Abstract:
A caddy for use in supporting a flexible bag of a substance to dispense as well as a system for dispensing a substance include a front wall and a back wall. A floor extends between the front wall and the back wall and angles from the back wall in a direction towards the front wall a cradle is connected to the floor and the cradle opens in a downward direction and a rearward direction. A dispenser includes a cabinet, a load cell, a valve, and a processor. The cradle engages the load cell and the processor calculates a valve open time at least in part based upon a measurement of a load impressed upon a load cell and a requested dispense volume. The processor operates the valve to open for the calculated valve open time.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/140,142, filed on Mar. 30, 2015, the content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to the field of liquid dispensing. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a caddy for the dispense of liquid held in a bag. 
         [0003]    Liquids dispensed in restaurant and/or food service settings are often provided from a supply contained in a sealed bag. Such liquids may include, but are not limited to milk, cream, premixed beverages such as tea and punch, fruit juices, or flavored syrups. Dispensers for these bulk bags of liquid are known. Typically, the bags are held in a generally vertical orientation to improve dispense of the liquid due to gravity. The bags may either be suspended from hooks or other fasteners in the top of a dispenser cabinet or the bags may be placed in a top loading supportive trough. The bags typically include a fitment in one side from which a flexible tube extends. The liquid is dispensed from the bag through the flexible tube. In supportive troughs, the flexible tube must be fed through a hole in the bottom of the trough to be properly fed into the dispenser. Loading of the system requires the user to suspend the bag of liquid with one hand from the top of the trough while reaching into the bottom of the trough in order to properly locate the flexible tube out of the bottom. 
         [0004]    Recently, liquid dispensers that use a load cell to assist in portion and dispense control have been developed. Therefore, solutions that can adapt bagged liquid for easier loading, dispensing, and repeatable engagement with such load cells are also desired. 
       BRIEF DISCLOSURE 
       [0005]    An exemplary embodiment of a caddy is used to support a flexible bag of a substance to dispense. The caddy includes a front wall. A back wall is opposite the front wall. The caddy includes a first side wall and a second side wall. A floor extends between the front wall and the back wall. The floor angles from the back wall in a direction towards the front wall. 
         [0006]    A cradle is connected to the floor, the cradle opens in a downward direction and a rearward direction. 
         [0007]    An exemplary embodiment of a system for dispensing substance includes a dispenser, a caddy, and a flexible bag. The dispenser includes at least a cabinet, a load cell, a valve, and a processor. The processor calculates a valve open time at least in part based upon a measurement of a load impressed upon the load cell and a requested dispense volume. The processor operates the valve to open for the valve open time. A caddy includes a front wall, a back wall opposite the front wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall. A floor extends between the front wall and the back wall. The floor angles from the back wall in a direction towards the front wall. A cradle is connected to the floor. The cradle opens in a downward direction and a rearward direction to engage the load cell. The flexible bag is disposed within the caddy and contains a substance to be dispensed, a flexible tube extends from the flexible bag and is connected to the valve. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a caddy for use with a bag of liquid in a liquid dispenser. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the caddy of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a liquid dispenser with the door removed. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a close-up view of a caddy positioned within a dispenser. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a side sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a caddy being loaded into a dispenser. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a side sectional view of a dispenser with a caddy loaded therein. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  depicts an exemplary side perspective view of an embodiment of a caddy with a bag of liquid positioned therein. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a side sectional view of an additional exemplary embodiment of a caddy positioned within a cabinet of a dispenser. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a perspective sectional view of the additional exemplary embodiment of a caddy positioned within a cabinet of a dispenser. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a further exemplary embodiment of a caddy. 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  depicts an exemplary embodiment of a bag of liquid and support plate. 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is a bottom perspective view of the further exemplary embodiment of a caddy. 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  depicts an exemplary embodiment of a support plate. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    As disclosed herein, embodiments of a caddy provide a removable support system for liquids supplied in a bag to be dispensed from a dispensing machine. Embodiments disclosed herein are particularly suited to facilitate the use of bagged liquids for dispense in dispensers configured to use a load cell to control dispense operations. 
