Abstract:
The invention comprises packaging, dispensing and delivery systems and relates to apparatus capable of dispensing frozen, chilled, and/or room temperature food and beverage products for both in-home and foodservice use. The present invention also relates to a dispenser of viscous comestibles.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    A. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention described herein relates to dispensing and delivery systems, as well as packaging. In particular, the invention may also relate to dispensing frozen, chilled, and/or shelf-stable, food and beverage products for both in-home and foodservice use. The present invention relates generally to dispensers and, more specifically, to comestible product dispensers, 
         [0003]    B. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Many consumers prefer to enjoy their ice cream in a softened state whether they go out to a foodservice establishment for a soft-serve ice cream or they microwave their own scooped packaged ice cream at home. The softer ice cream is easier to eat, more flavorful than a completely frozen ice cream and in this invention&#39;s case would not require scooping. The ice cream package would fit in the consumer&#39;s freezer. The hand pump design would require the user to pump the hand pump a few times and then depress the button to release the valve and extrude the product. The pressure created from the pumping motion would force the product out of the plastic bag through the spout. The expellant design only requires the user to depress a button or open the valve on top of the exposed spout. Then the pressurized air would force the viscous product out of the bag. The ice cream is designed to hold at a partially softened state to allow the flow rate to be user friendly. The ice cream, frozen yogurt, frozen dessert may or may not include variegates and particulates such as fudge, caramel, candy, nuts, etc. The invention will also dispense frozen or semi frozen beverages, including alcoholic beverages, such as margaritas and daiquiris. Multiple spouts and product bags may exist to offer a variety of flavors or products in one package that houses all the product/flavors. 
         [0005]    In the food service industry, as well as items designed for use in the household, there are a wide variety of devices that are used to dispense viscous comestible products. Many viscous comestible products, such as ice cream toppings or semi frozen drinks, do not flow well at very cold temperatures and must be maintained in a cooled condition during use. 
         [0006]    Much of the prior art relates to equipment that requires an electrical source to drive an electro-mechanical apparatus to extrude the product, primarily using a mechanical mechanism to push the product out of the unit. This type of equipment is not particularly conducive to in-home use and not designed to be disposable, portable or applied to a variety of food &amp; beverage products that require a range of holding temperatures (frozen, refrigerated or room temperatures). Much of the prior art also contains a refrigeration/heating systems for maintaining the product at non-room temperatures. 
         [0007]    Most devices used in commercial settings, such as restaurants, are large and require electricity. These devices can be complicated and costly as well. Pahl (U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,765) discloses miniature, stand-alone, countertop freezer and a soft-serve dispensing method, that allows extended storage of a food product at an optimum soft-serve sub-freezing temperature prior to dispensing. Its housing has a compact configuration for freezer-like insulated food product storage. This device, and other like it, contemplate the use of an electrical power source. 
         [0008]    Other devices in the field utilize gravity to propel the viscous product from container. Fillmore (U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,862) discloses a dispenser package for dispensing dual viscous products which are separately retained within the package and merged at a dispensing nozzle. The dispensing package comprises a container having a compressible portion and a hanger and pouch assembly of plastic material suspended in the container, Although Takemura (U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,637) does not disclose a device designed for use with comestible product, it does disclose a bag-in-carton which can suitably hold liquid of high viscosity, such as ink and is deformed as the liquid of high viscosity is discharged to thereby stably feed the ink, and a method and a device for forming the bag-in-carton. A first characteristic feature of the present invention is a bag-in-carton comprising a substantially rectangular parallelepiped carton having a pouring spout mounting panel; a flexible inner bag disposed in the carton, for holding a content; and a pouring spout mounted on the pouring spout mounting panel of the carton and passed through the inner bag and the pouring spout mounting panel, the inner bag being adhered to insides of the carton. 
         [0009]    Therefore there exists a need in the art for a portable, compact, disposable, versatile, inexpensive device that can dispense a variety of viscous comestibles without the need for electrical power. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    In light of the above problems and for reasons known to or understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, there is discussed herein a dispensing apparatus that includes a plastic bag that holds a food or beverage product in a frozen, semi-frozen, chilled or room temperature state. In one embodiment, an outer plastic bag is filled with pressurized air by a hand pump, or from a pressurizing canister containing a food-safe aerosol, to extrude the product out of a second, inner bag when the consumer/operator activates the dispensing spout. 
