Bag-in-container assembly and method

Abstract

A flexible bag is positioned in a rigid container, such as a fifty-five gallon drum, and the bag is filled through its spout with flowable product, such as tomato paste. The bag is then expanded in the container to be substantially rigid and thereby reduce film movement and resultant flex cracking. One way that the bag can be expanded, pursuant to this invention, is for a lid to be sealed onto the container and a vacuum drawn from between the bag and the container. Gas volume needs to be present in the bag before the vacuum is applied so that the gas in the bag can expand from the vacuum on its outside. Another way to expand the bag is, after filling the bag with the flowable product, to inject pressurized gas into the bag. For this embodiment, the container need not be vacuum sealable. For example, the container may be formed from a metal, plastic, cardboard and the like, and the container walls can be either solid or have openings. The pressurized gas can be applied before the lid is placed on the container or after it is clamp-sealed onto the container. If it is after (for example through a valve in the bag fitment, the valve extending out through the lid), then the container or lid preferably has a relief valve to allow the air in the closed container to escape as the pressurized gas in introduced into the bag. The bag can have volumes slightly smaller or larger than that of the container.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A bag-in-container assembly, comprising: 
 a container;    a flexible bag in the container, the bag fillable with flowable product and a gas;    a valve coupled to the container and out through which a vacuum is applied inside of the container and outside of the bag.    
     
     
         2 . The assembly of    claim 1    wherein the container includes a lid and the valve is mounted to the lid.  
     
     
         3 . The assembly of    claim 1    further comprising a pressure valve supported by the bag and in through which a pressurized gas is inserted into the bag.  
     
     
         4 . The assembly of    claim 3    wherein the pressure valve is operatively accessible from outside of the container with the container sealed closed and the filled bag therein.  
     
     
         5 . The assembly of    claim 4    wherein the container includes a lid having an opening and the pressure valve is mounted in the opening.  
     
     
         6 . The assembly of    claim 3    wherein the pressure valve is operatively inaccessible from outside of the container with the container sealed closed and the filled bag therein.  
     
     
         7 . The assembly of    claim 6    wherein the container includes a container body and a lid sealable to the container body, and the pressure valve is attached to the lid.  
     
     
         8 . The assembly of    claim 7    wherein the vacuum valve is mounted to the lid.  
     
     
         9 . The assembly of    claim 1    wherein the bag includes a spout through which the product is inserted into the bag when the bag is in the container.  
     
     
         10 . The assembly of    claim 9    further comprising a pressure valve attached to the spout and in through which pressurized gas is inserted into the bag.  
     
     
         11 . The assembly of    claim 1    wherein the container is a drum with a lid sealable thereto.  
     
     
         12 . The assembly of    claim 1    wherein the vacuum is one to twenty inches of mercury.  
     
     
         13 . The assembly of    claim 1    wherein the volume of the bag is greater than the volume of the container.  
     
     
         14 . The assembly of    claim 1    wherein the volume of the bag is less than the volume of the container.  
     
     
         15 . A bag-in-container assembly, comprising: 
 a container;    a flexible bag in the container, the flexible bag fillable with flowable product;    a fitment on the bag through which the product is inserted and removed from the bag; and    a pressure valve coupled to the bag, wherein gas is introduced into the bag through the pressure valve after the bag is positioned in the container and filled with the product to create a gas pressure in the filled bag.    
     
     
         16 . The assembly of    claim 15    wherein the gas pressure is one to five psi.  
     
     
         17 . The assembly of    claim 15    further comprising a vacuum valve positioned to apply a vacuum in the container and outside of the bag.  
     
     
         18 . The assembly of    claim 17    wherein the vacuum is one to twenty inches mercury.  
     
     
         19 . The assembly of    claim 15    wherein the volume of the bag is greater than the volume of the container.  
     
     
         20 . The assembly of    claim 15    wherein the volume of the bag is less than the volume of the container.  
     
     
         21 . A process, comprising: 
 (a) with a flexible bag positioned in a container, filling the bag with flowable product;    (b) after (a), introducing a pressurized gas into the bag; and    (c) securing a lid onto the container.    
     
     
         22 . The process of    claim 21    wherein (c) is before (b).  
     
     
         23 . The process of    claim 21    wherein (b) is through a pressure valve secured to the bag, and the valve is mounted in a lid of the container.  
     
     
         24 . The process of    claim 21    further comprising generally during (b), releasing gas pressure in the container but outside of the bag.  
     
