System and method for distributing drink supply containers

• US 7,203,572 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Inventors: Crisp, Harry Lee III
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischetti; Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US10/852,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20040217124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 700/239, 700/231, 705/26, 623/89, 623/90, 222/129
• US Class Current: 700/239
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0057 Carbonators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0858 using compression systems
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/082 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00036 for use with or in refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/0006 Manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/0006 responsive to coded information provided on the neck or spout of the storage container, e.g. bar-code, magnets or transponder
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/126 Water cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/023 Door in door constructions
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/803 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A beverage distribution and dispensing system and method for distributing drinks such as soda, juice and punch, to a home or business and which involves a computerized system which enables users to dispense such drinks from their refrigerator. The computerized system monitors its own supply levels and, when necessary, automatically orders and delivers drink syrups and CO₂ gas supplies. The computerized system can automatically detect dispensing problems and orders and arranges for repair service.

Claims

1. A method for distributing a plurality of drink supply containers to a plurality of refrigerators, each of the refrigerators having a different address and a plurality of fluid lines, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a plurality of orders for filled drink supply containers at a computerized distribution system, wherein;

(i) the orders are transmitted from the refrigerators, the transmitted orders reaching the computerized distribution system;

(ii) a plurality of the orders include different data associated with a plurality of different flavors of drink syrup;

(iii) each of the orders includes additional data associated with the address of one of the refrigerators; and

(iv) each one of the drink supply containers has a first end and a second end, the first end having a drink supply outlet valve; and

(b) delivering the ordered filled drink supply containers to the address of each one of the refrigerators which ordered said filled drink supply container to thereafter cause;

(i) said ordered filled drink supply containers to be supported by a housing of said refrigerator, the housing including a refrigeration compartment and at least one door which allows access to the refrigeration compartment;

(ii) said ordered filled drink supply containers to be removably held by a drink supply apparatus so that, for each one of the held drink supply containers;

(x) the first end is positioned below the second end; and

(y) the drink supply outlet valve is fluidly disconnected from the fluid lines of the refrigerator, the drink supply apparatus supported by the housing, wherein each of the ordered filled drink supply containers can contain a variable volume of one of the flavors of drink syrup;

(iii) a plurality of flows of water supplied by a water supply apparatus to be combined with a plurality of portions of the drink syrups contained in the ordered filled drink supply containers, the water supply apparatus supported by the housing, the water supply apparatus including at least one of the fluid lines which supplies the flows of water;

(iv) carbon dioxide gas to be combined with the flows of water, the carbon dioxide gas being supplied by a gas supply apparatus supported by the housing, the gas supply apparatus configured to hold at least one gas supply container which can contain a variable volume of the carbon dioxide gas, the gas supply apparatus having at least one of the fluid lines fluidly connectable to the gas supply container, said fluid line being different from the fluid line which supplies the flows of water;

(v) a plurality of servings of beverages to be dispensed, wherein the beverages include;

(x) the drink syrups supplied by the drink supply apparatus; and

(y) carbonated water including the water supplied by the water supply apparatus and the carbon dioxide gas supplied by the gas supply apparatus;

(vi) data to be graphically represented by a display device, the data being associated with the beverages, the display device being supported by the housing;

(vii) a plurality of inputs to result from one or more activations of at least one input device, the inputs being associated with the beverages, the input device being supported by the housing, the input device operable to enable a user to provide the inputs;

(viii) processing by a processor of said refrigerator, the processor being in communication with the drink supply apparatus, the gas supply apparatus, the water supply apparatus, the display device and the input device; and

(ix) execution by the processor of a plurality of instructions stored in a memory device of said refrigerator, the instructions being executable by the processor to produce at least one additional order for at least one additional filled drink supply container after a designated event occurs, wherein the processor of the refrigerator is operatively coupled to the computerized distribution system through a network, wherein the designated event is based on;

(x) one of the inputs;

or (y) ordering data stored in the memory device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network includes a communication channel selected from the group consisting of a telephone line and an internet.

3. The method of claim 1, which includes, for the processor of each of the refrigerators, causing one of the orders to be transmitted to the computerized distribution system when the volume of drink syrup in one or more of the drink supply containers will be depleted in a predetermined period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, which includes enabling each of the users to cause one of the orders to be transmitted to the computerized distribution system using the input device.

