U.S. patent application number 10/706596 was filed with the patent office on 2004-05-20 for flow control apparatus for use in dispensing fluent material.
This patent application is currently assigned to Baxter International Inc.. Invention is credited to Danby, Hal C., Wilcox, Alun.
Application Number | 20040094573 10/706596 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29582310 |
Filed Date | 2004-05-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040094573 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Danby, Hal C. ; et
al. |
May 20, 2004 |
Flow control apparatus for use in dispensing fluent material
Abstract
A flow control for use with flexible bags to push fluent
material from the bags by deformation of the bags comprises first,
second, and third platens mounted on a frame for movement relative
to each other. The first and second platens are adapted to receive
portions a flexible bag therebetween, and the first and third
platens are adapted to receive portions of a flexible bag
therebetween. The first platen is movable between a first position
in which the first and second platens and the first and third
platens each define a first space for containing the bag portions
and a second position in which the first and second platens and the
first and third platens each define a second smaller space for
containing the bag portions.
Inventors: |
Danby, Hal C.; (Nr. Sudbury,
GB) ; Wilcox, Alun; (Richmond, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Francis C. Kowalik
Baxter Healthcare Corporation
One Baxter Parkway, 32E
Deerfield
IL
60015-4633
US
|
Assignee: |
Baxter International Inc.
|
Family ID: |
29582310 |
Appl. No.: |
10/706596 |
Filed: |
November 12, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10706596 |
Nov 12, 2003 |
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10156675 |
May 28, 2002 |
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10156675 |
May 28, 2002 |
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09909422 |
Jul 19, 2001 |
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10156675 |
May 28, 2002 |
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09978649 |
Oct 16, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
222/102 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B67D 1/108 20130101;
F04B 43/14 20130101; B67D 1/0043 20130101; B65B 61/065 20130101;
B67D 7/0255 20130101; F04B 13/02 20130101; F04B 43/06 20130101;
B67D 1/045 20130101; B67D 1/0001 20130101; B65B 9/042 20130101;
B67D 1/1231 20130101; B67D 1/10 20130101; B65B 37/20 20130101; A21B
7/00 20130101; B67D 7/0216 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
222/102 |
International
Class: |
B65D 035/28 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A flow control for use with flexible bags to push fluent
material from the bags by deformation of the bags, the flow control
comprising: a frame; a first platen mounted on the frame; a second
platen mounted on the frame; a third platen mounted on the frame,
the first and second platens being adapted to receive portions of
at least one of the flexible bags therebetween, and the first and
third platens being adapted to receive portions of at least one of
the flexible bags therebetween, the first, second and third platens
being mounted for movement relative to each other, the first platen
being movable between a first position in which the first and
second platens and the first and third platens each define a first
space for containing said bag portions and a second position in
which the first and second platens and the first and third platens
each define a second space for containing said bag portions, said
second space being smaller than said first space.
2. A flow control for use with flexible bags to push fluent
material from the bags by deformation of the bags, the flow control
comprising: a frame; a first platen mounted on the frame; a second
platen mounted on the frame, the first and second platens being
adapted to receive portions of at least one of the flexible bags
therebetween and for relative movement between a first position in
which the first and second platens define a first space for
containing said bag portions and a second position in which the
first and second platens define a second space for containing said
bag portions, said second space being smaller than said first
space; the first platen comprising multiple first platen elements
each being mounted for movement relative to the other first platen
elements and relative to the second platen between said first and
second positions, the second platen and each of the first platen
elements being adapted to receive a respective one of said bag
portions.
3. A flow control for use with flexible bags to push fluent
material from the bags by deformation of the bags, the flow control
comprising: a frame; a first platen mounted on the frame; a second
platen mounted on the frame, the first and second platens being
adapted to receive portions of at least one of the flexible bags
therebetween and for relative movement between a first position in
which the first and second platens define a first space for
containing said bag portions and a second position in which the
first and second platens define a second space for containing said
bag portions, said second space being smaller than said first
space; the first and second platens each have grooves therein for
receiving said bag portions, the grooves of the first and second
platens being arranged in pairs generally in registration in the
first position of the first and second platens and at least
partially out of registration in the second position, the volume of
the grooves of at least one groove pair being different than the
volume of the grooves of at least one of the other groove pairs for
dispensing a different quantity of the fluent material.
4. A flow control as set forth in claim 3 wherein at least two
groove pairs have different widths.
5. A flow control as set forth in claim 4 wherein at least two
groove pairs have different lengths.
6. A flow control as set forth in claim 3 wherein at least two
groove pairs have different lengths.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No.
10/156,675, filed May 28, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part of
U.S. application Ser. No. 09/909,422, filed Jul. 19, 2001, and U.S.
application Ser. No. 09/978,649, filed Oct. 16, 2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to dispensing of a fluent
material, and more particularly to a flow control device for
dispensing fluent material from a flexible bag.
[0003] Manufacturing and merchandising processes frequently have as
a component element the dispensing of a fluent material to a
container. Such fluent materials include food, beverages, and
medicinal products in the form of liquids, powders, slurries,
dispersions, particulate solids or other pressure transportable
fluidizable material. The product is typically provided through a
vending or processing machine.
[0004] Food and medicinal products must be handled by the machine
in such a way as to maintain aseptic conditions. Accordingly, the
parts of the machine which handle the food are made of materials
(e.g., stainless steel) which are highly resistant to corrosion and
can be cleaned. However, such materials are expensive and
significantly increase costs. Many food products are prone to leave
crumbs, residue or other debris as they are handled, which cause
the machine to become unsanitary. It is inefficient to frequently
clean a machine and this increases the cost of the product.
[0005] A beverage merchandiser for dispensing a selected beverage
should also provide for precise mixing of beverage components,
accurate volumetric delivery, and ready replenishment.
Unfortunately, merchandisers of the prior art do not provide these
capabilities in an efficient and clean system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] A flow control according to the present invention is for use
with flexible bags to push fluent material from the bags by
deformation of the bags. The flow control comprises a frame, a
first platen mounted on the frame, a second platen mounted on the
frame, and a third platen mounted on the frame. The first and
second platens are adapted to receive portions of at least one of
the flexible bags therebetween, and the first and third platens
being adapted to receive portions of at least one of the flexible
bags therebetween. The first, second and third platens are mounted
for movement relative to each other. The first platen is movable
between a first position in which the first and second platens and
the first and third platens each define a first space for
containing the bag portions and a second position in which the
first and second platens and the first and third platens each
define a second space for containing the bag portions. The second
space is smaller than the first space.
