A system and method for increasing customer interest in containers. A set of actuating components are coupled to moveable elements of an active container, the moveable elements respond to operation of an actuating mechanism in a handle portion.
대표청구항▼
1. An active container, comprising: a container portion including one or more walls defining a cavity accessible through an opening;a handle portion coupled to said one or more walls configured to support said container portion while being carried; andan actuator assembly, including:a first actuatin
1. An active container, comprising: a container portion including one or more walls defining a cavity accessible through an opening;a handle portion coupled to said one or more walls configured to support said container portion while being carried; andan actuator assembly, including:a first actuating mechanism coupled to said handle portion, said first actuating mechanism having a bulb defining a first actuating volume containing a first quantity of air, said bulb repeatably collapsible to expel a portion of said first quantity of air through a first actuating port of said bulb, said bulb automatically expanding to refill said first actuating volume;a first remote actuator having a pair of flexible layers forming a non-deformable actuating balloon defining a second actuating volume accessible through a second actuating port, said first remote actuator having a fixed portion foldably coupled to a moving portion at a fold region with said moving portion at least partially overlapping said fixed portion defining a folded configuration, said fixed portion coupled to said one or more walls of said container portion with said fold region and said moving portion both disposed outside of said cavity, said first remote actuator unfolding about said fold region from said folded configuration in response to air entering into said second actuating volume with said moving portion moving away from said fixed portion and said first remote actuator folding about said fold region in response to air exiting from said second actuating volume, said first remote actuator biased to said folded configuration; andan air communication channel coupled to said first actuating port of said first actuating mechanism and to said second actuating port of said first remote actuator. 2. The active container of claim 1 further comprising an intake valve assembly including a first port, a second port, and a third port, said intake valve assembly providing a two-way airflow channel between said first port and said second port and a one-way airflow channel between said third port and said other ports, said one-way airflow channel communicating air from ambient to said two-way channel wherein said two-way airflow channel is installed within said air communication channel. 3. The active container of claim 2 wherein said first port is coupled to said first actuating port and wherein said air communication channel includes a conduit coupled to said second port and coupled to said second actuating port. 4. The active container of claim 1 further comprising a bleed valve operatively coupled to said air communication channel. 5. The active container of claim 4 wherein said bleed valve is disposed in said actuating balloon. 6. The active container of claim 4 wherein said bleed valve is disposed in said first actuating volume. 7. The active container of claim 4 wherein said bleed valve is disposed in said air communication channel. 8. The active container of claim 1 further comprising a bleed valve operatively coupled to said air communication channel. 9. The active container of claim 8 wherein said bleed valve is disposed in said intake valve assembly. 10. The active container of claim 1 wherein said fixed portion includes an anchor attachment coupled to said one or more walls to fix said fold region outside said container portion at a non-binding location. 11. The active container of claim 1 further comprising a flexible sheath coupled to an outside of said one or more walls, said flexible sheath concealing said portions of said first remote actuator extending outside said container portion. 12. The active container of claim 10 further comprising a flexible sheath coupled to an outside of said one or more walls, said flexible sheath concealing said portions of said first remote actuator extending outside said container portion. 13. The active container of claim 11 wherein said moving portion of said first remote actuator includes a distal end opposite of said second actuating port and wherein said distal end includes an anchor attachment coupled to said flexible sheath that fixes said fold region outside said container portion. 14. The active container of claim 1 wherein said actuator assembly is a discrete assembly. 15. The active container of claim 1 wherein said actuator assembly includes a second remote actuator configured like said first remote actuator, wherein said air communication channel is coupled to said actuating port of said second remote actuator, and wherein said first actuating mechanism concurrently operates both said first remote actuator and said second remote actuator. 16. The active container of claim 15 further comprising a lid for said opening, said lid moveably coupled to said container portion and wherein said second remote actuator is coupled to said lid to move said lid between an open configuration and a closed configuration responsive to actuation and deactuation of said actuator assembly. 17. The active container of claim 1 wherein said actuator assembly includes a second actuating mechanism configured like said first actuating mechanism and a second remote actuator configured like said first remote actuator and a second air communication channel coupling said second actuating mechanism to said second remote actuator, wherein said first actuating mechanism operates said first remote actuator without operating said second remote actuator, and wherein said second actuating mechanism operates said second remote actuator without operating said first remote actuator. 