GB2229992A - Beverage container - Google Patents

Abstract

A liquid container e.g. for orange juice, has a flexible body 1 and a liquid delivery unit (7 Fig.1 not shown) sealingly secured therein. The body 1 has a front wall and a rear wall connected by a pair of gusset foldable side walls heat sealed thereto at 31a-31d. The lower end portions of the front and rear walls are sealed together at 32 to define a substantially flat, generally rectangular base portion when the container is filled. In one form, shown in full lines in Fig. 9, the four lower corner regions 1b-1e are cut away with the cut edges being heat sealed at 30. <IMAGE>

Description

BZVZRAGE CONTAINER The present invention relates to a liqu.Jd container

for containing therein beverage such as orange juice and sport drink.

Known is a liquid container formed of flexible sheet in the bag shaped configuration provided with an upper opening, such container being available for containing beverage such as for example, orange juice. The beverage is filled in the conta-,ner through the upper opening and then the opening is thermally sealed. A wal- of the container is formed with a hole which is ncr=ally closed by an adhesive sheet. For drinking the beverage, the adhesive sheet is peeled from the wall and a sealing film at the hole is broken by the insertion. of a straw L into an interior of the container.

According to such type of the conventional container, the straw must be further provided. If the straw is not provided together with the container, or if a user loses the straw, It would be difficult to enjoy drinking. For example, the user must try to open the sealed opening of the container which however, Is rather troublesome if a cutter or knife is not available.

In order to overcome the above-described disadvantages, another type of liquid container has been developed which includes an upwardly open bagshaped main body made of a flexible film and a beverage 1 del..'kvery u 1-1 11 11 secured zo t In. e upper open-nz. Th e beverage delivery unit is provided with a mouth port--'cn and a conduit extending r. -, 0 an -4r.:er-Lor C.L.

container body.

The liquid container of the latter type is 'Light in weight and can be easily opened ir. comparison with ot.her type of liquid containers such as cans and bottles, and therefore, it is used for containing various sauce -'cr noodles, =eats and th.e like as well as beverages.

The liquid conta.-ner of z In e.,zmroved -cype -,rcb-'e=. However, - 1 he mouth partion of c an S 1: nc e e liquid delivery unit into the container, air in the container may remain at the upper portion thereaf, so that -he liquid would not be sufficiently filled in the container.

Fur't-her, when the liquid in the container is poured into another liquid receptacle such as a cup through the delivery unit, part of the liquid in the container still remains therein, since the conduit portion of the delivery unit deeply extends into the container interior. That is, an open end of the conduit is positioned adjacent the container bottom, so that liquid in the container may be displaced toward the upper portion of the container at the inverse posture.

The content in the container still remains, which is overcome the above described the.' 4La,,iid i s f- 4.. 'Led through unecconomical.

2 Furthermore, in the improved type c- ta4,-ier, flanges are provided at the mouth portion. Durina injection of the liquid into a plurality of containers, flanges of the neighbouring container may be disadvantageously entered between the flanges of the first one of the container, to thereby degrade alignment of the containers. Therefore, continuous liquid injection to the successive containers attainable.

In another aspect, the 1-4qu-,'d have ncn- uniform cross-sectien and are incapable a s e standing, so that it would be rather difficult. -,.c pack a plurality of the containers in a box or a package. r reality, these containers are packed randomly in the box. However, in this case, the corner portion of the container may be damaged due to their irregular packing during their transportation. Further, in order to inject beverage into a plurality of the liquid containers, these containers must be regularly aligned in a row so as to perform smooth and effective filling of the beverage into the containers. However, since thse containers do not provide self- standing function, It would be rather difficult to smoothly fill the beverage in successive containers at a beverage filling station.

Further, as mentioned above, the conventional container does not provide self-standability, so that may not be the container is not ava41a.,!e when the required to be set on a dinIng ta-ble.

it is an object of the present invention to reduce the drawbacks of the prior art.

n ').1 j AcCorC'inc to the present invention there is provided a liquid container comprising:

a) a container bodv formed a flexible mater-al and havinc an opening therein, and a delive-v unit secureed to said -pen4-:

and arranced tO allow a withi- the Illody to pass there throug Ill, said de'i.-4ver-i unit.

a mouth portion positioned outside said main.

tainer body, and a Joining portion in sealing contact with said opening.

The invention also extends to a liquid container body having an envelope shape, and a beverage or liquid delivery unit secured to an upper opening of the envelope shape container body. The delivery unit provides at least two supporting flanges positioned above the upper opening of the body. Between the flanges, a plurality of ribs are provided each i Z projecting in _a perpend-4c,-,lar to the f -ont and rear surfaces of envelope shaped bod-,i.

According to cne cf- the embodiments, the deliverv unit further provides a conduit formed with at least one hole or slot positic-ned inside the container bod,.'.

cpening thereof. The sljt container to dischar7,e toward and adjacent the upper allows air in the atmosDhere Ju::inc injection into the container, so that complete l-4cu.4,-; injection results without substantial accu7,,ulat---n of air in the container.

to one of the remaining em-calment's, the conduit is not pr,,vided, and the above mentioned flanges and --i'..,s are provided at the licluid delivery unit.

conduit The ribs extend in an axial direction of the and are provIded ribs can prevent the container from being flanges, so that a regularly arranged in liquid injection to attainable.

If the delivery unit Is used as a straw to discharge the liquid the container, the hole or slot is closed by the container wall because of t.he flexibility thereof, so that the liquid can be effectively sucked. Further, when the "Liqu--.-5 is - joured from the container, the slot in the conduit serve as liquid discharge port, to thereby completely discharge the liquid from the container.

According to still another embodiment, there is provided a ccmbinat.4on of the above-mentioned liquid container and a channel member engageable with the flanges. The channel member has generally C-shape in cross-section to-provide a linear lip portion with which the flanges of the containers are engaged. With the structure, a plurality of the liquid container are engaged with the channel member in such a manner that these containers are oriented In the same direction, so that the containers are regularly juxtaposed with one another, to thus permit these containers to be effectively packed in a packing box. Further, such flanges. The flanges of the neighbouring engaged with the f-4rst one of plurality of containers can be a row, and therefore, continuous the respective containers between the suzzcr-..4r.a 6 i regular ly luxtaposed containers can be s,,zbee-ed +.c smooth injection of the beverage at the beverage filling station.

According to these embodiments of the present invention, the envelope shaped container body is folded in gusset type manner, so that -he body is of flat thin shape pricr to filling the beverage thereintc. The side wall portions of the container body is inwardly folded to provide w-shape in cross-secticn. The internally folded portion having inverted V-shape in the W-shape is deformed into a flat plane upon injection of the beverage. According to still another embodiment, the lower end pcr-,.'&on of the side wall portion is improved so as to provide self-standing function of the liquid container upon injection of the liquid thereinto. That is, the lower end corners of the container body is cut away, and the cut away edges are heat-sealed together.

In the drawings; Fig. 1 is a perspective view, with a part broken away, of a liquid container according to one embodiment of the present Invention.

Fig. 2 Is a side view of a delivery unit In the first embodiment; Fig. 3 is a perspective view, with a part broken away of a liquid container according to a second embodiment of the Invention; 7 F i g. 'I, a,' _ s a s ide v. ew c.' 2:. del iver i uni t; Fig. 4(b) is a side view of the de'Livery unit in which a conduit portion is added to the unit shown Fig. 4 (a); Fig.5 is a front view of a part of the delivery unit; Fig. 6 is a side view of parts of the de!Aivery units each moving along a guide member; Fig. 7 is a top view of a liquid container.

Fig. 8 shows a part c.' a flex-4ble film used to make a liquid container body shown in F.,g. l.; Fig. 9 is a perspective v_Jew sL-cwi.-,g a cont-ainer ass emb 1 Ing me=ber, i.e., a channel member, and a plurality of containers assembled thereto; Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional elevation showing an engagement between the channel member and the container; Fig. 11 is a schematic view showing assemblies of the containers transferred just before a beverage filling station; Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view oil a container body; Fig. 13 is- a front view of a container body according to another embodiment of the Invention; Fig. 14 is a side view of a container body in which folded portion is forcibly pulled open prior to liquid injection; and, Fig. 15 is a bottom view of the container body after beverage injection.

