US3837533A

US3837533A - Fluid substance dispenser

Info

Publication number: US3837533A
Application number: US00263465A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Splan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-06-16
Filing date: 1972-06-16
Publication date: 1974-09-24
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-24

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is directed to a fluid dispensing device which is usable as a condiment dispenser for such things as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise or the like. The dispensing device has a hand-manipulated flexible housing which is provided with an access opening at the top thereof and an outlet port at the bottom. The access opening is adapted to receive a container which is formed of film material and which supports the fluid substance to be placed into the dispensing device. The container is insertable into the housing so that a nozzle or valve element is positioned at the bottom of the container and fits through the outlet port from where the fluid substance can be dispensed. A check valve member is formed in the housing so that upon manual squeezing of the housing pressure is applied to the film container and the fluid substance is thereby dispensed. Upon releasing hand pressure of the housing, atmospheric pressure is pulled into the housing by opening of the check valve. The dispensing nozzle is formed as part of the film container rather than part of the outer support housing. The nozzle is a single, integral element having a starter passage portion into which an initial quantity of fluid substance flows prior to initial opening of the valve, a seal portion downstream of the starter passage portion which is resiliently opened and closed by the normal elasticity of the material forming the nozzle, and a dispensing end completely closeable so that the fluid substance is not left about the nozzle when the upstream seal is in a closed condition.

Description

United States Patent [191 Splan Sept. 24, 1974 FLUID SUBSTANCE DISPENSER [76] Inventor: Robert E. Splan, 900 E. Wilmette Rd., Palatine, Ill. 60067 [22] Filed: June 16, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 263,465

Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles Assistant Examiner-John P. Shannon Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Olson, Trexler, Wolters, Bushnell & Fosse, Ltd.

[5 7] ABSTRACT The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is directed to a fluid dispensing device which is usable as a condiment dispenser for such things as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise or the like. The dispensing device has a hand-manipulated flexible housing which is provided with an access opening at the top thereof and an outlet port at the bottom. The access opening is adapted to receive a container which is formed of film material and which supports the fluid substance to be placed into the dispensing device. The container is insertable into the housing so that a nozzle or valve element is positioned at the bottom of the container and fits through the outlet port from where the fluid substance can be dispensed. A check valve member is formed in the housing so that upon manual squeezing of the housing pressure is applied to the film container and the fluid substance is thereby dispensed. Upon releasing hand pressure of the housing, atmospheric pressure is pulled into the housing by opening of the check valve. The dispensing nozzle is formed as part of the film container rather than part of the outer support housing. The nozzle is a single, integral element having a starter passage portion into which an initial quantity of fluid substance flows prior to initial opening of the valve, a seal portion downstream of the starter passage portion which is resiliently opened and closed by the normal elasticity ofv the material forming the nozzle, and a dispensing end completely closeable so that the fluid substance is not left about the nozzle when the upstream seal is in a closed condition.

3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED 2 74 sum '1 m: z

FLUID SUBSTANCE DISPENSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to containers, and more particularly to fluid condiment dispensers for receiving fluid substances such as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and the like.

Heretofore, dispensers such as ketchup and mustard dispensers used in restaurants, food counters, and homes have been made of flexible plastic or rubber material so that the fluid substance therein is readily dispensed under pressure upon squeezing the outer walls of the flexible container. Generally the dispensing nozzle of this type of container is located at the top and it is necessary to invert the container and shake down a quantity of fluid substance into the nozzle before squeezing the same. Furthermore, the nozzle has a small opening continuously vented to atmosphere so that when used for ketchup, for example, oxidization of the tomato substance in the ketchup causes blackening thereof. Therefore, it is necessary to frequently clean the interior of the dispenser so that accumulated bacteria will not cause spoilage of new fluid substances in the containers.

