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 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 axis. The two chambers are in fluid communication with each other. One of the two fluid chambers is located adjacent to, and is in fluid communicaton 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 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.
In a squeezable plastic pouch-like article of manufacture defining a cavity for containing a dispensable fluid and having flexible sidewalls, a bottom, a pair of spaced-apart outwardly-extending deformable side-edge margins, and a deformable upper-edge margin which is unitary with the side-edge margins and which defines a fluid passageway means that is able to communicate with the fluid cavity, wherein deformation of the upper-edge margin in the vicinity of the inlet of the fluid passageway means tends to block fluid communication between the fluid passageway means and the fluid cavity, wherein the improvement comprises: the fluid passageway means being defined by a minor portion of the surface area of the deformable upper-edge margin, wherein the fluid discharge means is of generally serpentine configuration and has a fluid discharge end; deformation-causing means defined by at least one of the outwardly-extending side-edge margins and spaced from the upper-edge margin by a distance that is effective for causing deformation to occur in the side-edge margin that is in the vicinity of the deformation-causing means, rather than in the vicinity of the generally serpentine fluid passageway means, upon application of a predetermined squeezing pressure to the cavity-contained fluid via the article sidewalls, for purposes of enabling fluid to be discharged from the fluid-discharge end of the fluid passageway means; whereby fluid communication between the generally serpentine fluid passageway means and the fluid cavity is maintained upon application of the predetermined squeezing pressure to the cavity-contained fluid via the article sidewalls.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
245 words
In a squeezable plastic pouch-like article of manufacture defining a cavity for containing a dispensable fluid and having flexible sidewalls, a bottom, a pair of spaced-apart outwardly-extending deformable side-edge margins, and a deformable upper-edge margin which is unitary with the side-edge margins and which defines a fluid passageway means that is able to communicate with the fluid cavity, wherein deformation of the upper-edge margin in the vicinity of the inlet of the fluid passageway means tends to block fluid communication between the fluid passageway means and the fluid cavity, wherein the improvement comprises: the fluid passageway means being defined by a minor portion of the surface area of the deformable upper-edge margin, wherein the fluid discharge means is of generally serpentine configuration and has a fluid discharge end; deformation-causing means defined by at least one of the outwardly-extending side-edge margins and spaced from the upper-edge margin by a distance that is effective for causing deformation to occur in the side-edge margin that is in the vicinity of the deformation-causing means, rather than in the vicinity of the generally serpentine fluid passageway means, upon application of a predetermined squeezing pressure to the cavity-contained fluid via the article sidewalls, for purposes of enabling fluid to be discharged from the fluid-discharge end of the fluid passageway means; whereby fluid communication between the generally serpentine fluid passageway means and the fluid cavity is maintained upon application of the predetermined squeezing pressure to the cavity-contained fluid via the article sidewalls.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the article of manufacture is a flexible-plastic fluid container, and wherein the bottom of the fluid container defines a free-standing base.