Postmix beverage dispensing system

• US 5,494,193 A
• Filed: 01/10/1994
• Issued: 02/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Schroeder, Alfred A., Richter, Simon J., Norman, Richard O., Gatipon, Shawn B., Brumley, Jack F., Heflin, Mark S., Heath, Harold R., Kirschner, Jonathan, Durham, Samuel, Romanyszyn, Michael T. Jr., Wittig, Norman P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bomberg, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US08/178,721
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 222/1, 222/95, 222/105, 222/129.1, 222/135, 222/137, 222/145, 222/252, 222/256, 222/258, 222/326, 222/327, 222/383, 222/386, 222/387, 222/389, 222/390, 222/325, 222/23 , 222/52, 222/63, 222/262, 222/145.6, 222/383.2, 418/48
• US Class Current: 222/129.1
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0032 using flow-rate sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0044 for mixing inside the dispensing nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0048 with baffles
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/005 with means for converging streams
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0079 having their own dispensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0895 Heating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/10 Pump mechanism in general F04
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1231 Metering pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1286 by mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0811 provided with coded information
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0812 Bottles, cartridges or similar containers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0817 with a venting orifice
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00031 Housing
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00034 Modules
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00049 Pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2/1071 the inner and outer member having a different number of threads and one of the two being made of elastic materials, e.g. Moineau type
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/021 of the piston type G01F11/04 takes precedence

Abstract

A postmix juice dispensing system for dispensing a finished beverage directly from a pliable beverage concentrate having an ice point at or near freezer temperatures, with little or no conditioning. The system preferably uses a one-piece, unitary, disposable package that includes both the concentrate container and a positive displacement metering pump. The disposable package is placed in the dispenser which automatically connects the pump to a pump motor. A mixing nozzle is connected to the metering pump and a water line is connected to the mixing nozzle. Upon pushing a load button, the dispenser automatically feeds compressed air on top of a piston in the concentrate container to force concentrate into the pump. The dispenser automatically reads an indicator on the package to set the pump speed in response to the type of concentrate in the package. The dispenser requires no cleanup or sanitization and allows rapid flavor change.

Claims

1. An article comprising:

(a) a integral, disposable, molded plastic package, said package including;

(i) a concentrate container enclosing a concentrate chamber and a chamber outlet opening in said container;

(ii) a progressive cavity pump integrally connected to said container and including a pump inlet open to said chamber outlet;

(iii) a fill opening for filling said chamber with concentrate and a fill opening cap sealingly closing said fill opening;

(iv) said pump including a rotor, a stator and a pump housing, said pump housing being connected to said container, said stator being flexibly mounted in said pump housing such that said stator can move in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said stator, said rotor having a drive shaft extending exteriorily of said pump housing for connection to a drive means, and said pump housing having an internal wall abutting a proximal end of said stator for preventing said stator from moving in the longitudinal direction toward said rotor drive shaft; and

(v) a mixing nozzle connected to said pump housing for receiving concentrate from a distal end of said rotor and a water inlet in said mixing nozzle.