Automated liquid dispensing device and associated method
First Claim
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1. An automated liquid dispensing device, comprising:
- a lift plate;
a plurality of stacks of nested containers mounted on the lift plate;
a separator for separating a top container from one of the plurality of stacks of nested containers;
a gripper for grabbing the top container from the separator;
a motorized mechanism for moving the gripper in three dimensions;
a closing structure for receiving the selected container from the gripper and for closing a bottom flap of the top container;
a capper for removing a cap from the top container and for securing the cap back onto the top container; and
a filler for filling the container with liquid.
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Abstract
The present invention is an automated liquid dispenser comprising novel mechanisms for removing a single container from a nested stack of containers, closing the bottom of the container, decapping the container, filling the container, capping the container, and dispensing the filled container to a user.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An automated liquid dispensing device, comprising:
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a lift plate; a plurality of stacks of nested containers mounted on the lift plate; a separator for separating a top container from one of the plurality of stacks of nested containers; a gripper for grabbing the top container from the separator; a motorized mechanism for moving the gripper in three dimensions; a closing structure for receiving the selected container from the gripper and for closing a bottom flap of the top container; a capper for removing a cap from the top container and for securing the cap back onto the top container; and a filler for filling the container with liquid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for dispensing liquid from a liquid dispensing device, comprising:
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grabbing, by a gripper, a container from a supply of nested containers; placing, by the gripper, the container in a closing structure for closing a bottom flap of the container; removing, by a capper, a cap from the container; moving, by the gripper, the container from the capper to a filler; filling, by the filler, the container with liquid; moving, by the gripper, the container from the filler to the capper; securing, by the capper, the cap to the container; and dispensing the container from the device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification