Systems and methods for dispensing flowable food product

Abstract

A system for dispensing a flowable food product including a base unit with a pump chamber and a heating cabinet defining a cavity in a front panel. A drawer is moveably disposed in the cavity and configured to retain the food product. A heating element is positioned in the cavity to maintain the food product at a desired temperature. A dispenser head with a nozzle is fluidly coupled to the drawer. A pump is disposed within the pump chamber to move the flowable food product from the drawer to the nozzle. A manifold coupled to the front panel defines a first fluid flow path from the drawer to the manifold, through a first passage of the manifold, and to an inlet of the pump, and a second fluid flow path from an outlet of the pump to the manifold, through a second passage of the manifold, and to the nozzle.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DISPENSING FLOWABLE FOOD PRODUCTCROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 555,770, filed on February 20, 2024, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.BACKGROUND

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to an automated food product dispenser for dispensing a flowable food product, such as a condiment or sauce, from a storage container or flexible bag. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for dispensing flowable food product.

[0003] Flowable food products can include a wide variety of products, such as condiments (i.e., ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, tartar sauce, etc.) syrups, dressings, cheeses, fudge, caramel, sauces, wing sauces or other similar food products that can flow and thus be pumped. Flowable food products can include a wide variety of viscosities, non-Newtonian properties, can include small particulates and can be dispensed in a wide range of temperatures from cold to hot. Flowable food products can also be heated food products such as liquid cheese, hot ice cream toppings or chilled food products.

[0004] Flowable food product is often served via dispensers that create a pressure difference between the flowable food product and a nozzle. In some examples, the dispenser can use gravity to create the pressure differential by placing the flowable food product above the nozzle. In such gravity dispensers, the flowable food product is released by a user opening or closing a valve between the nozzle and the food product. In other examples, the dispensers can use a manually actuated pump to generate pressure to cause the release of the flowable food product in response to a use actuating the pump. Some dispensers use electronic pumps to generate pressure and cause the release of flowable food product.

[0005] Flowable food product dispensers require regular cleaning to remove dried or otherwise aged flowable food product. Often, cleaning flowable food product dispensers includesdisassembling the dispenser and cleaning each component that contacts the flowable food product. Beyond exterior surfaces, internal components such as pumps, tubing, nozzles, and reusable containers for flowable food product must be cleaned.SUMMARY

[0006] The present disclosure related to systems and method for dispensing heated food product. A dispenser including a user interface contains flowable food product and releases the flowable food product in response to a user input. In some examples, the dispenser can include a removable drawer to receive a reservoir of flowable food product and position the reservoir within a heating chamber. In some examples, the dispenser includes an isolated pump mechanism that draws flowable food product from the reservoir to a nozzle for serving. In some examples, the dispenser includes a manifold that is connected to the flowable food product and the pump to allow for cleaning of the pump without full disassembly of the dispenser.

[0007] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a system for dispensing a flowable food product is provided. The system includes a base unit with a pump chamber and a heating cabinet. The heating cabinet defines a cavity extending into an opening in a front panel. A drawer is moveably disposed in the cavity of the heating cabinet and is configured to retain flowable food product. A heating element is positioned in the cavity of the heating cabinet to maintain the flowable food product at a desired temperature. The system also includes a dispenser head with a nozzle that is fluidly coupled to the drawer. A pump is disposed within the pump chamber to move the flowable food product from the drawer to the nozzle. A manifold is coupled to the front panel. The manifold defines two fluid flow paths: a first fluid flow path from the drawer to the manifold, through a first passage of the manifold, and to an inlet of the pump; and a second fluid flow path from an outlet of the pump to the manifold, through a second passage of the manifold, and to the nozzle.

[0008] According to other aspects of the present disclosure, the system may include one or more of the following features. The system may include a door rotatably coupled to the base unit. The door may rotate between a closed position to cover the opening of the cavity and an open position to allow the drawer to move from a stowed position inside the cavity to a removed positionoutside of the base unit when the door is in the open position. The door may be disposed below the dispenser head. The door may be integral with the dispenser head so that the dispenser head rotates with the door between the closed position and the open position. The door may include a latch and the front panel may include a keeper. The latch may be configured to couple to the keeper when the door is in the closed position and may be configured to decouple from the keeper in response to a user input.

[0009] The heating cabinet may include an inner housing that defines the cavity and that is positioned in an outer housing. The heating element may be disposed between the inner housing and the outer housing. The heating element may be at least partially disposed along two or more surfaces of the inner housing. The heating cabinet may include insulation disposed between the heating element and the outer housing.

[0010] A first tube may fluidly couple the drawer to the manifold and a second tube may fluidly couple the manifold to the nozzle. The drawer may include a flow promoting feature configured to bias the flowable food product towards the first tube. The flow promoting feature may be a ramp configured to bias the flowable food product toward the first tube via gravitational forces. Alternatively, the flow promoting feature may be a plow that moves within the drawer from a retracted position to an extended position to compress a reservoir that contains the flowable food product. The plow may be biased toward the extended position by a resilient member.

[0011] The plow may include a first latching feature that engages with a second latching feature of the drawer to retain the plow in the retracted position when the drawer is removed from the cavity. One of the first latching feature and the second latching feature may engage the base unit when the drawer is stowed in the cavity to disengage the first latching feature from the second latching feature and allow the plow to move toward the extended position.

[0012] The heating cabinet may include vents to allow heated air to move from the heating cabinet to the pump chamber. A fan may be disposed within the base unit and configured to move the heated air from the heating cabinet to the pump chamber.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a system for dispensing a flowable food product is provided. The system includes a base unit with a first heated cavity configured to receive a first reservoir configured to retain the flowable food product. A firstheating element provides heat to the first heated cavity. A dispensing head is coupled to the base unit and includes a user interface and a first nozzle to dispense the flowable food product from the first reservoir. A manifold is coupled to the base unit. A first pump is disposed within the base unit and coupled to both the first reservoir and the first nozzle via the manifold. The first pump is configured to pump the flowable food product from the first reservoir to the first nozzle. A controller is configured to receive user inputs from the user interface and to operate the first pump and the first heating element based on the user input.

[0014] According to other aspects of the present disclosure, the system may include one or more of the following features. The controller may receive a first temperature signal from a first temperature sensor and control the first heating element based on the first temperature signal to maintain a first target minimum temperature. The controller may send a command to the first pump to draw the flowable food product from the first reservoir based on the user inputs.

[0015] The system may further include a second heated cavity disposed in the base unit and configured to receive a second reservoir configured to retain the flowable food product. A second heating element may provide heat to the second heated cavity. A second nozzle may be located at the dispensing head. A second pump may be disposed within the base unit and coupled to the second reservoir and the second nozzle via the manifold. The second pump may be configured to draw the flowable food product from the second reservoir to the second nozzle. The controller may be further configured to receive user inputs from the user interface and to operate the second pump and the second heating element based on the user input. The controller may receive a second temperature signal from a second temperature sensor and control the second heating element based on the second temperature signal to maintain a second target minimum temperature. At least one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir may be retained in a drawer.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a system for dispensing a flowable food product is provided. The system includes a base unit and a nozzle supported on the base unit and configured to dispense the flowable food product. A drawer is selectively removable from the base unit and configured to store the flowable food product. A plow is coupled to the drawer to move between a retracted position and an extended position to control a receivingvolume of the drawer. The plow includes a first latching feature that couples to a second latching feature to retain the plow in the retracted position when the drawer is removed from the base unit. The first latching feature and the second latching feature are configured to decouple when the drawer is inserted into the base unit to allow the plow to move toward the extended position. A pump is configured to pump the flowable food product from the drawer to the nozzle. A manifold has a base plate supported on the base unit. The manifold includes a first passage through the base plate to couple the drawer to the pump and a second passage through the base plate to couple the pump to the nozzle.

[0017] The drawer may further retain a reservoir and the first passage of the manifold may couple the reservoir to the pump.

[0018] The foregoing and other aspects and advantages of the disclosure will appear from the following description. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown by way of illustration a preferred configuration of the disclosure. Such configuration does not necessarily represent the full scope of the disclosure, however, and reference is made therefore to the claims and herein for interpreting the scope of the disclosure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The invention will be better understood and features, aspects and advantages other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such detailed description makes reference to the following drawings.

[0020] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a dispensing system according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0021] FIG.2 is another isometric view of the dispensing system of FIG. 1 with a front door in an open position exposing an inner drawer.

[0022] FIG. 3 is yet another isometric view of the dispensing system of FIG. 1 with the front door in the open position and the inner drawer in an extended position.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the dispensing system of FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the dispensing system of FIG. 1, taken along plane 5-5 of FIG. 4.

[0025] FIG. 6 is a right side elevation view of the dispensing system of FIG. 1 with a side panel remove to show a pump and a heating cabinet.

[0026] FIG. 7 is a right side elevation view of the heating cabinet of FIG. 6.

[0027] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the heating cabinet of FIG. 7, taken along plane8-8 of FIG. 7.

[0028] FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of the dispensing system of FIG. 2 shown with a dispenser head removed to illustrate a tubing manifold.

[0029] FIG. 10 is an isometric view of the manifold of FIG. 9 in isolation.

[0030] FIG. 11 is a front elevation view of the manifold of FIG. 10.

[0031] FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the manifold of FIG. 10.

[0032] FIG. 13 is an isometric view of a dispensing system including two nozzles and two heating cabinets according to aspects of the disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 14 is another isometric view of the dispensing system of FIG. 13 with a dispenser head in an open position and an inner drawer in an extended position.

[0034] FIG. 15 is yet another isometric view of the dispensing system of FIG. 13 with the dispenser head in the open position with a top panel and side panels removed to show two pumps.

[0035] FIG. 16 is a front elevation view of the dispensing system of FIG. 13.

[0036] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the dispensing system of FIG. 13, taken along plane 17-17 of FIG. 16.

[0037] FIG. 18 is a rear elevation view of the dispenser head of FIG. 14.

[0038] FIG. 19 is an isometric view of a manifold of the dispenser of FIG. 3 in isolation.

[0039] FIG. 20 is a front elevation view of the manifold of FIG. 19.

[0040] FIG. 21 is a top plan view of the manifold of FIG. 19.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Dispensers for flowable food products disclosed herein house, heat, and dispense flowable food product. The dispensers can be used with a variety of flowable food products such as condiments, syrups, dressings, cheeses, fudge, caramel sauces, wing sauces or other similar food products. Dispensers disclosed herein can include heating elements to warm the flowable food product to a desired temperature and store the flowable food product for a period of time. Additionally, dispensers disclosed herein include a nozzle to dispense the flowable food product to allow the flowable food product to be plated or otherwise added to other foods without the use of additional tools, such as a spoon or ladle. In this way, flowable food product can be prepared in advanced and dispensed when needed, which is ideal for restaurants, food services, and self- service environments.

[0042] Dispensers for flowable food products disclosed herein can include a manifold to organize tubing for the flowable food products. The manifold acts as a pass through to connect a flowable food reservoir to a pump system and to connect the pump system to a dispensing location. In this way, the flowable food reservoir can be disconnected from the pump (e.g., during reservoir replacement or cleaning) without requiring contact with the pump itself. Thus, the risk of contamination due to contact with the pump is lowered. Additionally, the manifold can be used to distribute a cleaning solution through the pump or the dispensing location by connecting the manifold to a cleaning apparatus or cleaning solution reservoir (e.g., by coupling a tube in fluid contact with the cleaning solution to the manifold).

[0043] FIG. 1 illustrates an example dispenser 100 according to aspects of this disclosure. The dispenser 100 includes a dispenser head 102 (e.g., a dispensing head) coupled to a base unit 104. The dispenser head 102 includes a user interface 106 (e.g., a touch screen, a control panel, switches, etc.) that receives a user input or command. The dispenser head 102 includes a nozzle 108, as shown in FIGS. 4-6, that extends from a lower surface 110 of the dispenser head 102 towards a drip tray 112. The dispenser head 102 at least partially defines a head cavity 114 that contains at least a portion of one or more nozzles 108 and corresponding fluid conduits coupled to the nozzles 108 (e.g., tubing). In some examples, the dispenser head 102 is removably coupled to the base unit 104 via a pocket 116 (shown in FIG. 9). In this way, the dispenser head 102 can beremoved for cleaning or maintenance. In some examples, the pocket 116 receives the dispenser head 102 when the dispenser head 102 is moved toward the drip tray 112 (e.g., a substantially vertical direction) into the pocket 116. In some examples, the pocket 116 prevents movement of the dispenser head 102 relative to the base unit 104 during use, while allowing the dispenser head 102 to be removed for cleaning (e.g., in a vertical direction away from the drip tray 112). In other examples, the dispenser head 102 can be coupled to the base unit 104 differently (e.g., via a magnetic connection, latch, etc.)

[0044] In some examples, the drip tray 112 can include a grill 118 disposed above a base 120. The grill 118 includes openings 119 to receive flowable food product into the base 120. In this way, any flowable food product that drips from the nozzle 108 is retained to prevent unwanted mess. In some examples, the base 120 of the drip tray 112 is removably coupled to a stand 122 of the base unit 104 via a hook 124 that receives the base 120 (shown in FIG. 7). In this way, the drip tray 112 can be removed for cleaning. In some examples, the hook 124 receives the base 120 when the base 120 is lowered in a substantially vertical direction onto the hook 124. In some examples, the hook 124 prevents translation of the base 120, and therefore the drip tray 112, relative to the base unit 104, while allowing the drip tray 112 to be removed for cleaning. For example, the drip tray can be moved toward the dispenser head 102 (e g., in a vertical direction) to disengage the drip tray 112 from base unit 104.

[0045] The base unit 104 of the dispenser 100 houses the flowable food product and dispenses the flowable food product to the nozzle 108 of the dispenser head 102. The base unit 104 includes a top panel 126 opposite the stand 122. A first side panel 128 and a second side panel 130 extend from the top panel 126 towards the stand 122. The first side panel 128 is opposite the second side panel 130. A front panel 132 extends between the first side panel 128 and the second side panel 130 and between the top panel 126 and the stand 122. In some examples, the front panel 132 includes the pocket 116 to receive the dispenser head 102. A rear panel 134 extends between the first side panel 128 and the second side panel 130 and between the top panel 126 and the stand 122, the rear panel 134 opposite the front panel 132. In some examples, the top panel 126, the first side panel 128, and the second side panel 130 are separately coupled to the base unit 104. In other examples, the top panel 126, the first side panel 128, and the second side panel 130 are integralportions of a single component that couples to the base unit 104. The top panel 126, the stand 122, the first side panel 128, the second side panel 130, the front panel 132, and the rear panel 134 at least partially enclose a pump 136, a heating cabinet 138, and a controller 140 (shown in FIGS. 5 and 6).

[0046] Returning to FIGS. 1 and 2, the dispenser 100 can include a door 142 to access one or more cavities 144 within the base unit 104. In this example, the door 142 is disposed between the dispenser head 102 and the drip tray 112 (e.g., below the dispenser head 102). The door 142 can be coupled to the front panel 132 of the base unit 104 via one or more hinges 146. The hinges 146 rotationally couple the door 142 to the base unit 104 so that the door 142 rotates between a closed position (shown in FIG. 1) and an open position (shown in FIG. 2). In some examples, the dispenser 100 includes a latch 148 coupled to the door 142 and a keeper 150 coupled to the front panel 132 the base unit 104. The latch 148 selectively couples to the keeper 150 when the door 142 is in the closed position to rotationally fix the door 142 in the closed position. In some examples, the latch 148 and keeper 150 are magnetically coupled (e.g., the keeper 150 includes a magnet and the latch 148 includes a ferromagnetic material) such that the door 142 rotates towards the open position in response to a user applying a threshold force to the door 142 to decouple the latch 148 and the keeper 150. In other example, other types of closure mechanisms can be used to selectively retain the door 142 in the closed position.

[0047] In the illustrated example, a drawer 152 is configured as a reservoir that retains a flowable food product. That is, the drawer 152 can be a direct-pour reservoir to allow a user to put the flowable food product directly into the drawer 152 for dispensing. In other examples, such as those described below, the drawer 152 can be configured to retain a reservoir 158 that holds the flowable food product, such as replaceable bags, containers, etc.

[0048] Moving now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the cavity 144 that houses the drawer 152 is at least partially defined within the heating cabinet 138. In other words, the cavity 144 is at least partially an internal space within the heating cabinet 138. The heating cabinet 138 is disposed in the base unit 104 and is configured to the heat the drawer 152 (e.g., to heat the food product in the drawer 152). In some examples, the dispenser 100 can include a plurality of heating cabinets 138 toreceive a corresponding plurality of drawers 152, which is described in more detail below in relation to FIGS. 13-21.

[0049] As shown in FIG 8, the heating cabinet 138 can include an outer housing 160 defining an exterior surface of the heating cabinet 138 and an inner housing 162 at least partially defining the cavity 144 and positioned inside the outer housing 160. A heating element 164 (e.g., flexible resistive heating element) is disposed between the inner housing 162 and the outer housing 160 and configured transfer heat through the inner housing 162 and into the cavity 144. In some examples, the heating element 164 can wrap around the inner housing (e.g., the heating element is at least partially disposed along two or more surfaces of the inner housing) to provide even heat distribution. In some examples, insulation 166 is disposed between the heating element 164 and the outer housing 160 such that heat transfer is restricted between the heating element 164 and the outer housing 160.

[0050] When the door 142 is in the open position, the user can access the drawer 152 that is moveably disposed within the cavity 144 (e.g., a heated cavity) of the base unit 104. The cavity 144 extends from the front panel 132 towards the rear panel 134 and is configured to receive the drawer 152. In other words, the heating cabinet 138 (e.g., the heated cavity) is configured to receive the drawer 152 (e.g., the reservoir 158). The drawer 152 moves between a stowed position (e.g., a first position shown in FIG. 1) and a removed position (e.g., a second position shown in FIG. 3). In some examples, the drawer 152 includes a handle 154 to facilitate a user moving the drawer 152 between the stowed position and the removed position. In some examples, the drawer 152 can include a rail 156 or other sliding coupling to position the drawer 152 or control the movement of the drawer 152 as the drawer 152 is moved between the stowed and the removed position. In this way, the heating cabinet 138 applies heat to the flowable food product to raise or maintain a temperature of the flowable food product. In some examples, the drawer 152 includes drawer vents 159 to allow heated air to circulate around the reservoir 158.

[0051] The heating cabinet 138 can include brackets 168 coupled to the inner housing 162 and configured to receive the rails 156 of the drawer 152. Similarly, the brackets 168 and inner housing 162 orient the drawer and guide translation of the drawer 152 between the stowed position and the removed position. In some examples, the brackets 168 of the heating cabinet 138 areconfigured to position the drawer 152 such that the drawer is spaced apart from the inner housing 162. In this way, air can circulate around the drawer 152 within the inner housing 162 to reduce temperature variation within the heating cabinet 138 or uneven warming of the flowable food product.

[0052] In some cases, it can be beneficial to heat other regions of a dispenser, as can ensure that food product retained in a pump or tubing can remain at a desired temperature between dispensing events. For example, the heating cabinet 138 includes rear vents 170 extending through the inner housing 162 and outer housing 160 (e.g., extending towards the rear panel 134) to allow heated air to circulate or otherwise move from the heating cabinet 138 to a pump chamber 172. In this way, the pump chamber 172 is heated to limit cooling of the flowable food product when the flowable food product moves through the pump chamber 172. The pump chamber 172 is a chamber within the dispenser 100 (e.g., within the base unit 104) that isolates the pump 136 from the reservoir 158 to mitigate contamination. In some examples, the pump chamber 172 is disposed between the heating cabinet 138, the top panel 126, the rear panel 134, and the front panel 132. In some examples, the pump chamber 172 includes a fan 173 to facilitate air flow. In other examples, the fan 173 is disposed within the base unit 104 (e.g., near the rear vents 170) and configured to move heated air from the heating cabinet 138 to the pump chamber 172.

[0053] Returning to FIG. 5, the pump chamber 172 houses one or more pumps 136 corresponding to one or more reservoirs 158 (e.g., the drawer 152 in a direct-pour application) in the base unit 104. The pump 136 draws (e.g., pumps) flowable food product from the reservoir 158 and releases the flowable food product through the nozzle 108. In some examples, the pump 136 is a flexible impeller pump, a peristaltic pump, or any other style of pump configured to handle flowable food product. A first tube 174 is inserted into the reservoir 158 to fluidly couple the reservoir 158 to the pump 136. The first tube 174 extends beyond the drawer 152 and exits the cavity 144, and into the head cavity 114 of the dispenser head 102 (additionally shown in FIG. 9). A second tube 176 fluidly couples the pump 136 to the nozzle 108.

[0054] In some cases, a dispenser can include a manifold to permit easier connection of tubing or to allow certain tubing to remain connected for cleaning. For example, with the dispenser 100, the first tube 174 and the second tube 176 can be fluidly coupled to the pump via a manifold178. The manifold 178 is coupled to the base unit 104 between the dispenser head 102 and the pump chamber 172 (e.g., coupled to the front panel 132 of the base unit 104). In some examples, the manifold 178 is an integral component of the front panel 132, in other examples, the manifold 178 is replaceable. As shown in FIGS. 10-12, the manifold 178 includes a first passage 180 and a second passage 181 to fluidly couple the tubes 174, 176 and the pump 136. The manifold 178 is disposed on the base unit 104 so that the passages 180, 181 are at least partially disposed within the pump chamber 172. In this way, a third tube 182 and a fourth tube 184 can extend directly to the pump 136 without unnecessary curving or extra length. The passages 180, 181 are defined by bosses 186 that extend from a front side 188 and a back side 190 of a flange 192 (e.g., base plate) of the manifold 178. The bosses 186 are configured to couple to and support tubing within the dispenser 100. In some examples, the manifold 178 can include additional bosses 186 and passages 180, 181 to fluidly couple additional pumps 136 and reservoirs 158, such as a manifold 302 of a dispenser 300 of FIG. 13-21. In some cases, the bosses 186 can couple to tubing via clamps, or the bosses 186 can include quick fit connectors (e.g., connectors 198, see FIG. 5).

[0055] Returning to FIG. 5, the pump 136 is fluidly coupled to the manifold via the third tube 182 and the fourth tube 184. In this way a first fluid flow path is defined from the reservoir 158, through the first tube 174, from a first end 194 to a second end 196 of the first passage 180, through the third tube 182, and into an inlet of the pump 136. Similarly, a second fluid flow path is defined from an outlet of the pump 136, through the fourth tube 184, from a second end 196 to a first end 194 of the second passage 181, through the second tube 176, and out of the nozzle 108. The manifold 178 prevents unwanted motion of the first tube 174 and second tube 176. In some examples, a connector 198 is coupled to each boss 186 of the manifold 178 to facilitate coupling the tubes 174, 176, 182, 184 to the manifold 178. In some examples, the nozzle 108 can include a connector 198 to facilitate coupling the second tube 176 to the nozzle. In some examples, the connector 198 can be configured as barbed connections, or as quick-fit connections. In some examples, the boss 186 can include a valve element (e.g., a mechanical valve, an electronic valve) within the passage (e.g., the passages 180, 181) that can be opened and closed to reduce dripping upon disconnection of a tube (e.g., the tubes 174, 176, 182, 184).

[0056] The drawer 152 can include a flow promoting feature, such as a ramp 200, to facilitate pumping of the flowable food product within the reservoir 158. The ramp 200 positions the reservoir 158 at an angle to promote the flowable food product to flow towards an inlet of the first tube 174 (e.g., via gravitational forces). In other examples, such as the drawer 304 of FIG. 17, the flow promoting feature is a plow 306 configured to compress the reservoir 158 (e g., the flexible bag containing flowable food product). As flowable food product is pumped out of the reservoir 158, the plow 306 moves toward the front panel 132 to bias the flowable food product toward the first tube 174 (e.g., the plow 306 compresses the reservoir 158 as the plow moves towards an extended position). In some examples, the plow 306 includes a resilient member 311 (e.g., a spring, an elastic band, a torsion spring, etc.) to apply force to the plow 306 and the reservoir 158 (e.g., the spring biases the plow 306 towards the extended position). In some examples, the plow 306 can be positioned in a fully retracted position for inserting a reservoir 158 (e g., by hand or via pulling the drawer 304 from the cavity 144). Retracting the plow 306 increases a receiving volume of the drawer 304 so that the reservoir 158 can be easily inserted or removed from the drawer 304. The plow 306 can be retained in the retracted position and may engage with the cavity 144 to release the plow 306 upon inserting the drawer 304 fully into the cavity 144. Once released, the plow 306 controls the volume (e.g., receiving volume) of the drawer 304 to control and bias the flowable food product towards the first tube 174 and the front panel 132. By biasing the flowable food product toward the first tube 174, the flow promoting feature facilitates consistent flow of the flowable food product through the reservoir 158 and into the pump 136.

[0057] In some cases, the plow 306 can be retained in a retracted position to allow a reservoir to be more easily placed in the drawer 152. For example, one of the drawers 152 and the plow 306 can include a latch 307 (e.g., a first latching feature) that can engage a corresponding protrusion 309 (e.g., a second latching feature, a recess, or other mating latching feature) in the other of the drawer 152 and the plow 306. In the extended position of the drawer 152, the plow 306 can be retracted to compress the spring or other biasing member. Upon reaching the fully retracted position the latch 307 can engage the protrusion 309 to retain the plow in the retracted position. Upon moving the drawer 152 into the stowed position, the latch 307 or the protrusion 309 can engage the base unit 104 (e.g., the heating cabinet 138) to cause the latch 307 to disengageor otherwise decoupled from the protrusion 309. This allows the plow 306 to move in the extended direction to apply force to the reservoir 158. In other example, other arrangements for retaining the plow 306 can be used, such as, ratcheting teeth, spring detents, etc.

[0058] Returning to FIG. 5, the manifold 178 serves as an external connection point to the pump 136, which allows the first tube 174 and the second tube 176 to be removed or otherwise serviced without entering the pump chamber 172 or contacting the pump 136. Thus, the pump 136 is isolated in the pump chamber 172 to reduce risk of contamination. The user need not interact with the pump 136 during typical use and cleaning. Instead, the manifold 178 can be cleaned externally by removing the dispenser head 102, and the pump 136 can be cleaned by disconnecting the first tube 174 and the second tube 176 and operating the pump 136 to circulate a cleaning solution through the third tube 182 and the fourth tube 184 (e.g., a clean in place operation via connecting the manifold to a cleaning system as described in US Patent App. no. 63 / 549,371).

[0059] In some examples, the dispenser 100 can include a controller 140. The controller 140 receives user inputs from the user interface 106 and sends commands to operate the pump 136 and the heating element 164. In some examples, the controller 140 is disposed in a chamber between the pump chamber 172 and the top panel 126, and the controller 140 sends commands to the pump 136 and the heating element 164 via one or more cables routed through a hole in the chamber. In some examples, the controller 140 sends commands to the heating element 164 to maintain a target temperature (e.g., a target minimum temperature, a threshold temperature, a target temperature range). For example, the controller 140 can send a temperature command, modulate power sent to the heating element 164, or remove power to the heating element 164 when the temperature reaches a threshold. In some examples, the heating cabinet 138 includes a temperature sensor 201 sending temperature data (e.g., a temperature signal) corresponding to a temperature inside the cavity 144 to the controller 140. In some examples, the dispenser 100 includes a heating controller 202 that communicates directly with the heating element 164 (e.g., controls power to the heating element 164, transfers data with the heating element 164) and the controller sends heating commands to the heating controller 202. In some examples, such as the dispenser 300 of FIGS. 13-21, the controller 140 sends commands to a plurality of heating elements 164 in a corresponding plurality of heating cabinets 138. In some examples, thecontroller 140 can command a first heating element 164 to maintain a first target temperature and a second heating element 165 to maintain a second target temperature. The second target temperature can be different from the first target temperature. In some examples, the controller 140 receives temperature data (e.g., a first temperature signal and a second temperature signal) from a plurality of temperature sensors (e.g., a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor) corresponding to a plurality of heating cabinets 138.

[0060] The controller 140 can send pumping commands to the pump 136 to cause the pump 136 to transfer flowable food product from the reservoir 158 to the nozzle 108. In some examples, the controller 140 receives pumping data (e.g., current flowing to the pump 136, rotation speed of the pump 136) from the pump 136. The controller 140 can command the pump 136 to activate for a period of time, to dispense a predetermined amount (e.g., target volume) of flowable food product, or to activate while a user input is being received by the user interface 106. In other examples, the controller 140 can be configured to operate the pump 136 to meet a user need (e.g., repeated dispensing operations, predetermined dispensing cycles, cleaning cycles, etc.). In some examples, the dispenser 100 includes a pump controller 204 that communicates directly with the pump 136 (e.g., controls power to the pump 136, transfers data with the pump 136) and the controller sends pump commands to the pump controller 204. In some examples, such as the dispenser 300 of FIGS. 13-21, the controller 140 sends commands to a plurality of pumps 136 to transfer flowable food product from a corresponding plurality of reservoirs 158. In some examples, the controller 140 can operate a first pump 136 and a second pump 136 to operate simultaneously or serially.

[0061] The user interface 106 is disposed in the dispenser head 102 and configured to receive user inputs to control the dispenser 100 (e.g., control the heating element 164 or the pump 136). In some examples, the user interface 106 can include one or more physical inputs (e.g., a button, a switch, a knob, etc.) that receive user inputs. In other examples, the user interface 106 includes a touch screen to receive user inputs and displays information in a graphical user interface. In some examples, the user interface 106 can include any combination of physical inputs, displays, or touch inputs. Through the user interface 106, the user can send commands to the controller to perform dispensing activities such as activating the pump 136, activating the heating element 164(e g., activating a predetermined heating routine, selecting a target temperature, selecting a low heat setting, selecting a high heat setting, etc.), or cleaning the dispenser 100. In some examples, the user interface 106 can receive data relating to the dispenser 100 (e.g., a type of flowable food product loaded into the dispenser, an expected life span of the flowable food product, a location of the dispenser 100, etc.). In some examples, the user interface 106 displays data relating to the dispenser 100 based on a user input or a lack of user input (e g., displaying the type of flowable food product one minute after user input ceases). In some examples, the controller 140 is integrated with the user interface 106 and is disposed in the dispenser head 102. In some examples, the controller 140 can receive inputs from a kitchen management system outside of the dispenser 100.

[0062] FIGS. 13-21 show an example dispenser 300 according to another aspect of this disclosure. The dispenser 300 is similar in many ways to the dispenser 100, but the dispenser 300 is configured to house and dispense two reservoirs 158 of flowable food product. In this way, the dispenser 300 can be configured to dispense different varieties of flowable food product while maintaining a similar footprint (e.g., length and width the stand 122) as the dispenser 100. The dispenser 300 can include two cavities 144 (e.g., a first heated cavity and a second heated cavity) extending from the front panel 132 and disposed in the base unit 104. In some examples, the dispenser 300 can include two nozzles 108 coupled to a dispenser head 308 and extending from the lower surface 110. In other examples, the dispenser 300 can include one nozzle 108 that is fluidly coupled to two or more reservoirs 158 via corresponding second tubes 176.

[0063] In some examples, the dispenser 300 includes a dispenser head 308 that extends along the front panel 132 to cover the cavities 144, and the dispenser 300 does not have a separate door (e.g., the door 142 of FIG. 1). In other words, the dispenser head 308 can be a door that is configured to cover one or more cavities 144 within the base unit 104. As shown in FIG. 14, the dispenser head 308 can be coupled to the base unit 104 via one or more hinges 146. In this way, the dispenser head 308 is configured to rotate between a closed and an open position to allow user access to drawers 304. The dispenser 300 includes two drawers 304 and corresponding first tubes 174 and second tubes 176 fluidly coupled to a manifold 302. In some examples, the dispenser 300 (or the dispenser 100 of FIG. 1) can include a limit switch 310 that is configured to send data tothe controller 140 corresponding to an open state or a closed state of the dispenser 300 (e.g., the door 142 is open, the dispenser head 308 is open). In this way, the controller 140 can prevent dispensing of the flowable food product when the dispenser 100, 300 is being refdled or serviced. As shown in FIG. 15 and 17, the dispenser 300 includes two pumps 136 fluidly coupled to the manifold 302 with respective third tubes 182 and fourth tubes 184. In this way, each drawer 304 and reservoir 158 is fluidly coupled to a nozzle 108 via a corresponding first fluid flow path and second fluid flow path. In some examples, the dispenser 300 includes a first manifold to receive the first tubes 174 and couple to the inlets of the pumps 136 and a second manifold to receive the second tubes 176 and couple to outlets of the pumps (e.g., a manifold 178 above each cavity 144).

[0064] In some examples, the dispensers 100, 300 can include nozzle heaters 312 that warm the nozzles 108 to prevent cooling of the flowable food product during the dispensing operation. As shown in FIG. 18, the nozzle heaters 312 surround the nozzle 108 to raise the temperature of the nozzles 108 in anticipation of heated flowable food product being dispensed. In some examples, the nozzle heaters 312 help maintain an elevated temperature of the flowable food product in the head cavity 114 of the dispenser head 102, 308, (e.g., in the second tubes 176).

[0065] The foregoing discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use examples of the invention. Various modifications to the illustrated examples will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein can be applied to other examples and applications without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, examples of the invention are not intended to be limited to examples shown, but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. The foregoing detailed description is to be read with reference to the figures, in which like elements in different figures have like reference numerals. The figures, which are not necessarily to scale, depict selected examples and are not intended to limit the scope of examples of the invention. Skilled artisans will recognize the examples provided herein have many useful alternatives and fall within the scope of examples of the invention.

[0066] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the foregoing description or illustrated in the attached drawings. The invention is capable of other examples and of beingpracticed or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. For example, the use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.

[0067] Also as used herein, unless otherwise limited or defined, “or” indicates a nonexclusive list of components or operations that can be present in any variety of combinations, rather than an exclusive list of components that can be present only as alternatives to each other. For example, a list of “A, B, or C” indicates options of: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; and A, B, and C. Correspondingly, the term “or” as used herein is intended to indicate exclusive alternatives only when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.” For example, a list of “one of A, B, or C” indicates options of: A, but not B and C; B, but not A and C; and C, but not A and B. A list preceded by “one or more” (and variations thereon) and including “or” to separate listed elements indicates options of one or more of any or all of the listed elements. For example, the phrases “one or more of A, B, or C” and “at least one of A, B, or C” indicate options of: one or more A; one or more B; one or more C; one or more A and one or more B; one or more B and one or more C; one or more A and one or more C; and one or more of A, one or more of B, and one or more of C. Similarly, a list preceded by “a plurality of’ (and variations thereon) and including “or” to separate listed elements indicates options of multiple instances of any or all of the listed elements. For example, the phrases “a plurality of A, B, or C” and “two or more of A, B, or C” indicate options of: A and B; B and C; A and C; and A, B, and C.

[0068] As used herein, unless otherwise defined or limited, directional terms are used for convenience of reference for discussion of particular figures or examples. For example, references to downward (or other) directions or top (or other) positions may be used to discuss aspects of a particular example or figure, but do not necessarily require similar orientation or geometry in allinstallations or configurations. Also as used herein, unless otherwise limited or defined, directional terms such as “substantially vertical” or “substantially parallel” indicate a direction that is within ± 12 degrees of a reference direction (e.g., within ± 6 degrees), inclusive.

[0069] Also as used herein, unless otherwise limited or defined, “integral” and derivatives thereof (e g., “integrally”) describe elements that are manufactured as a single piece without fasteners, adhesive, or the like to secure separate components together. For example, an element stamped, cast, or otherwise molded as a single-piece component from a single piece of sheet metal or using a single mold, without rivets, screws, or adhesive to hold separately formed pieces together is an integral (and integrally formed) element. In contrast, an element formed from multiple pieces that are separately formed initially then later connected together, is not an integral (or integrally formed) element.

Claims

CLAIMSWe claim:

1. A system for dispensing a flowable food product, the system comprising: a base unit including a pump chamber and a heating cabinet defining a cavity extending into an opening in a front panel; a drawer moveably disposed in the cavity of the heating cabinet and configured to retain flowable food product; a heating element positioned in the cavity of the heating cabinet to maintain the flowable food product at a desired a temperature; a dispenser head having a nozzle that is fluidly coupled to the drawer; a pump disposed within the pump chamber to move the flowable food product from the drawer to the nozzle; and a manifold coupled to the front panel, the manifold defining a first fluid flow path is defined from the drawer to the manifold, through a first passage of the manifold, and to an inlet of the pump, and a second fluid flow path is defined from an outlet of the pump to the manifold, through a second passage of the manifold, and to the nozzle.

2. The system of claim 1, further including a door rotatably coupled to the base unit, the door rotating between a closed position to cover the opening of the cavity and an open position to allow the drawer to move from a stowed position inside the cavity to a removed position outside of the base unit when the door is in the open position.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the door is disposed below the dispenser head.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the door is integral with the dispenser head so that the dispenser head rotates with the door between the closed position and the open position.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the door includes a latch and the front panel includes a keeper, the latch configured to couple to the keeper when the door is in the closed position and the latch configured to decouple from the keeper in response to a user input.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the heating cabinet includes an inner housing that defines the cavity and that is positioned in an outer housing, and wherein the heating element is disposed between the inner housing and the outer housing.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the heating element is at least partially disposed along two or more surfaces of the inner housing, and wherein the heating cabinet includes insulation disposed between the heating element and the outer housing.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a first tube fluidly couples the drawer to the manifold and a second tube fluidly couples the manifold to the nozzle, and wherein the drawer includes a flow promoting feature configured to bias the flowable food product towards the first tube.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the flow promoting feature is a ramp configured to bias the flowable food product toward the first tube via gravitational forces.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the flow promoting feature is a plow that moves within the drawer from a retracted position to an extended position to compress a reservoir that contains the flowable food product.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the plow is biased toward the extended position by a resilient member.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the plow includes first latching feature that engages with a second latching feature of the drawer to retain the plow in the retracted position when the drawer is removed from the cavity, and wherein one of the first latching feature and the second latching feature engages the base unit when the drawer is stowed in the cavity to disengage the first latching feature from the second latching feature and allow the plow to move toward the extended position.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the heating cabinet includes vents to allow heated air to move from the heating cabinet to the pump chamber, and wherein a fan disposed within the base unit and configured to move the heated air from the heating cabinet to the pump chamber.

14. A system for dispensing a flowable food product, the system comprising: a base unit including a first heated cavity configured to receive a first reservoir configured to retain the flowable food product; a first heating element to provide heat to the first heated cavity; a dispensing head coupled to the base unit, the dispensing head including a user interface and a first nozzle to dispense the flowable food product from the first reservoir; a manifold coupled to the base unit, a first pump disposed within the base unit and coupled to both the first reservoir and the first nozzle via the manifold, the first pump configured to pump the flowable food product from the first reservoir to the first nozzle; and a controller configured to receive user inputs from the user interface and to operate the first pump and the first heating element based on the user input.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller receives a first temperature signal from a first temperature sensor and controls the first heating element based on the first temperature signal to maintain a first target minimum temperature.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller sends a command to the first pump to draw the flowable food product from the first reservoir based on the user inputs.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising a second heated cavity disposed in the base unit and configured to receive a second reservoir configured to retain the flowable food product; a second heating element to provide heat to the second heated cavity; a second nozzle at the dispensing head; and a second pump disposed within the base unit and coupled to the second reservoir and the second nozzle via the manifold, the second pump configured to draw the flowable food product from the second reservoir to the second nozzle, wherein the controller is further configured to receive user inputs from the user interface and to operate the second pump and the second heating element based on the user input.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller the controller receives a second temperature signal from a second temperature sensor and controls the second heating element based on the second temperature signal to maintain a second target minimum temperature.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir are retained in a drawer.

20. A system for dispensing a flowable food product, the system comprising: a base unit; a nozzle supported on the base unit and configured to dispense the flowable food product; a drawer that is selectively removable from the base unit and configured to store the flowable food product, a plow that is coupled to the drawer to move between a retracted position and an extended position to control a receiving volume of the drawer, the plow including a first latching feature that couples to a second latching feature to retain the plow in the retracted position when the drawer is removed from the base unit, the first latching feature and the second latching feature configured to decouple when the drawer is inserted into the base unit to allow the plow to move toward the extended position; a pump configured to pump the flowable food product from the drawer to the nozzle; and a manifold having a base plate supported on the base unit, the manifold including a first passage through the base plate to couple the drawer to the pump and a second passage through the base plate to couple the pump to the nozzle.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the drawer retains a reservoir and the first passage of the manifold couples the reservoir to the pump.

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