Hangable container

Details Hangable container Hangable container

1998-11-18

2001-03-13

Weiss, John G. (Department: 3761)

Surgery

Container for blood or body treating material, or means used...

Bag type

C206S219000, C222S092000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06200300

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to collapsible bags and, more particularly, to collapsible bags having a means for carrying or hanging the bag.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Collapsible plastic bags are often used to store liquid products such as chemicals, soft drink syrup, and food condiments. The plastic bags are typically housed in a container or box to aid in handling and dispensing of the product. Such bags are referred to in the art as “bag-in-box bags.”
The plastic bags also have a spout for filling and dispensing the product within the bag. Generally, to dispense product from bag-in-box bags, vacuum pump systems are often utilized. To aid in dispensing product from the container, evacuation channels are often placed within the bag. Evacuation channels are typically elongated cylindrical tubes or strips of protruding ribs having a sufficient height. One end of the evacuation channel is disposed transverse to, or is connected to the spout, and the other end of the evacuation channel extends into the cavity of the bag. As the bag is emptied by the force of the vacuum pump, portions of the bag collapse unevenly, tending to leave pockets of product, typically liquid, which may become isolated from the rest of the liquid in the container. The evacuation channel, however, forms a conduit which cannot be closed off by the vacuum pressure on the walls of the bag. In this manner the entire chamber of the flexible bag remains in communication with the spout at all times during the dispensing such that all product within the bag can be removed.
With many applications, typically in the chemical and food arenas, the bag-in-box bag cannot be placed at the exact location where the product is needed due to health/bacterial/sanitization and logistic concerns. Thus, the vacuum pump system in connection with the dip strip helps to fully drain the bag, in addition to pumping the product from the bag-in-box bag to the desired end location, such location that is typically a distance away from the area where the bag-in-box bag is stored.
Because a container or box is required to house the “bag-in-box” bag, the overall bag-in-box is more expensive to manufacture than a bag without a box. A similar dilemma is observed with the requirement of a dip strip. Additionally, because a pump system is required to remove product from the bag and direct product to the desired location for use, the bag-in-box bag is often more complex and costly to operate.
As a result, several designs have been created in an attempt to eliminate the need for both the containing box, the vacuum pump draining system, and the evacuation channels. One such design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,838,046 (the '046 patent), issued to W. F. Butler. The '046 patent discloses a container including a transverse support member having a wire hook secured thereto, such that the container may be supported in use. While this disclosure eliminates the need for a containing box, it unnecessarily requires the addition of a support member and a wire hook. Therefore, the device of the '046 patent does not solve the problem of increased manufacturing time and cost involved with the bag-in-box bags.
Other devices for supporting a bag for dispensing product from the bag are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,781 (the '781 patent) issued to Witte, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,253 (the '253 patent) issued to LaFleur. The '781 patent discloses a device having a rigid support rod which extends through openings in the container at opposing side wall portions, to support the container. A complex hanger bar and connecting web axial to the support rod engages and supports the rod. Finally, the connecting web is hung from an overhead pulley and cable system. The '253 patent discloses a bulk-liquid bag having a pair of lift straps formed by the top wall of the bag. Lift arms are then hooked under the associated pair of lift straps and are hoisted upward and suspended from an overhead hoist or floor crane. Both the '781 patent and the '253 patent utilize elaborate hanging mechanisms which increase the complexity, bulkiness, and overall cost of the device, and, therefore, do not solve the problems of the previous devices.
Accordingly, a collapsible hangable bag in accordance with the present invention provides an inexpensive and simple solution to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior dispensing bags described above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The hangable bag of the present invention is adapted to be utilized for containing and dispensing a liquid, and includes a frontal panel, a rearward panel, a spout, and a plurality of seal areas. The seal areas include portions of the frontal and rearward panels which are heat sealed together to form an enclosed region. A first of the seal areas forms an enlarged handle region and extends opposite the enclosed region a distance substantially greater than the other seal areas. Typically, the ratio of the width of the first seal area as compared to the width of the other seal areas is in the range of 20 to 10. The enlarged handle region of the first seal area has a substantially greater rigidity than the other seal areas. At least one aperture extends through the handle region and provides a means for hanging and carrying the bag.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of layers of material form each of the frontal and rearward panels. As such, the seal areas include portions of each layer of material which are reformed into substantially integrated structures. The seal areas are generally inseparable into their constituent layers due to the welding nature of the heat and pressure on the plastic bag materials. The integrated structure of the seal area has a density substantially greater than the density of the adjacent individual layers.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the spout is heat sealed to one of the bag panels. The spout has an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the bag panels, and a spout opening which provides access to the interior compartment of the enclosed region.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the collapsible bag can be carried with, and hung from the apertures in the rigid handle region. By hanging the bag, the contents thereof are dispensed via gravity flow through the spout. No additional structure or elements are required (i.e., there is no need for a containing box, evacuation channels, or a vacuum pump). Because the bag can be hung from apertures in its handle region, the bag provides a sterile and bacterial free component which can be placed directly in the area of use. Thus, the hangable bag of the present invention provides a collapsible bag which is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use, and which overcomes all of the aforementioned inadequacies of previous collapsible bag systems.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the following drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2838046 (1958-06-01), Butler
patent: 3924781 (1975-12-01), Witte
patent: 3930286 (1976-01-01), McGowen
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patent: 5690253 (1997-11-01), LaFleur
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patent: 2111944 (1983-07-01), None
patent: 02255147 (1990-10-01), None
patent: WO 91/10604 (1991-07-01), None
patent: WO 94/00363 (1994-01-01), None

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