DE102015122964A1 - Device for portioning food - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a manually operable device (1) for portioning free-flowing or flowable food, with a collecting container (2) and with an outlet opening having an outlet for filling a desired amount of the food. In order to enable the dispensing of an individual portion size and easy handling regardless of the particular nature of the food, the collecting container (2) is connected to the outlet by a hose. A clamping body is on the outside against the hose, wherein in the closed position, the free cross-section of the tube is narrowed or closed, so that food of various kinds and can be filled in any amount, without the clamping body comes into contact with the food.

Description

The invention relates to a manually operable device for portioning and / or separating free-flowing or flowable, solid or liquid foods, with a collecting container for the food and with an outlet opening having outlet for filling a desired amount of food as well as manually between a closed position and an output position movable actuating element, in particular a lever, for actuating a closure mechanism for portioning or separation.

Such dispensing or dispensing devices are used in practice, for example, in retail for portioning of food by filling individual quantities or even in the catering trade to deliver individual portions for immediate consumption.

For the purposes of the invention, the term bulk food should also be understood to include in particular all free-flowing, solid foods which are spread out in a correspondingly comminuted form, for example salt, granulated sugar, coffee, spices.

Likewise undermined, for example, dried foods such as rice, grain and cereals or pre-cooked foods such as pasta, especially dried pasta, as well as dried fruit, coffee or pet food understood.

In addition, the device is also suitable for liquid or viscous food, including oil and vinegar, and also for drinks.

Food, such as nuts, is still commonly available in restaurants and bars, but also in private use, in trays or other open containers for general consumption.

Apart from obvious shortcomings in terms of hygiene - should several people use the same container - this form of food delivery is also not very appealing.

In retail, there is an increasing desire to avoid packaging wherever possible and at the same time offer food in individually required quantities to reduce possible food waste. Against this background, specialized retailers offer food for delivery in hired or rented containers. Depending on the shape and size of the food, very different dispensing devices are already used for removing bulk material from a collecting container. These have, for example, a collecting container whose outlet opening can be closed by means of a flap which is actuated by a lever.

For example, in the DE 20 2007 017 366 U1 describes a device which conveys bulk material, such as nuts, from an upside-down reservoir to an outlet via a transport bolt. The transport bolt is moved via a button and thus allows the delivery of pre-portioned quantities of the bulk material.

The DE 10 2009 058 202 A1 relates to a metering device for pourable food with two mutually rotatable, a receiving volume-forming components with two overlapping wall sections that are aligned in a predetermined angular position and give an outlet free.

The DE 198 32 635 A1 discloses a spreader, in particular for spices, in which a container has a wall portion with opening portions, which can be made by rotation of a lid mounted thereon with opening portions of a wall portion for covering, in which the content can be spread.

From the DE 20 2009 008 529 U1 is a storage box for powdered media with a Dosierdeckel known. Upon rotation of the metering a metering chamber is filled and then emptied through the outlet opening, thus avoiding a trickle.

The US 4,690,307 A refers to a dispensing system for a variety of flowable products. An actuatable by a lever against a spring force, peristaltic pump serves to deliver the product through an outlet.

The DE 43 44 497 A1 discloses an industrially applicable filling machine for the metered filling of a flowable medium, which is sucked from a storage tank by means of a metering piston through a valve, whereupon the valve is closed and the piston is moved in the opposite direction to eject the medium through a filling opening. The valve is designed as a hydraulically or pneumatically actuated pinch valve, through which a hose section is compressible. For this purpose, two opposite, hydraulically or pneumatically actuated jaws may be provided between which the tube section of the pinch valve is guided.

The DE 603 10 313 T2 refers to a beverage vending machine for the production of hot milk-based drinks, such as cappuccino. Pressing a Hot Non-Frothed Milk Selector button activates a pinch valve so that milk bypasses the pinch valve and mixes with vapor injected through a nozzle. The two fluids are mixed in the emulsification chamber and dispensed through the beverage dispensing nozzle. For this purpose, the pinch valve has a double-sided movable shut-off valve, which is actuated by a solenoid and squeezes an outlet hose together.

Furthermore, dosing devices for dispensing individual tablets are also already known. In the DE 43 14 794 A1 is described for packaging of tablets, capsules or dragees certain bulk container with a soft rubber or plastic tube as obturator, through which the bulk material expires. To shut off the free end of the hose by means of a mechanism as long as turned against the fixed end until the hose is closed.

Also known in practice are hydration bubbles which can be closed with a clamp closure and which have a valve having a hose.

