Impact resistant container

Abstract

A protective container ( 10 ) wherein a flexible wall ( 14 ) is connected to a base ( 20 ) and a cap ( 26 ). Deflection of the flexible wall ( 14 ) buffers the contents of the container ( 10 ) against impacts and is limited by the rate of air flow between one end of the flexible wall ( 14 ) and a cap ( 26 ) that closes container ( 10 ).

1 .) A container for protecting a vessel that has a closed end, said container comprising:
 a continuous flexible wall that encircles the vessel at times when the vessel is placed in the container, said flexible wall defining an air gap between the outer surface of the vessel and the wall, said wall having a first end and also having a second end that is oppositely disposed from said first end;   a base that is connected to one end of the flexible wall, said base defining a well for receiving the bottom end of a vessel and locating the bottom end of the vessel at a predetermined position with respect to the flexible wall; and   a cap that engages the second end of the flexible wall, the engagement of said cap and the second end of the flexible wall allowing air to flow from said air gap between said cap and the second end of the flexible wall to the exterior of said container at a limited rate of flow.   
   
   
       2 .) The container of  claim 1  wherein said cap is threadingly engaged to the second end of the flexible wall. 
   
   
       3 .) The container of  claim 2  wherein the threads of said cap engage the threads of the second end of said flexible wall to allow the passage of air at a limited flow rate. 
   
   
       4 .) The container of  claim 1  wherein the flexible wall is comprised of polyethylene or polyurethane. 
   
   
       5 .) The container of  claim 4  wherein the wall thickness of the flexible wall is in the range of 0.5 mm. to 1.5 mm. 
   
   
       6 .) A container for protecting a vessel, said container comprising:
 a continuous flexible wall that encircles the vessel at times when the vessel is placed in the container, said wall defining an air gap between the outer surface of the vessel and the wall, said wall also defining a first end and also a second end where the second end is oppositely disposed from said first end;   a base that is integrally connected to the first end of the flexible wall, said base having a portion that is extended in a longitudinal direction and that defines a well for receiving a portion of the vessel and centering the vessel with respect to the flexible wall; and   a cap that engages the second end of the flexible wall, said cap being removeably engagable with the second end of the flexible wall, said cap and the second end of said flexible wall allowing a limited rate of air flow from said air gap to the exterior of said container where said air flows between said cap and the second end of said flexible wall.   
   
   
       7 .) The container of  claim 6  wherein the well in said base defines a perimeter that is radially offset from the integral connection between said base and the first end of said continuous flexible wall. 
   
   
       8 .) The container of  claim 7  wherein the perimeter of the well in said base is located radially inward from the radial position of said flexible wall such that said base defines a shoulder between the perimeter of said well and the integral connection between said base and the first end of said flexible wall. 
   
   
       9 .) The container of  claim 6  wherein the cap is threadingly connected to the second end of the flexible wall and wherein the threads in the second end of the flexible wall and the treads in the cap cooperate to increase the rigidity of the second end of the flexible wall. 
   
   
       10 .) The container of  claim 6  wherein the air gap between the continuous flexible wall and the vessel is in the shape of a circular cylinder. 
   
   
       11 .) A container for fragile vessels, said container having a first end that is closed and a second end that has a removable closure, said container comprising:
 a flexible wall that is cylindrically shaped about a longitudinal axis, said flexible wall surrounding a vessel that is received in the container and cooperating with such vessel to define an air gap between the outer surface of the vessel and the flexible wall, said flexible wall defining a first end and also defining second end that is oppositely disposed from said first end;   a base that is integrally connected to the first end of the flexible wall, said base having an extended portion that defines a well for receiving a portion of the vessel and for centering the vessel with respect to the longitudinal axis of the flexible wall; and   a cap that engages the second end of the flexible wall, said cap being rotatable on said longitudinal axis and being threadingly engageable with the second end of the flexible wall, said cap and the second end of said flexible wall allowing the passage of air from said air gap to the exterior of said container through the treaded engagement of said cap and the second end of said container in response to deflections of said flexible wall in a radially inward direction, said cap and the threaded end of said flexible wall limiting the rate of air flow therebetween.   
   
   
       12 .) The container of  claim 11  wherein the rate at which the flexible wall flexes in response to a force against the side of the flexible wall rate is limited by the rate of air flow between the cap and the second end of the flexible wall limited.