EP3548396B1

EP3548396B1 - System comprising a cover and at least a retention part, combination of a rigid box and said system, method associated

Info

Publication number: EP3548396B1
Application number: EP17825600.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Thierry Tacheny; Etienne MERTENS DE MILMARS
Original assignee: Invineo SA
Current assignee: Invineo SA
Priority date: 2016-12-01
Filing date: 2017-11-27
Publication date: 2023-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 2037-11-27
Also published as: JP7079260B2; AU2017369869A1; JP2020500795A; CA3075452C; AU2017369869B2; WO2018100424A1; EP3548396A1; CA3075452A1; EP3548396C0

Description

The present invention relates to a rigid box with a wall defining an inner chamber into which extends a flexible bag for a liquid or viscous food to be consumed in a suitable serving temperature range, whereby the flexible bag is associated with a part comprising a valve. The box is provided with at least one, preferably two or more than two passages suitable for the flow of an aqueous medium within the inner chamber outside the flexible bag so as to control the temperature of the food to be consumed.
Especially, the box of the invention is a rigid box containing a bag designed to contain a liquid or viscous food, this food being intended to be dispensed into a consumer's container, said food being advantageously be kept free of oxygen and preferably of light, to avoid unwanted oxidation of the food and thus ensure better preservation of the food.
The present invention is an improvement of WO 2015/184513 .

The Prior Art

An inner bag housed in an outer bag, the inner bag being filled with liquid while the outer bag is designed to receive air to pressurise the inner bag and allow the liquid to flow, is known from US patent US6247619 .
US patent application US2012 / 0024896 also describes an inner bag housed in an outer bag, the inner bag containing the liquid for consumption while the outer bag contains the ice or refrigerant material.
US patent application US2009 / 0078721 describes a container designed to receive a bag filled with wine. The container may be placed in a refrigerator. The bag is associated with a means of dispensing, such as a valve with a pushbutton or tap.
US patent US7896199 describes an inner bag housed in an outer bag, for example for containing ice.
The "cubybox", which is a cardboard box containing a bag filled with wine associated with a valve, is also known.
All known devices do not allow circulation of a coolant to provide a temperature as appropriate as possible for the liquid food to be consumed.
In addition, all known devices collect the liquid food or beverage in the vicinity of one end of the bag designed to be oriented downwards. In the case of wine or other beverages, any solid particles present in the beverage are therefore likely to be deposited in the dispensing tap. Furthermore, when the tap is oriented downwards, the risk of loss is considerable in the event of malfunctioning of the tap.
The present invention relates to a box to solve these problems among other things.
With respect to the box disclosed in WO 2015/184513 , the box comprises a bag associated to a valve system, the opening thereof being not dependent from a movement of the whole cover. The cover in the box of the invention is adapted to maintain the position of the body of the valve device when a movable control device of the valve is moving. In the box of the invention, the valve device can be independently mounted on the bag, so as to close the bag, before associating the valve device to the cover. This is a great advantage for the manufacture of filled bag in boxes, as enabling the filling of the bag without the cover and prior its placement into the box, as well as enabling for example a control of the correct filling of the bag and correct sealing of the valve device, before placing the sealed filled bag within the box. The filling operation of the bags can thus be independent from the placement of the bags into rigid boxes.

