Collapsible container system

Abstract

A three part container system. The first part is an outer rigid container formed with a mouth defining an opening into the outer container. The second part is an inner container positioned within the outer container, the inner container formed with a mouth defining an opening into the inner container, the mouth of the inner container being positioned in and sealed to or adjacent to the mouth of the outer container, at least a portion of the inner container being collapsible so that the inner container can be filled with a liquid. The third part is a turret fitted directly or indirectly by way of the outer container to the mouth of the inner container. The turret contains a one way valve in liquid communication with the mouth of the inner container by way of a passageway in the turret, the turret defining a mouth in liquid communication with the one way valve by way of a passageway in the turret so that if the inner container contains a liquid and the collapsible portion of the inner container is held above the turret, the fluid in the inner container will flow through the one way valve and out of the mouth of the turret as the inner container collapses within the outer container, and so that if the turret is held above the inner container, flow of air back into the inner container is substantially prevented by the closure of the one way valve.

Description

[0001]This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 585,640 filed Oct. 24, 2006 which claimed the benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 257,870 filed Oct. 25, 2005.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The instant invention is in the field of collapsible containers for containing liquids to be dispensed through valves. More specifically, the instant invention is in the field of hand held collapsible containers for containing liquids to be dispensed by inverting the container for gravity flow of the liquid through a one way valve so that air does not enter the collapsible container when the container is righted to stop the flow of the liquid.[0003]Many liquids, such as alcoholic beverages, fruit juices and dairy products rapidly deteriorate upon exposure to oxygen following the initial opening of the container. An important solution to this problem is a collapsible container for containing such liquids to be dispensed through a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention is a container system that allows for easy filling and dispensing of liquids, especially wine, using a collapsible inner container and a one way valve. The system includes an outer container, an inner container, and a turret with a one way valve and a directional pouring lip. The turret is attached to the outer container and the inner container is positioned within it. The inner container is collapsible and can be filled with liquid through the one way valve. The system prevents air from flowing back into the inner container and allows for easy processing and production using conventional filling machines."

Problems solved by technology

Many liquids, such as alcoholic beverages, fruit juices and dairy products rapidly deteriorate upon exposure to oxygen following the initial opening of the container.

Many liquids are susceptible to deterioration upon exposure to oxygen.

Among these, wines are particularly vulnerable to rapid oxidation due their basic chemistry.

This precaution is further complicated by the use of closures, i.e. natural cork, susceptible to oxygen intrusion or other containments such as trichloroanisole (TCA).

Even with these precautions, when the container is subsequently opened, oxygen intrusion immediately occurs and begins the process of oxidation and spoilage and the remaining product rapidly degrades / spoils.

The introduction of “bag in a box wine” (wherein the wine is contained in a collapsible plastic bag held in a cardboard box and dispensed through a valve at the bottom of the container, closed with a plastic cap) addressed both problems (oxygen intrusion and closure) but is limited in its practical use since the wine cannot be poured, but must be dispensed from the container in an upright position.

The one way valve of the '066 patent must never-the-less accommodate the initial filling of the bottle which seriously limits this approach.

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