AU597147B2

AU597147B2 - Flexible containers

Info

Publication number: AU597147B2
Application number: AU11218/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian Mcarthur Anderson
Original assignee: Wrightcel Ltd
Current assignee: Liqui Box Asia Pacific Ltd
Priority date: 1987-02-04
Filing date: 1988-02-02
Publication date: 1990-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 2008-02-02
Also published as: AU1121888A

Description

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Ili ~Ka fONWNEALTH OFAUTLI PATENTS ACT 1952-69 COMPLETE SPECL

(ORIGINAL)

~STAMP TO VALUEOF~' ATI ACH ED LMAIL OFFICE.

I t. Class Class Application Number: Lodged: PI 0181 04.02.1987 Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art LODGED AT SUB-OFFICE 2 F EB 1988 Melbourne r ai~ne of Applicant: 4 AdoIress of Applicant WRIGHTCEL LIMITED Actual Inventor: Address for Service 8-12 Cato Street, Hawthorn East, Victoria 3122, Australia.

IAN MeARTHUR ANDERSON EDWD. WATERS SONS, 50 QUEEN STREET, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 3000.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: FLEXIBLE CONTAINERS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us 1 2 FLEXIBLE CONTAINER This invention relates to improvements in flexible containers for storing and transporting flowable products.

Flexible containers of sizes up to 200 litres are conventionally used for storage and transport of liquid food products.

European patents 007,685 and 072,699 disclose a packaging system which enables a flexible package to be filled and emptied through a single orifice which can be sealed by heat sealing flap across the opening.

Australian patent application 58187/86 and 61207/86 disclose a variation to this construction where the opening can be closed by a plug attached to the opposite wall of the package.

In both cases, the packages can be pre-sterilized and used for aseptic filling. They can be resealed at the filling station and the product can be dispensed through the same orifice.

The container disclosed in Australian patent I applications 58187/86 and 61207/86 has the defect that if the flexible container is lifted by grasping the side walls, because the plug connection and the opening are attached to opposite walls, undue stress is placed on the plug seal and leakage of contents can occur which in turn can lead to o* spoilage of' the product.

The flexible containers of European patents 007,685 and 072,699 do not suffer from this defect but they do require heat sealing equipment for sealing and a puncturing tool for dispensing.

0 It is an object of this invention to provide a flexible container for aseptic filling which overcomes these defects.

this end, the present invention providez a flexible container for use in aeptic filling an orage which includes an opening in a wall t of having connected to its periphery a plug for ing engagement with said opening, said co- ion being a resilient connection arran enable said plug to be sealingly engaged by uh in -the Dlue toward the oenina.

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Ii I^ LIII-_IIl 2a To this end, the present invention provides a flexible container for use in aseptic filling and storage and dispensing of liquids and including flexible wall 5 portions sealed together and an inlet/outlet orifice of predetermined configuration and dimensions in one of said wall portions and including rim means therearound; the combination therewith of plug means of similar configuration and dimensions as said orifice and disposed internally of 1 said container for being moved into and out of sealing engagement with said rim means for sealing and opening said orifice and said container for storage of liquids and for filling and dispensing of liquids, said plug means including a plurality of spaced resilient connector means connecting said plug means to said rim means for moving said plug means o, 0 into and out of sealing engagement with said rim means and 10 for ensuring proper seating of said plug means in sealing ,o S engagement with said rim means.

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DBM:EK(3:39) The plug needs to be a tight sealing.'fit into the inlet/outlet orifice. The plug can be detached by pressure from outside of the container and resealing can be achieved by applying pressure through the opposite wall of the container. Desirably the plug is secured to the periphery of the inlet/outlet opening by resilient connections which keep the plug correctly oriented to ensure that resealing achieves a tight secure seal. The plug and attachment means is preferably composed of synthetic plastic material similar in nature to the inlet/outlet orifice in the wall of the container.

By this construction the plug is not secured to the opposite wall of the container and is not subjected to stress during handling of the container. Likewise, heat sealing of the container is avoided.

A preferred embodiment of this invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which figure 1 is a schematic side view of the inlet/outlet of a flexible container according to this invention figure 2 is a plan view of the orifice of figure 1 and figure 3 schematically 0. ~.shows a plug removed from the orifice to allow filling or *D dispensing.

The container comprises two walls 2 and 3 sealed Q together at seam 4. The wall 2 contains the inlet/outlet orifice 5 comprising a collar 6 having flanges 7 to which the wall 2 is welded.

Attached to the flange 7 is the plug 8 which 0 comprises the body 9 and resilient attachment portions The body portion 9 forms a sealing fit within collar 6 as shown in figure 1.

b alThe pressure of liquid product or a plunger can be used to displace the plug 8 as shown in figure 3 to enable filling or dispensing. By using a plunger to contact the body 9 through wall 3 the plug 8 can be re-inserted into collar 6 to seal the opening tl. ;r 0.

S4 Preferably the resilient connections 10 enable the body portion to remain aligned with the orifice 5 to ensure correct fitting of the plug 8 into collar 6.

From the above, it can be seen that the invention provides a simple means of providing a resealable aseptic container.

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Claims

1. In a flexible container for use in aseptic filling and storage and dispensing of liquids and including flexible wall portions sealed together and an inlet/outlet orifice of predetermined configuration and dimensions in one of said wall portions and including rim means therearound; the combination therewith of plug means of similar configuration and dimensions as said orifice and disposed internally of said container for being moved into and out of sealing engagement with said rim means for sealing and opening said orifice and said container for storage of liquids and for filling and dispensing of liquids, said plug means including o a plurality of spaced resilient connector means connecting said plug means to said rim means for moving said plug means o into and out of sealing engagement with said rim means and o" for ensuring proper seating of said plug means in sealing engagement with said rim means.

2. In a flexible container, as set forth in claim 1, in which said connector means comprise a pair of diametrically located connector straps. o

3. In a flexible container, as set forth in claim 2, 0I in which said rim means comprises a ring of synthetic ;plastic material bonded to said wall of said container, and said plug means and said connector straps comprise synthetic plastic material. |DATED this 23rd day of February, 1990 WRIGHTCEL LIMITED WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS, 2nd Floor, "The Atrium", 290 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, Victoria, 3122, AUSTRALIA. DBM:EK(3:39) U