초록 ▼

A fluid dispensing apparatus comprises a collapsible bag capable of being punctured by and essentially sealed about a spike that has an inlet through which fluid can flow from the bag into a conduit leading to a chamber that is situated within an enclosed chamber in a dispensing base unit. The chamb

A fluid dispensing apparatus comprises a collapsible bag capable of being punctured by and essentially sealed about a spike that has an inlet through which fluid can flow from the bag into a conduit leading to a chamber that is situated within an enclosed chamber in a dispensing base unit. The chamber is connected to a valve positioned outside the enclosed chamber through which fluid can be dispensed from the chamber. The enclosed chamber is vented so that as fluid is dispensed from the chamber, the air pressure in the enclosed chamber is allowed to equalize with the ambient air pressure external to the chamber and the bag.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A fluid dispensing system comprising: a dispensing base; a chamber positioned interior to said base, and having a space therein; a bag containing fluid; a support means supporting said bag containing fluid, said support means including: a means for allowing said fluid i

The invention claimed is: 1. A fluid dispensing system comprising: a dispensing base; a chamber positioned interior to said base, and having a space therein; a bag containing fluid; a support means supporting said bag containing fluid, said support means including: a means for allowing said fluid in said bag to flow into said chamber, said means for allowing said fluid to flow comprising a spike; a means for allowing the venting of pressure in said chamber to a space external to said enclosed chamber; and a means for otherwise separating said space in said chamber from said space external to said support; wherein and support means is repeatedly separable from said dispensing base; and a means for dispensing fluid from said chamber to a space external to said dispensing base. 2. The fluid dispensing system of claim 1 wherein said spike further comprises at least one wing flair. 3. The fluid dispensing system of claim 1 further comprising a protective outer layer enclosing said bag containing fluid, wherein after said protective outer layer has been removed from around said bag, said bag will seal around said spike when said bag is punctured by said spike. 4. A fluid dispensing system comprising: a dispensing base; a chamber positioned interior to said dispensing base, and having a space therein; a bag containing fluid; a support connected to said dispensing base via a gasket, said support including: a fluid passage; and a vent; wherein, said support supports said bag containing fluid; wherein said fluid passage allows said fluid in said bag to flow into said chamber; wherein said vent connects said chamber to a space external to said enclosed chamber; and wherein said support otherwise separates said space in said chamber from said space external to said support; and a dispensing valve connected to said enclosed chamber allowing for dispensing from said enclosed chamber. 5. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 4, wherein said support is fabricated from a plastic resin material. 6. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 4, wherein said fluid passage further comprises a spike. 7. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 6, wherein said spike is positioned in said support adjacent a point of local elevation minimum thereof. 8. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 6, wherein said spike comprises a conical tip having at least one fluid inlet positioned on said tip. 9. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 8, wherein said spike further comprises a shaft having at least one generally perpendicularly projecting wing flair. 10. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 9, wherein said at least one wing flair connects to the shaft of the spike along a length of the circumference thereof that is less than the length of the entire circumference. 11. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 6, wherein said bag containing fluid is essentially sealed about said spike, said spike having punctured a wall of said bag. 12. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 11 wherein said bag is fabricated from a single-layer polyethylene sheet. 13. The fluid dispensing system of claim 12 wherein prior to the puncturing of said bag by said spike, a protective outer layer enclosing said bag is removed from about said bag. 14. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 4, wherein said chamber includes a means for altering the temperature of the fluid contained therein. 15. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 4 wherein the maximum volume rate of fluid flow through said vent into said chamber is limited to a value less than the maximum net volume rate of fluid flow out of the chamber through said dispensing valve taking into account the maximum volume rate of fluid flow into said chamber through said fluid passage from said bag, so that as fluid is dispensed out from said chamber through said valve at said maximum net volume rate of flow, the pressure in said chamber is reduced below the pressure external to said fluid dispensing system at the location of the end of said vent opposite from the end of said vent located in said chamber. 16. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 4, wherein when said dispensing valve is closed, said fluid in said bag will flow though said fluid passage into said enclosed chamber and into said vent, until the fluid level in said vent is the same as the fluid level in said bag. 17. A fluid dispensing system for dispensing fluid from a collapsible bag, comprising: a support being capable of supporting said collapsible bag during dispensing of fluid from said bag and having a supporting surface that includes a point on said surface that can be oriented as a local minimum in elevation, said supporting surface separating a first space adjacent to a first side of said supporting surface from a second space on a second side of said supporting surface, opposite said first side; a spike connected to said support projecting essentially from said point on said surface and projecting into said first space and said second space, said spike including a fluid inlet on the exterior surface of said spike, said fluid inlet being connected to a passage internal to said spike through which fluid can flow after passing through said inlet, said passage connecting from within said first space into said second space; a collapsible bag containing fluid into which said spike projects, said spike providing access for said fluid in said bag to said second space; and a vent pipe extending into said first space and into said second space through which said fluid can pass; wherein when said fluid dispensing system is in use, said first space is sealed from said second space such that said first space and said second space are in fluid communication only through said passage and said vent pipe. 18. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 17 wherein said vent pipe is dimensioned so that no portion of said fluid is entrained within said vent as a result of the surface tension of said fluid. 19. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 17 wherein said second space, said spike, and said vent pipe are dimensioned so that when said collapsible bag is punctured by said spike, any increase in pressure in said second space resulting therefrom is absorbed by compressible gasses in said second space and in said vent pipe, and does not result in fluid being ejected from said vent pipe into said first space. 20. The fluid dispensing system of claim 17 wherein prior to said spike projecting into said bag, a protective outer layer is removed from about said bag.