U.S. patent application number 11/000288 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-01 for molded collapsible blow dome apparatus and method.
This patent application is currently assigned to Kranson Industries, Inc., d/b/a TricorBraun, Kranson Industries, Inc., d/b/a TricorBraun. Invention is credited to David A. Snyder.
Application Number | 20060113331 11/000288 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36566437 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060113331 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Snyder; David A. |
June 1, 2006 |
Molded collapsible blow dome apparatus and method
Abstract
A container for dispensing liquid-type products that features a
collapsible blow dome includes a rolling sleeve that is integrally
molded with the container body and contains a neck feature. A
dispensing cap connects with the neck of the rolling sleeve and is
used to regulate the flow of product from the container. The
rolling sleeve may move from its normal position recessed within
the container body to an extended position extruding past the
surface of the container. In its extended position, the blow dome
allows for complete discharge of the contents of the container and
does so eliminating the need and extra costs associated with the
use of a base or platform.
Inventors: |
Snyder; David A.; (West
Chicago, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HUSCH & EPPENBERGER, LLC
190 CARONDELET PLAZA
SUITE 600
ST. LOUIS
MO
63105-3441
US
|
Assignee: |
Kranson Industries, Inc., d/b/a
TricorBraun
Clarendon Hills
IL
|
Family ID: |
36566437 |
Appl. No.: |
11/000288 |
Filed: |
November 30, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/490 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 1/32 20130101; B65D
2207/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
222/490 |
International
Class: |
B65D 35/38 20060101
B65D035/38; B65D 25/40 20060101 B65D025/40; B65D 5/72 20060101
B65D005/72 |
Claims
1. A molded container for housing and dispensing flowable
materials, comprising: a container body defining an opening
therein; a rolling sleeve molded integrally with the container body
at the opening and having a neck, wherein the rolling sleeve
provides a generally uninterrupted funnel leading towards the neck;
and a dispensing cap connected with the neck, wherein said rolling
sleeve and dispensing cap are manually extendible and retractable
relative to a surface of the container body.
2. The container of claim 1, wherein said container body and said
rolling sleeve are molded from a plastic material.
3. The container of claim 1, wherein said container body contains
flexible sidewalls.
4. The container of claim 1, wherein said dispensing cap contains
at least one slit.
5. The container of claim 1, wherein said dispensing cap contains
first and second slits oriented in a mutually intersecting
relationship.
6. The container of claim 1, wherein said rolling sleeve is concave
when in a recessed position.
7. The container of claim 1, wherein said opening and said rolling
sleeve are located at a bottom surface of said container body.
8. The container of claim 7, wherein a bottom of the dispensing cap
is at least co-planer with the bottom surface of the body when the
rolling sleeve is in a recessed position.
9. The container of claim 8, wherein the bottom of the dispensing
cap is recessed relative to the bottom surface when the rolling
sleeve is in a recessed position.
10. A molded container, comprising: a body defining an opening
therein; a rolling sleeve molded integrally with the body at the
opening; and said rolling sleeve having a neck.
11. The molded container of claim 10, wherein said neck connects
with a dispensing cap.
12. The container of claim 10, wherein said body and said rolling
sleeve are molded from a plastic material.
13. The container of claim 10, wherein said body contains flexible
sidewalls.
14. The container of claim 1 1, wherein said dispensing cap
contains at least one slit.
15. The container of claim 1 1, wherein said dispensing cap
contains first and second slits oriented in a mutually intersecting
relationship.
16. The container of claim 1 1, wherein said rolling sleeve is
concave when in a recessed position.
17. The container of claim 11, wherein said opening and said
rolling sleeve are located at a bottom surface of said container
body.
18. The container of claim 17, wherein a bottom of the dispensing
cap is at least co-planer with the bottom surface of the body when
the rolling sleeve is in a recessed position.
19. The container of claim 18, wherein the bottom of the dispensing
cap is recessed relative to the bottom surface when the rolling
sleeve is in a recessed position.
