Flexible impeller pump for flowable food product

A pump operable to pump a flowable food product, comprising:

• a pump body including an inlet port, an outlet port and an open impeller chamber;
• an impeller assembly configured to be received within the open impeller chamber, the impeller assembly including an impeller shaft and an impeller portion having a plurality of vanes;
• and
• a cover member having:
• a body, wherein an outer surface thereof includes a protruding engagement fin configured as a point of contact for a user to rotate the cover member in a counterclockwise locking direction or a clockwise unlocking direction, and
• a seal member integral with the body, wherein the cover member is configured to be received and retained on the pump body such that the seal member is positioned between the body of the cover member and the pump body;
• wherein the impeller portion includes a rear seal formed as an integral part of the impeller portion along with the plurality of vanes and located in the impeller chamber, wherein the rear seal is axially spaced from the plurality of vanes and surrounds the impeller shaft and contacts a rear face of the pump body to create a seal with the rear face around the impeller shaft when the impeller assembly is received in the pump body.

A flowable food product dispenser for dispensing a flowable food product from a supply of the flowable food product, comprising:

• a three piece pump assembly operable to pump the flowable food product out of the dispenser;
• and
• a drive motor coupled to the pump and operable to rotate the three piece pump assembly, wherein the three piece pump assembly consists of:
• a pump body comprising an inlet port, an outlet port and an open impeller chamber, wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are in direct fluid communication with the open impeller chamber;
• an impeller assembly configured to be received within the open impeller chamber, the impeller assembly comprising an impeller shaft extending between a drive shaft portion and a stub shaft formed on an opposite end of the impeller shaft and an impeller portion having a plurality of vanes, wherein the impeller portion is molded over an interface section of the impeller shaft to prevent separation of the impeller portion and the impeller shaft;
• and
• a cover member comprising:
• a body, wherein an outer surface thereof includes a protruding engagement fin configured as a point of contact for a user to rotate the cover member in a counterclockwise locking direction or a clockwise unlocking direction, and
• a seal member integral with the body to prevent separation of the seal member from the body, wherein the cover member is configured to be received and retained on the pump body such that the cover member rotatably supports the stub shaft of the impeller shaft and the seal member is positioned in direct contact with the body of the cover member and the pump body to create a seal between the pump body and the cover member.

A flowable food product dispenser for dispensing a flowable food product from a supply of the flowable food product, comprising:

• a three piece pump assembly operable to pump the flowable food product out of the dispenser;
• and
• a drive motor coupled to the three piece pump assembly and operable to rotate the pump, wherein the three piece pump assembly consists of:
• a pump body including an inlet port, an outlet port and an open impeller chamber;
• an impeller assembly configured to be received within the open impeller chamber, the impeller assembly including an impeller shaft and an impeller portion having a plurality of vanes;
• and
• a cover member comprising:
• a body, wherein an outer surface thereof includes a protruding engagement fin configured as a point of contact for a user to rotate the cover member in a counterclockwise locking direction or a clockwise unlocking direction, and
• a seal member integral with the body, wherein the cover member is configured to be received and retained on the pump body such that the seal member is positioned between the body of the cover member and the pump body,
• wherein the impeller portion includes a rear seal is formed as an integral part of the impeller portion along with the plurality of impeller vanes and located in the impeller chamber, wherein the rear seal is axially spaced from the plurality of vanes and surrounds the impeller shaft and contacts a rear face of the pump body to create a seal with the rear face of the pump body around the impeller shaft when the impeller assembly is received in the pump body.

A three piece pump assembly for use in a food product dispenser to pump a flowable food product, comprising:

• a pump body comprising an inlet port, an outlet port and an open impeller chamber, wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are in direct fluid communication with the open impeller chamber;
• an impeller assembly configured to be received within the open impeller chamber, the impeller assembly comprising an impeller shaft extending between a drive shaft portion and a stub shaft formed on an opposite end of the impeller shaft and an impeller portion having a plurality of vanes, wherein the impeller portion is molded over an interface section of the impeller shaft to prevent separation of the impeller portion and the impeller shaft;
• and
• a cover member comprising:
• a body, wherein an outer surface thereof includes a protruding engagement fin configured as a point of contact for a user to rotate the cover member in a counterclockwise locking direction or a clockwise unlocking direction, and
• a seal member molded into the body such that the seal member is integral with the body of the cover member to prevent separation of the seal member from the body, wherein the cover member is configured to be received and retained on the pump body such that the cover member rotatably supports the stub shaft of the impeller shaft and the seal member is positioned in direct contact with the body of the cover member and the pump body to create a seal between the pump body and the cover member.