Food product dispenser and valve

• US 9,717,354 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2014
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gehl Foods, LLC
• Original Assignee: Gehl Foods, LLC
• Inventors: Gehl, Michael, Mucci, David, Sowieja, Michael, Albiez, Christoph, Hatch, Paul, Mitchell, Thomas, Rostlund, Anders Olof
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, Nicholas J
• Application Number:
  US14/506,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20150102057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 222561, 222105, 222 81, 222 83, 222 90
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/18 Containers for delivering jam, mustard, or the like soap deliverers A47K5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/183 by applying external pressure, i.e. by pumping or squeezing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/563 Integral handles or suspension means B65D75/566 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5877 connected to a planar surface of the package wall
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/30 with means for predetermining quantity of liquid to be transferred B67D7/10, B67D7/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/302 using electrical or electro-mechanical means B67D7/307 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/003 using electromagnetic, electric or electronic means G01F15/002, G01F15/02 take precedence

Abstract

A system for dispensing a flowable food product from a reservoir is provided. A wall of the reservoir defines an aperture therethrough allowing the flowable food product to exit the reservoir. The system includes a valve having a base member having a first passageway extending therethrough and a moving member having a second passageway extending therethrough, the moving member configured to slide relative to the base member between a closed position in which the first passageway and the second passageway do not overlap and an open position in which the first passageway and the second passageway overlap. When the moving member is in the open position, an axis extending through the first passageway and the second passageway extends through the aperture in the reservoir.

Claims

1. A system for dispensing a flowable food product comprising:

a reservoir including a wall, the wall defining an aperture for allowing the flowable food product to exit the reservoir;

a fitment coupled to the wall of the reservoir, the fitment including a tang; and

a valve comprising;

a base member having a first passageway extending therethrough; and

a movable member having a second passageway extending therethrough and a detent, the movable member configured to slide relative to the base member between a closed position in which the first passageway and the second passageway do not overlap and an open position in which the first passageway and the second passageway overlap;

wherein when the movable member is in the open position, an axis extending through the first passageway and the second passageway extends through the aperture in the reservoir; and

wherein engagement of the detent and the tang inhibits movement of the movable member between the closed and open positions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the axis extends substantially vertically.

3. The system of claim 1,

wherein the base member is part of a probe at least a portion of which is configured to be received in the fitment.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the probe comprises a plurality of teeth configured to form the aperture in the wall of the reservoir when the probe is moved from a shipping position to an installed position.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of teeth is sharp and another at least one of the plurality of teeth is blunted.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the fitment comprises one of a rib and a groove;

the probe comprises the other of the rib and the groove; and

the other of the rib and the groove engages the one of the rib and the groove of the fitment to retain the probe to the fitment when the probe is in an installed position.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the probe comprises an axially extending sidewall;

a portion of the sidewall is located within the reservoir when the probe is in an installed position; and

the portion of the sidewall within the reservoir defines an opening extending radially through the sidewall such that flowable food product may flow through the opening to the aperture in the reservoir.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the movable member comprises a finger extending outward from a body of the moveable member and configured to engage a slot formed in the base member, and wherein the finger and the slot cooperate to partially retain the movable member relative to the base member, thereby preventing inadvertent removal of the movable member from the base member.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the base member defines at least one guiderail configured to support the movable member in the lateral direction while the movable member translates between the open and closed positions.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the reservoir comprises a flexible bag.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein during operation, the flexible bag is suspended such that at least a portion of the flexible bag is substantially aligned with the axis.

12. The system of claim 11, comprising a dispenser having at least two substantially upright sidewalls that are spaced sufficiently close together so as to laterally support the flexible bag so that flowable food product contained therein can be dispensed from the system.