Dispenser for hot and cold beverages and food

• US 20050211754A1
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fred Fulcher
• Original Assignee: Fred Fulcher
• Inventors: Fulcher, Fred
• Application Number:
  US10/897,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20050211754A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/117.300
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/46024 Straps used as handles with anchoring elements fixed in slots
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/065 Spouts, pouring necks or discharging tubes fixed to or integral with the flexible container

Abstract

A foldable beverage dispenser. The dispenser has an outer shell with a front wall, a pair of sidewalls, a back wall, a top, a bottom, and a sloped front wall joining between the top and said front wall. The sloped front wall has an opening therein. A flexible bag with an aperture is provided within the outer shell. A fitment is secured to the aperture and the opening, defining a fluid path and supporting the flexible bag. A plurality of upper flaps extending from the sidewalls, the front wall and the back wall, with one of the upper flaps forming a portion of the top when folded, one of the upper flaps forming a portion of the sloped front. A plurality of lower flaps extending from the sidewalls, the front wall and the sidewalls to form the bottom.

Claims

1. A foldable beverage dispenser carton, comprising:

an outer shell comprising a top, a bottom, a front wall, a back wall, a pair of sidewalls, and a sloped front wall, said sloped front wall joining between said front wall and said top, said sloped front wall having an opening therein, each of said sidewalls being substantially perpendicular to said front and back walls;

a flexible bag within said outer shell defining an aperture;

a fitment secured to said flexible bag surrounding said aperture and said opening, defining a fluid path, said fitment being sized and shaped such that fluid can be poured through said fitment;

a plurality of upper flaps foldably connected to said sidewalls, said front wall, and said back wall, said plurality of upper flaps forming at least a portion of said top, and said upper flaps connected to said front wall and to said back wall forming at least a portion of said sloped front wall, and

a plurality of lower flaps foldably connected to said sidewalls, said front wall and said back wall, forming at least a portion of said bottom.

2. A foldable beverage dispenser carton of claim 1, wherein:

said flexible bag is a self heating bag, having an actuator;

said back wall has a first opening, which is sized and shaped such that it can be used as a handle by a user;

said back wall has a second opening to provide access to said actuator.

3. A foldable beverage dispenser carton of claim 2, further comprising:

an insulation layer, positioned between said flexible bag and inside of said outer shell.

4. A foldable beverage dispenser carton of claim 3, wherein said insulation layer is a foam liner bag positioned between said flexible bag and the inside of said outer shell.

5. A foldable beverage dispenser carton of claim 3, wherein said insulation layer is a foam liner laminated on the inside of said outer shell.

6. A foldable beverage dispenser carton of claim 3, wherein:

said top has a plurality of openings therein, which are sized and shaped to provide anchor support for an add-on handle.

7. A foldable beverage dispenser carton of claim 6, wherein said opening on said sloped front wall is an oversized opening overlapping an undersized opening such that said fitment can reach through and be secured to said opening.

8. A foldable beverage dispenser carton of claim 7, wherein said bottom is formed by one of auto lock and glue lock.

9. A foldable beverage dispenser carton of claim 2, wherein said flexible bag is supported within said shell at said bottom and said opening.

10. A foldable beverage dispenser carton of claim 9, wherein:

said front wall and said back wall have a narrow width than said sidewalls

11. A foldable liquid container, comprising:

an outer shell, comprising a front wall, a pair of sidewalls, a back wall, a top, a bottom, and a sloped front wall joining between said top and said front wall, said sloped front wall having an opening therein;

a flexible bag within said outer shell having an aperture;

a fitment secured to said aperture and said opening, defining a fluid path and supporting said flexible bag;

a plurality of upper flaps extending from said sidewalls, said front wall and said back wall, at least one of said plurality of upper flaps forming at least a portion of said top when folded, a least one of said plurality of upper flaps forming at least a portion of said sloped front;

a plurality of lower flaps extending from said sidewalls, said front wall and said sidewalls, forming said bottom.

12. A foldable liquid container of claim 11, wherein:

said flexible bag is a self-heating bag, having an actuator;

said back wall further comprises a punched-in opening, which is sized and shaped to provide a handle;

said back wall further comprises an closeable opening, to provide access to said actuator.

13. A liquid container, comprising:

an outer shell having a top side, a bottom side, a front side, a back side and an angled front wall joining said top side and said front side, said outer shell having an opening on said angled front wall;

an opening formed by punching in a predetermined cut-out on said back side, said opening being sized and shape to provide a handling point;

a flexible self-heating bag inside said outer shell, said flexible bag having an aperture, said flexible bag having an actuation lead;

an insulation layer positioned in-between at least a portion of the inside of said outer shell and the outside of said flexible bag;

a fitment removably coupled to said aperture and to said opening, defining a fluid path.

14. A liquid container of claim 13, wherein said back side also has a closeable opening to provide access to said actuation lead of said bag.

15. A liquid container of claim 13, wherein said insulation layer is a foam layer laminated onto the inside of said outer shell.

16. A liquid container of claim 14, wherein said opening on said sloped front wall is formed with an oversized opening and an undersized opening, said oversized opening allowing said fitment to reach through, said undersized opening locking onto said fitment after it reaches through.

17. A foldable liquid container, comprising:

a single piece of blank in a collapsed state, said blank being foldable along predetermined fold lines to form an outer shell comprising;

a front wall with upper and lower flaps;

a back wall, with upper and lower flaps, said back wall having predetermined punch-out line for at least one opening;

a pair of side walls, with upper and lower flaps;

a top side, formed by said upper flaps from front, back and sidewalls;

a bottom side, formed by said lower flaps from said front, back and sidewalls;

a sloped front wall joining between said top side and said front wall, said sloped front wall having an opening, said sloped front wall formed by said upper flaps from said front wall and said back wall;

a flexible self-heating bag within said outer shell, said bag having an aperture, said aperture being aligned to said opening on said sloped front wall, said bag having an activation control leading out through said closeable opening on said back wall;

an insulation layer between said flexible bag and the inside of said outer shell;

a fitment secured to said aperture and through said opening on said sloped front wall, defining a fluid path.

18. A foldable liquid container of claim 17, wherein said insulation layer is pre-laminated onto at least a portion of the inside of said outer shell.

19. The foldable liquid container of claim 17, wherein said punch-out line on said back wall defines one opening such that a user'"'"'s fingers can reach through said opening to carry said liquid container.

20. A method of making a foldable liquid container, comprising:

preparing a foldable blank, said blank having predetermined fold lines and cut-out lines,

said fold lines defining a front wall, a back wall, a pair of sidewalls, a plurality of upper flaps extending from said front wall, said back wall and said sidewalls, a plurality of lower flaps extending from said front wall, said back wall and said sidewalls, at least one of said upper flaps forming a top side, at least one of said lower flaps forming a bottom side, at least one of said upper flaps defining an angled front wall joining between said front wall and said top,

said cut-out lines defining an opening on said angled front wall and an opening on said back wall;

preparing a flexible bag, said bag having an aperture;

folding said blank according to said fold lines, defining an erected outer shell;

cutting said blank according to said cut-out lines;

fitting said bag into said erected outer shell, aligning said aperture to said opening on said angled front wall, defining a fluid path;

securing a fitment to said aperture and said opening.

21. A method of claim 20, further comprising:

fitting an insulation layer to at least a portion of the inside of said outer shell.

22. A method of claim 21, wherein said fitting step comprises laminating said insulation layer.

23. A method of claim 21, wherein said fitting step comprises providing a insulation bag between the inside of said outer shell and said flexible bag.

24. A method of claim 21, wherein said opening on said back wall is sized and shaped to provide a carrying point for a user'"'"'s fingers.

25. A method of claim 21, wherein said flexible bag is a temperature-maintaining bag, which is controllably activated by an activation lead, and

wherein said back wall further defines an access window to allow said activation lead to reach out.

26. A method of claim 25, wherein said top side has a cut-out opening sized and shaped to provide anchoring points for an add-on handle.

27. A method of claim 21, wherein said opening on said angled front wall is formed by upper flaps from said front wall and said back wall, said opening defining an oversized opening overlapping an undersized opening, to allow said fitment to reach through and to secured by said opening.