Patent Publication Number: US-11641954-B2

Title: Device for dispensing bulk products

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention concerns devices for dispensing bulk solid products in stores, such as dry food products sold by weight. 
     BACKGROUND 
     There are known numerous systems for dispensing bulk solid products including a container provided at its base with a dispensing device including an Archimedes screw or a wheel with paddles provided with a handle that the user turns to bring about the dispensing of the product. The use of an Archimedes screw or of a wheel with paddles provides an effective solution against the risk of blocking, but driving it in rotation to dispense the product is relatively tedious, in particular if the quantity to be dispensed is large. Now, in the sale of bulk food products, the quantities taken away are often large. Consequently, these devices are somewhat reserved to the dispensing of individual portions in restaurants for example. 
     There have been proposed dispensing systems including a container having a section of rectangular general shape and a dispensing device including a pivoting handle, lowering of which opens a shutter. Dispensing is effected by gravity for as long as the handle is lowered. However, these systems are not designed to enable the separation of the container and the dispensing device, and prove relatively tedious to fill and to clean. The container is adapted to be attached at the rear to a wall support, which limits the aesthetic possibilities. The container may instead rest on an inclined plane, which proves bulky and relatively unaesthetic. 
     Other devices, such as that disclosed in the application EP1034728, necessitate turning the container over to dispense a dose and are not suitable for use in stores. 
     There is further known a system for dispensing cereals including a diaphragm shutter. This kind of system is designed for individual use and the mechanical production of a diaphragm is relatively complex and costly. 
     STATEMENT OF INVENTION 
     The invention aims to improve dispensing systems in order in particular to enable hygienic filling of the container. 
     The invention also aims to facilitate adapting the dispensing device to the nature of the product to be dispensed, if necessary. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention aims in particular to address some or all of the above requirements and, in a first of its aspects, has for object a device for dispensing by gravity a bulk solid product, including:
         at the top, a nozzle for removably fixing it to a container, in particular to a neck of the latter,   at the bottom, a dispensing orifice,   a preferably rotary shutter including a first part with an actuating handle that is mobile, in particular in rotation, relative to a second part, these two parts including respective walls and openings overlapping in a proportion that is dependent on the position of the handle.       

     The rotation is preferably effected about a rotation axis coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the device. The angular travel in rotation of the handle is preferably less than or equal to 180°, better 150°. The rotation axis of the handle is preferably vertical. 
     The invention enables easy and very hygienic replacement of an empty container by a full container, which avoids having to clean and to fill the container in place. 
     It suffices to separate the empty container from the dispensing device and t replace it with a full new one. 
     Moreover, opening can be effected by a simple, intuitive and non-tiring gesture, and it is easy to deliver the required quantity, even if the latter is large. The product flows by gravity through the dispensing device as long as the shutter is open, without it being necessary to turn over the container. 
     The mobile part may include only one opening, but the mobile part preferably includes a plurality of openings. This can enable the flow rate to be increased and the risk of blocking of the openings reduced. 
     The mobile part may include between the openings thereof separators projecting toward the container. These separators advantageously have inclined flanks guiding the flow toward the openings situated at their base. The risk of product accumulating inside the dispensing device is therefore reduced, which is advantageous from the hygiene point of view. Moreover, the separators move the product when the mobile part is actuated, which further reduces the risk of blocking. 
     In a variant, the separators take the form of paddles oriented perpendicularly to the wall to which they are connected at their base. 
     Alternatively, the body includes separators projecting toward the container. The separators may have inclined flanks guiding the flow toward the openings of the second part situated at their base. 
     Alternatively, the second part includes separators projecting toward the container. The separators may have inclined flanks guiding the flow toward the openings situated at their base. 
     The device may include a guide member serving as a funnel, and the latter may be disposed at the center of the body, notably at the foot of the flanks. 
     The guide member may include a rod having first and second portions separated by a shoulder, the first rod portion including a plurality of paddles guiding the flow toward the openings in the second part. The guide member may be fixed relative to the second part. 
     Alternatively, the latter member is mobile, in particular in rotation relative to the second part. 
     The member is for example rigidly connected, in particular screwed, to the first part. 
     The device preferably includes a spring for urging the mobile part into a shutter closing position. 
     The first and second parts are received in a corresponding housing of the body of the dispensing device and are preferably arranged to nest one within the other. This enables compactness to be improved and one of the parts to be used to guide the other in rotation, and thus to render this guidance relatively independent of the shape of the body of the dispensing device. It is then easy to change the first and/or second part(s) to adapt the shutter to a particular product without having to change the body of the dispensing device. This therefore provides some modularity facilitating the adaptation of the dispensing device to diverse products. This change may be effected by way of the opening of the body facing the container. 
     Alternatively, the first and second parts are disposed outside a body of the dispensing device and are preferably adapted to nest one within the other. 
     The openings of the first and second parts are preferably produced in respective walls in contact with one another so as to obtain an effective closure. 
     The body of the device may include an opening for the handle controlling the shutter to exit. 
     The dispensing orifice may be defined by a spout. The latter has for example a symmetrical circular shape with an interior section that converges towards the dispensing orifice. The presence of the spout facilitates the positioning of the jar, sachet or other container intended to be filled. 
     The device preferably includes a third part the position of which relative to the second part enables adjustment of the flow rate of the flow reaching the dispensing orifice. The third part is preferably mobile relative to the second part, which facilitates the adjustment. In particular, this enables the flow rate to be adapted to the nature of the product. The third part may be constrained to move with an adjustment lever. This lever may be positioned by the user as a function of the required flow rate. The third part may include a wall and at least one opening overlapping to a greater or lesser degree an opening in the second part as a function of the position of the flow rate adjustment lever. 
     The third part may be received in the body of the dispensing device in a removable manner. This enables easy replacement and adaptation of this part to the nature of the product and/or to the manner in which the product is offered. 
     The handle of the shutter and the flow rate adjustment lever may be situated on the same side of the device. This encourages the person using it to adjust the flow rate if necessary. 
     Alternatively, the control handle of the shutter and the flow rate adjustment lever are situated on opposite sides of the device. This arrangement is to be preferred when it is not required that the user changes the flow rate for which the device has been preset by the staff of the store. 
     The aforementioned nozzle is preferably internally threaded for screwing it onto the container, the neck of the latter being threaded. There is thus provided a simple means of fixing the container to the dispensing device and the possibility of closing the full container with the aid of a cap screwed onto the neck. The aesthetic possibilities are numerous. 
     The height of the dispensing device ranges for example from 100 to 150 mm. The outlet diameter of the dispensing orifice ranges for example from 10 to 30 mm. 
     The invention further has for object a dispensing system including a container to contain the product to be dispensed and a dispensing device in accordance with the invention as defined hereinabove. 
     The container is sometimes referred to as a “silo”, and here may serve both for storage pending dispensing in the store and for transport to the store. The container may be equipped with a removable cap, which is removed to place it on the dispensing device. 
     In this kind of system the container contains a food product. 
     The weight of the full container is for example between 0.5 and 10 kg inclusive, better still between 1 and 5 kg. 
     The container is preferably made of transparent material, in particular glass or transparent plastic material, for example polycarbonate. It may have circular symmetry. 
     The container is preferably made of glass. 
     The system may include a clamping part adapted to retain the dispensing device on the support. 
     The clamping part may include a plate that can come to abut against the lateral edge of the support and two forks substantially perpendicular to that plate. 
     During the dispensing of the product the container remains immobile, fixed relative to its support. There is no need to turn it over to dispense a dose of product. 
     The invention further has for object a display unit including a support and at least one dispensing system in accordance with the invention retained by the support. 
     The support may include at least one opening and the support and the container are adapted to enable the container to be positioned in the opening in a stable manner on the one hand in accordance with a use configuration in which the container is equipped with a dispensing device and on the other hand in a reverse filling or assembly configuration in which the dispensing device has been removed. The dispensing device may pass vertically through the openings in the support. 
     If necessary, the opening may include at least one notch for the control handle of the shutter to pass through. 
     The notch may open toward a lateral edge of the support. 
     The opening may include a shoulder and the device a flange that comes to bear against that shoulder when it is in place in the opening. 
     The display unit may carry containers of diverse shapes and/or sizes equipping identical dispensing devices. These containers advantageously have necks with identical screw threads. Alternatively, adapter rings are provided. 
     Retaining the dispensing system in an opening in the support makes it possible to avoid any requirement for fixing to a wall whilst benefiting from a compact dispensing system. The space freed up may be exploited to space out the containers or to increase the number thereof and to propose new shapes for the containers that are aesthetically attractive. 
     The invention further has for object a method of replacing a container of a dispensing system in accordance with the invention carried by the display unit during which the dispensing device is separated from the empty container and the dispensing device is coupled to a full container intended to replace the empty container. To facilitate this operation the full container may be placed upside down on the support if the shapes of the latter and of the container enable this. 
     In accordance with another of its aspects, independently in combination with the foregoing one, the invention further has for object a container for a dispensing system in accordance with the invention including a conical body widening towards its base and connecting to the base by way of a transverse wall with a threaded neck. 
     The bulk product to be dispensed may be shipped in this kind of container, closed by a removable cap. 
     Apart from its original aesthetic shape, which when the container is positioned upside down recalls the shape of the piles of spices on merchants&#39; displays, this kind of container enables packaging in boxes with a reduced waste of space by disposing adjacent containers head-to-tail. 
     This kind of container is preferably made of transparent plastic material, as mentioned above, and its volume may range from 0.5 to 10 liters for example, better still from 1 to 5 liters. 
     The aforementioned transverse wall is preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the container so as to rest in a stable manner on a recess flanking the opening in a support intended to receive the dispensing system. 
     The height of the container is for example between 100 and 500 mm inclusive, better still between 200 and 400 mm inclusive. The diameter at the base of the cone ranges for example from 150 to 250 mm. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    represents a display unit equipped with a plurality of dispensing systems in accordance with the invention, 
         FIG.  2    represents separately one example of a dispensing system in accordance with the invention, 
         FIG.  3    represents the dispensing system from  FIG.  2    in axial section, 
         FIG.  4    is an exploded view of the dispensing system from  FIG.  2   , 
         FIG.  5    is a view analogous to  FIG.  4    from a different point of view, 
         FIG.  6    represents separately the dispensing device in axial section, 
         FIG.  7    illustrates a variant display unit and container, 
         FIG.  8    is a view analogous to  FIG.  7    illustrating a variant display unit with the container in the filling configuration, 
         FIG.  9    represents the display unit from  FIG.  8    with the dispensing system in the configuration of use, 
         FIG.  10    represents a variant dispensing system in perspective view as seen from the front, 
         FIG.  11    represents the dispensing system from  FIG.  10    as seen from the rear, 
         FIG.  12    represents separately the dispensing device of the system from  FIGS.  10  and  11    in axial section, 
         FIG.  13    is an exploded view of the dispensing device from  FIG.  12   , 
         FIG.  14    is a view analogous to  FIG.  13    from a different point of view, 
         FIG.  15    represents an implementation detail of the device, 
         FIG.  16    is a view analogous to  FIG.  15    of a variant device, 
         FIG.  17    represents a variant of the dispensing device in perspective, 
         FIG.  18    represents a variant display unit, 
         FIG.  19    represents a variant dispensing system in accordance with the invention in perspective, 
         FIG.  20    represents separately the dispensing device from  FIG.  19    as seen from below, 
         FIG.  21    is a view as seen from below of the dispensing device from  FIG.  19   , 
         FIG.  22    is a view analogous to  FIG.  20    in which the shutter is in closed mode, 
         FIG.  23    represents separately the body and the second part of the device from  FIG.  19    as seen from below, 
         FIGS.  24  to  27    are exploded views of the device from  FIG.  19   , 
         FIGS.  28   a  to  28   c    illustrate different positions of the third part of the shutter, 
         FIG.  29    represents a variant dispensing system in perspective, 
         FIG.  30    is a view of the system from  FIG.  30    in longitudinal section, 
         FIG.  31    represents a variant dispensing system in accordance with the invention in perspective, 
         FIGS.  32  and  33    are exploded views of the system from  FIG.  31    in the exploded state, 
         FIG.  34    is a view of the system from  FIG.  31    in longitudinal section, 
         FIGS.  35  and  36    represent separately in perspective the first and second parts of the shutter of the system from  FIG.  31   , respectively, 
         FIG.  37    represents separately in longitudinal section the second part of the shutter, and 
         FIG.  38    is a view as seen from below of the system from  FIG.  31    without the spout. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     There has been represented in  FIG.  1    a display unit  1  including a support  2  provided with a plurality of openings  3  each receiving a dispensing system  10  including a container  20  and a dispensing device  30  fixed to that container  20 . 
     Each container  20  contains a bulk product, preferably a dry product, in particular a food product, for example cereals, dried fruits, spices, sugar, flour, preserves, etc, . . . . 
     The display unit  1  includes at least one space  4  enabling placing under the dispensing orifice  31  of a device  30  a collecting means  40  such as a jar, a box or a sachet, to collect the product delivered by gravity by the dispensing system  10 . As illustrated, the collection means is preferably a jar having a threaded neck  41 , as illustrated in  FIGS.  2  and  3   . 
     The dispensing device  30  includes a body  32  which as shown may include a shouldered cylindrical part  32   a  connected at the top by a conical part  32   b  to a cylindrical part  32   c  of greater diameter serving as a nozzle for connecting the container  20 . 
     The cylindrical part  32   c  is threaded internally for fixing it to a threaded neck  21  of the container  20 . 
     The shouldered cylindrical part  32   a  is also threaded internally to enable the collecting jar  40  to be screwed onto the device  30 , as illustrated in  FIGS.  1  and  3   . 
     The body  32  may include an interior shoulder  34  at the base of the cylindrical part  32   c  serving as a seat for an annular seal  50  that is clamped between the end of the neck  21  and the shoulder  34 . 
     The shouldered cylindrical part  32   a  may include a wall  35  situated at the level of the shoulder in this part, which serves as a seat for an annular seal  51  intended to be placed between the wall  35  and the end of the neck  41  of the jar  40 . 
     The region of the body  32  situated between the wall  35  and the conical part  32   b  houses a first part  70  provided with a control handle  71 , as shown in  FIGS.  4  and  5   , a second part  80  and a third part  90  equipped with an adjustment lever  91 . 
     The first part  70  and the second part  80  together form a shutter. 
     The second part  80  is fixed relative to the body  32  and the first part  70  is able to turn about the longitudinal axis X of the system  10  when the user moves the handle  71 . The latter is accessible from the outside through a first opening  81  in the second part  80  and a second opening  37 , overlapping the first, in the body  32 . 
     The second part  80  includes a tubular skirt  82  and a bottom wall  83  through which pass four openings  84  disposed at 90° to one another. 
     The first part  70  includes a tubular skirt  72  concentric with the skirt  82  and guided in its rotation movement by the latter and a bottom wall  73  through which pass openings  74 . 
     The third part  90  includes a tubular wall  92  interrupted angularly over an angular sector  94  the extent of which is for example between 90° and 150° inclusive. 
     The body  32  includes an opening  38  through which the adjustment lever  91  exits and air inlet orifices  39  on the opposite side. 
     In the  FIG.  2    example the openings  37  and  38  are situated on the same side of the body  32  so that the handle  71  and the lever  91  are easily actuated by the person wishing to use the device. 
     A return spring  100  acts between the first and second parts  70  and  80  to urge the first part into a blocking position in which the openings  74  in the bottom wall  73  overlap the solid parts of the bottom wall  83 . This spring  100  is for example a coil spring attached at its ends to the parts  70  and  80 , respectively, extending outside the skirt  72  around the latter. The skirt  82  may include a corresponding slot  88  receiving the spring  100  within its thickness, as can be seen in  FIG.  6    in particular. 
     The blocking position advantageously corresponds to the handle  71  coming to abut against one end of the opening  81  and/or of the opening  37 , the openings  81  and  37  advantageously having the same angular extent and the same height. 
     When the handle  71  is actuated the first part  70  is moved angularly relative to the second  80  and the openings  74  and  84  overlap, enabling the product to pass through. 
