System for dispensing controlled amounts of flowable material from a flexible container

• US 6,131,766 A
• Filed: 08/11/1997
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Storage Technologies Corporation (Oracle Corporation), Restaurant Automation Development Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Restaurant Automation Development Incorporated
• Inventors: Hutchings, Douglas S., Brummett, Barry J., King, Kenyon M., King, Gregory D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaufman, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US08/909,783
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 222/1, 222/81, 222/82, 222/83, 222/83.5, 222/88, 222/96, 222/105, 222/146.2, 222/326, 222/333, 222/390
• US Class Current: 222/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14264 with means for compensating influence from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 7/26 combined with spouts
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0216 by squeezing collapsible or flexible storage containers B67D7/0255 takes precedence; for dispensing beverages on draught B67D1/0001
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0227 by an ejection plunger B67D7/0238 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for dispensing controlled amounts of flowable materials having a wide range of viscosities, such as food condiments, from a flexible-walled container or bag includes a second container for holding the flexible-walled container and a piston positioned within the second container to apply pressure to a wall of the flexible-walled container. An enfitment, which has a piercing member and sealing mechanism, is positioned adjacent an opposite wall of the flexible-walled container. By rotating the enfitment about a rotational axis generally normal to the wall of the first container, the enfitment forms an opening in the flexible-walled container and a seal with the container. The flowable material can then be forced through a hollow tube of the enfitment and an exit nozzle coupled to the enfitment. A desired amount of flowable material can be consistently dispensed from the flexible-walled container by controlling the displacement of the piston along a predetermined piston travel length for each dispensation of flowable material. Because the flexible-walled container can have an uneven shape, the piston displacement is determined based on, among other parameters, the number of dispensations which have already been made, the viscosity of the dispensed material and the initial quantity of material within the container.

Claims

1. A system for dispensing controlled amounts of flowable material stored in a first flexible-walled container, said system comprising:

a second container configured to hold the first container;

a piston having a face sized and configured to generally match the cross-sectional shape of the second container;

an actuator connected to the piston to drive the piston along the stroke axis through a preset travel range, said actuator including a screw, a nut engaged with the screw and coupled to the piston such that the nut and piston move alone the stroke axis relative to the screw, and a position controlled motor drivingly coupled to the screw so as to rotate the screw and move the piston within said travel range; and

a controller connected to the actuator and configured to control piston movement along the stroke axis so as dispense a controlled amount of flowable material from the second container.

2. A system as in claim 1 additionally comprising an enfitment extending through a wall of said second container, said enfitment having a piercing member to puncture the wall of the first container to form an opening and a sealing mechanism to seal the opening of the first container around the enfitment.

3. A system as in claim 2 additionally comprising a drive mechanism for rotating the enfitment about an axis generally normal to a wall of the second container.

4. A system as in claim 1 additionally comprising means for determining piston displacement required to dispense a predetermined amount of the material from the first container.

5. A system as in claim 1, wherein said position controlled motor moves said piston between a plurality of positions which correspond to distinct dispensation steps within a preset travel range of said piston.

6. A system as in claim 5, wherein said plurality of positions along the stroke length are not at uniform increments.

7. A system as in claim 5, wherein said position controlled motor is bi-directional to control displacement of said piston in both directions along a stroke axis of said piston.

8. A system as in claim 7, wherein said position controlled motor provides for reversal of the displacement direction of said piston at the end of each displacement step so that pressure of said flowable materials in said first container is relieved.

9. A system as in claim 1 additionally comprising a nozzle which is coupled to said first container through a wall of the second container.

10. A system as in claim 9, wherein said nozzle includes means for maintaining the temperature of the flowable material within a controlled temperature range while the material is disposed within the nozzle.

11. A system as in claim 9 additionally comprising a cabinet having a temperature control device, said second container positionable within said cabinet, and said nozzle comprising a heat transfer device whereby the temperature within the nozzle is maintained at generally the same temperature as that of the cabinet.

12. A system as in claim 11, wherein said heat transfer device is internally disposed within said nozzle.

13. A system as in claim 9 additionally comprising a pressure-release valve within said nozzle.

14. A system as in claim 1, wherein a bottom wall of said second container includes an aperture for dispensing flowable material.

15. A system as in claim 14, wherein said second container includes a groove on the bottom wall of said second container, said groove configured to channel the flowable material toward the aperture of said second container.

