Product dispensing system

• US 10,173,881 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2016
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Beavis, Russell H., Jones, Benjamin W., Kerwin, John M., Gray, Larry B., Manning, Casey P., Winkler, Felix, Charles, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicolas, Frederick C
• Application Number:
  US15/345,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20170050834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0036 based on the timed opening of valves
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0855 concerning the used flowmeter flowmeter per se G01F1/00, G01F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00034 Modules
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/0006 Manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/34 by measuring pressure or differential pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/56 by using electric or magnetic effects G01F1/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/662 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/804 containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 3/10 Geared or lobed impeller meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 3/20 having flexible movable walls, e.g. diaphragms, bellows
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 specially adapted for fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7722 Line condition change responsive valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7759 Responsive to change in rate of fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85978 With pump

Abstract

A flow sensor includes a fluid chamber configured to receive a fluid. A diaphragm assembly is configured to be displaced whenever the fluid within the fluid chamber is displaced. A transducer assembly is configured to monitor the displacement of the diaphragm assembly and generate a signal based, at least in part, upon the quantity of fluid displaced within the fluid chamber.

Claims

1. A product dispensing comprising:

a flow control device configured to regular a first ingredient comprising;

a flow measuring device configured to provide a feedback signal based upon a volume of the first ingredient flowing within the flow control device;

a pump module configured to be coupled to a supply of a second ingredient;

a controller configured to provide a first control signal to the flow control device for controlling the supply of a first quantity of the first ingredient based upon, at least in part, a predetermined recipe, and to provide a second control signal to the pump module for controlling the supply of a first quantity of the second ingredient based upon, at least in part, the predetermined recipe;

an RFID antenna assembly;

a slot assembly for releasably engaging a product container, wherein the product container includes a first RFID tag assembly that is positioned within a detection zone of the RFID antenna assembly whenever the slot assembly releasably engages the product container; and

a bracket assembly comprising a second RFID tag assembly that is positioned within the detection zone of the RFID antenna assembly whenever the bracket assembly is engaged.

2. The product dispensing system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the RFID tag assemblies is a passive RFID tag assembly.

3. The product dispensing system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the RFID tag assemblies is a writeable RFID tag assembly.

4. The product dispensing system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the RFID tag assemblies defines one or more of the following:

a quantity identifier for the product container, a production date identifier for the product container, a discard date identifier for the product container, an ingredient identifier for the product container, a product module identifier, and a bracket identifier.

5. The product dispensing system of claim 1, further comprising an RFID subsystem coupled to the RFID antenna assembly for processing data provided by the RFID antenna assembly.

6. The product dispensing system of claim 5, further comprising a user interface subsystem coupled to the RFID subsystem for providing information to a user of a processing system.

7. The product dispensing system of claim 1, wherein at least one product container is configured to position the first RFID tag assembly within a detection zone of the RFID antenna assembly whenever a product module assembly releasably engages the at least one product container.

8. The product dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the RFID antenna assembly comprising:

an inductive component including a loop antenna assembly, wherein a circumference of the loop antenna assembly is no more than 25% of a wavelength of a carrier signal;

at least one capacitive component coupled to the inductive component; and

at least one resistive component coupled to the inductive component.

9. The product dispensing system of claim 8, wherein the inductive component is configured to be positioned above a first slot assembly to detect a presence of a first RFID tag assembly within the first slot assembly and not detect a presence of a second RFID tag assembly within a second slot assembly that is adjacent to the first slot assembly.

10. The product dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the RFID antenna assembly is configured to be coupled with an RFID subsystem that is capable of generating a carrier signal.

11. The product dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the RFID antenna assembly comprising:

an inductive component including a loop antenna assembly, wherein a circumference of the loop antenna assembly is no more than 25% of a wavelength of a carrier signal;

at least one capacitive component coupled to the inductive component; and

at least one resistive component coupled to the inductive component.

12. The product dispensing system of claim 11, wherein the inductive component is configured to be positioned above a first slot assembly to detect a presence of a first RFID tag assembly within the first slot assembly and not detect the presence of a second RFID tag assembly within a second slot assembly that is adjacent to the first slot assembly.

13. A product dispensing system, for use within a processing system, comprising:

a flow control device configured to regular a first ingredient comprising;

a flow measuring device configured to provide a feedback signal based upon a volume of the first ingredient flowing within the flow control device;

a pump module configured to be coupled to a supply of a second ingredient;

a controller configured to provide a first control signal to the flow control device for controlling the supply of a first quantity of the first ingredient based upon, at least in part, a predetermined recipe, and to provide a second control signal to the pump module for controlling the supply of a first quantity of the second ingredient based upon, at least in part, the predetermined recipe;

an RFID antenna assembly;

a slot assembly for releasably engaging a product container, wherein the product container includes a first RFID tag assembly that is positioned within a detection zone of the RFID antenna assembly whenever the slot assembly releasably engages the product container; and

a bracket assembly wherein the bracket assembly includes a second RFID tag assembly that is positioned within the detection zone of the RFID antenna assembly whenever the bracket assembly is engaged,

wherein at least one product container is configured to position the first RFID tag assembly within a detection zone of the RFID antenna assembly whenever a product module assembly releasably engages the at least one product container.

14. The product dispensing system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the RFID tag assemblies is a passive RFID tag assembly.

15. The product dispensing system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the RFID tag assemblies is a writeable RFID tag assembly.

16. The product dispensing system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the RFID tag assemblies defines one or more of the following:

a quantity identifier for the product container, a production date identifier for the product container, a discard date identifier for the product container, an ingredient identifier for the product container, a product module identifier, and a bracket identifier.

17. The product dispensing system of claim 13, further comprising an RFID subsystem coupled to the RFID antenna assembly for processing data provided by the RFID antenna assembly.

18. The product dispensing system of claim 17, further comprising a user interface subsystem coupled to the RFID subsystem for providing information to a user of the processing system.

19. The product dispensing system of claim 13, wherein the at least one product container is configured to position the first RFID tag assembly within a detection zone of the RFID antenna assembly whenever the product module assembly releasably engages the at least one product container.

20. The product dispensing system of claim 13, wherein the RFID antenna assembly is configured to be coupled with an RFID subsystem that is capable of generating a carrier signal.