GB2262081A

GB2262081A - Contaminant-proof collapsible container

Info

Publication number: GB2262081A
Application number: GB9125951A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ye-Ming Tsao
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-12-06
Filing date: 1991-12-06
Publication date: 1993-06-09
Also published as: GB9125951D0

Abstract

A contaminant-proof collapsible container (10) comprises a body (11) on which a neck (20) is mounted and a non-return valve that allows liquid to flow out easily but restricts the ingress of liquid or air located in the container neck, said valve having a plurality of elastic webs (14) around it to press a convex portion (13) against the outlet, and consequently prevent external air or liquids from flowing into the body unless specific tools are used. An indentation (16) is provided in the bottom of the container large enough to hold the neck of another like container. When pouring liquid out of the container, liquid flows out past the convex portion (13) and the decrease in volume is followed by contraction of the container facilitating visual inspection of the amount of residual liquid. Such contracted containers can be joined end to end to facilitate recycling and to minimise the volume for recycling. <IMAGE>

Description

CONTAMINANT-PROOF COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINERS The present invention relates to contaminantproof collapsible containers, particularly containers which can prevent air or liquids from entering into the container, and contract gradually as the volume of liquid therein decreases, so that the whole container can be collapsed for recycling convenience.

Generally, containers for beverages have changed from breakable glass bottles to the pop-top cans or PET bottles of today. As glass bottles have various drawbacks, e.g. carrying difficulties, high production costs, danger from broken pieces, they are being uses less and replaced by pop-top cans, foilpacks and PET bottles. However, the ring of the poptop can is liable to cut consumers, and the edge left by the ring rusts easily. Another drawback is that empty cans take up too much space. As for PET bottles, the advantages of being light and having a large capacity is offset by the difficulties of recycling treatments. This is a very important environmental issue.Another problem with PET bottles is that freshness is not easy to preserve because most people cannot finish the large amount of drink in one serving, with the result that air or liquid has the space available to enter the container.

It is an object of this invention to provide a contaminant-proof collapsible container on which a neck is mounted, with a non-return valve in the neck which allows fluids to flow out easily but restricts the ingress of foreign materials in order to prevent external air or contaminants from entering into the container in order to preserve the freshness of the residual liquid.

Another object of this invention is to provide a contaminant-proof collapsible container which can contract as the liquid therein decreases to facilitate visual inspection of the residual liquid.

Another object of this invention is to provide a contaminant-proof collapsible container which can be folded and joined to other containers when the liquid is used up in order to facilitate recycling and to minimise space for recycling.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a contaminant-proof collapsible container, comprising - a generally cylindrical, collapsible container body having a protruding neck thereon and an indentation in the bottom of the body large enough to hold the neck of another like container, - and a non-return valve in the container neck comprising a convex portion at the bottom with protruding abutments surrounding it, a plurality of elastic members which bear against the underside of an upper neck portion to force the convex portion to seal tightly against an outlet in the container, a plurality of fixed members to restrict the movement of the convex portion when liquid is poured from the container, and a sucker at the central part of the valve for fitting to a vacuum pumping tube for the filling of liquid into the container by the application of suction causing the convex portion to be displaced and the valve to open.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, a preferred embodiment of container will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a contaminant-proof collapsible container according to the present invention; Fig. 1A is a cross-sectional view of the non return valve in its closed condition; Fig. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the nonreturn valve in its open condition; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the pouring of liquid from the container according to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the non-return valve; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view which illustrates the filling of the container with liquid; and Fig. 5 illustrates the joining of contracted containers according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a contaminant-proof collapsible container 10 which comprises a generally cylindrical body 11 to which a neck 20 is fitted, with a non-return valve 12 mounted inside the opening of the neck 20 to allow fluid to flow out easily but not to flow back into the container. The body 11 is of concertina construction so that it will collapse upon itself into a contracted state. The neck 20 is composed of an upper neck portion 21 and a lower neck portion 22 which are joined together by ultrasonic welding. The upper neck portion 21 has a thread 23 around its external circumference. The bottom of the non-return valve 12 has a downwardly convex portion 13, around which there are a number of radially protruding flaps 24.A plurality of elastic pillars 14 on the protruding flaps 24 extend upwards into contact with the underside of the upper neck portion 21, thus forcing the convex portion 13 to be pressed tightly against the edge of the outlet in the collapsible body 11 and to seal the outlet, whereby external air or liquid cannot enter the body without specific tools. A plurality of fixed posts 15 corresponding in number to the elastic pillars 14 are located adjacent to and radially inwardly of the elastic pillars 14 at respective positions between the elastic pillars 14 and the centre of the non-return valve 12. They are used mainly to restrict the movement of the convex portion 13 away from the outlet in the body 11 as a result of bending of the elastic pillars 14 due to gravity or pressure exerted by liquid when the liquid is poured out of the container.When this happens a gap is produced between the convex portion 13 and the outlet in the body 11, and the liquid flows out between the protruding flaps 24.

Following the decrease of liquid in the container body 11, the container contracts. External air or liquid cannot flow into the collapsed container body 11.

Therefore, the amount of liquid remaining in the container can obviously be known according to the degree of contraction of the container body 11.

At the bottom of the container body 11 there is an indentation 16 large enough to hold the neck 20 of another, identical container, so that emptied containers that have been collapsed to their minimum length can be joined together end to end to facilitate recycling, and to minimise space for recycling as shown in Fig. 5. On the central part of the non-return valve 12 there is a cylindrical spigot 17. To refill the container with liquid, a filling tube 32 with a vacuum pumping tube 31 is fitted to the upper neck portion 23. A screw thread at the end of the filling tube 32 is fitted to the thread 23 on the neck, while the vacuum pumping tube 31 is fitted into the cylindrical spigot 17 for suction to be applied. When suction is applied, the non-return valve 12 is pulled up and consequently opened with the fixed posts 15 abutting against the underside of the upper neck portion 21. Then, liquid can flow into the container body 11 through the filling tube 32 without air being introduced into the container. In this way, the freshness of the liquid can be preserved.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A contaminant-proof collapsible container, comprising - a generally cylindrical, collapsible container body having a protruding neck thereon and an indentation in the bottom of the body large enough to hold the neck of another like container, - and a non-return valve in the container neck comprising a convex portion at the bottom with protruding abutments surrounding it, a plurality of elastic members which bear against the underside of an upper neck portion to force the convex portion to seal tightly against an outlet in the container, a plurality of fixed members to restrict the movement of the convex portion when liquid is poured from the container, and a sucker at the central part of the valve for fitting to a vacuum pumping tube for the filling of liquid into the container by the application of suction causing the convex portion to be displaced and the valve to open.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container contracts gradually as the liquid therein decreases to facilitate visual inspection of the residual liquid therein.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein a container that has been collapsed can be joined end to end with other such containers to facilitate recycling and to minimise space for recycling.

4. A container in any preceding claim, in which the neck comprises an upper neck portion and a lower neck portion joined by ultrasonic welding.

5. A contaminant-proof collapsible container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.