Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B67D3/00—Apparatus or devices for controlling flow of liquids under gravity from storage containers for dispensing purposes
  • B67D3/0029—Apparatus or devices for controlling flow of liquids under gravity from storage containers for dispensing purposes provided with holders for bottles or similar containers
  • B67D3/0032—Apparatus or devices for controlling flow of liquids under gravity from storage containers for dispensing purposes provided with holders for bottles or similar containers the bottle or container being held upside down and provided with a closure, e.g. a cap, adapted to cooperate with a feed tube
• • 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
  • B65D47/00—Closures with filling and discharging, or with discharging, devices
  • B65D47/04—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps
  • B65D47/20—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps comprising hand-operated members for controlling discharge
  • B65D47/24—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps comprising hand-operated members for controlling discharge with poppet valves or lift valves, i.e. valves opening or closing a passageway by a relative motion substantially perpendicular to the plane of the seat
  • B65D47/248—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps comprising hand-operated members for controlling discharge with poppet valves or lift valves, i.e. valves opening or closing a passageway by a relative motion substantially perpendicular to the plane of the seat the valve being opened or closed by imparting a motion to the valve stem
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
  • B67D1/04—Apparatus utilising compressed air or other gas acting directly or indirectly on beverages in storage containers
  • B67D1/0462—Squeezing collapsible or flexible beverage containers, e.g. bag-in-box containers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B67D3/00—Apparatus or devices for controlling flow of liquids under gravity from storage containers for dispensing purposes
  • B67D3/0058—Details
  • B67D3/0061—Details of liquid containers, e.g. filling, emptying, closing or opening means
  • B67D3/0067—Details of liquid containers, e.g. filling, emptying, closing or opening means relating to shape or materials, e.g. bag-in-box packages [BIB], pouches

