U.S. patent application number 11/141654 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-30 for expandable and contractible food storage container.
Invention is credited to Michael B. Carmona.
Application Number | 20060266754 11/141654 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37462083 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060266754 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Carmona; Michael B. |
November 30, 2006 |
Expandable and contractible food storage container
Abstract
A container bottom and container cover both have horizontally
moving asymmetrical accordion pleats. The container and cover
expands and contracts horizontally to adjust the size of the
container the container opening. The cover correspondingly adjusts
to fit the container opening to allow for different shapes, sizes,
and volumes of food or other matter stored therein. Each accordion
pleat has a pair of accordion walls hinged together of two
different widths. Upon compression of the container and cover each
accordion pleat collapses separately by a larger width wall forcing
the narrower width wall to bend back behind an adjacent accordion
wall.
Inventors: |
Carmona; Michael B.; (Agoura
Hills, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Donald W. Meeker;Patent Agent
924 East Ocean Front #E
Newport Beach
CA
92661
US
|
Family ID: |
37462083 |
Appl. No.: |
11/141654 |
Filed: |
May 31, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/666 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 21/086 20130101;
A47J 47/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/666 |
International
Class: |
B65D 6/00 20060101
B65D006/00 |
Claims
1. A transformable storage device which changes the size and shape
of a container, a container opening and a mating container cover,
the device comprising: a container comprising a bottom, side walls,
and a top opening defined by a common top edge of the side walls, a
portion of a horizontal section of the bottom and two opposing side
walls formed of a series of container accordion pleats expansible
and contractible in a horizontal direction to transform the
horizontal size and shape of the container and horizontal size and
shape of the top opening in the container to accommodate a variety
of sizes and shapes of external items through the top opening into
the container for storage therein; a cover comprising a top surface
and a peripheral edge of the top surface connectable to the top
opening of the container to close the container, a portion of a
horizontal section of the top surface and two opposing sides of the
peripheral edge formed of a series of cover accordion pleats
expansible and contractible in a horizontal direction in conformity
with the container accordion pleats to transform the horizontal
size and shape of the peripheral edge of the cover to mate with the
top opening in the container to close the container for any size
and shape of the container and any size and shape of the top
opening of the container.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein each of the container accordion
pleats comprises a pair of container accordion walls hinged
together, comprising a first container accordion wall and a second
container accordion wall, the first container accordion wall wider
than the second container accordion wall so that upon compression,
each of the container accordion pleats is separately collapsible
with the first container accordion wall of each of the pleats
forcing the second container accordion wall to snap backward
internally overlapping the adjacent first container accordion wall,
thereby collapsing the container accordion pleat and locking the
container accordion pleat in a closed position and shortening a
horizontal length of the container by a difference in width between
the expanded container accordion pleat and the contracted container
accordion pleat.
3. The device of claim 2 wherein the container is expansible and
contractible to any desired length in increments of the difference
in width of each of the container accordion pleats between the
expanded and contracted position and changing the number of
container accordion pleats changes the size of contraction and
expansion of the container.
4. The device of claim 2 wherein each of the cover accordion pleats
comprises a pair of accordion walls hinged together, comprising a
first cover accordion wall and a second cover accordion wall, the
first cover accordion wall wider than the second cover accordion
wall so that upon compression, each of the cover accordion pleats
is separately collapsible with the first cover accordion wall of
each of the pleats forcing the second cover accordion wall to-snap
backward internally overlapping the adjacent cover accordion wall,
thereby collapsing the cover accordion pleat and locking the cover
accordion pleat in a closed position and shortening a horizontal
length of the cover by a difference in width between the expanded
cover accordion pleat and the contracted cover accordion pleat.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein the cover accordion walls are
structurally less rigid than the container accordion walls so that
contracting and expanding the container accordion pleats causes the
contracting and expanding of the cover accordion pleats with the
cover in place on the container to maintain the cover to be the
same size as the top opening of the container.
6. The device of claim 4 wherein the cover is expansible and
contractible to any desired length in increments of the difference
in width of each of the cover accordion pleats between the expanded
and contracted position and changing the number of cover accordion
pleats changes the size of contraction and expansion of the cover.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to collapsible storage
containers and particularly to a horizontally expandable and
collapsible plastic food storage container comprising a container
bottom and container cover having horizontally moving asymmetrical
accordion pleats in both the container bottom and cover whereby the
container may be horizontally expanded or contracted to adjust the
size of the container and the size and shape of the container
opening and the cover correspondingly adjusting to fit the
container opening to allow for different sizes, shapes, and volumes
of food or other matter stored therein.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Variable volume containers are well known, including
vertically moving accordion or bellow-type collapsible walls with
non-transformable covers resting on top of the prior art containers
which expand and contract vertically to change the volume of the
container for storing varying quantities of liquid with minimal air
and minimal size of overall container for the amount of contents
with the cover attachable to a non-changeable opening.
[0005] Often in a refrigerator or other storage compartments there
is a problem with fitting everything in that requires storage.
Adjusting the horizontal size of containers to fit is just as
important as and often more important than adjusting vertical size
of containers. Prior art patents do not adequately address the
problem. None of the prior art devices provide a horizontally shape
and size transformable container opening and correspondingly
changeable cover to accommodate variously sized and shaped items to
be placed in the container for storage.
[0006] 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. The inventive device includes a base with a perimeter side
wall extending around the base outer perimeter to define an
interior space. The perimeter side wall has a height (defined
between the terminal edge of the perimeter side wall and the base)
which is adjustably extendible to increase or decrease the volume
of the interior space. A removable lid is provided for
substantially covering the opening into the interior space.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,413, issued Dec. 17, 1996 to Jung, is
for a pleated plastic container which is foldable and stored in a
minimum space. The container comprises a foldable container body
having a bottom protrusion, a mouth for being closed by a plug and
for being fittingly engaged with said bottom protrusion, an
outwardly directed concave recess formed at a neck portion of said
mouth, and a lateral protrusion formed on the periphery of said
bottom protrusion for fittingly engaging with said concave
recess.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 3,301,293, issued Jan. 31, 1967 to Santelli,
shows an accordian pleated bottle with interlocking pleats to lock
in place at different heights of the bottle.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,130, issued Aug. 31, 1993 to Osbakk,
provides a compressible body comprising a container and a flexible
annular wall member, and the container, in turn, includes a
cylindrical side wall and a prestressed locking member. The side
wall of the container forms an upper edge and defines a cylindrical
space having a given circumference, and the locking member of the
container is mounted on the upper edge of the side wall and is
inherently biased radially inwardly toward a position inward of
that given circumference. The wall member of the bottle is mounted
inside the container of the bottle, and that wall member has
extended and compressed positions. In the extended position, the
wall member extends upward from the container; and in the
compressed position, the wall member is at least substantially
contained within the container and the upper portion of the wall
member is below the locking member of the container. Moreover, when
the wall member is compressed into its compressed position, the
locking member moves radially inwardly, due to is inherent
resiliency, to a locking position in which the locking member
extends directly over the upper portion of the wall member and
locks that wall member inside the container.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,129, issued Nov. 12, 1996 to Nagata et
al., describes a container formed for a liquid. In order to reduce
a volume of the container for a liquid after use thereof, a bellows
portion is provided at an axial direction portion of a container
main body. A lid member is removed, and liquid within the container
for a liquid is discharged from an opening portion. The bellows
portion is contracted so that head space can be adjusted and so
that a volume of the container main body can be reduced. Further,
because the head space can be adjusted, an interior of the
container for a liquid is always substantially filled with the
liquid so that oxidation of the liquid can be prevented. When the
liquid is poured, the bellows portion automatically expands and
contracts so that the liquid flows quickly and so that little air
is drawn in. Further, if a certain amount or more of the liquid in
the interior is discharged, the volume can be reduced, and a
volume-reduced state can be maintained by tightly screwing the lid
member; When the bellows portion is expanded, the container for a
liquid is easy to hold as there are convex and concave portions at
the bellows portion.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,815, issued Aug. 22, 2000 to Mazda,
describes a contraction-controlled bellows container (1) is
disclosed, which can retain half or fully contracted configurations
of the bellows ridges (2) whose upper walls (21) and/or lower walls
(22) have at least one circumferential indentation (3) adjacent the
corresponding outer hinges (23) and/or inner hinges (24). The
indentations utilize the pressure applied onto the container
effectively and get depressed further into the corresponding
bellows ridges prior to the corresponding portions of the other
walls, reducing the total pressure requirement. The indentations
bring together the walls in which the indentations are provided
into the bellows ridges (2). These walls are gradually turned in
shape to lose their shape restoration thanks to their generally
protruding configuration. Adjustment of the sizes of the
indentations makes it possible to selectively contract the bellows
ridges.
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 3,083,877, issued Apr. 2, 1963 to Gash,
provides a collapsible container with corrugations in the
walls.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,652, issued Jul. 2, 2002 to Woram et
al., discloses 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.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. D342,674, issued Dec. 28, 1993 to Schollen et
al., is a design for an expansible container with accordion pleat
sides.
[0015] What is needed is a size-changeable storage container,
container opening, and mating size-changeable cover to expand and
contract horizontally to change the storage space inside to
optimize the interior space and minimize the exterior size of the
container to accommodate various quantities of food or other
substances inside the container while taking up the least amount of
horizontal storage space by the container and with a minimal amount
of air inside the container in contact with the food or other
substances.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] An object of the present invention is to provide a series of
horizontally acting pleats to form a bellows section of both a
horizontally size and shape changeable storage container with a
size and shape changeable container opening and a mating size and
shape changeable cover which both expand and contract horizontally
to change the opening to accommodate variously sized and shaped
objects and change the storage space inside to optimize the
interior space and minimize the exterior size of the container to
accommodate various quantities of food or other substances inside
the container while taking up the least amount of horizontal
storage space by the container and with a minimal amount of air
inside the container in contact with the food or other
substances.
[0017] Another related object of the present invention is to
provide accordion pleats over mating sections of both the container
and the cover, each accordion pleat having a different width pair
of accordion walls hinged together so that upon compression each of
the accordion pleats is separately collapsible with the wider width
wall of each of the pleats forcing the narrower width wall to snap
backward internally overlapping the adjacent accordion wall,
thereby collapsing the accordion pleat and locking the accordion
pleat in a closed position and shortening the horizontal length of
the container or cover by the difference in width between the
expanded accordion pleat and the contracted accordion pleat.
[0018] In brief, a plastic food storage container comprises a
container bottom and container cover having mating sections of
horizontally acting individually asymmetrical locking accordion
pleats whereby the container may be horizontally expanded or
collapsed to adjust the size of the container and the container
opening to allow for different sizes and shapes and volumes of food
or other matter stored therein. The present size and shape
changeable storage container with size and shape changeable top
opening and mating size and shape changeable cover expand and
contract horizontally to change the opening and storage space
inside to optimize the interior space and minimize the exterior
size of the container to accommodate various sizes, shapes, and
quantities of food or other substances inside the container while
taking up the least amount of horizontal storage space by the
container and with a minimal amount of air inside the container in
contact with the food or other substances.
[0019] The horizontally acting accordion pleats of both the
container and the cover of the present invention each have a
different width pair of accordion walls hinged together by a living
hinge so that upon compression each of the accordion pleats is
separately contracted snapping into a closed position and upon
pulling apart expanded snapping into an open position thereby
shortening and lengthening the horizontal length of the container,
container opening, and mating cover by the difference in width
between the expanded accordion pleat and the contracted accordion
pleat. The container may be expanded to any desired length in
increments of the difference in width of each accordion pleat
between the expanded and contracted position. Many accordion pleats
creates greater expansion and contraction capability.
[0020] The accordion pleats of the cover are thinner and more
responsive to contraction and expansion pressure so that the cover
will respond to changes in the size of the container and container
opening so that the cover fits securely over the container opening
at any of the incremental lengths of the container and container
opening.
[0021] An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a
storage container which expands and contracts horizontally.
[0022] Another advantage of the present invention is that it can
receive and retain any desired volume over a range of volumes and
any desired size and shape object over a range of shapes based on
the size of the accordion pleat section of the container and cover
and the size of each of the accordion pleats.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] These and other details of my invention will be described in
connection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only
by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and
in which drawings:
[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the expansible and
contractible storage container and cover of the present invention
with the cover aligned for placement on the container;
[0025] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the storage container
of FIG. 1 showing the accordion pleats in a contracted state
including a cross-sectional view of one of the contracted accordion
pleats with the storage container cover of FIG. 1 aligned for
placement on the container;
[0026] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the storage container
and cover of FIG. 1 showing a number of the accordion pleats in an
expanded state with the storage container cover of FIG. 1 aligned
for placement on the container.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0027] In FIGS. 1-3, a size transformable storage device 20 enables
horizontally expanding and contracting the size and shape of a
container 23, a container opening 30, and a mating container cover
21.
[0028] In FIG. 1, a container 23 comprises a bottom 28, side walls
29, and a top opening defined by a common top edge 27 of the side
walls, and a portion of a horizontal section of the bottom and two
opposing side walls formed of a series of container accordion
pleats 22B expansible and contractible in a horizontal direction to
transform the horizontal size and shape of the container and
horizontal size and shape of the top opening 30 in the container to
accommodate a variety of sizes and shapes of external items through
the top opening into the container for storage therein.
[0029] The cover 21 comprises a top surface 19 and a peripheral
edge 26 of the top surface connectable to the top opening 30
securable to the top edge 27 of the walls of the container to close
the container. A portion of a horizontal section of the top surface
and two opposing sides of the peripheral edge formed of a series of
cover accordion pleats 22T expansible and contractible in a
horizontal direction in conformity with the container accordion
pleats 22B to transform the horizontal size and shape of the
peripheral edge 26 of the cover to mate with the top edge 27 of the
walls over the opening 30 in the container to close the container
for any size and shape of the container and any size and shape of
the top opening of the container.
[0030] In FIGS. 1-3, each of the container accordion pleats 22A and
22B of both the cover 21 and the container 23 each comprise a pair
of container accordion walls hinged together by a living hinge or
pair of living hinges, comprising a first container accordion wall
25A and a second container accordion wall 25B. The first container
accordion wall 25A is wider than the second container accordion
wall 25B so that upon compression, each of the container accordion
pleats is separately collapsible with the first container accordion
wall 25A of each of the pleats forcing the second container
accordion wall 25B to snap backward internally, as shown in the
small cross-sectional portion of FIG. 2, overlapping the adjacent
first container accordion wall 25A, thereby collapsing the
container accordion pleat and locking the container accordion pleat
in a closed position and shortening a horizontal length of the
container by a difference in width between the expanded container
accordion pleat and the contracted container accordion pleat. In
FIGS. 1 and 2 the accordion pleats 22A and 22B are all in a
compressed state with the container and cover compressed in size.
In FIG. 2, four of the container pleats on the left of the
container pleat section 22B and four of the cover pleats on the
left of the cover pleat section 22A are expanded to lengthen the
container by the added difference between each of the expanded and
contracted pleats.
[0031] The container 23 and cover 21 are expansible and
contractible to any desired length in increments of the difference
in width of each of the container accordion pleats between the
expanded and contracted position. Changing the number of container
accordion pleats changes the size of contraction and expansion of
the container.
[0032] The cover accordion walls are structurally less rigid than
the container accordion walls, because of differences in wall
thickness or differences in hinge thickness, so that contracting
and expanding the container accordion pleats causes the contracting
and expanding of the cover accordion pleats with the cover in place
on the container to maintain the cover to be the same size as the
top opening of the container.
[0033] In use, the covered container cannot be air-tight, otherwise
it could not contract. There may be an air hole in the lid
somewhere. To wash the container and cover, they should be fully
extended. To secure the cover 21 on the container 23, the container
is fully extended with the cover on and secured, and both cover 21
and container 23 contracted as a single unit.
[0034] It is understood that the preceding description is given
merely by way of illustration and not in limitation of the
invention and that various modifications may be made thereto
without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.
* * * * *