Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
  • B65D75/52—Details
  • B65D75/58—Opening or contents-removing devices added or incorporated during package manufacture
  • B65D75/5861—Spouts
  • B65D75/5872—Non-integral spouts
  • B65D75/5883—Non-integral spouts connected to the package at the sealed junction of two package walls

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates, generally, to a pouch, and more particularly to a spout for a pouch adapted to be arranged in an inverted position inside a dispensing machine to dispense the fluid from the pouch.
• Pouches that contain fluids are arranged in inverted positions inside a dispensing machine to enable the dispensing of the fluids from the pouches.
• an adapter is inserted inside a spout of such a pouch to allow the fluid to exit to a nozzle of the dispensing machine via the adapter.
• the adapter may get disengaged from the spout due to gravitational force and pressure of the fluid acting on the adapter, which is undesirable.
• One aspect of the disclosure is to provide a spout for a pouch to facilitate an easy and efficient dispensing of a fluid stored inside the pouch when the pouch is arranged in an inverted position inside a dispensing machine.
• One aspect of the disclosure is to provide a spout that enables securing of an adapter inside the spout and prevents a disengagement of the adapter from the spout during a dispensing of a fluid from the pouch arranged inside the dispensing machine.
• a spout for a collapsible bag container of claim 1 includes a tubular structure having a first portion adapted to be arranged inside the bag container and defining a first port at a first axial end of the tubular structure, and a second portion adapted to be arranged outside the bag container and defining a second port at a second axial end of the tubular structure.
• the spout further includes a plug adapted to be arranged inside the bag container and coupled to the first portion. The plug is adapted to be displaced by an adapter of a dispensing machine between a first position and a second position.
• the plug In the first position, the plug is arranged abutting the first axial end and covering the first port. In the second position, the plug is arranged away from the first axial end to enable an opening of the first port. Moreover, the second portion includes at least one opening extending in a radial direction through a wall of the tubular structure. The at least one opening facilitates the coupling and retention of the adapter with the spout.
• the spout further includes a pair of arms extending from the tubular structure to the plug, movably connecting the plug with the tubular structure.
• the pair of arms are configured to extend and retract to enable movement of the plug between the first position and the second position, while keeping the plug engaged with the tubular structure.
• One aspect of the disclosure is to provide a pouch that facilitates an easy and efficient dispensing of a fluid stored inside the pouch when the pouch is arranged in an inverted position inside a dispensing machine.
• One aspect of the disclosure is to provide a pouch having a spout that facilitates a securing of an adapter of a dispensing machine inside the spout and prevents a disengagement of the adapter from the spout during a dispensing of a fluid from the pouch arranged inside the dispensing machine.
• a pouch having a collapsible bag container for storing a fluid and a spout connected to the collapsible bag container.
• the spout includes a tubular structure having a first portion arranged inside bag container and defining a first port at a first axial end of the tubular structure.
• the spout also includes a second portion arranged outside the bag container and defining a second port at a second axial end of the tubular structure.
• the spout further includes a plug arranged inside the bag container and coupled to the first portion. The plug is adapted to be displaced, by an adapter of a dispensing machine, between a first position and a second position.
• the plug In the first position, the plug is arranged abutting the first axial end and covering the first port. In the second position, the plug is arranged away from the first axial end to enable an opening of the first port. Moreover, the second portion includes at least one opening extending in a radial direction through a wall of the tubular structure. The at least one opening facilitates the coupling and retention of the adapter of a dispensing machine with the spout as at least one pin of the adapter extends through the at least one opening.
• the bag container includes a front wall, a rear wall, and pair of side walls arranged opposite to each other and connecting the front wall and the rear wall.
• the bag container includes a top edge and a bottom edge.
• the front wall and the rear wall are connected to each other at the top edge and the bottom edge.
• the spout is arranged at the top edge and the second portion of the tubular structure extends outwardly of the top edge.
• the spout further includes a pair of arms extending from the tubular structure to the plug, movably connecting the plug with the tubular structure.
• the pair of arms are configured to extend and retract to enable movement of the plug between the first position and the second position, while keeping the plug engaged with the tubular structure.
• references in this specification to "one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
• the appearance of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments.
• the terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items.
• various features are described which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others.
• various requirements are described which may be requirements for some embodiments but not for other embodiments.
• the pouch 100 includes a bag container 102 defining a chamber 104 (shown in FIG. 2 ) to store a fluid and a spout 106 connected to the bag container 102 and extending partially inside the bag container 102 to facilitate a filling and/or dispensing of the fluid from the bag container 102.
• the bag container 102 is a collapsible/flexible bag container and is adapted to be squeezed to a collapsible configuration.
• the bag container 102 includes a front wall 108 and a rear wall 110 arranged spaced apart and opposite to the front wall 108, and a pair of sidewalls 112 arranged opposite to each other and extending between the front wall 108 and the rear wall 110. Bottom edges and top edges of the front wall 108 and the rear wall 110 are fused/sealed together and define a bottom edge 114 and a top edge 116 of the bag container 102.
• the bag container 102 may include a base to which the front wall 108, rear wall 110, and the sidewalls 112 are connected and extend in a vertical direction and/or a roof arranged between the sidewalls 112, the front wall 108, and the rear wall 110 and connected to the sidewalls 112, the front wall 108, and the rear wall 110.
