Method for product mixing

• US 7,066,215 B1
• Filed: 07/11/2003
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Maskell, William, Kelsey, Steven, O'Brien, Jerard, Hewlitt, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): MAUST, TIMOTHY LEWIS
• Application Number:
  US10/617,938
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 141/9, 141/67, 141/69, 141/81, 141100-107, 141/192, 141/247, 68/17.R, 682/07, 134/93, 134/238, 222/308, 222/651
• US Class Current: 141/9
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/74 Devices for mixing two or more different liquids to be transferred coin-freed apparatus G07F13/06

Abstract

A process is provided for the mixing of one or more concentrates in a machine, wherein one or more concentrates and/or one or more diluents are mixed together in a mixing chamber; and the product is dispensed from said machine into a storage container. A machine is also provided for the mixing of one or more concentrates, wherein said machine comprises one or more diluent sources and one or more concentrate sources, said diluent and concentrate sources being in fluid communication with one or more mixing chambers. Further, a process is provided for the simultaneous multiple mixing and dispensing of a plurality of products employing a machine comprising one or more diluent sources and one or more concentrate sources, said diluent and concentrate sources being in fluid communication with a plurality of mixing chambers.

Claims

1. A process for mixing of one or more concentrates in a vending machine which contains a mixing chamber and a storage container, which comprises

(i) mixing one or more concentrates and one or more diluents together in the mixing chamber to form a product selected from cleaning products and detergents prior to dispensing the product;

and

(ii) dispensing the product from said mixing chamber into the storage container; and

(iii) dispensing the product from said storage container.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the process comprises a flush cycle with one or more diluents in order to clean the mixing chamber and/or one or more dispense points on the vending machine prior to re-use.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the concentrate and/or diluent is provided from concentrate and/or diluent sources which are housed in bulk reservoirs located inside the machine.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein at least one of the concentrates comprises a solid.

5. The process of claim 4, wherein the solid comprises a plurality of pellets, one or more powders, or a combination thereof.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the product comprises a solid.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein the solid comprises a plurality of pellets, one or more powders, or a combination thereof.

8. A process according to claim 1, wherein the concentrate and/or diluent sources are fed into the machine from an external location through conduits.

9. A process for mixing and dispensing at least one product being selected from cleaning products and detergents, comprising:

a. providing a vending machine comprising at least one concentrate source and at least one diluent source, at least one storage container, and at least one mixing chamber;

b. allowing an operator to initiate a dispense of the product;

c. allowing mixing of an amount of concentrate from the concentrate source with an amount of diluent from the diluent source in the mixing chamber to form the product prior to dispensing the product to the storage container; and

d. directing dispensing of the product from the storage container.

10. The process according to claim 9, further comprising directing flushing of the mixing chamber and/or storage container with one or more diluents prior to re-use.

11. The process according to claim 9, further comprising providing the concentrate and/or diluent sources in bulk reservoirs inside the vending machine.

12. The process according to claim 9, further comprising feeding the concentrate and/or diluent sources into the machine from an external location through conduits.

13. The process according to claim 9, wherein providing mixing of the amount of concentrate from the concentrate source comprises mixing from an at least partially solid concentrate source.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein mixing from the solid concentrate source comprises mixing from a plurality of pellets, at least one powder, or a combination thereof.

15. A process for mixing and dispensing a plurality of products being selected from cleaning products and detergents, comprising:

a. providing a vending machine comprising a plurality of concentrate sources and at least one diluent source, a plurality of mixing chambers, and a plurality of storage containers;

b. allowing an operator to initiate a dispense of a plurality of products;

c. providing mixing of an amount of concentrates from the plurality of concentrate sources with an amount of at least one diluent from the at least one diluent source in the plurality of mixing chambers to form a plurality of products prior to dispensing the plurality of products into one of the plurality of storage containers; and

d. selectively directing dispensing of the plurality of products from the plurality of storage containers.

16. The process according to claim 15, further comprising directing flushing of the plurality of mixing chambers and/or dispense point storage containers with one or more diluents prior to re-use.

17. The process according to claim 15, further comprising providing the concentrate and/or diluent sources in bulk reservoirs inside the vending machine.

18. The process according to claim 15, further comprising feeding the concentrate and/or diluent sources into the machine from an external location through conduits.

19. The process according to claim 15, wherein providing mixing of the amount of concentrate from the plurality of concentrate sources comprises mixing from an at least partially solid concentrate source.

20. The process of claim 19, wherein mixing from the solid concentrate source comprises mixing from a plurality of pellets, at least one powder, or a combination thereof.

21. The process of claim 20, further comprising mixing the first and second products to form a combined product.