While these types of prior art dispenser units have the advantage of being made of flexible, nonbreakable material and are relatively inexpensive to manufacture, they have the distinct disadvantage of becoming readily contaminated through normal use by the contamination within the atmosphere as well as the oxidization problem mentioned above. To eliminate such contamination problems, it is necessary to completely seal the interior of the container from the atmosphere.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved fluid substance dispenser unit which can receive fluid substances such as fluid condiments as ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise, and the like, and which can be used in restaurants, on food counters or in the home.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dispensing nozzle for use with a fluid substance dispenser which completely seals the interior of the container from atmospheric conditions while at the same time allowing ready dispensing of such fluid substances without the need of opening covers or lids or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fluid substance dispenser for condiments which is maintained clean and sanitary during the normal use thereof.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a fluid substance container which is efficient and reliable in use and which is simple and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

A feature of this invention is the use of a separate fluid substance hand-manipulated housing and a separate insertable film material container therefor, wherein the film material container can be either of the reusable or of the disposable type.

Briefly, the fluid substance container of this invention includes a handmanipulated housing having an access opening formed at the top thereof and an outlet port formed through a relatively thick bottom wall. An insertable container is formed of a thin flexible film material and receives therein the fluid substance which is to be dispensed. The insertable container has secured thereto and formed as an integral part therewith a nozzle member which is located at the bottom of the container and inserted through the outlet port of the housing. Preferably the nozzle extends through a recessed portion of the bottom wall of the housing but at no time comes in contact with the surface upon which the container rests.

Most advantageously, the nozzle is a single integral unit having three distinctive series fluid communication portions, one portion being a starter passage portion, a second portion being a seal portion intermediate the nozzle, and the third portion being a terminating or dispensing end from which the fluid substance ultimately is dispensed. The nozzle is made of a flexible material sufficiently yieldable under pressure produced by hand-squeezing of the housing so as to cause the fluid substance to pass from the starter passage portion into the seal portion and therefrom out of the dispensing end portion. The material forming the nozzle is also sufficiently yieldable in a retractable sense so that the seal portion of the nozzle becomes fully closed in such a manner as to insure that all material in the nozzle is squeezed therefrom by either completely dispensing from the end or urging the fluid back through the nozzle into the starter passage portion from whence it came. This insures that no fluid substance is accumulated about the nozzle and therefore the contamination of the fluid substance is prevented.

Accordingly, many other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be more fully realized and understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals throughout the various views of the drawings are intended to designate similar elements or components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view illustrating a fluid dispensing device constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention and which can be used to dispense fluid condiments such as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise and the like;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the dispenser unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing the various components, i.e., the hand-manipulated outer housing, the inner container formed of film material for supporting the fluid substance, and the nozzle and port arrangement which eliminates contamination of the substance at the nozzle;

FIG. 4 is a section view taken along line 4-4 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a nozzle con structed in accordance with the principles of this invention and is shown in its closed seal condition;

FIG. 7 shows the nozzle of FIG. 6 and is shown in its opened condition for passing fluid material therethrough;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary top view of the nozzle and a portion of the film container thereabout; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing one form of check valve arrangement which can be used to cause pressure equalization within the housing during use thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 there is seen a fluid dispensing device constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention and designated generally by reference numeral 10. The fluid dispensing device 10 is particularly useful for dispensing fluid substances of relatively thick consistency, and has the further particular advantage of being extremely useful for dispensing condiment fluids such as ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise and the like. The fluid dispensing device 10 is formed of a hand-manipulated flexible housing 11 preferably of pliable plastic material such as polyethylene, plasticized polyvinylchloride, or the like, and readily expands or retreats to its normal position, as shown in the drawing, when hand pressure is released from the outer wall of the housing. A most convenient configuration of the housing 11 is cylindrical so that it can be readily gripped between the fingers and thumb and squeezed when used. The housing 11 includes an access opening 12 formed at the top thereof and is provided with thread means for receiving a threaded cover 13 for sealing the housing after a quantity of condiment fluid is placed therein. The condiment fluid is dispensed from the bottom of the housing through a nozzle 18 extending through the recessed portion 150 of the bottom wall 15.

