Dispenser having a flexible fluid container and a rotor compressible fluid discharge tube
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A dispenser comprising, in combination,a dispenser housing defining an interior chamber and including side walls and a bottom wall having an opening therein, and a front, general vertical wall,a disposable flexible fluid impervious container adapted to contain flowable product in substantially sealed relation therein, said container having an outlet opening through which said product may be removed from said container,means cooperable with said container and said housing to releasibly support said container within said chamber so that said product is urged toward said outlet opening under the influence of gravity,means defining an additional opening in said housing to admit said disposable container for attachment to said means for releasably supporting said container,a disposable compressible discharge tube affixed to said container adjacent said outlet opening and having flow communication with product within said container,a disposable discharge fitment mounted on an end of said discharge tube opposite said container and having a discharge orifice in flow communication with said discharge tube, said fitment being adapted for releasable cooperation with said housing so as to maintain said discharge fitment in predetermined relation to said housing,a rotor rotatably supported within said housing for cooperation with said discharge tube so as to effect flow of product through said discharge tube from said container upon selective rotation of said rotor,an actuating handle located at said front wall above said discharge fitment and cooperable with said rotor and operable to rotate said rotor with a downward pull on said handle through a predetermined stroke so as to effect a substantially predetermined quantity discharge from said container upon each actuating stroke of said handle, said discharge fitment being located beneath said handle,a cam plate pivotally mounted on said housing adjacent said opening in the bottom wall and having an arcuate cam surface thereon, said cam plate being pivotally movable independently of said housing between a first position enabling loading of a flexible container and associated discharge tube within said chamber and a second position wherein said cam surface is positioned for cooperation with said discharge tube so as to effect occlusion of said discharge tube during rotation of said motor,and means selectively cooperable with said housing and said cam plate for releasably retaining said cam plate in its said second position.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A dispensing system is disclosed which finds particular application as a sanitary food dispensing system, and which includes a support stand adapted to releasably support at least one portable modular dispenser housing in which is mounted a flexible fluid impervious container having a flowable food product contained in sealed relation therein and to which a compressible flow tube is affixed having a discharge fitment thereon facilitating removal of product from the container. A rotor is mounted within the dispenser housing for cooperation with the compressible flow tube to enable controlled portion dispensing of product from the discharge fitment through actuation of an external operating handle.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A dispenser comprising, in combination,
a dispenser housing defining an interior chamber and including side walls and a bottom wall having an opening therein, and a front, general vertical wall, a disposable flexible fluid impervious container adapted to contain flowable product in substantially sealed relation therein, said container having an outlet opening through which said product may be removed from said container, means cooperable with said container and said housing to releasibly support said container within said chamber so that said product is urged toward said outlet opening under the influence of gravity, means defining an additional opening in said housing to admit said disposable container for attachment to said means for releasably supporting said container, a disposable compressible discharge tube affixed to said container adjacent said outlet opening and having flow communication with product within said container, a disposable discharge fitment mounted on an end of said discharge tube opposite said container and having a discharge orifice in flow communication with said discharge tube, said fitment being adapted for releasable cooperation with said housing so as to maintain said discharge fitment in predetermined relation to said housing, a rotor rotatably supported within said housing for cooperation with said discharge tube so as to effect flow of product through said discharge tube from said container upon selective rotation of said rotor, an actuating handle located at said front wall above said discharge fitment and cooperable with said rotor and operable to rotate said rotor with a downward pull on said handle through a predetermined stroke so as to effect a substantially predetermined quantity discharge from said container upon each actuating stroke of said handle, said discharge fitment being located beneath said handle, a cam plate pivotally mounted on said housing adjacent said opening in the bottom wall and having an arcuate cam surface thereon, said cam plate being pivotally movable independently of said housing between a first position enabling loading of a flexible container and associated discharge tube within said chamber and a second position wherein said cam surface is positioned for cooperation with said discharge tube so as to effect occlusion of said discharge tube during rotation of said motor, and means selectively cooperable with said housing and said cam plate for releasably retaining said cam plate in its said second position.
-
4. A dispenser comprising, in combination, a housing having a substantially vertical front wall and a bottom and defining an interior chamber,
a support frame for detachably supporting said housing, including a horizontal base spaced from said bottom wall of said housing, a disposable flexible fluid impervious container adapted to contain flowable product in substantially sealed relation therein, said container having an outlet opening through which said product may be removed from said container, means cooperable with said container and said housing to releasably support said container within said chamber so that said product is urged toward said outlet opening under the influence of gravity, a compressible discharge disposable tube affixed to said container adjacent said outlet opening and having flow communication with product within said container, a disposable discharge fitment mounted on an end of said discharge tube opposite said container and having a discharge orifice in flow communication with said discharge tube, said fitment being adapted for releasable cooperation with said housing so as to maintain said discharge fitment in predetermined relation to said housing to discharge to a receptable located between said botton wall and said base of said frame, a rotor rotatably supported within said housing on a rotor mounting shaft for cooperation with said discharge tube so as to effect flow of product through said discharge tube from said container upon selective rotation of said rotor, an actuating handle mounted on said housing on pivot shaft means for pivotal movement about a pivot axis parallel to and spaced from said rotor mounting shaft, said actuating handle located at the front wall and movable downwardly and extending internally of said housing and cooperable with said rotor, said housing having means cooperative with said handle to limit movement thereof through a predetermined maximum arcuate downward stroke relative to said housing, and means interconnecting said actuating handle to said rotor so that downward movement of said actuating handle through said predetermined stroke effects rotation of said rotor through a greater angular rotation than the actuating handle for each downward stroke of said handle to effect substantially predetermined quantity discharge from said container, while reverse movement of said actuating handle is inoperative to rotate said rotor, said disposable container being carried in said housing for detachment therewith from said support frame, said rotor and said actuating handle also being mounted in the housing and carried therewith from said support frame, and means defining an open, front to rear extending side in said housing when detached from said support frame to allow replacement of the disposable container, and
-
5. means detachably connecting said housing to said support frame to position said handle and said rotor relative to said horizontal base for dispensing from the fitment with operation of the handle.
-
7. A dispenser comprising, in combination,
a housing defining an interior chamber, a flexible fluid impervious container adapted to contain flowable product in substantially sealed relation therein, said container having an outlet opening through which said product may be removed from said container, support means cooperable with said container and said housing to releasably support said container within said chamber so that said product is urged toward said outlet opening under the influence of gravity, said container having a channel formed therethrough and said support means including means adapted to be inserted through said channel and cooperative with said housing in a manner enabling pre-pressurizing of said flexible container as it is loaded into said chamber, a compressible discharge tube affixed to said container adjacent said outlet opening and having flow communication with product within said container, a discharge fitment mounted on an end of said discharge tube opposite said container and having a discharge orifice in flow communication with said discharge tube, said fitment being adapted for releasable cooperation with said housing so as to maintain said discharge fitment in predetermined relation to said housing, a rotor rotatably supported within said housing for cooperation with said discharge tube so as to effect flow of product through said discharge tube from said container upon selective rotation of said rotor, and an actuating handle cooperable with said rotor and operable to rotate said rotor so as to effect substantially predetermined quantity discharge from said container upon each actuating stroke of said handle.
-
8. A dispenser comprising, in combination,
a housing defining an interior chamber, a flexible fluid impervious container adapted to contain flowable product in substantially sealed relation therein, said container having an outlet opening through which said product may be removed from said container, support means cooperable with said container and said housing to releasably support said container within said said chamber so that said product is urged toward said outlet opening under the influence of gravity, said support means including means enabling pre-pressurizing of said flexible container as it is loaded into said chamber, a compressible discharge tube affixed to said container adjacent said outlet opening and having flow communication with product within said container, a discharge fitment mounted on an end of said discharge tube opposite said container and having a discharge orifice in flow communication with said discharge tube, said fitment being adapted for releasable cooperation with said housing so as to maintain said discharge fitment in predetermined relation to said housing, a rotor rotatably supported within said housing for cooperation with said discharge tube so as to effect flow of product through said discharge tube from said container upon selective rotation of said rotor,
-
9. and an actuating handle cooperable with said rotor and operable to rotate said rotor so as to effect substantially predetermined quantity discharge from said container upon each actuating stroke of said handle,
said fluid impervious container having a channel formed therethrough, and said means enabling prepressurizing of said container including a holder member adapted to be inserted through said channel and rotated about its axis so as to pressurize said container, said housing having support bracket means adapted to releasably support said holder member within said chamber so that said container hangs downwardly from said holder member.
-
10. A dispenser comprising, in combination,
a housing defining an interior chamber, a flexible fluid impervious container adapted to contain flowable product in substantially sealed relation therein, said container having an outlet opening through which said product may be removed from said container, support means cooperable with said container and said chamber so that said product is urged toward said outlet opening under the influence of gravity, said support means including means enabling pre-pressurizing of said flexible container as it is loaded into said chamber, a compressible discharge tube affixed to said container adjacent said outlet opening and having flow communication with product within said container, a discharge fitment mounted on an end of said discharge tube opposite said container and having a discharge orifice in flow communication with said discharge tube, said fitment being adapted for releasable cooperation with said housing so as to maintain said discharge fitment in predetermined relation to said housing, a rotor rotatably supported within said housing for cooperation with said discharge tube so as to effect flow of product through said discharge tube from said container upon selective rotation of said rotor, and an actuating handle cooperable with said rotor and operable to rotate said rotor so as to effect substantially predetermined quantity discharge from said container upon each actuating stroke of said handle, said fluid impervious container having a channel formed therethrough, said means to releasably support said container including a hanger bar supported by said housing within said chamber and adapted to have said container passed thereover so that said channel is substantially parallel to said hanger bar, and said means enabling pre-presurrizing of said container including a spring arm having a first arm portion adapted to be inserted through said channel and a second arm portion adapted for releasable connection to said housing so as to bias said container about said hanger bar in a manner to pressurize the contents within said container.
