Agitating and dispensing arrangement for bag-in-box containers

• US 5,121,857 A
• Filed: 07/11/1989
• Issued: 06/16/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Corrugated Products Limited Butlers LEAP Clifton Road Rugby Warwickshire
• Original Assignee: Corrugated Products Limited
• Inventors: Hutchinson, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huppert, Michael S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pomrening, Anthoula
• Application Number:
  US07/378,590
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 222/318, 222/129.1, 222/129.2, 222/129.3, 222/129.4, 222/105, 222/400.7, 137/340, 366/136, 366/137, 239/127
• US Class Current: 222/318
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0004 the beverage being stored in a container, e.g. bottle, cartridge, bag-in-box, bowl
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0055 with fountain effect

Abstract

An agitating apparatus, especially but not exclusively for dispensing fruit juices from a bag-in-box arrangement, includes a connector (18) adapted for fitment to the bag and having an inlet (20) and at least one outlet (22) each connected to a pump whereby on operation of the pump the bag'"'"'s contents are agitated, the contents being dispensed by way of a dispenser (32) either interposed in a line between the pump and inlet (20) or connected to a second outlet (46) from the dispenser.

Claims

1. Agitating and dispensing apparatus adapted for being fitted to the dispensing spout of a bag-in-box container for liquids, said apparatus comprising a connector having a body part and a first connector component, an inlet port and a first outlet port formed on said body part, and a second outlet port formed on said first connector component, said body part being connectable to said first connector component in a removable fluid tight manner, a first liquid line between said inlet and said first outlet ports, a pump interposed in said first liquid line for moving liquid from and back to the container to agitate the liquid in the container, a dispenser for dispensing liquid, a second liquid line between said second outlet port and said dispenser, said dispenser being located below said second outlet port so that liquid can be dispensed from the container by the action of gravity.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which there is a return nozzle connected to the inlet port, the length of the return nozzle being such that when the apparatus is in use the return nozzle lies substantially within the confines of the dispensing spout of the bag-in-box container.