SUBSTANCE DISPENSING SYSTEM

• US 20110011273A1
• Filed: 12/12/2008
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MDS Global Holding P.L.C.
• Original Assignee: MDS Global Holding Ltd. (Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.)
• Inventors: Evers, Lucas Alphonsus Maria, van Oirschot, Roeland Petrus Maria, Scholvinck, Michiel Olivier, Willemsen, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,616,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/295
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/407 with ingredient-containing cartridges; Cartridge-perforating means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/32 Containers adapted to be temporarily deformed by external pressure to expel contents B65D47/2018, B65D83/0055 take precedence ; containers for pharmaceutical purposes A61J1/20, A61M5/19; containers with disinfecting linings A61L2/00; liquid sprayers B05B; oil cans F16N3/00

Abstract

A substance dispensing system comprising in combination:—a disposable container (1) filled with a portion of a substance, the container having a preformed and deformable body with a bottom (2), a peripheral wall (3) adjoining said bottom and having a top end remote from said bottom, an integral circumferential rim (4) extending outwards from the top end of the peripheral wall and defining a filling opening of said container, said disposable container being closed by a cover sheet (5) which is sealed to the circumferential rim by means of a circumferential seal (6), and—a dispensing apparatus (30) comprising a compression device having a cover sheet side support member (15) for the cover sheet side of the container as well as a bottom engaging member (20) for engaging on the bottom of the container, said compression device being adapted to compress the container by reduction of the distance between the cover sheet side support member and the bottom engaging member.

Claims

1. A substance dispensing system comprising in combination:

a disposable container filled with a portion of a substance, the container having a deformable body with a bottom, a peripheral wall adjoining said bottom and having a top end remote from said bottom, an integral circumferential rim extending outwards from the top end of the peripheral wall and defining a filling opening of said container, said disposable container being closed by a cover sheet which is sealed to the circumferential rim by means of a circumferential seal, and

a dispensing apparatus comprising a compression device having a cover sheet side support member for the cover sheet side of the container as well as a bottom engaging member for engaging on the bottom of the container, said compression device being adapted to compress the container by reduction of the distance between the cover sheet side support member and the bottom engaging member,

wherein the cover sheet side support member has a recess therein which is arranged and dimensioned so as extend across a section of the circumferential seal, so that upon compression of the initially closed container the substance therein is pressurised causing the cover sheet to deform into the recess thereby breaking the circumferential seal at said section so that the substance is discharged from the container.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential rim is provided with one or more downward protruding rim projections, each positioned at a location outwardly spaced from the peripheral wall.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said projections are each formed by local deformation of the rim.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the projection is a hollow boss having an opening at the topside of the rim and closed at the lower end, the cover sheet covering the open end.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein the projection is cylindrical.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein the dispensing apparatus includes one or more container guide members defining a path for the container to slide along in the apparatus, wherein the guide members are adapted to be engaged by one or more of the projections sliding along the guide members.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the dispensing apparatus has a housing with an insertion opening for a container, said guide members extending in the apparatus so as to guide the container towards the compression device, preferably based on gravity.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the dispensing apparatus has a discharge opening for compressed containers, said guide members extending in the apparatus so as to guide said compressed container from the compression device towards said discharge opening.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing apparatus has a mobile container receiving member, allowing a user to engage a container with said container receiving member, said receiving member then being operable so as to move said container to the compression device.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said receiving member is pivotally arranged in the dispensing apparatus.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the receiving member is linear guided in the dispensing apparatus.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the receiving member comprises one or more bores corresponding to one or more projections of the container, so as to couple the container to the receiving member by introduction of said one or more projections into said bores.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the receiving members has two bores adapted to receive two projections, arranged opposite the break-up section of the seal.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the cover sheet side support member is a stationary member of the apparatus, the apparatus being adapted to introduce the disposable container sideways between said support member and the bottom engaging member.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has an insertion opening for the disposable container which is positioned directly above the compression device allowing to introduce the disposable container in the compression device based on gravity.

