Agitating – Mixing chamber removable from stirrer and support – Mixing chamber mounted within container
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-09
2003-10-21
Cooley, Charles E. (Department: 1723)
Agitating
Mixing chamber removable from stirrer and support
Mixing chamber mounted within container
C366S197000, C222S105000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06634783
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the beverage industry, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for agitating a fluid suspension so that the fluid suspension is uniformly agitated and mixed, contained in a vessel for dispensing portions of the suspension.
The need to substantially uniformly agitate fluid suspensions for dispensing has long been felt. In the beverage industry, it is desirable to dispense beverages with consistent quality among all beverages dispensed. In order to ensure consistent quality, the sediment within the fluid suspension being dispensed must be thoroughly and uniformly agitated and mixed. If the fluid suspension is not properly agitated, then the beverage dispensed will contain an improper amount of suspended material. For example, if an orange juice dispenser does not adequately agitate the vessel containing the orange juice, some glasses of juice dispensed will contain more pulp than other glasses of juice dispensed from the same dispenser.
Methods for agitating fluid suspensions are well known in the art. Some have attempted to blend the contents of a bag using an actuator to reciprocally exert and release pressure upon a single portion of a flexible container. However, such methods do not adequately or uniformly agitate the fluid suspensions. Applying pressure to only a portion of the vessel simply displaces the suspended materials away from the point of pressure. Typically, this forces the suspended materials to the corners of the vessel, so that the fluid suspension is not substantially uniformly agitated. Therefore, an apparatus and method are needed that substantially uniformly agitates a fluid suspension.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides an apparatus and a method for agitating a fluid suspension contained within an at least partially flexible vessel. This invention provides an apparatus comprising a structure for receiving the vessel such that a portion of the vessel rests proximate to one side of an agitating member and another portion of the vessel rests proximate to another side of the agitating member, and a motor operatively communicating with the agitating member to substantially uniformly agitate the fluid suspension. This invention also provides a method comprising folding an at least partially flexible vessel so that there are two inner portions and reciprocally moving one or both of the inner portions between a first position and a second position, whereby the fluid suspension is substantially uniformly agitated.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1437880 (1922-12-01), Baker
patent: 2235942 (1941-03-01), Moore
patent: 2336438 (1943-12-01), Evans
patent: 2356004 (1944-08-01), Price
patent: 2406535 (1946-08-01), Foote
patent: 2419330 (1947-04-01), Anderson
patent: 2462286 (1949-02-01), Rhodes
patent: 3096081 (1963-07-01), Helm et al.
patent: 3132848 (1964-05-01), Garlinghouse
patent: 3211432 (1965-10-01), Van Rossem
patent: 3499578 (1970-03-01), O'Neal
patent: 3595530 (1971-07-01), Hubers
patent: 3740028 (1973-06-01), Bodine
patent: 3819158 (1974-06-01), Sharpe et al.
patent: 3833203 (1974-09-01), Garlinghouse
patent: 4198166 (1980-04-01), Tuns
patent: 4550653 (1985-11-01), Hedenberg
patent: 4550654 (1985-11-01), Hedenberg
patent: 4590850 (1986-05-01), Hedenberg
patent: 4784297 (1988-11-01), Katz
patent: 4803086 (1989-02-01), Hedenberg
patent: 4907723 (1990-03-01), Katz
patent: 5121857 (1992-06-01), Hutchinson
patent: 5141135 (1992-08-01), Volk, Jr.
patent: 5600964 (1997-02-01), Da Dalto et al.
patent: 5699902 (1997-12-01), Sperry et al.
patent: 5913603 (1999-06-01), Sperry et al.
patent: 6045253 (2000-04-01), Sullivan
patent: 6142661 (2000-11-01), Lafond
patent: 6186360 (2001-02-01), Becker et al.
patent: 6272813 (2001-08-01), Sperry et al.
patent: 6273600 (2001-08-01), Sharpe
patent: 6416212 (2002-07-01), Rogers et al.
patent: 255780 (1988-02-01), None
patent: 360456 (1990-03-01), None
patent: 2230251 (1990-10-01), None
patent: 00/53303 (2000-09-01), None
Carlton Fields P.A.
Cooley Charles E.
Vitality Beverages, Inc.
LandOfFree
Apparatus for agitating a fluid suspension does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus for agitating a fluid suspension, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus for agitating a fluid suspension will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3113115