WO2007092377A2

WO2007092377A2 - Tip-resistant containers

Info

Publication number: WO2007092377A2
Application number: PCT/US2007/003028
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Spirk; John Nottingham; Jeffrey Kalman; Douglas Whitner; Marc Vitantonio; Patrick Coyne; Patrick Brown
Original assignee: Nutra Products, Llc
Priority date: 2006-02-02
Filing date: 2007-02-02
Publication date: 2007-08-16
Also published as: WO2007092377A3

Abstract

Various embodiments of an expandable tip-resistant container are provided. The expandable tip-resistant container has an expandable skirt portion and a bowl portion. The bowl portion of the container provides a space for the storage of material, such as water or food, in both an expanded condition and a collapsed condition. The skirt portion of the container expands from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition that resists tipping of the container. The container is particularly useful to store pet food in a small amount of space.

Description

TIP-RESISTANT CONTAINERS

Priority Claim

[001] This application claims priority to and incorporates herein by reference, in its entirety, United States Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/764,555, filed February 2, 2006.

Technical Field

[002] The invention is generally applicable to containers. The containers are preferably but not necessarily tip resistant, and useful for the storage and delivery of pet food.

Background of Invention

[003] When traveling with a pet, pet owners carry with them various supplies related to their pet. These supplies, in particular traditional pet food bowls, can be bulky and are not easily packed or stored. Pet owners will many times forego packing a pet food bowl and instead use a customary serving dish or bowl that a pet may easily tip over. In addition, bags of pet food are bulky and many times contain more pet food than required for the trip. Consequently, pet owners some times pack smaller amounts of pet food in separate bags or containers.

[004] Accordingly, a container adapted for use as a feeding container, particularly for pets, that resists tipping or spilling is desired. Further, the tip-resistant container should be collapsible for storing and packing purposes and expandable for feeding purposes. Finally, the tip-resistant container should have the ability to pre-package and store material, such as pet food, if desired. It is also desirable for such a container to be expandable from a collapsed condition for storage and delivery to an expanded condition for use, in order to minimize the required storage space.

Summary of the Invention

[005] The present invention provides various embodiments of a container. The container is preferably a tip-resistant container with a bowl portion disposed within an expandable skirt portion. The bowl portion of the container provides a space for the storage of material, such as water or food, in both an expanded condition and a collapsed condition. The skirt portion of the container expands from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition that resists tipping of the container.

[006] Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[007] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a tip-resistant container according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the skirt portion is in an expanded condition;

[008] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the tip-resistant container shown in FIG. 1, wherein the skirt portion is in a collapsed condition; [009] FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the tip-resistant container shown in FIG. 1, ^■wherein the skirt portion is in a partially expanded condition and removed from the bowl portion;

[010] FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a tip-resistant container according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the skirt portion is in a collapsed condition;

[011] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the tip-resistant container shown in FIG. 4, wherein the skirt portion is in a partially expanded condition;

[012] FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the tip-resistant container shown in FIG. 4, wherein the skirt portion is in an expanded condition;

[013] FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of a tip-resistant container according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the skirt portion is in a collapsed condition;

[014] FIG. 7 A is a cross sectional view of the tip-resistant container shown in FIG. 7 taken along line 7 A - 7A, wherein the skirt portion is in a collapsed condition;

[015] FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of the tip-resistant container shown in FIG. 7, wherein the skirt portion is in an expanded condition;

[016] FIG. 8A is a cross sectional view of the tip-resistant container shown in FIG. 8 taken along line 8A - 8 A, wherein the skirt portion is in an expanded condition;

[017] FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of the tip-resistant container shown in FIG. 7 including a cover and protective layer, wherein the skirt portion is in a collapsed condition;

[018] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of a tip-resistant container according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the skirt portion is in a collapsed condition; [019] FIG. 11 is a top perspective view of the tip-resistant container shown in FIG. 10, wherein the skirt portion is in an expanded condition; and

[020] FIG. 12 is a bottom perspective view of the tip-resistant container shown in FIG. 10, wherein the skirt portion is in an expanded condition.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[021] The present invention will now be described with occasional reference to specific embodiments of the invention. This invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[022] Except as otherwise specifically defined herein, all terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The terminology used herein is for describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used in the description of the invention and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[023] According to the various exemplary embodiments of tip-resistant containers shown and described herein, we provide containers which are well adapted for use as feeding containers, especially for pets, that resist tipping or spilling. Further, the tip-resistant containers can preferably be collapsed for storage and packing purposes and expanded for feeding purposes.

