Conduit member for collapsible container

• US 5,749,493 A
• Filed: 11/10/1987
• Issued: 05/12/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Coca-Cola Company (The Coca-Cola Company)
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Boone, Debra Cheryl, Tomic, Mladomir
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P.
• Application Number:
  US07/119,034
• Time in Patent Office: 3,836 Days
• Field of Search: 222/95, 222/105, 222/107, 222/92, 222/94, 222/183, 222/386.5, 222/464.1, 222/464.2, 222/464.3, 383/105, 383/35, 383/36, 383/119
• US Class Current: 222/105
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2231/002 comprising strips forming channels or liquid passageways
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5877 connected to a planar surface of the package wall
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/06 Liquids or semi-liquids or other materials or articles enclosed in flexible containers disposed within rigid containers

Abstract

A collapsible container comprising a flexible bag including a spout having an opening through which liquid is fed into and dispensed from the bag, and a liquid passage member inside of the bag in liquid communication with the spout opening for aiding in the dispensing of liquid from the bag. The liquid passage member is preferably integral with a wall of the bag.

Claims

1. A method for producing a disposable flexible bag for use in containing and dispensing a liquid and including a spout having an opening through which the bag is to be filled and emptied, and said bag also including a liquid passage means inside of said bag for providing at least one elongated liquid channel open to the interior of said bag and in liquid flow communication with said spout opening as said bag progressively collapses against said liquid passage means, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing flexible bag wall means for use in forming said bag;

b) providing a spout in said bag wall means having an opening therethrough and a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to said bag wall;

c) positioning said liquid passage means having said liquid channel inside of said bag wall means prior to forming said bag wall means into a bag;

d) positioning said liquid passage means inside of said bag wall means such that when said bag wall means are formed into a bag having no liquid contained therein, said liquid channel of said liquid passage means will be in liquid flow communication with said spout opening and transversely disposed thereto, substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said spout; and

e) forming said bag wall means into a bag with said spout being connected through a bag wall, with said liquid passage means being secured inside of said bag to maintain said elongated channel in liquid flow communication with said opening in said spout.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of positioning said liquid passage means inside of said bag wall means comprises positioning, inside of said bag wall means, a flat, elongated, flexible member having a liquid channel extending along its length, said liquid channel being open to the interior of said bag along its length.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 including the step of positioning said member between a pair of bag wall means and directly underneath said spout, prior to forming said bag wall means into a bag.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 including the step of connecting said member in place in said bag by heat sealing.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein said bag is formed by heat sealing and including the step of heat sealing said member in place simultaneously with forming said bag by heat sealing.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 including the step of heat sealing said member to said bag wall means.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said liquid passage means is a flat, flexible member.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein said member is narrow and elongated.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said member includes means for defining said liquid channel and for preventing said bag wall means from blocking liquid flow through said liquid channel when said bag wall means has collapsed against said member.

10. A method for producing a disposable, flexible bag for use in containing and dispensing a liquid, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a pair of rectangular bag walls;

b) heat sealing a spout having a longitudinal axis and a spout opening therethrough to one of said bag walls with the longitudinal axis thereof substantially perpendicular to said bag wall;

c) positioning a flexible, flat, narrow, elongated liquid passage member separate from said bag walls, between said pair of bag walls and adjacent to said spout prior to the complete sealing of said bag walls together to form said bag, said member having liquid passage means thereon for providing at least one liquid channel therealong open to the interior of said bag and in liquid flow communication with said spout opening as said bag empties and progressively collapses against said member, said member also including means for preventing said bag walls from blocking said liquid channel when said bag wall collapses against said member;

d) heat sealing said walls together to form said bag with said member positioned in-between said walls; and

e) heat sealing said member in place inside of said bag with said channel transversely disposed of said spout opening and substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said spout when said bag is in an unfilled condition.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said member heat sealing step comprises heat sealing said member in place simultaneously with the step of heat sealing at least a portion of said walls together to form said bag.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said member heat sealing step comprises heat sealing said member to at least one of said walls.

13. A disposable, flexible bag for use in containing and dispensing a liquid comprising:

a) a pair of rectangular bag walls heat sealed together at their peripheries to form a flat rectangular unfilled bag;

b) a spout having a longitudinal axis and a spout opening therethrough and heat sealed to one of said bag walls with said longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to said bag wall;

c) a flexible, flat, narrow, elongated liquid passage member, separate from said bag walls, and positioned inside of said flat bag and having liquid passage means thereon for providing at least one liquid channel therealong open to the interior of said bag; and

d) said liquid passage member being heat sealed in place inside of said bag and being located in liquid flow communication with and transversely of said spout opening.

14. A disposable, flexible bag for use in containing and dispensing a liquid, said bag being flat in an unfilled condition thereof, comprising:

a) a bag having a bag wall;

b) a spout having a spout opening therethrough attached to said bag wall and having a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to said bag wall; and

c) an elongated fluid passage member secured inside of said bag and having at least one open fluid passageway therealong in liquid communication with said spout opening, said member lying substantially flat within a flat bag wall when the bag is empty and before it is filled with liquid, said fluid passageway being transversely disposed across said spout opening substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said spout before said bag is filled with liquid and being open to the interior of said bag along its length and having a depth and a width such that as the bag wall collapses against said member during withdrawal of liquid from the bag, the bag wall cannot extend into and block said passageway, such that the passageway remains open to permit complete withdrawal of liquid from the bag.

15. The article of claim 14, wherein said elongated member includes at least one pair of spaced-apart ribs defining said fluid passage.

16. The article of claim 15, wherein said ribs are parallel to each other and extend in a straight line between the ends of said member and across said spout opening when said bag is in an empty, pre-filled condition.

17. The article of claim 15, wherein said ribs are integral with the bag wall opposite said spout opening.

18. The article of claim 14, wherein at least one end of said member is heat sealed in the bag.

19. The article of claim 14, wherein the bag wall includes two separate bag walls with their peripheral portions heat sealed together.

20. The article of claim 14, wherein said spout is heat sealed to the bag wall.