Automatic drink dispensing apparatus having programming means
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An automatic drink dispensing apparatus, comprising:
- operator actuatable selection means for selecting the ingredients or compositions to be dispensed;
a plurality of first receptacles for maintaining a reservoir of ingredients therein under atmospheric pressure;
a plurality of second receptacles in communication with the first receptacles through a first valve at a first end thereof and in communication with a source of pressurization through a second valve at a second end thereof;
flow lines connected to said second receptacles and having valve means interposed therein for regulating the flow of ingredients being dispensed; and
valve control means interconnected between the valve means and said second valve to regulate the application of pressure to said second receptacles and the subsequent dispensing of ingredients therefrom.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic drink dispensing apparatus wherein drinks are poured to prescribed formulations following proper operation of "selected" buttons on a keyboard console. The ingredients of the drink are simultaneously poured so that the length of pour is determined by the length of time that it takes to pour the major ingredient so as to produce extreme speed in dispensing drinks and thus raising the gross operation.
Finally, solid state electronic means in the form of semi-conductor "logic gates" are provided and arranged in a unique fashion to permit the apparatus to perform the above-noted improvements.
177 Citations
55 Claims
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1. An automatic drink dispensing apparatus, comprising:
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operator actuatable selection means for selecting the ingredients or compositions to be dispensed; a plurality of first receptacles for maintaining a reservoir of ingredients therein under atmospheric pressure; a plurality of second receptacles in communication with the first receptacles through a first valve at a first end thereof and in communication with a source of pressurization through a second valve at a second end thereof; flow lines connected to said second receptacles and having valve means interposed therein for regulating the flow of ingredients being dispensed; and valve control means interconnected between the valve means and said second valve to regulate the application of pressure to said second receptacles and the subsequent dispensing of ingredients therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for dispensing a composition of fluids, comprising:
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operator actuatable selection means for selecting the composition to be dispensed; a plurality of receptacles for retaining a reservoir of the fluids therein; a plurality of tubes, at least one connected to each of the plurality of receptacles, for dispensing said fluid, each of said tubes having connected thereto valve means operatively connected to said selection means for regulating fluid flow through the tubes; a rigid sleeve encompassing said tubes in parallel side by side relationship; and a sub-pouring head located within said sleeve and enveloping certain of said tubes. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. Apparatus for dispensing a composition of fluids in accordance with the selected formulation, comprising:
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a keyboard of selector switches, each switch having associated therewith a particular component, composition, or function to be performed by the dispensing apparatus; a memory array operatively connected to the keyboard and having a plurality of data storage positions, one position for each of the selector switches, the position storing data therein indicative of the state of actuation of the associated switch; indicating means, associated with the switches of the keyboard, connected to the memory array and operative to produce an indicia of the fact that data indicating actuation of the switch has been stored in memory; first means operatively connected to the memory array for simultaneously dispensing the components and proportions of each as selected from the keyboard; and second means connected to the first means for tallying indicia regarding the components and amounts thereof utilized in the formulation of the composition. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. Apparatus for dispensing a composition of fluids in accordance with a preselected formulation, comprising:
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first means for selecting the particular components to be utilized in the formulation of the composition; a plurality of solenoids, one for each of the components selectable, operative to enable or inhibit the dispensing of the associated components; a plurality of timing circuits comprising selector switches interconnected between latch means and oscillator decode dividing means; logic gates receiving the outputs of the timing circuit and the first means and operative to accordingly control the excitation of the solenoids; and second means connected to the first means for tallying indicia regarding the components and amounts thereof utilized in the formulation of the composition. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. Apparatus for dispensing a composition of fluids in accordance with a selective formulation, comprising:
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first means for selecting the particular components to be utilized in the formulation of the composition; second means connected to the first means for simultaneously dispensing the components and proportions of each as selected by the first means; third means connected to the first and second means for tallying indicia regarding the components and amounts thereof utilized in the formulation of the composition; and wherein the second means includes a fluid dispensing reservoir having two dispensing solenoids connected thereto, a first dispensing solenoid responsive to the first means to dispense a first quantity of the fluid from the reservoir and a second dispensing solenoid responsive to the first means to dispense a second quantity of the fluid from the reservoir, the two solenoids being interconnected such that the first solenoid may dispense independently of the second but the second can only dispense concurrently with the first.
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33. Apparatus for dispensing a fluid or composition of a plurality of fluids according to an operator selectable formulation, comprising:
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a plurality of operator actuatable switches for allowing the operator to select the particular components to be dispersed; dispersing means connected to the component selection means for both simultaneously initiating and controlling the dispersing of all components selected by the operator; programming means interconnected between the switches and the dispersing means for allowing the operator to physically interconnect the switches and dispersing means such that selection of a single switch will effectuate the dispersing of a particular formulation; and timing means connected to the dispersing means for regulating the quantity of each component dispersed. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. Apparatus for dispensing a fluid or composition of a plurality of fluids according to an operator selectable formulation, comprising:
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component selection means for allowing the operator to select the particular components to be dispersed; dispersing means including at least two solenoid dispensing valves operative to dispense the same fluid, the valves being operatively connected such that the first one of the valves may be actuated independently of the second but the second one of the valves can only be actuated simultaneously with the first; and timing means connected to the dispersing means for regulating the quantity of each component dispersed.
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38. Apparatus for dispensing a composition of fluids in accordance with a selected formulation, comprising:
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a plurality of manually actuatable selection means having weighted values associated therewith for selecting the particular components to be utilized in the formulation of the composition; second means connected to the selection means for simultaneously dispensing the components in proportions of each as selected by the selection means; counters connected to the second means and responsive to output signals thereof to count the number of dispersals of each weighted value; first and second registers operatively connected to the counters, the first register receiving and storing data indicative of the aggregate of weighted values of all actuated selector means for a single dispersal and the second register receiving and storing data indicative of the aggregate of weighted values of all actuated selector means for a plurality of dispersals; shifting means connected to the first and second registers and receiving data therefrom; and two totalizer counters connected to the shifting means and mutually exclusively receiving data thereinto from the second register.
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39. Apparatus for dispensing a fluid or composition of a plurality of fluids according to an operator selectable formulation, comprising:
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component selection means for allowing the operator to sequentially select the particular fluid components to be dispersed; dispersing means connected to the component selection means for both initiating and controlling a simultaneous dispersing of all fluid components sequentially selected by the operator; and function selection means interconnected with the component selection means for allowing the operator to select the type of drink in which the selected fluid components will be used, said function selection means being operative to regulate the quantity dispensed of the various fluid components selected. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. Apparatus for dispensing a composition of fluids in accordance with a selective formulation, comprising:
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a plurality of manually actuatable selector means having weighted values associated therewith; circuit means producing output signals indicative of which selector means have been actuated; counters connected to said circuit means and responsive to the output signals thereof to count the number of selector means of each weighted value which have been actuated; value selection means connected to the counters for attributing to the counters the appropriate weighted values; and fixed value selection means connected to the value selection means and the counters and operative to inhibit the counters and enable but a single weighted value of the selected means.
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49. Apparatus for dispensing a composition of fluids in accordance with a selected formulation, comprising:
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a plurality of selection means, one associated with each of the particular compositions of fluids, for selecting the dispensing of the associated compositions; a plurality of timing circuits interconnected between solenoid valves and the selection means for simultaneously dispensing the components and proportions of each as selected from the selection means; and a patchboard having a plurality of logic circuits and means for interconnecting the solenoids, timing circuits and logic circuits for preprogramming the various compositions. - View Dependent Claims (50)
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51. A liquid dispensing unit comprising:
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A. a first reservoir associated with a fluid source; B. a second reservoir connected with said first reservoir and having a conically shaped wall with a central opening therein for fluid communication with said first reservoir and wherein a ball is received in said second reservoir in self aligning closing relationship with said central opening and being adapted 1. to permit fluid flow from said first reservoir to said second reservoir in measured amounts, and 2. to prevent return of said measured amounts from said second reservoir to said first reservoir; C. a discharge opening associated with said second reservoir downstream of said ball and central opening and being movable between open and closed positions; and D. pressure means associated with said second reservoir and being adapted to urge said measured amounts through said discharge opening under pressure when said opening is in said open position. - View Dependent Claims (52)
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53. Apparatus for dispensing a fluid or composition of fluids as selected by an operator, comprising:
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component selection means for allowing an operator to select the fluids to be dispensed; timing period generation means for producing signals of various time period durations; function selection means interconnected with the time pulse generation means for providing time pulses; dispensing means interconnected between the component selection means and function selection means for dispensing quantities of the fluids selected by the selection means as determined by the actuation of the function selection means; and wherein the component and function selection means comprise a plurality of operator actuatable selection switches and solid state data storage elements for receiving and storing data indicative of a state of actuation of the selector switches. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55)
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Specification