Collapsible bottle and related systems, components and methods

Abstract

A collapsible plastic bottle is provided which is movable from an expanded configuration for storing liquid for consumer use to a collapsed configuration for forming a tile for use in tiled building structures and the like. Related systems, components and methods are also provided.

1 . A collapsible bottle movable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration, the bottle comprising:
 a neck; and   a main body extending between an upper end adjacent the neck and a lower end opposite the neck, the main body defining a fluid cavity to store fluid when the collapsible bottle is in the expanded configuration, and the main body including a primary indentation proximate the lower end of the main body to assist in collapsing the bottle in a predetermined manner, a portion of the lower end of the main body moving in a direction toward the neck as the main body bends, folds and/or collapses in a region of the primary indentation when the collapsible bottle transitions from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible bottle of  claim 1  wherein the main body includes a front sidewall, and wherein the front sidewall includes a transverse groove that extends across the front sidewall to assist in collapsing the bottle in the predetermined manner. 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible bottle of  claim 1  wherein the main body includes a front sidewall, and wherein the front sidewall includes an arcuate groove between the upper end and the lower end of the main body that extends transversely across the front sidewall and assists in collapsing the bottle in the predetermined manner. 
     
     
         4 . The collapsible bottle of  claim 1  wherein the main body includes a front sidewall, and wherein the front sidewall includes a coupling cavity proximate the lower end of the main body for coupling to adjacent collapsed bottles or a foundation when the bottle is in the collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The collapsible bottle of  claim 1  wherein the main body includes a front sidewall and a rear sidewall, and wherein the bottle is configured to form one of a series of overlapping tiles when in the collapsed configuration, the front sidewall forming a lower tile surface and the rear sidewall forming an upper tile surface. 
     
     
         6 . The collapsible bottle of  claim 1  wherein the main body includes lower corner regions that are configured to be depressed inwardly to assist in transitioning the bottle from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The collapsible bottle of  claim 6  wherein the lower end of the main body forms a catch structure when the bottle is in the collapsed configuration, and wherein the inwardly depressed corner regions assist in locking the catch structure in a rigid position. 
     
     
         8 . The collapsible bottle of  claim 1  wherein a bottom of the main body includes a pocket and relief features, the relief features configured to assist in enabling rotation of the pocket toward the neck when the bottle transitions from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The collapsible bottle of  claim 1  wherein the main body includes a generally rectangular cross-sectional profile over a majority of a height thereof and wherein the bottle tapers from the lower end toward the upper end. 
     
     
         10 . A tile system, comprising:
 a plurality of bottles in a collapsed configuration; and   an elongated mounting structure for securing at least some of the plurality of bottles to a foundation.   
     
     
         11 . The tile system of  claim 10  wherein at least one of the plurality of bottles is provided with a cap that is configured to attach to the elongated mounting structure. 
     
     
         12 . The tile system of  claim 10  wherein the elongated mounting structure is a flexible strap. 
     
     
         13 . The tile system of  claim 10  wherein the elongated mounting structure is a rigid support structure having an array of longitudinally spaced apertures, each of the apertures having a profile to receive a neck portion of a respective one of the plurality of bottles. 
     
     
         14 . The tile system of  claim 10  wherein the elongated mounting structure is a channel member having a cross-sectional profile configured to insertably receive a portion of a respective one of the plurality of bottles. 
     
     
         15 . The tile system of  claim 14  wherein the cross-sectional profile of the channel member is generally c-shaped and includes at least one catch, hook or barb to assist in retaining a neck portion of each bottle within a cavity of the channel member. 
     
     
         16 . The tile system of  claim 14  wherein the channel member is resilient and flexible to allow a neck portion of each bottle to be inserted into a cavity of the channel member with a snap fit. 
     
     
         17 . The tile system of  claim 14  wherein the elongated mounting structure includes a plurality of hook structures spaced along a longitudinal length thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The tile system of  claim 10  comprising a plurality of elongated mounting structures, each of the elongated mounting structures including a channel member having a cross-sectional profile configured to insertably receive a portion of each bottle from a first respective grouping of the plurality of bottles and including a plurality of hook structures to engage a lower end of each bottle from a second respective grouping of the plurality of bottles. 
     
     
         19 . The tile system of  claim 18  wherein the plurality of elongated mounting structures includes a first elongated mounting structure in which the channel member is engaged with a neck portion of each of a first linear arrangement of the bottles, a second elongated mounting structure in which the hook structures thereof are engaged with a base portion of each of the first linear arrangement of the bottles, and a third elongated mounting structure positioned between the first and second elongated mounting structures to underlie a mid-region of each of the first linear arrangement of the bottles. 
     
     
         20 . The tile system of  claim 18  wherein each of a linear arrangement of the bottles are supported by a series of the elongated mounting structures at a neck portion, a base portion and an intermediate portion between the neck portion and the base portion. 
     
     
         21 . A building component made by a process, comprising:
 obtaining a thin shell vessel that includes at least one indentation or groove positioned to assist in reconfiguring the thin shell vessel from an expanded configuration into a predefined collapsed configuration; and   reconfiguring the thin shell vessel from the expanded configuration to the predefined collapsed configuration with the aid of the at least one indentation or groove to make the building component.   
     
     
         22 . The building component of  claim 21  wherein reconfiguring the thin shell vessel includes implementing surface area manipulation techniques to transform the thin shell vessel into the predefined collapsed configuration to make the building component, the building component having generally the same surface area as the thin shell vessel but a reduced volume and a modified shape. 
     
     
         23 . The building component of  claim 21  wherein the thin shell vessel is a molded bottle and the building component is a tile unit. 
     
     
         24 . The building component of  claim 23  wherein the molded bottle comprises a neck and a main body extending between an upper end adjacent the neck and a lower end opposite the neck, the main body defining a fluid cavity to store fluid when the molded bottle is in the expanded configuration, and the main body including the at least one indention or groove proximate the lower end of the main body to assist in collapsing the molded bottle in a predetermined manner, a portion of the lower end of the main body moving in a direction toward the neck as the main body bends, folds and/or collapses in a region of at least one indention or groove when the molded bottle transitions from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         25 . A method, comprising:
 obtaining a plurality of thin shell vessels that each include at least one indentation or groove positioned to assist in reconfiguring the thin shell vessel from an expanded configuration into a predefined collapsed configuration; and   reconfiguring each of the plurality of thin shell vessels from the expanded configuration to the predefined collapsed configuration with the aid of the at least one indentation or groove to form building components.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the thin shell vessels are molded bottles and the building components are tiles. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 arranging the tiles together to form a tiled building structure.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 securing the tiles together to form a collective array of tiles.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 filling at least some of the tiles with a cellulose based cement mixture.