Beverage container

Abstract

A beverage container has: a housing; and an inner flexible bladder or pouch having a spout for receiving a liquid therein. The container is split-mounted and formed from a unitary blank material, such as pleated paperboard. The container includes: a plurality of walls extending from a base; and a top portion having first and second inclined portions meeting at an apex. The nozzles are oriented vertically upward and may be arranged in the inclined wall portion to provide various advantages including allowing a user to fill and transport beverage containers in the same orientation. The inclined wall portion also improves dumping characteristics and visibility of the spout.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of application number 201680011001.3, filed on February 26, 2016, entitled "Beverage Container".

[0002] Cross Reference to Related Applications

[0003] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62 / 121,607, filed February 27, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] The present invention relates to a beverage container, and more particularly to an improved container for receiving, storing and transporting a fluid, such as coffee. BACKGROUND

[0005] Assembled beverage containers for storing and transporting large quantities of beverage, particularly hot beverages such as coffee, hot chocolate or hot water, are well known. Such containers are typically made from a single sheet of corrugated paperboard, including a thermally insulated flexible bladder for receiving and retaining the liquid, the bladder having a spout. The container generally has a front wall from which the spout extends, a pair of opposed side walls, a rear wall opposite the front wall, a top including a handle, and a bottom. Examples of such containers are found in U.S. Patents 7,077,309 and 8,627,999. Details regarding the manufacture and assembly of such containers are disclosed in U.S. Patent 7,066,869, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Such containers are designed to be manufactured in a partially assembled state, wherein the container is shipped from the factory in a collapsed state, to be assembled by the user just prior to filling the container with liquid.

[0006] Known assembled beverage containers have a front wall that includes an opening through which a spout of a flexible pouch protrudes and is snapped into the opening. The front wall extends generally perpendicularly with respect to a flat bottom surface, such that when the beverage container is resting on a flat surface, the front wall extends perpendicularly upward at a 90 degree angle from the surface. The spout defines an opening and a passageway into the pouch having a longitudinal axis that extends perpendicularly with respect to an outer surface of the front wall. With these types of containers, the spout extends horizontally from the vertical front wall. Such containers are designed to be filled in one location and transported or stored in another location. Thus, the beverage container cannot practically be filled with a liquid when resting on its bottom surface without a specially designed funnel or other equipment. As such, the beverage container is filled or otherwise held with a container resting on a back wall opposite the front wall, such that the spout extends generally upward to receive fluid poured into the spout from above. After a desired amount of fluid is poured into the pouch within the container, a cap is attached or screwed to the spout, and the container can then be rotated and rested on its bottom surface in a transport orientation using the upwardly extending handle. However, if a container filled before the cap is attached to the spout is rotated back to its normal storage and transport orientation with the spout extending horizontally, then liquid will slosh around inside the container and can be expelled from the spout. Since the fluid inside the container can be extremely hot, any unexpected expulsion of liquid from the spout is undesirable, especially if the liquid contacts a person handling the container, which in the very small chance would cause confusion and a potential slip and fall hazard.

[0007] Because the beverage container needs to rest or remain with the spout opening extending vertically when filled, the container and pod dimensions must be such that when the container is tilted back to its normal resting position, the level of the internal liquid of the container is below the spout opening. Otherwise, as noted above, when the container is rotated back to its shipping position, the liquid will spill out of the spout, or if the lid has been secured to the spout before the container is moved back to the shipping position, the liquid will spill out when the lid is first removed by the user. In most cases, the person filling the container is not the person opening the container, so in most cases, it will be difficult to know that the container is filled too full and that liquid will spill out when opened. Obviously, this situation is undesirable, so it is known to design and construct beverage containers so that it is difficult or impossible to fill them too full. For example, the pod is dimensioned relative to the container so that when the container is in the filled position (i.e., resting on its back wall), the liquid will be filled to the spout opening, but when the container is tilted back to the shipping orientation (i.e., resting on its bottom wall), the pod will move position within the container to rest on the bottom of the container, at which time the level of fluid in the pod is assumed to be below the opening in the spout. Because of this design constraint, the spout of the pod must be sufficiently high above the bottom of the container when the container is moved between the filled and shipping orientations to prevent liquid from spilling out. This results in a requirement that the volume of the container be sufficiently larger than the volume of the pod. Thus, even when the pod is filled to its capacity, a relatively high percentage (about 50%) of the volume of the container is empty. The unoccupied interior space in the beverage container results in a waste of material and increased manufacturing costs. In addition, the container and pod are dimensioned so that the pod has a large degree of freedom of movement within the container walls, which can undesirably shift within the container, which can result in undesirable spillage, unpredictable pouring dynamics, and reduced overall stability of the container.

[0008] Known beverage containers of the type described above are generally sized to hold several cups of liquid, and in some forms, between 96 and 128 ounces of liquid, weighing approximately six to nine pounds. As a result, users typically pour the liquid from the beverage container into a smaller vessel, such as a cup or a tumbler, for consumption. Due to factors associated with the shape, size, and spout location of known containers, as well as the weight of the filled container, it can be difficult to control the pouring of liquid from a known beverage container with high accuracy, especially when the container is full. For example, a user can grasp the container by the handle and tilt the container until liquid begins to pour from the spout into a cup placed or held below the spout. The spout will generally be directed away from the user, or at least transverse to the user's line of sight, to reduce the likelihood of any liquid spilling onto the user. Because the spout extends horizontally from the vertical front wall, it is difficult for the user to accurately pour the liquid into the smaller container. This is because as the container is tilted forward, the entire spout or a substantial portion of the spout, including the opening formed therein, is obscured by the side wall or top of the container, and thus is out of the user's line of sight. If the user cannot see at least a portion of the spout, it is difficult for the user to determine whether liquid is being poured from the spout, and the amount and rate at which liquid is being poured. The result is spilled liquid or overfilling of the smaller container.

[0009] Another disadvantage of beverage containers having horizontally extending spouts is that they are more prone to spillage and dripping. For example, if the container is transported or moved without a lid on the spout, any liquid splashed at the horizontal level of the spout will continue to exit the spout. Furthermore, any liquid remaining in the spout after pouring from the container and setting the container down will continue to flow out of the spout rather than falling back into the reservoir.

[0010] Another problem with known beverage containers is known as "sagging," which is the tendency of the spout to partially or entirely be pulled inside the container. This condition occurs when the reservoir is beginning to fill and the weight of the liquid cannot be supported entirely by the walls, such as when the back wall cannot support the liquid during filling or when the base wall cannot support the liquid when the container is in the shipping orientation. Sagging can also occur when the base wall of the container sags or droops during shipping of the container due to the weight of the liquid. Movement of the back or lower wall allows the reservoir to move in the same direction, thereby pulling the spout in the direction of movement, possibly causing the spout to be pulled inside the container or causing the spout to cock to one side. The force on the spout also tightens the front wall, through which the spout extends. This problem is exacerbated if the front wall becomes wet and loses physical integrity, potentially causing structural failure of the front wall.

[0011] Fulcher U.S. Patent Publication 2005 / 0211754 discloses a beverage container having a sloped front wall portion. The sloped wall portion positions the spout at approximately a 45 degree angle to the horizontal rather than perpendicular to the horizontal as in typical beverage containers. However, this design of the container has several deficiencies. For example, Fulcher discloses that a separate additional handle 127 can be attached to the top of the container. As FIG. 6 (E) to FIG. 6 (H), the separate handle component must be attached to the container after the final manual assembly of the container. As Fulcher describes, the additional handle is designed to hold the top cover pieces of the container together. If the user were to omit attaching the handle, the top of the container would not be secured and would be prone to opening, especially when pouring liquid therefrom. Furthermore, the risk of "sagging", i.e., the spout of the beverage bag being pulled into the interior of the container, is especially severe when the handle is not connecting the various cover pieces 120-123 together. Without the handle in place, there is nothing to prevent the interior top cover piece 123 from being pulled down into the interior of the container by the weight of the liquid in the beverage bag. Thus, the only cover piece that holds the spout from being pulled into the interior of the container is the outside top cover piece 120, which is also not secured when the handle is not in place. When the handle is not in place, the side panels of the shell also become more prone to bulging because the loose top cover pieces do not contain the outward expansion of the side panels when the beverage bag is being filled. When the side panels are pushed outward, more of the weight of the liquid is supported by the spout, causing a tendency for the spout to be pulled into the container. Moreover, if the top handle component is not in place to hold the top cover pieces 120-123 together, the bulging of the side panels is even more likely to occur, and because the top wall faces 120, 123 are not secured on one of their ends, the bulging of the side panels will no longer provide support to the top panels, allowing them to collapse inward.

