FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates generally to cryogenic fluid dispensing systems and, in particular, to a dosing arm that includes multiple heads for cryogenic fluid dosers.

BACKGROUND

Cryogenic fluids, that is, fluids having a boiling point generally below −150° C. at atmospheric pressure, are used in a variety of industrial applications. One example is in the packaging of food, beverages and other products.

One part of liquid nitrogen (a cryogenic fluid) warms and expands into 700 parts of gaseous nitrogen at ambient temperature. Based on this characteristic, automated dosing equipment and systems have been developed that precisely dispense measured doses of liquid nitrogen into product containers prior to sealing. The trapped liquid nitrogen vaporizes and thus creates pressure within the container so as to add rigidity to the container. This allows for a use of a thinner container wall which reduces material costs and weight. Alternatively, for preservation and modified packaging (MAP) applications, the rapidly expanding gas is allowed to escape before the product packaging is sealed, flushing out oxygen and extending product life. In still another application, a dose of liquid nitrogen is introduced to “lock in” and surface freeze the food product (such as novelty ice cream).

A typical prior art dosing system is illustrated inFIG. 1. The liquid nitrogen is stored in a vacuum-insulated bulk tank20and transferred, via vacuum-insulated piping22, to a phase separator24. Liquid nitrogen is then provided via line26to a doser, indicated in general at28. The doser includes a doser body30which houses an insulated cryogen source reservoir that receives the liquid nitrogen from line26. A dosing arm32is connected to the doser body30and is in communication with the cryogen source reservoir. A dosing head34is positioned on the distal end of the dosing arm. The dosing arm32includes vacuum-insulated piping so that liquid nitrogen is supplied from the cryogen source reservoir of the doser body to the dosing head34. A conveyer of a product packaging system passes below the dosing head. The dosing head includes a valve that dispenses or injects droplets including very precise amounts of liquid nitrogen into product containers as they pass below the dosing head on the conveyer.

Currently multiple dosers must be used to dose multiple lines or containers at one time. This is expensive and increases warranty coverage and maintenance fees. Creating one dosing arm feeding more than one dosing head is more cost effective for manufacturing and consumers.

SUMMARY

There are several aspects of the present subject matter which may be embodied separately or together in the devices and systems described and claimed below. These aspects may be employed alone or in combination with other aspects of the subject matter described herein, and the description of these aspects together is not intended to preclude the use of these aspects separately or the claiming of such aspects separately or in different combinations as set forth in the claims appended hereto.

In one aspect, a doser for dispensing a cryogenic fluid includes a doser body configured to receive the cryogenic fluid. A dosing arm having a proximal end and a distal end has a central passage extending between the proximal and distal ends that is configured to receive cryogenic fluid from the doser body. Multiple dosing heads are mounted to the distal end of the dosing arm with each of the dosing heads including a dosing valve. The dosing heads are configured to receive cryogenic fluid from the central passage of the dosing arm and to dispense the cryogenic fluid when the dosing valve is opened.

In another aspect, a dosing arm includes a proximal end and a distal end and a central passage extending between the proximal and distal ends that is configured to receive a cryogenic fluid. Multiple dosing heads are mounted to the distal end with each of the plurality of dosing heads including a dosing valve. Each dosing head is configured to receive cryogenic fluid from the central passage and to dispense the cryogenic fluid when the dosing valve is opened.

In yet another aspect, a method of dosing a plurality of receptacles with a cryogenic liquid includes the steps of storing a supply of the cryogenic liquid in a doser body; directing a stream of the cryogenic liquid through a central passage of a single dosing arm to a plurality of dosing heads, each of the plurality of dosing heads including a dosing valve; positioning the plurality of receptacles under the plurality of dosing heads; and selectively opening and closing the dosing valves of the plurality of dosing heads.

