CONTAINER AND METHOD FOR HOLDING FLEXIBLE BAGS CONTAINING A PRODUCT

CONTENANT ET METHODE DE MAINTIEN D'ARTICLE CONTENANT DES SACS SOUPLES

English Abstract

Apparatus and methods for holding a flexible bag containing product. A
container includes a
bottom wall, a first side wall having a first height (h) connected to the
bottom wall, a second side
wall having a second height (H) connected to the bottom wall, opposite the
first wall, a third side
wall connected to the first side, second side, and bottom walls, a fourth side
wall connected to the
first side, second side, and bottom walls, opposite the third side wall, a
reservoir formed by the first
side, second side, third side, fourth side, and bottom walls, and an opening
to the reservoir, opposite
the bottom wall. The first height (h) is less than the second height (H). A
method of instructing a
user to hold a flexible bag containing a product includes the steps of
procuring the container for
holding a flexible bag containing a product and instructing a user to place a
flexible bag containing a
product into the reservoir of the container such that the flexible bag is in
an upright position. A
method for storing a flexible bag container a food product includes the steps
of procuring the
container and placing a flexible bag containing a product into the reservoir
of the container such that
the flexible bag is positioned upon the bottom wall of the container.

Claims

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CLAIMS
1. A container for holding a flexible bag containing product, the container
comprising:
a bottom wall;
a first side wall having a first height (h) connected to the bottom wall;
a second side wall having a second height (H) connected to the bottom wall,
opposite the
first wall;
a third side wall connected to the first side, second side, and bottom walls;
a fourth side wall connected to the first side, second side, and bottom walls,
opposite the
third side wall;
a reservoir formed by the first side, second side, third side, fourth side,
and bottom walls;
and
an opening to the reservoir, opposite the bottom wall;
wherein the first height (h) is less than the second height (H).
2. The container of claim 1, further comprising a flexible bag containing
product disposed
within the reservoir in an upright position.
3. The container of claim 2, wherein the flexible bag container product is a
flexible bag
container coffee.
4. The container of claim 1, further comprising one or more feet disposed
along the bottom
wall.
5. The container of claim 4, wherein the feet comprise a material selected
from the group
consisting of rubber, plastics, polymers, elastomers, composites, and
combinations thereof.
6. The container of claim 1, wherein the bottom wall further comprises an
angular bottom
wall that connects the bottom wall to the second side wall.

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7. The container of claim 6, wherein the bottom wall and angular bottom wall
comprise one
or more feet disposed thereon.
8. The container of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the first height to the
second height (h:H) is
less than 1.
9. The container of claim 8, wherein the ratio of the first height to the
second height (h:H) is
equal to or less than about 2/3.
10. A container for holding a flexible coffee bag, the container comprising:
a bottom wall;
a first side wall connected to the bottom wall;
a second side wall connected to the bottom wall, opposite the first side wall;
a third side wall connected to the first side, second side, and bottom walls;
a fourth side wall connected to the first side, second side, and bottom walls,
opposite the
third side wall;
a reservoir having an opening opposite the bottom wall formed by the bottom,
first,
second, third and fourth side walls; and
a flexible bag containing coffee disposed within the reservoir in an upright
position upon
the bottom wall.
11. The container of claim 10, wherein the first side wall has a first height
(h) and the second
side wall has a second height (H) such that the first height is less the
second height (H).
12, The container of claim 11, wherein a ratio of the first height (h) to
second height (H)
(h:H) is less than 9/10.
13. The container of claim 10, wherein the container is sized such that it may
be positioned
upon a countertop.

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14. A method for holding a flexible bag containing product, the method
comprising placing a
flexible bag containing a product into the reservoir of the container of claim
1 such that the
flexible bag is positioned upon the bottom wall in an upright position.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the flexible bag is positioned within the
reservoir such
that a front label of the flexible bag is aligned with the first side, thereby
visible to an observer
from outside the container.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein the flexible bag container a product is a
flexible bag
container coffee.
17. A method of instructing a user to hold a flexible bag containing a
product, the method
comprising:
procuring the container of claim 1; and
instructing a user to place a flexible bag containing a product into the
reservoir of the
container such that the flexible bag is in an upright position.
18. A method for storing a flexible bag container a food product, the method
comprising:
procuring a container comprising:
a bottom wall,
a first side wall having a first height (h) connected to the bottom wall,
a second side wall having a second height (H) connected to the bottom wall,
opposite the first wall,
a third side wall connected to the first side, second side, and bottom walls,
a fourth side wall connected to the first side, second side, and bottom walls,
opposite the third side wall,
a reservoir formed by the first side, second side, third side, fourth side,
and
bottom walls, and
an opening to the reservoir, opposite the bottom wall;

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placing a flexible bag containing a product into the reservoir of the
container such that
the flexible bag is positioned upon the bottom wall of the container.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising positioning the container
holding the flexible
bag of product on a countertop.
20. The method of claim 18, orienting the flexible bag within the container
such that a front
label may be visible from outside the container.

Description

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CONTAINER AND METHOD FOR HOLDING
FLEXIBLE BAGS CONTAINER PRODUCT
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Apparatus and methods for holding and/or storing flexible bags that contain a
product. More
particularly, apparatus and methods for holding a flexible bag of coffee.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As evidenced by the ever-ending supply of new containers, storage devices, and
storage
systems for the home, there remains a continued need for improved containers
and systems for
holding and storing items and/or products.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment, a container for holding a flexible bag containing product
includes a
bottom wall, a first side wall having a first height (h) connected to the
bottom wall, a second side
wall having a second height (H) connected to the bottom wall, opposite the
first wall, a third side
wall connected to the first side, second side, and bottom walls, a fourth side
wall connected to the
first side, second side, and bottom walls, opposite the third side wall, a
reservoir formed by the first
side, second side, third side, fourth side, and bottom walls, and an opening
to the reservoir, opposite
the bottom wall. The first height (h) is less than the second height (H).
In another embodiment, a method of instructing a user to hold a flexible bag
containing a
product includes the steps of procuring the container for holding a flexible
bag containing a product
and instructing a user to place a flexible bag containing a product into the
reservoir of the container
such that the flexible bag is in an upright position.
In yet another embodiment, a method for storing a flexible bag container a
food product
includes the steps of procuring a container that comprises a bottom wall, a
first side wall having a

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first height (h) connected to the bottom wall, a second side wall having a
second height (H)
connected to the bottom wall, opposite the first wall, a third side wall
connected to the first side,
second side, and bottom walls, a fourth side wall connected to the first side,
second side, and bottom
walls, opposite the third side wall, a reservoir formed by the first side,
second side, third side, fourth
side, and bottom walls, and an opening to the reservoir, opposite the bottom
wall; and placing a
flexible bag containing a product into the reservoir of the container such
that the flexible bag is
positioned upon the bottom wall of the container.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
This invention will be best further described in the following detailed
description taken in
conjunction with reference to the following figures:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a container for holding a
flexible coffee
bag;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the container of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a back elevational view of the container of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a left elevational view of the container of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a right elevational view of the container of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the container of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the container of FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of a container for
holding a flexible
coffee bag, wherein a flexible coffee bag is positioned within the container;
and

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FIG. 9 is a side wall elevational view of the container of FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
An apparatus and method for holding a flexible bag of coffee is disclosed
herein. Referring
to FIGS. 1-9, one embodiment of a container for holding a flexible coffee bag
10 is shown. In
general, a container 10 for holding a flexible coffee bag may comprise a right
side wall 11, a left
side wall 13, a front side wall 12, a back side wall 14, a bottom wall 17, a
reservoir 16, and an
opening 15 at an end of the container opposite bottom wal117. The right side
wall 11, left side wall
13, front side wall 12, back side wall 14, and bottom wa1117 may form a
substantially rectangular
shape and may also form a reservoir 16 internal to the right side wall 11,
left side wall 13, front side
wall 12, back side wa1114 and bottom wa1117. The corners formed by the
attachment of the right
side wall 11, left side wa1113, front side wa1112, back side wall 14, and
bottom wa1117 may be right
angles or angles of varying radii. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-7, back
side wall 14 has a
height (H) and front side wall has a height (h). The height (h) of the front
side wall 12 and the height
(H) of the back side wa1114 may comprise any height and have may have a front
side wall height to
back side wall height ratio (h:H). For example, the height (h) of the front
side wa1112 may be equal
to the height (H) of the back side wall 14 such that the ratio of the front
side height to back side
height (h:H) is equal to 1(1:1). As another example, the height (h) of the
front side wa1112 may be
less than the height (H) of the back side wa1114 such that the height ratio
(h:H) may be less than 1
such as, for example, 9/10 (9:10), 8/10 (8:10), 3/4 (3:4), 2/3 (2:3), 1/2
(1:2), or any other ratio less
than one. Although three examples are described herein, it is understood that
the heights and height
ratio may be any number of various heights and height ratios. Although not
shown, the height (H) of
the back side wall 14 may be less than the height (h) of the front side wall
12.

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As shown in FIG. 4, the height (h) of the front side wall 12 is less than the
height (H) of the
back side wall 14 such that the container 10 has a front side wall to back
side wall height ratio of 2/3
(2:3). Right and left side walls 11 and 13, respectively, may have top angular
sides 18 that angle
upwardly from front side wa1112 to back side wall 14., forming opening 15 into
an angular opening.
Opening 15 permits a flexible coffee bag 1 to be placed within reservoir 16
upon bottom wall 17 and
may also rest against an inside surface of one or more of the side walls 11,
12, 13, or 14, holding
coffee bag 1 upright inside container 10 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Referring
back to FIG. 4, the
top angular sides 18 of the right and left side walls 11 and 13, respectively,
may comprise a portion
that extends horizontally a distance from back side wall 14 before it begins
to angle downwardly
toward front side wall 12. However, this is optional.
Bottom wa1117 may further comprise a angular bottom wa1119 which connects the
bottom
wa1117 to the back side wa1114 as shown in FIG. 4. Angular bottom wa1119 may
be oriented at an
angle relative to an imaginary horizontal plane or relative to the
substantially horizontal bottom wall
17. The angle formed by the angular bottom wall 19 relative to the imaginary
horizontal plane
and/or bottom wall 17 may be of varying degrees.
Container 10 may also comprise feet 15 mounted to bottom wa1117 and/or angular
bottom
wall 19. Feet 15 may comprise any size, shape, design, and/or material. As one
example, feet 15
may be fabricated from a variety of materials, including but not limited to
rubber, plastics, polymers,
elastomers, composites, combinations thereof, or any suitable material known
to those with ordinary
skill in the art. Referring to FIG. 7, container 10 is depicted in a bottom
plan view showing the
bottom wa1117, angular bottom wa1119, and feet 15. The rubber feet 15 may be
mounted to the left
and right edges of the bottom wall 17 and may also be mounted to angular
bottom wall 19.

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In another example, feet 15 is fabricated from the same material (e.g.,
polymer) as the
container is, but then covered with an elastomer or rubber material. In yet
another example,
container 10 may be a swivel base (not shown) such that container 10 may
swivel relative to the
swivel base any number of rotational degrees about a vertical axis (e.g., 0
degrees to 360 degrees). It
is understood that container 10 may not include feet 15 or a swivel base, and
thus the bottom wal117
may rest directly on a surface such as a countertop.
Container 10 provides a user with a method for holding a flexible bag of
coffee in an upright
position within reservoir 16 . Moreover, container 10 may be positioned upon a
countertop or
similar surface, thus providing a place to hold a flexible coffee bag in an
upright position on the
countertop or similar surface. Without container 10, one would be forced to
either set the bag on its
flexible bottom wall, which generally causes the bag to tip over onto one of
its sides, or set that bag
directly onto one of its sides at the onset. When resting on one of its sides,
the coffee bag takes up
more precious counter space and is sloppy looking, plus increases the
opportunity for coffee to spill
out from the opening of the flexible coffee bag.
The container for holding a flexible coffee bag 10 may sit on a countertop and
may serve to
hold a flexible bag of coffee in an upright position. The container 10 may
comprise a variety of
materials, including but not limited to plastics, polymers, metals,
composites, or combinations
thereof, and may be manufactured in a variety of sizes to accommodate flexible
bags of coffee in
varying dimensions.
The embodiments shown and described herein are for illustration purposes only,
and not
limitation. It is understood that container 10 is not limited to the shape,
dimensions, configurations,
disclosed herein, but may be manufactured in multiple variations of sizes,
shapes, and materials such
that it may accommodate various sizes and shapes of flexible coffee bags.

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Any conventional manufacturing process may be used to fabricate container 10,
including but
not limited to plastic injection molding, thermoforming, blow molding,
combinations thereof, or any
other known method.

Representative Drawing