The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 10, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 26, 1999
Giovanni Gaetano, Dublin, OH (US);
Norse Dairy Systems, Inc., Columbus, OH (US);
Abstract
A valve suitable for dispensing a food product, and a method and apparatus for distributing a food product into a series of containers via the valve. The valve comprises a food product chamber, a fluid chamber, an inlet valve, and an outlet valve. The food product chamber comprises a cylinder and a piston which is adapted to move within the cylinder. The cylinder has an inlet and an outlet. The fluid chamber is adapted to actuate the piston in a reciprocating motion comprising an uptake stroke and an expulsion stroke. The inlet valve is adapted to open the inlet during the uptake stroke, and to close the inlet during the expulsion stroke. Conversely, the outlet valve is adapted to open the outlet during the expulsion stroke, and to close the outlet during the uptake stroke. The diameter of the food product chamber is less than the diameter of the fluid chamber. The valve optionally includes a reciprocating mechanism which is adapted to move the valve in a reciprocating motion which facilitates the distribution of the food product.