US3895742A

US3895742A - Collapsible container

Info

Publication number: US3895742A
Application number: US417277A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herman Wulbern
Original assignee: MELET PLASTICS Ltd
Current assignee: MELET PLASTICS Ltd
Priority date: 1973-11-19
Filing date: 1973-11-19
Publication date: 1975-07-22
Anticipated expiration: 1992-07-22

Abstract

A plastic base has an elastic membrane secured around the base to form an enclosure or container. A combination inlet and outlet hose is connected to the base so that the device can be filled with water. Restraining and carrying straps extend up from the base and meet at a carrying handle and the straps are preferably taut when the container is filled thus facilitating carrying. The pressure of the expanded eleastic membrane together with the static head of the water within the container is sufficient to permit discharge under slight pressure without raising the container above the outlet of the hose or tipping the container sideways. When collapsed the membrane, straps and handle together with the hose lie within the peripheral wall forming part of said base.

Description

United States Patent Wulbern July 22, 1975 [54] COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves Assistant Examinew-Thomas E. Kocovsky [75] Inventor. Herman Wulbern, Winnipeg, Attorney Agent, or Firm stanley G Ade Canada [73] Assignee: Melet Plastics Ltd., Winnipeg, [57] ABSTRACT Canada A plastic base has an elastic membrane secured [22] Flled: 1973 around the base to form an enclosure or container. A

combination inlet and outlet hose is connected to the base so that the device can be filled with water. Restraining and carrying straps extend up from the base [52] US. Cl. 222/105; 2221212; 222/386.5 and meet at a carrying h dl d the straps are pref- [51 1 B65d 37/00 erably taut when the container is filled thus facilitating [58] new of Search carrying. The pressure of the expanded eleastic mem- 222/212 386's brane together with the static head of the water within the container is sufficient to permit discharge under [56] References cued slight pressure without raising the container above the UNITED STATE ATENT outlet of the hose or tipping the container sideways. 3,199,735 8/1965 Doerpinghaus 222/105 n collapsed the membrane. r p n han le to- 3,722,756 3/1973 Cramer 222/212 gether with the hose lie within the peripheral wall forming part of said base.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to new and useful improvements in carrying containers for liquids or particularly water.

Conventionally cubical plastic containers are used for carrying water particularly in camping areas and these can be collapsed when empty and stored but unfortunately the flexible nature of the plastic often results in punctures occuring particularly when such containers are stored in car trunks, trailer trunks and the like.

Furthermore such containers have to be elevated and tipped so that the contents can be poured therefrom into a further container situated at a lower level.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing a container which firstly can be collapsed and stored within the plastic base thereof and secondly, when full, is provided with slight pressure so that the discharge of the fluid is facilitated. This slight pressure is a combination of the static head of the water or fluid within the container together with the fact that an elastic membrane forms part of the container and is expanded when the container is filled and the water pressure or the like.

The principal object and essence of the invention is therefore to provide a fluid container which can readily be filled from a faucet or the like and which is then provided with a slight pressure for discharge of the contents when desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described in which the flexible portion of the container may be stored within the rigid plastic base thus protecting same.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which includes a substantially circular plastic base together with an elastic semi-spherical membrane secured by the open end to said base thus forming a container which may be filled with water under pressure whereby the plastic membrane expands and stretches thus applying pressure to the contents to facilitate discharging same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described in which the discharge hose is provided with a combination faucet attachment and discharge nozzel.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described in which the full weight of the container is transferred from the handle via carrying straps to the rigid base rather than the weight coming upon the flexible plastic as is normal with conventional cubic containers.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other or further purposes, advantages or novel features as may become apparent from consideration of this disclosure and specification, the present invention consists of the inventive concept which is comprised, embodied, embraced, or included in the means, method, process, product, construction, composition, arrangement of parts, or new use of any of the foregoing, herein exemplified in one or more specific embodiments of such concept, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the device showing same filled with liquid.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 partially sectioned but showing same in the collapsed and stored condition.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partially sectioned view of the valve and discharge end of the hose.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a detachable spary head.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a pouring head interchangeable with the spray head of FIG. 4.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Proceeding therefore to describe the invention in detail, reference character 10 illustrates a rigid plastic base which is preferably circular when viewed in plan.

This base consists of a circular base panel 11 and an annular or peripheral wall 12 extending around this base panel 11. Surface supporting legs 13 depend at intervals from the wall 12 as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and a flexible elastic membrane 14 is secured around the peripheral wall 12.

This membrane is semi-spherical when in the filled position shown in FIG. 1 and the open base thereof engages around the peripheral wall 12 whereupon a steel strap 15, having flexible characteristics engages around the open end of the membrane and clamps same to the wall 12 by means of clamp nut and bolt assembly 16.

A combination inlet and outlet connector nipple 17 engages through a connecting portion 18 formed in the base which in turn communicates with the interior of the elastic membrane 14, it being understood that the membrane and the circular base panel 11 form the enclosure within which liquid such as water (not illustrated) may be carried.

