Condiment transfer device and method

Abstract

A device and method are disclosed which connects two bulk restaurant condiment bags which allows users to move the food product in one bag into the other, the device comprising a hollow connecting tube sized to fit and secure to the bags.

The inventor claims: 
     
         1 . A device for transferring a viscous liquid from one container to another, comprising:
 a. a hollow tube with open ends, and   b. a means for connecting each tube end to a container.   
     
     
         2 . A device as in  claim 1  in which a tube opening is cut at an angle, such that the opening of the hollow tube forms an acute angle to the plane tangent to the tube along its longest extent of the tube at the tube opening. 
     
     
         3 . A device as in  claim 2  in which both tube openings are similarly cut such that the angled openings are mirrors of each other. 
     
     
         4 . A device as in  claim 1 , with the additional limitation that the means for connecting each tube end to a container comprises a raised extruded ring over which a bag's opening may be fixed tightly enough to hold the bag over the ring. 
     
     
         5 . A device as in  claim 1 , with the additional limitation that the means for connecting each tube end to a container comprises a bag grip into which a bag can be fixed using a frictional connection. 
     
     
         6 . A device as in  claim 5 , in which the bag grip frictional connection is angled to accept different sizes of bag portals. 
     
     
         7 . A device as in  claim 5 , in which the bag grip frictional connection is ratcheted to accept different sizes of bag portals. 
     
     
         8 . A device as in  claim 4 , in which the tube is reinforced by a raised extrusion element between the raised extruded rings. 
     
     
         9 . A method of consolidating a viscous condiment between flexible bags, comprising the following steps:
 a. pushing one end of a two-ended hollow tube into an opening of a first bag;   b. pushing the second end of a two-ended hollow tube into the opening of a second bag;   c. squeezing one of the two aforementioned bags such that the viscous fluid in one bag is pressed out of the bag, through the tube, and into the second bag; and   d. disconnecting the bags from the tube.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising additional limitations as follows:
 a. pushing one end of a two-ended hollow tube into an opening of a first bag;   b. fixing the first bag onto a bag grip mounted on the aforementioned hollow tube end;   c. pushing the second end of a two-ended hollow tube into the opening of a second bag;   d. fixing the second end of a bag onto a bag grip mounted on the aforementioned second end of the hollow tube;   e. squeezing one of the two aforementioned bags such that the viscous fluid in one bag is pressed out of the bag, through the tube, and into the second bag; and   f. disconnecting the bags from the tube.