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US 6,318,594 B1Granted
Container system and method apparatus for holding and dispensing flowable dry goods
OwnerBurleigh M. Hutchinsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A soft container and handling system for transporting, handling, and dispensing flowable dry goods, the container having a resealable discharge chute extending from a bottom wall portion and arranged to allow gravity induced discharge of goods when raised above a surface and to be closed against an upper portion of the container to prevent flow with the container supported on the surface.
Claims36
A method for dispensing flowable dry goods comprising the steps of:
- providing a container having an upper portion defining a compartment and a bottom wall portion defining an opening;
- filling said compartment with flowable dry goods;
- supporting said container on a surface engaging said bottom wall portion to close said opening and thereby prevent gravity-induced discharge of said dry goods through said opening;
- raising said container off of said surface to expose said opening and thereby induce discharge of a portion of the dry goods through said opening;
- lowering said container onto said surface to close said opening and thereby terminate said discharge of said dry goods through said opening;
- and
- wherein said containers further comprise:
- a rectangular top wall;
- two opposing side walls depending therefrom;
- opposing front and back walls extending between said opposing side walls;
- each of said walls having four edges;
- each of said edges connected along its entirety in an orthogonal configuration to that of said other walls to which it is adjacent;
- and wherein said bottom wall portion opposes said top wall and having a back edge adjacent said back wall, two side edges each adjacent one of said side walls, and a front edge adjacent said front wall said back and side edges connected along their entireties in orthogonal configuration to that of said walls to which each is adjacent, but said front edge is substantially unconnected to said adjacent front wall;
- and wherein raising said container induces said substantially unconnected edge to spread to thereby from said opening and induce said discharge;
- and
- lowering said container closes said opening to thereby terminate said discharge.
13 more elements
A system for handling containers of flowable dry goods, said containers comprising:
- an upper portion defining a compartment for retaining said dry goods;
- a bottom wall portion for supporting said container on a surface, said bottom wall portion defining a discharge opening allowing gravity-induced discharge of said dry goods from said compartment;
- said system comprising lift means for either raising said container from said surface to expose said opening to induce said discharge of said dry goods, or lowering said container onto said surface to close said opening to terminate said discharge of said dry goods;
- and
- wherein said container further comprise:
- a rectangular top wall;
- two opposing side walls depending therefrom;
- opposing front and back walls extending between said opposing side walls, each of said walls having four edges, each of said edges connected along its entirety in an orthogonal configuration to that of said other walls to which it is adjacent;
- and said bottom wall portion opposes said top wall and has a back edge adjacent said back wall, two side edges each adjacent one of said side walls, and a front edge adjacent said front wall, said back and side edges connected along their entireties in orthogonal configuration to that of said walls to which each is adjacent, but said front edge being substantially unconnected to said adjacent front wall;
- and
- said means for either raising or lowering said container induces said substantially unconnected edge to spread when said container is raised to thereby open said discharge opening and induce said discharge, and to close when said container is lowered to thereby terminate said discharge.
8 more elements
A container for holding and dispensing flowable dry goods and comprising:
- an upper portion defining a compartment for retaining the dry goods;
- a bottom portion for supporting a container on a surface, said bottom portion defining a discharge opening;
- an opening defined in said bottom wall portion and arranged such that lifting said container off of the surface provides a gravity induced discharge of the dry goods through said opening, and subsequent lowering of said bottom wall portion onto the surface covers said opening by the surface to terminate discharge of the dry goods;
- a chute having a chute opening, extendible transversely of said bottom wall portion, said chute being flexible for closing against said upper portion of said container when said container is on the surface;
- cover means projecting from said bottom wall portion and extendible over said opening;
- and
- wherein said container is collapsible into a substantially flat configuration.
4 more elements
A container for holding and dispensing flowable dry goods and comprising:
- an upper portion defining a compartment for retaining the dry goods;
- a bottom wall portion shaped and arranged to contact a support surface and thereby support said container thereon;
- an opening defined in said bottom wall portion and arranged such that lifting said container off of the surface provides a gravity induced discharge of the dry goods through said opening, and subsequent lowering of said bottom wall portion onto the surface covers said opening by the surface to terminate discharge of the dry goods;
- a chute having a chute opening extendible transversely of said bottom wall portion, said chute being flexible for closing against said upper portion of said container when said container is on the surface;
- and
- cover means projecting from said bottom wall portion and extendible over said opening.
3 more elements
A container for holding and dispensing flowable dry goods and comprising:
- an upper portion defining a compartment for retaining the dry goods;
- a bottom wall portion shaped and arranged to contact a support surface and thereby support said container thereon;
- an opening defined in said bottom wall portion and arranged such that lifting said container off of the surface provides a gravity induced discharge of the dry goods through said opening, and subsequent lowering of said bottom wall portion onto the surface covers said opening by the surface to terminate discharge of the dry goods;
- cover means projecting from said bottom wall portion and extendible over said opening;
- a chute having a chute opening extendible transversely of said bottom wall portion, said chute being flexible for closing against said upper portion of said container when said container is on the surface;
- and
- lift means for either raising said container from the surface to open said discharge opening to induce said discharge of the dry goods through said opening, or lowering said container onto the surface to close said opening to terminate said discharge of the dry goods.
4 more elements
A container for holding and dispensing flowable dry goods and comprising:
- an upper portion defining a compartment for retaining the dry goods;
- a bottom wall portion shaped and arranged to contact a support surface and thereby support said container thereon;
- an opening defined in said bottom wall portion and arranged such that lifting said container off of the surface provides a gravity induced discharge of the dry goods through said opening, and subsequent lowering of said bottom wall portion onto the surface covers said opening by the surface to terminate discharge of the dry goods;
- and
- a chute projecting from said opening and defining a chute opening extendible transversely from said bottom wall portion, said chute being flexible for closing against said upper portion of said container when said container is on the surface.
2 more elements
A container for holding and dispensing flowable dry goods and comprising:
- an upper portion defining a compartment for retaining said dry goods;
- a bottom wall portion for supporting said container on a surface, said bottom wall portion defining a discharge opening allowing gravity-induced discharge of said dry goods from said compartment;
- lift means for either raising said container from said surface to expose said opening to induce said discharge of said dry goods, or lowering said container onto said surface to close said opening to terminate said discharge of said dry goods;
- and
- wherein said upper portion comprises:
- a rectangular top wall;
- two opposing side walls depending therefrom;
- opposing front and back walls extending between said opposing side walls;
- each of said walls having four edges;
- each of said edges connected along its entirety in an orthogonal configuration to that of said other walls to which it is adjacent;
- wherein said bottom wall portion opposes said top wall and has a back edge adjacent said back wall, two side edges each adjacent one of said side walls, and a front edge adjacent said front wall wherein said back and side edges are connected along their entireties in orthogonal configuration to that of said walls to which each is adjacent, but said front edge is substantially unconnected to said adjacent front wall;
- and
- wherein said means for either raising or lowering said container induces said substantially unconnected edge to spread when said container is raised to thereby open said discharge opening and induce said discharge, and to close when said container is lowered to thereby terminate said discharge.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.