Hand-held container

Abstract

A hand-held container for liquid is provided, having a main body and a burstable membrane that is located over and seals peripherally with an outlet of the main body. The membrane can be broken by either squeezing the main body or by squeezing a ring to which the membrane is attached. A spout guides the liquid from the outlet of the main body after the membrane is broken.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A hand-held container for a liquid, comprising: 
 a main body having an internal volume for holding the liquid;    a burstable member located over and peripherally sealing with an outlet out of the main body so that the burstable member and the main body jointly retain the liquid within the internal volume, bursting of the burstable member allowing the liquid through the outlet of the main body; and    a guide on a side of the burstable member opposing the main body, the liquid flowing through the guide after flowing through the outlet.    
     
     
         2 . The hand-held container of  claim 1 , wherein the burstable member is a membrane which at least partially forms a weakness along which the membrane can tear to allow the liquid out of the internal volume.  
     
     
         3 . The hand-held container of  claim 2 , wherein two adjacent portions of the membrane form the weakness, so that the adjacent portions separate along the weakness.  
     
     
         4 . The hand-held container of  claim 2 , wherein the membrane has at least three weaknesses, so that the membrane has at least three portions that separate from one another.  
     
     
         5 . The hand-held container of  claim 4 , wherein the weaknesses meet at a junction at or near a center of the membrane.  
     
     
         6 . The hand-held container of  claim 1 , wherein the main body is made of a flexible material that can be deformed in a squeezing action to pressurize the liquid, pressure of the liquid causing tearing of the membrane.  
     
     
         7 . The hand-held container of  claim 1 , wherein the main body is made of a flexible material in a region of the outlet to allow for deformation of the outlet, deformation of the outlet causing tearing of the membrane.  
     
     
         8 . The hand-held container of  claim 1 , wherein the guide is a spout secured to the main body through which the liquid flows after flowing through the outlet.  
     
     
         9 . The hand-held container of  claim 8 , wherein the spout surrounds the liquid.  
     
     
         10 . The hand-held container of  claim 1  which, in addition to the burstable member, includes a retaining component which defines an enclosed volume together with the spout, the retaining component being removable to allow for the liquid to flow out of the spout.  
     
     
         11 . A hand-held container, comprising: 
 a main body capable of holding a liquid within an internal volume thereof and having an aperture; and    a membrane located over and peripherally sealing with the aperture, so that the membrane together with the main body retains liquid within the internal volume, the membrane at least partially forming a weakness along which the membrane can tear to allow the liquid out of the internal volume.