16. The system according to claim 7, wherein the container is provided with identification means, preferably representing at least the substance contained in the container, so as to allow automatic identification of the container, and wherein the apparatus has identification recognition means for automatically identifying the container and preferably the substance therein, and wherein the identification recognition means are arranged at a position along the path between the insertion opening and the compression device.

17. The system according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus comprises a stop member that cooperates with one or more rim projections, which stop member is placed along or at the end of a passage for the container in the apparatus, the stop member being adapted to hold the container in a distinct position along or at the end of such a passage, for example in an end position of the passage in the compression device.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein the bottom engaging member of the compression device comprises bottom retention enhancing means that enhance the retention of the bottom by said bottom engaging member allowing to take along the compressed container with the retracting bottom compression member.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said retention enhancing means include a suction device, e.g. a suction cup or a vacuum device.

20. The system according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus has a housing and a pivotal receiving member for the container at a top side of the housing, and wherein the receiving member is pivotable about a horizontal axis, so as to receive the container in an upper position above the top side of the housing and allowing introduction of the container down into the housing.

21. The system according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing apparatus includes at least one water pump adapted to provide a portion of water to be dispensed, preferably substantially simultaneous with the discharge of substance from the disposable container.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the compression device and the water pump are manually operable, a common manual operating device being provided and connected to both said compression device and the water pump.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein the water pump is a piston pump, a single stroke of said piston pump providing the portion of water.

24. The system according to claim 1, wherein a water dispensing outlet is provided in the cover sheet side support member, in the vicinity of the recess.

25. The system according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing apparatus includes a cold water pump and a hot water pump, the cold water pump being associated with a cold water circuit and the hot water pump being associated with a hot water pump.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein the cold water pump and the hot water pump are manually operable pumps, the dispensing apparatus including a common manual operating device selectively engageable with either the hot water pump or the cold water pump.

27. The system according to claim 2, wherein the compression device is provided with retention means engaging with one or more rim projections of the disposable container in order to retain the disposable container with respect to the cover side sheet support member, and wherein the compression device further includes a rim projection compression member for each rim projection engaged by said retention means, such that compression of said one or more rim projections causes the retention to be ceased.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said one or more rim projection compression members are integral with the bottom engaging member of the compression device.

29. The system according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing device includes a cold water storage unit associated with a cooling device.

30. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system further includes a water storage container having a connector allowing the water storage container to be disconnected from the dispensing apparatus, e.g. for filling the water storage container.

31. The system according to claim 29, wherein the cold water storage unit comprises a receiving chamber for receiving the water storage container.

32. The system according to claim 30, wherein the system includes a pressurised carbon dioxide vessel, and wherein the water storage container is provided with a connector allowing the carbon dioxide vessel to be connected to the water storage container.

33. The system according to claim 30, wherein the water storage container is adapted to contain pressurized carbonated water.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein said carbonated water is at a pressure of at least 1.1 bar.

35. The system according to claim 33, wherein said water storage container has a pressure resistant housing as well as a collapsible bag held inside said housing, said bag being in communication with the connector and adapted to receive the water.

36. The system according to claim 29, wherein the cold water storage unit has a reservoir for storage of cold water, and wherein said system includes a user refillable water storage reservoir which is detachable from the dispensing apparatus for refilling, e.g. under a tap, wherein user refillable water storage reservoir has a connector element, and wherein the dispensing apparatus is provided with a mating connector element for connection to the connector element of said user fillable water storage reservoir, said connector element of the dispensing apparatus is in communication with both the reservoir for storage of cold water—

so as to fill said reservoir—

and in direct communication with the hot water circuit.

37. The system according to claim 36, wherein the cold water storage unit is both connected to the cold water circuit and the hot water circuit.

38. A dispensing apparatus according to claim 1.

39. A method for dispensing a substance comprising:

utilizing the system according to claim 1.