Compressible container for metering liquid contents

Abstract

The invention provides a container for metering liquid material. The container comprises an interior containing liquid material, a bottom with an endless, upright circumferential wall extending at least substantially in an axial direction of the container from said bottom, and a sealing foil at the upper side of said upright circumferential wall, which retains the liquid material in the container. An outlet can be created in the container for placing the container in an open condition, wherein the circumferential wall is deformable, at least in the open condition of the container, under the influence of an axial pressure force applied to the circumferential wall so as to reduce the volume of the interior of the container for the purpose of emptying the container at least partially in a metered manner via the outlet thus created. The upright circumferential wall extends parallel to the axial direction and/or outward from the bottom to the upper side of the circumferential wall. Seen from the bottom, the upright circumferential wall of the container has at least a first endless wall part and, above said first wall part, a second endless wall part. The first wall part and the second wall part join one another at the location of an endless fold line, which defines a plane extending substantially perpendicularly to the axial direction. Seen in axial sectional view, the first wall part and the second wall part include an angle that faces the interior of the container. The first wall part and the second wall part can be folded about the fold line under the influence of the axial pressure force. The fold line undergoes a radial inward shift under the influence of the axial pressure force during folding and the second endless wall part remains above the fold line.

1 . A container for metering liquid material, said container comprising an interior containing liquid material, a bottom with an endless, upright circumferential wall extending at least substantially in an axial direction of the container from said bottom, a sealing foil at the upper side of said upright circumferential wall, which retains the liquid material in the container, in which container an outlet can be created so as place the container in an open condition, wherein the circumferential wall is deformable, at least in said open condition of the container, under the influence of an axial pressure force applied to the circumferential wall so as to reduce the volume of the interior of the container for the purpose of emptying the container at least partially in a metered manner via the outlet thus created, wherein the upright circumferential wall extends parallel to the axial direction and/or outward from the bottom to the upper side of the circumferential wall, wherein, seen from the bottom, the upright circumferential wall of the container has at least a first endless wall part and, above said first wall part, a second endless wall part, wherein the first wall part and the second wall part join one another at the location of an endless fold line, which defines a plane extending substantially perpendicularly to the axial direction, and wherein, seen in axial sectional view, the first wall part and the second wall part include an angle that faces the interior of the container at the location of the fold line, wherein the first wall part and the second wall part can be folded about the fold line under the influence of the axial pressure force, wherein the fold line undergoes a radial inward shift under the influence of the axial pressure force during folding and the second endless wall part remains above the fold line. 
     
     
         2 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the first wall part and the second wall part jointly have a height which equals at least 60% of the height of the upright circumferential wall. 
     
     
         3 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the first wall part and/or the second wall part are at least substantially straight over the entire height of the wall part in question. 
     
     
         4 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein a flange-like edge joins the upper side of the second endless wall part, on which flange-like edge the container is provided with the sealing foil. 
     
     
         5 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the first wall part and the second wall part undergo a pivoting movement relative to the bottom of the container under the influence of the axial pressure force. 
     
     
         6 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the first wall part and the second wall part include an angle, seen in axial sectional view, which ranges between 120° and 180°, more preferably between 140° and 170°. 
     
     
         7 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the first wall part extends substantially parallel to the axial direction of the container. 
     
     
         8 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the upright wall ranges between 0.1 mm and 0.6 mm, preferably between 0.2 mm and 0.4 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein an obliquely oriented relief is provided in at least part of the circumferential wall. 
     
     
         10 . The container according to  claim 9 , wherein said relief has a height ranging between 5% and 25% of the radius of the circumferential wall. 
     
     
         11 . The container according to  claim 9 , wherein said relief comprises a rib that extends outward in a radial direction of the container. 
     
     
         12 . The container according to  claim 11 , wherein said rib extends in an axial and in a circumferential direction of the container, seen in the plane of the circumferential wall. 
     
     
         13 . The container according to  claim 11 , wherein a spacing between two neighbouring ribs, seen in the axial direction of the container, changes. 
     
     
         14 . The container according to  claim 9 , wherein the two adjacent ribs define a triangular element. 
     
     
         15 . The container according to  claim 9 , wherein the relief is only provided within one wall part, preferably the second wall part. 
     
     
         16 . The container according to  claim 9 , wherein the relief comprises elevated parts, preferably outwardly oriented convex parts. 
     
     
         17 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the upright circumferential wall further comprises a third wall part disposed between the bottom and the first wall part, wherein said first wall part and said third wall part join one another at the location of an endless further fold line, wherein said further fold line defines a plane substantially perpendicular to the axial direction. 
     
     
         18 . The container according to  claim 17 , wherein said further fold line undergoes a radially outward shift under the influence of the axial pressure force. 
     
     
         19 . The container according to  claim 17 , wherein the second wall part and the third wall part extend substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         20 . The container according to  claim 16 , wherein the third wall part has a height which at most equals 35% of the total height of the upright circumferential wall. 
     
     
         21 . The container according to  claim 16 , wherein the upright circumferential wall has a height which substantially equals the joint height of the first, the second and the third wall part. 
     
     
         22 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the first wall part is substantially smooth. 
     
     
         23 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the outlet can be resealed after being created. 
     
     
         24 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the outlet is channel-shaped. 
     
     
         25 . The container according to  claim 24 , wherein the channel-shaped outlet is formed in a flange-like edge that joins the upper side of the upright circumferential wall.