Pump having flexible liner and merchandiser having such a pump

Abstract

A pump has a flexible liner which is expanded and contracted by application of positive and negative fluid pressure for receiving and discharging fluent material. The liner is received in a rigid shell which defines the maximum volume received. In discharging fluent material, a vacuum is applied to one side of the liner, while applying pressure to the other side so the liner is collapsed against the rigid shell. The liner is arranged so as to be the only part of the pump which contacts the fluent material, and is replaceable to effect rapid and easy cleaning of the pump. The liner has multiple pump cells which can expand and contract for moving fluent material through the pump cell. The pump cells can be sized and arranged so that by selection of particular pump cells which receive the fluent material, precise volumes can be metered by the pump. A merchandiser has a pump and a flexible bag which is deformed to selectively dispense fluent material.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A merchandiser for selectively dispensing fluent material, the merchandiser comprising: 
 a mount for supporting a flexible bag;    a flow control adapted to receive at least a majority of the flexible bag therein and to deform the bag to produce flow of fluent material without contact of the fluent material by the flow control, the flow control including a shell adapted to receive the flexible bag and having receptacles formed therein adapted for receiving respective pump cells formed in the flexible bag, the receptacles each being connected to a fluid pressure control source for selectively applying at least one of a vacuum pressure and a positive pressure to the receptacle to selectively expand and collapse the cell for use in dispensing fluent material; and    a selector for actuation by a person to initiate operation of the flow control to dispense fluent material.    
     
     
         2 . A merchandiser as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the selector is coin operated.  
     
     
         3 . A merchandiser as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the selector includes selection indicators adapted for manipulation by the person to select from at least two different operation modes of the flow control to dispense fluent material.  
     
     
         4 . A merchandiser as set forth in  claim 3  wherein the selection indicators are capable of selecting modes of operation of the flow control which differ in at least one of the following ways: the amount of fluent material dispensed and the pump cell or pump cells from which fluent material is discharged.  
     
     
         5 . A merchandiser as set forth in  claim 4  wherein in at least one of the modes of operation the flow control is adapted to discharge fluent material from at least two pump cells of the flexible bag at the same time.  
     
     
         6 . A merchandiser as set forth in  claim 5  wherein the flow control is constructed and arranged to direct fluent material discharged therefrom to mix the fluent material.  
     
     
         7 . A merchandiser as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the shell has at least three receptacles formed therein including a mixing receptacle, at least two of the other receptacles being adapted for communication with the mixing receptacle.  
     
     
         8 . A merchandiser as set forth in  claim 7  further comprising a controller responsive to the selector to operate the flow control so that when a flexible bag is received by the flow control, fluent material is discharged from pump cells received in said at least two other receptacles into a pump cell received in the mixing receptacle, and the pump cell in the mixing receptacle is acted upon by the fluid pressure control source to mix fluent material in the pump cell in the mixing receptacle.  
     
     
         9 . A merchandiser as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the controller is adapted to operate the flow control to discharge mixed fluent material from the pump cell received in the mixing receptacle.  
     
     
         10 . A merchandiser as set forth in  claim 7  wherein the shell has a manifold receptacle formed therein adapted for communication with each of said at least two other receptacles.  
     
     
         11 . A merchandiser as set forth in  claim 7  further comprising first and second outlets, and wherein the mixing receptacle is adapted for communication with the first and second outlets.  
     
     
         12 . A merchandiser as set forth in  claim 7  wherein at least some of said at least two other receptacles have different volumes.  
     
     
         13 . A merchandiser as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each receptacle is free of communication with the other receptacles.  
     
     
         14 . A merchandiser as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the flow control comprises pincher valves disposed for pinching engagement with the flexible bag when the flexible bag is received in the shell to block flow into or out of one or more of the pump cells.  
     
     
         15 . A merchandiser as set forth in  claim 1  in combination with the flexible bag.  
     
     
         16 . A merchandiser as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a cabinet defining an interior compartment, the mount being located in the interior compartment of the cabinet.  
     
