대표
청구항
▼
1. Apparatus for dispensing a liquid from within a flexible package, the flexible package having a wall, said apparatus comprising: a fitment comprising a body having a distal end, a proximal end, a passageway extending therethrough between said proximal end and said distal end, and a flange located adjacent said proximal end, said passageway including a tapering portion confined to said proximal end, said flange being configured for securement to the wall of the flexible package, whereupon a portion of the wall of the flexible package is in communicatio...
1. Apparatus for dispensing a liquid from within a flexible package, the flexible package having a wall, said apparatus comprising: a fitment comprising a body having a distal end, a proximal end, a passageway extending therethrough between said proximal end and said distal end, and a flange located adjacent said proximal end, said passageway including a tapering portion confined to said proximal end, said flange being configured for securement to the wall of the flexible package, whereupon a portion of the wall of the flexible package is in communication with said passageway, said fitment including a screw-thread section;a piercing member having an external periphery configured for location within said passageway of said fitment whereupon an interface is created between said external periphery and said passageway of said fitment, said piercing member comprising a distally located section, a proximally located section, a screw-thread section, and a passageway extending through said distally located section and said proximally located section, said distally located section having a piercing tip configured for insertion in said passageway of said fitment with said screw-thread section of said piercing member threadedly engaging said screw-thread section of said fitment to cause said piercing tip to penetrate the portion of the wall of the package, whereupon the liquid within the package can flow into and through said passageway of said piercing member;a first annular sealing ring projecting outward from said external periphery and having a first outside diameter and a first width, said first sealing ring being configured to engage said tapering portion of said passageway to form an initial compression seal sealing said interface before said piercing tip penetrates the wall of the package; anda second annular sealing ring projecting outward from said external periphery and having a second outside diameter less than said first outside diameter and a second width greater than said first width, said second sealing ring being configured to engage said tapering portion of said passageway to form a final compression seal sealing said interface after said piercing tip has penetrated the wall of the package. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second sealing ring is located within an annular recess extending about said external periphery. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said piercing member is configured to be fully deployed in a fully deployed state wherein said piercing tip is within the package and wherein said apparatus additionally comprises a locking mechanism configured for locking said piercing member in place in said fully deployed state. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said passageway in said fitment comprises a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, said distal end portion being located adjacent the wall of the flexible package when said flange of said fitment is secured thereto, said proximal end portion having a cover releasably secured thereto to close said proximal portion of said passageway. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said piercing tip comprises a plurality of teeth, wherein each of said teeth includes a linear leading cutting edge and an arcuate trailing cutting edge. 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said piercing tip additionally comprises a gap between two of said teeth, whereupon when said piercing member penetrates the wall of the package it creates a flap which remains connected to the wall of the package. 7. A flexible package configured for dispensing a liquid therefrom, said flexible package comprising; a hollow member having a wall formed of a flexible material; anda dispensing apparatus for dispensing a liquid from within said flexible package,said apparatus comprising: a fitment comprising a body having a passageway extending therethrough, and a flange, said flange being secured to said wall of said flexible package whereupon a portion of said wall is in communication with said passageway, said fitment including a screw-thread section; anda piercing member comprising a distally located section, a proximally located section, a screw-thread section, and a passageway extending through said distally located section and said proximally located section, said distally located section having a piercing tip configured for insertion in said passageway of said fitment with said screw-thread section of said piercing member threadedly engaging said screw-thread section of said fitment to cause said piercing tip to penetrate said portion of said wall of said package, whereupon the liquid within said package can flow into and through said passageway of said piercing member, said piercing member additionally comprising a pair of finger tabs configured for engagement by a user to cause said screw-thread section of said piercing member to threadedly engage said screw-thread section of said fitment to cause said piercing tip to penetrate the portion of the wall of the package, and wherein said screw-thread section of said piercing member comprises a pair of screw-thread sections, said screw-thread sections being mounted on respective ones of said finger tabs. 8. Apparatus for dispensing a liquid from within a flexible package, the flexible package having a wall, said apparatus comprising: a fitment comprising a body having a passageway extending therethrough, and a flange, said flange being configured for securement to the wall of the flexible package, whereupon a portion of the wall of the flexible package is in communication with said passageway, said fitment including a screw-thread section;a piercing member having an external periphery configured for location within said passageway of said fitment whereupon an interface is created between said external periphery and said passageway, said piercing member comprising a