Apparatus and methods for filling and dispensing liquids

A shippable dispense head arranged for mating with a substantially rigid container containing a collapsible liner with an interstitial space between the liner and the container, and with a fitment of the liner registered with a mouth portion of the container, the dispense head comprising:

• a dispense head body defining a liquid passage and a liner gas passage arranged to permit fluid communication with an interior of the liner, and a pressurization gas passage in fluid communication with the interstitial space, wherein an insertion portion of the dispense head includes at least one sealing element is insertable into the fitment to sealingly engage a portion of the fitment, with a terminus of the liner gas passage arranged below the at least one sealing element to permit fluid communication with an upper portion of the liner;
• and
• a dip tube extending past the fitment into the interior of the liner, wherein the liquid passage extends to or through the dip tube to permit extraction of fluid material from a lower portion of the liner;
• a liner gas valve in fluid communication with the liner gas passage;
• a liquid valve in fluid communication with the liquid passage;
• and
• a pressurization gas valve in fluid communication with the pressurization gas passage.

A fluid handling method utilizing a substantially rigid container containing a collapsible liner and a dispense head coupled to a mouth of the container and comprising a liquid passage in fluid communication with an interior of the liner, a liner gas passage in fluid communication with the interior of the liner, a pressurization gas passage in fluid communication with an interstitial space between the liner and the container, a liquid valve in fluid communication with the liquid passage, a liner gas valve in fluid communication with the liner gas passage, and a pressurization gas valve in fluid communication with the pressurization gas passage, the method comprising:

• supplying inert gas through the dispense head to an interior of the liner and inflating the liner;
• following the inert gas supplying step, removing inert gas from the interior of the liner through the dispense head to at least partially deflate the liner;
• following removing inert gas from the interior step, supplying a liquid-containing material through the dispense head to at least partially fill the interior of the liner with the liquid-containing material while allowing at least a portion of the inert gas within the liner to escape through the dispense head;
• and
• following the liquid-containing material supplying step, closing the liquid supply valve.