Patent ID: 8220672

Claim:
A system for dispensing fluid for a food product, the system comprising: a valve-less fluid block including at least one internal air passage and at least one internal fluid dispensing passage defined within an interior of the fluid block; the at least one air passage configured to receive air from an air source and to permit air to flow through the interior of the block to a central dispensing passage defined within the interior of the block; the at least one fluid dispensing passage configured to receive and to permit flow of a volume of fluid through the interior of the block to the central dispensing passage; the central dispensing passage disposed in fluid communication with the at least one air passage and with the at least one fluid dispensing passage such that, the central dispensing passage receives air and the volume of fluid and is configured to permit mixing of the volume of fluid with air, the central dispensing passage defining a port to dispense the mixture of fluid and air from the fluid block; at least one flow channel disposed externally to the fluid block and connected operatively to the at least one fluid dispensing passage at one end and connected operatively to a fluid container at another opposite end such that, the at least one flow channel is in fluid communication with the fluid container and the at least one fluid dispensing passage, the flow channel configured to permit flow of the volume of fluid dispensed from the fluid container to the at least one fluid dispensing passage; a pump connected operatively between the fluid container and the at least one flow channel and configured to draw the volume of fluid from the fluid container and to create sufficient pressure within the at least one flow channel to drive the volume of fluid through the at least one flow channel to the fluid block, the pump constructed and arranged to retract flow of the volume of fluid such that a flow front of the volume of fluid is retracted within the at least one flow channel in an opposite direction to dispensing to a specific point along the at least one flow channel, and at least one sensor coupled operatively with the flow channel, the sensor being configured to detect a presence of at least one of: air and fluid disposed in the flow channel, wherein the at least one sensor detects the presence of a flow front of the volume of fluid disposed in the at least one fluid dispensing passage.