Clip for confining food within a section of a flexible container.

Abstract

The invention relates to a clamp for confining food within a portion of a flexible container. The clamp (2B) comprises a frame adapted to surround one end of a flexible container (34), in which food is present, when the clamp (2B) is open. The frame (4) includes clamping means (32) configured to maintain contact between two opposing walls (36) of the flexible container (34) when the clamp (2B) is closed. The clamp includes means (66) for adhering to the walls (36) of the flexible container (34) at the clamping means (32), such that the walls (36) of the container are connected to the clamping means (32) when the clamp (2B) is opened. Figure 8

Description

Title of the invention: Clamp for confining food in a part of a flexible container. Technical field to which the invention relates

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of food and, more particularly, to a tool for keeping food in a desired area of ​​a flexible container. Technological background

[0002] Due to increased awareness of environmental and sustainability issues, more and more consumers are adopting more environmentally friendly consumption patterns.

[0003] In the food sector, this trend has led to a significant increase in stores offering food for sale in bulk. The distinctive feature of bulk sales is that food is offered to consumers without packaging.

[0004] In this type of establishment, customers are invited to take the desired quantity of food displayed on a stand. Each customer can then bring their own containers and fill them with the desired amount of food. Bulk sales allow each customer to better control their food consumption and therefore reduce food waste, as well as their overall waste production.

[0005] However, when a consumer helps themselves directly from a display, there is a significant risk of contaminating all the food contained in the display. Indeed, if the consumer's hand comes into direct contact with the food, bacteria or germs present on the skin surface can spread among the food. The sanitary quality of the food can thus be compromised and, potentially, render the remaining food in the display unfit for consumption.

[0006] To prevent this contamination, dispensers have been proposed comprising a food storage unit and a dispensing unit for the food in bulk. The consumer accesses the food via the dispensing unit, thus preventing direct contact between the consumer and the food in the storage unit. The food in the storage unit can therefore be kept in better condition.

[0007] However, this solution is not without its drawbacks, as the presence of pathogens or food mites has been observed in the food present in the unit of storage. The food must then be removed from the storage unit as it is unfit for consumption, and the dispensing device must be thoroughly cleaned in its entirety.

[0008] It has been observed that food contamination occurs during the filling of the storage unit. To do this, an operator makes an opening through the wall of a bag containing the food, in order to allow the food to be poured into the storage unit.

[0009] However, the operator may inadvertently come into contact with the food contained in the bag and thus spread pathogens or residues of other foods into the bag. This risk of contamination is even greater when the same operator consecutively fills several storage units with different foods.

[0010] The invention aims to reduce this risk of contamination by an operator of food contained in a bag, when opening the bag, in particular when the operator has to open several bags in succession, containing different types of food. Object of the invention

[0011] To this end, the invention provides a clamp for confining food within a portion of a flexible container. The food within the flexible container may be in solid and / or liquid form. Preferably, the food is in the form of fragments or pieces.

[0012] By "flexible container" is meant a container whose opposite walls can easily be brought together so as to be kept in contact with each other.

[0013] The clamp includes a frame adapted to surround a first end of a flexible container, in which there is food in solid and / or liquid form, when the clamp is open.

[0014] The chassis includes clamping means, configured to maintain two opposite walls of the flexible container in contact when the clamp is closed, so as to isolate a first part of the flexible container from a second part of said container, in order to prevent the passage of food between said parts.

[0015] In other words, the clamping means are suitable for temporarily splitting the flexible container into two parts or two distinct volumes, without damaging the walls of said container.

[0016] By properly positioning the clamp around a flexible container, an operator can then quickly and easily isolate a first part of the flexible container, not containing the food, from a second part of the flexible container containing the food.

[0017] Subsequently, the operator can make an opening in the first part of the flexible container not containing the food, using a suitable tool, without risk of the tool coming into contact with the food present in the second part of the flexible container. The clamp as described above therefore makes it possible to preserve the food and sanitary quality of a food contained in a flexible container, when the container is opened by an operator.

[0018] According to another advantage, when the clamp is in the closed position, the operator can turn the flexible container upside down so that the second part is positioned above the first part of said container, without risk of food flowing from the second to the first part.

[0019] According to another advantage, the clamping means are reversible so that the operator can control the quantity of feed flowing from the second part to the first part of the flexible container. Thus, by progressively separating the clamping means, the operator can control the flow rate of feed flowing through the opening in the first part of said container.

[0020] According to another embodiment of the invention, the clamping means are configured to maintain contact between two opposite walls of the flexible container, preferably along a so-called separation line extending between two edges of the flexible container. This embodiment is particularly suitable when the food in the flexible container is in powder or liquid form, in order to prevent the food from passing from the second part to the first part of the container.

[0021] Optionally, the dividing line extends perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to a long side of the flexible container. The dividing line may be straight or have one or more bends. Optionally, the dividing line may define a triangular or substantially triangular shape, the apex of which is oriented towards the first part of the container, in order to better control the flow of food into this first part.

[0022] According to a non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the clamping means can be configured to isolate the second part of the flexible container from the first part, in a hermetic manner. "Hermetic" here means the impossibility for a gas to pass from the second part of the flexible container to the first part.

[0023] According to another non-limiting embodiment, the clamping means are configured to isolate the second part of the flexible container from the first part in a hermetic manner. "Hermetic" here means that it is impossible for a liquid to pass from the second part of the flexible container to the first. This embodiment is particularly advantageous when the food is a gel or a liquid.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the clamping means may comprise a first clamping rail, intended to fit into a groove formed in a second clamping rail. This embodiment makes it possible to limit the contact surface between the walls of the flexible container, along the junction line, in order to preserve the volume delimited by each part of the flexible container.

[0025] Remarkably, means for adhesion to the walls of the flexible container are present at the clamping means, so that the walls of the container are linked to the clamping means when the clamp is opened.

[0026] Thus, advantageously, the adhesion means prevent the food from flowing along the outer walls of said container beyond the first part of the flexible container delimited by the clamp. In other words, the clamp prevents the presence of food on the second part of said container.

[0027] Thanks to the invention, in open or closed position, the clamp protects a large part of the outer surface of the flexible container from the risk of soiling by the food extracted from said container.

[0028] Once the flexible container is opened by an operator at the first section delimited by the gripper, the operator can grasp the flexible container at its second section and then open the gripper to allow the food to flow out of the container, thus limiting the risk of contact between their hands and the food. In other words, when extracting the food from the flexible container, the gripper helps to limit the risk of the food spreading to the part of the flexible container handled by the operator.

[0029] In summary, the tongs according to the invention provide an effective and practical solution for preventing cross-contamination between foods packaged in separate flexible containers and removed by the same operator. This solution allows the operator to maintain a high level of hand cleanliness after removing each food item from its container. The risk of food contamination by the operator is therefore significantly reduced through the use of the tongs as described above. Consequently, the quality and safety of foods removed consecutively from different flexible containers by the same operator are preserved through the use of the tongs.

[0030] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the adhesion means cover the clamping means. Optionally, the adhesion means cover all faces of the clamping means, making it possible to maintain contact between two opposite walls of the flexible container.

[0031] According to another advantage, the adhesion means promote better separation of the walls of the flexible container when the clamp is opened, so that the food contained in the second part of the flexible container can pass more quickly into the first part of said container. The clamp also allows for better flow of food between the first and second parts of the flexible container.

[0032] Preferably, the adhesion means are capable of adhering and / or fixing to the external walls of the flexible container without damaging or altering said walls. The gripping means are also configured to allow an operator to easily remove the flexible container from the gripper.

[0033] According to another embodiment of the invention, the adhesion means comprise at least one adhesive element, capable of temporarily forming a chemical and / or mechanical bond with a wall of the flexible container.

[0034] According to another embodiment of the invention, the adhesive element comprises a soft part or a hard part, adapted to form respectively a mechanical bond with a hard part or a soft part of an adhesive element present on the surface of the flexible container. Preferably, a hard part comprises textile fibers forming hooks at their free end and the soft part comprises textile fibers forming loops at their free end.

[0035] According to another embodiment of the invention, the adhesive element comprises a self-adhesive strip.

[0036] According to another embodiment of the invention, the frame comprises at least one elastic means, the elastic means being configured to hold the gripper in the open position when in the rest position. The elastic means being configured to allow the gripper to close when in the working position, that is, when subjected to a stress. This embodiment facilitates easier and wider opening of the gripper.

