Food product dispenser and valve

• US 10,194,763 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2015
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gehl Foods, LLC
• Original Assignee: Gehl Foods, LLC
• Inventors: Sowieja, Michael, Gehl, Michael, Albiez, Christoph, Hatch, Paul, Mitchell, Thomas, Mucci, David, Rostlund, Anders Olof
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicolas, Frederick C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zadeh, Bob
• Application Number:
  US15/505,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20170251846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/127 with means for keeping liquid cool or hot vacuum bottles A47J41/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/183 by applying external pressure, i.e. by pumping or squeezing
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2255 Details related to the connection between the liquid containing part and the supporting part
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2019/122 for holding and dispensing a plurality of different liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 7/24 Hole-piercing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 7/26 combined with spouts
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 7/28 and associated with receptacle hodlers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0895 Heating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/10 Pump mechanism in general F04
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1405 Control taps

Abstract

A system for dispensing a flowable food product from a reservoir is provided. The system includes a fitment coupled to the reservoir and a piercing tool having a handle, a neck, and a piercing section, wherein the neck interconnects the handle with the piercing section. The piercing section is configured to create an opening in the reservoir through the fitment to enable dispensing of the flowable product.

Claims

1. A piercing tool for piercing a reservoir containing a flowable food product for facilitating dispensing of the flowable food product from a dispenser supporting the pierced reservoir, the piercing tool comprising:

a handle defining a user interface portion;

a neck interconnected to the handle;

a piercing section having a base coupled to the neck on a first side of the base, a wall on a second side of the base opposite the first side, and a piercing element for piercing the reservoir, wherein the wall defines a cavity; and

a sidewall extending around the neck and handle, wherein the sidewall is raised relative to a surface of the neck and the handle to define a lip surrounding the handle and the neck.

2. The piercing tool of claim 1, wherein the piercing tool is of unitary construction.

3. The piercing tool of claim 1, wherein the piercing element is a spike.

4. The piercing tool of claim 1, wherein the base extends around the wall, and wherein an interface between the wall and the base defines a ledge.

5. The piercing tool of claim 1, wherein the piercing element is relatively longer with respect to the base than any other portion of the wall.

6. The piercing tool of claim 1, wherein a width of the handle is greater than a width of the neck.

7. The piercing tool of claim 1, wherein a portion of the sidewall by the handle is at an angle relative to a horizontal plane.

8. The piercing tool of claim 7, wherein the angle matches or substantially matches an angle of a wall of a top portion of the dispenser to facilitate a wedge relationship between the top portion and the handle to define a storage position of the piercing tool.

9. A system for dispensing a flowable product from a dispenser, the system comprising:

a reservoir containing the flowable product;

a fitment coupled to the reservoir; and

a piercing tool having a handle, a neck, a piercing section, and a sidewall extending substantially about a periphery of the handle and the neck, wherein the neck interconnects the handle with the piercing section, wherein the sidewall is raised relative to a surface of the handle and a surface of the neck to define a lip surrounding the handle and the neck, and wherein the piercing section is configured to create an opening in the reservoir through the fitment to enable dispensing of the flowable product.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the fitment includes a sidewall extending away from the reservoir, wherein the sidewall defines a cavity, and wherein the piercing section is inserted through the cavity to create the opening in the reservoir.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the piercing tool includes a base extending around an interface between the neck and the piercing section, and wherein the base interfaces with the sidewall when the piercing section is fully inserted through the cavity.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein a portion of the sidewall by the handle is at an angle relative to a horizontal axis, wherein the angle of the portion of the sidewall matches or substantially matches an angled wall of the dispenser such that an engagement of the sidewall with the angled wall of the dispenser provides a storage position for the piercing tool on the dispenser.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the piercing tool is of unitary construction, and wherein the reservoir comprises a flexible bag.