Apparatus for consecutively dispensing an equal volume of liquid

• US 6,082,247 A
• Filed: 01/19/1999
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. (Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Keurig, Inc. (Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beaulicu, Roderick H.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US09/233,272
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 99/283, 99/282, 99/302 R, 99/305, 222/394, 222/405, 222/146.5, 222/438, 137/206, 137/209
• US Class Current: 99/302.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/402 Liquid dosing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/54 Water boiling vessels in beverage making machines

Abstract

An apparatus for consecutively dispensing an equal volume of a liquid from a storage tank. The system includes a hermetically sealed metering chamber at least partially submerged beneath a standing level of liquid contained in a storage tank. The metering chamber has an inlet port communicating with the interior of the tank. A one-way valve accommodates an inflow of liquid into the metering chamber from the tank via the inlet port, and blocks an outflow of liquid from the chamber to the tank. A discharge conduit protrudes into the interior of the chamber. A pump pneumatically pressurizes the metering chamber to exhaust a predetermined volume of liquid via the discharge conduit.

Claims

1. Apparatus for consecutively dispensing an equal volume of a liquid from a storage tank, said apparatus comprising:

a hermetically sealed metering chamber at least partially submerged beneath the standing level of liquid in said tank, said metering chamber having an inlet port communicating with the interior of said tank beneath said level;

one-way valve means for accommodating an inflow liquid into said metering chamber from said tank via said inlet port, and for blocking an outflow of liquid from said chamber via said inlet port into said tank;

a plurality of discharge conduits communicating with the interior of said metering chamber, said discharge conduits having varying penetration depths beneath the level of liquid contained in said metering chamber;

valve means for selectively opening any one of said discharge conduits and for closing the other of said discharge conduits;

means for pneumatically elevating the pressure in said metering chamber to thereby discharge liquid contained therein via said open discharge conduit, the volume of the thus discharged liquid being a function of the penetration depth of said open discharge conduit; and

vent means for relieving said pressure to thereby replenish the thus discharged liquid with an inflow of liquid from said tank via said inlet port.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said one way valve means comprises a valve element gravitationally seated in a closed position blocking said inlet port, said valve element being hydraulically dislodged from said closed position to an open position by an inflow of liquid from said tank via said inlet port into said chamber.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve element is a sphere.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for elevating the pressure in said chamber comprises a supply conduit leading from a source of pressurized air to the interior of said chamber.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said supply conduit communicates with the interior of said chamber at a level above that of said discharge conduit.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for resupplying said tank with the liquid being admitted into said chamber.