Abstract:
A topping dispenser for dispensing portions of chilled topping onto beverages and desserts comprises a housing having a drawer that includes a product compartment and an adjacent drive compartment separated by a partition. The product compartment is adapted to receive a bag containing topping, and houses a vertically displaceable pressure member, such as a roller, to roll down along one side of the bag opposite a pressure surface on the other side of the bag to squeeze contents of the bag out through a bottom dispensing valve assembly to direct product into a waiting container. The roller is advanced downward in predetermined increments by a motor-driven carriage assembly in the drive compartment that may be actuated by a push button on the housing. The dispensing valve assembly holds a pressure-actuated valve that closes automatically to cleanly cut off a dispensed ribbon of topping and is configured to impart a decorative appearance to the dispensed ribbon. An alternative embodiment uses a piston and cylinder to force product from the bag.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/841,064 filed on Aug. 30, 2006, which is incorporated by reference herein. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to dispensing machines for food products, and more particularly to a self-serve dispensing machine for dispensing serving portions of refrigerated toppings and the like from a plastic bag container. The invention is useful for applying chilled toppings to hot or cold coffee, desserts, shakes, iced cappuccinos, and frozen drinks. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A chilled topping dispenser is needed having the following characteristics:
         it accepts commercially available prepackaged bags of topping or other product;   it refrigerates the product to be dispensed;   it is adapted for easy and clean loading of full product bags and unloading of emptied product bags;   it is easily operated and may be self-serve for consumers;   it dispenses consistently-sized serving portions;   it fully evacuates the product bag to minimize product waste;   it is compact so as to occupy very little counter space; and   it is mechanically simple and dependable.       

   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a chilled topping dispenser for use with a bag containing product to be dispensed. A dispenser formed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention comprises a housing defining a product compartment for receiving the bag, the housing including a dispensing port communicating with the product compartment; a dispensing valve assembly including a pressure-actuated dispensing valve aligned with the dispensing port of the housing, the dispensing valve assembly being adapted for coupling a dispensing tip of the bag thereto; a pressure member such as a roller in the product compartment; a pressure surface proximate to the pressure member; and a carriage assembly connected to the pressure member for supporting and moving the pressure member relative to the pressure surface, the carriage assembly including a carriage and an electric motor operable to displace the carriage relative to the pressure surface; wherein movement of the pressure member relative to the pressure surface forces product from the bag and through the dispensing valve. 
   In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a refrigeration system is provided for regulating temperature within the product compartment, and the product compartment is provided on a drawer that pulls out of a main body of the dispenser housing. A removable panel may be provided to permit access to the product compartment for reloading the dispenser, and such panel may also define the pressure surface. 
   The carriage assembly may include a pair of guide rods and a threaded rod extending vertically in a drive compartment located adjacent the product compartment, with the carriage being mounted on the guide rods and threaded rod for travel therealong. Carriage movement may be driven by a motor mounted to the carriage and having a captive, internally-threaded rotor mated with the threaded rod. 
   The dispensing valve assembly may include a valve housing removably mounted on an underside of the drawer for accommodating the pressure-actuated dispensing valve. The valve housing may be adapted to receive and couple to the dispensing tip of the product bag. The valve housing may be removably mounted on an underside of the drawer by a collar member. The pressure-actuated dispensing valve may include a plurality of deflectable fingers each having a protrusion thereon arranged to protrude into the flow path to form decorative ridges along a discharged ribbon of topping. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a topping dispenser formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a left-side elevational view of the topping dispenser shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a right side elevational view thereof, with a drawer of the dispenser being shown in an opened position and a panel of the dispenser removed to reveal a product bag suspended within a product compartment associated with the drawer; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the drawer; 
       FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the dispenser drawer, with a top wall of the drawer cut away to reveal a drive compartment and the product compartment associated with the drawer; 
       FIG. 6  is an elevational view of a carriage assembly of the dispenser; 
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of a dispenser drawer formed in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention, with a top wall of the drawer omitted to reveal a drive compartment and a product compartment associated with the drawer; 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged top plan view of a dispensing valve assembly of the dispenser; 
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged sectional view of the dispensing valve assembly taken generally along the line A-A in  FIG. 8 ; and 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing how the dispensing valve assembly is mounted on the drawer of the dispenser. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   A topping dispenser formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and is identified generally by reference numeral  10 . Topping dispenser  10  comprises a housing  12  having a cantilevered front portion  14  defining an open space  3  for receiving a user&#39;s cup, glass, mug, or other serving container  4  into which topping product may be dispensed. Dispenser  10  is intended to serve a portion of a topping product, such as chilled whipped topping, onto beverages, desserts, and the like. Dispenser  10  receives electrical power through a standard power cord (not shown) connected to an AC power outlet, and a power switch  16  is provided externally on housing  12  for turning power to dispenser  10  on and off. A wire cup brace  18  may be arranged to extend from housing  12  to guide user placement of serving container  4  and help stabilize the serving container during a dispensing operation. Housing  12  may be provided with feet or suction cups  19  to prevent the dispenser from sliding on a countertop or other support surface. Housing  12  may be formed of a material that withstands moisture and is easily cleaned, such as stainless steel, plastic, ceramic, or the like. 
