Abstract: A flexible, pleated container has a wall structure comprising a barrier component which renders the container wall structure impervious to oxygen and water vapor. The barrier component is substantially uniformly effective throughout the entire wall structure. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the wall structure gradually decreases towards the outer extremities of the pleats with the thinnest wall portion located at the apexes of the pleats. The barrier component, however, is maintained at substantially uniform thickness throughout the wall structure.

Abstract: A self-cleaning valve used at the outlet of a container has an elongated flexible flattenable tube with an inlet end for receiving material to be dispensed from the container and an outlet end for dispensing the material. In the at-rest condition of the valve, a section of the tube extending from the outlet end is supported between a housing surface and a closure-cleaning lever member spring-mounted on the housing so that it pivots about a fulcrum. By pressing down on one end of the lever member, the tube can be opened so that material, forced out of the container, can be dispensed from the outlet end of the tube. After the material has been dispensed, the lever member is pivoted along the outside surface of the tube pressing the tube against the housing surface so that any material remaining within the tube is forced out of the outlet end.

Abstract: A valve for spraying material as a mist includes walls forming an elongated passageway having an inlet and an outlet. The passageway is flattened at least at the outlet end. The flattened portion has opposed walls disposed in contact and at least one of the surfaces of the flattened portion has a plurality of capillary-like channels. Upstream from the channels, the valve has a flexible wall section which vibrates at its natural frequency when the material to be sprayed as a mist is forced through the passageway out of the valve.

Abstract: A self-cleaning valve used at the outlet of a container has an elongated flexible flattenable outlet tube with an inlet for receiving material to be dispensed from the container, and an outlet for dispensing the material. In the at-rest condition of the valve, a pair of spring-biased rollers contact the opposite sides of the tube at a location spaced from the outlet end and hold the tube in a closed condition. When material is forced through the inlet end of the tube it pushes the rollers toward the outlet against the spring biasing action. At the outlet end the rollers separate and permit the tube to open so that the material can be dispensed. After the material has been dispensed, the springs return the rollers to the at-rest position and the rollers effect a self-cleaning action on the tube.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a container assembly adapted to store and dispense fluid material including a collapsible flexible container adapted to be stretched from an initial nominal position and to be collapsed to dispense fluid material stored therein, and a cap member adapted to be placed in operative engagement with a neck portion of the container configured to define a dispensing flow conduit which is placed in direct flow communication with the interior of the container when the cap member is mounted in assembled position on the neck portion of the container. In the manufacture of the container assembly, the container is first stretched from its initial nominal position to expand the volume thereof, and then filled with a fluid material to be stored therein and to be dispensed therefrom while in said stretched position.

Abstract: A container is formed with a multilayered wall structure including at least one layer of a plastics material and at least one layer of a multidirectionally microcrimped metallic foil. Initially, the wall structure is in the form of a preform or parison incorporating the multilayered wall structure and the preform is blow-molded to the desired shape. The preform can be blow-molded into a container with a complicated wall configuration. The metallic foil is substantially impervious to the passage of gases, vapor, liquids and microorganisms into or out of the container.