Flexible Container Handling System

Abstract

A container for a flexible bag of liquid that supports the bag during transportation, storage and use in dispensing of the liquid. The container is made from two generally similar pans that form lower and upper parts of the container. Each pan includes a plurality of generally similar multiple projections that function to support the container on a surface as well as in a stable stacked formation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a pan used to make a container for supporting a flexible bag.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an inner side of the exemplary embodiment of the pan for supporting a flexible bag as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an outer side of the exemplary embodiment of the pan for supporting a flexible bag shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view in elevation of the exemplary embodiment of the pan for supporting a flexible bag shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an end view in elevation of the exemplary embodiment of the pan for supporting a flexible bag shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an assembly of two pans as shown in FIG. 1 to form a container for a flexible bag of liquid.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are opposed side elevation views of a stack of the containers illustrated in FIG. 6 supported on a generally horizontal surface.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of a stack of the containers illustrated in FIG. 6 on an inclined surface.

FIG. 8A is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a pan for supporting a flexible bag of liquid.

FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of a stack of the pans of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of an alternative embodiment of the container illustrated in FIG. 6, which has a clamp for securing together pans forming the container.

FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of a stack of containers on a horizontal surface, which have been made from another embodiment of pans.

FIG. 12 is a side elevation view of a stack of containers on an inclined surface, which have been made from the other embodiment of the pans of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a pan used to make a container for supporting a flexible bag of liquid.

FIGS. 14A-14B are perspective views of a still further embodiment of a container for supporting a flexible bag of liquid.

FIG. 15 is a side elevation view of an alternative embodiment of projections that may be used with a pan to form a container for supporting a flexible bag of liquid.

FIGS. 16A-16D are views of yet another exemplary embodiment of a pan that may be used to form a container for supporting a flexible bag of liquid.

FIGS. 17-17B are views of an exemplary embodiment of a handle that may be used with a container formed from the pan of FIGS. 16-16A for supporting a flexible bag of liquid.

FIGS. 18-18B are views of an exemplary embodiment of a clip that may be used with a container formed from the pan of FIGS. 16-16A for supporting a flexible bag of liquid.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a faceplate that may be used with a container to support tubing connected to a flexible bag of liquid.

FIGS. 20-20A are views of one more exemplary embodiment of a pan that may be used to form a container for supporting a flexible bag of liquid.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a base that may be used to support a container for supporting a flexible bag of liquid.

Claims

1. An apparatus usable to form substantially identical lower and upper parts of a container for a flexible bag of liquid, the apparatus comprising: an inner surface adapted to support the flexible bag of liquid when the apparatus is used as a lower part;an outer surface; andprojections extending outward from the outer surface and adapted to support the apparatus on a support surface when the apparatus is used as a lower part of a first container, and when the apparatus is used as an upper part of the first container, the projections face away from the support surface and facilitate alignment with a second container in a stacked formation on the support surface, the projections on the first container adapted to extend between projections on the second container to provide a more stable stacked formation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the projections on the first container are adapted to prevent the second container from sliding with respect to the first container in a first direction.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the projections comprise a plurality of substantially parallel ribs.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the projections comprise: legs extending outward from the outer surface and adapted to support the apparatus on a support surface when the apparatus is used as a lower part; andnotches associated with respective ones of the legs, the notches adapted to face the support surface when the apparatus is used as a lower part, and the notches adapted to face away from the support surface and facilitate alignment of the second container in the stacked formation when the apparatus is used as an upper part.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising other projections extending outward from the outer surface, and when the apparatus is used as an upper part of the first container, the other projections face away from the support surface and facilitate alignment with the second container in the stacked formation on the support surface, the other projections adapted to prevent the second container from sliding with respect to the first container in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support surface comprises a generally horizontal surface and the second container being generally horizontally offset from the first container in the stacked formation

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support surface comprises an inclined surface and the projections are adapted to prevent the second container from sliding downward with respect to the first container in an angular direction generally parallel to the inclined surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the projections permit the second container to be stacked generally vertically on the first container being supported on the inclined surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a flexible part formed from a flexible sheet material.

10. An apparatus usable to form substantially identical lower and upper parts of a container for a flexible bag of liquid, the apparatus comprising: an inner surface adapted to support the flexible bag of liquid when the apparatus is used as a lower part;an outer surface;opposed first and second lateral edges;a first pair of spaced-apart legs adjacent the first lateral edge and a second pair of spaced-apart legs adjacent the second lateral edge, the legs having respective notches, the legs and respective notches extending outward from the outer surface and adapted to support the apparatus on a surface when the apparatus is used as a lower part of a container, and when the apparatus is used as an upper part of the container, the legs and notches face away from the surface and facilitate alignment with the container in a stacked formation, the legs and respective notches adapted to prevent the container from moving in a first direction with respect to the stacked formation; andfour projections extending outward from the outer surface adjacent respective ones of the legs to further facilitate alignment of the container in the stacked formation and adapted to prevent the container from moving in a second direction with respect to the stacked formation.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of slots and associated holes located on the first and second lateral edges and adapted to receive handles for lifting the container.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of other holes located on the first and second lateral edges and adapted to receive connectors for securing the lower and upper parts of the container together.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the flexible bag of liquid has tubing extending from a dispensing end and an opposite end and the inner surface comprises: a first contoured shape adapted to support the dispensing end of the flexible bag of liquid; anda second contoured shape adapted to support the opposite end of the flexible bag of liquid.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the second contoured shape is different from the first contoured shape.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the inner surface further comprises a generally flat surface between the first contoured shape and the second contoured shape.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the inner surface further comprises ribs extending lengthwise between the first contoured shape and the second contoured shape.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the inner surface further comprises a cavity adjacent one end of the apparatus adapted to receive the tubing.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a space between the first and second lateral edges and adjacent the cavity, the space adapted to permit the tubing to extend externally from the apparatus.

19. A container for supporting a flexible bag of liquid comprising: a lower part comprising a lower outer surface and first projections extending downward from the lower outer surface and adapted to support the lower part on a surface; andan upper part substantially similar in size and shape to the lower part and placed over the lower part to form an interior space adapted to contain the flexible bag of liquid, the upper part comprising an upper outer surface and second projections extending upward from the upper outer surface, the second projections being substantially the same size, shape and relative location as the first projections, and the second projections adapted to be located adjacent to, and facilitate alignment with, first projections of another container in a stacked formation.

20. The container of claim 19 further comprising at least one handle extending through the lower part and the upper part for lifting the container.

21. The container of claim 20 wherein the handle comprises structure for securing the lower part and the upper part together.

22. The container of claim 19 further comprising at least one connector extending through the lower part and the upper part for securing the lower part to the upper part.

23. The container of claim 19 further comprising structure connected to each of the lower and the upper parts for aligning the lower and upper parts of a container in a juxtaposed relationship.

24. The container of claim 19 wherein each of the lower part and the upper part further comprise an inner surface and an outer surface, and the lower part and the upper part are nestable and stackable upon the outer surface of the upper part being placed in juxtaposition with the inner surface of the lower part.