Dispenser for confectionery products in semi-solid state

Abstract: Provided with a cone or vessel (2) which contains the product to be dispensed, open at its apex, it incorporates a support unit in the form of a housing (1), also conical, which is designed to receive the vessel (2) in a tight-fitting way. To the said housing a lateral handle (7) is joined, which is hollow and inside which there is a vertical axis (8) whose upper end emerges to the outside of the handle and ends in a button (9), which allows the said axis (8) to move axially against a spring (10) when it is pressed by the thumb, pulling the said axis to a lower arm (11) which goes to the apex of the housing (1), where it ends in a ring (12) which supports the outlet nozzle (13) of the product by means of a valve (14) housed inside, in such a way that, when at rest, the valve (14) is closed and, holding the dispenser by the handle (7) with one hand, when the button (9) is pressed by the thumb of the same hand, the unit constituted by the nozzle (13) and the valve (14) moves downwards, with the consequent opening of the valve and exit of the product.

Description: The present invention refers to a dispensing apparatus which has been specially conceived for confectionery products in semi-solid state, such as, for example, cream, fondant, etc., which are conventionally applied with the classic "pastry bag", as known from the documents US 5 538 050 and US 5 622 285. The proposed dispenser ensures that the product is perfectly dispensed, and it also allows the user to carry out the operation with only one hand, thus increasing productivity, making handling easier and also facilitating its subsequent cleaning. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Independently of the classic pastry bag, already mentioned hereinbefore, which consists of a kind of deformable cone, which contains the product, having at its apex an orifice out of which the product emerges by manual pressure upon the bag itself, more complex dispensers are known in which a rigid cone is used as a deposit, the said cone having an outlet orifice provided with a manually-openable valve, such that while one hand supports the said cone with the help of a handle, the other one operates the valve to open and close the same. More specifically, the said valve is extended in a rod, which extends to a transverse bridge at the mouth of the cone, the rod being retractable against the tension of a spring by the operation of a lever. The transverse arm extends sideways to form the handle in such a way that, as mentioned above, one hand holds the cone by the handle and the other activates the operating lever of the valve. In an attempt to avoid this problem of simultaneous use of both the user's hands, a known method is to complement this type of dispenser with a double-bodied cone-shaped support, based on rods, which can stand on the work table surrounding the piece of baking which is to receive the product, in such a way that the use of only one hand is required to operate the valve lever. Far from simplifying the operational process, this solution complicates it even more, as the support has to be changed from one piece to another and with the container cone connected to it, which involves a notable loss of time, to which must also be added the unit's lack of stability and the limitation inherent in the said support which can only be used on pieces of confectionery smaller than the hoop which makes up its supporting base. Finally, all the mechanisms of this type of dispenser come into contact with the product, so that cleaning them is also complicated. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The dispenser proposed by the invention resolves the problem described above, in the different aspects mentioned, in a completely satisfactory way. To this end, and more specifically, the said dispenser is constructed by means of the functional combination of a supporting unit and a cone or vessel, with the special feature that the said supporting unit incorporates a housing for the cone, in which the cone can easily be connected and locked in place to prevent it from falling accidently should the supporting unit undergo excessive inclination. To this housing a handle is joined for handling the unit. It is a hollow handle, with a section that is appreciably parallel to the imaginary axis of the cone in which, in turn, is housed an axis which at its upper end emerges from the handle, ending in an operating button, which can be operated with the same hand that is holding the handle, and which at its lower end is associated with an arm which can move downwards against the tension of a spring. The free end of the said arm ends, at the level of the apex of the cone or vessel, in the corresponding outlet nozzle for the product, which is assisted by a valve. More specifically, the said nozzle is mounted in a detachable way on the arm, in such a way that it can be replaced at any time, and the valve is likewise mounted on the free end of the arm, physically independent of the nozzle, in such a way that the said nozzle can be replaced when the valve is closed and the cone loaded with the product. The valve is in the form of a bowl provided with an axial upper appendage, which in normal conditions keeps the cone's outlet closed, and which in its base and around the said appendage incorporates a number of outlet orifices to the nozzle, in such a way that when the dispenser is at rest, the said spring keeps the valve pressed against the cone's outlet and consequently in a closed situation, while when the button is operated both the nozzle and the valve move downwards, separating from the cone and allowing the product to exit. As may be inferred from the foregoing description, under normal handling conditions of the dispenser, only the cone or vessel, the valve and the nozzle come into contact with the product, so that cleaning operations only affect these elements, which are easily detachable from the rest of the dispenser's structure. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To complement the description that is being given and in order to promote a fuller understanding of the invention's features, in accordance with a preferred practical embodiment of the same, the said description is accompanied by a set of drawings, which are an integral part of the description, and in which by way of illustration and non-restrictively, the following is represented: Figure 1.- Shows, in perspective view, the supporting unit which forms part of the dispenser of confectionery products in semi-solid state which constitutes the object of the present invention. Figure 2.- Shows a side elevation view in cross-section of the unit of the foregoing figure, with which the cone or vessel containing the product appears duly juxtaposed. Figure 3.- Shows a detail in perspective of the valve which forms part of the dispenser, in inverted position. Figure 4.- Shows, finally, a cross-section similar to that of figure 2, on a larger scale, in which the two basic components of the dispenser are duly connected. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In the light of the figures described, it may be observed that the proposed dispenser is made up of a supporting unit comprising a housing (1), of an inverted and cylindrical-conical shape, for insertion within it of the cone or vessel (2) containing the product in question. This cone (2) incorporates in its side wall a locking fin (3), elbow-jointed outwards, for locking into a catch (4), conveniently placed in a lateral and lower tubular extension (5) of the housing-support itself, in such a way that by the mere introduction of the cone (2) into the housing (1) locking is automatically achieved, as shown in figure 4, it being necessary to operate on the trigger (6) of the catch (4) for uncoupling to take place. To the housing-support (1) a lateral handle (7) is conveniently joined, which is hollow and has an axis (8) inside which is appreciably parallel to the imaginary axis of the cone (2). This axis (8) emerges to the outside at its upper end, ending in a button (9), and may be moved downwards by operating the said button (9) with the thumb of the same hand which is holding the handle (7), against the tension of a spring (10), while at the lower end of the said axis (8) an arm (11) is joined, inside the lower section of the handle (7), which goes towards the apex of the housing-support (1), where it ends in a ring (12) which simultaneously and independently receives a nozzle (13) and a closing valve (14), which are axially juxtaposed with the cone (2). More specifically, the valve (14) is in the form of a kind of inverted bowl, and has in its base a hemispherical and cambered appendage (15) through which it comes into contact, when at rest, with an outlet part (6) which ends, in turn, the mouth or lower end of the cone (12), in such a way that by means of these elements a watertight seal is made for the said cone in the said rest situation. In a complementary way, the base of the bowl which makes up the valve (14) incorporates, around its appendage (15), a circumferential alignment of orifices (17) for the product to exit to the inside of the nozzle (13), and subsequently to the outside through the orifice (18) of the said nozzle. Thus, holding the entire dispenser by the handle (7) with one hand, the dispenser normally remains closed while the button (9) is not operated. When the said button is operated, the arm (12) moves downwards, pulling with it the nozzle (13) and the valve (14), and separating the appendage (15) of the latter from the outlet part (16) of the cone (2), whereupon the product falls to the base of the bowl constituted by the said valve (14), passes through the orifices (17) of the latter and finally reaches the nozzle (13). From the described structure it may be inferred, as stated above, that the dispenser can be used with only one hand, without complementary supports, having a simple structure which eliminates complex systems of assembly and disassembly, which improves cleaning and entails greater productivity. It also allows the use of several cones (2) on the same supporting unit, with different products, or different in size, in this last case maintaining the cone shape. All of which is achieved with a very attractive aesthetic appearance, as may be inferred from observation of figure 1.

Claims: Dispenser for confectionery products in semi-solid state, the purpose of which is to dispense the said product, such as for example cream, fondant or the like, by means of a cone or cone-shaped containing vessel, which is open at its apex, and which is characterised in that it incorporates a supporting unit for the said cone, which takes the form of a support (1) strictly speaking, also cone-shaped, open at its apex, to which a lateral handle (7) is joined, said handle is hollow and houses an axis (8) inside, which is appreciably parallel to the imaginary axis of the support or conical housing (1), this axis (8) emerges to the outside of the handle (7) at its upper end, where it ends in a button, the said axis (8) being movable downwards against the tension of a spring (10), and there being joined to the lower end of the said axis an arm (11) which goes towards the open apex of the support or housing (1), where it receives, through a ring (12) and by means of threading, a nozzle (13) and a valve (14) which closes the cone or vessel (2), all of which is achieved in such a way that with the same hand that holds the handle (7), the button (9) can be operated to open the valve. Dispenser for confectionery products in semi-solid state, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the cone or vessel (2) incorporates in its side wall a locking fin (3), elbow-jointed outwards, while the housing or conical support (1) incorporates, in a corresponding position, a tubular, lower projection (5) inside which there is a locking catch (6) for the cone or vessel (2) by means of the latter's fin (3), this catch (4) being provided with a manual trigger (6) for releasing the cone or vessel (2). Dispenser for confectionery products in semi-solid state, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the valve (14), partially housed inside the nozzle (13), is shaped like a kind of cylindrical and inverted bowl, with a circumferential and perimetric alignment of orifices (17) in its base, which emerge to a central and radial appendage (15), ascending, preferably of a hemispherical, cambered shape, which makes the valve close on a cylindrical outlet part (16) belonging to the cone or vessel (2) and an axial extension of the apex of the same, all of this is achieved in such a way that, when the dispenser is at rest, the appendage (15) rests upon the mouth of the part (16), establishing the closed position, while operation of the button (9) causes the said appendage (15) to move downwards and the consequent opening of the valve and the exit of the product to the base of the bowl (14) and, through the orifices (17) of the latter, to the inside of the nozzle (13) where it exits definitively to the outside through the latter's orifice (18).

Inventors: LARRANAGA CORTABARRIA MIGUEL A, LARRANAGA CORTABARRIA, MIGUEL, ANGEL
Applicants: MARCOS LARRANAGA Y CIA S A, MARCOS LARRANAGA Y CIA, S.A.
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A23G3
IPC codes: A47J47, A23G3, A21C15, A47J9