• each of the sidewalls 112 includes a side gusset that is adapted to fold along its central line.
• the front wall 108 and the rear wall 110 move towards each other, and each of the sidewalls 112 collapses on itself in response to exit of the fluid from the bag container 102, and may be arranged in the collapsed configuration when the bag container 102 becomes empty.
• some portions of the front wall 108 and the rear wall 110 may be arranged abutting each other, and the sidewalls 112 are folded along respective center line such that the sidewalls 112 are arranged between inner surfaces of the front wall 108 and the rear wall 110.
• the sidewalls 112 are shown and contemplated as the side gussets, it may be envisioned that the gussets may be omitted from the sidewalls 112.
• the spout 106 includes a tubular structure 122 coupled to the top edge 116 of the bag container 102 and having a first axial end 124 arranged inside the bag container 102 and a second axial end 126 arranged outside of the bag container 102.
• the tubular structure 122 includes a first portion 130 arranged inside the chamber 104 and extending from the first axial end 124 towards the second axial end 126, and a second portion 132 arranged outwardly of the chamber 104 and extending from the first portion 130 to the second axial end 126. As shown in FIG.
• the tubular structure 122 is a substantially cylindrical tube defining an elongated channel 134 extending from the first axial end 124 to the second axial end 126. Further, a first port 136 of the elongated channel 134 is defined at the first axial end 124, while a second port 138 of the channel 134 is defined at the second axial end 126 of the tubular structure 122. The first port 136 allows entry of the fluid inside the channel 134 from the chamber 104, while the second port 138 facilitates an exit of the entered fluid from the elongated channel 134.
• the spout 106 includes a plug assembly 140 (best shown in FIG. 3 ) having a plug 142 adapted to be removably engaged with the tubular structure 122 to selectively open and close the first port 136.
• the plug 142 is configured to stop the flow of the fluid from the chamber 104 to the channel 134 when the pouch 100 is arranged in an inverted position, for example, in a dispensing machine, to dispense the fluid. Accordingly, to allow the dispensing of the fluid from the pouch 100, the plug 142 is displaced/separated/moved away from the tubular structure 122 such that plug 142 is arranged away from the first port 136.
• the plug 142 is movably coupled to the tubular structure 122 and is configured to move between a first position and a second position.
• the plug 142 In the first position, the plug 142 is arranged abutting the first axial end 124, covering the first port 136, while the plug 142 is located away from the first axial end 124, hence the first port 136, allowing the exit of the fluid from the chamber 104, in the second position.
• the plug assembly 140 To movably couple the plug 142 with the tubular structure 122, the plug assembly 140 includes a pair of arms 144, 146 having first ends attached to the first portion 130 of the tubular structure 122 and second ends connected to the plug 142. Each of the arms 144, 146 include flexible portion to enable the displacement of the plug 142 between the first position and the second position, while still maintaining the engagement of the plug 142 with the tubular structure 122. It may be appreciated that the plug 142 is moved between the first position and the second position by an adapter 200 (shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 ) of the dispensing machine (not shown) when the pouch 100 is arranged in the inverted position.
• an adapter 200 shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6
• the plug 142 is arranged in the first position, closing the first port 136, and hence prevents flow of the fluid from the bag container 102 to the tubular structure 122 i.e., the channel 134.
• the adapter 200 is inserted inside the tubular structure 122 through the second port 138.
• a top portion 202 of the adapter 200 engages with the plug 142 and disengages the plug 142 from the tubular structure 122 upon further extension of the adapter 200 inside the tubular structure 122 such that the top portion 202 of the adapter 200 extends outwardly of the first port 136 and is arranged in engagement with the plug 142.
• the plug 142 and the top portion 202 of the adapter 200 may include suitable engagement structures to removably secure the top portion 202 of the adapter 200 with the plug 142. Accordingly, the plug 142 is moved back to the first position, covering the first port 136 when the adapter is pulled out of the spout 106.
• the adapter 200 includes a hollow tube 204 and suitable inlet openings 206 at the top portion to allow the exit of the fluid stored inside the bag container 102 through the hollow tube 204.
• the second portion 132 includes at least one engagement structure 150 (best shown in FIG. 4 ) adapted to engage with at least one securing structure 210 (best shown in FIG. 6 ) of the adapter 200.
• the at least one engagement structure 150 includes at least one opening 152 (shown in FIG. 4 ) and the at least one securing structure 210 includes at least one pin 212 (shown in FIG.
• the at least one opening for example, two openings 152, extends in a radial direction from an inner surface of the tubular structure 122 to an outer surface of the tubular structure 122 and is arranged proximate to the second axial end 126 of the tubular structure 122. It may be appreciated that the openings 152 may be disposed diametrically opposite to each other.
• the pins 212 may be spring loaded pins that are pressed inwardly as the pins 212 enter the channel 134 of the spout 106 and extend outwardly through the openings 152 as the pins 212 align with the openings 152, as shown in FIG. 6 .
• the second portion 132 may define at least one cut-out, for example, two cut-outs associated with the two openings 152 and extending in a longitudinal direction from the second axial end 126 of the tubular structure 122 to the associated opening 152. Accordingly, each cutout and opening together define an inverted L shape.
• the pins 212 may simply be protrusions extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of a wall of the hollow tube 204, and enter the openings 152 through the cut-outs. Also, upon inserting the pins 212 inside the openings 152 through the cut-outs, and secure the pins 212 inside the openings 152, the adapter is rotated to position the pins 212 out of alignment of the cut-outs.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Bag Frames (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=89771908

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (1)

Citations (4)

• 2024
  • 2024-01-31 EP EP24154906.2A patent/EP4596449A1/fr active Pending

Patent Citations (4)

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