         [0022]    Some embodiments enable improved ease in loading and unloading of bagged liquids into a dispenser, particularly in relation to a load cell in a dispenser used to assist in the dispense of the liquid. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a bag caddy  10 .  FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the bag caddy  10 .  FIG. 3  is an exemplary perspective view of the dispenser  14  with a door (not depicted) removed.  FIG. 4  is a close up view of a bag caddy  10  positioned within a cabinet  12  of a dispenser  14 .  FIGS. 5 and 6  are sectional side views of an embodiment of a bag caddy  10  positioned within a cabinet  12  of a dispenser  14 . Exemplary embodiments of dispensers and cabinets are described in further detail in U.S. Pat. No. 8,534,497 entitled, “Dispensing Method and Apparatus Utilizing a Senor to Determine a Time That a Dispensing Valve is Open” and U.S. Pat. No. 8,844,768 entitled, “Liquid Dispenser with Storage Tank,” both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the bag caddy  10  includes a front wall  16 , a back wall  18 , and a side wall  20 . Each of front wall  16 , back wall  18 , and side wall  20  extend generally vertically and the front wall  16  is generally larger than the back wall  18  in the manner as described in further detail herein. A floor  22  is connected to the front wall  16 , back wall  18 , and side wall  20 . The floor  22  generally slopes downwards in a direction from the back wall  18  to the front wall  16  as best shown in  FIG. 5 . Another side wall is located opposite side wall  20  and is exemplarily embodied by side door  24 . Side door  24  is pivotably secured to the front wall  16  and the back wall  18 , exemplarily by pivot pin  26 , although it will be recognized that the side door  24  may be pivotably secured in other manners as well. The side door  24  is pivotably moveable between a closed position as exemplarily depicted in  FIG. 1 , and an open position as exemplarily depicted in  FIG. 7 . While not depicted, further embodiments that include the side door  24  may also include a ceiling to the caddy, with access to the interior of the caddy provided through the side door  24 . 
         [0025]    The side door  24  further includes a bottom lip  28  which may be configured to engage a bottom side of the floor  22  when the side door  24  is in the closed position. In an exemplary embodiment, the bottom lip  28  may be configured such as to engage the bottom side of the floor  22  with a friction fit to hold the side door  24  in a closed position. In embodiments, the side door may further include a front lip  30  and a back lip  32 . The front lip  30  may be configured to respectively engage the front wall  16  while the back lip  32  is configured to engage the back wall  18 . The front lip  30  and the back lip  32  can facilitate alignment of the side door  24  respectively with the front wall  16  and the back wall  18  as the side door  24  is moved between opened and closed positions. 
         [0026]    The front lip  30  and the back lip  32  can further provide strength and rigidity to the bag caddy  10  when the side door  24  is in the closed position. 
         [0027]    In an additional exemplary embodiment, the side door  24  may be moveably secured to the front wall  16  and back wall  18  by engagement of pins  26  or a similar structure with an exemplarily “L”-shaped track that facilitates vertical translation of the side door  24 , followed by horizontal translation and/or pivoting about the pins  26  to open the side door  24 . In such an embodiment, the side door  24  may further include tabs (not depicted) that extend downwardly from a lower end of the side door  24  that engage at least one slot or ridge (not depicted) on the floor  22  to retain the side door  24  in the closed position. 
         [0028]    In embodiments, the side door  24  may further include a handle  34  disposed thereon. The handle  34  facilitates gripping of the side door  24  to move the side door  24  between the open and closed positions. 
         [0029]    Embodiments of the bag caddy  10  may further include openings  36  located through one or more of the front wall  16 , back wall  18 , side wall  20 , and side door  24 . In embodiments, the openings  36  can facilitate a user inspection of a remaining amount of liquid in a bag placed in the bag caddy  10 . Embodiments of the openings  36  further reduce weight of the bag caddy  10  and can also promote air circulation about a bag of liquid disposed within the bag caddy  10 . 
