Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
lZ069Z3
FLUID DISPENSER
Brief Summary of the Invention
This invention relates to bulk fluid containera and particularly
to dispensers that also cut open sealed plastic, fluid-containing bags
that are supported in rigid boxes or cartons.
Bulk containers of this type are especially valuable for the
shipping, storage and dispensing of fluids that may become contamina-
ted or otherwise deteriorated when exposed to an oxidizing atmosphere.
In general, such a bulk container employs a dispenser having a flanged
body that is attached to the outer surface of a bag made of a flexible
plastic material that will not deleteriously affect the fluid or
permit the seepage of external gases. The bag is filled, sealed and
placed in an outer container of corrugated cardboard or the like.
When ready for use, a dispenser tap or tube having a cutting edge is
irif-erted into the flanged body to cut open the plastic bag and provide
a dispenser for the fluid, as described in patent 4,355,737 to
Pongrass et al. As the fluid is dispensed from the container, the
flexible plastic bag correspondingly shrinks in volume without
admitting air. Therefore, if the container is used for the storage
and dispensing of oxygen-sensitive fluids such as wine, a partially
filled container may be stored for long periods of time without danger
of oxidation and souring.
All plastic fluid-containing bags must be open for filling and,
to couple a bag to a filling nozzle, it is the current practice to
~ ." .
., `"` ~.;,
~Z06923
weld a relatlvely rigid plastlc gland to the bag during the manufac-
turing process. The ba~ itself is generally formed of two rectangular
webs of plastic welded together along all four edges. Prior to the
welding, a circular hole is cut in one of the webs and a flange on the
gland is welded to the inner surface of the web, with the cylindrical
gland extending through the hole to the exterior surface. After
filling, the gland is sealed. If a bag-piercing dispenser is
employed, such as that disclosed in the aforementioned patent, No.
[U.S.] 4,355,737, the filling gland is usually sealed by heat welding
the opposite web of the plastic bag to the inner opening of the gland.
The present invention concerns the filling of the bag through the
gland and then sealing the gland with a closure that has a piercable
diaphragm. The diaphragm can then be pierced by a tap or tube to
allow dispensing.
Brief Description
Briefly, the fluid-dispensing closure described and claimed
hereln operates with a plastic gland similar to that generally adopted
by filling machine manufacturers. A sealing cylinder is inserted into
the bore of the gland after the bag is filled to assure against fluid
leakage from the bag or the possible ingression of contaminating
gases. The interior of the sealing cylinder is sealed with an
integral oblique plastic diaphragm molded across the inner bore. The
diaphragm is relatively thick to assure against fluid and gas leakage
but has a thinner frangible periphery that may be readily cut by
rotation of a fluid-dispensing tap which fits within the bore of the
sealing cylindeer and which has an extension provided with a sharp
cutting tip. Thus, the initial rotation of the dispensing tap will
lZ06923
open the oblique sealing diaphragm in the bore of the sealing cylinder
and will align radial holes in the dispensing tap and the sealing
cylinder to permit the dispensing of the fluid. An important feature
of the invention is that the diaphragm is not completely severed and
cannot enter the dispensing tap to clog the radial dispensing holes.
A second embodiment employs a similar sealing cylinder with an
oblique sealing diaphragm in the bore but, instead of a valved
dispensing tap, employs an unvalved tubular member having an oblique
cutting edge at its inner end and a tubing connector at the exterior
end for conducting fluid from the the bag to a remote dispensing
location. A third embodiment permits a modified valved dispensing tap
to be operated by a second removable valved dispenser so that full or
partially filled fluid bag can be disconnected from the remote
dispensing location without the loss of fluid or accidental admittance
of exterior gases to the bag interior or the remote dispenser.
Brief Description _ the Drawings
In the drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the
invention:
FIG. 1 is partial perspective view illustrating the fluid-
dispenser mounted to a carton containing the fluid-containing bag;
FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation view of the filling and
dispensing gland;
FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation view of the sealing cylinder with
oblique sealing diaphragm therein;
FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation view of a dispensing tap;
FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation view of an assembled fluid
dispenser rotated to a position for dispensing fluid;
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FIG. 6 is a sectional elevation view of an alternate embodiment
of a sealing cylinder with oblique sealing diaphragm mounted within
the filling and dispensing gland of FIG. 2;
FIG. 7 is a sectional elevation view of a tubular member with a
diaphragm cutting inner end and a tubing connector outer end;
FIG. 8 is a sectional elevation view of the gland and sealing
cylinder of FIG. 6 with a piercing element in position within the bore
of the sealing cylinder;
FIG. 9 is a sectional elevation view of another embodiment
illustrating a valved dispenser which may be removed from the sealing
cylinder of FIG. 4 without the loss of fluid in the full or partially
filled fluid bag;
FIG. 10 is an end view taken along the lines 10 - 10 of FIG. 8;
FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the lines 11 - 11 of
FIG. 8;
FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along the lines 12 - 12 of
FIG..9; and
FIGS. 13A through 13D are sectional views taken along the
lines 13 - 13 of FIG. 9 and illustrate the operation of the removable
dispenser of FIG. 9.
Detailed Description
FIG. 1 is a persp~ctive drawing of the fluid dispenser 20 mounted
in its operating position in a carton 22 which houses a flexible
plastic bag 24 containing a fluid to be dispensed. During storage and
shipping, the dispenser is stored within the carton and, when ready
for use, is removed through an opening that is normally closed by a
~2069Z3
flap 26 in the carton. The dispenser is then connected to the carton
opening by closing the arcuate end 2~ of the flap 26 down and between
annular flanges 30 and 32 on the outer surface of the dispenser. A
flat horizontal tongue 34, parallel with the axis of the dispenser and
formed on the lower part of an annular flange 36, mates with a
corresponding flat surface cut in the bottom of the carton opening to
thereby prevent rotation of the dispenser during its use. As will be
subsequently described, after locking the dispenser 20 into its
position to the carton opening, the dispenser handle 38 may be rotated
one-half turn to partially cut open a diaphragm sealing the contents
of the fluid bag from the dispensing tap 40 while simultaneously
opening the fluid valve within the tap to dispense the fluid. Another
one-half turn of the handle 38 to its original po`rision will re-close
the fluid valve within the dispenser 20. It will be noted that the
diaphragrn will remain partially attached to its original supporting
member and therefore cannot enter the tap of interfere with the
valving operations.
FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are sectional views of the three components that
form the fluid dispenser 20 of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 illustrates the details
of a filling and dispensing gland 42 which comprises a tubular plastic
barrel 44 having a relatively wide annular inner flange 30 which is
preferably welded to the inner surface of the fluid-containing bag 24.
The tubular barrel 44 extends through a circular hole formed in the
bag 24 during its assembly and, as previously mentioned, is of a
conventional design employed by the manufacturers of filling
machinery. As illustrated in FIG. 2, an annular flange 32 extends
around the exterior surface of the gland 42 and is spaced from the
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flange 30 by an amount that generally corresponds to the thickness of
the material of the carton 22. Spaced from the annular flange 32 and
at the end of the tubular gland 42 that is opposite the flange 30, is
a third flange 46.
The tubular interior bore of gland 42 may be provided with three
or more annular grooves 48 which are adapted to mate with
corresponding annular rings 50 on the internal surface of the sealing
cylinder 52 of FIG. 3 to form a tight seal between the two members for
preventing leakage of the fluid contained within the bag or the
ingression of exterior gases into the bag.
FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation view of the sealing cylinder 52
which, when inserted into the bore of the gland 42 of FIG. 2 seals the
opening in the fluid-containing bag 24. The exterior surface of the
sealing cylinder S2 contains three or more annular rings 50 as
mentioned above and, in addition, a tapered latch ring 54 which, as
shown in FIG. 5, latches over the edge formed between flange 30 and
the bore of the gland 42 to prevent removal of the sealing cylinder 52
once it has been inserted into the gland 42. AS illustrated in FIG. 3
the external end of the sealing cylinder 52 terminates at the flange
36, the inner end of which is connect~ed to the outer surface of a
dispensing barrel 56. It will be noted that the flange 36 is only
semi-annular as illustrated in FIG. 1 and the lower half of the flange
36 extends directly down to connect with the horizontal tongue 34
which, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5, mates with the flat surface at
the bottom of the carton opening for preventing rotation of the
dispenser.
The dispensing barrel 56 extends into the bore of the sealing
cylinder 52 to a point approximately corresponding to the inner end of
12~)6923
the sealing cylinder. The inner end of the dispensing barrel is cut
at an angle of approximately 45 and is covered with a sealed
diaphragm 58 of an impervious plastic material having a thickness of
approximately 0.03 inches but which is reduced in thickness to
approximately 0.01 inches at its peripheral intersection with the end
of the dispensing barrel 56 to provide a frangible edge 60 which may
be easily ruptured or cut by a sharp cutting edge. The oblique
diaphragm 58 thereby forms a very effective seal to prevent the fluid
from within the bag 24 from passing into the dispensing barrel 56.
The outer end of the dispensing barrel 56 opposite the oblique
diaphragm 58 is provided with an interior annular groove 62. A
dispensing hole 65 is cut through the bottom wall of the dispensing
barrel 56. The annular groove 62 is designed to mate with an annular
ring 72 in the exterior wall of the dispensing tap of FIG. 4 and the
dispensing hole 65 in the dispensing barrel operates in conjunction
with a similar dispensing hole 70 through the wall of the dispensing
tap of FIG. 4 to form a fluid flow control valve.
FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation view of the dispensing tap
which comprises a tubular barrel 68 which is plugged at its outer end
and supports thereon the dispenser handle 38. A dispensing hole 70 is
cut through the top wall, as illustrated, of the tubular barrel 68 so
that it may cooperate with the dispensing hole 65 in the barrel 56 of
FIG. 3 when the dispensing tap 66 is rotated one-half turn. The
dispensing tap is inserted into the bore of the dispensing barrel 56
of FIG. 3 and the annular ring 72 near the outer end of the tubular
barrel 68 of FIG. 4 engages the annular groove 62 in the dispensing
barrel 56 of FIG. 3. As illustrated, the top of the tubular barrel 68
12C~6923
has an extension 73 having a sharp cutting edge 74 at the end thereof.
When the dispensing tap 66 is inserted into the bore of the dispensing
barrel of FIG. 3, the cutting edge 74 of the barrel extension 73 does
not quite contact the oblique diaphragm 58 at the inner end of the
dispensing barrel. However, rotation of the dispensing tap 66 within
the barrel 56 will cause the edge 74 to cut through the frangible rim
60 of the diaphragm 58 to thereby open the passageway into the fluid-
containing bag. When the dispensing tap has been rotated a full half
turn so that the dispensing hole 70 in the tap 66 is aligned with the
dispensing hole 65 of FIG. 3, the fluid will pass from the bag through
both dispensing holes. Merely turning the handle 38 so that the two
dispensing holes are no longer aligned, will shut off the flow of the
fluid.
FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation view of the assembled dispenser
including the gland 42, dispensing barrel 56 mounted to the sealing
cylinder 52 and the dispensing tap 66 positioned within the bore of
the dispensing barrel 56. FIG. 5 illustrates the dispensing hole 65
aligned with the hole 70 in the dispensing tap 66, or a one-half
rotation of the tap 66 illustrated in FIG. 4. The rotation of the
dispensing tap 66 causes the cutting edge 74 on the barrel extension
73 to cut through the frangible rim of the oblique diaphragm 58, thus
forcing the diaphragm away from the end of the dispenser as
illustrated. The attachment of the oblique diaphragm 58 to the
extreme inner end of the dispensing barrel 56 remains intact so that
the material of the diaphragm which is relatively thick cannot break
into fragments that may enter the bore of the dispensing tap 66 and
block the dispensing hole therein.
1206923
FIG. 6 is a sectional elevation view of a gland 76 mounted in the
aperture of a carton 78 and having a flange welded to the interior
peripheral surface of the fluid-containing bag 80. The gland 76 is
identical to the gland 42 of FIG. 2 and supports in its bore a sealing
cylinder 82 having a cylindrical outer surface similar to the sealing
cylinder 52 of FIG. 3, with an annular latch ring 84 and annular rings
engaging the annular grooves in the bore of the gland 76. The sealing
cylinder 82 also includes a semi-annular ring 86, the lower end of
which supports the horizontal tongue 88 which engages the horizontal
slot in the carton 78 to prevent rotation of the sealing cylinder
during operation.
As with the sealing cylinder of FIG. 3, sealing cylinder 82 of
FIG. 6 supports a dispensing barrel 90 within its bore. Dispensing
barrel 90 is coaxial with the sealing cylinder 82 and is supported by
an annular wall portion 92 at the inner end of the sealing cylinder
and connected to the annular latch ring 84. Orthogonally positioned
within the bore of the barrel 90 and adjacent the inner end of the
barrel, is rigid diaphragm 94 having a frangible peripheral edge
similar to the diaphragm 58 of FIG. 3. An annular groove 96 is formed
in the bore of the barrel 90 near the end opposite that supporting the
dia~hragm 94 to form a lock and moisture seal with the dispensing
member of FIG. 7.
FIG. 7 is a sectional elevation view of a dispenser comprising a
tubular member g8 having a flexible hose or tubing connector 100 at
its outer end and an oblique sharpened cutting edge 102 at its inner
end. A blade-type handle 104 is radially connected to the tubing
member 98 and an annular resilient washer 106 on the tubular member 98
1206923
abuts against the inner side of the handle 104. An annular ring 108
in the periphery of the tubular member 98 is located to engage the
annular groove 96 in the barre~ 90 of FIG. 6 when the tubular member
98 is inserted into the bore of the dispensing barrel. When the ring
108 engages the groove 96, a rectangular slot 110 in the handle 104
will engage the annular ring 112 on the outer surface of the sealing
cylinder 82 to prevent accidental removal of the tubular member 98
from the bore of the dispenser barrel 90.
The operation of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 is
similar to that of FIG. 5. The tubular member 98 is inserted into the
bore of the dispenser barrel 90 to the point where the ring 108 on the
tubular member engages the annular groove 96 in the barrel and where
the slot 110 in the handle 104 engages the annu~lar ring 112. The
resilient washer 106 around the tubular member 98 abuts the outer end
of the barrel 90 to act as a fluid seal in addition to that provided
by the ring 108 and groove 96. Rotation of the handle 104 and tubular
member 98 will cause the oblique cutting edge 102 to shear the
frangible periphery of the oblique diaphragm 94 of FIG. 6 to thereby
permit fluid from within the bag 80 to flow through the bore of the
tubular member 98 and tubing connector 100 to a desired remote
location. When the fluid in the bag 80 has been depleted, the tubular
member 98 may be withdrawn from the bore of the dispensing barrel
90 for insertion in a new fluid-containing bag dispensing barrel.
FIGS. 8 through 13 illustrate the details and operation of
another embodiment of a fluid dispenser employing an oblique
diaphragm with frangible periphery in the bore of a dispensing barrel
within a sealing cylinder mounted within a conventional gland such as
that describe in FIG. 2. The advantage of this embodiment is that it
- ~206923
includes a double valving system which permits the removal of the
dispensing unit from the dispensing barrel without loss of fluid from
a full or partially filled bag after the oblique diaphragm has been
cut or the loss of the product inside the dispensing unit. As will be
subsequently described, the dispenser handle may be rotated to lock
the dispenser upon the sealing cylinder. The first half turn of the
handle cuts open the oblique diaphragm in the bore of the dispensing
barrel and opens the first valve in the barrel. A further quarter
tuxn opens the second valve in the dispensing unit to permit the fluid
to flow from the bag to the dispenser outlet. Reversing the rotation
of the handle closes the first valve within the sealing cylinder and
the second valve in the dispenser so that the dispenser may be removed
from the sealing cylinder without loss of fluid from either the fluid
bag or dispenser.
FIG. 8 is a sectional elevation view of the conventional filling
and dispensing gland 114 haviny therein a sealing cylinder 116 which
is identical to that illustrated in FIG. 6. The dispensing barrel 118
within the bore of the sealing cylinder 116 supports the oblique
mounted diaphragm 120 which forms a seal to the contents of the fluid-
containing bag ~not shown). Adjacent the diaphragm 120 is a tubular
member 122 having a normally vertical diametric slot 124 on the
substantially flat exterior and which is sealed from the bore of the
member 122. The end of the member 122 opposite the slot 124 is at an
oblique angle similar to that of the oblique diaphragm 120 and
includes a cutting edge 126 that is positioned so that rotation of the
tubular member 122 will cut around the periphery of the oblique
diaphragm 120 to open the seal into the fluid bag. The tubular
12069Z3
member 122 is locked against longitudinal movement and is also sealed
by the longitudinal ring and groove 128 adjacent the exterior edge of
the dispensing barrel 118 and tubular member 122. As with the annular
ring 112 of FIG. 6, the sealing cylinder 116 of FIG. 8 includes an
annular ring 130 on the exterior surface of the sealing cylinder 116
and the semi-annular ring 132, the lower edge of which terminates in
the horizontral tongue 134 that is inserted into the carton to
prevent rotation. It will be noted that the bore of the sealing
cylinder 116 is substantially greater than the outside diameter of the
dispensing cup 136 which is adapted to receive the tubular body of the
dispensing unit of FIG. 9.
The dispensing unit of FIG. 9 includes the tubular body 138
having an outside diameter corresponding to the ins~ide diameter of the
sealing cylinder 116. Rotatable within the bore of the tubular body
138 is a tubular sleeve 140 which is closed at its inner end and
supports a normally vertical blade member 142 which is adapted to
engage the diametric slot 124 in the tubular member 122 of FIG. 8.
The closed inner end of the sleeve 140 terminates in a flange 144
which, as will be later described, are vertical tabs which cooperate
with tabs in the circular body 138 to rotate the sleeve 140 as will be
subsequently described in detail in connection with FIGS. 13A-13D.
Independently rotatable within the outer end of the tubular body 138
is a cup-shaped adapter 146 which is retained in the tubular body 138
by mating annular grooves and rings 148 and which is sealed against
leakage by an O-ring 150. One or more tubular hose connectors 152 are
connected to the lower end of the adapter 146 and support a horizontal
tongue 154 that is positioned to contact with the lower surface of the
tongue 134 in the sealing cylinder of FIG. 8. Thus, the tubular body
12~:gZ~
138 of FIG. 9 is designed to be inserted into the circular cup 136 in
the sealing cylinder 116 of FIG. 8. When thus positioned, the blade
member 142 will engage the diametric slot 124 and a lip 156 in the
lower inner surface of the handle or operator 158 will engage the
annular ring 130 on the sealing cylinder 116.
It will be noted that the end elevation view of FIG. 10, which is
taken along the lines 10-10 of FIG. 8, illustrates a small notch or
opening 160 through the annular ring 130 and located approximately 45
below the horizontal plane. It will also be noted in FIG. 9 that the
operator 158 is illustrated in a vertical position merely for
illustrating the method of attachment to the exterior of the tubular
body 138 and its relationship to the annular ring 130 of FIG. 8. The
correct positioning of the operator 158 is illustrated in FIGS. 13A
through 13D.
FIG. 11 is a sectional elevation view taken along the lines 11-11
of FIG. 8 and illustrates the details of a first one of the double
valves. As shown in FIG. 8, the tubular member 122 contains a radial
aperture 162 which is also shown in FIG. 11. The dispensing barrel
118 also contains a radial aperture 164 located diametrically opposite
and coaxial with the aperture 162. Thus, when the apertures 162 and
164 are not aligned as illustrated in FIG. 11, fluid which may enter
the bore of the tubular member 122 from the fluid-containing bag is
prevented from entering the circular cup 136 until such time there is
alignment between the apertures 162 and 164. Appropriate rotation of
the tubular member 122 in the dispensing barrel 118 provides the first
valve that permits the removal of the dispenser of FIG. 9 while fluid
remains within the fluid-containing bag.
1206~23
The second valve is contained within the dispenser of FIG. 9 and
com~rises an aperture 166 through the wall of the sleeve 140 that may
be aligned by rotation of the sleeve to coincide with a slot 168
longitudinally formed in the inner wall of the tubular body 138 as
illustrated by the dashed lines of FIG. 9.
FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along the lines 12-12 of FIG. 9
and illustrates alignment of the aperture 166 with the slot 168. When
properly aligned, the fluid from the fluid-containing bag passes
through the bore of the tubular member 122, through the apertures 162
and 164 of FIG. ll and thence through the aperture 166 of FIG. 12 and
into the slot 168 which is in open communication with a chamber 170 in
the adapter 146 of FIG. 9. Fluid then may flow through the hose
connector 152 for remote dispensing of the fluid. If desired, two or
more hose connectors, such as the hose connector 152, may be connected
to the chamber 170 for multiple dispensing or to operate as a manifold
to couple a plurality of fluid-containing bags and associated
dispensers to one common output tube. The multiple fluid container
manifold arrangement is particularly useful inasmuch as each
dispenser, such as the dispenser of FIG. 9, contains a valve which
permits romoval of the assembly from its associated fluid-containing
bag without loss of fluid while still permitting the fluid from other
sources to flow through the chamber 170 to an output tubing.
FIGS. 13A through 13D illustrate the four principal positions of
the tubular body 138 with respect to the sleeve 140 during the steps
of cutting the oblique diaphragm 120 of FIG. 8 and the rotation of the
various tubular members to provide the dual valving. FIG. 13A, taken
along the lines 13-13 of FIG. 9, illustrates the dispenser in
12~692~
position in the circular cup 136 of FIG. 8. The lip 156 on the handle
or operator 158 passes through the opening 160 of FIG. 10 so that the
lip engages the annular ring 130 around the periphery of the sealing
cylinder 116 of FIG. 8. The operator 158 is at an angle of
approximately 45 below a horizontal plane and the vertically aligned
blade member 142 at the inner end of the sleeve 14~ of FIG. 9 engages
the vertically aligned slot 124 in the tubular member 122. The slot
124 is illustrated in FIGS. 13A-13D as a dashed line to illustrate the
appropriate degree of rotation of the tubular member 122 of FIG. 8 to
provide proper valviny.
Initially, the valve provided by the radial apertures 162 and 164
of FIG. 11 is closed and the fluid slot 168 in the inner wall of the
tubular body 138 is not aligned with the aperture 166 through the
sleeve 140. Thus, both valves are closed while the dispenser of FIG.
9 is inserted into the circular cup 136 of the sealing cylinder 116 of
FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 13A, the flange 144 at the exterior closed
end of the sleeve 140 of FIG. 9 is actually a pair of diametrically
located tabs 172 and 174 which are adapted to cooperate with tabs 176
and i78 formed in the tubular body 138. The entire tubular body 138
is rotatable by the operator 158 and the tabs 174 and 176 operate to
rotate the sleeve 140 within the body.
In FIG. 13B, the operator 158 has been rotated to a position
approximately 45 above the horizontal so that thé tabs 176 and 178
contact the sleeve tabs 174 and 172, respectively. There has been no
rotation of the sleeve 140 but the slot 168 in the tubular body 138
has been aligned with the radial aperture 166 in the sleeve wall to
thereby open one of the two valves in the system to the position shown
in FIG. 12.
~20~Z3
FIG. 13C illustrates another quarter turn rotation of the tubular
body 138. The tabs 176 and 178 have now forced a quarter turn of the
sleeve 140 and, as shown by the dashed outline, the diametric slot 124
in the end of the tubular member 122 of FIG. 8 has been rotated a
quarter turn so that the cutting edge 126 will sever a portion of the
periphery of the diaphragm 120. The valve formed by the apertures 162
and 164 of FIG. 11 has not yet been opened.
FIG. 13D illustrates the final position. The tubular body 138
has been rotated a third quarter turn and its tabs 176 and 178 have
rotated the sleeve 140 a second quarter turn. As shown by the dashed
line, the slot 124 in the tubular member 122 has now been rotated and
the cutting edge 124 has cut a full half of diaphragm 120 of FIG. 8.
The valve formed by the slot 168 and aperture 166 of FIG. 12 remains
open and the apertures 162 and 164 of FIG. 11 are aligned to admit
fluid through the bore of the tubular member 124, through the aperture
164 and the aperture 166 in the dispenser and into the slot 168 to the
position as indicated in FIG. 12. The fluid is now free to flow from
the fluid bag container and from the slot 168 into the chamber 170 of
FIG. 9 and through the appropriate hose connector 152.
To close the dual valves of the dispenser it is only necessary to
reverse the rotation of the operator 158. The first quarter turn
misaligns the slot 168 with the aperture 166 in the sleeve 140, thus
closing the valve within the dispenser itself. The second quarter
turn to the position illustrated in FIG. 13B causes the tab 172 on the
tubular body 138 to contact tab 174 on the sleeve 140 and a further
one-quarter turn to the position illustrated in FIG. 13A rotates the
diametric slot 124 to the position illustrated in FIG. 13C to thereby
16
12al69~3
close the inner valve comprising the apertures 162 and 164 of FIG. 11.
The dispenser assembly of FIG. 9 may now be withdrawn from the sealing
cylinder 116 of FIG. 8 without loss of fluid from either the dispenser
of FIG. 9 or from the fluid-containing bag. It will be noted that the
oblique diaphragm 120 of FIG. 8 has been cut and fluid may flow into
the bore of the tubular member 122 but is prevented from flowing
through the valve formed by the apertures 162 and 164 illustrated in
FIG. 11.
It is noted that all embodiments shown and described herein
employ a standard conventional gland. The gland, welded to the fluid-
containing bag, contains at its bore a sealing cylinder having an
oblique diaphragrn which is severed around a portion of its periphery
by the rotation of a cutting member within the bore of the sealing
cylinder. In the first embodiment, a conventional dispensing tap with
an oblique cutting member at its inner end may be inserted into the
barrel within the sealing cylinder so that rotation of the tap handle
will sever the oblique diaphragm and provide a suitable valve for the
dispensing of fluid.
In the second embodiment, a tube having a hose connection at one
end and an obliqué cutting edge at the inner end is inserted into the
dispensing barrel of the sealing cylinder so that rotation of the
tubular member will sever the periphery of the oblique diaphragm to
permit the flow of fluid through the tube and into a remote dispensing
tubing.
The third embodiment employs an identical sealing cylinder with a
dispensing barrel containing the oblique diaphragm seal and also
supporting a tubular member having an inner cutting edge and an outer
end containing a socket which is rotated by a suitable handle to sever
17
. .
lZ06923
the periphery of the oblique diaphragm. In this embodiment the
rotation of the cutting tubular member provides a first valving means
within the sealing cylinder and also a second valving means in the
dispensing unit so that the dispensing unit may be withdrawn without
loss of any fluid.
18
