Dispensing apparatus

Abstract

Individual portions of ice cream are dispensed from a bulk container. A motor drives a lead screw, to expand a scissor linkage and drive a dispensing head against the bulk container. Pressure applied to the container causes it to collapse and discharge ice cream from an outlet. The lead screw is orthogonal with the movement of the dispensing head and the axis of collapse of the container. The container, motor and lead screw are carried on a drawer which is slidably mounted in a refrigerated housing. Pressure is monitored to regulate operation of the motor. An encoder controls the motor for a specific portion size.

1 . Dispensing apparatus for dispensing frozen or semi-frozen product such as ice cream and sorbet or the like, the dispensing apparatus comprising a bulk container for storing multiple portions of product to be dispensed, wherein the container has an outlet and is of deformable construction, for reducing the internal volume of the container and expressing product through the outlet, and a dispensing mechanism for applying pressure to said container to cause frozen or semi-frozen confection to be dispensed from the container through the outlet,
 wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a dispensing head which is movable to apply a load to the container for a dispensing operation, and wherein the apparatus is configured for monitoring the pressure within the container during dispensing operations, and controlling operation of the dispensing mechanism in response to the monitored pressure during a dispensing operation.   
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein a control system is configured to relieve or reduce the load applied to the container via the dispensing head if the monitored pressure reaches a predetermined threshold value. 
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a motor for driving the dispensing head to apply a load to the container, and wherein a control system is configured to reduce, interrupt or cease operation of the motor if the monitored pressure reaches a predetermined threshold value. 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a force detection device, e.g., a load cell, for monitoring pressure inside the container during dispensing operations. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein the force detection device is arranged for monitoring reaction forces experienced by the dispensing mechanism during the application of load to the container via the dispensing head. 
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a motor for driving the dispensing head to apply a load to the container, and a control system is configured to monitor electrical changes, e.g., changes in motor current, during a dispensing operation using the motor, in order to indicate changes in pressure inside the container. 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 6  wherein the control system controls operation of the motor dependent upon the motor current during a dispensing operation. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the motor is controlled to operate at a first speed in order to increase the pressure on the container (for a ‘ready to dispense’ condition) until a predetermined level is reached (e.g., indicated by the current of the motor), a valve mechanism is then triggered to open for a dispensing operation, which in turn triggers a second speed for compressing the container and expressing product through its outlet, and wherein the time period for operation at said second speed (which may be lower than the first speed) is preset to desired level relevant for dispensing a specific size of portion under normal operating conditions. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a motor for driving the dispensing head to apply a load to the container, and wherein the operation of the motor is interrupted or reduced when the pressure reaches an upper threshold and is restarted or increased when the pressure reaches a lower threshold. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a motor for driving the dispensing head to apply a load to the container, and wherein operation of the motor is reduced or interrupted when the pressure reaches said upper threshold and is restarted or increased after a preset time. 
     
     
         11 . A method of dispensing frozen or semi-frozen product such as ice cream and sorbet or the like, the method comprising the steps of providing a container of product to be dispensed, said container having a body with an outlet through which product can be expressed from the container under load, mounting said container in a dispensing mechanism, using said dispensing mechanism to apply a load to said container to cause product to be expressed from the container through the outlet, and operating a valve mechanism to control the dispensed volume of product,
 wherein the method further comprises the step of monitoring the pressure within the container during the application of load to container via the dispensing mechanism and regulating the applied load when the monitored pressure reaches a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the load applied to the container is reduced or relieved if the monitored pressure reaches said predetermined threshold value. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a motor drive and operation of the motor drive is reduced, interrupted or ceased if the monitored pressure reaches a predetermined threshold value. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein operation of the motor is interrupted when the pressure reaches an upper threshold and is restarted if the pressure reaches a lower threshold. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein operation of the motor is interrupted when the pressure reaches said upper threshold and is restarted after a preset time. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a force detection device, e.g., a load cell, which monitors the pressure inside the container during dispensing operations. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a motor for applying a load to the container for a dispensing operation, and wherein a control system monitors electrical changes, e.g., changes in motor current, during dispensing operations via the motor, in order to indicate changes in pressure inside the container. 
     
     
         18 . A method of dispensing frozen or semi-frozen product such as ice cream or sorbet or the like, the method comprising the steps of providing a container of frozen or semi-frozen product to be dispensed, said container having a body with an outlet through which product can be expressed from the container under load, mounting said container in a dispensing mechanism, using said dispensing mechanism to apply a load to said container to cause product to be expressed from the container through the outlet, and operating a valve mechanism to control the dispensed volume of product,
 wherein the method further comprises the step of monitoring the pressure within the container during the application of load to container and opening said valve mechanism to permit a volume of product to be dispensed when the monitored pressure reaches a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18  wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a dispensing head which is movable to apply a load to the container, and wherein the method includes the step of driving said dispensing head against the container in order to increase the pressure inside the container prior to opening the valve mechanism. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19  wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a drive mechanism for controlling movement of said dispensing head, and wherein the method includes the step of operating said drive mechanism to apply a load to the container via the dispensing head, and opening said valve mechanism when the monitored pressure in the container reaches a threshold value. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20  wherein the pressure is monitored when the valve mechanism is open, and operation of the drive mechanism is reduced or interrupted until the monitored pressure inside the container decreases to a lower threshold, at which point the drive mechanism is operated to increase the load applied to the container. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21  wherein the pressure is monitored further and operation of the drive mechanism is reduced or interrupted if the pressure increases to an upper threshold. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22  wherein the pressure is monitored still further and the drive mechanism is operated to increase the load applied to the container if the pressure returns to said lower threshold. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 18  wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a force detection device, e.g., a load cell, which monitors the pressure inside the container during dispensing operations. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 18  wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a motor for applying a load to the container for a dispensing operation, and wherein a control system monitors electrical changes, e.g., changes in motor current, during dispensing operations via the motor, in order to indicate changes in pressure inside the container.