5. A method for distributing a plurality of drink supply containers and gas supply containers to a plurality of refrigerators, each of the refrigerators having a different address and a plurality of fluid lines, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a plurality of drink syrup orders and gas orders at a computerized distribution system, wherein;

(i) the drink syrup orders and the gas orders are transmitted from the refrigerators, the transmitted orders reaching the computerized distribution system;

(ii) a plurality of the drink syrup orders include different data associated with a plurality of different flavors of drink syrup;

(iii) each one of the drink syrup orders and the gas orders includes additional data associated with the address of one of the refrigerators; and

(iv) each one of the drink supply containers has a first end and a second end, the first end having a drink supply outlet valve;

(b) delivering a plurality of filled drink supply containers to the addresses of the refrigerators in response to the drink syrup orders and also delivering a plurality of filled gas supply containers to the addresses of the refrigerators in response to the gas orders to thereafter cause;

(i) said ordered filled drink supply containers and gas supply container to be supported by a housing of said refrigerator, the housing including a refrigeration compartment and at least one door which allows access to the refrigeration compartment;

(ii) said ordered filled drink supply container to be removably held by a drink supply apparatus so that, for each one of the held drink supply containers;

(x) the first end is positioned below the second end; and

(y) the drink supply outlet valve is fluidly disconnected from the fluid lines of the refrigerator, the drink supply apparatus supported by the housing, wherein the ordered filled drink supply container can contain a variable volume of one of the flavors of drink syrup;

(iii) a plurality of flows of water supplied by a water supply apparatus to be combined with a plurality of portions of the drink syrups contained in the ordered filled drink supply containers, the water supply apparatus supported by the housing, the water supply apparatus including at least one of the fluid lines which supplies the flows of water;

(iv) carbon dioxide gas to be combined with the flows of water, the carbon dioxide gas being supplied by a gas supply apparatus supported by the housing, the gas supply apparatus including at least one gas supply container which can contain a variable volume of the carbon dioxide gas, the gas supply apparatus having at least one of the fluid lines fluidly connectable to the gas supply container, said fluid line being different from the fluid line which supplies the flows of water;

(v) a plurality of servings of beverages to be dispensed, wherein the beverages include;

(x) the drink syrups supplied by the drink supply apparatus; and

(y) carbonated water including the water supplied by the water supply apparatus and the carbon dioxide gas supplied by the gas supply apparatus;

(vi) data to be graphically represented by a display device, the data being associated with the beverages, the display device being supported by the housing;

(vii) a plurality of inputs to result from one or more activations of at least one input device, the input device being associated with the beverages, the input device being supported by the housing, the input device operable to enable a user to provide a plurality of inputs;

(viii) processing by a processor of said refrigerator, the processor being in communication with the drink supply apparatus, the gas supply apparatus, the water supply apparatus, the display device and the input device; and

(ix) execution by the processor of a plurality of instructions stored in a memory device of said refrigerator, the instructions being executable by the processor to produce;

(i) at least one additional drink syrup order for at least one additional drink supply container filled with drink syrup; and

(ii) at least one additional gas order for at least one additional gas supply container filled with carbon dioxide gas, wherein the processor of the refrigerator is operatively coupled, to the computerized distribution system through a network.

6. The method of claim 5, which includes, for each of the processors of the refrigerators, causing at least one the drink syrup orders and at least one of the gas orders from said processor to be transmitted to the computerized distribution system through a communication channel selected from the group consisting of a telephone line and an internet.

7. The method of claim 5, which includes, for the processor of each of the refrigerators, causing one of the drink syrup orders to be transmitted to the computerized distribution system when the volume of drink syrup in one or more of the drink supply containers will be depleted in a predetermined period of time.

8. The method of claim 5, which includes, for the processor of each of the refrigerators, causing one of the gas orders to be transmitted to the computerized distribution system when the volume of carbon dioxide gas in the gas supply container will be depleted in a predetermined period of time.

9. The method of claim 5, which includes, for a user of each of the refrigerators, enabling said user to cause at least one of the drink syrup orders to be transmitted to the computerized distribution system using the input device.

