Beverage dispensing system with a head capable of dispensing plural different beverages

• US 8,113,384 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2008
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Inventors: Bethuy, Timothy W., Black, William J., Cahill, Brian T., Schilling, Ronald, Novotny, Paul, Nebbia, Fabio, Perucca, Giovanni
• Primary Examiner(s): Jacyna, J. Casimer
• Application Number:
  US12/235,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20090057336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 222/1, 222/129.1, 222/129.3, 222/129.4, 222/132, 222/135, 222/144.5, 137/12.5
• US Class Current: 222/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/40 Mixing liquids with liquids; Emulsifying
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/105 Mixing heads, i.e. compact mixing units or modules, using mixing valves for feeding and mixing at least two components
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71805 using valves, gates, orifices or openings
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0044 for mixing inside the dispensing nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0081 Dispensing valves
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1272 preventing froth
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/06 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/74 Devices for mixing two or more different liquids to be transferred coin-freed apparatus G07F13/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0385 Carbonated beverage handling processes

Abstract

A beverage dispensing system includes a base to which a dispensing head is removably attached without additional fasteners. Beverage-forming liquids are supplied through a plurality of separate conduits in the base. Each base conduit has a normally closed valve that normally blocks fluid flow. The dispensing head has at least one passageway that receives liquid from an associated one of the base conduits. A projection associated with each dispensing head passageway opens the associated conduit valve to allow fluid flow from the base to the head. Dispensing valves in the dispensing head regulate the dispensing of the beverage. By selectively opening the dispensing valves, a plurality of beverages are formed from combinations of one or more liquids. A dispensing head includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening at each end of a passage extending through a body, the inlet opening having a smaller cross-sectional area than the outlet opening.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a base having a plurality of base conduits through which separate fluid streams are permitted to flow and a plurality of base valves, each base valve located in a separate one of the base conduits and positioned to normally block fluid flow out of the base conduit;

providing different beverage-forming fluids to each base conduit;

providing a first dispensing head for attachment to the base configured to form a first beverage, the first dispensing head having;

a first set of passageways, the first set of passageways being fewer in number than the number of conduits in the base, the first set of passageways being positioned, upon the attachment step, to be coupled to a first set of the base conduits;

a dispensing valve associated with each of the first set of passageways for regulating fluid flow through each passageway in the first set of passageways; and

a first set of valve actuators, each valve actuator being associated with a separate passageway in the first set of passageways;

configuring the first dispensing head to be removable from the base where the first set of valve actuators are retracted away from the associated base valves so that the base valves close;

providing a second dispensing head attachable to the base at the same location as the first dispensing head on the base, the second dispensing head being different from the first dispensing head, the second dispensing head having;

a second set of passageways disposed differently from the first set of passageways in the first dispensing head, the second set of passageways being positioned to, upon the attachment step, be coupled to a second set of base conduits in a different arrangement from the first set of base conduits to dispense a second beverage different than the first beverage;

a second dispensing valve associated with each of the passageways in the second set of passageways, the second dispensing valve for regulating fluid flow through a passageway in the second set of passageways; and

a second set of valve actuators, each valve actuator in the second set of valve actuators being associated with a separate passageway in the second set of passageways.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the beverage-forming fluids is a non-carbonated liquid, a carbonated liquid, and a flavored syrup.

3. The method of claim 1, where the beverage-forming fluid is provided to a first base conduit simultaneous with the beverage-forming fluid being provided to a second base conduit.

4. The method of claim 1, where the first dispensing head is removably attached to the base.

5. The method of claim 1, where the first beverage is formed from a first set of beverage-forming fluids including a carbonated liquid and a flavored syrup.

6. The method of claim 5, where the first set of beverage-forming fluids further includes a non-carbonated liquid.

7. The method of claim 1, where the second beverage is formed from a first set of beverage-forming fluids including a non-carbonated liquid and a flavored syrup.

8. The method of claim 1, where the second dispensing head is removably attached to the base.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, as part of the step of attaching the first dispensing head to the base, a locking member attached to one of the base or the first dispensing head is coupled to the other of the first dispensing head or the base to removably attach the first dispensing head to the base.

10. The method of claim 1, where, as part of the step of attaching the second dispensing head to the base, a locking member that is slidably mounted to one of the base or the first dispensing head is coupled to the other of the first dispensing head or the base to removably attach the first dispensing head to the base.

