US3354924A - Collapsible container - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 28, 1967 s. H. BIRRELL ET AL 3,354,924

COLLAPS I BLE CONTAINER Filed May 23, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. STEWART H. Bums LL Rosem- M. FE?

BY 6% 2469M;

1967 s. H. BIRRELL ET AL 3,354,924

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 25, 1966 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. SFEWJRZKSKELL G 7462M 22d .Y/M

FIG. 3

United States Patent 3,354,924 COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Stewart H. Birrell, Sylvania, Ohio, and Robert M. Fey, Severna Park, Md., assignors t0 Owens-Illinois, Inc., a corporation of Ohio Filed May 23, 1966, Ser. No. 552,107 1 Claim. (Cl. 150.5)

This invention relates to a collapsible container and more particularly to one that may be readily converted from a collapsed compact form to an extended form. It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and diiferent container capable of readily being moved from an extended to a collapsed position or vice versa by a simple twisting movement of the top relative to the bottom about the central axis.

A complete understanding of the invention may be had from the following description taken in conjunction with the annexed sheet of drawings on which:

FIGURE 1 is a a perspective view of the container of the present invention in a completely extended position.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the container in a partially collapsed position.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the container in a completely collapsed position.

Referring now to the drawings, there is provided a container having four sidewall portions, 12, 13, 14 and 15. Additionally, the container is provided with a bottom wall 16 and a top wall 17 having a neck portion 18 extending upwardly therefrom. If desired, reinforcing webs 19 may be provided to stabilize the neck portion 18 on the top wall 17.

Each of the sidewalls, 12, 13, 14 and 15, has formed therein a foldline extending diagonally thereacross. Only two of the foldlines 12a and 13a for sides 12 and 13, respectively, are visible in the drawings; however, the other two sidewalls 14 and have foldlines similarly disposed. Each of the foldlines forms a groove depressed in its respective sidewall and extends diagonally in the same direction with respect to its sidewall as each of the other :foldlines in their sidewalls.

As a result of this similarity of positioning, it is possible to move the container from an expanded position, illustrated in FIGURE 1, to a partially collapsed position, FIGURE 2, and a completely collapsed position, FIG- URE 3, merely by twisting the top wall 17 relative to 3,354,924 Patented Nov. 28, 1967 the bottom wall 16. Such twisting movement results in the top wall 17 rotating relative to the bottom wall 16 about the central axis of the container.

For a container having the foldlines disposed in the position illustrated on the attached drawings the bottle is moved from an extended to a collapsed position by rotating the top in a clockwise direction. It will be readily apparent that the foldline for each of the sides may be disposed in the opposite direction, at from that shown in FIGURE 1, in which case movement of the container from an extended to a collapsed position would be eifected by twisting the top wall 17 in a counterclockwise direction.

It may be readily seen from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a container which may be readily moved from an extended to a collapsed position or vice versa. Numerous modifications will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

A collapsible container comprising a body portion having four sides and a pair of ends integrally joined to form a closed body, one of said ends having a neck opening formed therein, each of said sides having a rectangular configuration and having a foldline extending diagonally thereacross, all of said foldlines being disposed in substantially the same position on their respective sides, said container being movable from an expanded to a collapsed position by means of relative rotational movement of said ends about the axis of the body portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 399,376 3/1889 Capehart -44 2,094,696 10/1937 Botelho 132-83 3,087,491 4/1963 Gewecke et al. 128272 3,299,442 1/1967 White et al. 150.5 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 245,968 1/ 1926 Great Britain.

615,656 1/ 1949 Great Britain.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

R. PESHOCK, Assilst'ant Exkrminer.

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