Beverage dispensing system
First Claim
1. A beverage dispensing system comprising:
- a plurality of containers for storing beverage concentrate;
a plurality of proportion pumps, each said proportion pump having a fluid drive side and a fluid pumping side, said fluid drive side having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and said pumping side having a concentrate inlet and a concentrate outlet;
means for coupling said fluid inlet of each of said pumps to a source of pressurized fluid;
means for coupling each said pump concentrate inlet to a separate one of said concentrate containers;
a plurality of pairs of fluid supply and concentrate supply lines, said fluid supply line and said concentrate supply line of each said pair of supply lines respectively coupled to a fluid outlet and a concentrate outlet of one of said proportion pumps, each said pair of supply lines coupled to a separate one of said proportion pumps;
a dispensing head to which said pairs of fluid and concentrate supply lines are attached, said dispensing head having an outlet through which fluid and beverage concentrate from said supply lines is discharged, said dispensing head including a plurality of valve means, each said valve means associated with a separate pair of said fluid and concentrate supply lines for selectively controlling the discharge of fluid from said associated fluid supply line so that when a selected valve means is opened, fluid flows from said associated fluid supply line, allowing fluid to flow through said respective proportion pump and causing concentrate to flow from said concentrate supply line and be discharged concurrently with fluid from said dispensing head outlet.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A beverage dispensing system for providing a number of different flavored drinks mixed from concentrate and fluid. The system has a number of containers for storing different flavors of concentrate and a piping system including a coupling adapted to receive pressurized fluid, such as water, from an external source. Each container is in fluid communication with a specific fluid-driven proportion pump that is also in fluid communication with the piping system. Separate concentrate and fluid supply lines extend from each pump to a dispensing head. Valves in the dispensing head control the discharge of fluid therefrom so that when a selected beverage is desired, the appropriate concentrate and fluid from the associated fluid supply line are discharged simultaneously to ensure that the end beverage contains the appropriate mixture of concentrate and fluid so as to be of acceptable quality.
102 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A beverage dispensing system comprising:
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a plurality of containers for storing beverage concentrate; a plurality of proportion pumps, each said proportion pump having a fluid drive side and a fluid pumping side, said fluid drive side having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and said pumping side having a concentrate inlet and a concentrate outlet; means for coupling said fluid inlet of each of said pumps to a source of pressurized fluid; means for coupling each said pump concentrate inlet to a separate one of said concentrate containers; a plurality of pairs of fluid supply and concentrate supply lines, said fluid supply line and said concentrate supply line of each said pair of supply lines respectively coupled to a fluid outlet and a concentrate outlet of one of said proportion pumps, each said pair of supply lines coupled to a separate one of said proportion pumps; a dispensing head to which said pairs of fluid and concentrate supply lines are attached, said dispensing head having an outlet through which fluid and beverage concentrate from said supply lines is discharged, said dispensing head including a plurality of valve means, each said valve means associated with a separate pair of said fluid and concentrate supply lines for selectively controlling the discharge of fluid from said associated fluid supply line so that when a selected valve means is opened, fluid flows from said associated fluid supply line, allowing fluid to flow through said respective proportion pump and causing concentrate to flow from said concentrate supply line and be discharged concurrently with fluid from said dispensing head outlet. - 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)
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Specification