[024] Exemplary FIGS. 1-12 illustrate, in various embodiments, tip-resistant containers which can be pre-filled and sealed for packing, shipping, storing and dispensing food products, particularly pet food products, such as food and water. The term "tip-resistant" is used to describe containers which are effectively adjustable in their size by the application of a mechanical force to distort their shape and which can resist tipping. The exemplary containers 100, 150, 200, and 260, and their various parts, may be made from a variety of materials, such as plastic, metal, paper, wax, waxed paper, or other suitable materials.

[0251 In a first embodiment, a tip-resistant container 100 is generally depicted in FIGS. 1-3. The container 100 includes a base bowl 102 and a foldable skirt 104. The base bowl 102 includes a bottom 110, a sidewall 112, and a rim 114. While the base bowl 102 of the illustrated embodiment has a generally cylindrical or frusto-conical shape, it should be apparent that additional embodiments may include base bowls of various shapes, such as rectangular, square, or triangular cross sections for example. While the rim 114 of the embodiment illustrated is generally continuous around the bowl 102, it should be apparent that the rim could be discontinuous. For example, a partial rim could be used or some other sort of projection or flange could be used to support the base bowl 102, such as pegs or pins. The bottom 110 of the illustrated embodiment is connected to the sidewall 112 via a smoothly contoured surface 116. However, in additional embodiments, it should be apparent that a contoured surface need not be used, but rather sharp corners or other configurations could be employed. The rim 114 extends outwardly over the top of the sidewall 112 and is connected to the sidewall 112 via a smoothly contoured or a sharp angled surface. The foldable skirt 104 is cylindrical or frusto-conical in shape and can be made of any pliable material, including cardboard, wax, waxed paper, paper, plastic, thin metal, or other suitable material. It should be noted that additional embodiments could include a foldable skirt of various shapes including rectangular, square or triangular. [026] In some embodiments, a peel-off protective layer 120 is connected to the rim 114, or other portion of the bowl 102, via an adhesive to seal the prepackaged contents 148 of the container 100 as shown for example in FIG. 1. It should be noted that a form-fitted cover or a re-sealable adhesive seal could also be used to seal the prepackaged contents 148 of the container 100. Li an embodiment not shown, a protective snap-on/off cover can cover the peel-off protective layer 120 to further secure the prepackaged contents 148 of the container 100.

[027] The foldable skirt 104 is generally cylindrical or frusto-conical in a collapsed condition, but can pop-out or expand to a frusto-conical shape in an expanded condition. In the collapsed condition as shown in FIG. 2, the foldable skirt 104 is wrapped around the outside of the sidewall 112 underneath the rim 114. As shown in FIG. 3, a portion of the foldable skirt 104 is folded over itself forming three creases 122 and two defined surfaces 124. The two surfaces 124 are folded on top of each other and are substantially coplanar when the foldable skirt 104 is in the collapsed condition as shown in FIG. 2. It should be noted that any number of means of folding could be used to collapse the foldable skirt 104 as well as any number of unfolding means could be used to expand the foldable skirt 104. For example, a link or extension formed separately from the skirt 104 itself could be added to the foldable skirt 104 to expand it to provide a tip-resistant container. The link or extension preferably has sufficient structural rigidity to support a bowl on its rim. The link or extension may be made from plastic, metal, paper, wax, waxed paper, or other suitable materials. A securing means, such as a piece of adhesive tape 126, can be used to hold the foldable skirt 104 in the collapsed condition as shown in FIG. 2. It should be noted that a securing means could further include a clip, tab, hook and loop, or other suitable means. A securing means can also be used to secure the foldable skirt 104 to the outside of the sidewall 112 of the base bowl 102 in the collapsed condition. The container 100 in the collapsed condition is suitable for packaging, shipping, and storing the contents 148 therein.

[028] In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, to prepare the prepackaged contents 148 for consumption, the securing means, such as the piece of adhesive tape 126 is removed from the foldable skirt 104. The foldable skirt 104 is then removed from the base bowl 102. The foldable skirt 104 is then manually expanded, as illustrated by the two arrows in FIG. 3, to the substantially expanded condition as shown in FIG. 1. The base bowl 102 is then placed inside the foldable skirt 104, with the bottom of the rim 114 resting on the top of the foldable skirt 104. The foldable skirt 104 is rigid enough to support the base bowl 102 and its contents, and in some embodiments, creates a wider base to keep the bowl 102 and its contents 148 from tipping over. The peel-off protective layer 120 can be removed either before or after placing the base bowl 102 inside the foldable skirt 104.

[029] An alternative foldable skirt, generally indicated by numeral 140, is used in the container 150 shown in FIGS. 4-6. The foldable skirt 140 is cylindrical or frusto-conical in shape, but may be other shapes as previously mentioned, and can be made of any pliable material including cardboard, wax, waxed paper, paper, plastic, thin metal, or other suitable material. A base bowl 102, as defined in the previous embodiment, is used in conjunction with the foldable skirt 140 to form the container 150. In the collapsed condition as shown in FIG. 4, the foldable skirt 140 is wrapped around the outside of the sidewall of the base bowl 102 and underneath the rim 114, with portions 142 of the foldable skirt 140 bent inwardly to form any number of defined edges 144. It should be noted that any number of means of folding or bending could be used to collapse the foldable skirt 140 as well as any number of unfolding or bending means could be used to expand the foldable skirt 140. For example, a separate link or extension could be added to the foldable skirt 140 to expand it to provide a tip-resistant container. The link or extension preferably has sufficient structural rigidity to support a bowl on its rim. The link or extension may be made from plastic, metal, paper, wax, waxed paper, or other suitable materials. A securing means, such as an adhesive, may be used to secure the bent portions 142 of the foldable skirt 140 to the base bowl 102, and prevent the foldable skirt 140 from expanding. A securing means, such as an adhesive, may also be used to secure the bent portions 142 of the foldable skirt 140 to the outside of the sidewall 112 of the base bowl 102 in the collapsed condition.

[030] In the embodiment of FIGS. 4-6, to prepare the prepackaged contents 148 of the container 150 for consumption, the bent portions 142 are manually expanded by disengaging them from the base bowl 102 as shown by the arrow in FIG. 5. When each of the bent portions 142 has been fully expanded, as shown in FIG. 6, the prepackaged contents 148 of the container 150 are ready for consumption. A peel-off protective layer 146 and/or a form- fitted cover (not shown) maybe used to store and seal contents 148 within the container 150.

[031] Another embodiment of a tip-resistant container 200 is depicted in FIGS. 7, 7A, 8, 8 A, and 9. The container 200 includes a base bowl 212 and an expandable skirt 213. The base bowl 212 includes a bottom 214, four sidewalls 215, and a rim 222. The bottom 214 and the four sidewalls 215 are connected via smoothly contoured surfaces 219. However, in additional embodiments, it should be apparent that contoured surfaces need not be used, but rather sharp corners or other configurations could be employed. The four sidewalls 215 are connected to each other via smoothly contoured surfaces 220. However, in additional embodiments, it should be apparent that contoured surfaces need not be used, but rather sharp corners or other configurations could be employed. The rim 222 extends around the top of the sidewalls 215. While the rim 222 of the embodiment illustrated is generally continuous around the bowl 212, it should be apparent that the rim 222 could be discontinuous. For example, a partial rim could be used or some other sort of projection or flange could be used to support the base bowl 212, such as pegs or pins. The rim 222 connects the base bowl 212 to the skirt 213 via a transition segment 225. The transition segment 225 extends around the base bowl 212 and the skirt 213. The rim 222 is further defined by a horizontal leg 223 and a vertical leg 224 as seen in FIGS. 7A and 8A. The transition segment 225 connects the vertical leg 224 to the skirt 213. The skirt 213 depends downwardly from the transition segment 225.

[032] The skirt 213 includes four expandable segments 232 that are interconnected by the transition segment 225, which can serve as a hinge for expanding and collapsing the skirt 213. FIGS. 7 and 7A show the skirt 213, including the four expandable segments 232, in the collapsed condition. FIGS. 8 and 8A show the skirt 213, including the four expandable segments 232, in the expanded condition. The skirt 213 further includes four accordion segments 240, which further connect the expandable segments 232 to each other. The four accordion segments 240 include folds 244, 245, 246, 247 and a transition segment 248. The transition segment 248 as shown a being smoothly contoured, but it may alternatively be flat or have any other contour. When the container 200 is in the substantially collapsed condition as shown in FIGS. 7 and 7A, folds 244 and 245 as well as folds 246 and 247 are substantially coplanar respectively. When the expandable segments 232 and the accordion segments 240 are expanded as shown by the arrows in FIGS. 8 and 8 A, the folds 244 and 245 as well as folds 246 and 247 are respectively no longer coplanar.

[033] As shown in FIG. 9, a protective layer 249 as well as a cover 250 may be used to seal and reseal the contents of the container 200. The peel-off protective layer 249 may be connected to the rim 222 via an adhesive to seal the prepackaged contents of the container 200. If the container 200 is pre-fϊlled with food or water, the peel-off protective layer 249 is removed when the contents of the container 200 are to be consumed. This peel-off protective layer 249 is preferably made of foil or plastic, but other suitable materials may be used. A protective snap-on/off cover 250 may be used to cover the peel-off protective layer 249 to further secure the prepackaged contents of the container 200. The protective snap-on/off cover 250 includes a top cover 251 and four sidewalls 252 that extend downwardly from the top cover 251 to overlap the rim 222 and provide a secure fit. However, the protective snap- on/off cover may be various other shapes such as circular or polygonal. The protective snap- on/off cover 250 may also be used to reseal the contents of the container 200. The protective snap-on/off cover 250 maybe made of plastic or other suitable material.

[034] In the non-expanded condition as shown in FIGS. 7 and 7A, an optional sleeve, not shown, may be wrapped around the container 200 to keep the skirt 213 from expanding by essentially locking the expandable segments 232 in place. The sleeve may be made of cardboard or other suitable material. Once the sleeve is removed, the expandable segments 232 of the skirt 213 expand or pop out as shown in FIGS. 8 and 8A, which stabilizes the container 200. This pop-out feature can be automatic with an action created by the plastic's memory moving back to the form in which it was manufactured. In an alternative embodiment, a spring-biased mechanism is provided to ensure the skirt 213 expands. For example, in an embodiment not shown, the spring-biased mechanism would include loops that can be located on the inner side of one or more expandable segments 232 to create apertures through which a spring wire can be inserted to automatically expand the skirt 213. The spring wire would be located on the inside of the skirt 213. The spring wire would expand and lock when the sleeve is removed from the container 210. After insertion of the spring wire through the loops, each end of the spring wire can be bent at about 90 degrees to prevent it from pulling out of the loops. [035] In an alternative embodiment, this pop-out feature can also be manual with a user physically folding out or expanding the individual segments 232 of the skirt 213, or having the segments 232 linked to each other in such a way that when one segment 232 is expanded, the remaining segments 232 expand as well.

[036] Another embodiment of the container is generally indicated by numeral 260 in FIGS. 10-12. The container 260 includes a base bowl 262 and an expandable skirt 263. The base bowl 262 includes a bottom 264, a frusto-conical sidewall 266, and a rim 268. It should be apparent that other bowl embodiments are possible, including a rectangular, triangular or other polygonal sidewall. The bottom 264 and frusto-conical sidewall 266 are connected via a smoothly contoured surface 270. However, in additional embodiments, it should be apparent that contoured surfaces need not be used. The rim 268 extends around the top of the frusto-conical sidewall 266 and connects the base bowl 262 to the skirt 263. While the rim 268 of the embodiment illustrated is generally continuous around the bowl 262, it should be apparent that the rim could be discontinuous. For example, a partial rim could be used or some other sort of projection or flange could be used to support the base bowl 262, such as pegs or pins. The skirt 263 depends downwardly from the rim 268. The skirt 263 includes multiple expandable segments 274 that are interconnected by the rim 268, which can serve as a hinge for expanding and collapsing the skirt 263. These expandable segments 274 overlap each other when in the collapsed condition as shown in FIG. 10. When the container 260 is in the expanded condition as shown in FIGS 11 and. 12, the expandable segments 274 no longer overlap each other.