[0037] According to another embodiment of the invention, the frame includes a locking means for at least one elastic means when the elastic means are in the working position. In other words, the locking means holds the elastic means in the working position so that the gripper can be held closed. Preferably, the locking means is configured to be deactivated by a control means separate from the gripper.

[0038] According to another embodiment of the invention, the chassis includes cutting means, allowing an opening to be made in the first part of the flexible container.

[0039] Preferably, the cutting means include means for moving a cutting object along the clamping means.

[0040] According to another embodiment of the invention, the frame includes means for retaining the second part of the flexible container. Preferably, the retaining means are configured to hold the second part of the flexible container in a plane passing between the clamping means. This embodiment allows for easier flow of the food contained in the second part of the flexible container to the clamping means when the second part of the flexible container is placed above the first part of the flexible container. In this way, after When the clamp is opened, the food contained in the second part of the flexible container can flow easily and quickly into the first part of the flexible container.

[0041] According to another embodiment of the invention, the clamp includes means for suspending the chassis in a storage unit of a bulk feed dispenser, as described below.

[0042] Of course, the different characteristics, variants and embodiments mentioned above can be combined with each other in various combinations, provided that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.

[0043] The invention also relates to a bulk feed dispenser, comprising a storage unit whose bottom communicates with a distribution unit, so as to allow a flow of feed from the storage unit to the distribution unit.

[0044] The bulk food dispenser is remarkable in that the storage unit includes means for holding a clamp as described above, so that the first part of a flexible container delimited by the clamp is the part closest to the bottom of the storage unit.

[0045] In other words, the holding means are configured so that in the storage unit, the second part of a flexible container delimited by the clamp is positioned above the first part of said container, in order to allow a natural flow of food present in the second part of the flexible container into the first part of said container.

[0046] Optionally, the holding means may include guiding means, configured to cooperate with the frame of the gripper, so as to prevent another positioning of the gripper in the storage unit.

[0047] According to another embodiment of the invention, the holding means are capable of moving, at least in part, outside the storage unit, in order to facilitate the attachment of the clamp to the holding means.

[0048] According to another embodiment of the invention, the storage unit includes means for joining with the chassis of the gripper, when the gripper is positioned in the storage unit, so as to limit the passage of an airflow between the gripper and the walls of the storage unit.

[0049] This embodiment offers the advantage of preventing food from escaping from the flexible container into the upper part of the storage unit. In other words, this embodiment promotes the containment of food extracted from the flexible container in the lower part of the storage unit. This embodiment thus facilitates the maintenance of the storage unit by preventing food from accumulating in the upper part of the unit.

[0050] The lower part of the storage unit is contained between its bottom and the clamp, and the upper part of the storage unit is separated from the lower part by the clamp.

[0051] To do this, the joining means may include at least one flexible lip, for example made from a synthetic material such as silicone, configured to bear against one or more sides of the clamp frame, when the clamp is closed or open.

[0052] According to another embodiment of the invention, the storage unit delimits an enclosed space, accessible via a door, allowing the insertion into the storage unit of a flexible container equipped with a clamp as described above. The storage unit includes means for opening the clamp, and these opening means are configured to open the clamp after the door has closed. This embodiment advantageously prevents contact between food flowing from the flexible container and an operator placing said container into the storage unit.

[0053] Advantageously, the enclosed space defined by the storage unit allows for more precise control of the environment in which the food is extracted from the flexible container. This embodiment therefore significantly preserves the taste and hygiene of the food during its extraction from the flexible container.

[0054] According to one embodiment, between the closing of the door and the opening of the clamp, the atmosphere inside the storage unit is renewed by a controlled atmosphere, or the atmosphere inside the storage unit is purified by means known to the person skilled in the art.

[0055] According to another embodiment of the invention, the storage unit includes door closing means, and the closing means are capable of acting on the opening means of the clamp.

[0056] According to one embodiment, the closing means are capable of acting on at least one locking means of an elastic means of a clamp as described above.

[0057] According to one embodiment, in the distribution unit, the food is conveyed via an Archimedes screw.

[0058] Preferably, the pitch of the Archimedes screw increases, according to the direction of conveying the food by said screw.

[0059] According to another preferred embodiment, the core of the screw decreases according to the direction of conveying the food by said screw.

[0060] The combination of these two characteristics advantageously increases the amount of food moved by the screw, while preventing the food from compacting between the screw blades.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the distribution unit comprises at least one cap, positioned between the storage unit and the Archimedes screw, so as to allow for better distribution of the feed from the distribution unit onto at least a portion of the Archimedes screw. The term "cap" refers to an element capable of deflecting the fall of feed from the distribution unit.

[0062] According to another embodiment, the distribution unit comprises at least two caps, positioned opposite each other in the storage unit, so as to allow the feed to flow at the level of the longitudinal axis of the Archimedes screw.

[0063] According to a preferred embodiment, the distribution unit includes a third cap, positioned between the two caps mentioned above and the Archimedes screw, so as to promote a flow of the feed along the longitudinal axis of the Archimedes screw.

[0064] According to another embodiment, the dispensing unit comprises a cylindrical element surrounding a distal portion of the Archimedes screw. The Archimedes screw comprises a proximal portion, opposite or substantially opposite the storage unit, and a distal portion positioned downstream of the proximal portion. The term "downstream" refers to the direction of movement of food by the Archimedes screw. The distal portion is surrounded by a cylindrical element such as a sleeve or a sheath.

[0065] Remarkably, the distribution unit includes a clearance or interhopper, adjacent to the cylindrical element, so as to facilitate easier insertion into the cylindrical element of a feed conveyed by the Archimedes screw.

[0066] According to one embodiment, the distribution unit includes means for suspending a container, so as to allow a natural flow of food from the distribution unit into the container.

[0067] According to one embodiment, the suspension means include means for measuring the weight of the container suspended by said means.

[0068] Preferably, the distribution unit includes a display screen enabling a consumer to view, in real time, the weight measured by the measuring means.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the display screen allows the name of the food flowing from the distribution unit to be displayed, the price per kilo as well as the price of said food.

[0070] The invention also relates to a flexible container suitable for holding food in solid and / or liquid form. The flexible container is remarkable in that it comprises adhesion means on at least one of its external faces, and the adhesion means are suitable for cooperating with the clamping means of a clamp as described above.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the adhesion means of the flexible container are able to cooperate with the adhesion means present at the clamping means of a clamp according to the invention.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the flexible container includes suspension means, allowing the flexible container to be suspended in a storage unit of a food dispenser as described above.

[0073] By way of non-limiting example, the suspension means may refer to a passage provided through a tab attached to the flexible container, and / or at least an appendage attached to an outer face of the flexible container. Description of the figures

[0074] The invention will be better understood from the following description, which relates to preferred embodiments, given by way of non-limiting examples, and explained with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:

[0075] [Fig-1] illustrates a top view of a first embodiment of a clamp according to the invention, in the closed position;

[0076] [Fig.2] illustrates a top view of a first embodiment of a clamp according to the invention, in the open position;

[0077] [Fig.3] illustrates a cross-section of a clamp according to [Fig.2], surrounding a closed flexible container, in which there is a food;

[0078] [Fig.4] illustrates a cross-section of a clamp according to [Fig.3], when the clamp is closed in order to isolate a first part of the flexible container, from a second part comprising the food;

[0079] [Fig.5] illustrates a cross-section of the clamp holding the flexible container as illustrated by [Fig.4], after making an opening in the first part of the flexible container;

[0080] [Fig.6] illustrates a cross-section of a storage unit according to the invention, comprising a clamp holding a flexible container, as illustrated by [Fig.5];

[0081] [Fig.7] illustrates a cross-section of a storage unit according to the invention, after opening the clamp illustrated by [Fig.6];

[0082] [Fig.8] illustrates a cross-section of a storage unit, comprising a second embodiment of a clamp according to the invention, comprising means for adhering to the walls of a flexible container;

[0083] [Fig.9] illustrates a longitudinal section of a flexible container according to the invention, comprising means for adhesion on its external faces;

[0084] [Fig. 10] illustrates a perspective view of a third embodiment of a clamp according to the invention;

[0085] [Fig. 11] illustrates a perspective view of a bulk food dispenser according to the invention;

[0086] [Fig. 12] illustrates a longitudinal section of the distributor represented by [Fig. 11];

[0087] [Fig. 13] illustrates an Archimedes screw forming part of the bulk food dispenser represented by [Fig. 12]. Detailed description of the invention

[0088] As mentioned above, the invention proposes a clamp for confining food in a part of a flexible container, in order to reduce the risk for an operator of contaminating the food present in the flexible container when opening it, but also to prevent contact between the operator's hands and the food when the operator handles the flexible container to extract the food from said container.

[0089] First embodiment of a clamp

[0090] A first embodiment of a gripper 2A according to the invention is illustrated by the accompanying Figures 1 and 2. More specifically, the gripper 2A is shown in the closed position in [Fig. 1], then in the open position in [Fig. 2].

[0091] The clamp 2A consists of a chassis 4 delimiting a passage 6 visible in [Fig.2]. The passage 6 is rectangular in shape.

[0092] The frame includes means for reversibly varying the dimensions of this passage 6. To this end, the frame 4 consists of two parts 8A and 8B, both U-shaped. Preferably, these parts are of the same material; they may be made from a metallic material or from a synthetic polymer.

[0093] A first part 8A is arranged so that its ends 10A can slide inside the ends 10B of a second part 8B. Thus, as illustrated respectively by figures 1 and 2, an operator can easily bring the larger sides 12 of the chassis together, in order to close the clamp 2A, or spread the larger sides 12 apart to open said clamp.

[0094] The frame 4 also includes elastic means, positioned along the short sides 16 of the frame. The elastic means are connected to the frame so as to naturally oppose the closing of the clamp 2A. In the present example, the elastic means are springs schematically represented by reference numerals 14 in Figures 1 and 2. Each end of the elastic means is connected, via an appendage 18A, to an end 10A of the first part 8A, and to an end 10B of the second part 8B, via an appendage 18B.

[0095] The gripper 2A includes locking means 20 for holding the gripper in the closed position, as illustrated in [Fig. 1]. These locking means 20 are reversible, to allow the gripper to be opened as illustrated in [Fig. 2].

[0096] According to the present example, the locking means 20 consist of a latch 22, one end 24 of which is connected to an appendage 18B integral with the second part 8B. The end 24 is held to the appendage 18B so as to allow the pivoting of a free end 26 of the latch. The free end 26 of the latch is bent to retain the appendage 18A as illustrated by [Fig. 1].

[0097] Thus, the latch 22 can be pivoted by an operator or by opening means as mentioned below, in order to allow the opening of the clamp.

[0098] The frame also includes cavities 28, formed in its long sides 12, such that the cavities are open on a first face 30 of the frame. The first face 30 of the frame is parallel or substantially parallel to the sliding motion of the parts relative to each other. The cavities are intended to cooperate with support means described below.

[0099] Remarkably, the clamp 2A includes clamping means in the form of stops 32. According to the present example, the stops 32 are arranged in the passage 6 delimited by the frame 4. A stop extends from one long side 12 of the frame, towards an opposite long side.

[0100] As illustrated by [Fig.3], the stops 32 are configured to allow the passage of a flexible container 34, when the clamp is open, and then to clamp said container when the clamp is closed, as illustrated by [Fig.4].

[0101] When the clamp 2A is closed, the stops 32 then maintain two opposite walls 36 of the flexible container in contact. In the closed position, the clamp thus isolates a first part 38 of the flexible container from a second part 40 of said container. A food item 42 present in the flexible container can thus be confined in the second part 40 of the flexible container, as shown in [Fig. 4].

[0102] By way of non-limiting examples, the food may consist of cereals, coffee beans, coffee powder or chocolate, pasta, rice grains, legumes, flour, sugar, snack foods, etc.

[0103] Advantageously, an operator can activate the locking means 20 described above to keep the clamp closed. The operator can then open the first part 38 of the flexible container, as illustrated in [Fig. 5], without risking contact with the food 42 contained in the second part 40 of said container. The clamp 2A according to the invention thus preserves the food quality and hygiene of the food 42 when the flexible container 34 is opened by an operator.

[0104] Subsequently, the operator can manipulate the flexible container so that its second part 40 is above its first part 38, as illustrated by [Fig.6], without risk of food flowing through the opening 44. In other words, in the closed position, the clamp 2A prevents unwanted flow of food through the opening 44.

[0105] Storage unit for a bulk food dispenser

[0106] The invention also relates to a storage unit 46 for a bulk feed dispenser, illustrated in Figures 6 to 8. The storage unit is parallelepiped in shape. It includes support means for the gripper 2A. In this example, the support means consist of lugs 48, adapted to slide along platforms 50 that extend perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly from the walls 52 of the storage unit. The lugs 48 have dimensions complementary to the cavities 28 formed in the first face 30 of the gripper frame, to allow their insertion into said cavities. The support means are thus adapted to hold the gripper in the closed position in the storage unit, as illustrated in [Fig. 6], but also to allow it to be opened, as illustrated in [Fig. 7].

[0107] Preferably, the clamp 2A is positioned in the storage unit so that the second part 40 of the flexible container 34 is positioned above the first part 38 of said container, as represented by [Fig.6].

[0108] According to this embodiment, the storage unit 46 includes a hook 54, positioned at its upper part. The hook is arranged to allow the suspension of the second part 40 of the flexible container. Preferably, the hook 54 is positioned so that the flexible container 34, once suspended from said hook, extends in a plane perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first face 30 of the frame, passing through the center or substantially through the center of the clamp 2A when it is closed.

[0109] To do this, the flexible container 34 has a tab 56 attached to its second part 40. The tab has a passage 58 allowing the insertion of the hook 54 as illustrated by [Fig.6].

[0110] According to another feature of the invention, the storage unit 46 includes means for joining with the clamp 2A. More specifically, these joining means are configured to limit the passage of an airflow between the clamp 2A and the walls 52 of the storage unit, when the clamp is held by the support means mentioned above.

[0111] Thus, advantageously, when the clamp is open, the food flowing through the opening 44 provided in the first part 38 of the flexible container remains confined or substantially confined in a lower part 60 of the storage unit. This embodiment advantageously facilitates the maintenance of the storage unit, by preventing the phenomenon of food depositing in the upper part 62 of the storage unit, when the food flows from the flexible container.

[0112] The lower part 60 of the storage unit is included between the bottom of the storage unit and the clamp 2A, and the upper part 62 of the storage unit is separated from the lower part by said clamp.

[0113] The joining means may include one or more flexible lips 64, for example made from a synthetic material such as silicone. The flexible lips are arranged so as to bear against the edges of the frame of the gripper 2A when the gripper is closed and open.

[0114] According to an embodiment not shown, the storage unit includes a door for inserting a flexible container equipped with a clamp as described above. The storage unit includes means for opening the clamp, configured to open the clamp after the door has closed. This embodiment advantageously prevents contact between food flowing from the flexible container and an operator who has placed said container in the storage unit.

[0115] Preferably, the storage unit delimits an enclosed space to better control the environment in which the food is extracted from the flexible container. This embodiment therefore makes it possible to significantly preserve the taste and sanitary quality of the food during its removal from the flexible container.

[0116] According to one embodiment, between the closing of the storage unit door and the opening of the clamp, the atmosphere inside the storage unit is renewed by a controlled atmosphere, or the atmosphere inside the storage unit is purified by known means.

[0117] Second embodiment of a clamp

[0118] Figure 8 presents a second embodiment of a clamp 2B according to the invention, differing from the clamp 2A described above in that adhesion means 66 are present at the stops 32. The adhesion means 66 are configured to bind to the walls 36 of the flexible container when the clamp 2B is opened.

[0119] More specifically, the adhesion means 66 are capable of adhering to and / or attaching to the external walls of the flexible container without permanently damaging or altering said walls. The adhesion means are also configured to allow an operator to easily remove the flexible container from the clamp 2B.

[0120] Preferably, the adhesion means comprise at least one adhesive element capable of temporarily forming a chemical and / or mechanical bond with a wall of the flexible container. In this example, the adhesion means 66 are formed by a self-adhesive strip.

[0121] Advantageously, the adhesion means 66 promote a better separation of the walls 36 of the flexible container when the clamp 2B is opened, so that the food contained in the second part 40 of the flexible container can pass more easily and therefore more quickly into the first part 38 of said container. This embodiment thus allows for better flow of food between the first and second parts of the flexible container.

[0122] According to another advantage, the adhesion means 66 prevent the food from flowing along the outer walls of the flexible container beyond its first part 38 delimited by the clamp 2B. In other words, this embodiment of the clamp 2B makes it possible to prevent the presence of food at the level of the second part 40 of the flexible container 34 when food is extracted from the first part of said container.

[0123] Once the flexible container is opened by an operator at the first part delimited by the gripper 2B, the operator can grasp the flexible container at its second part and then open the gripper to allow the food to flow out of the container, thus limiting the risk of contact between their hands and the food. In other words, this second embodiment of the gripper 2B limits the risk of food extracted by an operator from a flexible container spreading to the part of the flexible container handled by the operator. This embodiment is particularly advantageous when the food is viscous.

[0124] Flexible container

[0125] As illustrated by [Fig. 9], the invention also relates to a flexible container 34, suitable for containing food 42 in solid and / or liquid form. The flexible container is remarkable in that it comprises adhesion means 66 on at least one of its external walls, in this case on its opposite walls and at substantially the same height.

[0126] Preferably, the adhesion means are configured to cooperate with the clamping means of a clamp 2B as described above. The adhesion means may be identical or substantially identical for the clamp 2B and the flexible container, or they may be complementary.

[0127] Preferably, the flexible container 34 includes suspension means 68 for suspending the flexible container in a storage unit 46 as described above. In this case, the suspension means 68 include a tab 56 attached to the flexible container. The tab has a passage 58 through it for inserting a hook 54 of the storage unit 46 described above.

[0128] Third embodiment of a clamp

[0129] Figure 10 illustrates a third embodiment of a clamp 2C according to the invention. Clamp 2C differs from clamp 2A described above in that the frame 4 consists of a first frame 70, held opposite a second frame 72. The frames are rectangular and held together by a hinge 74 at the first short sides 16. The hinge allows the frames to move apart or together, so that the second short sides 17 of the frames act as clamping means as described above. In other words, the second short sides 17 are capable of splitting a flexible container in two, to isolate a first part of the flexible container from a second part containing food.

[0130] The clamp 2C also includes locking means 20 for holding the clamp in the closed position. As mentioned below, the locking means 20 are configured to be disengaged when the clamp is present in a storage unit according to the invention.

[0131] The clamp 2C also includes fastening means 76, allowing the end of a flexible container to be held close to the hinge 74.

[0132] The gripper 2C includes a rail 78 extending along its first short sides 16, so as to allow the gripper to be suspended in a storage unit as illustrated in [Fig. 12]. Preferably, the storage unit includes means complementary to the rail 78, enabling an operator to suspend the gripper 2C in the storage unit. To facilitate the attachment of the rail 78 to said complementary means, the complementary means may at least partially protrude from the storage unit.

[0133] Bulk feed dispenser comprising a storage unit

[0134] The invention also relates to a bulk feed dispenser 80 illustrated by figures 11 and 12. The dispenser 80 consists of a storage unit 46 as described above, the bottom of which 82 communicates with a distribution unit 84.

[0135] According to the present example, a 2C clamp is suspended in the storage unit as illustrated by [Fig. 12].

[0136] The locking means 20 of the clamp 2C are configured to cooperate with a handle 86, allowing the closure of a door 88 of the storage unit. More specifically, when the handle 86 is pivoted to close the door 88, the handle releases the locking means 20, thus allowing the clamp 2C to open. Advantageously, the food contained in a flexible container held by the clamp 2C flows from the flexible container into a confined environment. In other words, the food flows from the flexible container to the dispensing unit 84 without being exposed to the environment outside the storage unit 46.

[0137] The feed is subsequently moved into the distribution unit 84 by means of an Archimedes screw 90. The screw comprises a proximal portion 92, opposite or substantially opposite the storage unit 46, and a distal portion 94 positioned downstream of the proximal portion. The term "downstream" refers to the direction of flow of feed along the Archimedes screw.

[0138] According to the present example, the pitch of the screw 90 increases, according to the direction of conveying the food by said screw.

[0139] According to another feature of the invention, the web 96 of the screw decreases in size according to the direction of conveying the food by said screw.

[0140] Advantageously, the combination of these two features makes it possible to increase the volume available for conveying the feed, along the screw, according to the direction of conveying, in order to prevent a compression phenomenon of the feed during its transport by said screw.

[0141] The distribution unit includes at least one cap 98, visible in [Fig. 12], positioned between the storage unit 46 and the screw 90, so as to allow for better distribution of the feed along the screw. The term "cap" refers to an element capable of deflecting the fall of feed from the distribution unit.

[0142] The distribution unit 84 comprises a cylindrical element or sleeve 100 surrounding the distal part 94 of the screw. Notably, the distribution unit includes a clearance 102, adjacent to the sleeve 100, so as to facilitate easier insertion of feed conveyed by the screw 90 into said sleeve.

[0143] The dispensing unit 84 also includes means 104 for suspending a container, so as to allow a natural flow of feed from the dispensing unit into the container. The suspension means 104 include means 106 for measuring the weight of the container suspended by said means. Thus, advantageously, the quantity of feed dispensed into a container held by the suspension means 104 can be displayed in real time on a display screen 108 integrated into the dispensing unit 84.

Claims

Demands

1. A clamp (2B) for confining food (42) within a portion of a flexible container (34), comprising a frame (4) adapted to surround a first end of a flexible container (34) in which food (42), in solid and / or liquid form, is present when the clamp (2B) is open, the frame (4) having clamping means (32) configured to maintain two opposite walls (36) of the flexible container (34) in contact when the clamp (2B) is closed, so as to isolate a first portion (38) of the flexible container (34) from a second portion (40) of said container, in order to prevent the passage of food (42) between said portions, characterized in that means for adhering (66) to the walls (36) of the flexible container (34) are present at the clamping means (32), such that the walls (36) of the container are connected to the clamping means (32) when the clamp (2B) is opened. clamp (2B).

2. Clamp (2B) according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesion means (66) comprise at least one adhesive element, capable of forming a chemical and / or mechanical bond with a wall of the flexible container (34).

3. Clamp (2B) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the frame (4) comprises at least one elastic means (14), and in that the elastic means or means are configured to hold the clamp (2B) in the open position when they are in the rest position.

4. Clamp (2B) according to claim 3, characterized in that the frame (4) includes a locking means (20) for at least one elastic means (14), when the elastic means or means are in working position.

5. Clamp (2B) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the frame (4) includes cutting means, enabling the making of an opening in the first part (38) of the flexible container (34).

6. Clamp (2B) according to claim 5, characterized in that the cutting means comprise means for moving a cutting object along the clamping means (32).

7. Clamp (2B) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the frame (4) includes means for retaining (76) the second part (40) of the flexible container (34).

8. Clamp (2B) according to claim 7, characterized in that the retaining means (76) are configured to retain the second part (40) of the flexible container (34), in a plane passing between the clamping means (32).

9. Bulk feed dispenser (42), comprising a storage unit (46) whose bottom communicates with a distribution unit (84), so as to allow a flow of feed (42) from the storage unit (46) to the distribution unit (84), characterized in that the storage unit (46) delimits an enclosed space, accessible through a door (88), allowing the insertion into the storage unit (46) of a flexible container (34) equipped with a clamp (2B) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and includes means for holding the clamp (2B) so that the first part (38) of the flexible container (34) delimited by said clamp (2B) is the part closest to the bottom of the storage unit (46).

10. Feed dispenser (42) according to claim 9, characterized in that the holding means are capable of moving, at least in part, outside the storage unit (46), in order to facilitate the attachment of the clamp (2B) to the holding means.

11. Feed dispenser (42) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the storage unit (46) comprises means for joining (64) with the frame (4) of the gripper (2B), when the gripper (2B) is positioned in the storage unit (46), so as to limit the passage of an airflow between the gripper (2B) and the walls (36) of the storage unit (46)

12. Food dispenser (42) according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the storage unit (46) includes means for opening the gripper (2B), and in that the opening means are configured to open the gripper (2B) after the door (88) has been closed.

13. Food dispenser (42) according to claim 12, characterized in that the storage unit (46) includes closing means (86) for the door, and in that the closing means are capable of acting on the opening means of the gripper (2B).

14. A flexible container (34) suitable for containing food (42) in solid and / or liquid form, characterized in that it comprises means for adhesion (66) on its opposite external walls, and in that the

15. Adhesion means (66) are adapted to cooperate with the clamping means (32) of a clamp (2B) according to any one of claims 1 to 8. Flexible container (34) according to claim 14, characterized in that the adhesion means (66) are adapted to cooperate with the adhesion means (66) present at the clamping means (32) of a clamp (2B) according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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