Apparatus for dispensing of food from one portion container
AssigneeMcGill Technology Limited
InventorShane Robert McGill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The dispensing apparatus of the invention is primarily intended to dispense frozen product from one portion containers (10), usually by extrusion through a circular outlet (13). In order that the product shape (46) after discharge is capable of being ball-shaped the receptacle (40) into which the product is discharged is located to provide resisted discharge of product over at least part of the discharge cycle. By providing resisted discharge the product shape is altered and laterally increased so that a ball-shaped portion of product is received in the receptacle.
Claims24
A food product dispensing method by which product is dispensed from pre-filled containers of product, the containers having an outlet opening and a portion which is moved towards the outlet to extrude product from the container, whereby the container volume is reduced to extrude product through the outlet and into a receptacle which is located under the outlet, the receptacle being located at a distance below the outlet such that, as or after the product leaves the outlet, the position of the receptacle is arranged so that the receptacle applies a compression force on the product so as to shape the product and cause the cross section of product to be increased laterally of the direction of product discharge, wherein the compression force applied to the product is varied and, during an initial stage of discharge, no resistance to discharge is offered, thereafter compression force is applied.
A food product dispensing method by which product is dispensed from pre-filled containers of product, the containers having an outlet opening and a portion which is moved towards the outlet to extrude product from the container, whereby the container volume is reduced to extrude product through the outlet and into a receptacle which is located under the outlet, the receptacle being located at a distance below the outlet such that, as or after the product leaves the outlet, the position of the receptacle is arranged so that the receptacle applies a compression force on the product so as to shape the product and cause the cross section of product to be increased laterally of the direction of product discharge, wherein after applying a compression force the force is reduced or released then increased again to shape the product accordingly.
A food product dispensing method by which product is dispensed from pre-filled containers of product, the containers having an outlet opening and a portion which is moved towards the outlet to extrude product from the container, whereby the container volume is reduced to extrude product through the outlet and into a receptacle which is located under the outlet, the receptacle being located at a distance below the outlet such that, as or after the product leaves the outlet, the position of the receptacle is arranged so that the receptacle applies a compression force on the product so as to shape the product and cause the cross section of product to be increased laterally of the direction of product discharge, wherein the receptacle is moved away from the outlet during at least part of the discharge of product through the outlet, the rate of movement depending upon the rate of discharge of product through the outlet.
A food product dispensing method by which product is dispensed from pre-filled containers of product, the containers having an outlet opening and a portion which is moved towards the outlet to extrude product from the container, whereby the container volume is reduced to extrude product through the outlet and into a receptacle which is located under the outlet, the receptacle being located at a distance below the outlet such that, as or after the product leaves the outlet, the position of the receptacle is arranged so that the receptacle applies a compression force on the product so as to shape the product and cause the cross section of product to be increased laterally of the direction of product discharge, wherein the outlet is formed as an opening, sealed prior to discharge and openable under the pressure applied by product to be extruded from the container.
A food product dispensing method by which product is dispensed from pre-filled containers of product, the containers having an outlet opening and a portion which is moved towards the outlet to extrude product from the container, whereby the container volume is reduced to extrude product through the outlet and into a receptacle which is located under the outlet, the receptacle being located at a distance below the outlet such that, as or after the product leaves the outlet, the position of the receptacle is arranged so that the receptacle applies a compression force on the product so as to shape the product and cause the cross section of product to be increased laterally of the direction of product discharge, wherein the portion of the container which is moved towards the outlet defines a curvilinear concave shape, whereby the upper surface of product discharged from the container is of corresponding convex shape after discharge.
Apparatus for dispensing product comprising a product container having an outlet and a portion which is moved towards the outlet to reduce the container volume, a support for the container, discharge drive means for engaging the moveable portion of the container to move said portion towards the outlet to discharge product by extrusion through the outlet, support means for a receptacle for product discharged, the support means being moveable relative to the container in the direction of discharge and according to the amount of product discharged from the container to bring about a compression force on the product discharged during at least part of said discharge, wherein the support includes support drive means for effecting said movement relative to the container, such drive means being timed to operate according to the operation of the discharge drive means.
Apparatus for dispensing product comprising a product container having an outlet and a portion which is moved towards the outlet to reduce the container volume, a support for the container, discharge drive means for engaging the moveable portion of the container to move said portion towards the outlet to discharge product by extrusion through the outlet, support means for a receptacle for product discharged, the support means being moveable relative to the container in the direction of discharge and according to the amount of product discharged from the container to bring about a compression force on the product discharged during at least part of said discharge, wherein the plunger is heatable to assist in release of product from the container.
Apparatus for dispensing product comprising a product container having an outlet and a portion which is moved towards the outlet to reduce the container volume, a support for the container, discharge drive means for engaging the moveable portion of the container to move said portion towards the outlet to discharge product by extrusion through the outlet, support means for a receptacle for product discharged, the support means being moveable relative to the container in the direction of discharge and according to the amount of product discharged from the container to bring about a compression force on the product discharged during at least part of said discharge, wherein the container, after discharge of product therefrom, is lifted with the plunger towards a container discharge position at which the container is released from the plunger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.