16. A system as in claim 1 additionally comprising a computer for determining the amount of piston displacement required to dispense a predetermined quantity of the flowable material, said computer being connected to said actuator for control thereof.

17. A system as in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the actuator so as to move the piston by a specific travel increment that is required to dispense a preset amount of flowable material from the second container.

18. A system as in claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to obtain the amount of piston travel required to dispense the preset amount of flowable material.

19. A system as in claim 18, wherein the controller communicates with a memory location to retrieve the required piston travel from memory.

20. A system as in claim 1, wherein the positioned control motor is configured to move the piston through a plurality of discrete positions.

21. A system as in claim 1, wherein said second container has a complementary cross-sectional shape, as taken generally normal to the stroke axis of the system, to that of the first container.

22. A system for dispensing controlled amounts of flowable material stored in a first flexible-walled container, said system comprising:

a second container configured to hold the first container, said second container having a complementary cross-sectional shape as taken generally normal to a stroke axis of the system, to that of the first container;

a piston having a face sized and configured to generally match the cross-sectional shape of the second container;

an actuator connected to the piston to drive the piston along the stroke axis through a preset travel range, said actuator including a position controlled motor to move the piston between a plurality of discrete positions within said travel range; and

a temperature-controlled cabinet, the second container being positionable within said cabinet.

23. A system as in claim 22, wherein said cabinet includes a door.

24. A system as in claim 23, wherein said cabinet door and said second container are unitary.

25. A system as in claim 22 additionally comprising an enfitment which is coupled to said first container through a wall of the second container, and the enfitment cooperates with a heat transfer device whereby the temperature within the enfitment is maintained at generally the same temperature as that of the cabinet.

26. An enfitment for providing an opening in an elastic wall of a container comprising:

a hollow tube having inner and outer surfaces and first and second open ends;

a piercing member formed at one end of the hollow tube, said piercing member having a sharpened tip to penetrate the elastic wall of the container, said piercing member being positioned on one end of said hollow tube, the piercing member including a transition surface spaced circumferentially from the sharpened tip so as to trail the sharpened tip when penetrating the elastic wall of the container; and

a sealing device, said piercing member and said sealing device configured to interact with the wall of the container to form an opening in the container through which material from the container can pass through the hollow tube, and to stretch the opening around the outer surface of the hollow tube, the sealing device comprising an annular conical surface at least partially positioned beneath a retaining flange that extends outwardly from a longitudinal axis of the hollow tube, and the retaining flange including a recess positioned circumferentially so as to generally coincide with the position of the transition surface of the piercing member, the transition surface extending from the recess in a direction away from the retaining flange.

27. An enfitment as in claim 26, wherein the hollow tube and the sealing device are integrally formed together.

28. An enfitment as in claim 26, wherein at least a portion of the piercing member has a sickle-like shape.

29. An enfitment as in claim 26, wherein said piercing member has an aperture in fluidic communication with the hollow tube.

30. An enfitment as in claim 26, wherein the sealing device includes a wall section connecting the piercing member to the hollow tube, said wall section configured to facilitate the winding of the elastic wall of the container around the hollow tube.

31. An enfitment as in claim 26 additionally comprising an unsealing device configured to guide the wall of the first container upward from a conical surface of the enfitment.

32. An enfitment as in claim 26, wherein the recess is disposed at a location about 180°

around the circumference of the piecing member from the sharpened end.

33. An enfitment as in claim 26, wherein a gap exists between at least a portion of the piecing member and the retaining flange.

34. An enfitment as in claim 33, wherein said gap extends about 180°

around the circumference of the piercing member.

35. An enfitment for providing an opening in an elastic wall of a container comprising:

a hollow tube having inner and outer surfaces and first and second open ends;

a piercing member formed at one end of the hollow tube, said piercing member having a sharpened tip to penetrate the elastic wall of the container, said piercing member being positioned on one end of said hollow tube; and

a sealing device, said piercing member and said sealing device configured to interact with the wall of the container to form an opening in the container through which material from the container can pass through the hollow tube, and to stretch the opening around the outer surface of the hollow tube;

wherein said sealing device comprises an annular conical surface at least partially positioned beneath a retaining flange that extends outwardly from a longitudinal axis of the hollow tube; and

wherein said piercing member comprises a leading edge portion and a trailing edge portion, the sharpened end being positioned at the juncture of the leading edge portion and the trailing edge portion, at least a portion of said leading edge portion being positioned inward and upward from said retaining flange and at least a portion of said trailing edge portion being positioned upward from said retaining flange.

36. An enfitment as in claim 35, wherein at least a portion of said trailing edge portion is positioned outward from said retaining flange.

37. An enfitment as in claim 35, wherein the ends of said leading edge portion and said trailing edge portion are interconnected by a curvilinear structure which is configured to thread an opening of the container around said hollow tube.

38. An enfitment for providing an opening in an elastic wall of a container comprising:

a hollow tube having inner and outer surfaces and first and second open ends;

a piercing member formed at one end of the hollow tube, said piercing member having a sharpened tip to penetrate the elastic wall of the container, said piercing member being positioned on one end of said hollow tube;

a sealing device, said piercing member and said sealing device configured to interact with the wall of the container to form an opening in the container through which material from the container can pass through the hollow tube, and to stretch the opening around the outer surface of the hollow tube; and

an unsealing device configured to guide the wall of the first container upward from a conical surface of the enfitment, said unsealing device comprising a recess which cuts into a retaining flange of the enfitment to form a smooth transition with a sloped surface of the conical section.

39. A system for dispensing controlled amounts of flowable materials stored in a first flexible-walled container comprising:

a second container configured to hold the first flexible-walled container;

an enfitment extending through a wall of said second container, said enfitment having a piercing member to puncture the flexible wall of the first container and sealing mechanism which interacts with said first container as said enfitment is rotated about a rotational axis generally normal to the wall of the second container; and

a piston positionable within said second container above the first container to apply pressure to at least a wall of the first flexible-walled container so as to compress the first flexible-walled container between said piston and said second container; and

an actuating mechanism drivingly coupled to the enfitment, said actuating mechanism including a motor to rotate the enfitment relative to the first container about the rotational axis.

40. A system as in claim 39 additionally comprising an exit nozzle removably attached to an end of the enfitment and having an opening for dispensing flowable material from the first container.

41. A system as in claim 40, wherein said exit nozzle is attached to said enfitment on one side of the wall of the second container and does not extend through the wall of the second container.

42. A system as in claim 40, wherein said nozzle includes a pressure-release valve.

43. A system as in claim 42, wherein said pressure release valve is a slitted diaphragm to selectively permit the flow of material through the exit nozzle.

44. A system as in claim 40, wherein said nozzle includes means for maintaining the temperature of the flowable material within a controlled temperature range while the material is disposed within the enfitment and the exit nozzle.

45. A system as in claim 40 additionally comprising a temperature-controlled cabinet, said second container positionable within said cabinet, and said nozzle comprising a heat transfer device whereby the temperature within the nozzle is maintained at generally the same temperature as that of the cabinet.

46. A system as in claim 45, wherein said heat transfer device is internally disposed within said nozzle.

47. A system as in claim 45, wherein said heat transfer device is made of aluminum alloy.

48. A system as in claim 39, wherein said piston applies pressure on a side of the first container opposite a side of the first container which interacts with the enfitment.

49. A system as in claim 39, wherein said enfitment includes a tubular body member having first and second open ends, said piercing member being positioned on one end of said tubular body member and having a sharpened end to penetrate the flexible wall of the first container.

50. A system as in claim 49, wherein said sealing mechanism comprises an annular conical surface at least partially positioned beneath a retaining flange extending outwardly relative to said rotational axis, said piercing member comprising a leading edge portion and a trailing edge portion, the sharpened end being positioned at the juncture of the leading edge portion and the trailing edge portion, at least a portion of said leading edge portion being positioned inward and upward from said retaining flange and said trailing edge portion of said piercing member being angularly and axially displaced from said leading edge portion, slightly below and outward from said leading edge portion.

51. A system as in claim 49, wherein said piercing member has an aperture in fluidic communication with the tubular body member.

52. A system as in claim 49, wherein the ends of said leading edge portion and said trailing edge portion are interconnected by a curvilinear structure which is configured to thread an opening of the first container around said tubular body member.

53. A system as in claim 49, wherein the sealing mechanism includes a wall section connecting the piercing member to the tubular body member, said wall section configured to facilitate the winding of the flexible wall of the first container around the tubular body member of said enfitment.

54. A system as in claim 49, wherein said enfitment includes an unsealing mechanism configured to guide a portion of a wall of the flexible container away from a retaining section of the enfitment as said enfitment is rotated about a rotational axis generally normal to the wall of the second container.

55. A system as in claim 54, wherein said unsealing mechanism comprises a recess in the enfitment at a location about 180°

around the circumference of said piercing member from said sharpened end.

56. A system as in claim 39 additionally comprising a controlled displacement motor to move the piston within the second container relative to the first container.

57. A system as in claim 56, wherein said controlled displacement motor is bi-directional to control displacement of said piston in both directions along a stroke axis of said piston.

58. A system as in claim 56, wherein said controlled displacement motor moves said piston between a plurality of positions which correspond to distinct dispensation steps within a predetermined stroke length of said piston.

59. A system as in claim 58, wherein said controlled displacement motor provides for reversal of the displacement direction of said piston at the end of each dispensation step so that pressure of said flowable materials in said first container is relieved.

60. A system as in claim 56 additionally comprising a computer for determining the amount of piston displacement required to dispense a predetermined quantity of the flowable material, said computer being connected to said controlled displacement motor.

61. A system as in claim 39, wherein said second container is configured as an ingredient hopper with an upper opening that receives said piston in a snug-fitting manner.

62. A system as in claim 39, wherein said piston includes a recessed portion sized and shaped to receive the protruding portion of the enfitment which extends through the wall of the second container, whereby said recessed portion receives the protruding portion of the enfitment when the piston is at the end of an overall predetermined stroke length of the piston.

63. A system as in claim 39 additionally comprising a sensor which detects when the enfitment is positioned in an initial position relative to the first container.

64. A system as in claim 63, wherein said sensor comprises a Hall-effect mechanism.

65. A system as in claim 39, wherein said piston is removable from within said second container.

66. A method for dispensing a controlled amount of flowable material from a flexible-walled first container comprising:

placing the flexible-walled first container in a second container;

contacting the first container with a piston to compress the first container within the second container;

actuating the piston through a series of sequential dispensation steps;

moving the piston by a predetermined stroke length toward the first container during each dispensation step to dispense a desired amount of material from the first container, wherein the predetermined stroke length of the piston for each dispensation step differs between at least two of the dispensation steps within said series of sequential dispensation steps so as to dispense a generally constant amount of material each dispensation step.

67. A method as in claim 66, wherein the piston is moved during a last dispensation step of said series of sequential dispensation steps by a stroke length longer than the stroke length associated with a median dispensation step of said series of sequential dispensation steps.

68. A method as in claim 66, wherein the piston is moved during the first dispensation step of said series of sequential dispensation steps by a stroke length longer than the stroke length associated with a median dispensation step of said series of sequential dispensation steps.

69. A method as in claim 66 additionally comprising determining which number dispensation step within said series of dispensation steps is to be performed, and ascertaining an amount of piston travel required to dispense a desired amount of flowable material from the flexible container for the determined dispensation step.

70. A method as in claim 66 additionally comprising subsequently moving the piston by a reverse travel amount away from the first container during each dispensation step to reduce the pressure of the flowable material within the first container after the material dispensation associated with the dispensation step.

71. A method as in claim 66 additionally comprising determining the stroke length based upon one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of the predetermined initial volume of the first container, the predetermined total number of dispensation steps within the series of sequential dispensation steps, the predetermined volume of material to be dispensed during each dispensation step, the viscosity of the flowable material, the type of material of which the first container is composed, the flexibility of the first container, and the configuration of the first container.

72. A method as in claim 66, wherein determining the predetermined stroke length involves retrieving the stroke length amount from memory.

73. A method as in claim 66 additionally comprising dispensing the desired amount of flowable material from the first container through a nozzle for each piston actuation step.

74. A method as in claim 73 additionally comprising maintaining the temperature of the flowable material within the nozzle at generally the same temperature as the temperature of the flowable material within the first container.

75. A method for dispensing a controlled amount of flowable material from a flexible-walled container comprising:

determining the quantity of flowable material in the flexible-walled container;

ascertaining an amount of piston travel for compressing the flexible-walled container within an ingredient hopper which is required to dispense a desired amount of material from the flexible-walled container based on the determined quantity of flowable material in the flexible-walled container; and

controlling a displacement of a piston to move the piston by the ascertained distance to dispense, a predetermined amount of material.

76. A method as in claim 75, wherein determining the quantity of flowable material in the flexible container involves tracking the number of dispensations made from the flexible-walled container and the amount of material being dispensed per dispensation.

77. A method for dispensing controlled amounts of flowable materials stored in a flexible-walled container, comprising:

positioning the container adjacent to an enfitment having a hollow body with two open ends, the first end having a sharpened penetrating member attached thereto and a second end for dispensing the flowable material;

rotating the enfitment about a rotational axis so that the sharpened end penetrates the wall of the first container to open an aperture in the wall of the container;

further rotating the enfitment to stretch the aperture in the wall of the first container between leading and trailing edge portions of the first end, the leading edge portion of the enfitment being disposed closer to said rotational axis than the trailing edge portion; and

forcing the flowable material through the aperture for dispensation through the enfitment.

78. A method as in claim 77 additionally comprising forming a seal between the flexible container and the enfitment.

79. A method as in claim 78, wherein forming a seal involves rotating the enfitment to thread at least a portion of the hollow body of the enfitment into the aperture formed in the wall of the container.

80. A method as in claim 79 additionally comprising further stretching the aperture in the wall of the first container around the enfitment hollow body as the enfitment is rotated.

81. A method as in claim 78 additionally comprising breaking the seal between the flexible container and the enfitment.

82. A method as in claim 81, wherein breaking the seal involves rotating the enfitment in a reverse direction, whereby the aperture in the wall of the first container is guided upward in relation to the enfitment.

83. A method as in claim 77, wherein said forcing the material through the aperture involves pressing a piston against a wall of the flexible-walled container.

84. A method as in claim 83 additionally comprising retracting the piston from the wall of the flexible-walled container.

85. A method of dispensing controlled amounts of flowable material stored in a first flexible-walled, sealed container comprising:

providing a base;

positioning the first flexible-walled sealed container in a second container, said second container being supported by said base;

mounting a hollow enfitment through at least one wall of said second container for opening said first flexible-walled, sealed container and dispensing said flowable material therethrough;

rotating said enfitment by a motor-driven actuator so that said first flexible-walled, sealed container is opened by and sealed with said enfitment;

providing a piston positionable within the second container to apply force to at least one wall of said first flexible-walled container so as to compress said first flexible-walled container between said piston and said enfitment; and

driving said piston toward said base along a stroke axis to compress said first flexible-walled container against said second container to dispense the flowable material through said enfitment.

86. A method as in claim 85 additionally comprising providing a nozzle attached to one end of the enfitment through which the flowable material is dispensed.

87. A method as in claim 86 additionally comprising maintaining the temperature of the flowable materials within the nozzle.

88. A method as in claim 87, wherein maintaining the temperature of the flowable materials within the nozzle involves transferring heat through the nozzle.

89. A method as in claim 85 additionally comprising bi-directionally controlling the displacement of said piston relative to said second container.

90. A method as in claim 85 additionally comprising reversing the displacement direction of said piston at the end of each dispensing step so as to relieve the pressure of the flowable materials in said first container.

91. A method as in claim 85, wherein driving said piston involves maintaining a constant amount of pressure on said first flexible-walled container.

92. A method of dispensing controlled amounts of flowable materials stored in a flexible-walled, sealed container, comprising:

opening an aperture in a flexible wall section of said flexible container;

stretching the aperture in the flexible wall section to increase the size of the aperture;

disposing a hollow member against the flexible wall section of the container such that a portion of the hollow member, which is adjacent to the flexible wall, lies generally normal to said flexible wall section of the container;

inserting at least a portion of the hollow member with the aperture;

forming a seal between the flexible wall section of the container and a retaining flange of the hollow member; and

unsealing the hollow member from the flexible member by guiding the flexible wall section of the container through a recess formed in the retaining flange.

93. A method as in claim 92, wherein forming a seal involves further stretching the aperture and positioning the flexible wall section of the container about a portion of the hollow member.

94. A method as in claim 93, wherein positioning the flexible wall section about the hollow member involves threading the hollow member into the aperture.

95. A method as in claim 92, wherein said hollow member is provided with a first end having a sharpened penetrating end attached thereto and an opposite second end for dispensing said flowable materials therethrough, and disposing the hollow member against the flexible wall section of the container involves positioning the sharpened penetrating end between said flexible wall and said hollow member.

96. A method as in claim 92, wherein opening and stretching each involve rotating the hollow member about an axis generally normal to the flexible wall of the container.

97. A method as in claim 92 additionally comprising removing the hollow body member from within the flexible container.

98. A method as in claim 97 wherein removing involves rotating the hollow member about an axis generally normal to the flexible wall of the container.