[0007] In still another aspect, a flow control of the invention is
for use with flexible bags to push fluent material from the bags by
deformation of the bags. The flow control comprises a frame, a
first platen mounted on the frame, and a second platen mounted on
the frame. The first and second platens are adapted to receive
portions of at least one of the flexible bags therebetween and for
relative movement between a first position in which the first and
second platens define a first space for containing the bag portions
and a second position in which the first and second platens define
a second space for containing the bag portions. The second space is
smaller than the first space. The first platen comprises multiple
first platen elements each being mounted for movement relative to
the other first platen elements and relative to the second platen
between the first and second positions. The second platen and each
of the first platen elements are adapted to receive a respective
one of the bag portions.
[0008] In one more aspect, a flow control of the invention is for
use with flexible bags to push fluent material from the bags by
deformation of the bags. The flow control comprises a frame, a
first platen mounted on the frame, and a second platen mounted on
the frame. The first and second platens are adapted to receive
portions of at least one of the flexible bags therebetween and for
relative movement between a first position in which the first and
second platens define a first space for containing the bag portions
and a second position in which the first and second platens define
a second space for containing the bag portions. The second space is
smaller than the first space. The first and second platens each
have grooves therein for receiving the bag portions. The grooves of
the first and second platens are arranged in pairs generally in
registration in the first position of the first and second platens
and at least partially out of registration in the second position.
The volume of the grooves of at least one groove pair is different
than the volume of the grooves of at least one of the other groove
pairs for dispensing a different quantity of the fluent
material.
[0009] Other objects and features of the present invention will be
in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of apparatus for
automatically filling containers of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2A is a diagrammatic flow of the apparatus illustrating
its operation in a forward feed mode;
[0012] FIG. 2B is a diagrammatic flow of the apparatus illustrating
its operation in a fill, seal and separate mode;
[0013] FIG. 3 is an elevation of a flexible bag with parts broken
away to show the integral connection of nipples to the bag;
[0014] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective of the apparatus showing a
pump thereof without the bag and open in preparation for receiving
the bag nipples;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a enlarged, fragmentary elevation taken from the
vantage indicated by line 5-5 of FIG. 1 with parts broken away to
illustrate the reception of nipples in the pump;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, schematic elevation similar to FIG.
5 but showing another pump capable of delivering fluent material at
different rates or in different amounts from the different
nipples;
[0017] FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of apparatus similar
to that shown in FIG. 1 but including a bag squeezing mechanism to
force fluent material toward the nipples and pump;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view of the flexible bag showing one
of the nipples receiving a needle in its outlet;
[0019] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective of another flexible bag
having resealable nipples;
[0020] FIG. 9A is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing a version of the
bag having nipples of varying diameters;
[0021] FIG. 10 is a perspective of a second version of the
pump;
[0022] FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 showing the bag of FIG.
9 installed in the pump;
[0023] FIG. 12 is a fragmentary, schematic perspective of platens
of the pump squeezing one of the nipples to pump fluent
material;
[0024] FIG. 13A is a section in plan taken on line 13-13 of FIG. 12
showing a nipple being squeezed;
[0025] FIG. 13B is a view similar to FIG. 13A showing a nipple
released from squeezing;
[0026] FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 13A and illustrating a
stroke of the platens;
[0027] FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14 and illustrating a
reduced stroke;
[0028] FIGS. 16A and 16B are elevations of one platen of a pump
illustrating options in groove geometry on platens for metering
flow;
[0029] FIG. 17A is a section in plan illustrating a third version
of the pump having three platens and capable of accepting ten
nipples;
[0030] FIG. 17B is a section similar to FIG. 17A with a platen
moved to a position to squeeze the nipples;
[0031] FIG. 18 is a section similar to FIG. 17A showing a fourth
version of the pump having independently moveable platen
elements;
[0032] FIG. 19 is an elevation of a second embodiment of the
present invention in the form of a point of sale merchandiser;
[0033] FIGS. 20 and 21 are schematic, internal elevations of first
and second versions of the merchandiser of FIG. 19;
[0034] FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating control of the
merchandiser; and
[0035] FIG. 23 is a perspective of a third embodiment of the
present invention in the form of another merchandiser illustrating
its reception of flexible bags.
[0036] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding
parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0037] Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1,
apparatus of the present invention for forming containers 10,
filling the containers with a fluent material F and sealing the
containers is indicated generally at 12. The apparatus includes a
support 14 which suspends a flexible bag (or "reservoir") 16
holding the fluent material F, and mounts a pump 18 (the reference
numerals designating their subjects generally). The fluent material
F may be a food or medicinal product, but is not limited to
materials consumed or otherwise used on or in the body. Moreover,
the material may be of such a nature that it is fluent only at the
time it is delivered from the bag 16. The present invention is
particularly adapted for use to maintain an aseptic environment for
the fluent material F, but has application where it is not
necessary that such an environment be maintained. Although the
substance is preferably a liquid or semi-liquid, solids which are
sufficiently granular to flow may also be held in the flexible bag
16. As one example of the type of product packaged, the fluent
material F could be honey to be packaged in small, disposable
containers 10 such as for single serving use by customers of a
restaurant.
[0038] A conveyor of the apparatus 12 is generally indicated at 19
and includes in the illustrated embodiment a first feed roller 20
holding a roll of material to form containers 10 extending forward
from the first feed roller in a web 22, and a take-up roller 24
which receives a remnant of the web. A first guide roller 26 is
provided to locate the web 22 in a horizontal position while
permitting the web to change direction to reach the take-up roller
24. A belt conveyor 28 located under the web 22 at the downstream
end of the web receives sealed containers 10 which are separated
from the web, and conveys them for tumble packaging in a box B. It
is to be understood that the illustration of the conveyor 19 is
schematic as the details of construction are well known to those of
ordinary skill in the art in the field of such apparatus. Moreover,
although the conveyor 19 is illustrated to include rollers 20, 24
which let out and take up the web 22 of material from which the
containers 10 are formed, other conveyors are envisioned. For
instance, a belt or other moving surface or support (not shown)
which receives pre-formed containers could be used without
departing from the scope of the present invention. In that
instance, the first feed roller 20 and belt conveyor 28 would not
be present.
