The invention is in the field of devices for dispensing liquids, slurries and viscous fluids.
It is desirable when dispensing liquids, including viscous fluids and slurries, to limit the dispensing to a pre-determined volume or amount without leakage or seepage of liquid following completion of dispensing. Effective control over the dispensing of liquids avoids waste and reduces the amount of residue remaining on the dispenser following completion of dispensing. Such control also avoids imparting unintended characteristics to the material, composition or process as a result of receiving greater than intended amounts of liquid from the dispensing device.
It is also often desirable when dispensing liquids, slurries and viscous materials to obtain a relatively uniform or pre-determined distribution of the dispensed liquid. Condiments such as ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise, for example, when dispensed commercially on prepared food items, are preferably dispensed relatively uniformly over the surface of the prepared food item.
Previous liquid dispensers often consisted of either deformable or rigid containers fitted with a nozzle or opening. Deformable containers typically dispense when pressure is applied to the containers' walls. Rigid dispensers typically dispense when pressure is applied directly to the contents of the package or to a non-rigid portion of the container. A plunger or other pressure generating device acting on the contents of the rigid package through an aperture in the package, for example, can actuate dispensing.
Both deformable and rigid packages containing liquid to be dispensed are typically fitted with end caps, nozzles or other openings to allow passage of the dispensed liquid in response to pressure applied to the package or its contents. Often these end caps, nozzles or openings fail to effectively cut off passage of the dispensed liquid when the applied pressure is removed, allowing unintended leakage or seepage of the liquid dispensed.
As a result of such leaking or seepage, a portion of the liquid can form a residue on the nozzle or other opening in the package.
With the passage of time, this residue can accumulate or cake on the nozzle or other opening. This, in turn, can result in clogging, impeding later efforts to dispense through the nozzle or opening. While such residue can be removed manually, manual removal may occur irregularly and be ineffective. Commercial users of dispensers, such as restaurants, also face added costs if employees must devote time to removing residue from dispensers. In addition, even with removal of this residue, wastage caused by excess dispensing will remain.
An end cap is provided for use with a container body for retaining a quantity of a liquid media. The end cap includes an aperture in fluid communication with the liquid media in the container body. The end cap also includes at least one radial arm extending outwardly from the aperture. The radial arm defines an internal conduit in fluid communication with the aperture. The radial arm includes at least one flexible wiper in a closed position, and one orifice corresponding to each of the at least one flexible wipers. When pressure is exerted on the liquid media, the liquid media travels through the internal conduit causing the flexible wiper to displace to an open position enabling flow of the liquid media through the orifice. The flexible wiper returns to the closed position when exertion of pressure ceases.
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings various forms that are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and constructions particularly shown.
While the invention will be described in connection with one or more preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the description is not intended to limit the invention to any particular embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify like elements, components, subassemblies,
The package 2 can be a rigid container, a squeezable pouch, or some other container capable of housing a liquid media. As used herein, “liquid media” means liquids, slurries and fluids. For example, the liquid media can be viscous fluid or slurry, such as those employed as condiments in the food service industry, e.g., ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard. While the preferred use of the package 2 is for storing and dispensing a food product, it will be appreciated that the description herein is applicable to any liquid media container which dispenses other liquid media, e.g., caulking, adhesives, toothpaste.
As illustrated, the end cap 10 comprises a plurality of radial arms 62 that extend from a substantially circular central aperture 64 and that contact a first wall 68 in the end cap 10. The first wall 68 can comprise a ring structure that can be attached to end cap 10. A flexible wiper 66 can be located in each radial arm 62 at an outboard end of the radial arm 62, i.e., where the radial arm 62 contacts the first wall 68. In a closed position, the flexible wiper 66 forms a seal with first wall 68 and a flexible wiper mount 70 such that the liquid media is retained in the liquid media package. When the flexible wiper 66 is an open position it is displaced from the first wall 68 and the mount 70, allowing liquid media to flow through orifices 12 in response to pressure in the liquid media.
Although the flexible wipers 66 are illustrated in
The flexible wipers 66 can be oriented in a circular pattern to deliver and distribute liquid media over a predetermined circular area. A circular pattern can be desirable, for instance, to dispense a condiment in a circular pattern on a food product having a substantially circular shape such as a patty of ground beef, chicken or fish (not shown). Alternatively, the orientation can be non-circular. The orientation can reflect or compliment the shape of the item upon which the liquid media is to be dispensed or deposited, e.g., linear, polygonal.
The package 2 may include a pressure generating means 6 to exert pressure PI on the liquid media. As shown in
While the preferred pressure generating means 6 is a plunger assembly 8, it will be appreciated that other means of exerting pressure can be used. For example, liquid media package 2 can comprise a squeezable pouch such as a traditional toothpaste dispenser or other similar container. With such an embodiment, the requisite pressure PI is exerted by squeezing the exterior of the container.
In operation, aperture 64 is in fluid communication with the liquid media in container body 3. Aperture 64 is also in fluid communication with each of the radial arms 62 via internal conduits 65 that extend from the aperture to the flexible wipers 66 in each of the radial arms 62. When pressure PI is developed by the pressure generating means 6, pressurized liquid media 4 is caused to advance through the internal conduits 65 in each of the radial arms 62. When the pressurized liquid media 4 exceeds a threshold pressure greater than that of the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid media alone, the flexible wiper 66 rotates about a hinge 6666 forcing the flexible wiper 66 from a closed position as shown in
Displacement of the flexible wiper 66 about hinge 6666 can be accomplished by means of spring loading the hinge 6666 or by tensioning the hinge 66H or the flexible wiper 66 by other means known to those skilled in the art. Alternatively, displacement can be accomplished by proper selection of materials for the flexible wiper 66 and the hinge 66H. Preferably, flexible wiper 66 and hinge 6666 comprise a material with a low modulus of elasticity (i.e., high flexibility). With the flexible material, flexible wiper 66 can rotate about hinge 6666 so as to allow displacement of the flexible wiper 66 from the closed position to the open position. The modulus of elasticity cannot, however, be too low, otherwise flexible wiper 66 would permanently deform preventing a snap-back hinge action about hinge 6666, and thus not providing a good seal when pressure on the liquid media is reduced.
As shown in
As shown in
While the liquid media package 2 is shown as cylindrical, other cross-sectional-shapes, including square, polygonal or elliptical are available provided the piston 13 or plunger 8 assembly, if applicable for generating the requisite pressure, has a complementary shape.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that the present invention can be practiced in various alternate forms and configurations and still fall within the scope of the appended claims. The previously detailed description of the disclosed embodiments are presented for purposes of clarity of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be implied therefrom.