Flexible bag for fluent material dispenser

• US 7,237,691 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: Bacehowski, David V., Danby, Hal C., Scharf, Michael W., Swan, Julian F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Derakshani; Philippe
• Application Number:
  US11/311,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20060091155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 222/103, 222/105, 222/129.1, 222/63, 222/504
• US Class Current: 222/103
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2231/004 comprising rods or tubes provided with radial openings, ribs or the like, e.g. dip-tubes, spiral rods
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/30 Opening or contents-removing devices added or incorporated during filling or closing of containers B65D77/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0037 based on volumetric dosing
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0078 Ingredient cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0079 having their own dispensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0462 Squeezing collapsible or flexible beverage containers, e.g. bag-in-box containers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0801 of beverage containers, e.g. casks, kegs
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1286 by mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0814 for upside down use
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/0006 Manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/041 operated by pinching action on flexible tubes

Abstract

A flexible bag having expansible and collapsible cells can be used in a liquid dispenser. A rigid manifold, and in one instance a rigid frame is provided in the bag to keep passages open in use and to isolate one of the cells from the remaining cells. The manifold is capable of altering the volume of one of the cells so that the same bag can be used in different applications.

Claims

1. A flexible container for delivery of metered quantities of fluent material therefrom, the container comprising:

a first flexible sheet;

a second flexible sheet at least partially in opposed relationship with the first sheet such that the first and second sheets define at least one cell capable of holding the fluent material, the first and second sheets being capable of movement toward and away from one another for use in drawing fluent material into the cell and discharging fluent material from the cell;

a manifold located between the first and second sheets for passaging fluent material within the container, the manifold including port structure extending into said cell and defining a port providing fluid communication between the cell and the manifold and a tongue extending from the port structure into the cell and occupying a volume of the cell thereby selectively reducing the volume fluent material that can be received in the cell.

2. A flexible container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the port structure is substantially rigid for holding the first and second sheets apart and maintaining the port in an open condition.

3. A flexible container as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one cell is a dosing cell disposed for receiving concentrate, the dosing cell having a volume corresponding to a selected volume of concentrate.

4. A flexible container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tongue has a curved shape.