Patent Publication Number: US-9409663-B2

Title: Product dispensing system to maintain product homogeneity or produce a homogenous fluid-particulate mixture

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/857,540, filed on Jul. 23, 2013, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to product dispensing and, more particularly, to a product dispensing system for dispensing a homogenous fluid-particulate mixture. 
     2. Background of Related Art 
     With respect to products containing a fluid-particulate mixture, it is often necessary to continuously agitate or mix such products prior to and during dispensing of the product into a packaging container to ensure the product mixture dispensed into the packaging container is homogenous. A typical product dispensing system for such purpose includes a hopper configured to retain the product mixture prior to dispensing, an agitator disposed within the hopper and configured to agitate and/or mix the product to help ensure homogeneity, and an outlet coupled between the hopper and a nozzle or other suitable dispenser for dispensing the product into the packaging container. However, although the agitator is sufficient to maintain the homogeneity of the mixture within the hopper during use, the outlet may collect sediment or particulate when the system is not in use, thus resulting in a non-homogenous mixture. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a product dispensing system configured to dispense a product mixture is provided. The system includes a hopper, a housing coupled to the hopper and defining an outlet lumen in communication with the hopper, an exit port extending from the housing, a valve disposed within the outlet lumen, and a piston disposed within the outlet lumen. The valve is selectively transitionable between a closed position, wherein the exit port is closed off from the outlet lumen, and an open position, wherein communication between the outlet lumen and the exit port is established. The piston is disposed within the outlet lumen and is movable relative to the housing between a first use position, wherein the piston partially occupies the outlet lumen, and a storage position, wherein the piston fully occupies the outlet lumen. The piston is movable from the first use position to the storage position to urge any product mixture in the outlet lumen back into the hopper. 
     In embodiments, the system further includes an agitator disposed within the hopper and configured to facilitate mixing of a product mixture disposed within the hopper. The agitator, in embodiments, may include a plurality of blades disposed within the hopper and rotatable relative to the hopper. 
     In embodiments, the piston is movable between the first use position and the storage position only when the valve is disposed in the closed position. 
     In embodiments, the piston is further movable to a second use position wherein the piston occupies a smaller portion of the outlet lumen as compared to the first use position. More specifically, the piston is movable from the first use position to the second use position with the valve disposed in the closed position to draw the product mixture from the hopper into the outlet lumen. The piston is movable from the second use position back to the first use position with the valve disposed in the open position to urge the product mixture out of the exit port. 
     In embodiments, the valve is rotatable between the open and closed positions. 
     In embodiments, the piston is slidably and sealingly disposed within the outlet lumen of the housing. 
     In embodiments, the valve is configured such that, in the closed position, the valve seals off the exit opening. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described hereinbelow with references to the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of a product dispensing system provided in accordance with the present disclosure, disposed in a first use position; 
         FIG. 2  is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of the product dispensing system of  FIG. 1 , disposed in a second use position; and 
         FIG. 3  is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of the product dispensing system of  FIG. 1 , disposed in a stop position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning to  FIGS. 1-3 , a product dispensing system provided in accordance with the present disclosure is shown and generally identified by reference numeral  100 . Product dispensing system  100  includes a hopper  110 , an agitator  120 , a housing  130 , an exit port  140 , a valve  150 , and a piston  160 . Hopper  110  defines an interior chamber that is configured to retain a product mixture that is ultimately to be dispensed into a packaging container. Hopper  110  may be configured for receiving any suitable product, composition, mixture, and/or ingredients to be mixed prior to dispensing, e.g., into a packaging container, or further processing. 
     Agitator  120  is disposed within and coupled to hopper  110  for agitating and/or mixing the product to maintain homogeneity of the product mixture within hopper  110 . More specifically, agitator  120  may include a plurality of blades  122  rotatable about common or different shafts and relative to hopper  110  to facilitate mixing of the product disposed within hopper  110 . Agitator  120  may be oriented in any suitable fashion, e.g., depending upon the particular product to be dispensed from product dispensing system  100 . Other suitable automatic agitators are also contemplated, as are manual agitators. 
     Housing  130  defines an outlet lumen  132  in communication with a bottom portion of hopper  110  and enables the product mixture to flow from hopper  110  to exit port  140 . Exit port  140  is coupled to outlet lumen  132  of housing  130  and is configured to couple to a nozzle or other dispensing member (not shown) for dispensing the product mixture into a packaging container. As can be appreciated, housing  130  extends between exit port  140  and hopper  110  and serves to interconnect exit port  140  and the interior chamber of hopper  110 . However, a portion of outlet lumen  132  of housing  130  extends beyond exit port  140 , e.g., on the opposite side of exit port  140  as compared to hopper  110 . 