8 A f irst described Referring envelope opening la at ita tcp. The flexible structure and is made includes, as shown in Fig. 8, a polyester film 2 having thickness of.2 u, aluminum foil 3 (9,u), stretched nylon film 4 (15,u), and polyethylene film 5 (60-120/u).

A content delivery unit. 7L is secured to the upper opening portion la of the container body 1. The conte.nt delivery unit 7 is integrally coupled to -he container body 1 upon sealing the upper opening portion.

As shown in Fig. 2, the content dellivery unit 7 includes a mouth portion 9 having a thread portion a and a conduit portion 10 provided integral with the mouth portion 9. The mouth portion 9 is positioned outside the container body 1 when the content delivery unit 7 is f ixedly secured to the open end la of the container body 1. A cap holding member ga is formed mouth portion 9 so as to hold a lower end of embodiment of the present invention will be with reference c) accompanying drawings. first to Fig. 1, a container body 1 has an shaped configuration and is formed with an container body 1 has a of laminated film 6 which near the a cap 16 threadingly engaged with the thread portion 8. The conduit portion 10 has an upper end portion provided with a joining portion 11 for joining the conduit to the mouth portion 9. The upper opening la Is in close contact with an outer peripheral surface of the joining 9 portion 11 when the upper opening la -4s thermally sealed. A hole 12 -'s formed at an upper portion of the conduit portion 10. The hole is formed by par-c-.;al',., cutting the cylindrical wall of the conduit portion 10 of the delivery unit. Upon assembly, the hole 12 is positioned inside he container body 1 and a t. immediately adjacent the joining portion construction the primary feature of the embodiment.

According t-c a second embodiment shown in Figs. 3 tz 7 wherein like parts and components are designa-ced by the same reference numerals and characters as those shown in tIhe first embodiment, inventive feature resides in the construction of the delivery unit portion outside the container body.

wh -4 ch :16 i r S t In the second embodiment, two supporting flanges 14, 14 extend in 1Che transverse direction of the conduit 10 and are positioned between the thead portion 8 of the mouth 9 and the joining portion 11. The flanges are spaced away from each other in the axial direction of the conduit 10, and each has generally actogonal shape. The container body has a three dimensional shape upon injection of the beverage, and two sides of the octogonal flange are directed in parallel with the front and rear surfaces of the container, while two sides of the remaining six sides are directed in a direction perpendicular to the front and rear surfaces of. the W container body 1.

Ribs 15,15 project from an outer peripheral surface of -che mouth portion 9 in a airect..;kcn perpendicular to the front and rear surfaces of the container body 1 and extend in the axial direction of the conduit 10. These ribs are positioned between the upper and lower flanges 14 5 and 6, the ribs 15 1 and 14. As best shown in Figs.

extend to the portions of the These ribs 15 free ends of the flanges 14 and lower end ribs 15 are cut away as shown in Fig. 5.

are provided in order to prevent the flanges 14 of a resultant 1 i qu -4 d c --nt a iner (A) f rom engaging the flanges 4 of a neighbouring 1 i q U 1, 'd container(B) when these containers are moved along a guide member 17. A cap 16 is provided as shown in Fig.

1, which cap is threadingly engaged wit.h the thread 8 of the mouth portion 9.

As shown In Fig. 4(a), the delivery unit is not provided with the conduit portion, and the delivery unit is supported by the upper opening la of tlhe container body 1 at the joining portion 11. This construction can provide advantages similar to the first embodiment, since the residual liquid can be completely discharged out of the container because of the uppermost location of the hole of the mouth portion.

on the other hand, according to a modified structure shown in Fig. 4(b), a conduit portion 10 extends from the joining portion 11 similar to the first embodiment.

11 At the conduit 10 and adjacent the portlon and Inside the body, provided are a plurality of sicts 12 and a pair of ribs 13 extending In axial di.rection of the conduit portion 1.0. The slots 1.2 are formed symmetrically relative to each other. The conduit portion 10 has a longitudinal length whose lower end is positioned In the vicinity of a bottom cf the container body 1 when the content delivery unit- 7 is fixedly secured to the open end of the container body This length also applies to %-lie first embodiment.

Next, an operation mode of the first and second embodiments according to the present invention will be described.

When the content delivery unit 7 is used as a straw or sipper, the cap 16 is removed from the mouth portic.n 9 for holding the mouth portion 9 in a human mouth. Upon sucking or sipping, the wall of the container body 1 is urged toward the hole 12(Fig. 2) or slots 12(Fig. 4(b))formed at the conduit portion 10 because of the flexibility of the container body, so that the-hole or slots 12 are closed by the wall. As a result, a beverage is sucked from the lower end of the conduit poriton 10.

When the content delivery unit 7 is used as a pouring means, the user holds the main body 1 with a hand and inclines the same, so that the beverage can be discharged through the hole or slots 12 of the conduit 12 out of an opening of the mouth 9. S.nce the hole or slots 12 are positioned at the upper porticn ofthe conduit 10, the beverage is completely discharged out cf:

the container body 1 at the inverse posture of the container.

Turning to specific operation of the second embodiment shown in Figs. 3 to 7, for filling the container body with the beverage, the container bodies 1 are suspended by the guide member 17 of a beverage filling apparatus (not shown) through t.he supporting f langes 14. this case, the ribs '15 formed between the flanges 14 prevents the flanges from being engaged with the flanges of the neighbouring liquid container, so that the container bodies can be aligned in a row withou-. disturbance during beverage injection thereinto. Further, the hole at the lower end of the mouth portion(Fig.4(a)) or the plurality of slots 12(Fig.4(b)) allow air in the container to discharge toward atmosphere therethrough during beverage injection, and therefore, sufficient amount of the beverage can be filled in the container.

The ribs 15 also prevent the delivery unit 7 from thermal contraction during its cooling at the process of Injection molding of the delivery unit, to thus improve dimensional stability. Furthermore, according to the embodiment shown In Fig. 4(b),the ribs 12 are provided for reinforcing the portion at which the slots 12 are 13 f ormed. 1 t goes,A; i thouz say -4 ng- t Ine cont a i ne.r in the second em-.cd-4=en-. is for=ed cf a ziater-4=--' described above and reference to F-4 As described above, according 4-0 embodiments, beverage ca.n. be effectively container body by smoc-..-., discharce oil hole or slots, an d beverage can discharged out O.L -1 lie container g. 8.

-1,e foregoing filled into the air through t.he be effective-v bod,j. Furt.l-ler engagement between n e _hb c u r n a c a 4. n e r bodies is obviated to t.hus regular alignment, in a rz...; during injection of tl.-le beverage.

Next, a combi.-.a-, _ on = the beverage container assembling:nember will be reference to Figs. 9 through 1:. requires above menticned two flanges flange portions 14 is engageable with 20 as shown in Fia. 9.

containers and a described w i The combination 1 A _lt and 14. The a channel member As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, a container assembling member, i.e., the channel member 20 has generally C shape cross-section, and is formed with a linear lip poriton 22. - The channel member 20 is mounted on a recess 25 of a support member 23 disposed In, for example, a packing box, so that the lip portion 22 is placed at the upper portion of the channel member 20.

The channel member 15 has an internal space whose vertical length h is sufficienty sized to permit he liquid container to be engaged with the channel member 14 i in its inverse position to smoothly slide therealc.nc, A portion between the two flanges 14 has a rectangular cross-section, whose width is smaller than a width w cf the lip portion 22 to allow smooth engagement of the flanges with the lip portion. It. goes without saying that an axial length between the flanges is larger than a plate thickness of the channel lip.

