WO2018076079A1

WO2018076079A1 - A universal device for an active cooling or heating and dispensing of foods from spray cans

Info

Publication number: WO2018076079A1
Application number: PCT/BE2017/000045
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giuseppe PASCARIELLO
Original assignee: Pascariello Giuseppe
Priority date: 2016-10-24
Filing date: 2017-10-12
Publication date: 2018-05-03
Also published as: BE1024437B1; BE1024437B9

Abstract

A support (5), provided with an active cooling and/or heating for dispensing foods from spray cans (1, 1') with different volumes, with a height adjustable plate (16) to clamp the bottom of the spray can (1, 1') in the support (5) and wherein the spout (2, 2') and the operating means (3,3') of the spray can (1, 1') are positioned with an adaptor (19, 28) to activate the operating means (3, 3') with a lever (25).

Description

A universal device for an active cooling or heating and dispensing of foods from spray cans

Field of the invention

This invention concerns a device for an active cooling or heating and dispensing of foods, stored in different kinds of spray cans. It concerns more particularly a universal support for clamping different kinds of spray cans with foods in an inverted position, i.e. with the spout downwardly oriented, and to cool the spray can actively during the dispensing of the product. Different kinds of spray cans means cans with different volumes or with different kinds of spouts and operation means.

Background of the invention

When the outdoor temperature raises during hot days, a serious problem arises for the food safety of products within spray cans. Many of the foods are stored as a liquid in spray cans, but they are dispensed as a foam (aerosols) . This is in particular the case for dairy products, like whipped cream. This kind of spray cans with foods are often applied during hot days without cooling the product permanently. In the case of fixed or mobile carts with ice cream or waffles, such spray cans are used constantly, but due to lack of time, the vendors are not able to store the spray cans after use in a cooled space, like a refrigerator. This is a serious loss of time for the vendor. When the outdoor temperatures are too high, the risk for food contamination and bacterial infections, like salmonella for consumers increases. On the other hand, some of the foods have to be heated, like e.g. some sauces. Here again, the vendor needs to act quickly without he has to leave his workplace to heat it elsewhere .

Spray cans or aerosols can be distinguished based on their volume or the kind of spouts with their operating means to dispense the product. The volumes variate between 250 ml to 1000 ml with a different neck height. A food product is dispensed through a spout, when

activating the operating means. The spout is provided with a ring shaped rim that fits on the valve rim of the spray can and is connected with the valve. The different kinds of spray cans are precisely distinguished by the location of their operating means, within or outside the space of the valve rim. A first kind of spray can, provided with the operating means within the space of the valve rim, is disclosed in e.g. W09733813. Another application WO2008033005 describes a tulip shaped spout, and wherein both the spout and the operating means are located within the space of the valve rim. In another embodiment, the operating means extent over the valve rim to the wall of the spray can, like e.g. in WO2010140881.

The problem to solve consists of building an universal support that can be used for the different kinds of spray cans. The state-of-the-art already discloses some solutions to hold a spray can in a support. FR2932782 describes a first solution. According to this patent application, the spout extends through an opening in the bottom plate of the housing. The product is dispensed by pressing the lid of the housing against the bottom of the spray can and so displaces the operating means of the spout against the bottom plate of the housing.

Furthermore, the housing is provided with an insulating casing layer, and no active cooling takes place. This device do not take in account the different operating means in relation to the different spray cans. This device is only applicable for a specific kind of spray can and its operation is difficult to control.

A second kind of spray cans is disclosed in

DE102013013556, that is provided with a swivel mechanism. The spray can is provided with a cartridge on the head and a lever on the spout. Furthermore, the device is provided with heating or cooling means. The lever, which is the operating mean, is mounted on the spout. In this case, the position of the spray can in the support is important for dispensing the product and the lever will be directly activated by the user.

Both previous supports are not suitable to use different kinds of spray cans. They do not take in account the different volumes and dimensions, nor the differences between the operating means for the positioning of the spout .

Summary of the invention

This invention has a first feature, that enables to support different kinds of spray cans, which are provided with different operating means. The position of the spout of the spray can is controlled by using an adaptor, which fits the operating means on the correct position in the support .

This invention enables the use of spray cans with

different volumes, which is a second feature. Controlling means are provided with a guidance to clamp spray cans of different heights. This is made possible by using a height adjustable plate.

A third and last feature of the invention concerns the active cooling of the spray can. More particularly, the spray can be cooled around its entire size by enclosing it in a closed space. In another embodiment, heat can be provided around the entire size.

Detailed description of the embodiments of the invention

The invention will be explained more in detail with a number of drawings.

Fig .1 : side view of the spray can with a spout and operating means within the space of the valve rim and top view

Fig .2 : side view of the spray can with a spout and operating means extending outside the space of the valve rim and top view

Fig .3 : front view support without spray can

Fig . : front view support with clamped spray can

Fi .5 : side view adaptor with spacers

Fig .6 : top view adaptor with spacers

Fig .7 : top view adaptor without spacers

Fig .8 : top view adaptor without spacers

The figures 1 and 2 show an overview of the different kinds of spray cans and their operating means. Fig .1 shows a spray can(l) with a spout (2) and an operating mean(3), that is fitted on the valve rim(4). According to this embodiment, the spout (2) and the operating mean (3) are entirely located within the space of the valve rim. In contrast, in fig .2 , operating mean (3' ) of the spout (2 ') extends over the valve rim(4') to the wall of the spray can(l') .

Fig .3 shows a support (5), that consists of a housing with a foot plate (7), that can be placed or mounted on a horizontal surface, like a table. The foot plate (7) can be mounted on the surface by fastening means (8) . In this embodiment, according to fig .3 , the foot plate (7) is underneath, provided with suction cups (8). However, the fastening means (8) according to this invention, are not limited to suction cups. Other well-known fastening means, like bolts, magnets, clamps, etc. can be applied to the foot plate to fasten it on the surface. The foot plate (7) is on its upper side provided with a cavity (9) to support a cup or a dish. The support (5) is provided with a housing, that comprises a back plate (6), a front plate (10), two side plates (11), a roof plate (12) and a bottom plate (13). One of the side plates (11) is provided with a hinged door (14) . In a closed condition, this door (14) encloses the spray can, whereby the upper border of the door (14) fits with the roof plate (12), the under border of the door (14) with the bottom plate (13) and the side border of the door (14) to a side plate of the housing. The support (5) is therefore provided with an energy source, like a plug to connect to an electricity network or a storage capacity, like a battery. The goal of this energy source is to activate cooling or heating means. The support (5) is provided with active cooling or heating means. These means comprise known technologies, like a heat exchanger, thermo-electric means, cooled air flow, a resistance, cooling liquids, compression cooling, absorption cooling, etc. When the spray can(l) is placed in the support (5), like illustrated in fig. 4, the wall of the spray can(l) is located close to the front plate (10) of the housing of the support (5) . The active cooling or heating can be made by a contact between the wall (10) of the spray can(l) or by an air flow through the apertures in the plate (10) . The heat or the cold circulates in the space around the spray can when the door (14) stays closed. According to a preferable embodiment of the invention, thermo-electric means (peltier) are used. This technology enables to provide cooling on one side and heating on the other side .

A guidance (15) extends from the roof plate (12) downwardly to the foot plate (7). This guidance (15) consists of at least one vertical bar along the front plate (10).

According to an embodiment of this invention, shown in fig. 3, two guidance bars (15) are provided. A plate (16) is fastened on the guidance (15) and is height adjustable along the guidance bar (15). The plate (16) is provided on at least one side with an opening, wherein the guidance bars (15) can move to the preferred height. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, two openings are provided on both sides of the plate (16) to displace it along both guidance bars (15). The goal of the plate (16) is to clamp the spray can(l) on its bottom, with the spout oriented downwards. This is illustrated in fig . , and with the door (14) in an open state. The spray can(l) is positioned with its spout (2) downwardly in an

opening (18) of the bottom plate (13). The bottom of the spray can(l) is pressed against the plate (16) by

adjusting the height of the plate (16) along the

guidance (15) . This makes it possible to use spray

cans (1,1') of different volumes and sizes in the support. An insert (17) with an opening (18), that is mounted on the bottom plate (13), is used with an adaptor (19, 28) to fit different kinds of spray cans (1,1') with their

spout (2, 2') and their operating mean (3, 3').

The bottom plate (13) is located above the foot plate (7) of the support (5) . The bottom plate (13) is provided with an opening (18) to fit the insert (17), that is also provided with an opening (18). The space between the bottom plate (13) and the foot plate (7) allows to insert a cup or a dish.

