Collapsible storage container

Abstract

A storage device for storing food items includes a container including a bottom surface, a sidewall and a top opening, wherein a portion of the sidewall is formed of a plurality of accordion pleats expandable and compressible in a vertical direction to transform vertical shape and size of the container to accommodate food items through the top opening into the container for storage therein. The storage device further includes a covering member including a top surface having a peripheral edge, which is connectable to the top opening of the container for closing the storage device. The storage device further includes a plurality of coupling members secured on an outer periphery of opposing surfaces of each accordion pleat of the plurality of accordion pleats of the container.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit under 35 USC 119(e) of the provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/284,895 filed Dec. 28, 2009, entitled Expandable Storage Containers, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to storage devices, and, more particularly, to collapsible storage containers for storing food items.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Restaurants often need to throw out pasta or salad at the end of the day that is not used as it gets spoiled by the morning. As it is well known, numerous containers are available on stores for storing food which are used to extend the effective life of food that are subject to oxidation. Further, one of the well known food storage container available in prior art is a collapsible food container. Currently, the collapsible food container available on stores includes bellow-type collapsible walls with non-transformable lids. Additionally, the collapsible container expands and contracts to adjust the volume of the container for storing various food items.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,338, issued Jun. 15, 1999 to Miller, is for an adjustable container for providing a storage container whose volume may be adjusted to suit the size and amount of items held therein. However, Miller does not provide any means to incrementally compress the adjustable portion of the container.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,815 (2000) to Mazda teaches a contraction-controlled bellows container. It is characterized largely by the special geometry of its bellows. The manner of securement of opposing surfaces of each bellows differs materially from that of the present invention, and reflect a far more costly solution to the problems addressed by Applicant's invention.

Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for an improved cost-effective collapsible storage container that provides means to incrementally compress the adjustable portion of the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment of the present invention, a storage device for storing a plurality of food items includes a container having a bottom surface, sidewalls and a top opening, wherein a portion of each sidewall of opposing sidewalls is formed of multiple accordion pleats expandable and compressible in a vertical direction to transform vertical shape and size of the container to accommodate the plurality of food items provided through the top opening into the container for storage therein.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the storage device further includes a covering member having a top surface, which includes a peripheral edge. The peripheral edge is connectable to the top opening of the container for closing the storage device.

In another embodiment, the storage device further includes multiple coupling members secured on an outer periphery of each accordion pleat of the multiple accordion pleats of the container. The multiple coupling members are configured to provide an enhanced closure to the storage device and retain the storage device in a collapsed position when the accordion pleats are in a compressed state.

In yet another embodiment, the covering member further includes a vent positioned at its top surface, and the vent includes a securable cap to release excess internal air outwards from the storage device when the accordion pleats are in a compressed state and to thereafter close said vent, thus assuring that a relative vacuum in the storage device will be retained.

In a yet further embodiment of the present invention, each coupling member includes a female Velcro portion secured to a first accordion pleat of an adjacent pair of accordion pleats and a male Velcro portion secured to a second opposing accordion pleat of the adjacent pair of accordion pleats to provide a positive coupling upon contact with one another for holding the pair of accordion pleats and thus the entire geometry of the container in a closed configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a storage device for storing a plurality of food items, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2A is a front view of the storage device for storing the plurality of food items with a closed vent, according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2B is a top view of the storage device for storing the plurality of food items with a closed vent, according to the embodiment of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3A is a front view of the storage device for storing the plurality of food items with open vent, according a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3B is a top view of the storage device for storing the plurality of food items with an open vent, according to the embodiment of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the storage device for storing the plurality of food items, according to yet another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a front view of the storage device for storing the plurality of food items, according to yet fourth embodiment of the invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a storage device 100 for storing a plurality of food items, according to one embodiment of the invention. The storage device 100 includes a container 105 having a bottom surface 110 and two opposing sidewalls 115. Particularly, a portion of each sidewall 115 of the opposing sidewalls 115 is formed of multiple accordion pleats 120 expandable and compressible in a vertical direction to transform vertical shape and size of the container 105 to accommodate the plurality of food items into the container 105 for storage therein. Moreover, multiple coupling members may be secured on an outer periphery of each accordion pleat 120 of the accordion pleats 120 of the container 105, as discussed hereinbelow in the following text. The coupling members are configured to provide an enhanced closure to the storage device 100 and retain the storage device 100 in a collapsed position when the accordion pleats 120 are in a compressed state.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a change in number of the multiple accordion pleats 120 changes a size of compression and expansion of the container 105. Hence, as may be seen, the container 105 may be made for different sizes of the storage device 100, depending upon the requirements.

FIG. 2A illustrates a front view and FIG. 2B illustrates a top view of a storage device 130 for storing the plurality of food items with a one-way suction vent 135, shown in closed condition, according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3A is a front view and FIG. 3B is a top view of the storage device 130 for storing the plurality of food items with a selectably open vent 135, according to another embodiment of the present invention. The storage device 130 includes a covering member 140 having a top surface 145, which includes a peripheral edge 150. The peripheral edge 150 is connectable to the top opening of the container 165 for closing the storage device 130. Particularly, the upper portion of each sidewall 155 of the opposing sidewalls 155 is formed of multiple accordion pleats 160 expandable and compressible in a vertical direction to transform vertical shape and size of the container 165 to accommodate the plurality of food items through the top opening into the container 165 for storage therein.

It will be appreciated that the multiple accordion pleats 160 may be present at any position along the vertical direction, such as, for example, in the middle of the container 105 of FIG. 1, or, in the upper portion of the container 165 of FIG. 2A and FIG. 3A.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the covering member 140 further includes an aperture or vent 135 positioned at its top surface 145, and the vent 135 includes a securable cap 133 to release internal air outwards from the storage device 130 when the accordion pleats 160 are in a compressed state. Particularly, the one way vent 135 allows air out of the container 165. Consequently, the present invention extends the effective life of food items that are subject to oxidation. In use, an external vacuum device may be employed to suck air out of the container 165 through the one way vent 135.

Moreover, the multiple coupling members 170 are secured on an outer periphery of each accordion pleat 160 of the multiple accordion pleats 160 of the container 165. The multiple coupling members 170 are configured to provide an enhanced closure to the storage device 130 and retain the storage device 130 in a collapsed position when the accordion pleats 160 are in a compressed state. Particularly, each coupling member 170 includes a female Velcro portion secured to a first accordion pleat of an adjacent pair of accordion pleats 160 and a male Velcro portion secured to a second opposing accordion pleat of adjacent pairs of accordion pleats 160 to provide a positive mechanical coupling upon contact with one another for holding the pair of accordion pleats 160 in a closed configuration.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the storage device 200 for storing the plurality of food items, according to yet another embodiment of the invention. Particularly, the whole portion of each sidewall of the opposing sidewalls is formed of multiple accordion pleats 205. In operation, the multiple accordion pleats 205 are expandable and compressible in a vertical direction to transform vertical shape and size of the container 210 to accommodate the plurality of food items through the top opening into the container 210 for storage therein. Further, the container 210 is expandable and compressible to any desired length in increments of difference in width of each accordion pleat of the plurality of accordion pleats 205 between the expanded and compressed state. Therefore, as may be seen, in this particular embodiment, the multiple accordion pleats 205 are present throughout the height of the container 210, and it will be appreciated that following a similar approach, the container 210 may be made in different shapes and sizes.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the storage device 300 for storing the plurality of food items, according to yet another embodiment of the invention. Particularly, the container 310 is similar to the container of the previous embodiments, as discussed hereinabove. However, the lower portion 315 of the container 310 may be made in any desired size and shape, as per the requirements, thereby providing the storage device 300 an additional flexibility to be employed in a wide range of application areas, such as, for example, but not limited to, domestic kitchens, commercial kitchens, during travel, during outside camping, and the like.

Therefore, as may be seen, various embodiments of the present invention provide a storage device with simple and non-hazardous fastening option for the user. Moreover, the system storage device is ideal for both household as well as commercial use, as it helps in extending the freshness of food stored in a refrigerator.

While there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of the instant invention it is to be appreciated that the invention may be embodied otherwise than is herein specifically shown and described and that, within said embodiment, certain changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the parts without departing from the underlying ideas or principles of this invention as set forth in the Claims appended herewith.

Claims

1. A storage device for storing food items, said storage device comprising:

(a) a container comprising a bottom surface, two opposing sidewalls and a top opening, at least a portion of said sidewalls formed of a plurality of accordion pleats expandable and compressible in a vertical direction to transform a vertical shape and size of said container to accommodate said food items through said top opening into said container for storage therein;

(b) a covering member comprising a top surface having a peripheral edge, said peripheral edge being connectable to said top opening of said container for closing said storage device; and

(c) a plurality of opposing coupling members secured on outer opposing surfaces periphery of each accordion pleat of said plurality of accordion pleats of said container,

wherein said plurality of coupling members are configured to provide an enhanced closure to said storage device and retain said storage device in a collapsed position when said plurality of accordion pleats are in a compressed state.

2. The storage device of claim 1, wherein said covering member further comprises a one-way suction vent positioned at its said top surface, said vent comprising an aperture to release internal air outwardly only from said storage device during compression of the container to thereafter close said aperture.

3. The storage device of claim 1, wherein each coupling member of said plurality of coupling members comprises a female Velcro portion secured to a first accordion pleat of an adjacent pair of accordion pleats and a male Velcro portion secured to a second accordion pleat of said adjacent pair of accordion pleats to provide a positive mechanical coupling upon contact with one another for holding said pair of accordion pleats in a closed configuration.

4. The storage device of claim 1, wherein said peripheral edge of said top surface of said covering member is connectable to said top opening of said container for closing said storage device for any size and shape of said storage device and for any size and shape of said top opening of said container.

5. The storage device of claim 1, wherein said container is expandable and compressible to any desired length in increments of difference in width of each accordion pleat of said plurality of accordion pleats between the expanded and compressed state, and wherein a change in number of said plurality of accordion pleats changes a size of compression and expansion of said container.