For the transportation of the plurality of the liquid containers, the liquid containers are inversely held, and are successively inserted into the interior of -'.-e channel member 20 from its long itudinal omen end 21, sc that flanges 1.4 are slidingly engaged the portion 22.:n th-'s case, the envelope shaped main bodies are aligned in one direction for juxtaposing the containers, and as a result, t h. e containers are regularly assembled to the channel =ember 20.

A plurality of channel members 20 can be mounted in parallel with one another on the support member 23 in a packaging box as shown in Fig. 10. In this case, one of the main bodies 1 assembled to one of the channel member 20 Is partially sandwitched by the main bodies assembled to the other channel member as shown in Fig. 10, and therefore, compact packaging is attainable. That Is, the container bodies are mutually staggered with respect to two rows of the containers. The support member 23 can be the bottom of a packaging box and a plurality of support members 23 may be disposed, in one box, separately from each at---her in the vertical Furt-Iher, in case the containers are f illed wit'lli a beverage, the channel member 20 serves as a guide fcr introducing the containers to a beverage filling station 24 as shown in Fig. 'L!. Therefore, it is unnecessary to conduct pre-alignment of 'the containers for the beverage injection thereinto.

As described above, according to ",.he combination of the containers and the container assembling member, since thle plu.-al,-;-%.,7 of the containers having ncn selfstanding function prior to liquid.'nject--zn can be regularly and juxtaposedly assembled tc the ch,annel member, larae number of the containers can be packed into a package box. Therefore, effective packaging -'s attainable, and high yieldability of the containers results without deterioration of the corner portion thereof due to frictional contact therebetween and without wrinkle of flexible main bodies. The regularly juxtaposed containers are also available for successive injection of the beverage thereinto without any prealignment of the containers.

In the foregoing embodiments, the flexible container body 1 has a rectangular shape(see Fig. 3) prior to the liquid injection, and is folded as shown in Fig. 12 in a gusset type manner. According to a third embodiment of the present invention, lower rectangular corners are cut away as shown in Fig. 13 so as to provide self- 16 1 1 4; S on after -qu d inject J on. As upstanding funct. 1.

apparent from Figs. 12 and 14 t-here are four rectangular corners 1b ic id and le in the foregoing embcd--=e.-i-,s.

However, according to the third embodiment.,-he 'Lour bottom corners are cut away as shown in Fig.!3 and the cut away edge portions are thermally sealed together at in Fig. 13.

The container body 1 has four side sealing portions 31a 31b 31c and 31d, and a bottom seal portion 32. When viewing the side wall portion of the conta_4ner body 1 by opening the W-shaped folding portion tc a shown by arrows Y In Fig. 12, the side wall Por-_J= has a shape shown In Fig. 14. (in the Figure, the solid line shows the structure according t:he t embodiment, and broken line shows the conventional and foregoing embodiments.) In Fig. 14, length L is defined between an inner folded bottom end 33 and inner edgeline of the side sealing portion 31. The length L is also set between the inner edgeline (upper edgeline in Fig.14) of a lower end seal 34 and a inner edgellne of the side sealing portion 31 to determine the upper point 35. Then the upper point 35 and internally folded bottom end 33 are line-connected as shown by the lines 36, and thermal sealing 30 is effected along the lines 36. After the thermal sealing, the broken line portions are removed.

With this structure, when the folded container body is inflated by the liquid injection, the bottom portion 17 i of the body 1, 1, e., the bottom portion area Z in Fig.

13 is folded so as to provide the rectangular shape when viewing from the bottom portion as shown in Fig. 15, so that the container becomes capable of self-standing because of the gravity or weight of the content In the container body. In the third embodiment, since the lower end corner portions are cut away, the lower end portions of the container body are easily bent, so that the container can maintain upstanding posture because of the weight of the beverage.

---onhas been described 4n deta.", and Wh, 1 e he i nvent. 1 - wi.t.h reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will -he art that various be apparent to one sk41'ed Jr. t '. 1 changes and modifications ca,n be made therein without,' depart-.'.-.g from the spirit and scope of the.;,rvent.4cr,.

