US3871559A

US3871559A - Milk dispenser container

Info

Publication number: US3871559A
Application number: US402459A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gary W Smith; George A Lemcke
Original assignee: Parish Manufacturing Inc
Current assignee: Parish Manufacturing Inc
Priority date: 1973-02-22
Filing date: 1973-10-01
Publication date: 1975-03-18
Anticipated expiration: 1992-03-18
Also published as: CA999557A

Abstract

A container for holding a flexible bag of milk for the dispensing thereof. The container is fittable within a refrigerated milk dispenser cabinet. The container has a removably mounted front wall which is transparent. The bottom wall of the container slants upwardly from the transparent front wall and supports the flexible bag of milk. The bag has a dispensing tube which extends through an aperture in the slanted bottom wall adjacent to the transparent front wall and located at the lowermost point of the container. The transparent front wall has a pair of molded flanges extending the length of the front wall defining a pair of opposed recesses which slidably receive a pair of flanges which extend outwardly from, in perpendicular fashion, the vertical side walls of the container.

Description

United States Patent Smith et al.

1451 Mar. 18, 1975 MILK DISPENSER CONTAINER Primary ExaminerStanley H. Tollberg G W. A. l [75] Inventors g z i g gbgg Lemcke Assistant Examiner-H. Grant Skaggs, Jr.

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Woodard, Weikart, [73] Assignee: Parish Manufacturing Inc., E h dt & Na ht Indianapolis, Ind.

[22] Filed: Oct. 1, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT v [21] A N 402,459 A container for holding a flexible bag of milk for the dispensing thereof. The container is fittable within a Related Apphcauon D ata refrigerated milk dispenser cabinet. The container has n in p 0f Feb. a removably mounted front wall which is transparent. 19731 abandoned The bottom wall of the container slants upwardly from the transparent front wall and supports the flexible [52] US. Cl. ZZZ/183, 220/41 bag of milk The bag h a dispensing tube i h [5 Cl. tend through an aperture in thg lanted botton ran [58] F'eld Search 222M831 105; 220/41 adjacent to the transparent front wall and located at the lowermost point of the container. The transparent [56] References C'ted front wall has a pair of molded flanges extending the UNITED STATES PATENTS length of the front wall defining a pair of opposed re- 2,813,653 11/1957 Grossman 220/41 @8898 which Slidably receive a P Of flanges which 2,881.942 4/1959 Albright et al 220/41 extend out ardly fro in p p c a a the 3,19L8l0 6/1965 Johnston 222/183 vertical side walls of the container. 3212,68] 10/1965 Weikert 222/183 3,297,206 1/1967 Scholle 222/183 1 Clalm, 6 Drawmg F Igures MILK DISPENSER CONTAINER CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a continuation-in-part of commonly assigned, copending application Ser. No. 334,684, filed Feb. 22, 1973 and now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention is in the field of containers for holding and dispensing from flexible bags of liquid.

2. Description of the Prior Art In many cafeterias, restaurants and the like, milk is dispensed directly from a refrigerated cabinet. These cabinets typically have a front door which is hinged to allow insertion of and removal of containers of milk. The containers of milk may take the form of a rigid metal can or a corrugated box into which a bag is fitted containing the milk. Generally, the same container is used to ship the milk from the dairy to the restaurant or cafeteria with the same container then being inserted into the refrigerated dispenser. The corrugated boxes each hold a plastic bag of milk. Thus, the dairy encounters packaging costs since a plastic bag of milk must be inserted into each corrugated box. In many cases, humidity, free water, etc., often causes the corrugated box to deteriorate. The dairies and restaurants must elevate the corrugated boxes from the floor during the storing thereof to prevent water and other contaminants from contacting the boxes. Disclosed herein is a new container for receiving a plastic bag of milk which alleviates these problems.

The container disclosed herein is designed to be long lasting and semi-permanent as compared to the previously discussed corrugated boxes which are eventually discarded. Thus, the present container is ecologically superior to the prior art corrugated box. It is planned that the plastic bags containing milk will be shipped directly from the dairy in conventional dairy containers to the restaurant and then inserted into the present container. It is anticipated that the plastic bags of milk will be produced from plastic film of sufficient gauge to prevent accidental rupture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One embodiment of the present invention is the combination of a liquid dispenser cabinet having an inner chamber with a bottom wall and a first aperture positioned thereon, a container fitted within the dispenser cabinet and having a removably mounted front wall and a bottom slanted wall, the container including a second aperture from which the slanted wall extends upwardly, and a flexible plastic bag of liquid fitted within the container atop the bottom slanted wall and including an outlet tube extending through the first aperture and the second aperture.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved container for receiving and for holding milk during the dispensing thereof.

A further object ofthe present invention is to provide a multiple usage and semi-permanent milk dispenser container which has a removable wall to facilitate the insertion of a bag of milk and removal after emptying.

In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a container for holding a flexible bag of milk with the container having a bottom wall slanted in three planes to ensure for maximum drainage of the milk.

Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view of a milk dispenser cabinet holding the container incorporating the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view of the cover which fits upon container 12 shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the cover of FIG. 2 viewed in the direction of arrows 33.

FIG. 4 is an end view of container 12 looking in the direction of arrows 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 4 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a combination 10 which includes a milk dispenser cabinet having an inner chamber for receiving container 12. The bottom wall of dispenser 11 is provided with an aperture through which tube 23 of bag 22 extends. A variety of different types of milk dispenser cabinets 11 are commercially available. Typically, these cabinets are refrigerated and include a front door which is hingedly mounted thereto to allow for the insertion and removal of containers of milk.

Container 12 includes a pair of vertically extending side walls which have flanges l9 and 19 perpendicularly extending outwardly therefrom. The front wall 13 of container 12 is removably mounted thereon having a pair of L-

shaped brackets

14 and 15 rigidly mounted or molded to front wall 13 and designed to be slidably mounted on flanges l9 and 19'. Front wall 13 and

brackets

14 and 15 are formed from the same transparent material. Grooves 18 and 18' become narrower at the uppermost end 30 of front wall 13 and correspondingly

brackets

14 and 15 become narrower at the uppermost end of front wall 13. This allows an easy start when sliding front wall 13 on and also prevents front wall 13 from being put on upside down. The tapering at the uppermost end of the housing gives additional structural rigidity to the slidable fit between

brackets

14 and 15 and flanges 19 and 19'. Thus, cover 13 is slidably mounted to flanges l9 and 19 and may be removed therefrom to allow for the removal and insertion of a flexible bag 22 of milk.

Cover 13 as shown in FIG. 2 has rigidly mounted locking tab member 34. Member 34 is a molded part of cover 13. Member 34 is designed to interlock with bridge 25 to prevent cover 13 from bowing outwardly from pressure created by the milk. If allowed to bow out, the fluid containing bag would be exposed thereby causing risk of tearing or snagging. Additionally, on the inside of cover 13 is cover wedge 35. Wedge 35 locks cover 13 in place in the proper position. The uppermost edge of wedge 35 is a horizontal edge and fits in a pressure relationship with the inside surface of top wall 38 when cover 13 has been completely received by container 12. In addition, stop 39 receives the bottom edge 50 of cover 13 when cover 13 has been completely received by container 12. Hole 37 is provided in cover 13 to allow insertion ofa finger or other grasping apparatus in order to bow cover 13 out when releasing wedge 35. Reinforcing ribs 36 are provided at both the top and bottom of cover 13 to prevent distortion of cover 13 when internal pressure from bag 22 is applied.

Container 12 has a bottom slanted wall 21 integrally joined or molded to the side walls and back wall of the container. Likewise, the top wall of the container is integrally joined to the side walls and back wall of container 12. Wall 21 is provided with an aperture 20 adjacent cover 13. Wall 21 is additionally provided with bottom support legs 27 and strengthening

members

28 and 29. Tube 23 thereby extends through aperture 20 and a similar aperture provided in the bottom wall of cabinet 11. Since the bottom wall slants from aperture 20 upwardly toward the back wall of container 12 and sidewardly toward the side walls of said container, the maximum amount of milk possible within bag 22 will drain through tube 23. The back wall of container 12 is parallel to the front cover 13 and is perpendicular to the top wall of container 12. It is anticipated that container 12 be produced from a material such as opaque plastic, aluminum, stainless steel, etc. A preferred plastic for front wall 13 is polycarbonate while a preferred plastic for container 12 is polypropylene. In the latter case, the box would be an integral piece with the exception of cover 13. Wall 21 slants downwardly from each side wall to the center line of wall 21.

The container 12 is sized to fit within cabinet 11 with the flexible plastic bag of milk being sized to fit within container 12. By providing a removable transparent front wall for the container, the plastic bag which is within the container will be visible and easily removable. The container will be particularly advantageous in that humidity, free water, etc., and other adverse environmental conditions will not damage the structure. In addition, since the removable wall is transparent, any product identifying labels which are provided on the plastic bag will be easily seen. Likewise, the milk level in the plastic bag will be readily apparent.

It will be obvious from the above description that the present invention provides a new and improved container for holding and dispensing a flexible bag of liquid. It will be further obvious from the above description that the present invention provides a new and improved milk dispensing container.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. The combination of:

a liquid dispenser cabinet having an inner chamber with a bottom wall and a first aperture positioned thereon;

a container fitted within said dispenser cabinet and having a removably mounted front wall and a bottom slanted wall, said container including a second aperture from which said slanted wall extends upwardly;

said bottom slanted wall including a bridge integrally joined thereto which defines said second aperture;

said container having a pair of vertical sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom slanted wall with each sidewall having an outwardly extending flange perpendicularly joined thereto;

said flanges becoming gradually narrower at the uppermost vertical end;

said removable wall comprising a sheet of transparent material with depending portions extending lengthwise on opposite sides of said sheet being molded onto said sheet and defining a pair of opposed C-shaped channels slidably receiving said flanges, said channels becoming gradually narrower at the uppermost vertical end securing said front wall to said container;

said container including a back wall parallel to said front wall and a top wall joined by means of molding to said back wall;

said sidewall being molded to said top wall, said slanted bottom wall and said back wall;

said removable front wall having a locking tab member molded thereto, said locking tab member being slidably received by said bridge;

said removable front wall having a wedge-shaped member molded thereto positioned such that when said removable front wall is in place said wedgeshaped member engages said top wall to prevent movement of said front wall; and

a flexible plastic bag of liquid fitted within said container atop said bottom slanted wall and including an outlet tube extending through said firstaperture and said second aperture.

Claims

1. The combination of: a liquid dispenser cabinet having an inner chamber with a bottom wall and a first aperture positioned thereon; a container fitted within said dispenser cabinet and having a removably mounted front wall and a bottom slanted wall, said container including a second aperture from which said slanted wall extends upwardly; said bottom slanted wall including a bridge integrally joined thereto which defines said second aperture; said container having a pair of vertical sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom slanted wall with each sidewall having an outwardly exteNding flange perpendicularly joined thereto; said flanges becoming gradually narrower at the uppermost vertical end; said removable wall comprising a sheet of transparent material with depending portions extending lengthwise on opposite sides of said sheet being molded onto said sheet and defining a pair of opposed C-shaped channels slidably receiving said flanges, said channels becoming gradually narrower at the uppermost vertical end securing said front wall to said container; said container including a back wall parallel to said front wall and a top wall joined by means of molding to said back wall; said sidewall being molded to said top wall, said slanted bottom wall and said back wall; said removable front wall having a locking tab member molded thereto, said locking tab member being slidably received by said bridge; said removable front wall having a wedge-shaped member molded thereto positioned such that when said removable front wall is in place said wedge-shaped member engages said top wall to prevent movement of said front wall; and a flexible plastic bag of liquid fitted within said container atop said bottom slanted wall and including an outlet tube extending through said first aperture and said second aperture.