Patent Publication Number: US-2016236826-A1

Title: Articulating closure for flexible containers

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/154,956, filed Apr. 30, 2015, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/115,570, filed Feb. 12, 2015. Both provisional applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This application relates to the field of closures for flexible containers, such as for personal hydrations systems. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Sufficient hydration is important for replacing bodily fluids during extended periods of aerobic activity, such as cycling. Currently, several methods are known for getting fluids to a person engaged in aerobic activity and in need of fluid replenishment. In an attempt to overcome the deficiencies of water bottles, personal hydration systems have been developed that include a reservoir for holding fluid, a flexible drink tube for conveying the fluid from the reservoir to the person engaged in aerobic activity, and a mouth-operated valve attached to the end of the tube. Reservoirs for hydration systems are generally made from sheets of flexible materials that have been sealed at their edges to provide a watertight container. Soft-side reservoirs or bladders are relatively inexpensive, can be comfortably worn within in a back pack or waist pack, and withstand impact well. 
     Hydration system bladders typically include a closeable fill port and a drain port that connects to the drink tube. Configurations for the hydration bladder fill ports include screw cap ports welded to one side of the bladder or into the bladder seam. Another approach is to fill through an open seam at the top of the bladder and employ a zipper type or roll-top closure that seals in the fluid. 
     The various types of fill ports are designed meet certain needs of bladder-based hydration systems. Screw top ports offer secure, robust closing method that is familiar to users. Welding ports to the bladder material is a low-cost manufacturing method that integrates into the processes employed in forming and sealing the bladder edges. Roll and zip top closures offer a wide opening for filling and adding ice to the bladder and facilitate cleaning and drying. 
     Despite the capabilities of current bladder fill port designs, there remain problems associated with their use. For example, screw-ports welded to the bladder&#39;s side can be oversized to offer easier filling, but their side-facing orientation can make them difficult to fill under a faucet. Side-mounted ports can require that the bladder be removed from its hydration pack for filling. Cleaning and drying bladders made with side-mounted fill ports can be troublesome due to the size of the port opening and the tendency of the bladder sides to collapse together. Seam-welded ports can be placed at the top of the bladder, but can be more difficult to weld reliably and can become bulky when made with oversized openings. Roll and zip top closures may not seal as reliably as screw-top closures and may require extra effort to keep them opened during filling. 
     SUMMARY 
     This application describes exemplary embodiments of articulating closures for flexible containers, such as fluid bladders, that have an open end for filling, cleaning, etc. Such flexible containers often include at least one additional outlet for dispensing fluid from the container. For example, an exemplary flexible container comprises a fluid bladder having an open upper end, which is sealable by any of the disclosed articulating closures, and a lower fluid exit port that is coupled to a drink tube or the like. 
     The disclosed closures can comprise articulating opposing arms that lock together in a flattened configuration to seal an end opening of a fluid bladder or other flexible container. The disclosed closures can include four or more substantially rigid arms that are linked together at their ends via pivoting joints to form an articulable loop. The articulating closure formed by the pivotably linked arms can collapse to a flattened or closed configuration to seal a container and can open to an opened polygonal configuration for filling or cleaning of the flexible container. In embodiments with four arms, the four arms can form a “4-bar” mechanism comprising four substantially rigid arms that can freely articulate at all four corners/joints to move between a flattened, closed configuration where the arms are all parallel, and various open configurations. 
     In some embodiments, the arms can all be about the same length (e.g., forming a rhombus when opened), while other embodiments include arms of different lengths (e.g., forming a kite shape or a non-equilateral parallelogram when opened). For example, a four-arm closure can include two short arms and two long arms, four equal length arms, or four arms all having different lengths. Preferably, the arms can include two groups of arms, with each group have about the same total length, so that each group can form one side of the closure in the closed, flattened configuration. Each group of arms can have a different number of arms, such a two arms per group, three arms per group, or uneven numbers of arms in each group. 
     The disclosed closures can have arms that extend in three-dimensions such that the several arms are not all co-planar, while in other embodiments the arms are all substantially coplanar and they open and close within a common plane. The several pivot joints can have pivot axes that are all substantially parallel, or one or more of the pivot axes may not be parallel with the others. In any of the disclosed embodiments, the pivot joints between the arms can comprise any type of hinge mechanism, such as pinned joints, ball-and-socket joints, living hinges, flexible material regions, and/or other pivotable mechanisms. 
