Device for dispensing a substance.

The invention relates to a dispensing device according to the preamble of claim 1.

A device of this type is known from WO 2005/044717 in the name of the Applicant. The known device has a stiff pressure-exerting element having an engagement surface and a surrounding groove for accommodating crumpled material of the container. However, in practice, it was found that such a pressure-exerting element is not satisfactory when compressing pouches which contain a substance to be dispensed, such as an edible sauce.

During compression, the contents of the pouch are placed under pressure in such a manner that the pouch material is pressed outwards against the peripheral wall of the chamber. The pouches have little stiffness and are relatively thin. A double-folded pouch only has a thickness of, for example, approx. 0.1 mm. Furthermore, the pouch often contains a sauce, for example mayonnaise or the like, which provides lubrication between the two layers of pouch material folded onto one another.

Without wishing to be limited to a particular theory, the abovementioned circumstances probably contribute to a greater or lesser degree to the effect that pouch material bulges out into the narrow gap between the chamber wall and the peripheral wall of the pressure-exerting element, which gap only has to be a few tenths of millimetres. When the pressure-exerting element is moved upwards, the pouch becomes lodged in this gap, as a result of which the device may become stuck and cannot be used until the problem has been solved. It is even possible for the pouch to tear between the pressure-exerting element and the chamber wall, as a result of which the device will become soiled with sauce or the like on the inside.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved dispensing device of the abovementioned type.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a dispensing device according to the preamble of claim 1, characterized by the fact that the pressure-exerting element comprises a piston body, as well as ^' lips which are hingedly arranged next to one another on the piston body along the periphery of the piston body, which lips extend radially obliquely upwards from the piston body and the ends of which extend beyond the edge of the piston body and abut the peripheral wall of the chamber.

Due to their own weight, but also due to the pressure from the pouch-shaped container, the lips tilt downwards until their end abuts the peripheral wall. Thus, there is no clearance between the ends of the lips and this prevents pouch material from becoming trapped between the chamber wall and the periphery of the pressure- exerting element when a pouch-shaped container is compressed by the pressure-exerting element. The gap between the pressure-exerting body and the wall of the chamber is sealed without an element having to be deformed in order to achieve a tight fit to the chamber wall. This offers the advantage that the sealing action can be guaranteed as the material of the sealing elements, in the present case the lips, is not subject to relaxation phenomena in the long term.

Further preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims 2- 14.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a dispensing device according to claim 15. In this dispensing device, a slot is provided in the peripheral wall of the chamber for accommodating a compressible container in order to provide a passage for a connecting element which connects the pressure-exerting element and the drive means. On the side of the chamber, the slot is sealed by a flexible strip, preferably made of spring steel, which is pushed away locally when the connecting element passes through the slot. In use, the strip, which is naturally flat, will be pressed outwards in a curved shape by the pressure-exerting element. The strip should not be too stiff, as the strip then exerts excessive pressure on the

pressure-exerting element in the radial direction, as a result of which a larger clearance forms between the chamber wall and the pressure-exerting element on the slot side of the chamber. This is disadvantageous as it is then easier for the pouch-shaped container to end up between these, which will lead to the pressure-exerting element becoming stuck. However, the disadvantage of a sealing strip which is not sufficiently stiff is that the pouch-shaped container, when it is placed under pressure, tends to push the sealing strip outwards through the slot, resulting in a clearance between the sealing strip and the periphery of the pressure-exerting body. This can also lead to container material ending up between the pressure- exerting body and the wall and the device becoming stuck. The invention overcomes this problem by providing a vertical support element near the slot in a position which, as seen from the chamber, is behind the sealing strip, which support element abuts the rear side of the sealing strip. As a result thereof, it is possible to use a sealing strip which is not too stiff, as a result of which excessive radial pressure on the pressure-exerting body is prevented which would result in a clearance between the pressure-exerting body and the chamber wall, while the action of the support element prevents the sealing strip from being pushed outwards through the slot by the pouch-shaped container which is under pressure, which would also result in a clearance.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a dispensing device according to claim 16. In this dispensing device, the pressure- exerting element comprises a piston body which is provided on its periphery with flexible lips arranged next to one another which extend radially obliquely upwards up to the peripheral wall of the chamber, in which the top side of the lips define an upwardly and inwardly directed conical top surface, in which the pressure- exerting element furthermore comprises a flexible sealing ring having an obliquely outwardly and downwardly facing conical bottom surface, which sealing ring is placed loosely on the top side of the piston body, in which the conical bottom surface of the sealing ring lies against the conical top surface of the piston body, and in which, in use, an outer peripheral edge of the sealing ring lies against the peripheral wall of the chamber. According to this aspect of the invention, a clearance between the lips and the peripheral

