US20160060003A1

US20160060003A1 - Collapsible beverage container

Info

Publication number: US20160060003A1
Application number: US14/839,351
Authority: US
Inventors: Shawn Wood
Original assignee: Road To Adventure LLC
Current assignee: Road To Adventure LLC
Priority date: 2014-08-28
Filing date: 2015-08-28
Publication date: 2016-03-03

Abstract

Beverage containers are disclosed that are flexible and can collapse to lay flat when emptied of a beverage. When filled with a beverage, the beverage containers expand at a base and can stand upright to dispenser the beverage from the container. The beverage containers include a handle that allows the beverage container to be balanced when it is carried by the handle or is hung, such as from an object, by the handle. Some of the disclosed beverage containers are shaped to fit within a particular object, such as a bicycle frame.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 62/043,160, filed Aug. 28, 2014, which is incorporated in this patent application by this reference.

BACKGROUND

People want to take fluids, like beverages, with them when they travel, are doing activities away from home, are simply on the go, or are spending time outdoors, whether at home or elsewhere. As a result, many fluid containers have been developed, such as water bottles and other portable beverage dispensers. Even the reusable types of water bottles are usually relatively small ranging from 8 oz. volume to perhaps even 32 oz. or possibly more. Likewise, larger containers have been developed and can hold an even larger volume of fluids. The water bottle style fluid containers are either intended for single use and are intended to be disposed when empty or are traditionally a hard plastic or metal with a removable cap and are reusable and washable. The single use water bottles are not reusable and are often made of a plastic, semi-rigid material like a soft plastic. The single use water bottles are not typically designed to be washable and are not foldable or otherwise able to reduce their size.
When all of the fluid in the hard plastic, metal, or otherwise rigid water bottles is dispensed, the rigid bottle becomes burdensome and takes up space. The user has to pack it up to either dispose of it or take it home to wash and reuse, which can generally be cumbersome. Further, the additional rigid container takes up valuable packing space when it is empty, especially when the container is intended to provide beverages for multiple people, such as 64+ ounces. The end of an outdoor trip, for example, tends to be when the people are most tired and would like their gear to be as compact and lightweight as possible. The rigid containers take up the same volume of space as when the outdoor trip began and have a weight to them even when empty.
Some single-use fluid containers have been developed to improve the weight, portability, and space issues known for the rigid beverage containers. For example, a bag-in-box configuration for a beverage has a flexible pouch that contains the beverage that is placed inside a more rigid box. The pouch has a dispenser that extends through the more rigid, exterior, box so the beverage can be dispensed by a user. However, the bag-in-box beverage containers are single-use and designed to be discarded after the bag is empty of the beverage. The bags are not refillable and are connected only to the dispenser for dispensing the beverage. The more rigid, exterior box is oftentimes made of a material like cardboard that provides some rigid support as a frame for the more flexible bag or pouch housed inside of the box. While cardboard is collapsible to store after the beverage pouch is empty, the cardboard cannot be reassembled for an additional use even with a new pouch.
Therefore, the art would benefit from a portable beverage container that is reusable, collapsible, and lightweight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an example collapsible beverage container.

FIG. 2 shows a portion of a cross-section of the material of the collapsible beverage container.

FIG. 3 is a front plan view of the example collapsible beverage dispenser shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the example collapsible beverage dispenser shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the example collapsible beverage dispenser shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of another example collapsible beverage dispenser with support structures around it.

FIG. 7 shows a bottom portion of a base for an example beverage container.

FIG. 8 shows another bottom portion of a base for an example beverage container.

FIG. 9 shows an example collapsible beverage container secured to a bicycle frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