     In an open configuration, the arms can form a polygonal configuration forming a central opening. In some embodiments, the closure is removable from a flexible container when opened, while in other embodiments, the closure remains attached to at least a portion of the perimeter of the opening of the flexible container. In the latter embodiments, the closure can be used as a handle or support mechanism to hold and manipulate the container when it is open, such as during filling or cleaning operations, or to suspend or restrain the container. 
     The disclosed closures can seal closed an opening of a flexible container when the closure is in its closed position. In the closed positions, the disclosed closures can be locked or biased or otherwise held in the closed position and resist inadvertent opening of the closure from the closed position, which could undesirably allow the contents of the container to escape. Different embodiments can accomplish the goal of keeping the closure held in the closed position in different ways. For example, various embodiments can include one or more of the following locking/biasing mechanisms: spring clips with catches, clasps that rotate back to front to capture arms, sliders, zippers, a sliding clasp that then rotates, a clasp that rotates in the longitudinal plane, draw clamps, cam knobs, screw knobs, ratchet or catch-on hinges, snaps, friction fits, interference fits, etc. The locking/biasing feature that maintains the closure in the closed position can include features that are integrated into the rigid arms, separate components that are fixed to the arms, separate components that are mounted on the arms and articulate relative to the arms, and/or separate components that are attachable to the arms to secure them closed and can be removed entirely from the arms when not in use. 
     While disclosed closures provide a pinching force to close an opening of a container, additional sealing structures can be provided at the sealed location to ensure a leak proof seal. In some embodiments, the container itself can include a sealing structure, such as a tongue and groove interface on opposite sides of the opening. In some embodiments, the closure can include a sealing structure that presses on the outer sides of the flexible container opening to seal the openings. In some embodiments, additional sealing components, such as sealing plates, can be positioned between the inner surfaces of the closure and the outer surfaces of the container opening. Such sealing components can be attached to the container opening or to the closure in various embodiments. A tongue and groove sealing mechanism is just one example, and other exemplary sealing mechanisms include O-rings or other flexible elastomeric gasket-type structures, zippers or zip-lock type sealing mechanisms, structures that kink or fold the walls of the container around the opening, etc. Regardless of the type of sealing mechanism employed, the locking or biasing mechanisms of the closure can apply a pinching/compressive force that works with the sealing mechanisms to seal the opening of the container. However, in some embodiments, the locking mechanism can function independently of the sealing mechanism. 
     Disclosed closures can provide any one or more of the following exemplary advantages: low profile dimensions, low material volume, low weight, low cost to manufacture, opens wide for filling and cleaning the flexible container, moves between open and closed positions without disconnecting the arms at their pivot joints, open positions have a polygonal shape for maximized opening cross-sectional area, and closures can be used as a handle or holding mechanism. 
     The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the disclosed technology will become more apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a flexible container with an articulating closure for sealing an upper opening. 
         FIG. 2  shows the container of  FIG. 1  with a locking mechanism of the closure removed. 
         FIG. 3  shows the container of  FIG. 1  with the closure in an open configuration and the upper opening open. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the closure of  FIG. 1  in the closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the closure of  FIG. 1  in the closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 6  is an end view of the closure of  FIG. 1  in the closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the closure of  FIG. 1  in an open configuration. 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of the container of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded end view of the container of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view of another exemplary container having an articulating closure for sealing an upper opening. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the closure of  FIG. 10  in an open configuration. 
         FIG. 12  is a top view of the closure of  FIG. 10  in the open configuration. 
         FIG. 13  is a top view of the closure of  FIG. 10  in a closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of the closure of  FIG. 10  in a closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 15  is an end view of the closure of  FIG. 10  in a closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view of another exemplary articulating closure for sealing an upper opening of a flexible container. 
         FIG. 17  is a top view of the closure of  FIG. 16  in an open configuration. 
         FIG. 18  is a top view of the closure of  FIG. 16  in a closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 19  is a side view of the closure of  FIG. 16  in the closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 20  is an end view of the closure of  FIG. 16  in the closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 21  is an exploded perspective view of the closure of  FIG. 16 . 
         FIG. 22  is a perspective view of another exemplary articulating closure for sealing an upper opening of a flexible container. 
         FIG. 23  is a perspective view of the closure of  FIG. 22  in an unlocked and partially open configuration. 
         FIG. 24  is a top view of the closure of  FIG. 22  in a closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 25  is a side view of the closure of  FIG. 22  in the closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 26  is an end view of the closure of  FIG. 22  in the closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 27  is a perspective view of another exemplary articulating closure for sealing an upper opening of a flexible container. 
         FIG. 28  is a first side view of the closure of  FIG. 27  in a closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 29  is a top view of the closure of  FIG. 27  in the closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 30  is a second side view of the closure of  FIG. 27  in the closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 30A  is an end view of the closure of  FIG. 27  in the closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 31  is a perspective view of another exemplary articulating closure for sealing an upper opening of a flexible container. 
         FIG. 32  is a top view of the closure of  FIG. 32  in a closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 33  is a side view of the closure of  FIG. 32  in the closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 34  is an end view of the closure of  FIG. 32  in the closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 35  is a perspective view of another exemplary articulating closure for sealing an upper opening of a flexible container. 
         FIG. 36  shows a flexible container with an upper opening and the closure of  FIG. 35  engaged around and sealing the upper opening. 
         FIG. 37  is a top view of the closure of  FIG. 35  in a closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 38  is a side view of the closure of  FIG. 35  is the closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 39  is an end view of the closure of  FIG. 35  is the closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 40  is a perspective view of another exemplary articulating closure for sealing an upper opening of a flexible container. 
         FIG. 41  is a top view of the closure of  FIG. 40  in a closed and locked configuration. 
         FIG. 42  shows an exemplary flexible container having a lower opening with the closure of  FIG. 40  secured around and sealing the lower opening closed. 
         FIG. 43  is an exploded perspective view of another exemplary container having an articulating closure for sealing an upper opening, with sealing features included along inner walls of the bladder opening. 
         FIG. 44  is an exploded perspective view of another exemplary container having an articulating closure for sealing an upper opening, with alternative sealing features included along inner walls of the bladder opening. 
         FIG. 45  is a perspective view of an exemplary articulating closure that includes a handle. 
         FIG. 46  is a perspective view of another exemplary articulating closure that includes an alternative fixed handle. 
         FIG. 47  is a perspective view of an exemplary articulating closure that includes a handle that pivots relative to an end of one arm of the closure. 
         FIG. 48  is a perspective view of an exemplary articulating closure that includes a handle that pivots relative to arms on one side of the closure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a container  2  that includes a flexible bladder  4  and an exemplary closure  10  that seals an upper opening  6  of the bladder. The bladder can comprise for example, two or more sheets of flexible polymeric material welded together around three sides and leaving the upper sides unwelded to create a collapsible bladder having the upper opening  6 . The container can also optionally include an exit port  8 , a drink tube  12  coupled to the exit port, and/or a mouthpiece  14  (e.g., a flexible bite valve, etc.). The closure  10  can include a fastener, or locking mechanism, (e.g., slider  16 ) to lock the articulable loop in the closed position with the upper opening sealed. 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  show perspective views of the container  2 , with the closure  10  closed in  FIG. 2  and open in  FIG. 3 .  FIGS. 4-7  show various views of the closure  10  in isolation. As shown in  FIG. 7 , in the open position, the closure  10  generally forms a parallelogram when viewed from above. The closure  10  includes arms  20 A,  20 B,  20 C,  20 D that are connected end-to-end at pivot joints  22 A,  22 B,  24 A,  24 B. The arms  20  can all have about the same length, resulting in a rhombus or diamond shape in the open configuration. In other embodiments, the arms can have unequal lengths, with arms  20 A and  20 B having lengths that add up the about the same as the sum of the lengths of the arms  20 C and  2 D, so that in the closed position, they can lie flat against each other and seal the bladder. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the closure  10  can have a generally arched profile with the pivot joints  24 A and  24 B being elevated above pivot joints  22 A and  22 B. The arms  20  can be arched to create this arched profile. 
       FIG. 7  shows a fully open configuration, where the closure is prevented from opening any further by surfaces  26  on the ends of the arms abutting each other just inside of the joints  24 . The fully open configuration can provide a maximum cross-sectional area for the opening, for example. 
     To lock the closure  10  is the closed position, the slider  16  is slid over the joints  24 , which blocks the arms from separating and/or applies a compressive force on the arms. One or more of the arms can have a horizontal groove or ridge  32  (see  FIGS. 8 and 9 ) that mates with corresponding ridges  30  or other features on the inside of the slider  16  to allow the slider to slide onto the arms horizontally while restricting the slider from moving vertically off of the arms. When the slider is applied, the U-shaped structure of the slider applies compressive pressure to the outer surfaces of the arms around the joints  24 , sealing the opening of the bladder that is clamped between the arms. 
       FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of the container  2 , and  FIG. 9  is an exploded end view of the container  2 . The pivot joints  22  and  24  are show exploded with pivot pins  34  viewable able the pivoting end portions  36  of the arms  20 . In other embodiments, the joints between the arms  20  can comprise a living hinge and/or flexible connectors. The closure  10  can also include sealing plates  40 A,  40 B that are coupled to the inner surfaces of the arms  20  to help seal the upper opening  6  of the bladder  4  when the closure is closed. The sealing plates  40  can include coupling features  42  on their outer surfaces that mate with complimentary coupling features  44  of arms  20 . The sealing plates  40  can comprise semi-flexible material that allows the plates to flex apart from the rigid arms  20  when the closure is opened. The plates can be welded or adhered to the outer surfaces of the two outer sheets of the bladder such that the upper ends of the bladder extends above and passes over sealing features  46  and  48  on the inner surfaces of the plates. The sealing features can comprise tongue and groove type features that extend across the length of the plates, zipper type features, or other sealing features that help seal off the opening of the bladder to prevent fluid leakage when the closure is in the closed position. In other embodiments, the sealing features can be located on the inner surfaces of the bladder sheets instead of, or in addition to, on the plates  40 . For example, zipper or zip-lock type sealing features can be located on the inner surfaces of the bladder sheets. 
     When the closure  10  is opened and the rigid arms  20  form a quadrilateral shape, the plates  40  can bow and curve away from the inner surfaces of the arms  20  at the ends of the plates beyond the coupling features  42 , allowing the plates and the bladder opening to generally form a pointed oval or almond shape. 
       FIGS. 10-15  show another exemplary articulating closure  100  that includes spring clips  110  for compressing and locking the closure in the closed position. Each of arms  106 A and  106 B, which are on one side of the closure, can include spring clips  110  fixed to and projecting horizontally inwardly, and the opposing arms  106 C and  106 D can include openings  112  that receive the spring clips  110  when the articulable loop is in the closed position. In other embodiments, the spring clips can project in the opposite direction, such as one clip extending from arm  106 A and the other from arm  106 D. Or only one clip can be included on one of the arms. The spring clips  110  can include a tapered, hooked head that resiliently deflects to snap into a locked position when they pass through the openings  112 . To release the spring clips, a user can pinch the heads of the clips together so that the hooks are free of the edge of the openings  112  and the heads of the spring clips  110  can release back through the openings. The closure  100  can otherwise be similar to the closure  10 , including sealing plates  120 ,  122  welded or adhered to the outside of the bladder opening and coupled to the inside of the arms. The sealing plates can include sealing features  124 ,  126  in their inner surfaces that press in on the bladder sheets and seal them together when the closure is closed and the spring clips are locked. 
       FIGS. 16-21  show another exemplary articulating closure  200  that includes an alternative type of spring clips  210 . One or more of the arms  206 A-D can include spring clips  110  projecting horizontally inwardly, and the opposing arms can include cut-outs  212 , over which the spring clips  210  snap into engagement when the closure is closed to apply compression to the arm and lock the articulable loop in the closed position. The spring clips  210  can include a tapered, hooked head that resiliently deflects to snap into a locked position when they pass over the cut-outs  212 . To release the spring clips, a user can push up on the heads of the clips so that the hooks are free of the edge of the cut-outs  212  and the heads of the spring clips  210  can release. The closure  200  can otherwise be similar to the closures  10  and  100 , including sealing plates  220 ,  222  welded or adhered to the outside of a bladder opening and coupled to the inside of the arms  206  via coupling features  234  and  240 . The sealing plates  220 ,  222  can include sealing features  224 ,  226  on their inner surfaces that press in on the bladder sheets and seal them together when the closure is closed and the spring clips are locked. 
       FIGS. 22-26  show another exemplary articulating closure  300  that includes one or more rotating cam lock type fasteners  310 . One or more of the arms  306 A-D can mount a rotating cam lock  310 . The cam locks  310  can include a handle  320  at one end and a curved engagement arm  318  that defines a curved slot  322  inside of the arm  318 . When the articulating loop of arms is closed, rotating the cam lock  310  causes the engagement arm  319  to pass through an opening  312  in the opposing arm and causes a vertical post  314  in the opposing arm to enter into the curved slot  322 . Continued rotation of the cam lock causes the curved arm  318  to wrap around the post and optionally project back in through a second opening  316  on the opposite side of the post from the opening  312 . In so doing, the post  314  moved into an end of the slot  322  and a cam feature on the inside of the curved arm moves over the post, biasing the cam lock toward the closed position shown in  FIGS. 24 and 25 , maintaining compressive pressure between the two opposing groups of arms. Two opposing cam locks are illustrated, though two cam locks on the same side of the closure can be included in other embodiments, or only one cam lock can be included. Vertically oriented or other non-horizontally oriented cam locks may also be used in other embodiments. 
       FIGS. 27-30A  show another exemplary articulating closure  400  that includes a pivoting latch type closure  410 . One or more of the arms  406 A-D can mount a latch  410  that includes a pivot arm  420  that pivots about a horizontal axis  420  relative to the arm. As illustrated, the latch  410  is mounted on the arm  406 A. The latch  410  pivots in a vertical plane about a horizontal axis, causing a horizontal member  414  to swing over the top of the two groups of opposing arms. With the articulating loop in the closed position ( FIGS. 28-30A ), the horizontal member  414  can engage in corresponding open-topped slots  412  in the arms  406 B and  406 D. One or both of the slots  412  can include a slightly protruding ridge  418  at the top of the slot that locks the horizontal member  414  in the slots and causes a user to have to apply a substantial upward force on the horizontal member  414  to pop it out of the slots around the ridges  418 . The end of the horizontal member  414  can optionally include or be coupled to a flange  416  that overhangs the slot  418  in the arm  406 D to maintain compressive pressure between the two groups of opposing arms and to prevent the articulating loop from spreading open. Alternatively or in addition to the flange  416 , the latch  410  can optionally include a secondary locking mechanism on the pivot arm  420 . The end of the pivot arm  420  can project through an opening  424  in the opposing arm  406 C and the pivot arm can include one or more radial projections  422  that engage with corresponding features in the opening  424  when the pivot arm is rotated to maintain compression and prevent the pivot arm from pulling back out of the opening  424  (see  FIGS. 27 and 28 ). For example, the opening  424  can include a raised track/include ramps around the opening that engage with the projections  422  to apply a clamping force to the closure and lock the closure. Thus, the latch  410  can include dual locking features that both engage with the arms when the latch is rotated, using a single motion, to prevent the closure from opening. 
       FIGS. 31-34  show another exemplary articulating closure  500  that includes an alternative swinging latch  510 . The arm  506 D can mount a latch  510  that includes a pivot end  512  that pivots about a horizontal axis relative to the arm  506 D. In some embodiments, a second such latch can be mounted on the opposite side of the closure on one of the arms  506 A or  506 B. As illustrated, the latch  510  is mounted on the arm  506 D and pivots in a vertical plane parallel with the outer side of the arm  506 D. The arms  506 A and  506 B on the opposite side of the articulating loop from the latch  510  can include projecting catches  516 ,  520  that extend through openings  530 ,  532  in the opposing arms  506 C and  506 D, and the latch  510  can pivot down to engage with the catches  516 ,  520  on the outer sides of the arms  506 C and  506 D. The latch  510  can include a first engagement portion  514  that engages the catch  516  and a second engagement portion  518  that engages the catch  520 . The latch  510  can optionally also include an outwardly protruding or arched portion  522  that extends around the hinge between the arms  506 C and  506 D, and the arched portion  522  can be used as a location for a user to apply upward force on the latch  510  to unlock the latch. The latch  510  can block the catches  516 ,  520  from moving back out of the openings  530 ,  532  to prevent the articulating loop from opening and the snug fit between the latch and the catches can apply a compressive force between the two opposing groups of arms to seal an opening in a flexible container. 