[037] A peel-off protective layer 280 may be connected to the rim 268 via an adhesive to seal the prepackaged contents of the container 260 as shown in FIG. 10. hi an embodiment not shown, a protective snap-on/off cover can cover the peel-off protective layer 280 to further secure the prepackaged contents of the container 260.

[038] As shown in FIGS. 10-11, a sleeve 282 may be optionally wrapped around the container 260 to keep the skirt 263 from expanding by essentially locking the expandable segments 274 in place. The sleeve 282 may be made of cardboard or other suitable material. Once the sleeve 282 is removed, the expandable segments 274 of the skirt 263 expand or pop out as shown by the arrows in FIG. 11, which stabilizes the container 260. This pop-out feature may be automatic with an action created by the plastic's memory moving back to the form in which it was manufactured or by the use of a spring-biased mechanism.

[039] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, loops 284 are located on the inner side of each expandable segment 274 to create apertures 286 through which a spring wire 288 is inserted to automatically expand the skirt 263. Of course, loops 284 may alternatively be located on less than all segments 274, such as on every other segment 274. The spring wire 288 is located on the inside of the skirt 263 as shown in FIG. 12. The spring wire 288 expands when the sleeve 282 is removed from the container 260 and locks the skirt 263 in the expanded condition. After insertion of the spring wire 288 through the loops 284, each end 290 of the spring wire 288 is bent at about 90 degrees to prevent it from pulling out of the loops 284.

[040] In an embodiment not shown, the pop-out feature may also be manual with a user physically folding out or expanding the individual segments 274 of the skirt 263 or having the segments 274 linked to each other in such a way that when one segment 274 is expanded, the remaining segments 274 expand as well. [041] While particular embodiments of the subject invention have been described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications of the subject invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the bowl and skirt can be provided separately. Further one skirt could be used with multiple bowls, or one bowl could be used with multiple skirts. In addition, while the present invention has been described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

Claims

We claim:

1. A container comprising a bowl portion disposed within an expandable skirt portion, wherein the skirt portion expands from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition, and the bowl portion defines an interior space for storage of material when the skirt portion is in the expanded condition and when the skirt portion is in the collapsed condition.

2. The container of claim I₅ wherein the skirt portion is made from a material which comprises at least one of cardboard, plastic, or paper.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the bowl portion further comprises a rim.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the rim rests on an edge of the skirt portion.

5. The container of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the rim is attached to an edge of the skirt portion.

6. The container of claim 3 further comprising a protective layer attachable to the rim.

7. The container of claim 3 further comprising a cover which may be disposed over the rim.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the skirt portion may be folded and unfolded to allow the skirt portion to collapse and expand.

9. The container of claim 8, further comprising a removable securing means preventing the skirt portion from unfolding and expanding.

10. The container of claim 1, wherein the skirt portion further comprises movable segments to allow the skirt portion to expand and collapse.

11. The container of claim 10, wherein the skirt portion is biased toward the expanded condition.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein a spring mechanism biases the movable segments toward the expanded condition.

13. A method of using a container, wherein the container comprises a bowl portion disposed within an expandable skirt portion, wherein the skirt portion expands from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition, and the bowl portion defines an interior space for storage of material when the skirt portion is in the expanded condition and when the skirt portion is in the collapsed condition, the method comprising expanding the skirt portion from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the skirt portion is removed from the outside of the bowl portion before the skirt portion is expanded, and the bowl portion is inserted into the skirt position after the skirt portion is expanded.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the skirt portion is expanded by unfolding a portion of the skirt portion.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein a securing means is removed from the skirt portion prior to expanding the skirt portion.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the skirt portion is biased toward the expanded condition.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a spring mechanism biases the skirt portion toward the expanded condition.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the skirt portion comprises movable segments interconnected in such a way that when one segment expands, the remaining segments expand as well.