# US 10,245,604 B2 · Apparatus and method for dispensing liquefied fluid > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,604 B2 - Document ID: US10245604B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/984,944 - Filed: 2015-12-30 - Published: 2016-06-30 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-30 - Assignees: Brevda Inc. - Applicants: Brevda Inc. - Inventors: Doug Foreman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245604B2 ## CPC - B05B 9/002: {incorporating means for heating or cooling, e.g. the material to be sprayed} - B05B 7/065: {an inner gas outlet being surrounded by an annular adjacent liquid outlet} - B05B 7/1666: {fixed to the discharge device} - B05B 7/1693: {with means for heating the material to be sprayed or an atomizing fluid in a supply hose or the like} - B05C 5/001: {incorporating means for heating or cooling the liquid or other fluent material (B05C11/1042 takes precedence)} - B05C 17/00526: {the material being supplied to the apparatus in a solid state, e.g. rod, and melted before application (B05C17/0054 takes precedence)} - B05B 7/1606: {the spraying of the material involving the use of an atomising fluid, e.g. air (B05B7/168, B05B7/1686, B05B7/20, B05B7/22 take precedence)} - B05B 11/0002: {incorporating means for heating or cooling, e.g. the material to be sprayed} - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - B05C: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (spraying apparatus, atomising apparatus, nozzles B05B; plant for applying liquids or other fluent materials to objects by electrostatic spraying B05B5/08) ## Abstract An apparatus for dispensing a liquefied fluid including a housing, a main reservoir at least partially disposed within the housing, wherein the main reservoir is adapted to receive a substance, a heating element positioned to melt the substance into liquefied fluid, a second reservoir in fluid communication with the main reservoir, and a nozzle in fluid communication with the second reservoir, wherein the substance is dispensable from the nozzle as liquefied fluid. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for dispensing a liquefied fluid comprising: a housing; a main reservoir at least partially disposed within the housing, wherein the main reservoir is adapted to receive a substance comprising a food product; a heating element adapted to melt the substance into liquefied fluid, and heat the main reservoir to a temperature of at least 100° F., wherein the heating element comprises at least one of a wrapping coil, a fin, a plate, a film, a sheet, or a resistance heater, a second reservoir in fluid communication with the main reservoir; a nozzle in fluid communication with the second reservoir, wherein the substance is dispensable from the nozzle as liquefied fluid, wherein the main reservoir has a first volume, V1, wherein the second reservoir has a second volume, V2, and wherein the first volume is larger from the second volume; a logic element comprising a sensor adapted to selectively engage the heating element between an on and an off position; and a volume detecting element comprising a float adapted to detect a volume of liquefied fluid within the second reservoir and communicate said volume to the logic element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the main reservoir and second reservoir are fluidly coupled together by a passageway. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second reservoir is in fluid communication with the nozzle, and wherein the second reservoir is disposed between the main reservoir and the nozzle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises: a pump adapted to generate a fluid flow of the liquefied fluid from the main reservoir to the second reservoir. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the pump is in fluid communication with: the main reservoir; the second reservoir; a passageway in fluid communication with the main reservoir; a passageway in fluid communication with the second reservoir; or a combination thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the main reservoir defines an internal volume, and wherein the main reservoir further comprises: an outlet adapted to permit flow of liquefied fluid from the internal volume; and a filter disposed between the outlet and an inlet of the main reservoir. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the filter comprises: a bottom surface; a first side surface extending from the bottom surface; a second side surface extending from the bottom surface; or a combination thereof, wherein at least one of the bottom surface, the first side surface, and the second side surface comprises at least one aperture. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one aperture has a feature adapted to disrupt surface tension of the liquefied fluid, wherein the feature comprises aperture sidewalls. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating element comprises the wrapping coil extending around at least a portion of the main reservoir. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating element extends at least partially along a passageway disposed between the second reservoir and the nozzle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is adapted to produce a spray pattern on a surface, the spray pattern having an average diameter of at least 1 inch when the nozzle is activated at a distance of 1 inch from the surface at a pressure of 25 PSI. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a light generating element positioned adjacent to the nozzle and adapted to provide illumination of the liquefied fluid. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a Hall Effect sensor. ### Claim 14 An apparatus for dispensing a liquefied fluid comprising: a housing; a main reservoir adapted to receive a substance comprising a food product; a nozzle in fluid communication with the main reservoir, wherein the substance is dispensable from the nozzle as liquefied fluid; a pump adapted to generate a fluid flow of the liquefied fluid from the main reservoir to the nozzle; a heating element disposed within the housing such that the heating element is adjacent to the main reservoir, wherein the heating element is adapted to melt the substance into liquefied fluid, wherein the heating element comprises at least one of a wrapping coil, a fin, a plate, a film, a sheet, or a resistance heater, wherein the main reservoir defines an internal volume, and wherein the main reservoir further comprises: an outlet adapted to permit flow of liquefied fluid from the internal volume; and a filter disposed between the outlet and an inlet of the main reservoir, wherein the filter comprises a surface comprising at least one aperture comprising a feature adapted to disrupt surface tension of the liquefied fluid, wherein the feature comprises aperture sidewalls; a second reservoir in fluid communication with the main reservoir; a logic element comprising a sensor adapted to selectively engage the heating element between an on and an off position; and a volume detecting element comprising a float adapted to detect a volume of liquefied fluid within the second reservoir and communicate said volume to the logic element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a position sensor adapted to detect a relative position or angle of the apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the position sensor is adapted to terminate or adjust operation of the apparatus when a position or angle of the apparatus is beyond a predetermined threshold. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the heating element comprises the wrapping coil extending around at least a portion of the main reservoir. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the heating element is adapted to have a first temperature at a first location along the heating element and a second temperature at a second location along the heating element, and wherein the first temperature is different than the second temperature.