wall of the chamber is prevented, thus preventing pouch material from ending up between the periphery of the pressure-exerting element and the peripheral wall of the chamber.

The invention will be explained in more detail by means of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a sectional view of a dispensing device according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows a top view of the device from Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a pressure-exerting element of a dispensing device according to the invention,

Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a piston body of the pressure- exerting element from Fig. 3, Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a hinged lip of the pressure- exerting element from Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 shows a cross section of a section of a dispensing device according to another aspect of the invention.

The dispensing device 1 has a housing 10 with a chamber 11 for accommodating a compressible container. The chamber 11 has a substantially vertically extending peripheral wall 12 and an opening 13 at the top side for placing the container into the chamber 11 from above .

The device 1 has a counter-supporting member 15 for the top side of the pouch, which is in this case designed as a hinged lid with an associated locking means 16 for locking the lid 15 in the closed position.

After the pouch has been placed in the device 1, the lid 15 is positioned over the opening 13 at the top side of the chamber 10 and locked.

The housing 10 has a foot 17, by means of which the housing 10 can be placed on a supporting surface.

Furthermore, the device 1 has a displaceable pressure-exerting element 18 which extends as a base that can be displaced up and down

in the chamber 11 and is designed to act on the pouch 2 which has been placed in the chamber 11.

To move the pressure-exerting element 18 upwards under a pressure- exerting force, drive means 20 are provided, in such a manner that the substance is dispensed from the pouch through compression of the pouch between the lid 15 and the pressure-exerting element 18 moving upwards in the direction of the lid 15. The peripheral wall 12 of the chamber 11 is preferably provided with a low-friction coating, for example Teflon, in order to prevent excessive friction when the container is being compressed.

It is clearly apparent from Figure 2 that the housing 10, next to the chamber 11 for accommodating the pouch 2, has a vertical chamber 25 for accommodating a drive mechanism 20 which is connected to the pressure-exerting element 18.

The peripheral wall of the chamber 11 is provided with a vertical slot 26 which forms a passage to the other chamber 25, the pressure- exerting element 18 having a connecting element 27 which extends through the said slot 26 into the other chamber 25 and thereby connects the pressure-exerting element 18 to the drive means 20.

In a preferred embodiment, there are sealing means 28 for sealing off the passage slot 26, in such a manner that the pouch does not move into the passage slot 26 as it is compressed. The sealing means comprise a flexible sealing strip 29, preferably made of spring steel, which is provided over the slot 26, and which, in use, can be pushed inwards locally by the connecting element 27 of the pressure- exerting element 18.

Near the slot 26 and, as seen from the chamber 11, behind the sealing strip 29, a rod 40 is provided which is placed in the slot and forms a vertical support element which abuts the rear side of the sealing strip 29.

As an alternative to the slot 26 with the rod 40, it is also conceivable to produce the housing from an extruded hollow profiled section, in which two parallel vertical slots are provided through

which two arms of the connecting element extend, and in which the support element is formed by the wall section between the two parallel slots.

In the embodiment shown, the drive means comprise a manually driven mechanism, but other solutions, such as those using an electric drive, are of course also possible.

The drive means 20 in this case comprise an actuating handle 30 which can be pivoted through an angle range, in such a manner that each actuating movement dispenses a portion of substance as a result of the pressure-exerting element 18 being moved a certain distance upwards so as to compress the pouch further.

