Dispensing mechanism

Dispensing – Collapsible wall-type container – With wall-collapsing means

Patent

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Details

222103, 222105, 2221466, 141 82, 141114, 141270, 141284, 100125, 426516, B65D 3530

Patent

active

058934855

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dispensing mechanisms in particular, but not exclusively, to dispensing mechanisms for dispensing food products such as ice cream or chilled confectionery products usually of semi-solid form.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been proposed to dispense ice cream from large containers in individual portions by, for example, hand operation using scoops. It has also been proposed to dispense ice cream from machines as by soft serve machines in which the product is mixed, and frozen, or by dispensing machines in which pre-packaged ice cream is delivered from an ice cream container.
All these known systems are limited by one or more factors such as expensive machinery, slow rate of dispensing, narrow range of product, deterioration of bulk product not used, consistency of portion control, limited flavour selection etc.
A further possibility is the making up of individual portions in a factory and packaging the portions for individual use. Such individual portions cannot be readily employed in certain outlets, such as restaurants or in certain receptacles such as glass or dishes, and the nature of the receptacles in which the individual portions are sold is limited by the cost effectiveness of the packaging receptacle.
An object of the invention is to provide a dispensing mechanism which overcomes at least some of the above disadvantages and which is flexible, cost effective and meets a gap in the existing market.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect the invention provides, in a method of dispensing a viscous or semi-solid food product, introducing the product into a dispensing container through an inlet opening, sealing the container including said opening, the container having a closable outlet through which the product is to be dispensed, and the container being sized to contain a predetermined portion of food product and the container having a deformable part to be engaged and deformed by a deforming means, operating the deforming means to cause the deformable part to engage and to pressurise the product within the container and to cause the product to discharge from the container through said outlet, supporting the container during operation of the deforming means to counteract the action of the deforming means, and receiving the product from the container in a receptacle positioned below said outlet, the capacity of the container and the receptacle being matched in size so that said predetermined portion corresponds to the size of the receptacle.
Conveniently the container is sized to receive a predetermined portion which is substantially the same size as the capacity of the receptacle. Alternatively the container is a multi-portion container.
Prior to the introduction of product into the container a plurality of containers are nested together, i.e. a container is located one within another. Similarly before assembly of the lid part with the body part, a plurality of lid parts are nested together, or the lid parts are supplied off a roll of such parts.
Conveniently the filled, sealed container of product is assembled with the receptacle for storage and transport from the place of filling to the place of dispensing, the receptacle, if present, fitting over the body part of the container.
According to another aspect the invention provides a container for dispensing a viscous or semi-solid food product, comprising an opening for receiving the food product during filling of the product into the container, a closure member for the opening, and an outlet for discharge of product, the container being of a shape which permits two or more of the containers to be nested together one inside the other, and the walls of the container being deformable between the closure member at one end of the container and the opposite end of the container whereby upon deforming the container walls the internal volume of the container is reduced and product in the container is discharged through the outlet.
Preferably the container in

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Restaurant Equipment Dealer, Apr. 1960, p. 5, #462 Supreme Bowl, bottom right corner.

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