US 5,884,811 A · Collapsible dispensing tube with interlocking internal members

Abstract

A collapsible dispensing tube providing a flexible walled envelope portion having a dispensing nozzle selectively sealed with a threaded cap and a sealed base. Interlocking fasteners are formed on the inner surface of the flexible wall in opposed registry with each other at regular spaced intervals from the sealed base of the flexible wall to the dispensing nozzle. The interlocking fasteners attach the opposed inner surfaces of the flexible wall when they squeezed together from the base toward the dispensing nozzle to sequentially form transverse closure bands across the envelope portion of the tube. This limits the rearward displacement of the material in the tube that occur when the tube is squeezed in its middle and therefore eliminates the need to roll up the envelope portion of the tube to dispense the material therein. A deformable collar joins the flexible wall of the tube and the dispensing nozzle so that the opposed inner surfaces of the flexible wall adjacent the dispensing nozzle may be squeezed together to allow the last portion of material contained in the tube to be dispensed.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A collapsible dispensing tube for dispensing quantities of fluid and semi-solid materials, comprising:

an envelope portion having a continuous flexible wall with an open end and a sealed base opposite said open end, said wall defining a first half inner surface and a second half inner surface, said envelope portion also having a longitudinal axis extending in the direction from said open end to said sealed base;
a nozzle assembly connected to said envelope portion at said open end thereof;
and
a plurality of first alternating ridges and grooves formed on said first half inner surface and a plurality of second alternating ridges and grooves formed on said second inner surface of said flexible wall, said plurality of first and second alternating ridges and grooves being arranged at spaced intervals along said longitudinal axis of said envelope portion, each of said first alternating ridges includes a plurality of traversely spaced male members, and each of said second alternating ridges includes a corresponding number of traversely spaced female members connectable to said male members to thereby form a transverse closure band across said envelope portion.

1 more element

A collapsible dispensing tube for dispensing quantities of fluid and semi-solid materials, comprising:

an envelope portion having a continuous flexible wall with an open end and a sealed base opposite said open end, said wall defining a first half inner surface and a second half inner surface, said envelope portion also having a longitudinal axis extending in the direction from said open end to said sealed base;
a collar member sealed to said flexible wall at said open end of said envelope portion, said collar member being generally ring shaped and formed of a flexible and stretchable material;
a nozzle assembly sealed to said collar member opposite said envelope portion, said nozzle assembly having a passageway in communication with said material holding cavity;
a plurality of first alternating ridges and grooves formed on said first half inner surface and a plurality of second alternating ridges and grooves formed on said second inner surface of said flexible wall said plurality of first and second alternating ridges and grooves being arranged at spaced intervals along said longitudinal axis of said envelope portion, each of said first alternating ridges includes a plurality of traversely spaced male members, and each of said second alternating ridges includes a corresponding number of traversely spaced female members connectable to said male members to thereby form a transverse closure band across said envelope portion.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Collapsible dispensing tube with interlocking internal members

Life of this patent

Collapsible dispensing tube with interlocking internal members

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8