초록 ▼

The present invention relates generally to dispensing system configured for dispensing food product. The device includes a fluid container in fluid communication with a conduit having a compressible portion which is associable with a pumping mechanism for pumping a fluid therethrough. The compressio

The present invention relates generally to dispensing system configured for dispensing food product. The device includes a fluid container in fluid communication with a conduit having a compressible portion which is associable with a pumping mechanism for pumping a fluid therethrough. The compression portion contains an upstream uni-directional valve and a downstream uni-directional valve, so that when the compression portion is resiliently compressed, fluid is forced through the downstream valve, and upon decompression, fluid is drawn through the upstream valve. The present invention also relates to a method for dispensing a food product.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A multiple-fluid sourcing assembly, comprising: first and second container members containing first and second fluids, respectively; first and second conduits in respective fluid communication with the first and second container members to allow the fluids to pass therethroug

What is claimed is: 1. A multiple-fluid sourcing assembly, comprising: first and second container members containing first and second fluids, respectively; first and second conduits in respective fluid communication with the first and second container members to allow the fluids to pass therethrough; a mounting member to which the first and second containers are mounted such that the first and second conduits are disposed at a predetermined spacing from each other; wherein the first conduit comprises a first compressible portion and a first downstream valve in the first conduit disposed downstream of the first compressible portion and configured to allow the first fluid to flow substantially only downstream of the first downstream valve, the first compressible portion being resiliently compressible such that fluid therein is forced downstream through the first downstream valve when the first compressible portion is compressed, with the first compressible portion being resiliently biased towards an uncompressed state to draw the first fluid into the first compressible portion when the first compressible portion is decompressed; wherein the second conduit comprises a second compressible portion that is compressible to pump the second fluid therethrough from the second container member; and a pumping mechanism which comprises a pumping member disposed between the first and second compressible portions, wherein the pumping member is configured to rotatably engage the compressible portions and to alternatively compress all of the compressible portions simultaneously and then decompress all of the compressible portions simultaneously so that a consistent amount of fluid is pumped through each of the compressible portions during each compression. 2. The multiple-fluid sourcing assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second conduits have a length of less than about 200 mm. 3. The multiple-fluid sourcing assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a first backflow prevention member in the first conduit configured to allow the first fluid to flow substantially only out of the first container; wherein the first compressible portion is disposed between the first backflow prevention member and the first downstream valve, and wherein when the first compressible portion is resiliently biased towards an uncompressed state to draw the first fluid thereinto, fluid is forced through the first backflow prevention member. 4. The multiple-fluid sourcing assembly of claim 3, further comprising: a second backflow prevention member in the second conduit configured to allow the second fluid to flow substantially only downstream, out from the second container; and a second downstream valve in the second conduit disposed downstream of the second backflow prevention member and configured to allow the second fluid to flow substantially only downstream; wherein the second compressible portion is disposed between the second backflow prevention member and the second downstream valve, the second compressible portion being resiliently compressible such that fluid therein is forced downstream through the second downstream valve when the second compressible portion is compressed, the second compressible portion being resiliently biased towards an uncompressed state to draw the second fluid thereinto through the first backflow prevention member when the second compressible portion is decompressed. 5. The multiple-fluid sourcing assembly of claim 4, wherein the first and second backflow prevention members comprise, respectively, first and second upstream valves. 6. The multiple-fluid sourcing assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second conduits are free of any upstream valve disposed respectively therein, between the first container and the first compressible portion or between the second container and the second compressible portion. 7. The multiple-fluid sourcing assembly of claim 5, wherein the spacing between the first and second conduits is selected to enable a single pumping member of the pumping mechanism to concurrently pump both the first and second fluids by compressing the first and second compressible portions. 8. The multiple-fluid sourcing assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second conduits are positioned substantially parallel to each other to leave a spacing of predetermined value. 9. The multiple-fluid sourcing assembly of claim 1, wherein the conduits comprise flexible tubing and wherein the fluids are food products. 10. The multiple-fluid sourcing assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting member comprises a housing that houses both the first and second container members. 11. The multiple-fluid sourcing assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second container members comprise, respectively, a first and second fluid outlet members that are in fluid communication with, respectively, the first and second conduits. 12. The multiple-fluid sourcing assembly of claim 11, wherein the mounting member comprises a rigid plate member that connects the first outlet member and the second outlet member, the rigid plate member being for maintaining a predetermined spacing between the conduits. 13. A dispensing system, comprising: a multiple-fluid sourcing assembly comprising: first and second container members containing first and second fluids, respectively; first and second conduits in respective fluid communication with the first and second container members to allow the fluids to pass therethrough; a mounting member to which the first and second containers are mounted such that the first and second conduits are disposed at a predetermined spacing from each other; a first backflow prevention member in the first conduit configured to allow the first fluid to flow substantially only out of the first container; a second backflow prevention member in the second conduit configured to allow the second fluid to flow substantially only downstream, out from the second container; a second downstream valve in the second conduit disposed downstream of the second backflow prevention member and configured to allow the second fluid to flow substantially only downstream; and a pumping mechanism which comprises a pumping member disposed between the first and second compressible portions, wherein the pumping member is configured to rotatably engage the compressible portions and to alternatively compress all of the compressible portions simultaneously and then decompress all of the compressible portions simultaneously so that a consistent amount of fluid is pumped through each of the compressible portions during each compression wherein the first conduit comprises a first compressible portion and a first downstream valve in the first conduit disposed downstream of the first compressible portion and configured to allow the first fluid to flow substantially only downstream of the first downstream valve, the first compressible portion being resiliently compressible such that fluid therein is forced downstream through the first downstream valve when the first compressible portion is compressed, with the first compressible portion being resiliently biased towards an uncompressed state to draw the first fluid into the first compressible portion when the first compressible portion is decompressed; wherein the second conduit comprises a second compressible portion that is compressible to pump the second fluid therethrough from the second container member; wherein the first compressible portion is disposed between the first backflow prevention member and the first downstream valve; wherein when the first compressible portion is resiliently biased towards an uncompressed state to draw the first fluid thereinto, fluid is forced through the first backflow prevention member; wherein the second compressible portion is disposed between the second backflow prevention member and the second downstream valve, the second compressible portion being resiliently compressible such that fluid therein is forced downstream through the second downstream valve when the second compressible portion is compressed, the second compressible portion being resiliently biased towards an uncompressed state to draw the second fluid thereinto through the first backflow prevention member when the second compressible portion is decompressed; and wherein the first and second backflow prevention members comprise, respectively, first and second pinch members configured to pinch the first and second compressible portions to substantially block the backflow of the first and second fluids upstream of the compressible portions. 14. The dispensing system of claim 13, further comprising a conduit guide configured for guiding the conduits for placement of the compressible portions in pumpable association with the pumping mechanism. 15. The dispensing system of claim 14, wherein the conduit guide defines an upstream opening configured to facilitate reception therein of the conduits which is larger than at least a portion of the conduit guide disposed downstream of the upstream opening to position the conduits in the pumpable association. 16. The dispensing system of claim 13, further comprising first and second compression members disposed adjacent the pumping member to define first and second pumping spaces between the pumping member and the compression members, wherein the first and second compressible portions are placed in the first and second pumping spaces, respectively, in the pumpable association, the pumping member being configured to compress the compressible portions against the compression members to pump the first and second fluids from the container members. 17. The dispensing system of claim 16, wherein the compressible members and pumping member are movable relative to each other to change the size of the pumping spaces. 18. The dispensing system of claim 16, further comprising a pump-member control configured for stopping the pumping member in a stopped position to maintain a sufficient clearance in the pumping spaces for generally unimpeded reception of the fluid conduits therein. 19. The dispensing system of claim 13, wherein the dispensing system is a beverage dispenser, and the first and second fluid sources are beverage components, the dispenser being configured for mixing the components to prepare and dispense a beverage. 20. The dispensing system of claim 19, further comprising a fluid mixing collector placed below the beverage components to receive the components and mix the components. 21. A multiple-fluid sourcing assembly, comprising: two container members, with a first container member containing a first fluid and a second container member containing a second fluid; first and second conduits in respective fluid communication with the first and second container members to allow the fluids to pass therethrough; a mounting member to which the first and second containers are mounted such that the first and second conduits are disposed at a predetermined spacing from each other; wherein the first conduit comprises a first compression member and a first downstream valve in the first conduit disposed downstream of the first compression member and configured to allow the first fluid to flow substantially only downstream of the first downstream valve, the first compression member being resiliently compressible such that fluid therein is forced downstream through the first downstream valve when the first compression member is compressed, with the first compression member being resiliently biased towards an uncompressed state to draw the first fluid into the first compression member when the first compression member is decompressed; the second conduit comprises a second compression member that is compressible to pump the second fluid therethrough from the second container member; and a pump mechanism comprising a pumping member disposed between the two conduits and compression members to define first and second pumping spaces therebetween, the pumping member being rotatable to alternatingly compress both compression members simultaneously and then decompress both compression members simultaneously so that a consistent amount of fluid is pumped through both conduits and compression members during each compression. 22. The multiple-fluid sourcing assembly of claim 21, wherein the first and second compression members are disposed substantially on opposite sides of the pumping member. 23. The multiple-fluid sourcing assembly of claim 21, further comprising a conduit guide that defines an upstream opening configured to facilitate reception therein of the conduits, which is larger than at least a portion of the conduit guide disposed downstream of the upstream opening to guide and position the conduits in the pumping spaces. 24. The multi-fluid sourcing assembly of claim 21 wherein the fluid that is dispensed from the first conduit can be varied independently from the fluid that is dispensed from the second conduit by separately moving each compression member in or out of its respective pumping space. 25. The multi-fluid sourcing assembly of claim 1, wherein the fluid that is dispensed from the first conduit can be varied independently from the fluid that is dispensed from the second conduit by independently moving the compression members.