Sterilization of consumable composition dispensers

• US 7,919,042 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Lord, Robert W., Hyde, Roderick A., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden; Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chorbaji; Monzer R
• Application Number:
  US12/012,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20090142223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 422/1, 422/3, 422/24, 422/26, 422/28, 422/32, 422/116, 422/119, 422/292, 422/300, 222/321.7, 222/148, 222/190, 222/630, 222/526, 222/544, 210/748.01, 210/748.1, 210/748.11, 210/764, 426/234, 426/235, 426/248, 221/135, 994/51, 996/45
• US Class Current: 422/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/28 Devices for testing the effectiveness or completeness of sterilisation, e.g. indicators which change colour apparatus involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M1/34; methods involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q1/00

Abstract

Methods and systems for programmed dispensation of consumable compositions are provided.

A method for sterilizing a beverage container may comprise: (a) detecting a sterilization status of a beverage container; and (b) controlling functionality of a controllable device according to the sterilization status.

A system for sterilizing a beverage container may comprise: (a) detecting a sterilization status of a beverage container; and (b) controlling functionality of a controllable device according to the sterilization status.

A method for sterilizing a beverage container may comprise: (a) detecting an identity of a consumable composition; and (b) controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition.

A system for sterilizing a beverage container may comprise: (a) detecting an identity of a consumable composition; and (b) controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition.

Claims

1. A method for sterilizing a consumable composition dispenser, the method comprising:

detecting an identity of a consumable composition; and

controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition, wherein the controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition further comprises;

shielding at least a portion of the beverage container containing a radiation sensitive consumable composition from a radiation sterilization module.

2. A system for sterilizing a consumable composition dispenser, the system comprising:

means for detecting an identity of a consumable composition; and

means for controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition, wherein the means for controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition further comprises;

means for shielding at least a portion of the beverage container containing a radiation sensitive consumable composition from a radiation sterilization module.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for detecting an identity of a consumable composition further comprises:

means for detecting an identity of a radiation-sensitive consumable composition.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for detecting an identity of a consumable composition further comprises:

means for detecting an identity of a chemical-sensitive consumable composition.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for detecting an identity of a consumable composition further comprises:

means for detecting an identity of a heat-sensitive consumable composition.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for detecting an identity of a consumable composition further comprises:

means for receiving an inputted identity of a consumable composition.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for detecting an identity of a consumable composition further comprises:

means for receiving a transmitted identity of a consumable composition.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition further comprises:

means for disabling at least a portion of a radiation sterilization module.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition further comprises:

means for irradiating a radiation-sensitive consumable composition with a radiation sterilization module.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition further comprises:

means for disabling at least a portion of a chemical sterilization module.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition further comprises:

means for contacting a chemical-sensitive consumable composition with a chemical sterilization agent.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition further comprises:

means for disabling at least a portion of a thermal sterilization module.

13. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition further comprises:

means for heating a heat-sensitive consumable composition with a thermal sterilization module.

14. A system for sterilizing a consumable composition dispenser, the system comprising:

means for detecting an identity of a consumable composition; and

means for controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition, wherein the means for controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition further comprises;

means for shielding at least a portion of the beverage container containing a chemical-sensitive consumable composition from a chemical sterilization module.

15. A system for sterilizing a consumable composition dispenser, the system comprising:

means for detecting an identity of a consumable composition; and

means for controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition, wherein the means for controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition further comprises;

means for shielding at least a portion of the beverage container containing a heat sensitive consumable composition from a thermal sterilization module.

16. A system for sterilizing a consumable composition dispenser, the system comprising:

circuitry for detecting an identity of a consumable composition;

circuitry for controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition, wherein the circuitry for controlling a sterilization of at least a portion of a beverage container according to the identity of the consumable composition further comprises;

circuitry for shielding at least a portion of the beverage container containing a radiation sensitive consumable composition from a radiation sterilization module.