CA2645002A1 - Collapsible bottle - Google Patents

Abstract

The Collapsible Bottle is a collapsible, disposable container (i.e., bottle) that is approved for contact with foods and beverages. The bottle comprises five main parts: top section, middle section, base section, plastic bladder, and twist/snap-on cap.

In a collapsible bottle, the assembly comprises multiple sections within sections. Each section is narrower at the top and wider at the bottom (by approximately 3 degrees). A downward force applied to the top of the assembly causes one section to begin to slide in to another section. Each section collapses downward until it reaches a natural stopping point (the sections fit into each other when fully collapsed). If the downward force is continued, then all sections collapse fully.

Description

Main Assembly Components There are five (5) main parts and features comprising the collapsible bottle assembly:
1. Top Section This section features a covered top portion with integrated threaded spout that receives a twist cap (normal twist, flip lid, kicker valve, etc.), a plastic bladder connected below the neck of the spout, and an uncovered bottom portion to mate with the section below it. At the bottom part of the top section are four locking rings used to slide into built-in tracks connecting the top section to the middle section.
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Figure 2: Top Section NOTE: The top section has one additional feature to guide the user to the location on the bottle to apply downward force. The reason being is that it might be possible for the user to apply downward force to one side of the bottle causing a jam. This problem can occur because the pawls are not catching equal number of teeth on all four sides of the section below. Now if too much unbalanced force is applied to one side of the top section it might cause one of the pawls to break. To heJp prevent this problem an indentation representing thumbs placement should be put on either side of the spout in order to guide the user to the ideal location on the bottle where force is to be applied for equal distribution. When force is applied to the said location the pawls catch on the track equally and the sections slide into one another effectively.

2. Middle Section This section features an uncovered top and uncovered bottom portion to fit over and mate with the sections above and below. Four channeled tracks are built-in into the middle section. Each track is designed to slide into the self-locking ring from the section above it.

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f ' I / 4 i., Figure 3: Middle Section NOTE: Multiple middle sections may be stacked to increase the height of the collapsible bottle assembly, increasing its container volume.

3. Base Section This section features an uncovered top portion with covered base portion to mate with the section above; all sections are stacked one on top of the other. The base portion acts as a container to receive the plastic bladder as the bottle is collapsing. The plastic bladder compresses (folds) into the base; hence the base has a bottom portion but no top portion. Four tracks are built in to the base section. Each track is designed to slide into the self-locking ring from the section above it.

Figure 4: Base Section

4 As the bottle assembly is sitting atop a surface (e.g., table), assuming the spout is uncapped, the user applies equal force (using his two thumbs) to the top of the bottle assembly, causing the sections to begin collapsing; the bladder folds on itself and the sections are mated into one pile (like a stack of pylons). The result is a much smaller volume of space.

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Figure 5: View of Collapsed Sections 4. Plastic Bladder This section features a flexible plastic membrane built inside the bottle assembly, which acts as a bladder to contain food, beverages, and other fluids. The plastic used for the bladder must be approved for contact with food and beverages. The bladder membrane shall be uniformly thick and sealed to the top section (under and around the spout) and the bottom section (around the center).
When the bottle is fully extended, the bladder membrane fully fills the inside contour of the bottle assembly. As the bottle begins collapsing, the membrane begins folding on itself (assuming enough pressure has been evacuated, e.g., pouring out some contents, or relieving the gas pressure). When the bottle is fully collapsed, the bladder membrane is substantially folded on itself, thus reducing its volume. The self-locking rings would prevent the bottle from expanding upward.

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S s Figure 6: Plastic Bladder

5. Twist/Snap-on Cap The top section of the collapsible bottle has threading built in to the spout in order to support a variety of cap configurations (depending on the user's application). For example, it could be a standard twist cap for home/office use, flip top or kicker valve for sports use, etc.
Threading a cap over the spout forms an airtight seal. For added safety, a twist cap safety seal may be added to prevent tampering.
Built-in Tracks Each bottle section features four built-in channels. each containing a raised track using a form similar to a wide flange I-beam. A self-locking ring slides into the track of the section below it. The ring is secured around the inside edge of the outer track preventing slippage. At the top-center of the raised track is a grooved channel containing a series of beveled saw teeth. Each tooth protrudes upward at an angle.

Along the length of a bottle section, the height of the track rises gradually (taller at the bottom), in order to prevent a section from locking prematurely as it slides the full length of the track.

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Figure 7: Built-in Tracks NOTE: The four channeled tracks are placed equidistantly around the periphery of each section (i.e., top, middle, and base) to ensure its rigidity.

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Figure 8: View of Four Tracks on Periphery of Bottle Self-Locking Feature This feature consists of a ring containing a locking pawl that fits tightly around the built-in track (A), allowing a unidirectional movement of the section (all four self-locking rings move in tandem when downward force is applied equally to the top of the bottle assembly). The pawl (B) functions like a standard self-locking wire tie; the self-locking ring advances, but cannot reverse. This locking mechanism is unidirectional, and strong enough to resist upward force.
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Figure 9: Self-Locking Feature

8 Round and Elliptical Designs In addition to the square design given above, there are round and elliptical designs*. They are almost identical to the square design in terms of top section, middle section, base section, plastic bladder, and twist/snap-on cap. The main differences are the shape of the bottle and the number of tracks.

*NOTE: The shape of the collapsible bottle is not limited to the square, round, and elliptical designs presented in this document. The bottle can be produced in any shape that may be required.

Round Design d Figure 10: Round Design: Expanded and Collapsed Views

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Claims