Piercing fitment assembly for flexible container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016207684-A1
Application number	US-201615002577-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 21, 2016
Priority date	Jan 21, 2015
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A piercing fitment assembly for a thin film flexible container containing a liquid having
(A) a spout assembly having a sealing flange sealed to the film of the flexible container and having positioned therein a circular piercing element with at least one piercing point in close proximity to the film of the flexible container;
(B) a threaded plug fitted into the spout assembly and the bottom of the plug being sealed to the film of the flexible container;
(C) a threaded collar positioned in the spout assembly and threadably engaged with the threaded exterior of the threaded plug;
whereby when the threaded collar is moved to engage the threaded plug and the threaded plug is moved away from the film of the flexible container, the film of the flexible container is brought into contact with the piercing end of the piercing element and the film is pierced allowing the liquid from the container to flow out through the spout assembly and out of the flexible container.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A piercing fitment assembly for a thin film flexible container containing a liquid comprising:
(A) a spout assembly having a longitudinal through internal passage and a sealing flange sealed to the film of the flexible container and having positioned therein a circular piercing element with a through internal passage and having a circular piercing end with at least one piercing point transversely positioned in the longitudinal passage in close proximity to the film of the flexible container; (B) a threaded plug having a top and bottom and having a longitudinal through internal passage and a threaded exterior being fitted into the through internal passage of the spout assembly and the bottom of the plug being sealed to the film of the flexible container; (C) a threaded collar having a longitudinal internal passage and threaded on the interior of the longitudinal passage and positioned in the spout assembly and threadably engaged with the threaded exterior of the threaded plug; wherein said threaded plug being sealed to the film of the flexible container and positioned in the internal passage of the spout assembly and wherein the circular piercing element and the threaded exterior of the plug being engaged with the threaded interior of the collar; and whereby when engaging the threaded collar to move the threaded plug sealed to the film of the container thereby forcing the threaded plug having the film sealed thereto to move away from the film of the flexible container thereby bringing the piercing end of the piercing element into engagement with the film and thereby piercing the film and allowing the liquid from the flexible container to flow out of the container and through the longitudinal interior of the spout assembly and out of the flexible container.

2 . The fitment assembly of claim 1 wherein the piercing part comprises a circular blade having at least one sharp piercing point.

3 . The fitment assembly of claim 1 wherein a separate piercing element is positioned in the spout.

4 . The fitment assembly of claim 3 wherein the separate piercing part comprises circular hollow body having piercing tooth inclined inward at an angle of about 1-90°.

5 . The fitment assembly of claim 3 wherein the separate piercing part comprises circular hollow body having a multiplicity of teeth inclined inward at an angle of about 10-45°.

6 . The fitment assembly of claim 1 wherein the threaded collar further comprises a cap for protecting the fitment assembly when not in use.

7 . The fitment assembly of claim 1 wherein the threaded collar further comprises a cap comprised of a thin film that can be pierced or peeled off prior to use of the assembly.

8 . The fitment assembly of claim 1 wherein the threaded collar further comprises a fluid transfer attachment.

9 . A thin film flexible container comprising the fitment assembly of claim 1 attached thereto.

10 . The thin film flexible container of claim 9 comprising an aseptically packaged flexible container.

Assignees

• Liqui Box Corp

Inventors

• Johnson James W

Classifications

• B65D51/221

  a major part of the inner closure being left inside the container after the opening · CPC title

• A61M5/162

  Needle sets, i.e. connections by puncture between reservoir and tube {; Connections between reservoir and tube (in jet-action syringes A61M5/30; connectors for tubes having sealed ends and a needle for piercing them A61M39/14)} · CPC title

• B65D5/747

  with means for piercing or cutting the container wall or a membrane connected to said wall · CPC title

• B65D75/5877 Primary

  connected to a planar surface of the package wall · CPC title

• B65D35/24

  with auxiliary devices · CPC title