Brief Description of the Invention

It is disclosed an apparatus which can be associated with such a box or boxes, allowing inter alia dispensing from the top without introducing air into the bag while ensuring an appropriate temperature for the food dispensed, with as little noise as possible. Preferably, the same liquid circulates in the box (outside the bag) to ensure an appropriate temperature of the liquid food present in the bag, and to ensure (slight) pressurization of the contents of the bag to allow dispensing of the liquid food without the use of a food dispensing pump. Such an apparatus allows control of the dispensing (without sudden variation in flow rate; dispensing controlled independently from the amount of liquid still present in the bag) according to the pressure of the liquid present in the box outside the bag.
The invention is defined by the system of claim 1 comprising a cover and at least a retention part, by the combination of claim 5 and by the method of claim 11. It is disclosed a rigid box having wall or walls defining an inner chamber into which extends a flexible bag or inner bag for containing a liquid or viscous food to be consumed (e.g. wine, a sauce, an alcoholic beverage, etc.) in a suitable serving temperature range (for example from 3 to 20 °C for wines, spirits, soft drinks, for example from 6 to 12 °C for white or rosé wines, 15 to 20 ° C for red wine, 30 to 80 °C for a sauce, etc.). The flexible bag (4) is associated with a part (5) comprising a valve device or a part (5) comprising a membrane or associable with a protection means (6) designed to cooperate with a part (7) comprising a valve device. The box is advantageously provided or associated with a means for protecting the wall or walls (2) against the liquid aqueous medium for heating or cooling the food to be consumed, i.e. flowing within the inner chamber (3). For example, the wall or walls (2) have advantageously a side (2C) facing the inner chamber (3) resistant to an aqueous medium at a temperature at least close to the appropriate serving temperature range.
In the combination, the flow of medium in the container outside the bag is preferably operated between an bottom opening and an upper opening. However, in some embodiments, it is possible to ensure a flow of liquid or medium within the container outside the bag through one or more openings only at the top of the container or only at the bottom of the container, possibly with use of a connecting tube with two distinct channels.
At least a portion of a side wall (2) of the boxes located between the lower part (1I) and the upper part (1S) comprises preferably along its side facing the inner chamber (3) at least one means for forming one or more guide channels (12) for said aqueous medium and/or is associated with a means for forming one or more guide channels (12), said guide channel(s) (12) being designed so that even in the presence of the flexible or soft bag (4) in the chamber (3), one or more channels (12) are or remain(s) open for passage of the aqueous medium. The bag is preferably made of plastic with an aluminium layer. When the rigid box is opaque, it is possible for some foods to use non-opaque bags.
In the combination, the wall or walls of the box have advantageously an inner side or surface facing the inner chamber designed to withstand an aqueous medium (e.g. water, possibly with an additive, such as citric acid, a surfactant or a glycol, but preferably drinking water) at a temperature at least close to the appropriate serving temperature range (the temperature of the aqueous medium depends for example on the ambient temperature. When the ambient temperature is greater than the food serving temperature (it is therefore necessary to cool the food or to maintain the food at its serving temperature, avoiding warming due to the ambient temperature), the temperature of the aqueous medium will then advantageously be cooler than the optimum food serving temperature, for example between 1 and 10 °C, such as from 2 to 5 °C. Conversely, if the food serving temperature is higher than the ambient temperature (it is therefore necessary to heat the food or to maintain the food at its serving temperature, avoiding cooling due to the ambient temperature), the temperature of the aqueous medium will advantageously be greater than the appropriate serving temperature of the food, for example between 1 and 20 ° C, in particular from 2 to 10 °C.
The term "valve device" also refers to a tap or any other system designed to control the flow of food out of the bag, said valve device comprising a body 602C with movable control device 601 for the valve 5V.
The open channel(s) are designed to provide an aqueous medium passage between the wall(s) of the box and the bag, and thus ensure a good flow of the aqueous medium in the box to provide optimum cooling or heating of the food contained in the bag or to maintain a substantially optimal temperature for the food to be consumed.
The aqueous medium introduced into the box also allows the food present in the bag to be pressurized, so as to allow a quantity of food to come out of the bag and the box to be consumed at a temperature close to the optimum temperature.
In addition, the more the bag empties, the greater the amount of aqueous medium present in the box, which will allow a more rapid temperature adjustment of the food in the bag. When the amount of food in the bag is still large, the amount of aqueous medium in the box is reduced. However, once the temperature of the food in the bag has been set, dispensing a quantity of food will have little influence on the temperature of the food present in the bag.
Advantageously, the bag is suspended in the box. This ensures that all solid particles remain in the bottom of the bag and are not served for consumption. This prevents deposits in a dispensing channel or in a valve device or tap.
According to the details of preferred embodiments, the combination has one or more of the following features:

The bag (4) is suspended in the box (3), and/or
The box (1) has, near its upper part (IS), at least one passage (14,610) designed to form a connection between the part of the inner chamber (3) located outside said bag (4) and an inlet and/or outlet pipe (611), and/or
At least a portion of a side wall (2) of the box (1) between the lower part (1I) and the upper part (1S) comprises along its side facing the inner chamber (3) at least one means (12) to form a series of guide channels for said aqueous medium and/or is associated with a means to form one or more guide channels (12), said guide channel(s) (12) being designed so that even in the presence of the flexible bag in the chamber, one or more channels are open to the passage of the aqueous medium, said channels (12) advantageously being distributed along said side wall. Said means to form one or more guide channels (12) is for example a flexible or soft or rigid net-like element capable of surrounding the bag and/or fitting the inner side face of the box, and/or
The box comprises one or more side walls (2), a bottom wall (8) forming a bottom and a top wall (18) opposite the bottom wall (8), the bottom wall (8) having at least one passage (10) designed to form a connection between the part of the inner chamber (3) located outside said bag (4) and an inlet and/or outlet pipe. Said passage (10) is advantageously provided with a sealing membrane adapted to seal back the said opening or passage (10) after removal of the inlet/outlet pipe. The top wall (18) has at least one passage (9) designed to cooperate with the part (5) associated with said bag (4) or comprises the part (5) associated with said bag (4).

The passage (10) of the bottom wall (8) forming the bottom can be designed to provide both the supply of a liquid in the part of the inner chamber (3) outside the bag (4), and removal or extraction of liquid from said portion of the chamber outside the bag. The passage may be unique or may be separate, for example to channel the flow of incoming liquid at least partially in the portion of the chamber, for example by means of a pipe extending into the chamber and having one end in the vicinity of the upper end, and/or

The upper wall (18) is designed to cooperate with a part, advantageously with the part (5) associated with said bag (3), to form a connection between the part of the inner chamber (3) located outside said bag (4) and an inlet and/or outlet pipe (15), and/or
The wall or walls (2) of the box are at least partially provided with a coating or layer of thermal insulation (20), and/or
The top wall (18) has only one passage (9) communicating with the inside of the bag (4), said passage (9) being associated with a part (5) comprising a valve (5V) movable between a closed position opposing the passage of liquid out of the bag and an open position against the action of a biasing means (5R), while the bottom (8) has only an opening or openings communicating with the part of the inner chamber (3) of the box located outside the bag (4), said opening(s) being possibly associated with one or more inlet and/or outlet pipe portions. The biasing or return means may be a spring or an elastically deformable material which when deformed tends to return to its initial undeformed shape, and/or
The top wall (18) has or comprises a means for suspending the bag in the inner chamber (3), and means designed to ensure its position relative to the side wall or walls (2) of the box, and/or
The box comprises a means, said means advantageously being a skirt surrounding an opening or the openings of the passage(s) (9,10) to the inner chamber (3), said skirt (21) being preferably carried by the top wall (18) to ensure the presence of at least one volume of air in the part of the inner chamber located outside the bag during filling of the inner chamber (3) with said aqueous medium.

The means can also be a portion of the tube 611 entering within the chamber 3, and/or

The bottom part (8) and the top wall (18) each have a flange (10B for the bottom part) designed to bear on the inner face of the casing (2) defining the side wall or walls of the box (1), said flange (10B) advantageously being or being advantageously associated with an element (18R) defining an open circular or annular groove (18S) defined between two substantially cylindrical walls (18S1, 18S2) with preferably one or more protrusions forming teeth or fingers opposing a movement of withdrawal of the casing (2) relative to the bottom part (8) and the top wall (18) when the ends of the casing (2) are engaged in the groove (10G, 18S) of the base part (8) and the top wall (18) respectively, said circular or annular groove being advantageously associated with a resilient or deformable layer (10T, 18T) designed to form a seal at least for the liquid between the casing (2) and the top wall (18) and the bottom part (8) respectively, and/or
The bottom part (8) has an internal face designed to be turned towards the inner chamber (3) of the box (1), and in that, when the box with its bottom part facing downwards bears on a horizontal plane, the inner face of the bottom part (8) has at least one part (8A) having an inclination towards the passage (10) designed to form a connection between the part of the inner chamber (3) located outside said bag (4) and an inlet and/or outlet pipe (11), and/or
The box comprises or is designed to be associated with a means (25) for determining the amount of aqueous medium introduced into the inner chamber and/or for determining the amount of liquid or viscous food present in the bag, and/or
The box is associated with one or more means of protection (6A) to secure the closure of the passages prior to use of the box and possibly after use of the box, and/or
The box is designed to withstand a pressure of the aqueous medium in the inner chamber of 1 to 5 bar (1×10⁵ Pa to 5×10⁵ Pa), and/or
The box has at least one body with a bottom with an upper opening closable by a top wall, the box being associated with an inner bag designed to form a liquid-tight barrier for the body of the box and define an inner chamber for the box, said top wall having at least one passage (9) designed to cooperate with the part (5) of the flexible bag (4) and a passage or passages (10) designed to form a connection between the part of the inner chamber (3) located outside the bag (4) with one or more inlet/outlet pipes, and/or
the cover (1C) presents a stop (604) in its chamber (600), said stop or abutment serving as a support or abutment for a wall (606) of the body (602C) with the movable control device (601) of the valve device to limit or prevent movement of said body (602C) of the valve device during relative movement of the movable control device (601) with respect to said body (602C) of the valve device, and/or the movable control device (601) comprises at least one and advantageously two lugs (608) extending outside said body (602C) and movable relative to said body (602C) against the action of a biasing means (5R) between a first position corresponding to the closed position of the valve (5V) and a second position corresponding to the open position of the valve (5V), said biasing means (5R) exerting a force opposing the movement of said lug or lugs (608) towards its/their second position(s), and/or
the tabs (603) extending in the chamber (600) of the cover (1C) serve as a means of positioning of the lug or lugs (608) of the body (602C) with the movable control device (601) of the valve device in the chamber (600) of the cover (1C), said lug or lugs (608) being advantageously positioned between the tabs 603 and the stop or abutment (604); and/or
the lug or lugs (608) is/are mobile against a biasing means (5R) between an adjacent position of a tab or the tabs (603), and a remote position of a tab or the tabs (603), and/or
the container (1) has a central axis (A-A), and in which the movable control device (601) or the lug/lugs (608) move(s) in a direction (B-B) perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to said central axis (A-A) of the container (1), and/or
the plate or top wall (18) of the upper part (1S) has a limiting means (610) cooperating with a cooperating element (611) of the cover (1C) to limit and preferably prevent rotation of the cover (1C) relative to the container (1) or to the top plate or wall (18), and/or
the plate or top wall (18) has a passage or a recess (610) (towards the inner chamber (3) of the container (1)), while the cooperating element (611) of the cover (1C) is a protrusion (611) extending in said passage or recess (610) to limit or prevent rotation of the cover relative to the container or to the plate or wall (18), said protrusion being advantageously a pipe carried by the cover enabling passage of air or liquid into the inner chamber via the pipe 611 carried by the cover (1C), and/or
the plate (18) has a passage (610) towards the inner chamber (3) of the container (1), while the protrusion (611) is a pipe carried by the cover (1C), thus enabling passage of air or liquid into the inner chamber (3) via the pipe (611) carried by the cover (1C), a seal or ring (612) advantageously surrounding the pipe (611) to be compressed between a flat support (613) of the pipe (611) and the plate or top wall (18) of the upper part (1S) of the container (1), and/or
the container (1) has a central axis (A-A), in which the retention part (605) is movable in a direction (C-C) perpendicular to said central axis (A-A), said retention part (605) comprising a spout (BV), an open end (614) of which accommodates one end of an outlet channel (615) of the body (602C), and/or
the plate or top wall (18) has a first side (18A) facing the inner chamber (3) and a second side (18B) opposite the first side and facing the chamber (600) of the cover (1C), in which the soft or flexible bag (4) is associated with a hollow tip (617), while the valve device is associated with an element (618) presenting an inner open channel (619), a transverse section enabling the insertion of the element (618) in the hollow tip (617), and a clamp (620) bearing or abutting, possibly with an interposed seal, on the second side (18B) of said plate or top wall (18), and in which, advantageously, a seal (621) surrounding said element (618) of the valve device bears on the first side (18A) of the plate or top wall (18), and is preferably compressed between a far edge (617A), advantageously with a collar, of the hollow tip (617) and said first side (18A) of the plate (18), and/or
the retention part (605) is held in position on the cover (1C) by a clip system or a system for insertion of a protrusion (622), possibly carried by a strip (624), in a recess or window (623) of the cover (1C), and/or
the flexible/soft bag (4) comprises a first soft element (4B) and a second soft element (4A) bonded together to form a soft pouch, the first element (4B) being less supple or less soft than the second element (4A), this second element (4A) having an area facing the inside of the pouch at least 50% and preferably 75% to 300% greater than the area of the first element (4B) facing the inside of the pouch, and/or
advantageously the tip ( 617) of the soft bag is attached to said second soft element (4A) near one of its edges bonded to the first soft element (4A), and/or
the soft bag (4) is surrounded by a soft net (626), advantageously an elastic soft net, and/or
the cover (1C) has a positioning means or hollow or recess (627), said means or hollow or recess extending along a side face (1CL) of the cover (1C), and/or
the box is associated with one or more means of protection (6, 6A, 6B, 6C) to secure the closing of a passage or passages or windows before the box is used or after use of the box, and/or
Any combinations of these details and features.

