CONNECTOR FOR CONNECTING A CONTAINER OF LIQUID OR SEMI-LIQUID FOOD PRODUCTS AND MACHINE COMPRISING SAID CONNECTOR AND CONTAINER

Abstract

A connector for connecting a deformable bag for liquid or semi-liquid products to a machine for distributing the product and includes a body with an opening passing therethrough and acting as a product outlet and connected to the machine, with a thermal sensor supported so as to be positioned inside the bag, in contact with the liquid or semi-liquid product. The sensor is fixed in a second opening that is parallel or almost parallel to the product transit opening and a connecting cable comes out of the end of the body intended to remain outside the bag. The assembly formed by the bag and the connector and the machine for distributing a liquid or semi-liquid food product supplied with the bag equipped with the connector.

Claims

1. A connector for connecting at least one container, adapted to contain a liquid or semi-liquid product, to a machine which is to receive such a product, said connector including a body provided with an opening passing therethrough and acting as a product outlet and connected to the machine by connecting means designed to connect with an inlet through which the product associated to said container is released, wherein it includes also a thermal sensor supported so as to be positioned, in use, inside said container, when said container is coupled to the machine by the connecting means,

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the thermal sensor is supported so as to be positioned, in use, inside said container in contact with said liquid or semi-liquid product, when said container is coupled to the machine by the connecting means.

3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said sensor is fastened to said body so as to project inwards of the container and protrudes with a connection cable from the end intended to remain outside the container.

4. The connector according to claim 3, wherein a second through opening is provided, extending parallel or almost parallel to said opening for the product to pass therethrough, with said sensor being introduced and fixed in said second opening so as to protrude from a side of said body aimed at entering the inlet of said bag, and with a connecting cable which originates from an end of the sensor, intended to remain closed inside the second opening, and extending through the latter until it leaves from a side of said body external with respect to the bag.

5. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said connecting means include a threading made on an inner wall of a bell-shaped outer portion of the connector and intended for engagement with a corresponding threading made on an outer part of said inlet of the container.

6. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said body includes a portion which couples with said bag and a portion provided with a threading.

7. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said threading is an outer threading.

8. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said first coupling portion includes a first internal cavity and said second portion includes a second internal cavity.

9. A container-connector assembly, comprising a container and a connector according to claim 1, with said container being adapted to contain a liquid or semi-liquid product which is to be supplied to a machine for distribution and/or treatment of the liquid or semi-liquid product, to which said container is connected by said connector, wherein said container is formed by a deformable bag, provided with an aperture, from which the product is released, and in correspondence to which an inlet is applied, to which said connector can be connected.

10. The container-connector assembly according to claim 9, wherein said bag is made of a material suitable for food that is to be supplied to said machine for releasing such products or to a machine for processing and subsequent releasing such products.

11. The container-connector assembly according to claim 9, wherein said inlet protrudes outwards from said bag and is provided with an outer threading adapted to couple with a corresponding threading made on an inner part of an outermost bell-like portion of said connector.

12. A machine for distributing a liquid or semi-liquid food product or liquid or semi-liquid food products taken from at least one corresponding container, said machine comprising: at least one container adapted to contain a liquid or semi-liquid food article or liquid or semi-liquid food articles to be distributed; at least one distribution device for liquid or semi-liquid product or liquid or semi-liquid products which can be controlled from outside to obtain the distribution of a selected amount of said liquid or semi-liquid product or liquid or semi-liquid products; pump means, connected with an inlet to said at least one container, so as to withdraw selected amounts of said liquid or semi-liquid product or liquid or semi-liquid products, and with an outlet to said at least one distribution device, so as to send thereto said selected amounts of liquid or semi-liquid product or liquid or semi-liquid products; said machine wherein said at least one container is formed by a deformable bag made of a material suitable for food, said bag being provided with an aperture, from which the product is released, and in correspondence to which an inlet is applied, to which a connector can be coupled according to claim 1, for connecting the bag to said pump means.

13. A machine for processing and subsequent distribution of a liquid or semi-liquid product or liquid or semi-liquid products, taken from at least one corresponding container, said machine comprising: at least one container adapted to contain a liquid or semi-liquid article or liquid or semi-liquid articles to be distributed; at least one distribution device for liquid or semi-liquid product or liquid or semi-liquid products which can be controlled from outside to obtain the distribution of a selected amount of said liquid or semi-liquid product or liquid or semi-liquid products; pump means, connected with an inlet to said at least one container, so as to withdraw selected amounts of said liquid or semi-liquid product or liquid or semi-liquid products, and with an outlet to said at least one distribution device, so as to send thereto said selected amounts of liquid or semi-liquid product or liquid or semi-liquid products; at least one chamber for heat treatment of said liquid or semi-liquid product or liquid or semi-liquid products, situated between said pump and said at least one distributing device; at least one stirring device of said liquid or semi-liquid product or liquid or semi-liquid products, situated and working inside said at least one chamber for heat treatment; a heating apparatus associated operationally to said at least one chamber for heat treatment so as to carry out a heat treatment of the liquid or semi-liquid product or liquid or semi-liquid products inside said chamber; said machine wherein said at least one container is formed by a deformable bag made of a material suitable for food, which are to be supplied to said machine for distributing such products, said bag having an aperture from which the product is released, in correspondence to which an inlet is applied, to which a connector according to claim 1 can be connected, for connecting the bag to the pump means.

14. The machine according to claim 12, wherein said heating apparatus includes a cooling equipment.

15. The machine according to claim 12, wherein said pump means include a pump.

16. The machine according to claim 12, wherein said pump means include a peristaltic pump.

17. The machine according to claim 12, wherein said container is situated a position lower than said pump.

18. The machine according to claim 12, wherein said pump means include a pump comprising at least one valve interposed between said pump and said at least one container.

19. The machine according to claim 12, wherein said bag, when associated to said machine, is contained inside a rigid supporting structure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The characteristics of the invention that do not emerge from what has been said above will become apparent in the following description, to be considered with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 is a detailed illustration of the connector according to this invention;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the connector of FIG. 1 according to a longitudinal cutting plane;

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a section of bag in which the product release aperture is made and which supports the inlet with the closing cap;

[0024] FIGS. 4 and 5 show the same section of bag as FIG. 3 with the connector applied and connected to the machine pump, respectively in a whole view and in cross-section;

[0025] FIGS. 6 and 7 show two types of machine, respectively for the distribution and for the treatment and distribution of liquid or semi-liquid products, equipped with the connector applied to the bag placed in the machine;

[0026] FIGS. 8 to 10 show a further embodiment of the connector according to this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] With reference to the above-mentioned figures, the numeral 1 denotes a connector for connecting a container 2 to a machine 3, 23 for the distribution or respectively the treatment and subsequent distribution of a liquid or semi-liquid food product, the container being placed in a refrigerated compartment A of the self-same machine.

[0028] The function of the container is to contain the liquid or semi-liquid food product to be supplied to the machine 3, 23.

[0029] The container is preferably a deformable bag 2, made of material suitable for use with the food products that it must contain.

[0030] In one section of the bag 2 a product release aperture is made (FIG. 3), at which an inlet 7 is applied.

[0031] The inlet 7 preferably externally bears a threading 17, with which it engages with a closing cap 27.

[0032] The connector 1 is formed by a body 4 with an opening 5 passing therethrough, set up to allow the product to pass through the connector.

[0033] Around the body 4 there is a bell-shaped outer portion 9, which surrounds the body 4 and bears connecting means 6 on its inner wall.

[0034] The connecting means 6 are preferably a threading 19, intended to screw onto the threading 17 of the inlet 7.

[0035] The opposite side of the connector 1 to the inlet 7 is connected, by means of a flexible duct 21 (FIGS. 4 and 5) to the machine 3, and in particular to pump means 13 formed by a peristaltic pump.

[0036] More preferably, the duct is defined by a deformable pipe (preferably made of plastic material).

[0037] The flexible duct 21 is inserted in said peristaltic pump.

[0038] The function of the pump is to withdraw selected amounts of the liquid or semi-liquid product and to send those selected amounts to a liquid or semi-liquid product distribution device 8, which is normally located on the outside of the casing of the machine 3.

[0039] In this way, the distribution device can be controlled by the user for selecting the desired amount of product, by acting, as in the example illustrated, on a control device (mechanical or electromechanical).

[0040] Obviously, there may be various control means for the distribution device, such as buttons or knobs, not illustrated in the figures.

[0041] From the distribution device the product is inserted in a vessel 20 which the user will pick up, or which the user holds during distribution, so that he or she can then consume the product.

[0042] According to this invention, the connector 1 also comprises a thermal sensor 10, which is supported by the body 4 in such a way that it is positioned inside the container 2, in contact (thermal or physical) with the liquid or semi-liquid product. Connected to the sensor 10 there is a connecting cable 11 which comes out of the end of the body 4 which remains outside the bag 2 and which then connects to the circuitry of the machine control device (not illustrated) for providing it with the information about the temperature detected in the bag 2.

