WO2016030766A2 - Flexible volumetric container - Google Patents

Abstract

A volumetric flexible container which lies flat in an empty state and occupies a volume with a specific shape when filled with liquid is disclosed herein.

Description

FLEXIBLE VOLUMETRIC CONTAINER

CROSS-REFERENCE

[0001] This Utility patent application claims the full Paris Convention benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/043,722 filed August 29, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated by this reference as if fully set forth herein in it entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] This disclosure relates to flexible volumetric containers.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Glass bottles break, plastic bottles cracks and aspic containers have limited forms.

[0004] Often a casing or encasement may limit the volumetric form of a container which may placed therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0005] Disclosed herein are aspects of containers and methods to construct same. Containers are volumetric and are formed via the methods herein to meet certain form factors.

DRAWINGS

[0006] FIGS. 1A-1E show a material for forming a collapsible fluid container;

[0007] FIGS. 2A-2D show aspects of assembly of a collapsible fluid container;

[0008] FIGS. 3A and 3B show aspects of an alternative volumetric forms for a fluid container;

[0009] FIGS. 4 and 5 show aspects of multi-sheet alternative volumetric forms for s fluid container; and,

[0010] FIGS. 6-8 and show aspects of alternative volumetric forms for a fluid container.

[0011] All callouts, figures, descriptions in the attached figures and appendixes are hereby incorporated by this reference as if fully set forth herein.

[0012] It should be appreciated that, for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements are exaggerated, relative to each other, for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the Figures to indicate corresponding elements. While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the present disclosure that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the present disclosure's teachings will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the figures and appendix in which like reference numerals are carried forward.

[0013] In some exemplary implementations shown in Figures 1A-8 a flexible container structure, which has a predefined filled geometry, is constructed of a flat sheet of material 500 having an inside facing wall 501 a first connection side edge 502, a second connection side edge 503, a top edge 504, a bottom edge 505 and an outside facing wall 506.

[0014] The sheet 500 may be single layer or it may be a laminated material. The top layer 510 also provides the interior facing wall 501. In a laminated embodiment the first layer is one or more middle layers 514 and beneath the middle layer(s) is a bottom layer 512 which also contains the outside facing wall 506. Figure 1C shows two middle layers 514 and 516.

[0015] In some instances the layers may have non-equal area. Specifically, one or more edges of layers may extend beyond the perimeter of another layer. Figures ID and IE show this principal wherein the top layer 510 and the bottom layer 512 extend beyond the middle layer 514. In some instances the middle layer(s) may be susceptible to environmental degradation from fluid, oxidation, corrosion and the like. Aluminum, for example, may be impacted by a corrosive environment and porous materials may be impacted by a humid or moist environment. The larger perimeter top and bottom layers may be bonded together 520 around the edge of the middle layer thereby providing a protective encasement to the middle layer. Layer or layers which are heat sealed together are preferably polyethylene or high density polyethylene.

[0016] Figures 2A through 2D illustrate assemble of a flexible container from the sheet material 500. The sheet is formed into a cylinder 508 via heat sealing the interior facing wall 501 at the first and second connection side edges 502/503. The interior facing wall 501 must therefore be constructed of a material which is amendable to heat sealing. [0017] A multi-dimensional folded container form is then approximated by bending the cylinder as shown in Figure 2B. Four arms 531-534 are created each having two sides 531/53 , 532/532', 533/533 ' and 534/534' . A flange 540 with a spigot connection 545 forming a fluid passage from the exterior of the container form to the interior which is placed in one of the arms adjacent to the interior facing wall 501. The material which the flange is constructed of should be consistent with heat sealing to the interior facing wall material. The sealing should be adequate to prevent the sealed edge from being broken due to any buildup of vapor pressure inside the container. In some instances a pressure relief valve may be added to the container to prevent rupture due to internal pressure. Although a four armed exemplary is illustrated those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that alternate numbers of arms such as those shown in Figures 6-8 are possible with the method and systems disclosed herein and are within the scope of this disclosure.

[0018] Following bending the cylinder into a multi-armed shape the top and bottom edges 504 and 505. Figure 2C shows the sealing 550 of the interior facing wall surfaces of each of the four arms to each other forming a four armed sealed container. The flange is heat sealed into one arm. In some instances to further protect any exposed edge 509 of the inside facing and/or middle layer(s) of a laminate from the environment inside the cartridge which may be corrosive to such laminate layers an additional sealant 560 may be adhered to the edges 509.

[0019] Figure 2D shows the expanded footprint I volume profile of a container constructed according to the steps described above in references to Figures 2A-2C. The arms expand on either side of the sealed edges 550 forming expanded wall zones A-D.

[0020] Figures 3A and 3B illustrate aspects of an alternate four armed shape for the container 600. A side view of a collapsed unfilled container with the angled wall shape 600 of the arms is compared to the non-angled shape 500 of the sheet material used to construct the container arms shown in Figures 2A-2D. This configuration continues to use four arms 601/601 ', 602/602', 603/603 ' and 604/604'. Figure 3B shows the more squat shape for the filled container.

[0021] Two lengths are shown in Figure 3A, length one "dl" is the empty or spent potential length of the container and length two "d2" is the reduction in length when the volume of the container is filled with reactant. The reduction in length is useful in constructing a container which is fit to the defined space envelope.

[0022] Figures 4 and 5 illustrate aspects of multi-sheet assembly for flexible containers and integral flange.

[0023] Figure 4 shows a two sheet configuration for assembly, the first sheet 625 is folded to form arm "B" and ½ of arms "A" and "D". Half arms are affixed via adhesive or a heat weld at connection regions 630 thereby forming the multi-arm structure with a flange 540 sealed or adhered thereto. Figure 5 shows a multi sheet configuration for assembly, the first sheet 631 is folded to form ½ a "B" arm and ½ of a "D" arm. The second sheet 632 is folded to form ½ a "B" arm and ½ of an "A" arm. The third sheet 633 is folded to form ½ an "A" arm and ½ of a "C" arm. The fourth sheet 634 is folded to form ½ a "C" arm and ½ of a "D" arm. Half arms are affixed via adhesive or a heat weld at connection regions 630 thereby forming the multi-arm structure with a flange 540 sealed or adhered thereto.

[0024] Figure 6 illustrates a three sided container 700 constructed according to the methods disclosed herein. The three sided structure has a unique volumetric shape and may also have angled walls as described in reference to figures 3A and 3B. The three arms 701 -702 are sealed 550 along their edges capturing the flange 540 as previously described. When filed the container walls A-C expand.

[0025] Figure 7 illustrates a five sided container 800 constructed according to the methods disclosed herein. The five arms 801-805 are sealed 550 along their edges capturing the flange 540 as previously described. The five sided structure has a unique volumetric shape and may also have angled walls as described in reference to figures 3 A and 3B. When filed the container walls A-E expand. A pressure relief valve 810 placed through the material 500 of the container 800 is in fluid communication with the exterior and interior of the container.

[0026] Figure 8 illustrates a six sided container 900 constructed according to the methods disclosed herein. The six ami s 901-906 are sealed 550 along their edges capturing the flange 540 as previously described. The six sided structure has a unique volumetric shape and may also have angled walls as described in reference to figures 3 A and 3B. When filed the container walls A-F expand. [0027] Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the above disclosure, in which aspects of particular methods or techniques may be described in relation to particular items illustrated in FIGS. 1A-8 and the appendices, are merely for the purpose of illustration, and that it is within the ordinary skills of the art to alternatively perform such methods or techniques with other items illustrated therein.

[0028] It is to be understood that any feature described in relation to any one aspect may be used alone, or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other of the disclosed aspects, or any combination of any other of the disclosed aspects. Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of the disclosed subject matter.

[0029] The many features and advantages of the disclosed subject matter are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the disclosed subject matter which fall within the true spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosed subject matter to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosed subject matter.

[0030] Further, each of the various elements of the disclosure and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of an implementation of any apparatus implementations, a method or process

implementations, or even merely a variation of any element of these.

[0031] Particularly, it should be understood that as the disclosure relates to elements of the disclosure, the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms or method terms— even if only the function or result is the same.

[0032] Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this disclosure is entitled. [0033] It should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action.

[0034] Similarly, each physical element, disclosed, should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates.

[0035] To the extent that insubstantial substitutes are made, to the extent that the applicant did not in fact draft any claim so as to literally encompass any particular exemplary implementations, and to the extent otherwise applicable, the applicant should not be understood to have in any way intended to or actually relinquished such coverage as the applicant simply may not have been able to anticipate all eventualities; one skilled in the art, should not be reasonably expected to have drafted a claim that would have literally encompassed such alternative exemplary implementations.

[0036] Further, the use of the transitional phrase "comprising" is used to maintain the "open-end" claims herein, according to traditional claim interpretation. Thus, unless the context requires otherwise, it should be understood that the term "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", are intended to imply the inclusion of a stated element or step or group of elements or steps but not the exclusion of any other element or step or group of elements or steps.

[0037] Such terms should be interpreted in their most expansive forms so as to afford the applicant the broadest coverage legally permissible.

Claims

1. A method of constructing a four armed flexible container, the method comprising:

forming laminate material into a cylinder via heat sealing free edges;

bending the cylinder into a four armed shape;

placing a flange (540) with a connection (545) in one of the arms; and,

sealing the free edges of the material thereby forming a four armed structure with a flange heat sealed therein.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the arms form angled walls.

3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising placing a pressure relief valve in fluid communication between the interior and outside facing walls of the material (500).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the laminate material is a single sheet (500).

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the laminate material is two sheets.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the laminate materialis four sheets.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the laminate material has a top, middle, and bottom layers.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the middle layer is encased by the top and bottom layers.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the middle layer is susceptible to environmental degredation if not encased.

10. A method of constructing a multi armed flexible container, the method comprising: forming one or more laminate sheets into a cylinder via heat sealing free edges; bending the cylinder into a multi armed shape;

placing a flange (540) with a connection (545) in one of the arms; and,

sealing the free edges of the material thereby forming a multi armed structure with a flange heat sealed therein.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the laminate material is at least two sheets.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the laminate material is more than two sheets.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the walls forming the arms are angled.

14. A collapsed multi-dimensional sealed container comprising:

a plurality of folded heat sealed arms each having two sides;

a spigot forming a fluid communication through one wall and heat sealed thereon; and,

wherein the collapsed form occupies less volume than the filled and expanded form.

15. The container of claim 14 wherein each folded arm is constructed of a laminated material.

16. The container of claim 14 further comprising a pressure relief valve.

17. The container of claim 14 wherein the number of arms is three.

18. The container of claim 14 wherein the number of arms is four.

19. The container of claim 14 wherein the number of arms is five.

20. The container of claim 14 wherein the number of arms is six.

21. The method of claim 10 wherein the multi-armed structure has three arms.

22. The method of claim 10 wherein the multi-armed structure has five arms.

23. The method of claim 10 wherein the multi-armed structure has six arms.

24. The method of claim 10 wherein the multi-armed structure has more than six arms.

25. The method of claim 10 wherein the laminate is at least two layers.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein at least one layer extends beyond the other layer(s).