AU728683B2

AU728683B2 - Portion controlled dispenser of liquids, sauces and creams

Info

Publication number: AU728683B2
Application number: AU88438/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bruce Pascoe
Original assignee: PURELINK TECHNOLOGY Pty Ltd
Current assignee: PURELINK TECHNOLOGY Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1997-10-13
Filing date: 1998-10-13
Publication date: 2001-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 2018-10-13
Also published as: AU8843898A

Description

V

P/00/0oII Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT The following statement is a full description of this invention, including Invention Title: Applicant: PORTION CONTROLLED DISPENSER OF LIQUIDS, SAUCES AND CREAMS PURELINK TECHNOLOGY PTY LTD the best method of performing it known to me: /1 CNOMHR NDE NRLCAPFRMSDOC 1A PORTION CONTROLLED DISPENSER OF LIQUIDS SAUCES AND CREAMS This invention relates to dispensing units for the automatic dispensing of predetermined portion controlled weights of liquids, sauces and creams. This invention will hereinafter be described predominantly in a refrigerated form in relation to the predetermined dispensing of milk portions, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such use.

The intermittent dispensing of milk from a dispensing unit has hygiene problems not normally associated with other forms of drink. Each time a milk drink is dispensed, a residual it left on all components of the dispensing system in direct contact with milk.

Unless these components are cleaned regularly, there will be a bacteria build-up, which if allowed to continue will affect both the flavour and smell of the milk. This effect is generally known as "souring" or "going-off'.

Presently known portion controlled dispensing units comprise a refrigerated milk reservoir from which the milk is either gravity fed through a valve assembly incorporating a calibrated chamber of pre-determined volume, or pumped from the reservoir such that 4o*o the pump is operated for the period required to dispense the pre-determined volume of ***milk. In all presently known portion controlled dispensing units there are complex motor and pump assemblies or volume measuring components in direct contact with milk which are required to be dismantled in order to be cleaned and sanitised daily and at a lesser time intervals in high ambient temperatures. The cleaning and sanitising procedure is time S consuming and tedious, since it requires the partial or complete dismantling of the •dispensing unit.

According to the present invention there is provided a portion controlled liquid dispenser, including a chamber housing a liquid reservoir supported by load measuring means that is arranged, in use, to continuously monitor the weight of the liquid within the reservoir, said load measuring means being in electrical connection with a preprogrammed micro-controller so that weight measurement readings made by said load measuring means can be fed to said micro-controller, a flexible tube in communication with and extending from said reservoir and through valve means which is biased towards a closed condition in which it squeezes said flexible tube shut, said flexible tube extending to outside of said chamber for facilitating dispensing of liquid externally of said chamber 2 when said valve means is in an open condition, a dispensing actuator being in electrical connection with said micro-controller and said actuator being operable to initiate a predetermined portion programme of said micro-processor that controls means to open said valve means so as to release liquid from fluid reservoir for a period suitable to reduce the weight of liquid in said reservoir by a pre-determined amount.

In one form of the invention, the milk reservoir and valve means form an integrated assembly fully supported by the load cell, such that the only contact between the milk reservoir and the refrigerated chamber is an electrical connection designed to provide minimal friction and hence little or no effect on weighing accuracy.

In another form of the invention, there may be a multiplicity of liquid reservoirs and load measuring means, within the single refrigerated chamber, each said reservoir being provided with a flexible tube which extends out of the liquid reservoir and through a separate valve means.

The load measuring means may take any suitable form. A preferred form is a load 15 cell that is formed from one or more strain gauges. Alternatively, the load cell may be of solid state form in which an electrical current passing through the cell is modulated under S. the changing load of the liquid in the reservoir.

S•In another form of the invention, variations in the specific gravity of a multiplicity of liquids may be programmed into the micro processor, in order that the weight reduction 20 of a liquid may be related to a pre-determined volume portion. *o.o* In another form of the invention, there may be a multiplicity of pre-determined weight portions, each actuated by a separate actuator.

S• In another form of the invention, the milk reservoir may be a disposable aseptic bag with attached dispensing tube supported within a framework attached to the load measuring means platform, such that all components in contact with milk are disposable.

In another form of the invention, a disposable aseptic bag containing sauce or cream or other non liquid product, maybe subject to downward pressure by means of a weight positioned on top of the bag and supported within the framework attached to the load measuring means platform, such that the product is extruded under pressure when the dispensing valve is actuated.

In another form of this invention, a disposable aseptic bag containing sauce or cream or other non liquid product, may be placed in an airtight container supported within a framework attached to the load measuring means platform, such that a positive air pressure is applied to the bag thereby ensuring that the product is extruded under pressure when the dispensing valve is actuated.