distally located section, a proximally located section, a screw-thread section, and a passageway extending through said distally located section and said proximally located section, said distally located section having a piercing tip configured for insertion in said passageway of said fitment with said screw-thread section of said piercing member threadedly engaging said screw-thread section of said fitment to cause said piercing tip to penetrate the portion of the wall of the package, whereupon the liquid within the package can flow into and through said passageway of said piercing member, said piercing member additionally comprising a pair of finger tabs configured for engagement by a user to cause said screw-thread section of said piercing member to threadedly engage said screw-thread section of said fitment to cause said piercing tip to penetrate the portion of the wall of the package, and wherein said screw-thread section of said piercing member comprises a pair of screw-thread sections, said screw-thread sections being mounted on respective ones of said finger tabs. 9. A flexible package configured for dispensing a liquid therefrom, said flexible package comprising; a hollow member having a wall formed of a flexible material; anda dispensing apparatus for dispensing a liquid from within said flexible package,said apparatus comprising: a fitment comprising a body having a distal end, a proximal end, a passageway extending therethrough between said distal end and proximal second end, and a flange located adjacent said proximal end, said passageway including a tapering portion confined to said proximal end, said flange being secured to said wall of said flexible package whereupon a portion of said wall is in communication with said passageway, said fitment including a screw-thread section;a piercing member having an external periphery configured for location within said passageway of said fitment whereupon an interface is created between said external periphery and said passageway of said fitment, said piercing member comprising a distally located section, a proximally located section, a screw-thread section, and a passageway extending through said distally located section and said proximally located section, said distally located section having a piercing tip configured for insertion in said passageway of said fitment with said screw-thread section of said piercing member threadedly engaging said screw-thread section of said fitment to cause said piercing tip to penetrate said portion of said wall of said package, whereupon the liquid within said package can flow into and through said passageway of said piercing member;a first annular sealing ring projecting outward from said external periphery and having a first outside diameter and a first width, said first sealing ring being configured to engage said tapering portion of said passageway to form an initial compression seal sealing said interface before said piercing tip penetrates the wall of the package; anda second annular sealing ring projecting outward from said external periphery and having a second outside diameter less than said first outside diameter and a second width greater than said first width, said second sealing ring being configured to engage said tapering portion of said passageway to form a final compression seal sealing said interface after said piercing tip has penetrated the wall of the package. 10. The flexible package of claim 9 wherein said second sealing ring is located within an annular recess extending about said external periphery. 11. The flexible package of claim 9 wherein said piercing member is configured to be fully deployed in a fully deployed state wherein said piercing tip is within the package and wherein said apparatus additionally comprises a locking mechanism configured for locking said piercing member in place in said fully deployed state. 12. The flexible package of claim 9 wherein said passageway in said fitment comprises a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, said distal end portion being located adjacent the wall of the flexible package when said flange of said fitment is secured thereto, said proximal end portion having a cover releasably secured thereto to close said proximal portion of said passageway. 13. A method for dispensing a liquid from within a flexible package, the flexible package having a wall, said method comprising: providing a fitment comprising a body having a distal end, a proximal end, a passageway extending therethrough between said distal end and said proximal end, a flange located adjacent said proximal end, and a screw-thread section, said passageway including a tapering portion tapering inward radially confined to said proximal end;securing said flange to said wall of the flexible package whereupon a portion of said wall is in communication with said passageway;providing a piercing member having an external periphery, said piercing member comprising a distally located section, a proximally located section, a screw-thread section, a passageway extending through said distally located section and said proximally located section, a first annular sealing ring projecting outward from said external periphery and having a first outside diameter and a first width, and a second annular sealing ring projecting outward from said external periphery and having a second outside diameter less than said first outside diameter and a second width greater than said first width, said distally located section having a piercing tip; andinserting said distally located section of said piercing member in said passageway of said fitment whereupon an interface is created between said external periphery and said passageway of said fitment and with said screw-thread section of said piercing member threadedly engaging said screw-thread section of said fitment to cause said piercing tip to penetrate said portion of said wall of said package, said first sealing ring engaging said tapering portion of said passageway tapering to form an initial compression seal sealing said interface before said piercing tip penetrates the wall of the package, said second sealing ring engaging said tapering portion of said passageway to form a final compression seal sealing said interface after said piercing tip has penetrated the wall of the package, whereupon said liquid within said package can flow into and through said passageway of said piercing member with leakage through said interface. 