Aseptic packs

Abstract

A liquid pack with a filling gland having a post fill sealed membrane interposed between the product and the, or a, surround of the opening into die filling gland. An insertor integral part of the filling gland defines a dispensing gland, piercing adaptor and/or collar. This has been both (i) engaged to said filling gland if not integral therewith and (ii) had a surround of its opening sealed to said membrane. In use a suitable piercer to be guided by or received said dispensing gland, piercer adaptor and/or collar can pierce said membrane to allow egress of the product.

1 . A product containing container having both (A) a dispensing gland, piercer guide and/or collar, and (B) a filling gland, and said dispensing gland, piercer guide and/or collar-like member (“collar”) is either
 (i) at least in part in the container's filling gland, or   (ii) in addition to the container's filling gland.   
   
   
       2 . The product containing container of  claim 1  wherein both (A) said dispensing gland, piercer guide and/or collar and (B) said filling gland is bottom sealed to a membrane. 
   
   
       3 . The product containing container of  claim 1  wherein said bottom sealing of (A) and (B) was achieved at least substantially simultaneously. 
   
   
       4 . The product containing container of  claim 1  wherein a collar is positioned within the filling gland. 
   
   
       5 . The product containing container of  claim 4  wherein said collar has been moulded with the filling gland. 
   
   
       6 . The product containing container of  claim 4  wherein said collar can be a dispensing gland once used as a piercer guide. 
   
   
       7 . The product containing container of  claim 1  wherein said filling gland has a peripheral flange. 
   
   
       8 . (canceled) 
   
   
       9 . An assembly forming part of a product containing container, the assembly including a bottom membrane closed, or otherwise sealed ingress opening or pathway, filling gland also having a dispensing gland, piercer guide and/or collar annularly sealed, or otherwise sealed on a surround of its egress opening or pathway, to said membrane. 
   
   
       10 . A pack of a product
 wherein a post fill membrane, interposed between the product and the, or a, surround of the opening into a filling gland, has been post fill sealed to said surround of the filling gland,   and wherein, post fill, an insert defining a dispensing gland, piercing adaptor and/or collar, has been both (i) engaged to said filling gland and (ii) had a surround of its opening sealed to said membrane,   the arrangement being such that a suitable piercer to be guided by or received said dispensing gland, piercer adaptor and/or collar can pierce said membrane within the bounds of the seal of the insert with said membrane thereby to allow egress of said product from the container via said insert alone or, in conjunction with the piercer, as a dispensing pathway.   
   
   
       11 . In combination or assembly,
 a filling gland adapted to connect to a or the web of a bag for associated with a web of a bag, the filling gland having attached thereto a bottom membrane sealable to the filling gland to close the filling gland, and   a dispensing gland, piercing adaptor and/or collar associable with the filling gland and also sealable or sealed to said membrane.   
   
   
       12 . A method of providing an aseptic pack which includes a product dispensable upon use of a piercer through a dispensing gland, said method including the steps of
 taking an aseptic container of a kind having a filling gland and a web of the container sealing to said gland and having an inner membrane not, or only partially, sealing the gland from the inside,   inserting or engaging, preferably in aseptic conditions, a filling head or nozzle into or to said gland and preferably aseptically filling the container with product,   sealing said inner membrane to said filling gland so as to close the container, and   preferably in aseptic conditions, engaging an insert to said filling gland and sealing that insert to said inner membrane, the insert defining a dispensing gland piercer adaptor and/or collar to allow product egress whether via a piercer or not when the inner membrane is pierced.   
   
   
       13 . A moulded item including a dispensing gland or piercing adaptor of  claim 1 , such item having means to mechanically engage, or adapted to engage a distal region of a complementary filling gland forming part of a product filled bag and having a passageway as an egress opening or pathway with a surround at its proximal end adapted for heat sealing with a membrane as a surround seal for the opening or passageway of said filling gland. 
   
   
       14 . A pack of a product
 wherein a post fill membrane, interposed between the product and the, or a, surround of the opening into a filling gland and the surround of a dispensing gland, piercer guide and/or collar, all defined by a moulding, has been at least post fill sealed to said surround of the filling gland, or has been post fill sealed to both said surrounds;   the arrangement being such that a suitable piercer to be guided by or received or received said dispensing gland, piercer adaptor and/or collar can pierce said membrane within the bounds of its surround seal with said membrane thereby to allow egress of said product from the container via said dispensing gland alone or, in conjunction with the piercer, as a dispensing pathway.   
   
   
       15 . A combined filling gland and dispensing gland adapted to connect to a, or the web, of a bag, or associated with a web of a bag at least, the filling gland having attached thereto a bottom membrane sealable to the filling gland to close the filling gland and sealable to the dispensing gland to close the dispensing gland. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein both glands are annular and the dispensing gland is spoke supported. 
   
   
       17 . A method of providing an aseptic pack which includes a product dispensable upon use of a piercer through a dispensing gland, said method comprising or including the steps of
 taking an aseptic container of a kind having a combined filling gland and dispensing gland and a web of the container sealing to said filling gland and having an inner membrane not, or only partially, sealing the filling and dispensing gland from the inside,   inserting or engaging, preferably in aseptic conditions, a filling head or nozzle into, or to, said gland and preferably aseptically filling the container with product, and   sealing said inner membrane to said filling and dispensing gland so as to close the container.   
   
   
       18 . (canceled)