With Wall-collapsing Means Patents (Class 222/95)
  • Patent number: 5836922
    Abstract: A container for delivery of flowable material has a plastic, deformable container body which can be compressed in its longitudinal direction and a neck of smaller diameter attached to one body end with formation of a projection. The delivery through the neck projection corresponds to the volume diminution obtained by the length reduction of the body, for quantitative regulation of the material delivered through the neck. A cup-shaped bushing has its floor engaged on a shoulder projection of the body. The bushing floor has a passage opening for the neck. A piston is slidable in the bushing until it contacts the bushing floor. An indicator arrangement makes a visible indication of the movement path of the piston in the bushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Bernd Hansen
    Inventors: Bernd Hansen, Willy Leu
  • Patent number: 5833120
    Abstract: A cheese server includes hangers for engaging cheese bag bottoms and suspending the bags inverted in a steam chamber. Gravity influenced squeeze bars ride down the bag sides to express cheese toward the bag outlet fitment. A hose is connected to the fitment and is pinched off by an "iron udder" clamping apparatus to control dispensing. Water in the bottom of the steam tank is heated to produce steam for heating the cheese quickly. A trough in the chamber top returns condensate to the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Gold Medal Products Co.
    Inventors: John C. Evans, Sr., James G. Potter
  • Patent number: 5829637
    Abstract: A bag-in-carton 1 comprises a substantially rectangular parallelepiped carton 2, an inner bag 3 and a pouring spout 5 attached to an inclined panel of the carton 2. The inner bag 3 is adhered to inner-bag adhering regions 9 provided on the substantially entire parts of the inside surfaces of the inclined panel 2g, a pair of side panels 2b, 2d which are adjacent to the inclined panel 2g, and a side panel 2a. The inner bag 3 is also adhered partially to the inside surface of a side panel 2c which is remote from the incline panel 2g. When a content is drawn out through the pouring spout 5, the inner bag 3 is gradually released from the inside surface of the side panel 2 of the inside surface of the carton 2 and is deformed, moved to the pouring spout 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignees: Riso Kagaku Corporation, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takemura, Takeshi Morisako
  • Patent number: 5826751
    Abstract: A dispenser comprises an upper portion having an annular member depending therefrom and a bottom portion having a base and an upright post connected to the base. It also includes a flexible bag capable of containing fluid suspended from the upper portion and located inside the annular member. The flexible bag has a nozzle connected to it such that the flexible bag is closed except at the nozzle. The nozzle has a discharge orifice in fluid communication with the flexible bag. The upper portion telescopingly engages the bottom portion such that the upright post is located substantially aligned with the flexible bag. The upright post is sized to cause the flexible bag to invert when the upper portion and the bottom portion are pressed together. An openable closure closes the discharge orifice so that a fluid-containing flexible bag may be easily handled for replacement of the emptied flexible bag in the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Robert E. Stahley, Dana P. Gruenbacher
  • Patent number: 5819986
    Abstract: A dispenser for liquid, gel, granular or powdered media, comprising an outer container of rigid material in which a suction pump is operated by a trigger mechanism. A pump outlet is connected via a flexible tube to a spray nozzle, and via a suction tube to a connector tube. A refill packing is provided within the outer container and includes an integrally manufactured connector that can be pressed onto the connector tube. The connector tube opens the connector upon insertion thereinto. A special plug, including guide arms, ensures that the connector opens upon insertion of the connector tube, and closes again upon withdrawal of the connector tube from the connector. The connector/connector tube assembly provides leak-free connection of the refill packing within the outer container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: ITSAC N.V.
    Inventors: Laurens Last, Michiel Stokhuyzen
  • Patent number: 5813571
    Abstract: The flexible inner pouch is fixed in a leaktight manner by its neck to a rigid ring having peripheral means for fastening on the neck of a rigid bottle accommodating the flexible pouch and an inner tubular part with means for fastening on a central tubular part of a pump body, a seal ensuring leaktightness between the two tubular parts, independently of the means for fastening the pump on the ring. A circuit for air intake into the volume between the pouch and the bottle may comprise an air passage formed in the pump body and closed by confinement means when the pump is not actuated by operating a plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Societe d'Innovation Recherche Plastique
    Inventor: Denis Gaucher
  • Patent number: 5810202
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pressurized, disposable packaging system to dispense sterile fluids used in surgical procedures. The system consists of an inside, sealed bladder bag which contains the sterile fluid, and an outer bag which encloses, encapsulates and stabilizes the inner bag. The outer and inner bag share a common side seam. The outer pressure bag becomes air tight and sealed when connected to an external pressure device. The external pressure device causes pressure to be applied to an air space between the outer and the inner bag, thereby causing a force against the inner bag to expel the material through at least one exit port communicating the exterior of the outer bag to the interior of the inner bag. The outer bag also includes a pressure port for introducing pressurized gas or other fluid into the air space to force the sterile fluid within the inner bag out through the exit port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Rick R. Wascher, P.C.