11. The method of claim 1, where the number of valve actuators in the first set of valve actuators is equal to the number of passageways in the first set of passageways.

12. The method of claim 1, where the number of valve actuators in the second set of valve actuators is equal to the number of passageways in the second set of passageways.

13. The method of claim 1, where:

the first dispensing head is formed with a plurality of projections, each projection defining an opening into a separate one of the passageways of the first set of passageways; and

in the step of attaching the first dispensing head, the dispensing head projections are seated in the base conduits to function as the first set of valve actuators.

14. The method of claim 1, where the first dispensing head has a single passageway so that, in the step of dispensing a first beverage, the first beverage is formed from a single beverage-forming fluid.

15. The method of claim 1, where the first dispensing head has a plurality of passageways so that, in the step of dispensing a first beverage, the first dispensing head configured so that the first beverage is formed from a plurality of beverage-forming fluids.

16. The method of claim 1, where:

in the step of providing beverage-forming fluids to each base conduit, carbonated water is provided to at least one base conduit; and

in the step of attaching the first dispensing head, the first dispensing head has a carbonated water passageway that is connected to the base conduit to which carbonated water is provided, the first dispensing head having a discharge passage downstream of the dispensing valve that expands in a cross-sectional area along the length of the discharge passage.

17. A method comprising:

providing a base having a plurality of base conduits through which separate fluid streams are permitted to flow and a plurality of base valves, each base valve located in a separate one of the base conduits and positioned to normally block fluid flow out of the base conduit;

providing different beverage-forming fluids to each base conduit;

providing a first dispensing head having;

a first set of passageways, the first set of passageways being fewer in number than the number of base conduits, the first set of passageways being positioned, upon the attachment step, to be coupled to a first set of the base conduits;

a dispensing valve associated with each of the first set of passageways for regulating fluid flow through each passageway in the first set of passageways; and

a first set of valve actuators, each valve actuator being associated with a separate passageway in the first set of passageways;

placing the first set of valve actuators in contact with the base valves of the first set of base conduits so that each of the first set of valve actuators is positioned to open a corresponding base valve; and

dispensing a first beverage through the first dispensing head by opening at least one dispensing valve of the first dispensing head so that the first beverage is formed from a first set of beverage-forming fluids;

detaching the first dispensing head and the first set of valve actuators from the base valves;

providing a second dispensing head different from the first dispensing head at the same location on the base as the first dispensing head,

attaching a second set of valve actuators on the second dispensing head to the base valves, the second set of valve actuators being different from the first set of valve actuators, the second set of valve actuators for regulating fluid flow through a passageway in the second set of passageways, wherein each of the actuators in the second set of valve actuators are associated with a separate passageway in the second set of passageways;

placing the second set of valve actuators in contact with the valves of the second set of base conduits so that the second set of valve actuators is positioned to open the valves of the second set of base conduits; and

dispensing a second beverage through the second dispensing head by opening the second dispensing valve so that a second beverage is formed from a second set of beverage-forming fluids, the second set of beverage-forming fluids being different from the first set of beverage-forming fluids to dispense a second beverage different from the first beverage.

18. A method comprising:

providing a base having a plurality of base conduits through which separate fluid streams are permitted to flow and a plurality of base valves, each base valve located in a separate one of the base conduits and positioned to normally block fluid flow out of the base conduit;

providing different beverage-forming fluids to each base conduit;

providing a first dispensing head for dispensing a first beverage having;

a first set of passageways, the first set of passageways being fewer in number than the number of base conduits, the first set of passageways being positioned, upon the attachment step, to be coupled to a first set of the base conduits;

a dispensing valve associated with each of the first set of passageways for regulating fluid flow through each passageway in the first set of passageways; and

a first set of valve actuators, each valve actuator being associated with a separate passageway in the first set of passageways;

placing the first set of valve actuators in contact with the base valves of the first set of base conduits so that each of the first set of valve actuators is positioned to open a corresponding base valve;

detaching the first set of valve actuators from the base valves;

providing a second dispensing head for dispensing a second beverage different from the first beverage at the same location on the base as the first dispensing head; and

attaching a second set of valve actuators on the second dispensing head to the base valves, the second set of valve actuators being different from the first set of valve actuators, the second set of valve actuators for regulating fluid flow through a passageway in the second set of passageways, wherein each of the actuators in the second set of valve actuators are associated with a separate passageway in the second set of passageways.