Twist action portion control sauce dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11053063-B2
Application number	US-201916725382-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2019
Priority date	Feb 9, 2018
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

The invention comprises a dispensing device having an elongated body, a sidewall which is elliptical in at least a portion of its cross-section, an open top end, and a dispensing bottom end. The device comprises a ratchet, ratchet support member, dial, telescoping members, and an elliptical plunger. The ratchet support member and dial each engage the ratchet to allow movement in certain directions and prevent movement in other directions, beyond a certain point. A first telescoping member having the smallest diameter is affixed to the ratchet. The interior diameter of a second telescoping member is larger than the exterior diameter of the first telescoping member, such that the first telescoping member is configured to nest within the interior of the second telescoping member. The first telescoping member may be extended a distance through the dispenser body via rotation of the ratchet. The plunger is affixed to the telescoping member having the largest diameter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing device comprising:
a. an elongated dispenser body wherein the dispenser body
i. is elliptical in at least a portion of its cross-section,
ii. has an open top end, and
iii. has a dispensing bottom end opposite the top end;

b. a ratchet support member which is disposed within the open top end of the dispenser body, wherein the ratchet support member comprises one or more ribs;
c. a ratchet which is engaged with the ratchet support member, wherein
i. the ratchet has one or more teeth which are configured to engage with the ratchet support member ribs,
ii. the engagement of the ratchet and ratchet support member allows rotary motion in a first direction over the ribs,
iii. the engagement of the ratchet and ratchet support member prevents rotary motion in a second, opposite direction beyond a point defined by the ribs,
iv. the ratchet comprises one or more ribs disposed on its top surface;

d. a dial which is engaged with the ratchet, wherein the dial comprises
i. one or more notches which engage with the ratchet ribs, and
ii. one or more pawls disposed adjacent the notches and configured to engage with the ratchet ribs, and wherein the pawl and ratchet rib configuration allows rotary motion in a direction which is opposite the first direction and prevents movement in the first direction beyond the ratchet ribs;

e. a plurality of telescoping members of varying diameters, wherein
i. a telescoping member having a smaller diameter may be nested within the interior of an adjacent telescoping member with a larger diameter,
ii. the telescoping member having the smallest diameter is affixed to the ratchet, and
iii. one or more of the telescoping members may be extended a distance through the disposer body via rotation of the ratchet; and

f. an elliptical plunger affixed to the telescoping member having the largest diameter, wherein the plunger has a perimeter substantially similar to a diameter of an interior surface of the dispenser body.

2. The dispensing device of claim 1 comprising three telescoping members.

3. The dispensing device of claim 1 comprising four telescoping members.

4. The dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the telescoping members comprise threads on their inner and outer surfaces.

5. The dispensing device of claim 4 wherein the outer threads of the telescoping member with a smaller diameter engage with the inner threads of the telescoping member with a larger diameter.

6. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the telescoping members are cylindrical.

7. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more ratchet support ribs corresponds to a fixed degree of rotation in the first direction.

8. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more ratchet support ribs corresponds to an amount of a product to be dispensed.

9. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the dispensing device is configured to receive a flexible pouch containing a product to be dispensed.

10. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein the flexible pouch has a nozzle, spout or valve on one end thereof.

11. The dispensing device of claim 10 wherein the dispensing bottom end is configured to receive the nozzle, spout or valve of the spout.

12. A dispensing device comprising:
a. an elongated dispenser body wherein the dispenser body comprises
i. a sidewall which is elliptical in at least a portion of its cross-section,
ii. an open top end, and
iii. a dispensing bottom end opposite the top end;

b. a ratchet support member which is disposed within the open top end of the dispenser body, wherein the ratchet support member comprises one or more circumferential ribs;
c. a ratchet which is engaged with the ratchet support member, wherein the ratchet comprises
i. one or more circumferential teeth which are configured to engage with the ratchet support member ribs and
ii. one or more ribs disposed on a top surface of the ratchet, wherein the engagement of the ratchet and ratchet support member allows rotary motion in a first direction over the ribs and prevents rotary motion in a second, opposite direction beyond a point defined by the ribs;

d. a dial which is engaged with the ratchet, wherein the dial comprises
i. one or more notches which engage with the ratchet ribs, and
ii. one or more pawls disposed adjacent the notches and configured to engage with the ratchet ribs, and wherein the pawl and ratchet rib configuration allows rotary motion in the second direction and prevents movement in the first direction beyond the ratchet ribs;

e. a first telescoping member having an interior diameter and an exterior diameter, wherein the first telescoping member is affixed to the ratchet and disposed on the interior of the dispenser body;
f. a second telescoping member having an interior diameter and an exterior diameter, wherein the exterior diameter of the second telescoping member is smaller than the interior diameter of the first telescoping member, and wherein the second telescoping member is configured to nest within the interior of the first telescoping member, wherein at least the second telescoping member may be extended a distance through the disposer body via rotation of the ratchet; and
g. an elliptical plunger affixed to the telescoping member having the largest diameter, wherein the plunger has a perimeter substantially similar to a diameter of an interior surface of the dispenser body.

13. The dispensing device of claim 1 comprising a third telescoping member having an interior diameter and an exterior diameter, wherein the exterior diameter of the third telescoping member is smaller than the interior diameter of the second telescoping member, and wherein the third telescoping member is configured to nest within the interior of the second telescoping member.

14. The dispensing device of claim 13 comprising a fourth telescoping member having an interior diameter and an exterior diameter, wherein the exterior diameter of the fourth telescoping member is smaller than the interior diameter of the third telescoping member, and wherein the fourth telescoping member is configured to nest within the interior of the third telescoping member.

15. The dispensing device of claim 12 , wherein the first telescoping member comprises threads on its inner surface and the second telescoping member comprises threads on at least its outer surface.

16. The dispensing device of claim 15 wherein the outer threads of the second telescoping member engage with the inner threads of the first telescoping member.

17. The dispensing device of claim 12 wherein the telescoping members are cylindrical.

18. The dispensing device of claim 12 wherein the dispensing device is configured to receive a flexible pouch containing a product to be dispensed.

19. The dispensing device of claim 12 wherein the face of the plunger is positioned perpendicular to the dispenser sidewall.

20. The dispensing device of claim 12 wherein the perimeter of the plunger face comprises a collar which is disposed to wipe the inner surface of the sidewall.

Assignees

• Sonoco Dev Inc

Inventors

• Johanson James Eric
• Lagace Chad E

Classifications

• B65D83/7713

  the contents of a flexible bag being expelled by a piston, or a movable bottom or partition provided in the container or the package · CPC title

• B65D83/761 Primary

  the piston being actuated by a screw-shaft · CPC title

• A47G19/183

  by applying external pressure, i.e. by pumping or squeezing · CPC title

• B05C17/0133

  Nut and bolt advancing mechanism, e.g. threaded piston rods · CPC title

• B05C17/012

  Stepwise advancing mechanism, e.g. pawl and ratchets · CPC title