    Inventors: Michael W. Hoback, Walter C. Hennessee
  • Patent number: 5810204
    Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing liquid soap or other liquid from either a bag-in-box liquid container or from a bottle of liquid includes a housing. A dispenser actuator is movably mounted on the housing. A first module is provided for insertion into the interior of the housing, the first module including a bottle support and a liquid pump for pumping liquid from the bottle. A second module can also be inserted into the housing interior, the second module including a bag-in-box container support. The modules are selectively alternatively mountable within the housing interior and each of the modules is cooperable with the dispenser actuator when in the housing interior to dispense liquid from the housing interior to a location exterior of the housing responsive to movement of the dispenser actuator relative to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: James River Corporation
    Inventors: John Devlin, Dave Carpenter
  • Patent number: 5803317
    Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing products at elevated temperature, particularly products that do not flow well at room temperature but will flow at elevated temperature, allows packaging of the products in a container, such as a flexible plastic bag, with a discharge tube extending therefrom. The dispenser includes a receptacle with an outlet opening in the lower portion thereof and a pump adjacent to the outlet opening. A container of product is received in the receptacle with the discharge tube extending through the outlet opening and through the pump. A heater is provided for heating the product in the container in the receptacle and in the discharge tube passing through the pump and maintaining it at the desired elevated temperature. The product is dispensed by operating the pump to force heated product to flow through and from the discharge tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Inventor: James R. Wheeler
  • Patent number: 5799830
    Abstract: A disposable fluid transport system is provided for dispensing sterile fluids from a pressure vessel. The pressure vessel has an internal chamber with an outlet opening extending therethrough. The fluid transport system includes a collapsible media bag having an internal compartment defining a sterile environment. A first end of a delivery tube is attached in fluid communication to the compartment of the media bag. Disposed at a point along the length of a delivery tube is an interface adapter. The interface adapter includes an annular flange which encircles and radially projects out from the exterior surface of the delivery tube. The gasket is formed of a resiliently flexible material and has an outside diameter that is larger than the inside diameter of the outlet opening on the pressure vessel. Once the media bag and delivery tube are positioned within the chamber of the pressure vessel, the second end of the delivery tube can be fed out the outlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Inventors: David C. Carroll, Dennis Brown
  • Patent number: 5800421
    Abstract: An intelligent material unit formed of an intelligent gel encapsulated within an enclosure. When the gel is actuated by a change in temperature thereof, such as heat and/or by an externally applied field such as an electrical current, electric field, magnetic field, ultrasonic energy (or sonic), microwave energy, a laser beam or a combination thereof, at least a portion of the wall of the container or enclosure is deformed to perform a mechanical function or operation; such as to valve a fluid or cause movement of the container and gel through a fluid or in a passageway. The container may be a thin-skinned flexible plastic, such as an elastomer and may be elongated or sausage-like in shape, or strip-like. It may be free travelling, cantilever-supported or otherwise mounted or attached to a device, machine or element. It may also carry a drug for delivery therefrom at a select location and time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Inventor: Jerome H. Lemelson
  • Patent number: 5797517
    Abstract: A dispenser has a hollow housing with sidewalls, a base and a top. The top has a cylinder for receiving piston, and a catch for permitting limited movement of the piston within the cylinder. The piston having an inlet valve for allowing air into the cylinder. The cylinder has an outlet valve which forces air into the housing. The dispenser has a tri-purpose nozzle. The nozzle has a dispensing orifice at one end and is biased in an open up position. The piston is suspended from the bottom surface of the nozzle. As such, the nozzle acts as the pump for slidably moving the piston within the cylinder. The top has a fluid outlet port opposite the position of the cylinder. The nozzle is rotatably connected to the top. In addition, there is a structure for fluidly connecting the fluid outlet port to the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: Primary Delivery Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jack Weinstein
  • Patent number: 5791521
    Abstract: A liquid dispensing bag includes a bag body portion having a surface wall and a back wall formed of a flexible material having high gas barrier properties, and an elongated spout portion in which the surface wall and said back wall are projected in an elongated manner from a lower portion of the bag body portion. A flowpassage division area has the surface wall and the back wall welded integrally to divide a flowpassage toward the lower portion of the bag body portion. The flow passage division area is formed at a position close to the lower portion from the center of the bag body portion. The flowpassage division area is provided upwardly thereof with a pressure regulating area in which the surface wall and the back wall are welded. The flowpassage division area is formed in the central portion with a central flowpassage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Tokan Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masuo Kitamura, Tetsuo Fukuoka, Kenji Ozawa, Kunio Yamada, Hajime Yamada
  • Patent number: 5788120
    Abstract: A bag for a frozen dessert dispenser includes a spout which has a tab which projects down into the bag to ensure that the bag does not cover the outlet opening. The spout also includes an indentation which mates with a projection on the dispenser to ensure that the tab is properly oriented in the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Europex Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Irvin H. Stumler
  • Patent number: 5775533
    Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing a soft-serve frozen product includes a housing having first and second compartments. A door mounts on the housing in a position over the first compartment. The second compartment houses a refrigeration unit for cooling the first compartment. A sleeve and a block disposed within the first compartment support a soft-serve frozen product container. The soft serve frozen product container includes a body with a head attached at one end. A dispensing system compresses the soft-serve frozen product container to extrude product therefrom. An extendable and retractable tape mounted within the sleeve separates the soft-serve frozen product container from the dispensing system to prevent entanglement of the soft-serve frozen product container with the dispensing system. A lever mounted on the door opens the soft-serve frozen product container, while a switch coupled to the lever activates the dispensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Lancer Partnership Ltd.
    Inventor: Alfred A. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 5773067
    Abstract: In the method for preparing metered amounts of a drink in situ such as coffee, from soluble powder, a concentrate of a drink is produced by dissolving determined quantities of soluble powder with water. Then part or all of the concentrate is diluted in hot or cold water in order to produce a metered amount of a drink. The device for the implementation of the method includes an enclosure using a defined large volume of soluble powder and a relatively small defined quantity of liquid such as water, for dissolving the powder in the liquid so as to produce a concentrate in situ, and device for diluting part or all of the concentrate in a liquid in order to rapidly produce individual metered amounts of a drink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Societe Agricole de Produits de Base
    Inventors: Alain Freychet, Jean-Fran.cedilla.ois Bassereau
  • Patent number: 5772083
    Abstract: A pressurized container contains a product to be dispensed and a propellant gas. The container includes a closed reservoir, a cylindrical neck, a dispensing head mounted on the neck and a safety device. The safety device can prevent an accidental excess pressure inside the container and includes an annular resilient retaining mechanism that surrounds the neck. The annular resilient retaining mechanism is capable of tightly gripping the dispensing head on the neck in a leakproof manner when an internal pressure of the reservoir is below a predetermined value. The annular resilient retaining mechanism is further capable of moving the dispensing head away from the neck so as to create a communication between an inside of the container and atmosphere when the internal pressure exceeds the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: L'Oreal
    Inventor: Gerard Joulia
  • Patent number: 5769274
    Abstract: A dispenser for substances that are at least partially fluid includes an outer casing (1) fitted with a pump (4) having a tubular body (5). The tubular body is provided with a vent (5e) that is closed when a piston of the pump is in a rest position. A flexible bag (3) is connected to the pump beneath the vent by means of a bushing (2) that forms a ring which has a cylindrical skirt (2b) connected to a top band (2a) and forms a flange (2c, 2e) for centering and support purposes against the outer casing. A counter-flange (7a) connects the pump to the outer casing in a sealed manner. Communication (2f) is established between a lower intermediate space (1c) surrounding the bag and an upper intermediate space (1b) that is associated with the vent. Conservation of the substance is improved and filling and purging air are simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Sofab
    Inventor: Alain Behar
  • Patent number: 5769273
    Abstract: A pouring spout 5 is mounted on the front surface of a carton 2. The pouring spout 5 pierces through an inner bag. Only a region which is slightly larger than the half of the inner bag 3 on the pouring spout side is adhered to the inner surfaces of the carton by a paste. As the content is discharged, since the movable portion of the inner bag is injected into the fixed portion fixed on the inner surfaces of the carton, as the content is discharged, the volume of the inner bag is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Sasaki, Takehiko Bizen, Hiroshi Miyama, Takeshi Morisako, Hiroko Tsukada
  • Patent number: 5746350
    Abstract: A pump device for a container that is capable of pouring substantially the whole quantity of contents. The pump device includes an operating portion exposed to an outside of the container, a suction portion having a flange attached to the mouth of the container and a lower end inserted into the container for sucking out the contents of a contents filled sealed bag from a suction port, and a gap holding rod having a proximal end internally fitted into the section portion and a distal end extending toward an inner bottom portion of a contents filled sealed bag. The suction portion includes a plurality of cylindrical portions of decreasing diameter starting below the flange. First and second protruded and recessed portions are provided on separate cylindrical portions and third protruded and recessed portions are provided on an outer peripheral surface of the gap holding rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Nishigami, Tsugio Arai
  • Patent number: 5738657
    Abstract: An ambulatory infusion and/or KVO (keep vein open) system (12, 18) has a gas-pressurized bladder arrangement (12) including a gas barrier associated therewith. The system includes a flexible bag of solution (13) inserted in a sleeve portion (36) of the bladder arrangement (12). Internal gas pressure which is developed within the bladder arrangement by a selectively initiated chemical reaction exerts a continuing pressure against the solution bag (13) to cause the solution to flow therefrom. A tubing set (18) of the system includes a flow restrictor (24) which is sized for minimal flow rates for indwelling catheter patency maintenance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
    Inventors: Peter L. Bryant, Nicolaos A. Drivas, Rodney M. Mittag, John K. Moore, Edward S. Tripp, William L. Rudzena, John C. Williams
  • Patent number: 5730328
    Abstract: A trellis insert for use in an inner container of a pressurized double wall pressure container used to propel liquids from the container. The trellis prevents undesirable collapse of the inner container so as to provide controlled amounts of residual product when the inner container is collapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Praezisions-Werkzeuge AG
    Inventors: Alexandre Maeder, Josef Ruegg, Thomas Soltermann
  • Patent number: 5730327
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an arrangement for portioning or dispensing viscous material from a pack, whereby the pack is positionable in an outer container and a portioning or dispensing unit includes a non-return valve which prevents the material from flowing back to the pack during portioning or dispensation. For being able to quickly place the pack in the outer container and quickly and safely lock a retaining portion as well as ensure than vital valve members of the non-return valve are not damaged during handling and operation of the portioning unit, the outer container is divided in a special way into two container members, whereby retaining members of the retaining device are integrated in the container members and whereby the valve seat of the non-return valve is surrounded by the retaining members of the retaining device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Asept International AB
    Inventor: Leif Einar Stern
  • Patent number: 5730326
    Abstract: An aerosol can comprising a rigid housing (11), a lid (12), a valve (13) arranged on the lid, and a flexible bag (14) connected to the valve and containing the substance to be dispensed. The valve comprises a discharge channel (19) through which the substance to be dispensed is fed, and a side air inlet (20). Said valve further comprises a mixing device (100) interconnecting the side pressurized air inlet and the discharge channel to form a uniform air/substance mixture. The valve can be placed in a series of positions, i.e. a closed position in which the channel and inlet are sealed, a flushing position in which only the inlet is open, and an operative position in which both the channel and the inlet are open. In the flushing position, air is expelled through the outlet to remove the substance remaining therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Inventor: Charles Kaeser
  • Patent number: 5720741
    Abstract: A venous reservoir bag subassembly is provided which is adapted to cooperate with a mounting assembly having a bracket frame and a front plate reproducibly relatively movable to enable constant accurate blood volume readout, cooperating means between the subassembly and the mounting assembly to provide against unduly low blood volume, and angled conduit means cooperating with the bag and recesses in the subassembly and assembly to provide further failsafe against passage of the undesirable gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Cobe Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodger L. Stewart, William D. Dalke, Joseph A. Scibona, Barry D. Reed, John T. Buckley
  • Patent number: 5711454
    Abstract: A container and pump device is provided that allows interference in pumping action, caused by collapsing of an inner layer of the container during expulsion of fluid from within the container, to be eliminated. The container can be a laminated bottle having a mouth portion, a body, a bottom portion, and at least an inner layer and an outer layer. The pump device includes a suction portion inserted into the bottle and an operable portion exposed to an outside of the bottle. The suction portion is open to a lower end of the pump and includes a rod extending toward the bottom of the bottle. The rod has a cross-section that extends in more than two directions, preferably an I-beam with a centrally intersecting beam. The suction portion, including the rod, creates several fluid communication paths along the I-beam rod from the inner layer to the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Kobayashi, Akira Nishigami
  • Patent number: 5699935
    Abstract: An inverting bag co-dispenser for dispensing a plurality of fluids simultaneously but separately through, a spout and, with a predetermined discharge volume ratio for each fluid. An upper portion defining a housing has a spout connected thereto. The housing has an outer wall and a plurality of side-by-side annular members supported internally to the outer wall. A plurality of fluid containing flexible bags are connected to and supported in the upper portion, one each of the bags being located inside one each of the side-by-side annular members and in fluid communication with the spout. The bags have closed bottoms, perimeters slidably fitting inside the annular members, and a bag wall thickness. A bottom portion has a base and an outer wall extending upwardly therefrom. The bottom portion also has a plurality of upright posts connected to the base and located inside the outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Robert E. Stahley
  • Patent number: 5693017
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) and method for delivering an oxygen-supersaturated physiologic solution (12) into a lumen (14) of a blood vessel (16) to replace arterial blood beyond an angioplasty catheter (18) during clinical angioplasty without bubble formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Wayne State University
    Inventors: James Richard Spears, Richard James Crilly
  • Patent number: 5685456
    Abstract: A coil spring made of a shape memory alloy is seated within the container a portable dispenser in a contracted condition under compressive stress maintained by the physical constraint of a pressure plate engaging a collapsible enclosure internally lining the dispenser container to isolate therein material to be dispensed. The pseudoelastic properties of the shape memory alloy are selected to exclusively regulate the storage and delivery pressures in order to accommodate different materials to be dispensed and control discharge thereof by the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: David Goldstein
  • Patent number: 5667102
    Abstract: The cartridge comprises a liner which is fastened at its outlet end to an outlet assembly which in turn is attachable to the front piece of the cartridge and which is held at its inlet end thus, that the piston slides inside the liner package. At the inlet end the liner is either fastened to the piston or to a ring insertable into the inlet end of the cartridge. Such a liner package has a low volume and plastic waste to be disposed of whereas the cylinders and the front piece of the cartridge are re-usable, whilst all performances of a rigid cartridge can be maintained or surpassed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Inventor: Wilhelm A. Keller
  • Patent number: 5665070
    Abstract: An infusion pump for providing a pressurized liquid flow from a collapsible, deformable reservoir bag includes a magnetically actuated pressurizing member that applies a pressure to the bag in response to the force of magnetic attraction applied by a magnet. In several embodiments, a bag is seated on a platen of magnetizable metal, and a magnet with a compressing surface is mounted for movement toward and away from the platen. As the magnet is moved toward the platen by the force of magnetic attraction, the bag is pressurized between the magnet and the platen. The magnet may be spring biased either toward or away from the platen to alter the relationship between the decreasing volume of the bag and the pressure applied to it, by compensating in a known manner for the change in the magnitude of the magnetic force with the distance between the magnet and the platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: I-Flow Corporation
    Inventor: Charles J. McPhee
  • Patent number: 5664704
    Abstract: A dropwise liquid dispensing system is provided which includes a liquid formulation having a surface tension of less than a specific value. A tip is provided for dispensing of the liquid formulation in a dropwise fashion and an inner bottle, in communication with the tip, contains the liquid formulation, and forces the liquid formulation through the tip when compressed. The inner bottle is configured with a volume for preventing a liquid formulation from flowing out of the bottle through the tip without compression of the inner bottle. An outer bottle is provided and disposed around the inner bottle for compressing the inner bottle. The inner and outer bottles are sized for providing hydraulic advantage in compressing the inner bottle with the hydraulic advantage being manifested by the outer bottle having a greater inner surface area than an outer surface of the inner bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Allergan, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Meadows, Katherine C. Kurjan, Larry E. Branham
  • Patent number: 5657891
    Abstract: A container suitable for containing and dispensing fluid materials comprising a hollow body wherein said container comprises a sealing and venting system consisting of a perforated area (4) comprising one or more perforations of the container in combination with a fluid-impermeable but gas-permeable membrane applied to said perforated area (4) such as to provide a liquid-impermeable sealing means (1) and gas-permeable venting means characterized in that said membrane is treated to reduce its surface energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Nady Bilani, Joseph Fernand Deflander, Johan Willy Declerck, Luc Hauben, Willy Aloysius Maria
  • Patent number: 5657903