[0012] Because of the flexibility of the plastic additional handle and because the handle is attached to the top of the container via slots in the top cover pieces, the ability to control the pouring of the liquid is diminished because the end of the handle is not secured and can move even during pouring. Fulcher discloses a rear handle 153 in the form of a folded cover piece on the rear panel 150 to allow the user to hold the container in an additional or alternative position while pouring. However, the user can want to hold a drinking vessel or cup while the vessel is being filled by the beverage container to prevent the vessel from shifting when receiving liquid from the beverage container. Thus, a two-handed pour of the beverage container is undesirable in this situation. The use of the flexible plastic additional handle alone or the rear handle alone is undesirable when pouring liquid from the Fulcher container, such as when the beverage bag is filled to its capacity or near capacity and thus is heavy.

[0013] Another deficiency of the Fulcher container is the low efficiency of assembly. In particular, the top cover pieces 120-123 are configured such that the container shell has to be folded and glued to form theFIG. 6 The collapsed shell shown in D must have the beverage bag manually inserted into the inner spout hole 136 in the cover flap 123. This is due to the fact that the spout must first be inserted into the inner spout hole 136 and then slide into its relatively narrow portion to lock the spout in place. Then the spout must be inserted through the outer spout hole 135 in the front sloping panel 120, as is apparent from FIG. 6 (E) to FIG. 6 (G) shows a cover flap configuration where the inner top cover flap 123 is folded under the outer top cover flap 120. As a result, both the handle 127 and the beverage bag must be manually attached to the container, resulting in inefficient assembly of the container and high production costs. SUMMARY

[0014] In one form, a snap-together beverage container includes a container body formed from a single unitary blank, the container body configured to snap from a collapsed orientation to an expanded orientation for receiving, transporting, and pouring a liquid. The container body has, in the expanded orientation, a flat base, a top, and front, back, and opposing side walls cooperatively forming an interior space. The container includes a flexible bladder having an interior for storing a liquid therein. The bladder is disposed in the interior space of the container body and includes a spout having an opening communicating the interior of the bladder to provide a liquid passageway thereto. The top of the container body includes a first sloping portion that is obliquely oriented with respect to the flat base, extending upwardly from the back wall to an apex. A handle portion of the container body extends from the first sloping portion for transporting and manipulating the container. A second sloping portion of the top of the container body includes a sloping wall portion that is obliquely oriented with respect to the flat base, extending upwardly from the front wall to an apex. The sloping wall portion includes an aperture through which the spout extends. In one form, the bladder is attached to an interior surface of the sloping wall portion with an adhesive. In a preferred embodiment, the apex of the container is spaced less than 7 inches from the base to provide a container that can be filled directly under the dispensing spout of most brewing machines.

[0015] In some forms, the front wall extends obliquely from the base. In other forms, at least one of the opposing side walls and the rear wall of the container body extends at an obtuse angle from the base. In another form, the second oblique portion is orientable at an angle between 55 and 85 degrees relative to a vertical axis normal to the planar base. In another form, the second oblique portion is orientable at an angle between 5 and 35 degrees relative to a vertical axis normal to the planar base. In yet another form, the first oblique portion is orientable at a first predetermined acute angle relative to a vertical axis normal to the planar base, and the second oblique portion is orientable at a second predetermined acute angle relative to a vertical axis normal to the planar base, the first predetermined acute angle being greater than the second predetermined acute angle. According to one aspect, both the first and second oblique portions are orientable at an angle relative to a vertical axis normal to the planar base, the angle of the second oblique portion being less than the angle of the first oblique portion. According to another aspect, both the first and second oblique portions have a length extending towards the apex, the length of the first oblique portion being greater than the length of the second oblique portion. Also, in some forms, the apex will be positioned closer to the front face of the container than to the rear face. The dual oblique top of the beverage container disclosed herein provides improved ergonomic benefits when pouring liquid from the container, particularly more comfortable wrist, elbow and shoulder positioning, as well as a number of other performance and manufacturing benefits, as will be described in greater detail herein.

[0016] The top of the container body can include a rear top cover panel extending from the rear wall and forming part of the first oblique portion, and a spout lock cover panel extending from the rear top cover panel and forming part of the second oblique portion. The spout lock cover panel overlies the second oblique wall portion and includes a spout engagement portion configured to extend around at least a portion of the spout to prevent the spout from being pulled through the aperture into the interior space. In one form, the first and second oblique portions intersect at the apex at an angle between 90 and 135 degrees. According to one aspect, the apex of the top of the container body extends linearly between the opposing side walls, cooperatively formed by an edge between the oblique wall portion and the front top cover panel extending from the oblique wall portion, and by an edge between the rear top cover panel and the spout lock cover panel, the spout lock cover panel overlying the edge between the oblique wall portion and the front top cover panel. Thus, the apex is cooperatively formed by the plurality of cover panels. In other forms, the apex can be formed by a fold line in a single top cover panel, or by the meeting point of two or more separate oblique top portions. Optionally, the handle portion includes a recess for receiving a portion of each of the rear top cover panel and the front top cover panel for securing the cover panels therein.

[0017] The container can be provided with a support shoulder flap or cover panel extending from each of the opposing side walls. Each support shoulder flap is configured to extend along an inner surface of the oblique wall portion to provide support thereto.

[0018] According to another aspect, a collapsible beverage container blank formed from a single sheet of material includes a front wall having an upper edge and a top wall portion extending therefrom. The top wall portion includes an aperture for receiving a spout therein and an upper edge having a front top cover panel extending therefrom. The blank further includes a first side wall having an upper edge with a first top cover panel extending therefrom, a first handle cover panel extending from the first top cover panel; a back wall having an upper edge with a back top cover panel extending therefrom; a second side wall having an upper edge with a second top cover panel extending therefrom, a second handle cover panel extending from the second top cover panel. The front and back top cover panels each include an elongated slot for receiving the first and second handle cover panels therethrough. The top wall portion and the front and back top cover panels, first and second top cover panels are configured to form a beverage container top having first and second sloped portions that meet at an apex spaced apart from the front wall when the beverage container blank is assembled to an inflated configuration. The top wall portion forms the second sloped portion and the front and back top cover panels, first and second top cover panels form the first sloped portion, the first and second handle cover panels extend in an upright orientation from the second sloped portion. In one form, the first and second handle cover panels each include a notch therein that align together for receiving a portion of the front and back top cover panels therein when the beverage container blank is in the inflated configuration. In some embodiments, the first and second handle cover panels taper from back to front between outer surfaces thereof and inner surface portions to provide an ergonomic advantage to make it easier for a user to pour liquid from the container.

[0019] The beverage container blank can be provided with a shoulder cover panel extending from each of the first and second side walls. The shoulder cover panels are configured to engage an inner surface of the top wall portion in the inflated configuration of the beverage container blank for providing support to the top wall portion and preventing the top wall portion from deflecting downward. In one form, the front wall includes a pair of side edges extending from a bottom edge thereof that diverge away from each other as they extend upwardly toward an upper edge of the front wall. In this form, the front wall is wider at the upper edge than at the bottom edge.

[0020] The beverage container blank can include a spout lock cover panel extending from the back top cover panel that is configured to rest on the top wall portion when the beverage container blank is in the inflated configuration. The spout lock cover panel includes a spout engagement portion configured to extend around at least a portion of a spout that extends through the aperture in the top wall portion. The blank can be provided with a flexible bladder having a spout for receiving a fluid therein, the spout being received in the aperture in the top wall portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a beverage container showing an upper sloped front portion of the container body with a spout extending therefrom generally orthogonally;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the container of FIG. 1 , showing liquid being poured into the spout of the container;

[0023] FIG. 2A is an enlarged top view of the spout of the container of FIG. 1 , viewed directly from above the spout;

[0024] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a blank for building the container of FIG. 1 ;

[0025] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a blank for building the container of FIG. 3 , the blank having a beverage pod in place for further assembly of the container, the beverage pod having a spout connected thereto;

[0026] FIG. 4A is a schematic view of a portion of a manufacturing process for assembling the container of FIG. 1 ;

[0027] FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a folded blank for the container of FIG. 1 , positioned to extend across the width of a shipping case, a plurality of collapsed, previously known containers arranged in the shipping case and oriented to extend along the length of the shipping case;

[0028] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a replaceable beverage container, showing an upper, sloping front portion of the container body having a spout extending generally orthogonally therefrom;

[0029] FIG. 6 is a side view of the container of FIG. 5 ;

[0030] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a blank for building the container of FIG. 5 ;

[0031] FIG. 8 is a front view of the container of FIG. 5 ;

[0032] FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a blank for a replaceable beverage container; and