     The spring  100  advantageously allow complete overlapping of the openings  74  and  84 , and this position preferably corresponds to the handle  71  coming to abut against one end of the opening(s)  81  and/or  37 . 
     When the handle  71  is released, the spring  100  returns it into the blocking position. 
     The third part  90  is situated axially under the second  80  and is able to turn relative to the latter if the user operates the adjustment lever  91 . 
     The third part includes a tubular skirt  92  and a bottom wall  94  through which pass openings  95  that are for example, as shown, four in number and disposed at 90° to one another. The skirt  92  includes an open sector  99 . 
     Depending on the angular position of the third part relative to the second, the openings  95  overlap the openings  84  to a greater or lesser extent and the passage section offered to the product is modified, which makes it possible to act on the flow rate of the flow. 
     The angular extent of the open sector  99  is sufficiently large for the orifices  39  not to be masked by the skirt  92  regardless of the position of the lever  71  in the opening  38 . 
     The device  30  may equally include an annular deflector  110  that as shown in  FIG.  6    comes to be positioned above the assembly formed by the nesting of the parts  70  and  80 , has a top face  111  having the same inclination as the conical part  32   b , and the bottom edge of which is situated vertically in line with the radially interior surface of the skirt  72 . 
     The device  30  includes a spout  120  that defines the dispensing orifice  31  at its bottom end. 
     In the example considered, this spout  120  has circular symmetry about the longitudinal axis X of the device  30  with a flange at its top edge fixed to the wall  35 . 
     The cylindrical part  32   a  of the body  32  is threaded internally to enable the jar  40  to be screwed on, if necessary, as illustrated in  FIG.  1   . 
     Numerous modifications may be made to the dispensing device without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     In particular, as illustrated in  FIG.  7   , there may be used containers  20  of conical general shape with a threaded neck  21  connected at the base of the cone by a wall  22  generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the container. 
     When it is coupled to the dispensing device  30  the container may rest with its wall  22  on the support  1  with the neck  21  oriented downward. 
     When the container must be filled or changed, it may be positioned on the support  1  after turning it over, as illustrated in  FIG.  7   . The diameter of the opening  3  of the support  1  is smaller than that of the container, as measured at the base of the cone. 
     The opening  3  may be flanked by an annular depression  4  such as a recess, as can be seen in  FIG.  7   , which enables the container to be centered in the opening  3  when it is in the position of use, the diameter of this recess  4  substantially corresponding to the greatest diameter of the container at the base of the cone. 
     There has been represented in  FIGS.  8  and  9    a variant support  1  including a first ring  130  at its base, resting on the floor, and three feet  131  connected at their bottom end to the ring  130  and joined at their top end by a second ring  132  of smaller size than the first but with an inside diameter less than the greatest diameter of the container  20  so as to retain the latter when it is turned over, as illustrated in  FIG.  8   . 
     The ring  132  may as illustrated be flanked by a peripheral rib  133  for centering the container  20  when the latter is positioned on the support  1  with the neck  21  at the bottom, as in  FIG.  9   . 
     A variant dispensing device  30  will now be described with reference to  FIGS.  10  to  16   . 
     In this variant the spout  120  is a part adapted to be screwed onto the body  32  and to this end includes an externally threaded skirt  123  in the top part. The seal  51  may be positioned between the bottom of the housing receiving the skirt  123  and the end of the latter, as can be seen in  FIG.  12   . 
     The air inlet orifices  39  are in this example positioned under the opening  38  allowing the flow rate adjustment lever  91  to exit. 
     The skirt  92  of the third part may include a notch  98  facing these orifices so that the latter are not blocked by the skirt  92 . 
     The first part  70  includes separators  150  more particularly visible in  FIG.  15   . 
     These separators  150  have inclined flanks  151  that open at the bottom onto the orifices  74  in such a manner as to guide the flow of product toward the latter. 
     It is seen in  FIG.  15    that the separators  150  may extend radially as far as a central region  78  of the bottom wall  73 , which improves the mechanical retention of the latter. The separators  150  may have a height that decreases toward the center of the first part, as illustrated. 
