US2920967A - Method of packaging liquids - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 12, 1960 B. HEINEMANN 2,920,967

METHOD OF PACKAGING LIQUIDS Filed Sept. 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.|. FIG.4.

38 E I 1 INVENTOR. \2 v BY Burde'r Heinemonn 34 ggfl uwbnmz ATT V5 Jan. 12, 1960 B. HEINEMANN 2,920,967

METHOD OF PACKAGING LIQUIDS Filed Sept. 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.I2.

INVENTOR. Burder Heinemclnn United States Patent METHOD OF PACKAGING LIQUIDS Burdet Heinemann, Springfield, Mo., assignor to Producers Creamery Company, Springfield, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application September 21, 1955, Serial No. 535,631

7 Claims. (Cl. 9-'--171) This invention relates to a new package and a new method of filling same with a liquid or other fluent materials or substances and is a continuation-impart of my copending application Serial No. 469,244, filed November 16, 1954.

In the packaging of liquids in accordance with the present invention, and also with regard to liquids that foam, it is desirable to so fill the package with the liquid so as to avoid as much as possible the formation of foam therein and/ or to prevent air from being within the package before and at the time the package is being filled.

In the prior art patents relating to the filling of packages with liquid, whether the liquid is foamable or not, air is introduced along with the liquid and this air and/or foam collects in a headspace that is provided in the package for the same. In accordance with the teaching of the prior art patents, it is therefore necessary to disperse the foam which results in air being within the package and the air that is present from other sources and this is accomplished by providing the definite headspace in the package and then when the package is filled with a proper amount of liquid or the like, the same is either depressed or compressed to raise the liquid level within the package in order to expel the air therefrom. It is obvious, therefore, that the expelling of the air from the package requires considerable time and, at that, it is most diflicult to remove substantially all of the air from the package in accordance with the teaching of the prior art.

In the present invention, there is disclosed a new package and also a new method of filling that package. The

characteristics of the package to be filled with the liquid are such that the same is substantially devoid of air at the time the filling operation initially takes place, and during the filling operation of the package with the liquid, air is prevented from entering thereinto. Thus any foam that may form within the package which is substantially devoid of air is inconsequential and need not be dispersed or removed when the package is filled with the proper volume or amount of liquid and, moreover, there is no air in that filled package or substantially no air therein. Therefore, in the filling of the particular new package, the disadvantages of the prior art are overcome and this simplifies the filling and closing operations and also results in the product within the package remaining more stable over a longer period of time. Then, too, the fact that there is substantially no foam or air within the package when it is filled, there need not be any lapse of time in sealing or closing the package as removing the air or effecting dispersion of the foam is not required.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel package for liquids and such package possessing the characteristic feature of being substantially devoid of air at the particular time that it is about to be filled with the liquid.

2,920,961 Patented Jan. 12, 1960 Another object of the invention is to provide such .a package which includes a bag-like member and which bag-like member is flat and consists of joined side walls which normally contact each other and being substantially devoid of air and which walls are flexible and distensible and wherein the distension of the walls of the bag-like member takes place progressively as the same is filled with a liquid or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible and distensible bag or the like and which bag is associated in a novel manner with a substantially rigid outer container such as a carton and thus providing the novel package which comprises the flexible bag-like member and the carton.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel package comprising an initially flat, distensible bag or the like which is devoid of air and such bag being initially positioned within a rigid carton or the like and preferably positioned in a polygonal carton and with the opposite edges of the bag initially disposed in opposed corners or corner portions of that carton, and the bag being of such dimensions that when it has been distended by filling with the proper amount or volume of liquid while within the carton, a substantial upper portion of the bagis in a substantially flat condition and devoid of air so that this upper portion can be closed or sealed and folded in a novel manner over the filled portion of the bag within the carton.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel bag having flexible and distensible characteristics and the walls of the same being flat and in substantial contact with each other and thus being initially devoid of air and the bag being capable of being sealed or closed at the top portion thereof when filled with a liquid or anything else.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel bag structure which is initially flat and flexible, and devoid of air and an upper portion thereof being capable of being heat sealed or this said upper edge portion being gathered and allowing for a wire or other means to be used for closing the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new method for filling a package with a liquid and said package when filled with the proper amount or volume of liquid being substantially devoid of air and substantially devoid of foam without in any way resorting to raising or lowering the liquid level or any other procedure for removing therefrom foam and/or air.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of filling a package with liquid and which package initially is devoid of air and while the filling operation is progressing air is prevented from entering the package thus resulting in a filled package that when closed or sealed is devoid of air.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method for packaging liquids, particularly liquids that foam readily, so that foaming during the packaging operation is, for practical purposes, prevented.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method and package for packing liquids of they type described, wherein a neat, sanitary package is obtained and wherein the time required for packaging andthe cost of the package is reduced to a minimum.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved method and package for the purpose described which is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with dairy products such as milk, cream and the like, wherein a container for shipping and/or transporting such products is provided, which container is effectively sealed so as to prevent the loss or spoilage of the product during shipping or transporting.

A further object of invention is to provide a method for packaging products of the type described wherein the transfer of the liquid to the container or package is efiected in the substantial absence of air so that foaming does not take place and wherein the complete 'package, when filled, has no air space therein and wherein the package is sealed in such condition for transportation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a disposable Package unit for liquid products of the type described, which is more economical for the shipping and transportation of liquids, particularly dairy products, than those containers which are conventionally used.

. Another object of the invention is to provide a method which consists of utilizing a substantially rigid outer carton and the insertion in that carton of a substantially flat, flexible, distensible bag and preferably disposing the opposite edges of the bag in opposite corners of a polygonal shaped carton with a top portion of the bag eXtending above the top edges of the side walls of the carton and with an upper edge portion of the bag being unsealed and openable for insertion therein of a nozzle of a filling mechanism, when the bag is thus disposed in the carton actually insertin the filling nozzle in the said opening at the top edge portion of the bag and then gathering an upper portion of the bag adjacent the opening about the nozzle to hold or seal it thereagainst to prevent the entrance of air into the bag either before or during the filling operation of the bag from the filling nozzle, continuing the filling operation until the proper volume or amount of liquid is in the bag within the rigid carton thus causing the bag to progressively distend from its original flat condition and assume the shape of the inner walls of the carton as the filling progresses to the proper point, and then while the gathered portion is still about the nozzle, removing the same from the nozzle or vice versa andclosing or sealing the said open top portion of the bag without raising or lowering the liquid level of the contents of the bag in that carton, and the bag when filled out in the claims hereto appended, it beging understood H that'various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of construction, withinthe scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one of the container liners utilized in conjunction with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the liner taken iTubstantially along the plane of section line 2-2 in ig. 1; r

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken along the plane of line 3-3 in Fig. l; I

' Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the cardboard container and liner or sleeve positioned initially therein before the filling operation takes place;

Fig.5 is a view showing the package in assembled condition immediately prior to the filling operation;

' Fig. 6 is a view of the package showing the same in position immediately after the filling nozzle has been insert ed thereinto and prior to the filling operation;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the position of the parts during the filling operation;

8 is an elevational view, partly broken away and in section, illustrating'the principles of the filling operation;

' Fig. 9 shows the package immediately after the filling 1clifieration and illustrating one method of sealing the Fig. 10 is a perspective view partly broken away, illustrating the completed package structure;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the plane of section line 11-1 1 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 12 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the plane of section line 1212 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 1 illustrates the bag or inner compartment of the package which constitutes a part of the completed package assembly in accordance with this invention. This bag or sleeve is indicated generally by the reference character 10. The bag is formed of a plastic film, such as polyethylene or any other suitable material, and in the particular embodiment shown, the bag is in the form of a tubular extrusion which has been flattened to present the seamless side edge portions 11 and 12, as illustrated in Fig. 2, so that two substantially flat flexible walls 13 and 14 of the film are provided. The lower end of the bag is sealed as at 15 for example by heat sealing, whereas the upper end thereof is also heat sealed as at 16. The sealing of the lower end is completed, that is, it extends from side edge to side edge, and the sealing of the top edge extends only from one side edge to a point 17 spaced from the opposite side edge, leaving the unsealed portion 18 in one upper corner. For the purpose of practicing this invention, it is extremely important that the bag be generally similar to that specifically shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, wherein the walls 13 and 14 forming the bag are pressed into close contact with each other to substantially completely exclude air from between the two walls. It is of prime importance and consideration that air, for all practical purposes, be excluded from the interior of the bag.

Utilized in conjunction with the bag and forming the outer protective portion of the package assembly, is a substantially rigid polygonal carton or the like indicated generally by the reference character 19, as for example, in Fig. 4. The outer carton 19 is preferably constructed of firm material such as corrugated paperboard or the like and may be of any desired configuration although the specific embodiment shown is of rectangular configuration and substantially square in cross section. The outer carton 19 may, in accordance with conventional' practice, he provided in initially fiat folded form which is readily manipulated to its semi-completed condition as shown in Fig. 4, with the bounding sides 20, 21, 22 and 23 thereof having flap extensions or closures 24, 25, 26 and 27 formed integrally at the open upper end of the assembly and in substantially coplanar relation with their corresponding sides, as shown. The flaps, of course, are ultimately to be folded over along the score lines 28, 29, etc. for placing the finished package in closed condition for transportation and handling.

- flows into the bag, that area of the side walls 13 and 14 to the right of dotted line d remaining in substantial intimate contact With each other during the filling operation. That area of the bag above the dotted line 38 in Fig. 1 is generally that upper portion of the bag which is characterized by the side walls 13 and 14 being in physical contact with each other at the end of the filling operation and represents a suiplusage of the bag which readily permits the corner portion C to be gathered and sealed at the end of the filling operation.

Essentially the method contemplated in this invention embodies the filling of a flexible distensible bag, such bag being characterized by being flattened and having its side walls in close contact throughout so that the bag is substantially. devoid of any air in the interior thereof, by having a filling means through which liquid can be controllably dispensed and introduced through an opening or mouth of the bag and then gathering the bag either manually or by some mechanical means about the filling means and holding the same against the filling means so that the mouth is substantially sealed against the introduction of air there'through and so that only the fluid dispensed from the nozzle will "be introduced into the bag and wherein the fluid will flow in a streamlike fashion so as to separate wall portions of the bag only in that area surrounding the stream. The bag is, at the same time, constrained by some confining means so as to limit the distention thereof as the stream forms a pool at the bottom of the bag Which forcibly distends the bag and separates the wall portions thereof outwardly within the limits of the confining means, the pool as'it progressively increases in volume being the sole means for distending the bag and separating the normally closely contacted wall'portions thereof as the bag is filled upwardly with at least portions of the walls of the bag continuously lying on top of the liquid pool with substantially no air space 'therebetween or above the level of the pool.

More specifically, the method of this invention contemplates first erecting the outer portion of the package or carton 19 and then placing or inserting the bag into such erected carton. Preferably, the bag is inserted into the carton generally in accordance with the showing in Fig. 4 wherein it will be noted that the upper corner portions C and C are disposed in opposite corner areas of the carton. The bag is not maintained in this position but isimmediately manipulated so as to pull the corner portions C and C through the slits defined by the opposed side edges of the flaps 25 and 26, and the opposed side edges 24 and 27 substantially as shown in Fig. 5. These corner portions C and C are of substantially triangular configuration as illustrated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 5. The position of the corner portions C and C, as aforesaid, serves to retain the bag in its proper relationship with the carton in readiness for the next step.

With the parts as shown in Fig. 5, the assemblage is conveyed by any suitable means to the filling station, as shown in Fig. 6, wherein there is provided a source or reservoir 30 which may contain a predetermined quantity of liquid sufficient to properly fill the package or to contain a greater quantity to be measured as by weighing to fill any number of packages. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the reference numeral 31 indicates a feed nozzle which is swivelly connected to the source 30 and is gravity fed therefrom although, of course, it is to be understood that a stationary nozzle or other suitable type of filling means may be 'utiilzed. The nozzle 31 is movable between the full and dotted line position shown in Fig. 6.

In the specific embodiment, the end 32 of the nozzle is swung over and the open corner C of the bag 10 is pulled out from between the fiap s 24 and .27 and manipulated so that the nozzle portion 32 projects thereinto in the manner shown. The operator then gathers the corner portion C of the bag about the nozzle portion 32 and this gathered portion is either manually or otherwise held or maintained in close sealing relationship with the nozzle portion 32, as illustrated more clearly in Fig. 7. At this point, it is important to note that at no time has the bag '10 been opened to any substantial extent to admit air thereinto with the exception of the slight manipulation thereof which is necessary to receive the nozzle portion 32. In other words, in the position shown in Fig. 7, the walls 13 and 14 are in intimate physical contact with each other throughout substantially the entire area thereof with the exception of those portions which are held against the nozzle and thus negligible portions thereof which are parted immediately below the nozzle portion 32. Consequently, there is substantially no air between the walls when the parts are in the position as shown in Fig. 7.

The next step is to manipulate any suitable valve means associated with the source or reservoir '30 and the nozzle 31 which will permit the liquid to be introduced into the bag through the nozzle. The surface portions A and B of the walls 13 and 14, as shown in Fig. 11, designate the separated portions of these side walls 13 and 14 respectively as occasioned by the introduction of the stream 33 of liquid into the interior of the bag.

In other words, the liquid flowing from the nozzle 32 separates only a small area of the walls 13 and 14 suflu cient to accommodate for the flow of liquid therebetween and this stream continues in uninterrupted fashion from the end of the nozzle down to the bottom of the bag wherea-t it forms a pool 34. This pool, as more and more liquid is introduced into the bag, spreads out and forcibly distends the bag by separating the normally contacted walls 13 and 14 thereof until the bag has reached its maximum or outer limit of distention as determined by the carton 19. Thus, the pool 34 will force the walls 13 and 14 of the bag outwardly into substantial conformity with the interior surface of the carton 19. As the pool is formed, all of the portions of the walls 13 and 14 thereabove, with the exception of the channel portions A and B, will remain in close contact with each other since only liquid and no air is being introduced into the interior of the bag. For this reason, portions 38 and 39 of the walls 13 and 14 will contact and define the level of the liquid pool 34 in the bag and there is no air or headspace between the liquid pool and the portions 38 and 39.

The filling operation is continued with the height or level of the pool 34 progressively increasing and separating the walls 13 and 14 of the bag as set forth hereinbefore until a predetermined amount of liquid has been dispensed into the bag. Preferably, the predetermined amount of liquid for any given size of carton 19 and bag 10 will be such as to carry the liquid level of the pool 34 to a height which is somewhat lower than the top of the carton as defined by the lines 28, 29, etc. in Fig. 4. Preferably, also, the bag 10 is of such length in proportion to the height of the carton that it extends through and outwardly of the open end of the carton and above the top edges of the flaps 24, 25, 26. and 27. This not only aids in the initial manipulation of the bag so that the nozzle portion 32 is projected thereinto but also leaves that considerable portion of the bag above the dotted line 38 in Fig. 1 in unfilled condition when the predetermined volume or amount of liquid has been dispensed into the container.