A spray can(l), like illustrated in fig.1, whereby the operating mean (3) is located within the space of the valve rim (4) is fitted with its spout (2) and operating mean (3) in the opening (18) by means of an adaptor (19), like shown in fig . . Such an adaptor (19) is illustrated more in detail in the figures 7 and 8. These figures show an adaptor (19) in the opening (18) of the insert (17). The adaptor (19) consists of a ring shaped body (20), provided with tabs (21), which rest on the insert (17). The inner side of the ring(20) is provided with a second ring (22) . The inner ring (22) comprises two projections (23) , which form a cavity (24) . The operating mean (3) of the spray can clamps in the cavity (24) . The spout (2) of the spray can(l) extends through the outer ring (20) with the operating mean (3) in the cavity (24) of the inner

ring (22) . The operating mean (3) will hereby be kept fixed in place. The insert (17) is on the underside provided with a lever (25) to activate the operating mean (3) of the spray can. When pushing the lever (25), the hinge (27) presses the ti (26) against the operating mean (3). The lever (25) is free to activate when the door (14), in a closed state, encloses the spray can (1) . According to the figures 4 and 8 the lever (25) extends underneath the bottom panel (13) to push against the operating mean (3) . This is also the case with the figures 5 and 6, who show another embodiment of an adaptor (28), which can be used for the kinds of spray cans(l') , like illustrated in fi .2. The ring shaped adaptor (28) is placed in the opening (18) of the insert (17). The adaptor (28) is provided with a number of spacers (30) and a cavity (29) . The spacers (30) are located on a distance from each other on the ring shaped body (28) and extend upwardly in the direction of the spout (2' ) of the spray can(l') . In this embodiment, like in the figures 5 and 6, the adaptor (28) consists of three spacers (30). The spacers (30) are used to clamp the spout (2' ) with the operating mean (3' ) on the preferred height, dependent of the neck height of the spray can(l'). By this way, the operating mean (3' ) of the spray can(l') is positioned on the preferred level to operate it with the tip (26) of the lever (25). The height of the spacers (30) is dependent of the neck height of the spray can(l'). The operating mean (3' ) is positioned in the cavity(29) of the adaptor(28). By pressing the lever (25), the tip (26) is lifted by the hinge (27) and presses against the operating mean (3' ) to dispense the product out of the spray (1').

Claims

1. A support (5) for dispensing foods from a spray

cans (1,1'), with a spout (2, 2') and operating

means (3, 3' ) , comprising a housing with a front panel (10), a back panel (6), side panels (11), a roof panel (12) and a bottom panel (13), provided with cooling or heating means and an energy source, mounted on a foot plate (7) for clamping a spray can(l,l') in an inverted position, i.e. with its spout (2, 2') oriented downwardly and with the bottom of the spray can (1,1') against a height adjustable plate (16), the spout (2, 2') and the operating

means (3, 3') in an opening (18) of the bottom

panel (13), provided on its underside with a hinged lever (25) with a tip (26) and characterised in that an adaptor (19,28) is fitted in the opening (18) of the bottom panel (13) with an insert (17) wherein the spout (2, 2') and the operating means (3, 3') of the spray can(l,l') are positioned in such a way that when pressing the lever (25), the tip (26) activates the operating means (3, 3').

2. A support (5) according to claim 1, and characterised in that the adaptor (19) consists of a ring (20), provided with two tabs (21), which rest on the insert (17) of the bottom panel (13) and an inner ring (22) on the inner side of ring (20) is provided with two proj ections (23 ) with a cavit (24) in between to enclose the operating means (3) with a spout (2) of a spray can(l) .

3. A support (5) according to claim 1, and characterised in that the adaptor (28) is ring shaped to be mounted in the opening (18) of the insert (17) of the bottom panel (13) and that the ring shaped adaptor (28) is provided with a number of spacers (30) , extending upwardly to position the spout (2' ) with the

operating means (3' ) .

4. A support (5) according to claims 1-3 and

characterised in that spray cans with foods with different volumes between 250ml and 1000ml can be clamped in the support.

5. A support (5) according to claims 1-4 and

characterised in that a height adjustable plate (16) is provided with at least one opening to move over at least one guidance bar (15).

6. A support (5) according to claim 1 and characterised in that a door(14), hinged on one side of the housing, fits to the edges of the panels (11, 12, 13) of the housing when closed and herewith encloses the spray can (1,1') completely.

7. A support (5) according to claim 1 and characterised in that cooling and heating means are provided in the housing and which are preferably thermo-electric means .