     The skirt  72  of the first part  70  may include a lug  79  in the top part that engages in a corresponding notch  89  formed in the top edge of the skirt  82  of the second part  80  so as to limit the angular movement of the first part relative to the second between the completely closed and fully open positions. 
     The separators  150  may be a different shape, and there has been represented in  FIG.  16    by way of example a variant shutter in which the separators take the form of straight partitions connected perpendicularly to the bottom wall  73  in the median plane separating the two adjacent openings  74 . 
     The handle  71  may take multiple forms, for example the form of a straight rod with no ball at its end, as illustrated in  FIG.  17   . 
     The support  1  may be produced so as to enable placement of the dispensing devices  30  from above, the latter being retained for example by pressing a flange  160  provided at the end of the body  32  against the top face of the support wall  1  flanking the opening  3 , as can be seen in  FIG.  18   . 
     Each opening  3  may be provided with a cutout  6  allowing the passage of the handle  71  and, where appropriate, of the adjustment lever  91 . 
     Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments that have just been described. 
     Numerous other modifications may be made to the containers, dispensing devices or supports without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     For example, the dispensing device  30  may be produced with no flow rate adjustment lever, the third part  90  being absent or mounted in a manner that is not adjustable from the outside in a position corresponding to the required flow rate. If necessary, the flow rate may be adjusted merely by moving the handle  71  of the shutter. 
     The number of openings and the shape of the openings produced in the first and second parts may be different. 
     Markers or detents may be provided to assist the user to assess the movement of the handle  71  of the shutter or of the lever  91  for adjustment of the flow rate. 
     A variant of the dispensing device  30  has been represented in  FIGS.  19  to  27   . 
     In the example illustrated the dispensing device  30  includes a body  32  having a top part  32   c  of cylindrical shape threaded internally for fixing it into the threaded neck  21  of the container  20 , as illustrated in  FIG.  19   . 
     The body  32  includes separators  150  projecting toward the container  20 . 
     The body  32  is connected at the bottom to a second part  80 . Unlike in the embodiments described above, the second part  80  is disposed outside the body  32 . 
     This second part is fixed relative to the body  32 . The latter is in particular fixed in a permanent manner, for example by welding, brazing, riveting, gluing or any other means. 
     Alternatively, the second part is fixed to the body in a removable manner, for example screwed thereto. 
     In the example illustrated, the second part  80  includes tubular skirt  82  and a bottom wall  83  through which pass three openings  84  disposed at 120° to one another. 
     To facilitate the flow of the bulk product toward these openings  82  the separators  150  of the body  32  advantageously have inclined flanks  151 , as illustrated in  FIG.  20    in particular. 
     The flow may equally be guided by means of a guide member  170  serving as a funnel. The latter is disposed at the center of the body  32 , in particular at the bottom of the flanks  151 . 
     In the example illustrated, the guide member  170  includes a rod having an axis coinciding with the longitudinal axis X of the system  10 . The rod  170  includes first and second rod portions  171  and  172  with different diameters separated by a shoulder  173 . 
     The first rod portion  171  includes a plurality of paddles  174  and  175  extending laterally from the rod, for example perpendicularly thereto. 
       FIG.  25    illustrates an example in which the first rod portion  171  includes two pairs of paddles  174  and  175  extending at different heights from the shoulder  173 . The paddles of each pair extend on either side of the rod, at the same height, in opposite directions along the same axis of extension Y 1  or Y 2 . The axes of extension of the two pairs Y 1  and Y 2  are preferably perpendicular. 
     The second rod portion  172  extends through a central opening  195  in the body  32 . 
     The opening  195  is preferably formed by a tubular abutment  190  of the body extending downward along the longitudinal axis X of the system  10  through an orifice  180  in the second part  80 . 
     The tubular skirt  82  includes a thread for fixing a spout  120 , as illustrated in  FIGS.  19  and  24   . 
     The second part  80  accommodates a first part  70  provided with a control handle  71  and a third part  90 , as illustrated in  FIGS.  26  and  27   . 
     The first part  70  and second part  80  together form a shutter. 
     As described above, the first part  70  is mobile relative to the second part  80 . The latter is able to turn about the longitudinal axis X of the system  10  when the user moves the handle  71 . The latter is accessible from the outside through an opening  81  in the second part  80 . In the example illustrated, the handle  71  is a straight rod. 
     The second part  80  includes a passage  85  for the handle  71  thereby facilitating mounting and demounting the first part  70 . 
     The first part  70  includes a tubular skirt  72  concentric with the skirt  82  and guided in its movement in rotation by the latter and a bottom wall  73  through which openings  74  pass, here three in number. 
     Like the embodiments referred to above, a return spring, not shown, is disposed between the first and second parts  70  and  80 . The latter acts between the first and second parts  70  and  80  to urge the first part into a blocking position in which the openings  74  in the bottom wall  73  overlie the solid parts of the bottom wall  83 . 
     The blocking position advantageously corresponds to the handle  71  coming to abut against one end of the opening  81 . 
     When the handle  71  is actuated, the first part  70  is moved angularly relative to the second  80  and the openings  74  and  84  overlap, as illustrated in  FIGS.  21   a  and  21   b   , which allows the product to pass through. 
     When the handle  71  is released the spring returns it to the blocking position as illustrated in  FIG.  22   . 
     The third part  90  is situated axially under the second part  80 , between the latter and the first part. This third part includes a bottom wall  94  with openings  95  through it that are for example, as illustrated in  FIG.  27   , three in number and disposed at 120° from one another. 
     In the example illustrated the third part  90  is mounted in a manner that is not adjustable from the outside in a position corresponding to the required flow rate. Accordingly, depending on the angular position of the third part relative to the second, the openings  95  overlap to a greater or lesser degree the openings  84  and the passage section offered to the product is modified, as illustrated in  FIGS.  28   a  to  28   c   , which makes it possible to act on the flow rate of the flow. 
     The third part  90  has a central orifice  200 , visible in  FIG.  27   , for the passage of the abutment  190 . This allows in particular the fixing of the third part  90  relative to the second. This also allows the bottom wall  92  to come into direct contact with the wall  82  of the second part. Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments that have just been described. 
     For example, the fixing of the container  20  on the dispensing device  30  can be carried out other than by screwing, as described with reference to  FIGS.  29  and  30   . 
     In the embodiment illustrated in these figures, the body  32  of the device has a cylindrical part  32   c  serving as a nozzle for the removable fixing of the container. 
     The body  32  has an internal part  32   d  disposed inside the cylindrical part  32   c . This part has a frustoconical shape that widens toward the container. The two parts are fixed by welding for example. 
     The internal part  32   d  is connected at the bottom to a second part  80 . The part  80  may be fixed to the internal part, in particular by welding it thereto. 
     As described above, the second part  80  has a tubular skirt  82  and a bottom wall  83  through which pass three openings  84  arranged at 120° to one another. 
     In the same way as in the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS.  19  to  28     c , the separators  150  of the body  32  have inclined flanks  151 , as illustrated in  FIG.  30    in particular. 
     The flow is also guided by means of a guide member  170  serving as a funnel. This is arranged at the center of the body  32 , in particular at the foot of the flanks  151 , and is similar to the guide member described above. 
     The tubular skirt  82  has a thread for fixing a spout  120 , as can be seen in  FIGS.  29  and  30   . 
     The second part  80  accommodates a first part  70 , provided with a control handle  71 , and a third part  90 , as illustrated in  FIGS.  26  and  27   . 
     The first part  70  and the second part  80  together form a shutter. 
     In the example illustrated, the handle is accessible from the outside through a first notch  86  of the second part  80  and a second notch  36  of the body  32  superimposed on the first. 
     The first part  70  includes a tubular skirt  72  concentric with the skirt  82  and guided in its rotation movement by the latter and a bottom wall  73  through which pass openings  74 , here three in number. 
     As in the embodiments mentioned above, a return spring, not illustrated, is disposed between the first and second parts  70  and  80 . The latter spring acts between the first and second parts  70  and  80  to urge the first part into a blocking position in which the openings  74  in the bottom wall  73  overlie the solid parts of the bottom wall  83 . 
     The blocking position advantageously corresponds to the handle  71  coming to abut against one end of the notch  86  and/or of the notch  36 , the notches  86  and  36  advantageously having the same angular extent and the same height. 
     The operation of the first part is similar to that of the embodiments described above. 
     The third part  90  is situated axially under the second part  80 , between the latter and the first part. This third part includes a bottom wall  94  through which pass openings  95  that, as illustrated in  FIG.  27   , are advantageously three in number and disposed at 120° to one another. 
     In the example illustrated the third part  90  is mounted in a manner that is not adjustable from the outside in a position corresponding to the required flow rate. 
     The tubular skirt  82  includes a thread for fixing a spout  120 , as described above with reference to  FIGS.  29  and  30   . 
     The support  1  may be adapted to allow placement of the dispensing devices  30  from above, the latter devices being for example retained by a flange  160  provided at the end of the body  32  bearing against the top face of the support wall  1  flanking an opening  3  in the latter, as can be seen in  FIG.  30   . 
     In this example, unlike the above embodiments, the container is fixed without screwing, the container being simply placed on the device after turning it over so that the neck of the latter comes to bear against the lateral wall  32   d  of the body  32 . 
     In the examples illustrated the guide member  170  is fixed relative to the body  32 . 
     Alternatively, this guide member  170  is mobile relative to the body  32 , as will be described hereinafter with reference to  FIGS.  31  to  38   . 
     In this example, as described above, the guide member consists of a rod  170  including first and second rod portions  171  and  172  with different diameters separated by a shoulder  173 . 
     The first rod portion  171  includes a plurality of paddles  174  and  175  extending laterally from the rod, for example perpendicularly thereto. 
     The rod  170  is advantageously rigidly attached to the first part  70 , in particular screwed thereto. The second rod portion  172  can therefore include a thread that is engaged in a threaded central orifice  77  of the bottom wall  71 . 
     Also, when the first part  70  is moved angularly relative to the second  80  by the handle the rod  170  and the paddles  174 ,  175  and  176  are driven in rotation which enables both guiding of the product toward the openings  84  of the second part and stiffing thereof. 
     In the embodiments illustrated the second part  80  includes a skirt  82  of frustoconical shape. 
     The second part  80  includes openings  84  and between the openings thereof separators  150  projecting toward the container  20 . 
     These separators  150  advantageously have inclined flanks  151  guiding the flow toward the openings  84  situated at their base. 
     The second part  80  is fixed, in particular welded, to the body  32  of the device. 
     The second part  80  includes a central orifice  180  for the second rod portion  171  to pass through. 
     A return spring  100  is attached at its ends to the parts  70  and  80 , respectively. To this end the first and second parts each include an attachment point  270  and  260  of the corresponding end of the spring  100 , as can be seen  FIGS.  34  and  35    in particular. 
     In this embodiment the third part  90  is absent. If necessary, the flow rate can be adjusted merely by moving the handle  71  of the shutter. The system  1  advantageously includes a plurality of first parts with openings of different sizes that mount in the device as a function of the bulk product and the flow rate required. 
     The device includes a spout  120  that nests in the body  32 . The latter preferably includes an abutment  33  to prevent undesirable descent of the spout into the body. The spout  120  includes spigots  123 , in particular flexible spigots, to improve the retention of the latter against the internal wall of the body  32 . 
     The system  10  also includes a clamping part  230  for retaining the dispensing device  30  on the support  1 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  32   , the clamping part advantageously includes a plate  232  that comes to abut against the lateral edge  5  of the support  1  and two forks  235  substantially perpendicular to the plate  232 . 
     In the example illustrated, the forks  235  engage in grooves  250  formed on the lateral wall of the body  32 , which enables tilting of the system once installed on the support to be prevented. 
     In order to improve the retention of the clamping part  230  against the support the forks  235  may each include a slot  236  for the passage of one or more fixing means  400  such as screws for example. 
     The clamping part  230  may also serve for fixing a label  300  for displaying for example information relating to the type of bulk product, its source, its price or any other useful information, as can be seen in  FIGS.  31  to  33    in particular.