When the container is filled, those portions of the side walls 13 and 14 immediately below the dotted line 38 will lie on top of the liquid level of the pool 34 in the manner previously described in connection with the portions 38 and 39 in Fig. 8, with the remainder of the wall portions above the dotted line 38, and as designated by reference character 37, being still in contact with each other. In other words, when the container is completely filled, there is no headspace for air within the bag 10. At this point, after the flow of liquid has been shut off, the gathered portion of the bag is slipped off of the nozzle portion 32 and immediately sealed by means of the wire 36, which wire is looped about the gathered corner portion and twisted tightly to seal the mouth of the bag. The upper corners of the bag are then folded opposite to each other to lie neatly within the container as illustrated in Fig. 10 and the flaps or closures 24, 25, 26 and 27 are interengaged in the conventional manner to complete the carton.

Of course, any suitable means may be provided for sealing oif the bag such as, for example, the bag may be heat sealed to close its mouth, or for that matter the bag may be closed in any suitable or desired manner.

By initially providing the bag which is substantially devoid of air, and by preventing the introduction of air thereinto during the filling operation, foaming of 1iquids '7 such as milk or cream for practical purposes is obviated, and as soon as the container is filled, it can be immediately without further manipulation or waiting for foam to subside, be sealed oif in any desired manner. Also, since the bag is initially substantially devoid of air and is also substantially devoid of air while filling and at the end of the filling operation, any deleterious effects of the dairy or similar product being stored, shipped or transported in the presence of air, are eliminated. Moreover, there is a portion of the walls of the bag constantly at the level of the contents of the bag when that bag is being progressively filled and is completely filled, and when the bag is in the rigid container shifting of the contents of the bag is prevented.

Still further, in particular regard to the dairy industry, the packages hereinbefore set forth are indeed sanitary and effect substantial savings since these packages, even though they are used only once, are less expensive by far than the conventional metallic or other containers or cans now used. Cans are of high initial cos-t and when reused, must be sterilized and their life is relatively short and also the problem arises of continuously transporting the cans back and forth and restocking the supply. It has in fact been found that the use of the herein described packages is materially less expensive than the use of conventional cans as the present packages are the throw-away type and need not be sterilized before use and require very little storage space due to their knock-down nature.

A still further advantage of the herein described invention resides in the ease of manipulation by the ultimate consumer. It respect to this, it is merely necessary, when emptying the contents of one of these containers, to open the upper end of the container, pull out the corner portion of the bag and utilize the gathered portion as a pouring spout or cut off the said corner portion below the sealing means 36 or the point at which it is closed and then the entire carton containing the filled bag can be picked up and the contents dumped through the gathered portion which serves as a spout.

It is to be understood that this invention contemplates the utilization of any desired size of carton 19 and bag for containing any desired quantity or volume of liquid. One specific embodiment of the invention is a carton having inside dimensions of approximately 9 inches by 9 inches by 19 inches and a bag which is approximately 20 inches Wide and 34 inches long and with the open portion defining the mouth of the bag being approximately 4 /2 inches wide. This particular package holds approximately 50 pounds of liquid such as milk or cream.

If there is any air in the bag when filled with a proper amount or volume of liquid or the like, it is a very simple matter to just depress the unsealed, substantially flat upper portion of the bag downwardly and thus discharge any such air through the opening in the bag and without in any way raising or lowering the level of the contents of the bag such as by firm depressing of the upper portion of the bag or compressing of the bag itself or the carton in which the bag is placed.

It will be seen from the foregoing that there is indeed a new package and a new method of filling that package with a fluid or a liquid or the package may be filled in any suitable manner with any fluent material. The package is ideally adapted for the filling and transporting of dairy products, such as milk, cream or the like but ohviously any suitable materials, granulated, powdered or the like, or other commodities that Will flow may be placed in the container.