[0039] Further, it is envisioned that a conveyor for establishing
relative motion between the containers 10 and the flexible bag 16
could include not only the conveyor 19, but also structure for
moving the bag while the containers are stationary, or structure
which produces some combination of movement of the bag and movement
of the containers. In any event if the bag 16 is the frame of
reference, the containers 10 will move past the bag. Still further,
it is not necessary that the fluent material F be used to fill
containers of any type. Indeed the fluent material can be applied
to the exterior of an article (or "receiving member"), such as the
application of icing to a manufactured food product, which does not
"contain" the fluent material. The fluent material could also be
injected into the article.
[0040] In the illustrated embodiment, containers 10 are formed from
the web 22 by a die 32 and a form (not shown) which come together
just upstream from the first feed roller 20 to deform the web into
rectangular, flat-bottomed depressions constituting the containers.
The die 32 contains recesses 34 having shapes substantially the
same as that of the containers 10 to be formed. The form, which
would be located above the web 22, has not been shown so as not to
obstruct the view of the flexible bag 16. The shape of the end of
the form is the reverse of the recess so that the form may fit into
the recess, forming the web 22 between them. The form and die 32
create one laterally extending row of containers 10 from the web 22
on a single stroke. In the illustrated embodiment, the rows
constitute an array of containers 10. However as used herein, an
array can refer to a single file line of containers or only a
single container placed under the bag 16 for filling. As shown, the
containers 10 are formed by stretching the web 22 without
substantially affecting the lateral dimension or shape of the web.
However, some dimensional variation can be tolerated if the
containers 10 retain their relative arrangement. Once formed, the
containers 10 retain their shape, but remain part of the web 22 and
move with the web. The containers may also be thermoformed without
departing from the scope of this invention.
[0041] The web 22 passes forwardly from the form and die 32 under
the flexible bag 16 held by the support 14. The bag 16 is made of a
flexible material (which as used herein would include a limp
material), which can be formed in a sterile environment or formed
and filled in a non-sterile environment and then subject to a
sterilizing process. However as mentioned above, the bag 16 could
also be used for products not requiring a aseptic conditions. Any
suitable material could be used to form the bag 16, such as an
appropriate polymer, including without limitation polyvinyl
chloride, polyolefin, polymer laminates and polymer alloys. As
shown, the bag 16 is transparent so that the flowable product
carried by the bag can be readily seen to determine if the bag is
empty. However, other ways (not illustrated) of establishing
whether the bag 16 is nearing empty can be employed, such as
electronic eyes which view the level of fluent material F, and
devices to weigh the bag.
[0042] Referring to FIG. 3, the bag 16 comprises a thin-walled body
38 which encloses a volume containing the large majority of the
fluent material F. At the upper end of the body 38, two laterally
elongate loops 40, together constituting in the illustrated
embodiment "a hanger", are formed as one piece with the remainder
of the bag 16. The loops 40 can be also formed separately from the
bag 16 and attached to the body 38 in a suitable manner such as by
welding, adhesive or with a mechanical fastener(s). The loops 40
receive a mounting rod 42 of the support 14 which extends laterally
of the bag and holds the bag on the support. The ends of the rod 42
are received in upwardly opening, U-shaped receptacles 44 at the
upper ends of uprights 45 of the support 14. The receptacles 44
hold the rod 42 and the bag 16, but permit the bag to be removed
from the support 14 and replaced, by lifting the rod out of the
receptacles, sliding the loops 40 off of the rod and sliding a new
bag (not shown) onto the rod. The rod 42 supporting the new bag can
then be replaced with its ends in the U-shaped receptacles 44 for
continued operation. Of course other ways of supporting the bag 16
may be employed without departing from the scope of the present
invention. Preferably, the bag 16 is supported so that it can be
readily removed and replaced. It is envisioned that structure, such
as a second support and pump (not shown), could be used so that
bags could be changed out without any interruption in operation of
the apparatus 12.
[0043] At the lower end of the body 38, four nipples 46 extending
down from the body are in fluid communication with the interior of
the bag 16 for delivery of the fluent material F out of the bag and
into the containers 10, as will be described more fully
hereinafter. The number of nipples 46 is preferably the same as the
number of containers 10 formed in each row. Naturally, the number
of nipples and their precise arrangement can be varied as necessary
for the particular manufacturing operation. The nipples 46 are
generally elongate tubes which are integral with the body 38. The
nipples have circular cross sectional shape as shown in the
drawings (i.e., the nipples are generally cylindric) but may have
any shape without departing from the scope of this invention. The
nipples 46 may be formed separately from the body 38 and attached
in a suitable manner, such as by welding, adhesive or mechanical
fastener(s) to achieve integration with the bag material which
forms the body. However in the preferred embodiment, the nipples 46
are formed of the same piece of material as the body 38 of the bag
16. As initially formed, the lower ends of the nipples 46 are
closed (as shown in FIG. 3) to seal the interior of the bag 16 to
hold the fluent material F in the bag. In manufacturing operation,
the ends are cut or otherwise made to have outlets to allow the
fluent material F to flow out of the bag 16. Preferably, the
nipples 46 are tubular with no internal structure. However, it is
envisioned that the nipples could be equipped with internal valves
or re-expansion devices (not shown) without departing from the
scope of the present invention.
[0044] The bag 16 can be formed in any suitable fashion. A typical
way of forming the bag 16 is to provide two webs of material which
are brought together and cut to shape by a die (not shown) to form
an enclosure. At the same time the webs are cut to shape, adjacent
the peripheral edges of the bag are welded together in the die,
such as by a solvent or RF welding. The adjacent edges could also
be heat sealed, for example. As one alternative, a single web of
polymeric material could be folded over against itself to form the
enclosure. The folded web could be cut and sealed in a similar way
as for the bag formed from two webs. Adjacent peripheral edges may
be left unattached along a portion of the bag 16 to provide an
opening for filling the bag with fluent material.
