CA2003024C

CA2003024C - Squeezable fluid container

Info

Publication number: CA2003024C
Application number: CA002003024A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Fred L. Billman; Mark D. Jamison; Russell B. Wortley
Original assignee: AMPAC Corp; SC Johnson and Son Inc
Current assignee: AMPAC Corp; SC Johnson and Son Inc
Priority date: 1988-11-23
Filing date: 1989-11-15
Publication date: 1994-05-17
Anticipated expiration: 2009-11-15
Also published as: ES2058887T3; PT92385A; HUT58255A; EP0397852A1; DK174290D0; PH26249A; DK174290A; KR900701613A; NO903274D0; ATE108397T1; JPH03505322A; KR970010225B1; EP0397852A4; CN1017231B; CA2003024A1; AR245063A1; DE68916786T2; PT92385B; DE68916786D1; AU4662189A

Abstract

Abstract An improvement in certain types of fluid containers is disclosed. The improvement is particularly directed to a certain type of squeezable fluid container that is made of a flexible plastic material. Such a fluid container defines a longitudinal axis and a cavity for containing a dispensable fluid. The fluid container has flexible side walls, a sealed bottom, a pair of spaced-apart sealed deformable side-edge margins, and a sealed deformable upper-edge margin which is unitary with an upper-edge portion of each of the side-edge margins and which defines a fluid-discharge passageway of generally serpentine configuration that communicates with the fluid cavity. The improvement comprises an indent, defined by at least one of the side-edge margins, for dividing the fluid cavity into two fluid chambers along the longitudinal axle. The two chambers are in fluid communication with each other. One of the two fluid chambers is located adjacent to, and is in fluid communication with, the fluid passageway.
The transverse cross-sectional area of the one fluid chamber, which is in fluid communication with the fluid passageway, is greater than the transverse cross-sectional area of the fluid cavity in the vicinity of the indent. The indent is so located relative to the upper-edge margin such that fluid communication between the fluid passageway and the one fluid chamber adjacent thereto is maintained when application of a predetermined fluid-discharging squeezing pressure upon the fluid container sidewalls causes deformation of the container side-edge margin in the vicinity of the indent.

Description

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SQUEEZABLE FLUID CONTAINER
Techniçal Field ~he present invention is generally directed to a 5 ~queezable fluid container. The pre~ent invention, more particularly, is d~rected to an imprsvement in that type of ~quee7able fluid container which has flexible, ~ealed upper-edge and side-edg~ margins, and wherein the flexible upper-edge margin defines a fluid-discharge passageway.
Backaround Art Many modern consumers prefer flexible plastic containers over traditional inflexible containers ~uch as glass bottles or metal containers for a vari~ty of reasons.
Glass bottles can crack, chip, break or explode -- often 15 at most inconvenient times. Metal containers can, at times, be difficult to open. Many metal containers, moreover, once open, can have sharp edges or burrs.
Certain viscous fluids, such as ketchup and certain salad dressings, furthermore, can often more readily be 20 poured from flexible or plastic containers than from glass bottles or metal containers of comparable general shape.
Also, many consum~rs are generally able to extract a greater percentage of fluid residue from a ~lexible or squeezable plastic container than would be possible were the fluid ~; 25 contained in ~ertain inflexible containers of comparable volume. In certain storage situations, moreover, flexible containers can be squ~ezed into relatively tight nooks or crannies which would not otherwise accommodate an inflexible fluid container of comparable general shape. Finally, 30 because flexible plastic containers, when empty, are generally more readily compactible than certain metal and most glass containers, relative ease of f luid container disposal can, at times, be an important consumer consideration in deciding which brand of a particular ~luid 35 product to purchase.
Thus, in light of a general preference by consumers for ~lexible plastic fluid containers, a variety of flexible plastic containers, designed to meet a number of specific ~ :

