Abstract:
A liquid receptacle made of a wire frame and a disposable and biodegradable material that is substantially impervious to water. The liquid receptacle is capable of being expanded and collapsed for ease of transportation and storage. For ease of use, the liquid receptacle is shaped with a flat bottom allowing it to stand without support, and equipped with a flap surrounding a top opening of the receptacle. For ease of transportation after use, a cord is supplied around the flap for closing the top opening of the liquid receptacle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/568,711, filed May 6, 2004, entitled “Expandable and Portable Emesis Receptacle,” the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth fully herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Millions of children and even adults suffer from motion sickness. Motion sickness bags or “air sickness bags” as they exist today require the user to hold the bag in place over the mouth during an episode of sickness. This requires a certain level of dexterity that children and even some adults do not possess. In addition, these inferior bags are generally only available on airlines and cruise ships. 
     The average family that travels by car with motion sickness prone children travels with buckets and plastic bags. Motion sickness is also problematic on school field trips and in amusement parks. Therefore, there is a demand for a disposable motion sickness bag that can be stored in a car or glove compartment, can be easily opened, and requires minimal dexterity to use such that even a three year old could use it successfully. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a disposable motion sickness bag. 
     It is further an object of the invention to provide a motion sickness bag that is packaged compactly. 
     It is further an object of the invention to provide a motion sickness bag that opens easily and can sit upright when opened. 
     It is further an object of the invention to provide a motion sickness bag that is substantially rigid when opened, has a wide mouth, and requires minimal dexterity to use. 
     It is further an object of the invention to attach a fresh wipe to the bag for handy clean up. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a liquid receptacle made of a wire frame and material that is substantially impervious to water. The liquid receptacle is capable of being expanded and collapsed for ease of transportation and storage. For ease of use, the receptacle is shaped with a flat bottom allowing it to stand without support, and equipped with a flap surrounding the top opening of the receptacle. For ease of transportation after use, a cord is supplied around the flap for closing the top opening of the liquid receptacle. In one embodiment of the present invention, the liquid receptacle is used for retaining emesis as a result of motion sickness. 
     The frame of the receptacle is formed of two preferably round wire hoops connected by a wire coil and covered in heavy lined paper or plastic that is preferably biodegradable. The wire structure, when covered with lined paper or plastic, creates a cylinder that is approximately 6 inches high and 6 inches in diameter. This basic design allows the receptacle to be compressed flat for ease of storage and transportation. The receptacle is held in a compressed, and substantially flat state, by fasteners such as, tape, Velcro™ or the like. When the fasteners are released, the receptacle automatically pops open and is ready to be used. When the unit is uncompressed, it forms a cylindrical shape with a flat closed bottom, an open top, and firm sides allowing it to stand upright. In other embodiments of the present invention, the receptacle has a cubical, hexagonal or a rectangular shape. 
     At least one handle is affixed to the side of the receptacle and can be held during use. A pocket is affixed to the outside of the receptacle and is equipped with a fresh wipe or napkin. A flap, approximately two inches wide, is affixed around the top opening of the receptacle allowing the bag to be closed (or tie-wrapped like a sack) after use. In one embodiment of the present invention, a cord is woven through the flap. This cord enables the user to toggle the flap from a folded position to an upright position to allow the user to close the top opening of the receptacle by tie-wrapping the flap with the cord. In another embodiment, the open end of the receptacle is closed by folding the flap on itself, and holding it in that state using a flat metal wire attached along half of the circumference of the edge of the open end of the flap. This closure system resembles that of a traditional coffee bag. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a general view of the collapsible liquid receptacle in accordance with the present invention in an uncollapsed state. 
         FIG. 2  is a general view of the collapsible liquid receptacle in a closed state and ready for disposal. 
         FIG. 3  is a general view of the collapsible liquid receptacle in accordance with the present invention in a collapsed state. 
         FIG. 4  is a general view of the frame of the collapsible liquid receptacle in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 5A  is a general view of an uncollapsed rectangular frame of the collapsible liquid receptacle. 
         FIG. 5B  is a general view of a partially collapsed rectangular frame of the collapsible liquid receptacle. 
         FIG. 5C  is a general view of a substantially collapsed rectangular frame of the collapsible liquid receptacle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows the receptacle  10  of the present invention in an uncollapsed open state. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the receptacle  10  is comprised of material  3  surrounded by a wire frame, which is constructed from a top wire ring  1 A, a bottom wire ring  1 B, and a wire coil or spring  2 . In this embodiment, the wire frame is on the outside on material  3 , it is therefore preferred that wire rings  1 A and  1 B be sewed, glued or affixed in any suitable manner to material  3 . 
     Material  3  is preferably made of a disposable and biodegradable paper or plastic that is substantially impervious to liquid. As appreciated by those skilled in the art, material  3  may be treated with wax or the like to become either water resistant or water proof. 
     Handles  4  are affixed to the receptacle and used to hold it or carry it. A pouch or pocket  7  is positioned on the outside of the receptacle for holding a fresh wipe. A flap  5  is formed or attached to the top of the receptacle. The flap  5  is preferably about two inches wide. A cord  6  is provided for closing the flap  5 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the cord  6  is woven through the flap  5 . In another embodiment, the edge of the open end of the flap  5  is folded on itself and held in that state using a flat metal wire attached along half of the circumference of the edge of the open end of the flap  5 . 
       FIG. 2  shows the receptacle in an uncollapsed closed state. In this state, the flap  5  is toggled and tightened shut using cord  6 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the frame is contained inside of material  3 . Therefore, in this embodiment, it is only necessary to attach the top wire ring  1 A to the material, because wire ring  1 B pushes against the bottom of material  3  from the inside. 
       FIG. 3  shows the receptacle in a collapsed state. Wire coil  2  collapses under pressure taking a substantially flat shape for ease of storage and transportation. When collapsed, wire coil  2  stores spring potential energy, and is held in this collapsed state using fasteners  8 , which are made of Velcro™, tape or the like. Once the fasteners are unfastened, the stored spring potential energy of coil  2  is released, returning the receptacle to an uncollapsed open, and ready for use state. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, fasteners  8  are made of two straps that are long enough to wrap around the receptacle in a collapsed state, and are equipped with Velcro™, tape or the like at their ends. In a collapsed state of the receptacle, the straps are used to fasten the receptacle, while in an uncollapsed state of the receptacle, the straps can be used to carry the receptacle. 
       FIG. 4  shows wire frame  14  of the receptacle. Wire frame  14  is made of, for example, aluminum, steel, different alloys, plastic, carbon fiber or the like. Depending on the spring constant of the material and the number of coils used, wire frame  14  may be more or less rigid. Wire frame  14  is formed of top wire ring  1 A, coil  2  and bottom wire ring  1 B. In an embodiment of the present invention, top wire ring  1 A, coil  2  and bottom wire ring  1 B are fastened together. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, top wire ring  1 A, coil  2  and bottom wire ring  1 B are welded together. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, top wire ring  1 A, coil  2  and bottom wire ring  1 B are formed of a single unitary wire. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, coil  2  makes three revolutions going from the bottom wire ring  1 B to the top wire ring  1 A. A higher number of revolutions gives the structure more rigidity, while a lower number of revolutions gives the structure more flexibility. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, wire frame  14  is sewed, glued or affixed in any suitable manner on the inside or the outside of material  3 . In another embodiment, wire frame  14  is sandwiched in between two layers of material  3 . 
     In the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, the collapsible wire frame  14  has a cylindrical shape. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the collapsible wire frame has a cubical shape. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 5A , the collapsible wire frame  16  has a rectangular shape formed of four support legs  12 A and  12 B respectively attached on one end to the four corners of a lower support frame  11 . The other ends of the four support legs  12 A and  12 B are respectively attached to the four corners of an upper support frame  13 . As can be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, this embodiment is adapted to fit within a conventional rectangular motion sickness bag. In fact, conventional motion sickness bags can be retrofitted to incorporate frame  16  as depicted in  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B and  5 C. 
       FIG. 5A  demonstrates frame  16  in an uncompressed state forming a rectangular parallelepiped.  FIG. 5B  demonstrates frame  16  in a partially compressed state, which corresponds to the folding of the side panels of a conventional motion sickness bag.  FIG. 5C  demonstrates frame  16  in a more fully compressed state, which corresponds to the folding of the bottom panel of the conventional motion sickness bag. 
       FIG. 5C  also demonstrates how the support legs  12 A and  12 B are respectively connected to corners  15 A and  15 B of the rectangular lower support frame  11 . When frame  16  is compressed, legs  12 A fold over the lower support frame  11  bending at corners  15 A. Legs  12 B also fold over the lower support frame  11 , bending at corners  15 B and bending as well at points  15 C on legs  12 B. The bends at points  15 C are a distance up legs  12 B approximately one half the width of lower support frame  11 . 
     The bending of legs  12 A and  12 B stores spring potential energy in frame  16 , which, as discussed above, is held in a compressed state by at least one fastener. When the fastener is removed, the spring potential energy is released causing legs  12 A and  12 B to spring frame  16  from a compressed state to an uncompressed state. 
     As appreciated by those skilled in the art, frame  16  in  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B and  5 C is made of a material with memory, enabling frame  16  to be compressed to a substantially flat state and held in that position with a fastener. The memory of frame  16  acts as a spring loaded force in the compressed state. When the frame is released, the stored memory returns frame  16  to an uncompressed state. As described above, frame  16  in  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B and  5 C can fit either inside or outside of a conventional motion sickness bag. Preferably, however, frame  16  fits on the inside of a conventional sickness bag since this embodiment does not require attaching frame  16  to the motion sickness bag. 
     Under one manufacturing method of the present invention, a flexible but firm wire is twisted in a shape of a spring to create a spring-loaded collapsible frame. This wire can also be used to form a collapsible frame in another shape, such as, a cube, a rectangle or a hexagon. After forming the frame, a disposable and biodegradable material is affixed to the outside or the inside of the frame. The material may be treated to enhance its ability to retain liquid. 
     Under another manufacturing method of the present invention, the frame and the material are manufactured separately and attached to each other at a later stage of the manufacturing process. Under yet another manufacturing method of the present invention, the frame and the material are manufactured simultaneously to create the collapsible receptacle.