Beverage dispensing system

• US 10,029,904 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2016
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Carpenter, Gregg, Newman, Jr., David R., Patel, Nilang, Phillips, Paul A., Rudick, Arthur G., Ziesel, Lawrence B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicolas, Frederick C
• Application Number:
  US15/231,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20170001849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0027 control of the amount of one component, the amount of the other components(s) being dependent on that control
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0032 using flow-rate sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0034 for controlling the amount of each component
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0035 the controls being based on the same metering technics
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0041 Fully automated cocktail bars, i.e. apparatuses combining the use of packaged beverages, pre-mix and post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0044 for mixing inside the dispensing nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0051 for mixing outside the nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/006 Conventional carbonators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0085 electro-mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00089 Remote control means, e.g. by electromagnetic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/065 for drink preparation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets

Abstract

The present application describes a product dispenser, such as a beverage dispenser. The product dispenser may include a nozzle, a first pump in fluid communication with a beverage base source and the nozzle, a second pump in fluid communication with a flavoring source and the nozzle, and a user interface for receiving a request for a beverage. The user interface may include a product button that represents a beverage base, and an additive button that represents a flavor, wherein in response to a first selection of the product button and a second selection of the additive button, the user interface may be adapted to instruct a dispense of the beverage base and the flavor to the nozzle at a given flow rate.

Claims

1. A beverage dispenser, comprising:

a nozzle;

a first pump in fluid communication with a beverage base source and the nozzle;

a second pump in fluid communication with a flavoring source and the nozzle; and

a user interface for receiving a request for a beverage, wherein the user interface comprises a product button that represents a beverage base, and an additive button that represents a flavor, and one or more intensity indicators that indicate a strength of the beverage;

wherein in response to a first selection of the product button and a second selection of the additive button, the user interface is adapted to instruct a dispense of the beverage base and the flavor to the nozzle at a given flow rate.

2. The beverage dispenser of claim 1, wherein the beverage base is dispensed via the first pump and the flavor is dispensed via the second pump.

3. The beverage dispenser of claim 1, wherein the flavor is dispensed via pulsing of the second pump, and wherein a first pulsing level for the second pump is determined based at least in part on the given flow rate.

4. The beverage dispenser of claim 3, wherein the beverage base is dispensed via pulsing of the first pump, and wherein a second pulsing level for the first pump is determined based at least in part on the given flow rate.

5. The beverage dispenser of claim 1, wherein the beverage is dispensed from the nozzle during a continuous pour at the given flow rate.

6. The beverage dispenser of claim 5, wherein the beverage base and the flavor are mixed continuously during the continuous pour.

7. The beverage dispenser of claim 6, wherein any volume of the beverage can be dispensed during the continuous pour.

8. The beverage dispenser of claim 1, wherein the user interface is presented at a touchscreen display.

9. The beverage dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a physical pour button to initiate dispensing of the beverage.

10. The beverage dispenser of claim 1, wherein the beverage dispenser is positioned at a first location and the beverage base source is positioned at a second location that is remote to the beverage dispenser.

11. The beverage dispenser of claim 10, wherein the flavoring source is positioned within or adjacent the beverage dispenser.

12. The beverage dispenser of claim 1, wherein the second pump is a metering device.

13. The beverage dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a metering device positioned between one of the beverage base source or the flavoring source and the nozzle.

14. The beverage dispenser of claim 1, wherein the flavor is a flavor additive.

15. The beverage dispenser of claim 14, wherein the flavor additive is not added until a predetermined portion of a minimum beverage size has been dispensed.

16. The beverage dispenser of claim 1, wherein the one or more intensity indicators represent an amount of calories in the beverage.

17. The beverage dispenser of claim 1, wherein an intensity of the beverage is modifiable via an intensity button presented at the user interface.

18. The beverage dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a consumer data system in communication with the beverage dispenser, wherein the consumer data system is configured to generate a beverage recommendation for a user based at least in part on health information associated with the user.

19. A beverage dispenser, comprising:

a nozzle;

a first pump in fluid communication with a beverage base source and the nozzle;

a second pump in fluid communication with a flavor source and the nozzle; and

a user interface for receiving a request for a beverage, wherein the user interface comprises a product button that represents a combination of a beverage base and a flavor, wherein in response to a selection of the product button, the user interface causes a dispense of a combination of the beverage base and the flavor to the nozzle at a given flow rate; and

wherein the flavor is not added until a predetermined portion of a minimum beverage size has been dispensed.

20. The beverage dispenser of claim 19, wherein the beverage base is dispensed via the first pump and the flavor is dispensed via the second pump.