         [0011]    In another embodiment, a plastic bag adjacent to the comestible containing bag is pressurized to force the product from the dispensing spout. This configuration may include two or more bags located side by side or one on top of another. Multiple product or multiple flavor bags can be housed in this dispensing unit utilizing a single or multiple spout. A box, preferably cardboard, may house the plastic bags and the pump or aerosol container. The packaging can vary in size and shape depending on the enclosed product. 
         [0012]    The invention may dispense alcoholic and/or non-alcoholic frozen beverages that are pre-blended and are ready to enjoy. The invention may also include an in-home freezer application of soft-serve ice cream, frozen beverages like smoothies, and milkshakes. Other applications of this invention include the dispensing of peanut butter, cheese, yogurt, cream cheese, dessert toppings, pizza sauce, or any viscous food or beverage product. Non-food applications may be viscous products such as glue, oil, paints, etc. 
         [0013]    The packaging of the device can be accomplished with plastic and cardboard materials that are inexpensive, disposable or recyclable and very durable. The devices disclosed herein are sanitary and do not require cleaning or operator maintenance. The unit may also be disposable. 
         [0014]    The hand pump design is a fun, interactive design that is cost effective and easy to use. The expellant design offers a superior solution to electrically powered dispensing units since no electricity is needed. Multiple product or flavors can be offered in one housing package. The self-contained dispensing unit can be made such that it is easy to store in the home and fits in household refrigerators, freezer and pantry shelves. The invention can be lightweight, easy to carry and completely portable, so the enclosed product of choice can be enjoyed in many locations and benefits from extended product use and usage occasions. 
         [0015]    The user of the invention may place the invention in their refrigerator, freezer, or leave at room temperature, depending on the product. For the pressurizing canister embodiment, the user can activate the pressurizing canister regulating valve, causing the pressurizing bag to pressurize. The pressurizing pump embodiment allows the user to manually operate the pump, which will cause the pressurizing bag to pressurize. The user may need to subsequently pump again after dispensing product in order to maintain adequate pressure, and thereby maintaining an adequate product dispensing flow rate. 
         [0016]    The user may open the dispensing spout to dispense the product into a container (a bowl, ice cream cone, glass, etc.). A cone, cup, straw, bowl, or spoon holder may also be housed within the container enclosure to facilitate expanded usages outside the home (i.e. picnics, camping, parties, etc.) 
         [0017]    When sufficient product has been dispensed, the user turns off the dispensing spout. When the product in the bladder or “product bag” is exhausted, the user may dispose of the invention through customary household disposal means. 
         [0018]    An additional embodiment, described in more detail below, comprises a product container made of a semi-rigid or rigid material in the general shape of a cylinder. This generally cylindrical shaped container may have advantages to the previously described bag options in its ability to minimize the potential for “bulging” that may occur when the pressurizing bag(s) are inflated. 
       SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    A self-contained, disposable dispensing unit that extrudes one or several viscous, food and/or beverage products from an included spout with a hand pump or pressurized stimulus in a container. The invention is capable of dispensing and delivering food and beverage items in the home. The design is a sanitary system that does not require cleaning or operator maintenance. The hand pump design can be a fun interactive design that is cost effective and easy to use. The embodiment utilizing the canister offers a superior solution to electrically powered dispensing units since no electricity is needed. The embodiment utilizing the pressurized canister preferably includes a dispenser that holds a substance under pressure and that can release it as a fine spray and/or by means of a propellant gas. 
         [0020]    Appropriate tubing and connectors to connect the pressurizing source to the pressurizing bag. The tubing components should be of adequate strength to contain the range operating pressures and temperature. The tubing connects to the output of the pressurizing container, and acts as a source into the pressurizing bladder or “bag”. The connections should be “air-tight”. 
         [0021]    The dispensing spout(s) (spouts in the plural for certain multiple product bag configurations, as discussed in the next paragraph) and valve combination. Preferably, the dispensing spout(s) provide for transmission of the product from the product bag(s) through the front wall of the container enclosure to the outside of the container enclosure. Certain multiple product bag configurations may require or benefit from multiple dispensing spouts. The dispensing spout(s) may contain within its body a manually operated valve that permits the user to open or close the spout as desired to regulate the amount of product dispensed as well as the flow-rate in which the product is dispensed. The dispensing spout(s) connect to the product bag(s), forming an air-tight seal, and preferably protrude from the container enclosure. However, during product distribution, the spout will preferably have the capability to be securely contained within the container enclosure envelope, or in other words, be contained within the external walls of the container enclosure. This capability will help to prevent spout breakage during distribution, and to facilitate more efficient product storage. The dispensing spout(s) will preferably be appropriate for dispensing food products. 
         [0022]    For the multiple product bag configurations, the invention may employ multiple spouts, each spout connecting to its respective product bag. Alternatively, a single spout design that combines the inputs of each source product bag into one output spout may be employed to create mixing of the two product bags, which would occur while dispensing the product. 
         [0023]    The container enclosure may utilize a cardboard, plastic, or similar container enclosure that houses the described assembly. The design may employ an internal wall (or walls) to separate the pressurizing source from the pressurizing bag and product bag(s). 
         [0024]    The container enclosure will be constructed with materials that ensure the strength and integrity of the enclosure when exposed to the forces created by the pressurizing bag, and to facilitate shipping of the product through normal and customary retail distribution channels, and to facilitate normal and customary handling of the product by consumers. The container enclosure can employ a carrying handle to facilitate easy carrying by the consumer. The container enclosure facilitates efficient pelletizing of the product throughout transportation and distribution. The container enclosure is be capable of performing its intended functions in sub-freezing environments, and supports transportation and distribution in uncontrolled environmental conditions. The container enclosure will preferably be of a type that facilitates graphical printing. 
       Additional Embodiment Using a Cylindrically Shaped Container 
       [0025]    Another embodiment of the invention utilizes a product container made of a semi-rigid or rigid material in the general shape of a cylinder. This generally cylindrical shaped container may have advantages to the previously described bag options in its ability to minimize the potential for “bulging” that may occur when the pressurizing bag(s) are inflated. In addition, this embodiment may allow the product container to be pressurized during the manufacturing process, with no need to be pressurized by the consumer through the use of a regulating valve, as has been previously described. Therefore, this embodiment may reduce or eliminate the usefulness of a pressuring regulating valve, which in turn may reduce manufacturing costs. 
         [0026]    With this embodiment, the product is contained in a generally cylindrical container made of plastic, high-density polyethylene plastic (HDPE #2), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or other similar material, or possibly aluminum or another rigid metal. Depending on the particular strength characteristics of the selected material, the embodiment may encompass “ribbing” or other container strengthening techniques to ensure adequate rigidity of the container while under pressure and throughout its normal distribution channels. 
         [0027]    The dispensing spout, as described previously, is preferably connected to the bottom of the cylinder in an “air-tight” manner. The channel portion of the dispensing spout may be formed as part of the extrusion of the cylindrical container to minimize manufacturing costs, and to eliminate a joint caused by affixing a separate and distinct spout component to the body of the cylinder. In such a case, the dispensing spout valve internals could be subsequently affixed into or around this extruded channel to complete the spout implementation. 
         [0028]    A pressurizing source, using either of the two options as described previously, can be connected to the top of the cylinder with necessary tubing, if any, and which may or may not employ the use of a pressure regulator valve, also as previously described. An additional notable difference in this embodiment is that the pressurizing gas (whether air from a hand-pump or aerosol from the pressurizing canister) may come into direct contact with the product. The pressure from this pressurizing gas will force the product out of the dispensing spout when the user opens the dispensing spout valve, also in the same manner as previously described. If aerosols are used, they should be of a “food-grade” type and otherwise appropriate for its intended use. 
         [0029]    To achieve the capability to dispense different flavors of the same product, or to dispense two different products such as ice cream and an appropriate accompanying beverage, an embodiment may be employed that creates an internal wall inside the cylinder container, in effect creating two or more separate chambers to keep the disparate flavors/products separate. The pressurizing source could also be split to pressurize each chamber. Product dispensed from these chambers may then be combined into a mixture through the use of one or more dispensing spouts that are fed from each of the chambers. Alternatively, two separate spouts may be used for situations where the products are kept separated during dispensing. 
         [0030]    The cylindrical container and related components may be packaged within a cardboard box, or similar paperboard or plastic material, to facilitate containment of these items and allow graphical information to be placed on the box. 
         [0031]    Another option involves molding the cylindrical container in such a way as to create a cavity or void into the top of the cylinder. This cavity would be sized appropriately to contain and secure the pressurizing source, whether a hand-pump or pressuring canister. The pressuring source could be connected directly to the cylindrical container with or without the use of a regulating valve. Appropriate “air tight” fittings to facilitate the connections should be used. For this design expression, the product could be covered in a taught, shrink-wrapped, printable plastic covering that could help to secure the pressurizing canister and provide an adequate surface for graphical printing. 
         [0032]    Various embodiments of the invention described herein is preferably constructed and assembled in the following manner: 
         [0033]    A. Preferred Assembly for the “Bag-in-a-Bag” Embodiment 
         [0034]    1) The container enclosure is assembled and glued with the top flaps left open for subsequent placement of the product bag, pressuring bag, pressurizing source and tubing assembly. 
         [0035]    2) The product bag(s) is connected to the dispensing spout(s). The product bag(s) are sealed to the outer wall of the dispensing spout shaft with appropriate technology (e.g. ultrasonic welding, RF welding). 
         [0036]    3) The product bag(s) is placed inside the pressurizing bag. The pressurizing bag is thereafter sealed, in the same manner as the product bag, along the outer wall shaft of the dispensing spout between the dispensing spout flange and the product bag seal. 
         [0037]    4) One end of the tubing is connected to the Pressurizing Bag and sealed. 
         [0038]    5) The other end of the tubing is connected to the Pressurizing Source. 
         [0039]    5a) When the pressurizing source is of the pressurizing canister type, and where a pressurizing canister regulating valve is employed, and where said valve is not integrated into the pressurizing canister, it should be connected to the output of this valve, with additional tubing used to connect the valve input to the pressurizing source output. 
         [0040]    6) The above described assembly is placed into the container enclosure. The pressurizing container is preferably secured to the inner walls of the container enclosure. The pressurizing canister regulating valve should be secured to the container enclosure. 
         [0041]    7) The product bag(s) is preferably filled with the desired food/beverage products(s) through the dispensing spout. 
         [0042]    8) The dispensing spout valve should be set to the closed position and the container enclosure is then ready for shipping. The top of the container enclosure should be closed and sealed. 
         [0043]    B. Preferred Assembly for the “Adjacent Bag” Embodiment 
         [0044]    1) The container enclosure is assembled and glued with the top flaps left open for subsequent placement of the product bag, pressuring bag, pressurizing source and tubing assembly. 
         [0045]    2) The product bag(s) is connected to the dispensing spout(s). The product bag(s) are sealed to the outer wall of the dispensing spout shaft with appropriate technology (e.g. ultrasonic welding). 
         [0046]    3) The product bag(s) are placed in the enclosure container. 
         [0047]    4) The pressurizing source is connected to the pressuring bag in the manner described above (hereinafter referred to as the pressurizing assembly). 
         [0048]    5) The pressurizing assembly is placed on top and in direct contact to the product bag and into the enclosure container. The pressurizing assembly components are then secured into the enclosure container. 
         [0049]    6) The product bag(s) are filled with the desired food/beverage product(s) through the dispensing spout, or through a sealable fill hole in the product bag(s). 
         [0050]    7) The enclosure container is seated and prepared for shipping. 