In another form of this invention, the milk reservoir may be provided with two flexible tubes which extend out of the reservoir, one through valve means biased towards the closed position and one through valve means biased towards the open position, which operate in a contrary fashion, namely, when the valve means biased towards the closed position is open, the valve means biased towards the open position is closed. In this form of the invention, the tube through the valve means biased towards the closed position provides one or more milk portions of pre-determined weight, whilst the tube through the valve means biased towards the open position, may provide an on-demand supply of refrigerated milk to an espresso coffee machine or other machine, wherein the milk is either passed through a steam operated venturi in the espresso machine to form a frothy head on a cappuccino drink, or used as a component of other milk based drinks.

15 The valve means can take any suitable form and in one form, a solenoid actuated oO.

•tap valve can be employed. Alternatively, a linear motor, or otherwise known as a step motor, can be employed and this is preferred by way of superior valve control. In this respect, while a solenoid actuator will open the valve the same distance for each actuation, a linear motor can be controlled so that the valve is opened a predetermined distance depending on the amount of liquid being dispensed. This means that for a relatively small amount of liquid being dispensed, such as 25ml, the valve can open the flexible tube only a small amount, whereas for a larger amount of liquid, such as 300ml, the tube can be fully •opened.

The attached drawings show an example embodiment of the invention of the foregoing kind. The particularity of those drawings and the associated description does not supersede the generality of the preceding broad description of the invention.

Figure 1 shows one example of the exterior of a refrigerated portion controlled dispenser of liquids according to this invention.

Figure 2 shows one example of the interior of a refrigerated portion controlled dispenser of liquids according to this invention.

Figure 3 shows a cross section view of one example of the liquid reservoir, the load cell platform and the valve means of this invention.

Figure 4 shows a cross section view of a tap valve for use with the dispensing unit of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1 a refrigerated portion control dispenser 1 is generally illustrated.

Referring to Figure 2 a refrigerated portion control dispenser 1 of Figure 1 is shown with the door 2 removed. Refrigeration means are provided which comprise a chamber 3 sized to accommodate a milk supply or reservoir. The chamber may be sized to accommodate any number and size of milk supplies 4. Virtually any known refrigeration technique is suitable for cooling the chamber 3, and in Figure 2, the refrigeration machinery is located at the bottom rear of the dispenser generally shown at 5. The Chamber 3 will be cooled such that the maximum temperature of the milk supply 4 is about The milk supply 4 is located on and supported by a load measuring means in the form of a load cell platform that utilises positioning pins or vertical supports (not shown) to ensure no lateral movement of the milk supply 4. Such a load cell 6 and platform are more clearly shown in Figure 3 and that arrangement will be described later in more detail.

tube 7 extends from the milk supply 4 through a valve means 8 to a dispensing area 0 e*-exterior to the refrigerated chamber 3 generally illustrated by the number 9. This tube 7 may be supplied as an integral part of the milk supply 4 or may be fitted later. If the tube 7 is sufficiently flexible, then valve means 8 may be in the form of a tap valve, and may be arranged such that when at rest it squeezes the tube 7 shut.

Referring to Figure 3 a cross sectional view of the refrigerated chamber 3, milk leo supply 4, load cell 6 and valve means 8 are generally illustrated by the number 10. The refrigerated chamber 3 is bounded by insulated walls 11. The dispensing means 12 comprises a tap valve 8 biased towards the closed position, through which a flexible tube 7 extends from the milk supply 4 through an opening 13a in the insulated floor of the chamber 13 to a dispensing area 9 exterior to the refrigerated chamber 3 where a receptacle 14, such as a drinking cup, may be placed to receive the milk flow. The tap valve assembly 8 is shown in greater detail in Figure 4 and will be described in detail later.

The single point load cell comprises two components, a base 15 firmly attached to the floor of the refrigerated chamber 3, and a platform 6 connected to the base at position 16. The weight of the milk supply 4 supported by the platform 6 applies a force to the load face of the cell, such that the force causes a deflection of the load cell body which is measured by a bridge of four strain gauges. The weight of the milk supply 4 is continuously monitored by the load cell, which relays electrical signals through a wire connection 17 to a pre-programmed micro controller positioned at the bottom rear of the dispenser generally shown at Platform 6 may be of any structure or shape suitable to support a variety of milk supply designs and prevent lateral movement of the same. Vertical supports may be fitted to the platform such that a weight may be positioned on top of an aseptic bag of sauce, cream or other non liquid or highly viscous product in order to exert downward pressure and facility dispensing when the tap valve 8 is open.

