Container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10518938-B2
Application number	US-201615559254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2016
Priority date	Mar 19, 2015
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

A container is provided to contain a liquid to be used in a liquid dispenser that is space-saving and enables checking of the amount of remaining liquid, a refilling operation, and maintenance to be readily performed. A stock solution container in which a concentrated stock solution is to be contained and that is to be used in a beverage dispenser to eject a beverage constituted by the concentrated stock solution and a diluent includes: a containing portion having a bag shape and is to contain the concentrated stock solution; and an ejecting portion for ejecting the concentrated stock solution to the outside, the ejecting portion being provided to protrude from the containing portion. An ejection port is provided at a leading end of the ejecting portion, and the concentrated stock solution is ejected from the ejection port as the containing portion deforms based on an external force.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A container that is to contain a liquid and is to be used in a liquid dispenser for ejecting the liquid from the container containing the liquid, comprising:
a containing portion that has a bag shape and is to contain the liquid; and
an ejecting portion for ejecting the liquid to the outside, the ejecting portion being provided so as to protrude from the containing portion and is in fluid communication with the containing portion,
wherein the containing portion and the ejecting portion are formed of one folded flexible resin sheet or a plurality of flexible resin sheets laid over one another,
a peripheral portion of the folded resin sheet or laid resin sheets is formed inseparable,
a cross-sectional area of the ejecting portion in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the ejecting portion is set to be narrower than that of the containing portion,
an ejection port is provided at a leading end of the ejecting portion,
the liquid is ejected from the ejection port as the containing portion deforms based on an external force, and
the containing portion has: in a region bordering the ejecting portion, a transitional portion whose cross-sectional area in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the ejecting portion smoothly decreases from the containing portion to the ejecting portion; a recessed portion that expands in a fan shape around a center of the transitional portion and is recessed in a thickness direction of the containing portion; and a protruding portion that vertically divides the transitional portion and externally protrudes as viewed in a cross-section in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the ejecting portion.

2. The container according to claim 1 ,
wherein the ejecting portion is configured so that a volume of the liquid to be contained in the ejecting portion is a volume that corresponds to an amount of liquid that is ejected at a time from the liquid dispenser when the container is used in the liquid dispenser.

3. The container according to claim 1 ,
wherein a lower end of the protruding portion reaches the leading end of the ejecting portion.

4. The container according to claim 1 ,
wherein a cross-section of the ejecting portion in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the ejecting portion is configured to be circular.

5. The container according to claim 1 ,
wherein the ejecting portion has, at the leading end of the ejecting portion, a linear reinforcing portion that is parallel to the axial direction of the ejecting portion.

6. The container according to claim 1 ,
wherein the containing portion and the ejecting portion are made of a resin that has transparency.

7. The container according to claim 1 ,
wherein a cutout portion capable of being used to form the ejection port is provided in a part of the peripheral portion included in the ejecting portion near the leading end of the ejecting portion.

8. The container according to claim 1 ,
wherein a suspension hole for hanging the container on a hook provided in the liquid dispenser is provided in a part of the peripheral portion included in the containing portion on a side opposite to the ejecting portion.

9. The container according claim 1 ,
wherein the liquid is a beverage.

10. The container according to claim 1 ,
wherein the liquid is a concentrated stock solution that constitutes a beverage by being mixed with a diluent.

11. The container according to claim 1 ,
wherein a relief valve is arranged in a flow path from the ejecting portion to the ejecting port, in the ejecting portion on an ejection port side.

Assignees

• Suntory Holdings Ltd

Inventors

• Suzuki Yuuji
• Aihara Masatoshi
• Yokoyama Hiroki

Classifications

• B67D2001/082

  arranged in parallel · CPC title

• B67D2001/0093

  Valves · CPC title

• B67D1/108

  of the peristaltic type · CPC title

• B67D1/10

  Pump mechanism (in general F04) · CPC title

• B67D1/0807 Primary

  Openings for emptying, e.g. taped openings · CPC title