Packaging containing a consumable

Abstract

Packaging containing an amount of a consumable (e.g. an at least partially dehydrated foodstuff), the packaging comprising: a container comprising an opening; and a closure (e.g. an airtight seal) closing the opening; wherein the container and the closure define a cavity having a first volume; the consumable is located in the cavity; the container is expandable such that the container may be expanded (e.g. due to the elasticity of the container) to be able to contain a second volume; and the second volume is greater than the first volume. The consumable may be to be combined with an amount of liquid, and the second volume may be greater than or equal to a volume occupied by the combination of the amount of the consumable and the amount of the liquid.

1 . Packaging containing an amount of a consumable, the packaging containing an amount of a consumable comprising:
 a container comprising an opening; and   a closure closing the opening; wherein   the container and the closure define a cavity having a first volume;   the consumable is located in the cavity;   the container is expandable such that the container may be expanded to have a second volume; and   the second volume is greater than the first volume.   
     
     
         2 . Packaging containing a consumable according to  claim 1 , wherein the closure is an airtight seal. 
     
     
         3 . Packaging containing a consumable according to  claim 2 , wherein the container is expandable such that, on breaking the airtight seal, the container may be expanded to have the second volume. 
     
     
         4 . Packaging containing an amount of a consumable according to any of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the consumable is to be combined with an amount of liquid, and the second volume is greater than or equal to a volume occupied by the combination of the amount of the consumable and the amount of the liquid. 
     
     
         5 . Packaging containing a consumable according to any of  claims 2  to  4 , wherein the container further comprises:
 a closed end; and 
 an elastic side wall disposed between the opening and the closed end; wherein 
 the elastic side wall is in a compressed state; 
 the elastic side wall has sufficient elasticity such that, on at least partially removing the seal from the opening, the elastic side wall expands, unaided, from the compressed state to an uncompressed state; and 
 when the elastic side wall is in the uncompressed state, the container has the second volume. 
 
     
     
         6 . Packaging containing a consumable according to  claim 5 , wherein the elastic side wall is compressible along its length such that the height of the container when the elastic side wall is in its uncompressed state is larger than the height of the container when the elastic side wall is in its compressed state. 
     
     
         7 . Packaging containing a consumable according to  claim 5  or  6 , wherein the elastic side wall comprises a bellows-like structure. 
     
     
         8 . Packaging containing a consumable according to any of  claims 5  to  7 , the container further comprising a non-expandable top portion disposed between the open end and the elastic side wall, the top portion being contiguous with the opening. 
     
     
         9 . Packaging containing a consumable according to  claim 8 , wherein the non-expandable top portion comprises a flange or shoulder. 
     
     
         10 . Packaging containing a consumable according to  claim 8  or  9 , wherein the non-expandable top portion comprises an externally screw-threaded portion for receiving an internally screw-threaded lid. 
     
     
         11 . Packaging containing a consumable according to any of  claims 5  to  10 , the container further comprising a non-expandable bottom portion disposed between the closed end and the elastic side wall, the bottom portion being contiguous with the closed end. 
     
     
         12 . Packaging containing a consumable according to any of  claims 1  to  11 , wherein the container is made of a heat resistant material. 
     
     
         13 . Packaging containing a consumable according to any of  claims 1  to  12 , wherein the container is made of a compound comprising low density polyethylene and high density polyethylene. 
     
     
         14 . Packaging containing a consumable according to any of  claims 1  to  13 , wherein, prior to being expanded, the height of the container is between 40 mm and 50 mm. 
     
     
         15 . Packaging containing a consumable according to any of  claims 1  to  14 , wherein the container is expandable such that the height of the container is between 80 mm and 90 mm. 
     
     
         16 . Packaging containing a consumable according to any of  claims 1  to  15 , wherein the consumable is selected from a group consisting of a foodstuff, a medicine, paint and powdered paint. 
     
     
         17 . Packaging containing a consumable according to  claim 16 , wherein the consumable is an at least partially dehydrated foodstuff. 
     
     
         18 . A method of packaging an amount of a consumable, the method comprising:
 providing a container having an opening;   at least partially filling the container with the consumable; and   closing, with a closure, the container with the consumable inside it such that the container and the closure define a cavity having a first volume, and the consumable is located in the cavity; wherein   the container is expandable such that the container may be expanded to have a second volume; and   the second volume is greater than the first volume.   
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the closure is an airtight seal. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the container is expandable such that, on breaking the airtight seal, the container may be expanded to have the second volume. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to any of  claims 18  to  20 , wherein the consumable is to be combined with an amount of liquid, and the second volume is greater than or equal to a volume occupied by the combination of the amount of the consumable and the amount of the liquid. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to any of  claims 19  to  21 , wherein the container further comprises:
 a closed end; and 
 an elastic side wall disposed between the opening and the closed end; wherein 
 the elastic side wall is in a compressed state; 
 the elastic side wall has sufficient elasticity such that, on at least partially removing the seal from the opening, the elastic side wall expands, unaided, from the compressed state to an uncompressed state; and 
 when the elastic side wall is in the uncompressed state, the container has the second volume. 
 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the elastic side wall is compressible along its length such that the height of the container when the elastic side wall is in its uncompressed state is larger than the height of the container when the elastic side wall is in its compressed state. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 22  or  23 , wherein the step of providing a container comprises compressing the container such that the elastic side wall is in the compressed state. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to any of  claims 22  to  24 , wherein the elastic side wall comprises a bellows-like structure. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to any of  claims 22  to  25 , the container further comprising a non-expandable top portion disposed between the open end and the elastic side wall, the top portion being contiguous with the opening. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 26  when dependent on  24 , wherein the non-expandable top portion comprises a flange or shoulder, and the step of compressing the container is performed by applying a force to the flange or shoulder. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 26  or  27 , wherein the non-expandable top portion comprises an externally screw-threaded portion, and the step of closing comprises screwing an internally screw-threaded lid onto the externally screw-threaded portion. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to any of  claims 22  to  28 , the container further comprising a non-expandable bottom portion disposed between the closed end and the elastic side wall. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to any of  claims 18  to  29 , wherein the container is made of a heat resistant material. 
     
     
         31 . A method according to any of  claims 18  to  30 , wherein the container is made of low density polyethylene. 
     
     
         32 . A method according to any of  claims 18  to  31 , wherein, prior to being expanded, the height of the container is between 40 mm and 50 mm. 
     
     
         33 . A method according to any of  claims 18  to  32 , wherein the container is expandable such that the height of the container is between 70 mm and 90 mm. 
     
     
         34 . A method according to any of  claims 18  to  33 , wherein the consumable is selected from a group consisting of a foodstuff, a medicine, paint and powdered paint. 
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 34 , wherein the consumable is an at least partially dehydrated foodstuff. 
     
     
         36 . An expandable container for a consumable, the container comprising:
 an open end;   a closed end; and   an elastic side wall disposed between the open end and the closed end; wherein   the elastic side wall is compressible between an original position and a compressed position such that the container may be changed between having a first height and a second height, the second height being less than the first height;   the elastic side wall has sufficient elasticity to return to the original position unaided.   
     
     
         37 . An expandable container according to  claim 36 , wherein the elastic side wall comprises a bellows-like structure. 
     
     
         38 . An expandable container according  claim 36  or  37 , the container further comprising a non-expandable top portion disposed between the opening and the elastic side wall, the top portion being contiguous with the opening. 
     
     
         39 . An expandable container according to  claim 38 , wherein the non-expandable top portion comprises a flange or shoulder. 
     
     
         40 . An expandable container according to  claim 38  or  39 , wherein the non-expandable top portion comprises an externally screw-threaded portion for receiving an internally screw-threaded lid. 
     
     
         41 . An expandable container according to any of  claims 36  to  40 , the container further comprising a non-expandable bottom portion disposed between the closed end and the elastic side wall, the bottom portion being contiguous with the closed end. 
     
     
         42 . An expandable container according to any of  claims 36  to  41 , wherein the container is made of a heat resistant material. 
     
     
         43 . An expandable container according to any of  claims 36  to  42 , wherein the container is made of low density polyethylene. 
     
     
         44 . An expandable container according to any of  claims 36  to  43 , wherein, when the elastic side wall is in its original position, the height of the container is between 70 mm and 90 mm. 
     
     
         45 . An expandable container according to  claim 43 , wherein, when the elastic side wall is in its original position, the height of the container is 80 mm. 
     
     
         46 . An expandable container according to any of  claims 36  to  45 , wherein, when the elastic side wall is in its compressed position, the height of the container is between 40 mm and 50 mm. 
     
     
         47 . An expandable container according to  claim 46 , wherein, when the elastic side wall is in its compressed position, the height of the container is 45 mm. 
     
     
         48 . A method of packaging a consumable, the method comprising:
 providing an expandable container, the container being in accordance with any of  claims 36  to  47 ;   compressing the container such that the elastic side wall is in the compressed position;   at least partially filling the container with an amount of the consumable; and   whilst the elastic side wall is in the compressed position, closing the container with the predetermined amount of the consumable inside it.   
     
     
         49 . A method according to  claim 48 , wherein the consumable is selected from a group consisting of a foodstuff, a medicine, paint and powdered paint. 
     
     
         50 . A method according to  claim 49 , wherein the consumable is an at least partially dehydrated foodstuff. 
     
     
         51 . A method according to any of  claims 48  to  50 , wherein the step of closing is performed by means of an airtight seal applied over the open end of the container. 
     
     
         52 . A method according to any of  claims 48  to  51  when dependent on  claim 40 , the step of closing comprises screwing an internally screw-threaded lid onto the externally screw-threaded portion. 
     
     
         53 . A method according to any of  claims 48  to  52  when dependent on  claim 39 , the step of compressing the container comprises applying a force to the flange or shoulder. 
     
     
         54 . Packaging containing a consumable according to any of  claims 1  to  17 , wherein the container is an expandable container according to any of  claims 36  to  47 . 
     
     
         55 . Packaging containing a consumable substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying figures. 
     
     
         56 . An expandable container substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying figures. 
     
     
         57 . A method of packaging a consumable substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying figures.