Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
. ~CTi~L 93/00226 2148364
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Container bag unit
The invention relates to a container bag unit according to the
preamble of Claim 1.
In US-A-4,576,313 a closed flexible bag is disclosed inside
which the coupling means are fitted. Moving these coupling means, which
are in the form of a pipe, to a certain position of the bag and then
placing them in the dispensing device produces a connection ~etween said
coupling means and the dispensing device. In this case the bag material
is pierced on placing on the dispensing device. This piercing is carried
out by a sharp point provided in the dispensing device. Such flexible
bags are preferred from the point of view of transport and use. If, for
example, the contents of such bags have to be sprayed, the ~iscosity is
important. If an open container is used in such a case, after some time
evaporation and other environmental influences will cause thickening of
the contents, so that spraying becomes very difficult or even impossible.
Another problem is transport. In the case of open containers or
containers which are provided with a stopper, there is always a risk that
they will open in transit, in particular if they are being transported in
aeroplanes and the like where low pressure occurs. The result is that the
whole batch, and not just the container concerned, is rejected, because
undesirable leakage is often unavoidable. This disadvantage can be
prevented by using a sealed bag, but the problem here is that an opening
has to be made afterwards. For that reason, it is proposed in the prior
art that the dispensing device should be provided with a sharp pin or the
like which pierces a part of the container when the container bag unit is
placed on the dispensing device. Such a pin must meet high standards
~ecause it has to last at least as long as the dispensing device. This
means that it must be made of a hardened steel part, with the result that
there is a real risk of injuries. For, it is quite conceivable for the
user to act so clumsily that, instead of the container bag unit, part or
parts of the body are brought close to the accommodation part of the
dispensing device.
German Gebrauchsmuster 8716846.4 discloses a rigid plastic
container provided with a cover which falls along with the level of the
contents. This to some extent prevents drying out, but the transportation
problem remains. If excess pressure is present in the container, the
cover will move outwards when there is a reduction in the ambient air.
This rigid plastic container is provided with a weakened part, by means
SUBSTITUTE SHEET _ November ~, 1994
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PCT/NL 93/00226 2
of which an opening can be made before use by means of a pin fitted on
the dispensing device. This pin fitted on the dispensing device is a
projecting part, which gives rise to the abovemention d risk of injury.
LU-~-67.564 discloses a rigid plastic container which is
provided with a sealing stopper. This stopper is pressed inwards by a pin
projecting from the dispensing device. The use of such a stopper means
that durimg transp~rt and storage in particular there is a risk that
pressure acting on the container bag will cause the stopper to shoot out,
with all the abovementioned cons~quences.
From FR-A-2,499,517 a rigid bottle is known of which the
opening is sealed by a membrane. On the neck a support is connected
having a hollow piercing member which projects outwardly in the condition
of non-piercing of the membrane.
The membrane is pierced by moving piercing mem~er inwardly
which is realized by a screw threaded auxiliary part. After piercing the
membrane the contents of the bottle can ~e emptied. Nowhere any
suggestion is given fc- combination with a dispensing device.
From E~-B-0 127.449 a container is known being provided with a
spraying head.
The object of the present invention is to avoid the
disadvantages described above and to provide a container bag unit in
which the container can be placed on the dispensing device without any
- problem.
This object is achieved in the case of a container bag unit of
the type described above by the characterizing measures of Claim l.
The invention is based on the idea of fitting the piercing
means on the outside of the flexible bag. The laborious search for the
-- pipe in the flexible bag and the positioning in a specific direction are
cons~quently no longer necessary. The place at which the coupling means
are fitted is clear and well defined. Welding them to the container bag
provides ~ sturdy connection, while there is little or no adverse effect
on the strength of the bag, i.e. the bag also stretches inside the
.~ coupling means in the same way as before the fitting of the coupling
means.
~5 Firstly, fitting the piercing means in the coupling means
;~ - ensures that the piercing means need be used only once, namely purely for
~-- use with the container concerned. The result is that a relatively simple
plastic part will suffice, and it can often be mada of the same material
as the coupling means and as a part thereof.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET - November 2, 1994
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Secondly, this means that the pointed side of the piercing
means c~n be accommodated in the coupling means and that only the contact
part - i.e. the part on which the pressure is to be exerted - of the
piercing means is accessible from the outside. Of course, thi~ contact
part need not be sharp, but must only be capable of transmitting forces.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the in~ention, the
coupling means comprise a sleeve-shaped part for all.owin~ through the
product, inside which the piercing means are fitted. This is a
particularly simple embodiment, and such a design can be made in one
SUBSTITUTE SHEE:T - November 2, l9g4
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W O 94/101]9 3 PCT/NL93/00226
construction operation. It is, o~ course, also possible to have loose
plercing means which are con~ined between two edges ln the sleeve-sha~ed
part.
The piercing means can comprise any means known in t~e prior
art, but it ls pre~erable ~or them to comprise a pointed element with
ribs, in which the point is, o~ course, directed towards the container to
be pierced. According to a further advantageous embodiment in which the
plercing means are made integral with the coupllng means, a connection is
made with the coupling means, or the abovementioned sleeve-shaped part,
by means oY a break connection~ When sa~d break connectlon ls removed,
the pie~cing means come away ~rom the co~pllng means, and the contalner
can be pierced by exerting pressure thereon ~rom the side wh~ch is not
po~nted. The projecting part remainlng on the coupling means can be used
for, for example, snapping the accommodation part o~ the dispensing
1~ device into a groove. It ls also possible to accommodate the piercing
means in such a way that they are ~reely movable in the sleeve-shaped
part.
The flexlble bag and the coupling means are pre~erably made o~
the same materiali but with di~erent densities. An example is the use of
high-density polyethylene for the bag and low-density polyethylene ~or
the coupling means. Su~h materials are easily welded together. The bag
can, o~ course, comprise a laminated construction in which the coupling
mean~ are welded only at the outermost layer o~ the laminate. Since
polyethylene in particular is a relatively so~t mater~al, it is
preferable in such a case to make the piercing means ~rom another, harder
material.
The present invention also relates to a dispensing device for
use in combination w~th the container bag unit described above. According
to the invention, it is provided with accommodation means ~or the
coupling means, which accommodat1on means are provided with operating
means ~or the pierclng means. Said operating means can comprise a
pro~ecting part which engages on the non-pointed slde o~ the piercing
means~ When the coupl~ng means are made sleeve-shaped, it is possible for
these accommodation means to lie extended inside the sleeve-shaped part.
Through the exertion o~ a ~orce, a break connection - i~ present -
between the sleeve-shaped part and the piercing means will be removed,
and ~orce will then be exerted on the piercing means in order to pierce
the contalner.
It goes without saying that the container bag unit descrlbed
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W O 94t10119 4 PCT/~'L93/00226
above can be used on a dispensing device ~or dispensing any type of
product. Through the use o~ a bag in which the material to be dispensed s
is stored, lt can be guaranteed that the qu811ty 0~ such product remains
subst~ntially unchanged during the service life o~ the bag. For example.
5 i~ soap ls stored ln contalners which have to be aerated to replace the
volume of soap dispensed, the viscosity o~ the soap will increase in the
prlor art through thlckening. Through the use o~ a ~lexlble bag it is
posslble that the quallty o~ the product remains substantially the same.
Because o~ that it is posslble to dispense the soap not only in droplets
10 but as a spray. Dispensing as a spray is particularly advantageous ~or
soap materials. It has been ~ound that when soap is dispensed as a spray
50 to 60% saving in soap can be realized while the user still ~inds that
the quantity o~ soap dispensed is adequate. Through spraying the soap
material will ~oam somewhat giving the user the impression that the
15 substantial portion o~ soap has been received having a certain thickness.
If dlspensing in a spray is used, preferably this is realized in downward
direction. Thls is particular true ~or dispensing o~ soap ~or washing
hands. First o~ all the user is familiar with the Pact that the material
to be dispensed will egress from the lcwer side o~ the dispensing device.
- 20 On the other hand it is not preferable that a spray is directed in
horizontal or vertically upward direction. Finally dispens~ng ~rom the
lower side oi the dispenser m~kes gravity feed of the related pump
posslble so that it is posslble to obviate problems relating to riser
tubers and so on. I~ æoap is dispensed in a spray its viscosity is
pre~erably between 0,3-4000 d.Pa.s (poise). It bas to be understood that
the flexible bag described above in combination with a spray dispenser
having a pump can be provided with any kind of connection and is not
limited to the coupling means as described above. It has been observed
that 0,23 ml per spray is suf~icient whilst in the prior art dosing
quantities are about l-~l,5 ml. For dispensing spray it has been found
advantageous to realize the nozzle head of the dispensing device as most
protruding part o~ the dispensing device. This prevents contamination of
portions surrounding the atomlzing nozzle.
The invention will be explained in greater detail below with
re~erence to an example o~ an embodiment shown in the drawing, in which:
Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically and partially in cross-section
the container bag unit according to the invention, together with the
dispensing device according to the invention, in the detached state
be~ore positioning thereo~;
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W094/10119 5 PCI/i~lL93/00226
Flg. 2 shows the construction according to Fig. 1, in which the
container bag unlt is ~ust placed on the dispensing device;
Flg. 3 shows the constructlon accordlng to the preceding
~lgures, in which the contalner bag unit is ~ully placed on the
dispenslng device; and
Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically the ~lexlble bag accordlng to the
present invention, having fitted thereon the coupling means ln the
transporting pvsition.
Fig. 1 shows a dispensing device 1, whlch is ~ixed to a support
3, in turn ~xed to wall 2. Operating lever 4 is ~ixed to support 3 by
means o~ hlnge 5. Operatlng lever 4 acts upon pressure plece 6, which in
turn operates piston 7, which is accommodated inside a ~ore 8. Spring
means may be present i~ necessary, Por the purpose o~ drlving piston 7 to
the right in the ~igures, so that a pumping actlon is obtalned hy movlng
operatlng lever 4 to the le~t. ~ore 8 is accommodated inside housing 9.
Housing 9 contalns a non-return valve 10 in the channel leadlng to
accommodation sleeve 13. Spray head 11 is present in the houslng 9 and is
connected by way o~ channel 12 to bore 8. Assuming a supply o~, ~or
example, soap into accommodation sleeve 13, when piston 7 moves to the
20 right material wlll be moved by way o~ non-return valve 10 into bore 8. A
non-return valve m3y be present ln nozzle 11, or the openings o~ the
spray nozzle 11 are made so small that when piston 7 is moved back
quickly such a vacuum ls produced that the ~orce o~ non-return valve lO
is overcome and material ~lows into bore 8. When lever 4 moves to the
- 25 le~t ln the ~igures non-return valve 10 will close, due to the fact that
pressure is built up inside bore 8. The material, such as soap material~
will then be dispensed to the user in mist ~orm by way o~ spray nozzle
11. It has been iound that in the case of soap in particular this can
lead to a considerable saving in use. hhen soap is not dispensed in the
form o~ a ~ist lt has bqen ~ound that approx~mately 80% is ~lushed away
without be~ng used. It has been found that a saving o~ at least 50% is
possible through spraying.
The soap described above comes ~rom the container bag unit 15.
This comprises a bag 16, which is provided wlth soap 17. Container bag
unit 15 is also ~rovided with a coupling 18. Bottom 19 o~ container 16 is
attached to said coupling 18 without an opening being present here in the
situation shown in Fig. 1. Coupling 18 comprises a sleeve 20, to which a
pierc~ng piece 23 is ~ixed by means o~ a break connection 24. Connected
to sleeve 20 is an edge 21, which is in turn connected to ~lange 22.
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WO 94/10119 6 PCT/NL93/00226
Piercirlg piece 23 comprises an element provided with a point 26. Thls
element ls also provlded wlth ribs 25, so that through~low channels are
bounded. Accommodatlon sleeve 13 is provided with a peripheral groove 14.
Fig. 1 shows the situation be~ore coupllng. In this cas~ polnt
26 is dlrectly below the bottom 19, but bag 16 is stlll completely sealed
o~
Fig. 2 shows the situation when contalner bag unlt 15 is placed
without force on accommodation sleeve 13. The stop is ~oDed through
contact o~ the bottom side of piercing piece 23 with the top slde o~
accommodation sleeve 13. When ~urther pressure ls exerted the bottvm slde
o~ p~erclng piece 23, which is resting against accommodatlon sleeve 13,
will be ~orced ~ nto position relative to sleeve 20. In this case the
break connection 24 is first destroyed, and point 26 pierces bottom 19.
In the course o~ this the pierclng piece 23 shoots o~ into the bag 16,
as shown in Flg. 3. On ~urther movement, the parts of break connection 24
remaining on sleeve 20 snap lnto groove 14, so that a snap connectlon is
obtained. The presence o~ ~lange 22 ~acilitates the placing o~ the
container bag unlt on ~he dispensing device.
Any plastic materlal known ~n the prior art can be used ~or the
2Q bag 16. me same applies to the coupling me2ns. It is, however,
pre~erable to use parts whlch are easily connected to each other. For
example, the bag can be m~de of high-density polyethylene and the sleeve
o~ low-density polyethylene, materlals which are relatively easily welded
to each other. It is possible here that the piercing piece may not be
sharp enough to pierce the bag, particularly i~ the bag is made o~ a
laminate ~n which the outer layer is made o~ polyethylene. In such a case
the piercing piece must be made o~ a much more rlgid material.
Flg. 4 shows the container bag ready ~or transportation, with
the sleeve welded onto it. The pierc~ng means are ~itted in said sleeve.
Although the invention is described above with re~erence to one
embodiment, it must be understood that numerous modi~ications can be made
to it without going beyond the scope o~ the present application. In
particular, as regards the actual pumping part, the dispensing device can
be designed in any other way known in the prior art. Besides, as already
stated above, the piercing point 26 can be a di~erent part ~rom sleeve
20. In su~h a case measures must be taken to hold piercing piece 23
inside sleeve 20. This can be achieved by, ~or example, a slightly
clacping connection, or by ~itting a peripheral edge below piercing piece
23 or peripheral pro~ections in sleeve 20.
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It ls clear ~ n the above that the pierclng piece ~ s used only
once.
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