         [0030]    The bag caddy  10  further includes at least one foot  38 , and in embodiments, at least two feet  38  which extend from the front wall  16 . In other embodiments, the feet  38  may extend from an area of the bag caddy  10  about the front wall  16  while not necessarily integral with or directly connected to the front wall  16 . The feet  38  may be separated by a cut-out  40  which facilitates use with a bag of liquid as described in further detail herein. The feet  38  may each further include an end  42 . The end  42  may exemplarily be rounded in shape. In an embodiment, the rounded end  42  is formed by bending the material of the feet  38 . In other embodiments, the end  42  may take other shapes as will be recognized by a person of ordinary skill in the art. As will be described in further detail herein, embodiments of the bag caddy  10  are configured to facilitate use of the bag caddy  10  with a dispenser configured to control the dispense of liquid from the bag based at least in part upon a load impressed upon a load cell by a portion of the bag caddy  10 . In an embodiment, the rounded ends  42  of the feet  38  engage a portion of the dispenser  14  as will be described in further detail herein. Exemplarily, the feet  38  engage a trough, which may also be a lip or a ledge, of the dispenser to accurately and repeatably locate the bag caddy  10  within the cabinet with respect to a load cell. 
         [0031]      FIG. 4  depicts a close up view of a bag caddy  10  inserted within the cabinet  12  of a dispenser  14 . The feet  38  of the bag caddy  10  engage the dispenser  14  in a trough  46  which is dimensioned to receive the feet  38 . In an embodiment, a surface  47  of the trough  46  is shaped to matingly engage the ends  42  of the feet  38 . The trough is positioned at a level below the floor  52  of the cabinet  12  and is configured to receive the rounded end  42  of the feet  38  of the bag caddy  10 . The engagement of the feet  38  with the depression  46  help to further position the bag caddy  10  relative to the dispenser  14  and the load cell  44  in a manner that is consistent between cycle to cycle of loading and unloading the bag caddy  10  in the dispenser  14 . 
         [0032]    Mating engagement between the trough  46  and the ends  42  of the feet  38  define a single position and location for the feet  38  when the bag caddy  10  is fully inserted into the cabinet  12  as described in further detail herein. The dispenser  14  includes a pinch valve  70  that generally includes a pinch bar  72  and a tube seat  74 . The tube seat  74  may exemplarily be a heat sink and further includes a curved position to receive a flexible tube from a bag positioned within the bag caddy. The pinch bar  72  applies an occluding force against the tube and upon operation of the dispenser  14 , the pinch valve  70  moves the pinch bar  72  to release the occluding force on the flexible tube. Release of the occluding force resulting in a dispense of the liquid from the bag (not depicted) in operation of the dispenser. Exemplary embodiments of pinch valves are described in further detail in U.S. Pat. No. 8,636,180 entitled “Pinch Valve” and U.S. Pat. No. 8,376,310 entitled “Pinch Valve,” both of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties. The cut out  40 , as described in further detail herein, facilitates positioning of the tube (not depicted) relative to the bag and to the pinch valve  70 . In embodiments, the trough  46  extends in two or more portions, exemplarily on either side of the pinch valve  70  in order to accommodate the cutout  40  and the tube from the bag. 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  depicts an exemplary embodiment of dispenser  14 , without a door connected thereto for the purposes of clarity. It is understood that embodiments of the dispenser  14  include a door to close the cabinet that the door may take any of a variety of forms as would be recognized by a person of ordinary skill in the art. The dispenser  14  is exemplary arranged to receive two bag caddies (not depicted) within the cabinet  12  with each bag caddy engaging the troughs  46  with the respective feet of the bag caddies. In an exemplary embodiment, the troughs  46  are further dimensioned to match a width of a respective bag caddy, exemplarily by a divider  45  positioned between troughs  46  and/or end walls  49  at the ends of trough  46 . The incorporation of the divider  45  and/or end wall  49  with the troughs  46  further to define a proper position or location of the bag caddy in a respective lateral dimension. As will be explained in further detail herein, in addition to defining a desired position and location of the bag caddy  10  within the cabinet  12 , the ends  42  of the feet  38  pivotably engage the at least one trough  46  to facilitate measurement by a load cell of weight impressed upon the load cell by the bag caddy  10  as will be de sin further detail herein. 
         [0034]    Referring back to  FIG. 2 , which is a bottom view of the bag caddy  10 , the bag caddy  10  includes cradle  48  which extends downwardly from the floor  22  in an area about the back wall  18 . The cradle  48  is exemplarily arranged to engage at least a portion of the load cell  44  which may be positioned on a sensor arm  43  ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ). In an exemplary embodiment, the cradle  48  may be designed to have a keyed or mating relationship with at least a portion of the load cell  44  or sensor arm  43 . In the embodiment depicted, the cradle  48  opens downwardly in a generally triangular shape, such triangular shape may generally corresponds to a triangular or trapezoidal portion of the sensor arm  43  about which the load cell  44  is located. Such an exemplary shape, while being recognized that other shapes may be used, not only facilitates engagement between the cradle  48  and the load cell  44 , but also defines a lateral position and relationship between the cradle  48  and/or the bag caddy  10  as a whole with the load cell  44  and the bag caddy  10  within the cabinet  12 . As will be described herein, other embodiments may use alternative arrangements of the cradle  48 . 
         [0035]    The cradle  48  exemplarily includes two arms  51 , which as mentioned above, may exemplarily angle away from one another to form a generally triangular shape. It will be recognized that in other embodiments, the arms may be arranged in other manners. Flanges  53  exemplarily further extend outwardly from the arms  51 . The flanges  53  extend in at least one of a direction away from the front of the bag caddy and/or towards the side walls of the bag caddy. It will be recognized that in the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2 , the flanges  53  extend away from the arms  51  in both of these directions. The flanges  53  further facilitate centering of the cradle  48  upon the load cell  44 , for example by an initial engagement with a sensor arm  43  during positioning of the bag caddy  10 . 
         [0036]      FIGS. 5 and 6  are exemplary cross sectional views of the bag caddy  10  within the cabinet  12  of the dispenser  14 . These further depict the cradle  48  as well as an extension  55  that exemplarily connects the arms  51  of the cradle  48  to the underside of the floor  22  of the bag caddy  10 . In such an exemplary embodiment, the cradle  48  may define a position in the vertical dimension from the floor  22  of the bag caddy  10  relative to the sensor arm  43  and load cell  44  different from the position of the floor  22  itself. In such embodiments, an extension  55  can facilitate different locations in the vertical dimension of the sensor arm  43  and load cell  44  as well as different arrangements of the floor  22 , exemplarily with greater or lesser pitch relative to the floor  22  at the front wall  6  of the bag caddy  10 . 
         [0037]    As best seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the dispenser  14  includes a sensor arm  43  which holds a load cell  44 . As described in further detail herein, the cradle  48  facilitates engagement and positioning between the bag caddy  10  and the load cell  44  on the sensor arm  43 . The arms  51  exemplarily align the cradle  48  (and bag caddy  10 ) in a lateral dimension, while the flanges  53  facilitate sliding engagement of the cradle  48  and rough alignment thereof on the sensor arm  43 . The sectional view of  FIG. 6  further depicts the compressor  39  and evaporator  41  of the dispenser  14 . It will be recognized that in refrigerated embodiments of the dispenser  14 , the refrigeration may exemplarily by provided by such a compressor  39  and evaporator  41  as depicted herein or in other manners as would be recognized by a person of ordinary skill in the art. In further embodiments, the dispenser  14  may alternatively include a heated cabinet or a cabinet  12  with no or limited environmental control. 
         [0038]    It will be recognized that in use, a bag filled with liquid to be dispensed is placed within the bag caddy  10  and the bag caddy  10  is positioned within the cabinet  12  in a generally sliding manner. However, for the load cell  44  to properly measure a load impressed upon the load cell by a portion of the combined weight of the bag of liquid and the bag caddy, the bag caddy  10  must be supported on the load cell  44  free from support at other locations about the load cell  44 . Therefore, the bag caddy must rest on the load cell with the back end of the bag caddy supported by the load cell. The front end of the bag caddy is pivotably supported by engagement of the ends  42  of the feet  38  with the trough  46 . Consistently repeatable positioning of the feet  38  within the trough  46  facilitates consistent and repeatable calculations of valve open time for dispense of requested portions of liquid. However, as a bag caddy containing a bag of liquid is slid within the cabinet  12 , elevating the back end of the bag caddy  10  above the load cell  44  on the sensor arm  43  for positioning can be a challenge. 
         [0039]    Embodiments of the bag caddy  10  further include a leg  50  that projects generally downwardly from a bottom surface of the floor  22 . In an embodiment, the leg  50  is exemplarily configured to facilitate loading of the bag caddy when filled with a bag of liquid into the cabinet  12  of the dispenser  14  by slidingly engaging a floor  52  of the cabinet  12 . This sliding engagement of the floor  52  with the leg  50  enables a user to keep the back end of the bag caddy  10  and the cradle  48  elevated to a height such that the cradle  48  can properly engage the load cell  44 . In an embodiment, the leg  50  may be dimensioned such that once the bag caddy  10  is in place with the cradle  48  properly engaging the load cell  44  and the feet  38  properly positioned within the dispenser  14 , that the leg  50  does not engage the floor  52  of the cabinet  12 . Rather, a sufficient space is provided such that even under an operable weight of the bag caddy  10  (and bag of liquid), the leg  50  does not engage the floor  52  to prevent any impact on the reading of the load cell  44 . In another exemplary embodiment, the floor  52  of the cabinet  12  may be configured with at least one projection  54  to further facilitate the positioning of the cradle  48  relative to the load cell  44  as the bag caddy  10  is moved into place within the cabinet  12 . In such an exemplary embodiment, as the leg  50  progresses into the cabinet  12  and over the projection  54 , the cradle  48  is lifted up over the load cell  44  and as the leg  50  descends a back side of the projection  54 , the cradle  48  engages the load cell  44  in a desired position which may be facilitated by the arms  51  and/or flanges  53 . With the back end of the bag caddy  10  supported by the load cell  44  in the cradle  48 , the leg  50  is positioned free from engagement with the floor  52  or the projection  54 . 
         [0040]    The cooperation of the bag caddy  10  with the dispenser  14  facilitates a user&#39;s placement of the filled bag caddy  10  into the dispenser  14 . As stated above, accurate operation of the valve of the dispenser to dispense the liquid from the bag in the bag caddy requires consistent and accurate placement of the bag caddy within the dispenser so that the measurements of a portion of the weight of the bag of liquid and bag caddy as measured by the load cell  44  is accurate and repeatable. The leg and projection interact to lift the back end bag caddy to a height above the load cell for proper positioning the cradle  48  thereon. The legs engage the trough for repeatable positioning therein. The cradle  48  centers the caddy relative to the load cell. Thus the bag caddy is accurately and repeatably positioned in three dimensions relative to the load cell. 
         [0041]    As best depicted in  FIG. 2 , embodiments of the bag caddy  10  further include a support plate  57  located generally at the front and bottom of the bag caddy  10 . The support plate  57  as described in further detail herein supports a fitment  62  of a bag  64  of liquid (depicted e.g.  FIG. 7 ). The flexible tube  68  of the bag  64  exemplarily extends from the fitment. Embodiments of the support plate  57  are connected to the floor  22  and/or front wall  16  exemplarily in the area about the cut-out  4 . 
         [0042]    The support plate  57  includes an opening  56  defined at least partially by a lip  58  and a slot  60 . In an exemplary embodiment, the lip  58  defines an at least partially circular shape of the opening  56 . By way of reference to  FIGS. 2 and 7 , the opening  56  is arranged to receive, through the slot  60  a fitment  62  of a bag of liquid  64 . In an embodiment, the lip  58  is configured to engage the fitment  62  in a manner such as to secure the fitment  52  within the opening  56 . In an embodiment, the lip  58  includes projections  66  which are configured to retain the fitment  62  within the opening  56 . In an embodiment, a flexible tube  68  extends from the fitment  62 . The flexible tube  68  is configured to be engaged by the pinch valve  70  (e.g.  FIG. 4 ) and the liquid in the bag  64  dispensed therethrough by the dispenser  14 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 7  depicts an exemplary embodiment of a bag caddy  10  being loaded with a bag of liquid to be dispensed. In an exemplary embodiment, if a bag of liquid is to be loaded or replaced in a dispenser, the bag caddy  10  is removed from the dispenser and exemplarily laid on the side wall  20 . The side door  24  is then operable to be moved (e.g. by pivoting and/or translation) into an open position as depicted in  FIG. 5 . If an empty bag (not depicted) is located within the bag caddy  10 , this can then be removed through the open side door  24 . The open side door  24  enables a user to place a bag  64  of liquid into the bag caddy  10  in a manner that requires less physical strength due to the larger opening and lower dimension of the front wall  16  and rear wall  18  when the bag caddy is resting on the side wall  20 . Opening of the side door  24  further exposes the opening  56  in the support plate to receive and engage the fitment  62  of the bag  64 . As depicted, embodiments of the bag caddy  10  with a side door  24  enable the bag  64  to be laid into the bag caddy  10  at which time the fitment  62  can be securely positioned within the opening  56 . 