[0045] The nipples 46 are received through the pump 18 which acts
on the nipples as by deforming the nipples to produce a metered
flow of the fluent material F out of the bag 16. The pump 18 is
mounted on the support 14 which also holds the bag 16 and extends
transversely over the web 22. The pump 18 illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4
and 5 is a shuttle pump, which includes a shuttle 50 and an anvil
52. The shuttle is mounted on a stationary crosspiece 54 for
sliding movement relative to the crosspiece and anvil 52 in a
direction transverse to the web 22. A housing 56 at the left end of
the crosspiece 54 encloses a shuttle actuation mechanism (not
shown). A door 58 hingedly attached to the crosspiece 54 carries
the anvil 52. The door can be opened as shown in FIG. 4 to
facilitate reception of the nipples 46 in the pump 18, and locked
with a latch 60 in a closed position for operation, as will be more
fully described. Referring to FIG. 4, both the shuttle 50 and the
anvil 52 are shaped to have five flat plateaus (50A, 52A) separated
by four valleys (50B, 52B). Except when the pump 18 is actuated to
deliver fluent material F, the plateaus 50A, 52A and valleys 50B,
52B of the shuttle 50 and the anvil 52 are in substantial
registration when the door 58 is closed.
[0046] The nipples 46 are received in the aligned valleys 50B, 52B
such that each nipple is surrounded by the shuttle 50 and anvil 52.
In the illustrated embodiments, the nipples 46 are the portions or
regions of the bag 16 which are received in or acted upon by the
pump 18. Two of the nipples 46 are illustrated in FIG. 5 as
received in the valleys 50B, 52B, but only the valleys 50B may be
seen because the door 58 and anvil 52 have been broken away. The
crosspiece 54 is further formed with upper and lower aligned slots
62 which are vertically aligned with the valleys of the anvil 52.
The nipples 46 pass through these slots 62 upon entering and
exiting the pump 18.
[0047] An upper pincher 64 and a lower pincher 66 located on one
side of each slot 62 are mounted for extension and retraction from
the crosspiece 54 across the slot (i.e., transverse to the web 22).
Alternately, the pinchers can be mounted for extension and
retraction from the valleys 50B, 52B. The pinchers 64, 66 extend to
pinch the nipples off, closing the nipples from fluid flow past the
points where the nipples are pinched. The pinchers 64, 66 are
separately actuated from the shuttle 50 and the upper pinchers are
separately actuated from the lower pinchers, as will be described
more fully hereinafter, to facilitate accurate dispensing of the
fluent material F. A pump of the same general type is disclosed in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,019, the disclosure of which is incorporated
herein by reference. Other pumps are disclosed in copending U.S.
application Ser. No. 09/978,649, entitled "Pump Having Flexible
Liner and Compounding Apparatus Having Such a Pump," filed Oct. 16,
2001, and co-assigned U.S. application Ser. No. 10/156,732,
entitled "Pump Having Flexible Liner and Merchandiser Having Such A
Pump," filed May 28, 2002. Each of these applications is
incorporated herein by reference.
[0048] Although the shuttle pump 18 is believed to be adequate for
use in the apparatus 12, other forms of pumps may be used without
departing from the scope of the present invention. The present pump
18 may be so configured that the upper pinchers 64 in each slot are
separately actuated from each other, as are the lower pinchers 66
so that fluid flow from each nipple 46 is independent of that of
the other nipples. However, the pump or fluid flow control device
may take on other, entirely different forms. For instance and
without limitation, a peristaltic pump (generally indicated at 70)
of the type shown in FIG. 6 could be used. The peristaltic pump 70
has a pump wheel 72 for each nipple 46 including pegs 74 which
extend perpendicularly outward from the wheel near its periphery.
Each wheel 72 is mounted for rotation, such as by an individual
electric motor (not shown) so that the pegs 74 are brought into
sequential engagement with the nipple 46 to force fluent material F
out of the nipple. By stopping the wheel 72 as shown in FIG. 6, the
nipple would be pinched off so that no fluent material would exit
the bag 16. The wheels 72 could be run at different times and at
different speeds to vary the sequence of fluid delivery and/or the
flow rate between nipples 46. The angular spacing between adjacent
pegs 74 on the wheels 72 could be different so that the amount of
fluent material dispensed for the same angular rotation of the
wheels is different. It is to be understood that FIG. 6 is but one
example of an alternate pump which could be used.
[0049] It will be necessary for viscous fluent material F to
provide a mover in addition to the pump 18 to cause the fluent
material to flow for refilling the nipples 46 after a discharge by
the pump. A second mover of this type is indicated generally by the
reference numeral 90 in FIG. 7. The second mover is shown to
comprise a pair of rollers 92 mounted on arms 94 and located on
opposite sides of the bag 16. The rollers 92 are mounted for free
rotation about their longitudinal axes, and can be separated to
facilitate removal and replacement of the bag 16. The arms 94 are
connected to a controlled actuator (not shown) which is capable of
indexing the arms down to gradually squeeze the bag 16 from top to
bottom to empty the bag. The downward movement of the arms 94 to
squeeze the body 38 of the bag 16 is used to force the fluent
material F downwardly into the nipples 46. It is envisioned that
the arms 94 could be indexed down after the pump 18 has discharged
to assist in refilling the nipples 46 for the next discharge.
[0050] As stated previously, the apparatus 12 has application where
fluent material F is applied onto an article, or injected into an
article. Referring to FIG. 8, the bag 16 may have a fitment, in
this case in the form of an injection needle 96, attached to each
nipple 46 (only one is shown). The needle 96 is formed of a
suitably rigid material and sealingly attached in the outlet of the
nipple 46. The needle 96 could be captured by an injection device
(not shown) to move the needle down into the article before
operation of the pump 18 to eject fluent material. Alternatively,
the needle 96 could be held stationary and the articles moved
upward into the needles. It is to be understood that other types of
fitments (not shown) could be used without departing from the scope
of the present invention. For instance a fitments which allow the
nipple 46 to be attached to another nipple or tube (not shown), or
which shape the fluent material F as it flows out of the nipple
could be used. Moreover, the end of the nipple 46 could be formed
to shape or control flow of the fluent material. Further, polymer
material having different material characteristics (e.g., such as
density and rigidity) could be integrally formed with the material
of the bag 16 at the outlets for such purposes.
[0051] Downstream from the support 14 and the bag 16 is a mechanism
for closing the containers 10 filled with fluent material F. As
shown in FIG. 1, a web 78 from a roll of closure material held by a
second feed roller 80 is fed downwardly under a second guide roller
82 toward and under the first guide roller 26 to the take-up roller
24. Thus, it may be seen that the take-up roller 24 collects both
remnants of the container material web 22 and the closure material
web 78. After passing under the second guide roller 82, the closure
material web 78 is in face-to-face relation with the unformed
material of the web 22 surrounding the open tops of the containers
10. The closure mechanism comprises a heat sealing device 84
capable of coming down against the closure material web 78 and
sealing the closure material with the container material of the web
22 so that the open tops of all four containers 10 in the row are
separately closed, sealing in the fluent material F in the
containers. A punch 86 and a die 88 downstream from the closing
mechanism are operable to move together to punch through the
closure material web 78 and the container material web 22 to
separate each container 10 (including its own closure) from the
container material web and the closure material web. The remnants
of the container material web 22 and the closure material web 78
remain in tact for movement to the take-up roller 24. The punch 86
has four rectangular projections 86A (only one is shown) and the
die has four holes 88A (only one is shown), one for each container
10 in the row. The projections 86A are received in the holes 88A
when the punch 86 and die 88 are activated to cut through the
closure material web 78 and container material web 22. The
containers 10 drop down through the die 88 to the belt conveyor 28
for transport to the box B.
[0052] Having described the construction of the apparatus 12 and
the flexible bag 16, the operation of the apparatus will be
described. As an initial matter, flexible bags such as bag 16 will
have been formed, filled with the fluent material F (e.g., honey)
to be packaged in the containers 10, and sealed at a remote
location, such as a processing plant. The method of the present
invention is not limited to remote forming, filling and sealing of
the bags, but is suited for this type of manufacturing arrangement.
The bags 16 are formed, filled with the fluent material F and
sealed at the processing plant, and then placed in a suitable
transport to the manufacturing facility where the final packaging
is to be done. The bags can be formed, filled and sealed in an
aseptic form/fill/seal machine, or could be formed under
non-aseptic conditions and then sterilized along with the fluent
material after the bag is filled. As previously stated, it is not
necessary that the bags 16 be aseptic where the conditions do not
require it, but bags of this type are particularly adapted for use
where aseptic conditions are needed, such as in food or medicine
packaging.
[0053] Once at the final packaging site, one of the bags 16 is
loaded into the apparatus 12 by lifting at least one end of the rod
42 out of the U-shaped receptacles 44 and sliding the bag onto the
rod so that the rod is received through both of the loops 40 at the
top of the bag. The rod 42 is then replaced on the support 14 with
its ends in the receptacles 44. The door 58 of the pump 18 is open,
substantially as shown in FIG. 4, and the nipples 46 are positioned
in the upper and lower slots of the crosspiece 54 in registration
with the valleys of the shuttle 50. The door 58 is then closed and
the latch locked so that the nipples 46 are received in both the
valleys of the shuttle 50 and the valleys of the anvil 52 (FIG. 5).
The first feed roller 20 will have had a roll of container material
mounted thereon and the web 22 of container material is threaded
from the roll around the first guide roller 26 and attached to the
take-up roller 24. Similarly, the roll of closure material is
received on the second feed roller 80 and the web 78 of closure
material is threaded around the second guide roller 82 to the first
guide roller 26 and then attached to the take-up roller 24. The
apparatus 12 is ready for production operation to form, fill and
seal containers 10.
[0054] Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the sequence of operation
of the apparatus 12 is described. As illustrated in FIG. 2A, the
first and second feed rollers 20, 80 and the take-up roller 24 are
actuated (such as by one or more electric motors, not shown) to
index the container material web 22 and the closure material web 78
forward one increment. The increment in the illustrated embodiment
corresponds to the dimension of one containers 10 to be formed
which is parallel to the lengthwise extent of the web 22 plus a
predetermined amount corresponding to the spacing between adjacent
rows of containers. The first and second feed rollers 20, 80 and
the take-up roller 24 are halted to stop the forward advance of the
container material web 22 and closure material web 78 for a dwell.
The form and die 32 are actuated to engage the container material
web 22 to form a row of containers 10 still attached to the
container material web. The index and form steps are initially
repeated until a row of formed containers 10 underlies the nipples
46 when the container material web 22 dwells.
[0055] This time the shuttle pump 18 is actuated to deliver a
preselected charge of fluent material F to each of the four
containers 10 in the row. After the bag 16 was installed in the
apparatus 12 as described above, the lower pinchers 66 were
extended (to the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 5) to pinch
the nipples 46 near, but spaced somewhat above their lower ends
against the crosspiece 54 in the slots 62. The ends of the nipples
46 were cut open to form outlets for delivering fluent material F.
The upper pinchers 64 are then extended to pinch off the nipples 46
near their upper ends (the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 5)
and define a charge of fluent material F located in each nipple
between the upper pincher and the lower pincher 66. After the first
row of containers 10 stops under the nipples 46, the pump 18 is
activated to retract the lower pinchers 66 into the crosspiece 54
(the position shown in phantom lines in FIG. 5) and slide the
shuttle 50 in a direction transverse to the container material web
22. Retraction of the lower pinchers 66 allows fluent material to
flow out of the nipples 46 under the force of gravity. However, the
pump 18 also deforms the nipples 46 by squeezing to make certain
the charges of fluent material F between the pinchers 64, 66 is
delivered out of the nipples. The sliding of the shuttle 50 moves
the valleys 50B substantially out of registration with the nipples
46 and moves the plateaus 50A substantially into registration with
the valleys 52B of the anvil 52, squeezing the nipples and forcing
the fluent material out of the outlets at the lower ends and into
the containers 10.
[0056] The shuttle 50 moves back to its original position and the
lower pinchers 66 are extended to close off the nipples 46 against
further flow of fluent material F. The upper pinchers 64 are
retracted and more fluent material moves down into the nipple,
re-filling it. The upper pinchers 64 are then closed to pinch off
the upper ends of the nipples and define new charges of the same
volume as the previous charges and the cycle is repeated. The
re-filling of the nipples 46 preferably occurs in the time it takes
for the container material web 22 to be advanced forward one row.
It will be appreciated that the pump 18 operates at the same time a
new row of containers 10 is being formed during a dwell of the
container material web 22. It is envisioned that additional rollers
or other devices (not shown) to hold the web 22 from vibrating
under the bag 16 as a result of the act of forming of the
containers could be used as needed.
[0057] The filled containers 10 in the row move downstream with
each feed of the container material web 22, eventually passing
under the closure material web 78. The open tops of the containers
10 are covered by the closure material web 78 when the containers
reach the heat sealing device 84. During the dwell, the heat
sealing device 84 moves down against the closure material web 78
and seals the closure material to the unformed material of the
container material web 22 surrounding the open upper ends of the
containers 10. The fluent material F is now sealed inside the
containers 10. The containers continue to be attached to the
container material web 22 and are now also attached to the closure
material web 78. The attachment is illustrated by the dashed lines
on the closure material web 78.
[0058] At a subsequent dwell, the row of sealed containers 10 is
aligned with the punch 86 and die 88 which are actuated to cut
through the closure material web 78 and container material web 22
to separate the sealed containers from the webs. The containers 10
fall through the holes 88A in the die 88 onto the belt conveyor 28.
The belt conveyor may run continuously to carry the loose
containers to the box B. In the illustrated embodiment, the
containers 10 simply fall into the box B (i.e., are tumble packed).
It will be understood that other final packing arrangements within
the knowledge of those of ordinary skill could be used. The
remnants of the container material web 22 and the closure material
web 78 continue on around the second guide roller 82 to the take-up
roller 24.
[0059] When the bag 16 is exhausted of fluent material F, it may be
removed and replaced with a new bag. The exhausted bag 16 can be
disposed. It will be appreciated that none of the machinery of the
apparatus 12 comes into contact with the fluent material F in the
packaging operation. The bags 16 themselves, rather than the fluent
material F, are acted upon by the pump 18 to cause the containers
10 to be filled so that the bags may serve as the aseptic surfaces
in the apparatus 12. Of course, the container material and the
closure material must be aseptic when conditions require it, but in
every circumstance it will be easier to keep the parts of the
apparatus 12 which handle this material clean. It will not be
necessary in the ordinary course to clean the fluent material from
the apparatus 12.
[0060] Referring to FIG. 9, a second embodiment 100 of the bag has
six nipples 102 which are resealable. In this embodiment, the
nipples 102 take the form of tubes formed separately from a body
104 and attached in a suitable manner, such as by welding, adhesive
or mechanical fastener(s) to achieve integration with the bag
material which forms the body. However, the nipples 102 may be
formed in one piece with the body 104. As before, the nipples 102
continue to be part of the bag 100 whether formed separately from
the body 104 and attached or formed as one piece with the body. The
resealability feature improves flexibility and reduces waste
because a bag 100 may be partially used, resealed, and then used
later in the same or different apparatus. Plugs 106 are included
for each nipple 102 for insertion into or over the open ends which
function as caps to close and seal the open ends.
[0061] Each plug 106 may be selectively removed to re-open the
corresponding nipple 102. Although the plugs 106 may be separate
and independently attachable, the preferred configuration as shown
in FIG. 9 includes a stringer 108 which connects the plugs together
at a fixed spacing corresponding with a spacing of the nipples. The
stringer 108 and plugs 106 collectively define a plug device,
indicated generally at 110, which may be attached to all nipples
102 simultaneously to close the bag 100 and block removal of fluent
material F from the bag. The stringer 108 includes a finger grip
portion 109 which facilitates removal of the plugs 106 from the
nipples 102. For this embodiment, the nipples 102 are preferably
formed of a highly resilient material to better maintain a general
shape of the cross sections (i.e., circular) after repeated
deformation and facilitate sealing installation of plugs 106 in the
open end of a nipple. However, the plugs 106 could be installed in
nipples 102 made of a limp material provided a sealing arrangement
is maintained at the open end. Structure to reform the nipples
after deformation may be separately provided.
[0062] The bag 100 may be provided from the manufacturer or
processing plant with the plug device 110 pre-installed after the
bag is filled with fluent material. The bag is preferably filled in
an aseptic environment at the processing plant, and/or may be
sterilized after filling. When ready for use, the user installs the
bag 100 in the apparatus and removes the plug device 110 to
simultaneously unseal all nipples.
[0063] The user may dispense fluent material F sequentially from
two or more flexible bags having the same construction as bag 100.
After dispensing from a first flexible bag 100, the user seals the
open ends of the nipples 102 by inserting the removable plugs 106
into the open ends. A second flexible bag (not shown) is positioned
for dispensing, unsealed, and squeezed by the apparatus as needed
for dispensing fluent material. These steps may be repeated by
sealing the open ends of the nipples 102 of the second bag, and
re-positioning the first bag or a third bag and unsealing it for
use.
[0064] A check valve 112 is located in the outer end of each of the
nipples 102 to inhibit unintentional flow out from the nipples,
including dripping. The valve 112 may also serve to prevent back
flow. It is understood that many types of conventional check valves
may be used which are well known to those skilled in the art and
are not herein described. One example type of check valve 112
comprises two opposite resilient flaps (not shown) which are shaped
to remain engaged in a closed position until internal pressure
exceeds a predetermined level, at which point the flaps separate to
open the valve. In general, the check valves 112 will not open
unless pressure within the nipples 102 exceeds a level
corresponding with that when the nipples are deformed or
squeezed.
[0065] In lieu of loops 40, the bag 100 of the second embodiment
has a hanger 114 (FIG. 9) for hanging the bag. The hanger 114
comprises a flat region on a side of the bag 100 generally opposite
the nipples 102. The flat region has at least one opening 116
therein for mounting the bag 100 on the support 14. The bag 100 of
FIG. 9 is shown in an inverted orientation. On installation (e.g.,
FIG. 11), the bag will hang from the hanger 114 with the nipples
102 extending downwardly so that gravity will assist the movement
of fluent material into the nipples and then into containers 10.