In accordance with one of the novel aspects of this invention a lightweight flexible sheet or film material forms a container 16 which has a filler opening 17 at the top through which the condiment fluid is inserted when filling or refilling the container 16. At the bottom of the container 16 there is provided a nozzle structure 18 clampingly engaging the film material forming the container by means of a pair of radially outwardly extending flange sections 19a and 19b placed on opposite sides of the sheet material which forms the container. The nozzle 18 is insertable into the outlet port 14 when the container is inserted through the access opening 12. To facilitate location of the outlet port 14, and also the nozzle 18 inserted therein, the housing 11 is fashioned with the access opening 12 thereof offset from the center of the housing in a direction diametrically opposed to the peripheral edge at which the outlet port 14 is formed. Therefore, the user of the condiment dispenser can pretty well determine the exact location from which the condiment will be dispensed by merely looking at the general configuration and the position of the cover 13 relative to the housing center line. However, it will be understood that other configurations can be utilized to facilitate locating the dispensing nozzle without necessitating the need of turning the housing upside-down to visually locate the same. One novel means as contemplated by this invention is to locate a check valve opening in the top of the housing directly over the location of the nozzle 18 so the viewing of the check valve opening will indicate exactly where the nozzle is positioned. Since the dispensing nozzle is located at the bottom of the dispensing device and the condiment fluid, or other fluid substance, is at all times directed downwardly due to gravitational force, dispensable fluid is at all times in direct fluid contact with the nozzle and shaking down of the fluid, as heretofore required with prior dispensing devices, is not needed.

While the container 16 shown in FIG. 3 is indicated as substantially cylindrical in its removed position, it will be understood that its cylindrical configuration is primarily controlled by the fact that it is embraced by the inner walls of the housing 11. Referring now to FIG. 4 the assembled condition of the dispensing device 10 is shown in cross section and the flexible container 16 will have the bottom portion thereof substantially in conformity with the inner wall surface configuration of the bottom wall 15. That is, the bottom 16a of the container 16 will have a downwardly sloped major area portion in conformity with a downwardly sloped major area portion 15a which terminates in a substantially horizontal portion 1512 through which the outlet port 14 is formed. This downwardly sloped configuration of the bottom wall insures that fluid substance is at all times directed toward the nozzle 18. This is best illustrated in FIG. 5 which shows the nozzle being placed close to the periphery of the housing 11 through the outlet port 14 formed in the reduced area flattened section 15b.

Another advantageous feature of the present invention is the fact that the extent of the nozzle 18 is less than the thickness of the wall 15 in the region of the minor area portion 15b so that the dispensing end portion 23 of the nozzle at no time comes in contact with the surface upon which the fluid dispensing device is positioned. This further insures contaminant-free dispensing of condiment fluids from the dispensing device 10 Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 the details of construction of the nozzle, as contemplated by the novel aspects of this invention, are shown. The nozzle 18 is formed of moldable resilient material such as plastic or rubber and has the radially outwardly extending flange portions 19a and 19b engaging the sheet material of the container 16 and may be secured thereto either by crimping or adhesive, as desired, to provide a fluid tight seal therebetween. The nozzle 18 includes three distinct operating areas beginning with an annularly tapered starter passage portion 21 into which a quantity of fluid substance will flow under the force of gravity. The starter passage portion 21 is in series fluid communication with a seal portion 22 formed by diametrically opposed flat wall sections abutting one another and urged together under the inherent resilient force within the flexible material forming the nozzle. The seal portion 22 extends completely to the dispensing end portion 23 from which the fluid substance is ultimately dispensed. In operation, pressure is applied to the interior of the container 16 by squeezing the housing 11. This pressure then causes an initial quantity of fluid substance to travel from the starter passage portion 21 into the seal portion 22, as shown in FIG. 7, and the flow of uidsubs anss will swin as 9m stthe ss re, i applied. Upon release of hand pressure froin the housing 11, the diametrically opposed flat wall portions forming the seal 22 will come together along the entire length thereof so as to squeeze any quantity of fluid substance therein either completely out of the nozzle, i.e., toward the dispensing end portion 23, or back up into the starter passage portion 21. Therefore, all of the fluid substance, particularly that of ketchup which oxidizes in air, is expelled from the nozzle so that a sanitary condition is maintained at all times.