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consumer demands and to provide certain desirable features, have of late come into being.
U.S. Reissue Pat. No. 24,251 to Kaplan et al., for example, disclo~es a fluid-dispensing container, made from 5 two sheets oP flexible plastic material, for containing de~ired amounts of liquid. Such a container is ~aid to be particularly adapted for shipment in sealed condition, and is further sa~d to be provided with a tearabl~ strip along one end ther~of to facilitate opening of the container. Such a 10 strip, when so torn, can thus be utilized for purposes of dispensing the ~ontained liquid ~rom its container, as desired, upon application of a predetermined fluid-dispensing pressure to the sidewalls of khe container. See also U.S.
Pat. No. 4,717,046 to Brogli.
However, not all flexible plastic fluid containers need ko made from two sheets of plastic, sealed together at their edge margins, as Kaplan et al. disclose. In U.S. Pat. No.
2,517~027 to Rado, for example, there is disclosed a collapsible tube-like container for certain viscous fluids 20 such as pastes.
Another version of a tear-away, sealing strip is disclosed in U.S~ Pat. No. 3,278,085 to Brown, which patent discloses a sachet container which is said to be "re-sealable"O The sachet, also referred to as a so-called "pouch pack", is deformable and is generally utilized to contain, dispense and retain certain liquids, semi-liquids, pastes, and the like.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,532 to Eisenberg, moreo~er, a bag-type of ~lexible plastic fluid container having a self-30 closing one-way valve is disclosed. Certain features which provide automatic retention of fluid contained by a flexible plastic container, after such container has been opened, are important design considerations in each of U.S. Pat. Nos.

3,815,794 and 3,878,977, both to Carlisle, U.S. Pat. No.
3,904,107 to Nishimura et al., each of U.S. Pat. Nos.

4,163,509 and 4,312,689, both to Amneus, and U.S. Pat. No.
4,252,257 to Herzig.
Originally-sealed fluid-discharge passageways which are openable upon application of moderate pressure to the , ... ~, . . :

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sidewalls of the flexible-plastic fluid container are important design considerations in U S. Pat. No. 3,913,789 to Miller and U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,308 to Hollander, Jr.; and originally-sealed fluid passageways, openable other than by 5 application of such pressure to the sidewalls ~f the fluid container, are important design considerations of the flexible plastic fluid containers disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
3,917,1~6 to Mason and U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,245 to Jamison.
Simplicity of overall design can also be an important 10 consideration, particularly when it is desirable to redu~e manufacturing cost of each flexible plastic fluid container unit. Thus, while it is possible to manufacture fluid containers having necked-down fluid-discharge portions, as is diæclosed in U.S. Pat. ~os. 3,815,794 and 3,878,977, both to 15 Carlisle, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,509 to Amneus, it is in most situations desirable to produce flexible-plastic fluid containers that are generally rectangular in shape. Indeed, such a shape tends to reduce material waste and production cost per flexible-plastic fluid container unit. The 20 flexible-plastic fluid containers disclosed in U.S. Reissue Pat. No. 24,251 to Kaplan et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,245 to Jamison disclose flexible-plastic fluid containers that are generally rectangular in shape. Unfortunately, in flexible-plastic fluid containers of this type, undesired 25 container deformation tends to interfere with desired fluid-discharge.
For example, in certain flexible plastic fluid containers -- such as those having flexible sidewalls, a closed bottom, spaced-apart deformable side-edge margins, and 30 a deformable upper-edge margin which is unitary with each of the side-edge margins and which defines a fluid-discharge passageway -- deformation of that portion of the upper-edg~
margin defining the fluid-discharge pa~ageway can occur upon application of pressure to the fluid container. Such 35 deformation typically restricts ~luid flow through the discharge passageway and thus is a matter of annoyance to the user. Moreover, and ~ased upon the configuration of the particular fluid passageway, such deformation can at times substantially reduce the effective fluid-discharge rate from `: :

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the container, whereby such fluid rate reduction renders the fluid container unacceptable ~or its intended use. The present invention solves just this sort of a problem.
. Summary Disclosure o~ Invention The present invention is generally directed to an improvement in certain types of flexible-plastic fluid containers. More particularly, the prPsent invention i~
directed to an improvement in a squeezable container including ~lexible sidewalls defining a cavity ~or containing 10 a dispen~ible fluid, a bottom, a pair of spaced-apart outwardly-extending defsrmabl side-edge ~argins, and an outwardly-extending deformable upper-edge margin which is unitary with the side-edge margins and which defines a fluid passageway of generally serpentin~ configuration in 15 communication with the fluid cavity, wherein deformation of the upper-edge margin in the vicinity of the generally serpentine fluid passageway tends to block fluid communication between the fluid passageway and the fluid cavity, characterized in that the container further includes 20 de~ormation-causing means defîned by at least one of the outwardly-extending side-edge margins and so spaced from the upper-edge margin by a predetermined distance as to be e~ec ive for causing deformation to occur in the one side-edge margin that is in the vicinity of the deformation-causing means, rakher than in the vicinity of the generallyserpentinè fluid passageway, upon application of a predetermined squeezing pressure to the cavity-contained fluid via the container sidewalls, whereby fluid communication between the generally serpentine fluid 30 passageway and the fluid cavity is maintained upon application of the predetermined squeezing pressure to the cavity-contained fluid via the container sidewalls.
In the preferred embodiment, the deformation causing means comprises an indent, defined by at least one of the side-edge margins, for dividing the fluid cavity into two 1uid chambers along the longitudinal axis.
The two chambers are in fluîd communication with each other. One of the two fluid chambers is located adjacent to, and is in fluid communication with, the fluid passageway in :. `~ , -` , .

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the upper adge margin of the container. The transverse cross-sectional area of the one ~luid chamber, which is in fluid communication with the fluid passageway, is greater than the transvers~ cross-sectional area of the fluid cavity in the vicinity of the indent.
The indent is so located relative to the upper-edge margin such that fluid communication between the fluid passageway and th~ one fluid chamber adjacent thereto is maintained when application of a predetermined ~luid-10 discharging squeezing pressure on the art~cle sidewallscauses deformation o~ the article side-edge margin in ~he vicinity of the indent.
Additional features and advantagas of ths pr~sent invention are discussed-in the following description of a 5 number of preferred embodiments of the invention.
Brief Description of Drawinqs FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the fluid container of the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is another perspective view o~ the fluid 20 container shown in FIGURE 1, illustrating side-margin deformation which occurs in the vicinity of the indents when a predetermined fluid-discharging pressure is applied to the sidewalls of the fluid container.
FIGURE 3a is a partially-fragmented frontal view o~
25 another embodiment of the fluid container of the present invention.
FIGURE 3b is a partially-fragmented frontal view of yet another embodiment of the fluid container of the prasent invention.
FIGURES 4a through 4f are a series of drawings, briefly illustrating how that embodiment of the fluid container which is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 is made.
FIGURE 5 is a frontal view of yet another embodiment of the fluid container of the present invention.
FIGURE 6 is a frontal view of still another embodiment o~ the fluid container of the present invention.
FIGURE 7 is a frontal view of yet anothar embodiment of the fluid container of the present in~ention.

