Flexible bags – Wall details – Pleated or gusseted
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-27
2003-06-03
Pascua, Jes F. (Department: 3727)
Flexible bags
Wall details
Pleated or gusseted
C383S080000, C383S116000, C383S906000, C222S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06572268
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid container capable standing alone and suitable for containing liquid nourishment, such as intestinal nourishment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, intestinal nourishment is a calorific food containing protein and fat in high concentrations. Intestinal nourishment is placed on the market in pouches containing about 1000 ml or about 1500 ml of intestinal nourishment.
Intestinal nourishment is prepared according to the condition of a patient and hence there are a variety of articles of intestinal nourishment. Usually, patient's name is written on a surface of a pouch containing intestinal nourishment beside the name of the intestinal nourishment indicated on the surface of the pouch to give rightly a predetermined article of intestinal nourishment prescribed for a specified patient to the specified patient.
As shown in
FIG. 7
, pouches
30
hermetically containing intestinal nourishment are piled on a tray
32
included in a cart
31
provided with casters, the cart
31
loaded with the pouches
30
is carried to hospital rooms and the pouches
30
containing intestinal nourishment are distributed to patients.
If an article of intestinal nourishment improper for the patient is given to the patient, it is possible that the patient is unable to digest the article of intestinal nourishment, the patient suffers from diarrhea or the concentration of patient's blood increases. The patient is supplemented with water after giving intestinal nourishment to the patient to prevent the patient from diarrhea and increase in blood concentration. In some cases, the patient is supplemented by an additional liquid medicine or an examination liquid depending on the condition of the patient during or after giving the intestinal nourishment to the patient.
As shown in
FIG. 8
, the conventional pouch
30
hermetically containing intestinal nourishment includes a container formed from a laminate film and having a pair of gussets
3
and a pair of side walls
2
, and a spout
105
having a flange
7
attached to one end of the container and a pipe connected to the flange. This pouch
30
is incapable of standing alone because the center fold
3
a
of the gusset
3
the end part
7
a
of the flange
7
, and the gusset cannot be formed in a width substantially equal to that of the side walls and hence the bottom wall is formed inevitably in an elongate, rectangular shape.
Since the conventional pouches
30
hermetically containing intestinal nourishment are incapable of standing alone, the pouches
30
cannot be loaded in a standing position on the tray
32
of the cart
31
. Therefore, the pouches
30
are piled up on the tray
32
of the cart
31
for transportation.
When picking up a desired pouch
30
containing an article of intestinal nourishment proper for the patient from the tray
32
of the cart
31
after carrying the pouches
30
respectively hermetically containing articles of intestinal nourishment to a destination, the desired pouch
30
can be easily picked up without trouble if the same is in an upper part of a pile of the pouches
30
. If the desired correct pouch
30
is in a lower part of the pile of the pouches
30
, the same cannot be picked up unless the other pouches
30
overlying the desired pouch
30
are removed.
Thus, work for picking up the desired pouch
30
from the tray
32
of the cart
31
needs time and labor and it is possible that a wrong pouch
30
containing an article of intestinal nourishment not prepared for the patient is given to the patient.
It is desirable to use the empty pouch
30
for supplementing the patient by water after giving the patient intestinal nourishment. However, since the pouch
30
is provided with a single spout and a tube connected to the spout, water cannot be poured through the spout into the pouch
30
and another container containing water must be used for supplementing the patient by water.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the aforesaid problems and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a liquid container for containing a liquid, capable of being carried in a standing position and of being used for containing another liquid after the same has been emptied of the liquid initially contained therein.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a liquid container comprises: a container body formed from a laminate film in a shape of a bag, and having a pair of side walls and a pair of gussets extended between opposite side edges of the pair of side walls on the opposite sides of the side walls, respectively, each of the gussets being capable of being folded in two along a fold line inward; a mouthpiece provided with a flange attached to an open end part of the container body, and at least two spouts formed integrally with the flange, the flange having end surfaces on the side of the gussets and side surfaces on the side of the side walls; wherein the folded gussets are extended from the end surfaces to the side surfaces of the flange of the mouthpiece so that folds of the gussets folded in two are positioned on the side surfaces, respectively.
Since each folded gusset folded in two along a fold is extended from the end surface to the side surface of the flange so that the fold thereof is positioned on the side surface, the gussets can be formed in a width substantially equal to that of the side walls and a substantially square bottom wall can be formed when the gussets are extended and hence the liquid container is able to stand alone.
Since the mouthpiece is provided with at least the two spouts, one of the spout can be used for replenishing the liquid container with water even if a tube is connected to the other spout to supply the intestinal nourishment to the user.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4592092 (1986-05-01), McPhee
patent: 4669124 (1987-05-01), Kijura
patent: 4732299 (1988-03-01), Hoyt
patent: 5660477 (1997-08-01), Ichikawa
patent: 6241122 (2001-06-01), Araki et al.
patent: 3119179 (1982-12-01), None
Kabushiki Kaisha Hosokawa Yoko
Pascua Jes F.
LandOfFree
Liquid container does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Liquid container, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Liquid container will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3155497