Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a spout having an evacuation structure for a flexible container. The evacuation structure ensures that the walls of the flexible container do not block the spout of the container during evacuation of fluid from inside the container. The evacuation structure additionally pivots away from the spout during the filling of the container so that the evacuation structure does not impede the fluid entering the container during filling.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of currently pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/482,622 filed Jul. 7, 2006, upon which priority is based. The U.S. application Ser. No. 11/482,622 is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to flexible containers, and more particularly to evacuation structures for such containers. Flexible polymeric containers are well known for storing and dispensing wine, dairy products, enteral feeding solutions, fruit juices, tea and coffee concentrates, puddings, cheese sauces, and many other flowable materials, including those that must be filled aseptically. These generally include low acid materials. Flexible polymeric containers typically have walls made of polymeric films with either a monolayer or multiple layer structure. The particular polymers constituting the container film layers vary depending on the type of material to be placed in the container. The film layers may also include an oxygen barrier material layer to prevent contact between such materials and oxygen or other gas sensitive contents. The walls of the flexible containers may be metallized, or coated with a metallic layer such as aluminum to prevent incursion of oxygen or other gases. A separate metallized enclosure may also encase the polymeric container. 
         [0003]    The flexible polymeric containers have inlets and/or spouts for filling and dispensing the flexible container contents. The flexible containers are also often placed within a box. The spout extends through an opening in the box to dispense the contents. Such packaging systems are commonly referred to as “bag-in-box.” Bag-in-box packaging systems are often used in restaurants and convenience stores to facilitate service of liquid food products such as syrups, toppings, and condiments. 
         [0004]    After the flexible container is filled with a desired material, the spout is capped to seal the flexible container and protect the contents from contamination. Depending on the type of contents, the container, spout, cap, and contents may be heat sterilized using steam, an autoclave process, or similar method. 
         [0005]    To access and dispense the contents of the flexible container, the flexible container must be evacuated, generally using a vacuum or suction process. Initially all of the air within the flexible container is evacuated. Subsequently, the fluid in the bag is evacuated. 
         [0006]    Problems can arise during the evacuation of the fluid. Often times, due to the suction force on the flexible container, the walls of the flexible container become lodged in the spout. This blocks up the spout and cuts off the passageway for the fluid. Thus, the evacuation process is essentially stopped, rendering the fluid inaccessible. 
         [0007]    For these reasons, an evacuation structure for use with a flexible container that both minimizes obstruction of the spout and maximizes the amount of fluid evacuated is desired. 
         [0008]    Prior art devices have attached various mechanisms directly to the spout in an attempt to solve the above-described problem. Several issues have been encountered with these kind of devices. For example, during the filling process of the flexible containers, which is typically done in a high speed and high pressure process, the prior art devices are susceptible of being dislodged from the spout rendering the devices inoperative. Moreover, the prior art devices can impede the flow of liquid during the filling process thereby slowing down the filling process 
         [0009]    Thus, not only is an evacuation device that both minimizes obstruction of the spout and maximizes the amount of fluid evacuated desired, but the evacuation device must also not impede the filling process of the flexible containers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The present invention provides an evacuation structure for a flexible container including a spout in fluid communication with the flexible container, the spout having a base, a passageway, and an evacuation structure. The present invention provides a more efficient way of evacuating fluid from the flexible container. The evacuation structure ensures that the walls of the flexible container will not block the spout and inhibit the fluid evacuation. 
         [0011]    In one embodiment of the present invention, the evacuation structure comprises at least one crosshair. The crosshair has two ends, and at least one end of at least one crosshair is pivotally or flexibly connected to the spout. During the filling process, the flexible connection allows fluid entering the container to pivot or flex the evacuation structure away from the spout so that the evacuation structure does not inhibit the filling of the flexible container. The fluid entering the container will physically flex the evacuation structure away from the spout. 
         [0012]    None of the prior art devices described above provided an evacuation structure that pivots or flexes away from the spout during the filling process to allow for an unobstructed passageway for the fluid entering the container. The prior art devices all stay in the same position over the bottom end of the passageway throughout the entire filling process. None of the prior art devices pivots or flexes away from the spout during filling. 
         [0013]    The evacuation structure of the present invention will also pivot or flex back towards the spout after filling. The evacuation structure can pivot back to the spout in a number of ways. One way is for the pivotal connection to have enough structural memory so that during the time after filling and before the flexible container is evacuated, the pivotal connection will return to its original position. Because the flexible containers are generally not evacuated for days and sometimes weeks after filling, the pivotal connection will have enough time to slowly return the evacuation structure to its original position. 
         [0014]    Another way for the evacuation structure to pivot back into place to ensure that the container walls do not block the spout is for the structure to be pivoted back to the spout by the exiting liquid. During evacuation, the fluid in the container moves towards the spout. Thus, the flow of the fluid towards the spout, as well as the vacuum being exerted at the spout, will pivot the evacuation structure towards the spout. Thus, the evacuation structure will be in place to prevent the walls of the flexible container from entering the spout during evacuation. 
         [0015]    It should be appreciated that the evacuation structure can be returned to or near the spout by a combination of the structural memory of the pivotal connection and the force exerted by the exiting fluid and vacuum. 
         [0016]    It should also be appreciated that the evacuation structure does not have to be returned to its original position to ensure that the walls of the flexible container do not block the spout and inhibit the fluid evacuation. Rather, the evacuation structure can be adjacent to the spout during evacuation and still perform this function. 
         [0017]    Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description of the Invention and the Figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a spout and a container of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of an evacuation structure according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of an evacuation structure according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of an evacuation structure according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a bottom perspective view of an evacuation structure according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will herein be described in detail, preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  shows a spout  10  in fluid communication with a flexible container  12  of the present invention. The spout  10  comprises a base  14 , a passageway  18 , and an evacuation structure  26 . The base  14  is connected to one of a plurality of walls  16  of the flexible container  12 . The spout  10  is generally centrally disposed on the base  14 , the spout  10  extending in a perpendicular direction from the base  14 . The passageway  18  within the spout  10  allows for fluid communication with the inside of the flexible container  20 . The passageway  18  has a top end  22  and a bottom end  24 . The passageway  18  is substantially perpendicular to the base  14 . The evacuation structure  26  is connected to the bottom end  24  of the passageway  18  by a pivotal or flexible connection  30 . The evacuation structure  26  as shown in  FIG. 2  is substantially parallel to the base  14  of the spout  10 . 
         [0025]    Initially, the flexible container  12  is filled with fluid through the spout  10 . The pivotal connection  30  of the evacuation structure  26  allows it to flex away from the spout  10  when the flexible container  12  is filled with fluid. This is shown by the direction of arrow A in  FIG. 3 . Thus, the pivoting of the evacuation structure  26  ensures the evacuation structure  26  will not obstruct the flow of the fluid, inhibiting the filling of the flexible container  12 . In addition, because the evacuation structure  26  is flexibly movable, it will not break off under the force of the fluid during filling. 
         [0026]    During evacuation of the fluid, the evacuation structure  26  will pivot back towards the spout  10 , ensuring that the walls  16  of the flexible container  12  will not inhibit the fluid from evacuating. The flow of the evacuating fluid will cause the evacuation structure  26  to return to its original position or close enough to the spout  10  so the evacuation structure  26  will prohibit the walls  16  of the flexible container  12  from blocking the spout  10  during evacuation. 
         [0027]    Alternatively, in another embodiment of the present invention, the pivotal connection  30  will have memory. After filling and before evacuation of the flexible container  12 , the memory of the pivotal connection  30  will cause the evacuation structure  26  to pivot back towards the spout  10 . 
         [0028]    The evacuation structure  26  will prohibit the walls  16  of the flexible container  12  from entering the passageway  18  when the flexible container  12  is evacuated. The evacuation structure  26  ensures that the fluid is not blocked from entering the spout  10  during evacuation by the walls  16  of the flexible container  12 . 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , in one embodiment of the present invention, the evacuation structure  26  comprises at least one crosshair  28 . At least one end of one crosshair  28  is pivotally connected  30  to the bottom end  24  of the passageway  18 . 
         [0030]    In another embodiment of the present invention, the evacuation structure  26  comprises at least two crosshairs  28 . The crosshairs  28  overlapping one another so that both can be pivoted away from the spout  10 . 
         [0031]    The crosshairs  28  could have a circular cross-sectional area, a rectangular cross-sectional area, or a variety of other shapes. The crosshairs  28  extend across the bottom of the passageway  24  so that each end of the crosshairs  28  is proximate the spout  10 . 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , in one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the evacuation structure  26  comprises two members  28  which are substantially perpendicular to each other and are connected at the point where they overlap. One end of one member  28  is pivotally connected  30  to the bottom end  24  of the passageway  18  of the spout  10 . 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , in another embodiment of the present invention, the evacuation structure  26  comprises at least two members  28 . The members  28  are substantially parallel to one another. The parallel members  28  can have substantially the same length as one another, or the members  28  can have varying lengths. 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , in another embodiment of the present invention, the evacuation structure  26  is a substantially flat permeable plate  32 . The permeable plate  32  has a periphery  34 , and at least one point on the periphery  34  is pivotally connected  30  to the bottom end  24  of the passageway  18  of the spout  10 . It should be understood that the permeable plate  32  could have a concave or convex shape to it. 
         [0035]    It should be appreciated that a number of other embodiments of the present invention would perform the same functions of the present invention. The present invention provides an evacuation structure  26  that will prohibit the walls  16  of the flexible container  12  from entering the passageway  18  during evacuation, thereby inhibiting the fluid evacuation. The present invention also provides an evacuation structure  26  which will not impede the filling of the flexible containers  12 . 
         [0036]    While the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying Claims.