US5350083A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Condiment dispensing device
Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises LLC
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Filing: 1993-05-20
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Granted: 1994-09-27
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Expires: 2013-05-20
Abstract
Abstract An improved condiment dispensing system for delivering a measured quantity of condiment at a desired flow rate. The system comprises a pump which is fluidly connected to a condiment source and a dispensing apparatus. The dispensing apparatus includes a valve assembly which is connected to a pressurized fluid source and to the pump whereby actuation of the valve assembly causes a measured quantity of the condiment to be dispensed from an outlet nozzle contained thereon.
Inventors
- 👤 Benjamin R. Du
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 17:27
CPC Classifications
B; B67; B67D; B67D1/00; B67D1/08; B67D1/10; B67D1/101; B67D1/102
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
300 words
A fluid-driven pump for use in a condiment dispensing system, comprising: a housing means having first and second ends and an inner surface defining at least one interior cavity; a piston slidably positioned within said housing means, said piston being reciprocally movable through intake and exhaust strokes within said interior cavity for selectively drawing a pre-determined quantity of condiment thereinto and dispensing the predetermined quantity therefrom; a seal assembly engaged to and enclosing the second end of said housing means, said seal assembly defining an inlet/exhaust port for supplying a pressurized fluid to a portion of the interior cavity intermediate the piston and the second end for initiating an exhaust stroke of the piston and venting the pressurized fluid from the interior cavity during the intake stroke of the piston; a product inlet disposed in the first end of the housing means for placing said interior cavity in fluid communication with a condiment reservoir during the intake stroke of the piston; a product outlet disposed in the first end of the housing means for placing said interior cavity in fluid communication with a condiment dispensing apparatus during the exhaust stroke of the piston; a first spring means disposed within said interior cavity, said first spring means being directly engaged to said piston in a manner operable to bias said piston toward the second end of the housing means when the pressurized fluid is vented from the interior cavity via said inlet/exhaust port; and an inlet check valve positioned between said product inlet and said piston, and an outlet check valve positioned between said product outlet and said piston, said outlet check valve being adapted to pull a vacuum within said product outlet during the intake stroke of said piston to eliminate drippage of residual condiment from said condiment dispensing apparatus.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
300 words
A fluid-driven pump for use in a condiment dispensing system, comprising: a housing means having first and second ends and an inner surface defining at least one interior cavity; a piston slidably positioned within said housing means, said piston being reciprocally movable through intake and exhaust strokes within said interior cavity for selectively drawing a pre-determined quantity of condiment thereinto and dispensing the predetermined quantity therefrom; a seal assembly engaged to and enclosing the second end of said housing means, said seal assembly defining an inlet/exhaust port for supplying a pressurized fluid to a portion of the interior cavity intermediate the piston and the second end for initiating an exhaust stroke of the piston and venting the pressurized fluid from the interior cavity during the intake stroke of the piston; a product inlet disposed in the first end of the housing means for placing said interior cavity in fluid communication with a condiment reservoir during the intake stroke of the piston; a product outlet disposed in the first end of the housing means for placing said interior cavity in fluid communication with a condiment dispensing apparatus during the exhaust stroke of the piston; a first spring means disposed within said interior cavity, said first spring means being directly engaged to said piston in a manner operable to bias said piston toward the second end of the housing means when the pressurized fluid is vented from the interior cavity via said inlet/exhaust port; and an inlet check valve positioned between said product inlet and said piston, and an outlet check valve positioned between said product outlet and said piston, said outlet check valve being adapted to pull a vacuum within said product outlet during the intake stroke of said piston to eliminate drippage of residual condiment from said condiment dispensing apparatus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
94 words
The pump of claim 1 further comprising a wiper member attached to said piston and having a peripheral edge disposed in abutting, sealed contact with the inner surface of the housing means, said wiper member moving concurrently with said piston and being operable to wipe the inner surface of said housing means during the intake and exhaust strokes of the piston so as to prevent any condiment from passing between the inner surface of the housing means and the piston to a location intermediate the piston and the second end of the housing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The pump of claim 2 wherein said wiper member is threadably engaged to said piston.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The pump of claim 1 wherein said first spring means comprises a tension spring having a first end attached to said piston and a second end attached to said seal assembly.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
84 words
The pump of claim 1 wherein said seal assembly further comprises a cap member threadably connected to said housing means for adjusting the pre-determined quantity of condiment drawn into and dispensed from the pump, said seal assembly being cooperatively engaged to said piston in a manner wherein clockwise rotation of the cap member decreases the piston stroke, thereby decreasing the pre-determined quantity of the condiment, and counter-clockwise rotation of said cap member increases the piston stroke, thereby increasing the pre-determined quantity of the condiment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
239 words
The pump of claim 1 wherein said inlet and outlet check valves each comprise: a tubular sleeve having a front end, a back end and an annular flange extending about the inner surface thereof, said flange portion defining a beveled inner surface and an annular outer shoulder; a base member slidably positioned within said housing intermediate the back end of said sleeve and said piston; a compression spring having a first end abutted against the outer shoulder of said flange portion and a second end abutted against said base member; an umbrella member having an arcuate proximal portion positioned on the beveled inner surface of said flange portion and a distal portion pivotally connected to said base member, said umbrella member extending axially through said spring and being sized to compress the spring an amount sufficient to bias the proximal portion of the umbrella member into sealed engagement against the beveled inner surface of the flange portion; said inlet check valve being oriented such that the flow of condiment into the interior cavity during an intake stroke of the piston forces the proximal portion of the umbrella member away from the beveled surface and compresses the spring, with said outlet check valve being oriented such that the flow of condiment out of the interior cavity during an exhaust stroke of the piston forces the proximal portion of the umbrella member away from the beveled surface and compresses the spring.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The pump of claim 6 wherein the tubular sleeve of said outlet check valve is sized and slidably positioned in the housing in a manner wherein the sleeve is reciprocally movable within a space defined between said product outlet and said interior cavity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
92 words
The pump of claim 7 wherein the sleeve of said outlet check valve slides within said space to a first position in abutting contact with a first annular shoulder defined by said product outlet during the exhaust stroke of said piston, and slides within said space to a second position in abutting contact with a second annular shoulder defined within said housing during the intake stroke of said piston, the movement of said sleeve from the first position to the second position being operable to pull a vacuum within said product outlet.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The pump of claim 8 wherein each of said base members includes a plurality of apertures disposed therein for facilitating the passage of condiment therethrough.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-09-26 | 1998-03-28 | 1998-09-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-09-26 | 2002-03-28 | 2002-09-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-09-26 | 2006-03-28 | 2006-09-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |