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US 10,526,189 B2Granted
Gravity fed viscous liquid and food product dispensing system
AssigneeGrabas Limited
InventorMichael J. Grause, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A liquid and semi-liquid product dispenser that improves gravity dispensing of product by using a product bottle that slopes downwards towards the feed valve when the bottle is placed for dispensing. This includes a long sloped portion that extends downwards from the rear of the bottle to the front of the bottle, and a curved and sloped portion proximate to the valve. These slopes feed product to the valve under the force of gravity when the valve is opened. Installation of product bottles is aided by an interior design of the dispenser case that mirrors the bottles contours and ensures that the bottle is positioned for use when placed.
Claims13
A dispensing system comprising:
- (a) a case comprising an interior, a door, and a bottle holder within the interior, the bottle holder comprising an inclined shelf and a positioning shelf, wherein the door is positioned to cover the interior when in a closed position and allow access to the interior when in an open position;
- (b) a bottle comprising a neck portion at a bottom of the bottle, a spout positioned at the lowest point of the bottom and extending from the neck portion, a body positioned above the spout, a first surface of the bottom extending from the front of the bottle downwards to the spout, and a second surface of the bottom extending from the rear of the bottle downwards to the spout;
- (c) a valve adapted to couple with the spout, the valve comprising an upper frame and a lower frame, the upper frame comprising an upper aperture and the lower frame comprising a lower aperture, wherein
- (i) the upper frame and the lower frame are coupled so that the lower frame can slide along the upper frame between a first position and a second position,
- (ii) when the lower frame is in the first position, the lower aperture is positioned below the upper aperture and a dispensing aperture is formed having a size depending upon the amount of overlap of the upper aperture and the lower aperture, and
- (iii) when the lower frame is in the second position, the upper aperture is blocked by the lower frame,
- wherein:
- (A) the bottle holder is adapted to hold the bottle upright within the interior and position the upper aperture above a dispensing area,
- (B) a slope of the inclined shelf is complementary to a slope of the second surface of the bottle such that the second surface rests evenly against the inclined shelf when the bottle is placed in the positioning shelf,
- (C) the positioning shelf comprises an aperture, and wherein the shape of the perimeter of the aperture is complementary to the shape of the perimeter of the neck portion such that the aperture guides the bottle into a dispensing position when the neck portion is placed in the positioning shelf, and
- (D) the case comprises a heating element operable to heat the interior, the inclined shelf is formed of a heat conductive material and is adapted to contact at least 95% of the second surface when the bottle is placed in the positioning shelf, and the second surface is at least 80% of the area of the bottom.
8 more elements
A dispensing system comprising:
- (a) a case comprising an interior and a bottle holder within the interior, the bottle holder comprising an inclined shelf and a positioning shelf;
- and
- (b) a bottle comprising a spout positioned at a bottom of the bottle, wherein a first surface of the bottom extends from the front of the bottle downwards to the spout, and a second surface of the bottom extends from the rear of the bottle downwards to the spout;
- wherein:
- (A) the positioning shelf comprises an aperture, and wherein the shape of the aperture is complementary to the shape of the spout such that the aperture guides the bottle into a dispensing position when the spout is placed in the positioning shelf,
- (A) a slope of the inclined shelf is complementary to a slope of the second surface of the bottle such that the second surface rests against the inclined shelf when the bottle is placed in the positioning shelf,
- (C) the case comprises a heating element operable to heat the interior, the inclined shelf is formed of a heat conductive material and is adapted to contact at least 95% of the second surface when the bottle is placed in the positioning shelf, and the second surface is at least 80% of the area of the bottom.
4 more elements
A dispensing system comprising:
- (a) a case comprising an interior and a bottle holder within the interior, the bottle holder comprising an inclined shelf and a positioning shelf;
- and
- (b) a bottle comprising a spout positioned at a bottom of the bottle, wherein a first surface of the bottom extends from the front of the bottle downwards to the spout, and a second surface of the bottom extends from the rear of the bottle downwards to the spout;
- wherein:
- (A) the positioning shelf comprises an aperture, and wherein the shape of the aperture is complementary to the shape of the spout such that the aperture guides the bottle into a dispensing position when the spout is placed in the positioning shelf,
- (A) a slope of the inclined shelf is complementary to a slope of the second surface of the bottle such that the second surface rests against the inclined shelf when the bottle is placed in the positioning shelf,
- (C) the case comprises a heating element operable to heat the interior, the inclined shelf is formed of a heat conductive material and is adapted to contact at least 50% of the second surface when the bottle is placed in the positioning shelf, and the second surface is at least 50% of the area of the bottom.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.