Electronic dispensing heads

• US 5,505,349 A
• Filed: 10/26/1993
• Issued: 04/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arganious E. Peckels
• Original Assignee: Berg Companies Incorporated (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Peckels, Arganious E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bomberg, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US08/143,567
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 222/1, 222/14, 222/25-28, 222/30, 222/36, 222/37, 222/39, 222/640, 222/641
• US Class Current: 222/641
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0811 provided with coded information
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00089 Remote control means, e.g. by electromagnetic signals
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00144 Magnets, e.g. used in valves or for stirring
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/0041 with provisions for metering the liquid to be dispensed
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/0051 dispensing by tilting
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/0077 Electronic circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/265 of the ball type
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 13/006 measuring volume in function of time

Abstract

A liquid dispensing method and apparatus has a system with new individual dispensing heads connectible one each to a plurality of different liquid bottles, i.e. liquor, and a remote dispensing data receiver and computer that receives data from each head. Each head has structure for being secured to a bottle, a liquid bore and an air vent, and one or more of the following features and functions: an electronic dispensing timer, a stop pour annunciator, a magnetically latched dispensing control valve, an electronic bottle lock, a radio transmitter and antenna, an electronic fractional pour annunciator, programmable dispensing control, a micro-processor computer, a data storage, a data I/O structure, and structure and function for uniquely electrically identifying each head and liquid. The receiver/computer has a data receiver and has structure and function to electronically program each head, the computer provides a record of all important dispensing data including head connection to bottles, head numbers, liquid identities, quantities of dispense cycle, quantity of liquid dispensed, inventory status and other desirable business data. The annunciator equipped head has an interior light that illuminates the entire transparent or translucent head.

Claims

1. A liquid dispensing head comprising

a) a body having a connector on an inner end, an outlet spout on an outer end, a fluid bore extending from the inner end to the outer end, an air vent for admission of air into a bottle connected to the connector, and a valve seat in said bore, said valve seat facing toward said inner end;

b) a magnetically responsive valve member in said bore between said valve seat and said inner end;

c) magnetic means extending into said bore for holding and latching said valve member in a position spaced from said valve seat so that said fluid bore is normally open; and

d) electronic means for momentarily de-magnetizing said magnetic means and for causing said valve member to fall upon said valve seat and close said bore, to terminate dispensing.

2. The dispensing head of claim 1, in which said valve member is a ball.

3. A liquid dispensing head comprising

a) a body having an inner end with a bottle connector, an outer end with an outlet spout, a fluid bore extending from the inner end to the outer end, and an air vent for admission of air into a bottle of liquid connected to the bottle connector;

b) a valve seat in the fluid bore;

c) a metallic valve in the fluid bore for closing the bore by dropping on the valve seat to terminate dispensing of liquid from the head;

d) a magnet positioned in the head to hold the valve off the valve seat when the bottle of liquid is inverted;

e) an electromagnet in the head which, when energized, will cause the hold of the magnet on the valve to dissipate so that the valve will fall on the valve seat; and

f) electronic circuitry connected to the electromagnet to energize the electromagnet after a time period.

4. A liquid dispensing head comprising

a) a body having an outer end with a pouring spout, connector means for connecting the head to a bottle of liquid, an inner end located in the bottle when the connector means is connected to the bottle of liquid, a liquid pouring bore through said body, said bore having at least one inlet in said inner end and an outlet in said spout;

b) electronic means secured to said head for electrically providing a function in a cycle of liquid dispensing;

c) a battery operatively connected to said electronic means; and

d) means mounting said battery in said body inner end for positioning said battery inside of the bottle when said head is operatively connected to the bottle.

5. A liquid dispensing head comprising

a) a body having an inner end with a bottle connector, an outer end with an outlet spout, a fluid bore extending from the inner end to the outer end, and an air vent for admission of air into a bottle of liquid connected to the bottle connector;

b) a valve in said fluid bore for closing the bore and terminating dispensing of liquid from the head;

c) electromagnetic means for operating said valve; and

d) means mounting said electromagnetic means in said body inner end for positioning said electromagnetic means inside of the bottle, when said head is operatively connected to the bottle.

6. A liquid dispensing head comprising

a) a body having an inner end with a bottle connector, an outer end with an outlet spout, a fluid bore extending from the inner end to the outer end, and an air vent for admission of air into a bottle of liquid connected to the bottle connector;

b) electronic means secured to said head for transmitting dispensing data from said head to a remote dispensing data center; and

c) means mounting said electronic means in said body inner end for positioning said electronic means inside of the bottle when said head is operatively connected to the bottle.

7. A beverage dispenser comprising

a) a bottle having liquid therein;

b) a dispensing head on said bottle;

c) a dispensing head body, said body having an inner end with a bottle connector inside of a bottle mouth, an outer end with a pouring spout, and a liquid passageway through the body from the inner end to the outer end; and

d) an electromagnetically operated valve in said head and inside of said bottle, for closing the passageway and terminating dispensing from the bottle.

8. A liquid dispensing head for repetitively pouring predetermined quantities of liquid from a bottle, comprising

a) a body having an inner end with a connector for connection of the head to a bottle of liquid, and outer end with a pouring spout, a liquid bore though said body from the inner end to the outer end, and an air passageway for admittance of air into an inverted bottle as liquid is poured out;

b) a magnetically responsive valve in said liquid bore for closing said bore and terminating dispensing;

c) electromagnetic means for operating said valve;

d) a dispensing control having means for determining whether the head and bottle connected thereto are upright or inverted for pouring of liquid, and timing means for controlling operation of said electromagnetic means to cause closing of said valve;

e) a flux sensor connected to said control sensing whether or not said valve is latched to said electromagnetic means; and

f) means in said control for re-starting said timing means in response to a sensing that said valve is latched to said electromagnetic means and that said head and bottle are inverted to pour liquid.

9. Liquid dispensing apparatus for a bottle comprising

a) a body having a pour spout on an outer end, a bottle connector on an inner end, a fluid bore extending between the ends for pouring liquid out of the bottle, and an air vent through the body for admission of air into the bottle;

b) a normally open valve element in said fluid bore;

c) a battery secured to said body;

d) an electrical switch secured to said body, for indicating dispensing of liquid through said body from the bottle;

e) a timer operatively connectable to said battery by said switch;

f) an electromagnetic coil operatively connected to said valve element; and

g) driver means responsive to said timer for connecting said coil to said battery after dispensing from the bottle for a predetermined period of time.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, in which said valve element is a ball.