Disposable reservoir package for liquid-dispenser having valve and operating float

Claim 1

A package assembly for use as a disposable reservoir in a liquid dispensing unit comprising an outer protective box and an inner flexible bag disposed within and protected by the outer box, said box having a substantially flat wall adapted to rest on a support surface when in dispensing position on the dispensing unit with the bag filled with liquid, said bag having a neck which is adjacent said flat wall with the bag filled, a valve member on the neck for controlling discharge of liquid through said neck in cooperation with a valve seat on the neck, a guide sleeve in which said valve member is slidably mounted for axial movement between seated and unseated positions relative to said seat, said valve guide sleeve extending axially outwardly of the neck, said substantially flat box wall having an opening through which the valve guide sleeve and neck can project, means for locking the neck in said opening in a position such that the axis of the valve guide sleeve will be substantially normal to the flat wall and the neck will be locked in fixed axial position, said valve member seating on said valve seat when moved axially inwardly but dropping downwardly by gravity when the box with the filled bag is resting on said flat wall in dispensing position, a float for attachment to the slidable valve member, said valve member being movable to closed position by said float when attached tHereto and positioned in said well to maintain a predetermined level of liquid in the well, said means for locking the neck in said opening comprising a locking panel at said flat wall having a keyhole slot at said opening, said neck having a radially outwardly opening locking groove on its exterior, said keyhole slot having a wide portion through which the neck can pass axially and a communicating narrow portion into which the neck can be moved laterally to lock it axially at said locking groove, said locking panel being part of an adapter which is adapted to support the box on the support surface of the dispensing unit which is substantially horizontally disposed, said panel of the adapter having a flat surface providing said flat support surface on which the flat wall of the box rests, said panel having said keyhole slot formed therein, and locating means extending from said flat support surface of said panel for locating the flat wall of the box on said flat support surface of the panel to locate said opening in said box wall in cooperation with said keyhole slot in said adapter panel, said box having side walls at right angles to said flat wall, said locating means on the adapter panel including a pair of opposed resilient boxgripping flanges which extend outwardly from said flat support surface of the panel and are adapted to extend over and grip said side walls of the box when the box is inserted therebetween, said box side walls having locking slots therein adjacent said box flat wall, and inwardly extending locking lugs on said box gripping flanges for interlocking with said slots to retain the box on the adapter with its flat wall resting on the support surface of the adapter panel.