US2008247684A1PendingUtilityA1

Flexible beverage container

29
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: May 25, 2006Filed: May 25, 2007Published: Oct 9, 2008
Est. expiryMay 25, 2026(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Craig C. BinksRobert Sasser
B65D 75/008B65D 47/2031B65D 49/02B65D 75/26B65D 2203/02
29
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A beverage container includes a pair of flexible sidewalls defining therebetween a pouch area for containing a beverage. The flexible sidewalls are comprised of a material having at least two material layers coupled to, or integrated with, one another. The layers include at least an outer layer comprised of an outer barrier material and an inner layer including an inner barrier material. The inner barrier material is operable to be exposed to the beverage contained in the pouch area while resisting migration of contaminants through the sidewalls and into the beverage.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A beverage container, comprising:
 a pair of flexible sidewalls defining therebetween a pouch area for containing a beverage;   the flexible sidewalls being comprised of a material having at least two material layers coupled to, or integrated with, one another, the layers including at least:   an outer layer comprised of an outer barrier material; and an inner layer including an inner barrier material, the inner barrier material being operable to be exposed to the beverage contained in the pouch area while resisting migration of contaminants through the sidewalls and into the beverage.   
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the outer barrier material includes PET. 
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the outer barrier material includes nylon. 
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the inner barrier material includes EVOH. 
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the inner barrier material includes PE. 
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the inner barrier material includes LLDPE. 
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the inner barrier material includes a combination of LDPE, EVOH and LLDPE. 
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the inner barrier material includes PP. 
   
   
       9 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate layer, disposed between the outer layer and the inner layer, the intermediate layer including printed information visible through the outer layer. 
   
   
       10 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate layer, disposed between the outer layer and the inner layer, the intermediate layer including nylon. 
   
   
       11 . A beverage container, comprising:
 a pair of flexible sidewalls defining therebetween a pouch area for containing a beverage;   a valving assembly, coupled between edges of the sidewalls and being operable to allow flow of the beverage from the pouch area while resisting flow of fluid into the pouch area;   the valving assembly including a membrane having at least one slit formed therein, the membrane having a curvature that causes the slit to open when subject to flow of beverage from the pouch area and causes the slit to close when subject to flow of fluid into the pouch area.   
   
   
       12 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein the membrane includes a plurality of slits, arranged at substantially equal angles relative to one another and extending outwardly from a center of the membrane toward one or more edges of the membrane. 
   
   
       13 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of slits comprises three slits. 
   
   
       14 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of slits comprises five slits. 
   
   
       15 . A collapsible beverage container, comprising:
 a pair of flexible sidewalls defining therebetween a pouch area for containing a beverage;   a valving assembly installed between the sidewalls adjacent a top of the beverage container;   a pair of side seams extending generally upwardly along side edges of the container;   a bottom gusset frame, expandable when the container is filled with at least some of the beverage to provide a stable support for the beverage container such that the container is substantially free-standing when at least partially filled with the beverage.   
   
   
       16 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the gusset frame defines a hexagon when fully expanded. 
   
   
       17 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the container includes a ratio of height:width:depth of about four:two:one. 
   
   
       18 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the side seams extend from a bottommost portion of each side to an uppermost portion of each side and include a width from about 5 mm to about 7 mm. 
   
   
       19 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein a width of the side seams is greater than a width of seams used to form the gusset frame. 
   
   
       20 . A collapsible beverage container suitable for containing and dispensing drinking water, comprising:
 a pair of flexible sidewalls defining therebetween a pouch area for containing drinking water;   a valving assembly, coupled between edges of the sidewalls and being operable to allow flow of the drinking water from the pouch area while resisting flow of fluid into the pouch area;   a bottom gusset frame, expandable when the container is filled with at least some of the drinking water to provide a stable support for the beverage container such that the container is substantially free-standing when at least partially filled with the drinking water;   the container being operable to collapse as water is removed from the pouch area and to retain its collapsed configuration such that a volume of the pouch area is constantly and automatically reduced as the drinking water is expelled from the pouch area.   
   
   
       21 . The beverage container of  claim 20 , wherein the valving assembly includes a membrane having at least one slit formed therein, the membrane having a curvature that causes the slit to open when subject to flow of the drinking water from the pouch area and causes the slit to close when subject to flow of fluid into the pouch area. 
   
   
       22 . The container of  claim 21 , wherein the membrane includes a plurality of slits, arranged at substantially equal angles relative to one another and extending outwardly from a center of the membrane toward one or more edges of the membrane. 
   
   
       23 . The container of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of slits comprises three slits. 
   
   
       24 . The container of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of slits comprises five slits.

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