Device for emptying a flexible bag

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11964790-B2
Application number	US-201917291459-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2019
Priority date	Nov 14, 2018
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

A device for emptying a flexible bag comprising a fluid product, comprising a tray including a base having at least a top flat surface and two side members rigidly mounted on the base, perpendicularly to the base, the base being arranged substantially horizontally, namely along a front-rear direction and a left-right direction, a pressure element having at least a flat bottom face, for pressing downwards on a flexible bag under the influence of gravity. The tray includes guiding means for guiding the pressure element, as it goes downwards when the bag is emptying. The pressure element exhibits a gravity center and a geometric center, the gravity center being away from the geometric center.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for emptying a flexible bag comprising a fluid product, the device comprising:
a tray comprising a base having at least a top flat surface and two side members rigidly mounted on the base, perpendicularly to the base, the base being arranged substantially horizontally, namely along a front-rear direction and a left-right direction,
a pressure element having at least a flat bottom face, for pressing downwards on a flexible bag under the influence of gravity,
wherein the tray comprises guiding means for guiding the pressure element, as the pressure element goes downwards when the bag is emptying, and
the pressure element exhibiting a gravity center and a geometric center, and the gravity center being away from the geometric center,
wherein the pressure element is monolithic with a thickness gradient, with or without steps.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure element is substantially rectangular with four corners, the geometric center is defined at the intersection of two diagonal lines joining respectively two pairs of opposite corners.

3. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a rest position for the pressure element, wherein the pressure element is at a predetermined distance from the base of the tray, facilitating thereby installation of a flexible bag on the tray when the pressure element is at the rest position.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the gravity center and the geometric center are spaced from one another by a predetermined distance which is at least 5 mm.

5. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a recessed area for accommodating tubes of a flexible bag, the recessed area in a center front portion of the pressure element.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure element comprises lateral lugs protruding in the horizontal direction.

7. The device according to claim 6 , further comprising at least two vertical stoppers in each side members of the tray, for limiting the movement of the pressure element along the front-rear direction.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure element comprises wheels or rollers, wherein axis of the wheels or rollers being in the horizontal direction.

9. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising rest stands in each side members of the tray.

10. A system comprising a device according to claim 1 , and one or more flexible bags to be emptied.

11. A device for emptying a flexible bag comprising a fluid product, the device comprising:
a tray comprising a base having at least a top flat surface and two side members rigidly mounted on the base, perpendicularly to the base, the base being arranged substantially horizontally, namely along a front-rear direction and a left-right direction,
a pressure element having at least a flat bottom face, for pressing downwards on a flexible hag under the influence of gravity,
wherein the tray comprises guiding means for guiding the pressure element, as the pressure element goes downwards when the bag is emptying, and
the pressure element exhibiting a gravity center and a geometric center, and the gravity center being away from the geometric center,
wherein the pressure element comprises wheels or rollers, wherein axis of the wheels or rollers being in the horizontal direction.

12. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the pressure element is monolithic with a thickness gradient, with or without steps.

13. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the pressure element is substantially rectangular with four corners, the geometric center is defined at the intersection of two diagonal lines joining respectively two pairs of opposite corners.

14. The device according to claim 11 , further comprising a rest position for the pressure element, wherein the pressure element is at a predetermined distance from the base of the tray, facilitating thereby installation of a flexible bag on the tray when the pressure element is at the rest position.

15. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the gravity center and the geometric center are spaced from one another by a predetermined distance which is at least 5 mm.

16. The device according to claim 11 , further comprising a recessed area for accommodating tubes of a flexible bag, the recessed area in a center front portion of the pressure element.

17. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the pressure element comprises lateral lugs protruding in the horizontal direction.

18. The device according to claim 11 , further comprising at least two vertical stoppers in each side members of the tray, for limiting the movement of the pressure element along the front-rear direction.

19. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the pressure element comprises wheels or rollers, wherein axis of the wheels or rollers being in the horizontal direction.

20. The device according to claim 11 , further comprising rest stands in each side members of the tray.

21. A system comprising a device according to claim 11 , and one or more flexible bags to be emptied.

Assignees

• Sartorius Stedim Fmt Sas

Inventors

• Sandrock Rainer
• Hogreve Marc

Classifications

• B65B69/005 Primary

  by expelling contents, e.g. by squeezing the container · CPC title

• G01M3/00

  Investigating fluid-tightness of structures · CPC title

• B65B69/0008 Primary

  Opening and emptying bags · CPC title