A plurality of cord or rope straps 19 are secured by the lower ends 20 thereof to the base leg portions 13 and extend upwardly to a common apex 21 and a plastic carrying handle 22 is secured to this common apex 21 by means of rivets 23 or the equivalent.

These core or rope straps are of course flexible and take up the shape of the inflated membrane 14 as shown in FIG. 1.

A length of flexible hose 24 is secured by one end thereof to the connector or nipple l7 and a conventional shut off valve assembly 25 is secured within the distal end 26 of the hose and forms part thereof. This valve 25 enables the hose to be open or closed relative to the open end 27 of the valve assembly and a flexible rubber or plastic portion 28 is in turn secured to the end 29 of the valve assembly 25. This rubber or plastic component 28 is capable of being engaged over a conventional faucet or hose outlet due to the annular flexible flange 30 extending downwardly and inwardly from the end 31 thereof.

A plastic spray head unit 32 is frictionally engageable within the end 31 of the components 28 or, alternatively, a plastic pouring head 33 may be frictionally engaged in the same way as will be apparent from FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings.

In operation, the component 28 is secured to a faucet or hose outlet whereupon the valve 25 is opened so that water under pressure may flow through the hose 24 and into the interior of the container thus inflating the membrane 14 to the semi-spherical shape shown in FIG. 1 at which time the cord or rope straps 19 are preferably taut as they mold around the outer surfaces of the membrane as clearly shown The valve 25 is then shut off whereupon the container may be carried by the handle 22 with the hose 24 looped conveniently around the inflated dome of the container. Under these circumstances of course the entire weight is transferred through the handle and straps 19 to the rigid base so that the weight or strain of carrying the water is not directly upon the flexible membrane 14.

When it is desired to discharge the contents of the container, same may be placed upon a convenient supporting surface indicated by reference character 34 in FIG. 2 and the valve 25 may then be opened after first selecting the spray head 32 or the pouring head 33 as desired.

The static head of water or liquid within the inflated membrane 14 together with the fact that this membrane is elastic and has been expanded to take up the position shown in FIG. 1, is sufficient to supply slight pressure to the contents of the container so that same may be discharged without the container being above the discharge end of the hose assembly.

When empty, the membrane together with the straps 19, handle 22 and hose 24 may be collapsed within the peripheral wall 12 of the rigid base 10 thus protecting same and facilitating the storage and transportation of the device.

Various modifications may be constructed or performed within the scope of the inventive concept disclosed. Therefore what has been set forth is intended to illustrate such concept and is not for the purpose of limiting protection to any herein particularly described embodiment thereof.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A collapsable container comprising in combination a base which is substantially circular when viewed in plan, an elastic membrane secured around the periphery of said base to form a closed container with said base, inlet and outlet means in said base communicating with the interior of said container, a plurality of straps secured by one end thereof around the perimeter of said base, a common carrying handle secured to the other end of said straps, said straps enclosing said membrane when full whereby the load of said container is supported by said carrying handle when said container is being carried, said base including a base panel and a peripheral wall around said panel, said membrane being substantially semi-spherical when full and being secured by the open end thereof around said wall, support surface engaging portions depending from adjacent the periphery of said base panel, a flexible steel strap secured around the base of said membrane and said peripheral wall in clamping relationship, said flexible carrying straps secured equidistantly around said base and extending upwardly and over said membrane to meet at a common apex, said handle being secured to said common apex, said membrane, said straps and said handle nesting within said peripheral wall when said container is empty.

2. The container according to claim 1 in which said inlet and outlet means includes a common connector nipple in said base and a length of flexiblehose secured by one end thereof to said nipple, open and closing valve means in said hose and a combination faucet attaching and discharge nozzle on the other end of said hose.

Claims

1. A collapsable container comprising in combination a base which is substantially circular when viewed in plan, an elastic membrane secured around the periphery of said base to form a closed container with said base, inlet and outlet means in said base communicating with the interior of said container, a plurality of straps secured by one end thereof around the perimeter of said base, a common carrying handle secured to the other end of said straps, said straps enclosing said membrane when full whereby the load of said container is supported by said carrying handle when said container is being carried, said base including a base panel and a peripheral wall around said panel, said membrane being substantially semi-spherical when full and being secured by the open end thereof around said wall, support surface engaging portions depending from adjacent the periphery of said base panel, a flexible steel strap secured around the base of said membrane and said peripheral wall in clamping relationship, said flexible carrying straps secured equidistantly around said base and extending upwardly and over said membrane to meet at a common apex, said handle being secured to said common apex, said membrane, said straps and said handle nesting within said peripheral wall when said container is empty.

2. The container according to claim 1 in which said inlet and outlet means includes a common connector nipple in said base and a length of flexible hose secured by one end thereof to said nipple, open and closing valve means in said hose and a combination faucet attaching and discharge nozzle on the other end of said hose.