Collapsible tube with roll-up fastener structure

Abstract

A tube for dispensing a material such as toothpaste has a tube wall with a sealed first end and s second end having a dispensing opening. A plurality of rows of cooperating fasteners are disposed in plural columns along opposite sides of the tube wall. As the tube is rolled up during consumption of the material therein, the fasteners are brought into juxtaposition with each other and mated together to secure the tube in the rolled up position. The fasteners may be male and female snaps that are integrally molded into the tube side walls during manufacture of the tube.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a collapsible tube, and more particularly, to a collapsible tube with fastener structures that secure the empty portion of the tube in place as the contents of the tube are used.[0003]2. Description of Related Art[0004]Many types of flowable materials are dispensed using collapsible tubes, including toothpaste, cosmetic products such as lotions and creams, hair products such as shampoo and conditioner, food products, and many other liquid, viscous and solid (granular) products. While collapsible tubes have proven to be a very convenient dispenser for these kinds of materials, they have certain drawbacks that manifest themselves as the tube is emptied by usage over time.[0005]As they are used, tube dispensers, especially toothpaste tubes, will become misshapen because many people squeeze them from the middle. This also makes it difficult to dispense product as the tube empties. Even if ev...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved dispensing tube that can be kept neatly rolled up between dispensing operations.

Problems solved by technology

While collapsible tubes have proven to be a very convenient dispenser for these kinds of materials, they have certain drawbacks that manifest themselves as the tube is emptied by usage over time.

As they are used, tube dispensers, especially toothpaste tubes, will become misshapen because many people squeeze them from the middle.

This also makes it difficult to dispense product as the tube empties.

Even if everyone who uses the tube (which in the case of toothpaste, for example, can be multiple family members) takes care always to squeeze the tube from the bottom, still another problem arises as the tube is emptied.

This not only creates an unsightly appearance, but each user has to re-roll up the tube before using it in order to make sure that all of the product is completely dispensed.

While these devices may accomplish their intended purpose, they are nonetheless an imperfect solution to the problems noted above.

In addition, they all are relatively complex in construction, considering that they have only one purpose—to dispense toothpaste from a tube.

They also involve a separate device that takes up more space than the tube itself, and they represent an additional expense for the consumer.

While they do not generally add to the space taken up by the tube, they are still an extra component, making them less convenient to use than would be the case if the user had only the tube to manipulate.

They also can be lost because they are separate from the tube.

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