US3118572A - Squeeze bottle - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 21, 1964 F. M. HARDING 3,118,572

SQUEEZE BOTTLE Filed Sept. 4, 1 96 2 minim Fl 6. 2 INVENTOR.

F RANK M. HA ROI/V6 ms ATTORNEY United States Patent Qfiice Patented Earn. 21, 1 .5 84

3,118,572 SQUEEZE BQTTLE Frank M. Harding, Berkeley Heights, N.J., assignor to Hoppers Company, Inc, a corporation of Delaware Filed ept. i, 1962, Ser. No. 221,209 1 Claim. (Cl. 2221$3) This invention relates generally to flexible containers.

The flexibility of plastics, particularly, polyethylene has led to the widespread use of flexible containers, popularly known as squeeze bottles. In such bottles, distortion due to compression or squeezing forces the contents from the spout of the bottle. Such containers are used for cosmetics, drugs, foods, detergents and the like.

A disadvantage of the squeeze bottle as heretofore known has been that the contents of the bottle return to the bottom of the bottle once the pressure is released. So, as the contents of the container diminish, a greater amount of squeezing is required to force the contents through the opening at the top of the bottle.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a novel squeeze bottle with compensation for maintaining the material within the container near the opening of the container.

This invention contemplates a novel container arrangement comprising an inner member for holding the material to be dispensed, an outer member surrounding the inner member so that an open area exists between the members, the outer member being distortable to force material from the inner member, and means for supplying air to the open area to compensate for the space formerly occupied by any material which has been removed from the inner member.

The above and further objects and novel features of invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the accompanied drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are not intended as a definition of invention, but are for the purpose of illustration, only.

In the drawings wherein all parts are marked alike:

FIGURE 1 is an embodiment of the invention, and

FIGURE 2 is an alternate embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1. The inner tube is a conventional collapsible tube. This tube is sealed at 12 and advantageously attached to an outer tube 14 of flexible material such as polyethylene. The inner tube '10 and the outer tube 12 are also sealed at juncture 16. This provides an open space 22 between the tubes. A conventional unidirectional flap valve 2%} is located m the wall 21 of tube 14 for permitting the entrance of, air into space 22 but blocking the escape of air therefrom. The contents of tube 1%} are dispensed from neck 17. A cap 19 may be secured to neck 17 by 18.

In use, therefore, tube 19 is filled with a viscous material which, for example, may be a hair dressing. Due to flap valve 2!), the air in the annular space 22 between tubes 1% and 14 is substantially at atmospheric pressure. As tube 14 is squeezed by hand, the walls are deformed and the air inside the annular space is compressed. The compressed air exerts a pressure against the side walls of tube It) tending to compress the side walls, thereby causing material to flow through the neck 17 of the tube. When the squeezing of i4 is stopped and the compression released, tube 1- tends to return to its original. The vacuum created by this causes valve Ztl to open whereby air enters into the annular space 22 to replace the space left by the ejection of contents from tube It Thus, the

material in tube 1% is kept near the neck of the tube. This operation can be repeated until the tube is completely empty.

In another embodiment of invention as illustrated in FIGURE 2, the inner tube 31 is surrounded by another tube 32, and the tubes are sealed at 34- at neck 35. Inner tube 31 is provided with corrugations 36. A flexible general-ly circular and convex diaphragm 39 is positioned within the corrugations.

In operation, the inner tube 31 is filled with material such as, for example, tooth paste. As the outer tube 32 is squeezed, the resulting air pressure within tube 32 acts on the inner tube 31 and distorts the diaphragm 39 into a more conical shape, thereby decreasing its diameter, and forcing the diaphragm upwardly within the corrugations 31, thereby forcing the paste from the neck 34 of the bottle. Upon release of the squeezing pressure, tube 31 tends to return to its original shape. Diaphragm 39 also tends to return to its original shape, the diaphragms thereby locking itself in one of the grooves of the corrugations, whereupon the expansion of the outer container to its original size causes a vacuum to exist in the annular space 37 between tubes 31 and 32. This opens flap valve it? and air flows into space 3'7 so as to equalize the pressure therein with the atmosphere. Thus the dispensed material is maintained near the top of the container as long as the paste exists within the container. Again, when the outer container 32 is squeezed, the process is repeated.

The foregoing has presented a novel plastic squeeze bottle for expelling a product therefrom by squeezing the container. The novel container provides a neat appearance, and is susceptible of a variety of design shapes. The container provides for ready product identification as the product is near the opening and consequently in sight until the contents are exhausted. While the container is adapted to be made from a plastic such as polyethylene, it is clear to those skilled in the art that the container may be made from other suitable materials.

I claim:

A container comprising an inner tube, an outer tube surrounding and secured to said inner tube and spaced therefrom so as to provide a free space between said tubes, said inner tube terminating in an outiet and being} adapted to hold material to be dispensed therefrom,- saidouter tube being flexible so as to distort upon the appiic'afl tion of pressure thereto and to return to its original shape after the release of the distortion force, means for supplying air to said space and for preventing air from flowing from said space whereby atmospheric pressure is maintained in said space as said outer tube returns to its original shape said inner tube being corrugated, and a fiexibie, generally circular, convex diaphragm fitted within a corrugation of said inner tube to respond to pressure so that distorting said outer tube compresses the air between the tubes and causes said diaphragm to assume a more conical shape thereby decreasing its diameter and forcing it upwardly within the corrugations of said inner tube and, upon release of the distortion force, the diaphragm returns to its original shape to lock itself in one of the corrugations whereby the said material is maintained at said outlet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED ST TBS PATENTS Binon Jan. 14, 1941

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