     
         17 . A beverage dispenser for selectively dispensing a mixed beverage, the beverage dispenser comprising: 
 a mount adapted to support a flexible bag;    a flow control adapted to receive a majority of the flexible bag therein and to deform the bag to produce flow of beverage admixtures in the flexible bag without contact of the beverage admixtures by the flow control, the flow control including a shell adapted to receive the flexible bag and having receptacles formed therein adapted for receiving respective pump cells formed in the flexible bag, the receptacles including a mixing receptacle adapted for communication with other of the receptacles for receiving beverage admixtures into the mixing receptacle when the flexible bag is received in the shell, the receptacles each being connected to a fluid pressure control source for selectively applying at least one of a vacuum pressure and a positive pressure to the receptacle to selectively expand and collapse the pump cell for use in mixing and dispensing a beverage admixture; and    a selector for actuation by a customer to initiate operation of the flow control to mix beverage admixtures and to dispense a mixed beverage.    
     
     
         18 . A beverage dispenser as set forth in  claim 17  in combination with the flexible bag, wherein at least one of the beverage admixtures comprises a base liquid and at least two other beverage admixtures comprise flavorings.  
     
     
         19 . A pre-filled flexible bag for use in dispensing a beverage, the pre-filled flexible bag comprising: 
 first and second sheets of flexible material in generally opposed relation with each other;    cells defined by regions in which the first and second sheets are unconnected and which are substantially circumscribed by portions of the bag in which the first and second sheets are sealingly joined together, the cells each having an outlet;    beverage liquid disposed in at least a plural number of cells for discharging from the cells through one or more of the outlets upon deformation of the flexible bag.    
     
     
         20 . A pre-filled flexible bag as set forth in  claim 19  wherein one of the cells comprises a mixing cell, the mixing cell being free of beverage liquid, the mixing cell being adapted for fluid communication with other of the cells for receiving beverage liquid therefrom for use in mixing the beverage liquid from said other cells.  
     
     
         21 . A pre-filled flexible bag as set forth in  claim 20  wherein the mixing cell is formed with a first inlet for each of said other cells to establish fluid communication with the mixing cell and a second inlet adapted to open to exterior of the bag for receiving fluent material from without the flexible bag.  
     
     
         22 . A pre-filled flexible bag as set forth in  claim 21  wherein the mixing cell comprises a first outlet and a second outlet for use in discharging mixed beverage from the mixing cell.  
     
     
         23 . A pre-filled flexible bag as set forth in  claim 20  wherein the cells include a metering cell for each of said other cells adapted for fluid communication with the mixing cell, the metering cells each being adapted for fluid communication with one of said other cells and the mixing cell.  
     
     
         24 . A pre-filled flexible bag as set forth in  claim 23  wherein each metering cell has a volume which is less than the volume of said one of said other cells.  
     
     
         25 . A pre-filled flexible bag as set forth in  claim 20  wherein one of said other cells has a volume larger than any of the remaining other cells.  
     
     
         26 . A pre-filled flexible bag as set forth in  claim 25  wherein the beverage liquid in said larger volume other cell comprises a base beverage liquid and the beverage liquid in the remaining other cells comprises beverage additives, at least one of the beverage additives being adapted for mixing with the base beverage liquid.  
     
     
         27 . A pre-filled flexible bag as set forth in  claim 19  wherein said plural cells hold at least two different fluent materials.  
     
     
         28 . A pre-filled flexible bag as set forth in  claim 27  wherein said plural cells have inlets formed therein for fluid communication from without the flexible bag to replenish beverage liquid in said plural cells.  
     
     
         29 . A pre-filled flexible bag as set forth in  claim 19  further comprising a hanger for hanging the flexible bag.  
     