     
         25 . The process of    claim 21    wherein the releasing is through a valve in the lid.  
     
     
         26 . The process of    claim 21    wherein (b) includes applying a gas pressure of one to five psi in the bag.  
     
     
         27 . The process of    claim 21    wherein (b) is before (c).  
     
     
         28 . The process of    claim 21    further comprising applying a vacuum in the container and outside of the bag.  
     
     
         29 . The process of    claim 21    further comprising adhering the bag to a lid of the container.  
     
     
         30 . The process of    claim 21    further comprising after (b) and (c), with the bag in the container, removing the product from the bag.  
     
     
         31 . The process of    claim 30    wherein the filling and the removing are through a fitment attached to the bag.  
     
     
         32 . The process of    claim 30    wherein the removing includes pumping the product out of the bag.  
     
     
         33 . The process of    claim 30    further comprising relieving gas pressure from the container caused by (b).  
     
     
         34 . A process, comprising: 
 (a) with a flexible bag positioned in a container, filling the bag with flowable product;    (b) securing a lid to the container; and    (c) after (b) applying a vacuum in the container and outside of the bag.    
     
     
         35 . The process of    claim 34    further comprising (d) applying gaseous pressure in the bag.  
     
     
         36 . The process of    claim 35    wherein (d) is after (b).  
     
     
         37 . The process of    claim 35    wherein (d) is before (b).  
     
     
         38 . The process of    claim 35    wherein the gaseous pressure is one to five psi.  
     
     
         39 . The process of    claim 35    wherein the vacuum is one to twenty inches mercury.  
     
     
         40 . A flexible storage and transport package, comprising: 
 a flexible bag fillable with flowable product;    a fitment secured to the bag; and    a gas pressure inlet valve secured to the fitment and through which pressurized gas can be injected into the bag after the bag has filled with the flowable product.    
     
     
         41 . The package of    claim 40    wherein the pressurized gas comprises an inert gas.  
     
     
         42 . The package of    claim 40    wherein the pressurized gas comprises air.  
     
     
         43 . The package of    claim 40    wherein the fitment is secured in an opening in a lid for a container for the flexible bag.  
     
     
         44 . The package of    claim 40    wherein the flexible bag has a product portion and a bladder portion.  
     
     
         45 . The package of    claim 44    wherein the bladder portion is an internal bladder.  
     
     
         46 . The package of    claim 44    wherein the bladder portion is an external bladder.  
     
     
         47 . The package of    claim 44    wherein a seal is provided to separate the product portion from the bladder portion, and wherein the product portion is integral with the bladder portion.  
     
     
         48 . The package of    claim 47    wherein an additional seal is provided to define a safety channel.  
     
     
         49 . A bag-in-container assembly, comprising: 
 a container; and    a flexible bag in the container, the flexible bag having a product portion and a bladder portion, the product portion fillable with flowable product and the bladder portion inflatable with pressurized gas;    wherein the flexible bag remains relatively fixed with respect to the container when the bladder portion is inflated.    
     
     
         50 . The assembly of    claim 49    wherein the bladder portion is an internal bladder.  
     
     
         51 . The assembly of    claim 49    wherein the bladder portion is an external bladder.  
     
     
         52 . The assembly of    claim 49    wherein a seal is provided to separate the bladder portion from the product portion.  
     
     
         53 . The assembly of    claim 52    wherein the bladder portion and product portion are integrally formed.  
     
     
         54 . The assembly of    claim 52    further comprising a safety channel.  
     
     
         55 . A method of storing flowable product, comprising: 
 placing a flexible bag into a storage container;    introducing a flowable product into the flexible bag;    expanding the flexible bag so as to minimize creases and folds in the bag; and    urging the expanded flexible bag into snug contact with the storage container.    
     
     
         56 . A method according to    claim 55    wherein expanding the bag includes inflating the bag with a gas.  
     
     
         57 . A method according to    claim 56    wherein expanding the bag further includes creating a vacuum in the storage container.  
     
     
         58 . A method according to    claim 55    wherein expanding the bag includes creating a vacuum in the storage container.  
     
     
         59 . A method according to    claim 58    wherein the bag has been injected with excess gas prior to creating a vacuum in the storage container.  
     
     
         60 . A method according to    claim 55    wherein expanding the flexible bag includes expanding a top portion of the bag.  
     
     
         61 . A method according to    claim 60    wherein the top portion is a separate compartment from the remainder of the bag.