Container for holding flexible bag
A container for dispensing a beverage includes a top panel, a left panel coupled to the top panel, a right panel coupled to the top panel and opposite the left panel, a first bottom panel coupled to the left panel, the first bottom panel including a first opening, a second bottom panel coupled to the right panel and overlaying the first bottom panel, the second bottom panel including a second opening coincident with the first opening to form at least a portion of a container opening, a front panel coupled to either the left of right panel and a support panel coupled to the front panel and disposed against either the first or second bottom panel.
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The present invention relates generally to a container for storing a flexible bag that holds a liquid, and more particularly to a container that allows the liquid to be dispensed from the flexible bag.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONDispensing machines such as that shown in
Traditionally, these concentrates are shipped frozen and in a freezer truck to their destination to protect against contamination. Once they reach the destination, the packages are thawed to allow the concentrates to flow. Thawing requires time and the frozen state of the concentrate prevents the products from being useful upon their arrival. Further, because the concentrates are water-based, upon thawing the product shrinks in size. Thus, a frozen product requires a package larger than the ultimately thawed product (due to the water's expansion upon freezing), and less liquid concentrate can be shipped. Moreover, a frozen product may thaw during the trip and re-freeze, thus allowing the product to become contaminated. Finally, preservatives are often added to the product, which is becoming less and less desirable to the consumer.
The currently used packaging for the frozen concentrates are either a blow-molded container or a bag in a box unit. The blow molded container, shown in
In another example, a flexible bag or pouch filled with concentrated beverage is stored in a corrugated (a.k.a. cardboard) box. Such a design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,386. In this example, the concentrated beverage contains preservatives such that it does not need to be frozen. However, the particular design has proven to be unsatisfactory because the box is not strong enough to maintain the valve in a fixed position. During use, the beverage dispenser pushes on the ball valve to release the concentrate. Because the corrugated box cannot maintain the valve, the valve generally collapses into the interior of the corrugated box. Further, the interior of the beverage dispensing machine is wet and humid, and the corrugated material itself tends to break down, thus exacerbating the problem of the container not being able to hold the valve in place to properly dispense the liquid.
As mentioned earlier, there are several disadvantages in using the frozen concentrate. Thus, it has been proposed to package the product aseptically. In aseptics, the liquid concentrate is quickly brought to a very high temperature to commercially sterilize the product, then just as quickly brought back to room temperature. The product is then dispensed into a sterile bag which is then sealed to prohibit any oxygen from entering in a sterile chamber. The product can be transported to its destination in a liquid state at room temperature without worry of contamination. Further, because the concentrate is transported in a liquid state, it requires less packaging and provides more finished product per unit. No preservatives are required, and because the concentrate is sterile and can be transported in a liquid state, the concentrate can be used immediately upon receipt without the need for thawing.
However, the currently used packaging for concentrates used for beverage dispensing machines are not useful for aseptics. To introduce aseptically-treated concentrate in the plastic container described above, the container would be required to be sterilized and also placed in a sterile cabinet prior to filling the container with the liquid concentrate. Once filled, the container would be sealed, and only then could the container be removed from the sterile cabinet. This set-up, while possible, is not financially reasonable. Accordingly, a solution that is more cost-effective is required for aseptically-treated beverage concentrate. The previously described bag-in-a-box system is not effective because it retains its problems listed above.
Accordingly, there is a need for a package for an aseptically-treated beverage concentrate for use in a beverage dispensing machine. Further, it would be advantageous if the package could be used in currently existing beverage dispensing machine.
Referring to
Referring now to
The blank 32 includes a left panel 34 foldably connected to a top panel 36, which is in turn foldably connected to a right panel 38. The left panel 34 has a left front panel 40 and a left back panel 42 foldably attached to it, and the right panel 38 has a right front panel 44 and a right back panel 46 foldably attached to it. The top panel 36 has a top back tab 48 and a top front tab 50 foldably attached to it. The left panel 34 has a first bottom panel 52 foldably attached to it, and the right panel 38 has a second bottom panel 54 foldably attached to it. A fastening flap 56 and a support panel 58 are both foldably attached to the right front panel 44. The support panel 58 includes an end 60 that is curved in this example.
The first bottom panel 52 has a bottom back tab 62 and a securing panel 64 foldably attached to it on opposite ends. The first bottom panel 52 includes an arched opening 66 defining a first pair of legs 68 and a first inner edge 70. The securing panel 64 also includes an arched opening 72 with an inner edge 73 that is a mirror image of the arched opening 66 of the first bottom panel 52. The second bottom panel 54 also includes an arched opening 74 defining a second pair of legs 76 and a second inner edge 78.
To construct the container 12 from the blank 32, the left panel 34 is folded 90° relative to the top panel 36 about fold line F1, and the right panel 38 is folded 90° relative to the top panel 36 about fold line F2, such that the left panel 34 and the right panel 38 are approximately parallel to each other. The first bottom panel 52 is then folded 90° about fold line F3 relative to the left panel 34, and the second bottom panel 54 is folded 90° about fold line F4 relative to the right panel 38 such that the first bottom panel 52 overlays the second bottom panel 54. The first bottom panel 52 can be affixed to the second bottom 54 panel by known means such as an adhesive or a fastener. The securing panel 64 can then be flipped up such that the second bottom panel 54 is sandwiched between the first bottom panel 52 and the securing panel 64 and affixed with adhesive. The arched openings 66, 72, 74 of each of the first bottom panel 52, the second bottom panel 54, and the securing panel 64 are coincident such that a single opening 30 is formed. At this point, the container 12 is as shown in
The left back panel 42, the right back panel 46, the bottom back tab 62, and the top back tap 48 can then be folded over each other and affixed to one another with adhesive as is known to form the back side 26 of the container 12. The pouch 14, filled with a liquid such as an aseptically or other treated concentrate, can be inserted into the container 12 at this point and secured as will be described later. The pouch 14 can be manufactured from a food grade material as is known in the art to provide an oxygen barrier.
The top front tab 50 is then folded inwardly to begin construction of the front side 24 of the container 12. The fastening flap 56 is folded 90° along fold line F5, and the support panel 58 is folded 90° along fold line F6 to the position shown in
Referring now to
The spout 16 further includes a second flange 94 and a third flange 96 spaced axially from the second flange 94 to define a receiving area 98. With the spout 16 extending through the opening 30, the spout 16 is affixed to the container 12 by inserting the inner edges 70, 73, 78 of the first bottom panel 52, the second bottom panel 54, and the securing panel 64 into the receiving area 98. In other words, the receiving area 98 has a width approximately equal to or slightly smaller than the combined width of the first bottom panel 52, the second bottom panel 54, and the securing panel 64.
In a second example shown in
Due to the shear strength of the VersaBoard, the multiple layering of the individual panels, and the further support from the support panel 58, it has been found that the container 12 has sufficient strength and durability to withstand the repeated upward force of the beverage dispensing machine actuating the valve 18. The VersaBoard's layer of polyethylene further adds to the water repellency of the container 12 and ensures that the container 12 will remain strong enough to secure the spout 16 without the actuator pushing the spout 16 into the container 12.
While this assembly 10 is particularly useful for an aseptically-treated beverage concentrate, it has many other uses. For example, the assembly 10 can be used with a single strength beverage or other beverage, such as water, tea, lemonade, or the like. Other food products such as sauces, gravies, dressings, mustard, ketchup and the like can also be dispensed. Further, the VersaBoard provides less insulation that a corrugated paper product. This is helpful in that it allows the beverage or food product stored within the container 12 to change temperature quickly, such that when the assembly 10 is placed in a refrigerated beverage dispenser, the concentrate will rapidly cool. Further, in the disclosed examples, it has been found that the design of the opening 30 of the container 12 has enough strength that a user can re-use the container 12 with a different pouch 14. In other words, after a first pouch 14 is completely emptied, a user can pull out the container 12 from the beverage dispensing machine, take the empty pouch 14 out from the container 12, and install a new, filled pouch 14 into the container 12. It has also been found that the opening 30 has enough strength to accept the spout 16 of the new pouch 14, even after it has dispensed the entire contents of the original pouch 14. Finally, it has been found that the container 12 can maintain the original spout 16 in the container 12 while the assembly 10 is being pulled from the dispensing machine, and can maintain the new spout 16 in the container 12 while the assembly 10 is reinstalled on the dispensing machine. In other examples not shown, it is believed that this novel design would greatly enhance the usefulness of a container made of corrugated paper or other paper product. The blank could even be made from plastic or metal.
Numerous modifications and alternative embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing descriptions. Accordingly, these descriptions are to be construed as illustrative only and are for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode or modes presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. The details of the structure or structures disclosed herein may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the exclusive use of all modifications which come within the scope of the appended claims, either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents, is reserved.
Claims
1. A blank that can be used to construct a container for a liquid-filled pouch, the blank comprising:
- a top panel;
- a left panel foldably connected to the top panel;
- a right panel foldably connected to the top panel;
- a first bottom panel foldably connected to the left panel, the first bottom panel including a first opening;
- a second bottom panel foldably connected to the right panel, the second bottom panel including a second opening, wherein the first bottom panel can be overlaid on the second bottom panel such that the first opening is coincident with the second opening to define at least a portion of a container opening;
- a front panel foldably connected to either the right panel or the left panel; and
- a support panel foldably coupled to the front panel, wherein the support panel is disposable against either the first or second bottom panel.
2. The blank of claim 1, wherein the blank is constructed of a plurality of layers.
3. The blank of claim 2, wherein the plurality of layers include at least one layer of paperboard and at least one polyethylene coating.
4. The blank of claim 1, wherein the first opening is an arched opening defining a first pair of legs extending downwardly, and the second opening is an arched opening defining a second pair of legs extending downwardly.
5. The blank of claim 4, wherein the support panel is disposable against either the first pair of legs or the second pair of legs.
6. The blank of claim 4, wherein the support panel has a end, wherein when the support panel is disposed on either the first or second bottom panel, the end of the support panel and the arched openings of the first and second bottom panels define the container opening.
7. The blank of claim 6, wherein the end of the support panel is curved.
8. The blank of claim 1, further comprising a fastening flap foldably connected to the front panel.
9. A container for a dispensing a beverage, comprising:
- a top panel;
- a left panel coupled to the top panel;
- a right panel coupled to the top panel and opposite the left panel;
- a first bottom panel coupled to the left panel, the first bottom panel including a first opening;
- a second bottom panel coupled to the right panel and overlaying the first bottom panel, the second bottom panel including a second opening coincident with the first opening to form at least a portion of a container opening;
- a front panel coupled to either the right or left panel; and
- a support panel coupled to the front panel and disposed against either the first or second bottom panel.
10. The container of claim 9, wherein the first opening is an arched opening defining a first pair of legs extending downwardly, and the second opening is an arched opening defining a second pair of legs extending downwardly.
11. The blank of claim 10, wherein the support panel is disposed against either the first pair of legs or the second pair of legs.
12. The blank of claim 10, wherein the support panel has a end, the end of the support panel and the arched openings of the first and second bottom panels define the container opening.
13. The blank of claim 12, wherein the end of the support panel is curved.
14. The blank of claim 9, further comprising a fastening flap foldably connected to the front panel.
15. An assembly for dispensing a beverage or food, comprising:
- a flexible pouch;
- a spout extending out from the flexible pouch, the spout including a first flange and a second flange spaced from the first flange to define a receiving area; and
- a container including a top panel, a left panel coupled to the top panel, a right panel coupled to the top panel and opposite the left panel, a first bottom panel coupled to the left panel, the first bottom panel including a first opening defining a first inner edge, a second bottom panel coupled to the right panel and overlaying the first bottom panel, the second bottom panel including a second opening defining a second inner edge and being coincident with the first opening to form at least a portion of a container opening, a front panel coupled to either the left or right panel, and a support panel coupled to the front panel and disposed against either the first or second bottom panel;
- wherein the first inner edge and the second inner edge of the container opening are disposed in the receiving area of the spout.
16. The container of claim 15, wherein the first opening is an arched opening defining a first pair of legs extending downwardly, and the second opening is an arched opening defining a second pair of legs extending downwardly.
17. The blank of claim 16, wherein the support panel is disposed against either the first pair of legs or the second pair of legs.
18. The blank of claim 16, wherein the support panel has a end, the end of the support panel and the arched openings of the first and second bottom panels define the container opening.
19. The blank of claim 18, wherein the end of the support panel is curved.
20. A blank that can be used to construct a container for a liquid-filled pouch, the blank comprising:
- a top panel;
- a left panel foldably connected to the top panel;
- a right panel foldably connected to the top panel;
- a first bottom panel foldably connected to the left panel, the first bottom panel including a first arched opening; and
- a second bottom panel foldably connected to the right panel, the second bottom panel including a second arched opening, wherein the first bottom panel can be overlaid on the second bottom panel such that the first arched opening is coincident with the second arched opening to define at least a portion of a container opening;
- wherein the blank is constructed of a plurality of layers including at least one layer of paperboard and at least one polyethylene coating.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 11, 2006
Publication Date: Apr 17, 2008
Applicant: ELWOOD INDUSTRIES (Chicago, IL)
Inventors: Andrew Deniston (Orland Park, IL), James Willman (Chicago, IL)
Application Number: 11/546,494
International Classification: B65D 5/56 (20060101); B65D 43/22 (20060101);