Refillable container with a zero waste dispensing system

Abstract

The refillable container (20) includes a semi-rigid outer shell (22) that defines an interior void (24) and includes a detachable pour spout (26). The container (20) may be refilled with a plurality of collapsible inserts (32). Instead of rigid beverage bottles and other flowable substance containers, the collapsible inserts (32) may be transported from a manufacturing to a filling facility in a collapsed state (76), and do not have to include semi-rigid materials thereby minimizing disposal requirements. A tilt-pouring embodiment (20), a helical track embodiment (100), a helical axle embodiment (240) and an air-bladder embodiment (300) of refillable containers having common components permit dispensing of products from the containers (20, 100, 240, 300) to achieve virtually zero waste of the products.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 462,971 that was filed on Feb. 10, 2011 entitled “Flow Bottle Design and Manufacture” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 516,804 that was filed on Apr. 8, 2011 entitled “Flow Bottle Twist Dispenser Design and Manufacturing”.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]This disclosure relates to structures for containing and pouring liquids and flowable substances (such as fruit juice, soda, laundry detergent, kitty litter, pelletized animal food, etc.), and in particular relates to a refillable, reusable container that receives and secures a collapsible insert that contain the liquids or flowable substances.BACKGROUND ART[0003]It is well known that traditional containers for dispensing liquids and flowable substances are generally blow-molded bottles made of varying types of thermoplastics. Every supermarket has literally hundreds of different types of such se...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is a collapsible container with a base fixture that connects to a semi-rigid outer shell, allowing the insert to fold or collapse during use. The base fixture prevents this and ensures that no substance is wasted during the pouring process. This invention minimizes manufacturing and transportation costs and reduces environmental burdens associated with traditional containers. It is a zero waste dispensing system that can be used refillably.

Problems solved by technology

Very substantial transportation and handling costs are involved with processing such semi-rigid bottles from a manufacturing plant to a filling plant.

It is apparent that the costs of transporting large, light empty containers combined with the costs of separating the empty containers for processing during filling is a very substantial component of the overall costs of manufacture and delivery of such liquids and flowable substances to an end user.

This gives rise to grave environmental concerns.

Because the bottles 10 must have adequate structural integrity to withstand the described processing, including retail display, the bottles 10 invariably pose environmental challenges.

While expensive and time-consuming efforts are being undertaken to recycle and reuse the materials of these semi-rigid plastic bottles, it is apparent that recycling will never be completely successful, and used semi-rigid plastic containers continue to pollute our environment in ever greater quantities.

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