   Reference is also made now to  FIGS. 3-6 . Housing  12  includes a main body  20  and a drawer  22  mounted on main body  20  by drawer slides  24  so as to be movable into and out of the main body  20 . Housing  12  defines a product compartment  26  ( FIG. 5 ) for receiving a plastic bag  5  filled with whipped topping or other product to be dispensed, and a drive compartment  28  for enclosing a carriage assembly  30  as will be described in detail below. Product compartment  26  and drive compartment  28  may be associated with drawer  22  so that access to the compartments may be gained by opening drawer  22 . Housing  12  further includes a dispensing port  32  enabling flow communication between product compartment  26  and open space  3 . 
   In the embodiment shown, dispenser  10  includes a refrigeration system  15  located in a bottom portion of housing main body  20 , as indicated schematically in  FIG. 2 . Refrigeration system  15  regulates temperature within housing  12 , including product compartment  26 , to keep topping within bag  5  properly chilled. In this regard, the walls of housing main body  20 , and a front wall  34  of drawer  22 , may be thermally insulated for energy efficiency. A peripheral seal  36  is preferably provided on front wall  34  to form a seal between front wall  34  and main body  20  when drawer  22  is in a closed position. A handle  35 , visible in  FIG. 1 , may be provided on drawer front wall  34 . 
   Drawer  22  is depicted as having a bottom wall  38 , a side wall  40  and a truncated side wall  42  extending upwardly from opposite sides of bottom wall  38 , a front flange  43  extending from a front end of truncated side wall  42 , a truncated front wall  44  and a truncated rear wall  46  extending from opposite ends of side wall  40  to enclose drive compartment  28 , and a top wall  48  extending from side wall  40  to cover drive compartment  28  and product compartment  26 . The walls  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46 , and  48 , and flange  43 , may be formed from a single piece of sheet metal using known manufacturing forming methods. Flange  43  and truncated front wall  44  provide structure to which front wall  34  may be fastened. A partition  50  is provided between drive compartment  28  and product compartment  26 , and a panel  52  is provided on an opposite side of product compartment  26  from partition  50 . Panel  52  may be removably mounted on drawer  22 , for example by insertion of tabs  53  provided along a bottom edge of the panel into corresponding slots  54  formed in bottom wall  38 , and by insertion of tabs  55  provided along an edge of top wall  48  into corresponding slots  56  in panel  52 . Other means of removably mounting panel  52  on drawer  22  may be employed, for example toggle latches, snap fittings, pins, threaded fasteners, or the like. A plurality of hang tabs  58  may be spaced along the underside of top wall  48  for use in suspending product bag  5  within product compartment  26 , or tabs  55  may be used for hanging the product bag. 
   Attention is directed additionally to  FIGS. 8-10 . Dispensing port  32  may be configured as a dual size opening through bottom wall  38  of drawer  22 . A slotted collar member  60  may be fixed to the underside of bottom wall  38  beneath the smaller open portion of dispensing port  32  to receive and support a valve assembly  70  for controlling the flow of topping from bag  5  and imparting a decorative appearance to each ribbon of topping that is dispensed through the valve assembly. In the embodiment shown, valve assembly  70  includes a valve housing  72 , a discharge valve  74  received within valve housing  72 , and a retaining ring  76  for securing the discharge valve within the valve housing. Valve housing  72  includes a circumferential flange  78  near a top end thereof, a neck  79  above flange  78 , an axial passage  80  therethrough having an upper threaded portion  81 , and an abutment ring  82  and a retaining ridge  84  formed on a wall of passage  80  near a bottom end of valve housing  72 . Discharge valve  74 , which may be manufactured of a resiliently deformable material, such as silicone, includes a seating flap  86  and a plurality of fingers  87  defined by a plurality of slits  88 . As may be seen, seating flap  86  may be confined against abutment ring  82  in valve housing  72  by retaining ring  76 , which in turn may be snap fitted into valve housing  72  and held against retaining ridge  84 . Slits  88  allow discharge valve  74  to perform as an automatically closing pressure valve, whereby the valve fingers  87  will deflect open as topping under pressure is forced downward through passage  80 , and will close immediately when the pressure decreases. In this way, a clean cut-off of the topping ribbon is achieved, and residual topping portions hanging from the bottom of valve assembly  70  (so-called “danglers”) are substantially eliminated. A suitable discharge valve may be obtained from Liquid Molding Systems, Inc. of Midland, Mich. under the trademark SUREFLO®. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of projections  89  may be provided on fingers  87  such that when discharge valve  74  is forced open and fingers  87  are deflected, the projections  89  protrude into the flow path of the topping to form decorative ridges along the discharged ribbon of topping for a pleasing appearance. 
