Collapsible Wall Feature Patents (Class 220/666)
  • Patent number: 7080746
    Abstract: A bottle-shaped container according to the present invention is of pinch grip type and includes a container body having opposed recesses formed at sidewall regions of a main body portion of the container body, respectively, to thereby form a grip part of the container by an entire region of the main body portion between the recesses, including the back surface region. The bottle-shaped container further includes a pressure-reduction absorbing panel at the back surface region, having an upper end arranged at a height substantially coincident with that of an upper end of the grip part, and steps provided along the edges of the recesses forming the grip part, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromichi Saito, Takao Iizuka
  • Patent number: 7077279
    Abstract: A semi-rigid collapsible container (10) has a side-wall with an upper portion (5), a central portion (6), a lower portion (7) and a base (8). The central protion (6) includes a vacuum panel portion having a control portion (2) and an initiator portion (1). The control portion (2) is inclined more steeply in a vertical direction, i.e. has a more acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the container (10), than the initiator portion (1). On low vacuum force being present within the container panel following the cooling of a hot liquid in the container (10), the initiator portion (1) will flex inwardly to cause the control protion (2) to invert and flex further inwardly into the container (10) and the central portion (6) to collapse. In the collapsed state upper and lower portions of the central portion (6) may be in substantial contact so as to contain the top-loading capacity of the container (10). Raised ribs (3) made an aditional support for the container in its collapsed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: CO2 Pac Limited
    Inventor: David Murray Melrose
  • Patent number: 7073675
    Abstract: A container includes an enclosed base portion. A body portion extends upwardly from the base portion. The body portion includes a central longitudinal axis and at least six deflectable panels. The deflectable panels have side edges extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis. A top portion with a finish extending upwardly from the body portion is provided. A first indentation is disposed between the body portion and the top portion and extends for 360 degrees around the container. The first indentation is offset towards the central longitudinal axis with respect to the deflectable panels. A second indentation is disposed between the body portion and the base portion and extends for 360 degrees around the container. The indentations are offset towards the central longitudinal axis with respect to the deflectable panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Graham Packaging Company, B.B.
    Inventor: Greg Trude
  • Patent number: 7059487
    Abstract: A collapsible, semi-rigid container includes neck and bottom wall portions and a peripheral side wall extending between the neck and bottom wall. The side wall includes a rigid upper portion and a flexible lower portion. The lower portion of the side wall collapses into the upper portion reducing the internal volume of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance, SA
    Inventor: Per Ohlsson
  • Patent number: 7048132
    Abstract: A blow-molded synthetic resin bottle that can be fully flattened and easily restored to an original shape. The bottle includes at least a line of turn is formed on the shoulder, the body, and the bottom along the entire vertical circumference. Among the sections divided by this line of turn, at least a section is used as a shell section in which at least a nearly entire body portion of this section has relatively high rigidity. The other section is a reversible section in which at least a nearly entire body portion has relatively low rigidity and is capable of being deformed by resilient reversion. The neck is disposed on the shoulder, and the reversible section can be deformed and easily concaved into the shell section for volume reduction and then can be restored to the original shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Yamanaka, Yoshio Akiyama, Shinji Shimada, Takao Kurosawa, Shigeru Hayakawa, Koji Sasagawa
  • Patent number: 7048317
    Abstract: A scoop expandable into a configuration including a handle section attached to a bellows section. The bellows section includes a plurality of slant wall sections and thin wall sections attached between adjacent slant wall sections defining peaks and valleys between adjacent slant wall sections, and a center bottom section attached to an adjacent slant wall section. A height dimension of the scoop in an unexpanded state ranges from about 2.5 to about 12.5 millimeters. The scoop is suitable for use in packaging granulated materials under high speed, high pressure, or space-limited packaging conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Inventor: Bryan A. Netsch
  • Patent number: 7036676
    Abstract: A foldable water tank comprises a foldable receptacle having a bottom wall and vertical sidewalls, the sidewalls being inclined inwardly; and a plurality of support structures connected to the sidewalls to support the sidewalls in the inclined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Eldred Corporation
    Inventor: Jan Christensen
  • Patent number: 7004342
    Abstract: A container includes a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion includes a shoulder that extends away from a neck of the container, and a grip portion. The grip portion defines an integral logo portion and is recessed within the top portion of the container. A waist or groove is provided on adjacent lateral sides of the grip portion and may include a lateral stiffening rib. The bottom portion of the container includes a plurality of vacuum panels that accommodate for internal forces tending to cause collapse of the vacuum panels during a hot-fill process. Any portion of the internal forces not accommodated by the vacuum panels in the bottom portion of the container is accommodated by an auxiliary vacuum panel, which is provided in the grip portion of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond A. Bourque, Ralph T. Coley, Jr., Takao Iizuka, Masaaki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6981604
    Abstract: A bottle-shaped container made of synthetic resin including a body that has a left side and a right side which are symmetric to each other to a central axis line of the container, wherein each of the left and right sides is formed in a region including a center of the body, with a concaved portion for absorbing distortion due to changes of an internal pressure of the container, the concaved portions in the right and left sides are conformable in shape each other, and have same dimensions, and wherein the container can be held surely with safeness by holding the approximately central portion of the body of the container with fingers and a palm of a single hand from either the front side or the rear side even if the container has a large content and a heavy weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Iizuka, Masaaki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6981554
    Abstract: An expandable fire-fighting fluid container is arranged for receiving a fire fighting fluid. The container is comprised of end walls, a bottom between the end walls, and movable side walls connected to the end walls and the bottom with expandable seals. Actuators are attached between the side walls and the end walls. The actuators are powered by an engine attached to the container. The side walls are retractable inward for reducing container width for traveling on public roads, and expandable outward for increasing fluid capacity at a fire site. A pump is attached to the container for pumping the fluid to douse a fire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Inventor: James A. Klump
  • Patent number: 6938788
    Abstract: A squeezable bottle is provided that has a hollow body with an intermediate panel section that is bounded by upper and lower recessed reinforcing rings. The intermediate panel comprises a plurality of recessed gripper rings, each of which is bounded by a pair a raised reinforcing rings. A plurality of recessed vertical ribs extends between the upper and lower recessed reinforcing rings and through the raised reinforcing rings. The vertical ribs are spaced asymmetrically about the vertical axis of the bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Stokley-Van Camp, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeremy W. White
  • Publication number: 20040217084
    Abstract: A collapsible, semi-rigid container includes neck and bottom wall portions and a peripheral side wall extending between the neck and bottom wall. The side wall includes a rigid upper portion and a flexible lower portion. The lower portion of the side wall collapses into the upper portion reducing the internal volume of the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Applicant: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance, S.A.
    Inventor: Per Ohlsson
  • Patent number: 6811051
    Abstract: To reduce the volume of a metal container body after the juice or beer contained therein has been consumed, the container body/wall is formed with accordion-shaped portions having horizontal ring-shape hill portions valley portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Gohsho Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuo Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20040211747
    Abstract: A roller bottle is provided with a bottom wall, a top wall and a cylindrical side wall extending between the bottom and top walls. The top wall includes an is opening to provide access to the interior of the roller bottle. The cylindrical side wall of the roller bottle is formed with a helical pleat extending substantially from the bottom to the top for increasing cell growth surface area and for facilitating the flow of liquid to all interior surface areas of the bottle as the bottle is rolled about the axis of the side wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventor: Kenneth W. Whitley
  • Patent number: 6752288
    Abstract: A serving tray is provided with multiple compartments, each compartment having distinct peripheral walls having a pair of bands of accordion, style pleats separated by a smooth section of wall running the entire perimeter of the walls. The bands of accordion style pleats allow the container to be folded at the pleats to compress the container to provide three volumes which are easily identifiable. The band of accordion style pleats include pleat locks which can be manually activated to prevent the band of accordion style pleats from being compressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: The Swift Group of Universal Packaging
    Inventor: Lawrence F. Swift
  • Publication number: 20040112908
    Abstract: A collapsible, tub-shaped container for placing on a support, comprising a base of flexible flat material with a frame construction and side walls of flexible flat material. There are connecting walls of flexible flat material arranged between the two adjacent side walls, which have a frame construction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: Marc Tillmann, Wolfgang Wertenbruch
  • Patent number: 6749075
    Abstract: A container includes a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion includes a shoulder that extends away from a neck of the container, and a grip portion. The grip portion defines an integral logo portion and is recessed within the top portion of the container. A waist or groove is provided on adjacent lateral sides of the grip portion and may include a lateral stiffening rib. The bottom portion of the container includes a plurality of vacuum panels that accommodate for internal forces tending to cause collapse of the vacuum panels during a hot-fill process. Any portion of the internal forces not accommodated by the vacuum panels in the bottom portion of the container is accommodated by an auxiliary vacuum panel, which is provided in the grip portion of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond A. Bourque, Ralph T. Coley, Jr., Takao Iizuka, Masaaki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6736285
    Abstract: A collapsible container such as a drinking cup has a disk-shaped bottom and a disk-shaped cover which fit one within the other and engage by catches. A molded inner cup body has its base connected to the bottom and a mouth surrounded with a ring which seals to the cover and springs up from the bottom to erect the cup when the catches are released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Inventor: Theo A. Stewart-Stand
  • Patent number: 6726052
    Abstract: A flexible container for the transportation of fluids having means to keep the container in a sufficiently rigid shape that it can be moved and handled using conventional techniques until empty at which time the container can be collapsed for ease of shipment and storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Leo P. Miller
  • Patent number: 6702143
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a container (1), which is easily contracted and elastically expanded to restore its original shape by a coil spring (7). This container (1) includes a flexible body (3) and a capacity control ring (5). The body (3) has a cylindrical interior for containing something. The capacity control ring (5) is spirally formed around the outer surface of the sidewall of the body (3), and allows the body (3) to be contracted and elastically expanded in a vertical direction, thus controlling the capacity of the body (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Korea Alphaline Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Soo chang Wang
  • Publication number: 20040040971
    Abstract: Space saver container is a concept of shrinking containers so that its volume matches the volume of the contents. Thus as the contents are progressively consumed the container can progressively reduce in volume freeing up space outside the container for example in the closet or refrigerator where it may be stored. The reduction can be tailored to the situation in which the container is normally used. Thus in the case of say milk cartons the container reduces its foot print but in the case of ice-cream container the height is reduced thus increasing stacking space. The containers available today can create shelf space only when the contents of the containers are gone and when they are ready to be removed for disposal. The concept of space saver container volume reduction is enabled by a collapsible bellow structure that is biased to attain its maximum volume. The user forces the bellow shape to contract thus shrinking the container to match the volume of the content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventor: Ravindra Ganesh Athalye
  • Publication number: 20040040972
    Abstract: A collapsible liquid container has a collapsible bottle section and a cap assembly. The collapsible bottle section expands and collapses to accommodate varying amounts of liquid. The cap assembly is coupled to the collapsible bottle and it prevents leakage of the liquid while allowing for the passage or air as the collapsible bottle section is expanded and collapsed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventor: Kalil Haj
  • Patent number: 6669040
    Abstract: A container body of which length in the longitudinal direction or a part thereof is formed into horizontal accordion shape except the tap portion, wherein a force in one direction acts on a piece of folds constituting the accordion shape and/or a part of inner periphery, while a force in the opposite direction acts on the outer periphery thereof, when a force from a substantially right-angle direction thereof is applied to the accordion-shaped portion of said container body, thereby a compressed state in a longitudinal direction is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Gohsho Company, Limited
    Inventor: Mitsuo Higuchi
  • Patent number: 6662964
    Abstract: A synthetic resin liquid container for containing drinking water, juice, milk and other liquids is provided. The synthetic resin liquid container has a body that can substantially reduce its volume when a vertical and/or twisting stress is applied to the body, and a form-retaining means to be used after compression of the container body for keeping it compressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Gohsho Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuo Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20030183639
    Abstract: A container for packaging a product includes a casing made of a first material, and at least one deform able part in contact with the product and made of a second material with a lesser rigidity than the first material. The container is configured so that a pressure exerted on the deformable part causes a deformation of the latter and a displacement of the product towards the opening of the container. The deformable part can return to its undeformed shape when the pressure is released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Applicant: L'OREAL
    Inventor: Mathilde Winckels
  • Patent number: 6616004
    Abstract: A compressible waste receptacle for easily setting up and disposing waste-receiving members. The compressible waste receptacle includes a bag member having an open top, a closed bottom, and a rim disposed along an outer edge at the open top thereof; and also includes a biasedly-extended coiled spring member capable of being compressed onto itself and also being removably disposed in the bag member; and further includes an assembly for fastening the bag member to the biasedly-extended coiled spring member; and also includes an assembly to retain the biasedly-extended coiled spring member in a compressed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Inventors: Bradley E. Erickson, Brian L. Riley
  • Publication number: 20030160055
    Abstract: A collapsible container such as a drinking cup has a disk-shaped bottom and a disk-shaped cover which fit one within the other and engage by catches. A molded inner cup body has its base connected to the bottom and a mouth surrounded with a ring which seals to the cover and springs up from the bottom to erect the cup when the catches are released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Applicant: COCKROACH DESIGN LLC
    Inventor: Theo A. Stewart-Stand
  • Patent number: 6609628
    Abstract: A transport container is provided that includes a rigid liner collapsible in a direction transecting a vertical axis of the container, such that the container is configurable between a non-collapsed state configured to hold transportable contents therein, and at least partially collapsed state configured for compact storage of the container when empty an elastic insulation means configured to surround the liner, and one of more rigid insulating plugs configured for insertion inside the liner when the container is in its non-collapsed state. Such a transport container is easy to store when empty, can be composed of materials that can be recycled, and may have components that are easy to manufacture and to assemble. The container may possess a space efficient outer shape when full of transportable products, so that the number of containers that can be transported per given transit space may be maximized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Inventor: Edwin Francis Tattam
  • Publication number: 20030141310
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to make it possible for the volume of a metal container body to be greatly reduced after the juice or beer contained therein has been consumed and the container is to be disposed of, and thus the number of empty container bodies that can be accommodated in a trash can is much greater than the limited number of the empty conventional container bodies which could be accommodated the trash can.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventor: Mitsuo Higuchi
  • Patent number: 6598755
    Abstract: A disposable bottle (1) having a gradually collapsible structure, of the type in which the sidewalls (2) of the bottle have an accordion-like structure comprising several adjacent folds. Each fold is formed by two opposed surfaces (7, 8) of different width, comprising blocking means to prevent the recovery of the fold, under a predetermined force, once the same fold has collapsed for the first time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Inventors: Christian Pio Pedullà, Gianfilippo Pagliacci
  • Patent number: 6585125
    Abstract: A thin walled, plastic hot-fill container has a closable neck, a shoulder portion situated below the neck, a base, and a body portion connecting the shoulder portion to the base. The body portion includes a label mount area bounded by upper and lower margins having a plurality of vacuum panels with vertical land areas separating each adjacent pair of vacuum panels. Each vacuum panel includes an upper area and a lower area, the upper and lower areas of each vacuum panel being mutually asymmetric and connected by a tapering geometry providing a range of pressure response through varying flexibility without significant movement of the components parts of the vacuum panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Ball Corporation
    Inventor: William Jerome Peek
  • Patent number: 6581811
    Abstract: A container (20) for a flowable material for carrying on a person. The container includes an elongate vessel (22) for containing the flowable material, the vessel including a first end (24), a second end (26) and a longitudinal axis. The vessel is bendable so that the first end and the second end can be brought toward each other. Further, the vessel is deformable axially to alter the length and volume of the vessel. A sealable inlet (28) is provided for introducing the flowable material into the vessel (22), while a sealable outlet is provided for expelling the flowable material from the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Inventor: Simon Schillaci
  • Patent number: 6575321
    Abstract: A container includes a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion includes a shoulder that extends away from a neck of the container, and a grip portion. The grip portion defines an integral logo portion and is recessed within the top portion of the container. A waist or groove is provided on adjacent lateral sides of the grip portion and may include a lateral stiffening rib. The bottom portion of the container includes a plurality of vacuum panels that accommodate for internal forces tending to cause collapse of the vacuum panels during a hot-fill process. Any portion of the internal forces not accommodated by the vacuum panels in the bottom portion of the container is accommodated by an auxiliary vacuum panel, which is provided in the grip portion of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond A. Bourque, Ralph T. Coley, Jr., Takao Iizuka, Masaaki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6554149
    Abstract: A collapsible container includes a cylindrical sidewall extending between a top and a bottom of the container. The sidewall is formed of a flexible material which enables the container to be opened to an expanded configuration or closed to a collapsed configuration. A coil spring biases the container to the open configuration. The coil spring has a top coil adjacent the top of the container and a bottom coil adjacent the bottom of the container. A durable bottom layer is affixed to the bottom of the container by at least one clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Aquapore Moisture Systems
    Inventors: Paul A. Schneider, Yu-Min Tsai
  • Patent number: 6520365
    Abstract: A collapsible container includes a cylindrical sidewall extending between a top and a bottom of the container. The sidewall is formed of a flexible material which enables the container to be opened to an expanded configuration or closed to a collapsed configuration. A coil spring biases the container to the open configuration. The coil spring has a top coil adjacent the top of the container and a bottom coil adjacent the bottom of the container. A durable bottom layer is affixed to the bottom of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Aquapore Moisture Systems
    Inventor: Paul A. Schneider
  • Publication number: 20030019875
    Abstract: A collapsible storage container having a displaceable access opening for tracking and providing proximate access to said diapers stored within. Said collapsible container further includes a rigid non-collapsible portion at the top separated into two separate portions, the first portion being the top of said collapsible diaper storage area and the second portion being a discrete independent separate storage area for containing treated or medicated diaper wipes. Said second diaper wipe area having its own separate access area including a hinge and a depression or tab to access the sheets of said diaper wipes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Inventors: Diedre Woram, Cyndy Allen, Mark Allen
  • Patent number: 6479113
    Abstract: A collapsible metal tube, comprising: a metal body portion susceptible of plastic deformation, the body portion being sealed at one end; a shoulder portion and a mouth/neck portion connected to the other end of the body portion; and a resin film provided on the inside wall surface of the body portion, the resin film comprising a metal-adhesive thermoplastic resin layer formed by spray-coating the inside wall surface of the body portion with a dispersion of fine spherical particles consisting of a metal-adhesive thermoplastic resin and then heating to integrate the particles. The resin film formed on the inside of the collapsible metal tube is reliable because it is a dense resin film virtually devoid of pinholes, excellent in elongation at break, and free from cracking when folded or deformed, and is excellent in ability of protecting the metal body portion and the contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Taisei Kako Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Yamamoto, Kenji Ohnishi
  • Patent number: 6475442
    Abstract: This invention provides a kit for use in a method for detecting gastric damage. The kit comprises: (a) a sealed container of sterilized buffered aqueous sucrose solution; and (b) a urine collection device suitable for collection and storage of human urine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: G. D. Searle & Co.
    Inventors: Glenn L. Thompson, Dan Giampuzzi
  • Patent number: 6431406
    Abstract: A collapsible container is disclosed having a top portion and base portion joined by a midsection of undulating walls of accordion style which allows for the axial compression and expansion of the container. A U-shaped handle is also disclosed which provides for grasping of the container, provides axial stability when the container is in its fully expanded form, secures the container in its fully collapsed form, and protects the container's closure mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Inventor: Nicolas Roger Pruett
  • Publication number: 20020088808
    Abstract: A collapsible storage container having a displaceable access opening for tracking and providing proximate access to said diapers stored within. Said collapsible container further includes a rigid non-collapsible portion at the top separated into two separate portions, the first portion being the top of said collapsible diaper storage area and the second portion being a discrete independent separate storage area for containing treated or medicated diaper wipes. Said second diaper wipe area having its own separate access area including a hinge and a depression or tab to access the sheets of said diaper wipes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2001
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Inventors: Deidre Woram, Cyndy Allen, Mark Allen
  • Patent number: 6415943
    Abstract: A container for fluids, in particular fluids containing gas, comprises an outer casing of flexible, pressure resistant material, at least a gas and/or fluid tight inner casing of flexible material lying inside the outer casing and being separated therefrom, and at least a filling connection for filling the inner casing. As a result, the container is collapsible so that filling the container may take place from the collapsed condition and filling is therefore possible without pressure difference while the fluid does not enter an empty space. The egress of gas from the fluid is substantially reduced thereby. When fluid is discharged from the containe, the volume of the container can also decrease by collapsing so that also during use of the fluid gas is prevented from egressing. Consequently, the quality of the fluid is maintained, both during filling of the inner casing with fluid and during discharge of fluid from the inner casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Euro Maintenance Lease Produktie B.V.
    Inventor: Johan Arie Brambach
  • Patent number: 6412652
    Abstract: A collapsible storage container having a displaceable access opening for tracking and providing proximate access to said diapers stored within. Said collapsible container further includes a rigid non-collapsible portion at the top separated into two separate portions, the first portion being the top of said collapsible diaper storage area and the second portion being a discrete independent separate storage area for containing treated or medicated diaper wipes. Said second diaper wipe area having its own separate access area including a hinge and a depression or tab to access the sheets of said diaper wipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Inventors: Deidre Woram, Cyndy Allen, Mark Allen
  • Patent number: 6354456
    Abstract: A sealable multicompartment container comprises a first inner compartment surrounded by a second compartment in the form of an annular trough, both compartments having upper edges for sealing with a closure lid and being joined by a folded wall member pliable to permit unfolding, thereby extending the container depth and merging the two compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Inventor: Dalmian F Rapson
  • Patent number: 6334543
    Abstract: The instant invention is a foldable plastic container consisting of accordion type pleats, a top having a circular depression for filling/emptying the container, a folding handle fastened to the top, and a telescoping nozzle which may be nested and contained in the cover or expanded for pouring a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Inventor: Robert Abbondandolo
  • Patent number: 6315151
    Abstract: An erectable and collapsible container, said container being transformable from a collapsed configuration to an erected configuration and comprising a plurality of collapsible walls, wherein said sidewalls comprise a polymeric material have: (a) a Flexural Modulus of from about 100 MPa to about 1750 MPa; and (b) preferably a wall thickness of the collapsible walls of from about 1 mil to about 20 mils, except when said polymeric material is polyethylene homopolymer said Flexural Modulus is at least about 275 MPa or said wall thickness is at least about 10 mils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Co.
    Inventors: Matthew Todd Hupp, Catherine Jean Randall
  • Patent number: 6223903
    Abstract: A collapsible bulk shipping container for shipping and storing liquids or free flowing materials, with a foldable wall structure constructed of one continuous cardboard or fiber board structure. Score, crush, or foldable flaps divide the wall structure into separate wall members and allow the wall structure to be folded flat. The wall structure is hingedly attached to a base panel which is securely attached to a standard wooden pallet. The pallet is standard with a raised outer lip which retains a lower section of the assembled walls and which includes a bottom discharge cutout for discharging the contained material from a plastic liner. The liner includes an inlet port and an outlet port while the inlet port is retained near a top edge of one wall member for convenience with a filler neck tab permanently attached near a top edge of one of the walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Inventor: Hossein Mansouri
  • Patent number: 6223932
    Abstract: In a crushable plastic bottle, a plurality of foldable creases are formed on a wall surface of a body of the plastic bottle so as to in a longitudinal direction thereof in parallel. The foldable creases are formed so that wide and narrow creases are arranged alternately so as to form inequilateral lambda's (&Lgr;'s). When the foldable creases are folded, the narrow creased are roughly turned over in such a way that each inner surface of the narrow crease is brought into contact with the inner surface of each outward adjacent wide crease. Thus, with each narrow crease sandwiched between the two adjacent wide creases, the wide crease are overlapped with each other and fixed in shape as they are.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Inventor: Yoshio Usui
  • Patent number: 6220474
    Abstract: This container is designed for receiving a liquid through a filler neck (1), then for delivering this liquid under pressure via a nozzle (3), said container being formed by a case (5) with extensible capacity subjected to transforming means which displaces it, in opposition to elastic means, from an inoperative position to a storing position. The invention is characterised in that these means comprise a mechanical member (6) having a structure with linear development comprising a seat (7) and a head (8) and capable of taking up, by control means external to the case, either an expanded position, or a retracted position in which the seat (7) and the head (8) are brought closer and for which the case (5) is urged in its inoperative state by the effect of the elastic means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Bedon
  • Patent number: 6168041
    Abstract: Tubular containers can be produced by injection stretch blow molding processes. Such processes comprise the biaxial stretching of the preform as the preform is being converted into the tubular container. The preform will be stretched longitudinally by means of a stretch rod and laterally by means of the pressure of the blowing gas. The tubular containers produced by these processes will have burst strengths three to five times that of other tubular containers and can be produced in a thin wall collapsible form. Further, the tubular container will have a tensile strength in the machine direction along a tensile strength in the cross direction greater than other tubes, including laminate tubes, coextruded blow molded tubes and injection stretch tubes. In addition, the tubular containers can be single chamber containers or multichamber containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
    Inventors: Kenneth R. Berger, Patrick A. Connan, Robert L. Readdy
  • Patent number: RE38770
    Abstract: A collapsible container is disclosed having a top portion and a base portion joined by a generally cylindrical side wall structure, the generally cylindrical side wall structure has a central axis and a collapsible helical portion and the collapsible helical portion has a generally uniform radius and a generally flat side cross sectional shape with respect to the central axis. A cup section is also disclosed which can cause deformation of the collapsible container's side wall. The container is particularly suitable to store carbonated beverages and other consumer products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Marshall Packaging Company, LLC
    Inventor: Neil Y. Gilbert