[0033] FIG. 10 are perspective views, from left to right, of a prior art beverage container, FIG. 5 a beverage container of FIG. 1 , and a beverage container of , each in its filled orientation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The exemplary embodiments below describe a beverage container for storing and dispensing a liquid. Generally, the beverage container includes an outer container or shell and an inner pod or bag. The outer container includes a right wall, a left wall, a front wall, a back wall, and a top and a bottom that define an interior space for placement of a beverage pod that includes a spout for providing fluid access to the pod. Advantageously, the embodiments are configured such that the top of the container has first and second sloped portions that meet at an apex. An integral handle extends from the first sloped portion and a spout extends from the second sloped portion. The handle is configured to allow a user to dispense from the beverage container using one hand when filled, thereby freeing the other hand for grasping a drinking vessel. The spout is oriented such that its axis extends obliquely to a vertical reference axis. The handle can be configured to be oriented at an oblique angle similar to the first sloped portion, or it can have a different orientation. In addition, the handle can have a taper to make pouring liquid from the container more ergonomic. The spout does not extend horizontally or vertically, but is oriented at an oblique angle extending in a generally non-vertical upward direction to allow the container to be filled directly under a dispensing port of a commercial beverage machine. In one form, the bottom of the container can be oriented horizontally during filling, such as when the container base or bottom wall rests on a flat surface. In another form where the vertical upward component of the spout is small, the container can be filled directly under the dispensing port, but the orientation of the spout will be such that the container will need to be moved to its back wall prior to filling. The oblique orientation of the spout and handle allows improved ergonomics and pouring ability by allowing the user to more comfortably tilt the container to pour liquid from the spout, and also allows the user to easily see the spout when pouring, so that the user sees fluid being dispensed from the spout when the container is tilted from its above-described filling orientation. This form provides a number of other benefits, including the ability to be inserted and filled under any commercial beverage machine dispensing port, reduced material, improved stability to reduce the potential for tipping over, improved pouring dynamics related to large compactness and low center of gravity, reduced drips from the spout after pouring. Other advantages will become apparent by further reading the following description of the embodiments.

[0035] FIG. 1 A perspective view of a beverage container 10 (hereinafter container 10) is illustrated. As FIGS. 1-3As shown, the container 10 comprises a container body formed from a shell 11 comprising a front wall 12, a left side wall 30, a right side wall 26 and a rear wall 28 interconnected by fold lines or living hinges. The front wall 12 is hingedly attached to the right side wall 26 along a right front fold line 58. The right side wall 26 is in turn hingedly attached to the rear wall 28 along a right rear fold line 72. The rear wall 28 is hingedly attached to the left side wall 30 along a left rear fold line 78. An attachment flap 50 is hingedly attached to the left side wall 30 along a left front fold line 92. Adhesive is applied to the opposite (outer) side of the attachment flap 50 for securing the flap 50 to the inner surface of the front wall 12. Each wall 12, 26, 28, 30 extends perpendicularly from a rectangular base 55 so as to have a perpendicular upright configuration. The front and rear walls 12, 28 have a rectangular configuration, while the right and left side walls 26, 30 have a pentagonal or 5-sided configuration. The base 55 of the container 10 has a generally flat configuration for stable resting on a flat surface such as a table. The top 59 of the container 10 has a first sloping portion 63 extending between the fold lines 68, 88, which increases the height from the rear top fold line 74 to the apex of the container 61. A handle 16 extends upwardly from this first sloping portion 63 to provide an ergonomic grip which improves the user's control of the container when it is tilted to pour liquid from the spout. A second sloping portion in the form of a sloping transition wall portion 14 extends between the front wall 12 and the first sloping portion 63 of the container top 59, the two sloping portions meeting at the apex 61. In a preferred form, the first and second sloping portions meet at an angle of between 90 and 135 degrees. In a preferred form, the second sloping portion has a length shorter than the first sloping portion. Furthermore, the apex of the container is preferably closer to the front wall of the container than to the rear wall, which allows a relatively long handle to be provided, giving the user greater control when transporting the container and tilting it for pouring liquid.

[0036] As FIG. 3 shown, the shell 11 is formed from a single unitary blank 15, preferably from creased cardboard or paperboard. The inner surface of the blank 15 is shown in FIG. 3The opposite outer surface is on the other side. The blank 15 includes a series of top and bottom flaps that are used to form the top and bottom of the container 10. In general, all of the top flaps remain in an open, unfolded configuration until the container is fully assembled from the flat, collapsed orientation for user transport and assembly to introduce liquid into the container. The blank 15 includes a right top flap 24 and a left top flap 22 that extend from the top edge 68 of the right side wall 26 and the top edge 88 of the left side wall 30, respectively. The right and left top flaps 24, 22 further include right and left handle flaps 18 and 20, respectively, that are hingedly connected via fold lines 27 and 29. Right and left wing portions 25, 23 extend from the right and left top flaps 24, 22, respectively. When the right and left handle flaps 18, 20 are folded about the fold lines 27 and 29, the right and left wing portions 25, 23 remain in the same plane as the right and left top flaps 24, 22, respectively, thereby providing handle openings into which a user's fingers can be inserted to grasp the handle flaps 18, 20. When the container 10 is assembled for filling with a beverage, the handle flaps 18, 20 are folded into an upright configuration with the right and left wing portions 25, 23 overlapping each other and extending through the openings formed by the opposite handle flaps 20, 18, such that the inner surfaces of the handle flaps 18, 20 engage each other to form a rigid handle 16 that enables single-handed carrying of the container 10 and single-handed pouring.

[0037] The container top 59 is further formed by a front and rear top flap 40 and 32 that extend from the top edge 64 of the sloped wall portion 14 and the top edge 74 of the rear wall 28, respectively. A spout lock flap 34 is hingedly connected to the rear top flap 32 along a fold line 82. The spout lock flap 34 includes opposing finger portions 86 that are spaced apart by an arcuate portion 84 that is sized to fit around at least a portion of the spout 94 to prevent the spout from being pulled through the aperture 60 into the interior 57 of the assembled container 10. The finger portions and arcuate portion extend about 270° around the spout. The finger portions 86 are preferably sized and configured to provide an interference fit with the outer periphery of the spout 94 for securing the flap 34 to the spout. The front and rear top flaps 40, 32 are configured to be folded toward each other in an inward direction on the top of the container 10 for securing the container in the fully assembled configuration. As FIG. 3As shown, each of the lid members 40 and 32 define respective slots 62, 80 through which the handle members 18, 20 extend when the right and left top lid panels 24, 22 are folded inwardly over the top of the container 10, the handle members 18, 20 being folded so as to extend vertically upward in a side-by-side arrangement. The front top lid panel 40 is folded first over the right and left top lid panels 24, 22, the handle lid panels 18, 20 being inserted through the slots 62 from below. The rear top lid panel 32 is then folded over the front top lid panel 40, the vertically extending handle lid panels 18, 20 being inserted through the slots 80 so that the rear top lid panel 32 rests flat against the outer surface of the front top lid panel 40. As FIG. 1 As shown, the spout lock lid panel 34 can then be positioned around the spout 94, the spout lock lid panel 34 covering the angled wall portion 14.

[0038] The container top 59 advantageously has its apex 61 spaced rearwardly from the front wall 12. In this form, the spout lock lid panel fold line 82 is also spaced rearwardly from the front wall 12, specifically from the top edge 52 thereof, which allows the rear top lid panel 32 to be reduced in length compared to the corresponding top lid panel in the previous container. Similarly, the front top lid panel fold line 64 is spaced rearwardly from the front wall 12 and its top edge 52, allowing the length of the front top lid panel 40 to be similarly reduced, here advantageously reducing the material of the container 10. This is due to the presence of the forward angled wall portion 14 for the spout 94, as will be further described later.

[0039] The bottom or base 55 of the container 10 is formed from a plurality of bottom lid panels, including a front bottom lid panel 42 hingedly connected to the front wall 12 along a fold line 54. A right bottom lid panel 44 is hingedly connected to the right side wall 26 along a fold line 70. A rear bottom lid panel 46 is hingedly connected to the rear wall 28 along a fold line 76, and a left bottom lid panel 48 is hingedly connected to the left side wall 30 along a fold line 90. A lid panel portion 51 is hingedly connected to the right bottom lid panel 44 along a perforated fold line 45, and similarly a lid panel portion 53 is hingedly connected to the left bottom lid panel 48 along a perforated fold line 49. During initial assembly of the collapsed container, the lid panel portions 51, 53 are adhesively connected to the outer surfaces of the front and rear bottom lid panels 42, 46, respectively, via an adhesive such as a cold adhesive applied to the adhesive lid panel portions 51, 53 or the front and rear bottom lid panels 42, 46. Advantageously, after the bottom lid panels are adhered together, the bottom lid panels are folded inwardly, the inner surfaces of the lid panels to cover the inner surfaces of the walls 12, 26, 28, 30. The bottom lid panels 42, 44, 46, 48 are constructed so that, as is well known in the art, they can be readily transferred from this folded configuration (the container 10 being in a collapsed orientation) to a generally planar configuration to form the base 55 when the container is inflated to its filled orientation by a user.