Pre-determined portion selections are actuated by pressing one of a number of push buttons 18 mounted on a panel 19 on the front of the dispenser 1, such buttons being in electrical connection with the micro controller which is also in electrical connection with the tap valve actuator 8, this being described later in greater detail.

Referring to Figure 4 a cross sectional view of a tap valve suitable for use with the dispensing unit is generally illustrated by the number 8. A bulkhead 11 separates the refrigerated chamber 3 from atmospheric conditions located on the side 20 of the dispensing unit. Threaded rods 21 and 22 are secured through bulkhead 11 by nuts 23.

Actuation rod 24 is slidably engaged through the bulkhead 11 and is threadably secured to a plate 25. Actuation means (not shown) are connected in any suitable manner to the other end of the actuation rod 24, enabling the rod 24 to slide between a valve open position and a valve shut position (as shown in Figure A spring 26 biases the plate 25 towards the plate 27, the plate 27 being fixed stationary against nuts 28.

The tube 7 is made to extend through the gap 29 between the plates 25 and 27 and in the rest position, the tube 7 is squashed flat between the plates, thereby preventing flow through tube 7. Upon actuation, the rod 24 moves in the direction of the arrow A, taking the plate 25 with it, thereby separating the plates 25 and 27 and enabling the tube 7, which is located between the plates 25 and 27, to allow liquid flow therethrough. When actuation ceases the spring 26 returns the plate 25 to the position shown in Figure 4, thereby stopping flow through the tube 7.

6 The present invention therefore contemplates a refrigerated dispensing unit which dispenses pre-determined milk portions and which significantly reduces maintenance and possible hygiene problems.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there may be many variations and modifications of the configuration described herein which are within the scope of the present invention.

.e e

Claims

1. A portion controlled liquid dispenser, including a chamber housing a liquid reservoir supported by load measuring means that is arranged, in use, to continuously monitor the weight of the liquid within the reservoir, said load measuring means being in electrical connection with a pre-programmed micro-controller so that weight measurement readings made by said load measuring means can be fed to said micro-controller, a flexible tube in communication with and extending from said reservoir and through valve means which is biased towards a closed condition in which it squeezes said flexible tube shut, said flexible tube extending to outside of said chamber for facilitating dispensing of liquid externally of said chamber when said valve means is in an open condition, a dispensing actuator being in electrical connection with said micro-controller and said actuator being operable to initiate a pre-determined portion programme of said micro-processor that controls means to open said valve means so as to release liquid from the fluid reservoir for a period suitable to reduce the weight of liquid in said reservoir by a pre-determined amount. A liquid dispenser according to claim 1, said dispenser including a refrigerated chamber.

3. A liquid dispenser according to claims 1 or 2, said load measuring means being a load cell. :o A liquid dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of 25 liquid reservoirs and associated load measuring means are provided within said chamber, each said liquid reservoir having a separate flexible tube in communication therewith and extending therefrom through valve means. A liquid dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 4, said micro-processor being programmed to accommodate variations in the specific gravity of a range of different liquids. 8

6. A liquid dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 5, said micro-processor having a plurality of pre-determined portion programmes, each being actuable by a separate dispensing actuator.

7. A liquid dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said milk reservoir is a disposable aseptic bag and said flexible tube is attached to said bag for disposal therewith, said tube being supported in use, by a supporting frame depending from said load measuring means.

8. A liquid dispenser according to claim 7 wherein pressure exerting means is, in use, applied downwardly on said disposable bag so to extrude the contents therein under pressure when said valve means is opened.

9. A liquid dispenser according to claim 8, wherein said pressure exerting means is a weight positioned on top of said bag and which is supported in use, by a supporting frame depending from said load supporting means. A liquid dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said disposable bag is placed within an airtight container and positive air pressure is applied to the bag to extrude the contents therein under pressure when said valve means is opened.

11. A liquid dispenser according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein said liquid is of C. high viscosity.

12. A liquid dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 11, said liquid reservoir includes a pair of flexible tubes in communication therewith and extending therefrom, each of said tubes extending through separate valve means, and said valve means being oppositely biased towards respective closed and open positions, said valve means being arranged such that when the valve means biased to the closed position is opened, the other valve means is closed. 9

13. A liquid dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein said valve means is solenoid actuated.

14. A liquid dispenser according to claim 13, wherein said valve means is a tap valve. A liquid dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein said valve means is actuated by a linear motor.

16. A liquid dispenser substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings. DATED: 13 OCTOBER 1998 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK 15 Attorneys for: TECHNOLOGY PTY LTD PURELINK TECHNOLOGY PTY LTD I* C C* o