    Abstract: A device (10) for emptying sauce bags and the like for assist in the evacuation of contents (56) from a conventional flexible container (50). The device (10) is especially designed to evacuated heated contents (56) from a flexible container (50) in such a manner that the user is not required to directly contact any portion of the container (50) which is heated, thus protecting the user's hands. The device (10) provides the added utility of removing substantially all of the contents (56) from within the container (50). The device (10) includes a handle (12) and a pair of engagement members (16). The engagement members (16) are substantially parallel one to the other, and are closely spaced apart to define a narrow slot (38) through which the flexible container (50) is received. The slot (38) is defined from the distal ends (18) of the engagement members (16) and terminates proximate the handle (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Inventor: Jodie Schmidt Roberts
  • Patent number: 5653360
    Abstract: For emptying a film tube 15 containing a flowable substance, the front end f the tube is provided with a ring 17 the peripheral portion 19 of which exceeds the inner diameter of a cartridge 1 which receives the tube 15. The ring 17 has a conical sealing surface 20 which cooperates with a sealing edge 12 formed inside the cap 2. In operation, the cylindrical rear portion 7 of the cap 2 is slid onto a front portion 4 of the cartridge 1, whereby the ring 17 provided on the tube 15 has its sealing surface 20 centered and aligned in the radial and axial directions to ensure proper engagement between the sealing edge 12 and the sealing surface 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Thera Patent GmbH & Co. KG Gesellschaft fur Industrielle Schutzrechte
    Inventors: Gerd Brandhorst, Wolf-Dietrich Herold, Ralf Heiduczek
  • Patent number: 5650180
    Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing a paste-type material includes: a container charged with a paste-type material and provided at its one end with an extrusion tip, the container being collapsible in the longitudinal direction until the internal volume thereof is almost completely nullified; a cylindrical body opened at its both ends and having a diameter such that the container charged with the paste-type material is received in the cylindrical body; a piston sized to be insertable into the cylindrical body; and an extruder having a receiving portion for receiving the cylindrical body and having an operating portion. The operating portion is operable to cause a predetermined amount of advance of the piston into the cylindrical body received in the receiving portion so as to collapse the container in the longitudinal direction, thereby extruding a predetermined amount of the paste-type material from the extrusion tip of the container upon each operation of the operating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: Knorr Foods Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeo Kumada, Masahiro Furuya
  • Patent number: 5647510
    Abstract: The multiple component metering and relative proportioning device, in particular a two-component co-axial device, comprises a cartridge (1) wherein at least one inner package assembly (3) containing one component is lodged within an outer package assembly (2) containing another component. The package assemblies (2, 3) are collapsible and are located in a reusable rigid housing (4), each package assembly having an individual outlet (8, 11), all individual outlets being joined in a common outlet piece (10). The package assemblies are sealed at their other end where a re-usable piston (23) is slidingly lodged within the rigid housing for collapsing the package assemblies and dispensing their content. Such a device allows an efficient disposal of the collapsed package assemblies and of the front outlet piece, and rear pieces in a compact form, whereas the other parts are re-usable, thus maintaining a high reliability, user friendliness and cost effectiveness of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Inventor: Wilhelm A. Keller
  • Patent number: 5636764
    Abstract: A discharge bulk bag that increases the efficiency for handling, storing, transporting and discharging dry materials in intermediate bulk containers. When filled with dry bulk material, the bulk bag can be easily moved about, transported or stored. A flexible discharge spout is located on the bottom side of one of the walls of the bag. At the time of discharge, the bag is positioned on the unloader and the spout is unfolded from its stowed position by releasing one of the restraint straps. The outlet opening at the end of the discharge spout is then connected to a receptacle opening. By releasing the bottom most restraint strap, the spout section opens up--allowing the bulk material inside to flow. The bulk material will continue to flow until it reaches a static condition, at which time the platform of the unloader begins to incline--dumping the remaining material in the bag towards the outlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Inventor: Timothy C. Bonerb
  • Patent number: 5634572
    Abstract: A dispenser system having a substantially large pouch (20) for holding a substantially large amount of viscous food product for dispensing from a dispenser (122). The pouch is formed so as to include a tear strip (38) to open a funnel-shaped, centrally disposed outlet spout (24) and to be sealingly held in the dispenser. The pouch may include a pair of alignment/holding openings (32, 34) formed on either side of the outlet spout for aligning the pouch in a preferred position in the dispenser, so that a piston-type extruding member (136) may pressurize and dispense predetermined size shots of viscous food product therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Winpak Lane, Inc.
    Inventors: William A. Lane, Jr., Steven D. Davis, Chester F. Robards, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5632415
    Abstract: A dispensing machine is particularly intended for dispensing semi-solid products such as ice cream or frozen yogurt. The machine utilizes a container for the product which container is open at one end and is deformed to discharge the product by the application of a plunger to the opposite end. A sealing plate is releasably located in the open end of the container and the plate includes a discharge outlet for the product which leads to a discharge nozzle. The plunger is driven by a piston and cylinder device and the container, the plate and its housing is movable in and out to replace the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Unice International Limited
    Inventor: Gary S. McGill
  • Patent number: 5630530
    Abstract: A dispensing module for use in the dispensing of pressurized liquids, foams, gels or the like comprises the combination of a dispenser valve (12) and a flexible bag (24) which is bonded thereto. The bag (24) is intended to be located within an outer container (22) by way of an opening (23) in the latter that can be closed with a lid (25). Disposed within the bag (24) is a delivery nozzle (58) that can be connected to the valve body (14) of the dispenser valve (12) through the bag material with the interposition of a sealing ring (32) in such a way that between the interior (52) of the bag and the valve body (14) fluid communication is maintained. The delivery nozzle (58) and/or the valve body (14) is made of a material that is fracture-proof and in particular not permeable to organic media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Coster Tecnologie Speciali S.p.A.
    Inventors: Adalberto Geier, Giuseppe Dalsant
  • Patent number: 5622282
    Abstract: A double-walled aerosol spray container includes a hollow outer jacket and a flexible bag therein. A substance to be sprayed is held in the bag, while a propellant is charged into a space outside of the bag and within the jacket. The construction of the aerosol spray container helps ensure that the bag does not slip off during manufacture or use thereof. The bag includes a flange about its open end, and the flange abuts an inwardly projecting engagement ridge formed on a corresponding part of the jacket, preferably with an annular packing therebetween. The bag has a storage section that is thinner than the flange, and is easily deflatable or deformable. The aerosol spray container also includes a housing in which a spray valve mechanism is incorporated. The housing includes an inner frame that is inserted into the open end of the bag so that the bag is securely held between the jacket and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Toyo Aerosol Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Iwao Yazawa, Toshiyuki Mitsui, Kazunori Hoshino
  • Patent number: 5620115
    Abstract: A frozen confection dispenser includes a collapsible container for the confection such as ice cream and a piston for selectively collapsing the container to extrude the confection from the container through an outlet to a cone or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Inventor: Shane R. McGill
  • Patent number: 5607082
    Abstract: A compression sprayer is provided with a bag in the tank for holding the product to be sprayed. The bag may be initially provided in folded, collapsed, sealed condition containing the product in concentrated form. The folded bag is then mounted interiorially of the tank and filled with liquid to provide the solution to be sprayed. The bag unfolds as it is filled and thereafter is coupled with the tank outlet. An internally mounted pump assembly pressurizes the interior of the tank to compress the bag which collapses as the contained liquid is sprayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: H. D. Hudson Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Raymond Cracauer
  • Patent number: 5593066
    Abstract: A container including a cylindrical main body having front and rear end portions opposite each other and being axially collapsible along the longitudinal axis thereof to discharge contents therein through the first end portion. The rear end portion is sealed, and a reinforcing member having a discharge aperture extending therethrough is secured to the front end portion of the cylindrical main body. Additionally, a lid is disposed on the reinforcing member to cover the discharge aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Hosokawa Yoko, Kabushiki Kaisha Polymer Systems
    Inventors: Ritaro Konuma, Yoji Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5570815
    Abstract: A chemical delivery system comprising a collapsible, container, such as a storage bag, positioned within a pressure vessel for providing delivery of a chemical fluid includes an inlet port on the uppermost portion of the storage bag and a withdrawal tube extending from the lowermost portion of the storage bag to its top. The withdrawal tube, which is made of the same material as the storage bag, is routed alongside, or within the storage bag, from the bottom to a point above the top. In one embodiment, the storage bag is carried within an rigid pressure vessel and the withdrawal tube is carried through a wall of the vessel without the use of inline fittings. In an alternate embodiment, the storage bag is secured within a less flexible bag, which provides a pressurizing receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machine Corp.
    Inventor: Bruce P. Ramsay
  • Patent number: 5566860
    Abstract: A cartridge for use in a dispensing gun for simultaneously dispensing and mixing a pair of chemically reactive fluid components maintained in separate chambers in the cartridge. One of the fluid components is contained in an elongated tube formed of a thin flexible film which is placed within a first chamber located either coaxially within an outer annular second chamber containing the other fluid component, or in a side-by-side relationship to the second chamber. Pistons are slidably mounted within the two chambers for simultaneously dispensing the fluid components therefrom when moved forward by plungers of the dispensing gun. In a first embodiment, the front end surface of one of the pistons is recessed from an outer end surface of the other piston to form a void space for collecting the collapsed flexible film therein to permit the outer piston to reach the full extent of its stroke and expel all of the fluid components from both the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Liquid Control Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Schiltz, Frederick D. Wasmire
  • Patent number: 5566863
    Abstract: A system for selectively dispensing condiments for items of food, including a plurality of condiment containers, a dispenser head having a plurality of input passages, an outlet nozzle, and valves for controlling fluid flow from each of the input passages to the outlet nozzle, a plurality of fluid flow lines, with a line connecting each condiment container to a corresponding dispenser head input passage, and a fluid pump in each of the fluid flow lines whereby an operator can dispense selected condiments from the nozzle onto a food item. Arrangements for daily and bi-weekly sanitizing of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Dispenser King, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Mesenbring, Lawrence J. Patriquin, Rory F. Ramirez, Dell W. Smith
  • Patent number: 5566406
    Abstract: A self-contained emergency eye wash station for dispensing eye wash fluid contained in a flexible container comprises a housing, a reservoir, and a platen. The housing supports the flexible container and supports a nozzle in fluid communication with the flexible container. The nozzle dispenses the eye wash fluid from the flexible container. The housing includes a drain capturing the eye wash fluid dispensed from the nozzle. The reservoir collects the eye wash fluid captured by the drain, and the reservoir is slidably mounted to the housing. The platen is connected to the reservoir. The platen is slidably movable relative to the housing and is located immediately above the flexible container. The platen presses downward on the flexible container with a downward force proportional to a weight of the eye wash fluid collected in the reservoir. The transfer of the weight of the eye wash fluid collected in the reservoir to the platen maintains a constant flow of eye wash fluid dispensed from the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Fendall Company
    Inventors: Rodney L. Demeny, Robert B. Hurley
  • Patent number: 5564596
    Abstract: A multiple fluid dispensing device is provided which includes a plurality of liquid formulations with at least one formulation having a surface tension of less than a specific value. A tip is provided for dispensing of the liquid formulations in a dropwise fashion and an inner bottle, in communication with the tip, contains the liquid formulations in separate compartments, and forces the liquid formulations through the tip when compressed. The inner bottle is configured with a volume for preventing the liquid formulations from flowing out of the bottle through the tip without compression of the inner bottle. An outer bottle is provided and disposed around the inner bottle for compressing the inner bottle. The inner and outer bottles are sized for providing hydraulic advantage in compressing the inner bottle with the hydraulic advantage being manifested by the outer bottle having a greater inner surface area than an outer surface of the inner bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Allergan, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Meadows, Katherine C. Kurjan, Larry E. Branham