Container

Abstract

The container includes a body portion, an upper end portion, and a cap portion. The body portion, the end portion and the cap portion may be molded as one piece. The cap portion may be attached to the body portion with a hinge. The body portion may have a side wall which allows the user to squeeze the side wall and dispense the product which is stored within the container. The container may include a valve. The valve may include an opening which allows the contents to be dispensed. The valve may be attached using a retention feature, a retaining ring, an adhesive and/or fusion. The retaining ring may engage the retention feature. After the valve is assembled to the container, the container is filled with a product and the lower end portion may be closed by using a heat seal.

1 . A container for dispensing a product comprising
 an upper end portion,   a body portion, the body portion extends away from the upper end portion,   a cap portion, the cap portion is attached with a hinge to one of the body portion and the upper end portion,   and a valve.   
     
     
         2 . The container as in  claim 1  wherein the body portion, the upper end portion and the cap portion are one piece. 
     
     
         3 . The container as in  claim 1  wherein the upper end portion includes an opening, the valve is located over the opening. 
     
     
         4 . The container as in  claim 1  wherein the container includes a retention feature to hold the valve. 
     
     
         5 . The container as in  claim 4  wherein the retention feature is a protrusion. 
     
     
         6 . The container as in  claim 1  wherein the container includes a lower end portion, the lower end portion is closed. 
     
     
         7 . The container as in  claim 6  wherein the lower end portion is closed by a heat seal. 
     
     
         8 . The container as in  claim 1  wherein the body portion includes a side wall, the container includes a lower end portion, the side wall has a first thickness near the upper end portion, the side wall has a second thickness near the lower end portion, the first thickness is greater than the second thickness. 
     
     
         9 . The container as in  claim 1  wherein the tube portion includes a side wall, the container includes a lower end portion, the side wall has a thickness, the thickness of the side wall tapers near the upper end portion toward the lower end portion. 
     
     
         10 . The container as in  claim 2  wherein the container includes a valve retaining ring, the retaining ring holds the valve onto the container. 
     
     
         11 . The container as in  claim 10  wherein the retaining ring is separate from the valve. 
     
     
         12 . The container as in  claim 10  wherein the valve is molded onto the retaining ring. 
     
     
         13 . The container as in  claim 10  wherein the container includes a retention feature, the retention feature engages the retaining ring. 
     
     
         14 . The container as in  claim 1  wherein the tube portion, the upper end portion, and the cap portion are made of polypropylene. 
     
     
         15 . A method of making a container for dispensing a product comprising:
 providing a container including an upper end portion, a body portion, and a cap portion; the body portion extends away from the upper end portion; the cap portion is attached with a hinge to one of the body portion and the upper end portion;   inserting a valve into the container;   filling the container with the product; and   closing the lower end portion.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the closing the lower end portion is performed by heat sealing. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the body portion, upper end portion, and the cap portion are one piece. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of inserting a valve retaining ring into the container. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the valve is molded onto the retaining ring. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the valve is molded separately from the retaining ring.