Dispensing – Collapsible wall-type container – With wall-collapsing means
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-06
2004-02-17
Bomberg, Kenneth (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Collapsible wall-type container
With wall-collapsing means
C222S105000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06691894
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the field of dispensing viscous and semi-viscous food products that do not flow sufficiently well by simple gravity force. In particular, the invention relates to dispensers adapted for receiving a removable supple bag or pouch containing a viscous liquid food such as sauce, condiment, cream and the like.
BACKGROUND
In the food service industry, it is desirable to serve a wide variety of viscous fluids such as sauce, mustard, ketchup, condiments, and the like in hygienic conditions and as conveniently as possible. For that, there are several known types of dispensing devices available.
Pump dispensers are commonly used. Ordinary, the foodstuff is moved and dispensed by controlled peristaltic action on a flexible hose connected to the pouch. However, there are several drawbacks to this system. In particular, the pouch must be equipped with a tubular resilient hose generally connected by a plastic fitment to the pouch that makes this combination pouch/fitment/hose rather costly to produce in mass production. Other disadvantages are obviously the extra-cost due to the addition of the pump in the dispenser and also the supplement in energy consumption.
Pumpless dispensers utilize both gravity and the mechanical force to dispense viscous fluids throughout the outlet of the bag. Such dispensing apparatuses provide an advantage of being capable of dispensing the food product without any motor actuated pumps. The pouch can also be made of two flat flexible sheets sealingly interconnected to define both the food storage reservoir and the outlet of the pouch. Such flat design is easy to manufacture and load, but such pumpless dispensers are subject to other drawbacks. These problems led to the widespread use of peristaltic pump dispensers in the foodservice industry despite their additional cost.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,120 to Evans, Sr. et al. discloses a pumpless cheese server being adapted to maintain inverted bags in a steam chamber while gravity influenced squeeze bars ride down the bag sides to express cheese toward the bag outlet fitment. More particularly, the pressure on the bag is carried out by a pair of squeeze rods that defines a bag receiving opening therebetween. The evacuation rate of the bag is relatively poor because of the presence of the opening that is necessary to permit the engagement of the bag between the squeeze rods. Therefore, a significant amount of food is left in the bag after the passage of the rods. Such an arrangement remains rather complicated and inconvenient when the empty bag has to be replaced by a new one. In particular, the pair of rollers has to be detached from the empty bag, then fitted to a new bag while taking care the rollers are not biased with respect to the bag which would cause blocking problems. In addition, when the bag is loaded with fluid product, it may be difficult to properly engage the pair of rollers through the upper portion of the bag. Furthermore, usual cheese or condiment bags can weigh in average 4-5 kilograms. Loading of the bag in the dispenser requires to manually lifting the bag so as to suspend the bag until locking the upper portion of the bag with hangers is performed. Depending upon the bag overall weight, this operation may be exhausting for the maintenance people.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,613 to Taylor et al. relates to a dispenser for viscous fluid having a hanging assembly for suspending a collapsible bag with a dispenser outlet extending from an opening at the bottom of a housing, and a pair of rollers riding in parallel pairs of slots vertically extending in opposite sides of the housing. Since the dispenser housing needs to be regulated in temperature to keep the bag warm or refrigerated, large side openings (or guide slots) in the housing are not desirable as it causes significant heat loss with the outside environment. Therefore, it takes more time to heat or cool a new bag to the required service temperature and the regulation is more energy consuming and safety or quality problems might occur more frequently. Furthermore, the housing is subjected more easily to introduction of dust, dirt and humidity that may cause important sanitary problems.
In this arrangement, the device also comprises a pair of rollers that can be separated when the housing is opened for engaging a new bag. However, the device is cumbersome as place for the two rollers must be saved accordingly. The rollers have to be joined by an elastic yoke provided on each external side of the housing making the arrangement complicated. Blocking problems are likely to occur, as the two rollers might not ride in a perfect parallel travel all along the length of the bag.
Moreover, loading of the bag also requires manual strength to lift the bag until it is properly suspended in the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,699 to Barchus also relates to an internally-coupled dual roller tube squeezing device for fluid materials such as toothpaste, shampoo, adhesive, or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,251 to Kirland relates to a flexible collapsible container containing medical liquids, a pair of rollers being arranged as a level indicator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,578,001 to Sha is an infusion apparatus for IV bags comprising a squeezing arrangement of two parallel rollers.
Therefore there are needs for dispensers that:
A. provides optimal and satisfactory evacuation rates of the food product without any significant amount of the food is left and therefore wasted in the pouch.
B. are capable of increasing the temperature of the pouch rapidly and of maintaining temperature of the food pouch at a very precisely controlled value, e.g., either at warm temperature for cheese sauce or at refrigerated temperatures for milk products.
C. complies with the heath and quality regulations and is properly protected from dirt ingress during service and is easy to clean.
D. does not require particular skill or strength for the people responsible for keeping the system in service and therefore is easy to load with the pouch.
None of the devices discussed above provides a satisfactory solution that can be applied as a recognized efficient standard in the food service industry. Accordingly, there remains a need for improved dispensing devices in this area.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pumpless dispenser especially intended for dispensing viscous fluid food products. The dispenser includes a housing configured and dimensioned for receiving a food pouch. The pouch has first and second ends, a sidewall that can be arranged to form first and second opposed surfaces, and an outlet, and is capable of containing the food product therein. The dispenser includes a compression assembly for pressing the pouch so as to urge the viscous fluid food product content toward the outlet.
This assembly includes means for pressing the pouch to dispense the food product through the outlet. The pressing means advantageously comprises a man pressing assembly having sufficient mass to move along the pouch under the influence of gravity to thus induce a flow of food product through the pouch outlet upon demand. This assembly also includes a compressible pressing surface that is positionable adjacent the first surface of the pouch. The pressing means preferably includes roller means, which more preferably is a roller having engaging portions that form gear portions for guiding the roller along guide means that are provided on the housing. The guide means thus includes complementary engaging surfaces that form gear tacks for the engaging portion of the roller.
The dispenser also includes a planar surface disposed adjacent the second surface of the pouch, and closure means engaged with the outlet for closing the outlet. The closure means also can open the outlet so as to cause the roller to move along the pouch surface toward the outlet by gravity for expelling the viscous fluid food product through the outlet.
In one embodiment, the planar surface is substantially vertically arranged along at least a major portion of the length of t
Chrisman Randall C.
Gutierrez J. Antonio
Overbaugh William F.
Bomberg Kenneth
Nestec S.A.
Winston & Strawn LLP
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