Beverage cooling and dispensing system with diagnostics
First Claim
1. A cooling/dispensing system for cooling and dispensing a beverage comprising:
- a cooling tank for holding a fluid;
a refrigeration system having an evaporator in the cooling tank for cooling the fluid in the tank and having a compressor connected to the evaporator for cooling the evaporator;
a beverage dispensing system including;
a carbonator tank in heat exchange relationship with the fluid in the cooling tank, the carbonator having a first input port connected to a gas supply, having a second input port connected to a liquid supply and having a output port, the carbonator for carbonating the liquid from the liquid supply flowing through the carbonator to produce a carbonated liquid product;
a dispenser for dispensing the beverage;
a beverage conduit connected to the output of the carbonator and connected to the dispenser for providing the carbonated liquid product to be dispensed as the beverage; and
a pump including a driver;
a condition sensor sensing a condition of the pump driver;
a controller responsive to the condition sensor for enabling operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is acceptable, said controller inhibiting operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is unacceptable; and
a diagnostic message display connected to the controller for displaying an error message when a sensed condition is unacceptable.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cooling/dispensing system for cooling and dispensing a beverage. A refrigeration system having an evaporator in a cooling tank cools the fluid in the tank and has a compressor connected to the evaporator for cooling the evaporator. A beverage dispensing system includes a carbonator tank in heat exchange relationship with the fluid in the cooling tank, the carbonator having a first input port connected to a gas supply, having a second input port connected to a liquid supply and having a output port, the carbonator for carbonating the liquid from the liquid supply flowing through the carbonator to produce a carbonated liquid product. A dispenser dispenses the beverage and a beverage conduit connected to the output of the carbonator and connected to the dispenser provides the carbonated liquid product to be dispensed as the beverage. A condition sensor senses a condition of the refrigeration system or of the beverage dispensing apparatus. A controller responsive to the condition sensor controls operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is acceptable, the controller inhibiting operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is unacceptable. A diagnostic message display connected to the controller displays an error message when a sensed condition is unacceptable.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A cooling/dispensing system for cooling and dispensing a beverage comprising:
-
a cooling tank for holding a fluid; a refrigeration system having an evaporator in the cooling tank for cooling the fluid in the tank and having a compressor connected to the evaporator for cooling the evaporator; a beverage dispensing system including; a carbonator tank in heat exchange relationship with the fluid in the cooling tank, the carbonator having a first input port connected to a gas supply, having a second input port connected to a liquid supply and having a output port, the carbonator for carbonating the liquid from the liquid supply flowing through the carbonator to produce a carbonated liquid product; a dispenser for dispensing the beverage; a beverage conduit connected to the output of the carbonator and connected to the dispenser for providing the carbonated liquid product to be dispensed as the beverage; and a pump including a driver; a condition sensor sensing a condition of the pump driver; a controller responsive to the condition sensor for enabling operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is acceptable, said controller inhibiting operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is unacceptable; and a diagnostic message display connected to the controller for displaying an error message when a sensed condition is unacceptable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A cooling/dispensing system for cooling and dispensing a beverage comprising:
-
a cooling tank for holding a fluid; a refrigeration system having an evaporator in the cooling tank for cooling the fluid in the tank and having a compressor connected to the evaporator for cooling the evaporator; a beverage dispensing system including; a carbonator in heat exchange relationship with the fluid in the cooling tank, the carbonator having a first input port connected to a gas supply, having a second input port connected to a liquid supply and having a output port, the carbonator for carbonating the liquid from the liquid supply flowing through the carbonator; a dispenser for dispensing the beverage; and a beverage conduit connected to the output of the carbonator and connected to the dispenser for providing the carbonated liquid to be dispensed as the beverage; a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature corresponding to a temperature of the carbonated liquid; a condition sensor sensing a condition of the refrigeration system or of the beverage dispensing apparatus; a controller responsive to the temperature sensor for indicating a numeric temperature of the carbonated liquid, said controller responsive to the condition sensor for enabling operation the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is acceptable, said controller inhibiting operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is unacceptable; and an alphanumeric diagnostic message display connected to the controller for displaying an alphanumeric error message indicating the unacceptable sensed condition or for displaying the numeric temperature.
-
-
15. A cooling/dispensing system for cooling and dispensing a beverage comprising:
-
a cooling tank for holding a fluid; a refrigeration system having an evaporator in the cooling tank for cooling the fluid in the tank and having a compressor connected to the evaporator for cooling the evaporator; a beverage dispensing system including; a carbonator in heat exchange relationship with the fluid in the cooling tank, the carbonator having a first input port connected to a gas supply, having a second input port connected to a liquid supply and having a output port, the carbonator for carbonating the liquid from the liquid supply flowing through the carbonator; a dispenser for dispensing the beverage; a beverage conduit connected to the output of the carbonator and connected to the dispenser for providing the carbonated liquid to be dispensed as the beverage; a pump; and a pump driver for selectively operating the pump; a condition sensor for sensing a condition of the pump driver; a controller responsive to the condition sensor for enabling operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is acceptable, said controller inhibiting operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indications that the sensed condition is unacceptable; and a diagnostic message display connected to the controller for providing a display indicating that the condition of the pump driver is unacceptable. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification