Pump having flexible liner and merchandiser having such a pump
First Claim
1. A merchandiser for selectively dispensing fluent material, the merchandiser comprising:
- a mount for supporting a flexible bag;
a flow control adapted to receive at least a majority of the flexible bag therein and to deform the bag to produce flow of fluent material without contact of the fluent material by the flow control, the flow control including a shell adapted to receive the flexible bag and having receptacles formed therein adapted for receiving respective pump cells formed in the flexible bag, the receptacles each being connected to a fluid pressure control source for selectively applying at least one of a vacuum pressure and a positive pressure to the receptacle to selectively expand and collapse the cell for use in dispensing fluent material; and
a selector for actuation by a person to initiate operation of the flow control to dispense fluent material.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pump has a flexible liner which is expanded and contracted by application of positive and negative fluid pressure for receiving and discharging fluent material. The liner is received in a rigid shell which defines the maximum volume received. In discharging fluent material, a vacuum is applied to one side of the liner, while applying pressure to the other side so the liner is collapsed against the rigid shell. The liner is arranged so as to be the only part of the pump which contacts the fluent material, and is replaceable to effect rapid and easy cleaning of the pump. The liner has multiple pump cells which can expand and contract for moving fluent material through the pump cell. The pump cells can be sized and arranged so that by selection of particular pump cells which receive the fluent material, precise volumes can be metered by the pump. A merchandiser has a pump and a flexible bag which is deformed to selectively dispense fluent material.
-
Citations
41 Claims
-
1. A merchandiser for selectively dispensing fluent material, the merchandiser comprising:
-
a mount for supporting a flexible bag;
a flow control adapted to receive at least a majority of the flexible bag therein and to deform the bag to produce flow of fluent material without contact of the fluent material by the flow control, the flow control including a shell adapted to receive the flexible bag and having receptacles formed therein adapted for receiving respective pump cells formed in the flexible bag, the receptacles each being connected to a fluid pressure control source for selectively applying at least one of a vacuum pressure and a positive pressure to the receptacle to selectively expand and collapse the cell for use in dispensing fluent material; and
a selector for actuation by a person to initiate operation of the flow control to dispense fluent material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
17. A beverage dispenser for selectively dispensing a mixed beverage, the beverage dispenser comprising:
-
a mount adapted to support a flexible bag;
a flow control adapted to receive a majority of the flexible bag therein and to deform the bag to produce flow of beverage admixtures in the flexible bag without contact of the beverage admixtures by the flow control, the flow control including a shell adapted to receive the flexible bag and having receptacles formed therein adapted for receiving respective pump cells formed in the flexible bag, the receptacles including a mixing receptacle adapted for communication with other of the receptacles for receiving beverage admixtures into the mixing receptacle when the flexible bag is received in the shell, the receptacles each being connected to a fluid pressure control source for selectively applying at least one of a vacuum pressure and a positive pressure to the receptacle to selectively expand and collapse the pump cell for use in mixing and dispensing a beverage admixture; and
a selector for actuation by a customer to initiate operation of the flow control to mix beverage admixtures and to dispense a mixed beverage.
-
-
19. A pre-filled flexible bag for use in dispensing a beverage, the pre-filled flexible bag comprising:
-
first and second sheets of flexible material in generally opposed relation with each other;
cells defined by regions in which the first and second sheets are unconnected and which are substantially circumscribed by portions of the bag in which the first and second sheets are sealingly joined together, the cells each having an outlet;
beverage liquid disposed in at least a plural number of cells for discharging from the cells through one or more of the outlets upon deformation of the flexible bag.
-
-
30. A flow control for selectively dispensing fluent material, the flow control comprising:
-
a shell adapted to receive the flexible bag and having at least three receptacles formed therein including a mixing receptacle, at least two of the other receptacles being adapted for communication with the mixing receptacle, the receptacles being adapted for receiving respective pump cells formed in the flexible bag;
a fluid pressure control source for selectively applying at least one of a vacuum pressure and a positive pressure to at least some of the receptacles to selectively expand and collapse the pump cell for use in dispensing fluent material; and
a controller for operating the fluid pressure control when a flexible bag is received in the shell to deliver fluent material to the mixing receptacle from said at least two other receptacles, to act on the fluent material in the mixing receptacle to mix the fluent material, and to discharge the mixed fluent material from the mixing receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 39)
-
-
35. A method of manufacturing a flexible bag pre-filled with fluent material comprising the steps of:
-
positioning a first sheet and a second sheet of limp material in generally opposed relation;
joining the first and second sheets together to define distinct cells having an inlet opening;
filling one of the cells with a first beverage liquid;
filling another of the cells with a second beverage liquid; and
sealing the inlets of the cells.
-
-
36. A method of dispensing mixed fluent material comprising the steps of:
-
providing a flexible bag having cells formed therein, at least some of the cells containing a fluent material therein;
deforming the flexible bag to discharge fluent material from at least two of the cells into a mixing cell in the flexible bag;
deforming the flexible bag at the mixing cell to mix fluent material in the mixing cell; and
dispensing mixed fluent material from the mixing cell.
-
-
38. A method of servicing a point of sale merchandiser capable of delivering fluent material to an article upon demand by a customer, the method comprising the steps of:
-
accessing a location in which at least one bag of flexible material is located;
removing the flexible bag from the location;
replacing the flexible bag with another flexible bag containing fluent material to be dispensed.
-
-
40. A merchandiser for selectively dispensing fluent material, the merchandiser comprising:
-
a mount for supporting a flexible bag;
a flow control adapted to receive at least a majority of the flexible bag therein and to deform the bag to produce flow of fluent material without contact of the fluent material by the flow control, the flow control including a shell adapted to receive the flexible bag and having receptacles formed therein adapted for receiving respective pump cells formed in the flexible bag, the receptacles each being connected to a fluid pressure control source for selectively applying at least one of a vacuum pressure and a positive pressure to the receptacle to selectively expand and collapse the cell for use in dispensing fluent material, the flow control being constructed and arranged to direct fluent material discharged therefrom to mix the fluent material.
-
-
41. A merchandiser for selectively dispensing fluent material, the merchandiser comprising:
-
a mount for supporting a flexible bag;
a flow control adapted to receive at least a majority of the flexible bag therein and to deform the bag to produce flow of fluent material without contact of the fluent material by the flow control, the flow control including a shell adapted to receive the flexible bag and having receptacles formed therein adapted for receiving respective pump cells formed in the flexible bag, the receptacles each being connected to a fluid pressure control source for selectively applying at least one of a vacuum pressure and a positive pressure to the receptacle to selectively expand and collapse the cell for use in dispensing fluent material, the flow control being constructed and arranged for mixing the fluent material prior to discharge from the flow control.
-
Specification