wall merging along a straight line with the planar portion extending parallel to the longitudinal,

a perimeter of each valley end wall merging along a curved line with the planar portion and joining an end of the straight line of the right valley wall perimeter with an end of the straight line of the left valley wall perimeter,

each perimeter of each valley end wall curving 180 degrees about its outlet end and base end of its front and rear valley apex.

6. A container as claimed in claim 5 wherein the outlet end having a three dimensional structure formed by its top wall, central portion, neck and peripheral edge portions sufficiently strong to resist deflection and maintain its peripheral edge portions in the same positions relative the neck on collapsing of the container.

7. A container as claimed in claim 6 wherein the front and rear valley apex are 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.

8. A container as claimed in claim 6 wherein on collapsing of the container under a vacuum applied to withdraw fluid from the opening, 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.

9. A container as claimed in claim 8 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.