Pump type dispenser for heat softenable food products

A pump-type dispenser for heat softenable food products comprising, a product receptacle, heater means for heating the product in the receptacle and means for controlling the heater means to heat the product in the receptacle to a predetermined product softening temperature range at which the product is heat softened to a pumpable condition, pump means detachable from the receptacle and including a pump body extending downwardly in the receptacle to receive product and a dispensing spout external of the receptacle for delivering product, a closed heat pipe containing a vaporizable heat transfer fluid and having an upper condensation zone in heat exchange relation with at least a portion of the spout and a lower evaporation zone arranged to receive heat from said heater means, the type and charge of vaporizable heat transfer fluid in the closed heat pipe being selected such that, at least at the lower portion of said predetermined product softening temperature range, a portion of the heat transfer fluid is in the liquid state and a portion in the vapor state whereby, when the lower evaporization zone of the heat pipe receives heat from the heater means, some of the liquid heat transfer fluid in the lower evaporization zone is vaporized and the vapors rise and condense in the upper condensation zone to heat the spout when the spout temperature is below temperature of the evaporization zone, the upper condensing zone of the heat pipe being fixed to the spout in heat exchange relation therewith and the heat pipe extending downwardly inside the receptacle to position the lower evaporization zone below the product level to receive heat when the product is heated by the heater means.

A pump-type dispenser for heat softenable food products comprising, a product receptacle, heater means for heating the product in the receptacle and means for controlling the heater means to heat the product in the receptacle to a predetermined product softening temperature range at which the product is heat softened to a pumpable condition, pump means detachable from the receptacle and including a pump body extending downwardly in the receptacle to receive product and a dispensing spout external of the receptacle for delivering product, a closed heat pipe containing a vaporizable heat transfer fluid having an upper condensation zone in heat exchange relation with at least a portion of the spout and a lower evaporation zone arranged to receive heat from said heater means, the type and charge of vaporizable heat transfer fluid in the closed heat pipe being selected such that, at least at the lower portion of said predetermined product softening temperature range, a portion of the heat transfer fluid is in the liquid state and a portion in the vapor state whereby, when the lower evaporization zone of the heat pipe receives heat from the heater means, some of the liquid heat transfer fluid in the lower evaporization zone is vaporized and the vapors rise and condense in the upper condensation zone to heat the spout when the spout temperature is below temperature of the evaporization zone, a cover for the receptacle attached to the pump for supporting the pump in the receptacle, the cover, the pump and spout being removable as a unit from the receptacle, the upper condensing zone of the heat pipe being fixed to the spout in heat exchange relation therewith and extending through the cover and downwardly inside the receptacle to position the lower evaporation zone below the product level to receive heat when the product is heated by the heater means.

A pump-type dispenser for heat softenable food products comprising a stationary housing, a product receptacle mounted in the stationary housing, heater means for heating the product in the receptacle and means for controlling the heater means to heat the product in the receptacle to a predetermined product softening temperature range at which the product is heat softened to a pumpable condition, pump means detachable from the receptacle and including a pump body extending downwardly in the receptacle to receive product therefrom and a dispensing spout external of the receptacle for delivering product therefrom, a closed heat pipe containing a vaporizable heat transfer fluid and having an upper condensation zone fixed to the spout in heat exchange relation with at least a portion of the spout, the heat pipe extending downwardly in the receptacle and having a lower evaporation zone disposed below the product in the receptacle, to receive heat from the product when the product is heated by said heater means, the type and charge of vaporizable heat transfer fluid in the closed heat pipe being selected such that, at least at the lower portion of said predetermined product softening temperature range, a portion of the heat transfer fluid is in the liquid state and a portion in the vapor state whereby, when the lower evaporization zone of the heat pipe receives heat from the product, some of the liquid heat transfer fluid in the lower evaporization zone is vaporized and the vapors rise and condense in the upper condensing zone to heat the spout when the spout temperature is below temperature of the evaporization zone.