         [0051]    The objects set forth above, among those apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained, and since certain changes may be made in the above constructions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above and below descriptions or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0052]      FIG. 1  shows a semi transparent perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0053]      FIG. 2  shows a cross sectional side view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0054]      FIG. 3  shows a cross sectional side view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0055]      FIG. 4  shows a cross sectional side view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0056]      FIG. 5  shows a semi transparent perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0057]      FIG. 1  shows a semi transparent perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. An enclosure box  1  is shown that is sized and shaped such that it is capable of containing one or more plastic bags. The product bag  3  is generally a food grade bag that is used to hold comestibles. The product bag  3  is a flexible, food grade, polyurethane, plastic (or similar material) bag (or bags), capable of containing the desired product (herein referred to as the ‘product Bag’) under pressurized conditions throughout a range of temperatures. The product bag  3  could also be made from other materials capable of holding liquid or viscous material. Preferably, the product bag  3  will be appropriate to contain food products. Multiple product bags can be incorporated and used within a single enclosure box  1 . 
         [0058]    The pressurizing bag  5  is connected to, and pressurized from, a pressurizing source  5 ,  7 . The pressurizing source can include a pressurizing canister  7  that can hold and dispense pressurized gas, such as air, CO2 or nitrogen. The invention can also create pressure within the pressurizing bag  5  via the use of a manual pump  19 . The pressurizing canister  7 ,  19  can be made from a variety of materials, including but not limited to metal or plastic. Similar to an aerosol can, the pressurizing canister  7  can contain a gas that expands when expelled from the canister. 
         [0059]    The pressurizing bag illustrated in  FIG. 2  surrounds the product bag  3 . This embodiment can be described as a “Bag-in-a-Bag”. In this configuration, the product bag(s) can be placed inside of the pressurizing bag  5 , such that the outer pressurizing bag  5  envelopes the inner product bag(s)  3 . The product bag(s)  3  arc connected to a dispensing spout(s)  9  such that an essentially air-tight seal is maintained around the dispensing spout(s)  9 . The outer pressurized bag  5  is also sealed to the dispensing spout(s)  9 . Similarly, the pressurized bag  5  is connected to the dispensing Spout(s)  9  such that an essentially air-tight seal is maintained around the dispensing spout(s)  9 . When pressurized, the pressurized bag  5 , which surrounds the product bag  5  in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 , expands against the inner walls of the container enclosure  11 . The inner walls of the container  11  will constrain outward expansion of the pressurized bag  5 , and as a result, will create pressure on the product bag(s)  3 . When the dispensing spout valve(s)  9  is/are opened by the user to dispense product, the pressurized bag  5  will expand inward towards the center of the container, forcing the product bag(s)  3  to collapse upon itself and extrude product from the dispensing spout  9 . 
         [0060]    Also shown is the pressurizing canister regulating valve  13 , which regulates the amount of gas expelled from the pressurizing canister  7 . The dispensing spout  9  is functionally attached to the product bag  3  and is used to dispense comestibles from the product bag  3 . The dispensing spout  9  can include a valve  15 , which the user can use to regulate the rate of product extruded from the dispensing spout  9 . The valve  15  can interrupt the flow of product from the product bag  3 . 
         [0061]    The spout valve  15  acts as a barrier to the product within the bag. Multiple dispensing spouts  9  can be used for certain multiple product bag configurations. The spout  9  will provide for transmission of the product from the product bag(s)  3  through the front wall of the container enclosure  1  to the outside of the container enclosure, to facilitate the dispensing of the product. Preferably, the dispensing spout  9  contains within it a manually operated valve  15  that will permit the user to open or close the spout  9  as desired to regulate the amount of product dispensed, as well as the flow-rate in which the product is dispensed. The dispensing spout(s)  9  preferably connect to the product bag(s)  3 , forming an air-tight seal, and protrude from the container enclosure  1 . To facilitate product distribution and storage, the spout  9  will preferably have the capability to be securely contained within the container enclosure  1  envelope, or in other words, within the external walls of the container enclosure  1 . This will reduce the risk of the spout(s)  9  breaking during distribution, and facilitate more efficient product storage. 
         [0062]      FIG. 2  shows cross sectional side view of the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1 . The enclosure box  1  is shown that houses the invention. The pressurizing canister  7  is shown in an upright configuration, although other orientations could also be utilized. The regulating valve  13  on the canister  7  is shown protruding from the enclosure box  1  such that it can be easily accessed by the user. Also shown in  FIG. 2  is tubing  17  that allows the flow of gas from the pressurizing canister  7 ,  19  into the pressurizing bag  5 . The pressurizing bag  5  is attached to the dispensing spout  9  in an airtight manner, so that the gas emitted from the pressurizing canister  7 ,  19  remains within the system and is not lost. 
         [0063]    The product bag  3  is shown attached to the dispensing spout  9 . The dispensing spout  9  can be made in varying diameters, dimensions and shapes, depending on the type of product to be dispensed. The dispensing spout  9  should be sized so as to permit the contained product held by the product bag  3  to be dispensed as desired by the user. The product bag  3  may contain a sealable fill hole to facilitate filling the product bag with product during manufacture. Alternatively, the product dispensing spout  9  may be used for filling the product bag  5  with comestible product. 
         [0064]    Alternative configurations of the invention may contain multiple product bags  3  to contain different flavors of the same product, or different products entirely (for instance, ice cream in one product bag  3 , and an alcoholic mixer in another separate product bag  3 , to mix-in with the ice cream at the time of dispensing). 
         [0065]    In the configuration shown in  FIG. 2 , a product bag  3  is placed inside of the pressurizing bag  5  such that the outer pressurizing bag  5  envelopes the inner product bag  3 . The product bag  3  is connected to the dispensing spout  9  and can be sealed to the outer wall of the dispensing spout  9  shaft, and is otherwise “air-tight”. The outer pressurized bag  5  can also be sealed to the outer wall of the dispensing spout  9  shaft. The pressurized bag  5  is air-tight. When pressurized, the outer bag  5  expands against the inner walls of the container enclosure  11 . It is expected that the inner walls of the container  11  will constrain the outward expansion of the pressurized bag  5 , and as a result, will create pressure on the product bag  3 . When the regulating valve  13  on the canister  7  is opened by the user, the pressurized bag  5  will inflate and expand inward towards the center of the container, putting pressure on the outside of the product bag(s)  3  to extrude product from the dispensing spout  9 . 
         [0066]      FIG. 3  shows a cross sectional side view of an embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment shown in this figure shows a pressurizing bag  5  that is located directly adjacent to, and in contact with, the product bag  3  (or for multiple product bag configurations, product bags). The pressurizing bag  5  is capable of being pressurized in an airtight manner with an appropriate gas. As with other embodiments described herein, when this pressurizing bag  5  is inflated, it causes the adjacent product bag(s)  3  to be placed under pressure. Then, when the dispensing spout(s)  9  is/are opened by the user, the product bag(s)  3  compresses and dispenses product(s). 
         [0067]      FIG. 4  shows a cross sectional side view of an embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment shown in this figure illustrates a manual, hand-operated air pump  19 . This embodiment utilizes a pump shaft  21 , tubing  13  and handle  23 . This manual pump configuration allows the user to manually operate the pump to create sufficient pressure to inflate the pressurized bag  5 , which in turn causes the product in the product bag(s)  3  to dispense. An in-line check-valve could fit between the pump  19  and the pressurizing bag  5  to prevent the back-flow of pressurized air from the pressurizing bag  5  during the pump back-stroke and when pumping is completed upon attaining the desired pressure. The pump body  19  is shown enclosed within the container enclosure  1 , with the exception of the pump handle  23 , which is preferably placed outside of the container enclosure  1 , with the pump shaft  21  protruding through the container enclosure wall. 
         [0068]      FIG. 5  shows a semi transparent perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment shown in this figure illustrates a cylindrically shaped container  25  that contains comestible product  27 . A pressurizing canister  29  that is capable of containing and dispensing pressurized gas is shown functionally attached to the cylindrical container  25 . Also is shown is a dispensing spout  9 , attached to the cylindrical container  25 . It is anticipated that the user will activate the pressurizing canister to dispense pressurized gas into the container  25 , which will then cause the comestible product to be forced through the spout  9 .