System, apparatus, and method of dispensing a liquid from a semi-bulk disposable container
First Claim
1. A system for dispensing of a liquid from a container containing a supply of said liquid therein, said container being of liquid impervious construction and having at least one opening therein, means sealably cooperable with said at least one opening of said container for permitting pressurization of said liquid within said container and for pressure dispensing said liquid from within said container, and pressure containment means for receiving and for withstanding pressure forces exerted on said container during dispensing of said liquid from therewithin said pressure containment means comprising a containment vessel incapable of sealably holding gas pressure therewithin for receiving said container and a frame into which said containment vessel with said container received therein is removably installed, said container having axial and circumferential pressure forces applied thereto when internally pressurized, said frame at least in part carrying said axial pressure forces applied to said container and said containment vessel at least in part carrying said circumferential pressure forces and substantially limiting expansion of said container upon internal pressurization of said container.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system, apparatus, and method of dispensing a liquid (e.g., a beverage, a soft drink concentrate, or other flowable liquid-like material) from a semi-bulk container. The system comprises a liquid impervious container having at least one opening therein. The container is installable within a pressure containment vessel of open construction and a fitting is sealingly secured within the opening. This fitting has a port adapted to be connected to a source of pressurized gas so as to admit gas under pressure into the container and to pressurize the liquid within the container. The fitting further has a dip tube which extends down into the liquid so that liquid may be dispensed from the container via the dip tube under pressure. The presure containment vessel withstands the internal pressurization forces within the container thus permitting the use of an inexpensive, disposable container.
59 Citations
29 Claims
- 1. A system for dispensing of a liquid from a container containing a supply of said liquid therein, said container being of liquid impervious construction and having at least one opening therein, means sealably cooperable with said at least one opening of said container for permitting pressurization of said liquid within said container and for pressure dispensing said liquid from within said container, and pressure containment means for receiving and for withstanding pressure forces exerted on said container during dispensing of said liquid from therewithin said pressure containment means comprising a containment vessel incapable of sealably holding gas pressure therewithin for receiving said container and a frame into which said containment vessel with said container received therein is removably installed, said container having axial and circumferential pressure forces applied thereto when internally pressurized, said frame at least in part carrying said axial pressure forces applied to said container and said containment vessel at least in part carrying said circumferential pressure forces and substantially limiting expansion of said container upon internal pressurization of said container.
- 10. A system for dispensing of a liquid from a container containing a supply of said liquid therein, said container being of liquid impervious construction and having at least one opening therein, means sealably cooperable with said at least one opening of said container for permitting pressurization of said liquid within said container and for pressure dispensing said liquid from within said container, and pressure containment means for receiving and for withstanding pressure forces exerted on said container during dispensing of said liquid from therewithin, said pressure containment means comprising a shroud for receiving said container and for substantially limiting expansion of said container, and a frame for receiving said shroud with said container therein, said container opening comprising a neck projecting out from said container, said frame having means thereon cooperable with said neck of said container for sealably securing said pressurization means to said neck so as to effectively prevent said container from being internally pressurized unless said container is installed within said containment means.
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19. Apparatus for pressure dispensing a liquid from a disposable container incapable when unsupported of withstanding internal pressure with an adequate margin of safety, said disposable container being made of a liquid impervious material and having at least one opening for communication with the interior of said disposable container, means for receiving said disposable container therewithin and for withstanding substantially all of the internal pressurization forces exerted upon said disposable container, said pressure withstanding means comprising a shroud for withstanding said internal pressurization forces on the sides of said container, and for substantially limiting expansion of said container, and a frame receiving said shroud with said container therein for withstanding the internal pressurization forces on the ends of said container, a fitting sealably cooperable with said at least one opening, said fitting including means for the admittance of pressurized gas of a predetermined pressure into said container thereby to internally pressurize said container and discharge means through which said liquid may be forced from within said container by said internal gas pressure.
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20. A method of pressure dispensing a liquid from a semi-bulk, disposable container, the latter having at least one opening for the filling, pressurization, and discharge of a liquid contained within said container, said method comprising the steps of:
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filling said container with liquid; inserting means into said at least one opening for effecting pressurization of said liquid within said container and for the pressure dispensing of the pressurized liquid from within said container; inserting the container in a pressure containment vessel; inserting said vessel with said container therein into a frame; internally pressurizing said container so that said pressure containment vessel withstands substantially all of the pressure forces exerted on the sides of said container to substantially limit expansion of said container and so that said frame withstands substantially all of the axis pressure forces exerted on the container; and dispensing said liquid from within said container via said at least one opening.
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21. A system for dispensing of a liquid from a container containing a supply of said liquid therein, said container being of liquid impervious construction and having at least one opening therein, means sealably cooperable with said at least one opening of said container for permitting pressurization of said liquid within said container and for pressure dispensing said liquid from within said container, and pressure containment means for receiving and for withstanding pressure forces exerted on said container during dispensing of said liquid from therewithin, said pressure containment means comprising a shroud for receiving said container and a frame for receiving said shroud with said container therein, said container opening comprising a neck projecting out from said container, said frame having means thereon cooperable with said neck of said container for sealably securing said pressurization means to said neck and for effectively preventing said container from being internally pressurized unless said container is installed within said containment means, said neck sealable securement means comprising a pair of collar members slidably mounted on said containment means and being movable relative to one another between a retracted position in which said collar members are spaced apart thereby to receive said neck therebetween and a closed position in which said collar members surround and engage said neck, said means sealably secured within said opening comprising a stopper, said neck securement means further comprising a cap threadably engageable with said collar members when the latter are closed and engageable with said stopper thereby to force said stopper into sealing engagement with said neck.
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22. A disposable container system for pressure dispensing liquid therefrom, said container system comprising an inner, liquid impervious container having at least one inlet/outlet fitting, an outer container enclosing said inner container, a stopper received in said inlet/outlet fitting, said stopper including a port adapted to be connected to a source of pressurized gas thereby to effect pressurization of the interior of said inner container and any liquid therein and a dip tube extending into said inner container through which liquid within said inner container may be pressure dispensed, and means for sealably securing said stopper in place on said inlet/outlet fitting with the free end of said dip tube disposed at a predetermined location within said inner container thereby to permit the pressure dispensing of substantially all of said liquid from within said inner container, said stopper securing means comprising a pair of collars each having an inner bore, said collars being movable from an open position in which said inlet/outlet fitting may be readily inserted within said inner bores of said collars and a closed position in which said collars engage said inlet/outlet fitting thereby to substantially prevent axial movement of said inlet/outlet fitting with respect to said collars, said collars having external threads thereon which mate with one another when said collars are in their closed position, and a screw cap threadably engageable with said threads and engageable with said stopper thereby to force said stopper into sealing engagement with said inlet/outlet fitting as said screw cap is threaded into said collar.
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23. In a disposable container assembly for a liquid, said container assembly comprising an inner container of liquid impervious material having an inlet/outlet fitting with a bore therein and an outer container for enclosing said inner container, wherein the improvement comprises:
- a stopper adapted to be received in said inlet/outlet fitting and means for sealably securing said stopper with respect to said fitting, said stopper securing means comprises a pair of collars each having an inner bore, said collars being movable from an open position in which said inlet/outlet fitting may be readily inserted within said inner bores of said collars and a closed position in which said collars engage said inlet/outlet fitting thereby to substantially prevent axial movement of said inlet/outlet fitting with respect to said collars, said collars having external threads thereon which mate with one another when said collars are in their closed position, and a screw cap threadably engageable with said threads and engageable with said stopper thereby to force said stopper into sealing engagement with said inlet/outlet fitting, as said screw cap is threaded onto said collars.
- 24. Apparatus for internally pressurizing a disposable container and for pressure dispensing liquid from said container, the latter having an opening, said container upon internal pressurization thereof having outward forces applied thereto in circumferential direction and in axial direction, said apparatus comprising a shroud for receiving said container, for withstanding said circumferential forces exerted on said container, and for substantially limiting expansion of said container, and a frame for receiving said shroud with said container therein, said frame having means at each end thereof and means joining said frame ends for withstanding said axial forces applied to said container.
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27. A method of pressure dispensing liquid from a disposable container which is substantially incapable of withstanding internal pressurization forces required for pressure dispensing with an adequate margin of safety, said method comprising the steps of:
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inserting said container in a shroud with the shroud supporting the sides of the container; inserting said shroud with the container therein into a frame; and internally pressurizing said container so that said shroud withstands substantially all of the pressure forces exerted on the sides of said container to substantially limit expansion of said container and so that said frame withstands substantially all of the axial pressure forces exerted on said container. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification