U.S. patent number 3,837,533 [Application Number 05/263,465] was granted by the patent office on 1974-09-24 for fluid substance dispenser.
Invention is credited to Robert E. Splan.
United States Patent |
3,837,533 |
Splan |
September 24, 1974 |
FLUID SUBSTANCE DISPENSER
Abstract
The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is directed to
a fluid dispensing device which is usable as a condiment dispenser
for such things as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise or the like. The
dispensing device has a hand-manipulated flexible housing which is
provided with an access opening at the top thereof and an outlet
port at the bottom. The access opening is adapted to receive a
container which is formed of film material and which supports the
fluid substance to be placed into the dispensing device. The
container is insertable into the housing so that a nozzle or valve
element is positioned at the bottom of the container and fits
through the outlet port from where the fluid substance can be
dispensed. A check valve member is formed in the housing so that
upon manual squeezing of the housing pressure is applied to the
film container and the fluid substance is thereby dispensed. Upon
releasing hand pressure of the housing, atmospheric pressure is
pulled into the housing by opening of the check valve. The
dispensing nozzle is formed as part of the film container rather
than part of the outer support housing. The nozzle is a single,
integral element having a starter passage portion into which an
initial quantity of fluid substance flows prior to initial opening
of the valve, a seal portion downstream of the starter passage
portion which is resiliently opened and closed by the normal
elasticity of the material forming the nozzle, and a dispensing end
completely closeable so that the fluid substance is not left about
the nozzle when the upstream seal is in a closed condition.
Inventors: |
Splan; Robert E. (Palatine,
IL) |
Family
ID: |
23001897 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/263,465 |
Filed: |
June 16, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/94; 222/209;
222/105; 222/185.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
35/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
35/14 (20060101); B65D 35/00 (20060101); B65d
035/22 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/213,94,105,183,185,209,215 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Knowles; Allen N.
Assistant Examiner: Shannon; John P.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Olson, Trexler, Wolters, Bushnell
& Fosse, Ltd.
Claims
The invention is claimed as follows:
1. In a fluid dispensing device the combination comprising: a
housing of resilient material having an access opening and an
outlet port, a container formed of flexible film material for
receiving therein a quantity of fluid substance to be dispensed,
said container being readily insertable into said housing through
said access opening, and a nozzle secured to and forming part of
said container and insertable into said outlet port of said
housing, whereby squeezing said housing will apply pressure to the
outer surface of said container to dispense the fluid substance
therein through said nozzle, said access opening being formed at
the top of said housing and said outlet port being formed through a
bottom wall of said housing, the interior surface of the bottom
wall of said housing having a major area thereof inclined
downwardly and a minor area thereof oriented substantially parallel
to the outside surface of said bottom wall, said outlet port being
formed in said minor area, whereby fluid substance in said
container is at all times directed down the inclined surface toward
said nozzle to provide an initial quantity of fluid substance
within said nozzle, said housing including check valve means formed
in the top wall of said housing to allow pressure buildup within
the housing upon squeezing the same and to allow entrace of
atmospheric air therethrough when releasing the squeezing pressure
on said housing, thereby allowing rapid expansion of said housing
to its normal configuration after dispensing a given quantity of
the fluid substance, said check valve means including an aperture
formed in the top wall of said housing, an arm secured to the top
wall of said housing and displaced from said aperture, said arm
extending toward said aperture, and a protuberance extending
upwardly from said arm and engaging the periphery of said aperture
to form a seal therewith upon squeezing of said housing and wherein
atmospheric pressure will urge said protuberance and said arm away
from said aperture to allow atmospheric air to enter said
housing.
2. In the fluid dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the bottom
portion of said housing has a predetermined depth and wherein said
nozzle on said container extends through said outlet port and is of
a length less than the depth of said bottom portion of said housing
so as not to come in direct contact with the surface upon which the
dispensing device is positioned.
3. In a fluid dispensing device the combination comprising: a
housing of resilient material having means providing access to the
interior thereof and an outlet port, and a container readily
insertable into the interior of said housing and formed of flexible
film material for receiving therein a quantity of fluid substance
to be dispensed, said container having a filler opening to be
sealed for isolating said substance and a nozzle secured to and
forming part of said container and insertable into said outlet port
whereby squeezing said housing will apply pressure to the outer
surface of said container to dispense the fluid substance therein
through said nozzle, said device further including check valve
means formed in said housing and opening into said housing spaced
from said container to allow pressure buildup within the housing
upon squeezing the same and to allow entrance of atmospheric air
therethrough when releasing the squeezing pressure on said housing,
thereby allowing rapid expansion of said housing to its normal
configuration after dispensing a given quantity of the fluid
substance, said check valve means including an aperture formed in a
wall of said housing, an arm secured to said housing wall and
displaced from said aperture and extending toward said aperture,
and a protuberance extending from said arm and engaging the
periphery of said aperture to form a seal therewith upon squeezing
of said housing and wherein atmospheric pressure will urge said
protuberance and said arm away from said aperture to allow
atmospheric air to enter said housing.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to containers, and more
particularly to fluid condiment dispensers for receiving fluid
substances such as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and the like.
Heretofore, dispensers such as ketchup and mustard dispensers used
in restaurants, food counters, and homes have been made of flexible
plastic or rubber material so that the fluid substance therein is
readily dispensed under pressure upon squeezing the outer walls of
the flexible container. Generally the dispensing nozzle of this
type of container is located at the top and it is necessary to
invert the container and shake down a quantity of fluid substance
into the nozzle before squeezing the same. Furthermore, the nozzle
has a small opening continuously vented to atmosphere so that when
used for ketchup, for example, oxidization of the tomato substance
in the ketchup causes blackening thereof. Therefore, it is
necessary to frequently clean the interior of the dispenser so that
accumulated bacteria will not cause spoilage of new fluid
substances in the containers.
While these types of prior art dispenser units have the advantage
of being made of flexible, nonbreakable material and are relatively
inexpensive to manufacture, they have the distinct disadvantage of
becoming readily contaminated through normal use by the
contamination within the atmosphere as well as the oxidization
problem mentioned above. To eliminate such contamination problems,
it is necessary to completely seal the interior of the container
from the atmosphere.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and
improved fluid substance dispenser unit which can receive fluid
substances such as fluid condiments as ketchup, mustard and
mayonnaise, and the like, and which can be used in restaurants, on
food counters or in the home.
Another object of this invention is to provide a dispensing nozzle
for use with a fluid substance dispenser which completely seals the
interior of the container from atmospheric conditions while at the
same time allowing ready dispensing of such fluid substances
without the need of opening covers or lids or the like.
Another object of this invention is to provide a fluid substance
dispenser for condiments which is maintained clean and sanitary
during the normal use thereof.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a fluid
substance container which is efficient and reliable in use and
which is simple and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
A feature of this invention is the use of a separate fluid
substance hand-manipulated housing and a separate insertable film
material container therefor, wherein the film material container
can be either of the reusable or of the disposable type.
Briefly, the fluid substance container of this invention includes a
hand-manipulated housing having an access opening formed at the top
thereof and an outlet port formed through a relatively thick bottom
wall. An insertable container is formed of a thin flexible film
material and receives therein the fluid substance which is to be
dispensed. The insertable container has secured thereto and formed
as an integral part therewith a nozzle member which is located at
the bottom of the container and inserted through the outlet port of
the housing. Preferably the nozzle extends through a recessed
portion of the bottom wall of the housing but at no time comes in
contact with the surface upon which the container rests.
Most advantageously, the nozzle is a single integral unit having
three distinctive series fluid communication portions, one portion
being a starter passage portion, a second portion being a seal
portion intermediate the nozzle, and the third portion being a
terminating or dispensing end from which the fluid substance
ultimately is dispensed. The nozzle is made of a flexible material
sufficiently yieldable under pressure produced by hand-squeezing of
the housing so as to cause the fluid substance to pass from the
starter passage portion into the seal portion and therefrom out of
the dispensing end portion. The material forming the nozzle is also
sufficiently yieldable in a retractable sense so that the seal
portion of the nozzle becomes fully closed in such a manner as to
insure that all material in the nozzle is squeezed therefrom by
either completely dispensing from the end or urging the fluid back
through the nozzle into the starter passage portion from whence it
came. This insures that no fluid substance is accumulated about the
nozzle and therefore the contamination of the fluid substance is
prevented.
Accordingly, many other objects, features and advantages of this
invention will be more fully realized and understood from the
following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals throughout
the various views of the drawings are intended to designate similar
elements or components.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevational view illustrating a fluid dispensing
device constructed in accordance with the principles of this
invention and which can be used to dispense fluid condiments such
as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise and the like;
FIG. 2 is a top view of the dispenser unit of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing the various components, i.e.,
the hand-manipulated outer housing, the inner container formed of
film material for supporting the fluid substance, and the nozzle
and port arrangement which eliminates contamination of the
substance at the nozzle;
FIG. 4 is a section view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a nozzle constructed in
accordance with the principles of this invention and is shown in
its closed seal condition;
FIG. 7 shows the nozzle of FIG. 6 and is shown in its opened
condition for passing fluid material therethrough;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary top view of the nozzle and a
portion of the film container thereabout; and
FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing one form of check
valve arrangement which can be used to cause pressure equalization
within the housing during use thereof.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 there is seen a fluid dispensing
device constructed in accordance with the principles of this
invention and designated generally by reference numeral 10. The
fluid dispensing device 10 is particularly useful for dispensing
fluid substances of relatively thick consistency, and has the
further particular advantage of being extremely useful for
dispensing condiment fluids such as ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise
and the like. The fluid dispensing device 10 is formed of a
hand-manipulated flexible housing 11 preferably of pliable plastic
material such as polyethylene, plasticized polyvinylchloride, or
the like, and readily expands or retreats to its normal position,
as shown in the drawing, when hand pressure is released from the
outer wall of the housing. A most convenient configuration of the
housing 11 is cylindrical so that it can be readily gripped between
the fingers and thumb and squeezed when used. The housing 11
includes an access opening 12 formed at the top thereof and is
provided with thread means for receiving a threaded cover 13 for
sealing the housing after a quantity of condiment fluid is placed
therein. The condiment fluid is dispensed from the bottom of the
housing through a nozzle 18 extending through the recessed portion
15c of the bottom wall 15.
In accordance with one of the novel aspects of this invention a
lightweight flexible sheet or film material forms a container 16
which has a filler opening 17 at the top through which the
condiment fluid is inserted when filling or refilling the container
16. At the bottom of the container 16 there is provided a nozzle
structure 18 clampingly engaging the film material forming the
container by means of a pair of radially outwardly extending flange
sections 19a and 19b placed on opposite sides of the sheet material
which forms the container. The nozzle 18 is insertable into the
outlet port 14 when the container is inserted through the access
opening 12. To facilitate location of the outlet port 14, and also
the nozzle 18 inserted therein, the housing 11 is fashioned with
the access opening 12 thereof offset from the center of the housing
in a direction diametrically opposed to the peripheral edge at
which the outlet port 14 is formed. Therefore, the user of the
condiment dispenser can pretty well determine the exact location
from which the condiment will be dispensed by merely looking at the
general configuration and the position of the cover 13 relative to
the housing center line. However, it will be understood that other
configurations can be utilized to facilitate locating the
dispensing nozzle without necessitating the need of turning the
housing upside-down to visually locate the same. One novel means as
contemplated by this invention is to locate a check valve opening
in the top of the housing directly over the location of the nozzle
18 so the viewing of the check valve opening will indicate exactly
where the nozzle is positioned. Since the dispensing nozzle is
located at the bottom of the dispensing device and the condiment
fluid, or other fluid substance, is at all times directed
downwardly due to gravitational force, dispensable fluid is at all
times in direct fluid contact with the nozzle and shaking down of
the fluid, as heretofore required with prior dispensing devices, is
not needed.
