US20040004082A1

US20040004082A1 - Liquid container

Info

Publication number: US20040004082A1
Application number: US10/415,446
Authority: US
Inventors: Jung Lee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-11-01
Filing date: 2001-11-01
Publication date: 2004-01-08
Also published as: DE60127577D1; CN1236969C; ATE358061T1; CN1531500A; EP1337439B1; EP1337439A4; JP2004513031A; EP1337439A1; WO2002036445A1; AU2002212805A1

Abstract

The present invention is a liquid container which can be folded to be flat at its both sides. A spout member is integrally formed with the container, thereby reducing the manufacturing costs. A spouting guide member is also integrally formed with the container so that the user can easily drink the beverage through the spout member. As the container is foldable, the space occupied by the container can be reduced, thereby reducing the packaging costs and transportation costs. The container can be made of synthetic resin through a blowing process such that the part defining the spout member is harder than other portion. Folding lines are formed both sides of the container so that the container is folded along the folding lines. A projection extending along an inner surface of container functions as the spouting guide member.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a liquid container, and more particularly to a liquid container that is designed such that its main body is wide, thin and flexible so that it can be folded to be flat and reduced the capacity of the empty container.

Further, the present invention relates to a liquid container that is designed to easily and conveniently dispense or drink the liquid contained the liquid container without the straw.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, many kinds of beverage containers are used for a liquid beverage. The beverage container is composed of a cap and a container like a can (steel or aluminum can) or a plastic bottle (ex. PET bottle) and the user can open the cap and then suck the beverage with a straw or drink it.

Since the above containers are rigid and occupy the same space as the product, it is not convenient to transport them to the filling factory.

To solve the above problem, a spout pouch has been proposed which is disclosed in Japan Utility Model Registration No. H02-21399(Aug. 6, 1990). The spout pouch includes a spout and a flexible film container. The spout pouch is light and flexible.

However, the spout pouch is complex in structure and it is difficult to manufacture the same.

Further, the spout pouch is convenient to drink the liquid beverage through its spout but is not convenient to dispense the liquid beverage into another container like a cup through the spout.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problem. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a liquid container that is designed such that its main body is wide, thin and flexible so that it can be folded to be flat and reduced the capacity of the empty container.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a liquid container that is designed to easily and conveniently dispense or drink the liquid contained the liquid container without the straw.

To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a liquid container comprising a main body in which contents are stored, a spout formed in the main body and spouting the contents out, a cap hermetically coupled to the spout; and a folding guide means formed on a sidewall or/and bottom of the main body and guided the main body to be flatly folded or unfolded when absorption force or outer pressure is applied thereto.

The main body includes at least one wide width potion at its lateral portion and the wide width portion is flexible so that it can be flatly folded when absorption force is applied thereto. The wide width portion is formed on one side or both sides of the main body. The wide width portion is formed on a bottom of the main body.

The folding guide means is composed of a linear folding guide portion at a sidewall or/and bottom of the main body. The folding guide means is composed of a multi-stage folding guide portion at a sidewall or/and bottom of the main body. The folding guide means is made of synthetic resin so that the main body can be easily folded to be flat.

The liquid container further comprises a spouting guide means formed on the main body. The spouting guide means includes a spouting passage inward or outward formed on a surface of the main body wall.

The spouting guide means includes a spouting passage formed by a predetermined space at a sidewall of the main body. The spouting guide means includes a long insert extended downward at the inside of the main body.

The liquid container further comprises an adherence preventing means formed in the main body. The adherence preventing means is formed of inward protrusions or/and grooved on the main body walls. The adherence preventing means is formed of intaglio/embossing characters and/or a figure on the main body walls. The adherence preventing means includes a long insert extended downward at the inside of the main body.

The main body is made of synthetic resin. The lower portion of main body is wider than the upper portion of the main body. Both ends of the bottom portion of the main body are hermetically adhered and sealed.

A foldable sealing support is sealed at the bottom of the main body. A cap engaged with a periphery of the spout and is provided with an opening identification skirt divided by a separating guide line. The cap is integrally formed with the spout and the separating guide line lies between them. The cap further includes a knob formed at its upper portion: A bellows bending portion is formed at the spout.

The spout is provided with a hanging portion having a hanging groove which is integrally formed with the main body and makes it possible to easily and continuously supply the container to the filling line facility.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention: [0019]
FIGS. [0020] 1 to 2 are perspective views and sectional views of a liquid container in a first embodiment according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is perspective view of a liquid container according to the present invention; [0021]
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a main body of the liquid container in a first embodiment according to the present invention; [0022]
FIGS. [0023] 5 to 8 are side views, a development view and sectional a view sectional view of a spouting guide means of a liquid container in a first embodiment according to the present invention;
FIGS. 9 and 10 are a side view and a perspective view of a adherence prevention means of a liquid container in a first embodiment according to the present invention; [0024]
FIGS. 11 and 12 are perspective views of a liquid container in a second embodiment according to the present invention; [0025]
FIGS. 13 and 14 are a perspective view and a sectional view of a liquid container in a third embodiment according to the present invention; [0026]
FIGS. 15 and 16 are a perspective view and a sectional view of a main body of a liquid container in a third embodiment according to the present invention; [0027]
FIG. 17 is a front view of a spout of a liquid container in a third embodiment according to the present invention; [0028]
FIG. 18 is a sectional view of a bottom of a main body of a liquid container in a third embodiment according to the present invention; [0029]
FIGS. 19 and 20 are perspective views of a liquid container in a fourth embodiment according to the present invention; [0030]
FIG. 21 is a sectional view of a liquid container according to an embodiment of the present invention.[0031]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. [0032]
First Embodiment [0033]
FIGS. [0034] 1 to 3 shows a liquid container in a first embodiment according to the present invention.
As shown in figures, the liquid container of the present invention comprises a [0035] main body 100, a spout 200 through which the user can drink or suck the liquid beverage in the container and dispense the liquid beverage into another container like a cup, and a cap 300 that is threadedly coupled to the spout 200.
The [0036] main body 100 is designed such that it has broader width, thinner thickness and can be flatly folded in order to reduce the occupied space thereby improving the treatment and convenience.
To accomplish the above object, the [0037] main body 100 is provided with a folding guide means at its sidewall or/and bottom in order to be easily folded. The folding guide means is for guiding the main body 100 to be flat when absorption force or outer pressure is applied to the main body 100.
As shown in FIG. 4, the [0038] main body 100 can be provided with a wide width portion 102 at its side. As the main body 100 is made of flexible synthetic resin, when absorption force or outer pressure is applied thereto, the wide width portion 102 is folded to be flat as shown in FIG. 3. The wide width portion 102 can be designed such that each or both sidewalls or bottom of the main body 102 has wide width.
Further, the folding guide means can be designed such that the [0039] wide width portion 102 is provided with a linear folding guide portion 104 and 106(see FIG. 1). The linear folding guide portion 104 and 106 is a folding line formed at a sidewall or bottom of the main body 100 in order to easily fold the wide width portion 102.
The linear [0040] folding guide portion 104 and 106 can be formed by folding to be flat and pressing the main body 100 after forming the main body 100 by blow molding, direct blow molding or injection blow molding. Further, the linear folding guide portion 104 and 106 can be a small groove formed on the main body 100.
In case that the linear [0041] folding guide portion 104 and 106 is formed on both sidewall and bottom of the main body 100, it is preferred that contact portion of the folding guide portion 104 and 106 is provided with a oblique folding guide portion 108.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the folding guide means can be a multi stage folding [0042] guide portion 110. The folding guide portion 110 can be composed by forming plural folding guide portions 104 and 104′ at a sidewall of the main body 100, forming plural folding guide portions 106 at a bottom of the main body 100 and connecting them with plural “V” shaped folding guide portions 108.
When the [0043] folding guide portion 110 is a multi-stage folding portion, the bottom of the main body 100 can be wide and the capacity of the container can be increased. Further, as the bottom of the main body 100 is wider than the upper portion of the main body 100, it is stable in structure.
The present invention is provided with a spouting guide means for easily dispensing the liquid beverage. The spouting guide means can be an [0044] outward spouting passage 112 formed on the surface of the main body wall. Also, the spouting guide means can be an inward spouting passage 112′ formed on the surface of the main body wall as shown in FIG. 7. The spouting passages 112 and 112′ protect the main body walls from being closely contacted each other.
In another embodiment of the invention, the spouting guide means can be a [0045] long insert 114 formed in the main body 100 (see FIG. 4). The long insert 114 prevents front and rear plates of the main body 100 from being closely contacted and forms a predetermined space between the front and rear plates so that the liquid of the container can be easily dispensed therefrom. To achieve the object, the long insert 114 extends below the half of the main body 100. Also, the long insert can be plural insert.
Furthermore, the liquid container of the present invention includes an adherence preventing means for preventing front and rear plates of the [0046] main body 100 from being closely contacted so that the liquid of the container can be easily dispensed therefrom.
The adherence preventing means can be formed of [0047] inward protrusions 116 and/or grooves on the main body walls. The inward protrusions 116 and grooves can be placed as shown in FIG. 9.
In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, the adherence preventing means can be formed of a [0048] long insert 114, and also, as shown in FIG. 10, it can be formed of intaglio/embossing characters and/or a figure.
The [0049] spout 200 of the present invention is provided with a fluid passage 202, on the around the passage 202, it is provided with threads 204 and is formed with an engagement jaw 206 for engaging with an opening identification skirt 302 of the cap 300.
The [0050] cap 300 is provided at its inside with threads 304 and engages with a periphery of the spout 200. The bottom of the cap 300 is extended below the engagement jaw 206 of the spout 200 so that it covers around the spout 200 thereby preventing pollution. The cap 300 is provided at it bottom with an opening identification skirt 302 divided by a separating guide line 306.
Now, the operation of the liquid container according to the present invention will be described below. [0051]
First, the user removes the [0052] cap 300. The cap 300 is removed by counterclockwise rotating it and the opening identification skirt 302 is removed from the cap 300.
As the user sucks the beverage in the container, the [0053] main body 100 is folded to be flat as shown in FIG. 7.
The liquid container of the present invention is provided with the spouting [0054] passages 112, 112′ and 112″ thereby easily dispensing the contents of the container. Further, the liquid container of the present invention is provided with the adherence prevention means thereby more easily sucking and dispensing the contents of the container.
When the user wants to dispense the contents of the container into another container like a cup, the user just erects the container as shown in FIG. 3. At this point, the contents of the main body is easily dispensed through the [0055] fluid passage 202 of the spout 200.
Second Embodiment [0056]
FIGS. 11 and 12 show another embodiment of the present invention. [0057]
As shown in Figures, the liquid container of the present invention comprises a [0058] main body 100, a spout 200 protruded from the main body 100 upward, and a cap 300 hermetically engaged with the spout 200.
Detailed description of the [0059] spout 200 and the cap 300 is omitted as they are the same as those of the first embodiment.
In this embodiment, the [0060] container body 100 is provided with a wide width portion at its lower center and the wide width portion is provided with multi-stage folding guide portion 110 as the folding guide means. The multi-stage folding guide portion 110 includes at least two single-stage folding guide portions 106.
Further, in this embodiment of the present invention, the single-stage [0061] folding guide portion 104″ is formed on a sidewall of the main body 100. As a result, if the main body 100 is laterally cut, the section of the main body 100 will be shaped of an ellipse.
This [0062] main body 100 can be manufactured by a method like a direct blow molding or an injection blow molding and is provided at its bottom with a wide width portion. It is heat pressed so that the single folding guide portion 104″ and the multi-stage folding guide portion 110 are formed at its side and bottom respectively.
The spouting guide means is vertically formed at a center of the front or rear plate of the [0063] main body 100. As the same as the first embodiment, the spouting guide means can be an inward spouting passage 112′ or an outward spouting passage.
As shown in FIG. 12, the spouting guide means can be a spouting passage of an elliptic space. [0064]
Third Embodiment [0065]
FIGS. 13 and 14 show another embodiment of the present invention. [0066]
As shown in Figures, the liquid container of the present invention comprises a [0067] main body 100, a spout 200 protruded from the main body 100 upward, and a cap 300′ that is integrally and hermetically molded with the spout 200.
The [0068] cap 300′ is designed such that it is provided with a separate guide line 312 at a border between the spout 200 and it so that it can be separated therefrom when it is needed. There are an inner cap 314 and a knob 316 at its upper portion.
The outer diameter of the [0069] inner cap 314 is same as or slighter larger than the inner diameter of the spout 200. This is for resealing the spout 200 when it is needed.
In this embodiment, the [0070] main body 100 is open at its bottom portion, and it is closed by heat-sealing a foldable sealing support 120. This structure of the main body 100 makes it easy to filling the contents inside. The foldable sealing support 120 is sealed after filling. The folding guide portion 106 is formed at a center of the foldable sealing support 120.
The [0071] main body 100 of this embodiment is provided with an long insert 114′ downwardly protruded from the upper surface of the main body 100. The long insert 114′ prevents the front and rear plates of the main body 100 from being closely contacted and forming a space between the front and rear plates of the main body 100 when folded to be flat thereby easily dispensing the contents of the container. To achieve the object, two long inserts 114′ are disposed in the main body 100.
FIGS. 15 and 16 show another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, and the single [0072] folding guide portions 104″ are formed at each side of the main body 100. At the bottom of the main body 100, a foldable sealing support 120 is sealed. A downward foldable folding guide portion 106′ is formed at the foldable sealing portion 120.
FIG. 17 shows another embodiment of the [0073] spout 200 applied to the present invention. The spout 200 is disposed at the upper portion of the main body in state of leaning leftward or rightward. This is for easily sucking the beverage.
FIG. 18 shows another embodiment of the bottom of the [0074] main body 100. It is designed such that both bottom ends of the main body 100 is directly sealed.
Fourth Embodiment [0075]
FIGS. 19 and 20 shows another embodiment of the liquid container according to the present invention. [0076]
As shown in Figures, the liquid container of the present invention comprises a [0077] main body 100, a spout 200 protruded from the main body 100 upward, and a cap (not shown) coupled with the spout 200.
As the same as above embodiments, the [0078] main body 100 is provided with folding guide portions 104 and 104″ at its sidewall or/and bottom surface. Further, the main body 100 is provided with a spouting passage 112′ at its front or rear plate.
In this embodiment, the liquid container includes a [0079] bellows bending portion 208 for folding or unfolding the spout 200.
FIG. 21 shows a liquid container provided with a hanging portion H having a hanging groove. The hanging portion H is integrally formed with the [0080] main body 100 and makes it possible to easily and continuously supply the container to the filling line facility.
While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and referred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. [0081]

Claims

1. A liquid container comprising:

a main body in which contents are stored;

a spout formed in the main body and spouting the contents out;

a cap hermetically coupled to the spout; and

a folding guide means formed on a sidewall or/and bottom of the main body and guided the main body to be flatly folded or unfolded when absorption force or outer pressure is applied thereto.

2. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body includes at least one wide width potion at its lateral portion and the wide width portion is flexible so that it can be flatly folded when absorption force is applied thereto.

3. A liquid container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the wide width portion is formed on one side or both sides of the main body.

4. A liquid container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the wide width portion is formed on a bottom of the main body.

5. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1, the folding guide means is composed of a linear folding guide portion at a sidewall or/and bottom of the main body.

6. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the folding guide means is composed of a multi-stage folding guide portion at a sidewall or/and bottom of the main body.

7. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the folding guide means is made of synthetic resin so that the main body can be easily folded to be flat.

8. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1, the liquid container further comprises a spouting guide means formed on the main body.

9. A liquid container as claimed in claim 8, wherein the spouting guide means includes a spouting passage inward or outward formed on a surface of the main body wall.

10. A liquid container as claimed in claim 8, wherein the spouting guide means includes a spouting passage formed by a predetermined space at a sidewall of the main body.

11. A liquid container as claimed in claim 8, wherein the spouting guide means includes a long insert extended downward at the inside of the main body.

12. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid container further comprises an adherence preventing means formed in the main body.

13. A liquid container as claimed in claim 12, wherein the adherence preventing means is formed of inward protrusions or/and grooved on the main body walls.

14. A liquid container as claimed in claim 12, wherein the adherence preventing means is formed of intaglio/embossing characters and/or a figure on the main body walls.

15. A liquid container as claimed in claim 12, wherein the adherence preventing means includes a long insert extended downward at the inside of the main body.

16. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body is made of synthetic resin.

17. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower portion of main body is wider than the upper portion of the main body.

18. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein both ends of the bottom portion of the main body are hermetically adhered and sealed.

19. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein a foldable sealing support is sealed at the bottom of the main body.

20. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cap engaged with a periphery of the spout and is provided with an opening identification skirt divided by a separating guide line.

21. A liquid container as claimed in claim 21, wherein the cap is integrally formed with the spout and the separating guide line lies between them.

22. A liquid container as claimed in claim 21, wherein the cap further includes a knob formed at its upper portion.

23. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein a bellows bending portion is formed at the spout.

24. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spout is provided with a hanging portion having a hanging groove which is integrally formed with the main body and makes it possible to easily and continuously supply the container to the filling line facility.