A new beverage container is disclosed herein. The beverage container can house any suitable fluid, including beverages and other fluid food products. More specifically, the beverage container can house alcoholic beverages, such as beer, and other carbonated beverages. The disclosed beverage containers that contain food and beverages have a food-safe interior layer that contacts the food or beverage and prevents contamination of the food or beverage. The disclosed beverage containers are reusable and can be washed. For example, the beverage container can be filled with beer and after all of the beer has been dispensed, the beverage container can be collapsed to a relatively flat configuration and then washed and re-filled with beer (or another fluid) so it is again ready to dispense the re-filled beer.
A user can fill the disclosed beverage containers in a way that prevents oxygen (O₂) from entering the beverage container and affecting the fluid. Prior to filling the container with an O₂-sensitive liquid, like beer, the user can fully express all air from the beverage container to prevent any O₂from being introduced into the liquid during the filling process. The air can be expressed because the beverage container is flexible and its walls can be easily pressed together to “collapse” or otherwise fold up relatively flat onto itself. The flexible nature of the beverage container allows a user to simply press the side walls of the beverage container together and does not require any complex expression methods for removing the air. Preventing an O₂-sensitive fluid's exposure to O₂aids in preserving the freshness of the beverage and prolongs the consumable life of the beverage.
The disclosed beverage containers have screw tops for filling the beverage container with a fluid, like an O₂-sensitive beverage, and a dispenser. The screw tops can have a one-way sealable valve that permits the beverage container to be filled with the beverage after which the screw top (or other closure) is secured closed to prevent further inlet of the beverage and seal it closed. The beverage containers also have a dispenser that works in combination with the screw top or other inlet that dispenses the beverage from the beverage container. The dispenser is a one-way valve so it dispenses the beverage but nothing is permitted to enter the beverage container through the dispenser. After filling, when the screw top is closed, the beverage is protected from exposure to air and specifically exposure to O₂outside the beverage container.
With the screw top and one-way valve dispenser configuration, the beverage is not exposed to the air or O₂until it exits the beverage container through the dispenser. When dispensed, the users are typically ready to drink the beverage. The remaining beverage in the beverage container remains preserved and unexposed to the exterior air and O₂. Conventional beverage containers do not have the inlet and dispenser configuration of the disclosed beverage containers and simply have a screw top type inlet that serves as both the inlet and dispenser or outlet for the beverage. Each time the screw top of inlet is opened, the entire volume of beverage stored in the beverage container is exposed to the exterior air and O₂, which decreases the freshness of O₂sensitive beverages and reduces its consumable life.
An example collapsible beverage container 100 is shown in FIG. 1. The beverage container 100 has a fluid pouch 102, an opening 104 with a removable cap 106, and a dispenser 108. The beverage container 100 can be made of a flexible material and is collapsible when empty, as shown in its empty form in FIG. 1. When empty, the beverage container 100 is able to lay relatively flat because of the collapsible nature of the flexible material making up the beverage container 100. One end of the beverage container 100 can be made to expand to provide a base 110 for the container 100 so that it can stand upright on its base. With the base 110 in its expanded position, the container 100 is tapered from the opposing, top side 112 of the base to the base 110. The base 110 can expand when the fluid is placed into the beverage container 100. When the fluid is emptied from the beverage container 100, the beverage container base 110 becomes collapsible, at the user's choosing, so that the collapsed base 110 can allow the container 100 to be relatively flat for easy transport and storage, among other benefits.
The fluid pouch 102 is the container that stores the beverage or other fluid. Generally, the fluid pouch 102 is impermeable to fluids, such as the beverage. The opening 104 and the dispenser 108, or at least a portion of them, can be integrally formed with the fluid pouch 102. The fluid pouch can be a pouch that is separate from the exterior layer of the beverage container. However, in the example shown in FIG. 1, the fluid pouch 102 is integrally formed with the exterior layer. Two, multiple-layer side walls are bonded or fused together, such as by an adhesive or bonding technique, along a perimeter 114, which positions the fluid pouch 102 in a central portion 116 of the beverage container 100. The fluid pouch 102 is a flexible container that can expand and contract depending on whether and how much of the beverage is stored in it. The opening 104 and the dispenser 108 are the inlet and outlet for the beverage, respectively, to and from the fluid pouch 102.
The beverage container 100 also has an opening 104 with a removable cap 106. The opening 104 and removable cap 106 can be a plastic tube with a screw top or any other suitable configuration. The opening 104 and cap 106 combination is intended to be the opening through which the beverage is poured into the beverage container 100. The user removes the cap 106 from the opening 104, expresses any air from the interior of the beverage container 100, pours the beverage into the beverage container 100, and then replaces the cap 106. In some examples, the cap 106 can include a removable one-way valve that is fitted within the opening and permits fluid to be poured into the beverage container but does not allow the beverage to be dispensed from the beverage container back through the opening. The one-way valve can be removable, in some examples, such as when a user wants to clean the interior of the beverage container.
A user can remove the cap 106 and clean the interior of the beverage container 100 through the opening 104. For example, the user may wish to use a cleanser and water to clean the inside of the beverage container 100 and pours that solution into the beverage container through the opening 104, swishes around the solution, then dispenses the solution again through the opening and/or dispenses the solution through the dispenser 108, repeating and rinsing as many times as necessary to remove all of the solution from the fluid pouch 102 and complete the cleaning process. The opening 104 can also include a sealing member, like a rubber gasket, that helps maintain a fluid-tight seal between the cap 106 and the opening 104 to prevent leaks of the beverage through the interface between the removable cap 106 and the opening 104.
The beverage container 100 also has a dispenser 108 that is attached to the collapsible beverage container and allows the beverage in the beverage container 100 to be dispensed from the container 100. The dispenser 108 is a one-way valve that allows the beverage to be dispensed and does not allow fluid or anything else back into the beverage container 100. The dispenser 108 can be a spout that has two positions, open and closed.
The dispenser 108 can also have two portions, in some examples, a first portion 109 that is permanently attached to the beverage container 100 and a second, removable portion 111 that includes the valve and is selectively attachable to the first portion 109. In an example, the first portion 109 of the dispenser 108 is a plastic opening that extends from the exterior of the beverage container 100 to the interior of the beverage container 100 and includes threads on its exterior surface. A second portion 111 of the dispenser 108 is a screw top configuration with threads on its interior surface that mate and lock with the threads on the first portion 109 when screwed together. The second portion 111 has a spout that can be in either an open or closed position and is removable from the first portion 109 for easy cleaning, maintenance, and replacement, when necessary or desired.
In some examples, the beverage container includes material(s) having multiple layers. For example, FIG. 2 shows a portion of a cross-section of the beverage container 100 shown in FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2. The cross-section 200 has three layers: an interior, food-safe layer 206; an intermediary thermal layer 204; and a protective exterior layer 202. The intermediary thermal layer 204 provides protection against heat transfer between the fluid and the exterior of the container. By preventing heat transferring either into the fluid pouch or away from the fluid pouch, the intermediate, thermal layers 204 provide temperature regulation to the fluid contained inside of the beverage container. The fluid remains at its desired temperature, or close to it, for a longer period of time with such thermal regulation. In the example of fluids that are desirable at a cool temperature, such as beer, the beer stays cool longer than if the fluid pouch had no thermal layer.
The example three-layer material shown in FIG. 2 has two sets of three-layered materials that form side walls 201, 203 of the collapsible beverage container. The side walls 201, 203 are secured on one end 208 and are separated and open to receive the fluid on the other end 210. Referring again to FIG. 1 and in combination with FIG. 2, the dotted lines shown in FIG. 1 represent the perimeter 114 of where the two side walls 201, 203 are sealed together to form the container within which the beverage is stored. In the central portion 116 of the beverage container, the two layers are separated from each other and flex apart to receive and store the beverage or other fluid. The perimeter 114 is otherwise sealed around the central portion 116. The opening 104 and the dispenser 108 are the two ports through which the beverage can either enter or exit the beverage container 100.
In the three-layer beverage container example shown in FIG. 2, the interior layer 206 can be food-safe to prevent contamination of the consumable fluids contained within the beverage container. The food-safe materials can be any suitable materials, such as flexible thermoplastic polymers. The protective, exterior layer 202 provides at least some of shape, support, and structure to the beverage container. The protective, exterior layer 202 can be water-resistant/proof or weather-resistant/proof, for example, and can also include a flexible material that is rigid enough to allow the beverage container to stand upright, either or both of empty or filled. For example, the flexible material includes a canvas material or KEVLAR® material. The protective, exterior layer 202 can also be easily washable. The protective, exterior layer 202 may have a label or other identifier, in some examples, on which the contents of the beverage container or any other text and/or image can be displayed.
The layers of any multi-layer flexible beverage container can be permanently attached to each other, such as by any suitable fusion technique, by adhesives or bonding, or any combination thereof. In another example, the layers of the multi-layer beverage container are glued together along a perimeter, such as the perimeter 114 shown in FIG. 1, and are at least partially attached by rivets, grommets, or other rigid or semi-rigid openings, at any position along the perimeter. The example shown in FIG. 1 is glued together along its perimeter 114 and has three grommets 118 and a handle 120 positioned along the perimeter 114. The openings are any suitable shape and size although they can be shaped and sized to permit an object like a strap, rope, latch, carabiner clip, or any other attachment element to pass through them. The attachment elements allow users to secure the beverage containers to another object, like a backpack, bicycle, raft or boat, cooler, a user's belt or clothing, etc. The attachment elements can also serve the purpose of securing the beverage container to an object on which it sits, like a cooler or table, to prevent the fluid container from falling over or being removed.
Turning now to FIG. 3, the beverage container 100 shown in FIG. 1 in a perspective view is shown in FIG. 3 in a front plan view. The beverage container 100 is a polygonal shape with two of its edges, a side edge 122 and a bottom edge 124, meeting to form an approximately 90° angle with a rounded corner 126. The side edge 122 also meets a top edge 128 at an approximately 90° angle with a rounded corner 130. The top edge 128, or a portion of it, is flat or straight in some examples and curved, contoured, or otherwise shaped in other examples. The other side edge 132 can be straight or angled with respect to the top edge 128 and the bottom edge 124.
In the example beverage container 100 shown in FIG. 3, a first portion 134 of the other side edge 132 is angled with respect to the top edge 128 and the bottom edge 124 at an approximately 60° angle. This 60° angle can help to accommodate the shape of a conventional bicycle frame bar so the beverage container can easily fit with the bicycle frame and secured to the bars of the frame, which is discussed further below. A second portion 136 of the side edge 132 meets the first portion 134 of the side edge at approximately 60° from the horizontal plane and meets the bottom edge 124 at approximately 90° from the horizontal plane. The 90° angle at which the bottom edge 124 meets the second portion 136 of the side edge 132 has a rounded corner 138. The rounded corners 126, 130, and 138 each have approximately the same curvature to their rounded shape in the example shown in FIG. 3 but alternatively could have differing curvatures in other examples.
The openings, like the rivets or grommets discussed above, can be strategically placed around the fluid pouch to complement an opening within which the container fits, like the bicycle frame opening discussed above and further discussed below, or so that the container can be easily attached to a supporting structure or object. For example, the beverage container 100 shown in FIG. 3 has openings 140, 142, 144 in three locations. The first opening 140 is framed by a rivet and is positioned within the corner 130 where the top edge 128 and the first side edge 122 meet. The second opening 142 is also framed by a rivet and is positioned within the corner 126 where the bottom edge 124 and the first side edge 122 meet. The third opening 144 is also framed by a rivet and is positioned within the corner 138 where the other side edge 132 and the bottom edge 124 meet.
Securing elements, like straps, can extend through each opening in any of the examples above and can then secure each respective opening to a respective portion of an object like a tree, a bicycle frame, a backpack, a cooler, or any other object. For example, the openings can be the three rivets discussed above in reference to FIG. 3. A strap having a hook and loop fastener like VELCRO® or any other securing element like a snap or buckle or simply by tying the two ends of the strap together. The straps extend through one or more respective rivets and around respective portions of the object to which it is secured. Any additional number of openings can be added to the examples discussed here and shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The openings shown in the examples in FIGS. 1 and 3 are oblong, but they can be other shapes, such as circles, squares or other polygonal or round shapes in alternative designs. Other example beverage containers include any suitable number of openings in any other desired configuration.
The beverage container also includes a handle, in some examples. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the handle 120 is positioned usually along the top edge 128 of the container 100 although it could be positioned elsewhere. The handle 120 is strategically positioned to provide balance to the beverage container 100 when a user picks up the beverage container 100 by the handle 120 or when the beverage container 100 is attached to an object through the handle 120, e.g., the beverage container 100 does not generally lean one direction or another when it is picked up by or secured to an object through the handle 120. In some examples like the beverage container 100 shown in FIG. 3, the handle 120 is positioned along the top edge 128 approximately centered between the two side edges 122, 132. The handle 120 also extends at least partially above the top edge 128, in this example.
For example, the beverage container 100 shown in FIG. 3 has a handle 120 that extends above the top edge 128 by approximately half the height of the handle 120. The handle 120 can be a ring or a grommet and can have a rigid or semi-rigid material like plastic, metal, or rubber. The handle is a grommet, in the example shown in FIG. 3, and defines a space or opening 146 through the beverage container 100. All seams between the grommet or another embedded handle and the rest of the beverage container are permanently sealed to prevent fluid contained in the beverage container from leaking out through the handle seam.
FIG. 4 shows a side view of the beverage container shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The beverage container 100 in FIG. 4 is shown in an upright position with the base expanded to support it. Although the beverage is not shown, the beverage container is full or at least partially full of the beverage to help support the expanded base and keep the beverage container upright. In some example, the beverage container can also stand upright in its expanded configuration without the beverage in it. The base 124 expands when the beverage is input into the beverage container 100. When expanded, the beverage container 100 is tapered from the top edge 128 around the input spout 106 towards the bottom edge 124. The bottom edge 124 is expandable and the top edge 128 is not expandable. In another example, the top edge may also be expandable. The bottom edge 124 is wider than the top edge 128 when the bottom edge 124 is in its expanded position and provides a base for the beverage container 100.
As shown in FIG. 4, the beverage container 100 in its expanded configuration is a curved, tapered shape from the top edge 128 to the bottom edge 124. The beverage container is made of flexible, collapsible material(s), which creates its curved shape when it is expanded. When expanded, the beverage container increases its depth approximately equally in both the forward 148 and backward 150 directions with respect to its center line, which is approximately where the two side edges 122, 132 are sealed together and form the perimeter 114 of the beverage container 100.
FIG. 5 shows a bottom plan view of the beverage container 100 with the bottom edge 124 in its expanded position and showing a bottom surface 152 expanded to a relatively or substantially flat position. The bottom surface 152 can be folded up into itself in an accordion style fold or otherwise or can be folded over one of its side walls when the beverage container 100 is collapsed and lying flat. When the beverage container 100 is expanded, the bottom surface 152 is flat to provide a base for the beverage container 100 that has a greater surface area than any other portion of the beverage container 100, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The bottom surface 152 is shown as a relatively oval or oblong shape with pinched side edges where the perimeter 114, shown in FIG. 1, is sealed.