         [0044]    After the bag  64  is loaded into the bag caddy  10 , the side door  24  is moved into the closed position exemplarily depicted in  FIG. 1 . In an exemplary embodiment, when the side door  24  is in the closed position, the bottom lip  28  of the side door  24  may further extend across the opening  56  to engage the fitment of the bag further securing the fitment into placement within the opening. After the full bag has been loaded into the bag caddy  10 , the bag caddy  10  may be placed into the cabinet  12  of a dispenser  14 . 
         [0045]      FIGS. 8 and 9  depict an additional exemplary embodiment of a bag caddy  10 . It will be recognized that like reference numerals are used to refer to like structures between the Figures for conciseness and clarity. Both  FIGS. 8 and 9  are cross sectional views of the bag caddy  10  positioned within a cabinet  12  of a dispenser  14 . As previously described, the bag caddy  10 , when filled with a bag of liquid to be dispensed needs to be positioned within the cabinet  12  in a manner that engages the load cell  44  on the sensor arm  43  with the cradle  48  of the bag caddy  10 . This must be done in a manner which supports the bag caddy so that the cradle  48 , floor  22 , back wall  18 , or some other portion of the bag caddy  10  does not damage the load cell  44  or sensor arm  43 , while enabling the consistent and repeatable positioning of the bag caddy  10  relative to the load cell  44 . 
         [0046]    The bag caddy  10  includes a caddy guide  76  which further includes the leg  50 . The caddy guide  76  also includes an elongated support  78  that extends toward the front of the bag caddy from the leg  50 . The elongated support  78  further defines a channel  80  in a lower or bottom side thereof, open towards the floor  52  of the dispenser  14 . In an exemplary embodiment, the channel  80  may be semi-circular or U-shaped, while it will be recognized that in alternative embodiments, other cross-sectional shapes of the channel  80  may be used. The elongated support  78  is angled relative to the floor  22  of the bag caddy  10 . The elongated support  78  is connected to an underside of the floor  22  and the angle quality of the elongated support  78  arranges the caddy guide  76  on the bag caddy  10  in a manner such that a guide bottom  82  of the caddy guide  76  is held generally parallel to a floor  52  of the cabinet  12 . 
         [0047]    The cabinet  12  further includes projection  54 , as well as, in certain embodiments, support projection  84 . As depicted in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the projection  54  and support projection  84  may exemplarily be spherical in shape, although it will be recognized that other shapes of projections may be used. In embodiments, the rounded profile or spherical shaped projections match the semi-circular or U-shaped cross section of the channel  80 , while the rounded profile helps to promote alignment between the support projections and the caddy guide  76 . 
         [0048]    In use, the bag caddy  10  is filled with a bag of liquid to be dispensed (not depicted) and the bag caddy  10  is inserted into the cabinet  12 , leading with the back wall  18 . In order to support the weight of the bag caddy  10  containing the bag of liquid to be dispensed, the caddy guide  76  engages the support projection  84 . Exemplarily, the leg  50  of the caddy guide  76  engages the support projection  84  and the leg  50  translates over the support projection  84 , or in other words, the support projection  84  passes through a portion of the channel  80  that extends below the leg  50 . In an exemplary embodiment, a user may tilt the bag caddy  10  so as to angle the bag caddy  10  and caddy guide  76  to make it easier for the leg  50  to pass over the support projection  84 . Upon doing so, the support projection  84  engages the channel  80  of the caddy guide  76  which generally aligns the bag caddy  10  within the cabinet  12  relative to the sensor arm  43  with the load cell  44 . Further insertion of the bag caddy  10  into the cabinet  12  is facilitated by a sliding engagement of the support projection  84  within the channel  80 . In an exemplary embodiment, materials for the support projection  84  and/or caddy guide  76  may be selected to minimize or reduce friction between these components which may further facilitate translation of the bag caddy  10  within the cabinet  12 . Engagement between the support projection  84  and the channel  80  helps to maintain the guide bottom  82  generally parallel to the cabinet  12 , although it will be recognized that in use the bag caddy  10  may pivot about the engagement with the support projection  84 . To this end, it will be recognized that upon further insertion of the bag caddy  10  into the cabinet  12  a front end of the leg  50  of the caddy guide  76  will engage the projection  54  at which point, a user can pivot the bag caddy  10  about the fulcrum provided by the support projection  84  to facilitate lifting the leg  50  of the caddy guide  76  over the projection  54 . As the leg  50  and caddy guide  76  lift over the projection  54  the back end of the bag caddy  10 , particularly the cradle  48  is also lifted to a position above the load cell  44  and sensor arm  43 . Further insertion of the bag caddy  10  into the cabinet  12  can permit the user to place the foot  38  of the bag caddy  10  in the trough  46  of the dispenser  14  and further insertion of the bag caddy  10  moves the leg beyond the projection  54  and the projection  54  moves into the channel  80  while the bag caddy  10  pivots about the engagement of the foot  38  with the trough  46  to place the cradle  48  on the load cell  44  of the sensor arm  43 . Upon this engagement, the bag caddy  10  is supported at the rounded end  42  of the cradle  38  within the trough  46  and at the engagement of the cradle  48  with the load cell  44 . The support projection  84  and projection  54  are free from contact with the bag caddy  10  by being positioned at least partially within the channel  80 , but free from contact with the caddy guide  76 . 
         [0049]      FIGS. 10-13  depict an additional exemplary embodiment of a bag caddy  100 . The bag caddy  100  includes a caddy body  102  with an open interior  104  in which a bag  106  filled with a liquid to be dispensed is positioned as described in further detail herein. A flexible tube  108  extends from a fitment  110  at an end of the bag  106 . The caddy body  102  further includes a handle  112  which may be created with a through hole through a front wall  114  of the caddy body  102 . The caddy body  102  further includes a cut out  116  that extends through the front wall  114 , and exemplarily further extends through at least a portion of a floor  118  of the caddy body  102 . A support plate  120  which will be described in further detail herein exemplarily secures about the fitment  110  and to the caddy body  102 . 
         [0050]    The bag caddy  100  further includes front legs  122  and rear legs  124 . Feet  126  extend from the front legs  122 . The feet  126  exemplarily engage a trough of a dispenser as described above with regards to other embodiments. It will be understood that in additional examples of the bag caddy  100 , the size of front legs  122  may be reduced to the more commensurate in size with the feet  126 . In still further embodiments, the feet  126  may be dimensioned so as to fit within a trough as described above, including, but not limited to various dimensions of troughs and, apart from those merely exemplary embodiments as disclosed and depicted herein. It will be recognized that rear legs  124  may alternatively be another number of legs, including a single leg as depicted and described previously. Additionally, the legs  124 , as depicted in  FIGS. 10 and 12  are located at positions about the cradle  128 . In embodiments, the legs  124  may be located even with or rearwardly of the cradle  128 . 
         [0051]    The bag caddy  100  further includes a cradle  128  that extends from the bottom of the floor  118 . The cradle  128  is exemplarily defined by arms  130  and flanges  132 . The arms  130  and flanges  132  of the cradle  128  open in a direction towards the back wall  134  of the caddy body  102 . The cradle  128  with the arms  130  and flanges  132  facilitate alignment of the bag caddy  100  with a sensor arm (not depicted) which includes a load cell (not depicted) in use to position the bag caddy  100  and engagement with the load cell as described above with respect to other exemplary embodiments. 
         [0052]    Exemplary embodiments of the bag caddy  100  further include drain holes  136  through the floor  118 . In an embodiment, the drain holes  136  may facilitate cleaning and/or direct any spilled liquid away from the flexible tube  108  from which the liquid is dispensed, which may facilitate improved cleanliness of the flexible tube  108  and/or dispensing valve (not depicted) of the dispenser as described above. 
         [0053]      FIGS. 11 and 13  further depict the support plate  120 , although the support plates  120  is also depicted in  FIGS. 10 and 12  as well. The support plate  120  includes a front plate  148  and a floor plate  150 . The front plate  148  and the floor plate  150  may further be connected by braces  154  which provide strength and rigidity to the support plate  120 . The front plate  148  includes a tab  152  that extends outwardly from the front plate  148 . The tab  152  is arranged to engage the front wall  114  by extending through the cutout  116 . The tab  152  engages the front wall  114  exemplarily by a friction fit or a deformation of the tab  152  caused by engagement with the front wall  114 . In embodiments, the tab  152  may include a projection or a lip which further facilitates such engagement with the front wall  114 . 
         [0054]    The floor plate  150  further includes and opening  138  that is dimensioned to receive and hold the fitment  110  of the bag  116 . The floor plate  150  further includes a slot  142  extending to the opening  138  from one end of the floor plate  150 . In use, the fitment is slidingly received into the opening  138  through the slot  142 . A lip  140  defined by the edge of the opening  138  through the floor plate  150  engages between corresponding structures (e.g. rings or lips on the fitment  110 ). In an exemplary embodiment, the floor plate  150  includes a ridge  146  about the opening  138  and slot  142  which is keyed or otherwise dimensioned to fit a single alignment or engagement with the fitment  110  of the bag  106 . Projections  144  extend inwardly into the slot  142 , exemplarily continuing the circumference of the opening  138 . In an exemplary embodiment, the projections  144  extend the circumference of the opening  138  to an amount greater than  180  degrees of the circumference. The projections  144  help to secure the fitment  110  in the position defined by the opening  138 . 
         [0055]    The floor plate  150  further includes prongs  156  which extend from a bottom of the floor plate  150 . The prongs  156  exemplarily fit within aperture  158  in the floor  118  of the caddy body  102 . The engagement of the prongs  156  within the apertures  158  cooperate with engagement of the tab  152  with the front wall  114  to secure the support plate  120  across the cut out  116  to hold the fitment and flexible tube  108  in a predefined position. 
         [0056]    In use, as exemplarily depicted in  FIG. 11 , a person seeking to load a bag  106  within the bag caddy  100  first positions the support plate  120  about the fitment  110  to locate the fitment  110  within the opening  138 , and secured therein by the projections  114  and ridge  146 . The combined bag  106  and support plate  120  are inserted into the bag caddy  100  from the top and the flexible tube  108  is easily extended through the cutout  116  in the caddy body  102 . The prongs  156  and tab  152  of the support plate  120  are then engaged respectively with the front wall  114  and apertures  158  of the caddy body  102 . This secures the support plate  120  to the caddy body  102  and orients the fitment  110  with the flexible tube  108  in a predetermined position relative between the apertures  158 , prongs  156 , opening  138  and tab  152 . 
         [0057]    To load the bag caddy  100  into a dispenser (not depicted) the bag caddy  100  may be placed into the cabinet of the dispenser and translated within the cabinet while supported by the rear legs  124 . This may occur until the bag caddy can be elevated or at least the back wall  134  of the bag caddy  100  elevated in order to position the feet  162  of the front legs  122  within the trough of the dispenser as described in embodiments above. After the feet  126  are located in the trough of the dispenser, the bag caddy  100  may be rotated about the feet  126  in the trough to position the cradle  128  on the load cell of the sensor arm of the dispenser. The handle  112  may facilitate user gripping and pivoting of the bag caddy as described above. Once the bag caddy  100  is loaded in the dispenser, the bag caddy  100  creates a mechanical system whereby the weight of the bag caddy with the bag of liquid to be dispensed is supported at one end by the load cell within the cradle and at the front end at fulcrum defined by the engagement of the feet  126  with the trough of the dispenser. The fitment  110  and flexible tube  108  are also located at a predetermined position which is exemplarily directly in alignment with the pinch valve  70  and exemplarily the tube seat  74  as depicted in  FIG. 3 . The known positions and orientations of these components facilitate accurate and repeatable calculations of valve open times for accurate dispense of requested volumes from the bag of liquid. 
         [0058]    In a further exemplary embodiment, to replace a used bag  106 , after the pinch valve is disengaged from the tube  108 , the user may press inward on the front plate  148 , and disengage the tab  152  from the front wall  114  to push the front plate  148  inward into the open interior  104  of the bag caddy  100 . An upward force on the floor plates  150  disengages the prongs  156  from the apertures  158  to release the support plate  120  from engagement with e caddy body  102 . In embodiments, the support plate  120  may then be rotated exemplarily  90  degrees or another angular rotation as may be recognized by a person of ordinary skill in the art and the support plate  120  withdrawn from the bag caddy  100  through the cutout  116 . The rest of the bag  106  may also be withdrawn through the cutout  116  and disposed of, leaving the caddy body  102  to be removed from the cabinet of the dispenser. 
         [0059]    This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.