     Valve  150  is operably coupled to housing  130  and is disposed within outlet lumen  132  of housing  130  between hopper  110  and exit port  140  for selectively permitting and inhibiting the product mixture to flow through outlet lumen  132 , e.g., from hopper  110 , through outlet lumen  132 , and out exit port  140 . Valve  150  is rotatable between a closed position, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , wherein exit port  140  is sealed or otherwise closed off from outlet lumen  132  to inhibit the flow of the product mixture from outlet lumen  132  out exit port  140 , and an open position, as shown in  FIG. 2 , wherein exit port  140  is disposed in fluid communication with outlet lumen  132  to permit the flow of product mixture from outlet lumen  132  through exit port  140 . In either position of valve  150 , the interior chamber of hopper  110  remains disposed in fluid communication with outlet lumen  132  of housing  130 . Although illustrated as a rotary valve, valve  150  may be configured as any suitable valve, e.g., depending upon the particular product mixture to be used therewith. Further, valve  150  may be manually or automatically actuated. 
     Piston  160  is slidably and sealingly disposed within outlet lumen  132  of housing  130 . Piston  160  is slidable through and relative to outlet lumen  132  between at least a first position ( FIG. 1 ) a second position ( FIG. 2 ), and a third position ( FIG. 3 ). In the first or down position “D,” as shown in  FIG. 1 , piston  160  extends a first distance into the portion of outlet lumen  132  of housing  130  that is positioned beyond exit port  140 . In the second or up position “U,” as shown in  FIG. 2 , piston  160  extends further through outlet lumen  132  but still does not extend beyond exit port  140 . As such piston  160  does not block or otherwise interfere with exit port  140  in the up and down positions “U” and “D,” respectively. As detailed below, movement of piston  160  between the up and down positions “U” and “D,” respectively, facilitates drawing the product mixture into outlet lumen  132  and expelling the product mixture from outlet lumen  132  the exit port  140 . In the third or storage position “S,” as shown in  FIG. 3 , piston  160  extends through outlet lumen  132  and valve  150  and is positioned to fully occupy outlet lumen  132 . Thus, in this storage position “S,” the entirety of the product mixture is urged into and retained within the interior chamber of hopper  110 . Further, with piston  160  disposed in the storage position “S” wherein piston  160  extends through valve  150 , valve  150  is disposed in the closed position and is inhibited from being manipulated from this closed position. Piston  160  may be any suitable piston, e.g., mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, etc., and may be manually or automatically actuated. 
     The use and operation of product dispensing system  100  is now detailed with reference to  FIGS. 1-3 . In the course of normal use of product dispensing system  100 , product mixture disposed within hopper  110  is continually or periodically agitated and/or mixed via rotating blades  122  of agitator  120  to maintain homogeneity (or an acceptable mixture consistency). When product dispensing system  100  is in use, e.g., is mixing, but is not dispensing the product mixture, or when product dispensing system  100  is between uses that are close-in-time, valve  150  is disposed in the closed position, wherein exit port  140  is sealed closed, and piston  160  is disposed in the up position “U.” 
     When it is desired to dispense the product mixture, initially, piston  160  is moved from the up position “U” to the down position “D,” as shown in  FIG. 1 . This partial withdrawal of piston  160  from outlet lumen  132  of housing  130 , via negative pressure, draws the product mixture from hopper  110  into outlet lumen  132 . 
     Once the product mixture has been drawn from hopper  110  into outlet lumen  132  via the partial withdrawal of piston  160  from outlet lumen  132 , valve  150  is transitioned to the open position, as shown in  FIG. 2 , wherein communication between exit port  140  and outlet lumen  132  via valve  150  is established. At this point, piston  160  is inserted further into outlet lumen  132  from the down position “D” back to the up position “U” to urge the product mixture disposed within outlet lumen  132  out exit port  140  and ultimately to the nozzle for dispensing the product. As can be appreciated, the above-described process is repeated to effect periodic dispensing of product into a packaging container, e.g., as each of a plurality of packaging containers is moved along a conveyor into position below the dispensing nozzle. During such use, agitator  120  maintains the product mixture disposed within hopper  110  in a homogenous state or at a desired consistency, while the continual withdrawal and insertion of piston  160  draws the homogenous mixture into outlet lumen  132  and urges the homogenous mixture through exit port  140  to facilitate dispensing. 
     However, when the above-noted process is stopped for a period of time, even where agitator  120  continues to run, sedimentation or particulate may collect in outlet lumen  132 . Accordingly, when product dispensing system  100  is shut down or idle for a period of time (which may ultimately depend on the particular product mixture used), piston  160  may be moved to the stop position “S,” as shown in  FIG. 3 , wherein piston  160  is positioned to urge and retain all of the product mixture within hopper  110 . Thus, with all of the product mixture disposed within hopper  110  and within the accessible range of agitator  120 , the product mixture may be maintained or returned to its homogeneous state even during prolonged non-use simply by running agitator  120 . That is, re-homogenization prior to start-up from a period of non-use simply requires activation of agitator  120  without the need for dumping the portion of the product mixture that has collected within outlet lumen  132 . 
     From the foregoing and with reference to the various figure drawings, those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain modifications can also be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the same. While several embodiments of the disclosure have been shown in the drawings, it is not intended that the disclosure be limited thereto, as it is intended that the disclosure be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of particular embodiments.