Package

Abstract

A package to facilitate the use of squeeze bottles and other dispensers, particularly in the food service industry. The invention is directed to, in particular, a combined bottle liner and food product which includes a liner pouch, a liner fitment, preferably a fitment closure, and a food product contained within the liner pouch. The product of the invention facilitates the use of squeeze bottles for products such as mayonnaise and other dressings in food service by permitting sale of a combined bottle liner and food product to the busy eating establishment. The eating establishment can simply insert the liner into the squeeze bottle or other dispenser and open the closure. A closure is placed on the squeeze bottle and releasably secured to the fitment and the squeeze bottle, after which the squeeze bottle is ready to dispense the product. The invention also concerns the process of using the package in food service.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]Dressing such as mayonnaise and salad dressings are popular as components of salads or sandwiches. In some cases, casual eating establishments employ squeeze bottles to dispense the dressings. While squeeze bottles are a convenient and effective means for dispensing the product, filling and maintaining the squeeze bottles is relatively labor intensive. For instance, when most of the contents have been dispensed, it is generally necessary for an employee manually to scoop replacement product out of a large container and funnel it into the squeeze bottle. Also, it is desirable that squeeze bottles are periodically cleaned, for health reasons.[0002]Liners have previously been disclosed for use with squeeze bottles. For instance, PBM Plastics has disclosed various applications for its melt phase system and billet technology. Among the applications are baby bottles, test tubes and consumer squeeze bottle liners. In particular, at its website, a consumer s...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0024]The present invention is directed to a package to facilitate the use of squeeze bottles and other dispensers, particularly in the food service industry. The invention is directed to, in particular, a liner for a bottle, which liner includes a liner pouch, and a fitment attached to one end of said pouch. The fitment is adapted to be fastened, directly or indirectly, to a bottle. For instance, the fitment may include external threads which mate with internal threads on a bottle closure. The fitment is not permanently connected to a dispensing spout, so that the liner, including the fitment, can be discarded without sacrificing the dispensing spout. The dispensing spout can then be re-used. The interior of said fitment is in fluid communication with the interior of said liner pouch so that product contained within the pouch can flow out of said pouch through the interior of said fitment.

[0027]In a preferred embodiment, the liner pouch contains an edible material, i.e., a food such as mayonnaise, and can be sold as a replacement. In this embodiment, the fitment may include a closure. Thus, instead of laboriously cleaning out the container relatively frequently, the food is contained within the pouch which can be used easily to replace the nearly empty pouch previously used. The product of the invention therefore facilitates the use of squeeze bottles for products such as mayonnaise and other dressings in food service by permitting sale of a combined bottle liner and food product to the busy eating establishment. The eating establishment can simply insert the liner into the squeeze bottle or other dispenser and remove the liner closure. A bottle closure is placed on the squeeze bottle and the squeeze bottle is then ready to dispense the product. The invention is also directed to the use of liners and / or squeeze bottles in food service in the dispensing of dressings and other liquid and semi-liquid products.

Problems solved by technology

While squeeze bottles are a convenient and effective means for dispensing the product, filling and maintaining the squeeze bottles is relatively labor intensive.

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