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US 5,096,092 AGranted
Food dispensing apparatus utilizing inflatable bladder
AssigneeMMM, Ltd.
InventorDaniel J. Devine
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A food dispensing apparatus is provided having an aluminum housing with an opening at its top surface, a cover for the opening, an outer enclosure disposed about the housing, a bag of food product disposed within the housing, a manually operated valve attached to a first end of the food bag and in fluid communication therewith for dispensing the food product, a bladder connected to a source of pressurized air and disposed within the housing for compressing the bag of food product for selective dispensing from the apparatus and a heating mechanism contained within the housing for inductively heating the food product for use.
Claims38
A food dispensing apparatus comprising:
- an aluminum housing having a front wall and an opening proximate the top surface;
- a cover for said opening;
- a base portion;
- an outer enclosure disposed about said housing;
- a food bag containing a food product, said food bag being disposed within said aluminum housing;
- a manually operable valve attached to a first end of said food bag, in fluid communication therewith, said valve being selectively operable to dispense food product from said food bag, as desired;
- heating means attached to said aluminum housing for heating said housing, thereby, inductively heating said food product in said food bag;
- a bladder connectable to a source of pressurized air, said bladder being disposed within said aluminum housing and abutting said food bag so that inflation of said bladder compresses said food bag, thereby permitting selective dispensing of said food product from said food bag.
5 more elements
A food dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a heated aluminum housing having a top portion;
- a plastic outer casing;
- a food bag containing a food product residing within said aluminum housing;
- a source of compressed air connected to said housing;
- means for sealing said housing with said food bag contained therein;
- a valve extending from said food bag through said aluminum housing and said plastic outer casing for dispensing said food product;
- sealing means for sealing said valve on said casing so as to retain pressure within said housing;
- a cover selectively removable from said top portion of said housing so as to allow insertion and removal of food bags;
- and
- means for sealing said cover on said housing when said housing is pressurized.
7 more elements
A food dispensing apparatus comprising:
- an aluminum housing having an opening proximate the top surface;
- a cover for said opening;
- a base portion;
- an outer enclosure disposed about said housing;
- a food bag containing a food product, said food bag being disposed within said aluminum housing;
- a manually operable valve attached to a first end of said food bag, in fluid communication therewith, said valve being selectively operable to dispense food product from said food bag, as desired;
- said aluminum housing comprising a vertical rear wall, a bottom surface and front wall having an aperture extending therethrough, said aperture being adapted for reception of said manually operable valve, said front wall further having at least a portion sloped so as to facilitate compression of said food bag;
- said opening proximate the top surface adapted for reception of said food bag and said cover;
- a pair of side walls extending substantially vertically from said bottom surface and interconnecting said front and rear walls of said housing;
- heating means attached to said aluminum housing for heating said housing thereby inductively heating said food product in said food bag;
- a bladder connectable to a source of pressurized air, said bladder being disposed within said aluminum housing and abutting said food bag so that inflation of said bladder compresses said food bag, thereby permitting selective dispensing of said food product from said food bag.
8 more elements
A food dispensing apparatus comprising:
- an aluminum housing having an opening proximate the top surface;
- a cover for said opening;
- an outer enclosure disposed about said housing;
- a food bag containing a food product, said bag being disposed within said aluminum housing;
- a manually operable valve attached to a first end of said food bag, in fluid communication therewith, said valve being selectively operable to dispense food product from said food bag, as desired;
- a separate elastic bladder connectable to a source of pressurized air, said bladder being disposed within said aluminum housing and abutting said food bag so that inflation as of said bladder compresses said food bag, thereby permitting selective dispensing of said food product from said food bag.
3 more elements
A food dispensing apparatus comprising:
- an aluminum housing having a front surface and an opening proximate the top surface;
- a cover for said opening;
- a base portion;
- an outer enclosure disposed about said housing;
- a food bag containing a food product, said food bag being disposed within said aluminum housing;
- a manually operable valve attached to a first end of said food bag, in fluid communication therewith, said valve being selectively operable to dispense food product from said food bag, as desired;
- heating means attached to said aluminum housing for heating said housing, thereby inductively heating said food product in said food bag, said heating means comprising a foam insulation layer disposed across the back thereof for preventing overheating of said bag;
- a bladder connectable to a source of pressurized air, said bladder being disposed within said aluminum housing and abutting said food bag so that inflation of said bladder compresses said food bag, thereby permitting selective dispensing of said food product from said food bag.
5 more elements
A food dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a heated aluminum housing having a top portion;
- a plastic outer casing;
- a food bag containing a food product residing within said aluminum housing;
- a source of compressed air connected to said housing;
- means for sealing said housing with said food bag contained therein;
- a valve extending from said food bag through said aluminum housing and said plastic outer casing for dispensing said food product;
- sealing means for sealing said valve on said casing so as to retain pressure within said housing;
- a cover selectively removable from said top portion of said housing so as to allow insertion and removal of food bags, said cover comprising clear Lexan.RTM. so as to allow viewing of said product within said outer casing;
- and
- means for sealing said cover on said housing once said housing is pressurized.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.