[0043] Therefore, the control device is configured for detecting a temperature signal, by means of said sensor 10.

[0044] In use, there is a second through opening 25, extending parallel or almost parallel to the product transit opening 5. The sensor 10 is inserted and fixed in the second opening 25 and protrudes from the side of the body 4 intended to be inserted in the inlet 7 of the bag 2. The connecting cable 11 originates from the end of the sensor 10 which remains closed in the second opening 25, and passes through the latter until it comes out of the side of the outer body 4 that is external with respect to the bag 2.

[0045] The bag 2 and the connector 1 configured in this way thereby form a containerconnector assembly, according to the invention, which is able to (constantly) inform the control device about the temperature of the product in the bag, thanks to the sensor 10 which is always located stretched out inside it.

[0046] In the different type of machines 23, which also perform treatment of the product, or products, before distributing them, there is also a thermal treatment chamber 12 for the liquid or semi-liquid food product or for the liquid or semi-liquid food products. The chamber 12 is located between the pump 13 and the distribution device 8. In use, a thermal apparatus is operatively associated with the chamber 12 so as to carry out the heat treatment on the liquid or semi-liquid product or liquid or semi-liquid products inside said chamber 12. In particular, the thermal apparatus comprises cooling equipment (not illustrated in the figures) with a coil surrounding the chamber 12. Moreover, a stirring device 14 for stirring the liquid or semi-liquid product or liquid or semi-liquid products, is located and operates inside the heat treatment chamber 12.

[0047] The combination of the heat treatment and the operation of the stirring device produce the procedure known as churning, required above all in the preparation of gelato, ice cream, sorbets and the like.

[0048] According to a special set-up, the bag 2 is located in a position lower than the pump 13 (FIG. 2) whilst in another different set-up, the bag 2 is in a position higher than the pump 13 (FIG. 1).

[0049] In both cases, there may be a valve 15 (which can be opened and closed) interposed between the pump 13 and the bag 2.

[0050] Finally, according to an advantageous alternative embodiment, when it is associated with the machine 3, 23 the bag 2 is placed in a refrigerated compartment A and contained in a rigid supporting structure 16. This structure holds the bag in a neat, supported way, so that it avoids resting directly on the inner walls of the refrigerated compartment A.

[0051] Obviously, the invention described herein achieves all of the aims indicated.

[0052] The connector proposed, due to the presence of the sensor always located in the bag, allows the actual temperature of the product to be obtained, continuously and at any time, from when the bag is placed in the machine until the product is released from it.

[0053] Basically, an assembly is created, which is formed by the bag 2 intended to contain the product to be distributed, if necessary after it has been subjected to a heat treatment and remixing (churning), and by the connector associated with it which allows continuous monitoring of the temperature of the product.

[0054] These characteristics allow the production of a machine for the distribution or for the treatment and distribution of liquid or semi-liquid food products that is equipped with the connector described above, to be applied to the bag for connecting it to the machine pump.

[0055] Finally, the components listed above are made with a simple but effective solution that does not have a significant and negative impact on the costs for production of the components.

[0056] FIGS. 8 to 10 show a further alternative embodiment of the connector 1.

[0057] According to that alternative embodiment, the body 4 is (substantially immovably) coupled to the bag 2. It should be noticed that according to that alternative embodiment the connector 1 is an integral part of the bag 2, that is to say, it is disposed of together with the bag.

[0058] Preferably, the sensor 10 is removable from the body 4.

[0059] More precisely, a coupling portion P1 of the body 4 is inserted in the bag 2.

[0060] It should be noticed that, in this way, the sensor 10 is located inside the bag 2 during use.

[0061] The portion P2 of the body 4 is, in contrast, facing outside the bag 2. It should be noticed that said second portion P2 of the body 4 preferably comprises a threaded part F1.

[0062] The threaded part F1 is suitable for coupling with a cap (not illustrated).

[0063] In contrast, the coupling portion P1 is equipped with at least one tooth 100 suitable for locking with an outfeed opening of the bag 2. In this way, by means of the coupling portion P1, effective, sealed coupling is guaranteed between the bag 2 and the connector 1 (and immovable due to the coupling with the tooth 100).

[0064] According to another aspect, said threading F1 is an outer threading.

[0065] According to another aspect, said first coupling portion P1 comprises a first internal cavity 102 and said second portion P2 comprises a second internal cavity 102.

[0066] It should be noticed that, advantageously, that connector 1 in the embodiments in FIGS. 8 to 10 is substituted together with the bag 2: in this way, the bag container assembly is particularly hygienic.