Bi-stable semi-collapsible container for stacking

Abstract

A bottle including a finish defining a bottle opening, a collapsible assembly carrying the finish, the collapsible assembly including a first groove coupled to a second groove by a connecting portion, a bell coupled to the collapsible portion, a base, a central axis extending from the finish to the base, and a sidewall extending between the bell and the base. The collapsible assembly is configured to actuate along the central axis between a first extended position and a second depressed position, in the first extended position the first groove is positioned further away from the base than the second groove, and in the second depressed position the first groove is positioned closer to the base than the second groove.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bottle comprising:
 a finish defining a bottle opening;   a collapsible assembly carrying the finish, the collapsible assembly including a first groove coupled to a second groove by a connecting portion;   a bell coupled to the collapsible portion;   a base;   a central axis extending from the finish to the base; and   a sidewall extending between the bell and the base,   wherein the collapsible assembly is configured to actuate along the central axis between a first extended position and a second depressed position, in the first extended position the first groove is positioned further away from the base than the second groove, and in the second depressed position the first groove is positioned closer to the base than the second groove.   
     
     
         2 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the first groove and the second groove are concentric relative to the central axis. 
     
     
         3 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the first groove and the second groove are annular. 
     
     
         4 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the first groove has a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the second groove. 
     
     
         5 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein in the first extended position, the connecting portion extends from the second groove to the first groove away from the base, and wherein in the second depressed position, the connecting portion extends from the second groove to the first groove towards the base. 
     
     
         6 . The bottle of  claim 5 , wherein in the first extended position, the connecting portion has an increasing slope relative to the bell, and wherein in the second depressed position, the connecting portion has a decreasing slope relative to the bell. 
     
     
         7 . The bottle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a resting surface defined by the base;   a sealing surface defining the perimeter of the opening; and   a bottle height defined by a vertical distance extending from the resting surface to the sealing surface,   wherein in the first extended position, the bottle height is a first height, and   wherein in the second depressed position, the bottle height is a second height, the first height being greater than the second height.   
     
     
         8 . The bottle of  claim 1 , further comprising an axial length defined by a vertical distance extending from the finish to the base along the central axis, wherein the axial length changes between the first extended position and the second depressed position. 
     
     
         9 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the base defines a central recess and a plurality of feet, the central recess configured to receive a portion of a second finish associated with a second bottle upon which the base is stacked. 
     
     
         10 . The bottle of  claim 9 , wherein the second bottle includes a second collapsible portion that carries the second finish and is coupled to a second bell, the second collapsible portion including a third groove separated from a fourth groove by a second connecting portion, wherein the second collapsible portion is in a second depressed position where the third groove is positioned below the fourth groove. 
     
     
         11 . The bottle of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of feet are configured to contact the second bell about the central axis. 
     
     
         12 . A bottle comprising:
 a finish defining a bottle opening;   a neck coupled to the finish;   a bell;   a connecting portion coupled at a first end to the neck, and at a second opposite end to the bell;   a base; and   a sidewall extending between the bell and the base,   wherein the connecting portion is configured to pivot relative to the bell between a first position and a second position, wherein the neck is positioned closer to the base in the second position than in the first position.   
     
     
         13 . The bottle of  claim 12 , wherein in the connecting portion is configured to pivot relative to the neck between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         14 . The bottle of  claim 12 , wherein in the first position, the connecting portion extends away from the base from the bell to the neck, and wherein in the second position, the connecting portion extends towards the base from the bell to the neck. 
     
     
         15 . The bottle of  claim 12 , wherein the neck is configured to translate along an axis extending from the finish to the base between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         16 . The bottle of  claim 15 , wherein the finish is configured to translate along the axis between the first position and the second position, the finish is positioned closer to the base in the second position than in the first position. 
     
     
         17 . The bottle of  claim 12 , including a height defined by a vertical distance extending from an end of the finish and an opposite end of the base,
 wherein in the first position, the height is a first height, and   wherein in the second position, the height is a second height, the first height being longer than the second height.   
     
     
         18 . A stacked bottle system comprising:
 a first bottle including:
 a first base defining a first central recess and a plurality of first feet; 
 a first bell coupled to the first base by a first sidewall; 
 a first finish coupled to the first bell and defining a first bottle opening; and 
 a first central axis extending from the first finish to the first base; and 
   a second bottle including:
 a second base; 
 a second bell coupled to the second base by a second sidewall; 
 a second finish defining a second bottle opening; and 
 a second central axis extending from the second finish to the second base, wherein the second finish is translatable along the second central axis from a first position to a second position, and wherein in the second position the second finish is closer to the second base than in the first position, and 
   wherein the first bottle is configured to be stacked onto the second bottle, the first central recess configured to receive a portion of the second finish of the second bottle in the second position, and the plurality of first feet configured to contact the second bell about the first central axis.   
     
     
         19 . The stacked bottle system of  claim 18 , wherein the first finish of the first bottle is translatable along the first central axis from a first position to a second position, and wherein in the second position the first finish is closer to the first base than in the first position. 
     
     
         20 . The stacked bottle configuration of  claim 18 , wherein the second base of the second bottle defines a second central recess and a plurality of second feet.