Liquid concentrate/extract beverage dispenser with replaceable concentrate/extract cartridge

• US 7,651,015 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2005
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Coffee Company, LLC
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Coffee Company, LLC
• Inventors: Kay, Heather B., Greenwald, Shlomo, Greenwald, Zipora, Vassaux, Mario E., Girard, Jeffrey J., Pirshafiey, Nasser
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver; Kevin P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cartagena; Melvin A
• Application Number:
  US11/266,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20060144244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 222/52, 222/63, 222/105, 222/129.3, 222/246, 222/333, 222/504, 222/509
• US Class Current: 222/509
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/402 Liquid dosing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/461 Valves, e.g. drain valves
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4418 in the form of liquids A47L15/4409, A47L15/4436, A47L15/4445 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7888 With valve member flexing about securement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87981 Common actuator

Abstract

A concentrate/extract cartridge for a beverage dispenser for dispensing a liquid concentrate/extract and a diluent is provided. The cartridge includes a hollow body and a dispensing tube connected to the hollow body. A piston is slideably contained by the dispensing tube. The cartridge includes a valve having a valve stem that passes through a port of a valve seat connected to the dispensing tube. The port defines a flow passage through the dispensing tube. The valve stem is connected to the piston at a first end of the valve stem, and a valve body is located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat for alternately opening and closing the port. A beverage dispenser having a removably insertable concentrate/extract cartridge and a method of dispensing a beverage made from concentrate/extract and a diluent are also provided.

Claims

1. A concentrate/extract cartridge for a beverage dispenser adapted to dispense a liquid concentrate/extract and a diluent, the cartridge comprising:

a hollow body;

a dispensing tube connected to the hollow body;

a piston slideably contained by an interior surface of the dispensing tube;

an annular gap between the dispensing tube and the piston for passing a flow of concentrate extract; and

a valve having a valve stem that passes through a port of a valve seat connected to the dispensing tube, the port defining a flow passage through the dispensing tube, the valve stem being connected to the piston at a first end of the valve stem, and a valve body located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat, for alternately opening and closing the port.

2. A concentrate/extract cartridge for a beverage dispenser adapted to dispense a liquid concentrate/extract and a diluent, the cartridge comprising:

a hollow body;

a dispensing tube connected to the hollow body;

a male connector connected to the dispensing tube comprising a conical head and at least one cross passage;

a female connector connected to the hollow body, the female connector comprising a connector body including a seat and a bores which contains at least a portion of the male connector, the female connector further comprising a plug with a cavity which is flexibly connected to the female connector body and is connected to the conical head of the male connector which is at least partially contained by the cavity

a piston slideably contained by an interior surface of the dispensing tube; and

a valve having a valve stem that passes through a port of a valve seat connected to the dispensing tube, the port defining a flow passage through the dispensing tube, the valve stem being connected to the piston at a first end of the valve stem, and a valve body located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat, for alternately opening and closing the port.

3. A beverage dispenser comprising:

a housing including a dispensing area for dispensing a beverage into a container;

at least one of a pump and a control valve in communication with a source of diluent which is to be dispensed into the dispensing area;

a cartridge receiving area in the housing;

a dispensing actuator located in the housing;

a concentrate/extract cartridge removably insertable into the cartridge receiving area in a position to be actuated by the dispensing actuator, the concentrate/extract cartridge adapted to hold a beverage concentrate/extract and to dispense the beverage concentrate/extract into the dispensing area upon placement of the concentrate/extract cartridge in the cartridge receiving area and actuation by the actuator, the concentrate/extract container comprising;

a hollow body;

a dispensing tube connected to the hollow body;

a piston slideably contained by an interior surface of the dispensing tube;

an annular gap between the dispensing tube and the piston for passing a flow of concentrate extract; and

a valve having a valve stem that passes through a port of a valve seat connected to the dispensing tube, the port defining a flow passage through the dispensing tube, the valve stem being connected to the piston at a first end of the valve stem, and a valve body located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat, for alternately opening and closing the port; and

a controller located in the housing to control the actuator to discharge concentrate/extract from the cartridge and to control the at least one of the pump and the control valve to discharge diluent so that the concentrate/extract and diluent are dispensed into the dispensing area;

wherein the dispensing actuator includes an aperture for removably receiving the dispensing tube of the concentrate/extract cartridge, and the beverage dispenser further comprises a loading door which includes a retaining plate, the loading door being pivotably attached to the housing, wherein in a closed position of the loading door, the retaining plate encloses the dispensing tube within the aperture in the actuator to retain the concentrate/extract cartridge in the housing, and wherein in an open position of the loading door, the concentrate/extract cartridge is removable from the housing.