Collapsible beverage container and method therefor

Abstract

A collapsible liquid container has a collapsible bottle section and a cap assembly. The collapsible bottle section expands and collapses to accommodate varying amounts of liquid. The cap assembly is coupled to the collapsible bottle and it prevents leakage of the liquid while allowing for the passage or air as the collapsible bottle section is expanded and collapsed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A collapsible liquid container comprising, in combination: 
 a collapsible bottle for storing liquid, and    a cap assembly coupled to the collapsible bottle for preventing the leakage of a liquid while allowing for the passage of air as the container is expanded and collapsed.    
     
     
         2 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the collapsible bottle comprises: 
 an opening portion for dispensing the liquid;  
 a body portion for containing the liquid wherein the body portion has a plurality of flexible ridges to allow the body portion to expand and collapse to accommodate the amount of liquid contained within the body portion.  
 
     
     
         3 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the collapsible bottle further comprises a gripping edge coupled to the body portion to aid in expanding and collapsing the body portion.  
     
     
         4 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the collapsible bottle further comprises a date indicator coupled to the body portion to denote the freshness of the liquid contained within the collapsible liquid container.  
     
     
         5 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the collapsible bottle further comprises a volume indicator formed on the body portion to denote the amount of liquid contained within the collapsible liquid container.  
     
     
         6 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the collapsible bottle further comprises a plurality of spiraled ridges formed on the opening portion of the collapsible bottle for coupling the cap assembly to the collapsible bottle.  
     
     
         7 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 5  wherein the volume indicator comprises a plurality of lettering along the flexible ridges that changes a volumetric message as the body portion expands and collapses.  
     
     
         8 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the cap assembly comprises: 
 a cap component removeably coupled to the opening portion of the collapsible bottle;  
 a hole in the cap component for the passage of air and liquid; and  
 a stopper component to insert into the hole for preventing the passage of air and liquid.  
 
     
     
         9 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 8  wherein the stopper component is coupled to the cap component to prevent loss of the stopper component when the stopper component is removed from the hole in the cap component.  
     
     
         10 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the cap assembly comprises: 
 a cap component removeably coupled to the opening portion of the collapsible bottle;  
 a hole in the cap component for the passage of air and liquid;  
 a stopper component to insert into the hole for preventing the passage of air and liquid; and  
 a flexible flap that traverses the opening portion of the collapsible bottle to regulate the passage of air and liquid.  
 
     
     
         11 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the stopper component has at least one ridge to anchor the stopper component into the hole and to prevent the loss of the stopper component.  
     
     
         12 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the hole has at least one groove to receive the corresponding at least one ridge of the stopper component for anchoring the stopper component onto the cap component.  
     
     
         13 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 10  wherein squeezing the cap assembly will cause the flexible flap to bend and allow for the passage of air and liquid.  
     
     
         14 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the cap assembly comprises 
 a cap component removeably coupled to the opening portion of the collapsible bottle;  
 a hole in the cap component for the passage of air and liquid; and  
 a buoyant stopper component fitting within the cap component that traverses the opening portion of the collapsible bottle and regulates the passage of air and liquid through the hole.  
 
     
     
         15 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 14  wherein the buoyant stopper component comprises: 
 a small lower flat portion that fits within the opening portion of the collapsible bottle; and  
 a large upper flat portion coupled to the small lower flat portion which is larger than the opening portion of the collapsible bottle to prevent the entire buoyant stopper component from sliding down into the body portion of the collapsible bottle.  
 
     
     
         16 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 15  wherein a space exists between the small lower flat portion and the opening portion of the collapsible bottle and between the large upper flat portion and the cap component to allow for the passage of air and liquid.  
     
     
         17 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 15  wherein the liquid will push upward against the small lower flat portion causing the large upper flat portion of to overlap the hole in the cap component for blocking it and preventing the passage of air and liquid.  
     
     
         18 . A collapsible liquid container comprising, in combination: 
 a collapsible bottle for storing liquid wherein the collapsible bottle comprises: 
 an opening portion for dispensing the liquid;  
 a body portion for containing the liquid wherein the body portion has a plurality of flexible ridges to allow the body portion to expand and collapse to accommodate the amount of liquid contained within;  
 a gripping edge to aid in expanding and collapsing the collapsible bottle;  
 a plurality of spiraled ridges on the opening portion of the collapsible bottle;  
   a cap assembly coupled to the collapsible bottle for preventing the leakage of liquid while allowing for the passage of air as the container is expanded and collapsed comprising: 
 a cap component having a plurality of spiraled ridges that engage the spiraled ridges on the opening portion for screwing on and attaching the cap assembly to the opening portion of the collapsible bottle;  
 a hole in the cap component for the passage of liquid; and  
 a stopper component to insert into the hole to prevent the passage of air and liquid.  
   
     
     
         19 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 18  wherein the cap assembly further comprises a flexible flap that traverses the opening portion of the collapsible bottle to regulate the passage of air and liquid.  
     
     
         20 . A collapsible liquid container in accordance with  claim 18  wherein the cap assembly further comprises a buoyant stopper component fitting within the cap component that traverses the opening portion of the collapsible bottle and regulates the passage of air and liquid through the hole.