       FIGS. 35-39  show another exemplary articulating closure  600  that includes four arms  606 A-D forming an articulating loop and a slider lock fastener  610  to lock the arms in the closed position and apply a compressive force. The arms are offset vertically, with the arms  606 A and  606 C at one end being positioned below the arms  606 B and  606 D at the other end. Thus, each group of arms on each side of the loop include arms that are offset vertically from each other, but are aligned vertically with the opposing arms of the opposite group of arms. The central ends of the arms  606 B and  606 D overlap the central ends of the arms  606 A and  606 C. In the closed position, the slider  610  can be slid horizontally over the arms, with one or more ridges  622  inside the slider sliding in corresponding horizontal grooves  620  on the outer sides of the arms  606 B and/or  606 D. The slider  610  can have a stepped shape that corresponds to the staggered arrangement of the arms. The slider can have a lower tier  632  that overlies and engages the lower arms  606 A and  606 C, and an upper tier  630  that overlies and engages the upper arms  606 B and  606 D. The arms can also include a bi-level inner sealing feature that includes a lower portion  614 , and upper portion  616 , and curved center portion  618  that bridges between the joints between the lower arms and the upper arms. When the closure  600  is closed, the center portion  618  forms a continuous sealing path between the lower and upper portions  614 ,  616  of the sealing feature, providing complete sealing all the way across the closure, while the slider  610  applies compressive pressure. The sealing feature can include a male ridge along one side and a female groove along the opposing side. The closure  600  can be fixed to the outer surfaces of a bladder with the bladder walls extending over the sealing feature, or the closure  600  can be a detachable unit that can be removed and applied to different bladders. 
       FIGS. 40-41  show another exemplary articulating closure  700  that is similar to the closure  600  but includes a spring clip  710  instead of a slider to lock the arms in the closed position and apply compressive pressure to the arms. The spring clip  710  can extend from any one of the four arms and latch onto a corresponding ledge  712  on the opposite arm. In some embodiments, two spring clips can be included, one bridging the upper two arms and one bridging the lower two arms. The spring clips  710  can be vertically oriented (as illustrated in  FIG. 40 ) and positioned on the end of the arms, or the spring clips can be horizontally oriented and positioned along the top or bottom surfaces of the arms. 
       FIG. 42  shows an exemplary application of the closure  700  with a bladder  720 . In this example the bladder  720  has a lower opening that is sealed off using the closure  700  and has an upper exit port  724  coupled to a mouthpiece  726 , such that the bladder can be used as a collapsible bottle. In order to allow the spring clip  710  to extend across to engage the opposite side of the closure, the bladder  720  can include an hole  722  or slot near the lower edge of the bladder (or alternatively at any location within the outer perimeter of the container. The hole  722  can pass through both layers of the bladder and be sealed around its perimeter to form an annular seam. The spring clip  710  can extend through the hole  722  to secure the opposing groups of arms together. Due to the hole, the closure  700  can be applied around the bladder  720  at any vertical positioned between the top and bottom ends of the bladder, provided the hole is positioned at that position. In alternative embodiments, more than one hole  722  can be provided at different vertical positions along the bladder to give a user various options of where to place the closure. Each different position can correspond with a different maximum volume of the bladder, for example. When the sealing features of the closure  700  are positioned above the hole  722 , a full seal can be maintained without fluid loss through the hole, regardless of whether or not the hole is surrounded by a sealed seam. In other embodiments, the open end of the bladder can have a stepped edge (e.g., even with the lower edges of the closure) and no hole  722 , such that the spring clip passes around the end of the bladder  720 . In some embodiments, a slider locking mechanism, like that described in embodiment  600 , can be used in a similar application to seal the bottom opening of a bladder. 
       FIG. 43  shows another exemplary articulating closure  800  that includes a spring clip locking mechanism that is similar to the closure  100 , but wherein the bladder walls directly couple to the inner sides of the arms rather than being coupled via sealing plates. The bladder  802  can include coupling features  808  that couple to corresponding features  806  on the articulating arms  804 . The bladder walls can include inner sealing features  810 , such as gasket, O-ring, tongue and groove, zipper, or zip-lock type sealing features. Alternatively, or in addition, sealing features can be included on the inner surfaces of the arms  804  that compress the bladder walls. 
       FIG. 44  shows another exemplary articulating closure  900  that is similar to the embodiment  800  in  FIG. 43  in that the bladder walls couple directly to the arms via features  906  and  908 , but includes a different sealing feature. The inner surfaces of the arms  904  include compressive sealing features  910 , but the sealing features  910  do not extend across the central portion of the closure where the pivot axes are located. Instead, complimentary sealing features  912  are included on the center of the outer surfaces of the bladder walls. The sealing features  912  fill in the gap between the sealing features  910  on the arms  904 . 
