METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FILLING FOOD POUCHES
A stand of a system for filling food pouches includes a first side support structure that includes a lower end portion and an upper end portion. The stand also includes a second side support structure that includes a lower end portion and an upper end portion. The stand further includes an upper support structure which extends between the upper end portion of the first side support structure and the upper end portion of the second side support structure. The upper support structure includes at least one mount receptacle that defines an aperture configured to receive a spout of a food pouch, to facilitate suspending a food pouch from the upper support structure. Systems and methods for filling food pouches are also described herein.
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This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/538,375, “Method and Apparatus for Filling Food Pouches”, filed Sep. 23, 2011, which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis application relates generally to methods and apparatus for filling food containers, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for filing food pouches, for example, baby food pouches.
BACKGROUNDCollapsible and expandable pouches for containing baby food are known.
SUMMARYAccording to one embodiment, a stand of a system for filling food pouches includes a first side support structure, which includes a lower end portion and an upper end portion. The stand also includes a second side support structure that includes a lower end portion and an upper end portion. The stand further includes an upper support structure, which extends between the upper end portion of the first side support structure and the upper end portion of the second side support structure. The upper support structure includes at least one mount receptacle, which defines an aperture configured to receive a spout of a food pouch, to facilitate suspending a food pouch from the upper support structure.
According to another embodiment, a system for filling food pouches includes a stand that includes a first side support structure, a second side support structure, and an upper support structure. The first side support structure includes a lower end portion and an upper end portion. The second side support structure includes a lower end portion and an upper end portion. The upper support structure extends between the upper end portion of the first side support structure and the upper end portion of the second side support structure. The system also includes at least one funnel configured for selective contacting engagement with the upper support structure of the stand and configured for connection to a food pouch suspended from the stand. Each of the at least one funnel defines an interior chamber configured to receive food. The system also includes a plunger configured for selective, sliding engagement with each of the at least one funnel, within the interior chamber defined by each respective tunnel, to facilitate forcing food out of the interior chamber into a respective food pouch suspended from the upper support structure of the stand.
According to another embodiment, a method for filling food pouches is provided. The method uses a system that includes a stand and at least one funnel. Each of the at least one funnel defines an interior chamber. The method includes supporting at least one food pouch with the stand of the system and connecting each of the at least one funnel of the system to a respective one of the at least one food pouch. The method further includes filling at least a portion of the interior chamber defined by each of the at least one funnel with food, and forcing at least a portion of the food out of the interior chamber defined by each of the at least one funnel into a respective one of the at least one food pouch.
Various embodiments will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings wherein:
The system 10 can also include one or more funnels 70, which can be positioned on top of the stand 40 and can be threaded onto respective ones of the food pouches 12. System 10 can also include at least one plunger 80 that can be used in association with the funnels 70, as subsequently described, to force food through the funnels 70 into respective ones of the food pouches 12. The system 10 can also include a plurality of caps 90 (one shown in
Food pouch 12 can include a bag 14 (
The tray 30 can include a base 32 (
As shown in
The upper support structure 48 can include an upper surface 52, a plurality of mount receptacles 54, and a perimeter 56 (
Each of the food pouches 12 can slidingly engage, and can be supported by, the stand 40. The spout 16 of each food pouch 12 can be aligned with a respective aperture 58 and the respective food pouch 12 can be moved forwardly such that at least one of the flanges 18 of spout 16 can slidingly engage the first rail 60 and the second rail 62. For example, in one embodiment, each of the first rail 60 and the second rail 62 can be positioned vertically between the two flanges 18, such that an upper one of the flanges 18 can slide along an upper surface of each of the first rail 60 and the second rail 62 as the spout 16 is moved within the aperture 58. The lower one of the flanges 18 can be spaced from and below the first rail 60 and the second rail 62, or alternatively, can slide along a lower surface of each of the first rail 60 and the second rail 62. Aperture 58, tab 64, tab 66, and spout 16 can be sized such that spout 16 can engage the upper support structure 48 in a snap fit as it slides into a portion of the aperture 58 forward of tabs 64 and 66. In other embodiments, food pouches can be provided with spouts having different configurations that can engage and be supported by stands having the same or different configurations as stand 40 to achieve a variety of mount or support configurations. The upper support structure 48 can be positioned such that, for each of the food pouches 12, a bottom of bag 14 is suspended above, or alternatively contacts, the tray 30, or any of a variety of suitable support surfaces if tray 30 is not used.
Each of the components of system 10, i.e., tray 30 (if used), stand 40, funnel 70, plunger 80 and cap 90, can be manufactured from any suitable material. In one embodiment, each of the components can be made of any suitable plastic material, and can be formed using any suitable molding process. In one embodiment, the upper support structure 48 can be integrally formed with the upper end portion 43 of the left side support structure 41, the upper end portion 46 of the right side support structure 44, and the front wall 47, for ease of manufacturing. In this embodiment, the lower end portion 42 of the left side support structure 41 and the lower end portion 45 of the right side support structure 44 can be formed separately. Alternatively, the stand 40 can be formed as a unitary structure.
The funnel 70 can define an interior chamber 71 which is suitable for receiving food. The funnel 70 can include a housing 72, which can be generally cylindrically shaped and can define at least a portion of the interior chamber 71. In other embodiments, funnels can be provided that include housings having other shapes, e.g., frosts-conical shapes, generally pyramidal shapes, rectangular or square tubular shapes, or any other suitable shape. In such embodiments, plungers can be provided that can have different shapes than the shape of plunger 80, and plungers can be provided that can change shape as they are used to force food downward through an associated housing having a variable cross-section, e.g., a sponge that can change shape to conform to the shape of a variable cross-section housing. The housing 72 can include an inner surface 73. The funnel 70 can further include a neck 74 (
Referring to
The system 110 can also include one or more funnels 170, which can be positioned on top of stand 140 and can be threaded onto a respective food pouch, e.g., food pouch 112. The system 110 can also include at least one plunger 180, which can be used in association with the funnels 170, as subsequently described, to force food through the funnels 170 into respective food pouches, e.g., food pouches 112. The system 110 can also include any of a variety of caps, such as caps 90 of system 10, which can be used to close respective food pouches, e.g., food pouches 112, after at least partially filling the food pouches. The components of system 110, i.e. stand 140, funnels 170, plunger 180 and caps 90 can be packaged as a kit of parts, either with or without one or more food pouches, for example, one or more of the food pouches 12, 112, 212 and 312. Similar to food pouch 12, the food pouch 112 can include a bag 114 (
Referring to
The stand 140 can also include a lower support structure 130, which can extend between the lower end portion 142 of the left side support structure 141 and the lower end portion 145 of the right side support structure 144. The lower support structure 130 can include a base 132, which can include an upper surface 134 (
The upper support structure 148 can include a floor 120, which can include an upper surface 121 and a lower surface 122, as shown in
Each mount receptacle 154 can include a first rail 160, which can be adjacent to one side of the respective aperture 158, and can further include a second rail 162, which can be laterally spaced from the first rail 160, and can be adjacent to an opposite side of the respective aperture 158. The first rail 160 and the second rail 162 can be integral with the floor 120, and can extend in a generally rearward to forward direction and can cooperate to at least partially define the aperture 158. In one embodiment, the first rail 160 can include at least one tab (not shown), or protrusion, which can extend inwardly into the respective aperture 158. Similarly, in one embodiment, the second rail 162 can include at least one tab (not shown), or protrusion, which can extend inwardly into the respective aperture 158. In such embodiments, the tabs of rails 160 and 162, aperture 158, and the spout of a food pouch (e.g., spout 116 of the food pouch 112) can be sized and configured such that the spout of the food pouch (e.g., spout 116 of the food pouch 112) can engage the upper support structure 148 of stand 140 in a snap fit.
Each of the mount receptacles 154 can also include a recessed surface 168, which can be planar and can be vertically spaced from the upper surface 121 of the floor 120 of the upper support structure 148. Each mount receptacle 154 can also include an upwardly extending wall 169, which can extend in a generally circular arc and can surround the recessed surface 168. The upwardly extending wall 169 can extend upwardly from the recessed surface 168 to the upper surface 121 of the floor 120 of the upper support structure 148.
Each of the components of system 110, e.g., stand 140, funnel 170, plunger 180 and cap 90, can be manufactured from any suitable material. In one embodiment, each of the components can be made of any suitable plastic material, and can be formed using any suitable molding process. The upper support structure 148 and the lower support structure 130 can be made separately from one another, and separately from the remaining components of stand 140.
The funnel 170 and the plunger 180 can be configured similar to, or the same as, funnel 70 and plunger 80 of system 10, respectively, and can be associated with one another and with stand 140, in the same or a similar manner as the funnel 70 and plunger 80 are associated with one another and with stand 40 of system 10. As shown in
The funnel 170 can further include a neck 174 that can be integral with the housing 172 and can define a portion of the interior chamber 171. The neck 174 can be tapered inwardly, such that the neck 174 can include a minimum inside diameter which can be smaller than an inside diameter of the housing 172 of funnel 170, which can facilitate forcing food out of the funnel 170. The funnel 170 can also include a connector 176 that can be integral with the neck 174 and can be configured to engage the external thread, or threads, of a spout of a food pouch (e.g., spout 116 of food pouch 112). In one embodiment, the connector 176 can include an outer shell 179 and an inner attachment portion 192, which can be integral with the outer shell 179 and can include an internal thread, or threads, which can be configured to engage the external thread, or threads, of a spout of a food pouch (e.g., spout 116 of food pouch 112). When the inner attachment portion 192 is threadedly engaged with a spout of a food pouch (e.g., spout 116 of food pouch 112), the chamber defined by the bag of the food pouch (e.g., the chamber defined by the bag 114 of food pouch 112), can communicate with the interior chamber 171 defined by funnel 170, via the passage defined by the spout of the food pouch (e.g., the passage defined by spout 116 of food pouch 112). The funnel 170 can also include an upper lip 178, which can be integral with an upper end of the housing 172 and can be contoured as desired to achieve an aesthetically pleasing appearance and to guide entry of plunger 180 into the interior chamber 171 defined by funnel 170. When desired, one or more of the funnels 170 can be stored, when not in use, by aligning each funnel to be stored with one of the posts 138 and placing the funnel 170 on top of the base 132 of the lower support structure 130 such that the post 138 can extend into the attachment portion 192 of the connector 176 of the funnel 170, and the outer shell 179 of the connector 176 can rest on the upper surface 134 of the base 132, surrounded by one of the circular walls 137.
As shown in
The plunger 80 can then be inserted into the funnel 70 and pushed downwardly, as indicated generally by arrow 85 in
Referring to
Use of the systems 10, 110 to fill food pouches, for example food pouches 12, 112, 212, and 312 with various food products, for example baby food, can result in various advantages. For example, a caretaker such as a parent or guardian, can prepare a food product of his or her choice, such as may be selected for reasons of nutrition, diet, economy and activity, i.e., location where the food is to be consumed, for instance by preparing the food using a blender. A relatively large volume of the food product can be prepared in this manner and a relatively smaller amount of the food product, for example an amount that is suitable for a child's meal or snack, can be dispensed into one of the food pouches 12, 112, 212 and 312. The closed, self-contained food pouches 12, 112, 212, 312 can be conveniently taken on walks, errands, or longer trips, or frozen for use later. When desired, the cap (e.g., 90) can be removed from the food pouch (e.g., 12) and food can be forced out of the food pouch (e.g., 12) by squeezing the respective bag (e.g., 14), for consumption, for example by a child. The use of the stands 40, 140 to support the food pouches 12, 112, 212, 312 during filling can simplify this process and can avoid what could otherwise be an awkward and difficult filling process due to the necessity to hold multiple parts during the filling process. Systems 10, 110 can each include only one, or multiple, funnels (e.g., 70, 170) for use in filling multiple food pouches (e.g., 12, 112, 212, and 312). Also, systems 10, 110 can each include only one, or multiple, plungers (e.g., 80, 180) for use with multiple funnels (e.g., 70, 170).
While various embodiments of a stand of a system for filling food pouches, a system for filling food pouches, and a method for filling food pouches, have been illustrated by the foregoing description and have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional modifications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.
Claims
1. A stand of a system for filling food pouches, the stand comprising:
- a first side support structure comprising a lower end portion and an upper end portion;
- a second side support structure comprising a lower end portion and an upper end portion; and
- an upper support structure, the upper support structure extending between the upper end portion of the first side support structure and the upper end portion of the second side support structure; wherein
- the upper support structure comprises at least one mount receptacle, the at least one mount receptacle defining an aperture configured to receive a spout of a food pouch, to facilitate suspending a food pouch from the upper support structure.
2. The stand of claim 1, wherein:
- the at least one mount receptacle comprises a first rail and a second rail laterally spaced from the first rail, the first rail and the second rail cooperating to at least partially define the aperture, the first rail and the second rail being configured to engage a spout of a food pouch.
3. The stand of claim 2, wherein:
- the upper support structure comprises an upper surface; and
- the at least one mount receptacle further comprises a recessed surface vertically spaced from the upper surface of the upper support structure, and a wall surrounding the recessed surface and extending upwardly from the recessed surface to the upper surface of the upper support structure.
4. The stand of claim 3, wherein:
- the upper support structure comprises a perimeter;
- the aperture defined by the at least one mount receptacle extends through the perimeter; and
- each of the first rail and the second rail comprises at least one tab extending inwardly into the aperture defined by the at least one mount receptacle.
5. The stand of claim 2, wherein:
- the upper support structure further comprises a floor, the floor comprising an upper surface and a lower surface; and
- the at least mount receptacle further comprises a recessed surface vertically spaced from the upper surface of the floor, and a wall surrounding the recessed surface and extending upwardly from the recessed surface to the upper surface of the floor.
6. The stand of claim 5, wherein:
- the aperture defined by the at least one mount structure comprises an open end; and
- each of the first rail and the second rail is integral with the floor.
7. The stand of claim 6, wherein:
- the upper support structure further comprises a perimeter and a rim extending upwardly from the floor of the upper support structure and around the perimeter of the upper support structure.
8. The stand of claim 5, further comprising:
- a lower support structure integral with each of the lower end portion of the first side support structure and the lower end portion of the second side support structure, the lower support structure comprising a base, the base comprising an upper surface and a lower surface; wherein
- the lower support structure further comprises at least one circular wall extending upwardly from the upper surface of the base and at least one post extending upwardly from the upper surface of the base and surrounded by a respective one of the at least one circular wall.
9. The stand of claim 2, wherein:
- the at least one mount receptacle comprises a plurality of the mount receptacles.
10. A system for filling food pouches, the system comprising:
- a stand comprising a first side support structure, a second side support structure, and an upper support structure, the first side support structure comprising a lower end portion and an upper end portion, the second side support structure comprising a lower end portion and an upper end portion, the upper support structure extending between the upper end portion of the first side support structure and the upper end portion of the second side support structure;
- at least one funnel configured for selective contacting engagement with the upper support structure of the stand and configured for connection to a food pouch suspended from the stand, each of the at least one funnel defining an interior chamber configured to receive food; and
- a plunger configured for selective, sliding engagement with each of the at least one funnel, within the interior chamber defined by each respective funnel, to facilitate forcing food out of the interior chamber into a respective food pouch suspended from the upper support structure of the stand.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein:
- the upper support structure comprises at least one mount receptacle, the at least one mount receptacle defining an aperture configured to receive a spout of a respective food pouch suspended from the stand.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein:
- the at least one mount receptacle comprises a first rail and a second rail laterally spaced from the first rail, the first rail and the second rail cooperating to at least partially define the aperture.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein:
- the upper support structure of the stand comprises an upper surface; and
- the at least one mount receptacle further comprises a recessed surface vertically spaced from the upper surface of the upper support structure, and a wall surrounding the recessed surface and extending upwardly from the recessed surface to the upper surface of the upper support structure.
14. The stand of claim 13, wherein:
- the upper support structure comprises a perimeter; and
- the aperture defined by the at least one mount receptacle extends through the perimeter.
15. The system of claim 10, wherein:
- the at least one mount receptacle comprises a plurality of the mount receptacles and the at least one funnel comprises a plurality of the funnels, each of the funnels being in selective contacting engagement with a respective one of the mount receptacles.
16. The system of claim 12, wherein:
- the upper support structure comprises a floor, the floor comprising an upper surface and a lower surface; and
- the at least mount receptacle further comprises a recessed surface vertically spaced from the upper surface of the floor, and a wall surrounding the recessed surface and extending upwardly from the recessed surface to the upper surface of the floor.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein:
- the aperture defined by the at least one mount structure comprises an open end; and
- each of the first rail and the second rail is integral with the floor.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein:
- the upper support structure further comprises a perimeter and a rim extending upwardly from the floor of the upper support structure and around the perimeter of the upper support structure.
19. The system of claim 12, further comprising:
- a lower support structure integral with each of the lower end portion of the first side support structure and the lower end portion of the second side support structure, the lower support structure comprising a base, the base comprising an upper surface and a lower surface; and
- the lower support structure further comprises at least one circular wall extending upwardly from the upward surface of the base, and at least one post extending upwardly from the upper surface of the base and surrounded by a respective one of the at least one circular wall.
20. The system of claim 10, wherein:
- for each of the at least one funnel, the funnel comprises a housing comprising an inner surface and the funnel further comprises a neck that is integral with the housing, and a connector that is integral with the neck, the connector being configured to threadedly engage a spout of a food pouch.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein:
- the plunger comprises a first end member, a second end member and a connecting member extending between the first end member and the second end member, the first end member being configured to facilitate grasping the plunger by a hand of a user, and the second end member being configured to slidingly engage the inner surface of the housing of the funnel.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein:
- each of the first end member and the second end member of the plunger is generally disk-shaped.
23. A method for filling food pouches using a system comprising a stand and at least one funnel, each of the at least one funnel defining an interior chamber, the method comprising:
- supporting at least one food pouch with the stand of the system;
- connecting each of the at least one funnel of the system to a respective one of the at least one food pouch;
- filling at least a portion of the interior chamber defined by each of the at least one funnel with food; and
- forcing at least a portion of the food out of the interior chamber defined by each of the at least one funnel into a respective one of the at least one food pouch.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the system further comprises a plunger, and wherein:
- forcing comprises selectively inserting the plunger into the interior chamber defined by each of the at least one funnel, and pushing the plunger downwardly to force at least a portion of the food within the respective interior chamber into a respective one of the at least one food pouch.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the stand of the system comprises an upper support structure, and wherein:
- supporting comprises suspending each of the at least one food pouch from the upper support structure of the stand of the system.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein:
- suspending comprises slidingly engaging each of the at least one food pouch with the upper support structure of the stand of the system.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein:
- connecting comprises threading each of the at least one funnel of the system onto a spout of a respective one of the at least one food pouch.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the system further comprises at least one cap, and wherein the method further comprises:
- removing each of the at least one food pouch from the stand; and
- closing each of the at least one food pouch with a respective one of the at least one cap.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 19, 2012
Publication Date: Mar 28, 2013
Applicant: INFANTINO, LLC (Streetsboro, OH)
Inventor: Infantino, LLC (Streetsboro, OH)
Application Number: 13/622,723
International Classification: B65B 1/04 (20060101);