Apparatus and process for filling plural chamber container with flowable materials

A process for filling a plurality of flowable materials into a container having a sidewall, a closed end, an open end, and at least one internal flexible partitioning extending between the closed end and the open end to divide the container interior into a plurality of chambers so as to maintain the plurality of materials separated within the container, said at least one flexible partitioning having a first and a second side edge, each side edge attached to said sidewall, said internal flexible partitioning having a transverse dimension greater than the linear distance of the first side edge attachment to said sidewall and said second side edge attachment to said sidewall, said process comprising the steps of:

• (a) positioning the container with a known orientation;
• (b) positioning the internal partitioning with a desired orientation across the container;
• (c) inserting a supply nozzle into each respective one of the plurality of chambers;
• and
• (d) injecting a known quantity of a respective material into each respective one of the plurality of chambers through the respective supply nozzles.

Apparatus for filling two flowable materials into a container having a sidewall, a closed end, an open end, and an internal flexible partition extending from the closed end to the open end to provide two chambers to maintain the two materials separated within the container, said flexible partitioning having a first and a second side edge, each side edge attached to said sidewall, said internal flexible partitioning having a transverse dimension greater than the linear distance of the first side edge attachment to said sidewall and said second side edge attachment to said sidewall, said apparatus comprising:

• a first supply nozzle for supplying a first one of the two materials;
• a second supply nozzle for supplying the other one of the two materials;
• a holder for holding the container with the container open end in an aligned relationship with said first and second supply nozzles;
• means for altering the position of the internal partition across the container so as to position the internal partition between said first supply nozzle and said second supply nozzle, permitting said first supply nozzle to enter a first one of the chambers for discharging thereinto of the first one of the two materials and permitting said second supply nozzle to enter the other one of the two chambers for discharging thereinto of the second one of the two materials.

A process for filling two flowable materials into a container having a sidewall, a closed end, an open end and an internal flexible partition extending from the closed end to the open end to provide two chambers to maintain the two materials separated within the container, said flexible partitioning having a first and a second side edge, each side edge attached to said sidewall, said internal flexible partitioning having a transverse dimension greater than the linear distance of the first side edge attachment to said sidewall and said second side edge attachment to said sidewall, said process comprising the steps of:

• (a) positioning the container with a known orientation;
• (b) positioning the internal partition at a desired location within the container;
• (c) inserting a first supply nozzle into a first one of the two chambers and discharging a known quantity of the first material into said first one of the two chambers;
• and
• (d) inserting a second supply nozzle into the other one of the two chambers and discharging a known quantity of the second material into said other one of the two chambers.

Apparatus for orienting a container within a holder, the container having a sidewall, a closed end, an open end, and an internal flexible partition extending from the closed end to the open end to provide two chambers to maintain two materials separated within the container, so as to align the partition with respect to the holder, said apparatus comprising:

• a first probe member;
• a second probe member;
• a holder for holding the container with the container open end in an aligned relationship with the first and second probe members, said holder having a predetermined internal configuration;
• means forming at least a part of said first and second probe members, for altering the position of the internal partition relative to the container sidewall so as to position the internal partition between said first probe member and said second probe member, permitting said first probe member to enter a first one of the chambers and permitting said second probe member to enter the other one of the two chambers;
• means for inserting said first probe member into the first one of the two chambers;
• means for inserting said second probe member into the other one of the two chambers;
• means for rotating one of (i) said holder and (ii) said first and second probe members while having the container within said holder with said first and second probe members inserted into the first and second chambers, respectively, so as to conform the shape of said container body to the predetermined configuration.

A process for orienting a container within a holder, the container having a sidewall, a closed end, an open end, and an internal flexible partition extending from the closed end to the open end to provide two chambers to maintain two materials within the container, so as to align the partition with respect to the holder, said process comprising the steps of:

• (a) positioning the container with the container open end adjacent a first probe member and a second probe member;
• (b) positioning of the internal partition between said first probe member and said second probe member, permitting said first probe member to enter a first one of the chambers and said second probe member to enter the other one of the two chambers;
• (c) inserting said first probe member into the first one of the two chambers;
• (d) inserting said second probe member into the other one of the two chambers;
• (e) rotating one of (i) said container and (ii) said first and second probe members with said first and second probe members inserted into the first and second chambers, respectively, so as to conform the shape of said container body to a predetermined configuration.

Apparatus for orienting a container within a holder, the container having a sidewall, a closed end, an open end, and an internal flexible partition extending from the closed end to the open end to provide two chambers to maintain two materials separated within the container, so as to align the partition with respect to the holder, said apparatus comprising:

• a first probe member;
• a second probe member;
• a holder for holding the container with the container open end in an aligned relationship with the first and second probe members, said holder having a predetermined configuration;
• means forming at least a part of said first and second probe members, for altering the position of the internal partition relative to the container sidewall so as to position the internal partition between said first probe member and said second probe member, permitting said first probe member to enter a first one of the chambers and permitting said second probe member to enter the other one of the two chambers;
• means for inserting said first probe member into the first one of the two chambers;
• means for inserting said second probe member into the other one of the two chambers;
• and
• means associated with said first probe member and said second probe member to orient said internal partition.

A process for orienting a container within a holder, the container having a sidewall, a closed end, an open end, and an internal flexible partition extending from the closed end to the open end to provide two chambers to maintain two materials within the container, so as to align the internal flexible partition with respect to the holder, said flexible partitioning having a first and a second side edge, each side edge attached to said sidewall, said internal flexible partitioning having a transverse dimension greater than the linear distance of the first side edge attachment to said sidewall and said second side edge attachment to said sidewall, said process comprising the steps of:

• (a) positioning the container with the container open end adjacent a first probe member and a second probe member;
• (b) positioning the internal partition between said first probe member and said second probe member, permitting said first probe member to enter a first one of the two chambers and said second probe member to enter the other one of the two chambers;
• (c) inserting said first probe member into the first one of the two chambers;
• (d) inserting said second probe member into the other one of the two chambers;
• (e) orienting a middle portion of said internal partition to a distance from said sidewall.