The invention has for its object to provide a device for portioning pourable and flowable food, which is largely independent of the nature of the food, allows the delivery of an individual portion size and also easy to clean and easy to handle.

This object is achieved with a device according to the features of claim 1. The further embodiment of the invention can be found in the dependent claims.

According to the invention, therefore, a device is provided in which the collecting container is at least partially connected to the outlet by a hose and the closure mechanism has at least one movable, externally applied against the hose clamp body through which in the dispensing position of the actuating element of the passage of the hose for the food is free and in the closed position, the free cross-section of the tube is narrowed or closed by elastic deformation. This makes it possible in an amazingly simple way to fill food of various kinds and in any amount, without the required mechanism, in particular the shutter mechanism comes into direct contact with the food. In this case, the invention is based on the finding that a hose connecting the sump to the outlet not only has different hose diameters and is removed or replaced for cleaning, but also a quick and effective closure through a narrowing of the free cross section in the interior of the hose Opposite pressing the inner wall surfaces of the tube can be created. This allows a reliable seal even for liquid food. With a reduced passage width adapted to the grain or particle size, it is still possible to exchange air, but not the passage for the food. Thus, each adapted to the food, optimal storage can be made. Of course, the hose can also form the outlet for the food. However, the outlet is particularly preferably embodied as a hollow body fixed to the device, in particular a pipe section which is connected to the hose and can be separated from the device and from the hose for cleaning purposes, for example by means of a quick-acting closure. In this case, the device may comprise a plurality of deformable by means of at least one common clamping body hoses, which are connected to a common collecting container.

In the dispensing position, in which the passage through the tube is free, the food flows, flows or trickles alone under the influence of gravity to the outlet, whereby a pump is dispensable.

Although the orientation of the tube is not critical to the function, a vertical orientation of the tube is still preferred with the sump being disposed vertically above the outlet at a vertical distance from the outlet.

As a result of the actuation of the actuating element, the clamping body can press the hose against an abutment, for example a stop. Particularly preferably, the closure mechanism has two synchronously in opposite directions movable, the hose between them enclosing clamping body, so that the clamping body deform the hose, without deflecting it out of its orientation and position in the dispensing position. It is possible in practice that the hose is not or only slightly loaded by tensile forces. Particularly preferably, the clamping body are movable in a common plane.

The clamping body can be realized by one or more pivotable about an axis eccentric discs or cams, so that the gap is determined by the angular position of the respective eccentric. On the other hand, it is particularly advantageous if at least one clamping body is equipped as a straight shaped body, for example a pressure beam, with a polygonal cross section at least in the contact area for the hose, so that the shaped bodies include a plane gap which steadily decreases due to the actuation of the actuating element and Finally, the hose walls lie flat against each other. According to the cross-sectional shape of the molded body, the pressing force is transmitted to a contact surface of predetermined area on the tube circumference, wherein the contact surfaces of the molded bodies are preferably in mutually parallel planes. In addition, the moldings may be fixable in different angular positions relative to their longitudinal axis that different sized contact surfaces can be adjusted. The increased pressure on the hose associated with a reduced contact area thus allows for even better sealing in the storage of liquids, while the reduced pressure of a large contact surface avoids unwanted comminution of solid foods.

Another particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is achieved in that at least one clamping body is translationally movable along a guide. As a result, undesirable frictional forces on the hose surface and thereby the wear occurring are reduced. By the manual movement is transmitted mechanically to the clamping body during the actuation of the actuating element, the operator receives at the same time a clear feedback on the change in the passage width of the tube, so that unwanted operating errors are largely excluded. The guide may for example have a plurality of parallel, the clamping body receiving or penetrating rails or rods. Furthermore, a slotted guide can also be provided.

In the closed position, the closure mechanism may be fixed, for example, by a barrier or by the influence of gravity. In contrast, it is particularly advantageous if at least one clamping body is biased by means of at least one spring element relative to the hose. As soon as the operator lets go of the actuating element or a force transmission element which serves to connect to the clamping body fails, the clamping body automatically returns to the closed position under the influence of the spring element. At the same time, the spring element also serves to return the actuating element to its starting position. An erroneous erroneous operation is thereby excluded.

Particularly preferably, the collecting container is at least partially designed as a transparent cylinder, which is connected to a funnel-shaped element with an outlet for the hose, the outlet can be made interchangeable or equipped with interchangeable pieces of pipe and / or aperture for different apertures, so as one To achieve even better adaptation to the different flow or flowability of various foods. Of course, the funnel-shaped element can be exchanged, which is connected thereto by means of a seal with the cylinder. The hose is thereby frictionally fixed on the outside of the outlet pipe in a clamping area. But it is also conceivable that the hose rests with its outer surface against an inner wall surface of the outlet.

Another, likewise particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is achieved in that the actuating element against the restoring force of a spring element about a particular horizontal axis in a passage of the hose enlarging position of the clamping body is pivotable. This gives the operator already in the initial region of the deflection of the actuating element a clear haptic feedback irrespective of whether it has already come to a caused by the clamping body deformation of the hose against the restoring force of the clamping body against the hose biasing spring element. Although the operator already feels a resistance at the beginning of the deflection of the actuating element, the opening of the locking mechanism thus begins only from a certain, in particular adjustable angular position of the actuating element, so that a surprising outlet of the food is avoided. As a result of the spring element, it is thus also possible to set a desired actuation force by, for example, fixing the spring element in different positions on the actuation element and / or stationary parts of the device. In addition, the provision can be braked by a damping element. Furthermore, a stop corresponding to the closed position for the actuating element can also be provided with a damper.

The power transmission to the clamping body can be realized by different power transmission means. In contrast, an embodiment of the invention in which the actuating element is connected to the respective clamping body by means of at least one pulling means, for example a cable pull, is particularly practical in practice To achieve particularly simple transmission of the pivoting movement of the actuating element in a particular counter-translational movement of the clamping body.

In a further advantageous variant of the invention, which above all allows easy self-service of customers in retail, the device is equipped with a device for goods identification and / or weight recognition, through which a wireless identification of the food and its assignment to the respective customer is possible , In conjunction with a balance on the device, all information relevant for the purchase price determination can thus already be detected in the device.

The tube may have elastic or flexible properties. Particularly preferably, the tube is made of a silicone material having a wall thickness of less than 2 mm, in particular less than 1.5 mm and has an inner diameter dependent on the type of food, for example 20 mm, 50 mm or 80 mm.

The invention allows for various embodiments. To further clarify its basic principle, one of them is shown in the drawing and will be described below.

This shows in

1 a perspective view of a device according to the invention for portioning pourable or flowable food;

2 a sectional side view of the 1 shown device,

3 a cross section through the in 1 shown device.

The device according to the invention 1 For the portioning or separation of pourable, pourable or free-flowing food is described below with reference to 1 to 3 explained in more detail.

An essential thought of the device 1 is it that in a glass cylinder as a collection container 2 stored food via a contactless mechanism of a shutter mechanism 3 to carry in a not shown vessel of a customer. The device 1 is equally suitable for liquid and solid foods.

The food will be clearly visible to the customer in the sump 2 which has a diameter of 200 mm and a height of between 100 mm and 800 mm. This will provide a capacity of 2 to 25 liters depending on the product requirement.

The collection container 2 is up and down open and can be closed by a lid, not shown, and filled by the sales staff. At its bottom is the sump 2 with a funnel 4 made of stainless steel, which in one a housing 5 forming body is arranged. The collection container 2 is with a hose seal 6 made of silicone opposite the funnel 4 sealed so that even liquid foods can not escape laterally.

The cube-shaped body in its basic form with an edge length of about 250 mm takes the necessary closure mechanism for filling 3 hidden for the customer, whose actuator 7 has a lever operable by the customer. The housing 5 has a mount for a wall track 22 for a hidden fixation.

The funnel 4 is used in three variants shown here together. While the upper diameter in the region of its sealing surface with the collecting container 2 is always the same, an outlet nozzle tapers 8th depending on the product, three different diameters. For coarse solids such as nuts and noodles it is about 80 mm, for finer solids such as flakes and coffee beans about 50 mm. The narrow outlet with a diameter of 20 mm is suitable for fine solids such as cereal grains as well as for liquid substances such as juices, vinegars or oils.

On the respective outlet 8th is a suitable hose 9 Made of silicone of about 120 mm in length fixed on the outside, which is arranged with a vertical orientation in the body.

At the bottom of the hose 9 is a suitable outlet 10 made of stainless steel with a length of approx. 60 mm. By acting as a guide hole in the body floor 11 be tube 9 and outlet 10 forcibly vertically aligned. The corpus floor 11 is interchangeable with the appropriate holes. The outlet 10 protrudes about 30 mm below the body floor 11 so that the customer has his vessel opposite the outlet 10 can align.

At the outlet 10 with a diameter of 20 mm, a s-shaped stainless steel tube is connected via a silicone plug 12 connected with 10 mm outer diameter, which prevents its formation by a dripping of liquid foods and the customer facilitates filling into tight necks.

The flow of food is interrupted by a squeezing action inside the body when not in use. Two as a guide 13 Serving round rods made of 10 mm stainless steel run horizontally transversely between opposite side walls 14 at a distance of 130 mm. On it slide two designed as a pressure bar clamp body 15 , which consist of a metal, for example aluminum, plastic or wood and have a polygonal cross-section, in corresponding holes for the rods. The clamp body 15 be with the help of four on the guides 13 arranged, designed as compression springs spring elements 16 in the direction of between the clamping bodies 15 enclosed hose 9 biased and press this together in the closed position shown. The clamp body 15 are prism-shaped in cross section, so that a reduced pressure surface on the hose 9 results.

Center in the sprags 15 are traction cables as traction means 17 for power transmission of the actuating element 7 fixed, the over pulleys 18 on the side walls 14 to the outside and on to the lever of the actuator 7 be guided on the corpus front. This lever pierces the front and is in a horizontal, transverse to the direction of movement of the clamp body 15 aligned axis 19 stored.

By depressing the lever, the traction means 17 cocked and the clamp body 15 pulled out. The flow of food can be controlled according to the angular position of the lever and prevented by releasing the lever. The preload force of the spring elements 16 ensures that in case of failure of the traction device 17 the hose 9 enclosed and the passage is blocked.

Another spring element 20 serves as dead space tension spring and is with a grip section 21 of the double-armed lever facing away lever arm 23 of the actuating element 7 inside the case 5 connected. The spring element 20 bridges a delayed opening of the shutter mechanism 3 so that the customer is not surprised by a too fast flow of goods.

Furthermore, the lever returns at the end of the filling process by the action of the spring element 20 even back to its starting position when in the hose 9 in the area between the clamping bodies 15 Still parts of the food are present, which is the complete closing of the tube 9 To block. Although this blockade does not affect the closing function, the customer gets through this spring element 20 the haptic feedback that the process is complete.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

 contraption

2

 Clippings

3

 locking mechanism

4

 funnel

5

 casing

6

 hose seal

7

 actuator

8th

 outlet

9

 tube

10

 outlet

11

 cabinet floor

12

 stainless steel tube

13

 guide

14

 Side wall

15

 clamping bodies

16

 spring element

17

 traction means

18

 idler pulley

19

 axis

20

 spring element

21

 handle portion

22

 wall rail

23

 lever arm

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 202007017366 U1 [0009]
• DE 102009058202 A1 [0010]
• DE 19832635 A1 [0011]
• DE 202009008529 U1 [0012]
• US 4690307 A [0013]
• DE 4344497 A1 [0014]
• DE 60310313 T2 [0015]
• DE 4314794 A1 [0016]

Claims (10)

A manually operable device ( 1 ) for portioning and / or separating free-flowing or flowable food, with a collecting container ( 2 ) for the food and having an outlet opening ( 10 ) for filling a desired quantity of the food as well as with a manually movable between a closed position and an output position actuator ( 7 ), in particular a lever, for actuating a locking mechanism ( 3 ) for portioning or separation, characterized in that the collecting container ( 2 ) with the outlet ( 10 ) at least in sections through a hose ( 9 ) and that the locking mechanism ( 3 ) at least one movable, outside against the hose ( 9 ) can be applied ( 15 ), by which in the closed position of the free cross section of the hose ( 9 ) is narrowed or closed by elastic deformation. Contraption ( 1 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking mechanism ( 3 ) two synchronously to each other in opposite directions, the hose ( 9 ) between enclosed clamping body ( 15 ) having. Contraption ( 1 ) according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one clamping body ( 15 ) as a straight shaped body with one in a contact area for the hose ( 9 ) polygonal cross-section is equipped. Contraption ( 1 ) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one clamping body ( 15 ) along a guide ( 13 ) is translationally movable. Contraption ( 1 ) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one clamping body ( 15 ) by means of at least one spring element ( 16 ) opposite the hose ( 9 ) is biased. Contraption ( 1 ) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the collecting container ( 2 ) is executed at least in sections as a transparent cylinder, which with a funnel-shaped element (funnels 4 ) with an outlet ( 8th ) for the hose ( 9 ) connected is. Contraption ( 1 ) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outlet nozzle ( 8th ) replaceable executed or equipped with interchangeable pieces of pipe and / or aperture for different ports. Contraption ( 1 ) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuating element ( 7 ) against the restoring force of a spring element ( 20 ) about a particular horizontal axis ( 19 ) is pivotable. Contraption ( 1 ) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuating element ( 7 ) by means of at least one traction means ( 17 ) with the respective clamping body ( 15 ) connected is. Contraption ( 1 ) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hose ( 9 ) As a material material component consists of silicone.

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