Patent Publication Number: US-2007116509-A1

Title: Collapsible squeeze tube

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to collapsible tubes and more particularly, to a collapsible squeeze tube.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Many kinds of fluid materials such as toothpaste, liquid cosmetics, shoe oil, and etc., are packed in collapsible squeeze tubes for easy carrying and application. A collapsible squeeze tube for this purpose generally comprises a collapsible tube body and a head at the front side of the collapsible tube body. The head has a spout hole for output of the contained fluid material. When squeezing the collapsible squeeze tube of a collapsible lip color squeeze tube and moving the head of the collapsible lip color squeeze tube over the lips to apply the contained fluid lip color to the skins, it is difficult to keep the round head of the collapsible lip color squeeze tube in close touch with the lips without giving much pressure to the lips. Further, when squeezing the collapsible tube body during application, the contained fluid lip color may overflow, thereby causing a contamination.  
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show a collapsible squeeze tube according to the prior art. According to this design, the collapsible squeeze tube comprises a collapsible tube body  10 , and a head  20  at the front side of the collapsible tube body  10 . The head  20  has a beveled front face  21  and a center spout hole  22 . The beveled front face  21  allows close contact of the head  20  with the user&#39;s skin when applying the contained fluid material to the user&#39;s skin. However, because the head  20  has a certain hardness, the fluid material may flow over the beveled front face  21  and the periphery of the head  20  when it is squeezed out of the head  20  for application, resulting in a contamination or application inconvenience.  
       FIGS. 3 and 4  show another structure of collapsible squeeze tube according to the prior art. According to this design, the collapsible squeeze tube  10  has a bristle head  32  that buffers the application of the output fluid material. This design prevents an overflow of the applied fluid material. However, the bristle head  32  is complicated to process and greatly increases the cost of the collapsible squeeze tube  10 . Further, the bristle head  32  wears quickly with use and tends to gather microbes.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a collapsible squeeze tube, which buffers the output of the contained fluid material for comfortable application. It is another object of the present invention to provide a collapsible squeeze tube, which is practical for application to substitute for a collapsible squeeze tube having a bristle head.  
      To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the collapsible squeeze tube comprises a collapsible tube body carrying a fluid material, the collapsible tube body having a rear end sealed and a front end defining an opening for output of the fluid carried therein; a head fixedly provided at the front end of the collapsible tube body, the head defining a spout hole for guiding the fluid material out of the collapsible tube body; and a soft buffer member covered on a front side of the head remote from the tube body and adapted to buffer flowing of the fluid material out of the spout hole of the head when the collapsible tube body is squeezed by a person, the soft buffer member having a spout hole in communication with the spout hole of the head for guiding said fluid material out of the head. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a side elevation of a collapsible squeeze tube according to the prior art.  
       FIG. 2  is a longitudinal view in section of the collapsible squeeze tube of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is a side elevation of another structure of collapsible squeeze tube according to the prior art.  
       FIG. 4  is a longitudinal view in section of the collapsible squeeze tube of  FIG. 3 .  
       FIG. 5  is a side elevation of a first embodiment of a collapsible squeeze tube in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a longitudinal view in section of the first embodiment of the collapsible squeeze tube in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a side elevation of a second embodiment of a collapsible squeeze tube in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 8  is a longitudinal view in section of the second embodiment of the collapsible squeeze tube in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a first embodiment of a collapsible squeeze tube in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a collapsible tube body  40 , a head  50 , and a soft buffer member  60 . The collapsible tube body  40  is adapted to hold a fluid material, having one end, namely, the rear end sealed and the other end, namely, the front end defining an opening  41  for output of the fluid carried therein. The head  50  is formed integral with the periphery of the front end of the collapsible tube body  40  around the opening  41 , defining an axially extending center spout hole  51  in communication with the opening  41  of the collapsible tube body  40 . The soft buffer member  60  is a soft covering formed integral with and covered on the front side of the head  50 , having a spout hole  61  in axial alignment with the spout hole  51  of the head  50  for guiding the contained fluid from the collapsible tube body  40  out of the opening  41  of the collapsible tube body  40  and the spout hole  51  of the head  50 .  
      According to the aforesaid first embodiment of the present invention, the soft buffer member  60  is formed integral with and covered on the front side of the head  50  remote from the collapsible tube body  40 . The soft buffer member  60  can be molded from a food grade plastic material suitable for carrying foods or cosmetics. Because of the soft material characteristic, the soft buffer member  60  buffers the flowing speed of the contained fluid when the user is squeezing the collapsible tube body  40  to force the contained fluid out of the head  50 .  
       FIGS. 7 and 8  show a second embodiment of a collapsible squeeze tube in accordance with the present invention. This embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception that the head  50  has a beveled front edge  52 , and the soft buffer member  60  has also a beveled front face  62  fitting over the beveled front edge  52  of the head  50 . This design is suitable for the application of a makeup, for example, a fluid lip color. When moving the beveled front face  62  over the user&#39;s lips to apply the contained fluid lip color, the beveled front face  62  of the soft buffer member  60  gives a soft touch. Therefore, the user can apply the contained liquid lip color to the lips comfortably. Further, plural of recessed holes  63  may be defined in the beveled front face  62  of the soft buffer member  60  around the spout hole  61  for receiving an overflow of the fluid that has been squeezed out of the collapsible tube body  40  when the user is applying the fluid to the skin.  
      As indicated above, the prevent invention provides a collapsible squeeze tube, which has a soft buffer member at the front side to buffer the application of the applied fluid material. The soft buffer member can be directly molded on the head of the collapsible squeeze tube. Because this processing process is simple, the soft buffer member does not increase much the manufacturing cost. Further, recessed holes may be made in the front side of the soft buffer member to receive an overflow of the applied fluid material, preventing a contamination.  
      Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.