High volume reciprocating dispenser for viscous and other foodstuffs
AssigneeRieke Packaging Systems Limited
InventorSimon Christopher Knight
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fixed nozzle pump appropriate for food service and dispensing of other fluids of varying viscosities is contemplated. The components are modularly connectable for easy assembly and cleaning. A piston and sealing ring cooperate with the chamber extension formed in the pump body to facilitate reciprocating pump action while minimizing the number of components disposed in and exposed to the fluid flow path. A novel, injection-moldable valve is integrated on the dispensing nozzle. The entire assembly may be disposed within a container shell which itself includes a replaceable pouch filled with the fluid to be dispensed.
Claims13
A fixed nozzle dispenser pump having a modular construction for disassembly and cleaning, the dispenser pump comprising:
- a pump body element having a lower inlet end with lower engagement features, a dispensing nozzle extending at an angle away from a pump chamber extension defining an inner volume to receive fluid through the lower inlet, and a skirt:
- i) formed integrally with the pump body, ii) coaxially extending around a portion of the pump chamber extension at a defined gap, and iii) having one or more outer facing keying projections;
- an actuator cap comprising a hollow tube sealed at a top end by a top panel and having engagement features disposed at a lower end;
- a piston element configured to fit coaxially around the pump body extension, the piston element detachably coupled to the engagement features of the actuator cap so that the piston element and the actuator cap move axially in concert around an outer facing of a portion of the pump chamber extension;
- a sealing ring detachably coupled to a top edge of the pump chamber extension and configured to sealingly engaging an inner surface of the hollow tube;
- a unitary nozzle adapter including an outlet valve detachably coupled to a distal edge of the dispenser nozzle;
- a base detachably coupled to the lower engagement features of the body element;
- an inlet element interposed between the pump body element and the based unit element, the inlet element including an inlet valve;
- a shroud comprising a resilient sleeve coaxially enclosing the pump chamber extension, the skirt, and the piston element, the shroud having one or more attachment apertures so that one or more keying projections disposed on an outer facing of the skirt are:
- i) detachably held within the attachment apertures when the sleeve is assembled to the pump body, and ii) released when the sleeve is deformed by compressive force;
- and
- wherein the sealing ring prevents the piston element from coming into contact with the fluid in the inner volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.