Special features and details of preferred embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In these drawings,

Figure 1 is a view of a box according to WO2015/184513 (figure 1 in the present application corresponding to figure 16 of said published application) with a cover 1C,
Figure 2 is an exploded view of the box and the cover on Figure 1;
Figure 3 is an exploded view of an improved combination box and system (cover and retention part) according to the invention;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the bag of the combination in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a partial view of the bonding of the two films forming the bag in Figure 4;
Figures 6A to C are top, bottom and side views of the retention part;
Figure 7 is an exploded sectional view of the cover, the bag and the container;
Figure 8 is a front view of the valve device;
Figure 9 is a sectional view of the valve device with the valve 5V in the closed position;
Figure 10 is a sectional view of the body of the valve device of Figure 9 with the valve 5V in the open position;
Figure 11 is a top view of the cover without the retention part;
Figure 12 is a sectional view of the cover in Figure 11 along the line XII-XII;
Figure 13 is a sectional view of the cover in Figure 11 along the line XIII-XIII;
Figure 14 is a view of the bottom of the cover in Figure 11;
Figure 15 is a view of the bottom of the cover in Figure 11 with the body of the valve device attached between the two flexible tabs;
Figure 16 is a top view of the valve device shown in figures 8 to 10;
Figure 17 shows in partial section the bag associated with the valve device;
Figures 18 and 19 are views of an unit of an apparatus for a method of the invention;
Figure 20 is a partial view of the apparatus associated with a combination of the invention in the unlocked position;
Figure 21 is a view of the apparatus with the combination of the invention in the locked position, and with the claw not yet acting on the movable control device to bring the valve into the open position;
Figure 22 is a view of the apparatus with the combination of the invention in the locked position, and with the claw acting on the movable control device to bring the valve into the open position, and
Figures 23A and B are views of the means of control with the claw.

Description of Preferred embodiments

The preferred embodiments disclosed in the description of the figures are given as examples only.
Figure 1 shows a preferred box (1) according to WO 2015/184513 (Figure 2 being an exploded view thereof). This box (1) is associated with a cap (1C) attached to the body (1).
The walls (2) define an inner chamber (3) into which extends a flexible bag (4) for containing a liquid or viscous food for consumption in a suitable temperature range. Said bag (4) is associated with a valve (5).
At least a portion of a side wall (2) of the box (1) between the lower part (II) and the upper part (1S) comprises along its side facing the inner chamber (3) at least one means (like a net 12) for forming one or more guide channels for said aqueous medium, said guide channel or channels (12) being designed so that even in the presence of the soft/flexible bag (4) in the chamber (3), one or more channels (12) are or remain open for passage of the aqueous medium.
The bag (4) is suspended in the box (1), and more precisely in the chamber (3). This allows the particles which may be present in the liquid, for example beverage, wine, etc., to remain in the bag during extraction of the liquid (beverage, wine, etc.) from the bag for dispensing to consumers.
The box (1) has, near its upper part (1S), at least one passage designed to form a connection between the part of the inner chamber (3) located outside said bag (4) and an inlet and/or outlet pipe (15).
At least a portion of a side wall (2) of the box (1) between the lower part (1I) and the upper part (1S) comprises along its side facing the inner chamber (3) at least one means (12) to form a series of guide channels for said aqueous medium, said guide channel(s) being designed so that even in the presence of the flexible bag in the chamber, one or more channels are open to the passage of the aqueous medium, said channels advantageously being distributed along said side wall.
The top wall (18) has only one passage (9) communicating with the inside of the bag (4), said passage (9) being associated with a part (5) comprising a valve (5V) movable between a closed position opposing the passage of liquid out of the bag and an open position against the action of a biasing or return means (5R), while the bottom (8) has only a single central opening (10) communicating with the part of the inner chamber (3) of the box located outside the bag (4), said opening (10) being shut off by a seal or film (8F) which is for example tearable or able to be peeled off or torn or partially or totally pierced or pierceable, for example attached by one or more washers (8R). Said opening (10) is designed to be associated with a liquid inlet pipe and an outlet pipe (or with a pipe having an inlet channel and an outlet channel). The washers or rings (8R) are advantageously designed to provide sealing between the cover and the inlet and outlet pipe when the latter is mounted on the bottom (8).
The biasing or return means (5R) of the valve (5V) may be of the spring type or a resiliently deformable material (for example elastomeric) which once deformed tends to return to its initial or undeformed shape.
The part (5) is a pipe (5T) with a flange (5U) resting on or attached to the top wall (18).
The box is associated with a cover (1C) with a spout (BV), said cover (1C) being associated with a mechanism (M10,M11) designed at least to control the opening of the valve (5V). The box may be marketed with the cover (C) associated with the box or capable of being mounted on the box (removably or not).
The mechanism designed at least to control the opening of the valve (5V) comprises at least one means (M10) movable between a raised position in which the valve (5V) is in the closed position (to prevent the passage of liquid through the pipe (5T) and a lowered position in which the valve (5V) is in the open position against the action of the biasing means (5R), said means (M10) being adapted to or associated with a means (M11) designed to cooperate with the pipe (5T) in a relative position of said means with respect to said pipe (5T) to hold said means (M10) in the lowered position and maintain the valve (5V) in the open position. Further details of said box are disclosed in WO 2015/184513 published on December 10, 2015 .
Figures 3 to 17 are views of an embodiment of a combination of a box and system (cover and retention part) of the invention or of parts of the combination of the invention.
The rigid box presenting a container (1) whose wall or walls (2) define an inner chamber (3) in which there extends a soft bag (4) for a liquid or viscous food to be consumed in an appropriate serving temperature range, said bag (4) being associated with a part (5) associated with a valve device with a body (602C) with a movable control device 601 to move the valve 5V between at least an open position and a closed position, said container (1) having a lower part (1I) with a bottom (8) presenting at least one opening (10) which can if necessary be closed by a means (6A - membrane, re-sealable membrane or tearable membrane) and which communicates with the inner chamber (3), an upper part (1S) with a plate element (18) with at least one passage (9) for the part (5) or a portion thereof.
The wall (2) has a side (2C) facing the inner chamber (3) resistant to an aqueous medium at a temperature at least close to the appropriate serving temperature range.
The upper part (1S) of the (cylindrical) container is associated with a cover (1C) having an opening or passage (625) for an element capable of acting on the movable control device (601) of the valve device, this cover (1C) being associated with a spout (BV).
The cover (1C) defines a chamber (600) to accommodate at least partially the body 602C with the movable control device (601) of the valve device, said cover (1C) comprising one or more means (603, 604) to attach said body (602C) of the valve device to the cover (1C) and maintain said body of the valve device in position during the movement of said movable control device (601) inside said chamber (600) of the cover (1C).
The cover (1C) is associated with at least one means of positioning (603, 604) of the body (602C) with the movable control device (601) in the chamber (600) of the cover (1C), and with at least one retention part (605) for said body (602C) with the movable control device (601) of the valve device, said retention part (605) being movable relative to said cover (1C) between a retention position in which said retention part (605) opposes withdrawal of the part, portion or body (602C) with the movable control device (601) of the valve device from the chamber (600) of the cover (1C), and a non-retention position in which said retention part (605) does not oppose withdrawal of the portion or body with the movable control device (601) of the valve device from the chamber (600) of the cover (1C).
The cover (1C) has, in its chamber (600), at least two tabs (603) which are spaced apart from each other and flexible, said tabs (603) serving as a means to cooperate with the portion (in this case the substantially cylindrical body) comprising the movable control device (601) of the valve device to ensure positioning of said portion in the chamber (600) of the cover (1C).
The cover (1C) also has a stop (604) in its chamber (600), said stop serving as a support for a wall (606) of the portion with the movable control device (601) of the valve device to limit or prevent movement of said body of the valve device during relative movement of the movable control device (601) with respect to said body of the valve device. This stabilizes the body during the movements of the movable control device and its lugs (608).
The body (602C) associated with the movable control device (601) of the valve device has a hollow body (607) with two windows (607F), while the movable control device (601) comprises two lugs (608) extending outside said hollow body (607) through said windows (607F). They are movable relative to said hollow body (607) against the action of a biasing means (5R) (such as a rubber hemispheric element, which could be replaced by a spring element) between a first position (see figure 9) corresponding to the closed position of the valve (5V) (closing the open end tip 615) and a second position (see figure 10) corresponding to the open position of the valve (5V), said biasing means (5R) exerting a force opposing the movement of said lug or lugs (608) towards its/their second position(s). This biasing means (5R) is for example a substantially hemispherical hollow rubber body carrying at its top the valve (5V) designed to close the opening (directed towards the inner chamber of the body 607) of the tube (615) extending the body (602C). This biasing means (5R) is located inside the hollow of the body (607), the latter having a support stop or an abutment (607B) for the circular base (5RB) of the biasing means (5R). A rod (608R) extends between a recess of the valve (5V) and a support for the lugs (608), passing through the hollow of the biasing means (5R). When the lugs are moved towards the stop (604), the biasing means (5R) is elastically deformed, its central part being retracted in the hollow of the body (607) in the direction of the stop or wall (604) of the cover (1C) (or towards the wall (606) of the body (602C)). When the lugs (608) are no longer used to apply a thrust, the biasing means (5R) returns to its initial position, in which the valve 5V closes the opening of the tube 615 forming an extension of the body (602C). The body (602C) is connected to the element (618) by a pipe or hollow connecting element (618C) whose internal passage (618CI) forms a communication between the chamber (607) (or its first part directed towards the tube (615)) and the internal passage (619) of the element (618). When the biasing means (5R) is moved (against the biasing force), the valve (5V) closing the inner opening of the pipe (615) is moved inside the chamber (607) away from said inner opening, with the result that a passage is formed between the inside of the bag (4) and the tube (615), via the passage (619), the pipe (618CI) and the inner chamber (607).
The valve (5V) and the biasing means (5R) are attached the one to the other by means of an intermediate portion (51). Advantageously, the valve, the biasing means and the intermediate portion form one single piece, for example a single rubber piece. The biasing means 5R divides the inner chamber of the hollow body (607) into two distinct chambers, namely a first chamber directed towards the outlet tube (615), and a second chamber with the windows (607F).
The tabs (603) extending in the chamber (600) of the cover (1C) serve as a means of positioning of the lugs (608) of the body with the movable control device (601) of the valve device in the chamber (600) of the cover (1C). The lugs are thus located between the tabs (603) and the stop or abutment (604) of the cover (1C).
The lugs (608) are movable (in the direction of the axis B-B) against a biasing means (5R) between an adjacent position of the lugs (608) (closed position of the valve), and a remote position of the lugs (608) (open position of the valve). The axial movement of the lugs (608) is in any way limited by the windows (607F).
The container (1) has a central axis (A-A), while the movable control device (601) moves in a direction (B-B) perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to said central axis (A-A) of the container (1). This makes it possible to exert a force tending to separate the cover (1C) from the container (1) or to fix the cover (1C) on the container, without acting on the movable control device (601).
The plate element (18) of the upper part (1S) (the plate closes the upper opening of the container (1)) has a means (610) cooperating with the cover (1C) to limit and preferably prevent rotation of the cover (1C) relative to the container (1) or to the top plate (18). The plate (18) has for example a circular lower groove designed to accommodate the upper edge of the container (1) with an interposed layer of glue. The plate (18) also has a circular upper groove designed to accommodate a circular edge of the cover (1C).
This plate (18) has a passage or a recess (610), while the cover (1C) has a tube or hollow protrusion (611) extending in said passage or recess (610) to limit or prevent rotation of the cover relative to the container or to the plate (18).
The plate (18) has a passage or opening (610) towards the inner chamber (3) of the container (1), while the protrusion (611) is an open pipe carried by the cover (1C) and adapted to extend through the said opening (610), thus enabling passage of air or liquid into the inner chamber (3) via the pipe (611) carried by the cover (1C), a seal (612) advantageously surrounding the pipe (611) to be compressed between a flat support (613) of the pipe (611) and the plate (18) of the upper part (1S) of the container (1).
The container (1) has a central axis (A-A), in which the retention part (605) is movable in a direction (C-C, for example parallel to the direction B-B) perpendicular to said central axis (A-A), said retention part (605) comprising a spout (BV), an open end tube (614) adapted to accommodate one end of an outlet channel (615) of the valve device.
The plate (18) has a first side (18A) facing the inner chamber (3) and a second side (18B) opposite the first side and facing the chamber (600) of the cover (1C). The soft or flexible bag (4) is associated with a hollow tip (617), while the valve device is associated with an element (618) presenting an inner open channel (619), a transverse section enabling the insertion of the element (618) in the hollow tip (617), and a clamp (620) bearing, possibly with an interposed seal, on the second side (18B) of said plate (18). Advantageously, a seal (621) surrounding said element (618) of the valve device bears on the first side (18A) of the plate (18), and is preferably compressed between a far edge (617A), advantageously with a collar, of the hollow tip (617) and said first side (18A) of the plate (18).
The lower plate 8 has a peripheral circular groove (10G) designed to accommodate the lower edge of the container (1), with an interposed layer of glue. The lower plate has a central opening (10) which can be closed by a peelable or tearable film or pierceable and resealable membrane when it is positioned on a support of an apparatus.
The retention part (605) is held in position on the cover (1C) by a clip system or a system for insertion of a protrusion (622), possibly carried by a strip (624), in a recess or window (623).
The retention part (605) has two windows (625) giving access to the movable control device (601) of the valve device located in the chamber (600) of the cover (1C), the window(s) (625) being positioned to enable the insertion in the chamber (600) of the cover of an end or ends (630) of a tool (631) to apply a force on the movable control device (601), said windows (625) being advantageously also positioned to enable the insertion of a tool to detach the retention part (605) from the cover (1C).
The bag (4) comprises a first soft element (4B) and a second soft element (4A) bonded together to form a soft pouch, the first element (4B) being less supple or less soft than the second element (4A), this second element (4A) having an area facing the inside of the pouch at least 50% and preferably 75% to 300% greater than the area of the first element (4B) facing the inside of the pouch, and in that advantageously the tip (617) of the soft bag is attached to said second soft element (4A) near one of its edges bonded to the first soft element (4A).
The soft bag (4) is surrounded by a soft net (626) serving as a means to ensure that channels exist between the inner face of the container and the soft bag to enable passage of liquid around the bag during the operations to extract liquid food from the bag.
The hollow tip (617) advantageously has a lower collar (617B) bonded to the film (4A). (figure 7)
The cover (1C) has a positioning hollow or recess (627), said hollow or recess extending along the side or lateral face (1CL) of the cover (1C)(figure 11). The box is associated with one or more protection means (6, 6A, 6B, 6C) to secure the closing of a passage or passages or windows before the box is used. For example, such means are tearable or detachable flexible films, or tearable or deformable elements for the windows of the retention part of the cover (1C) or membrane elements which can be pierced and sealed back after being pierced.
Figures 18 and 19 are views of a unit of an apparatus for dispensing a quantity of a liquid or viscous food contained in a bag placed in a box of the combination according to the invention, in an appropriate temperature range, said apparatus comprising at least:

