Portion control dispenser
AssigneeSonoco Development, Inc.
InventorKurt A. Ziegenfelder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is directed to a dispensing device comprising a rigid container, a flexible bladder, and a rigid stopper. The container is adapted to contain a product to be dispensed. The flexible bladder is disposed below and in fluid communication with the container. The bladder comprises a top end, a sidewall extending downwardly from the top end and terminates in a spout. The bladder is in a liquid tight engagement with the container and the product contained in the container is adapted to flow into the bladder. The rigid stopper is disposed within the flexible bladder and comprises a top end, and at least one sidewall extending downwardly from the top end, and terminates in an open bottom end. The stopper comprises a plurality of through holes.
Claims20
A dispensing device comprising:
- a rigid container adapted to contain a product to be dispensed, the container comprising at a first end, a second end, and at least one sidewall connecting the first end and the second end, wherein the first end of the container comprises a first opening and the second end of the container comprises a second opening;
- a flexible bladder disposed in fluid communication with the rigid container via the second opening of the container, the bladder comprising a first end, a sidewall extending from the first end and terminating in a spout, wherein the flexible bladder is adapted to receive a product to be dispensed from the rigid container;
- and
- a rigid stopper disposed within the flexible bladder, the stopper comprising a first end and at least one sidewall extending from the first end, wherein the stopper comprises a plurality of through holes which extend between an external surface of the stopper sidewall and an internal surface of the stopper sidewall.
A method of dispensing a product comprising:
- providing a rigid container adapted to contain a product to be dispensed, the container comprising at a first end, a second end, and at least one sidewall connecting the first end and the second end, wherein the first end of the container comprises a first opening and the second end of the container comprises a second opening;
- providing a flexible bladder disposed in fluid communication with the rigid container via the second opening of the container, the bladder comprising a first end, a sidewall extending from the first end and terminating in a spout, wherein the flexible bladder is adapted to receive a product to be dispensed from the rigid container;
- providing at least one rigid stopper configured to be disposed within the flexible bladder, the stopper comprising a first end and at least one sidewall extending from the first end, wherein the stopper comprises a plurality of through holes which extend between an external surface of the stopper sidewall and an internal surface of the stopper sidewall;
- disposing one of the at least one rigid stoppers within the flexible bladder;
- filling the container with a flowable product;
- disposing the container such that the flowable product flows into the flexible bladder;
- squeezing the flexible bladder until the flexible bladder sidewall is adjacent the stopper sidewall, thereby dispensing a measured portion of product from the spout.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.