Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to containers and the
like adapted for receiving the contents of frangible
packaging, and eEpecially to improvements in means for
releasing the contents of such packaging into the container.
BACKGRVUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of frangible packaging for distribution and
sale of consumer products at the retail level is a common - -
practice. Perhaps one of the best known examples of this type
of packaging is the use of plastic bags for the packaging of
fluid milk. Juice and a wide variety of other potable
beverages are similarly packaged.
Devices intended to facilitate the opening of this
kind of packaging, abound. Exemplary of such devices are the
so-called "snippits" which typically have a short blade
oriented along at least one of two convergent sides that bound
a channel through which a portion of the packaging is manually
guided. The blade contacts the packaging and severs a
portion thereof, opening the packaging in such a way as to ~-
permit the contents to be dispensed. The contents are then
poured into a rigid container.
The problem of pouring the contents from the
frangible container into a separate container is that the
contents are often spilled in the process, especially when the
packaging is, for example, a relatively light gauge
polyethylene, and the contents are liquid. Alternatively the
frangible container is placed in a rigid support (typically a
container), opened, and the contents are dispensed from there
directly. An example of a container designed expressly for
this purpose is described in U.S. Patent No. 3,799,400 issued
March 26, 1974. That patent discloses a jug adapted to
receive a milk bag in supported, upright position. The jug
includes a built in scissor arrangement whose blades are
operable on flexure of the blade-supporting walls of the jug
to engage and cut one of the upper corners of the bag away.
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Although the contents can be dispensed directly from the
frangible packaging when it is supported in a container, the
contents often drip down the exterior of the packaging and
lodge between it and the interior walls of the container.
Since the exterior of the packaging is seldom washed by the
consumer prior to being used, there is substantial risk of
unwanted contaminants finding their way into the contents that `
become trapped between the packaging and the container. This
liquid can flow back up the container when further liquid is
subsequently dispensed and mixes with the contents being -~
dispensed from the packaging for the first time. The result
is at the very least unhygienic and the potential exists for
microbiological hazard.
There continues to be a need for improved means for
dispensing contents from frangible packaging into dispensing
containers. ;
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S~MMARY OF THE INVENTION
Commonly owned and copending Canadian Patent
Application Serial No. 603,551, filed June 21, 1989, generally
discloses a device comprising supported apical piercing means
oriented and stabilized in supported relation on support means
and adapted to be positioned within a container having a
hollow interior defined between a distal end and mutually
contiguous side walls extending upwardly from the distal end
to a proximal end which opens into the interior.
In accordance with the present invention there is
provided a device including apical piercing means adapted to
pierce frangible packaging and being supported on support
means at a first end thereof which is positionable in
removable relation within a container, with said apical
piercing means oriented and stabilized interiorly of said
container in operable position therein, said support means
having a second graspable end spaced apart from the first and
adapted to extend exteriorly of said container when said first
end is so positioned. Examples of apical piercing means
include by way of example, spikes (which may take the form of,
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for example, conical or cruciform heads), or cannular tubes or
the like. In one aspect the present invention the container ~ -
has a hollow interior defined between a base located at the
distal end and mutually contiguous side walls extending -~
upwardly from the distal end to a proximal end which opens
into the interior. With the first end of the support means
removably positioned adjacent to the distal end of the
container, the apical piercing means preferably extends within
the interior and away from the distal end, towards the opening
at the proximal end. In an especially preferred aspect of the
present invention, the apical piercing means is positionable
adjacent the distal end of the container in spaced apart
relation from the side walls thereo~, and the support means is
adapted to extend, from the first end thereof, generally along
the base at the distal end towards the side walls, and then
adjacent the side walls upwardly towards the proximal end, and
through the opening to the second end located exteriorly of
the container.
In use, a frangible container of goods is introduced
into the interior of the container through the above mentioned
opening and is impaled on the piercing means, permitting the
contents thereof to be released from the frangible packaging
into the interior of the container.
This device affords the advantages of having the
container support the frangible packaging and directing the
flow of contents released therefrom between the side walls so
as to confine the contents within the container to thereby
help reduce spilling, and in the case of liquid contents,
splashing too. The removable device is readily cleaned and -
can be shared between a number and variety of containers. The
device is especially useful and advantageous in connection
with domestic dispensing of flowable comestibles, and
especially liquid beverages.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present
invention the apical piercing means is supported on a
generally conical support means operable to spread the pierced
frangible packaging and thereby enlarge the opening therein
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through which the contents thereof are released into the
container. This considerably expedites dispensing the
contents of the packaging, especially in the case of non~
liquids, such as large particulates eg. coffee beans, ground
coffee, or the like. -~
According to a further variation, the sides of the
conical support are adapted to smoothly distribute an initial
flow of the contents outwardly towards the side walls. This
arrangement helps to minimize splashing of contents back onto
the exterior surfaces of the packaging. In the case of
particulates the cone helps to direct the contents outwardly
away from the hole in the packaging, and thus prevents "log- ~
jams". Since the packaging, the removable device of the ~ -
present invention, and the container are all independently
movable, they can ba mutually positioned and moved relative to
one another, so as to further facilitate the removal of the
contents from the packaging. In one form of the invention,
the generally conical side walls define a concave surface
intermediate the apex and base thereof.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
the apical piercing means and support are formed from a
tapering spike formed from mutually converging sides of a
plurality of cross pieces, preferably three and even more
preferably four in number forming a support and piercing means
having a cruciform cross section. In this embodiment the
mutually spaced sides of the three or more cross pieces can
tension the frangible packaging along hinge lines formed
therein between adjacent pairs of the cross pieces. The
weight of the contents acting across the hinge lines open the
packaging and enhance the product flow from the pierced
package.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the course of the following detailed description
of preferred embodiments of the present invention, reference
will be made to the drawings as appended hereto, and in which:
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Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred `
embodiment of a device of the present invention;
Figures 2 is a view taken in cross-section through a
container illustrating a device of the present invention
positioned for use therein.
Figure 3 of the drawings depicts one aspect of a
preferred embodiment of the present invention in plan view.
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Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings there is
shown a device 1 including apical piercing means 2 adapted to
pierce frangi~le packaging and being supported on support
means 3 at a first end 4 of the device 1. support means 3 is `
positionable in removable relation within a container (not
shown in this Figure, but see Figure 2), with the apical
piercing means 2 oriented and stabilized in operable position
interior~y of the container. The support means 3 has a second
graspable end 5 spaced apart from the first end 4 and adapted
to extend exteriorly of the container when the first end 4 is
positioned therein in the manner aforesaid. As illustrated in
this figure, the apical piercing means 2 is supported on a
generally conical support means 3, that is itself operable to
spread the pierced frangible packaging and thereby enlarge the
opening therein through which the contents thereof are
released into the container. Moreover the sides of the
conical support means 3 are adapted to smoothly distribute an
initial flow of the packages contents outwardly towards a
containers side walls.
Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings there is
shown a cross sectional view through a container 6, for
storing and dispensing various liquids, especially beverages,
and in particular milk. Container 6 comprises a hollow
interior defined between a distal end 7, and mutually
contiguous side walls 8, extending upwardly from the distal
end 7, to a proximal end 9, which is open to the interior.
Container 6 further includes a handle 10 and a pouring spout
11. The container 6 is tapered inwardly slightly from the
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proximal to the distal ends, 9 and 7 respectively. With the
device 1 of the present invention located within container 6,
the apical piercing means 2 is positionable adjacent the
distal end 7 of the container 6 in spaced apart relation from
the side walls 8 thereof, and the support means 3 is adapted
to extend, over the portion thereof indicated by reference
numeral 4a, from the first end 4, generally adjacent the base
of container 6 along the distal end 7 of the container 6,
towards the side walls. Support means 3 then extends
upwardly, adjacent the side walls towards the proximal end,
and through the opening, over the portion of support means 3 - -
indicated by reference numeral 4b, to the second end 5 located
exteriorly of the container.
Referring now to figure 8 of the drawings, there is
shown a supported apical piercing means 12 arranged on a
tapering support 13 comprising four contiguous cross pieces
14, 15, 16 and 17. The cross pieces are joined to one another
along respective first sides thereof offset from one another
at a ninety degree angles, and are each tapered from the base ~ ~
towards the apex of the support 13 along respective second ~ -
sides thereof. In addition, respective pairs of mutually
opposed surfaces extending between respective first and second
sides (see 15a and 15b, for example) of each of the cross
pieces also converge together from the base towards the apex
of the support 13. In this way the resulting wedging action
which takes place between the surfaces, especially along the
respective second sides of the support enhance the opening of
the frangible container. In addition, the mutually spaced
apart second sides of the cross pieces can tension the
frangible packaging along hinge lines (see line c shown in
phantom in Figure 8) formed therein between adjacent pairs of
the cross pieces. The weight of the contents acting across
such hinge lines on the generally triangular flap formed in
the packaging by the action of this preferred embodiment of
the invention, serve to open the packaging and enhance the
product flow from the pierced package.
