Dispensing – Collapsible wall-type container – With wall-collapsing means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-30
2001-02-20
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Collapsible wall-type container
With wall-collapsing means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189737
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to clips for aiding the dispensing of contents from a flexible wall tube wherein the clip includes tube retaining means for those portions of the tube emptied of the tube contents.
2. Description of the Related Art
Collapsible wall tubes have long been used to package paste goods and the like such as toothpaste, glue, beauty and hair preparation products, and the like. Initially, such collapsible wall tubes were formed of thin metal, and as the tube contents were utilized, the tube closed end was folded or rolled wherein the tube contents were forced into that portion of the tube adjacent the tube cap, and the length of the tube lessened as the contents were dispensed. The metallic construction of the tube permitted the tube closed end to maintain its deformed configuration as the closed tube end is folded or rolled as the tube contents are depleted.
In more recent years, many products are now packaged in flexible wall tubes formed of a synthetic plastic material. Such plastic tubes sometimes utilize metallic metal foil liners, but because of the resilient nature of the plastic tube material, the tube end cannot be rolled or folded as the product is dispensed and the tube end will not maintain the rolled or folded configuration once released by the user. Such plastic tubes tend to assume the original “full” appearance regardless of the amount of material within the tube. This self-shaping of the tube tends to draw air into partially emptied tubes which becomes troublesome during dispensing, and the user cannot visually determine the amount of product within the tube. Further, such plastic tubes are difficult to squeeze and completely empty, resulting in waste of an expensive product.
To improve the use of synthetic plastic flexible wall tubes, various devices have been proposed to aid in the squeezing of the contents from the plastic tube, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,159,787; 4,928,851; 5,071,036; 5,222,629 and 5,782,385. Also, devices have been proposed for gripping the empty end of the tube as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,442,839 and 5,549,221.
While the above mentioned patents aid in discharging the contents from a synthetic plastic tube by permitting the tube to be uniformly squeezed throughout its width, known devices have not been capable of both aiding in the dispensing of goods from a flexible wall plastic tube and also retaining the closed tube end from which goods have been removed. The use of a plastic tube clip which will retain the emptied closed tube end is highly desirable as such a device would make the tube more concise as it is being used, and will prevent the product from flowing into the tube end from which it has been dispensed.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION.
It is an object of the invention to provide a tube clip for use with plastic flexible wall tubes which aids in dispensing the tube contents to effectively empty the tube, and which also retains the empty closed tube end in a concise manner.
A further object of the invention is to provide a tube clip for synthetic plastic tube ends wherein the clip is of a concise configuration, may be easily utilized by people of ordinary skill, and is effective to keep the tube configuration concise, and yet visually indicate the amount of product within the tube.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.
A tube clip in accord with the invention is preferably molder of a synthetic plastic material and includes a body having front and rear sides. A slit intersects the front and rear sides whereby the closed end of a synthetic plastic tube may be received within the body slit and pulled therethrough wherein movement of the clip along the tube length will squeeze the contents of the tube, forcing the contents toward the tube cap end and opening. Of course, the slot needs to be of a length at least as great as the lateral dimension of the tube when squeezed, and the opposing edges of the slot are close enough together to firmly receive the tube closed end and effectively squeeze the tube sides toward each other as the clip is moved along the tube during dispensing.
The rear side of the clip body is provided with retainer projections which extend away from the direction of clip body movement during tube dispensing. These projections define shoulders relatively close to the body rear side wherein as the tube is emptied, the closed empty tube end may be folded and tucked under the projections. The retainer projections will maintain the folded tube end in the folded condition, and permit the total length of the tube to be progressively decreased as the tube contents are depleted.
The tube end retainers are easily utilized by those of ordinary skills, and as the tube contents are depleted, the tube end will usually have to be folded and refolded to accommodate the changing tube length.
The clip of the invention may be used to dispense very high viscous materials such as an adhesive. In such instance, squeezing of the tube may tend to move the clip rearwardly away from the cap. When used with highly viscous materials, the tube end retainers may include holes defined in opposing sets of retainers whereby pins may be inserted through the retainer holes and the tube locking the clip body to the tube and preventing relative movement between the tube and clip body during dispensing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4159787 (1979-07-01), Wright
patent: 4574983 (1986-03-01), Fatkin
patent: 4928851 (1990-05-01), Eatherly
patent: 4976380 (1990-12-01), Von Schuckmann
patent: 5071036 (1991-12-01), Kelly et al.
patent: 5222629 (1993-06-01), Tal
patent: 5442839 (1995-08-01), Miller
patent: 5549221 (1996-08-01), Conlee
patent: 5782385 (1998-07-01), Soon
patent: 5920967 (1999-07-01), Souza
Keasel Eric
Shaver Kevin
Young & Basile P.C.
LandOfFree
Squeezable tube clip and retainer does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Squeezable tube clip and retainer, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Squeezable tube clip and retainer will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2575276