Liquid dispenser and flexible bag therefor
First Claim
1. A flow control apparatus for controlling the flow of a fluent material, the flow control apparatus comprising:
- a flexible container comprising, a first flexible sheet;
a second flexible sheet at least partially in opposed relation with the first sheet such that the first and second sheets define at least one cell capable of holding the fluent material;
a manifold located between the first and second sheets for passaging fluent material within the container, the manifold including port structure extending into said cell and defining a port providing fluid communication between the cell and the manifold, the port structure being substantially rigid;
a shell sized and shaped for receiving at least a portion of the flexible container therein;
a fluid pressure system capable of selectively applying positive pressure and vacuum pressure to the flexible container for deforming at least one of the first and second flexible sheets to move fluent material within the container, the port structure of the manifold holding the port open as the fluid pressure system deforms the flexible material.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A liquid dispenser uses a flexible bag having expansible and collapsible cells. A rigid manifold, and in one instance a rigid frame is provided in the bag to keep passages open in use and to isolate one of the cells from the remaining cells. The dispenser employs an efficient and quiet air pressure operating system. In one application, a concentrated drink mix may be held in a reservoir and diluted within other cells in the bag for dispensing to a cup or the like. A valve system allows for the particulates in the liquid without compromising the function of the valve.
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Citations
111 Claims
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1. A flow control apparatus for controlling the flow of a fluent material, the flow control apparatus comprising:
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a flexible container comprising, a first flexible sheet;
a second flexible sheet at least partially in opposed relation with the first sheet such that the first and second sheets define at least one cell capable of holding the fluent material;
a manifold located between the first and second sheets for passaging fluent material within the container, the manifold including port structure extending into said cell and defining a port providing fluid communication between the cell and the manifold, the port structure being substantially rigid;
a shell sized and shaped for receiving at least a portion of the flexible container therein;
a fluid pressure system capable of selectively applying positive pressure and vacuum pressure to the flexible container for deforming at least one of the first and second flexible sheets to move fluent material within the container, the port structure of the manifold holding the port open as the fluid pressure system deforms the flexible material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A flexible container for delivery of metered quantities of fluent material therefrom, the container comprising:
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a first flexible sheet;
a second flexible sheet at least partially in opposed relationship with the first sheet such that the first and second sheets define at least one cell capable of holding the fluent material, the first and second sheets being capable of movement toward and away from one another for use in drawing fluent material into the cell and discharging fluent material from the cell;
a manifold located between the first and second sheets for passaging fluent material within the container, the manifold including port structure extending into said cell and defining a port providing fluid communication between the cell and the manifold, the port structure being substantially rigid for holding the first and second sheets apart and maintaining the port in an open condition. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A flow control apparatus for controlling the flow of a fluent material containing particulate matter having a known maximum length from a flexible container by acting on the container, the flow control apparatus comprising:
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a shell sized and shaped for receiving at least a portion of the flexible container therein;
a valve disposed for movement relative to the shell between an open position in which fluent material may flow within the flexible container in a direction past the location of the valve and a closed position in which fluent material is blocked from flowing within the flexible container past the location of the valve, the valve including a compliant tip adapted to resiliently deform for at least partially enveloping and sealing around particulate matter in the fluent material to inhibit leaking of fluent material past the valve, the compliant tip of the valve engaging the container in the closed position to stop the flow of fluent material, the compliant tip having a sealing surface arranged for engaging the flexible container, the sealing surface having a dimension in the direction of flow which is greater than the maximum length of the particulate matter. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A flow control apparatus for controlling the flow of a fluent material from a flexible container by acting on the container, the flow control apparatus comprising:
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a shell sized and shaped for receiving at least a portion of the flexible container therein;
a valve disposed for movement relative to the shell between an open position in which fluent material may flow within the flexible container in a direction past the location of the valve and a closed position in which fluent material is blocked from flowing within the flexible container past the location of the valve, the valve including a valve tip for engaging the flexible container to stop flow of fluent material past the valve tip, the valve tip being elongate and arranged such that the lengthwise extension of the valve tip is generally perpendicular to the flow direction of the fluent material. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A flow control apparatus for controlling the flow of a fluent material from a flexible container by acting on the container, the flow control apparatus comprising:
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a shell sized and shaped for receiving at least a portion of the flexible container therein such that passages for flow of fluent material are defined in the flexible container;
a valve disposed for movement relative to the shell between an open position in which fluent material may flow within the flexible container in a direction past the location of the valve and a closed position in which fluent material is blocked from flowing within the flexible container past the location of the valve, the valve including a valve tip for engaging the flexible container to stop flow of fluent material past the valve;
a valve seat located generally opposite the valve for the valve tip to act against in the closed position of the valve, the valve seat, valve and shell being arranged such that the direction of flow remains the same through the valve seat. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A flexible container for delivery of metered quantities of fluent material therefrom, the container comprising:
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a first flexible sheet;
a second flexible sheet at least partially in opposed relationship with the first sheet such that the first and second sheets define at least one cell having a volume for holding a quantity of the fluent material;
a manifold located between the first and second sheets and defining at least one passage transporting fluent material within the container, the manifold including a port providing fluid communication between the cell and the manifold and at least one valve seat located in the passage arranged for receiving a deformed portion of one of the first and second flexible sheets to close the passage and block flow therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A flow control apparatus for controlling flow of a fluent material from a container, the flow control apparatus comprising:
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a frame for locating the container;
a dry connect device for communication of a fluent material into the container, the dry connect device being adapted to pierce the container upon engagement therewith for establishing fluid communication with the interior of the container, the dry connect device being automatically 10 shut off when disengaged from the container to prevent flow of fluid out of the dry connect device, and the dry connect device being automatically opened upon piercing engagement with the container to permit flow of fluid out of the dry connect device into the flexible container. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A flexible container for delivery of metered quantities of fluent material therefrom, the container comprising:
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a first flexible sheet;
a second flexible sheet at least partially in opposed relationship with the first sheet such that the first and second sheets define at least one cell having a volume for holding a quantity of the fluent material;
a manifold located between the first and second sheets for passaging fluent material within the container, the manifold including a port providing fluid communication between the cell and the manifold; and
a volume control disposed in the cell and occupying a portion of the volume to control the volume of fluent material received into the cell. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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75. A method of changing the concentration of a concentrate present in a mixture of fluent material dispensed by a dispenser from a flexible container prefilled with the concentrate, the method comprising the steps of:
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installing a first flexible container having a first cell with a first concentrate volume into a flow control apparatus of the dispenser such that the first cell is received in a pressure chamber of the flow control apparatus;
applying a selectively variable fluid pressure to the first cell in the pressure chamber such that the first cell expands to draw concentrate into the first cell and collapses to discharge concentrate from the first cell;
diluting the concentrate discharged from the first cell with a quantity of diluent to a first concentration;
dispensing concentrate in the first concentration;
removing the first flexible container from the flow control apparatus;
installing a second flexible container having a second cell with a second concentrate volume into the flow control apparatus such that the second cell is received in the pressure chamber;
applying a selectively variable fluid pressure to the second cell in the pressure chamber such that the second cell expands to draw concentrate into the second cell and collapses to discharge concentrate from the second cell;
diluting the concentrate discharged from the second cell with the quantity of diluent to a second concentration different from the first concentration;
dispensing concentrate in the second concentration.
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76. A method of manufacturing flexible containers prefilled with a fluent concentrate for use in a flow control apparatus capable of acting on the flexible container to dispense fluent material including the concentrate, the method comprising the steps of:
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forming a first flexible container by operatively joining first and second sheets of flexible material together in sealing relation such that at least a first cell is defined between the first and second sheets having a first volume capable of receiving concentrate in a first quantity for dilution to a first concentration;
filling at least a portion of the first flexible container with concentrate;
forming a second flexible container by operatively joining third and fourth sheets of flexible material together in sealing relation such that at least a second cell is defined between the third and fourth sheets having the first volume, said step of forming including locating a volume control in the second cell for reducing the volume capable of receiving concentrate so that the second cell receives concentrate in a second quantity for dilution to a second concentration more dilute than the first concentration;
filling at least a portion of the second flexible container with concentrate. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79)
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80. A flexible container for delivery of metered quantities of fluent material therefrom, the container comprising:
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a first flexible sheet;
a second flexible sheet;
a container frame defining a space including an open front and an open back generally aligned with the open front;
the first flexible sheet being joined to the frame over the open front and the second flexible sheet being joined to the frame over the open back to enclose the space, making the space capable of containing a fluent material, the first and second flexible sheets being deformable to move the fluent material within the enclosed space. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94)
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95. A method of making a flexible container comprising the steps of:
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forming a frame defining a space having an open front and an open back;
joining a first sheet of flexible material to the frame such that the first sheet covers the open front;
joining a second sheet of flexible material to the frame such that the second sheet covers the open back, the first and second sheets enclosing the space for containing a fluent material therein. - View Dependent Claims (96, 97)
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98. A flow control apparatus for controlling the flow of a fluent material, the flow control apparatus comprising:
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a shell sized and shaped for receiving at least a portion of the flexible container therein, the shell defining at least one region for fluidically isolating the flexible container for application of fluid pressures thereto;
a fluid pressure system capable of selectively applying positive pressure and vacuum pressure to the flexible container in the shell in said at least one region for deforming at least one of the first and second flexible sheets to move fluent material within the container, the fluid pressure system being adapted to deliver a selected fluid pressure on demand free of any positive or negative fluid pressure accumulators. - View Dependent Claims (99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111)
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Specification