[0040] The respective container walls, top lid panels, and bottom lid panels form a closed interior space 57 therebetween, asFIG. 2 As shown, the beverage capsule 96 is disposed within the closed internal space 57. In one embodiment, when the container 10 is placed on a horizontal surface, liquid can be poured directly from above the nozzle into the nozzle 94. Advantageously, this allows the container, specifically the capsule 96 therein, to be filled and transported in the same orientation, i.e., without having to move the container to its rear wall 28 for filling.

[0041] In one form of a container for transport and filling in the same orientation, container 10 advantageously includes a forward sloping wall 14 extending from the top edge 52 of the front wall 12. The sloping wall 14 has an orifice 60 through which a portion of the nozzle 94 of the bladder 96 extends. The orifice 60 includes a plurality of radial slots to form a plurality of flaps 65 around the orifice 60, the flaps 65 interfering with the outer periphery of the nozzle 94 while preventing tearing of material around the orifice 60 due to the deflection of the flaps 65 when the nozzle 94 is inserted through. The nozzle 94 is provided with one or more annular protrusions around its periphery, the annular protrusions engaging the opening flaps 65 and the nozzle locking cap 34 to prevent the nozzle 94 from being pulled through the orifice 60 into the container interior 57 and to prevent movement or tilting to one side. Furthermore, the nozzle 94 has helical threads extending around its outer periphery distal to the annular protrusions for engaging a threaded cap.

[0042] like FIG. 2 As shown, when the container is fully assembled, the orifice 60 rests on the interior of the container, allowing liquid to be poured directly from above the nozzle 94 (e.g., through the dispensing port) when the container base 55 is horizontally oriented, entering the inner space 67 of the capsule 94 through the fluid channel located between the outer and inner openings 93, 98 of the nozzle. Furthermore, the tilted nozzle orientation allows the user's line of sight to directly enter the interior of the capsule 96 during the filling process without needing to reorient the container 10. If the user's line of sight is vertically and directly into the inner capsule 96 from above the nozzle 94, the user can be certain that liquid can be poured directly into the container 10 from above the nozzle. FIG. 2A Viewed from the perspective of the "dispensing port" above the nozzle, the vertical opening or passage 99 (shown by crosshairs) will be defined on one side by the lower arcuate portion 98a of the inner nozzle opening 98, and on the other side by the upper arcuate portion 93a of the outer nozzle opening 93. Although the nozzle openings 93 and 98 have circular structures of the same radius, because the nozzle 94 is tilted from above relative to the user's viewpoint, the vertical passage 99 will appear to be defined by two intersecting arcuate portions 93a and 98a of different radii.

[0043] The inclined wall portion 14, the orifice 60, and the external nozzle opening 93 are all oriented in a plane oriented at an angle α relative to the vertical (i.e., the axis V extending vertically from the base), such that the nozzle body 94, extending substantially vertically from the inclined wall portion 14 at an additional angle α, is oriented at least partially vertically upward. In other words, the nozzle 94 extends about a longitudinal axis L, which is inclined relative to a horizontal plane extending together with the flat base 55. The openings of the inclined wall portion 14, similarly the orifice 60, and the nozzle 93 all have the same inclination angle. They can be oriented at various inclination angles, but preferably, the inclined wall portion 14 will be arranged at an inclination angle that provides a sufficient horizontal component so that liquid can be poured directly into the container when the base 55 is horizontal. The preferred inclination range for the inclined wall portion is from 10 to 80 degrees, more preferably between 40 and 80 degrees. In other forms, the inclined wall portion can be inclined at an angle between 55 and 85 degrees from the vertical, which is particularly suitable for embodiments with a low profile orientation for use in FIG. 2 The beer brewer shown fills directly below the dispensing spout. This configuration allows containers to be filled and transported in the same orientation, eliminating any potential spillage associated with filling and transporting containers in different orientations. In other forms, the sloping wall 14 can have a relatively small horizontal component, so that when the base 55 is horizontal, liquid cannot (without excessive care) be poured directly into the container, or the container body needs to be repositioned to position the nozzle 94 below the dispensing spout for filling. In this form, the sloping wall can be tilted at an angle between 5 and 35 degrees, which is particularly suitable for containers designed for filling and transporting in different orientations. Regardless of whether the sloping wall allows the container to be filled in its transport orientation, other benefits are achieved, such as reduced spillage when transporting the container without a cap and improved nozzle visibility during pouring. Furthermore, the sloping wall allows for a shorter rear top cap 32, resulting in a reduction in the material required to form the container 10.

[0044] As FIG. 3 As indicated, hot melt adhesive is applied to adhesive position 13 on either side of orifice 60 to bond the capsule 96 to the inclined wall 14 and front wall 12. Because the capsule 96 is adhesively attached to the inner surface of the inclined wall 14 and the nozzle 94 is held within the orifice 60 in the inclined wall 14, any liquid weight not supported by the base 55 of the container 10 will be supported directly by the inclined wall 14 and indirectly by the surrounding walls. Therefore, the right and left side walls 26, 30 can be provided with support shoulder flaps 36, 38 to provide additional support to the inclined wall 14. The support shoulder flaps 36, 38 have a triangular shape and are hinged to the corresponding right and left side walls 26, 30 along fold lines 66, 91. FIG. 1When the container is assembled, the fold lines 66, 91 have the same slope as the sloped wall portion 14. During assembly, the support flaps 36, 38 are folded under the sloped wall portion 14, resting against its inner surface, such that when liquid is poured into the container 10, the support shoulder flaps 36, 38 provide additional support to the sloped wall portion 14 to prevent the sloped wall portion 14 from being pulled inward by the liquid in the bladder into the interior of the container 57. In other versions, the support flaps 36, 38 can be omitted.

[0045] Preferably, an adhesive, such as a fugitive hot melt, is applied to the inner surface of the right side wall 26 at one or more adhesive locations 27 for temporarily securing the bladder 96 to the side wall 26. The adhesive helps to hold the bladder 96 in place during manufacturing, but its primary purpose is to help open the bladder 96 from its flattened or flattened configuration to the filled configuration where the side walls are pulled apart. Because the bladder 96 is made from planar sheet material heat sealed together at the periphery, the bladder tends to remain in the flattened shape until acted upon by an external force, or until fluid is introduced into the bladder 96. Moreover, due to the materials used and the manufacturing process, static forces can hold the side walls of the bladder together and resist expansion of the bladder 96. However, in its flattened state, it is difficult to fill the bladder 96 because the side walls of the bladder stick together, and if the walls are not at least partially separated around the spout during filling of the bladder, or cannot be separated quickly, this can at least initially cause liquid to spill out of the spout 94. Thus, the adhesive at the adhesive locations 27 is configured to provide a temporary releasable bond between the side wall 26 and the bladder 96, such that the bond is released when the container 10 is transformed from its collapsed, flattened orientation to a fully expanded orientation. Just prior to expansion of the container, the front wall 12 and the left side wall 30 rest flat against the right side wall 26 and the back wall 28, with the bladder 96 sandwiched therebetween. When the side walls expand apart to the assembled filled orientation, the adhesive at the adhesive locations 27 pulls the sides of the bladder 96 apart. In other versions, other adhesive locations can be utilized. FIG. 2 When the container is assembled, the fold lines 66, 91 have the same slope as the sloped wall portion 14. During assembly, the support flaps 36, 38 are folded under the sloped wall portion 14, resting against its inner surface, such that when liquid is poured into the container 10, the support shoulder flaps 36, 38 provide additional support to the sloped wall portion 14 to prevent the sloped wall portion 14 from being pulled inward by the liquid in the bladder into the interior of the container 57. In other versions, the support flaps 36, 38 can be omitted.

