US3831906A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ingredient dispersing apparatus
Assignee: Crepaco
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Filing: 1972-11-09
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Granted: 1974-08-27
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Expires: 1992-11-09
Abstract
Abstract An ingredient dispersing apparatus is disclosed for dispersing a semi-solid ingredient into a viscous fluid ingredient to produce a homogeneous dispersion. The invention comprises a mixer such as a gear pump to divide the semi-solid ingredient into discrete volumes and provisions for streaming the viscous fluid to remove the semi-solid ingredient from the mixer. The apparatus is easily cleaned and is desirable for use with food products such as ice cream, yogurt and the like. The foregoing abstract is merely a resume of one general application, is not a complete discussion of all principles of operation or applications and is not to be construed as a limitation on the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Inventors
- 👤 A Wakeman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 14:09
CPC Classifications
F; F04; F04C; F04C13/00; B; B01; B01F; B01F25/00; B01F25/60; B01F25/62
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
An apparatus to disperse a first ingredient into a second ingredient, comprising in combination: a housing having an input and output aperture; first and second gear means; means for establishing said first and second gear means to be in mesh with one another in said housing; means for rotating said first and second gear means; means for introducing the first ingredient into said input aperture; means establishing cooperation between said housing and said first and second gear means to define volumes of the first ingredient; means for streaming the second ingredient in proximity to the commencement of mesh of said first and second gear means to wash the said first and second gear means of the first ingredient and to disperse said defined volumes of the first ingredient into the stream of the second ingredient; and said streaming means discharging the first and second ingredients from said output aperture.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
149 words
An apparatus to disperse a first ingredient into a second ingredient, comprising in combination: a housing having an input and output aperture; first and second gear means; means for establishing said first and second gear means to be in mesh with one another in said housing; means for rotating said first and second gear means; means for introducing the first ingredient into said input aperture; means establishing cooperation between said housing and said first and second gear means to define volumes of the first ingredient; means for streaming the second ingredient in proximity to the commencement of mesh of said first and second gear means to wash the said first and second gear means of the first ingredient and to disperse said defined volumes of the first ingredient into the stream of the second ingredient; and said streaming means discharging the first and second ingredients from said output aperture.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
163 words
An apparatus to disperse a first ingredient into a second ingredient, comprising in combination: a housing having an input and an output aperture; first and second gear means; means for mounting said first and second gear means in said housing to be in mesh with one another and to have a portion of the circumference of said gear means in close proximity with said housing; means for introducing the first ingredient into said input aperture; means for rotating said first and second gear means to enclose discrete volumes of the first ingredient between adjacent teeth of said gear means and said housing; said gear means conveying said volumes to said output aperture; and means for streaming the second ingredient in proximity to said output aperture to remove said discrete volumes of the first ingredient from said gear means and to disperse said discrete volumes in the stream of the second ingredient to be discharged from said output aperture as a substantially uniform dispersion.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
163 words
An apparatus to disperse a first ingredient into a second ingredient, comprising in combination: a housing having an input and an output aperture; first and second gear means; means for mounting said first and second gear means in said housing to be in mesh with one another and to have a portion of the circumference of said gear means in close proximity with said housing; means for introducing the first ingredient into said input aperture; means for rotating said first and second gear means to enclose discrete volumes of the first ingredient between adjacent teeth of said gear means and said housing; said gear means conveying said volumes to said output aperture; and means for streaming the second ingredient in proximity to said output aperture to remove said discrete volumes of the first ingredient from said gear means and to disperse said discrete volumes in the stream of the second ingredient to be discharged from said output aperture as a substantially uniform dispersion.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
132 words
An apparatus to disperse a first ingredient into a second ingredient, comprising in combination: a housing having an input and an output aperture; first and second gear means in mesh with one another, means for rotating said gear means; means for introducing the first ingredient into said input aperture; means establishing cooperation between said housing and said gear means to separate discrete volumes of the first ingredient at said input aperture; said gear means conveying said volumes to saId output aperture; and means for streaming the second ingredient in proximity to said output aperture to remove said discrete volumes of the first ingredient from said gear means and to disperse said discrete volumes in the stream of the second ingredient to be discharged from said output aperture as a substantially uniform dispersion.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
132 words
An apparatus to disperse a first ingredient into a second ingredient, comprising in combination: a housing having an input and an output aperture; first and second gear means in mesh with one another, means for rotating said gear means; means for introducing the first ingredient into said input aperture; means establishing cooperation between said housing and said gear means to separate discrete volumes of the first ingredient at said input aperture; said gear means conveying said volumes to saId output aperture; and means for streaming the second ingredient in proximity to said output aperture to remove said discrete volumes of the first ingredient from said gear means and to disperse said discrete volumes in the stream of the second ingredient to be discharged from said output aperture as a substantially uniform dispersion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said means for rotating said gear means includes hydraulic motor means.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
210 words
An apparatus to disperse a first ingredient into a second ingredient, comprising in combination, a housing having a housing surface during a chamber; said housing having an input and an output aperture located on opposite sides of said chamber; first and second gear means; means for mounting said first and second gear means in said chamber to be in mesh with one another and to have a portion of the circumference of said gear means in close proximity with said housing surface; means for introducing the first ingredient in said input aperture; means for rotating said first and second gear means to enclose discrete volumes of the first ingredient between adjacent teeth of said gear means and said housing surface; said rotating means moving said discrete volumes of the first ingredient along said housing surface to said output aperture; and means for continuously streaming the second ingredient into said chamber in proximity to the mesh of said gear means at said output aperture to remove the discrete volumes of the first ingredient from the teeth of said gear means and to uniformly disperse said discrete volumes of the first ingredient in the continuous stream of the second ingredient to be discharged from said output aperture as a substantially uniform dispersion.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
210 words
An apparatus to disperse a first ingredient into a second ingredient, comprising in combination, a housing having a housing surface during a chamber; said housing having an input and an output aperture located on opposite sides of said chamber; first and second gear means; means for mounting said first and second gear means in said chamber to be in mesh with one another and to have a portion of the circumference of said gear means in close proximity with said housing surface; means for introducing the first ingredient in said input aperture; means for rotating said first and second gear means to enclose discrete volumes of the first ingredient between adjacent teeth of said gear means and said housing surface; said rotating means moving said discrete volumes of the first ingredient along said housing surface to said output aperture; and means for continuously streaming the second ingredient into said chamber in proximity to the mesh of said gear means at said output aperture to remove the discrete volumes of the first ingredient from the teeth of said gear means and to uniformly disperse said discrete volumes of the first ingredient in the continuous stream of the second ingredient to be discharged from said output aperture as a substantially uniform dispersion.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
238 words
An apparatus to disperse a first ingredient into a second ingredient, comprising in combination: a housing having a housing surface defining a chamber; said housing having an input and an output aperture located on opposite sides of said chamber; first and second gear means; means for mounting said first and second gear means in said chamber to be in mesh with one another and to have a portion of the circumference of said gear means in close proximity with said housing surface; means for introducing the first ingredient in said input aperture; hydraulic motor means for rotating said first and second gear means to enclose discrete volumes of the first ingredient between adjacent teeth of said gear means and said housing surface; said rotating means moving said discrete volumes of the first ingredient along said housing surface to said output aperture; tubing means established through said housing to have a portion thereof in said chamber in proximity to the mesh of said gear means at said output aperture, and said tubing means having orifice means for streaming the second ingredient into said chamber and into the mesh of said gear means to remove the discrete volumes of the first ingredient from the teeth of said gear means and to uniformly disperse said discrete volumes of the first ingredient in the continuous stream of the second ingredient to be discharged from said output aperture as a substantially uniform dispersion.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
238 words
An apparatus to disperse a first ingredient into a second ingredient, comprising in combination: a housing having a housing surface defining a chamber; said housing having an input and an output aperture located on opposite sides of said chamber; first and second gear means; means for mounting said first and second gear means in said chamber to be in mesh with one another and to have a portion of the circumference of said gear means in close proximity with said housing surface; means for introducing the first ingredient in said input aperture; hydraulic motor means for rotating said first and second gear means to enclose discrete volumes of the first ingredient between adjacent teeth of said gear means and said housing surface; said rotating means moving said discrete volumes of the first ingredient along said housing surface to said output aperture; tubing means established through said housing to have a portion thereof in said chamber in proximity to the mesh of said gear means at said output aperture, and said tubing means having orifice means for streaming the second ingredient into said chamber and into the mesh of said gear means to remove the discrete volumes of the first ingredient from the teeth of said gear means and to uniformly disperse said discrete volumes of the first ingredient in the continuous stream of the second ingredient to be discharged from said output aperture as a substantially uniform dispersion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said orifice means is a slot having a length substantially equal to the thickness of said gear means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said tubing means is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said gear means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of dispersing flavor elements into a food product by first and second gear means in mesh with one another, comprising the steps of: dividing the flavor elements into discrete volumes by adjacent teeth of the gear means; moving said discrete volumes along the housing by the gear means to contact the food product; and, streaming the food product at the commencement of mesh of the first and second gear means to wash the first and seconD gear means of the flavor elements and to disperse the flavor elements uniformly within the food product.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of dispersing flavor elements into a food product by first and second gear means in mesh with one another, comprising the steps of: dividing the flavor elements into discrete volumes by adjacent teeth of the gear means; moving said discrete volumes along the housing by the gear means to contact the food product; and, streaming the food product at the commencement of mesh of the first and second gear means to wash the first and seconD gear means of the flavor elements and to disperse the flavor elements uniformly within the food product.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of streaming the food product includes continuously streaming at least seven volume units of the food product to remove one volume unit of the periodic discrete volumes of the flavor elements from the gear means.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of dispersing a first semi-solid ingredient into a second viscous liquid ingredient by first and second gear means in mesh with one another and located in a housing, comprising the steps of: introducing the first ingredient into the housing; separating the first ingredient into substantially discrete volumes between the teeth of the first and second gear means and the housing; moving the first ingredient by the first and second gear means to periodically introduce discrete volumes of the first ingredient into contact with the second ingredient; streaming the second ingredient in a continuous flow at the commencement of mesh of the first and second gear means to wash the teeth of the first and second gear means of the discrete volumes of the first ingredient and to disperse the first ingredient uniformly within the second ingredient; and removing the dispersed first ingredient in the second ingredient from the housing.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of dispersing a first semi-solid ingredient into a second viscous liquid ingredient by first and second gear means in mesh with one another and located in a housing, comprising the steps of: introducing the first ingredient into the housing; separating the first ingredient into substantially discrete volumes between the teeth of the first and second gear means and the housing; moving the first ingredient by the first and second gear means to periodically introduce discrete volumes of the first ingredient into contact with the second ingredient; streaming the second ingredient in a continuous flow at the commencement of mesh of the first and second gear means to wash the teeth of the first and second gear means of the discrete volumes of the first ingredient and to disperse the first ingredient uniformly within the second ingredient; and removing the dispersed first ingredient in the second ingredient from the housing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the first and second ingredients are food products.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-08-26 | 1978-02-25 | 1978-08-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-08-26 | 1982-02-25 | 1982-08-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-08-26 | 1986-02-25 | 1986-08-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |