Pivoting Container Dispenser for Controlled Dry Product Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dispensing arrangements for dry or semi-dry food products, such as topping dispensers, face challenges in maintaining hygiene, ease of use, space efficiency, flexibility for different product types, and controlling the flow of products with varying sizes and shapes, while also being difficult to clean and fabricate.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing arrangement with a container and base member interconnected by a pivot pin, allowing controlled rotation to dispense products through a channel, featuring a dispensing control element that adjusts the maximum rotation angle to manage flow, and includes interchangeable components for different product types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional topping dispenser is used, then it can dispense dry or semi-dry products, but it is difficult to clean and maintain hygienic standards
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser is divided into separate components: a removable container that can be detached from the base member. This segmentation allows the container to be easily removed for cleaning and maintenance, improving hygiene standards while simplifying the cleaning process. The container and base member can be cleaned separately, reducing cross-contamination risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The container is designed to be completely removable from the base member via the pivot connection. This extraction capability allows the container to be taken out for thorough cleaning, sterilization, or replacement without disassembling the entire dispenser structure, making maintenance easier while maintaining hygienic standards.
2Quantity of substance
If a traditional topping dispenser is used, then it can hold products, but it is space-demanding
Solution Approach 1:
The container is connected to the base member via a pivot pin, allowing it to rotate between a storage position (parallel to the back wall) and a dispensing position. This dynamic configuration enables the container to be positioned compactly when not in use, reducing space occupation while maintaining full product capacity. The rotational movement allows the same structure to serve both storage and dispensing functions efficiently.
3Productivity
If a traditional topping dispenser is used, then it can dispense products, but it is difficult to control flow for products with different sizes and shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The container is pre-configured with an outlet positioned at a specific distance from the front wall, and the back wall is positioned at a predetermined distance from the outlet. This preliminary geometric arrangement ensures that products with varying sizes and shapes flow smoothly through the container during rotation, preventing blockages and enabling consistent dispensing control without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms.
4Ease of operation
If a traditional topping dispenser is used, then it can be refilled, but refilling and maintaining is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser is segmented into a removable container and a stationary base member. The container can be completely detached from the base member, allowing quick refilling by simply removing and replacing the container. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex disassembly during refilling, reducing maintenance time while improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The container is extracted as a separate, removable component from the base member. This design allows the container to be quickly taken out for refilling, cleaning, or replacement without affecting the base member or requiring disassembly of the entire dispenser structure, significantly reducing maintenance time and improving operational efficiency.
5Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional topping dispenser is used, then it can dispense products, but it is not flexible for different product types
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser is designed with a universal container-base member connection system using a pivot pin. The container can be rotated to different positions and removed completely, allowing the same base member to work with different container types for various products. This multi-functionality provides flexibility for different product types without increasing structural complexity, as the pivot connection is a simple, standard mechanical element.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a dispensing arrangement (100) for dispensing dry or semi-dry products comprising a refillable container arrangement (10) with a funnel comprising a container dispensing channel (16) with a lower open end forming a dispensing aperture, and a support structure comprising a bracket element (20) for holding the container arrangement (10). The dispensing arrangement (100) comprises a base member (30) with a closing element (35) and the container arrangement (10) is pivotally mountable to the base member (30;) such that it can be rotated with respect to the base member (30) around a horizontal pivot axis (34) between a first end position in which the closing element (35) covers the container dispensing channel (16) lower open end preventing product dispensing, and a second end position in which a maximum predetermined flow is allowed and in which the closing element (35) at least partly reveals the container dispensing, channel (16) lower open, and at least one releasable dispensing control element (40) arranged to limit the maximum rotation of the container arrangement (10).