Foodstuff dispenser
The foodstuff dispenser addresses issues of cross-contamination and uneven distribution by using a container with smaller dispensing openings and guide protrusions, ensuring hygienic and efficient foodstuff distribution in diverse settings.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- BEZUIDENHOUT CHRISTIAAN LOURENS PHILLIPPUS
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-10
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-21
AI Technical Summary
Existing foodstuff dispensing methods, such as using knives or traditional butter dispensing devices, lead to cross-contamination, uneven distribution, and inefficiency, particularly in large settings like restaurants or households, and require additional cleaning and storage steps.
A foodstuff dispenser with a container, actuator assembly, and dispensing cover featuring smaller dispensing openings and guide protrusions to ensure even distribution, along with a non-reusable design to prevent contamination.
The dispenser provides hygienic, even distribution of foodstuff without cross-contamination and reduces the need for cleaning and storage steps, suitable for various settings from private use to commercial environments.
Smart Images
Figure IB2025061456_21052026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] FOODSTUFF DISPENSER
[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates to a foodstuff dispenser and more particularly, but not exclusively, do a foodstuff dispenser for dispensing foodstuff onto a flat surface or onto a piece of another foodstuff such as bread or the like.
[0004] BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0005] Using a knife to spread butter or preserves on bread may be a traditional choice, but it comes with a few disadvantages.
[0006] Butter is traditionally supplied in wax paper or plastic containers or tubs. Preserves are typically supplied in glass bottles. Using a knife to remove a required amount of butter or preserve from its packaging or container requires some dexterity, so as not to mess and to ensure even distribution of the butter or preserve without tearing or crumbling the bread. In addition, using the same knife to spread butter and preserve usually leads to cross-contamination of the two spreads. Additional knives or cleaning steps may be needed to prevent flavours from mixing.
[0007] Another disadvantage is the time and effort required to collect, use, clean and again store spreading knives. This may be particularly disadvantageous in larger settings like restaurants or households with several people. Butter dispensing devices are available. One such device houses butter in a tube and has an actuator for forcing the butter towards an outlet opening of the tube, thus dispensing the butter. A disadvantage of this dispensing device is that a cross-sectional area of the butter equal to the cross-sectional area of the inside of the tube is dispensed. This does not ensure or aid even distribution of butter on another foodstuff such as bread. This may lead to deformation of the butter inside the tube or misalignment of the butter, towards a side of the tube.
[0008] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It is an object of this invention to provide a foodstuff dispenser which, at least partially, alleviates some of the above-mentioned difficulties.
[0010] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] In accordance with this invention is provided a foodstuff dispenser comprising: a container for storing a foodstuff, an actuator assembly for moving the foodstuff toward an outlet of the container, the outlet including at least one dispensing opening in a dispensing cover located in or over the outlet for dispensing the foodstuff through the dispensing opening, the dispensing opening being smaller than a cross-dimension of the foodstuff in the container. There is provided for the actuator assembly to selectively move the food stuff towards the outlet of the container.
[0012] A further feature of the invention provides for the container to be an elongate tube for storing the food stuff therein.
[0013] The outlet is at one end of the container and the dispensing cover blocks the outlet so that the food stuff, when moved with the actuator assembly towards the outlet, is forced through dispensing opening of the dispensing cover.
[0014] A yet further feature of the invention provides for the dispensing opening to be a plurality of dispensing openings in the dispensing cover.
[0015] There is still further provided for the dispensing cover to include guide protrusions extending operatively downwards from an operatively underside surface of the dispensing cover to guide at least some of the foodstuff towards the number of dispensing openings in the dispensing cover, as the food stuff advances towards the outlet.
[0016] The dispensing cover has a screw threaded outer circumference and is attachable in the outlet with a complementary screw thread on an inner circumference of the outlet. Alternatively, the dispensing cover is attachable in or over the outlet opening in snap-fit fashion. The screw thread of the dispensing cover and complementary screw-thread in the outlet opening are left-handed screw threads.
[0017] There is provided for the actuator assembly to include a plug.
[0018] The plug is cylindrical, hollow, cap-shaped.
