Food product dispenser and valve

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing a flowable food product from a flexible reservoir is provided. The dispenser includes a frame; a body coupled to the frame and defining a cavity for receiving the flexible reservoir and including a bottom wall defining an opening; and a fitment acceptor at least partly received in the opening. The fitment acceptor includes forward and rearward sidewalls. A radius of curvature of the forward sidewall differs from a radius of curvature of the rearward sidewall. The radius of curvature of the forward sidewall and the radius of the curvature of the rearward sidewall correspond with radiuses of curvature of respective front and rear ends of a fitment of the flexible reservoir such that the fitment of the flexible reservoir is only insertable in the fitment acceptor in one relative orientation between the fitment and the fitment acceptor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dispenser for dispensing a flowable food product from a flexible reservoir supported by the dispenser, the dispenser comprising:
 a frame;   a body coupled to the frame, the body defining a cavity for receiving the flexible reservoir, wherein the body includes a bottom wall defining an opening;   a fitment acceptor at least partly received in the opening, the fitment acceptor including forward and rearward sidewalls, wherein a radius of curvature of the forward sidewall differs from a radius of curvature of the rearward sidewall, wherein the radius of curvature of the forward sidewall and the radius of the curvature of the rearward sidewall correspond with radiuses of curvature of respective front and rear ends of a fitment of the flexible reservoir such that the fitment of the flexible reservoir is only insertable in the fitment acceptor in one relative orientation between the fitment and the fitment acceptor.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein when the fitment acceptor is correctly received in the opening, at least part of the fitment acceptor is positioned substantially flush with the bottom wall. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the fitment acceptor includes an upper flange and a sidewall extending down from the upper flange. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser of  claim 3 , wherein an interface between the upper flange and the sidewall is a rounded edge. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a light configured to illuminate a position where the flowable food product will be dispensed when the dispenser is actuated. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a sloped wall extending upward from the opening, the sloped wall promoting a flow of flowable food product from the flexible reservoir towards the opening. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the frame defines a compartment positioned away from the body, wherein the compartment is configured to store another fitment acceptor. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes one or more projections, the one or more projections configured to hold and support the flexible reservoir in the cavity. 
     
     
         9 . A flowable food product dispenser, the dispenser comprising:
 a frame;   a body coupled to the frame, the body defining a cavity for receiving a bag storing the flowable food product, wherein the body includes a bottom wall defining an opening and a fitment acceptor at least partly received in the opening;   a valve configured to selectively allow the flowable food product to flow out of the bag; and   a control system configured to control the valve to control an amount of flowable food product dispensed from the bag, the control system configured to receive an indication of a desired amount of flowable food product, open the valve, and track a time that the valve is open to dispense the desired amount of flowable food product.   
     
     
         10 . The dispenser of  claim 9 , further comprising a user input device, wherein the control system is configured to receive an indication of a user engaging with the user input device and open the valve for as long as the user engages with the user input device. 
     
     
         11 . The dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein the control system is further configured to determine a total amount of dispensed flowable food product over a period of time based on an amount of time that the valve is open over the period of time, and selectively provide an alert based on the total amount of dispensed flowable food product. 
     
     
         12 . The dispenser of  claim 9 , further comprising a display and a temperature sensor, wherein the temperature sensor is positioned near the opening to determine a temperature of the flowable food product in the bag proximate to the opening, and wherein the display is configured to display the temperature. 
     
     
         13 . The dispenser of  claim 9 , further comprising a heating element configured to selectively heat the bag, wherein the control system is configured receive the temperature from the temperature sensor, and, in response, adjust power to the heating element to control an amount of heat provided to the bag. 
     
     
         14 . The dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein the dispenser includes a projection configured to be inserted at least partly through a hole of the bag in order to hold and support the bag in the cavity. 
     
     
         15 . A flowable food product dispenser, the dispenser comprising:
 a valve configured to selectively allow flowable food product to flow out of a bag received in the flowable food product dispenser; and   a control system configured to control the valve to control an amount of flowable food product dispensed from the bag, the control system configured to:
 receive an input regarding a portion-controlled dispensing mode of operation or a manual mode of operation for the flowable food product dispenser; 
 in response to the input indicating the portion-controlled mode of operation, open the valve and start a timer; and 
 in response to the valve being opened for more than a predetermined time based on operation of the timer, closing the valve to cease dispensing of the flowable food product. 
   
     
     
         16 . The flowable food product dispenser of  claim 15 , wherein the control system is further configured to receive an input regarding a desired portion size of flowable food product in the portion-controlled mode of operation and open the valve according to a preset amount of time associated with the desired portion size of flowable food product. 
     
     
         17 . The flowable food product dispenser of  claim 15 , wherein the input includes a continuous input that causes the manual mode of operation to be initiated and the valve to be opened as long as the continuous input remains. 
     
     
         18 . The flowable food product dispenser of  claim 15 , further comprising a heating element configured to selectively heat the bag, wherein the control system is configured receive a temperature from a temperature sensor, and, in response, adjust power to the heating element to control an amount of heat provided to the bag. 
     
     
         19 . The flowable food product dispenser of  claim 15 , wherein the control system is further configured to determine a total amount of dispensed flowable food product over a period of time based on an amount of time that the valve is open over the period of time, and selectively provide an alert based on the total amount of dispensed flowable food product. 
     
     
         20 . The flowable food product dispenser of  claim 15 , further comprising a display and a temperature sensor, wherein the temperature sensor is positioned to determine a temperature of the flowable food product in the bag, and wherein the display is configured to display the temperature.