Evacuation system

• US 7,086,428 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lancer Partnership Limited (Hoshizaki Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lancer Partnership Limited (Hoshizaki Corporation)
• Inventors: Schroeder, Alfred A., Romanyszyn, Michael T., Santy, John D., Good, Merrill R., Hoch, Ronald Ray, Hernandez, George E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas, Steven O.
• Application Number:
  US10/828,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20040216427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 141/65, 141/67, 141/2, 141/18, 222/95, 222/101, 222/102, 222/105, 222/181.1
• US Class Current: 141/65
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/28 for portioning or dispensing
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/283 for filling containers with material
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0001 by squeezing collapsible or flexible storage containers B67D1/0462 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0079 having their own dispensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0216 by squeezing collapsible or flexible storage containers B67D7/0255 takes precedence; for dispensing beverages on draught B67D1/0001

Abstract

An evacuation system including an evacuation member engages a product package and applies pressure thereto, such that a product in the product package moves toward an outlet in the product package for dispensing. A controller monitors the force applied by a driver to the product package, thereby ensuring that the pressure remains below a particular threshold to protect the integrity of the product package. The controller further monitors the evacuation member location, thereby enabling the controller to recognize when the product package is empty. The evacuation system further includes a package carrier including a pinch-off area that moves product out of an unrecoverable portion of the product package. The evacuation member may be utilized as a stand-alone device or with a primary device, wherein the primary device provides signals to the evacuation system and the evacuation system provides product to the primary device.

Claims

1. An evacuation system, comprising:

a housing including a product package containing a product;

an evacuation member disposed in the housing, wherein the evacuation member engages the product package and applies pressure thereto, such that product in the product package moves toward an outlet in the product package for dispensing;

a driver in communication with the evacuation member, wherein the driver moves the evacuation member to dispense product when the driver is powered; and

a controller in electrical communication with the driver, wherein the controller powers the driver for a predetermined interval to dispense product from the product package, and further wherein the controller monitors the current applied to the driver, thereby deducing the forces applied to the product package.

2. The evacuation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a valve disposed at the outlet of the product package to regulate the flow therefrom.

3. The evacuation system according to claim 2, wherein the valve is a pinch valve.

5. The evacuation system according to claim 1, wherein the driver is a motor.

6. The evacuation system according to claim 2, wherein the controller opens the valve during the predetermined period, thereby dispensing product from the package.

7. The evacuation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller operates the evacuation member to preload the package.

8. The evacuation system according to claim 7, wherein the controller maintains the force applied to the product package by the evacuation member below a maximum threshold to ensure that the product package does not rupture.

4. An evacuation system, comprising:

a housing including a product package containing a product; and

an evacuation member disposed in the housing, wherein the evacuation member engages the product package and applies pressure thereto, such that product in the product package moves toward an outlet in the product package for dispensing, and further wherein a pump is coupled to an outlet of the product package for evacuating the product from the package.

15. The evacuation system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a pump driver unit disposed in the housing, wherein the pump is coupled to the pump driver to actuate the pump, thereby evacuating the product from the product package.

9. An evacuation system, comprising;

a housing including a product package containing a product;

an evacuation member disposed in the housing, wherein the evacuation member engages the product package and applies pressure thereto, such that product in the product package moves toward an outlet in the product package for dispensing;

a driver in communication with the evacuation member, wherein the driver moves the evacuation member to dispense product when the driver is powered; and

a controller in electrical communication with the driver, wherein the controller powers the driver for a predetermined interval to dispense product from the product package, and further wherein an encoder outputs a signal to the controller indicating the location of the evacuation member.

10. The evacuation system according to claim 9, wherein the controller recognizes a maximum encoder count when the evacuation member has reached full travel, thereby indicating that the product package is empty.

11. An evacuation system, comprising;

a housing including a product package containing a product;

an evacuation member disposed in the housing, wherein the evacuation member engages the product package and applies pressure thereto, such that product in the product package moves toward an outlet in the product package for dispensing;

a driver in communication with the evacuation member, wherein the driver moves the evacuation member to dispense product when the driver is powered; and

a controller in electrical communication with the driver, wherein the controller powers the driver for a predetermined interval to dispense product from the product package, and further wherein a microswitch is closed when the evacuation member reaches full travel, thereby notifying the controller that the package is empty.

12. An evacuation system, comprising;

a housing including a product package containing a product;

an evacuation member disposed in the housing, wherein the evacuation member engages the product package and applies pressure thereto, such that product in the product package moves toward an outlet in the product package for dispensing;

a driver in communication with the evacuation member, wherein the driver moves the evacuation member to dispense product when the driver is powered; and

a controller in electrical communication with the driver, wherein the controller powers the driver for a predetermined interval to dispense product from the product package, and further wherein a hall effect sensor is activated when the evacuation member reaches the end of the travel path, thereby signaling the controller of an empty package condition.

13. An evacuation system, comprising:

a housing including a product package containing a product;

an evacuation member disposed in the housing, wherein the evacuation member engages the product package and applies pressure thereto, such that product in the product package moves toward an outlet in the product package for dispensing; and

at least one roller to engage the product package, wherein the roller is weighted to move through the travel path due to gravitational forces.

14. An evacuation system, comprising:

a housing including a product package containing a product;

an evacuation member disposed in the housing, wherein the evacuation member engages the product package and applies pressure thereto, such that product in the product package moves toward an outlet in the product package for dispensing; and

at least one squeegee to engage the product package, wherein the squeegee is weighted to move through the travel path due to gravitational forces.

16. An evacuation system, comprising:

a housing including a product package containing a product;

an evacuation member disposed in the housing, wherein the evacuation member engages the product package and applies pressure thereto, such that product in the product package moves toward an outlet in the product package for dispensing; and

a package carrier, the package carrier including a package support and a restraining support hingedly coupled to the package support, wherein a product package is inserted into the package support and the restraining support is closed, thereby easing handling and support during insertion into the housing.

17. The evacuation system according to claim 16, wherein the package carrier includes a pinch-off area, whereby, when the restraining support is closed, product is displaced from an unrecoverable portion of the product package, and the unrecoverable portion is pinched off, such that the product remains in a recoverable portion of the product package.

18. The evacuation system according to claim 17, wherein the pinch-off area creates a product package volume having a bottom with a slope toward the product package outlet, thereby forcing product to move toward a recoverable portion of the product package.

19. An evacuation system, comprising:

a housing including a product package containing a product;

an evacuation member disposed in the housing, wherein the evacuation member engages the product package and applies pressure thereto, such that product in the product package moves toward an outlet in the product package for dispensing;

a driver in communication with the evacuation member, wherein the driver moves the evacuation member to dispense product when the driver is powered; and

a controller in electrical communication with the driver, wherein the controller powers the driver for a predetermined interval to dispense product from the product package, and further wherein the controller determines a frictional voltage profile for the evacuation member and adds the frictional profile to a working voltage profile, thereby ensuring that the evacuation member applies a desired squeeze force to the product package.

20. An evacuation system, comprising:

a housing including a product package containing a product;

an evacuation member disposed in the housing, wherein the evacuation member engages the product package and applies pressure thereto, such that product in the product package moves toward an outlet in the product package for dispensing; and

at least one roller disposed within the evacuation member, wherein the at least one roller is biased against a backing plate to engage the product package, and further wherein the at least one roller may overcome the biasing force, and move away from the backing plate to accommodate varying product particulate sizes.

21. The evacuation system according to claim 20, wherein the biasing force is spring pressure.