Collapsible container

Abstract

A collapsible container is provided, which includes an inner cup made of a soft waterproof material, an outer retractable cup, and an assembly kit for allowing the inner cup to be detachably mounted in the outer cup. The outer cup can be extended or contracted in height, making the collapsible container easy to carry. The inner cup can be detached for cleaning, making the collapsible container easy to use and provide good hygiene. Such a collapsible container is especially suitable for traveling use.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A collapsible container including:
 an inner cup including an inner cup edge and an inner cup body, wherein the inner cup body is made of a soft waterproof material, and the inner cup body includes an inner cup wall and an inner cup bottom; and   an outer cup including an outer cup edge and an outer cup body, wherein the outer cup body has an adjustable height, the inner cup body is allowed to be placed in the outer cup body, the outer cup body includes an outer cup bottom, wherein the outer cup body further includes:   a first cup ring formed at its lower end with at least one first lower coupling structure;   at least one second cup ring formed at its upper end and lower end with at least one second upper coupling structure and at least one second lower coupling structure respectively; and   a third cup ring formed at its upper end with at least one third upper coupling structure;   wherein the outer cup bottom is fixed to a lower end of the third cup ring to form a cavity, and the first cup ring, the second cup ring and the third cup ring are serially connected together in a manner that, the inner cup edge is detachably attached to the first cup ring, and the inner cup is detachably mounted in the outer cup;   wherein when the outer cup body is being highly extended, the first cup ring is allowed to move away from the second cup ring to make the first lower coupling structure engaged with the second upper coupling structure so as to interlock the first cup ring and the second cup ring, or the second cup ring is allowed to move away from the third cup ring to make the second lower coupling structure engaged with the third upper coupling structure so as to interlock the second cup ring and the third cup ring, such that the outer cup body is held in a highly extended status; the first cup ring is allowed to move towards the second cup ring to disengage the first lower coupling structure from the second upper coupling structure so as to unlock the first cup ring and the second cup ring, or the second cup ring is allowed to move towards the third cup ring to disengage the second lower coupling structure from the third upper coupling structure so as to unlock the second cup ring and the third cup ring, such that the outer cup body is released from the highly extended status; and wherein,   the first lower coupling structure includes a first lower guiding portion and a first lower limiting portion, which are formed on an inner wall at the lower end of the first cup ring; the second upper coupling structure includes a second upper guiding portion and a second upper limiting portion, which are formed on an outer wall at the upper end of the second cup ring, wherein the first lower guiding portion matches the second upper guiding portion, for guiding the first cup ring to move towards the second cup ring, and the first lower limiting portion matches the second upper limiting portion, for limiting a maximum distance that the first cup ring is movable away from the second cup ring in order to prevent separation between the first cup ring and the second cup ring; and   the second lower coupling structure includes a second lower guiding portion and a second lower limiting portion, which are formed on an inner wall at the lower end of the second cup ring; the third upper coupling structure includes a third upper guiding portion and a third upper limiting portion, which are formed on an outer wall at the upper end of the third cup ring, wherein the second lower guiding portion matches the third upper guiding portion, for guiding the second cup ring to move towards the third cup ring, and the second lower limiting portion matches the third upper limiting portion, for limiting a maximum distance that the second cup ring is movable away from the third cup ring in order to prevent separation between the second cup ring and the third cup ring.   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible container according to  claim 1 , wherein the first cup ring is further formed at its upper end with at least one first upper coupling structure, wherein when the outer cup body is being highly contracted, the first cup ring is allowed to move towards the second cup ring to make the first upper coupling structure engaged with the second upper coupling structure, or the second cup ring is allowed to move towards the third cup ring to make the second upper coupling structure engaged with the third upper coupling structure, so as to keep the outer cup body in a highly contracted status; the first cup ring is allowed to move away from the second cup ring so as to disengage the first upper coupling structure from the second upper coupling structure, and the second cup ring is allowed to move away from the third cup ring so as to disengage the second upper coupling structure from the third upper coupling structure, such that the outer cup body is released from the highly contracted status. 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible container according to  claim 2 , wherein the first cup ring is further formed at its upper end with a first inner upper limiting portion; the second cup ring is further formed at its upper end with a second inner upper limiting portion and a second outer upper limiting portion; the third cup ring is further formed at its upper end with a third outer upper limiting portion, wherein,
 when the outer cup body is in the highly contracted status, the first inner upper limiting portion cooperates with the second outer upper limiting portion to limit a maximum distance that the first cup ring is movable towards the second cup ring and prevent separation between the first cup ring and the second cup ring, and the second inner upper limiting portion cooperates with the third outer upper limiting portion to limit a maximum distance that the second cup ring is movable towards the third cup ring and prevent separation between the second cup ring and the third cup ring.   
     
     
         4 . The collapsible container according to  claim 1 , wherein there is provided a force applying part at the outer cup bottom, for allowing a force to be applied to the force applying part to trigger movement of the third cup ring relative to the second cup ring. 
     
     
         5 . The collapsible container according to  claim 2 , wherein,
 the first upper coupling structure further includes a first inner upper guiding portion formed on the inner wall at the upper end of the first cup ring, wherein the first inner upper guiding portion matches the second upper guiding portion, for guiding the first cup ring to move away from the second cup ring; and   the second upper coupling structure further includes a second inner upper guiding portion formed on the inner wall at the upper end of the second cup ring, wherein the second inner upper guiding portion matches the third upper guiding portion, for guiding the second cup ring to move away from the third cup ring.   
     
     
         6 . The collapsible container according to  claim 1 , wherein when the outer cup body is highly extended, there is a space located between and separating the outer cup body and the inner cup body. 
     
     
         7 . The collapsible container according to  claim 1 , further including:
 an assembly kit for being assembled with the inner cup edge and the outer cup edge, and being detachably attached to the outer cup edge to allow the inner cup to be detachably mounted in the outer cup.   
     
     
         8 . The collapsible container according to  claim 1 , wherein there is formed at least one strengthening rib at an upper portion of the inner cup body, for enhancing structural strength and preventing the upper portion of the inner cup body from being collapsed by a force. 
     
     
         9 . The collapsible container according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner cup bottom is thicker than the inner cup wall, the inner cup bottom is provided with a first binding part, and the outer cup bottom is provided with a second binding part, wherein with the first binding part and the second binding part being combined together, the inner cup bottom is fixed on the outer cup bottom. 
     
     
         10 . The collapsible container according to  claim 9 , wherein the first binding part and the second binding part are combined by structural coupling or magnetic attraction. 
     
     
         11 . The collapsible container according to  claim 9 , wherein each of the first binding part and the second binding part is formed with a coupling structure for preventing rotation of the inner cup bottom relative to the outer cup bottom when the inner cup bottom is fixed on the outer cup bottom; the inner cup edge structurally matches the outer cup edge to make the first binding part and the second binding part combined together; there is provided an indicator on the outer cup body, for indicating an extent of rotation of the inner cup body relative to the outer cup body. 
     
     
         12 . The collapsible container according to  claim 9 , wherein the first binding part or the second binding part has a bearing structure for allowing rotation of the inner cup bottom relative to the outer cup bottom when the inner cup bottom is fixed on the outer cup bottom, and there is a gap between the inner cup bottom and the outer cup bottom.