1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to containers, and more particularly to a shaker bag mixing assembly that is well suited for mixing one or more dry ingredients with an introduced liquid.
2. Description of Prior Art and Related Information
Frequently, materials that are to be placed in use must be compounded or mixed just prior to use because one or both materials are not stable, must be maintained in a sterile environment, are reactive with air and/or water, or the like. Such materials include pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, food products, nutritional products, flavored milk or protein powders, gravies, dressings, puddings, soups, biological media, chemical compositions and the like, in the personal, medical, restaurant, food service, aid and disaster relief fields. These are typically referred to as two-component compositions. Frequently one component must be maintained in the sealed state for stability, sterility, or the like. The other component frequently is stable and can be a solvent, such as water, alcohol, milk, juice and the like.
Traditionally, two-component compositions are furnished in two separate containers. One or both of the containers may be sealed to maintain its respective contents in a sealed environment. To mix the composition, the sealed containers are broken open and the contents are combined in one of the containers or in a separate container.
Existing containers are not ideal. One major drawback is that containers, mechanical mixers, shaker bottles or blenders need to be washed, sterilized and dried before use. For example, in the preparation of milk shakes, protein drinks, or infant formula, both components must be measured or weighed and blended in a blender or shaker bottle or the like. This requires a number of containers and utensils that must be cleaned, sterilized and dried to avoid the possibility of contamination. Such conventional methods are not portable for preparation at the time of usage. Further, the exact measurement of the “active ingredient(s)” is often done by volume measurement and is not necessarily accurate.
In the case of certain products, and particularly nutritional and protein powders, the addition of water, milk or juice to a powder can be difficult to mix. Therefore, blenders and shaker bottles, including various mixing devices as mentioned above, are required. Further, water or milk added on top of the powdered ingredient causes clumps and lumps which are difficult to mix. The addition of a powdered ingredient on top of the liquid (water, milk or juice) can avoid these problems but has not proven practical.
Existing liquid Ready to Drink (RTD) products are usually sterilized under severe heat treatment conditions, with processing aids such as emulsifies, stabilizers or preservatives causing flavor and ingredient degradation during the heat treatment process and during the course of distribution, thus limiting shelf life. Packaging of these products requires specific material and structural design to accommodate the heat treatment process, such as expensive and environmentally unfriendly plastic materials. Further, limitations exist in the manufacture and marketing of products that contain bioactive, or non-heat stable ingredients due to complete or partial degradation, high viscosity, settling or even gelation of the product.
Existing laminated bags and sachets made from various plastics or foil laminates are available typically with a spout having a 5 mm to 10 mm internal diameter including a tamper proof cap typically used for liquid fruit juices, purees, juice drinks and the like. Powdered single serve sachets do not have a spout for filling or direct consumption and require the bag or sachet to be opened and the contents added to another container, or blender for mixing and preparation before usage.
There is a need for a container which can provide the appropriate size, shape, configuration and mixing attributes that may or may not include a mixing device, to which one component can be pre-measured and sealed until a second component is added at a predetermined volume or weight at the time of usage. Such container must be of suitable material, low cost, typically disposable and have an opening large enough to fill powdered components with automated machinery and for adding the second component. Such container should also be lightweight and be of minimum foot print and low volume to permit efficient packaging of the dried components for shipment and consumer convenience.