I claim:

1. The method of packaging a liquid, which comprises placing a flattened, flexible sleeve-like plastic bag which is devoid of air and which has its bottom end closed and only a portion of its upper end open, within a rectangular self-sustainingcarton withthe opposite side edges of the bag disposed in'opposite corners of the carton, projecting a filler nozzle through said open upper end of the bag, gathering said bag about its opening and holding the same in sealed engagement with the nozzle to prevent the entry of air into the interior of the bag, introducing liquid into the bag through the nozzle while maintaining the sealed relation between the bag and nozzle, terminating the introduction of fluid before the bag is completely filled so as to leave a substantial portion of the upper region thereof devoid of liquid and air, and sealing off the gathered portion of the bag to close the opening in the same.

2. The method of packaging a liquid, which comprises placing a flattended, flexible sleeve-like plastic bag which is devoid of air and which has its bottom end closed and only a portion of its upper end open, within a rectangular self-sustaining carton, having integral, coplanar flap extensions at its open upper end, with the opposite side edges of the bag disposed in opposite corners of the carton, pulling outwardly on the opposite upper corners of the bag so that such corners are disposed and held between adjacent intersecting flap extensions of the carton whereby the bag is self sustained within the carton with the upper region of the bag projecting outwardly of the carton and above the flap extensions, projecting a filler nozzle through the opening in the bag, gathering said bag about the nozzle and manually sealing the same thereagainst to prevent entry of air into the bag, introducing liquid into the bag through the nozzle while maintaining the sealed relation between the bag and nozzle, terminating the introduction of fluid before the bag is completely filled so as to leave a substantial portion of the upper region thereof devoid of liquid and air, and sealing olf the gathered portion of the bag to close the opening in the same.

3. The method of packaging a liquid, which comprises placing a flattened, flexible sleeve-like plastic bag which is devoid of air and which has its bottom end closed and only a portion of its upper end open, within a rectangular self-sustaining carton with the opposite side edges of the bag disposed in opposite corners of the carton, projecting a filler nozzle through said open upper end of the bag, gathering said bag about its opening and holding the same in sealed engagement with the nozzle to prevent the entry of air into the interior of the bag, introducing liquid into the bag through the nozzle while maintaining the sealed relation between the bag and nozzle, terminating the introduction of fluid before the bag is completely filled so as to leave a substantial portion of the upper region thereof devoid of liquid and air with the walls of the bag above the liquid level in intimate contact therewith, sealing oil the opening in the bag, and folding said upper region of the bag into the carton.

4. The method of packaging a liquid, which comprises placing a flattened, flexible sleeve-like plastic bag which is devoid of air and which has its bottom end closed and only a portion of its upper end open, within a rectangular self-sustaining carton, having integral, coplanar flap eX- tensions at its open upper end, with the opposite side edges of the bag disposed in opposite corners of the carton, pulling outwardly on the opposite upper corners of the bag so that such corners are disposed and held between adjacent intersecting flap extensions of the carton whereby the bag is self sustained within the carton with the upper region of the bag projecting outwardly of the carton and above the flap extensions, projecting a filler nozzle through the opening in the bag, gathering said bag about the nozzle and manually sealing the same thereagainst to prevent entry of air into the bag, introducing liquid into the bag through the nozzle while maintaining the sealed relation between the bag and nozzle, terminating the introduction of fluid before the bag is completely filled so as to leave a substantial portion of the upper region thereof devoid of liquid and air with the walls of the bag above the liquid level in intimate contact therewith, sealing off the opening in the bag, and folding said upper region of the bag into the carton.