a structure (100) with at least one support element for at least one combination according to the invention;
a tank (102) for an aqueous medium;
a means (103) to adjust the temperature of at least a portion of said aqueous medium;
one or more connections (106A, 106B) to connect one or more passages of the box communicating with its inner chamber (3) to the outside of the bag (4); and
a circuit with at least one pump (111A) to circulate aqueous medium by the means (103) to adjust the temperature of at least a portion thereof and to circulate aqueous medium in the inner chamber (3) of the box outside the soft bag (4) and pressurize the aqueous medium present in the chamber (3), and
a means of controlling (105) the amount of food dispensed comprising a mobile tool (631) capable of acting on the movable control device (601) of the valve device.

The mobile tool has at least one claw-shaped element (631) capable of moving through a window (625) of the retention part (605) at least between a position acting on the movable control device (601) of the valve to bring it into the open position and a rest position in which the movable control device (601) of the valve is in a position corresponding to a closed position of the valve.
The mobile tool (631) has at least one claw-shaped element capable of moving (advantageously by at least one pivoting movement), between a position in which the claw is located outside the chamber of the cover of the box and a position in which the claw has an end located in the chamber of the cover and acts on the movable control device of the valve to bring it into the open position, with an intermediate position in which the claw is in a position in which the claw has an end located in the chamber of the cover, without acting on the movable control device of the valve to bring it into the open position.
The apparatus comprises a means to ensure correct positioning of the box with respect to the bottom of the apparatus. For this purpose, the unit comprises a support plate (PS) for the base of the container (1), said plate (PS) rotating (for example via a controlled motor (PSM)) around a substantially vertical or vertical axis (to be parallel to the central axis A-A of the container (1)), and a protrusion (150) on the rear face of the unit (100), this protrusion being designed to fit into the recess (627) of the cover (1C). By a slight rotational movement of the plate (PS) carrying a box of a combination according to the invention, it is possible to ensure correct positioning of the box by inserting the protrusion (150) in the hollow (627) of the cover (1C).
Once correctly positioned, the claw-holder (105) is moved, for example by an actuator (105V) in a vertical direction (either the claw-holder (105) is moved downwards, towards the cover (1C), or the plate (PS) is moved upwards), so as to bring the claws (631) close to the windows (625) of the retention part (605), and position them to allow them by a rotational movement to enter the hollow of the cover through the windows (625), to oppose removal of the box and to act on the lugs (608) of the movable control device. For example, the rotational movement of the claws (631) can be carried out in a first step to bring the claws in a first position (631bis) opposing the withdrawal of the box, while not acting on the lugs 608, and in a second step to move the claws from the first position up to a second position (631ter) (opposing the withdrawal of the box and acting on the lugs for opening the valve 5V).

Claims

A system comprising a cover (1C) and at least a retention part (605),
wherein said system is suitable for a combination of a rigid box and said cover (1C), in which the rigid box has a container (1) having at least one wall (2) defining an inner chamber (3) in which a flexible bag (4) for a liquid or viscous food to be consumed in an appropriate serving temperature range extends by using an aqueous medium flowing within the inner chamber (3), said bag (4) being associated with a part (5) associated with a valve device with a body (602C) with a movable control device (601) to move a valve (5V) between at least an open position and a closed position, said container (1) having a lower part (1I) with a bottom (8), said lower part (1I) or bottom (8) presenting at least one opening (10) communicating with the inner chamber (3) of an element for forming such an opening (10), said container (1) having an upper part (1S) with an upper plate element (18) with at least one passage (9) for at least a portion of the part (5),

in which the upper part (1S) of the container can be associated with said cover (1C), the container having a central axis (A-A),

said cover (1C) defining a chamber (600) suitable to accommodate at least partially the body (602C) with the movable control device (601) of the valve device,

said cover (1C) comprising one or more means (603,604) to attach said body (602C) of the valve device to the cover (1C) and to maintain said body (602C) of the valve device in position during a movement of said movable control device (601) inside said chamber (600) of the cover (1C),

said cover (1C) having one or more passages for an element capable of acting, directly or with interposition of an intermediate piece, on the movable control device (601) of the valve (5C),

characterized in that

the cover (1C) has, in its chamber (600), at least two tabs (603) spaced apart from each other, at least one of which is flexible, said tabs (603) serving as a means to cooperate with the body (602C) with the control device (601) of the valve device to ensure positioning of said body (602C) in the chamber (600) of the cover (1C),

the cover (1C) being associated with said at least one retention part (605),

the retention part being configured to be movable in a direction (C-C) substantially perpendicular to said central axis (A-A), said retention part comprising a spout (BV), an open end of which being able to accommodate one end of an outlet channel of the valve body, said cover (1C) being associated with said spout (BV),

said retention part (605) being movable relative to said cover (1C) between a retention position in which said retention part (605) opposes withdrawal of the body (602C) with the control device (601) of the valve device from the chamber (600) of the cover (1C), and a non-retention position in which said retention part (605) does not oppose withdrawal of the body (602C) with the movable control device (601) of the valve device from the chamber (600) of the cover (1C), and

whereby the retention part (605) has at least one window, advantageously two windows (625) giving access to the movable control device (601) of the valve device located in the chamber (600) of the cover (1C), the window(s) (625) being positioned to enable the insertion in the chamber (600) of the cover (1C) of an end or ends (630) of a tool (631) to apply a force on the movable control device (601) or on an intermediate element acting on the movable control device (601).
The system of claim 1, in which the cover (1C) presents a stop (604) in its chamber (600), said stop (604) serving as a support for a wall (606) of the body (602C) with the control device (601) of the valve device to limit or prevent movement of said body (602C) of the valve device during relative movement of the control device (601) with respect to said body (602C) of the valve device.
The system of claim 1 or 2, whereby the movable control device (601) comprises at least one and advantageously two lugs (608) extending outside said body (602C), whereby the tabs (603) extending in the chamber (600) of the cover (1C) are configured to serve as a means of positioning of the lug or lugs (608) of the body (602C) with the control device (601) of the valve device in the chamber (600) of the cover (1C), whereby the lug or lugs (608) of the body (602C) is/are movable relative to the body (602C) against the action of the biasing means (5R) between a first position corresponding to the closed position of the valve (5V) and a second position corresponding to the open position of the valve (5V), said biasing means (5R) exerting a force opposing the movement of said lug or lugs (608) towards the second position.
The system of claims 2 and 3, in which the stop (604) and the tabs (603) are adapted for positioning there between the lug or lugs (608) of the body (602C).
A combination of a rigid box (1) and a system according to any of claims 1-4, in which the rigid box has a container (1) having at least one wall (2) defining an inner chamber (3) in which a flexible bag (4) for a liquid or viscous food to be consumed in an appropriate serving temperature range extends by using an aqueous medium flowing within the inner chamber (3), said bag (4) being associated with a part (5) associated with a valve device with a body (602C) with a movable control device (601) to move a valve (5V) between at least an open position and a closed position, said container (1) having a lower part (1I) with a bottom (8), said lower part (1I) or bottom (8) presenting at least one opening (10) communicating with the inner chamber (3) or an element for forming such an opening (10), an upper part (1S) with a plate element (18) with at least one passage (9) for at least a portion of the part (5), wherein the upper part (1S) of the container (1) is associated with the cover (1C).
The combination of claim 5, in which the plate element (18) of the upper part (1S) has a limiting means (610) cooperating with an cooperating element (611) of the cover (1C) so as to at least limit rotation of the cover (1C) relative to the container (1) or to said plate element (18), in which the plate element (18) has advantageously a passage (610) towards the inner chamber (3) of the container (1), while the cooperating element (611) of the cover (1C) is a protrusion (611) being a pipe carried by the cover (1C), enabling passage of air or liquid into the inner chamber (3) via the pipe (611) carried by the cover (1C).
The combination of any one of the claims 5 and 6, in which the plate element (18) has a first side (18A) facing the inner chamber (3) and a second side (18B) opposite the first side (18A) and facing the chamber (600) of the cover (1C), in which the flexible bag (4) is associated with a hollow tip (617), while the valve device is associated with an element (618) presenting an inner open channel (619), a transverse section enabling the insertion of the element (618) in the hollow tip (617), and a clamp (620) bearing on the second side (18B) of said plate element (18).
The combination of claim 5, in which the retention part (605) is a retention part held in position on the cover (1C) by a system for insertion of a protrusion (622) in a recess or window (623) of the cover (1C).
The combination of any one of the claims 5 to 8, in which the flexible bag (4) comprises a first soft element (4B) and a second soft element (4A) bonded together to form a soft pouch, the first element (4B) being less supple or less soft than the second element (4A), this second element (4A) having an area facing the inside of the pouch at least 50% greater than the area of the first element (4B) facing the inside of the pouch, in which the flexible bag (4) is advantageously surrounded by a soft net (626).
The combination of any one of the claims 5 to 9, in which the cover (1C) has a positioning means (627), said positioning means extending along a side face (1CL) of the cover (1C).
A method of dispensing a liquid or viscous food contained in a bag placed in a box,
said method comprising at least the steps of:
(a) placing at least a combination according to any one of the claims 5 to 10 on a support element of an apparatus comprising at least:
- A structure (100) with the support element for said combination,

- A tank (102) for an aqueous medium intended to flow within the inner chamber (3) of the said rigid box (1);

- A means (103) for adjusting the temperature of at least part of said aqueous medium intended to flow within the inner chamber (3) of the said rigid box (1);

- At least one connection (106A, 106B) for connecting one or more passages of the rigid box communicating with the inner chamber (3) of the box, outside the flexible bag (4); and

- A circuit with at least one pump (I 11A, 111B) to circulate said aqueous medium in the inner chamber (3) of the rigid box outside the flexible bag (4) and to pressurise the aqueous medium present in the inner chamber (3), and

- A means of control (105) of the quantity of food to be dispensed,

whereby the apparatus comprises a mobile tool (631) having at least one claw-shaped element (631) capable of moving through the at least one window (625) of the retention part (605) at least between a position acting on the control device (601) of the valve device to bring the valve (5V) into the open position and a rest position in which the control device (601) of the valve device is in a position corresponding to a closed position of the valve (5V),

whereby the mobile tool (631) has advantageously at least one claw-shaped element (631) capable of moving between a position in which the claw-shaped element (631) is located outside the chamber (600) of the cover (1C) of the box (1) and a position in which the claw-shaped element (631) has an end located in the chamber (600) of the cover (1C) and acts on the control device (601) of the valve device to bring the valve (5V) into the open position, with an intermediate position in which the claw-shaped element (631) is in a position in which the claw has an end located in the chamber (600) of the cover (1C), without acting on the control device (601) of the valve device to bring the valve (5V) into the open position,

the said method comprising the step of:
(b) controlling the temperature of an aqueous medium to flow within the inner chamber (3) of the rigid box (1);

(c) controlling the operation of the pump (111A) to bring aqueous medium having a suitable temperature under pressure into the inner chamber (3) of the rigid box (1); and

(d) controlling the opening of the valve (5V) for controlling the amount of liquid or viscous food from the flexible bag (4) flowing into a container.