Dispensing – Plural sources – compartment – containers and/or spaced jacket – With discharge assistant for each source
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-19
2001-05-01
Maust, Timothy L. (Department: 3751)
Dispensing
Plural sources, compartment, containers and/or spaced jacket
With discharge assistant for each source
C222S129000, C222S138000, C222S139000, C137S605000, C137S637400, C141S234000, C141S236000, C141S259000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223949
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is in the field of valves, particularly those for food products, and dispensing machines using those valves.
BACKGROUND
The present invention represents an improvement over valves used for dispensing food products, such as ice cream and frozen yogurt, etc., into a container so as to form a pattern in the finished, packaged product.
In dispensing these food products, it is desirable to be able to spin the container with respect to the food product as it is dispensed into the container. Spinning the container with respect to the food product is beneficial as it helps to insure uniform filling while eliminating voids in the package product.
Spinning the container with respect to the food product also create a swirled or variegated patterns using multiple food product types, flavors or colors (such as multiple ice cream flavors or syrups). Varied patterns are typically produced by introducing a syrup in the supply line before the filler valve. The mixing process is sometimes enhanced by an in-line powered variegater.
Such patterns are desirable to give the product an attractive appearance especially both through transparent or translucent containers, as well as to present an interesting or attractive pattern to the consumer as the food product is consumed. This is particularly true in the case of frozen food products such as ice cream and frozen yogurt products.
Spinning the container with respect to the food product helps to insure uniform filling while eliminating voids in the package product.
Large and small containers are spun by the filling machine during the time the container is under the filling valve. Large, slowly filling containers are not difficult to spin, but as the size of the container is reduced, or in the case of oddly-shaped containers (such as so-called “push-up” tubes and cones), problems arise. The container must be accelerated from a motionless state after they are indexed into the filling position under the filling valve, arid due to the short duration of the filling, it is nearly impossible to achieve a consistent pattern. Additionally, the area around the filling position is normally subjected to product spillage, and a small amount of spilled product (such as ice cream) can cause the container to slip in the spinning mechanism, instead of spinning. Cones are also very difficult to spin, and indeed, it is not known whether cones have ever successfully been spun for dispensing purposes.
Accordingly, it is desirable to be able to dispense a spun product typically in instances where spinning the container is not feasible.
The valve shown schematically in
FIG. 1
was designed for the purpose of distributing a single food product such as a single flavor of ice cream into a number of outlet ports leading to filling valves or nozzles. It operated by having a motor turn a perforated disk which alternately opened and closed ports which led out of a circular chamber.
The valve shown schematically in
FIG. 2
was developed to produce a unique variegated pattern in a cone product. The purpose of this valve type was to fill a cone with ice cream and syrup so as to produce the rippled appearance. It did not require the cone to be spinning while being filled. This valve used a method wherein the ice cream passed through a spinning nozzle having a star-shaped opening. The syrup was sprayed onto the surface of the ice cream as it passed through a range. When the star-shape flattened says the container is filled, a ripple pattern is produced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a spinning valve having an inner valve portion and an outer valve portion, and having multiple inlets and multiple chambers at different heights along the longitudinal axis of the inner valve portion. The present invention also includes a spinning valve having an inner valve portion and a outer valve portion, with multiple inlets at the same height along the longitudinal axis of the inner valve portion with single or multiple chambers at that location along the longitudinal axis.
Also part of the present invention is an apparatus for dispensing two or more discrete streams of fluid into a series of containers by using a valve of the present invention.
Another variation of the spinning valve of the present invention is capable of solving the problem of spinning small diameter “push-up” tubes in order to produce a “Barber Pole” pattern. The spinning valve of the present invention will also operate for filling cones to produce a fill pattern never before attainable. It has been found that the valve of the present invention—with an optional modification—could be used as a layering valve, capable of depositing a food product such as ice cream in multiple repeat layers. This is a process which heretofore would have required a different filling valve for, and an index between, each layer. Due to the impracticality of such approach, this type of layered ice cream product has not been commercially made. Naturally, it is always more complicated to spin a valve rather than a container, due to the need to use rotary seals.
The valve of the present invention may be produced from any suitable material, such as metals, plastics and ceramics. Typically, for food product dispensing, the valve portion will be machined from any appropriate grade of stainless-steel.
Multiple Inlets/Multiple Chambers at Different Heights Along Longitudinal Axis of Inner Valve Portion
In broad terms, one of the valves of the present invention is a valve for dispensing at least two discrete streams of fluid, the valve comprising: an inner valve portion and an outer valve portion, the inner valve portion having a nozzle end and adapted to spin within the outer valve portion, the outer valve portion having at least two inlets, the inner valve portion having a respective chamber in discrete fluid conductive alignment with each inlet, each chamber having a fluid conduit adapted to discretely conduct a fluid to the nozzle end of the inner valve portion.
It is preferred that the outer valve portion have at least three inlets. Each chamber may be an annular chamber fully extending around the circumference of the inner valve body, or an arcuate chamber extending around a portion of the circumference of the inner valve body, depending upon the desired design to be formed by the product where two or more different products are dispensed.
Where more than one of the chambers are arcuate, they may each define an arc of a number of degrees, the number of degrees being approximately equal to 360
wherein n is the number of the chambers. To make a discretely layered product, each arcuate chamber may define an arc of a number of degrees, the number of degrees being approximately equal to 360
wherein n is the number of the chambers, and wherein the arcuate chambers are staggered about the longitudinal axis and with respect to their respective inlet port such that at any given point in the travel of the inner valve portion, that n−1 discrete streams of fluid are supplied to the nozzle. As an alternative, each arcuate chamber may define an arc of a number of degrees, the number of degrees being approximately equal to 360
wherein n is the number of the chambers, and wherein the arcuate chambers are staggered about the longitudinal axis and with respect to their respective inlet port such that at any given point in the travel of the inner valve portion, that n−2 discrete streams of fluid are supplied to the nozzle. This will give a slightly different pattern of layers.
The outer valve portion may comprise two, three or more pieces. Preferably, the outer valve portion comprises at least two pieces defining an interface between them, the pieces having a compressible gasket in the interface, and the two pieces comprising an interface abutment portion so as to restrict the compression of the gasket in the interface.
It is preferred that the valve additionally comprises a gear in removable engagement with the inner valve portion.
In a preferred embodiment, the inner valve portion has a cyl
Rousculp Eric
Spencer Jack
Maust Timothy L.
Norse Dairy Systems, Inc.
Standley & Gilcrest LLP
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