Liquid food dispenser system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9890030-B2
Application number	US-201414169708-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2014
Priority date	Jul 7, 2006
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

A system and method for dispensing fluids is introduced. A preferred embodiment comprises a sealed tank, a bag containing fluid inside the sealed tank, an outlet for dispensing the liquid in the bag, and a pressure generating device to create pressure in the sealed tank.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating a nozzle, the nozzle comprising a nozzle tip with a tapered cavity, a water inlet, and a plunger with a tapered end disposed within the nozzle tip, the method comprising:
rotating the nozzle tip in a first rotational direction to move the plunger in a first axial direction, thereby opening the nozzle, wherein the tapered cavity prevents the plunger from extending beyond the nozzle tip;
dispensing a liquid, introducing a flow of water while dispensing the liquid; and
rotating the nozzle tip in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction to move the plunger in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction, thereby closing the nozzle and forming a liquid tight seal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein rotating the nozzle tip further comprises activating a nozzle drive coupled to the nozzle tip.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein activating the nozzle drive further comprises running a motor coupled to the nozzle drive.

4. The method of claim 2 , comprising stopping the flow of water when closing the nozzle.

5. The method of claim 2 , comprising stopping the flow of water at a time after closing the nozzle.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising washing the nozzle after closing the nozzle.

7. A method of operating a nozzle, the method comprising:
rotating a nozzle tip around a first axis a first time, wherein the rotating the nozzle around the first axis engages a nozzle tip rotation track located with a nozzle plunger rotation pin to move a plunger along the first axis in a first direction, wherein the plunger is guided by slide stop tabs that prevent rotational motion; and
rotating the nozzle tip around the first axis a second time, wherein the rotating the nozzle tip around the first axis the second time moves the plunger along the first axis in a second direction opposite the first direction;
dispensing a liquid through the nozzle after the rotating the nozzle tip the first time and before the rotating the nozzle tip the second time; and
flowing water through a water inlet in a nozzle drive, wherein the flowing water through the water inlet is performed while dispensing the liquid.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the nozzle tip comprises a tapered cavity and the plunger comprises a tapered end disposed within the tapered cavity prior to the rotating the nozzle tip around the first axis the first time.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the rotating the nozzle tip the first time further comprises activating the nozzle drive coupled to the nozzle tip.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the activating the nozzle drive further comprises running a motor coupled to the nozzle drive.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising stopping the flowing water after the rotating the nozzle tip around the first axis the second time.

12. A method of operating a nozzle, the method comprising:
moving a plunger located within a nozzle tip in a first direction, wherein the nozzle tip remains stationary in the first direction during the moving the plunger, wherein the plunger comprises a central portion and slide stop tabs extending outwards from the central portion, wherein the moving the plunger separates a tapered portion of the plunger from a tapered portion of the nozzle tip;
dispensing a liquid after the moving the plunger has begun; and
dispensing water at the same time as the dispensing the liquid.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the nozzle tip moves in a second direction during the moving the plunger.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the nozzle tip comprises a nozzle tip rotation track and the plunger comprises a plunger rotation pin, and wherein the nozzle tip rotation track moves the nozzle tip in the second direction.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
rotating the nozzle tip after the moving the plunger, wherein the nozzle tip remains stationary in the first direction during the rotating the nozzle tip; and
moving the plunger within the nozzle tip, wherein the moving the plunger moves the plunger in a second direction opposite the first direction.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising stopping the dispensing water after the rotating the nozzle tip.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the moving the plunger further comprises activating a nozzle drive coupled to the nozzle tip.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the activating the nozzle drive further comprises running a motor coupled to the nozzle drive.

Assignees

• Fair Oaks Farms Brands Inc
• Fairlife Llc

Inventors

• Doelman Timothy Peter
• Baxter Vincent A

Classifications

• B65D47/244

  being rotated without axial translation, whilst transmitting axial motion to an internal valve stem or valve seat · CPC title

• B65D47/242

  moving helically · CPC title

• B67D1/0462

  Squeezing collapsible or flexible beverage containers, e.g. bag-in-box containers · CPC title

• B67D1/0082

  entirely mechanical · CPC title

• B67D1/1245

  Change-over devices, i.e. connecting a flow line from an empty container to a full one · CPC title