However, the bag 100 can be used in any orientation with movement
of fluent material achieved solely by external pressure and
pumping, without departing from the scope of this invention.
[0066] Referring to FIG. 9A, a third embodiment 120 of the bag has
nipples 122 of differing internal volumes for use in delivering
different quantities of fluent material F with improved accuracy.
At least some of the nipples 122 have different diameters than the
other nipples to hold a different quantity of fluent material. The
use of such a bag 120 will be explained in more detail hereinafter.
It is understood that variations in volume other than by diameter
do not depart from the scope of this invention.
[0067] A second version of the pump is indicated generally at 132
in FIGS. 10-15. The pump 132 includes a frame 134 having a
stationary crosspiece and first and second platens 136, 138 mounted
on the frame. The first platen 136, like the shuttle 50 of the
first embodiment, is laterally slidable relative to the frame 134.
The second platen 138 comprises a portion of a door panel 140 which
is pivotally connected to the frame 134 at outer hinges 142 (FIGS.
10 and 11), but laterally fixed in position relative to the frame.
However, the second platen 138 may be laterally moveable without
departing from the scope of the invention. Protruding latch members
144 on the door panel 140 are receivable in slots 146 on the frame
134 to secure the door panel at a closed position. The frame 134
includes mounts 148 to receive the openings 116 and hang the bag
100 on the frame.
[0068] The first and second platens 136, 138 are adapted to receive
portions of at least one of the flexible bags 100 therebetween.
Grooves 150 on the platens 136, 138 are arranged in corresponding,
generally opposed pairs and sized for receiving the portions of the
bag. In the illustrated embodiments, the grooves 150 are sized for
receiving the nipples 102. As shown in FIG. 11, the nipples 102 are
received between the first and second platens 136, 138, although
another portion of the bag 100 such as the body 104 may be received
therebetween without departing from the scope of this invention.
Movement of the first platen 136 squeezes the nipples 102 and
deforms them, thereby increasing internal pressure and expelling
the fluent material contents. The first platen 136 moves between a
first position 152 (FIG. 13A) in which the first and second platens
136, 138 define a first space 154 for containing the nipples 102
and a second position 156 (FIG. 13B) in which the first and second
platens define a second space 158 for containing the nipples.
[0069] The grooves 150 of the first and second platens 136, 138 are
generally in registration in the first position 152 and at least
partially out of registration in the second position 156.
Accordingly, the second space 158 is smaller than the first space
154. As the platens move from the first position 152 to the second
position 156, the nipples 102 are deformed by squeezing along the
grooves 150 such that fluent material F is forced through the check
valves 112 and expelled from outer ends of the nipples 102. As
shown in FIG. 12, an upper pincher 160 is extended to block the
nipple 102 above the platens 136, 138. A lower pincher 162 is
retracted to open the nipple 102 below the platens. Accordingly,
fluent material F will flow in the downward direction when the
nipple 102 is squeezed between the platens 136, 138. The pump may
be run in reverse so that fluent material F flows in the upward
direction. The lower pincher 162 is extended and the upper pincher
160 is retracted, such that when the nipple 102 is squeezed by the
platens the material within the nipple moves upwardly and returns
into the body 104 of the bag.
[0070] The invention provides flexibility in a variety of options
for metering the flow to provide a desired quantity of fluent
material. A first option is to vary the speed of operation of the
pump 132 by controlling the frequency of cyclical motion of the
first platen 136 and pinchers 160, 162. A second option is to vary
the length of the stroke of the pump 132. As shown in FIG. 14, the
first platen 136 has a stroke S extending from the configuration
shown in solid to that shown in phantom. Thus, the nipple 102 is
squeezed, re-opened and squeezed again in a single stroke. A fairly
continuous flow of fluent material F may be achieved by repeatedly
moving the first platen 136 back and forth through the stroke S.
The stroke S can vary to correspondingly vary the quantity of
fluent material which is expelled per cycle. For instance, the
first platen 136 may move from the position 152 shown in FIG. 13A
in only one direction to squeeze the nipple 102, or the movement in
both directions may be lessened so that the grooves 150 are less
out of registration at the ends of the stroke to reduce the
quantity of fluent material delivered, as illustrated in FIG. 15.
The first and second platens 136, 138 are at a third position 164
(FIG. 15) in which the first and second platens define a third
space 166 for containing nipples, the third space being smaller
than the first space 154 and larger than the second space 158.
[0071] A third option in metering flow is variation in volume
provided by the grooves 150 to affect volume of fluent material
dispensed. The differences in groove volume may be accomplished by
different widths (FIG. 16A) or by different lengths (FIG. 16B)
between corresponding grooves 150 of at least one groove pair. The
volume of material dispensed per stroke approximates a differential
volume in the grooves 150 between the first and second positions
152, 156 (i.e., the difference in volume between the first space
154 and second space 158). The bag 120 of FIG. 9A is used with the
version of the pump shown in FIG. 16A. Each nipple 122 is received
into a correspondingly rigid groove 150.
[0072] A third version of the pump indicated generally at 170 is
illustrated in FIGS. 17A and 17B. The pump 170 having a double set
of pairs of grooves for simultaneously pumping from multiple
flexible bags 100 or from one bag having a greater number of
nipples (not shown). The pump 170 includes a first, moveable platen
172 with grooves 173 on two opposite sides. A second platen 174 and
a third platen 176 are mounted on the frame in laterally fixed
position. The second and third platens 174, 176 each have grooves
(designated 175 and 177 respectively) which are in generally
opposed relation with respective grooves 173 of the first platen to
define groove pairs. The first and second platens 172, 174 are
adapted to receive nipples 102 of the flexible bag 100. The first
and third platens 172, 176 are adapted to receive nipples 102' of
another bag (identical to bag 100). The first, second and third
platens 172, 174, 176 are mounted for movement relative to each
other between a first position 178 (FIG. 17A) in which the groove
pairs of the first and second platens and the first and third
platens each define a first space for containing the nipples 102,
102' and a second position 182 (FIG. 17B) in which the first and
second platens and the first and third platens each define a second
space for containing the nipples. The second space is smaller than
the first space, such that fluent material F contained in the
nipples 102, 102' is expelled when the platens move to the second
position.
[0073] Referring to FIG. 18, a fourth version of the pump 190
includes multiple, separate first platen elements 192. Each of the
first platen elements 192 is adapted to receive a respective nipple
102 and to operate independently of the other first platen
elements. More specifically, each platen element 192 is mounted on
a shaft 191 for pivoting relative to a platen mount 193. The platen
mount forms part of the first platen. Each is mounted for movement
relative to the other first platen elements 192 and relative to a
second platen 194 between first and second positions 196, 198. An
advantage of the pump 190 is that a selected number of nipples 102,
less than or equal to all of the nipples, may be squeezed to expel
a desired quantity of fluent material F.
[0074] A second embodiment of the present invention comprises a
merchandiser, indicated generally at 200, for selectively
dispensing fluent materials and for point of sale mixing of fluent
materials. The merchandiser 200 is in the form of a beverage
dispenser for dispensing a beverage containing a mixture of
beverage components. Referring to FIGS. 19-21, the merchandiser 200
includes a cabinet 202 having a front door 204 hingedly mounted on
the remainder of the cabinet and an interior compartment 206. It is
to be understood that "cabinet" also encompasses built in, as
opposed to stand alone merchandisers. A selector indicated
generally at 208 is associated with the cabinet 202 for actuation
by a customer to initiate operation of the pump 132 to dispense
fluent material. Preferably, the selector 208 is located on the
front face 204 of the cabinet, is coin operated, and includes
selection indicators 209 (FIG. 19) as conventionally known in the
vending machine industry. In this sense, the term "coin" refers to
money of all forms including metallic coinage and paper currency. A
conventional money receptacle 210, coin return 212, and cup holder
214 are positioned on the cabinet 202.
[0075] A mount which in the illustrated embodiment comprises pegs
216 (FIG. 20), removably mounts at least one flexible bag 100 of
fluent material in the interior compartment 206. In a typical
application, each bag 100 holds a beverage of a different flavor or
a component of a drink mixture. The provision of the bags ensures
that the merchandiser 200 is easily supplied with fluent material.
The bags may be readily removed, are disposable, are easily
replaced, and avoid the need for cleaning the merchandiser. The
entire delivery conduit is replaced each time the bag is replaced.
When the material forming the bags 100 is transparent or partially
transparent, visual inspection of a material upper surface 220
(FIG. 20) is possible for detecting low quantity and the need for
replacement.
[0076] The pump 132 is mounted in the cabinet and receives at least
a portion of each flexible bag 100 (e.g., receives five nipples 102
from five bags) and deforms each bag to produce flow of fluent
material out of the bag without contact of the fluent material by
the pump. An advantage is reduced likelihood of contamination, such
that certain components of the merchandiser 200 may be made of a
greater variety of materials (e.g., not restricted to stainless
steel). The pump 132 mounted in the cabinet 202 may have the
configuration of any the embodiments described above.
[0077] The merchandiser 200 facilitates dispensing material
exclusively from one flexible bag 100, or alternatively facilitates
mixing of beverage components to produce a desired mixture. In the
configuration of FIG. 20, each flexible bag 100 is about the same
size. In the configuration of FIG. 21, one flexible bag 222 is
considerably larger and may contain a fluent material which is
needed to be mixed with other fluent materials. A mixing chamber
224 is provided, and there may be additional mixing in the article
into which the materials are dispensed (i.e., a cup) before the
beverage is consumed. The merchandiser 200 may be constructed to
simultaneously dispense fluent material to several articles.
[0078] The bag 100 provides that the fluent material F is never
exposed to ambient air until it is expelled from the merchandiser.
Bags are disposable and take up less volume than rigid
containers.
[0079] A third embodiment of the present invention comprises a
modified merchandiser 230, shown in FIG. 23, which is adapted for
sliding reception of multiple flexible bags 100 into the cabinet
simultaneously in side-by-side position. The mount of the
merchandiser 230 includes retractable tracks 231 mounted on the
cabinet 202 so as to permit limited range of sliding motion between
a retracted position within an interior compartment 206 of the
cabinet and an extended position projecting partially from the
compartment. The second track 231 from the right is shown in the
extended position. A slide 232 for each of the tracks 231 is
capable of sliding into and out of the track. The slide 232 is
mounted on a respective one of the bags 100, which depends from the
slide. Thus by sliding the slide 232 into the track 231, the bag
100 is mounted in the compartment 206. Each bag 100 may have its
own slide 232, or the slide may be made readily released from one
bag and re-attached to another. FIG. 23 illustrates an empty bag
100' removed from the corresponding track and a full bag 100" ready
for insertion into the cabinet. Parts of the merchandiser 230 which
are the same as the merchandiser 200 are designated by the same
reference numerals.
[0080] A block diagram of a control system 240 of the merchandisers
200, 230 is shown in FIG. 22. The selector 208 is connected to a
control 242 which is responsive to the selection indicators 209 to
select from at least two different operation modes of the flow
control (indicated as the pump 132 on FIG. 22) to dispense fluent
material. The control 242 is pre-programmed with quantities of
fluent materials and/or flow control metering instructions for
various selections from the selection indicators 209. The selection
indicators 209 are capable of selecting modes of operation of the
pump 132 which differ in at least one of the following ways: the
amount of fluent material dispensed and the flexible bag 100 or
bags from which fluent material is dispensed. At least one of the
modes of operation the pump 132 is adapted to dispense fluent
material from at least two flexible bags 100 at the same time. That
provides for mixing of fluent materials. The pump 132 is adapted to
dispense fluent material from at least one of the flexible bags 100
in all modes of operation of the flow control.
[0081] In view of the above, it will be seen that the several
objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous
results attained.
[0082] When introducing elements of the present invention or the
preferred embodiment(s) thereof, the articles "a", "an", "the" and
"said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the
elements. The terms "comprising", "including" and "having" are
intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional
elements other than the listed elements.
[0083] As various changes could be made in the above without
departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all
matter contained in the above description and shown in the
accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not
in a limiting sense.
* * * * *