Stand-up tube with a dispensing nose

Abstract

A container comprising a radially surrounding container sidewall having a first end and a second end, a dome coupled to the container sidewall at the first end, and a container nose coupled to the container sidewall at the second end. The dome comprises a neck portion for permanently sealing the container at the neck portion. The container nose encloses a channel leading into a space surrounded by the container sidewall.

1 . A container comprising: 
 a radially surrounding container sidewall having a first end and a second end;    a dome coupled to the container sidewall at the first end, the dome comprising a neck portion for permanently sealing the container at the neck portion; and    a container nose coupled to the container sidewall at the second end, wherein the container nose encloses a channel leading into a space surrounded by the container sidewall.    
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  further comprising a hinged interconnection formed between the dome and the container sidewall.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the hinged interconnection enables the dome to flip from an outwardly projecting position to an inwardly projecting position with respect to the container sidewall.  
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3 , further comprising a standing ring formed between the hinged interconnection and the container sidewall, wherein the standing ring enables the container to stand on the standing ring when the dome is in the inwardly projecting position.  
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container sidewall is pliable to enable a continual folding of the container sidewall from one of the first and second ends toward the other of the first and second ends.  
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container sidewall is flexible for being squeezed by hand.  
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container sidewall comprises an inset groove.  
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container nose is sealed at one end of the container nose.  
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container is formed by separately forming parts of the container and joining the parts together.  
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container nose is formed from a material different from a material forming the container sidewall.  
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container nose comprises a nose member, the nose member tapering from a first diameter at an end near the container sidewall to a second diameter at an end distal to the container sidewall, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter.  
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the tapering of the nose member is stepwise or continual.  
     
     
         13 . A method comprising the steps of: 
 making a container comprising: 
 a radially surrounding container sidewall having a first end and a second end;  
 a dome coupled to the container sidewall at the first end, the dome comprising a neck portion; and  
 a container nose coupled to the container sidewall at the second end, wherein the container nose encloses a channel leading into a space surrounded by the container sidewall;  
   filling the container with a product through the neck portion; and    permanently sealing the container at the neck portion.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the making a container further comprises forming a hinged interconnection between the dome and the container sidewall.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the hinged interconnection enables the dome to flip from an outwardly projecting position to an inwardly projecting position with respect to the container sidewall.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the making a container further comprises forming a standing ring between the hinged interconnection and the container sidewall to enable the container to stand on the standing ring when the dome is in the inwardly projecting position.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the making a container further comprises forming the container sidewall from a pliable material to enable continual folding of the container sidewall from one of the first and second ends toward the other of the first and second ends by applying pressure to the dome.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the making a container further comprises forming the container sidewall from a flexible material to enable squeezing of the container sidewall by hand.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the making a container further comprises forming a seal at one end of the container nose.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising a step of sealing the container nose and the channel at one end of the container nose.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the making a container comprises molding the container in a mold.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the making a container comprises separately forming parts of the container and joining the parts together.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the separately forming parts comprises forming the container sidewall from a first material and the container nose from a second material different from the first material.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the joining the parts together comprises welding the container nose to the container sidewall.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the separately forming parts comprises forming the container nose by at least one of compression molding and injection molding.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the separately forming parts comprises forming the container sidewall by blow molding.  
     
     
         27 . A container comprising: 
 a radially surrounding container sidewall having a first end and a second end;    a dome coupled to the container sidewall at the first end, the dome comprising a neck portion for permanently sealing the container at the neck portion;    a container nose coupled to the container sidewall at the second end, wherein the container nose encloses a channel leading into a space surrounded by the container sidewall; and    a product contained within the space surrounded by the container sidewall.    
     
     
         28 . The container of  claim 27 , further comprising a hinged interconnection formed between the dome and the container sidewall.  
     
     
         29 . The container of  claim 28 , wherein the hinged interconnection enables the dome to flip from an outwardly projecting position to an inwardly projecting position with respect to the container sidewall.  
     
     
         30 . The container of  claim 27 , wherein the container sidewall is pliable to enable a continual folding of the container sidewall from one of the first and second ends toward the other of the first and second ends.  
     
     
         31 . The container of  claim 30 , wherein applying pressure to the dome dispenses the product through the channel of the container nose.  
     
     
         32 . The container of  claim 27 , wherein container sidewall is flexible to enable squeezing of the container sidewall by hand.  
     
     
         33 . The container of  claim 32 , wherein squeezing the container sidewall dispenses the product through the channel of the container nose.  
     
     
         34 . The container of  claim 27 , wherein the product is at least one of caulk, sealant and paint.  
     
     
         35 . The container of  claim 29 , wherein the dome is locked in the inwardly projecting position once the dome is flipped from the outwardly projecting position to the inwardly projecting position.