-
11. A dispenser comprising, in combination,
a dispenser housing defining an interior chamber, a flexible fluid impervious container adapted to contain flowable product in substantially sealed relation therein, said container having an outlet opening through which said product may be removed from said container, means cooperable with said container and said housing to releasably support said container within said chamber so that said product is urged toward said outlet opening under the influence of gravity, a compressible discharge tube affixed to said container adjacent said outlet opening and having flow communication with product within said container, a discharge fitment including a tubular member connected to said discharge tube in flow communication therewith, and a slide valve mounted on said tubular member for axial telescoping relation therewith between open and closed positions, said slide valve having a discharge orifice formed therein through which product from said container may be dicharged, said discharge orifice being closed by said tubular member when said slide valve is in its said closed position and being open when said slide valve is in its said open position, a rotor rotatably supported within said housing for cooperation with said discharge tube so as to effect flow of product through said discharge tube from said container upon selective rotation of said rotor, actuating means cooperable with said rotor and operable to rotate said rotor so as to effect substantially predetermined quantity discharge from said container, and a fitment retaining housing mounted on said dispenser housing, said fitment retaining housing and said discharge fitment being adapted for supporting cooperating relation so that said fitment may be supported by said retaining housing only when said slide valve is in its said open position.
-
13. A dispensing system comprising, in combination,
a support frame having an upstanding back wall and a lower horizontal base, at least one dispenser module having a housing having a front wall and having an interior chamber, said module and support frame having mutually cooperable means adapted to enable releasable supporting connection of said module to said support frame, a disposable flexible fluid impervious container adapted to contain flowable product in substantially sealed relation therein, said container having an outlet opening through which said product may be removed from said container, means cooperable with said container and said housing to releasably support said container within said chamber so that said product is urged toward said outlet opening under the influence of gravity, means defining an additional opening in said housing to admit said disposable container for attachment to said means for releasably supporting said container, a disposable compressible discharge tube affixed to said container adjacent said outlet opening and having flow communication with product within said container, a discharge fitment mounted on an end of said discharge tube opposite said container and having a discharge orifice in flow communication with said discharge tube, said fitment being adapted for releasable cooperation with said housing so as to maintain said discharge fitment in predetermined relation to said housing, a rotor rotatably supported within said housing for cooperation with said discharge tube so as to effect flow of product through said discharge tube from said container upon selective rotaton of said rotor, an actuating handle located on said front wall above said discharge fitment to be pulled downwardly through an actuating stroke and cooperable with said rotor and operable to rotate said rotor so as to effect substantially predetermined quantity discharge from said container upon each actuating stroke of said handle, said dispenser housing including a bottom wall having an opening therein said bottom wall being spaced substantially above said horizontal base of said frame to allow insertion of receptacles into a space between said bottom wall and said horizontal base, a cam plate pivotally mounted on said housing within said opening and having an arcuate cam surface thereon, said cam plate being pivotally movable independently of said housing between a first position in said space enabling loading of a flexible container and associated discharge tube within said chamber and a second position wherein said cam surface is positioned for cooperation with said discharge tube so as to effect occlusion of said discharge tube during rotation of said rotor, and means selectively cooperable with said housing and said cam plate for releasably retaining said cam plate in its said second position.
-
20. A dispensing system comprising, in combination,
a support frame, at least one dispenser module having a housing defining an interior chamber, said module and support frame having mutually cooperable means adapted to enable releasable supporting connection of said module to said support frame, a flexible fluid impervious container adapted to contain flowable product in substantially sealed relation therein, said container having an outlet opening through which said product may be removed from said container, support means cooperable with said container and said housing to releasably support said container within said chamber so that said product is urged toward said outlet opening under the influence of gravity, said container having a channel formed therethrough and said support means including means adapted to be inserted through said channel and cooperative with said housing in a manner enabling pre-pressurizing of said flexible container as it is loaded into said container, a compressible discharge tube affixed to said container adjacent said outlet opening and having flow communication with product within said container, a discharge fitment mounted on an end of said discharge tube opposite said container and having a discharge orifice in flow communication with said discharge tube, said fitment being adapted for releasable cooperation with said housing so as to maintain said discharge fitment in predetermined relation to said housing, a rotor rotatably supported within said housing for cooperation with said discharge tube so as to effect flow of product through said discharge tube from said container upon selective rotation of said rotor, and an acutating handle cooperable with said rotor and operable to rotate said rotor so as to effect substantially predetermined quantity discharge from said container upon each actuating stroke of said handle.
Specification
-
- Resources
Litigation Campaign Assessment
Thank you for your request. You will receive a custom alert email when the Litigation Campaign Assessment is available.
×
-
Current AssigneeCole-Parmer Instrument Company (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
-
Original AssigneeCole-Parmer Instrument Company (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
-
InventorsHogan, Lawrence R.
-
Primary Examiner(s)Marmor, Charles A.
-
Application NumberUS06/427,504Time in Patent Office944 DaysField of Search222/95-96, 222/100, 222/105, 222/181, 222/183-185, 222/207, 222/209-210, 222/212, 222/214, 222/325, 222/131, 222/380, 222/383, 222/522, 222/527-529 , 222/537US Class Current222/95CPC Class CodesB67D 7/0205 by manually operable pumpin...G01F 11/125 of the peristaltic pump typ...