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates, generally, to an adapter, and more particularly to displace a plug of a spout for a pouch 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 an adapter that facilitates an easy and efficient displacement of a plug of a spout of a pouch to enable 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 an adapter adapted to be secured to the spout of the pouch to prevent disengagement of the adapter from the spout during a dispensing of a fluid from the pouch arranged inside the dispensing machine.
• One aspect of the disclosure is to provide an adapter that can be easily engaged and disengaged with a plug of the spout.
• the adapter controls a flow of a fluid from a pouch arranged in an inverted position.
• the pouch is arranged inside a dispensing machine.
• the pouch includes a bag container to store the fluid and a spout coupled to the bag container and configured to facilitate the dispensing of the fluid from the bag container.
• the spout includes a tubular structure defining a first port arranged inside the bag container and a second port disposed outside the bag container.
• the spout further includes a plug movably coupled to the tubular structure and arranged inside the bag container and adapted to be displaced between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the plug is arranged away from the first port facilitating an exit of the fluid from the bag container. In the second position, the plug is arranged covering the first port preventing the exit of the fluid from the bag container.
• the adapter is suitable to displace the plug between the first position and the second position and comprises a body adapted to be extended inside the tubular structure, and a head adapted to engage with the plug.
• the head displaces the plug between the first position and the second position in response to an extension and retraction of the adapter inside the spout.
• the adapter includes at least one securing structure coupled to the body and configured to engage with the spout to secure the adapter with the spout to retain the plug in the first position. Accordingly, the at least one securing structure prevents the disengagement of the adapter from the spout due to gravity, pressure of the fluid stored inside the bag container, or any external force applied onto the bag container.
• the adapter defines at least one inlet opening extending in a lateral direction and defined between the head and the body to enable the flow of the fluid from the bag container to the adapter.
• the at least one securing structure includes at least one pin extending radially outwardly from the body, wherein the at least one pin is adapted to extend inside an opening of the spout to secure the adapter with the spout.
• the plug includes at least one flexible wall and the head includes a flange adapted to flex the at least one wall outwardly in the lateral direction to enable the insertion of the head inside the plug.
• the flange includes an outer edge having a pair of flat portions arranged diametrically opposite to each other and a pair of arcuate portions separating the pair of flat portions.
• the pair of flat portions reduces the force needed to insert the head of the adapter inside the plug of the spout and thereby enables an easy engagement of the head with the plug of the spout.
• the flange is a first flange and the head includes a second flange arranged spaced apart from the first flange in an axial direction defining a gap, wherein one or more tabs of the at least one flexible wall is arranged inside the gap in the engagement of the head with the plug to restrict an undesired disengagement of the head from the plug during movement of the plug between the first position and the second position in response to the extension and retraction of the adapter relative to the tubular structure.
• the adapter further comprises a stopper structure extending outwardly of the body in a lateral direction, wherein the stopper structure restricts the extension of the adapter inside the spout beyond a predefined length.
• 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.
• FIG. 1 a perspective view of an adapter 100 for a dispensing machine that facilitates a dispensing of a fluid stored inside at least one pouch 200 is shown.
• the pouch 200 is stored/arranged in an inverted position inside the dispensing machine.
• the pouch 200 includes a bag container 202 defining a chamber 204 to store the fluid and a spout 206 connected to the bag container 202 and extending partially inside the bag container 202 to facilitate a filling and/or dispensing of the fluid from the bag container 202.
• the bag container 202 is a collapsible/flexible bag container and is adapted to be squeezed to a collapsible configuration.
• the spout 206 includes a tubular structure 222 coupled to a top edge of the bag container 202 and having a first portion 230 arranged inside the chamber 204 and a second portion 232 arranged outwardly of the chamber 204.
• the tubular structure 222 is a substantially cylindrical tube defining an elongated channel 234 (shown in FIG. 3 ) extending from a first axial end 224 to a second axial end 226.
• a first port 236 of the elongated channel 234 is defined at the first axial end 224
• a second port 238 of the channel 234 is defined at the second axial end 226 of the tubular structure 222.
• the spout 206 includes a plug 242 adapted to be removably engaged with the tubular structure 222 to selectively open and close the first port 236.
• the plug 242 is configured to stop a flow of the fluid from the chamber 204 to the channel 234 when the pouch 200 is arranged in an inverted position. Accordingly, to allow the dispensing of the fluid from the pouch 200, the plug 242 is displaced/separated/moved away from the tubular structure 222 such that the plug 242 is arranged away from the first port 236. Therefore, the plug 242 is movably coupled to the tubular structure 222 and is configured to move between a first position and a second position.
• the plug 242 In the first position, the plug 242 is arranged away from the first axial end 224 opening the first port 236, allowing the exit of the fluid from the chamber 204, while the plug 242 is arranged abutting the first axial end 224, hence covering the first port 236, preventing the exit of the fluid from the chamber 204, in the second position.
• the plug 242 is moved between the first position and the second position by the adapter 100 (shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 ) when the pouch 200 is arranged in the inverted position.
• the plug 242 includes a roof structure 250, at least one flexible wall 252 arranged circularly around a central axis 256 of the roof structure 250 defining a cavity 258 to receive the adapter 100.
• the at least one wall 252 may be adapted to flex outwardly in a lateral/radial direction to facilitate the insertion of the adapter 100 inside the cavity 258 and flex back to its original portion upon removal of the flexing force to retain the adapter 100 engaged with the plug 242.
• the at least one wall 252 may include one more tabs 260 that may engage with the adapter 100 to enable a retention of the adapter 100 with the plug 242 and inside the cavity 258.
• the plug 242 may include a centrally arranged receptacle 264 having a hollow cylindrical shape and coupled to the roof structure 250. The receptacle 264 extends inwardly of the cavity 258 from the roof structure 150 in an axial/longitudinal direction.
• the adapter 100 is structured to be engaged with the one or more tabs 260 and the receptacle 264 to enable a movement of the plug 242 between the first position and the second position in response to the extension and retraction of the adapter 100 inside the spout 206.
• the adapter 100 includes a substantially cylindrical body 102 adapted to extend inside the plug 242 through the tubular structure 222 of the spout 206 and a head 106 coupled to the cylindrical body 102 such that at least one inlet opening 108 of the adapter 100 is defined between the head 106 and the cylindrical body 102.
• the cylindrical body 102 extends from a bottom end 110 (i.e., first end 110) of the adapter 100 to the head 106, and the head 106 extends from the cylindrical body 102 to a tip end 112 of the adapter 100.
• the cylindrical body 102 is a hollow body defining an elongated passage 114 that extends from the bottom end 110 to the head 106, and the inlet openings 108 facilitate the flow of fluid from the bag container 202 to the elongated passage 114.
• the fluid exits the adapter 100 through an outlet opening 120 defined at the bottom end 110 of the cylindrical body 102. It may be appreciated that the head 106 of the adapter 100 engages with the plug 242 to enable the movement of the plug 242 between the first position and the second position.
• the head 106 includes a pin structure 130, a first flange 132, and a second flange 134.
• the pin structure 130 extends in the axial direction of the adapter 100 and is adapted to be arranged inside the receptacle 264 in the engagement of the head 106 with the plug 242.
• the second flange 134 is arranged at a bottom of the head 106, i.e., proximate to the inlet openings 108, while the first flange 132 is arranged between the pin structure 130 and the second flange 134. As shown in FIGS.
• the first flange 132 extends in a radial/lateral direction from a bottom of the pin structure 130, and is disposed at an axial offset from the second flange 134 defining a gap 140 between the first flange 132 and the second flange 134.
• the tabs 260 are arranged inside the gap 140 and may contact a lower surface 142 of the first flange 132 in the engagement of the head 106 with the plug 242. Accordingly, the gap 140, the wall 252, and the tab 260 together enable the retention of the head 106 inside the plug 242.
• the first flange 132 includes an upper surface 146 that extends obliquely and downwardly from the pin structure 130 to an outer edge/periphery 150 of the first flange 132.
• the outer edge 150 includes a pair of flat portions 152, 154 disposed diametrically opposite to each other and separated by a pair of arcuate portions 156, 158.
• the adapter 100 includes at least one securing structure 160 adapted to be engaged with at least one engagement structure 270 (best shown in FIG. 4 ) of the spout 206.
• the at least one engagement structure 270 includes at least one opening 272 (shown in FIG. 4 ) and the at least one securing structure 160 includes at least one pin 162 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 ) adapted to extend inside the at least one opening 272 (shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.
• the at least one opening for example, two openings 272 extend in a radial/lateral direction from an inner surface of the tubular structure 222 to an outer surface of the tubular structure 222 and is arranged proximate to the second axial end 226 of the tubular structure 222.
• the two pins 162 are arranged proximate to a stopper structure 164 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 ) of the adapter 100 that remains outside the spout 206 and prevents the insertion of the adapter 100 inside the spout 206 beyond a predefined length.
• the stopper structure 164 extends outwardly of the body 102 in the lateral/radial direction. It may be appreciated that the pins 262 may be disposed diametrically opposite to each other. Also, the pins 162 may be spring loaded pins that are pressed inwardly as the pins 162 enter the channel 234 of the spout 206 and extend outwardly through the openings 272 as the pins 162 align with the openings 272.
• the tubular structure 222 may define at least one cut-out, for example, two cut-outs associated with the two openings 272 and extending in a longitudinal direction from the second axial end 226 of the tubular structure 222 to the associated openings 272. Accordingly, each cutout and opening together define an inverted L shape.
• the pins 162 may simply be protrusions extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the cylindrical body 102, and enter the openings 272 through the cut-outs. Also, upon inserting the pins 162 inside the openings 272 through the cut-outs, and securing the pins 162 inside the openings 272, the adapter 100 is rotated to position the pins 162 out of alignment of the cut-outs.

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

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=89771691

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (1)

Citations (4)

• 2024
  • 2024-01-31 EP EP24154924.5A patent/EP4596485A1/de active Pending

Patent Citations (4)

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