US20100187255A1

US20100187255A1 - Flexible tubular container with tear-off structure

Info

Publication number: US20100187255A1
Application number: US12/358,259
Authority: US
Inventors: Wen-Kui Hsu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-01-23
Filing date: 2009-01-23
Publication date: 2010-07-29

Abstract

A flexible tubular container includes a hollow, flexible tubular body having an outer circumferential surface in which a circumferential tear-off indentation mark line is formed to divide the flexible tubular body into a head section and a tail section. When contents of the flexible tubular body is squeezed to the last stage, the flexible tubular body can be forcibly twisted to tear the flexible tubular body along the tear-off indentation mark line for separating the head section from the tail section to allow further removal of the contents. The flexible tubular body further forms a splitting indentation mark line in the outer circumferential face of the tail section to allow the tail section to be further torn to form an expanded protection cap for covering the separated head section for protection against contamination of the contents caused by external dusts and foreign objects.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a flexible tubular container, and in particular to a flexible tubular container that is provided with a circumferential tear-off indentation mark line that allows for tearing off the flexible tubular body by direct hand twisting so that the residual contents can be further removed and used.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

In the experience of regular use of a flexible tubular container, such as that containing tooth paste, facial cream, hair conditioner, or even medicine paste, the operation of squeezing is done by holding and squeezing the container with one hand and using the other hand to pick up the contents that is squeezed out of the container. However, to the last stage of squeezing the contents, a small amount of residual contents is not easy, or even impossible, to be squeezed out of the container. Some people may thus directly dispose of the container that still contains some minor amount of the contents, others may select to cut off the flexible tubular container with a knife or a pair of scissors in order to further remove the residual contents from the container. This is inconvenient and troublesome. Thus, it is desired to have a flexible tubular container that overcomes the above problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above discussed problem, the present inventor, based on years' experience in development and design of various products, conducts extensive study and research to invent a flexible tubular container with a tear-off structure, which surely achieves desired functions and will be further described hereinafter.
Thus, an objective of the present invention is to provide a flexible tubular container with a tear-off structure that comprises a flexible tubular body having a circumferential outer surface in which a circumferential tear-off indentation mark line is formed to divide the tubular body into a head section and a tail section, whereby when the contents of the container is squeezed to the last stage, the flexible tubular body can be directly twisted to tear off the flexible tubular body to allow further removal of the contents from the separated head section. No scissors or cutter is needed in cutting off the flexible tubular body thereby simplifying the tearing-off operation.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a flexible tubular container with a tear-off structure that forms a splitting indentation mark line in the tail section so that the tail section can be further torn and make flaring to form an expanded protection cap for covering the separated head section for protection against contamination of the contents caused by external dusts and foreign objects.
The foregoing objective and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a front view, partly broken, of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 schematically shows tearing-off of the present invention.

FIG. 6 schematically shows a protection cap that covers a head section of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Referring to FIGS. 1-6, the present invention provides a flexible tubular container with a tear-off structure, which comprises a hollow, flexible tubular body (10) having an outer circumferential surface in which a circumferential tear-off indentation mark line (11) is formed, at a predetermined, suitable position along an axial direction, to divide the flexible tubular body (10) into a head section (12) and a tail section (13), whereby when contents (21) received in the flexible tubular body (10) is squeezed to the last stage, a user may directly hand twist the flexible tubular body (10) to tear the flexible tubular body (10) along the tear-off indentation mark line (11) for separating the head section (12) from the tail section (13) thereby allowing further removal of the contents (21) that remains residual inside the head section (12) through a torn-off opening (111) for further use of the contents.
Further, the flexible tubular body (10) further and selectively forms one of more splitting indentation mark lines (14) in the outer circumferential face of the tail section (13) of the flexible tubular body (10) to allow the tail section (13) to be further torn and made flaring outward to form an expanded protection cap (131) for covering the separated head section (12) for protection against contamination of the contents (21) caused by external dusts and foreign objects. Thus, the value of the flexible tubular body (10) can be enhanced.
The circumferential tear-off indentation mark line (11) and splitting indentation mark line (14) can both be comprised of a plurality of recessed marks that is of a predetermined length and is arranged to be spaced by a predetermined spacing.
Or alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, the circumferential tear-off indentation mark line (11) and splitting indentation mark line (14) may selectively made up of a continuous recessed mark.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flexible tubular container, comprising a hollow, flexible tubular body having an outer circumferential surface in which a circumferential tear-off indentation mark line is formed to divide the flexible tubular body into a head section and a tail section, whereby when contents of the flexible tubular body is squeezed to a last stage, a user may hand twist the flexible tubular body to tear the flexible tubular body along the tear-off indentation mark line for separating the head section from the tail section for further removing the contents from the head section, the flexible tubular body further and selectively forming a splitting indentation mark line in the outer circumferential face of the tail section of the flexible tubular body to allow the tail section to be further torn to form an expanded protection cap for covering the separated head section for protection against contamination of the contents caused by external dusts and foreign objects.

2. The flexible tubular container according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential tear-off indentation mark line and splitting indentation mark line are selectively comprised of a plurality of recessed marks that is of a predetermined length and is arranged to be spaced by a predetermined spacing.

3. The flexible tubular container according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential tear-off indentation mark line and splitting indentation mark line are selectively made up of a continuous recessed mark.