Beverage forming and dispensing system

• US 7,156,259 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Inventors: Cahill, Brian T., Bethuy, Timothy W., Black, William J., Nelson, Andrew D., Mehn, Peter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaufman; Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US10/940,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20050035152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 222/23, 222/54, 222/57, 222/59, 222/129.1, 222/129.2
• US Class Current: 222/57
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0032 using flow-rate sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0085 electro-mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0855 concerning the used flowmeter flowmeter per se G01F1/00, G01F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1218 modulating the opening of a valve
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1222 Pressure gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1243 comprising flow or pressure sensors, e.g. for controlling pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1295 Ratio defined by setting flow controllers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1455 the valve shutter being opened in the same direction as the liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0811 provided with coded information
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/132 by controlling the flow of the individual components G05D11/133 takes precedence

Abstract

A beverage dispensing system includes separate valves for controlling the flow rate of a diluent and a concentrate. Various concentrates of different viscosities can be used and the selected concentrate is identified. The flow rate of the concentrate is determined based on temperature and pressure and on information related to the identified concentrate. The valves are controlled so that the concentrate and diluent reach target flow rates. The target flow rates satisfy a target ratio of diluent to concentrate. If the actual flow rates cannot reach the target flow rates, then the target flow rates are modified to satisfy the target ratio. The structure of the concentrate valve is designed to accommodate proportional metering of any one of the various concentrates.

Claims

1. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a beverage formed by mixing a diluent and a concentrate at a target ratio, said apparatus comprising:

a diluent flow control valve formed of a first valve seat and a first poppet received within said first valve seat, said first poppet having a simple shape; and

a concentrate flow control valve formed of a second valve seat and a second poppet, said second poppet having a more compound shape than the shape of said first poppet.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second poppet is formed of two or more sections of simple shapes serially connected.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said second valve seat is of a simple shape of dimensions complementary to one of the two or more sections forming said second poppet.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein one of the two or more sections forming said second poppet is used in conjunction with said second valve seat to control the flow rate of a first concentrate and another of the sections is used to control the flow rate of a second concentrate having a different viscosity than that of the first concentrate.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first poppet has a simple conical shape and said second poppet is formed of at least two conical sections of different sizes and serially connected.