   As may be seen in  FIG. 10 , valve assembly  70  may be mounted on the underside of drawer  22  adjacent dispensing port  32  by collar member  60 . In the illustrated embodiment, collar member  60  includes a slot  62  open in the direction of the larger open portion of dispensing port  32 , and a shelf  64  surrounding the slot. As may be understood, valve housing  72  may be inserted downward through the larger open portion of dispensing port  32  and then valve housing  72  may be slid forward toward the smaller open portion of dispensing port  32  and into slot  62  until flange  78  is confined between shelf  64  and the underside of bottom wall  38 . In this manner, valve assembly  70  may be mounted on drawer  22  for easy removal to facilitate cleaning and replacement of the valve assembly or any constituent parts of the valve assembly. 
   Product bag  5  may have a generally rectangular configuration as shown in  FIG. 3  so as to fit within product compartment  26  and substantially occupy the available space. Bag  5  may have a top marginal portion above an upper seam  9  of the bag, and a plurality of holes  6  may be provided through the marginal portion for respectively receiving hang tabs  58  on top wall  48  to suspend product bag  5  within product compartment  26  as shown in  FIG. 3  (topping product remains below seam  9  as seen in  FIG. 3 ). Of course, alternatives for suspending bag  5  may be used, such as clamps or clips. Bag  5  includes a neck portion  7  at a bottom corner thereof terminating in a dispensing tip  8  adapted for detachable connection with valve housing  72 . In the embodiment described at present, dispensing tip  8  may be threaded to mate with threaded portion  81  of passage  80 . Other detachable connection schemes may be used, including for example snap-fittings and frictional attachment arrangements. Dispensing tip  8  may be connected to valve housing  72  before the valve housing is inserted downward into dispensing port  32 . 
   In order to force contents from product bag  5 , a pressure member  90  is arranged in product compartment  26 , and a pressure surface  57 , which may be a surface of removable panel  52 , is provided closely proximate to pressure member  90 . When product bag  5  is loaded into product compartment  26 , the bag resides between pressure member  90  on one side and pressure surface  57  on an opposite side. As will be described below, pressure member  90  is movable relative to pressure surface  57  to squeeze product downward under pressure. In the embodiment shown in the figures, pressure member  90  is in the form of a cylindrical roller  91  positioned to rotate about a horizontal axis, however non-roller configurations are possible, including for example a plow or scraper configuration having a generally horizontal edge. For the remainder of this detailed description, a roller configuration is assumed, it being understood that pressure member  90  may have other configurations. It is advantageous, but not necessary, that either the surface of pressure member  90  or pressure surface  57  of panel  52  be resiliently deformable, and the other rigid, to ensure continuous contact between pressure member  90 , bag  5 , and pressure surface  57 , thereby maximizing evacuation of product from bag  5 . For example, roller  91  may have a foam or rubber exterior, and panel  52  may simply be a rigid portion of sheet metal. However, pressure member  90  and pressure surface  57  may both be rigid without straying from the invention. 
   As mentioned above, a carriage assembly  30  is housed within drive compartment  28 . Carriage assembly  30 , best shown in  FIG. 6 , includes a carriage  92  elongated in a horizontal direction and having a pair of journal arms  94  which extend from opposite ends of the carriage through travel slots  51  in partition  50  and into product compartment  26 . Each journal arm  94  includes an open journal slot  95  for receiving a respective hub member  93  of roller  91  to removably support roller  91  for rotation about its horizontal axis. Carriage assembly  30  further includes a pair of guide rods  96  and a threaded rod  98  extending parallel to one another, carriage  92  being mounted on the guide rods and threaded rod for travel therealong. Movement of carriage  92  is driven by a motor  100 . Motor  100  may be mounted directly on carriage  92  and be of a type having a captive, internally-threaded rotor  102  that may be mated with threaded rod  98 , such that when the motor is energized to rotate the rotor  102 , the motor  100  and carriage  92  coupled thereto will travel up or down threaded rod  98  depending upon the direction of rotation of the rotor. A suitable motor having a captive, internally threaded rotor for travel along a stationary threaded rod is available from Haydon Switch and Instrument, Inc. of Waterbury, Conn. Guide rods  96  are slidably received through bushings  97  on carriage  92 . 
     FIG. 7  depicts a drawer  122  formed in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention, wherein product compartment  26  is defined by a cylinder  152  at a front portion of the drawer and separated from drive compartment  28  by a transverse partition  150  having a vertical travel slot  151  therethrough. A piston  191  is connected to carriage  92  to serve as the pressure member, and an inner wall  157  of cylinder  152  serves as a pressure surface. Piston  191  is shown partially cut away to reveal dispensing port  32 . Inner wall  157  may be sloped to converge in conical fashion (not shown) at a region near dispensing port  32 . Carriage  92  is connected to piston  191  through arm  194  extending through travel slot  151 , whereby piston  191  may be moved relative to cylinder wall  157  by operation of motor  100 . If this embodiment is practiced, bag  5  may be generally cylindrical in shape to fill the available space within the product compartment. 
   Returning now to  FIG. 6 , electrical wiring for motor  100  may be routed through a cable  104  running through carriage  92  and then along an underside of drawer  22  to control electronics  106  mounted within housing main body  20  and connected to a power source (not shown) also within the main body. Control electronics  106  includes a motor controller and driver for energizing motor  100 . A user control element, shown here for example in the form of a push button  108  on front wall  34 , is connected to the motor controller for enabling a user to activate motor  100  via the motor controller. The motor controller may be programmed to drive motor  100  to achieve a predetermined displacement of carriage  92  and roller  91  when button  108  is pressed and released by a user. Alternatively, the motor controller may be programmed to drive the motor only while button  108  is depressed by a user. If the latter approach is adopted, it may be desirable to program the motor controller to shut the motor off after a predetermined time period or number of revolutions so as to prevent a user from dispensing too much topping. 
   Those skilled in the art will recognize that other motor drive configurations are possible, including configurations wherein the motor  100  does not travel with carriage  92 . For example, a motor may be mounted remote from carriage  92  to rotate threaded rod  98 , and carriage  92  may be provided with a follower nut causing the carriage to travel up and down the rotating threaded rod. Also, it will be readily apparent that other user control elements, such as a switch, a lever, a knob, or the like, may be substituted for push button  108 . 
   In addition to push button  108 , other user controls connected to control electronics  106  may be provided on housing  12 , including a temperature control  110  and a temperature display  112  for regulating refrigeration system  15 , and a status indicator LED  114  for indicating that dispenser  10  is ready to dispense, low on product, emptied of product, or out of service. A reset button (not shown) may be provided to return the carriage  92  and roller  91  to an upper start position. Housing  12  may be a customized version of a refrigerated liquid dispenser available from A.C. Dispensing Equipment Inc. of Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada under the trademark SURESHOT. 
   Dispenser  10  is simple to use. Initially, drawer  22  is opened and panel  52  is removed to expose product compartment  26 . Roller  91  is set to an upper start position (this may be triggered automatically upon emptying a prior bag, or a reset button may be provided as mentioned above). An empty bag (if any) is removed, and a full bag  5  is inserted into product compartment  26 , where its discharge tip  8  is connected to valve housing  72  and the bag is suspended from hang tabs  58  or tabs  55 . The valve housing  72  may then be mounted on drawer  22  as described above, panel  52  may be replaced, and drawer  22  may be closed. Refrigeration system  15  may be set to a desired temperature setting using temperature control  110 . The alternative embodiment of  FIG. 7  may be loaded in an analogous manner. 
   For self-service of topping, a cup or other container  4  is located in space  3  beneath valve assembly  70  using wire brace  18  as a locating guide. Button  108  is depressed to move carriage  92  and roller  91  (or piston  191 ) downward to force product from bag  5 , through valve assembly  70 , and into container  4 . 
   When the contents of bag  5  have been exhausted, roller  91  (or piston  191 ) may be reset and the bag replaced as described above. 
   While the invention has been described in connection exemplary embodiments, the detailed description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular forms set forth. The invention is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents of the described embodiment as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention.