Aim of the present invention is a food liquids delivering device, optimized to be used in catering kitchens.

Technical field

In the food industry, the use of semiautomatic delivering devices (i.e. with manual control by the user), which quicken preparation, is known. Typically, these devices are provided with a delivering valve with pneumatic control and are not apt to be used in catering kitchens, where there is no plant compressed air network. Yet, the devices known at the state of the art are not optimized in terms of dimensions, and, so, they cannot be used conveniently in small places where the operator needs only the dispenser within arm's reach (i.e. on the worktop), and can arrange the remaining device portions elsewhere (for example under the top). Moreover, while in the food industry, the liquid characteristics (density, temperature, viscosity) are known and constant once the process is set up, in case of catering kitchens the same device has to be able to work in any kitchen, where preparation modes and characteristics of the liquid to be delivered vary. However, also in the same kitchen, the inevitable variability of the liquid characteristics due to the handmade preparation requires necessarily the possibility to set the device simply and rapidly.

Other needs linked to the just described devices relate to the hygiene guarantee for the food liquid, as well as the guarantee of lack of contaminations with other ingredients, which is particularly important for subjects with food intolerances or allergies. This hygiene and separation guarantee can be obtained only by means of a sealed system, so that the liquid cannot come into contact with outer air (if not filtered) or with other ingredients.

Aim of the invention

Aim of the present invention is to provide a food liquids semiautomatic delivering device, optimized to be used in catering kitchens. In particular, aim of the present invention is to provide a food liquids semiautomatic delivering device which needs no other outer supply than the electric current and which is provided with an exclusively mechanically controlled dispenser, so that it does not need the presence of plant compressed air networks, and so that it does not need electric elements in contact with the dispenser. This last characteristic facilitates strongly the device cleaning and maintenance operations.

According to another aim, the present invention provides a food liquids semiautomatic delivering device which is rapidly and easily adaptable to any kind of food liquids, and in particular to food liquids with very different viscosity from each other. It is in fact known that the viscosity of a cream or sauce can vary very much also while varying the water content or temperature, and so, it is needed that a device conceived to be used in catering kitchens is easily adaptable to these variations.

According to another aim, the present invention provides a food liquids semiautomatic delivering device which is optimized to allow to dispense rapidly, efficiently and ergonomically a substantially uniform layer of food liquid, thus reducing the operations made by the operator. As a way of example, this uniform layer of food liquid can be made up of a layer of cream on a cake, or by a layer of sauce on a pizza. Yet, the present invention provides a device which reaches all the prefixed aims, and which is also able to guarantee the absence of any contamination form of the food liquid once the same is introduced in the device.

Brief description of the invention

The present invention realizes the prefixed aims since it is a food liquids delivering device comprising: a tank (3) configured to contain a food liquid, to which a tube (5) for compressed gas introduction and a flexible tube (2) for said food liquid delivering are connected; a dispenser (1, 101, 102, 103) connected to the end of said flexible tube (2) provided with a mechanic control (11) and a delivering terminal (12) comprising a plurality of outlet holes for food liquid delivering; a movable element (1012, 1022, 1031) configured to move between a first position in which said movable element obstructs said plurality of outlet holes and a second position in which said outlet holes are not obstructed by said movable element; a spring element (1014, 1024, 1034) configured to push said movable element (1012, 1022, 1031) towards said first position, said mechanic control (11) being configured to allow to displace said movable element towards said second position, after the user exerts a force.

Detailed description of the invention

These and other advantages will be clear from the detailed description of the invention, with reference to the appended drawings 1 to 13.

Figures 1 and 2 show two preferred embodiments of the system; figure 3 shows a section view of a first embodiment of the dispenser, shown in axonometric view in figure 12; figure 4 shows a section view of a second embodiment of the dispenser, shown in axonometric view in figure 9 and whose dispenser terminal is shown in figures 10 and 11; figure 5 shows a section view of a third embodiment of the dispenser, shown in axonometric view in figure 6 and whose dispenser terminal is shown in figures 7 and 8. Figures 13 and 14 show other views of the whole device, figure 15 shows another view of an embodiment of a dispenser.