18. The active container of claim 1 further comprising a lid for said opening, said lid moveably coupled to said container portion and wherein said remote actuator is coupled to said lid to move said lid between an open configuration and a closed configuration responsive to actuation and deactuation of said actuator assembly. 19. An active container, comprising: a container portion having a rigid inner shell defining a container cavity accessible through an opening, said rigid inner shell covered by an outside layer; andan actuator assembly, including:a first actuating mechanism having a collapsible structure defining a first actuating volume containing a first quantity of air, said collapsible structure repeatably collapsible to expel a portion of said first quantity of air through a first actuating port of said collapsible structure, said collapsible structure automatically expanding to refill said first actuating volume;a first remote actuator having a pair of flexible layers forming an actuating balloon defining a second actuating volume accessible through a second actuating port configured to repeatably inflate and deflate said actuating balloon, said first remote actuator having a first portion coupled to a second portion defining an unactuated configuration when said actuating balloon is deflated and defining an actuated configuration when said actuating balloon is inflated, said first portion fixed to said rigid shell with said second portion disposed outside of said container portion, said first remote actuator transitioning from said unactuated configuration to said actuated configuration in response to air entering into said second actuating volume and said first remote actuator transitioning from said actuated configuration to said unactuated configuration in response to air exiting from said second actuating volume, said first remote actuator biased to said unactuated configuration; andan air communication channel coupled to said first actuating port of said first actuating mechanism and to said second actuating port of said first remote actuator. 20. The active container of claim 19 wherein said pair of flexible layers are inelastic, wherein said actuating balloon includes a non-deformable actuating balloon, wherein said actuating balloon is folded in said unactuated configuration and at least partially unfolded in said actuated configuration, wherein said first portion includes a fixed portion, wherein said second portion includes a moveable portion coupled to said fixed portion about a fold region, and wherein both said moveable portion and said fold region are disposed at said location outside said container portion. 21. The container of claim 20 further comprising a handle portion coupled to said container portion configured to support said container portion when being carried, wherein said actuating mechanism is coupled to said handle portion. 22. A method for operating an active container, comprising: a) carrying a container portion using a handle portion coupled to said container portion, said container portion including one or more walls defining a cavity accessible through an opening;b) collapsing a collapsible structure coupled to said handle portion while carrying said container portion to expel a quantity of air from a first actuating volume of said collapsible structure through a first actuating port;c) communicating an increased air pressure, responsive to said quantity of air expelled from said first actuating volume, to a remote actuator coupled to said container portion, said remote actuator having a pair of flexible layers forming a non-deformable actuating balloon defining a second actuating volume accessible through a second actuating port, said remote actuator having a fixed portion foldably coupled to a moving portion at a fold region with said moving portion at least partially overlapping said fixed portion defining a folded configuration, said fixed portion fixed to said one or more walls with said fold region and said moving portion both disposed outside of said container portion, said remote actuator unfolding about said fold region from said folded configuration in response to air entering into said second actuating volume responsive to said increased air pressure with said moving portion moving away from said fixed portion and said first remote actuator folding about said fold region in response to air exiting from said second actuating volume, said remote actuator biased to said folded configuration;d) moving, responsive to said increased air pressure, a sheath to an operated configuration, said sheath coupled to an outside surface of said one or more walls wherein said sheath conceals said fold region and said moving portion of said remote actuator extending outside said container portion with said sheath coupled to said moving portion and having said operated configuration when said remote actuator is unfolded; ande) moving said sheath to an unoperated configuration irrespective of whether said collapsible structure is released by transitioning said remote actuator to said folded configuration by an exiting of air from said second actuating volume, said sheath having said unoperated configuration when said remote actuator is folded wherein said exiting of air includes an exit through a bleed mechanism communicated to said second actuating volume and may additionally include an exit of air by releasing said collapsible structure allowing said collapsible structure to automatically expand and refill said first actuating volume.
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