Dispensing system for dispensing individual portions of a food product from a food product container

Abstract

A new and improved food product dispensing mechanism incorporates structure therewithin for enabling one to serially dispense individual portions of food products from a predetermined number of food product portions which are disposed in a stacked array or arrangement contained within a food product container. The structure comprises complementary members defined upon inner peripheral wall surface portions of the food product container and upon the piston member movably disposed within the food product container so as to predeterminedly define stepwise movements of the piston member with respect to the food product container.

1 . A mechanism for facilitating the dispensing of individual products, one at a time, from a plurality of products serial-ly disposed within a product container, comprising:
 a cylindrical product container, defined around an axis, and within which a plurality of products are adapted to be disposed in a serial array, said product container having side wall surface portions, an open end through which the plurality of products are to be dispensed, and being fabricated from a material which imparts to said side wall surface portions of said product container a predetermined amount of flexibility in radially outward and radially inward directions;   a piston member, adapted to be disposed in contact with an end one of the plurality of products disposed within said product container, and disposed within said product container for movement along inner peripheral portions of said side wall surface portions of said product container toward said open end of said product container; and   first annular means, defined upon said piston, for operatively engaging second annular means, defined upon said inner peripheral portions of said side wall surface portions of said product container, in a contact, engagement manner so as to cause said side wall surface portions of said product container to be flexed radially outwardly, as said first annular means, defined upon said piston, operatively engage and bypass said second annular means, defined upon said inner peripheral portions of said side wall surface portions of said product container, and thereby define ratcheted stepwise movements of said piston member with respect to said product container as said piston member is moved within said product container toward said open end of said product container so as to permit said piston member to individually dispense the plurality of products, disposed within said product container, out from said product container one at a time.   
   
   
       2 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said product container comprises a tubular cylinder; and   said piston has a substantially cylindrical cross-sectional configuration.   
   
   
       3 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein:
 said first annular means defined upon said piston member, for operatively engaging said second annular means, defined upon said product container for defining said ratcheted stepwise movements of said piston member, with respect to said product container as said piston member is moved within said product container toward said open end of said product container, comprises first and second complementary means.   
   
   
       4 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein:
 said second complementary means defined upon said product container comprises a plurality of axially spaced members defined upon inner peripheral wall surface portions of said product container, and said first complementary means defined upon said piston member comprises an annular edge portion of said piston member for engaging each one of said plurality of axially spaced members defined upon said inner peripheral wall surface portions of said product container.   
   
   
       5 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein:
 said plurality of axially spaced members defined upon said inner peripheral wall surface portions of said product container are selected from the group comprising annular detents, ridges, and dimples.   
   
   
       6 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein:
 said second complementary means defined upon said product container comprises a plurality of axially spaced members defined upon inner peripheral wall surface portions of said product container, and said first complementary means defined upon said piston member comprises an annular flanged portion of said piston member for engaging each one of said plurality of axially spaced members defined upon said inner peripheral wall surface portions of said product container.   
   
   
       7 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein:
 said plurality of axially spaced members defined upon said inner peripheral wall surface portions of said product container are selected from the group comprising annular recesses and notches.   
   
   
       8 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said product container is fabricated from a material selected from the group comprising thermoplastics, metal, paper, and cardboard so as to impart to said side wall surface portions of said product container said predetermined amount of radially outward and radially inward flexibility.   
   
   
       9 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said inner peripheral wall surface of said product container has a wax coating thereon so as to facilitate the movement of said piston member therealong.   
   
   
       10 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 means for separating the plurality of food products, disposed within said food product container, from each other so as to facilitate the separation of the dispensed food product from the plurality of food products remaining within said food product container.   
   
   
       11 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein:
 said means for separating the plurality of food products, disposed within said food product container, from each other comprises sheets of paper adapted to be interposed between successive ones of the plurality of food products disposed within said food product container.   
   
   
       12 . A mechanism for facilitating the dispensing of individual products, one at a time, from a plurality of food products serially disposed within a food product container, comprising:
 a food product container, defined around an axis, and within which a plurality of food products are adapted to be disposed in a serial array, said food product container having side wall surface portions, an open end through which the plurality of food products are to be dispensed, and being fabricated from a material which imparts to said side wall surface portions of said food product container a predetermined amount of flexibility in radially outward and radially inward directions;   a piston member, adapted to be disposed in contact with an end one of the plurality of food products disposed within said food product container, and disposed within said food product container for movement along inner peripheral portions of said side wall surface portions of said food product container toward said open end of said food product container; and   first annular means, defined upon said piston, for operatively engaging second annular means, defined upon said inner peripheral portions of said side wall surface portions of said food product container, in a contact, engagement manner so as to cause said side wall surface portions of said product container to be flexed radially outwardly as said first annular means, defined upon said piston, operatively engage and bypass said second annular means, defined upon inner peripheral portions of said side wall surface portions of said food product container, and thereby define ratcheted stepwise movements of said piston member with respect to said food product container as said piston member is moved within said food product container toward said open end of said food product container so as to permit said piston member to individually dispense the plurality of food products, disposed within said food product container, out from said food product container one at a time.   
   
   
       13 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein:
 said food product container comprises a tubular cylinder; and   said piston has a substantially cylindrical cross-sectional configuration.   
   
   
       14 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein:
 said first annular means defined upon said piston member for operatively engaging said second annular means defined upon said product container for defining said ratcheted stepwise movements of said piston member, with respect to said product container as said piston member is moved within said product container toward said open end of said product container, comprises first and second complementary means.   
   
   
       15 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein:
 said second complementary means defined upon said product container comprises a plurality of axially spaced members defined upon inner peripheral wall surface portions of said product container, and said first complementary means defined upon said piston member comprises an annular edge portion of said piston member for engaging each one of said plurality of axially spaced members defined upon said inner peripheral wall surface portions of said product container.   
   
   
       16 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein:
 said plurality of axially spaced members defined upon said inner peripheral wall surface portions of said food product container are selected from the group comprising annular detents, ridges, and dimples.   
   
   
       17 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein:
 said second complementary means defined upon said product container comprises a plurality of axially spaced members defined upon inner peripheral wall surface portions of said product container, and said first complementary means defined upon said piston member comprises an annular flanged portion of said piston member for engaging each one of said plurality of axially spaced members defined upon said inner peripheral wall surface portions of said product container.   
   
   
       18 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein:
 said plurality of axially spaced members defined upon said inner peripheral wall surface portions of said food product container are selected from the group comprising annular recesses and notches.   
   
   
       19 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein:
 said food product container is fabricated from a material selected from the group comprising thermoplastics, metal, paper, and cardboard so as to impart to said side wall surface portions of said food product container said predetermined amount of radially outward and radially inward flexibility.   
   
   
       20 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein:
 said inner peripheral wall surface of said food product container has a wax coating thereon so as to facilitate the movement of said piston member therealong.   
   
   
       21 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 means for separating the plurality of food products, disposed within said food product container, from each other so as to facilitate the separation of the dispensed food product from the plurality of food products remaining within said food product container.   
   
   
       22 . The mechanism as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein:
 said means for separating the plurality of food products, disposed within said food product container, from each other comprises sheets of paper adapted to be interposed between successive ones of the plurality of food products disposed within said food product container.