5. The method of packaging a liquid, which comprises placing a flattened, flexible sleeve-like plastic bag which is devoid of air and which has its bottom end closed and only a portion of its upper end open, within a rectangular self-sustaining carton, having integral, coplanar flap extensions at its open upper end, with the opposite side edges of the bag disposed in opposite corners of the carton, pulling outwardly on the opposite upper corners of the bag so that such corners are disposed and held between adjacent intersecting flap extensions of the carton whereby the bag is self sustained within the carton with the upper region of the bag projecting outwardly of the carton and above the flap extensions, projetcing a filler nozzle through the opening in the bag, gathering said bag about the nozzle and manually sealing the same thereagainst to prevent entry of air into the bag, introducing liquid into the bag through the nozzle while maintaining the sealed relation between the bag and nozzle so that the liquid will follow a stream-like path from the nozzle to the bottom of the bag to form a progressively enlarging pool of liquid which separates opposite wall portions of the bag and distends the same outwardly to conform generally with the contour of the carton with portions of the side walls of the bag overlying and contacting the top surface of the pool as the level of the pool rises, terminating the introduction of fluid before the bag is completely filled and with the liquid level disposed below the upper open end of the carton so as to leave a substantial portion of the upper region thereof devoid of liquid and air, and sealing off the gathered portion of the bag to close the opening in the same.

6. The method of packaging liquid in an initially fiat, flexible plastic bag defined by superposed sheets in intimate face-to-face contact throughout and devoid of air space therebetween, which comprises placing the bag in a rigid, open topped container of a height less than the length of the bag with the top of the bag projecting through and above the open top of the container, separating the superposed sheets at the top extremity of the bag and for only a minor extent of the bag width so as to present an opening just large enough to receive a filler spout, inserting the filler spout into the opening in the 10 bag and gathering the top of the bag around the filler spout and sealingly holding the bag against the filler spout so that the interior of the bag is isolated from all but the filler spout and eflecting such seal at a point on the bag to leave a portion of the bag hanging below the filler spout which portion has a length greater than that required to reach from the filler spout to the bottom of the container, introducing liquid into the bag through the filler spout while maintaining the stated sealed engagement of the bag therewith and while maintaining the interior of the container directly open to atmospheric pressure through the open top of the container, maintaining the distance between the filler spout and the bottom of the container less than the length of the bag hanging below the filler spout and collecting the introduced liquid in a pool at the bottom of the bag but supported by the bottom of the container, continuing the introduction of liquid into the bag until the liquid has reached a level .in the bag materially less than that required to completely fill the bag and below the top of the container so as to leave a substantial portion of the bag above such level devoid of liquid and air, and then withdrawing the filler spout and sealing the open portion of the top of the bag.

7. The method as defined in and by claim 6 where the liquid is selected from the group consisting of milk, cream, skim milk and condensed milk.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,625,395 Roberts Apr. 19, 1927 2,076,079 Gammeter Apr. 6, 1937 2,099,257 Bergstein Nov. 16, 1937 2,159,835 Waters May 23, 1939 2,177,919 Vogt Oct. 31, 1939 2,260,192 Orr Oct. 21, 1941 2,335,978 Vogt Dec. 7, 1943 2,380,134 Waters July 10, 1945 2,562,389 Piazze July 31, 1951 2,564,163 Leperre Aug. 14, 1951 2,689,798 Bond Sept. 21, 1954 2,697,531 Hood Dec. 12, 1954 2,736,656 Marshall Feb. 28, 1956 2,872,760 Meissner Feb. 10, 1959

Claims (1)

1. THE METHOD OF PACKAGING A LIQUID, WHICH COMPRISES PLACING A FLATTENED, FLEXIBLE SLEEVE-LIKE PLASTIC BAG WHICH IS DEVOID OF AIR AND WHICH HAS ITS BOTTOM END CLOSED AND ONLY A PORTION OF ITS UPPER OPEN, WITHIN A RECTANGULAR SELF-SUSTAINING CARTON WITH THE OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES OF THE BAG DISPOSED IN OPPOSITE CORNERS OF THE CARTON, PROJECTING A FILLER NOZZLE THROUGH SAID OPEN UPPER END OF THE BAG GATHERING SAID BAG ABOUT ITS OPENING AND HOLDING THE SAME IN SEALED ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NOZZLE TO PREVENT THE

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