The flexible beverage container also can have supporting structures embedded between its multiple layers or inserted into pockets secured to the exterior layer of the beverage container. The supporting structures embedded between the multiple layers are permanently secured within the layers while the ribs that are inserted into pockets secured to the exterior layer of the beverage container 100 are removable. The supporting structures can form a web or other configuration that can be modeled after the shape of the container or otherwise. The web or other configuration of supporting structures is able to expand and lay flat with the beverage container when the beverage container is respectively filled and emptied. When the fluid pouch has fluid in it, the web expands to the shape of the beverage container and can incrementally decrease or increase in size in accordance with the volume of beverage in the beverage container. The supporting structures are any suitable shape and can provide the support for the beverage container to stand upright when filled with the beverage.
For example, FIG. 6 shows a similar beverage container to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 5, but this new embodiment 600 has supporting structures. In this example, the supporting structures include five elongated ribs 602, 604, 606, 608, 610 spaced apart around the perimeter of the exterior surface of the beverage container 600. The ribs 602, 604, 606, 608, 610 are generally longer than they are wide and extend between the top edge (not shown in this view) and the bottom surface 612 of the beverage container 600. The ribs 602, 604, 606, 608, 610 can include a rigid or semi-rigid material like plastic, rubber, thermoplastic polymer, or the like and they provide longitudinal support to the beverage container when it is upright. Because the ribs 602, 604, 606, 608, 610 are spaced along a front surface 614 and a back surface 618 of the beverage container, they lay flat when the beverage container is empty and in a collapsed position.
In the example shown in FIG. 6, three ribs 606, 608, 610 are positioned approximately equidistant from each other along the back surface 618. Two ribs 602, 604 are positioned along the front surface 614 approximately equidistant from and on either side of the dispenser 620. The ribs 602, 604, 606, 608, 610 in the example shown in FIG. 6 are positioned or inserted into respective elongated pockets 622, 624, 626, 628, 630 that are secured to their respective front surface 614 and back surface 618. The pockets 622, 624, 626, 628, 630 are shaped so to receive the ribs 602, 604, 606, 608, 610 and also extend longitudinally from the top edge (not show in this view) to the bottom surface 612. The ribs in this example are removable from the pockets. As discussed above, some other examples have ribs that are permanently embedded between layers of a multiple-layer beverage container. The ribs shown in FIG. 6 extend longitudinally around the beverage container. Alternatively, other example beverage containers with ribs can extend at any angle.
The base 110 can also include a semi-flexible, semi-rigid, or rigid frame that folds flat against one side wall or the other of the beverage container when the beverage container is empty. The base also folds out and expands to form the widest portion of the beverage container and provides a base for standing the beverage container upright. For example, the frame could be a plastic or rubber material in a ring or oval shape that is able to be folded flat against a side wall of the beverage container when the beverage container is empty. Alternatively, the frame could be an integral, contoured ring at the base of the beverage container that is designed to be the first section of the beverage container to fill with fluid.
The integrated ring example base 700 is shown in FIG. 7. In this example, a ring 702 is molded into the bottom portion 704 of the beverage container. The ring can be solid, such as lightweight foam or plastic or can be hollow. The hollow rings can be inflatable with air, which would require an inlet/outlet port. The ring can also be fillable with the fluid filling the beverage container or with another fluid, like water. In the example rings that are fillable with the beverage, an inlet/outlet port or through-passage is included in the ring that permits the beverage to fill the ring and be dispensed from the ring and through the dispenser. The beverage filling the ring would be the last of the beverage to be dispensed from the beverage container when it is drained of the beverage. In this same example, the hollow ring would be the first section of the beverage container to fill with the beverage to establish a base for the beverage container to stand upright as the rest of the beverage container is filled.
FIG. 8 shows another example base 800 having a base structure 802 secured to the bottom surface of the beverage container. The base structure 802 extends across the entire bottom surface in this example. It can be contained within the interior 806 of the beverage container 800, as shown in the example in FIG. 8, or could be externally attached to the bottom surface of the beverage container in any suitable manner. The externally attached example may include a material or traction elements that help keep the beverage container stationary and prevent slipping when it is set on a surface.
The beverage container can generally be any suitable shape. In some embodiments, the beverage container is shaped to fit within a particular space. For example, the beverage container shown in FIG. 9 is shaped to fit within a standard bicycle frame 902. One side 904 of the beverage container 900 is angled to accommodate the angled bar 906 of the bicycle frame 902. The beverage container 900 is shown secured to the bicycle frame by two releasable rings 908, 910 that extend through respective holes 912, 914 in the beverage container 900 and around a horizontal bar 916 of the bicycle frame 902. Optionally, the beverage container 900 could also have additional attachment points to the frame 902, such as through a third hole 918 and/or through the handle 920.
It will be appreciated that several of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also, various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage container, comprising:

a flexible fluid pouch;

an opening having a removable cap, the opening attached to the flexible fluid pouch and structured to permit fluid to enter the flexible fluid pouch; and

a dispenser attached to the flexible fluid pouch and structured to dispense fluid from the flexible fluid pouch.

2. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the flexible fluid pouch has multiple layers.

3. The beverage container of claim 2, wherein the multiple layers include an interior layer and an exterior layer, the interior layer being food-safe.

4. The beverage container of claim 2, wherein the multiple layers includes an exterior, canvas layer.

5. The beverage container of claim 2, wherein the multiple layers includes a thermal layer.

6. The beverage container of claim 2, wherein the multiple layers are attached together by at least one of fusion and adhesion.

7. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the flexible fluid pouch is collapsible.

8. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the flexible fluid pouch includes an expandable bottom surface that is configured to expand to support the container in a free-standing position on a surface when the beverage container is filled with a beverage.

9. The beverage container of claim 1, further comprising at least one supporting structure embedded within the flexible fluid pouch.

10. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the beverage container has four edges and rounded corners.

11. The beverage container of claim 10, wherein at least one of the edges is angled and the remaining three edges form three, approximately 90° corners.

12. The beverage container of claim 11, further comprising a handle embedded in the beverage container.

13. The beverage container of claim 12, wherein the handle is positioned along one of the three edges that meet the angled edge.

14. The beverage container of claim 13, wherein the handle extends above the edge of the flexible fluid pouch on which the handle is positioned.

15. The beverage container of claim 12, wherein the handle is positioned approximately centered along the one of the three edges.

16. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the opening is a hollow tube through which fluid can pass to and from the flexible fluid pouch.

17. The beverage container of claim 16, wherein the opening has threads on its exterior surface and the removable cap has complementary threads on its interior surface in a screw-top configuration.

18. The beverage container of claim 17, further comprising a sealing element positioned within the opening and structured to provide a seal between the removable cap and the opening when the removable cap is secured on the opening.

19. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the dispenser includes a controllable one-way valve that permits fluid in the flexible fluid pouch to be dispensed from the beverage container.

20. The beverage container of claim 1, further comprising at least two openings positioned along an edge of the flexible fluid pouch, the openings being configured to receive an attachment elements configured to secure the beverage container to an object.