# US 12,215,014 B2 · Flowable food product dispenser with automated portion control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,215,014 B2 - Document ID: US12215014B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/983,893 - Filed: 2022-11-09 - Published: 2023-05-11 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-11-11 - Assignees: Server Products, Inc. - Applicants: Server Products, Inc. - Inventors: Steven J. Ennesser; Jordan Nielsen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12215014B2 ## CPC - B67D 1/10: Pump mechanism (in general F04) - G01F 13/006: {measuring volume in function of time} - B67D 1/0888: {Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)} - B67D 1/0889: {Supports} - G01F 13/008: {taps comprising counting- and recording means (counting devices, counting of objects in general G06M)} - B67D 2210/00031: Housing - B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F) - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME ## Abstract A flowable food product dispenser is disclosed, The food product dispenser includes a main housing that is designed to be supported on a support surface. The main housing includes an open receiving area that includes a back support wall. An electric drive motor is included within the main housing of the food product dispenser. The main housing receives a storage container assembly that is movable into and out of the open receiving area. The storage container assembly includes a container and a pump. When the storage container assembly is moved into the open receiving area, the drive motor is able to drive the pump to withdraw the flowable food product from the container. A control unit and control panel are operable to allow a user to control the pump to selectively dispense the food product from the dispenser. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A food product dispenser operable to selectively dispense a food product as desired by a user, the food product dispenser comprising: a main housing including an open receiving area defined by a pair of side walls and a back support wall; an electric drive motor located within the main housing; and a storage container assembly selectively movable into and out of the open receiving area of the main housing, the storage container assembly comprising: a container having an open interior configured to receive the food product; a pump operable to withdraw the food product from the open interior; and a dispensing tube connected to an outlet of the pump to receive the food product withdrawn by the pump; wherein the electric drive motor is operable to drive the pump when the storage container assembly is in the open receiving area of the main housing, and wherein the pump is mounted to a back wall of the container. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The food product dispenser of claim 1 wherein the electric drive motor is mounted to the back support wall and includes a drive shaft that extends through the back support wall and into the open receiving area. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The food product dispenser of claim 2 wherein the drive shaft engages the pump when the storage container assembly is moved into the open receiving area. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The food product dispenser of claim 1 wherein the storage container assembly further comprises a cover member received on the container, wherein the dispensing tube is supported on the cover member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The food product dispenser of claim 4 wherein the cover member is pivotable relative to the container to provide access to the open interior of the container. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The food product dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a pump support bracket mounted to the back wall of the container, wherein the pump is received and retained by the pump support bracket. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The food product dispenser of claim 1 further comprising: a control panel coupled to the main housing; and a control unit contained within the main housing and in communication with the control panel and the electric drive motor, wherein the control unit is operable to control operation of the electric drive motor based on the control panel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The food product dispenser of claim 1 wherein the pump is a rotary impeller pump. ### Claim 9 A food product dispenser operable to selectively dispense a food product as desired by a user, the food product dispenser comprising: a main housing including an open receiving area defined by a pair of side walls and a back support wall; an electric drive motor located within the main housing; a control panel coupled to the main housing and defining a front of the food product dispenser, the control panel configured to receive a user input; a control unit disposed within the main housing and in communication with the control panel and the electric drive motor, the control unit configured to determine an amount of the food product to dispense based on the user input at the control panel and to control operation of the electric drive motor to dispense the determined amount of food product; a container selectively movable into and out of the open receiving area of the main housing, the container having an open interior configured to receive the food product, and the container comprising a front wall and a rear wall opposite the front wall; an inlet tube having a first end extending into the open interior of the container; an outlet tube; a pump positioned between the inlet tube and the outlet tube, wherein the pump is configured to couple to the container and is operable to withdraw the food product from the open interior through the inlet tube and discharge the food product to the outlet tube; and a dispensing tube connected to an outlet of the pump to receive the food product withdrawn by the pump, the dispensing tube including a spout, wherein a portion of the dispensing tube is positioned entirely above the container; wherein the electric drive motor is operable to drive the pump when the storage container is in the open receiving area of the main housing, and wherein the pump is positioned rearward of the rear wall of the container. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The food product dispenser of claim 9 wherein the pump is mounted to a back wall of the container. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The food product dispenser of claim 10 wherein the electric drive motor is mounted to the back support wall of the main housing and includes a drive shaft that extends through the back support wall and into the open receiving area. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The food product dispenser of claim 11 wherein the drive shaft engages the pump when the container is moved into the open receiving area. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The food product dispenser of claim 9 further comprising a cover member received on the container, wherein the dispensing tube is supported on the cover member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The food product dispenser of claim 13 wherein the cover member is pivotable relative to the container to provide access to the open interior of the container. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The food product dispenser of claim 9 further comprising a pump support bracket mounted to a back wall of the container, wherein the pump is received and retained by the pump support bracket. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The food product dispenser of claim 9 wherein the pump is a rotary impeller pump. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The food product dispenser of claim 9 wherein the electric drive motor is in operative communication with the pump when the container is within the open interior. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The food product dispenser of claim 9 wherein the user input includes a type of a food item to which the food product is applied, and at least one of an order size of the food item and a quantity of the food item. ### Claim 19 A food product dispenser operable to selectively dispense a food product as desired by a user, the food product dispenser comprising: a main housing including an open receiving area in a front side of the main housing, the open receiving area defined by a pair of side walls and a back support wall; an electric drive motor disposed within the main housing; a container configured to be received in the open receiving area, the container having an open interior configured to receive the food product; a pump coupled to the electric drive motor and operable to withdraw the food product from the open interior; a dispensing tube coupled to an outlet of the pump to receive the food product withdrawn from the container by the pump, the dispensing tube having a spout that extends from the front side of the main housing; and a control unit configured to determine an amount of the food product to dispense based on a user input and to control operation of the electric drive motor to dispense the determined amount of food product, a portion of the control unit is positioned entirely above the container.