Touch-free flowable food product dispenser

A food product dispenser operable to selectively dispense a food product as desired by a user, comprising:

• a main body having an open interior sized to receive a supply of food product to be dispensed;
• a pump assembly including a first end in fluid communication with the supply of food product and a dispensing end extending from the main body;
• an electric drive motor operable to actuate the pump assembly to draw the supply of food product from the supply and discharge the food product from the dispensing end of the pump assembly;
• a sensor positioned to detect the presence of an actuation member in proximity to the sensor;
• and
• a control unit connected to the sensor and the electric drive motor, wherein the control unit is operable to control the operation of the electric drive motor to activate the pump assembly based on the sensor detecting the presence of the actuation member.

An automated pump actuation unit for use with a food product dispenser including a main body having an open interior and a pump assembly including a first end in fluid communication with a supply of food product located within the open interior and a dispensing end extending from the main body, comprising:

• an electric drive motor operable to actuate the pump assembly to draw the supply of food product from the supply and discharge the food product from the dispensing end of the pump assembly;
• a sensor positioned to detect the presence of an actuation member in proximity to the sensor;
• and
• a control unit connected to the sensor and the electric drive motor, wherein the control unit is operable to control the operation of the electric drive motor to activate the pump assembly based on the sensor detecting the presence of the actuation member.