Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
i 0;~8~3l~8
The tnvent10n relate~ to 1~prov~mænts 1n a co~
bined carrler case and h~ldlng means ~or det~chably securtng
ther~1n a fluld contaln~d tl~xlble bag as descr1bed ln th~ pr~-
~ent spectM catlon, and 111us~rated ln ~he accompany~ng draw-
lngs that ~orm a part of the s2~e.
The lnventlon conslsts essQntlally of th~ novel
featuras of construct10n as polnted out broadly and spec1flcally
In the cla1ms for novelty followlng ~ descrlptlon contatn1ng an
explanat10n 1n detall of an ~cceptable fo m of ~he Inv~ntlon and
modl~lcattons ther~o~.
In the followlng descrlpt10n and accompanylng
drawtngs, th~ comb1ned carrler case and hold1ng means Is descr1b~d
.~s b~1ng utlllzed for th~ m11k lndu~try, wher~ the mllk contalnl~d
bags are ta~en from the d~lry ~or dl3tr1butlon to custom~rs~ ~uch
as restaur~nts, oa~eterl~s, hotels. school~, and other locatlons~
and where th~ mllk contalned bag ~s detachab~ly held ln a l~ngth-
wlse or upr1ght pos1t10n wlthtn the carr1Qr cas~ by hold~ng means
that form a part o~ the case9 and malnt~ned 7n a cooler or other
refrl~eratory unlt and adapted to be connect~d to a valve cock
for~1n3 a part of the cool~r, but tt w111 of co~rs~ b~ undorstood
that, w1th or wlthout mod1f1cat10ns or rAml~1catlons, the combln-
at10n of the carrler ca~e and holdtng means together wlth th~ tlu1d
conta1ned flex1ble pl~stlc bag ~y be used for h~ndl1ng floxtbl~
bags contaln1ng soft drlnks, beverag~s ~nd o~her 1lu1d~
ln thQ follo~lng descrtpt10n, and 1n the cla~m~,
vartous detatls w111 b~ 1dent1~tQd by speclf1c names ~or conven-
1enc~; the na~es~ however, are lntended to be generlc 1n thetr app~
11catlon.
1038808`
It ts customa~y ln the ~alry lndustry to ~111
prede~rmlned s~z~s of flex~ble plastto bags3 made from poly-
ethylene or equlvalent naterlals~ w1th the ~u~s1t,e volume
of m~lk ~Qd through a spout form~d 1n the bag,, capp~ng the
5 sam~, and then packa~1ng ~he ba~ In~lde a corrugat~d carton~
whlch, after ~t has reach~d tts destlna~lon ls s~oi~d tn~lde a
dtspenser such as ~ cooler or o~her re~rlger~tlng unlt. Once the
polyethylene ba~ ~s empty, the corrugated car~on l# dlscard~d.
It ls found that the cost of the corrll~at~d car-
lO ton ls to~ expen~lve and costly ~or use 1n the datrles and the1rcustom~rs. Furthernore, thera ts lnsu~ftolent alr clrculatlon ~or
the mllk l~ag and lt ls parttcularily notlce~ble ~hen the bag coll-
apses more and more as tts contents are belng exhaust~d.
Another method tn handllng the m~lk ba~ 1'rom th~
lS dalry to the custom~r cons1sts ol' a poly~thylene bag prov~ded wlth
a comnon mllk lnput and output apertur~ ~orm~t tn one corner ol~ th~
bag and hav1ng a detachable spout or tube connected ther~to and wh1ch
is slmllar to the mllk bag structure as used w1th the corrugat~d car-
ton. The ~lexlble bags ~r~ generally mad~ o~ a heavy gaugQ and the
spou~s or tubes thereo~ ~re usually wrapped for san1tary reasons, as
these mllk bags are generally placed 1n an op~n type o~ plastlc case
~or transportatlon from the dalry to tha customer, and the spouts or
tubes could b~ contam1nated w1th dust, mo1sture and other fore1gn
matter, These spsclal plast1c cas~s, whlch travel from the da1ry to
the custo~er, once used, are be1ng returned to tha dalry to b~ ~111ed
agaln. Th~ costs ar~ h1gher than the costs of the corrugated c~rtons,
but 1t has the ~dvantage of belng us~d many tlmes and, ~ro~ the polnt
of v1ew of the u~er, ~t 15 preferable to other systems. Howe~er, lt
was found that the m11k bag ls h~rder to package, because th~ Ja1rl~s
can no longer use thelr regul~r da1ry cases and thts causes th~ pro-
duct~on department much dl ff1culty tn streamllne productlon,
-
1~3~3808
In o~h~r ~ystems, the ~111ed mllk bag ls shlpp~d d~r-
ectly to th~ end user ln the regular c~se, and upon reachlng the r¢~-
taurant, cafsterla level or other users, lt 15 trans~rred out o~ the
dalry case ~n~o a speclal plas~lc Cl~$e whlch remaln~ wl~h ~he cu3ton~r
5 at all tlmes. Th1s system ls eoonomical to the datrtes, but th~ cu~-
tomer res~nts the ldea o1~ ~rans~rrlng the bulk of ~1Y~ or mre gallon3
contalned tn a eingle mllk bag ~nto the plastlc case, b~cau~e they ar~
a~rald of dropp~ng the m~lk bag, causln~ the ~ilk ~o spllll all over the
place, and are loath 1n manlpulat1ng the packaged mllk ln th1s way,
Tha usual type of m11k bag us~d 1n the ~ndustry ~en~-
erally conslsts o~ a flex1ble plastlc bag hav1ng a con~on lnput and out- ~:
put aperture ~or~d ln one wall o~ the flexlbl~ bag and sltuated ad~a-
cent to one corner ther~o~ and prov1ded w1th a detachable closure c~p
whlch ls r~placeabl0 by a dot~chable $pout or tube. When tha ~flexlblo
bag ls ~llled wlth m11k, the aperture o~ the bag ~5 sealed by ~he clo~
sure cap, and the bag ls th0n slmply lns~rt2d ln th~ conta~ner and tr~ns~
ported to the custom~r, where lt ls tr~ns~erred to another cas~ ~nd pla-
ced lnto a ~ree~er or cooler. The closur~ cap 1s replaced w~th a d~ta~h-
able spout or tub~ whtch ls connected to a ~alv~ cock that ~onms a part
o~ th~ cosler.
There ~s a lack of any means ~or hold~ng and ma~ntaln1ng
the m~lk b~g ~n any ~lxed posltlon wlthln the case or cont~1ner, th~ ro~
sult ls that th~ m~lk bag slmply collapses and crumpl~s 2S the mllk ls
wlthdrawn there~rom, thereby af~ec~1ng the grsvlty ~low of th~ m11k, and
on occa~lons trapp~ng or ~solatln3 pock~ts of ~llk ln the ~lk b~g. Where--
by lt 1s necessa~y ~or ~he bag to be manually handled and h~ld ln posl~lon
to allow the mllk to flow through the v~lva cock of ~he cooler ~or lts
wlthdrawal from the bag.
-3-
~103~8q~1~
It 1s therefore the purpo~e o~ thls tnvent~on to
aYoîd such defect~ and other shortcom1ngs o~ th@ prev10us types o~
mllk bag carrlersa as w~ll as the n~llk bags themselv~s, by devls1ng
a comb1ned carr1er case and hold1ng mean~ ~r l~lultl conkalned ~l~x-
5 ~ble bags 1n wblch the hold~ng means of the carrl2r caso 1s adaptedto be engaged by ~eans formlng a part o~ the fluld cont~1ned ~l~xlble
bag, wh~reby the ~lexlbl~ bag 1s de~achably held ln a l~ngt:hwlse or
upr19ht ~sltlon w1thln the carr1er case a~ all tl~Qs.
Among the ob~cts o~ th~ Inventlon, 1s to ma1nta1n the
confosmlty of the upr1ght pos1t10n o~ ~he ~luld conta1ned ~lexlbl~
bag at all t1n~s wh11e belng held 1n the carrl~r case when 1t ls slt-
uated 1n the cooler and conm~cted to a valve cock therao~, so as to
agsur~ a constant unlnterrupted downward 110w o~ the 11u1d ~ro~ the
b~g to the v~lv~ cock oP th~ cooler.