20. A method of producing a molded container for housing and
dispensing flowable materials comprising: molding a container body
defining an opening and having an integrated rolling sleeve located
at said opening wherein said rolling sleeve possesses a neck; and
connecting a dispensing cap with said neck of said rolling
sleeve.
21. The method of claim 20, comprising the further step of filling
said container body with a flowable material.
22. A molded container comprising: a storing means having an
opening therein; a regulating means; and an extending means
integrally connected with said storing means and connected with
said regulating means; wherein said extending means extends said
regulating means from a recessed position within said storing means
to an extruding position from said storing means.
23. The container of claim 22, wherein said storing means is a
bottle, said regulating means is a valve, and said extending means
is a sleeve.
24. The container of claim 22, wherein said storing means possesses
flexible sidewalls.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to molded containers for
liquids, gels, or similar materials, and more particularly, to a
collapsible dispensing dome.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] It is well known in the art to have a dispensing container
such as a squeezable bottle that possesses a self-sealing valve at
one end which allows for the contents of the dispensing container
to be released when pressure is applied to the container. A variety
of different inventions relate to self-sealing valve systems. Such
examples of these types of inventions are disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,213,236 to Brown et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,437 B1 to Socier
et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,874 B2 to Brown et al.; U.S. Pat. No.
6,279,783 B1 to Brown et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,143 to Brown et
al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,877 to Brown et al.; U.S. Pat. No.
5,339,995 to Brown et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 2,758,755 to Schafler;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,340, B1 to Pateman et al.; U.S. Application
Serial No. 2002/0158083 A1 to Brown et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,668
B1 to Schwanenberg; U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,305 B1 to Fioravanti et
al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,296 B1 to Brown; U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,940
B1 to Manning et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,355 B1 to Schwanenberg;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,951 to Mueller; U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,381 to
Schwanenberg; U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,418 to Gaiser et al.; U.S. Pat.
No. 5,927,566 to Mueller; U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,614 to Brown; U.S.
Pat. No. 5,743,443 to Hins; U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,363 to Gross et
al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,655 to Brown; U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,006 to
Drobish et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 1,607,993 to Loewy; and U.S. Pat. No.
6,405,901 B1 to Schantz et al. Most of these inventions increase
the consistency of flow or deal generally with improvements to the
self-sealing valve itself. These inventions range from simple slit
type openings to complex valves employing the use of many different
parts to accomplish the self-sealing action.
[0003] The contents of the container are generally pushed through
the valve by some type of force. In most cases, this force is
created by the user applying pressure to the sides of the
container. This pressure forces the contents of the container to
travel to areas of least resistance. As such, the contents are
forced out of the container through an opening located somewhere in
the container body. The container body opening generally contains a
type of valve to regulate the flow of product from the container.
This valve is normally closed and can withstand the weight of the
product so that the product will not leak out of the container
unless squeezed by the user. When the container is squeezed,
however, and the interior is subject to sufficient increased
pressure, the valve opens and the contents of the container begin
to empty. Once the pressure differential across the valve decreases
to a predetermined amount, the valve will close preventing the
further release of the product. This simple dispensing technology
is employed in this invention as well.
[0004] A popular feature exhibited by many dispensing containers is
the ability to stand the container upright such that the dispensing
valve is located at the bottom of the container. In such a
configuration, the user does not have to expend time and energy to
shake the container to force the contents to travel within the
bottle to the area where the valve is located. This is especially
bothersome when the contents of the container are significantly
less than half full. With the valve at the bottom of the container,
gravity naturally pulls the contents of the container to a position
such that it is ready to be released through the valve opening as
soon as the user applies sufficient force to the sides of the
container.
[0005] In many of the valve systems, in order to allow the
container to sit flat in an upright position with the valve located
at the bottom of the container, the valve must be recessed into the
container. When this is done, the areas of the container body
adjacent to the valve system are generally lower than the recessed
valve opening. As such, the contents, while traveling down the
sides of the container, collect in these dead areas preventing
complete emptying of the contents of the container. Obviously a
consumer becomes dissatisfied when a portion of the container's
contents cannot be accessed because it becomes trapped within the
container.
[0006] Some containers attempt to solve this problem by utilizing a
platform or base at the bottom of the container. See U.S. Pat. No.
5,213,236 to Brown et al. This platform houses the valve but
otherwise is left hollow. None of the contents in the container are
allowed access to the platform. Therefore no dead spaces are
created because no portion of the storage container is located
below the valve opening. With such a configuration, the valve is
recessed within the entire structure therefore allowing the
container to sit in a flat upright position and none of the
contents become trapped in the dead areas created by a recessed
valve system. However, this type of platform design creates added
manufacturing costs and assembly time. Money must be expended to
manufacture the platform piece and assembly workers must take extra
time to connect the platform to the storage container. Furthermore,
the platform merely provides structural rigidity to the base of the
container. It cannot be used for storing any of the contents of the
container without creating dead spaces.
[0007] There is a need in the art for a bottom dispensing container
that can sit in an upright position, that employs the use of a
valve system, and that allows for complete discharge of the
contents of the container without the need of a base or
platform.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The invention disclosed herein is a dispensing container
possessing an integrally molded collapsible blow dome. Such blow
dome consists of a rolling sleeve that moves between two
positions--one recessed position located within the container body
and one extended position that protrudes out from the container
base. The container body is molded such that there is at least one
opening through which the contents of the container may be emptied.
Surrounding the opening is a flexible rolling sleeve that is
integrally molded with the container body. This sleeve is generally
located in a recessed position within the storage area of the
container body. The sleeve is flexible in nature and therefore when
pressure is exerted upon it, the sleeve may extend to a position
such that it extrudes from the base of the container. When in its
extended position, the sleeve creates a generally uninterrupted
funnel allowing otherwise inaccessible product within the container
access to the opening. The sleeve contains a neck which is fitted
with a dispensing cap. The dispensing cap is self-sealing in nature
and merely contains several slits through which the contents of the
container may exit. With this invention, it is unnecessary to
employ the use of a complex valve system. Rather, the dispensing
cap merely needs to prevent the release of the contents absent
pressure on the container. However, even though not necessary, this
invention may also be used in connection with the complex,
multi-part valve systems mentioned herein.
[0009] The advantage of this invention is that complete excretion
of the contents of the container may be obtained because of the
flexible sleeve. As such, the consumer is able to use all of the
product for which he/she has purchased and does not become
frustrated that a portion of the product has become trapped in dead
spaces created by the valve system.
[0010] In order to gain complete access to the product contained
within this invention, the user merely exerts pressure on the sides
of the container. The pressure is transferred to the product
located within the container. The product travels to the areas
within the container of least resistance. As such, the product
pushes open the valve and exits the container. As the customer uses
the product, the volume of product within the container decreases.
Once the customer has used a majority of the product, the rolling
sleeve located around the container opening may be extended from
its recessed position to its extended position. The extended
position removes all dead spaces that may have been created because
of the recessed nature of the opening. When in its extended
position, the product may travel down the interior of the container
and get excreted without becoming trapped within the packaging. The
extendible rolling sleeve solves the problem of the dead space
created by the complex valve systems and does so in a manner that
does not create the problems of added manufacturing costs and
wasted space associated with the use of a base or platform.
[0011] Another advantage of this invention includes the decreased
production costs associated with the manufacturing of the overall
container. The container is manufactured such that the flexible
sleeve is integrally molded with the container body. As such, the
costs and assembly time associated with assembling a complex valve,
attaching that valve, and possibly manufacturing and attaching a
base have been eliminated.
[0012] Further features and advantages of the present invention, as
well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the
present invention, are described in detail below with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
form a part of the specification, illustrate the embodiments of the
present invention and together with the description, serve to
explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container incorporating a
collapsible blow dome according to one embodiment of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a side view of a container incorporating a
collapsible blow dome.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a rear view of a container incorporating a
collapsible blow dome.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a front view of a container incorporating a
collapsible blow dome.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a container incorporating a
collapsible blow dome.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a partial cut away view of a container
incorporating a collapsible blow dome.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like
reference numbers indicate like elements, FIGS. 1-6 are varying
views of the components of the present invention. As seen in these
Figs., the container body 10 in this embodiment is shaped in a
wedge type fashion with the larger portion of the body 10 located
at the bottom of the container. The shape of the container body 10
is not limited to this configuration. Rather it may take any shape
so long as there is an opening 20 through which its contents may
exit. The container body 10 is generally made of a molded material
such as a resin or plastic so that a user may provide the
appropriate force to discharge the product contained within the
container body 10 merely by squeezing the sidewalls 22 in a lateral
fashion. Preferably the sidewalls 22 have sufficient resilience or
stiffness that they automatically return to their original shape
upon release of any external force applied by the user.
[0021] Surrounding the opening 20 is a flexible rolling sleeve 16.
The rolling sleeve 16 is integrally molded with the container body
10 at the opening 20 and runs along the entire circumference of the
opening 20. The shape of the rolling sleeve 16 can be described as
a rounded half sphere with an opening at the pole of the half
sphere defined by a neck feature 24. The rolling sleeve 16 is
generally concave in nature when in its recessed position. The neck
24 of the rolling sleeve 16 is adaptable for connection with a
dispensing cap 18.
[0022] The rolling sleeve 16 is generally located at a recessed
position within the container body 10 such that the neck 24 does
not extend out from the bottom of the container body 10. In this
position, the container body 10 possesses a flat bottom surface so
that it may stand upright on that surface. However, in this
position, dead spaces 26 are created within the container body 10.
As seen in these drawings, the dead spaces 26 are located adjacent
to the rolling sleeve 16 and are at elevations that are lower than
the opening 20. When the rolling sleeve 16 is in its recessed
position, the product that gathers in the dead spaces 26 becomes
trapped and is not able to exit the opening 20.
[0023] The rolling sleeve 16 may be moved from the recessed
position to an extended position such that the neck 20 protrudes
from the bottom surface of the container body 10. In this position,
the rolling sleeve 16 forms a generally uninterrupted funnel
leading towards the neck 24. Any product that may have been trapped
in the dead space 26 created when the sleeve 16 was in the recessed
position now has a direct path to the opening 20 and may be
excreted from the container body 10 through the dispensing cap 18.
In order to change the rolling sleeve 16 from its recessed position
to its extended position, the user may pull down on the neck 24 of
the rolling sleeve 16 or apply sufficient pressure to the walls of
the container body such that the interior force created by the
squeezing forces the sleeve into its extended position. Either
approach creates force that causes the rolling sleeve 16 to extend
rollingly from the recessed position to the extended position. In
order to move from the extended position to the recessed position,
the user must merely push up on the neck 24 of the rolling sleeve
16. This upward pushing forces the rolling sleeve 16 to roll back
into the area within the container body 10.
[0024] The neck 24 of the rolling sleeve 16 is connected to the
dispensing cap 18. The dispensing cap 18 in this embodiment has a
cross-slit construction which includes two intersecting slits 12
and 14 that extend through the opposite sides of the center portion
28. The slits 12 and 14 define four flaps which flex inwardly or
outwardly to selectively permit the flow of product through the
dispensing cap 18. The slits 12 and 14 are preferably formed by
slicing through the center portion 28 without removing any
substantial amount of material therefrom so that a close seal may
be formed once the pressure decreases to a point that the product
is no longer being forced out of the container body 10. While the
dispensing cap 18 of the preferred embodiment takes the form of
cross-slit construction, the dispensing cap 18 may take a variety
of different sizes and shapes depending upon the desired flow from
the container body 10 and the density and/or contents of the
product. For example, the dispensing cap 18 may contain one small
slit for smaller, narrower streams of product or it may contain
several slits for larger, wider streams. Furthermore, the
dispensing cap 18 may also employ the use of the complex,
multi-part valve systems as referenced previously herein.
[0025] In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the several
advantages of the invention are achieved and attained.
[0026] The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best
explain the principles of the invention and its practical
application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best
utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various
modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
[0027] As various modifications could be made in the constructions
and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from
the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter
contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying
drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting.
Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be
limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but
should be defined only in accordance with the following claims
appended hereto and their equivalents.
* * * * *