PACKAGE FOR STORING AND DISPENSING LIQUIDS
First Claim
1. A package for storing and dispensing liquids comprising:
- a closed flexible container for containing a liquid initially to be stored and later to be dispensed, said container comprising a pair of flat sheet-like flexible and inelastic container sidewall members which face each other and are joined together at their peripheries to form a liquid-tight construction in such manner that, when the container is empty, the inside surfaces of the container sidewall members can substantially abut one another, and when liquid is placed in the container, they move apart to receive liquid between them; and
a vessel comprising a pair of flat sheet-like flexible and inelastic vessel sidewall members which face each other and are joined together at their peripheries to form a fluid-tight closed bounding wall member enclosing said container, all of the sidewall members being able to lie in a substantially flat stack in substantial contiguity with any abutting sidewall member when the container and vessel are empty, the vessel sidewall members being so proportioned relative to the container sidewall members that a region can be formed between them when both are distended by fluid, such that the container'"'"''"'"'s enlargement is not prevented by the vessel, and as liquid is withdrawn from the container, the vessel does not interfere with the return of the container sidewall members to mutual surface-to-surface abutment;
there being an outlet port from the outside of the vessel to the inside of the container, both of said container sidewall members being substantially fully exposed to pressure in the region which is formed between the vessel and the container, the container sidewall members being substantially unattached to the inside of the vessel sidewall members, there being a port providing for entry of fluid under pressure into said region between the container and the vessel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A package for storing and dispensing liquids, for example, parenteral solutions. The liquid is contained in a flexible container, which container is enclosed in an outer vessel. The container has a pair of sidewalls (sometimes called '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'sidewall members'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"') which can make surface-to-surface contact with one another, and explusion of the liquid from the container through an outlet port is caused by fluid pressure exerted in the vessel that presses the sidewalls toward one another. The container is so disposed that fluid pressure in the region between the container and the vessel can contact substantially the entire outside area of the sidewalls, and so that the movement of the sidewalls towards surface-to-surface contiguity is not substantially impeded by the vessel. If desired, a bypass means is disposed in the container so that the liquid can be expelled from the outlet port whatever the position of the bag, without concern that the bag might pinch closed between the outlet port and a region containing a substantial volume of liquid. This assures complete expulsion of contents.
71 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A package for storing and dispensing liquids comprising:
- a closed flexible container for containing a liquid initially to be stored and later to be dispensed, said container comprising a pair of flat sheet-like flexible and inelastic container sidewall members which face each other and are joined together at their peripheries to form a liquid-tight construction in such manner that, when the container is empty, the inside surfaces of the container sidewall members can substantially abut one another, and when liquid is placed in the container, they move apart to receive liquid between them; and
a vessel comprising a pair of flat sheet-like flexible and inelastic vessel sidewall members which face each other and are joined together at their peripheries to form a fluid-tight closed bounding wall member enclosing said container, all of the sidewall members being able to lie in a substantially flat stack in substantial contiguity with any abutting sidewall member when the container and vessel are empty, the vessel sidewall members being so proportioned relative to the container sidewall members that a region can be formed between them when both are distended by fluid, such that the container'"'"''"'"'s enlargement is not prevented by the vessel, and as liquid is withdrawn from the container, the vessel does not interfere with the return of the container sidewall members to mutual surface-to-surface abutment;
there being an outlet port from the outside of the vessel to the inside of the container, both of said container sidewall members being substantially fully exposed to pressure in the region which is formed between the vessel and the container, the container sidewall members being substantially unattached to the inside of the vessel sidewall members, there being a port providing for entry of fluid under pressure into said region between the container and the vessel.
- a closed flexible container for containing a liquid initially to be stored and later to be dispensed, said container comprising a pair of flat sheet-like flexible and inelastic container sidewall members which face each other and are joined together at their peripheries to form a liquid-tight construction in such manner that, when the container is empty, the inside surfaces of the container sidewall members can substantially abut one another, and when liquid is placed in the container, they move apart to receive liquid between them; and
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2. A package according to claim 1 in which bypass means is provided inside the container which provides a fluid connection between various areas of the surfaces of the container sidewall members when they are substantially contiguous to one another.
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3. A package according to claim 2 in which said bypass means is a tube pierced by apertures along its length.
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4. A package according to claim 2 in which said bypass means comprises a plurality of channels in the wall of the container sidewall members.
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5. A package according to claim 1 in which a filler port passes through the vessel and into the container for facilitating the filling of the package.
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6. A package according to claim 1 in which means is provided between the outer surface of the container and the wall member of the vessel to prevent their adherent contact.
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7. A package according to claim 1 in which the vessel and the container each comprises a folded sheet of material having a folded edge to form the respective pair of said sidewall members, and three free edges sealed together, the lateral dimensions of the container sidewall members being less than the corresponding lateral dimensions of the vessel sidewall members when both are empty and flattened.
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8. A package according to claim 7 in which bypass means is provided inside the container which provides a fluid connection between various areas of the surfaces of the container sidewall members when they are substantially contiguous to one another.
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9. A package according to claim 8 in which said bypass means is a tube pierced by apertures along its length.
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10. A package according to claim 8 in which said bypass means comprises a plurality of channels in the wall of the sidewall members.
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11. A package according to claim 8 in which a filler port passes through the vessel and into the container for facilitating the filling of the package.
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12. A package for storing and dispensing liquids comprising:
- a closed flexible container for containing a liquid initially to be stored and later to be dispensed, a pair of sidewall members included in said container having inside sUrfaces which face each other and, when the container is empty, can substantially abut one another, and when the container is filled with liquid, move apart to receive the liquid between them, and bypass means giving a fluid connection between various areas of the inside surface of the sidewall members when they are contiguous to one another, comprising a plurality of channels in the inside surface of at least one of the sidewall members; and
a vessel having a closed bounding wall member enclosing said container, the vessel being so proportioned relative to the container that the container'"'"''"'"'s enlargement is not prevented by the vessel, and as the solution is withdrawn from the container, the vessel does not interfere with the return of the sidewall members to mutual abutment;
there being an outlet port from the outside of the vessel to the inside of the container, both of said sidewall members being substantially fully exposed to the region which is formed between the vessel and the container, the sidewall members being substantially unattached to the inside wall of the vessel.
- a closed flexible container for containing a liquid initially to be stored and later to be dispensed, a pair of sidewall members included in said container having inside sUrfaces which face each other and, when the container is empty, can substantially abut one another, and when the container is filled with liquid, move apart to receive the liquid between them, and bypass means giving a fluid connection between various areas of the inside surface of the sidewall members when they are contiguous to one another, comprising a plurality of channels in the inside surface of at least one of the sidewall members; and
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13. A package for storing and dispensing liquids comprising:
- a closed flexible container for containing a liquid initially to be stored and later to be dispensed, said container including a pair of sidewall members which face each other and, when the container is empty, can substantially abut one another, and when the container is filled with liquid, move apart to receive the liquid between them; and
a vessel having a closed bounding wall member enclosing said container, the vessel being so proportioned relative to the container that the container'"'"''"'"'s enlargement is not prevented by the vessel, and as the solution is withdrawn from the container, the vessel does not interfere with the return of the sidewall members to mutual abutment;
there being an outlet port from the outside of the vessel to the inside of the container, both of said sidewall members being substantially fully exposed to the region which is formed between the vessel and the container, the sidewall members being substantially unattached to the inside wall of the vessel, there also being a filler port which passes through the vessel and through the container for facilitating the filling of the package.
- a closed flexible container for containing a liquid initially to be stored and later to be dispensed, said container including a pair of sidewall members which face each other and, when the container is empty, can substantially abut one another, and when the container is filled with liquid, move apart to receive the liquid between them; and
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14. A package for storing and dispensing liquids comprising:
- a closed flexible container for containing a liquid initially to be stored and later to be dispensed, a pair of sidewall members which face each other and, when the container is empty, can substantially abut one another, and when the container is filled with liquid, move apart to receive the liquid between them;
a vessel having a closed bounding wall member enclosing said container, the vessel being so proportioned relative to the container that the container'"'"''"'"'s enlargement is not prevented by the vessel, and as the solution is withdrawn from the container, the vessel does not interfere with the return of the sidewall members to mutual abutment; and
means between the outer surface of the container and the inside surface of the wall member of the vessel to prevent their adherent contact, there being an outlet port from the outside of the vessel to the inside of the container, both of said sidewall members being substantially fully exposed to the region which is formed between the vessel and the container, the sidewall members being substantially unattached to the inside wall of the vessel.
- a closed flexible container for containing a liquid initially to be stored and later to be dispensed, a pair of sidewall members which face each other and, when the container is empty, can substantially abut one another, and when the container is filled with liquid, move apart to receive the liquid between them;
Specification