US2682355A

US2682355A - Dispensing tube collapsible by bellows-like action

Info

Publication number: US2682355A
Application number: US252691A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ernest B Robbins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-10-23
Filing date: 1951-10-23
Publication date: 1954-06-29
Anticipated expiration: 1971-06-29

Description

June 29, 1954 B. ROBBINS 2,682,355

DISPENSING TUBE COLLAPSIBLE BY BELLOWS-LIKE ACTION Filed Oct. 23, 1951 S & INVENTOR.

ERNEST B EcBi-IME Patented June 29, 1954 DISPENSING TUBE COLLAPSIBLE BY BELLOWS- LIKE ACTION Ernest B. Robbins, Stratton, Maine Application October-23, 1951, Serial No. 252,691

1 Claim. 1 This invention relates to dispensing tubes-or containers for such materials as tooth-paste, shaving cream or the like. More particularly,

the invention has reference to a contai-neriallingwithin the category-referredto, and formed to -a bellows-like configuration to facilitate the -dis- 'pensing of the contents.

Conventionall pastes, compoundscreams-orliquids contained within dispensing tubes are merchandised in metallic tubes having collapsible side walls. Dispensing containers soiormed have certain deficiencies, however, in that they tend to become wrinkled, punctured, and unsightly.

Further, the material cf'which they are formed is relatively expensive and tends to become critical during times of national stress.

The main object of the present invention, accordingly, is to provide adispensing containercollapsible by a bellows-like action, so as to force the contents thereof from its discharge orifice with considerable ease.

Another important object'is to provide a bellows-like dispenser which can be formed wholly from plastic or other non-critical materials.

In carrying out a still further object'oi'the invention, I propose to provide a container of the type stated which will be attractive in appearance at all times, and will be so formed as toeIiminate or at least materially reduce the possibility'of its:

being accidentally punctured Other objects will appear from the :following description, the claims appended thereto, and fromtheannexed drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a dispensing container formed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line 5--5 of Figure 2 showing a preferred form of valve; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view on line 6--6 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the container formed in accordance with the present invention includes a pair of identically shaped, oppositely arranged, main walls [2. These are formed, preferably, from flat, relatively stiff pieces of plastic or other material having similar characteristics.

Each of the main walls i2 is of generally elongated, rectangular configurationand has its opposite ends cutoff squarely, that is, at rightangles to the opposite longitudinal edges of the wall.

Secured to and extending between the longitudi'naliedges of the respective main walls LZ' are collapsible walls generally designated it.

Each collapsible wall M is identical to the other, and hence only one will be described herein. The collapsible wall, in this connection, is formed from a piece of plastic material which is thin and 1 flexible and Yet strong, to resist its being accidentally punctured. Each piece isgenerally rectangular inblank, and is formed with an outer fold. it. extending. longitudinally and centrally thereof and fully from end to end of the piece. Inner folds it are disposed at 0pposite sides of the main, centrally disposed, outer fold line It, and .are spaced equidistantly from said center fold line and the respective longitudinal edges of the collapsible'wall. As may be noted from Figure 3, the inner folds l8 preferably converge along curving lines, in the direction of the bottom of the container. Adjacent the upper ends ofthe collapsible walls, the inner fold lines merge into upwardly diverging end folds 2i The respective longitudinal edges of each collapsible wall. it are bonded either by heat or glue with the longitudinal edges of the main walls [2, said main walls being so spaced apart asto collapse the walls it slightly along the lines of their respective folds, as can be readily noted from Figure 4.

Extending transversely of the lower end of the dispenser, and sealably clinching the main and collapsible walls, is a clamp member 22 of U- shaped cross sectional configuration.

At the head end of the dispenser, a top wall 24 is provided, said top wall being of any desired shape and being tapered upwardly in the present instance. The top wall, at its lower end, is secured fixedly in any suitable manner to the upper end edges of the respective main and collapsible walls [2 and I4.

Formed integrally with the top wall 24, and disposed centrally thereof, is an upstanding neck 26, having a bore extending therethrough and communicating with the interior of the dispenser. The neck 26 can, if desired, be externally threaded to receive a conventional closure cap such as is generally provided upon collapsible tubes. This is believed sufiiciently obvious as not to require special illustration herein.

Alternatively, the dispensing of the contents can be controlled through the provision of a transverse bore 28 formed in the neck 26, and communicating with the longitudinal bore formed in said neck. The transverse bore 28 receives the shank 30 of a key having at one end a handle 32. The shank 30 can project beyond the opposite ends of the transverse bore 28 if desired, but in the present instance, the shank terminates at one end flush with the surface of the neck 26.

Formed in the shank 3B is a transversely extended passage 34, which is adapted to be brought into registration with the longitudinal bore of the neck 26, when the handle 32 is rotated 90 degrees in one direction. Further rotation of the handle 32 90 degrees in either direction again shifts the shank to a position in which the passage 34 thereof is out of registration with the longitudinal bore of the neck 26, so as to seal the dispensing container until the next use thereof.

The valve illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 might be preferable in some instances where the contents of the container are of relatively low viscosity, as would be the case, for example, with some cements.

In use, the valve is moved to the open position thereof, and the user grasps the body of the dispensing container, applying a light pressure against the main walls I2 toward one another. The stiff material of which the main wall is formed distributes the pressure evenly over the entire length of the tube. This is in contrast to the operation of conventionally formed collapsible tubes, wherein the pressure applied to the walls of the tubes is usually retained at or in the immediate vicinity of the location where the fingers are exerting their pressure.

The manner of operation of the dispensing container formed in accordance with the pres ent invention results in a half emptied tube being as attractive as one which is completely filled, the only difference between a tube which has been partially emptied and one which is full residing in the fact that the collapsible side walls are folded partially into the center of the tube.

Because the side walls fold into the center area of the tube, while it is being emptied, it is possible to force substantially all of the tube contents therefrom, with considerable ease.

It is believed clear that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor changes in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A dispensing container for fiuid material, said container having a head end and a foot end and comprising a pair of rectangular, flat, oppositely arranged ma-in Walls converging toward the foot end of the container and formed of a stiff substance for bodily movement thereof toward one another responsive to the application of pressure thereto by a user; bellows-like collapsible walls each disposed at one side of the containerand each having its opposite longitudinal edges adhesively secured to the main wall longitudinal edges at the same side of the container, each collapsible wall being formed separately from the main walls from material characterized by its inherent flexibility as compared to the stiffness of the material of which the main walls are formed, each collapsible wall having an outwardly directed fold extending longitudinally and centrally thereof and a pair of inner folds directed inwardly of the container and merged into the first fold at opposite sides of the first fold, the several folds being extended longitudinally of the container in substantially parallel relation to reduce the interior crosssectional area of the container when the main walls are pressed toward each other and thereby force said material out of the container, the respective folds of the collapsible Walls being fully collapsed at the foot end of the container and being engaged by and between the converging ends of the main walls; a clamp extending transversely of the foot end of the container and formed to a U-shaped cross sectional configuration to receive and grip the engaging main and collapsible walls at the foot end of the container; a rigid end wall at the head end of the container secured peripherally to the main and collapsible walls and having a dispensing opening through which said material is forced, the rigid end wall retaining the collapsible walls in a substantially fully unfolded condition at the head end of the container; and valve means mounted upon the end wall and associated with the dispensing opening for controlling the flow of material therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,147,349 Piquerez M Feb. 14, 1939 2,400,716 Sattler May 21, 1946