[0019] The plug is co-axially and rotatably attached in a rear opening of the container with a cylindrical skirt of the plug extending out of the rear opening of the container.
[0020] The skirt of the plug has an outer knurled surface to enhance friction when a user grips the skirt to rotate the plug.
[0021] There is yet further provided for the plug to include an annular rebate immediately adjacent the cylindrical skirt formation.
[0022] A yet further feature of the invention provides for the annular rebate to be frictionally rotatable on an inside circumferential surface of the rear end of the container.
[0023] There is still further provided for ratchet protrusions to extend around radially outwardly from the annular rebate. Complementary container ratchet formations extend radially inwardly from the inner surface of the rear end of the container. The ratchet formations or the container ratchet formations are resiliency deformable.
[0024] An operatively upper rim of the annular rebate terminates in a flat round disc that forms the top of the plug.
[0025] A screw threaded shaft extend coaxially from the disc of the plug and coaxially in the container.
[0026] There is provided for a lower end of the shaft, adjacent the disc, to include a securing formation. The securing formation is a ring-shaped annular rebate in the shaft.
[0027] A further feature of the invention provides for the shaft to be left-hand screw threaded.
[0028] The securing formation of the shaft clips into a central, annular bore of a discshaped partition at the lower end of the container so that the plug locates at a rear end of the partition and the shaft extends through the partition co-axially along the length of the container.
[0029] The actuator assembly further includes a pusher device. There is provided for the pusher device to be cap-shaped with a circumferential pusher skirt extending downwards from an upper disc-shaped pusher section.
[0030] At its lower circumference the pusher skirt terminates in an annular seal.
[0031] The seal extends downward and radially outwards from the lower circumference of the pusher skirt.
[0032] A central bore of the pusher is complementary screw-threaded to the screw-threaded shaft, with the shaft extending through the pusher.
[0033] Co-axial outer slots in the outer circumference of the pusher skirt, slidingly engages over guide bars which extend co-axially along an inner surface of the container.
[0034] There is provided for a storage cap to be releasable attachable over the outlet and dispensing cover.
[0035] In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a foodstuff dispenser comprising:
[0036] a container for storing a foodstuff, an actuator assembly for moving the foodstuff toward an outlet of the container, the outlet including at least one dispensing opening in a dispensing cover located in or over the outlet for dispensing the foodstuff through the dispensing opening, the dispensing opening being smaller than a cross-dimension of the foodstuff in the container.
[0037] There is provided for the dispensing cover to include grate formations and to be frictionally rotatable in the outlet opening.
[0038] There is provided for the shaft to terminate in a dispensing cover engagement formation, engaged centrally in a complementary shaped shaft receiving formation to allow rotation of the shaft dispensing cover in unison.
[0039] A further feature of the invention provides for the pitch of the screw-thread on the shaft to be matched with a rate a grating of a foodstuff as the actuator assembly moves the foodstuff toward the grate, to prevent pressure on the foodstuff from interfering with operation of the dispenser.
[0040] These and other features of the invention are described in more detail below.
[0041] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0042] Embodiment of the invention are described below by way of example only and with reference to the drawings in which:
[0043] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a food stuff dispenser;
[0044] Figure 2 shows a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the food stuff dispenser of figure 1 with a pusher device in a first position; Figure 3 shows a similar view to that of figure 2 for the pusher device in a discharge position;
[0045] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a rear or lower end of the food stuff dispenser including, amongst others, a partition, a top section of a plug, a shaft extending from the plug and the pusher device;
[0046] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional partial view of a dispensing cover;
[0047] Figure 6 shows an exploded view of the food stuff dispenser of figures 1 to 5;
[0048] Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the food stuff dispenser being used to dispense a food stuff onto a slice of bread;
[0049] Figure 8 shows perspective view of three different dispensing covers having different dispensing openings;
[0050] Figure 9 shows a top perspective view of a pusher device;
[0051] Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the pusher device of figure 9;
[0052] Figure 11 shows a partial cross-sectional perspective view of a food stuff dispenser in accordance with a second embodiment; Figure 12 shows a side view of a dispensing cover of the food stuff dispenser of figure 11;
[0053] Figure 13 shows a plan view of the dispensing cover of figure 12;
[0054] Figure 14 shows a plan view of an alternative dispensing cover for the food dispenser of figure 11;
[0055] Finger 15 shows a perspective view of yet a further alternative dispensing cover for the food dispenser of figure 11 ; and
[0056] Figure 16 shows a partial cross-sectional view of an outlet of the food stuff dispenser of figure 11.
