Collapsible spray bottle

Details Collapsible spray bottle Collapsible spray bottle

1999-06-09

2001-03-27

Kaufman, Joseph A. (Department: 3754)

Dispensing

Collapsible wall-type container

With wall-collapsing means

C222S211000, C222S383100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06206243

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a novel spray bottle and, more particularly, to a spray bottle including a collapsible container for holding a liquid and a hand operated pump for dispensing and atomizing the liquid.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Numerous embodiments of manually operated spray bottles are well known in the art. Such spray bottles are used for a wide variety of applications such as applying water, detergents, herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers and other materials to designated areas. Typically, the spray bottles can be operated to produce different spray patterns ranging from a fine mist to a concentrated stream. Most such spray bottles comprise a container for holding a liquid and a spray head or hand operated pump connected to the container for dispensing the liquid. Numerous manually operated spray heads are known in the art, representative examples of which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,061,202 to Tyler, U.S. Pat. No. 3,129,856 to Boris, U.S. Pat. No. 3,701,478 to Tada, U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,363 to Beres et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,835 to Tasaki, U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,890 to Martin, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,442 to Harris et al., the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.
Containers for such spray bottles are also well known. At the present time, most such containers are molded from plastic materials that are substantially rigid after manufacture. As such containers are often designed to hold a substantial volume of liquid, the resulting space requirements and difficulties in handling such containers can complicate transportation and retail display of the spray bottles and thereby increase product costs to the consumer.
The transportation and retail display associated with such spray bottles would be greatly reduced if the volume of such containers could be reduced without affecting the carrying capacity of the containers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a spray bottle for holding and dispensing a liquid. The spray bottle comprises a collapsible container for holding the liquid and a spray head connected to the container for dispensing and atomizing the liquid. The container is adapted to be collapsed into a substantially flat panel when empty and to be distended when the bottle is filled with the liquid.
In accordance with a preferred aspect of the invention, the spray bottle further comprises an elongated coupling intermediate the container and the spray head. The coupling is substantially rigid and may be adapted to provide a handhold. The coupling is preferably removably secured to both the spray head and the container.
The invention further provides for a retail display comprising a plurality of spray bottles. Each spray bottle includes a collapsible container for holding a liquid and a spray head connected to the container. The container is adapted to be collapsed into a substantially flat panel when empty and to be distended when the bottle is filled with the liquid. The spray head is adapted for dispensing and atomizing the liquid. The plurality of spray bottles may be arranged in at least one row with the containers collapsed such that each spray head is in an abutting relationship with the spray head of at least one adjacent spray bottle.
These and other benefits and features of the present invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, presented in connection with the following drawings in which like reference numerals identify like elements throughout.


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