Soft food dispenser

Claim 2

A dispenser for fluent material such as soft food comprising: a. a hollow container for storing the material to be dispensed; b. piston means connected to one end of said container for pushing the stored material toward the other end of the container and comprising a piston head movable along within said container, biasing means in the form of a coil spring having one end operatively engaging said piston head for urging said piston head toward the opposite end of said container, partition means spaced from said piston head along said coil spring for defining a region for receiving and retaining a portion of said coil spring, said partition having an opening through which said spring extends, and manually-operated spring conditioning means operatively connected to the opposite end of said coil spring for introducing a portion of said coil spring into said region in a manner establishing sufficient stored energy in said spring to move said piston head along within said container a distance sufficient to force all of the material out from said container; and c. dispensing means connected to the other end of said container for controlling release of the material from said container and comprising conduit means leading from said container for conveying said material and terminating in an outlet, nozzle means in fluid communication with said outlet of said conduit means for discharging the material, and manually-operated valve means operatively between said outlet of said conduit means and said nozzle means and including a valve element movable axially toward and away from said conduit means between an open position spaced from said outlet and a closed position covering said outlet, biasing means normally urging said valve element into said closed position, and manually-operated actuator means operatively connected to said valve element for moving said element to said open position.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said container is provided with threads at each end thereof and said piston means and nozzle means are threaded to said container whereby food can be stored in said container prior to dispensing and said container can be provided with caps threaded to said ends which caps are removed for installation of said nozzle means and said piston means.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conduit means extend from one end of said container along the longitudinal axis of said container and terminates in an outlet end, wherein said nozzle means includes a body portion surrounding said conduit outlet end and having an orifice opening therein, and wherein said valve means comprises a valve element connected to said conduit in a manner permitting relative axial movement, and having a portion adapted to sealingly contact said conduit outlet end and manually-operated actuator means operatively connected to said valve element for moving said valve element axially along said conduit between open and closed positions.

Claim 5

A dispenser for fluent material such as soft food comprising: a. a hollow container for storing the material to be dispensed; piston means connected to one end of said container for pushing the stored material toward the other end of the container and comprising a piston head movable along within said container, biasing means in the form of a coil spring urging said piston head toward the opposite end of the container, a closure element connected to said container and having an end surface providing a stop for said piston head at said one end of said container, said closure element having an opening in said end surface, said coil spring extending through said opening and having one end operatively engaging said piston head, and manually operated spring conditioning means rotatably connected to said closure element and fixed to the other end of said coil spring whereby in response to rotation of said conditioning means said spring is advanced into the region between said closure element end surface and said piston head, said opening being of a size to retain said spring therein by frictional engagement; and c. dispensing means connected to the other end of said container for controlling release of the material from said container and comprising conduit means leading from said container for conveying said material, nozzle means in fluid communication with said conduit means for discharging the material and manually operated valve means operatively between said conduit means and nozzle means and movable between open and closed positions for controlling communication between said conduit means and said nozzle means.

Claim 6

A dispenser for fluent material such as soft food comprising: a. a hollow container for storing the material to be dispensed; piston means connected to one end of said container for pushing the stored material toward the other end of the container and comprising a piston head movable along within said container, biasing means in the form of a coil spring urging said piston head toward the opposite end of the container, a closure element connected to said container and having an end surface providing a stop for said piston head at said one end of said container, said closure element having an opening in said end surface, said coil spring extending through said opening and having one end operatively engaging said piston head, and manually operated spring conditioning means rotatably connected to said closure element and fixed to the other end of said coil spring whereby in response to rotation of said conditioning means said spring is advanced into the region between said closure element end surface and said piston head, said opening being of a size to retain said spring therein by frictional engagement; and c. dispensing means connected to the other end of said container for controlling release of the material from said container and comprising conduit means leading from said container for conveying said material, nozzle means in fluid communication with said conduit means for discharging the material and manually operated valve means operatively between said conduit means and nozzle means and movable between open and closed positions for controlling communication between said conduit means and said nozzle means.

Claim 7

A dispenser for fluent material such as soft food comprising: a. a hollow container for storing the material to be dispensed; b. piston means connected to one end of said container for pushing the stored material toward the other end of the container and comprising a piston head movable along within said container and biasing means urging said piston head toward the opposite end of the container; and c. dispensing means connected to the other end of said container for controlling release of the material from the container and comprising conduit means leading from said container for conveying said material, said conduit means extending from one end of said container along the longitudinal axis of said container and terminating in an outlet end, nozzle means in fluid communication with said conduit means for discharging the material, said nozzle means including a body portion surrounding said conduit outlet end and having an orifice opening therein, and manually operated valve means operatively between said conduit means and nozzle means and movable between open and closed positions for controlling communication between said conduit means and said nozzle means, said valve means comprising a valve element connected to said conduit in a manner permitting relative axial movement and having a portion adapted to sealingly contact said conduit outlet end, manually-operated actuator means operatively connected to said valve element for moving said valve element axially along said conduit between open and closed positions, and biasing means operatively fixed with respect to said container and connected to said actuator means, said biasing means normally urging said actuator means to a position placing said valve element in a closed position.

Claim 8

A dispenser for fluent material such as soft food comprising: a. a hollow container for storing the material to be dispensed; b. piston means connected to one end of said container for pushing the stored material toward the other end of the container and comprising a piston head movable along within said container and biasing means urging said piston head toward the opposite end of the container; and c. dispensing means connected to the other end of said container for controlling release of the material from the container and comprising conduit means leading from said container for conveying said material, said conduit means extending from one end of said container along the longitudinal axis of said container and terminating in an outlet end, nozzle means in fluid communication with said conduit means for discharging the material, said nozzle means including a body portion surrounding said conduit outlet end and having an orifice opening therein, and manually operated valve means operatively between said conduit means and nozzle means and movable between open and closed positions for controlling communication between said conduit means and said nozzle means, said valve means comprising a valve element connected to said conduit in a manner permitting relative axial movement and having a portion adapted to sealingly contact said conduit outlet end, manually-operated actuator means operatively connected to said valve element for moving said valve element axially along said conduit between open and closed positions, and biasing means operatively fixed with respect to said container and connected to said actuator means, said biasing means normally urging said actuator means to a position placing said valve element in a closed position.

Claim 9

A dispenser for fluent material such as soft food comprising: a. a hollow container for storing the material to be dispensed; b. piston means connected to one end of said container for pushing the stored material toward the other end of the container and comprising a piston head movable along within said container and biasing means urging said piston head toward the opposite end of the container; and c. dispensing means connected to the other end of said container for controlling release of the material from the container and comprising conduit means leading from said container for conveying said material, said conduit means extending from one end of said container along the longitudinal axis of said container and terminating in an outlet end, nozzle means in fluid communication with said conduit means for discharging the material, said nozzle means including a body portion surrounding said conduit outlet end and having an orifice opening therein, and manually operated valve means operatively between said conduit means and nozzle means and movable between open and closed positions for controlling communication between said conduit means and said nozzle means, said valve means comprising a valve element connected to said conduit in a manner permitting relative axial movement and having a portion adapted to sealingly contact said conduit outlet end, and manually-operated actuator means operatively connected to said valve element for moving said valve element axially along said conduit between open and closed positions, said actuator means comprising a manually-operated element operatively connected to said valve element and movable in opposite directions in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said container, whereby movement of said actuator element in one direction causes axial movement of said valve element to said open position and movement of said actuator element in the opposite direction causes axial movement of said valve element to said closed position.

Claim 10

A dispenser for fluent material such as soft food comprising: a. a hollow container for storing the material to be dispensed; b. piston means connected to one end of said container for pushing the stored material toward the other end of the container and comprising a piston head movable along within said container and biasing means urging said piston head toward the opposite end of the container; and c. dispensing means connected to the other end of said container for controlling release of the material from the container and comprising conduit means leading from said container for conveying said material, said conduit means extending from one end of said container along the longitudinal axis of said container and terminating in an outlet end, nozzle means in fluid communication with said conduit means for discharging the material, said nozzle means including a body portion surrounding said conduit outlet end and having an orifice opening therein, and manually operated valve means operatively between said conduit means and nozzle means and movable between open and closed positions for controlling communication between said conduit means and said nozzle means, said valve means comprising a valve element connected to said conduit in a manner permitting relative axial movement and having a portion adapted to sealingly contact said conduit outlet end, and manually-operated actuator means operatively connected to said valve element for moving said valve element axially along said conduit between open and closed positions, said actuator means comprising a manually-operated element operatively connected to said valve element and movable in opposite directions in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said container, whereby movement of said actuator element in one direction causes axial movement of said valve element to said open position and movement of said actuator element in the opposite direction causes axial movement of said valve element to said closed position.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 6 further including a lever pivotally connected with respect to said container about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said container, said lever being movably connected at one end to said actuator element, the opposite end of said lever being spaced from said container for manual operation.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said valve element includes a pinion portion and said actuator element includes a rack portion engaging said pinion portion.