Container and dispensing system for liquid chemicals

• US 5,102,010 A
• Filed: 10/20/1989
• Issued: 04/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Entegris Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Now Technologies Incorporated (Entegris Incorporated)
• Inventors: Waldman, Joshua P., Osgar, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, Robert P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): REISS, STEVEN
• Application Number:
  US07/426,513
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 222/82, 222/83, 222/81, 222/83.5, 222/88, 222/89, 222/91, 222/95, 222/105, 222/183, 222/386.5, 222/389, 222/131, 222/94, 222/152, 222/399, 222/400.7, 222/541-542, 222/92 , 222/96, 222/182, 222/107, 222/185
• US Class Current: 222/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2231/02 Precut holes or weakened zones
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2231/022 for permitting the insertion of a tubular contents-removing device, e.g. a drinking straw
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0025 of the 47-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0093 Membrane
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/36 Closures with frangible parts adapted to be pierced, torn, or removed, to provide discharge openings B65D51/18 takes precedence; caps with piercable membranes B65D41/20, B65D41/50
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/20 Caps, lids, or covers co-operating with an inner closure arranged to be opened by piercing, cutting, or tearing B65D51/185 takes precedence; co-operating with an auxiliary container for additional articles or materials B65D51/28
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/06 Liquids or semi-liquids or other materials or articles enclosed in flexible containers disposed within rigid containers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0255 squeezing collapsible or flexible storage containers for dispensing beverages on draught B67D1/0462

Abstract

A container for storage, transport and dispensing of liquid chemicals uses a collapsable thin film pouch which is sealed to a fitment and is positioned within a bottle or overpack. A retainer and cap hold the pouch and fitment in place within the bottle. The cap provides an inner seal and an outer seal which remain intact during shipping and storage. In use, the outer seal is removed and the container is connected to either a manual or an automated dispensing system which includes a valve probe which breaks the inner seal. In the manual system the bottle is inverted so that flow of liquid from the pouch is gravity assisted. In the automated system, the container is placed within a pressure vessel and air pressure is applied both to the outside of the bottle and also to the inside of the bottle to assist in collapsing the pouch and forcing the liquid out of the pouch. When empty, the container is removed from the manual or automated dispensing system and the cap and retainer are removed to allow removal and disposal of the pouch and fitment.

Claims

1. A double containment container for liquid chemicals, the container comprising:

a sealed flexible film pouch having an interior for holding liquid;

a fitment sealed to the pouch and defining a port which communicates with the interior of the pouch;

rupturable seal means for sealing the port after the pouch has been filled with liquid through the port;

a bottle having a mouth which communicates with an interior of the bottle;

retaining means for engaging the fitment and the mouth of the bottle to position the fitment in the mouth with the pouch within the interior of the bottle; and

a cap which engages the mouth of the bottle and is positioned over the mouth of the bottle and the fitment.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the pouch is a fluoropolymer material.

3. The container of claim 2 wherein the fitment is a fluoropolymer material.

4. The container of claim 3 wherein the rupturable seal means is a fluoropolymer membrane.

5. The container of claim 2 wherein the bottle is a polyethylene material.

6. The container of claim 1 wherein the cap has a central main port generally aligned with the port of the fitment.

7. The container of claim 6 wherein the cap further comprises:

removable seal means covering the central main port.

8. The container of claim 1 wherein the pouch is formed by an integral film folded at an upper end to form first and second opposing sheets and having an opening in the upper end, the first and second sheets being sealed to one another along side and bottom edges and being sealed to the fitment around the opening in the upper end.

9. The container of claim 1 and wherein the retaining means and the cap have vent passages for permitting air to enter the interior of the bottle around the pouch as liquid is dispensed from the pouch.

10. The container of claim 9 and further comprising:

means for removably covering the vent passage in the cap.

11. The container of claim 10 wherein the removable seal means includes an integral pull tab.

12. The container of claim 11 wherein the pull tab includes means for engaging the means for removably covering the vent passage in the cap to cause the vent passage to be opened.

13. The container of claim 1 wherein the fitment comprises:

a mouth portion;

a neck portion connected to the mouth portion; and

a shoulder flange portion connected to the neck portion and sealed to the pouch.

14. The container of claim 13 wherein the shoulder flange portion is generally conical.

15. The container of claim 13 wherein the rupturable seal means is a membrane which covers the mouth of the fitment.

16. A container for liquid chemicals, the container comprising:

a sealed flexible film pouch having an interior for holding liquid;

a fitment sealed to the pouch and defining a port which communicates with the interior of the pouch;

a rupturable seal means for sealing the port;

a bottle having a mouth which communicates with an interior of the bottle;

retaining means for engaging the fitment and the mouth of the bottle to position the fitment in the mouth with the pouch within the interior of the bottle; and

wherein the retaining means comprises;

first and second retainer segments; and

hinge means connecting the segments.

17. The container of claim 16 wherein the fitment has a flange adjacent its outer end, and the retainer segments engage the flange.

18. A liquid chemical handling system comprising:

a container which comprises;

a sealed flexible film pouch having an interior for holding liquid;

a fitment sealed to the pouch and defining a port which communicates with the interior of the pouch;

rupturable seal means for sealing the port;

a bottle having a mouth which communicates with an interior of the bottle; and

retaining means for engaging the fitment and the mouth of the bottle to position the fitment in the mouth with the pouch within the interior of the bottle; and

a dispenser which comprises;

a probe insertable through the rupturable seal means and into the port, the probe having a flow passage therein; and

means connected to the probe for receiving liquid chemical dispensed from the pouch through the flow passage;

seal means for providing a seal between the probe and the port;

valve means for controlling flow through the flow passage, wherein the valve means is a normally closed check valve; and

receptacle means for holding the bottle in an inverted position, wherein the receptacle means include a projection for opening the check valve when an outer end of the probe is in the receptacle means.

19. A liquid chemical handling system comprising:

a container which comprises;

a sealed flexible film pouch having an interior for holding liquid;

a fitment sealed to the pouch and defining a port which communicates with the interior of the pouch;

rupturable seal means for sealing the port;

a bottle having a mouth which communicates with an interior of the bottle; and

retaining means for engaging the fitment and the mouth of the bottle to position the fitment in the mouth with the pouch within the interior of the bottle; and

a cap which engages the mouth of the bottle and is positioned over the mouth of the bottle and the fitment; and

a dispenser which comprises;

a probe insertable through the rupturable seal means and into the port, the probe having a flow passage therein; and

means connected to the probe for receiving liquid chemical dispensed from the pouch through the flow passage.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the dispenser further comprises:

seal means for providing a seal between the probe and the port.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the dispenser further comprises:

valve means for controlling flow through the flow passage.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the valve means is a normally closed check valve.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the dispenser further comprises:

receptacle means for holding the bottle and the probe in an inverted position.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein the dispenser further comprises:

cap engaging means associated with the probe for engaging the cap while the probe is inserted through the cap and the rupturable seal means and into the port.

25. A liquid chemical handling system comprising:

a container which comprises;

a sealed flexible film pouch having an interior for holding liquid;

a fitment sealed to the pouch and defining a port which communicates with the interior of the pouch;

rupturable seal means for sealing the port;

a bottle having amount which communicates with an interior of the bottle; and

retaining means for engaging the fitment and the mouth of the bottle to position the fitment in the mouth with the pouch within the interior of the bottle; and

a dispenser which comprises;

a probe insertable through the rupturable seal means and into the port, the probe having a flow passage therein; and

means connected to the probe for receiving liquid chemical dispensed from the pouch through the flow passage; and

means for supplying fluid under pressure between inner walls of the bottle and the pouch to force liquid out of the pouch through the flow passage in the probe.

26. A liquid chemical handling system comprising:

a container which comprises;

a sealed flexible film pouch having an interior for holding liquid;

a fitment sealed to the pouch and defining a port which communicates with the interior of the pouch;

rupturable seal means for sealing the port;

a bottle having a mouth which communicates with an interior of the bottle; and

retaining means for engaging the fitment and the mouth of the bottle to position the fitment in the mouth with the pouch within the interior of the bottle; and

a dispenser which comprises;

a probe insertable through the rupturable seal means and into the port, the probe having a flow passage therein;

means connected to the probe for receiving liquid chemical dispensed from the pouch through the flow passage;

means for supplying fluid under pressure between inner walls of the bottle and the pouch to force liquid out of the pouch through the flow passage in the probe;

a pressure vessel having an interior chamber for holding the container; and

wherein the means for supplying fluid supplies the fluid under pressure to the interior chamber of the pressure vessel.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the pressure vessel includes a canister and a cover, and wherein the probe is carried by the cover.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the dispenser further comprises:

means for locking the cover on the canister in a closed position;

means for moving the cover between an open position and the closed position; and

means for controlling the means for locking and the means for moving.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the means for moving comprises:

means for lifting the cover; and

means for tilting the cover.

30. The system of claim 26 wherein the dispenser further comprises:

means for inverting the pressure vessel.

31. For use with a liquid chemical container having a sealed film pouch within a generally rigid bottle with a port which provides access to an interior of the pouch and a rupturable seal over the port, a dispenser comprising:

a pressure vessel having an interior chamber for holding the container;

a rupturable seal piercing probe associated with the pressure vessel for insertion into the port when the container is in the chamber, the probe having a flow passage therein; and

means for supplying fluid under pressure to the interior chamber and between inner walls of the bottle and the pouch to force liquid out of the pouch through the flow passage in the probe.

32. The dispenser of claim 31 and further comprising:

seal means for providing a seal between the probe and the port.

33. The dispenser of claim 31 and further comprising:

valve means for controlling flow through the flow passage.

34. The dispenser of claim 31 wherein the container is of a type having a cap positioned over a mouth of the bottle, and wherein the dispenser further comprises:

cap engaging means associated with the probe for engaging the cap while the probe is inserted through the cap and into the port.

35. The dispenser of claim 31 and further comprising:

means for inverting the pressure vessel so that the port and the probe are at the bottom of the bottle.

36. The dispenser of claim 31 wherein the pressure vessel includes a canister and a cover, and wherein the probe is carried by the cover.

37. For use with a liquid chemical container having a sealed film pouch within a generally rigid bottle with a port which provides access to an interior of the pouch, a dispenser comprising:

a pressure vessel having an interior chamber for holding the container;

a probe associated with the pressure vessel for insertion into the port when the container is in the chamber, the probe having a flow passage therein;

means for supplying fluid under pressure to the interior chamber and between inner walls of the bottle and the pouch to force liquid out of the pouch through the flow passage in the probe;

means for inverting the pressure vessel so that the port and the probe are at the bottom of the bottle;

a housing;

a drawer slidably connected to the housing and movable between an open and a closed position; and

means for pivotally mounting the pressure vessel with respect to the drawer.

38. The dispenser of claim 37 wherein the means for inverting the pressure vessel is responsive to movement of the drawer to move the pressure vessel from a generally upright position when the drawer is in its open position to an inverted position when the drawer is in its closed position.

39. For use with a liquid chemical container having a sealed film pouch within a generally rigid bottle with a port which provides access to an interior of the pouch, a dispenser comprising:

a pressure vessel having a canister, a cover and an interior chamber for holding the container;

a probe carried by the cover for insertion into the port when the container is in the chamber;

the probe having a flow passage therein;

means for supplying fluid under pressure to the interior chamber and between inner walls of the bottle and the pouch to force liquid out of the pouch through the flow passage in the probe;

means for locking the cover on the canister in a closed position;

means for moving the cover between an open position and the closed position; and

means for controlling the means for locking and the means for moving.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the means for moving comprises:

means for lifting the cover; and

means for tilting the cover.

41. A method of handling liquid chemicals, the method comprising:

providing a sealed flexible film pouch having an interior for holding liquid and having a fitment sealed thereto, the fitment defining a port which communicates with the interior of the pouch;

positioning a retainer around the fitment;

placing the pouch within an interior of a bottle, by insertion through a mouth of the bottle, the retainer engaging the mouth of the bottle to hold the fitment in position within the mouth of the bottle;

filling the interior of the pouch through the port;

placing a rupturable membrane over an outer end of the fitment, after filling the interior of the pouch, to seal the port; and

placing a cap over the mouth of the bottle to cover the rupturable seal.

42. The method of claim 41 and further comprising:

inserting a probe through the membrane and into the port, the probe having a flow passage therein; and

dispensing liquid from the pouch through the flow passage of the port.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the probe includes an O-ring for sealing the probe and the port.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the probe includes a check valve in the flow passage.

45. The method of claim 41 and further comprising:

opening the seal of the port; and

dispensing liquid from the pouch through the port.

46. The method of claim 45 and further comprising:

removing the pouch from the bottle when the pouch has been emptied by engaging the retainer and pulling the retainer, the fitment and the pouch out of the bottle through the mouth.

47. The method of claim 41 and further comprising:

opening a passage through the cap to permit the probe to extend therethrough and into the port.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the probe is carried by a carrier, and wherein inserting the probe includes engaging the cap with the carrier.

49. A method of handling liquid chemicals in a double containment system, the method comprising:

providing a sealed flexible film pouch having an interior for holding liquid and having a fitment sealed thereto, the fitment defining a port which communicates with the interior of the pouch;

placing the pouch within an interior of a bottle by insertion through a mouth of the bottle, with the fitment held within the mouth of the bottle;

filling the interior of the pouch through the port;

placing a rupturable membrane over the fitment to seal the port;

inserting a probe through the membrane and into the port, the probe having a flow passage therein;

inverting the probe and the bottle together; and

inserting an outer end of the probe into a receptacle to hold the bottle and probe in inverted position; and

dispensing liquid from the pouch through the flow passage of the port.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the receptacle includes an outlet port which is connected to the flow passage of the probe when the outer end of the probe is positioned in the receptacle.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the probe includes a normally closed check valve at its outer end for closing the flow passage and wherein the receptacle includes a projection for opening the check valve when the outer end of the probe is in the receptacle.

52. A method of handling liquid chemicals in a double containment system, the method comprising:

providing a sealed flexible film pouch having an interior for holding liquid and having a fitment sealed thereto, the fitment defining a port which communicates with the interior of the pouch;

placing the pouch within an interior of a bottle by insertion through a mouth of the bottle, with the fitment held within the mouth of the bottle;

filling the interior of the pouch through the port;

sealing the port;

opening the seal of the port; and

supplying fluid under pressure between inner walls of the bottle and the pouch to force liquid out of the pouch.

53. A method of handling liquid chemicals, the method comprising:

providing a sealed flexible film pouch having an interior for holding liquid and having a fitment sealed thereto, the fitment defining a port which communicates with the interior pouch;

placing the pouch within an interior of a bottle, with the fitment held within a mouth of the bottle;

filling the interior of the pouch through the port;

sealing the port;

placing the bottle within a pressure vessel;

opening the seal of the port;

supplying fluid under pressure between inner walls of the bottle and the pouch to force liquid out of the pouch; and

supplying fluid under pressure within the pressure vessel so that a pressure gradient across walls of the bottle is minimized.

54. A double containment container for liquid chemicals, the container comprising:

a sealed flexible film pouch having an interior for holding liquid;

a fitment sealed to the pouch and defining a port which communicates with the interior of the pouch;

rupturable seal means for sealing the port after the pouch has been filled with liquid through the port;

a bottle having a mouth which communicates with an interior of the bottle;

retaining means for engaging the fitment and the mouth of the bottle to position the fitment in the mouth with the pouch within the interior of the bottle;

a cap which engages the mouth of the bottle and is positioned over the mouth of the bottle and the fitment, the cap having a central main port generally aligned with the port of the fitment; and

vent means for permitting air to pass through the retaining means and the cap in order to enter the interior of the bottle around the pouch as liquid is dispensed from the pouch.

55. The container of claim 54, wherein the fitment comprises:

a mouth portion;

a neck portion connected to the mouth portion; and

a shoulder flange portion connected to the neck portion and sealed to the pouch.

56. The container of claim 55, wherein the rupturable seal means contact the mouth portion of the fitment.

57. The container of claim 56, and further comprising:

means in the cap for removably covering the vent means.

58. The container of claim 57, and further comprising:

removable seal means for covering the central port.

59. The container of claim 58, wherein the removable seal means include an integral pull tab, the integral pull tab including means for engaging the means in the cap for removably covering the vent passage to cause the vent means to be opened.

60. A double containment container for liquid chemicals, comprising:

a flexible film pouch having an interior for holding liquid;

a fitment sealed to the pouch and defining a port which communicates with the interior of the pouch;

a bottle having an interior and a mouth which communicates with the interior of the bottle;

retaining means for engaging the fitment and the mouth of the bottle to position the fitment in the mouth of the bottle when the pouch is within the interior of the bottle;

a cap for sealably engaging the mouth of the bottle and for being positioned over the mouth of the bottle and the fitment; and

a seal, coupled to the cap, for sealing the port when the cap sealably engages the bottle.

61. The container of claim 60 wherein the pouch is a fluoropolymer material.

62. The container of claim 61 wherein the fitment is a fluoropolymer materials.

63. The container of claim 62 wherein the seal is a fluoropolymer material.

64. The container of claim 61 wherein the bottle is a polyethylene material.

65. The container of claim 60 wherein the retaining means has at least one vent passage for permitting air to enter the interior of the bottle around the pouch as liquid is dispensed from the pouch.

66. The container of claim 65 wherein the retaining means comprises:

first and second retainer segments; and

a hinge for connecting the first and second retainer segments.

67. The container of claim 66 wherein the fitment has a flange adjacent its outer end, and the retainer segments engage the flange.

68. The container of claim 60 wherein the fitment comprises:

a mouth portion;

a neck portion connected to the mouth portion; and

a shoulder flange portion connected to the neck portion and sealed to the pouch.

69. The container of claim 68 wherein the fitment further comprises:

a seal abutment coupling the neck portion to the shoulder flange portion.

70. The container of claim 69 wherein the seal abuts the seal abutment in the fitment when the cap is sealably engaged with the bottle.

71. The container of claim 70 wherein the pouch is formed by an integral film folded at an upper end to form first and second opposing sheets and having an opening at the upper end, the first and second sheets being sealed to one another along side and bottom edges and being sealed to the fitment around the opening in the upper end.

72. The container of claim 68 wherein the shoulder flange portion is generally conical.