FR2628066A1 - Flexible storage container - has cylindrical body with side walls and base having concertina folds and inherent self supporting stiffness - Google Patents

Abstract

The flexible storage container (1) has a cylindrical side wall (2) which is self-supporting when extended to any required dimension. The side wall may be constructed as a concertine with horizontal fold lines or with axial fold lines and a base with concentric fold lines. Respectively, these two types of container may be extended axially or radially to accomodate a vairable volume. The material of construction e.g. polyethylene, lined paper or cardboard is chosen to have sufficient inherent stiffness to provide the self supporting characteristics required. ADVANTAGE - The flexible container may be extended or compressed to the minimum volume required thus maximising storage space.

Description

(FRENCH REPUBLIC Publication No. 2,628,066 (to be used only

  for INSTITUTE NATIONAL Reproduction Orders)

OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

  National Registration No .: 88 02643 PARIS

Q Int C14: B 65 D 21/08, 25/34.

APPLICATION FOR PATENT OF INVENTION A1

  () Filing date: March 2, 1988. Q Applicant (s): Patrick GUEDJ. - FR.

( Priority

Q Inventor (s): Patrick Guedj.

  4 Date of the public availability of the

  BOPI application "Patents" No. 36 of 8 September 1989.

  _ References to other national documents appearing

  (Holder (s): Q Representative (s)

(Container with self-supporting wall.

  The invention relates to a container comprising a wall x

freestanding attic.

  This container is characterized in that the side wall 1 is

  made of a semi-rigid material and has a configura-

  extendable accordion perpendicular to the fold lines 2, the wall having a rigidity to be self-supporting to

each extension state.

  The invention can be used to manufacture containers of

variable volume.

  The invention relates to a container, in particular a plastic container, comprising a self-supporting side wall and a wall.

background.

  Containers of this type, which are known, have the major disadvantage to have a shape and a volume determined once and for all during their manufacture. Thus, in cases where the necessary storage volume varies, it is necessary to have several containers of different volume, be content with a single container of a large volume which will then be generally oversized,

and so too bulky.

  Containers are known in the form of bags or bags made of a flexible plastic material, which is filled to the desired degree and then forms. These containers have the disadvantage that they do not have a self-supporting structure and are 'an aspect

  unsightly, which limits their possibility of use.

  The object of the invention is to propose a container which does not have the abovementioned disadvantages and has a structure

  freestanding while being of a variable volume.

  To achieve this purpose, a container, according to the invention, is characterized in that its side wall is made of a semi-rigid material and has an accordion configuration extensible perpendicular to the fold lines of the wall, the latter having a sufficient rigidity to be self-supporting

each extension state.

  According to an advantageous characteristic of a first mode

  of embodiment, the fold lines extend substantially perpendicularly

  lightly to the longitudinal axis of the container.

  According to a characteristic of a second mode of

  In this invention, the folds extend substantially perpendicularly

  lair to the longitudinal axis of the container.

  The invention will be better understood, and other purposes,

  characteristics, details and advantages of it will appear more

  clearly in the explanatory description which will follow

  made with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings

  By way of example illustrating two embodiments of the invention, and in which: FIG 1 is a perspective view, partially cut away of a first embodiment of a container according to the invention; FIG 2 is a perspective view, with partial cutaway of a second embodiment of a container according to the invention; FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the line III-III of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of another

  embodiment of a bottom of the extensible container.

  In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the container comprises a lateral wall 1 of substantially circular cross section, which has a configuration

  accordion, whose folding lines 2 extend perpendicularly

  to the longitudinal axis X-X of the container.

  The bottom 3 has a fixed circular shape. It can be rigid or flexible.

  The container thus formed is variable in height by simple extension.

  compression or compression in the direction of the X-X axis.

  To retain its shape after such deformation, the side wall 3 is made of a semi-rigid or semi-flexible material advantageously a semi-rigid plastic material such as an elastomeric material containing, where appropriate, a stiffening charge

according to any known method.

  The wall could also be made of a thermoformed polyethylene

appropriate.

  In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the container comprises at its upper end a flat annular zane provided with

  handle elements 4 formed by recesses.

  The container may be formed in one piece or be obtained by assembling, for example, a sidewall portion and a bottom portion. In the figure, the container is

substantially cylindrical firm.

  But we could also give it a slightly conical shape going wider or narrowing upwards. This would, by an appropriate choice of the material constituting the container, to reduce the height thereof to its most compressed state, the various elements of accordion can then be

  place next to each other.

  Of course, the pitch of the accordion structure could vary on the height of the container, as well as its deformability, by

  example by varying the thickness of the wall.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG.

  the folding line: 5 of the accordion parbi extending sensitively

  parallel to the X-X axis of the container, the volume is

  thus variable by variation of the diameter of the container.

  The bottom 7 can be made to be flexible, foldable and unfoldable according to Figure 3, or also has a structure

  accordion with concentric fold lines, like -

Figure 4 illustrates this.

  The second embodiment also makes it possible to give the

  wall of different and non-circular forms.

REVEINDICATIONS,

  1) Container comprising a self-supporting side park,

  characterized in that the side wall (1) is made of a semi-

  rigid and has a perpendicular extensible accordion configuration

  to the fold lines (2; 5), the wall having a rigidity to be self-supporting at each extension state. 2) Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the fold lines (2) extend substantially horizontally. 3, Container according to claim 1,

  characterized in that the fold lines (5) extend substantially parallel

  to the longitudinal axis (X-X) of the container.

  4) Container according to claim 3,

  characterized in that the bottom (7) presented is flexible and presents a

  deformable figuration provided with concentric folding zones.

  ) Co.tair.er according to claim 3, characterized in that the bottom has an accordion configuration of which

  the fold lines extend concentrically.

  C) Container according to one of the preceding claims,

  characterized in that a self-supporting accordion-shaped wall is

  made of an elastomeric material containing, where appropriate, a

gidifiante.

  7) Container according to one of the preceding claims,

  characterized in that a self-supporting accordion wall is made in one

thermoformable polyethylene.

  8) Côtainer according to one of the preceding claims,

  characterized in that an accordion-free wall is made of

  cardboard or paper, if necessary covered with a layer of plastic material.

  9) Container according to claim 8, characterized in that the plastic covering layer is

  made of a material that stiffens the cardboard or paper structure.

2 628066

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