14. The method of claim 13 wherein said passageway in said fitment comprises a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, said tapering portion of said passageway being located at said proximal end portion, said distal end portion being located adjacent the wall of the flexible package when said flange of said fitment is secured thereto, said proximal end portion having a cover releasably secured thereto to close said proximal portion of said passageway, said method additionally comprising removing said cover after said flange of said fitment is secured to the wall of the package to thereby expose said proximal portion of said passageway and thereafter inserting said distal portion of said piercing member in said proximal portion of said passageway. 15. Apparatus for dispensing a liquid from within a flexible package, the flexible package having a wall, said apparatus comprising: a fitment comprising a body having a distal end, a proximal end, a passageway extending therethrough between said proximal end and said distal end, and a flange located adjacent said proximal end, said flange being configured for securement to the wall of the flexible package, whereupon a portion of the wall of the flexible package is in communication with said passageway, said fitment including a screw-thread section;a piercing member having a external periphery configured for location within said passageway of said fitment whereupon an interface is created between said external periphery and said passageway of said fitment, said piercing member comprising a distally located section, a proximally located section, a screw-thread section, and a passageway extending through said distally located section and said proximally located section, said external periphery of said proximally located section including a sloped surface having an outer diameter which increases in the proximal direction, said distally located section having a piercing tip configured for insertion in said passageway of said fitment with said screw-thread section of said piercing member threadedly engaging said screw-thread section of said fitment to cause said piercing tip to penetrate the portion of the wall of the package, whereupon the liquid within the package can flow into and through said passageway of said piercing member;a first annular sealing ring projecting outward from said external periphery and having a first outer diameter, said first sealing ring being configured to engage said passageway to form an initial compression seal sealing said interface before said piercing tip penetrates the wall of the package; anda second annular sealing ring located proximally of said first annular sealing ring and projecting outward from said external periphery, said second annular sealing ring having a second outer diameter greater than said first outer diameter of said first sealing ring, said second sealing ring being configured to engage said passageway to form a final compression seal sealing said interface after said piercing tip has penetrated the wall of the package and said piercing member is in a fully deployed state, whereupon leakage of liquid through said interface is precluded, said free end of said fitment being in engagement with said sloped surface of said piercing member when said piercing member is in said fully deployed state. 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said second sealing ring is located within an annular recess extending about said external periphery. 17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said apparatus additionally comprises a locking mechanism configured for locking said piercing member in place in said fully deployed state. 18. A method for dispensing a liquid from within a flexible package, the flexible package having a wall, said method comprising: providing a fitment comprising a body having a distal end, a proximal end, a passageway extending therethrough between said distal end and said proximal end, a flange located adjacent said proximal end, and a screw-thread section;securing said flange to said wall of the flexible package, whereupon a portion of said wall is in communication with said passageway;providing a piercing member having an external periphery, a first annular sealing ring and a second annular sealing ring, said piercing member comprising a distally located section, a proximally located section, a screw-thread section, and a passageway extending through said distally located section and said proximally located section, said external periphery of said proximally located section including a sloped surface having an outer diameter which increases in the proximal direction, said first annular sealing ring projecting outward from said external periphery and having a first outer diameter, said second annular sealing ring located proximally of said first annular sealing ring and projecting outward from said external periphery, said second annular sealing ring having a second outer diameter greater than said first outer diameter of said first sealing ring;inserting said distally located section of said piercing member in said passageway of said fitment whereupon an interface is created between said external periphery and said passageway of said fitment and with said screw-thread section of said piercing member threadedly engaging said screw-thread section of said fitment to cause said piercing tip to penetrate said portion of said wall of said package, said first sealing ring engaging a portion of said passageway to form an initial compression seal sealing said interface before said piercing tip penetrates the wall of the package;inserting said distally located section of said piercing member further in said passageway, whereupon said second sealing ring engages said tapering portion of said passageway to form a final compression seal sealing said interface after said piercing tip has penetrated the wall of the package and said free end of said fitment is in engagement with said sloped surface of said piercing member, whereupon said liquid within said package can flow into and through said passageway of said piercing member without leakage through said interface. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein said fitment includes a cover and wherein said method additionally comprising removing said cover after said flange of said fitment is secured to the wall of the package to thereby expose said passageway, whereupon said piercing member is inserted into said passageway.