[0057] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0058] With reference to the drawings, in which like numerals referred to like features, a foodstuff dispenser is generally indicated by reference numeral 1.
[0059] A first embodiment of the food stuff dispenser is shown in figures 1 to 10. A second embodiment of the food dispenser is shown in figures 10 to 16.
[0060] With reference to figures 1 to 10, the foodstuff dispenser 1 includes a container 2 for storing a foodstuff in the container. An actuator assembly includes a plug 4, a shaft 7 and a pusher 8 for moving the foodstuff toward an outlet of the container. The plug is cylindrical, hollow, cap-shaped.
[0061] The outlet includes dispensing openings 9a in a dispensing cover 9.
[0062] The dispensing cover locates in the outlet for dispensing the foodstuff through the dispensing opening. The dispensing openings 9a are smaller in diameter than an inside diameter of the container. Guide protrusions 9b extend downwards from an underside surface of the dispensing cover to guide at least some of the foodstuff towards the dispensing openings in the dispensing cover, as the food stuff advances towards the outlet.
[0063] The dispensing cover has a screw threaded outer circumference and is attachable in the outlet with a complementary screw thread on an inner circumference of the outlet. The screw thread of the dispensing cover and complementary screw-thread in the outlet opening are left-handed screw threads.
[0064] The plug is co-axially and rotatably attached in a rear opening of the container with a cylindrical skirt of the plug extending out of the rear opening of the container. The skirt of the plug has an outer knurled surface to enhance friction when a user grips the skirt, to rotate the plug. The plug includes an annular rebate immediately adjacent and above the cylindrical skirt formation. This rebate is frictionally rotatable on an inside circumferential surface of the rear end of the container.
[0065] Ratchet protrusions extend around and radially outwardly from the annular rebate and co-operate with complementary container ratchet formations extend radially inwardly from the inner surface of the rear end of the container. The ratchet formations or the container ratchet formations are resiliently deformable to allow rotation of the plug in one direction only.
[0066] An operatively upper rim of the annular rebate terminates in a flat round, transverse disc that forms the top of the plug. The screw threaded shaft 7 extends coaxially, normally and centrally from the disc of the plug into the container.
[0067] There is provided for a lower end of the shaft, adjacent the disc of the plug, to include a securing formation. The securing formation is a ring-shaped annular rebate in the shaft.
[0068] The shaft to be left-hand screw threaded.
[0069] The securing formation of the shaft clips into a central, annular bore of a discshaped partition 14 at the lower end of the container so that the plug locates at a rear end of the partition and the shaft extends through the partition coaxially along the length of the container. The annular rebate securing formation is frictionally rotatable in the bore of the partition. The pusher device is cap-shaped with a circumferential pusher skirt extending axially downwards from a circumference of an upper disc-shaped pusher section. At its lower circumferential rim, the pusher skirt terminates in an annular seal 8b. The seal extends downward and radially outwards from the lower circumference of the pusher skirt.
[0070] A central bore 8a of the pusher is complementary screw-threaded to the screw-threaded shaft, with the shaft extending through the pusher.
[0071] Co-axial outer slots 8c in the outer circumference of the pusher skirt, slidingly engages over guide bars 11. The guide bars extend co-axially along an inner surface of the container.
[0072] There is provided for a storage cap 3 to be releasable attachable over the outlet and dispensing cover.
[0073] In use, and with reference to the first embodiment of figures 1 to 10, the inside of the container 2 is filled with a food stuff such as, in this example, butter. In the charged position, with the pusher at the lower end inside the container, the cap 3 can be removed and rotation of the plug, as particularly shown in figure 8, causes the pusher to move up on the shaft toward the outlet. The pusher is engaged on the guide bars thus preventing rotation of the pusher and thus ensuring that it moves up on the shaft as the shaft rotates. The pusher thus pushes the butter up and out through the dispensing openings. The guide protrusion unsure that the butter is directed toward the dispensing openings and thus reduces pressure inside the container had the butter been allowed to push against flat surfaces between the dispensing openings, in the absence of the guide protrusions.
[0074] Successive rotation of the plug will cause the pusher to finally reach the top end of the shaft, or its discharged position, when most of the butter is dispensed.
[0075] The ratchet protrusions on the plug and the container prevents the plug from being rotated in the opposite direction and thus moving the pusher device back to the charged position. This ensures that the dispenser is disposable rather than reusable.
[0076] In addition, this non-reusability and non-reversibility of the direction of movement prevents contamination inside the container tube.
[0077] A second embodiment of the foodstuff dispenser is shown in figures 11 to 16. This embodiment is explained with reference to the differences with the dispenser of the first embodiment.
[0078] The dispenser of the second embodiment is used to dispense a foodstuff such as cheese, as an example.
[0079] The dispense cover now includes grate formations instead of dispensing openings. The dispensing cover can now also be referred to the grate or grating plate. The grate formations of course, are still opening but also include grate formations to grate and dispense the cheese as described below.
[0080] The guide bars 11 are enlarged both in width and / or breadth to ensure that the cheese in the container does not rotate inside the container.
[0081] An upper end of the shaft 17 is squared to fit in a central complementary shaped hole in the grate plate. This will cause rotation of the grating plate with the shaft.
[0082] The grating plate can fit in the outlet with a screw thread as explained for the dispensing cover of the first embodiment or can be snap-fit with complementary shaped slot and ridge formations. These formations may be angled to ensure very secure fit of the grating plate in the outlet. In this regard, refer to surface 18 in figure 16.
[0083] In this second embodiment, the pitch of the screw-thread on the shaft is matched with a rate of rotation of the grating plate. This ensures that as a foodstuff moves the towards the grate, it is grated fast and complete enough to prevent undue pressure on the foodstuff against the grating plate from interfering with proper operation of the dispenser. To further achieve this, the grating plate also has guide protrusions at an underside surface, similar to those of the dispensing plate of the first embodiment. The grate formations can also overlap to ensure even grating of a front surface of the cheese. Figures 13 to 15 show different configurations of grating formations.
[0084] In use, with reference to the second embodiment, as the plug is rotated, it causes two actions: rotation of the grating plate and advancing of the cheese (via the pusher) toward the grating plate. Grated cheese id thus dispensed through the grating openings of the grate formations.
[0085] Again, this second embodiment dispenser is also disposable, rather than reusable. In addition, as with the first embodiment, this non-reusability and non-reversibility of the direction of movement prevents contamination inside the container tube.
[0086] It is envisaged that the dispensers described herein will be easy and convenient to use in many settings ranging from private use to commercial restaurant and other use. The foodstuff is kept hygienic inside the dispenser and is easily and cleanly dispensed. The dispenser itself cannot easily be reused and hygiene is not a concern as is the case with re-usable dispensers. The invention is not limited to the precise details as described herein. For example, the dispensing cover and grating plate may be attachable in many different ways in or over the outlet opening, other than what is shown or described herein. Guide bars for cheese may be radially wider than shown. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many other alternatives are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.
Claims
CLAIMS1. Foodstuff dispenser comprising:a container for storing a foodstuff, an actuator assembly for moving the foodstuff toward an outlet of the container, the outlet including at least one dispensing opening in a dispensing cover located in or over the outlet for dispensing the foodstuff through the dispensing opening, the dispensing opening being smaller than a cross-dimension of the foodstuff in the container.
2. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 in which the actuator assembly selectively moves the foodstuff towards the outlet of the container.
3. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the container is an elongate tube for storing the food stuff therein.
4. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the outlet is at one end of the container and the dispensing cover blocks the outlet so that the food stuff, when moved with the actuator assembly towards the outlet, is forced through dispensing opening of the dispensing cover.
5. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the dispensing opening is a plurality of dispensing openings in the dispensing cover.
6. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the dispensing cover includes guide protrusions extending operatively downwards from an operatively underside surface of the dispensing cover to guide at least some of the foodstuff towards the number of dispensing openings in the dispensing cover, as the food stuff advances towards the outlet.
7. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the dispensing cover has a screw threaded outer circumference and is attachable in the outlet with a complementary screw thread on an inner circumference of the outlet.
8. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 6 in which the dispensing cover is attachable in or over the outlet opening in snap-fit fashion.
9. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 1 to 8 in which the screw thread of the dispensing cover and complementary screw-thread in the outlet opening are left-handed screw threads.
10. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the actuator assembly includes a plug.
11. A dispenser as claimed in claim 10 in which the plug is cylindrical, hollow, cap-shaped.
12. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the claims 10 or 11 in which the plug is co-axially and rotatably attached in a rear opening of the container with a cylindrical skirt of the plug extending out of the rear opening of the container.
13. A dispenser as claimed in in claim 12 in which the skirt of the plug has an outer knurled surface to enhance friction when a user grips the skirt to rotate the plug.
14. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the claims 12 or 13 in which the plug includes an annular rebate immediately adjacent the cylindrical skirt formation.
15. A dispenser as claimed in claim 14 in which the annular rebate is frictional ly rotatable on an inside circumferential surface of the rear end of the container.
16. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which ratchet protrusions extend around, radially outwardly, from the annular rebate.
17. A dispenser as claimed in claim 16 in which complementary container ratchet formations extend radially inwardly from the inner surface of the rear end of the container.
18. A dispenser as claimed in claim 16 or 17 in which the ratchet formations or the container ratchet formations are resiliently deformable.
19. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the claims 14 to 18 in which an operatively upper rim of the annular rebate terminates in a flat round disc that forms the top of the plug.
20. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which a screw threaded shaft extends coaxially from the disc of the plug and coaxially in the container.
21. A dispenser as claims in claim 20 in which a lower end of the shaft, adjacent the disc, includes a securing formation.
22. A dispenser as claimed in claim 21 in which the securing formation is a ring-shaped annular rebate in the shaft.
23. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the claims 20 to 22 in which the shaft is left-hand screw threaded.
24. A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 23 in which the securing formation of the shaft clips into a central, annular bore of a disc-shaped partition at the lower end of the container so that the plug locates at a rear end of the partition and the shaft extends through the partition co-axially along the length of the container.
25. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the actuator assembly further includes a pusher device.
26. A dispenser as claimed in claim 25 in which the pusher device is capshaped with a circumferential pusher skirt extending downwards from an upper disc-shaped pusher section.
27. A dispenser as claimed in claim 26 in which the pusher skirt terminates in an annular seal.
28. A dispenser as claimed in claim 27 in which the seal extends downward and radially outwards from the lower circumference of the pusher skirt.
29. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the claims 25 to 28 in which a central bore of the pusher is complementary screw-threaded to the screw-threaded shaft, with the shaft extending through the pusher.
30. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the claims 26 to 29 in which coaxial outer slots in the outer circumference of the pusher skirt, slidingly engages over guide bars which extend co-axially along an inner surface of the container.
31. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which a storage cap to be releasable attachable over the outlet and dispensing cover.
32. A foodstuff dispenser comprising:a container for storing a foodstuff, an actuator assembly for moving the foodstuff toward an outlet of the container, the outlet including at least one dispensing opening in a dispensing cover located in or over the outlet for dispensing the foodstuff through the dispensing opening, the dispensing opening being smaller than a cross-dimension of the foodstuff in the container.
33. A dispenser as claimed in claim 32 in which the dispensing cover includes grate formations and is fictionally rotatable in the outlet opening.
34. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which a shaft terminates in a dispensing cover engagement formation, engaged centrally in a complementary shaped shaft receiving formation to allow rotation of the shaft dispensing cover in unison.
5. A dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the pitch of the screw-thread on the shaft is matched with a rate of grating of a foodstuff as the actuator assembly moves the foodstuff toward the grate, to prevent pressure on the foodstuff from interfering with operation of the dispenser.