Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02645002 2008-10-27
Main Assembly Components
There are five (5) main parts and features comprising the collapsible bottle
assembly:
1. Top Section
This section features a covered top portion with integrated threaded spout
that receives a twist cap
(normal twist, flip lid, kicker valve, etc.), a plastic bladder connected
below the neck of the spout, and
an uncovered bottom portion to mate with the section below it. At the bottom
part of the top section
are four locking rings used to slide into built-in tracks connecting the top
section to the middle section.
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Figure 2: Top Section
NOTE: The top section has one additional feature to guide the user to the
location on the bottle to
apply downward force. The reason being is that it might be possible for the
user to apply downward
force to one side of the bottle causing a jam. This problem can occur because
the pawls are not
catching equal number of teeth on all four sides of the section below. Now if
too much unbalanced
force is applied to one side of the top section it might cause one of the
pawls to break. To heJp
prevent this problem an indentation representing thumbs placement should be
put on either side of
the spout in order to guide the user to the ideal location on the bottle where
force is to be applied for
equal distribution. When force is applied to the said location the pawls catch
on the track equally and
the sections slide into one another effectively.
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2. Middle Section
This section features an uncovered top and uncovered bottom portion to fit
over and mate with the
sections above and below. Four channeled tracks are built-in into the middle
section. Each track is
designed to slide into the self-locking ring from the section above it.
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Figure 3: Middle Section
NOTE: Multiple middle sections may be stacked to increase the height of the
collapsible bottle
assembly, increasing its container volume.
3. Base Section
This section features an uncovered top portion with covered base portion to
mate with the section
above; all sections are stacked one on top of the other. The base portion acts
as a container to
receive the plastic bladder as the bottle is collapsing. The plastic bladder
compresses (folds) into the
base; hence the base has a bottom portion but no top portion. Four tracks are
built in to the base
section. Each track is designed to slide into the self-locking ring from the
section above it.
Figure 4: Base Section
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As the bottle assembly is sitting atop a surface (e.g., table), assuming the
spout is uncapped, the user
applies equal force (using his two thumbs) to the top of the bottle assembly,
causing the sections to
begin collapsing; the bladder folds on itself and the sections are mated into
one pile (like a stack of
pylons). The result is a much smaller volume of space.
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Figure 5: View of Collapsed Sections
4. Plastic Bladder
This section features a flexible plastic membrane built inside the bottle
assembly, which acts as a
bladder to contain food, beverages, and other fluids. The plastic used for the
bladder must be
approved for contact with food and beverages. The bladder membrane shall be
uniformly thick and
sealed to the top section (under and around the spout) and the bottom section
(around the center).
When the bottle is fully extended, the bladder membrane fully fills the inside
contour of the bottle
assembly. As the bottle begins collapsing, the membrane begins folding on
itself (assuming enough
pressure has been evacuated, e.g., pouring out some contents, or relieving the
gas pressure). When
the bottle is fully collapsed, the bladder membrane is substantially folded on
itself, thus reducing its
volume. The self-locking rings would prevent the bottle from expanding upward.
CA 02645002 2008-10-27
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Figure 6: Plastic Bladder
5. Twist/Snap-on Cap
The top section of the collapsible bottle has threading built in to the spout
in order to support a variety
of cap configurations (depending on the user's application). For example, it
could be a standard twist
cap for home/office use, flip top or kicker valve for sports use, etc.
Threading a cap over the spout
forms an airtight seal. For added safety, a twist cap safety seal may be added
to prevent tampering.
Built-in Tracks
Each bottle section features four built-in channels. each containing a raised
track using a form similar to a
wide flange I-beam. A self-locking ring slides into the track of the section
below it. The ring is secured
around the inside edge of the outer track preventing slippage. At the top-
center of the raised track is a
grooved channel containing a series of beveled saw teeth. Each tooth protrudes
upward at an angle.
Along the length of a bottle section, the height of the track rises gradually
(taller at the bottom), in order to
prevent a section from locking prematurely as it slides the full length of the
track.
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CA 02645002 2008-10-27
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Figure 7: Built-in Tracks
NOTE: The four channeled tracks are placed equidistantly around the periphery
of each section (i.e., top,
middle, and base) to ensure its rigidity.
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CA 02645002 2008-10-27
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Figure 8: View of Four Tracks on Periphery of Bottle
Self-Locking Feature
This feature consists of a ring containing a locking pawl that fits tightly
around the built-in track (A),
allowing a unidirectional movement of the section (all four self-locking rings
move in tandem when
downward force is applied equally to the top of the bottle assembly). The pawl
(B) functions like a
standard self-locking wire tie; the self-locking ring advances, but cannot
reverse. This locking mechanism
is unidirectional, and strong enough to resist upward force.
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Figure 9: Self-Locking Feature
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Round and Elliptical Designs
In addition to the square design given above, there are round and elliptical
designs*. They are almost
identical to the square design in terms of top section, middle section, base
section, plastic bladder, and
twist/snap-on cap. The main differences are the shape of the bottle and the
number of tracks.
*NOTE: The shape of the collapsible bottle is not limited to the square,
round, and elliptical designs
presented in this document. The bottle can be produced in any shape that may
be required.
Round Design
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Figure 10: Round Design: Expanded and Collapsed Views
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