Liquid beverage dispenser

• US 5,588,558 A
• Filed: 03/17/1995
• Issued: 12/31/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Van Sorrel Enterprises Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Van Sorrel Enterprises Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cox, Barbara, Cox, Vance
• Primary Examiner(s): KAUFMAN, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US08/405,847
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 222/64, 222/146.6, 222/235, 222/240, 62/177
• US Class Current: 222/64
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0009 the beverage being stored in an intermediate container connected to a supply
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00157 Level detected electrically by contact with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2921 for discrete levels

Abstract

A liquid beverage dispenser for displaying and dispensing beverages is provided. The liquid beverage dispenser includes a dispensing chamber for holding and dispensing a liquid beverage, a liquid storage chamber for storing additional amounts of the liquid beverage, a pump for transferring the liquid beverage from the storage chamber to the dispensing chamber, and a liquid level sensor for measuring the liquid level in the dispensing chamber and for activating the pump for pumping liquid beverage to the dispensing chamber when the liquid level drops below a pre-determined level. The liquid level sensor is an optical sensor including a fiberoptic emitter, a fiberoptic sensor, and a fiberoptic controller.

Claims

1. A liquid dispenser comprising:

a transparent liquid dispensing chamber positioned atop a cabinet for holding and dispensing a liquid therefrom while permitting customers to view the liquid contained therein;

means for dispensing the liquid from said dispensing chamber;

an auger positioned within said dispensing chamber for stirring the liquid contained in said liquid dispensing chamber;

a switch for activating said auger;

a liquid storage chamber for storing additional amounts of the liquid therein;

means for transferring the liquid from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber; and

a liquid level sensor including measuring means for measuring the liquid level in said dispensing chamber and activating means for activating said transferring means to transfer liquid from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber when the liquid level drops below a predetermined level, said liquid level sensor including an optical sensor.

2. The liquid dispenser as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optical sensor includes a fiberoptic emitter mounted at a predetermined level in said dispensing chamber, said fiberoptic emitter being operable for emitting a light into said liquid dispensing chamber.

3. The liquid dispenser as set forth in claim 2, wherein said optical sensor further includes a fiberoptic sensor coupled with said fiberoptic emitter, said fiberoptic sensor including means for sensing when the light emitted by said fiberoptic emitter is refracted by a liquid level higher than the predetermined level.

4. The liquid dispenser as set forth in claim 3, wherein said optical sensor further includes a fiberoptic controller coupled with said fiberoptic sensor, said activating means being operable for activating said transferring means to transfer liquid from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber when said fiberoptic sensor senses that the liquid level in said dispensing chamber drops below a predetermined level.

5. The liquid dispenser as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transferring means includes a pump and a fluid hose coupling said pump between said dispensing chamber and said storage chamber.

6. The liquid dispenser as set forth in claim 1 further including a flash cooler coupled between said storage chamber and said dispensing chamber for quickly cooling the liquid transferred from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber.

7. A liquid beverage dispenser comprising:

a transparent liquid dispensing chamber positioned atop a cabinet for holding and dispensing a liquid beverage therefrom while permitting customers to view the liquid contained therein;

means for dispensing the liquid beverage from said dispensing chamber;

an auger positioned within said dispensing chamber for stirring the liquid contained in said liquid dispensing chamber;

a switch for activating said auger;

a liquid storage chamber for storing additional amounts of the liquid beverage therein;

a fluid hose coupling said dispensing chamber with said storage chamber;

a pump for pumping the liquid beverage through said fluid hose from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber; and

an optical sensor for measuring the level of the liquid in said dispensing chamber and for activating said pump to pump liquid beverage from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber when the level drops below a predetermined level, said optical sensor including

a fiberoptic emitter mounted at a predetermined level in said dispensing chamber operable for emitting a light into said liquid dispensing chamber,

a fiberoptic sensor coupled with said fiberoptic emitter including means for sensing when the light emitted by said fiberoptic emitter is refracted by a liquid level higher than the predetermined level,

a fiberoptic controller coupled with said fiberoptic sensor including means for activating said pump to pump liquid beverage from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber when said fiberoptic sensor senses that the liquid level in said dispensing chamber drops below a predetermined level.

8. The liquid dispenser as set forth in claim 7 further including a flash cooler coupled between said storage chamber and said dispensing chamber for quickly cooling the liquid transferred from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber.