Automated drinkmaker system
First Claim
1. An automated drinkmaker machine comprising:
- a. a rotatable drink transporter carousel having a plurality of cup holders comprising at least two different size cup holders which are positioned at circumferentially spaced positions around its circumference for holding a plurality of at least two different size cups by their rims in elevated positions, and for rotationally displacing the cups to a plurality of stations positioned at circumferentially spaced locations around the rotatable drink transporter carousel;
b. a cup dispenser, positioned at a circumferential station around said rotatable drink transporter carousel, for dispensing one of at least two different size cups into a cup holder of the drink transporter carousel;
c. an ice dispenser, positioned at a circumferential station around said rotatable drink transporter carousel, for dispensing a portion of ice into a cup positioned thereat by the drink transporter carousel;
d. a drink dispenser, positioned at a circumferential station around said rotatable drink transporter carousel, for dispensing a drink into a cup positioned thereat by the drink transporter carousel; and
e. a controller for controlling operation of the automated drinkmaker machine, including rotation of said drink transporter carousel to cause the drink transporter carousel to rotate and to stop at a position in which a cup holder is positioned under the cup dispenser, a cup holder is positioned under the ice disperser, and a cup holder is positioned under the drink dispenser, and to activate said cup dispenser to release a cup into a cup holder if a new drink order is being filled, and to activate the ice dispenser if a cup is supported thereat by a cup holder and ice is to be dispensed therein, and to activate the drink dispenser if a cup is supported thereat by a cup holder and a drink is to be dispensed therein.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automated drinkmaker system which is designed to accept an input drink order, as from a cash register, and deliver the drink order, for different sizes and different flavors, with or without ice, completely finished in lidded containers to an output station. The automated drinkmaker system is designed for labor free processing of drink orders in high volume quick service or fast food establishments. The machine is designed around a carousel type of drink transporter which intermittently carries each drink to and from four circularly spaced stations, cup dispensing, ice dispensing, soda dispensing, lid application and marking. The carousel design allows a cup to be dispensed at one station while another cup is being filled with ice at a second station, and yet another is being filled with soda at a third station, etc. The use of carousels is extended to both cup and lid dispensing. The system is designed to interface with any commercially-available, portioning ice dispenser, and also to interface directly with a cash register system to enable the cashier to input a customer'"'"'s order. At an output station, the cup is transferred from the carousel to a linear transporter elevator which carries the cup up and down through a lidding and marking procedure, after which the completed drink is transferred to an output conveyor.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An automated drinkmaker machine comprising:
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a. a rotatable drink transporter carousel having a plurality of cup holders comprising at least two different size cup holders which are positioned at circumferentially spaced positions around its circumference for holding a plurality of at least two different size cups by their rims in elevated positions, and for rotationally displacing the cups to a plurality of stations positioned at circumferentially spaced locations around the rotatable drink transporter carousel; b. a cup dispenser, positioned at a circumferential station around said rotatable drink transporter carousel, for dispensing one of at least two different size cups into a cup holder of the drink transporter carousel; c. an ice dispenser, positioned at a circumferential station around said rotatable drink transporter carousel, for dispensing a portion of ice into a cup positioned thereat by the drink transporter carousel; d. a drink dispenser, positioned at a circumferential station around said rotatable drink transporter carousel, for dispensing a drink into a cup positioned thereat by the drink transporter carousel; and e. a controller for controlling operation of the automated drinkmaker machine, including rotation of said drink transporter carousel to cause the drink transporter carousel to rotate and to stop at a position in which a cup holder is positioned under the cup dispenser, a cup holder is positioned under the ice disperser, and a cup holder is positioned under the drink dispenser, and to activate said cup dispenser to release a cup into a cup holder if a new drink order is being filled, and to activate the ice dispenser if a cup is supported thereat by a cup holder and ice is to be dispensed therein, and to activate the drink dispenser if a cup is supported thereat by a cup holder and a drink is to be dispensed therein. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An automated drinkmaker machine comprising:
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a. a rotatable drink transporter carousel having a plurality of cup holders positioned around its circumference for holding a plurality of cups by their rims in elevated positions, and for rotationally displacing the cups to a plurality of stations positioned at circumferentially spaced locations around the rotatable drink transporter carousel; b. a cup dispenser, positioned at a circumferential station around said rotatable drink transporter carousel, for dispensing a cup into a cup holder of the drink transporter carousel; c. an ice dispenser, positioned at a circumferential station around said rotatable drink transporter carousel, for dispensing a portion of ice into a cup positioned thereat by the drink transporter carousel; d. a drink dispenser, positioned at a circumferential station around said rotatable drink transporter carousel, for dispensing a drink into a cup positioned thereat by the drink transporter carousel; e. a vertically driven elevator, positioned at an output circumferential station around said rotatable drink transporter carousel, for removing a cup from a cup holder positioned thereat by the drink transporter carousel, by vertically elevating the elevator upwardly underneath the cup to bring the cup to a position at which a lid dispenser and applicator, also positioned at said output circumferential station, dispenses and applies a lid onto a cup positioned thereat by the drink transporter carousel and the vertically driven elevator, after which a sweeper arm moves the cup onto an output drink conveyor for temporary storage until the finished drink is removed therefrom for delivery of the order; and f. a controller for controlling operation of the automated drinkmaker machine, including rotation of said drink transporter carousel to cause the drink transporter carousel to rotate and to stop at a position in which a cup holder is positioned under the cup dispenser, a cup holder is positioned under the ice dispenser, and a cup holder is positioned under the drink dispenser, and to activate said cup dispenser to release a cup into a cup holder if a new drink order is being filled, and to activate the ice dispenser if a cup is supported thereat by a cup holder and ice is to be dispensed therein, and to activate the drink dispenser if a cup is supported thereat by a cup holder and a drink is to be dispensed therein, and to control vertical movements of said vertically driven elevator. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification