CN1017231B

CN1017231B - Squeezable fluid container

Info

Publication number: CN1017231B
Application number: CN89108737A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 福里德·L·比尔曼; 马斯·D·扎米森; 鲁塞尔·B·沃卡特利
Original assignee: Eminem Parke Co; SC Johnson Home Storage Inc
Current assignee: Eminem Parke company
Priority date: 1988-11-23
Filing date: 1989-11-23
Publication date: 1992-07-01
Also published as: CA2003024A1; BR8907198A; DK174290D0; ATE108397T1; AU615362B2; JPH0818622B2; EP0397852B1; DK174290A; CN1042878A; EP0397852A4; AU4662189A; KR970010225B1; DE68916786D1; JPH03505322A; PH26249A; AR245063A1; PT92385A; NO903274L; CA2003024C; NZ231464A

Abstract

An improvement in certain types of fluid containers is disclosed. The improvement is particularly directed to a certain type of squeezable fluid container that is made of a flexible plastic material. Such a fluid container defines a longitudinal axis and a cavity for containing a dispensable fluid. The fluid container has flexible side walls, a sealed bottom, a pair of spaced-apart sealed deformable side-edge margins, and a sealed deformable upper-edge margin which is unitary with an upper-edge portion of each of the side-edge margins and which defines a fluid-discharge passageway that communicates with the fluid cavity. The improvement comprises an indent, defined by at least one of the side-edge margins, for dividing the fluid cavity into two fluid chambers along the longitudinal axis. The two chambers are in fluid communication with each other. One of the two fluid chambers is located adjacent to, and is in fluid communicaton with, the fluid passageway. The transverse cross-sectional area of the one fluid chamber, which is in fluid communication with the fluid passageway, is greater than the transverse cross-sectional area of the fluid cavity in the vicinity of the indent. The indent is so located relative to the upper-edge margin that fluid communication between the fluid passageway and the one fluid chamber adjacent thereto is maintained when application of a predetermined fluid-discharging squeezing pressure upon the fluid container sidewalls causes deformation of the container side-edge margin in the vicinity of the indent.

Description

Squeezable fluid container

The present invention relates generally to squeezable fluid container, particularly relate to the improvement that has flexible sealing upper limb and lateral edges and in flexible upper limb, limit the squeezable fluid container of a fluid drainage channel the sort of.

The customer in many modern times is ready to use flexible plastic container for various reasons, and is reluctant to use traditional inflexibility container, as glass bottle or can.

Under inappropriate condition, glass bottle through regular meeting break, cracked, fragmentation or explosion.In a single day and many cans are difficult to open sometimes, even open, also can have sharp-pointed edge or burr.

In addition, the fluid of some thickness compares easier pouring out from similar glass bottle of shape or can as catsup and some salad dressing from flexibility or plastic container.And the customer can take out than the more residual fluid that can take out from some identical inflexibility container of volume from flexible or squeezable plastic container.In addition, under some storage condition, flexible cell can be squeezed and is put in the less corner or slit, and the inflexibility fluid container of analogous shape is then not all right.Therefore at last, because the flexible plastic container after using up is than some can and the easier compacting of most glass container, the flexible plastic container of sky is disposed easily, and this is the key factor that the customer considers when the product of which kind of trade mark is bought in decision sometimes.

According to the demand of customer for the flexiplast fluid container, designed various special uses and flexiplast fluid container that have required characteristics, below will introduce this.

For example, grant Kai Pulan people such as (Kaplan) No. 24251 U.S. second edition patent disclosure a kind of fluid dispenser container, this container is made by the two sheets of flexible plastics, is used for the splendid attire certain amount of fluid.It is said that this container is particularly suitable for loading and transporting under air-proof condition, and be provided with a drawstring, so that open container along the one end.After this drawstring was torn, drawstring itself can be used to distribute from container certain amount of fluid, only needed to apply on container side wall a predetermined fluid dispense pressure this moment.Also please referring to No. 4717046 US Patent of authorizing Brogli.

Yet not all flexiplast fluid container all resembles people such as Kai Pulan and one is made and at edge's involution by two layers of plastic disclosed.For example in authorizing No. 2517027 US Patent of Rodo, disclose a kind of folding tubular container, it is used for the such viscous fluid of splendid attire ointment.

Authorize Blang (Brown) No. 3278085 U.S. Patent Publication the tear-off seal band of another kind of form, this patent disclosure a kind of cystic container that it is said resealable.This container is also referred to as the bag packing, and it can be out of shape, and generally is used for some liquid of splendid attire, distribution and reservation, semiliquid, ointment and analogue.

In addition, authorize Eisenberg No. 3473532 U.S. Patent Publication a kind of pocket type flexiplast fluid container that has the self sealss check valve.After this container is opened, flexible plastic container detention automatically fluid wherein, this important design philosophy is also embodied in following US Patent: No. 3815794 and No. 3878977 patents of authorizing Carlisle, authorize people's such as Nishimura No. 3904107 patents, authorize No. 4163509 and No. 4312689 patents of Amneus, and No. 4252257 patent of authorizing Herzig.

Utilization applies suitable pressure and design plan that original sealed fluid flow discharge-channel is opened to the sidewall of flexiplast fluid container, is authorizing No. 3913789 of Miller and is authorizing Hollander, Jr.No. 4537308 US Patent in can find.Just can not open the design plan of original sealed fluid flow discharge-channel and do not need to exert pressure, authorize No. 3917116 of Mason and authorizing in No. 4491245 US Patent of Jamison and can see yet to the sidewall of fluid container.

Simplifying general design also is an important design philosophy, particularly particularly like this when wishing the manufacturing cost of each flexiplast fluid container of reduction.Like this, in the time will making the fluid container of fluid discharge unit with necking down (as authorize No. 3815794 of Carlisle and No. 3878977 and authorize No. 4163509 US Patent of Amneus disclosed), in most of the cases all wish to produce roughly rectangular flexiplast fluid container.This shape can reduce the consumption of materials and the productive costs of each flexiplast fluid container really.No. 24251 U.S.'s second edition patent of authorizing people such as Kaplan is all roughly rectangular with No. 4491245 disclosed flexiplast fluid container of US Patent authorizing Jamison.Regrettably, in this flexiplast fluid container, unsuitable container deformation will disturb required fluid discharging.

For example, in some flexiplast fluid container, for example the sort of have flexible sidewall, osed top bottom, separately and deformable lateral edges and one fuse with each lateral edges and limit in the container of deformable upper limb of a fluid drainage channel, the distortion of upper rim that limits fluid drainage channel is in generation when fluid container is exerted pressure.This distortion is understood limit fluid usually and is flow through discharge-channel, brings worry to the user thus.In addition, according to the shape of concrete fluid passage, this distortion significantly reduces effective fluid emission index of container sometimes, and the reduction of this fluid emission index just gets fluid container and can not make the best use of everything.The present invention will address this problem just.

The present invention relates generally to the improvement of the flexiplast fluid container of some type is particularly related to the improvement to squeezable container.This squeezable vessel has the flexible sidewall of the inner chamber that is defined for the assignable fluid of splendid attire, a bottom, a pair of have deformable lateral edges spacing, that extend in outer rim, with, a deformable upper limb that extend in outer rim, this upper limb and lateral edges fuse and limit a fluid passage, and this passage roughly is snakelike and is communicated with described fluid inner chamber.Wherein, upper limb is tending towards blocking connection between fluid passage and fluid inner chamber near the distortion the serpentine fluid passage.It is characterized in that: described container also has the reducing that is limited by a lateral edges that extends in outer rim at least, this reducing has a preset distance from upper limb, when imposing on the predetermined squeese pressure of the fluid of inner chamber splendid attire by container side wall a lateral edges is deformed at (rather than near serpentine fluid passage) near the reducing with box lunch, thereby by container side wall when the fluid of inner chamber splendid attire applies predetermined squeese pressure, keep the fluid between serpentine fluid passage and fluid inner chamber to be communicated with.

In a most preferred embodiment,

Described reducing is used for the fluid inner chamber is divided into two fluid chamber along the longitudinal axis.

Two fluid chamber's fluid communication with each other, one of them chamber near the fluid passage in the upper container edge and with this fluid passage in fluid communication.Bigger at the cross-sectional area of reducing place with the cross-sectional area of the chamber of this fluid passage in fluid communication than fluid cavity.

Reducing is to determine like this with respect to the position of upper container edge: when the predetermined discharging squeese pressure on being applied to container side wall deforms upper container edge near reducing, can keep the fluid passage and with it the fluid between the fluid chamber of adjacency be communicated with.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be discussed in the description to several preferred embodiments of the present invention below.

Fig. 1 is the transparent view of an embodiment of fluid container of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is another transparent view of container shown in Figure 1, shows near the distortion situation of lateral edges reducing when applying predetermined fluid discharging squeese pressure to container side wall;

Fig. 3 is the part front elevation of another embodiment of fluid container of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is the part front elevation of another embodiment of fluid container of the present invention;

Fig. 5 to Figure 10 is one group of view, schematic representation the embodiment of fluid container illustrated in figures 1 and 2 how to make;

Figure 11 is the front elevation of another embodiment of fluid container of the present invention;

Figure 12 is the front elevation of another embodiment of fluid container of the present invention;

Figure 13 is the front elevation of the another embodiment of fluid container of the present invention;

Figure 14 is the front elevation of an embodiment again of fluid container of the present invention;

Figure 15 is the preceding section-drawing of another embodiment of fluid container of the present invention;

Figure 16 is the front elevation of an embodiment again of fluid container of the present invention;

Figure 17 is the part front elevation of the another embodiment of fluid container of the present invention;

Figure 18 is the front elevation of another embodiment of fluid container of the present invention;

Figure 19 is the diagrammatic sketch how a schematic representation makes container shown in Figure 12;

Figure 20 is the lateral plan of seeing along direction shown in the arrow 14-14 of container shown in Figure 16.

In institute's drawings attached, identical label is represented identical part.

Referring to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, they show the embodiment of flexiplast fluid container 20a of the present invention earlier.Container 20a limits a longitudinal axis X-X, it comprises a upright closed base or bottom 24a, flexible sidewall 26a, a pair of deformable lateral edges 28a of leak free and 29a and deformable sealing upper limb 30a that spacing is arranged, and the top portion of upper limb 30a and each lateral edges 28a and 29a fuses.Upper limb 30a limits a fluid passage 32a.

Figure 15 shows one other fluid container 20b of the present invention.Container 20b is similar to container 20a, but it is the envelope shape, and its bottom 24b seals up along bottom seam 25.

20a is similar with container, and the sidewall of container 20b defines an inner chamber 34 that is used for the assignable fluid F of splendid attire.This point can be seen the most clearly from the Figure 15 that intercepts along longitudinal axis X-X.Container 20b has a deformable sealing upper limb 30b, and upper limb 30b and deformable lateral edges 28b and 29b fuse.On top the fluid passage 32b that forms among the edge 30b is communicated with (seeing Figure 15) with fluid inner chamber 34.

Lateral edges 28b and 29b define reducing 38a and 39a, are used for inner chamber 34 is divided into two fluid chamber 40 and 42(sees Figure 15 along longitudinal axis X-X).In the fluid chamber 40 and 42 one promptly goes up fluid chamber 40, also is in fluid communication with it near fluid passage 32b.The cross-sectional area of chamber 40 (cross-sectional area vertical with longitudinal axis X-X) is bigger than the cross-sectional area of the inner chamber 34 at reducing 38a and 39a place.

Reducing 38a and 39a are to determine like this with respect to the position of upper limb 30a:

When the predetermined fluid discharging squeese pressure on being applied to container side wall deforms vessel side edge 28b and 29b near reducing 38a and 39a, still can keep fluid passage 32a and the fluid connecting relation (see figure 2) between the fluid chamber 40 of adjacency with it.

Fluid container shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 only has a reducing.Unique reducing 38a can be provided with (see figure 3) away from fluid passage 32a, and perhaps unique reducing 39a also can be provided with (see figure 4) near fluid passage 32a.

According to the present invention, the shape of reducing can be various.For example, vessel side edge 28a and 29a can limit and be roughly semi-round reducing 38a ' and 39a ' (seeing Figure 11), square or rectangle reducing 38b and 39b(and see Figure 12) and triangle reducing 38e and 39e(see Figure 13) or the like.

In addition, limiting reducing 38c and the lateral edges 28c of 39c and the part of 29c can advance (as shown in figure 14) to convex.

As shown in figure 11, be positioned at reducing 38a ' and 39a ' on the container both sides of the edge, according to principle of the present invention, the distance apart from upper limb 30a can be more or less different each other.

As top briefly mentioned, have a base 24a as the fluid container 20a of one embodiment of the present of invention, it can make container freely stand or uprightly place (seeing Fig. 1 and Fig. 2).

Referring now to Fig. 5 to Figure 10, come brief description how to manufacture this fluid container.At first be with in the flexiplast length of vertically placing and make a transverse creases 46 and two counter flanges 48 on 44, counter flange 48 is positioned at the both sides of crease 46 and makes two opposite end portions of long plastic tape 44 abut one another (see figure 6).Then, will be in the (see figure 7) of getting up of pair of lower edge 50 closures between crease 46 and the counter flange 48, again with another to the lower edge 51 closure (see figure 8) of getting up similarly, thereby with base seal.The following portion 52 of osed top lateral edges is thus further sealed, to make the base (see figure 1) that an energy is freely stood.Then lateral edges is sealed and pours into to container the assignable fluid of scheduled volume.At last, with top seal, form the upper limb (see figure 10) that limits fluid drainage channel.Just can make a kind of top by this way and generally (see Figure 11-Figure 14) than bottom fluid container wide, that can freely stand.

In some cases, it is very favourable that fluid container as far as possible closely stack each other, and this just wishes that fluid container is seen from the front and be roughly rectangle, as shown in figure 18.Those skilled in the art will understand, when making this container, just be unwell to the long flexiplast band that is roughly rectangle, and should with the sort of near crease 46 and flanging 48 plastic tape (as shown in figure 19) of wider width.

As brief description, fluid container of the present invention needn't leave no choice but have the base that can freely stand, and it can have only a simple sealed bottom, as Figure 15 and embodiment shown in Figure 16.In fact, for convenience's sake, flexiplast fluid container of the present invention be easy to be done quite thin (Figure 20) so that in the user's that can pack into easily the pocket or lady's wallet.

An embodiment of the flexiplast fluid container of this envelope shape of the present invention comprises that two-layer flexiplast layer 56, lateral edges 28d and 29d and the upper limb 30d(that is sealed along its bottom margin 58 sees Figure 16 to Figure 20).Lateral edges 28d and 29d limit reducing 38d and 39d.Upper limb 30d limits a fluid drainage channel 32d.Two plastic layers 56 limit the inner chamber of a splendid attire fluid.An inner chamber 34 in this envelope shape fluid container has been shown among Figure 11.

Those skilled in the art can the convection cell discharge-channel general shape and diameter carry out various design alternatives.For example, the diameter of fluid drainage channel can smaller (as shown in figure 15), also can bigger (as shown in figure 17), perhaps moderate (as shown in figure 16).In addition, the end that fluid drainage channel is communicated with the upper chamber of fluid inner chamber can be provided with (as shown in figure 15) along longitudinal axis X-X, perhaps with respect to this longitudinal axis biasing (as Figure 16 and shown in Figure 17).

Usually, the shaping of upper limb is wanted and the fluid discharge end of fluid drainage channel can be sealed up.For example again referring to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2,32a(sees Fig. 2 when fluid drainage channel) in pressure when reaching predetermined value, original sealed fluid flow discharge end 64a will break.Specifically, when the pressure among the fluid drainage channel 32a reached this value, fluid discharge end 64a just opened.This rupturable sealing is well-known in the art, for example referring to authorizing Hollander, No. 4537308 US Patent of Jr..

Under the other situation,, require upper limb 30d is cut away (as Figure 16 and shown in Figure 17) along an indication line of cut 66 in order to open the sealed fluid flow discharge-channel.

And under some other situation, wishing so to form upper limb 30b, that is: upper limb 30b not only limits fluid drainage channel 32b, and limits a tear-open pull head 68.Specifically, preferably also on top process a line of weakness 70 on the edge 30b,, can easily pull head 68 be shut down (along line of weakness 70) from the remainder of upper limb 30b, as shown in figure 15 so that when opening the fluid discharge end 64b of fluid drainage channel 32b.

Above diagram and explanation to several be fit to by flexiplast make, the improvement of squeezable fluid container.Although these improvement are illustrated and illustrate that the present invention is not limited to this in conjunction with several preferred embodiments.Specifically, above-mentioned explanation and embodiment only are exemplary, rather than restrictive.Therefore for a person skilled in the art, after having read above-mentioned explanation, can be easy to change and make other modification with structure or mechanical equivalent.So, as long as changing, change and revise, these fall in the protection domain of the application's claim, all will be considered to belong to a part of the present invention.

Claims

1, a kind of squeezable container (20a), the flexible sidewall (26a) that comprises the inner chamber (34) that limits the assignable fluid of splendid attire (F), a bottom (24a), a pair of have a spacing, extend in outer rim, deformable lateral edges (28a, 29a), with one extend in outer rim, deformable upper limb (30a), described upper limb (30a) and described lateral edges (28a, 29a) fuse and limit one and be communicated with described inner chamber (34), roughly be snakelike fluid passage (32a), wherein near the distortion the serpentine fluid passage (32a) of upper limb (30a) is tending towards blocking the fluid connection between fluid passage (32a) and the inner chamber (34), it is characterized in that: described container (20a) also comprises the lateral edges (28a that is extended in outer rim by at least one, 29a) reducing (the 38a of Xian Dinging, 39a), reducing (38a, 39a) with upper limb (30a) at a distance of a preset distance, when applying predetermined squeese pressure with the fluid (F) of box lunch by container side wall (26a) splendid attire in inner chamber, can make a lateral edges (28a, 29a) at reducing (38a, 39a), rather than near serpentine fluid passage (32a), deform, thus when the fluid (F) by container side wall (26a) splendid attire in inner chamber applies predetermined squeese pressure, keep serpentine fluid passage (32a) to be communicated with fluid between the inner chamber (34).

2, according to the container of claim I, it is characterized in that: container (20a) is a kind of flexiplast fluid container, and wherein the bottom of fluid container (20a) limits the base that can freely stand (24a).

3, according to the container of claim 1 or 2, it is characterized in that; Described reducing (38a, 39a) is molded on two lateral edges (28a, 29a) of container (20a).

4, according to the container of claim 3, it is characterized in that: the reducing (38a ') in the described reducing and the upper limb (30a) of container (20a) are at a distance of a preset distance, and this distance is less than the distance of another reducing (39a ') apart from described upper limb (30a).

5, according to the container of claim 1, it is characterized in that: described reducing (38a, 39a) is semicircular in shape (38a ', 39a '), square or rectangle (38b, 39b) or triangle (38e, 39e) roughly.

6, according to the container of claim 1, it is characterized in that: (38c 39c) stretches in the reducing (38a, 39a) sub-fraction of lateral edges (28c, 29c) next-door neighbour's reducing (38a, 39a).