Refillable Product Dispenser System

Abstract

A refillable product dispenser system for powdered infant formula includes a reusable container having an initial product bag received in the container. Refills for the reusable container are provided in similar refill product bags which may be of lesser volume than the initial product bag. The refill bags may be packaged in a refill outer package containing two or more refill bags.

1 . A refillable product dispenser system for powdered infant formula, comprising:
 a reusable container having a base, a peripheral wall defining a top opening, and a lid associated with the wall for closing the opening;   an initial product bag received in the container, the bag being constructed of a flexible material capable of being manipulated to decrease the volume occupied by the bag as the bag is partially emptied during use, the bag having an initial volume filled with powdered infant formula product, and the bag having an initial size and shape capable of being fully received in the container so that the lid can be closed; and   a refill product bag for replacement of the initial product bag upon completion of use of the product from the initial product bag, the refill product bag having a refill volume filled with powdered infant formula product.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the refill volume is less than the initial volume of the initial product bag. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a disposable refill outer package; and   two or more refill product bags received in the outer package with the outer package sealed for storage and display, said two or more refill product bags including said first mentioned refill product bag.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 first identifying product indicia displayed externally on the reusable container; and   second identifying product indicia displayed externally on the refill outer package, the second indicia indicating the suitability of the refill product bags for use with the reusable container.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a reusable scoop received in the outer package separate from the two or more refill product bags.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the outer package is generally rectangular parallelpiped in shape having a bottom defining a length and width, and having a height greater than the length;   the two or more refill product bags comprise two refill product bags stacked one on top of the other within the outer package; and   the reusable scoop is sealed with a disposable sanitary enclosure and is placed on top of the uppermost one of the two refill product bags.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the outer package is generally rectangular parallelpiped in shape having a bottom defining a length and width, and having a height greater than the length; and   the two or more refill product bags comprise two and only two refill product bags stacked one on top of the other within the outer package.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the refill product bag is constructed of a flexible material capable of being manipulated to decrease the volume occupied by the refill product bag as the refill product bag is partially emptied during use, the refill product bag being generally parallelpiped in shape when filled, the refill product bag having a bottom defining a length and width, and having a height when filled, the height being less than the length.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the refill product bag includes a pleated foldable top portion which can be fully opened over the entire length and width of the refill product bag.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the flexible material of the initial product bag comprises a multi-layer material including a peelable sealing inner layer.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 an upper portion of the initial product bag is sealed and folded over to define a top of the initial product bag; and   further comprising a reusable peelable adhesive strap adhered to a sidewall of the initial product bag and to the folded over upper portion to releasably hold the folded over upper portion in place.   
     
     
         12 . A refillable product dispenser system for powdered infant formula, comprising:
 an initial product package, including:
 an initial product package having a bottom, a peripheral sidewall extending upward from the bottom and defining a top opening, and a lid associated with the wall for closing the top opening, the peripheral sidewall having an elongated cross-section having a length and a width, the sidewall being curved across the width of the cross-section of the ends of the length; 
 an initial product bag received in the container, the initial product bag having an initial volume filled with powdered infant formula product; and 
 a reusable scoop received in the container; and 
   a refill product package, including:
 a disposable refill outer package; and 
 two or more refill product bags received in the outer package with the outer package sealed, each of the refill product bags having a refill volume filled with powdered infant formula product, each refill product bag having a size and shape capable of being fully received in the initial product package in place of the initial product bag. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the initial product bag and the refill product bags are each constructed of a flexible material capable of being manipulated to decrease the volume occupied by each bag as each bag is partially emptied during use, each bag being generally parallelpiped in shape and having a bag bottom defining a bag length and a bag width, the bag length and bag width being less than the length and width, respectively, of the cross-section of the peripheral sidewall.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the bag length and width of the refill bags are substantially equal to the bag length and width of the initial product bag;   the initial product bag has an initial height which in combination with its bag length and bag width defines the initial volume of the initial product bag; and   the refill bags have a refill bag height less than the initial height of the initial product bag, so that the refill volume is less than the initial volume.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 identifying product indicia displayed externally on the disposable outer package of the refill product package, the indicia indicating the usefulness of the refill product bags with the initial product package of the initial product package.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the refill volume is less than the initial volume.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a second reusable scoop received in the refill outer package; and   the lid of the initial product package including a scoop retention device including at least two flexible tabs for resiliently holding either one of the scoops in place under the lid.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the refill outer package is generally rectangular parallelpiped in shape having an outer package bottom defining a refill product package length and width, and having a height greater than the refill product package length; and   the two or more refill product bags comprise two and only two refill product bags stacked one on top of the other within the refill outer package.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 an upper portion of each of the bags is sealed and folded over to define a top of each bag; and   each bag further comprises a reusable peelable adhesive strap adhered to a sidewall of each respective bag and to the folded over upper portion of each respective bag.