With reference to the view of figure 1, the device according to the invention comprises a tank (3) configured to contain a food liquid, to which a tube (5) for compressed gas introduction and a tube (2) for food liquid delivering are connected. Conveniently, the tube (5) for compressed gas introduction inputs said gas at the top of the tank, while the delivering tube (2) fishes from the bottom of the tank. Conveniently, the tank is also provided with a safety valve, configured to limit the maximum pressure inside the tank. According to a first preferred embodiment, the tube (5) for compressed gas introduction is supplied by a compressor (8) supplied by electric current. The compressor is configured to increase air pressure in the top of the device, and to such aim it is conveniently controlled by a pressure switch (6) which allows to set the maximum air pressure to which the compressor (8) stops to supply the tank (3) and the tank minimum pressure to which the compressor begins to work again. It is clear that the provision of the connection tube (5) allows to remove the compressor (8) from the tank (3) at will, thus optimizing the dimensions of the tank, if possible, by removing the only source of noise (i.e. the compressor) from the area of the user. According to another embodiment, the tank in pressure is supplied by a cylinder containing a compressed gas, for example nitrogen. In this way, the dressing does not come into contact with oxygen until its delivering, and so, it is not subject to undesired oxidation phenomena. It is understood that between the cylinder and the tank, pressure limiting means known at the state of the art are provided, so that a high-pressure cylinder (for example 200 bar) can supply the tank at its sensibly lower working pressure, without any safety problems. Preferably, the food liquid delivering tube (2), at a first end, is stably positioned with respect to the worktop by direct fastening or by means of a support base (31) possibly comprised in the device. According to a first embodiment, said tube (2) comprises a first vertical portion (22), a bend (23) and an end portion (21) at the end of which the dispenser (1) is provided. The whole stiffness and elasticity of the tube and its supports (due to the stiffness of the material itself or due to the application of spring support means, such for example outer helical springs of the tube itself or other spring elements configured to support the weight of the tube and dispenser) are such that the tube is able to support its own weight in rest conditions, when the dispenser rests on the top or a suitable support integrally fastened to the tank. While remaining in lifted position from the table, the tube does not take up space on the top in the working area and does not hinder the working operations in any way. In this way, the operator can take the dispenser (1) and transport it on his own worktop without excessive effort, so that the dispenser can be positioned at the worktop area where the delivering is needed. For example, in case of use in a pizzeria, the tube (2) allows to displace the dispenser (1) at will with a substantially horizontal movement in the space above a plurality of pizza bases arranged on the worktop by the pizza maker.

In a first embodiment, shown in figure 1, the delivering tube (2) comprises also a connection flexible portion (24) configured to allow to install the tank (3) away from the worktop (100). Preferably, in this embodiment the tube (2) comprises also a support (25) configured to fasten said tube (2) to the worktop. It is clear that, without departing from the aims of the invention, the tube (2) can be realized in one or more pieces connected to each other by means of suitable fittings. In a second embodiment, the tank (3) is positioned above a base (31) acting also as support for the tube (2), and it can be conveniently arranged above the worktop.

A pressure regulating device (6) can be also provided on the delivering tube (2), which is configured to keep the pressure substantially constant in the downstream portion of the tube while varying the pressure upstream. The provision of the pressure regulator (6) allows to keep the device regularly functioning, which always keeps a delivering pressure constant while varying the pressure in the tank (3). At the same time, thanks to the pressure regulator it is possible to set maximum and minimum pressure values inside the tank (3) exclusively as a function of the compressor wear, i.e. reducing the compressor turning on and off times, without this negatively influencing the system functioning.

As yet said, at the terminal end (21) of the delivering tube (2) a dispenser (1) is provided, which is provided with a mechanic control (11) and a delivering terminal (12) provided with a plurality of holes. The mechanic control (11) is configured to obstruct the outlet holes or not of said delivering terminal, after the user exerts a force.

Preferably, in order to improve the usage ergonomics, said dispenser (1) comprises a handle (13), said handle (13) and said mechanic control (11) being configured to open the flow delivering after the user exerts a pressure by pressing said mechanic control (11) towards said handle (13), i.e. by closing the hand around the handle (13). Preferably, said delivering terminal (12) is configured to dispense, by means of a plurality of holes suitably spaced from each other, said food liquid so to spread it uniformly on a surface underlying the same dispenser.

As it is clear from the preceding description, the device allows a food liquid delivering only by means of the electric supply for the compressor (8) and with no other controls than the mechanic ones with manual actuation at the dispenser. As an alternative, the device can function without electric supply, with the liquid thrust provided by the gas (compressed air, nitrogen, and so on...) contained in a high-pressure cylinder.

So, neither compressed air nor electric controls are needed at the dispenser. Moreover, there are no electric elements of any type downstream of the tank, the only electric element being the compressor (8), in the embodiments where it is provided.

From the preceding description it is clear that, while being understood what explained in the following concerning the embodiment of the dispenser, the flowrate of the device can be varied by simply acting on the valve (6) which determines the delivering pressure.

Moreover, preferably but not limitingly, upstream of the dispenser (1) a regulating valve, not shown in figure (ball valve, gate valve or any other type of valve known at the state of the art) can be provided. In this way, the user has at disposal a flowrate regulating control arranged exactly at the dispenser and can simply modify the delivering also while using the device. Figures 3, 4 and 5 show three possible embodiments (101, 102, 103) of the dispenser (1).