The pressure-exerting element will be described in more detail by- means of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to Figs 3-5.

Fig. 3 shows the pressure-exerting element 18. The pressure-exerting element 18 comprises a piston body 181 which is shown separately in

Fig. 4. The piston body is preferably made of plastic by means of injection moulding. Furthermore, the pressure-exerting element 18 comprises lips 182 which are arranged near the periphery of the piston body 181. Fig. 5 shows a separate lip 182. The lips 182 are slightly curved and situated next to one another so that together they form a ring, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The lips 182 are made of a relatively stiff material, preferably plastic.

Near the periphery, the piston body 181 is provided with an annular region 183 in which elongate apertures 184 are arranged next to one another. At the bottom, the lips 182 have two flexible securing legs

185 which are inserted into the apertures 184 in the fitted position. At the end of each of the securing legs 185, blocking lugs

186 are provided which, in the fitted position, grip behind the bottom edges of the elongate apertures 184 in order to secure the lips 182 on the piston body 181. Each of the legs 185 of the lips 182 is fitted with a clearance in the width direction of the apertures 184, so that the lips 182 can be tilted with respect to the piston body 181. Thus, the lips 182 can hinge between two limit

positions about a hinge axis extending in the tangential direction. A stop lug 187 is provided between the legs 185 which hits a bottom edge of the aperture 184 when the lips 182 are in their limit positions and thus limits the hinge movement.

The lips 182 extend radially obliquely upwards from the annular region 183 of the piston body 181 and extend beyond the edge 189 of the piston body 181 with their end 188. In the fitted position, the ends 188 of the lips 182 abut the peripheral wall of the chamber 11.

The piston .body 181 preferably has a central pressure-exerting surface 190 which is at a higher level than the surrounding annular region 183. The central pressure-exerting surface 190 is at a higher level than the ends 188 of the lips 188. Due to the central surface 190 being at a higher level, the container can to a large degree be emptied. Alternatively, it would also be possible to use a piston body with a flat top surface, in which a protruding surface is provided at the top side of the chamber on the counter-supporting member in order to be able to empty the container by pressure to an even greater degree.

Preferably, spacers 192, 193 are provided on a peripheral surface 191 of the piston body 181. These spacers 192 and 193 are formed as surfaces which slightly protrude with respect to the peripheral surface 191 in the radial direction and serve to centre the pressure-exerting element 18 in the chamber 11, with the spacer 193 being positioned against the sealing strip 29.

Fig. 6 shows a section of a dispensing device according to another aspect of the invention. The device is substantially in accordance with the device from Fig. 1, but with a different pressure-exerting element. Fig. 6 shows a bottom section of a compressible pouch- shaped container 60 for a stock of substance which is to be dispensed which is accommodated in the chamber. The substantially vertically extending peripheral wall of the chamber is shown and denoted by reference numeral 61.

A displaceable pressure-exerting element 62 is accommodated in the chamber, which displaceable pressure-exerting element 62 extends in

the chamber as a base which can be moved up and down and, in use, acts on the container 60 which has been placed in the chamber.

The pressure-exerting element 62 comprises a piston body 63 which is provided on its periphery with flexible lips 64 which are arranged next to one another and extend radially obliquely upwards up to the peripheral wall 61 of the chamber, the top side 65 of the lips defining an upwardly and inwardly facing conical top surface. The pressure-exerting element 62 furthermore comprises a flexible sealing ring 66 having an obliquely outwardly and downwardly facing conical bottom surface 67. The sealing ring 66 is placed loosely on the top side of the piston body 63. The conical bottom surface 67 of the sealing ring 66 lies against the conical top surface 65 of the piston body 63. In use, an outer peripheral edge 68 of the sealing ring 66 lies against the peripheral wall 61 of the chamber, as shown in Fig. 6.

Preferably, the sealing ring 66 comprises lips 69 which extend radially outwards and upwards from a central part.