1~ ~noth~r ob~ct o~ the 1nv~nt10n 15 to devlse ~ neans
~hereby the ~luld cont~1ned 11~xlble b~g 1s constant1y kept t~ut ln
~t~ carr~er c~se ~nd holder st all t~m~s.
Stlll another ob~ct of th~ 1nvent10n 15 to reduce tha
phystcal handllng of the fluld cont~ln~d ~l~xlbl2 bR9 when lt reaches
the consumer ~rom the d~ y and thereby mater1Ally mln1mlzlng the poss~
lblll~y of any loss to the ~luld cont~nts thereln through poss1ble dam~
a~e to the bag, such ~ belng lnadvertently dropped whlle 1t ls belng
lt~ted from one conta1ner to another lnto th~ cooler.
A ~urther obJ~ct o~ th~ lnv~nt10n ls to devl~ ~ com~
b~n~d carr~r cas~ and holdlng ~e~ns ~or r~aln1ng fluld contaln~d
~ exlble bags~ 1n whloh the oarrler case has ~ bottom, sld~ and rear
walls are Pormed of a lattlce structure and an open fPont ~nd top so
as to allow the ~asy 1nsert10n and removal of the fl~%1ble bag th~sln
and permlttlng v1sual ~nspectlon ~ the fluld le~el~, and pro~ldlng
better ~lr clrculat10n.
-4-
~a3ssos
A s~lll furthér ob~ect of the lnventlon ls to de-
vlse a comblnQd carrter cas~ and holdlng means ~or Mu1d contalne~
flexlble bsgs that wlll be mad0 of ~ew and slmpla parts~ dur~bl~
ln constructlon and aff~clent ~or Its purpos~.
S Oth~r ~Ind ~ur~her advantag~ ~nd lmprovemellts of l:he
lnventlon wlll be readlly understood and appreclat~d ~rom the des~
crlptton of th~ device ln lt~ opera~lon, as set forth ln the spec-
1~1catlon below, and ~hen read ln connectlon ~lth the draw1ngs lll~
ustr3tlng var10us embodlM~nts of th~ lnventlon.
IN T~E DRAWINGSt
Flgure 1 1s a persp~ctlve vlew of the colnbln~d carrler
c3se and holdlng ~eans ~r fluld contalned flexlble bags as lnst~lled
wlthln 2 cooler.
Flgure 2 ls a perspcctlve v1ew o~ the comblned case and
hold~ng means ~or fluld contaln~d flexlble bags,
Ftgure 3 ls a s1de vîew of the combîn~d c~rrler oase ~nd
holdlng 0eans havlng one ~all ramoved to show the an~le of slope o~ the
bottom wall and the pos~t10n o1' the upper ~nd lower flexlble bag en-
gag1ng unlts wh1ch ~orm the hold1ng means that are a part of the c~rr1er
ca~e.
F1gure 4 ls a p1an vlew o~ the comh1ned c~rrl~r CaSQ and
holdlng nQans.
F1gur~ 5 1s a slde scheaw~t1c vlew o~ a comblned carrler
cas~ and hold1ng m~an~ lnst~lled 1n a coolar and contaln1ng a fluld
~ll~d flexlble b~g whlch ls detachably secured ln an upr1ght pos1tlon
there~n and connected to ~ vatve cock of the cooler.
Flgure 61~ a slde schemat1c vlew o~ the con~lned carrller
C~15e and holdlng means wh1ch 1s slmllar to f19ure 5, and 111u~tratlng
the ~lu1d tlQxlble bsg p~rtly deflated but still maln1:aîn1ng 1ts up~
r~ght posit10n.
~5-
-
1~3~3808
F~gure 7 is a similar schematic view of a combined
carrier case and holding means as illustrated in Figure 5 and
illustrating the flexible bag in a deflated condition after the
fluid has been withdrawn but still maintaining its upright posit;on.
Figure 8 is a perspective view o~ a modified form
of a combined carrier case and holding means to the carrier case and
holding means shown in Figure 2, bo~h forms of the carrier case and
holding means being shown side by side on Sheet No. 2 of the drawings.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a fluid flexible
bag for use with the combined carrier case and bag holding means and
provided with means for engagement with the holding means of the
carrier case,
F~gure 10 is a perspective view of a modi~ied form of
the fluid flexible bag.
Figure 11 is a perspective detail of the closure cap.
Figure 12 is a perspective detail of the detachable
spout.
Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding
parts in the various figures~
The terminology describes the combined carrier case
and fluid bag holding means when it is used in its upright position
with the fluid contained bag maintained therein in that position.
Referring to the drawings, the combined carrier case
and fluid contained flexible bag holding means, as indicated by the
numeral 15, consists of a pair of rectangular shaped frames 16 and 17
joined together by the cross meMbers 18 and by the side walls 19 and
20, a rear wall 21 and a bottom wall 22 and leaving an open top and
an open front to complete the carrier case.
-- 6 --
~1~38~
The botto~ wall ~nd the s~de ~nd ~ear walls o~ the
carrler CAS~ aræ ~orm~d of a lattlce structure 23, wlth the lattlce
st~uctur@ of slde and rear walls ext~nd1ng upwarclly to ~ predeter-
mlned hel~ht o~ the c~rrler c~se and lea~1ng the rema1nln~ por~10ns
o~ the walls open. In th~s manner9 the flu1d conta1ned flex1ble bag
24 ls ea~er to handle ~or lts lnsertlon ln the carrler case and lts
engage~ent w1th the bag hold1ng m~ans that ~orm ~ part ther~o~, as
kell as 1ts remoYal there~rom, after the bag has been emptled of ~ts
conten~.
The flexlble b~g holdlng mean~ conslsts o~ an upper
transverse member 25 3ecur~d to the ~ectangular fram~s 16 ~nd 17 and
ls located ad~ac~nt to th~ open top o~ the carr1er case and has a
11exlble bag engaglng un1t 26 th~t t5 ccntr~lly located ~h~reon and
ls tn tha shape o~ a hook memb~r 27 whlch 1s 1ntegral wlth the tr~ns-
verse member 2S. A lower transverse membQr 28 1s ~ecured to the lower
port10ns o~ the rectangular rame~ 16 and 17 Dnd oxtends across the
op~n ~ront o~ th~ carr1er case and is locat2d ad~acent to ~he bottom
~11 22 thereo~. The lo~er transYerse member 28 has a fl~xlbl~ bag
@n~aglng unlt 2g centrally loc~ted thereon and ls 1n the shape of an
op~n collar 30 whlch ls lnt~gral wlth the tr~nsverse ~ember 28.
The upper ~nd lower ~luld conta1ned ~lexlble b~g en~
ga~lng un1ts 26 and 29 o~ thQ b~g hold1ng me~ns ~r~ adRpted to eng~ge
or b~ ~ngaged wlth the upper And lower eng~glng un~ts 31 ~nd 32 res-
pectlvely of the n uld cont~ln~d ~lex1ble ba~ 24~ In thl~ m~nn~r th~
~lu1d con~a1nsd ~lox1ble bag ls de~achably s~cured 1n an uprlght pos1-
tton 1n the c~rr1~r casa and held 1n tha~ po~ltlon unttl lts ~lu~d
contents has bæen w1thdrawn kherefrom,
103~8~8
In ~19ure 8, a ~odtf1ed form o~ the comb1ned c~rr1~r
case and fluld contalned flex~bl~ bag hold1ng ~eflnS 1s 111ustrated
show1n~ the carrter ca~e 33 ~ formed o~ a tubular structure havtng
a pa1r o~ tubular rectang~lar shaped ~r~m~ 34 and 35 welded to on~
S another by tubular crosæ m~bers 36 and each ~ran~ belng r~lnforced
by add1t~on~1 tubular cros~ member3 37 to co~plet.e slde wall~ 38,
rear wall 39, ~ bottom wall 40 and leavlng an open ~op and ~n open
~ront to complete th~ carr~er case.
The flutd cont~lned ~lexlbl~ bag hold1ng ~ean~, con-
~lsts of an upper transverse tubular ~ember 41 welded t~ th~ rec~
tangul~r shaped rame~ 34 ~nd 35 and located ad~c~nt to the open top
o~ the carrier cas~ ~nd havlng a hook-shaped bag eng~glng mæ~ber,
1n thc ~orm o~ a hook 42, 1ntegrally ~ecured to the approx1mnte cen-
tral port10n o~ the t~bular transverse member 41 and ~h1ch 1~ ad~pted
to eng~e w1th the upper eng~glng unlt 31 of the fl~xlble b~g~ Th~
means for eng~glng wlth the lo~er engaglng unlt 32 o~ th~ bag 15
~or~ed by the lowermost cross mæmber 43 extendlng across the open
~ront of the carr1er c~s~ at 1ts b~se and the ad~acent p~rallel trans~
v~rse me~ber 44 of the bottom w~ll 40 of tho carr1er case. The low~r-
most cross m~mber 43 and the ad~acen~ par~llel tr~nsverse member 44 o~
the bottom w~ll 40 o~ the carrl~r case for~ ~ ch~nnel 45 throu~h ~hlch
the spout Qng~g1ng ~lange 46, that surrounds th~ ~luld lnput and out-
put ~p~rture o~ the tlex1ble bag 24 and 1s ~nt~grally secured to the
front wall thereo~, ~nd the spout, wh~ch replaces the closur~ c~p, that
ls d2tachably seoured to the ~lange, pro~ects through thg channel 45
enabllng l~teral movement ther~of ~or ea~ler ad~ustlng connectlon~ to
th~ valve cock 47 of the cooler 48.
-8-
10388(~8
In ~hls way, the ~lu~d con~1ned ~exlbl~ bag ls held
tn a flxed locat~on posltlnn at the top ~nd a ~vable po~1t10n at th~
bottom ~or perm~tt1ng the manlpulat10n o1' the b~g ln a securen~nt ~n
an upright poslt10n 1n th~ carr~r case,.
S Th~ ~lex~ble bag 245 as ~llustPaged ln fl~ur~ 9, 1
pr~er~bly made ~rom a plastlc mater~al, such as polyethylen~ poly~
propyl~n~ or equ1v~1~nt plastlc reslnoug rflat~r1all, and conslst~ o~ a
~ront wall 49 and a rear wall 50 and hav~ng thelr vertlc~l edges 51
and th~lr top and bottom edges 52 and 53 r~spectlYely heat sealed to
one another. The upper and low~r eng~g~ng un1ts 3~ and 32" whlch ~re
adapted eo ~ngage wlth the upp~r ~nd lower 1'1exlble bag enga~lng Im1ts
a6 and 29 of the carr~er C115~ ar~ s~cur0d to the ~ront wall 49 at
~acent to top and botto~ edge~ 52 ~nd 53 th~r~o1' and are ~pprox1matel~y
located mldway of the wldth Or thQ flexlbl~ bag 24 m d In vertlc~l al-
~gnm~nt w1th one ~noth~r.
The upper ~ngaglng un1t 31 o~ the plastlc flexlble b~g
1s 1n the ~orm of an ~long~ted ~lexlble plaselc str1p 54 horl20ntally
mounted to the front wall ~9 and h~v1ng ~ts ends 55 and 56 he~t sealed
or othe~w~s~ ~ecured ~h~reto and ha~ng lts central por~lon 57 curl~d
~n ~n arcuate shape, wh1ch together ~lth the frnnt wall co~plet2 ~ tu-
bulsr pass~geway or socket 58~ Thls t7exlble socket ~ adapted to b~
eng4g~d by the hook-3haped mæmber 27 o~ th~ upper bag eng~g1ng unlt 26
of the carr1er case.
A fluld lnput ~nd output aperture 1s ~ormed through the
front wall 49 o~ the ~lex~bl2 b~g ad~cent to the bottom ~dge 53 there~
of ~nd tn approxl~ately vertlcal allgnment wlth the tubular passage~ay
or so~ket 58 of the upper engaglng unlt 31 of the flexlble bag. A spout
enga~1ng n ange 46 surrounds th~ n utd lnput and output ~p~rture and l~
lntegr~lly secured to the ~ront wall 49 of th~ bag and when th@ b~g ts
fllled ~th the r~qu1red n uld a closur~ o~p 59 ~s snapped on the ~l~nge
46 and clos0s the ~p~rture.
~IL03~8Q~3
When the ~luid con~a1ned flex~ble bag 1s to be Coll-
nected to the valve cock 47 o~ the ccoler 48 the clo~ure cap 1
replaced by a d~tachabl~ spout or tub~ 60 whlch ls detach~bly con~
neoted to th~ valve. In all 1nstances ~he flange 46 o~ the front
S w~ll of th~ flexlble bag, togQther w1th the closure cap 59 or the
detachable spout or tube 60 are adapted ~o be en~aged by the open
collar 30 of th4 ~lex~bl~ ba~ enQagtng un1t 29 o~ th~ bag holdlng
means, as shown ~n f1gure l, or through the channel 45 ot the bag
hold1ng m~ans as shown 1n ~1gure 8.
1~ A mod~lcat10n o~ the fluld ~lexlble bag 1s 111us-
trated ln ~1gure lO 1n whlch the ~luld flex1ble bag 61 cons1sts of
the front and rear walls 62 and 63 al~d are ~oln~d tog~ther at th~lr
slde qdges 64 and thslr top and bottom edges 65 and 66 by heat seal-
1ng m~ans or oth~r su1table m~thods for lnte~rlllly securlng thern to-
15 gsther. The ~ront and rear walls 62 and 63 are tran~vers~ly heat
sealed to one another along the horlzQntal 11ne 66 whleh ~erm1nat~
and merge w1th the se~led s1d~ ed~es 64 o~ the bag ~nd th~reby ~onm~
~ng the ~a~n body o~ the ~lexlble bag lnto a l~qu1d holdlng compart-
mænt 67 ~nd the remalnlng upper port10n lntD m upper ~ngaQlng unlt
68 whlch ls provlded ~lth an approxlmately centr~l apQrture 69 whlch
extends through the ~ront and rear walls o~ the engag1ng un1t ~8 and
re~n~orced by the ~lang~ 70.
A ~luld tnput and output aperture 1~ ~ormed through the
~ront wall o~ the ~lu1d holdlng compartment 67 o~ the ~lextble b~g 61
and loca~ed ad~acent to ~he bo~to~ edg~ 66 thereof and ln approxl-
mately verttcal allgnm~nt w1th ~he central ap~rtur~ 69 o~ the upp~r
eng~g~ng unlt 68 of the fl~x~ble bag. A ~pout engaglng flange 71 surr-
ounds ths n u~d tnput and output ~perture ~n~ ls Integrally se~ur~ld to
th~ front w~ll o~ the flutd hold~ng co~part~nt~ ~nd when the comp,~rt~
~ænt ls ~llled wlth the r~qulr~d n uld ~ closure c~p 59 snapped on the
~lan~ 71 ~nd clos~s the aperture.
1~3~8
When the ~luld cont~1ned flexlble bag ls to be connected ~ the
valve cock 47 of the cool~r 48 the closure b~g ls repl~ced by a
detachable spout or tube 60 whtch 15 detach~bly eonnected to the
~alve csck 47.
In the use and handllng of the comblneli carrler ca e
and holdlng means, th~ fluld contalned plas~lc ~l~xlble bag 1R
stmply lnserted lengtht~ls~ lnto th~ carrler c~se and has lts c~se
~n~lng unlts lnt~rengaged wlth the engaglng un1ts whlch ~orm th~
holdlng me~ns o~ the carrler case and detachably lnterlock th@
flex1ble bag w1th the holdlng n~ans that 1~rR a par~ sf the
carr1er use. The carrler case, ~h~en lts tluld contalned 1texlble
b~g held and lnterlocked thereln 15 ralsed and lnsert~d ln an up ~
rl~ht posltton lnglde a cooler, hnd s~multaneously the fluld con- :
t~lned bag ts autom~tlc~lly placed 1n a ~lxed uprlght posltlon ther~
~n and has lts spout or tube connected to the valv~ cock of the cooler.
In th1s way the ~lu1d cont~1ned ~lexible bag wltl constantly m~lntaln
1t~ uprlght poslt10n wlthtn th~ uprlght c~rrler case at all t1~eg~
Slnce certa1n ch~nges may be ~ade 1n the above lnventlon
and d1f~2rent embod1ments of th~ 1nventlon could be mad~ w~thout de-
pArttng frDm ~he ~cope ther~o~, 1t ls lntented th~t ~ atter con-
ta1ned ln th~ above descrlptlon or sho~n 1n thQ accompany1ng drawlngs
~hall be lnt~rpreted as lllustrat1ve and not ln a llmlt1ng sens~.
.11-
