Patent ID: 7681729

Claim:
A metering system comprising: (a) a flexible container having a closeable first end and a closed second end, wherein the closeable first end is spaced from the closed second end along a linear longitudinal axis; (b) a longitudinally compressed flexible duct within the flexible container, the longitudinally compressed flexible duct exerting a longitudinal expansion force; and (c) a choker extending around a periphery of the flexible container transverse to the linear longitudinal axis at a position longitudinally spaced from the closed second end to locate (i) a section of the longitudinally compressed flexible duct intermediate the closed second end and the position, and (ii) a portion of the flexible container lying intermediate the longitudinally compressed flexible duct and the choker along a direction transverse to the linear longitudinal axis at the position of the choker, the choker substantially precluding passage of the longitudinally compressed flexible duct past the choker toward the closeable first end of the flexible container, the longitudinally compressed flexible duct generating a tension in the flexible container between the closed second end and the position of the choker in response to the longitudinal expansion force of the longitudinally compressed flexible duct.