Dispensing apparatus

Claim 2

Dispensing apparatus for a flexible container, comprising: a closure having first and second openings, said closure constructed to be secured at the first opening to a flexible container to cover an opening of the container, the second opening in the closure being a discharge passage through which contents of a container to which the closure is secured can be dispensed, an expansible bladder adapted to be received in the container and to receive fluid to displace dispensed contents, thereby dividing the interior of the container into a contents-containing portion exteriorly of the bladder and a contents-displacing portion within the bladder, check valve means to prevent flow through the second opening into the contents-containing portion of the dispenser while automatically allowing outflow from the contents-containing portion in response to greater fluid pressure inside the container than out, a conduit extending from within the closure to the bladder, providing a passage to the bladder with an inlet that receives flow through one of said first and second openings from the exterior of the closure and an associated container, and a check valve to allow flow through the conduit only into the bladder during use.

Claim 3

Dispensing apparatus for a flexible container, including: an expansible bladder receivable within a flexible container to divide the interior of the container into a contents-containing portion exteriorly of the bladder and a contents-displacing portion within the bladder, a closure having first and second openings, said closure constructed to be secured at the first opening to a flexible container to cover an opening of the container, the second opening in the closure being a discharge passage through which contents of a container to which the closure is secured can be dispensed, said closure being constructed to cooperate at the second opening with a member to prevent flow through the second opening into the contents-containing portion while automatically allowing outflow from the contents-containing portion in response to greater fluid pressure inside the container than out, a conduit within the closure to the bladder, providing an inlet opening to the bladder, and a check valve to allow flow through the conduit only into the bladder during use, the improvement wherein the conduit to the bladder has an inlet that receives flow through one of said first and second openings from the exterior of the closure and the exterior of a container to which the closure is secured.

Claim 4

Dispensing apparatus for a flexible container, including: an expansible bladder receivable within a flexible container to divide the interior of the container into a contents-containing portion exteriorly of the bladder and a contents-displacing portion within the bladder, a closure having first and second openings, said closure constructed to be secured at the first opening to a flexible container to cover an opening of the container, the second opening in the closure being a discharge passage through which contents of a container to which the closure is secured can be dispensed, said closure being constructed to cooperate at the second opening with a member to prevent flow through the second opening into the contents-containing portion while automatically allowing outflow from the contents-containing portion in response to greater fluid pressure inside the container than out, a conduit within the closure to the bladder, providing an inlet opening to the bladder, and a check valve to allow flow through the conduit only into the bladder during use, the improvement wherein the conduit to the bladder has an inlet that receives flow through one of said first and second openings from the exterior of the closure and the exterior of a container to which the closure is secured.

Claim 5

A dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said conduit is at least in part defined by a member within but separate from said closure.

Claim 6

A dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said member within but separate from said closure supports the bladder centrally of the closure and in part extends in a direction across said first opening.

Claim 7

A dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said check valve is within said member that is within but separate from said closure.

Claim 8

A dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including an open receptacle attached to said closure and wherein said second opening communicates with the interior of said receptacle, whereby contents of the container is maintained at the second opening by the bladder during use, the receptacle can be filled from the container without tilting, and the contents from the receptacle can be poured without pouring from the container.

Claim 9

Dispensing apparatus for a flexible container, including: an expansible bladder receivable within a flexible container to divide the interior of the container into a contents-containing portion exteriorly of the bladder and a contents-displacing portion within the bladder, a closure having first and second openings, said closure being securable at the first opening to a flexible container to cover an opening of the container, the second opening in the closure being a discharge passage through which contents of a container to which the closure is secured can be dispensed, said closure being constructed to cooperate at the second opening with a member to prevent flow through the second opening into the contents-containing portion while automatically allowing outflow from the contents-containing portion in response to greater fluid pressure inside the container than out, a conduit within the closure to the bladder, providing an inlet opening to the bladder, and a check valve to allow flow through the conduit only into the bladder during use, the improvement comprising a part adapted to be located intermediate the closure and the opening of a container to which the closure is secured in use, said part at least partially forming said conduit, and said conduit having an inlet that receives flow from the exterior of the closure through one of said first and second openings, the part having surfaces adapted to form a seal between the opening of said container and the closure to prevent flow of contents from the container to the exterior thereof through said first opening.

Claim 10

Dispensing apparatus for a flexible container, including: an expansible bladder receivable within a flexible container to divide the interior of the container into a contents-containing portion exteriorly of the bladder and a contents-displacing portion within the bladder, a closure having first and second openings, said closure being securable at the first opening to a flexible container to cover an opening of the container, the second opening in the closure being a discharge passage through which contents of a container to which the closure is secured can be dispensed, said closure being constructed to cooperate at the second opening with a member to prevent flow through the second opening into the contents-containing portion while automatically allowing outflow from the contents-containing portion in response to greater fluid pressure inside the container than out, a conduit within the closure to the bladder, providing an inlet opening to the bladder, and a check valve to allow flow through the conduit only into the bladder during use, the improvement comprising a part adapted to be located intermediate the closure and the opening of a container to which the closure is secured in use, said part at least partially forming said conduit, and said conduit having an inlet that receives flow from the exterior of the closure through one of said first and second openings, the part having surfaces adapted to form a seal between the opening of said container and the closure to prevent flow of contents from the container to the exterior thereof through said first opening.

Claim 11

A dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said parts supports the bladder centrally of the closure and in part extends in a direction across said first opening.

Claim 12

A dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said check valve is within said part.

Claim 13

Dispensing apparatus for a container, including: an expansible bladder receivable within a container to divide the interior of the container into a contents-containing portion exteriorly of the bladder and a contents-displacing portion within the bladder, a closure having first and second openings, said closure being securable at the first opening to a container to cover an opening of the container, the second opening in the closure being a discharge passage through which contents of a container to which the closure is secured can be dispensed, said closure being constructed to cooperate at the second opening with a member to prevent flow through the second opening into the contents-containing portion while automatically allowing outflow from the contents-containing portion in response to greater fluid pressure inside the container than out, a conduit within the closure to the bladder, providing an inlet opening to the bladder, and a check valve to allow flow through the conduit only into the bladder during use, the improvement wherein the conduit to the bladder has an inlet that receives flow through one of the first and second openings of the closure from the exterior of both the closure and a container to which the closure is secured.

Claim 14

Dispensing apparatus for a container, including: an expansible bladder receivable within a container to divide the interior of the container into a contents-containing portion exteriorly of the bladder and a contents-displacing portion within the bladder, a closure having first and second openings, said closure being securable at the first opening to a container to cover an opening of the container, the second opening in the closure being a discharge passage through which contents of a container to which the closure is secured can be dispensed, said closure being constructed to cooperate at the second opening with a member to prevent flow through the second opening into the contents-containing portion while automatically allowing outflow from the contents-containing portion in response to greater fluid pressure inside the container than out, a conduit within the closure to the bladder, providing an inlet opening to the bladder, and a check valve to allow flow through the conduit only into the bladder during use, the improvement wherein the conduit to the bladder has an inlet that receives flow through one of the first and second openings of the closure from the exterior of both the closure and a container to which the closure is secured.

Claim 15

A dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said conduit is at least in part defined by a member within but separate from said closure.

Claim 16

Dispensing apparatus for a flexible container, including: an expansible bladder receivable within a flexible container to divide the interior of the container into a contents-containing portion exteriorly of the bladder and a contents-displacing portion within the bladder, a closure having first and second openings, said closure constructed to be secured at the first opening to a flexible container to cover an opening of the container, the second opening in the closure being a discharge passage through which contents of a container to which the closure is secured can be dispensed, said passage being constructed with a length and cross section suitable to cooperate with viscous fluid contents with which it is used to provide sufficient flow resistance to retain contents within the passage during use of the container to prevent inflow of ambient fluid from outside the dispenser through the second opening into the contents-containing portion while automatically allowing outflow from the contents-containing portion in response to greater fluid pressure inside the container than out, a conduit within the closure to the bladder, providing an inlet opening to the bladder, and a check valve to allow flow through the conduit only into the bladder during use, the improvement wherein the conduit to the bladder has an inlet that receives flow through one of said first and second openings from the exterior of the closure and the exterior of a container to which the closure is secured.

Claim 17

Dispensing apparatus for a flexible container, including: an expansible bladder receivable within a flexible container to divide the interior of the container into a contents-containing portion exteriorly of the bladder and a contents-displacing portion within the bladder, a closure having first and second openings, said closure constructed to be secured at the first opening to a flexible container to cover an opening of the container, the second opening in the closure being a discharge passage through which contents of a container to which the closure is secured can be dispensed, said passage being constructed with a length and cross section suitable to cooperate with viscous fluid contents with which it is used to provide sufficient flow resistance to retain contents within the passage during use of the container to prevent inflow of ambient fluid from outside the dispenser through the second opening into the contents-containing portion while automatically allowing outflow from the contents-containing portion in response to greater fluid pressure inside the container than out, a conduit within the closure to the bladder, providing an inlet opening to the bladder, and a check valve to allow flow through the conduit only into the bladder during use, the improvement wherein the conduit to the bladder has an inlet that receives flow through one of said first and second openings from the exterior of the closure and the exterior of a container to which the closure is secured.

Claim 18

Dispensing apparatus for a flexible container, including: an expansible bladder receivable within a flexible container to divide the interior of the container into a contents-containing portion exteriorly of the bladder and a contents-displacing portion within the bladder, a closure having first and second openings, said closure being securable at the first opening to a flexible container to cover an opening of the container; the second opening in the closure being a discharge passage through which contents of a container to which the closure is secured can be dispensed, said passage being constructed with a length and cross section suitable to cooperate with viscous fluid contents with which it is used to provide sufficient flow resistance to retain contents within the passage during use of the container to prevent inflow of ambient fluid from outside the dispenser through the second opening into the contents-containing portion while automatically allowing outflow from the contents-containing portion in response to greater fluid pressure inside the container than out, a conduit within the closure to the bladder, providing an inlet opening to the bladder, and a check valve to allow flow through the conduit only into the bladder during use, the improvement comprising a member adapted to be located intermediate the closure and the opening of a container to which the closure is secured in use, said member at least in part forming said conduit, and said conduit having an inlet that receives flow from the exterior of the closure through one of said first and second openings, the member having surfaces adapted to form a seal between the opening of said container and the closure to prevent flow of contents from the container to the exterior thereof through said first opening.

Claim 19

Dispensing apparatus for a flexible container, including: an expansible bladder receivable within a flexible container to divide the interior of the container into a contents-containing portion exteriorly of the bladder and a contents-displacing portion within the bladder, a closure having first and second openings, said closure being securable at the first opening to a flexible container to cover an opening of the container; the second opening in the closure being a discharge passage through which contents of a container to which the closure is secured can be dispensed, said passage being constructed with a length and cross section suitable to cooperate with viscous fluid contents with which it is used to provide sufficient flow resistance to retain contents within the passage during use of the container to prevent inflow of ambient fluid from outside the dispenser through the second opening into the contents-containing portion while automatically allowing outflow from the contents-containing portion in response to greater fluid pressure inside the container than out, a conduit within the closure to the bladder, providing an inlet opening to the bladder, and a check valve to allow flow through the conduit only into the bladder during use, the improvement comprising a member adapted to be located intermediate the closure and the opening of a container to which the closure is secured in use, said member at least in part forming said conduit, and said conduit having an inlet that receives flow from the exterior of the closure through one of said first and second openings, the member having surfaces adapted to form a seal between the opening of said container and the closure to prevent flow of contents from the container to the exterior thereof through said first opening.

Claim 20

Dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, 2, 7, 10, 11, 12 or 13 further including a flexible container with an opening, the container having said bladder received therein and the closure being secured to the container opening.