To insure that pressure buildup in the housing 11 is maintained during manual squeezing of the housing and pressure decline occurs upon release of the housing, check valve means 25 is provided at the top wall of the housing to allow no passage of air from the housing upon squeezing and to allow passage of air into the housing upon release thereof to compensate for the volume of fluid substance dispensed from the nozzle 18. As best illustrated in FIG. 9 there is seen an enlarged detailed showing of the check valve 25. The check valve 25 may include an aperture 26 formed in the top wall of the housing and further include a resiliently movable arm 27 positioned adjacent the aperture which has a protuberance 28 formed thereon, or secured thereto, to extend into the aperture 26 and form a seal therewith. The area of the arm 27 is such that it will be urged upwardly so that the protuberance 28 is firmly inserted into the aperture 26 during manual squeezing of the housing 11 thus insuring that all pressure exerted by manual manipulation will be directed onto the outer surface of the container 16 which, in turn, will urge the fluid substance therein through the nozzle 18. The resiliently movable arm 27 is sufficiently flexible so that even slight hand pressure on the outside of the housing 11 will increase the pressure therein completely to seal the aperture 26. Upon release of the hand pressure on the housing 11 the resiliently movable arm 27, together with the protuberance 28 formed thereon, will move downwardly, as shown by broken lines, to allow air, at atmospheric pressure, to enter the housing. Preferably the location of the aperture 26 is directly above the outlet port 14 so that the exact location of the dispensing nozzle is known to the user thereof merely by looking at the top of the housing.

In accordance with one novel aspect of this invention the fluid substance, as for example ketchup, within the container 16 is at all times urged toward the nozzle 14 under the force of gravity while the dispensing unit is in a rest condition on a counter or tabletop. Therefore, no shaking down of fluid substance is necessary prior to dispensing of the same. In an alternate configuration of the invention disclosed herein, the dispensing bag 16 and and nozzle 14 can be formed as an integral unit, as for example by molding or the like. The top of the dispensing bag can be folded over so that no air can get into the container 16, or the top 17 of the bag 16 can be knotted as shown by reference numeral 17a. Furthermore, the bag can be sealed by heat sealing or the like after a quantity of fluid substance has been packaged therein, this preferably being the case where the container 16 is'of the disposable type and purchased with prefilled quantities of condiment fluid, such as ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise, or other fluid.

Since the container 16 is of a flexible film material it will collapse about the fluid substance therein during dispensing of the fluid substance so that no air comes in contact with the fluid substance contained therein. When the container 16 is to be of the refillable type it is removed from the housing 11 and cleaned if necessary and a quantity of fluid substance inserted through the opening 17 and the top of the container is then either folded over or knotted as shown in FIG. 4. The container is then inserted into the housing with the nozzle 18 extending into the outlet port 14. As mentioned above it is preferred that the nozzle 18 be shorter than the thickness of the wall through which the outlet port 14 is formed so that the dispensing end 23 of the nozzle does not come in contact with the counter surface or table surface upon which the dispenser unit rests. This is of particular interest when used for condiments. It will be understood that the nozzle can be of the same I extent as the thickness of the wall, or even longer, and

legs can be provided at the bottom of the housing to maintain the container in a raised condition over the surface upon which it rests.

After the filled container 16 is inserted into the housing 11 the cover 13 is screwed in position over the access opening to provide an airtight seal with the top of the housing. As the housing 11 is manually squeezed to increase the pressure therein, the fluid substance within the container 16 is correspondingly placed under pressure and will issue from the nozzle 18. This will be accompanied with simultaneous collapse of the container 16 so that the air volume within the housing about the container will increase as the fluid substance in the container decreases. In use the dispensing unit 10 is held over the food to receive the condiment therein and the housing is manually squeezed one or more times and for as long as is necessary to dispense the desired quantity of condiment fluid. Upon release of the housing 11 the arm 27, together with the protuberance 28 formed thereon, will move downwardly, as shown by the broken line, to allow air to enter the housing 11. Preferably the location of the aperture 26 is directly above the outlet port 14 so that the exact location of the dispensing nozzle is known merely by looking at the top of the housing.

Therefore, it can be seen that the fluid dispensing device of this invention has particular utility when used for dispensing condiment fluid such as ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise, as well as other fluids not related to food products. Accordingly, variations and modifications of this invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts disclosed and claimed herein.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. In a fluid dispensing device the combination comprising: a housing of resilient material having an access opening and an outlet port, a container formed of flexible film material for receiving therein a quantity of fluid substance to be dispensed, said container being readily insertable into said housing through said access opening, and a nozzle secured to and forming part of said container and insertable into said outlet port of said housing, whereby squeezing said housing will apply pressure to the outer surface of said container to dispense the fluid substance therein through said nozzle, said access opening being formed at the top of said housing and said outlet port being formed through a bottom wall of said housing, the interior surface of the bottom wall of said housing having a major area thereof inclined downwardly and a minor area thereof oriented substantially parallel to the outside surface of said bottom wall, said outlet port being formed in said minor area, whereby fluid substance in said container is at all times directed down the inclined surface toward said nozzle to provide an initial quantity of fluid substance within said nozzle, said housing including check valve means formed in the top wall of said housing to allow pressure buildup within the housing upon squeezing the same and to allow entrace of atmospheric air therethrough when releasing the squeezing pressure on said housing, thereby allowing rapid expansion of said housing to its normal configuration after dispensing a given quantity of the fluid substance, said check valve means including an aperture formed in the top wall of said housing, an arm secured to the top wall of said housing and displaced from said aperture, said arm extending toward said aperture, and a protuberance extending upwardly from said arm and engaging the periphery of said aperture to form a seal therewith upon squeezing of said housing and wherein atmospheric pressure will urge said protuberance and said arm away from said aperture to allow atmospheric air to enter said housing.

2. In the fluid dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the bottom portion of said housing has a predetermined depth and wherein said nozzle on said container extends through said outlet port and is of a length less than the depth of said bottom portion of said housing so as not to come in direct contact with the surface upon which the dispensing device is positioned.

3. In a fluid dispensing device the combination comprising: a housing of resilient material having means providing access to the interior thereof and an outlet port, and a container readily insertable into the interior of said housing and formed of flexible film material for receiving therein a quantity of fluid substance to be dispensed, said container having a filler opening to be sealed for isolating said substance and a nozzle secured to and forming part of said container and insertable into said outlet port whereby squeezing said housing will apply pressure to the outer surface of said container to dispense the fluid substance therein through said nozzle, said device further including check valve means formed in said housing and opening into said housing spaced from said container to allow pressure buildup within the housing upon squeezing the same and to allow entrance of atmospheric air therethrough when releasing the squeezing pressure on said housing, thereby allowing rapid expansion of said housing to its normal configuration after dispensing a given quantity of the fluid substance, said check valve means including an aperture formed in a wall of said housing, an arm secured to said housing wall and displaced from said aperture and extending toward said aperture, and a protuberance extending from said arm and engaging the periphery of said aperture to form a seal therewith upon squeezing of said housing and wherein atmospheric pressure will urge said protuberance and said arm away from said aperture to allow atmospheric air to enter said housing.