Systems for controlled liquid food or beverage product creation
First Claim
1. A method of producing a melted food or beverage liquid product from a receptacle having an interior containing frozen liquid contents, comprising the steps of:
- receiving the receptacle in a chamber of a dispenser, the dispenser including a non-diluting heat source, a liquid heater, a first flow path that bypasses the liquid heater, and a second flow path that includes the liquid heater;
identifying a characteristic of one or more of the receptacle, the frozen liquid contents, or the melted food or beverage liquid product wherein the characteristic is identified using one or more of an optical sensor, a thermal sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, a mass sensor, or a user interface;
supplying an amount of heat to the frozen liquid contents using the non-diluting heat source, the amount of heat being based on the identified characteristic, wherein supplying the amount of heat to the frozen liquid contents causes at least a first portion of the frozen liquid contents to melt and thereby yields a first portion of the melted food or beverage liquid product;
supplying an amount of liquid to the interior of the receptacle, the amount of liquid including at least one of a first volume of liquid supplied via the first flow path, a second volume of liquid supplied via the second flow path, or a mixture thereof, wherein at least one of the amount of liquid, the first volume, the second volume, or the mixture is based on the identified characteristic, and wherein supplying the amount of liquid to the interior of the receptacle yields a remaining portion of the melted food or beverage liquid product;
perforating the receptacle; and
dispensing the melted food or beverage liquid product from the receptacle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems for and methods of controlled liquid food or beverage product creation are provided. A method of producing a liquid product from a receptacle containing frozen liquid contents includes receiving the receptacle containing a frozen liquid contents in a dispenser, identifying a characteristic of the receptacle, the contents, and/or a desired product, melting at least a portion of the contents to generate the product by selectively heating the receptacle and/or the contents without adding liquid to the interior of the receptacle and/or supplying a liquid to the interior of the receptacle, wherein the selectively heating without adding liquid to the interior of the receptacle and/or suppling the liquid is based on the identified characteristic. The method also includes perforating the receptacle and dispensing the product from the receptacle.
322 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of producing a melted food or beverage liquid product from a receptacle having an interior containing frozen liquid contents, comprising the steps of:
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receiving the receptacle in a chamber of a dispenser, the dispenser including a non-diluting heat source, a liquid heater, a first flow path that bypasses the liquid heater, and a second flow path that includes the liquid heater; identifying a characteristic of one or more of the receptacle, the frozen liquid contents, or the melted food or beverage liquid product wherein the characteristic is identified using one or more of an optical sensor, a thermal sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, a mass sensor, or a user interface; supplying an amount of heat to the frozen liquid contents using the non-diluting heat source, the amount of heat being based on the identified characteristic, wherein supplying the amount of heat to the frozen liquid contents causes at least a first portion of the frozen liquid contents to melt and thereby yields a first portion of the melted food or beverage liquid product; supplying an amount of liquid to the interior of the receptacle, the amount of liquid including at least one of a first volume of liquid supplied via the first flow path, a second volume of liquid supplied via the second flow path, or a mixture thereof, wherein at least one of the amount of liquid, the first volume, the second volume, or the mixture is based on the identified characteristic, and wherein supplying the amount of liquid to the interior of the receptacle yields a remaining portion of the melted food or beverage liquid product; perforating the receptacle; and dispensing the melted food or beverage liquid product from the receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification