Container with flexible portion

Abstract

A container ( 10 ) for a liquid product ( 14 ) comprises a container body ( 11 ) comprising a rigid portion ( 17 ) and a flexible portion ( 19 ) arranged as integral parts of the container body ( 11 ) and together defining a product space ( 21 ) inside of the container body ( 11 ); and a cap ( 13 ) connecting to an opening ( 12 ) of the container body ( 11 ), characterized in that the cap ( 13 ) comprises at least one side opening ( 29 ) arranged on a distal end of the cap. The flexible portion ( 19 ) is able to flex, for example, collapse as liquid exits the container ( 10 ).

1 . A container ( 10 ) for a liquid product ( 14 ) comprising:
 a container body ( 11 ) comprising a rigid portion ( 17 ) and a flexible portion ( 19 ) arranged as integral parts of the container body ( 11 ) and together defining a product space ( 21 ) inside of the container body ( 11 ); and   a cap ( 13 ) connecting to an opening ( 12 ) of the container body ( 11 );   characterized in that the cap ( 13 ) comprises at least one side opening ( 29 ) arranged on a distal end of the cap.   
     
     
         2 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible portion ( 19 ) is configured to deform in order to change a volume of the product space ( 21 ) upon discharging an amount of the liquid product ( 14 ) from the container ( 10 ). 
     
     
         3 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the container opening ( 12 ) is connected to the rigid portion ( 17 ) of the container body ( 11 ). 
     
     
         4 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the rigid portion ( 17 ) and the flexible portion ( 19 ) comprise the same material and wherein, a thickness of the rigid portion dr is larger than a thickness of the flexible portion df. 
     
     
         5 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the rigid portion dr is at least twice that of the thickness of the flexible portion df. 
     
     
         6 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the container body ( 11 ) comprises plastic material, preferably one or more of the following: a polypropylene (PP), a high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET). 
     
     
         7 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the rigid portion dr is more than 1 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the flexible portion df is less than 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the rigid portion ( 17 ) comprises a plurality of surfaces arranged next to each other such that at least one central surface ( 33 ) is surrounded by side surfaces ( 31 ) and the flexible portion ( 19 ) extends from peripheral edges of the side surfaces ( 31 ). 
     
     
         10 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein a surface area of the rigid portion ( 17 ) is approximately the same as a surface area of the flexible portion ( 19 ). 
     
     
         11 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the rigid portion ( 17 ) and the flexible portion ( 19 ) are separated by a plane (P) extending through the container body ( 11 ). 
     
     
         12 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the container body ( 11 ) comprises a distal end ( 34 ) and a proximal end ( 36 ), and wherein the proximal end ( 36 ) coincides with the rigid portion ( 17 ) and the distal end ( 34 ) coincides with the flexible portion ( 19 ). 
     
     
         13 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one side opening ( 29 ) is arranged along side walls ( 39 ) of the cap ( 13 ) and/or radially around the cap side walls ( 39 ). 
     
     
         14 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the cap ( 13 ) comprises plurality of side openings ( 29 ) arranged radially around the cap side walls ( 39 ). 
     
     
         15 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the container ( 10 ) comprises coupling means ( 25 ) to couple the container ( 10 ) to a cleaning appliance and the container body ( 11 ) is configured to fit within a cleaning agent dispensing unit of the cleaning appliance.