Method of installing a beverage bag into a container

Abstract

The method of installing an alcohol beverage bag into a container such as a beer keg through an aperture in the container has the steps of folding the bag into overlapping panels so as to have a cross-sectional area able to pass through the aperture of the container and then inserting the folded bag through the aperture and into the container. The beverage bag comprises first and second rectangular panels having peripheral edges welded together to form a first seam. Each panel has an area larger than a cross-sectional area for the keg and the panels are sized relative to the keg cross-sectional area to permit the panels to be forced apart during bag filling so as to expand bag internal space to approximate the volume of the keg. The bag has an open neck member passing through an aperture of the first panel and welded thereto to form a second seam. The aperture in the first panel of the bag is preferably offset from the center of the panel to reduce the likelihood of the first seam of the bag being bunched together and pulled at one time through the keg aperture during bag extraction. Consequently, less stress is placed on the seams during bag extraction from the keg thereby enhancing the recycling life of the bag.

1 . A method of installing a bag into a container to be ready for receiving an alcohol beverage where the container has an aperture for receiving the bag that has an aperture cross-sectional area smaller than the bulk of the bag, the method comprising the steps of: 
 folding the bag into overlapping panels having a bag cross-sectional area able to pass through the aperture cross sectional area; and,    inserting the folded bag through the aperture into the container.    
   
   
       2 . The method of installing a bag of  claim 1  further including the step of: 
 removing air from the bag and flattening the bag prior to the step of folding the bag.    
   
   
       3 . The method of installing the bag of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
 sealing the bag to the neck aperture of the container after the step of inserting the bag into the container, and    drawing a vacuum from the container to cause the bag to unfold within the container and be drawn towards walls of the container.    
   
   
       4 . A method of installing a bag into a container to be ready for receiving an alcohol beverage where the container has an aperture for receiving the bag that has an aperture cross-sectional area smaller than the bulk of the bag and the bag has a neck of corresponding cross-sectional area as the aperture, the method comprising the steps of: 
 orientating the bag to one side of the neck;    folding the bag into overlapping panels having a collapsible bag cross-sectional area less than the aperture cross sectional area; and,    inserting the folded bag through the aperture into the container.    
   
   
       5 . The method of installing a bag of  claim 4  further including the step of: 
 removing air from the bag and flattening the bag prior to the step of folding the bag.    
   
   
       6 . The method of installing the bag of  claim 4  further comprising the steps of: 
 sealing the bag to the neck aperture of the container after the step of inserting the bag into the container, and    drawing a vacuum from the container to cause the bag to unfold within the container and be drawn towards walls of the container.    
   
   
       7 . A bag suitable for containing an alcohol beverage when placed in a container having a cross-sectional area and a volume, the bag comprising: 
 a first panel and a second panel having peripheral edges welded together to form a first seam, each of the first and second panels having an area larger than the cross-sectional area of the container, the first panel having an aperture contained therein, and the first and second panels being moveable apart from each other when the bag is filled to expand bag internal space to approximate the volume of the container; and,    an open neck member passing through the aperture of the first panel and welded thereto to form a second seam, and the neck having a passageway for filling the bag with the alcohol beverage.    
   
   
       8 . The bag of  claim 7  wherein the container is a generally cylindrical shaped keg and the first and second panels comprise generally rectangular shapes.  
   
   
       9 . The bag of  claim 7  wherein the aperture of the first panel is offset from the center of the first panel.  
   
   
       10 . The bag of  claim 8  wherein the aperture of the first panel is offset from the center of the first panel whereby the first seam of the bag is not removed from the keg all at once.  
   
   
       11 . The bag of  claim 10  wherein the aperture of the first panel is located proximate a corner of the first panel.  
   
   
       12 . The bag of  claim 11  wherein the keg has a keg aperture and an end wall to which the open neck is secured and the keg aperture is located centrally of the keg end wall.  
   
   
       13 . The bag of  claim 7  having a volume when filled that brings portions of the bag into contact with interior walls of the container.  
   
   
       14 . The bag of  claim 7  having a potential volume when filled greater than that of the container and having a bag filled volume restricted by the volume of the container.  
   
   
       15 . A bag suitable for containing an alcohol beverage when placed in a keg, the bag comprising: 
 two circular panels having peripheral edges welded to a cylindrical panel to form the bag with three seams, the bag being expandable to approximate the volume of the keg, and the first panel having a center and an aperture therein positioned off-center from the center; and,    an open neck member passing through the aperture of the first panel and welded thereto to form a fourth seam and the neck providing a passageway for filling the bag.    
   
   
       16 . The bag of  claim 15  wherein the keg has a keg aperture and an end wall to which the open neck is secured and the keg aperture is located centrally of the keg end wall.