10. The method of claim 5, which includes, for a user of each of the refrigerators, enabling said user to cause at least one of the gas orders to be transmitted to the computerized distribution system using the input device.

11. A method for distributing a plurality of drink supply containers and gas supply containers to a plurality of refrigerators, each of the refrigerators having a different address and a plurality of fluid lines, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a plurality of drink syrup orders and gas orders at a computerized distribution system, wherein;

(i) the drink syrup orders and the gas orders are transmitted from the refrigerators, the transmitted orders reaching the computerized distribution system;

(ii) a plurality of the drink syrup orders include different data associated with a plurality of different flavors of drink syrup;

(iii) each one of the drink syrup orders and the gas orders includes additional data associated with the address of one of the refrigerators; and

(iv) each one of the drink supply containers has a first end and a second end, the first end having a drink supply outlet valve;

(b) delivering a plurality of filled drink supply containers to the addresses of each one of the refrigerators in response to the drink syrup orders and also delivering a plurality of filled gas supply containers to the addresses of each one of the refrigerators in response to the gas orders to thereafter cause;

(i) the ordered filled drink supply containers to be supported by a housing of said refrigerator, the housing including a refrigeration compartment and at least one door which allows access to the refrigeration compartment;

(ii) the ordered filled drink supply containers to be removably held by a drink supply apparatus so that, for each one of the held drink supply containers;

(x) the first end is positioned below the second end; and

(y) the drink supply outlet valve is fluidly disconnected from the fluid lines of the refrigerator, the drink supply apparatus supported by the housing, wherein each of the ordered filled drink supply containers can contain a variable volume of one of the flavors of drink syrup;

(iii) a plurality of flows of water supplied by a water supply apparatus to be combined with a plurality of portions of the drink syrups contained in the ordered filled drink supply containers, the water supply apparatus supported by the housing, the water supply apparatus including at least one of the fluid lines which supplies the flows of water;

(iv) carbon dioxide gas to be combined with the flows of water, the carbon dioxide gas being supplied by a gas supply apparatus supported by the housing, the gas supply apparatus configured to hold at least one gas supply container which can contain a variable volume of the carbon dioxide gas, the gas supply apparatus having at least one of the fluid lines fluidly connectable to the gas supply container, said fluid line being different from the fluid line which supplies the flows of water;

(v) a plurality of servings of beverages to be dispensed, wherein the beverages include;

(x) the drink syrups supplied by the drink supply apparatus; and

(y) carbonated water including the water supplied by the water supply apparatus and the carbon dioxide gas supplied by the gas supply apparatus;

(vi) data to be graphically represented by a display device, the data being associated with the beverages, the display device being supported by the housing;

(vii) a plurality of inputs to result from one or more activations of at least one input device, the input device being associated with the beverages, the input device being supported by the housing, the input device operable to enable a user to provide a plurality of inputs;

(viii) processing by a processor of said refrigerator, the processor being in communication with the drink supply apparatus, the gas supply apparatus, the water supply apparatus, the display device and the input device; and

(ix) execution by the processor of a plurality of instructions stored in a memory device of said refrigerator, the instructions being executable by the processor to produce;

(x) at least one additional drink syrup order for at least one additional drink supply container filled with drink syrup; and

(y) at least one additional gas order for at least one additional gas supply container filled with carbon dioxide gas, wherein the processor of said refrigerator is operatively coupled, to the computerized distribution system, through a network.

12. The method of claim 11, which includes, for the processor of each of the refrigerators, causing at least one the drink syrup orders and at least one of the gas supply orders to be transmitted from said processor to the computerized distribution system through a communication channel selected from the group consisting of a telephone line and an internet.

13. The method of claim 11, which includes, for the processor of each of the refrigerators, causing one of the drink syrup orders to be transmitted to the computerized distribution system when the volume of drink syrup in one or more of the drink supply containers will be depleted in a predetermined period of time.

14. The method of claim 11, which includes, for the processor of each of the refrigerators, causing one of the gas supply orders to be transmitted to the computerized distribution system when the volume of carbon dioxide gas in the gas supply container will be depleted in a predetermined period of time.