[0046] As discussed above, hot melt glue is applied at adhesive locations 13 along one or both sides of the aperture 60 during manufacture of the container 10 to permanently adhere the pod 96 to the front wall 12 and the transition wall portion 14. This adhesive prevents the nozzle 94 from being pulled into the interior of the container when the container is initially assembled to the filled orientation. The adhesive also serves to pull the pod side walls apart in the area immediately surrounding the nozzle 94, thereby preventing the side of the pod from sticking together as mentioned above. Forcing the pod side to remain in a separate open position near the nozzle, along with the side wall separation caused by the releasable adhesive, ensures that the pod is fully ready for filling. Thus, the pod 96 is permanently attached to the front wall 12 and the sloped transition wall portion 14 near the nozzle, while the opposite end of the pod 96 is temporarily attached to the right side wall 26 at adhesive locations 27. When the container 10 is opened from the collapsed orientation by pushing the front right edge and the back left edge of the container toward each other, the sides of the pod 96 are simultaneously pulled apart at adhesive locations 13 and 27. The sudden expansion of the interior space 67 of the pod 96 creates a temporary vacuum therein, which draws air into the pod through the nozzle, allowing the pod to remain partially open for continuous and controlled filling of the pod. When the container 10 is fully opened, the adhesive at locations 27 will release the pod 96 from the right side wall 26 due to its low tack, such that the pod is only adhesively attached to the sloped wall portion 14 and the front wall 12. It has been found that without the described adhesive locations, the pod side walls would remain attached to each other, the pod would only receive a small amount of liquid at a time, requiring the person filling the pod to wait for the liquid to eventually further drain into the unopened remaining portion of the pod or to shake the container to speed up the movement of the portion of the dispensed liquid into the distal end of the pod. In either case, the pod would require excessive time and patience to fully fill, as it must be filled incrementally. In some forms, the pod 96 can be separately attached to the sloped wall portion 14 or the front wall 12.

[0047] A number of other advantages are available from a container having a sloped wall portion with an upwardly directed spout 94. One advantage is that the height of the container can be significantly reduced as compared to the known assembled beverage containers. The lower container height eliminates the concern of the container's contents spilling when the container is changed from the filling orientation to the shipping orientation. This concern requires the height of the spout to be sufficiently high to avoid spilling when the pod is changed from the filling orientation to the shipping orientation due to the liquid level in the pod being too close to the spout opening. In the presently preferred form, the container 10 has an assembled size of approximately 9 inches long by 6.5 inches wide by 6.5 inches high at the apex 61. In contrast, the previously known container 310 has an assembled size of approximately 9 inches long by 6.5 inches wide by 8.5 inches high at its apex. In one form, the apex is preferably less than 7 inches high when measured from the base of the container. This low profile design allows the container to fit under most coffee appliances, thereby allowing the container to be filled directly under the appliance rather than first filling an intermediate vessel or pitcher and then transferring the contents of the vessel into the beverage container. Despite the smaller height dimension of the container 10, advantageously having the same fluid capacity as the previously known container design, approximately 20% of the internal volume is reduced. Of course, as will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, containers having sloped front wall portions can take on a variety of shapes and sizes. However, by avoiding the need to move the container between different filling and shipping orientations, the overall height of the container can be reduced.

[0048] Reducing the height of the container provides a number of advantages in terms of efficiency. First, less material is required. As compared to the previously known container design, the disclosed embodiment requires approximately 20% less material. FIGS. 1-4 Applicant has observed that the disclosed embodiment reduces the height of the blank by approximately 3.8 inches as compared to the previously known design, resulting in approximately 20% savings in material.

[0049] Applicant has also observed the potential for manufacturing efficiencies. FIG. 4Ais a schematic view of a portion of a machine 200 used to automatically assemble the container 10. The container blanks 15 begin at a blank feed location 210, where a stack of blanks 15 is positioned to be introduced into the machine 200. The blanks 15 are introduced one after another in a flat manner, with their bottom flaps 42, 44, 46, and 48 facing forward, as shown at location 220, as the blanks are displaced along a linear machine travel direction 205, through various processes performed at stations of the machine 200, represented by a single "black box" 230. These stations include various folding and gluing stations, as well as stations for assembling the pouch 96 from the blank 15 and integrating the pouch. Further details regarding the machine 200 and the process of manufacturing the container can be found in U.S. Patent 7,066,869, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. After the pouch 94 is integrated with the blank 15, as shown at location 240, the bottom flaps 42, 44, 46, 48 are folded over the walls 12, 26, 28, 30 and the pouch 94. The front wall 12 and the left wall 30 are then folded over the fold lines 58 and 78, respectively, to adhesively join the front wall 12 with the attached flap 50, to join the front bottom flap 42 to the flap portion 51, and to adhesively join the rear bottom flap 46 to the flap portion 53, thereby forming the container 10 in a collapsed orientation. During this step, the aperture 60 is positioned over the spout 94, through which the spout passes, thereby catching the spout therein. Because the blanks 15 continuously travel through the machine 200, the height measured from the bottom flaps to the top flaps is aligned along the machine travel direction 205, so a greater number of blanks 15 can be processed through the machine 200 at a given time, compared to the previously known container blanks of greater height. This results in a higher production rate and production capacity.

[0050] Advantageously, the machine 200 can assemble both the previously known container 310 and the container 10 disclosed herein, requiring only minor adjustments to the machine. This is because the container blank 15 has the same width orthogonal to the machine travel direction 205 as the previous container 310, with the fold lines 58, 72, and 78 located in the same relative positions, such that the walls of both containers 10, 310 have the same width. Furthermore, the bottom flaps 42, 44, 46, and 48 have the same configuration as the bottom flaps of the previous container 310. Because only the bottom flaps and the walls are folded during assembly, the top flaps 40, 24, 32, 22 are not folded, so the height of the blank 15 does not substantially affect the folding operations of the manufacturing process, and the same machine can advantageously manufacture both the container 10 and the known container 310 with minimal changes to the machine 200, resulting in a quick changeover time. Furthermore, as discussed above, a greater number of the shorter blanks 15 can be processed at a given time, compared to the taller blanks of the container 310.

[0051] Another advantage of the present embodiment is that more collapsed containers 10 can be shipped in the same shipping box than the previously known containers. FIG. 4BA shipping carton 300 is shown with a plurality of previously known beverage containers 310 stacked in a flat collapsed orientation inside the carton 300. The shipping carton 300 has a length L and a width W that is shorter than the length L, each of the collapsed previous containers 310 oriented with their height Hi (measured from the base of the container 310 to the end of the longest top lidding panel) extending along the length L of the shipping carton. The containers 310 must be oriented in this manner since their height Hi is longer than the width W of the carton. On the other hand, the container blank 15 described herein is held in a collapsed orientation with its height H2 extending along the width W of the shipping carton 300, thereby illustrating that the final collapsed container 10 described herein can be positioned within an existing shipping carton 300 in a manner similar to the previously shown containers 310, except that the height H2 of the container 10 extends transversely with respect to the shipping carton 300. This orientation is possible since the height H2 of the container 10 is less than the width W of the shipping carton 300. Applicant observes that the containers 10 that can be fitted in a standard shipping container 300 have about a 20% gain in quantity over the previous containers 310, thereby reducing shipping and material costs. In addition, the same shipping carton 300 advantageously can be used to ship either the previous containers 310 or the containers 10 described herein.

[0052] Another advantage of the container 10 is that the bladder more efficiently occupies the interior space 57 of the container, resulting in a variety of performance improvements. For example, when the bladder 96 is filled with liquid, more of the bladder rests on the base of the container 55 due to the shorter distance between the spout 94 and the base of the container 55 as compared to previously known containers, thereby reducing the amount of tension placed on the wall 14 from which the spout 94 extends. This reduces the likelihood of the spout "dragging" (i.e., the spout being pulled into the housing 11). In addition, the bladder 96 is less likely to shift within the interior space 57 of the container 57 when filled due to the bladder occupying too much of the interior space, leaving less free space. For example, the bladder of a previously known container 310 occupies about 50% of the interior space when filled to capacity, whereas the bladder 96 occupies about 60-70% of the interior space 57 of the container 10 when filled to capacity. In addition, the bladder 96 more reliably attaches to the front wall 12 and the sloped wall 14 of the container when it is filled, with the remaining portion of the bladder better constrained from moving within the container. It has also been found that the adhesive location described previously causes the bladder to open to a greater extent once the container is opened from the collapsed orientation due to the forward wall portion 14 and upward orientation of the spout 94, thereby allowing the container to receive a greater volume of fluid within the bladder before the fluid acting on the bladder opens the remaining portion of the bladder. Thus, the container 10 provides a more rapid and more uniform controlled filling and dispensing of its liquid contents. In addition, when more of the bladder rests on the bottom of the container, particularly along the lateral direction (width) of the container, it has been found that the container is more stable during pouring as the bladder is not allowed to shift back and forth within the unoccupied interior volume of the container as the liquid is being dispensed. Preventing the bladder from suddenly shifting within the chamber of the container will result in a stable, predictable flow of the liquid being dispensed.

