GB2447713A

GB2447713A - Flexible liquid container mounted via a suction cup

Info

Publication number: GB2447713A
Application number: GB0720578A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Sothcott; Lorraine Fraser Sothcott; Kelly Mary Sothcott; Kari Lorraine Sothcott; Kristie Linda Sothcott
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-03-20
Filing date: 2007-10-22
Publication date: 2008-09-24
Also published as: GB0720578D0; GB0705279D0

Abstract

A flexible container 1 may be a pouch or sack device filled with a liquid 2 which may be soap or the like. An extended tubular member 6 passes into the liquid. A non return valve 3 prevents liquid from returning back into the pouch. The device may be mounted via one or more suction cups 3 which may be mounted to a surface. Compressing the flexible pouch causes liquid to be forced up the tubular member 6 and out of a flexible discharge spout 6. Said suction device may be mounted above, level with or below the level of the flexible discharge spout.

Description

I 2447713

1 DESCRIPTION

3 Flexible containers are currently used to store various fluids such as cosmetics, soaps 4 and beverages. Such containers are often made from a lamination of thermoplastic materials and often have product information printed on the outside or within the 6 laminations. These flexible containers may have spouts affixed into them to allow the 7 product within to be dispensed. These flexible containers with spouts are commonly 8 referred to as spout pouches.

This invention relates to a spout for use with pouch and a Suction CU which enables 11 the pouch to be removably affixed to a wall and enables a user to dispense the fluid 12 product contained within by the application of hand pressure to the outside of the 13 spout pouch. [4

A first tubular member is positioned within the spout pouch with one end protruding 16 from the spout pouch. A second tubular member may be included which intersects 17 the first tubular member at the protruding end. The second tubular member may 18 intersect the first tubular member at an angle or may be concentrically or eccentrically 19 aligned to the first tubular member. The protruding end of the first tubular member or the non-intersecting end of the second tubular member is the point at which the 21 contents of the spout pouch are ejected. The tubular members may be connected to 22 each other by permanent means or may be connected by separable means or they may 23 be constructed as one part. At least part of the first or second tubular member may be 24 made from a material that may be attached by thermally effected bonding or adhesively effected bonding or pressure effected bonding or frictionally effected 26 bonding or by any of the known bonding methods to the pouch material or by a 27 combination of bonding methods.

29 A non-return valve may be situated within the first or second tubular members and is orientated such that the pouch contents cannot return down the tubular members once 31 it has been forced along the tubular members. The non-return valve may take the 32 form of any of the known forms of non-return valves.

34 A manually operated closure may be included to prevent leakage or contamination of the fluid contents. Many such closures are known and are without the scope of this 36 invention.

38 The external part of the tubular members may occasionally hereafter be referred to as 39 the spout.

41 En order to attach the pouch to a wall a Suction cup is attached to the spout. This may 42 be located at any position on the spout but will be located ideally on the opposite side 43 of the spout to its' open end. The Suction CUP S ideally made from an elastonienc 44 material to allow it to conform to the surface to which it is to be attached. Suction cups are known and have many varied applications and come in many varied forms 46 any of which may be used with this invention. It can be seen that by attaching the 47 suction cup to the spout pouch in the area of the spout and attaching the suction cup to 48 a wall the spout pouch will hang below the level of the open end of the spout and the 49 contents of the pouch may thence be dispensed by the application of externally pressure on the pouch. The Suction cup may be attached to the spout by permanent 51 means or by separable means or it may be constructed as one part with the tubular 52 members of the spout. Alternatively the suction cup or a plurality of Suction cups 53 may be attached directly to the pouch by any of the means described above.

It can be seen that externally applied pressure would cause the spout pouch to 56 collapse, forcing the fluid product within to travel along the first tubular member and 57 the optional second tubular member, passing the non-return valve on the way and then 58 ejecting from the open end of the second tubular member. In this manner the fluid 59 product within the pouch is dispensed.

61 The Suction cup may also be attached to the pouch to cause the pouch to hang in an 62 angled or inverted position from that described above. In this instance the spout may 63 be below the main pouch but the contents would be dispensed in the same manner.

Means may be included to indicate that the pouch has been tampered with or 66 previously opened. Such means may include a bonded or adhesively attached 67 membrane over or within part of the spout that must be removed or pierced before use 68 or may include a moulded portion on the spout or other convenient location that must 69 be removed prior to use. A plug or capping device may be included which must be removed prior to use. Such a plug or capping device may be so designed to prevent it 71 being replaced after it has been removed or it may be replaceable after it has been 72 removed.

74 Means may be included to allow the spout to be sealed between uses. Such means may comprise a member that is inserted into a tubular member of the spout or may be 76 a cap that fits over a tubular member to affect a seal or may be a moveable component 77 within or attached to a tubular member which can be moved into a position to 78 temporarily stop movement of fluid. Such means may be operated by linear actuation 79 or by rotary actuation.