     
         30 . A flow control for selectively dispensing fluent material, the flow control comprising: 
 a shell adapted to receive the flexible bag and having at least three receptacles formed therein including a mixing receptacle, at least two of the other receptacles being adapted for communication with the mixing receptacle, the receptacles being adapted for receiving respective pump cells formed in the flexible bag;    a fluid pressure control source for selectively applying at least one of a vacuum pressure and a positive pressure to at least some of the receptacles to selectively expand and collapse the pump cell for use in dispensing fluent material; and    a controller for operating the fluid pressure control when a flexible bag is received in the shell to deliver fluent material to the mixing receptacle from said at least two other receptacles, to act on the fluent material in the mixing receptacle to mix the fluent material, and to discharge the mixed fluent material from the mixing receptacle.    
     
     
         31 . A flow control as set forth in  claim 30  wherein the shell further comprises a manifold receptacle adapted for communication with each of said at least two other receptacles.  
     
     
         32 . A flow control as set forth in  claim 30  wherein the shell further comprises first and second outlets, and the mixing receptacle is adapted for communication with the first and second outlets.  
     
     
         33 . A flow control as set forth in  claim 30  wherein at least some of said at least two other receptacles have different volumes.  
     
     
         34 . A flow control as set forth in  claim 30  wherein the flow control further comprises pincher valves disposed for pinching engagement with the flexible bag when the flexible bag is received in the shell to block flow into or out of one or more of the pump cells.  
     
     
         35 . A method of manufacturing a flexible bag pre-filled with fluent material comprising the steps of: 
 positioning a first sheet and a second sheet of limp material in generally opposed relation;    joining the first and second sheets together to define distinct cells having an inlet opening;    filling one of the cells with a first beverage liquid;    filling another of the cells with a second beverage liquid; and    sealing the inlets of the cells.    
     
     
         36 . A method of dispensing mixed fluent material comprising the steps of: 
 providing a flexible bag having cells formed therein, at least some of the cells containing a fluent material therein;    deforming the flexible bag to discharge fluent material from at least two of the cells into a mixing cell in the flexible bag;    deforming the flexible bag at the mixing cell to mix fluent material in the mixing cell; and    dispensing mixed fluent material from the mixing cell.    
     
     
         37 . A method as set forth in  claim 36  further comprising a step of flushing the mixing cell.  
     
     
         38 . A method of servicing a point of sale merchandiser capable of delivering fluent material to an article upon demand by a customer, the method comprising the steps of: 
 accessing a location in which at least one bag of flexible material is located;    removing the flexible bag from the location;    replacing the flexible bag with another flexible bag containing fluent material to be dispensed.    
     
     
         39 . A method as set forth in  claim 38  wherein said step of removing the flexible bag includes removing the entire flow path of fluent material in the merchandiser, and said step of replacing the flexible bag includes providing a new flow path of fluent material in the merchandiser.  
     
     
         40 . A merchandiser for selectively dispensing fluent material, the merchandiser comprising: 
 a mount for supporting a flexible bag;    a flow control adapted to receive at least a majority of the flexible bag therein and to deform the bag to produce flow of fluent material without contact of the fluent material by the flow control, the flow control including a shell adapted to receive the flexible bag and having receptacles formed therein adapted for receiving respective pump cells formed in the flexible bag, the receptacles each being connected to a fluid pressure control source for selectively applying at least one of a vacuum pressure and a positive pressure to the receptacle to selectively expand and collapse the cell for use in dispensing fluent material, the flow control being constructed and arranged to direct fluent material discharged therefrom to mix the fluent material.    
     
     
         41 . A merchandiser for selectively dispensing fluent material, the merchandiser comprising: 
 a mount for supporting a flexible bag;    a flow control adapted to receive at least a majority of the flexible bag therein and to deform the bag to produce flow of fluent material without contact of the fluent material by the flow control, the flow control including a shell adapted to receive the flexible bag and having receptacles formed therein adapted for receiving respective pump cells formed in the flexible bag, the receptacles each being connected to a fluid pressure control source for selectively applying at least one of a vacuum pressure and a positive pressure to the receptacle to selectively expand and collapse the cell for use in dispensing fluent material, the flow control being constructed and arranged for mixing the fluent material prior to discharge from the flow control.