초록 ▼

A portion control liquid dispenser comprising a conductive metal liner forming the inner surface of a container or tank, an intermediate layer of insulation and an outer shell. The inner tank surface is cooled by a thermoeletric heat pump. A removable liquid container is placed within the tank so th

A portion control liquid dispenser comprising a conductive metal liner forming the inner surface of a container or tank, an intermediate layer of insulation and an outer shell. The inner tank surface is cooled by a thermoeletric heat pump. A removable liquid container is placed within the tank so that its walls make contact with the cooled inner liner. The container is open at the top for liquid fill and venting and is coupled at its lower end to a molded element comprising a dispensing tube combination cap. The elongated dispensing tube extends downwardly within a locating structure and houses a plunger having a conical lower portion which normally blocks an aperture in the lower end of the tube. A solenoid coil is mounted about the downwardly extending tube and is activated by a selected manual switch to dispense a particular amount of liquid. The plunger normally seals the opening in the tube by gravity and head pressure from the liquid but is driven upwardly by the solenoid for a set interval dispensing a predetermined amount of liquid through an adjustable time delay circuit coupled to the switch.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A portion control liquid dispenser comprising: a tank having a central cavity and an aperture in the base thereof, a housing mounted within the tank cavity and having a removable collapsible container for liquid mounted thereto and extending to the base of the housing having at the bottom the

1. A portion control liquid dispenser comprising: a tank having a central cavity and an aperture in the base thereof, a housing mounted within the tank cavity and having a removable collapsible container for liquid mounted thereto and extending to the base of the housing having at the bottom thereof a female fitment including an aperture extending therethrough, a male fitment having a central aperture and an upwardly protruding portion design to frictionally engage the aperture in the female fitment, and a downwardly extending orifice stem, a dispensing tube in fluid-flow communication with said stem at its upper end and extending through the tank cavity at its lower end, a resilient nipple having a central aperture mounted to the end of the dispensing tube, a movable metal plunger mounted within the tube and having a lower end to engage the aperture in the nipple in an inactivated condition and prevent the flow of liquid therethrough, a solenoid coil mounted about the dispensing tube, and, a switch and a power supply coupled through said switch to the solenoid coil to activate said coil for a predetermined interval causing said plunger to move upwardly within the dispensing tube to dispense fluid through the nipple orifice; whereby the dispenser is rendered nondripping and sanitary by allowing said male fitment, dispensing tube, resilient nipple and movable metal plunger to be readily removed and cleaned of food products and/or other contaminants. 2. A portion control liquid dispenser in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the plunger comprises an elongated member having a main body portion of a substantially cylindrical configuration, a conical upper portion and a conical lower portion which engages the nipple orifice to control the flow of liquid therethrough and wherein the plunger is of a lesser diameter than the tube to permit the movement of liquid along the walls thereof. 3. A portion control liquid dispenser in accordance with claim 1 further including: a cover having a downwardly extending peripheral portion mounted over the housing to enclose the liquid container and a lid having a downwardly extending peripheral portion mounted over the upper surface of the tank and including a downwardly extending central portion which engages the central cavity in the tank. 4. A portion control liquid dispenser in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the tank comprises inner and outer substantially cylindrical tanks, the inner tank being mounted concentricaly with regard to the outer tank and further including insulation mounted between the walls of said tanks. 5. A portion control liquid dispenser in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the housing comprises at least one elongated wire member extending along the length of the tank cavity, an upper ring member mounted transversely to the elongated member to permit wrapping of the edge of the collapsible container over the edges thereof, an intermediate transverse ring supporting said container and a lower semi-circular transverse ring designed to engage a groove in the female fitment to position said member in place with respect to the base aperture. 6. A portion control liquid dispenser in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the nipple comprises a substantially cylindrical outer wall portion, a base having a central aperture and an upwardly protruding cylindrical portion surrounding said aperture and forming a groove with the outer walls and wherein said groove is frictionally engaged by the dispensing tube. 7. A portion control liquid dispenser in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the male fitment includes a downwardly projecting orifice stem which frictionally engages the upper portion of the dispensing tube, an intermediate flanged portion extending outwardly from the stem, a circular groove in the upper surface of the flanged portion and an upwardly protruding portion having a central aperture, the groove being engaged by the female fitment and said protruding element being mounted concentrically within said female fitment. 8. A portion control liquid dispenser in accordance with claim 4 further including: a thermal electric cooling unit mounted against the wall of the inner tank to maintain the liquid in the container at a predetermined temperature. 9. A portion control liquid dispenser in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the collapsible container is of a plastic material and the nipple is made of a pliable material. 10. A portion control liquid dispenser in accordance with claim 6 wherein: the lower end of the plunger comprises a conical configuration which facilitates engagement with the cylindrical portion surrounding the nipple aperture and wherein the tip thereof is at rest in a plane approximately across the lower edge of the nipple aperture to force out any liquid which was trapped within the cylindrical aperture. 11. A portion control liquid dispenser in accordance with claim 1 further including: adjustment means for regulating the time duration of the pulse to the solenoid coil. 12. A portion control liquid dispenser comprising: a liquid container having an aperture at the lower end thereof, a removable holding means for the liquid including fitments sealingly enclosing the container aperture at the lower end thereof, an elongated dispensing tube extending downwardly, from and removably attached to said fitments and having a lower dispensing aperture extending therethrough, an elongated plunger movably located within the tube and normally sealing the dispensing aperture under gravity and head pressure of the liquid, and, means for operating said plunger to dispense a predetermined amount of liquid through the dispensing aperture by moving said plunger upwardly away from an out of sealing engagement with the aperture, whereby at least one of said fitments, dispensing tube and plunger can be removed from said container and cleaned of food products and/or other contaminants, wherein the means for operating the plunger comprises a coil mounted about the plunger and said plunger being a conductive metal; and, circuit means including a plurality of manually actuatable switches, a one shot pulse generating network connected to said switches to provide a positive output pulse corresponding to a particular actuated switch, a silicon controlled rectifier corresponding to each switch and having a gate triggered by said output pulse, a programmable timer activated by the output pulse to produce timing pulses with adjustable period corresponding to the actuated switch and activate blocking diodes to prevent rectifiers corresponding to the other switches from turning on, and a driver circuit connected to the timer and operated by the timing pulses, said driver circuit operating the coil for a time period corresonding to the selected switch to dispense a predetermined amount of liquid.