[0053] Another advantage of the spout 94 protruding from the sloped front wall 14 of the container is that it makes the spout 94 more visible during pouring, which allows the user to see the liquid as it flows from the spout 94. With previously known assembled beverage containers having a spout that emerges horizontally from a vertically extending front wall, the spout becomes obscured from the user by the upper front corner of the container as the container is tilted. This makes it very difficult for the user to see the liquid flowing out of the spout when the container is below eye level, which can result in inaccurate pouring from the spout and spillage. A spout located on a sloped wall portion is more prominent and visible to the user when the container is tilted, thereby allowing an unobstructed view into the spout 94 as liquid is poured therefrom.

[0054] As discussed above, the inclusion of the sloped wall portion will allow the beverage container to have a lower profile than previously known assembled beverage containers, as well as allow the spout to be moved downward toward the base of the container. The lower spout provides two advantages. First, the spout will be able to fit under the port of a known commercial coffee brewer. This eliminates the step of first dispensing a batch of brewed coffee into a first container, and then transferring the contents from that container through a funnel into the assembled beverage container. In FIG. 10 In the middle, the prior art beverage container is shown as two adjacent embodiments of the beverage container 110, 10 disclosed herein, each container in the fill orientation. As shown, the prior art beverage container rests on its back wall. The second embodiment of the beverage container 110, described in more detail below, also requires the container to be inverted to the fill position, with the back wall resting on a flat surface, but it should be understood that, while in the fill position, the spout is significantly lower than the spout of the prior art container, such that the beverage container 110 can be filled directly under the dispensing port of a commercial brewer. As described above, the beverage container 10 can be filled and transported in the same orientation. Another advantage of the lower spout is that it also lowers the center of gravity of the container, making the container more stable during transport and when liquid is being poured from it. In one form, the lateral width of the container is such that, compared to the height of the bottom of the spout to the surface on which the container rests when in the fill position (i.e., the back wall of the container 110 and the base of the container 10), the ratio of the width to the height is at least 1 or greater.

[0055] One limitation to manufacturing a container that is shorter than the currently known beverage containers relates to the process used to manufacture the container, particularly the placement of the bladder 96 during the initial assembly of the container. As FIG. 4As shown, the pod 96 has a flat rectangular shape prior to being filled with liquid. During the assembly process, the pod 96 is laid on top of the blank 15 with its spout 94 facing upward. The left edge of the pod 96 is positioned adjacent the front right fold line 58, the pod 96 extends along the width of the blank 15, and the lower edge 97 of the pod is generally parallel to the aligned fold lines 70, 76, 90 of the bottom lidding panels 44, 46, 48. In prior known methods, the lower edge 97 of the pod 96 must be positioned such that it does not extend past the fold lines 70, 76, 90 of the bottom lidding panels 44, 46, 48, since during manufacture, the bottom lidding panels 44, 46, 48 are folded upward to bond and assemble the base 55 of the container. If the lower edge of the pod 97 is too close to or just slightly past the fold lines 70, 76, 90 of the bottom lidding panels, folding the bottom lidding panels 44, 46, 48 along these lines will push the pod upward toward the top lidding panels, causing the spout 94 to misalign with the aperture 60, which can result in the spout 94 not extending through the aperture 60, resulting in a defective container. However, the sloped wall portion 14 and associated reduction in height of the blank 11 will allow the position of the aperture 60 to be generally lower and closer to the bottom lidding panel fold lines 70, 76, 90, such that the bottom of the pod 97 extends past the bottom lidding panel fold lines and a portion of the bottom lidding panels 44, 46, 48, such that the pod lower edge 97 is disposed on the lidding panels 44, 46, 48. If the pod 96 is positioned far enough past the bottom lidding panel fold lines 70, 76, 90, when the bottom lidding panels are folded upward (see FIG. 4A ), the pod 96 will simply fold upward along the bottom lidding panel fold lines 70, 76, 90, rather than being pushed upward by the lidding panels. Advantageously, temporarily folding the pod 96 along the bottom lidding panel fold lines 70, 76, 90 does not result in any reduction in the performance of the pod 96, since the pod itself will unfold when the container 10 is assembled and liquid is introduced. Thus, the same beverage pod 96 can be used for both the taller beverage containers, such as the prior known containers having a vertical front wall and a horizontal spout, and the shorter beverage containers, such as the beverage container having the sloped wall portion and spout disclosed herein. In the presently preferred form, the pod has dimensions of 18 x 8.75 inches in the unexpanded configuration and a capacity of about 112 ounces when fully expanded within the container 10, although a wide range of pod dimensions and capacities can be used.

[0056] In FIGS. 1-4B the embodiment, the walls, including the front wall 12, are all assembled vertically, i.e., they extend perpendicularly from the base 55. However, in other forms, the walls can extend at various angles from the base, such as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5-8 .

[0057] FIGS. 5-8A replacement embodiment of the assembled beverage container 110 is shown having a spout 194 extending vertically upward from the angled wall portion 114. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4B but with several exceptions, as will be described in greater detail below, including that the angled wall portion 114 has a smaller slope and the wall is also angled relative to the base 155. The portions of the container 110 relating to the previously described portions of the container of FIGS. 1-4 will be labeled with the same numbers, with 100 added to the number. For example, the spout is labeled 94 in the previous embodiment and 194 in this embodiment.

[0058] FIG. 5 A perspective view of the beverage container 110 is shown. As FIGS. 5-8 shown, the container 110 includes a container body formed by an outer shell 111 that includes a front wall 112, a left side wall 130, a right side wall 126, and a back wall 128. The front wall 112 is hingedly attached to the right side wall 126 along a right front fold line 158. The right side wall 126 is in turn hingedly attached to the back wall 128 along a right back fold line 172. The back wall 128 is hingedly attached to the left side wall 130 along a left back fold line 178. An attachment flap 150 is hingedly attached to the left side wall 130 along a left front fold line 192. Adhesive is applied to the opposite (outer) side of the attachment flap 150 for securing the flap to the inner surface of the front wall 112. The container 110 has a tapered wall such that each wall extends slightly outward from the rectangular base 155 at an obtuse angle. In one preferred form, the front wall 112 extends at an angle of about 9-15 degrees (from the base relative to a vertical reference axis), the right and left side walls 126, 130 each extend at an angle of about 2-6 degrees, and the back wall 128 has an angle of about 2-6 degrees relative to the base 155, although other orientations can be used. As FIG. 7 shown, the front and back walls 112, 128 have non-parallel edges 156, 158 and 172, 178 such that the upper edges 152, 174 are longer than the respective base edges 154, 176. The front and back walls 112, 128 have a quadrilateral configuration, while the right and left side walls 126, 130 have a pentagonal or 5-sided configuration. The base 155 of the container 110 has a generally flat configuration for stable resting on a flat surface such as a table. The top 159 of the container 110 has a first angled portion 163 that increases the height from the back top fold line 174 to the apex of the container 161. The handle 116 extends upward from this first angled portion 163 to provide easier pouring when the container 110 is held by the handle 116. As will be described further below, a second angled front portion in the form of an angled transition wall portion 114 extends between the front wall 112 and the first angled portion 163 of the container top 159, the two angled portions meeting at the apex 161.

[0059] As FIG. 7As shown, the outer shell 111 is formed from a single one-piece blank 115. The inner surface of the blank 115 is shown as having an opposite outer surface on the other side. The blank 115 includes a series of top and bottom flaps for forming the top and bottom of the container 110. All of the flaps remain in an open, unfolded configuration when the container 110 is in a collapsed orientation for shipping until the container is fully assembled and assembled by the user into a fill orientation for introducing liquid into the container. The blank 115 includes a right top flap 124 and a left top flap 122 that extend from a top edge 168 of a right side wall 126 and a top edge 188 of a left side wall 130, respectively. The right and left top flaps 124, 122 further include right and left handle flaps 118 and 120, respectively, that are hingedly connected to the right and left top flaps 124, 122 via fold lines 127 and 129. Right and left wing flap portions 125, 123 extend from the right and left top flaps 124, 122 and are bounded on their sides by the right and left handle flaps 118, 120. When the handle flaps 118, 120 are folded about the fold lines 127 and 129, the right and left wing flap portions 125, 123 remain in the same plane as the right and left top flaps 124, 122, respectively, so that the openings defined by the handle flaps 118, 120 are not obstructed by the wing flap portions 125, 123 and are sized and configured to receive a user's hand. When the container 10 is assembled for filling with a beverage, the handle members 118, 120 are folded into an upright closed configuration while the right and left wing flap portions 125, 123 overlap each other and extend through the openings formed by the opposite handle flaps 120, 118 so that the inner surfaces of the handle flaps 118, 120 engage each other to form a handle 116 that enables single-handed carrying of the container 110 and single-handed pouring.

