US-12617589-B2 - Collapsible water bucket with screw-on lid

US12617589B2US 12617589 B2US12617589 B2US 12617589B2US-12617589-B2

Abstract

A portable collapsible container for transporting fluids. The container is formed of flexible walls that can be folded to collapse the container. A specialized rim is connected to the container walls through a transition collar which enables a hard rim to be joined to relatively soft and pliable walls. A metallic ring is embedded in an upper aspect of the container to maintain the container in cylindrical form and prevent denting of the rim which could cause separation of the lid from the rim.

Inventors

Shaun Moore

Assignees

COLAPZ LTD

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240126

Claims (7)

1 . A container, comprising: a base plate; a flexible wall having an outer surface and an inner surface, the flexible wall extending upwardly from the base plate; a collar segment, comprising: a curved wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the curved wall comprising an extension section extending outward from the outer surface of the curved wall, wherein the outer surface of the curved wall is configured to adhere to the inner surface of the flexible wall; a rigid ring embedded within the extension section of the collar segment; an upper rim comprising: a rounded wall having a top end and a bottom end and an inner surface and outer surface; the bottom end joined to the collar segment; whereby the flexible wall comprises material of a first hardness, and the collar segment comprises material of a second hardness.
2 . The container of claim 1 , whereby the upper rim comprises material of a third hardness and whereby the second hardness is greater than the first hardness and the third hardness is greater than the second hardness.
3 . The container of claim 1 , whereby the rigid ring is formed of a metallic material.
4 . The container of claim 1 , whereby the outer surface of the upper rim comprises threads.
5 . The container of claim 1 , further comprising a lid.
6 . The container of claim 5 , whereby the lid comprises threads that cooperate with threads on the outer surface of the upper rim.
7 . The container of claim 1 , whereby the base plate comprises a series of support structures.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to the field of water containers, more specifically to a collapsible water container. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Portable containers are widely used to transport water for different purposes such as drinking and bathing. For example, campers may wish to carry quantities of water for drinking and showering. Collapsible containers are known in the art, but such containers are not adapted to store high volumes of water. Moreover, the lids for known collapsible containers are secured via frictional engagement which are not as secure as a threaded engagement. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the invention provide a container formed of collapsible walls, but which includes a hard plastic threaded collar and mating lid. Embodiments of the invention, thus, provide a container that holds significantly more fluid than known containers and also includes a secure screw-top lid. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a collapsible container in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a container lip and lid in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 is a broken away cross-sectional view of a container lip and lid in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 is a top view of a container base plate in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 is a view of an underside surface of a container base plate in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the above-identified figures of the drawings. However, the drawings and the description herein of the invention are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It will be understood that various modifications of the present description of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Also, features described herein may be omitted, additional features may be included, and/or features described herein may be combined in a manner different from the specific combinations recited herein, all without departing from the spirit of the invention. With reference to FIG. 1, a container 10 is shown having container walls 12 and a cooperating lid 14. In embodiments of the invention, container walls 12 are formed of a material that can be folded yet retain its integrity. In this manner, container walls 12 may be folded and compressed for storage purposes and serve as stable container walls when filled with water. In an embodiment of the invention, walls 12 are formed of Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) sheets (also known as poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate)). EVA walls remain stable when holding water—but are also foldable and configured to enable compaction of the container when it is empty. With reference to the exploded cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, container 10 has an upper rim 16 that is configured to receive a threaded lid (e.g. 14). In embodiments of the invention upper rim 16 is joined to a lower collar segment 18. Upper rim 16 is formed of polypropylene or a similar rigid plastic material. In embodiments of the invention, polypropylene material of upper rim 16 is of sufficient hardness to tightly engage a hard plastic lid (e.g. lid 14) that is preferably also formed of polypropylene. In a preferred embodiment, lid 14 mates with upper rim 16 in a threaded engagement. In embodiments of the invention, the hard plastic material (e.g. polypropylene) of which upper rim 16 is incapable of being welded directly to the EVA material of the soft, foldable container walls 12. In this regard, in embodiments of the invention, in order to attach upper rim 16 to the container walls 12, a lower collar segment 18 serves as a bridging member which mediates attachment of container walls 12 to upper rim 16. In embodiments of the invention, lower collar segment 18 is formed of EVA having a hardness value that is between the hardness value of EVA container walls 12 and the hardness value of upper rim segment 16. In embodiments of the invention, upper rim 16 and collar segment 18 are formed via a two-shot injection molding process which combines EVA and polypropylene. As a result, a single unit is formed whereby collar segment 18 is formed of EVA material and upper rim 16 segment is formed of polypropylene material. In this regard, polypropylene upper rim 16 engages with polypropylene formed lid 14—allowing for a water-tight seal. In embodiments of the invention upper segments of EVA container walls 12 are heat welded to EVA lower collar segment 18. In embodiments of the invention, the unit formed by lower collar segment 18 and upper rim 16 bridges the EVA materials of container 10 (walls 12 and collar segment 18) to the polypropylene materials of container 10 (upper rim 16 and lid 14). With continued reference to FIG. 2, lower collar segment 18 is formed of a curved inner wall 20 an