81 There now follows a detailed description of an example of the invention. Reference is 82 made to the attached drawings.

84 As seen in figure 1 a flexible pouch I has a first tubular member 3. At the upper end of the first tubular member 3 is a spring-loaded non-return valve 5. Above the non- 86 return valve 5 a second tubular member 6 is located. This second tubular member 6 is 87 angled away from the first tubular member 3. A Suction CU 4 is attached to the 88 outside of the first tubular member 3. The non-return valve 5 is extended by its' 89 spring and forms a seal at its' point of contact with the first tubular member 3. The seal prevents any fluid 2 in the first tubular member 3 from draining back down into 91 the flexible pouch I. The suction cup 4 can be attached to a smooth surface to 92 suspend the flexible pouch I. 94 En figure 2 pressure is by hand 7 which causes the fluid 2 to rise up the first tubular member 6. The fluid 2 passes by the non-return valve 3 and exits by the second 96 tubular member 6.

98 En figure 3 a suction cup 4 is attached to the flexible pouch I. The fluid exits by the 99 second tubular member 6.

101 In figure 4 the flexible pouch 1 is suspended in an inverted position by the suction cup 102 4 which is attached to the opposite end of flexible pouch 1. When pressure is applied 103 by hand 7 the fluid exits through the second tubular member 6.

In figure 5 the suction cup 4 is attached to the corner of the flexible pouch I. In this 106 application the second tubular member 6 is also attached to the corner of the flexible 107 pouch.

109 It can be seen by a person skilled in the art that there are many different arrangements of the elements of this invention which can be realised within the spirit of this Ill invention without being specifically demonstrated herein.

Claims

I. A flexible pouch able to be mounted on a surface by means of a suction cup.
2. A flexible pouch able to be mounted on a surface by means of a plurality of suction cups.
3. A flexible pouch as in claim I to 2 and including an external spout.
4. A flexible spout as in claim 1 to 2 and including an external spout exiting the flexible pouch at a position higher than the suction cup when the flexible pouch is suspended in its' natural position.
5. A flexible pouch as in claim 1 to 2 and including an external spout exiting the flexible pouch at the same level as the Suction cup when the flexible pouch is suspended in its' natural position.
6. A flexible pouch as in claim 1 to 2 and including an external spout exiting the flexible pouch at a position lower than the suction cup when the flexible pouch is suspended in its' natural position.
7. A flexible pouch as in any preceding claim and including a non-return valve of any of the known types.
8. A flexible pouch as in any preceding claim and including a membrane bonded to the spout and covering the external aperture of the spout which must be ruptured prior to the ejection of the contents of the flexible pouch.
9. A flexible pouch as in claims 1 to 9 and including a membrane which is moulded as part of the spout and which closes the external aperture of the spout and which must be removed prior to the ejection of the contents of the flexible pouch.
10. A flexible pouch as in claims 1 to 9 and including a sealing component which is removeably inserted into external aperture of the spout and which closes the external aperture of the spout and which must be removed prior to the ejection of the contents of the flexible pouch and which cannot be replaced after removal.
Il. A flexible pouch as in claims 1 to 9 and including a sealing component which is removeably inserted into external aperture of the spout and which closes the external aperture of the spout and which must be removed prior to the ejection of the contents of the flexible pouch and which may be replaced after removal.
12. A flexible pouch as in claims I to 9 and including a cover which is removeably fitted over the external aperture of the spout and which closes the external aperture of the spout and which must be removed prior to the ejection of the contents of the flexible pouch and which cannot be replaced after removal.
13. A flexible pouch as in claims 1 to 9 and including a cover which is removeably fitted over the external aperture of the spout and which closes the external aperture of the spout and which must be removed prior to the ejection of the contents of the flexible pouch and which may be replaced after removal.
14. A flexible pouch as in any preceding claim and where the spout portion is removeably connected to the flexible pouch.
15. A flexible pouch as in claims I to 13 and where the spout portion is permanently connected to the flexible pouch.
16. A flexible pouch as in claims ito 13 and where the spout portion is formed as part of the flexible pouch.
17. A flexible pouch as in any preceding claim where the suction cup or plurality of suction cups is permanently connected to the flexible pouch.
18. A flexible pouch as in claim 1 to l6where the suction cup or plurality of suction cups is permanently attached to the spout. 6.
19. A flexible pouch as in any preceding claim where the suction cup or plurality of suction cups is removeably attached to the flexible pouch.
20. A flexible pouch as in any preceding claim where the suction cup or plurality of suction cups is removeably attached to the spout.
21. A flexible pouch embodying any combination of the preceding claims.