Novel device

Abstract

A dispensing container for extrudable fluid materials having a collapsible tubular body with a dispensing nozzle at one end and the opposite end being closed with an end wall member biased to fold about a fold axis transverse to the longitudinal direction of the tubular body, wherein the end wall member either comprises a wall part of which two surfaces enclose a concave angle between them and being foldable about a fold axis in the direction of the length of the valley or the end wall member bulges convexly in a generally conical shape.

1 . A dispensing container for extrudable fluid materials which comprises;
 a collapsible tubular body made of a flexible material and having longitudinally opposite ends, and being constructed such that transverse inward pressure causes the tubular body to collapse in the direction of the pressure and the side surfaces of the tubular body perpendicular to the direction of pressure to spread transversely outwardly, a first end of the tubular body being provided with a dispensing nozzle; and the longitudinally opposite second end of the tubular body being closed with an end wall member sealingly connected to the tubular body and that is biased to fold about a fold axis transverse to the longitudinal direction of the tubular body under the transverse pressure, characterized in that:
 either the end wall member comprises a wall part which has a wall surface comprising two side surfaces enclosing a concave angle between them on the side facing the first end thereby forming a valley surface between them on the side facing the first end and being foldable about a fold axis extending in the direction of the length of the valley in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction; 
 or the end wall member comprises a wall part which bulges convexly in the longitudinal direction of the tubular body, either toward the first end or away from the first end of the tubular body, in a generally conical or pyramidal shape. 
   
     
     
         2 . A dispensing container according to  claim 1  wherein the end wall member comprises a wall part which has a wall surface comprising two side surfaces enclosing a concave angle between them thereby forming a valley surface between them and being foldable about a fold axis extending in the direction of the length of the valley in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         3 . A dispensing container according to  claim 2  wherein the wall surface is symmetrical about a plane extending longitudinally along the interior of the tubular body and in which the fold axis lies, and which longitudinally bisects the interior of the tubular body. 
     
     
         4 . A dispensing container according to  claim 1  wherein the concave angle between the side surfaces is in the range 45-160°. 
     
     
         5 . A dispensing container according to  claim 2 ,  3  or  4  wherein the wall surface comprises a saddle surface. 
     
     
         6 . A dispensing container according to  claim 1  wherein the end wall member comprises a wall part which bulges convexly in the longitudinal direction of the tubular body, either toward the first end, or away from the first end of the tubular body, in a generally conical shape. 
     
     
         7 . A dispensing container according to  claim 6  wherein the wall part bulges convexly in the longitudinal direction of the tubular body toward the first end in a conical shape. 
     
     
         8 . A dispensing container according to  claim 1   claim 5 ,  6  or  7  wherein the wall part includes a bias in the material of the wall member aligned in the transverse direction. 
     
     
         9 . A dispensing container according to  claim 1  wherein
 the end wall member comprises a plug part configured to fit within the second end of the tubular body. 
 
     
     
         10 . A dispensing container according to  claim 9  wherein the plug part comprises a skirt part descending from the end wall member in the longitudinal direction toward the second end, and having an external cross section corresponding to the internal cross section of the tubular body. 
     
     
         11 . A dispensing container according to  claim 1  wherein the end wall member comprises a wall part connected to a rim part constructed to be fixed to the second end of the tubular body. 
     
     
         12 . A dispensing container according to  claim 11  wherein the rim part is connected to a skirt part of the end wall member. 
     
     
         13 . A dispensing container according to  claim 1  wherein the tubular body tapers, being narrower in its cross sectional dimension adjacent the second end than adjacent the first end. 
     
     
         14 . A dispensing container according to  claim 13  wherein the cross section shape of the tubular body varies along the length of the tubular body and the variation accommodates the taper of the tubular body. 
     
     
         15 . A dispensing container according to  claim 14  wherein the tubular body has a portion of its length adjacent the first end of circular cross section and a portion of its length adjacent to the second end of oval cross section and transitions smoothly in cross section from circular section adjacent the first end to oval in cross section adjacent the second end. 
     
     
         16 . A dispensing container according to  claim 1  wherein an internal support is provided within the tubular body in the vicinity of the nozzle to resiliently support the tubular body. 
     
     
         17 . A dispensing container according to  claim 16  wherein the support comprises a resilient biasing member located within the tubular body and exerting its bias against inward collapse of the tubular body. 
     
     
         18 . A dispensing container according to  claim 17  wherein the resilient biasing member comprises a ring of a resilient material with an outer surface profile corresponding to the internal profile of the tubular body. 
     
     
         19 . A dispensing container according to  claim 1  wherein the internal support member is made integrally with a nozzle insert of a plastics material. 
     
     
         20 . A dispensing container according to  claim 19  wherein the nozzle insert and the support member are linked integrally by one or more linking member extending longitudinally along the tubular body. 
     
     
         21 . A dispensing container according to  claim 20  wherein two linking members are located adjacent opposite sides of the tubular body in line with the fold axis of the wall member. 
     
     
         22 . A process for making a dispensing container for extrudable fluid materials as claimed in  claim 1 , the process comprising;
 providing a tubular body which is collapsible under pressure applied transverse to its longitudinal direction, made of a flexible material and having longitudinally opposite open ends;   closing one end of the tubular body with the wall member;   introducing an extrudable fluid material into the tubular body from the opposite open end of the tubular body;   providing the open end of the tubular body with the dispensing nozzle and a closure for the nozzle.