[0060] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle flaps 118, 120 are tapered downward from a rear portion to a front portion thereof. In particular, the handle flaps 118, 120 are formed so that an upper edge portion 118a, 120a thereof is not parallel to an inner edge portion 118b, 120b, unlike the handle members 18, 20 of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-5. FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 As shown, the handle flaps 118, 120 are tapered downward from a rear portion to a front portion thereof. In particular, the handle flaps 118, 120 are formed so that an upper edge portion 118a, 120a thereof is not parallel to an inner edge portion 118b, 120b, unlike the handle members 18, 20 of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-5. FIG. 3 In particular, the inner edge portions 118b, 120b are generally parallel to the fold lines 127, 129 from which the handle flaps 118, 120 extend. The outer edge 118a, 120a is angled relative to the fold lines 127, 129 so that a rear portion of the outer edge 118a, 120a is further from the fold lines 127, 129 than a front portion thereof. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle flaps 118, 120 are thicker toward the rear and thinner near the front. When in the expanded configuration of the assembled container, the outer edge 118a, 120a is not angled at the same angle as the top portion 159 of the container, which improves the ergonomics of pouring by allowing a user to pour liquid from the container in a more comfortable orientation of the arm, hand, and wrist joint. FIG. 6 In particular, the inner edge portions 118b, 120b are generally parallel to the fold lines 127, 129 from which the handle flaps 118, 120 extend. The outer edge 118a, 120a is angled relative to the fold lines 127, 129 so that a rear portion of the outer edge 118a, 120a is further from the fold lines 127, 129 than a front portion thereof. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle flaps 118, 120 are thicker toward the rear and thinner near the front. When in the expanded configuration of the assembled container, the outer edge 118a, 120a is not angled at the same angle as the top portion 159 of the container, which improves the ergonomics of pouring by allowing a user to pour liquid from the container in a more comfortable orientation of the arm, hand, and wrist joint.

[0061] The container top 159 is further formed by front and rear top cover flaps 140 and 132 which extend from the top edge 164 of the sloped wall portion 114 and the top edge 174 of the rear wall 128, respectively. A spout lock cover flap 134 is hingedly connected to the rear top cover flap 132 along a fold line 182. The spout lock cover flap 134 includes opposing finger portions 186 which are spaced apart by an arcuate portion 184 which is sized to fit around the spout 194 to prevent the spout from falling through the aperture 160 into the interior 157 of the assembled container 110. The finger portions 186 are preferably sized and configured to provide an interference fit with the outer periphery of the spout 194 for securing the flap 134 to the spout. The front and rear top cover flaps 140, 132 are configured to fold inwardly toward each other over the top of the container 110 for securing the container in the FIG. 5 fully assembled configuration as shown. As FIG. 3 shown, each of the flap members 140 and 132 define a slot 62, 80 through which the handle flaps 118, 120 extend, respectively, when the right and left top flaps 124, 122 are folded inwardly over the opening of the container 110 and the handle members 118, 120 are folded to extend vertically upward in a side-by-side arrangement. The front top flap 140 is folded over the right and left top flaps 124, 122 first, and the handle flaps 118, 120 are inserted through the slots 162 from below. The rear top flap 132 is then folded over the front top flap 140, and the vertically extending handle flaps 118, 120 are inserted through the slots 180 so that the rear top flap 132 rests flat against the outer surface of the front top flap 140. As shown in FIG. 5. The spout lock flap 134 can then be positioned around the spout 94.

[0062] The right and left top flaps 124, 122 and the handle flaps 118, 120 can be configured so that when the right and left top flaps 124, 122 are folded toward each other and the handle flaps 118, 120 are folded to their assembled orientation, there is a gap between the handle flaps 118, 120 before the front and rear top flaps 140, 132 are folded downward, which are the last two flaps to be folded during assembly. The purpose of this gap is to pull the upper portions of the right and left side walls 126, 130 toward each other when the handle flaps 118, 120 are inserted together through the slots 162 and 180 of the front and rear top flaps 140, 132. When the handle flaps 118, 120 are together, the upper portions of the right and left side walls 126, 130 must flex slightly inward. This flexing gives the right and left side walls 126, 130 a convex profile to very closely match the profile of the sloped wall portion 114, as shown in FIG. 8

[0063] ​The container top 159 advantageously has its apex 161 spaced rearwardly from the front wall 112. In this form, the spout lock flap fold line 182 is also spaced from the front wall 112, specifically from the top edge 152 of the front wall, which allows the rear top flap 132 to be reduced in length compared to previously known containers. Similarly, the front top flap fold line 164 is spaced rearwardly from the front wall 112 and its top edge 152, allowing the front top flap 140 to be similarly reduced in length, so material will be reduced.

[0064] The bottom or base 155 of the container 110 is formed from a plurality of bottom flaps including the front bottom flap 142, which is hingedly connected to the front wall 112 along a fold line 154. The right bottom flap 144 is hingedly connected to the right side wall 126 along a fold line 170. The rear bottom flap 146 is hingedly connected to the rear wall 128 along a fold line 176, and the left bottom flap 148 is hingedly connected to the left side wall 130 along a fold line 190. The flap portion 151 is hingedly connected to the right bottom flap 144 along a perforated fold line 145, and similarly the flap portion 153 is hingedly connected to the left bottom flap 148 along a perforated fold line 149. During initial assembly of the collapsed container, the flap portions 151, 153 are adhesively connected to the outer surfaces of the front and rear bottom flaps 142, 146, respectively, via an adhesive such as a cold set adhesive applied to either the flap portions 151, 153 or the front and rear bottom flaps 142, 146. Advantageously, after the bottom flaps are adhered together, the bottom flaps are folded inwardly, with the inner surfaces of the flaps 142, 144, 146, 148 covering the inner surfaces of the walls 112, 126, 128, 130. The bottom flaps 142, 144, 146, 148 are constructed so that, as is known in the art, when the container 110 is in the collapsed orientation, they are capable of being readily transformed from this folded configuration to a generally planar configuration to form the base 155 when the container is inflated by a user to its filled orientation. When assembled to the filled orientation, the respective walls 112, 126, 128, 130, top flaps, and bottom flaps form a closed interior space 157 therebetween, into which the beverage pod 196 is disposed.

[0065] The container 110 advantageously includes a sloped wall portion 114 extending from the top edge 152 of the front wall 112. The sloped wall portion 114 defines an aperture 160 through which a portion of the spout 194 of the pod 196 extends. The aperture 160 includes a plurality of radial slots to form a plurality of flaps around the aperture 160 for engaging the outer periphery of the spout 194 in an interference fit while avoiding tearing the material around the aperture 160 as the spout 194 is inserted through the aperture 160.

[0066] Unlike FIGS. 1-4In this embodiment, the angled wall portion 114, the aperture 160, and the opening of the spout 193 are each oriented in a plane that is oriented at an angle a relative to a perpendicular (i.e., an axis V that extends vertically from the base). The spout body 194, which extends generally vertically from the angled wall portion 114 at a complement of a, is oriented at least partially vertically upward. In other words, the spout 194 extends about a longitudinal axis L that is inclined relative to a horizontal plane defined by the flat base 155. As in the previous embodiments, the angled wall portion 114, the aperture 160, or the opening of the spout 193 can have various angles of inclination. The angled wall portion 114 will alternatively be oriented to have a sufficient horizontal component so that liquid can be poured directly into the container 110 when the base 155 is horizontal. In this embodiment, although the same orientation is not provided for pouring as well as shipping the container, other benefits are provided, such as reducing material (approximately 20% of the previously known container), while maintaining the same fluid capacity, reducing spillage when shipping the container 110 without a cap, improving visibility of the spout during pouring, and reducing pouring after due to the vertically inclined spout 194.

[0067] Similar to the first disclosed embodiment, hot melt glue can be applied at the adhesive locations on either side of the aperture 160 for adhering the bladder 196 to the angled wall portion 114 and the front wall 112. Because the bladder 196 is adhesively attached to the inner surface of the angled wall portion 114, and the spout 194 is trapped within the aperture 160 in the angled wall portion 114, any weight of liquid not supported by the base 155 of the container 110 will be supported by the angled wall portion 114 and indirectly by the surrounding walls. Accordingly, the right and left side walls 126, 130 can be provided with support shoulder flaps or tabs 136, 138 to provide additional support to the angled wall portion 114. The support shoulder tabs 136, 138 have a triangular shape and are hingedly connected to the respective right and left side walls 126, 130 along fold lines 166, 191. The fold lines 166, 191 have the same slope as the angled wall portion 114 when the container 110 is assembled. During assembly, the support tabs 136, 138 are folded under the angled wall portion 114 and over its inner surface so that the support shoulder tabs 136, 138 provide additional support to the angled wall portion 114 when liquid is poured into the container 110 to prevent the angled wall portion 114 from being pulled inward into the interior of the container 157 by the liquid in the bladder. In other versions, the support tabs 136, 138 can be omitted.