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FIGURE 8 is a frontal view o~ still another embodiment of the fluid container of the present invention.
FIGURE 9 is a frontal view, in section, of yet another ambodiment o~ th~ fluid container of the present invention~
FIGURE 10 is a ~rontal view of still another embodiment o~ tha fluid container of the present invention.
FIGURE ll is a partially-~ra~mented frontal view of yet another embodiment of the ~luid con~ainPr of the present invsntion.
FIGURE 12 iS a frontal view of still another embodiment o~ the fluid container of the present invention.
FIGURE 13 is a drawing, briefly illustrating how that embodiment of the fluid container which is shown in FIGURE 12 is made.
FIGURE 14 is a side view, taken ~rom the plane 14-14, of that embodiment of the fluid container which is shown in FIGURE 10.
Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals refer to lik parts.
~est Mode For Carryina Out the Invention Referrin~ initially to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is shown one embodiment of the flexible-plastic fluid container 20a of the present invention. Such container 20a, which defines a longitudinal axis X-X, comprises an upstanding sealed base or 25 bottom 24a, flexible sidewalls 26a, a pair of sealed spaced-apart deformable side-edge margins 28a and 29a, and a sealed deformable upper-edge margin 30a which is unltary with an upper-edge portion o~ each of the side-edye margins 28a and 29a. The upper-edge margin 30a defines a fluid passageway 32a.
Another embodiment o the invention is the fluid container 20b shown in FIGURE 9. This fluid rontainer 20b is similar to container 20a but is modified in the form of an envelope having a bottom 24b which is sealed along a bottom seam 25.
Like container 20a, the sidewalls o~ the fluid container 20b define a cavity 34 ~or containing a dispensable fluid F~
This is best seen by referring to FIGURE 9 which is presented in sec$ion along longitudinal axis X-X. Container 2Ob has a - , ~ , - . .
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sealed deformable upper-edge margin 30b which is unitary wi~h the de~ormable side-edge margins 2sb and 29bo The fluid passageway 32b formed in the upper-edge margin 30b communicates with the fluid cavity 340 (See FIGURE 9~
The side-eage margins ~8b and 29b defin~ indents 38a and 39a for dividing the cavity 34 into two ~luid chambers 40 and 42 along the longitudinal axis X-X. (FIGURE 9.) One of th2 fluid chamber 40 and 42, namely upper fluid chamber 40, i~
located ad~acent to and is in fluid communication with the 1~ fluid passageway 32b. The cross~sectional area of the one ~luid chamber 40 (such cross-~ectional area being transverse to the longitudinal axis X-X) is greater than the ~ransverse cross-sectional area o~ the fluid cavity 34 in the vicinity o~ the indents 38a and 39a.
The indents 38a and 39a are so located relative to the upper-edge margin 3Oa such that fluid communication between the fluid passageway 32a and the one fluid chamber 40 adjacent thereto is maintained when application of a predetermined fluid-dispensing squeezing pr~ssure upon the 20 container sidewalls causes deformation of the container side-edge margins 28b and 29b in the vicinity of the indents 38a and 39a. (See FIGURE 2.) - FIGURES 3a and 3b show that the fluid container need only have one such indent. The single indent 39a can be in 25 distal relation to the fluid passageway 32a (FIGURE 3a~ or the single indent 39a can be located adjacent ta the fluid passageway 32a (FIGURE 3b).
The indent or indents can take a variety o~ shapes, in accordance with the present invention. For example, the 30 container side-edge margins 28a and 29a can define generally hemispherical-shaped indents 38' and 39' (FIGURE 5), square-shaped or rectangular-shaped indents 38b and 39b (FIG~RE 6)/
triangular-shaped indents 38e and 39e (FIGURE 7), etc~
Moreover, portions of the side-edge margins 28c and 29c 35 defining the indents 38c and 39c can project inwardly as is shown in FIGURE 8.
As shown in FIGURE 5, where indents are provided in both container side-edge marqins, the indents 38a' and 39a' can be spaced somewhat differently from the upper-edge margin 39a, relative to each other, in accordance with ~he principles of the present invention.
As was briefly mentioned above, one em~odiment of the ~luid container 20a of th~ present invention has a base 24a 5 which enables such embodiment of the fluid container to be ~ree-standing, also referred to herein as "upstanding~'. (see FI~URES 1 and 2.) Industrial Applicability Reference is next invited to FIGURES 4a through 4f for 10 purpose~ of briefly discussing how such a fluid container is made. Starting with an elongated strip o~ flexible plastic material 44 (FIGURE 4a), oriented longitudinally, a transverse crease 46 is formed, and back-folds 48 so formed as to straddle the crease 46 and bring the opposite end 15 portions of the elongated plastic material 44 into close proximity (FIGURE 4b). Next, one pair of lower, side-edge margins 50 between the crease 46 and one back-fold 48 is sealed (FIGURE 4c); then the other pair of lower, side-edge margins 51 is similarly sealed (FIGURE 4d), thereby closing 20 the bottom. Lower edge portions 52 of the thus-sealed side-edge margins ars ~urther sealed together so as to provide a free-standing base (FIGURE 1). Next, the sides are sealed;
and the container is filled with a predetermined dispensable fluid. Finally, the top is sealed, forming an upper-edge ~5 margin which defines *he fluid-discharge passageway. (FIGURE
4f . ) In this manner, a free-standing fluid container, generally wider at the top than at the base, aan thus be formed. (Please refer to FI~URES 5 through 8.) In certain situations, as in those cases where it would 30 be advantageous to have the fluid containers be as closely packable to each other as possible, it will be desirable to have a ~luid container which is generally rectangular in projected frontal view, as is shown in FI~URE 1~. Those skilled in the art can appreciate that it will accordingly ~e 35 desirable to start out not with a generally rectangular Plongat~d strip of flexible plastic material, as is shown in FIGURE 4a, but rather with a strip that is generally wider in the vicinity of the crease 46 and back-folds 48, as is shown in FIGURE 13.

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. g As wa~ briefly mentioned above, the ~luid container of the present inventlon need not have a free-standing base; but rather~ can have a simple, closed bottom, as those embodiments presented in FIGURES 9 and îO illustrate.
5 Indeed, for convenience, the flexible plastic fluid container of the pres~nt invention can readily be constructed so a~ to be relatively thin (FIGURE 14), so as to ¢onveniently ~it in a consumer ' s shirt pocket or lady ' s purse .
One such envelope-like flexible--plastic fluid con~ainer 10 Pmbodiment o~ the present invention comprises two flexible-plastic sheets 56 sealed together along their bottom margin 58, side margins 28d and 29d, and upper margin 30d. ~Please refer to FIGVRES 10 and 14~) The side margins 28d and 29d define the indents 38d and 39d. The upper margin 30d defines 15 the fluid-discharge passageway 32d. The plastic sheets 56 defi~ a fluid-containing cavity. One such cavity 34 is illustrated in the enYelope-type of fluid container embodiment that is ~hown in FI&URE 11.
The general shape and diameter of the fluid-discharye 20 passageway is a matter of design choice, as will ~e understood by those skilled in the art. For example, the diameter of the fluid-discharge passageway can be relatively small (FIGURE 9), can be relatively large (FIGUR~ 11) or can be of intermediate diameter (FIGURE 10). That end portion of ~5 the ~luid-dischar~e passageway which communicates with the upper fluid chamber of the fluid cavity, moreover, can be arranged gener~lly along the longitudinal axis X-X, as is shown in FIGURE 9, or can be generally spaced therefrom (see, e.g., FIGURES 10 and 11. ) Generally, the upper margin is formed in a manner such that the fluid-discharging end of the fluid passageway is initially sealed. Referring initially to FIGURES 1 and 2, for example, the fluid-discharging end 64a, originally sealed, is so formed as to be rupturable when pressure in the 35 fluid-discharge passageway 32a (FIGURE 2) reaches a predetermined value. In particular, upon achieving such a pre~sure in the fluid-discharge passageway 32a, the fluid-di~charging end 64a opens. Such rupturable seals are well - : . . ., :.
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known in the art. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,308 to Hollander, ~r.
~ till, in other situations, it is desirable to cut the upper-edge margin 30d along an indicatPd cut lins 66 (ses, 5 e.g., FIGURES 10 and 11~ to open the s~aled fluid-discharge passageway.
Yet, in still other situations, it is desirable to so form the upper-edge margin 3Ob uch that the margln 3Ob not only defines the fluid-discharge passageway 32b but also 10 defines a so-called "tear-away" tab 68. In particular, such an edge marg~n 30~ further preferably defines a preformed score line 70, so formed in the upper-edge margin 30b as to ~nable the tab 68 to readily be removable from the remainder of the margin 30b (along the score line 70) while opening the 15 fluid~discharging end 64b of the fluid-discharge passageway 32b. (Please refer to FIGURE 9.) What has been illustrated and described herein is an improvement in certain types of squeezable articles of manufactur~ such as fluid containers made of flexible-plastic 20 material. While the improvements have been illustrated and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto. In particular, the ~oregoing specification and embodiments are intended to be illustrative and are not to be taken as limiting. Thus, 25 alternatives, such as structural or mechanical equivalents, and other modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.
Accordingly, such alternatives, changes and modifications are to be consid~red as forming a part of the present invention insofar as they fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

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Claims

1. A squeezable container (20a) including flexible sidewalls (26a) defining a cavity (34) for containing a dispensible fluid (F), a bottom (24a), a pair of spaced-apart outwardly-extending deformable side-edge margins (28a, 29a), and an outwardly-extending deformable upper-edge margin (30a) which is unitary with the side-edge margins (28a, 29a) and which defines a fluid passageway (30a) of generally serpentine configuration in communication with the fluid cavity (34), wherein deformation of the upper-edge margin (30a) in the vicinity of the generally serpentine fluid passageway (32a) tends to block fluid communication between the fluid passageway (32a) and the fluid cavity (34), characterized in that the container (20a) further includes deformation-causing means (38a, 39a) defined by at least one of the outwardly-extending side-edge margins (28a, 29a) and so spaced from the upper-edge margin (30a) by a predetermined distance as to be effective for causing deformation to occur in the one side-edge margin (28a, 29a) that is in the vicinity of the deformation-causing means (38a, 39a), rather than in the vicinity of the generally serpentine fluid passageway (32a), upon application of a predetermined squeezing pressure to the cavity-contained fluid (F) via the container sidewalls (26a), whereby fluid communication between the generally serpentine fluid passageway (32a) and the fluid cavity (34) is maintained upon application of the predetermined squeezing pressure to the cavity-contained fluid (F) via the container sidewalls (26a).

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the container is a flexible-plastic fluid container, and wherein the bottom of the fluid container defines a free-standing base.

3. The container of claim 1, characterized in that the deformation-causing means comprises an indent (38a, 39a) formed in both of the side-edge margins (28a, 29a) of the container (20a).

4. The container of claim 3, characterized in that one of the indents (38') is spaced from the upper-edge margin (30a) of the container (20a) a predetermined distance less than that of the spacing of the other indent (39') from said upper-edge margin (30a).

5. The container of claim 1, characterized in that the deformation-causing means comprises an indent (38a, 39a) formed in one of the side-edge margins (28a, 29a) of the container (20a).

6. The container of any one of claims 3, 4 and 5, characterized in that the indent (38a, 39a) is of generally hemispherical shape (38', 39'), a square or rectangular shape (38b, 39b), or a triangular shape (38e, 39e).

7. The container of any one of claims 3, 4 and 5, characterized in that portions (38c, 39c) of the side-edge margins (28c, 29c) immediately adjacent the one indent (38a, 39a) are inset in similar fashion to the other indent (38a, 39a).