It will be appreciated from the above, thaz a _1izuici container of the invention is caiDable of reducina th.e amounz of air in th.e container duri-a filling of liquid and improving the amount of liquid filled in the container.

Embodiments of the container can completelv disc.harge liquid therefrom.

It is possible to arrange containers of 1Che invention i.n a row for continuous liquid injection.

It is also possible to arrange containers of the invention in a combination in which a plurality of containers can be regularly packed in a packing box. In addition, such combination is capable of regularly juxtaposing the containers for a subsequent beverage filling step at a beverage filling station. In an embodiment, such combination is capable of preventing the containers from being damaged during their transportation, yet assembling large numbers of the containers in a packaging box.

An embodiment of a container of the invention may be used as a self-standing beverage container capable of maintaining its upst-anding position on a flat plane such as a dining table.

18 i 1 1.

Claims (6)

1. A liquid container comprising:

   a) a container body formed of a flexible material 05 and having an opening therein, and b) a liquid delivery unit secured to said opening and arranged to allow a liluid within the conzainer body to pass therethrough, saii delivery unit comprising:

   a mouth portion positioned outside said main container body, and a joining portion in sealing contact with said opening.
2. 2. A liquid container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said delivery unit further comprises a conduit portion extending from said joining portion within said container body, said conduit being formed with at least one hole positioned inside said container body and 20 adjacent said opening.
3. 3. A liquid container as claimed in Claim 2, further comprising a pair of ribs extending downwardly in parallel with each other from the positions adjacent to 25 the opening, said pair of ribs being formed on the - 1 n 4 '1 - cylindrical surface of said conduit portion, and a plura.l-4,--,; of '---les fr-ied IL-h---ugh 1Che evil. cal wall of said conduit 7or---4on between said pair of ribs.
4. 4. A liquid cc,-,.-a-4,-er as ca,,-ned 4n any preceding claim, wherein said delivery unit further comDrises at least two -flanges C4isposed relative to sa4,.; Joining portion outwardly of said container body and, at least two ribs positioned between said flances anC; -jro4ectin- 'n a--;irection substantialiv perpendicular t:: frOnt. and rear surfaces of saJ'd container bod.;.
5. 5.

   is A licuid cont-ainer comprising:

   a) a container bodv forned of a flexible materi al and having an opening therein, and b) a liquid delivery unit secured to said opening and arranged to allow a liquid within said container body to pass therethrough, said delivery unit 20 comprising:

   1) a mouth portion positioned outside said main container body, 2) a joining portion positioned in sealing contact with said opening, 3) at least two flanges disposed outwardly of 1 said joining portion, and, 4) at least two ribs nositioned n-tween said flanges and projecting in a direction substantially perpendicular to surfaces of the container body.
6. 6. A liquid container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said flexible material comprises laminated films.

   -uid -ontainer as claimed in any preced' 1 JA li- - ding claim, wherein said container body is generally in the form of a bag, is made of one or more sheets of flexible material, and has said opening at- an upper end 1.

   thereof.

   pubushed 199c) at TIne Patent 0Mce. State House-8671 High Holbo.-n. LondonWC1R4TP.Purther copies =y be obtiunedfrorn The Patent Wice Ejaes Br&n_.h, St Mary Cray. Orpington, Kent BW5 3RD. Printed by Ifultiplex tachWques ltd. St MarY CrAY. Kent, Con. 1187 i 1 i

   6. A liquid container as claimed in Claim 5, further comprising a conduit portion extending said joining portion within said container bod,.,, said conduit- being for-ned with a plurality of Slots positioned within said container body and zdJacent sa4---, ocen-,nc.

   7. licuid container as claimed in Claim 6, furt.her C01Mir S-ng a pa-4-cf' ribs each posil.-icne,--J adjacent said slots and within said container body, said pair of ribs extending in an axial di4rec--i^1-, of said cznduit portion.

   8. A liquid container as claimed in any =receding claim, wherein said flexible material comz)rises laminated films.

   9. A liquid container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said container body is envelope shaped, is made of a sheet of flexible material, and has said opening at its upper end thereof.

   10. A liquid container as claimed claim, wherein said container body 05 type, so that a pair of side walls bodv are substantiallv W-shaced in to filling the liquid thereinto.

   in any preceding is folded in gusset of said container cross-section prior r'S.'L-4cuid container comprising:

   a) a main container bodv formed of flexible sheet; and b) a liauid deliverv unit sealing1v secured to said main container bodv, said main container body having front and rear wall and two side walls, and said 15, two side walls being folded in gusset type so that said paLr of side walls are substantially W-shaped in crosssecIC-ion prior to filling the liquid into said main container bodv, said front and rear walls being thermally sealed with said side walls, and said front and rear walls being thermally sealed together at their lower end portions, four lower end corners of said main container body being cut away, and edge lines of said cut away portions being thermally sealed.

   12. A combination of at least one liquid container as 11 1 - 23 claimed in any preceding claim, and a container wherein said container assembling member comDrises a channel member having a substantial!.; C-shaped cross-section, said channel member being formed with a lip portion engageable with the delivery unit of said liquid container.

   is 13. A combination of at least one 1-4--uid container and a container assemblina memoer for asse-iD.'-,nj together a ' 4 au number of Said containers, wherein the or each. container c--7,nr-4se-c a main container body having an envelc:e shlane and formed of a flexible sheet, said body being. formed wit.h an upper opening; and a liquid delivery unit fixedly secured to sa--'---- upper opening, said licuid delivery unit having a flange portion adjacent said upper opening; and, said container assembly member comprises a channel member having a substantially C-shaped cross-section, said channel member being formed with a lip portion engageable with the flange portion of a liquid container whereby a plurality of liquid containers may be assembled relative to said channel member such that their main container bodies are juxtaposed with one another.

   14. A combination as claimed in Claim 13l further comprising a packaging box for storing said plurality of liquid containers, and a plurality of support members disposed in said packaging box for mounting thereon at least two said channel members, so that each one of said main container bodies in one of juxtaposec! containers assembled to one of: said channel members is sandwiched bv container bodies juxtaposed and assembled to the other channel member.

   15. A combination as cl-aimed in Claim 12 or 14, wherein said flange portion comprises two flange members spaced away 'from each other in an axial direction of said delivery unit, said two flange members interposing said lip portion of said channel member. 106. A liquid container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

   17. A container assembling member in combination with a container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

   n i Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A licuid container -om-jrisina:

   a) a container body formed of a flexible material and having an opening therein, and b) a liquid delivery unit secured to said opening and arranaed to allow a licuid within the container body to pass therethrough, wherein said container bodv has front and rear walls and a pair of foldable side walls, eacn said side wall connecting, and being thermally sealed to, said front and rear walls, and wherein lower end nortions of said front and rear walls are thermally sealed together to define a substantiall.; flat base portion for said container.

   2. A lizuid container aS claimed in Claim 1, wherein said container body has a folded construction defining a pair of side walls which are substantially W-shaped in cross-section prior to filling the container body with liquid.

   3. A liquid container as claimed in Claim 2, wherein four lower end corners of said container body are cut away, and edge lines of said cut away portions are thermally sealed.

   and 4. A liquid container comprising:

   a) a container body formed of a flexible material, b) a liquid delivery unit sealingly secured to said container body, wherein said container body has front and rear walls and a pair of side walls, said side walls being substantially W-shaped in cross-section prior to filling the container body with liquid, and wherein ZG said front and rear walls are thermally sealed to said side walls, and said front and rear walls are thermally sealed tocether at their lower end portions, four lower end corners of' said container body being cut away, and edae lines of said cut away portions being thermally sealed.

   5. A liauid container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said delivery unit comprises a mouth portion positioned outside said container body, and at least two flanges arranged on said mouth portion outwardly of said container body, and at least two ribs Dositioned between s.aid flanges and projecting in a direction substantially perpendicular to the front and rear walls of said container body.