Robert Wayne Scholle

US Patent:

20010023572, Sep 27, 2001

Filed:

Dec 14, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/736976

Inventors:

Chester Savage - Irvine CA, US
Rocklin Verespej - San Clemente CA, US
Joseph Hsu - Irvine CA, US
Robert Scholle - Irvine CA, US

Assignee:

Scholle Corporation

International Classification:

B65D025/16
B65B031/04

US Classification:

053/432000, 220/495060, 053/449000, 053/473000

Abstract:

A flexible bag is positioned in a rigid container, such as a fifty-five gallon drum, and the bag is filled through its spout with flowable product, such as tomato paste. The bag is then expanded in the container to be substantially rigid and thereby reduce film movement and resultant flex cracking. One way that the bag can be expanded, pursuant to this invention, is for a lid to be sealed onto the container and a vacuum drawn from between the bag and the container. Gas volume needs to be present in the bag before the vacuum is applied so that the gas in the bag can expand from the vacuum on its outside. Another way to expand the bag is, after filling the bag with the flowable product, to inject pressurized gas into the bag. For this embodiment, the container need not be vacuum sealable. For example, the container may be formed from a metal, plastic, cardboard and the like, and the container walls can be either solid or have openings. The pressurized gas can be applied before the lid is placed on the container or after it is clamp-sealed onto the container. If it is after (for example through a valve in the bag fitment, the valve extending out through the lid), then the container or lid preferably has a relief valve to allow the air in the closed container to escape as the pressurized gas in introduced into the bag. The bag can have volumes slightly smaller or larger than that of the container.

US Patent:

20040016672, Jan 29, 2004

Filed:

Jun 13, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/461238

Inventors:

Chester Savage - Irvine CA, US
Rocklin Verespej - San Clemente CA, US
Joseph Hsu - Irvine CA, US
Robert Scholle - Irvine CA, US

International Classification:

B65D081/20

US Classification:

206/524800

Abstract:

A flexible bag is positioned in a rigid container, such as a fifty-five gallon drum, and the bag is filled through its spout with flowable product, such as tomato paste. The bag is then expanded in the container to be substantially rigid and thereby reduce film movement and resultant flex cracking. One way that the bag can be expanded, pursuant to this invention, is for a lid to be sealed onto the container and a vacuum drawn from between the bag and the container. Gas volume needs to be present in the bag before the vacuum is applied so that the gas in the bag can expand from the vacuum on its outside. Another way to expand the bag is, after filling the bag with the flowable product, to inject pressurized gas into the bag. For this embodiment, the container need not be vacuum sealable. For example, the container may be formed from a metal, plastic, cardboard and the like, and the container walls can be either solid or have openings. The pressurized gas can be applied before the lid is placed on the container or after it is clamp-sealed onto the container. If it is after (for example through a valve in the bag fitment, the valve extending out through the lid), then the container or lid preferably has a relief valve to allow the air in the closed container to escape as the pressurized gas in introduced into the bag. The bag can have volumes slightly smaller or larger than that of the container.