       FIGS. 45-48  shows various exemplary handle embodiments, any of which can be included with any of the herein disclosed articulating closure embodiments. The illustrated handles can allow a user to hold and/or support the container in various manners, such as while filling a bladder attached to the closure with a fluid, while cleaning the bladder, while transporting the container, to suspend the container or mount the container within a pack or other support structure, etc. The handles can be used while the closure is in the open position or in the closed and locked position. The handles can also assist a user in the process of opening and closing the closure and bladder, and in locking and unlocking the closure. 
       FIG. 45  shows an exemplary handle  1000  that comprises a flexible strap that connects to the closure at two spaced apart locations on the same side of the bladder. For example, with the closure  200 , one end of the handle  1000  can be attached the arm  206 A and the other end can be attached to the arm  206 B. In this way, the other side of the bladder and closure can freely move apart and the handle  1000  does not interfere with filling/cleaning the inside of the bladder. 
       FIG. 46  shows a closure having alternative exemplary handles  1002  that comprise horizontal rigid flanges the project outwardly from one or more of the rigid arms. Such handles  1002  can be included on any one or more of the plural arms of a closure, such as on the two arms on one side of the closure, as shown. 
       FIG. 47  shows a closure having another exemplary handle  1004  that extends longitudinally out from one end of one of the arms  1006  of the closure. In some embodiments, the handle  1004  can be hingedly coupled to the arm  1006  and can pivot (as shown by the arrow) from a closed position laying against the outer side of the arm to an extended position as shown. In other embodiments, the handle  1004  can slide longitudinally along length of the arm  1006  between closed and extend positions. For example, the handle  1006  can telescope inside of the arm  1006 , or slide along the outer side of the arm  1006 . The extended handle  1004  can allow a user to hold and support the bladder from the side without obstructing the upper opening of the bladder. In some embodiments, the closure can include two or more of the handles  1004 , such as one that extends from each end of the closure. 
       FIG. 48  shows a closure having exemplary handles  1008  and  1010  that pivot and/or extend outwardly from two arms on one side of the closure and form an overlapping arched shape projecting around the pivot joint between the two supporting arms. In some embodiments, the handles  1008  and  1010  can pivot upwardly and outwardly from a folded down position where the handles lay flat adjacent the outer side of the bladder. In some embodiments, the handles  1008 ,  1010  can have distal ends that overlap with each other when the closure is in the closed position. The base ends of the handles  1008  and  1010  can be pivotable relative to the supporting arms in a vertical direction, in a horizontal direction, or both vertically and horizontally, or the handles can be fixed relative to the arms. 
     For purposes of this description, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the embodiments of the invention are described herein. The disclosed methods, apparatuses, and systems should not be construed as limiting in any way. Instead, the present disclosure is directed toward all novel and nonobvious features and aspects of the various disclosed embodiments, alone and in various combinations and sub-combinations with one another. The methods, apparatuses, and systems are not limited to any specific aspect or feature or combination thereof, nor do the disclosed embodiments require that any one or more specific advantages be present or problems be solved. 
     Any of the features or characteristics described herein in relation to any one or more of the described embodiments can also be used with or included in any of the other described embodiments where possible, even if such features or technologies are not specifically mentioned in direct connection to a specific embodiment. 
     Features, integers, characteristics, materials, or other descriptors provided in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The invention is not restricted to the details of any foregoing embodiments. The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed. 
     Although the operations of some of the disclosed methods are described in a particular, sequential order for convenient presentation, it should be understood that this manner of description encompasses rearrangement, unless a particular ordering is required by specific language. For example, operations described sequentially may in some cases be rearranged or performed concurrently. Moreover, for the sake of simplicity, the attached figures may not show the various ways in which the disclosed methods can be used in conjunction with other methods. 
     As used herein, the terms “a”, “an”, and “at least one” encompass one or more of the specified element. That is, if two of a particular element are present, one of these elements is also present and thus “an” element is present. The terms “a plurality of” and “plural” mean two or more of the specified element. As used herein, the term “and/or” used between the last two of a list of elements means any one or more of the listed elements. For example, the phrase “A, B, and/or C” means “A”, “B,”, “C”, “A and B”, “A and C”, “B and C”, or “A, B, and C.” As used herein, the term “coupled” generally means physically coupled or linked and does not exclude the presence of intermediate elements between the coupled items absent specific contrary language. 
     In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles disclosed herein may be applied, it should be recognized that the illustrated embodiments are only preferred examples and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the disclosure. Rather, the scope of the disclosure is at least as broad as the following claims. I therefore claim all that comes within the scope of these claims.