[0068] FIG. 9 An alternative embodiment of the modular beverage container blank 215 is shown. While it is not necessary to describe it again here, the blank 15 is similar to... FIG. 3 The parts identical to those described previously are labeled with the same numbers, plus the number 200. Blank 215 is similar. FIG. 3 The blank of the first embodiment shown differs in that the blank is constructed such that the inclined wall portion 214 is inclined to a greater extent from the vertical, that is, has a flatter inclination relative to the flat base. In particular, the inclined wall portion 214 is constructed such that, in the assembled expanded structure, the inclined wall portion 214 is oriented at 80 degrees relative to the vertical line extending from the base. To compensate for this change, the shoulder covers 236, 238 are relative to... FIG. 3 The embodiment is slightly elongated. Furthermore, the apex of the assembled container is lower and positioned further away from the front wall 212.

[0069] and FIG. 3 Other key differences in the illustrated embodiments are that the handle covers 218, 220 are configured with notches 241, 243 located at the outer edges of the covers and adjacent to the fold line, from which the handle covers 218, 220 extend adjacent to the right and left top covers 224, 222, so that the notches 241, 243 align with each other when the blanks 215 are assembled into a beverage container. The notches 241, 243, in any embodiment, can be configured to receive portions of the front and rear top covers 240, 232 adjacent to the slots 262, 280 to more reliably secure the top covers together. The notches 241, 243 are preferably sized to twice the material thickness corresponding to the front and rear top covers 240, 232, such that the notches formed by the aligned notches 241, 243 of the handle covers 218, 220 can accommodate both covers. The notches 241 and 243 effectively prevent the top of the container from separating, and are particularly useful in embodiments where the inclined wall portion 214 has a flatter inclination relative to the base.

[0070] Although various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that further embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the invention. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, and alterations can be made based on this disclosure and are intended to fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. An assembled container, comprising: A container body formed from a single integral blank, the single integral blank being configured to assemble from a collapsed orientation to an expanded orientation for receiving, transporting and pouring liquids, the container body having a flat base, a top, and a front wall, a rear wall, and opposing sidewalls extending between the top and base of the container in the expanded orientation, which cooperate to form an internal space. A flexible capsule having an interior for storing liquid therein, the capsule being disposed within the interior space of a container body, the capsule including a nozzle having an opening communicating with the interior of the capsule to provide a liquid passage to the interior of the capsule; and The top of the container body has a first inclined portion, which is oriented obliquely relative to the flat base and extends upward from the rear wall toward the apex; The handle portion of the container body extends upward from the first inclined portion and is used for transporting and manipulating the container; The second inclined portion at the top of the container body includes an inclined wall portion that is oriented obliquely relative to the flat base portion, extends upward from the front wall toward the apex, and includes an opening through which the nozzle extends.

2. The modular container according to claim 1, wherein, The front wall extends obliquely from the base.

3. The modular container according to claim 1, wherein, The second inclined portion is oriented at an angle between 55 and 85 degrees relative to the vertical axis perpendicular to the flat base.

4. The modular container according to claim 1, wherein, The second inclined portion is oriented at an angle between 5 and 35 degrees relative to the vertical axis perpendicular to the flat base.

5. The modular container according to claim 1, wherein, The first inclined portion is oriented at a first predetermined acute angle relative to the vertical axis perpendicular to the flat base, and the second inclined portion is oriented at a second predetermined acute angle relative to the vertical axis perpendicular to the flat base, wherein the first predetermined acute angle is greater than the second predetermined acute angle.

6. The modular container according to claim 1, wherein, The top of the container body includes a rear top cover extending from the rear wall and forming part of the first inclined portion, and a nozzle locking cover extending from the rear top cover and forming part of the second inclined portion, wherein the nozzle locking cover covers the inclined wall portion and includes a nozzle engagement portion configured to extend around at least a portion of the nozzle to prevent the nozzle from being pulled into the interior space through the orifice.

7. The modular container according to claim 6, wherein, The apex of the top of the container body extends between the opposing sidewalls and is formed cooperatively by an edge located between the inclined wall portion and the front top cover extending from the inclined wall portion and an edge located between the rear top cover and the nozzle locking cover, the nozzle locking cover covering the edge between the inclined wall portion and the front top cover.

8. The modular container according to claim 1, wherein, The first and second inclined portions intersect at the apex at an angle between 90 and 135 degrees.

9. The modular container according to claim 1, wherein, A support shoulder flap extends from each of the opposing sidewalls, and the support shoulder flap is configured to extend along the inner surface of the inclined wall portion to provide support to the inner surface of the inclined wall portion.

10. The modular container according to claim 1, wherein, The capsule is attached to the inner surface of the inclined wall using an adhesive.

11. The modular container according to claim 1, wherein, The top of the container body includes a rear top cover and a front top cover, and the handle portion includes a notch for receiving a portion of each of the rear top cover and the front top cover, for securing the top cover in the notch.

12. The modular container according to claim 1, wherein, At least one of the opposing sidewalls and the rear wall of the container body extends from the base at an obtuse angle relative to the base.

13. The modular container according to claim 1, wherein, Both the first inclined portion and the second inclined portion are oriented at a predetermined angle relative to the vertical axis perpendicular to the flat base, and the predetermined angle of the second inclined portion is smaller than the predetermined angle of the first inclined portion.

14. The modular container according to claim 1, wherein, The first inclined portion extends toward the vertex along a length, and the second inclined portion extends toward the vertex along a length, wherein the length of the first inclined portion is greater than the length of the second inclined portion.

15. The modular container according to claim 1, wherein, The uppermost part of the vertex is less than 7 inches apart from the base.

16. A collapsible beverage container preform, said beverage container preform being formed from a single sheet material, said beverage container preform comprising: A front wall having an upper edge, and a top wall extending from the upper edge; The top wall portion has an opening for receiving a nozzle therein and an upper edge, the upper edge of the top wall portion having a front top cover extending from the upper edge; A first sidewall having an upper edge, the upper edge of which has a first top cover extending from the upper edge; A first handle cover extends from the first top cover. A rear wall having an upper edge, the upper edge of which has a rear top cover extending from the upper edge; A second sidewall having an upper edge, the upper edge of which has a second top cover extending from the upper edge; as well as A second handle cover extends from the second top cover. The front top cover and the rear top cover both include an elongated slot for receiving the first handle cover and the second handle cover passing through them; The top wall portion, front top cover, rear top cover, first top cover, and second top cover are configured to form the top of a beverage container. The top of the beverage container has a first inclined portion and a second inclined portion. When the beverage container blank is assembled into the expanded structure, the first inclined portion and the second inclined portion meet at the apex spaced apart from the front wall. The top wall portion forms the second inclined portion, and the front top cover and rear top cover form the first inclined portion. The first handle cover and the second handle cover extend vertically from the first inclined portion.

17. The beverage container blank according to claim 16, wherein, A shoulder cover extends from each of the first and second sidewalls, each shoulder cover being configured to engage the inner surface of the top wall portion in the expanded configuration of the beverage container blank to provide support for the top wall portion.

18. The beverage container blank according to claim 16, wherein, Both the first and second handle covers include recesses therein, which are aligned together in the expanded configuration of the beverage container blank to receive portions of the front and rear top covers therein.

19. The beverage container blank of claim 16, further comprising a nozzle locking cover extending from the rear top cover, the nozzle locking cover being configured to cover the top wall portion when the beverage container blank is in an expanded configuration, the nozzle locking cover including a nozzle engagement portion configured to extend around at least a portion of a nozzle extending through the orifice in the top wall portion.

20. The beverage container blank according to claim 16, wherein, The front wall includes a pair of side edges extending from the bottom edge of the front wall, the side edges being separated from each other as they extend to the top edge of the front wall, such that the front wall is wider at the top edge than at the bottom edge.

21. The beverage container blank according to claim 16, wherein, Both the first handle cover and the second handle cover taper downwards from their rear to their front between their outer and inner surface portions.

22. The beverage container blank of claim 16, further comprising a flexible bladder having a nozzle therein for receiving fluid, the nozzle being received in an orifice in the top wall portion prior to assembly into the expansion orientation.

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