In a first embodiment (10) shown in figures 3, 12 and 13, the dispenser (101) comprises a substantially cylindrical handle (13) inside which a shutter (1012) axially slides, which is configured to abut a seat (1013) under the action of a spring (1014). The shutter (1012) is outside the duct for the food liquid (1017) provided inside the handle (13), which is provided at the end with a conical chamber (1018), whose outlet hole towards the delivering terminal is obstructed by the shutter (1012).

From the side surface of said handle (13) a button control (1011) projects, which by means of a lever mechanism controls the shutter sliding, and in particular lifts the shutter (1012) after the user exerts a pressure.

Downstream of the seat (1013) a delivering terminal (1016) is provided, which is provided with a plurality of holes (1015) suitably spaced from each other. Said holes, as it is clear from the views of figure 13, are communicating with the hollow portion of the dispenser (101), inside which the food liquid flows, and preferably they are equidistant from this latter one, so that the load losses towards the various holes are balanced and the delivering from the same is uniform. Conveniently, the terminal (1016) can be disassembled from the dispenser (101), so to facilitate the cleaning operations. Preferably, the delivering terminal (1016) is connected to the dispenser (101) by means of a threaded connection. Moreover, the system can comprise a plurality of delivering terminals, as shown in figure 13, each one provided with a different number of holes, or with holes with different dimensions; in this way, by simply substituting the delivering terminal (1016) it is possible to vary the delivering characteristics to adapt the system to different kinds of food liquids.

In a second embodiment (102) shown in figures 4, 9, 10 and 11, the dispenser (102) comprises a substantially cylindrical handle (13) inside which a shutter (1022) slides axially, which is configured to abut a seat (1023) under the action of a spring (1024). The shutter (1022) has a duct for the food liquid thereinside and the communication between such duct and the terminal holes of said duct is obstructed by the seat (1023) when the shutter is at the end of the stroke. To the side surface of the dispenser (102) a lever (1021) is hinged, which is configured to lift the shutter (1022) after the user pushes the lever (1021) towards the handle (12).

Downstream of the seat (1023) a delivering terminal (1026) is provided, which is provided with a plurality of holes (1025) suitably spaced from each other. Said holes, as it is clear from the views of figure 11, are communicating with the hollow portion of the dispenser (102), inside which the food liquid flows, and preferably they are equidistant from this latter one, so that the load losses towards the various holes are balanced and the delivering from the same is uniform. Conveniently, the terminal (1026) can be disassembled from the dispenser (102), so to facilitate the cleaning operations. Preferably, the delivering terminal is connected to the dispenser by means of a threaded connection. Moreover, the system can comprise a plurality of delivering terminals, as shown in figure 11, each one provided with a different number of holes, or with holes with different dimensions; in this way, by simply substituting the delivering terminal (1026) it is possible to vary the delivering characteristics to adapt the system to different kinds of food liquids.

In a third embodiment (103) shown in figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 the dispenser (103) comprises a substantially cylindrical and hollow handle (13). In this embodiment, inside the handle there is no shutter. To the side surface of the dispenser (103) a spring (1034) is fastened outside, which is configured to push outwards a movable plate (1031) provided inside the delivering terminal (1036). In this embodiment in fact, the terminal (1036) comprises a first fixed plate (1032) and a second movable plate (1031), sliding on said first fixed plate. Both the plates are horizontally directed (i.e. perpendicularly to the handle (13)).

The movable plate (1031) is installed inside the delivering terminal (1036), has a fixed axial position, and can slide only along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the handle (13) between a first and a second position. The movable plate (1031) and the fixed plate (1032) comprise each a plurality of through holes, configured so that, when the movable plate is in the first position, no one of the holes of the movable plate corresponds to any hole of the fixed plate: so, in this position, there are no outlet holes from the delivering terminal (1036), and so there is no liquid delivering. When the movable plate is in the second position, the holes of the movable plate coincide with the holes of the fixed plate, and so, it is allowed the food liquid delivering.

The movable plate (1031) is also provided with fastening means (10311) for connecting the same to a shaped piston (1033), sealed-sliding inside a through hole provided in the side wall of the delivering terminal and connected to the other end of the spring (1034).

The piston (1033) is configured to move the movable plate (1031) along its own sliding direction in both directions, under the action of the spring and under the action of the user. In particular, the spring (1034) is configured to push said movable plate (1031) towards said first position where there is no liquid delivering. In this way, the rest condition of the system is the one of absence of delivering. The user action on the spring (1034) pushes the movable plate towards the position where its holes coincide with the respective holes of the fixed plate, thus allowing delivering, which stops when the user action ceases, since the spring (1034) brings the system again in the rest position.

Moreover, conveniently, the delivering terminal (1036) is realized in two pieces fastened to each other by means of a thread, so that it is sufficient to unscrew the second piece to extract the fixed and movable plates and to proceed to the inner and outer cleaning of the system.

Also, in this embodiment, it is sufficient to vary the number and dimension of the holes provided on the two fixed and movable plates to adapt rapidly the system for another food liquid by simple substitution of the plates.