SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TESTING AND DIAGNOSING MALFUNCTIONS IN A LIQUID DISPENSER

• US 20130304398A1
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Hu, Ruguo, Hu, Bao Zhong, Deng, Ting, Marszalec, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,571,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/35
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/44 Parts or details or accessories of beverage-making apparatus filters or strainers A47J31/06
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0042 Details of specific parts of the dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0878 Safety, warning or controlling devices B67D1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/0074 Safety or warning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/88 Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/40 Data acquisition and logging for input to computer G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Systems and methods for testing and diagnosing malfunctions in a liquid dispenser are provided. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides a testing and diagnosing system including a pre-tester configured to test for and collect testing data regarding an operational status of the liquid dispenser and in communication with the liquid dispenser, a communication central module configured to receive information from the testing device and the pre-tester, and a database management system configured to operate, monitor and control the testing device, the pre-tester and/or the communication central module.

Claims

1. A liquid dispenser testing and diagnosing system comprising:

a liquid dispenser;

a pre-tester configured to test for and collect testing data regarding an operational status of the liquid dispenser;

a communication central module configured to receive information from the testing device and the pre-tester; and

a database management system configured to operate, monitor and control at least one of the testing device, the pre-tester or the communication central module, the database management system is programmed with an algorithm to determine whether the testing data is within or outside of specifications.

2. The liquid dispenser testing and diagnosing system of claim 1, wherein the communication central module is configured to monitor environmental temperature and humidity.

3. The liquid dispenser testing and diagnosing system of claim 1 comprising a testing device configured for evaluating one or more conditions in the liquid dispenser, the testing device being in communication with the liquid dispenser.

4. The liquid dispenser testing and diagnosing system of claim 3, wherein the testing device comprises an electrical safety tester.

5. The liquid dispenser testing and diagnosing system of claim 3, wherein the testing device comprises an air leakage detector.

6. The liquid dispenser testing and diagnosing system of claim 1 comprising a responding module configured to relay information between the testing device and the communication central module.

7. The liquid dispenser testing and diagnosing system of claim 1, wherein the database management system includes a computer display.

8. The liquid dispenser testing and diagnosing system of claim 1, wherein the pre-tester is configured to determine a parameter of the liquid dispenser selected from the group consisting of compressor instant amps, cooling amps, heating amps, cut in/off time, heating temperature, cooling temperature and combinations thereof.

9. The liquid dispenser testing and diagnosing system of claim 1, wherein the pre-tester comprises a component selected from the group consisting of a bar code scanner, bar code data distributor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and combinations thereof.

10. The liquid dispenser testing and diagnosing system of claim 1, wherein the pre-tester is configured to cut off a power supply to the liquid dispenser in case of a short circuit.

11. The liquid dispenser testing and diagnosing system of claim 1, wherein the pre-tester is configured to complete hardware diagnostics upon start-up of the system.

12. A system for testing and diagnosing malfunctions in a heating or cooling apparatus, the system comprising:

a heating or cooling apparatus;

a testing device for monitoring one or more conditions in a heating or cooling apparatus;

a pre-tester configured to measure an electrical current and a temperature change in the heating or cooling apparatus;

a communication central module configured to receive information from the testing device and the pre-tester and configured to monitor environmental temperature and humidity; and

a database management system configured to operate, monitor and control at least one of the testing device, the pre-tester or the communication central module, the database management system is programmed with an algorithm to determine whether the conditions are within or outside of specifications.

13. The system of claim 12 comprising a responding module configured to relay information between the testing device and the communication central module.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the testing device comprises an electrical safety tester.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the testing device comprises an air leakage detector.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the database management system includes a computer display.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the pre-tester is configured to determine a parameter of the heating or cooling apparatus selected from the group consisting of compressor instant amps, cooling amps, heating amps, cut in/off time, heating temperature, cooling temperature and combinations thereof.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the pre-tester comprises a component selected from the group consisting of a bar code scanner, a bar code data distributor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and combinations thereof.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the pre-tester is configured to cut off a power supply to the heating or cooling apparatus in case of a short circuit.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the pre-tester is configured to complete hardware diagnostics upon start-up of the system.

21. A method for testing and diagnosing malfunctions in a liquid dispenser during manufacturing of the liquid dispenser, the method comprising:

testing the liquid dispenser with at least one of an electrical safety tester or an air leakage detector, the liquid dispenser comprising a water tank;

measuring an electrical current in a circuit of the liquid dispenser and a temperature change of water in the water tank using a pre-tester configured to test for and collect testing data regarding the operational status of the liquid dispenser; and

determining a pass/fail status of the liquid dispenser based on the measured electrical current and the temperature change when compared to pre-set parameters of the electrical current and the temperature change for the liquid dispenser.

22. The method of claim 21 comprising:

cleaning the liquid dispenser if the liquid dispenser receives a pass from the pre-tester; and

testing the washed liquid dispenser with at least one of an electrical safety tester or an air leakage detector.

23. The method of claim 21 comprising repairing the liquid dispenser if the liquid dispenser receives a fail from the pre-tester.

24. The method of claim 21 comprising printing out the pass/fail status of the dispenser after the pass/fail status has been determined.

25. The method of claim 21 comprising scanning a bar code located on the liquid dispenser with a bar code scanner in communication with the pre-tester to determine pre-set pass/fail parameters for the liquid dispenser.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the pre-tester is in communication with a database management system comprising a computer display.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the pre-tester is configured to determine a parameter of the liquid dispenser selected from the group consisting of compressor instant amps, cooling amps, heating amps, cut in/off time, heating temperature, cooling temperature and combinations thereof.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the electrical safety tester and the air leakage detector are in communication with a responding module that is in communication with a database management system.

29. A method for testing and diagnosing malfunctions in a liquid dispenser, the method comprising:

connecting a pre-tester to a liquid dispenser comprising a water tank, the pre-tester configured to test for and collect testing data regarding the operational status of the liquid dispenser;

measuring an electrical current in a circuit of the liquid dispenser and a temperature change of water in the water tank using the pre-tester; and

determining a pass/fail status of the liquid dispenser based on the measured electrical current and the temperature change when compared to pre-set parameters of the electrical current and the temperature change for the liquid dispenser.

30. The method of claim 29 comprising scanning a bar code located on the liquid dispenser with a bar code scanner in communication with the pre-tester to determine pre-set pass/fail parameters for the scanned liquid dispenser.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the pre-tester is in communication with a database management system comprising a computer display.

32. The method of claim 29 comprising printing out the pass/fail status of the dispenser after the pass/fail status has been determined by the pre-tester.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the pre-tester is configured to determine a parameter of the liquid dispenser selected from the group consisting of compressor instant amps, cooling amps, heating amps, cut in/off time, heating temperature, cooling temperature and combinations thereof.

34. The method of claim 29 comprising testing the liquid dispenser with at least one of an electrical safety tester or an air leakage detector.

35. A method for testing and diagnosing malfunctions in a heating or cooling apparatus, the method comprising:

testing a heating or cooling apparatus with at least one of an electrical safety tester or an air leakage detector, the heating or cooling apparatus comprising a heated or cooled unit;

measuring an electrical current in a circuit of the heating or cooling apparatus and a temperature change of the heated or cooled unit using a pre-tester configured to measure an electrical current and a temperature change in the heating or cooling apparatus; and

determining a pass/fail status of the heating or cooling apparatus based on the measured electrical current and the temperature change when compared to pre-set parameters of the electrical current and the temperature change for the heating or cooling apparatus.

36. The method of claim 35 comprising scanning the heating or cooling apparatus using a bar code scanner to determine the pre-set parameters of the electrical current and the temperature change for the heating or cooling apparatus.

37. The method of claim 35 comprising wirelessly printing a label for the heating or cooling apparatus based on the pass/fail status.

38. The method of claim 35 comprising repairing the heating or cooling apparatus if the heating or cooling apparatus receives a fail from the pre-tester.

39. The method of claim 35 comprising calibrating a temperature probe and a current sensor of the pre-tester.