Wine bag carrier

Abstract

An insulated carrier for a wine-containing bag having a tap through which wine is dispensed from the wine-containing bag includes a substantially flat bottom, a first sidewall and a second sidewall. Furthermore, there is provided a space between the first and second sidewalls which provides an interior for the carrier within which a wine-containing bag can be positioned. In addition, the first sidewall defines an opening therein for accepting the tap of the wine-containing bag manipulated therethrough so that after positioning the wine-containing bag within the interior of the carrier, the tap can be manipulated through the opening of the first sidewall for accessing the tap. The carrier is also provided with a handle which facilitates the transport of the carrier between sites.

1 . A carrier for a wine-containing bag having a tap through which wine is dispensed from the wine-containing bag, the carrier comprising:
 a substantially flat bottom having a pair of parallel side edges extending therealong and a pair of parallel end edges which are oriented substantially normal to the parallel side edges;   a first sidewall having a linear edge which is joined to the bottom along one of the parallel side edges thereof;   a second sidewall having a linear edge which is joined to the bottom along the other of the parallel side edges thereof so that there is provided between the first and second sidewalls a space which provides an interior for the carrier within which a wine-containing bag can be positioned; and   the first sidewall defines an opening therein for accepting the tap of the wine-containing bag manipulated therethrough so that upon positioning the wine-containing bag within the interior of the carrier, the tap can be manipulated through the opening of the first sidewall for accessing the tap.   
     
     
         2 . The carrier as defined in  claim 1  further comprising a handle which facilitates the transport of the carrier between sites. 
     
     
         3 . The carrier as defined in  claim 1  wherein each of the first and second sidewalls has an upper edge which extends therealong, and the carrier further comprises:
 means for covering the carrier interior wherein the covering means includes an elongated member having two opposite ends and is joined at one of its ends to one of the parallel end edges of the bottom and is joined at the other of its ends to the other of the parallel end edges of the bottom, and wherein the elongated member further includes a pair of side edges which extend between the two opposite ends thereof and are each joined to a corresponding side edge of the bottom so that the interior of the carrier is substantially enclosed by the bottom, the first and second sidewalls and the covering means. 
 
     
     
         4 . The carrier as defined in  claim 3  wherein at least a portion of one of the first and second sidewalls is releasably securable to the covering means for providing access to the interior of the carrier for purposes of placing a wine-containing bag into the carrier interior or for removing a wine-containing bag from the carrier interior. 
     
     
         5 . The carrier as defined in  claim 4  wherein said at least a portion of one of the first and second sidewalls is joined to the covering means by way of a zipper which can be zipped between an opened conditions and a closed condition. 
     
     
         6 . The carrier as defined in  claim 4  wherein the first and second sidewalls and covering means are relatively soft and flexible, and at least one of the sidewalls is joined to the covering means along a seam which provides sufficient rigidity to the carrier so that when the carrier is placed bottom-side-down upon a horizontal surface, said at least one of the sidewalls remains in an upright orientation. 
     
     
         7 . The carrier as defined in  claim 1  wherein the tap-accepting opening defined in the first sidewall is bordered by a relatively rigid piece of material for rigidifying the region of the first sidewall disposed adjacent the tap-accepting opening. 
     
     
         8 . The carrier as defined in  claim 1  wherein the wine-containing bag further includes a bag portion within which wine is contained, and the tap is sealingly joined to the bag portion and includes a port through which wine is dispensed from the bag portion and further includes a circular flange which extends radially of the tap and which is disposed between the port and the bag portion, and
 the tap-accepting opening defined in the one sidewall is circular and has a diameter, and the diameter of the tap-accepting opening is slightly smaller than the diameter of the circular flange of the tap so that upon placing the wine-containing bag into the interior of the carrier and forcibly manipulating the flange of the tap-accepting opening through the opening, the flange resists a return of the tap back through the tap-accepting opening. 
 
     
     
         9 . The carrier as defined in  claim 8  wherein the diameter of the tap-accepting opening is about 0.125 inches smaller than the diameter of the circular flange of the tap. 
     
     
         10 . The carrier as defined in  claim 1  wherein each of the bottom, the first sidewall, the second sidewall and the conveying means includes a layer of insulation for insulating the interior of the carrier. 
     
     
         11 . The carrier as defined in  claim 3  further comprising a handle which facilitates the transport of the carrier between sites, and wherein the handle includes an elongated strap which is joined to the covering means so as to extend between one location disposed along the covering means which is spaced from one end edge of the bottom and another location disposed along the covering means which is spaced from the other end edge of the bottom. 
     
     
         12 . The carrier as defined in  claim 3  wherein the covering means includes a soft, flexible strip of material having side edges which extend along and are joined to the upper edges of the first and second sidewalls and also includes end edges which extend along and are joined to the end edges of the bottom as aforesaid. 
     
     
         13 . A carrier for a wine-containing bag having a tap through which wine is dispensed from the wine-containing bag, the carrier comprising:
 a bag including   a) a substantially flat, rectangular-shaped bottom having a pair of parallel side edges extending therealong and a pair of parallel end edges which are oriented substantially normal to the parallel side edges;   b) a first sidewall having a lower edge which extends therealong and which is joined to the bottom along one of the parallel side edges thereof and further includes an upper edge;   c) a second sidewall having a lower edge which extends therealong and which is joined to the bottom along the other of the parallel side edges thereof so that there is provided a space between the first and second sidewalls which provides an interior for the carrier within which a wine-containing bag can be positioned; and   d) means joined to the upper edges of the first and second sidewalls for covering the interior of the carrier so that the carrier interior is collectively enveloped by the covering means, the first and second sidewalls and the bottom; and   the first sidewall defines an opening therein for accepting the tap of the wine-containing bag manipulated therethrough so that upon positioning the wine-containing bag within the interior of the carrier, the tap can be manipulated through the opening of the first sidewall for accessing the tap.   
     
     
         14 . The carrier as defined in  claim 13  further comprising a handle which is attached to the bag of the carrier to facilitate the transport of the carrier between sites. 
     
     
         15 . The carrier as defined in  claim 14  wherein at least a portion of one of the first and second sidewalls is releasably securable to the covering means for providing access to the interior of the carrier for purposes of placing a wine-containing bag into the carrier interior or for removing a wine-containing bag from the carrier interior. 
     
     
         16 . The carrier as defined in  claim 15  wherein said at least a portion of one of the first and second sidewalls is joined to the covering means by way of a zipper which can be zipped between an opened condition to permit said one sidewall to be pivoted relative to the bottom for accepting a wine-containing bag placed therein and a closed condition at which the interior of the carrier is substantially enveloped by the bottom, first and second sidewalls, and the covering means. 
     
     
         17 . The carrier as defined in  claim 13  wherein the first and second sidewalls and covering means are relatively soft and flexible, and at least one of the sidewalls is joined to the covering means along a seam which provides sufficient rigidity to the carrier so that when the carrier is placed bottom-side-down upon a horizontal surface, said at least one of the sidewalls remains in an upright orientation. 
     
     
         18 . The carrier as defined in  claim 13  wherein the tap-accepting opening defined in the first sidewall is bordered by a relatively rigid piece of material for rigidifying the region of the first sidewall disposed adjacent the tap-accepting opening. 
     
     
         19 . The carrier as defined in  claim 18  wherein the wine-containing bag includes a bag portion within which wine is contained, and the tap is sealingly joined to the bag portion and includes a port through which wine is dispensed from the bag portion and further includes a circular flange which extends radially of the tap and which is disposed between the port and the bag portion, and
 the tap-accepting opening defined in the one sidewall is circular and has a diameter, and the diameter of the tap-accepting opening is slightly smaller than the diameter of the circular flange of the tap so that upon placing the wine-containing bag into the interior of the carrier and then forcibly manipulating the flange of the tap through the tap-accepting opening, the flange resists a return of the tap back through the tap-accepting opening. 
 
     
     
         20 . The carrier as defined in  claim 13  further comprising a handle which facilitates the transport of the carrier between sites.