Collapsible dispensing tube construction

Abstract

A collapsible dispensing tube for containing and dispensing a flowable material, the tube including a fold-retainer strip of a stiff foldable material having a width equal to a small fraction of the length of the tube, and a length greater than the width of the tube such that when the fold-retainer strip is applied transversely across the closed bottom of the tube and the tube is folded upon itself starting from its closed bottom, the opposite ends of the strip project laterally outwardly of the opposite sides of the tube and serve as foldable tabs to retain the tube in its folded condition. The fold-retainer strip is detachably carried on the outer face of the tube to enable the strip: (a) to normally serve as a decorative strip for the tube when filled with the flowable material; and (b) thereafter, to serve as a fold-retainer strip conveniently detachable by a user whenever desired for application across the closed bottom of the tube to retain the tube in a folded condition.

1 . A collapsible dispensing tube for containing and dispensing a flowable material, the tube having a closed bottom and an open top closable by a removable cap, and being foldable upon itself, starting from its closed bottom, for reducing its volume after flowable material has been dispensed therefrom via its open top;
 the tube including a fold-retainer strip of a stiff foldable material having a width equal to a small fraction of the length of the tube, and a length greater than the width of the tube such that when the fold-retainer strip is applied transversely across the closed bottom of the tube and the tube is folded upon itself starting from its closed bottom, the opposite ends of the strip project laterally outwardly of the opposite sides of the tube and serve as foldable tabs to retain the tube in its folded condition;   the fold-retainer strip being detachably carried on the outer face of the tube between its top and bottom to thereby enable the strip: (a) to normally serve as a decorative strip for the tube when filled with the flowable material; and (b) thereafter, to serve as a fold-retainer strip conveniently detachable by a user whenever desired for application across the closed bottom of the tube to retain the tube in a folded condition.   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 1 , wherein the fold-retainer strip is carried lengthwise of the outer face of the tube. 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 2 , wherein the fold-retainer strip is detachably carried on the front or rear outer surface of the tube. 
     
     
         4 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 2 , wherein the fold-retainer strip is detachably carried on a side outer face of the tube. 
     
     
         5 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 1 , wherein the fold-retainer strip is carried circumferentially around the outer face of the tube. 
     
     
         6 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 5 , wherein the fold-retainer strip is detachably carried circumferentially around a middle region of the outer face of the tub. 
     
     
         7 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 5 , wherein the fold-retainer strip is detachably carried circumferentially around the upper region of the outer face of the tube adjacent its open top. 
     
     
         8 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 1 , wherein the fold-retainer strip has an outer decorative metallic appearance. 
     
     
         9 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 1 , wherein the fold-retainer strip includes a pair of stiff, foldable metal wires along its opposite sides, and a thin web inbetween. 
     
     
         10 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 9 , wherein the thin web is formed with transversely-extending ribs to increase the stiffness of the fold-retainer strip in the longitudinal direction thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 9 , wherein the flexible web includes a metal foil enclosing, and extending between, the stiff, foldable metal wires at the opposite sides of the strip. 
     
     
         12 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 11 , wherein the metal foil is enclosed by an outer transparent plastic film. 
     
     
         13 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 1 , wherein the fold-retainer strip includes a beaded formation along each of its opposite edges for facilitating its detachment from the outer face of the tube, and its application transversely across the closed bottom of the tube. 
     
     
         14 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 1 , wherein the width of the fold-retainer strip is less than one-fifth the length of the tube, and the length of the fold-retainer strip is at least 1.5 times the width of the tube. 
     
     
         15 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 1 , wherein the width of the fold-retainer strip is about one-tenth the length of the tube, and the length of the fold-retainer strip is about twice the width of the tube. 
     
     
         16 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 1 , wherein the fold-retainer strip includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive detachably adhering it to the outer face of the tube. 
     
     
         17 . The collapsible dispensing tube according to  claim 1 , wherein the fold-retainer strip is detachably heat-bonded to the outer face of the tube. 
     
     
         18 . A retainer element particularly useful for application to a collapsible dispensing tube having an upper open end, closeable by a removable cap, for dispensing a flowable material, and a bottom closed end, the retainer element being effective to permit the tube to be transversely folded upon itself, starting from its closed bottom, and retain the tube in a folded position when folded upon itself many times to reduce the volume of the tube as its contents are dispensed, the retainer element comprising:
 a backing strip of a foldable material;   a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating on a face of at least a middle region of the backing strip for pressure application to the closed bottom of a tube;   and a pair of stiff, foldable elements embedded in and extending along the opposite edges of the backing strip;   the backing strip being dimensioned such that its width is a small fraction of the length of the collapsible tube and is of a length greater than the width of the closed bottom of the tube, such that the middle region of the backing strip may be adhesively applied by pressure to the face of the closed bottom of the tube, with the opposite ends defining lateral tabs foldable over the opposite face of the tube each time the bottom end of the tube is folded upon itself, and thereby to retain the tube in its folded condition.   
     
     
         19 . An assembly of a plurality of retainer elements each according to  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of retainer elements are each removably carried on one face of a continuous carrier strip wound in the form of a roll on a holder. 
     
     
         20 . An assembly of a plurality of retainer elements each according to  claim 18 , wherein each of the retainer elements is enclosed within a paper enclosure, and the plurality are contained within a common container.