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Liquid food dispensing device (1) for dispensing hot or cold beverages or other liquid foods without using any mixing or whipping chambers comprising at least one liquid component source (30, 31) and a diluent source (18), a delivery device and at least one diluent nozzle and one food component nozz

Liquid food dispensing device (1) for dispensing hot or cold beverages or other liquid foods without using any mixing or whipping chambers comprising at least one liquid component source (30, 31) and a diluent source (18), a delivery device and at least one diluent nozzle and one food component nozzle wherein the delivery device and diluent and food component nozzles are configured for ejecting at least one stream (6a, 6b) of diluent at a predetermined spatial configuration inside a container (10) and within a velocity range effective to create turbulence and mix the food component so to produce the food product such as the hot or cold beverage.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A food product dispenser comprising: a diluent source; at least two diluent nozzles, at least one of the diluent nozzles comprising at least one orifice of a diameter between about 0.075 and about 9.5 mm; at least one food component source in a liquid form, the food component

What is claimed is: 1. A food product dispenser comprising: a diluent source; at least two diluent nozzles, at least one of the diluent nozzles comprising at least one orifice of a diameter between about 0.075 and about 9.5 mm; at least one food component source in a liquid form, the food component source comprising a viscosity between 1 and 5000 cP; at least one food component nozzle; and a delivery device connecting the diluent source to the at least two diluent nozzles and the food component source to the food component nozzle, wherein the delivery device and nozzles are configured such that the diluent and food component are ejected from the diluent and food component nozzles, respectively, in diluent and component streams, directly into a container, wherein the delivery device and a first diluent nozzle are further configured for ejecting a first diluent stream so that the first diluent stream is inclined relative to vertical of from 10 to 35 degrees in which the diluent stream impacts on at least one internal wall of the container and within a velocity range effective to create turbulence and mix with the food component so to produce the food product, wherein the delivery device comprises a pump configured to deliver diluent from the at least one diluent nozzle at a diluent flow rate and linear velocity of between about 1 and 120 ml/s and 10 and 3,500 cm/s, respectively, and wherein the dispenser further comprises a second diluent nozzle configured for producing a second diluent stream relative to vertical of from 0 to 30 degrees that impacts on an internal or bottom wall of the container lower than that of the first diluent stream produced from the first diluent nozzle. 2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the diluent nozzle is configured for ejecting the diluent stream at an angle relative to vertical. 3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the diluent nozzle is further spatially configured for ejecting the stream of diluent at a spatial configuration in which the diluent stream impacts on the internal sidewall and/or bottom of the container. 4. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein delivery device and diluent nozzle are further configured for ejecting the stream of diluent in a predetermined spatial configuration relative to vertical and within a velocity range effective to produce a layer of foam on the food product wherein the ratio foam-to-liquid obtained within one minute after the food and diluent have been dispensed in the container is at least 1:5. 5. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the streams in the region from the nozzles to the container are unsupported by any funneling or diluent protection structure. 6. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a dispensing bay configured for receiving a container at the dispensing location for receiving the food product therein in a defined position. 7. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the diluent is water and the food component is a liquid concentrate, a liquid food or a beverage product concentrate. 8. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the second diluent nozzle is oriented to direct a diluent stream relative to vertical of from 0 to 5 degrees. 9. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein, for producing a foamed beverage, the deli Very device is configured to deliver diluent from the diluent nozzle at a flow rate and a linear velocity of between about 5 and 40 ml/s, and 800 and 2750 cm/s, respectively, and the food component is a liquid concentrate having a viscosity between 1 and 5,000 cP. 10. The dispenser of claim 9, wherein for producing a foamed beverage, the delivery device is configured to deliver diluent from the diluent nozzle at a flow rate and linear velocity of from 15 to 30 ml/s, and 1100 to 2500 cm/s, respectively, and the food component is a liquid concentrate having a viscosity between 5 and 2200 cP. 11. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein for producing a non-foamed beverage, the delivery device is configured to deliver diluent from the diluent nozzle at flow rate and at linear velocity of between about 1 and 40 ml/s and 10 and 650 cm/s, respectively, and the food component is a liquid concentrate having a viscosity between 5 and 600 cP. 12. The dispenser of claim 11, wherein for producing a non-foamed beverage, the delivery device is configured to deliver diluent from the diluent nozzle at flow rate and at linear velocity of between about 10 and 40 ml/s and 10 and 150 cm/s, respectively, and the food component is a liquid concentrate having a viscosity between 10 and 500 cP. 13. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the diluent nozzle comprises at least one orifice of a diameter of between 0.1 and 3.0 mm. 14. The dispenser of claim 13, wherein the diluent nozzle comprises a plurality of orifices to form a plurality of streams forming a showerhead configuration. 15. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the delivery device comprises: at least one diluent pump configured for pumping the diluent from the diluent source to the at least one diluent nozzle at a sufficient flow rate for producing the at least one diluent stream; and at least one food pump configured for pumping the food component from the at least one food component source to the at least one food component nozzle at a sufficient flow rate for producing the at least one food component stream. 16. The dispenser of claim 15, wherein the at least one of the pumps is configured to deliver pulses of the diluent or food component. 17. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein the pumps are peristaltic pumps, gear pumps, centrifugal pumps, vane pumps or diaphragm pumps. 18. The dispenser of claim 16, further comprising a controller associated with the pumps for controlling the flow rates and linear velocity. 19. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the delivery device further comprises a pumpless diluent line under pressure connected to the tap water supply and, optionally, a controllable flow reductor to adjust the flow rate and linear velocity. 20. The dispenser of claim 18, further comprising a controller associated with the flow reductor for controlling the flow rates and linear velocity. 21. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured for controlling the delivery device for substantially ejecting diluent and food component a certain overlap period where both diluent and food component(s) are simultaneously ejected. 22. The dispenser of claim 21, further comprising a controller configured for controlling the delivery device for ejecting diluent before and/or after the food component is ejected to complete dilution and/or mixing of the food product. 23. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the food component is a liquid concentrate chosen among the group consisting of coffee, cocoa, milk, juice, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, flavor, nutritional and other concentrates, and a combination thereof. 24. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein: the food component source comprises a plurality of food component sources; the food component nozzle comprises a plurality of food component nozzles for dispensing different food components from the food component sources in the container; and the delivery device is configured for selectively activating and deactivating the flow from the food component nozzles for dispensing a selected combination of one or more of the food components in the container depending on the type of beverage product selected for dispensing. 25. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a thermal exchange unit configured for heating or cooling the diluent to be dispensed.