WO2001079073A1

WO2001079073A1 - Collapsible container for liquids

Info

Publication number: WO2001079073A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/012203
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frank L. Provenza
Original assignee: Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc.
Priority date: 2000-04-13
Filing date: 2001-04-13
Publication date: 2001-10-25
Also published as: US20030205583A1; CA2407379C; CA2407379A1

Abstract

This invention is directed to an improved collapsible bag (10) having a spout (12) and one or more grooves (14) on the interior surface of a wall of the bag (10). The grooves (14), which are integral to a wall of the bag (10) rather than on a separate evacuation strip, are in liquid communication with the spout (12) and are sized such that the opposing wall of the bag (10) is not completely forced into the grooves (14) under the suction of conventional pumps which are used to withdraw the liquid from the bag (10). Thus, the grooves enable substantially complete withdrawal of the liquid from the bag (10) without the use of an evacuation strip. Additionally, the present invention may be used in any orientation and does not require a slanted rack.

Description

TITLE: COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER FOR LIQUIDS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/196,838 filed on April 13, 2000.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to an apparatus for containing and dispensing liquid. More specifically, this invention is directed to a collapsible container for use in a bag-in-box apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the field of post-mix beverage systems, an apparatus commonly known as a bag-in-box package is used to store and dispense beverages such as soft drinks. Typically, such bag-in-box packages comprise a collapsible bag or bladder disposed within a cardboard box. The bag has a spout for filling the bag with liquid, and the spout protrudes through a wall of the box for dispensing the liquid from the bag, usually by connection to a pump. One of the problems associated with such bag-in-box packages is that the bag collapses upon itself as the liquid is withdrawn, which tends to create pockets of liquid that are isolated from the spout and cannot be withdrawn from the bag. Thus, the residual portion of liquid remaining in the bag is wasted. One possible solution to the foregoing problem is to place an evacuation strip inside the bag as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,493 to Boone et al. The bag of the '493 patent contains an elongated, narrow, flexible evacuation strip comprising a plurality of upstanding ribs. The evacuation strip is attached to the inner surface of one of the bag walls. A spout is disposed through a wall of the bag, and the evacuation strip is in liquid communication with the spout. As the bag collapses upon withdrawal of the liquid through the spout, the ribs of the evacuation strip prevent the walls of the bag from isolating pockets of Hquid from the spout. The evacuation strip thus enables substantially complete withdrawal of the liquid from the bag. However, the evacuation strip adds an extra complication to the bag manufacturing process.

Another possible attempt to solve the problem of incomplete withdrawal of the hquid from such bag-in-box packages is to place the packages on slanted racks. By orienting the package such that the spout is at the lowest possible point, gravity will assist in forcing the liquid toward the spout. However, the need for a special slanted rack is a disadvantage to such an arrangement. Another disadvantage is the required orientation of the spout in a particular position, namely, at the lowest possible point.

In light of the foregoing disadvantages, it would be a significant advancement in the art of Hquid dispensing to provide a collapsible container for use in a bag-in-box package that would enable substantially complete withdrawal of the Hquid from the container without the use of an evacuation strip or slanted rack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, this invention is directed to an improved collapsible bag having a spout and one or more grooves on the interior surface of a wall of the bag. The grooves, which are integral to a wall of the bag rather than on a separate evacuation strip, are in Hquid communication with the spout and are sized such that the opposing waU of the bag is not completely forced into the grooves under the suction of conventional pumps which are used to withdraw the Hquid from the bag. Thus, the grooves enable substantially complete withdrawal of the Hquid from the bag without the use of an evacuation strip. Additionally, the present invention may be used in any orientation and does not require a slanted rack. Although the primary intended appHcation of the present invention is in bag-in-box packages for containing and dispensing beverages, this invention may also be used to advantage in other Hquid dispensing appHcations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS This invention may best be understood by reference to the foUowing drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a coUapsible bag in accordance with the present invention disposed within a box.

Fig. 2 is a cut-away top view illustrating the interior of the bottom waU of the coUapsible bag of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cut-away top view illustrating the interior of the bottom wall of an alternative embodiment of a coUapsible bag in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along Hne 4-4 of Fig. 2 or Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cut-away top view illustrating the interior of the bottom wall of another alternative embodiment of a coUapsible bag in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a top view of the coUapsible bag of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a top view of the coUapsible bag of Fig. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to Fig. 1, a preferred embodiment of this invention comprises a coUapsible bag 10 having a spout 12 and a pluraHty of grooves 14 on the interior of the bottom wall of bag 10. Bag 10, which is useful for containing and dispensing a Hquid such as a beverage (not shown), is adaptable for insertion into a box 20 to form a bag-in-box apparatus. Spout 12 protrudes through a flap opening 22 of box 20. Figure 2 more clearly illustrates the interior of the bottom waU of bag 10 with grooves 14, which are in Hquid communication with spout 12. As Hquid is dispensed from spout 12, bag 10 gradually coUapses. However, grooves 14 prevent the waUs of bag 10 from seaHng off the Hquid from spout 12, which enables substantially complete evacuation of the Hquid from bag 10. CoUapsible bag 10 may be made of a pair of sheets of flexible material, such as a thermoplastic, polynylon, metaUized plastic, or other suitable material, joined at the peripheries by means known in the art, such as heat seaHng or a suitable adhesive. The flexible sheets form the waUs of the bag 10. Spout 12 may be attached to a waU of bag 10 by simUar means. Grooves 14 may be formed in a bag waU by a variety of manufacturing techniques, such as extrusion, molding, machining, stamping, or pressing. Although Figs. 1 and 2 show grooves 14 in the bottom bag waU, alternatively grooves 14 may be formed in the upper bag waU. AdditionaUy, although Figs. 1 and 2 show spout 12 and grooves 14 disposed on the same bag waU, spout 12 and grooves 14 may be on opposite bag waUs so long as grooves 14 are in Hquid communication with spout 12 as bag 10 coUapses. For the sake of clarity, Fig. 1 does not show stiffener 16 as iUustrated in Fig. 6 and discussed below.

Figure 3 illustrates an alternative bag 110 having a grid-like pattern of grooves 114 on the interior of the bottom waU of bag 110. Grooves 114 are in Hquid communication with spout 12 to aUow substantially complete withdrawal of the Hquid from bag 110. Figure 4 illustrates the cross-sectional view taken at Hne 4-4 of either Fig. 2 or Fig. 3. Grooves 114 may be in a variety of different patterns other than the pattern shown in Fig. 3. For example, a chevron groove pattern 214 feeding into a coUection zone 216 in the vicinity of spout 12 is shown on bag 210 in Fig. 5. Again, although Figs. 3 and 5 show grooves 114 and 214 in the bottom bag waU, grooves 114 and 214 may be formed in the upper bag waU, and spout 12 and grooves 114, 214 may be on opposite bag waUs so long as grooves 114, 214 are in Hquid communication with spout 12 as bag 110, 210 coUapses.

As shown in Fig. 6, the top of bag 10 may be provided with a stiffener 16 to help guard against the complete coUapse of the bag upon itself and the consequent trapping of residual Hquid inside the bag. As bag 10 coUapses upon withdrawal of the Hquid, stiffener 16 wiU overHe at least one groove 14. The stiffness of stiffener 16 prevents it from being sucked into groove 14 and blocking the Hquid from spout 12. Figure 7 illustrates a simUar stiffener 218 on bag 210. Although the foregoing specific details describe a preferred embodiment of this invention, persons reasonably skiUed in the art of Hquid dispensing will recognize that various changes may be made in the details of the apparatus of this invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Therefore, it should be understood that this invention is not to be Hmited to the specific details shown and described herein.

Claims

CLAIMS I claim:

1. A coUapsible container for use in containing and dispensing a Hquid, comprising: a flexible bag having a bag waU with an interior surface, said interior surface having at least one groove; and a spout disposed through said bag waU for dispensing Hquid from said bag; wherein said at least one groove is in Hquid communication with said spout as said bag coUapses to permit substantially complete withdrawal of Hquid from said bag.

2. The coUapsible container of claim 1 wherein said at least one groove comprises a pluraHty of grooves having elongated portions oriented substantiaUy paraUel to each other.

3. The coUapsible container of claim 1 wherein said at least one groove comprises a pluraHty of grooves interconnected in a grid-Hke pattern.

4. The coUapsible container of claim 1 wherein said, at least one groove comprises a plurality of grooves interconnected in a chevron pattern.

5. The coUapsible container of claim 1 wherein said at least one groove comprises a pluraHty of grooves that feed into a coUection zone adjacent said spout.

6. The coUapsible container of claim 1 wherein said flexible bag further comprises a stiffener that overHes said at least one groove as said flexible bag coUapses to help maintain Hquid communication between said at least one groove and said spout.

7. A coUapsible container for use in containing and dispensing a Hquid, comprising: a flexible bag having a first bag wall and a second bag wall, said first bag waU having an interior surface with at least one groove; and a spout disposed through said second bag waU for dispensing Hquid from said bag; wherein said at least one groove is in Hquid communication with said spout as said bag coUapses to permit substantiaUy complete withdrawal of Hquid from said bag.

8. The coUapsible container of claim 7 wherein said at least one groove comprises a pluraHty of grooves having elongated portions oriented substantiaUy parallel to each other.

9. The coUapsible container of claim 7 wherein said at least one groove comprises a pluraHty of grooves interconnected in a grid-Hke pattern.

10. The coUapsible container of claim 7 wherein said at least one groove comprises a pluraHty of grooves interconnected in a chevron pattern.

11. The coUapsible container of claim 7 wherein said flexible bag further comprises a stiffener that overHes said at least one groove as said flexible bag coUapses to help maintain Hquid communication between said at least one groove and said spout.

12. The coUapsible container of claim 11 wherein said stiffener is connected to said second bag waU.