Patent ID: 7147134

Claim:
A dispensing device having an enhanced capacity for controlling the temperature of a flowable food product, comprising: a first pair of opposed surfaces spaced from each other by a spacing that is sufficient closely for maintaining a pouch substantially in a standing position, wherein the opposed surfaces are arranged to allow heat to be transferred to or from the pouch, and the opposed surfaces have supporting portions to support the pouch, a first one of the supporting portions having a first height that is equal or less than the height of another supporting portion, said spacing being at most about 20% of the size of said first height; a temperature altering device associated with the pouch for heating or cooling the pouch by transferring the heat to or from the pouch with respect to the opposed surfaces, wherein the opposed surfaces are directly heated or cooled by the temperature altering device and are configured for sufficiently contacting extensive walls of the pouch to for directly transferring heat therebetween; a food delivery mechanism associable with the pouch for selectively delivering portions of food from the pouch; the temperature altering device is configured for transferring the heat by convection, and comprises a convection heater, the convection heater comprises an air heater and a blower that is configured for blowing heated air from the air heater to the opposed surfaces; and further comprising a housing in which the opposed surfaces are housed in association with the temperature altering device, wherein the housing is configured for removably receiving a plurality of cassettes, each of which comprises the first pair of contact surfaces, the housing being configured for directing the heated air in a plurality of paths around the cassettes.