While the container 16 shown in FIG. 3 is indicated as
substantially cylindrical in its removed position, it will be
understood that its cylindrical configuration is primarily
controlled by the fact that it is embraced by the inner walls of
the housing 11. Referring now to FIG. 4 the assembled condition of
the dispensing device 10 is shown in cross section and the flexible
container 16 will have the bottom portion thereof substantially in
conformity with the inner wall surface configuration of the bottom
wall 15. That is, the bottom 16a of the container 16 will have a
downwardly sloped major area portion in conformity with a
downwardly sloped major area portion 15a which terminates in a
substantially horizontal portion 15b through which the outlet port
14 is formed. This downwardly sloped configuration of the bottom
wall insures that fluid substance is at all times directed toward
the nozzle 18. This is best illustrated in FIG. 5 which shows the
nozzle being placed close to the periphery of the housing 11
through the outlet port 14 formed in the reduced area flattened
section 15b.
Another advantageous feature of the present invention is the fact
that the extent of the nozzle 18 is less than the thickness of the
wall 15 in the region of the minor area portion 15b so that the
dispensing end portion 23 of the nozzle at no time comes in contact
with the surface upon which the fluid dispensing device is
positioned. This further insures contaminant-free dispensing of
condiment fluids from the dispensing device 10.
Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 the details of construction of
the nozzle, as contemplated by the novel aspects of this invention,
are shown. The nozzle 18 is formed of moldable resilient material
such as plastic or rubber and has the radially outwardly extending
flange portions 19a and 19b engaging the sheet material of the
container 16 and may be secured thereto either by crimping or
adhesive, as desired, to provide a fluid tight seal therebetween.
The nozzle 18 includes three distinct operating areas beginning
with an annularly tapered starter passage portion 21 into which a
quantity of fluid substance will flow under the force of gravity.
The starter passage portion 21 is in series fluid communication
with a seal portion 22 formed by diametrically opposed flat wall
sections abutting one another and urged together under the inherent
resilient force within the flexible material forming the nozzle.
The seal portion 22 extends completely to the dispensing end
portion 23 from which the fluid substance is ultimately dispensed.
In operation, pressure is applied to the interior of the container
16 by squeezing the housing 11. This pressure then causes an
initial quantity of fluid substance to travel from the starter
passage portion 21 into the seal portion 22, as shown in FIG. 7,
and the flow of fluid substance will continue as long as the
pressure is applied. Upon release of hand pressure from the housing
11, the diametrically opposed flat wall portions forming the seal
22 will come together along the entire length thereof so as to
squeeze any quantity of fluid substance therein either completely
out of the nozzle, i.e., toward the dispensing end portion 23, or
back up into the starter passage portion 21. Therefore, all of the
fluid substance, particularly that of ketchup which oxidizes in
air, is expelled from the nozzle so that a sanitary condition is
maintained at all times.
To insure that pressure buildup in the housing 11 is maintained
during manual squeezing of the housing and pressure decline occurs
upon release of the housing, check valve means 25 is provided at
the top wall of the housing to allow no passage of air from the
housing upon squeezing and to allow passage of air into the housing
upon release thereof to compensate for the volume of fluid
substance dispensed from the nozzle 18. As best illustrated in FIG.
9 there is seen an enlarged detailed showing of the check valve 25.
The check valve 25 may include an aperture 26 formed in the top
wall of the housing and further include a resiliently movable arm
27 positioned adjacent the aperture which has a protuberance 28
formed thereon, or secured thereto, to extend into the aperture 26
and form a seal therewith. The area of the arm 27 is such that it
will be urged upwardly so that the protuberance 28 is firmly
inserted into the aperture 26 during manual squeezing of the
housing 11 thus insuring that all pressure exerted by manual
manipulation will be directed onto the outer surface of the
container 16 which, in turn, will urge the fluid substance therein
through the nozzle 18. The resiliently movable arm 27 is
sufficiently flexible so that even slight hand pressure on the
outside of the housing 11 will increase the pressure therein
completely to seal the aperture 26. Upon release of the hand
pressure on the housing 11 the resiliently movable arm 27, together
with the protuberance 28 formed thereon, will move downwardly, as
shown by broken lines, to allow air, at atmospheric pressure, to
enter the housing. Preferably the location of the aperture 26 is
directly above the outlet port 14 so that the exact location of the
dispensing nozzle is known to the user thereof merely by looking at
the top of the housing.
In accordance with one novel aspect of this invention the fluid
substance, as for example ketchup, within the container 16 is at
all times urged toward the nozzle 14 under the force of gravity
while the dispensing unit 10 is in a rest condition on a counter or
tabletop. Therefore, no shaking down of fluid substance is
necessary prior to dispensing of the same. In an alternate
configuration of the invention disclosed herein, the dispensing bag
16 and and nozzle 14 can be formed as an integral unit, as for
example by molding or the like. The top of the dispensing bag can
be folded over so that no air can get into the container 16, or the
top 17 of the bag 16 can be knotted as shown by reference numeral
17a. Furthermore, the bag can be sealed by heat sealing or the like
after a quantity of fluid substance has been packaged therein, this
preferably being the case where the container 16 is of the
disposable type and purchased with prefilled quantities of
condiment fluid, such as ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise, or other
fluid.
Since the container 16 is of a flexible film material it will
collapse about the fluid substance therein during dispensing of the
fluid substance so that no air comes in contact with the fluid
substance contained therein. When the container 16 is to be of the
refillable type it is removed from the housing 11 and cleaned if
necessary and a quantity of fluid substance inserted through the
opening 17 and the top of the container is then either folded over
or knotted as shown in FIG. 4. The container is then inserted into
the housing with the nozzle 18 extending into the outlet port 14.
As mentioned above it is preferred that the nozzle 18 be shorter
than the thickness of the wall through which the outlet port 14 is
formed so that the dispensing end 23 of the nozzle does not come in
contact with the counter surface or table surface upon which the
dispenser unit rests. This is of particular interest when used for
condiments. It will be understood that the nozzle can be of the
same extent as the thickness of the wall, or even longer, and legs
can be provided at the bottom of the housing to maintain the
container in a raised condition over the surface upon which it
rests.
After the filled container 16 is inserted into the housing 11 the
cover 13 is screwed in position over the access opening to provide
an airtight seal with the top of the housing. As the housing 11 is
manually squeezed to increase the pressure therein, the fluid
substance within the container 16 is correspondingly placed under
pressure and will issue from the nozzle 18. This will be
accompanied with simultaneous collapse of the container 16 so that
the air volume within the housing about the container will increase
as the fluid substance in the container decreases. In use the
dispensing unit 10 is held over the food to receive the condiment
therein and the housing is manually squeezed one or more times and
for as long as is necessary to dispense the desired quantity of
condiment fluid. Upon release of the housing 11 the arm 27,
together with the protuberance 28 formed thereon, will move
downwardly, as shown by the broken line, to allow air to enter the
housing 11. Preferably the location of the aperture 26 is directly
above the outlet port 14 so that the exact location of the
dispensing nozzle is known merely by looking at the top of the
housing.
Therefore, it can be seen that the fluid dispensing device of this
invention has particular utility when used for dispensing condiment
fluid such as ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise, as well as other
fluids not related to food products. Accordingly, variations and
modifications of this invention may be effected without departing
from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts disclosed and
claimed herein.
* * * * *