Beverage dispensing device with freshness indicator
First Claim
1. A device for a chilled beverage, the device comprising:
- a display for indicating a storage temperature, a maximum storage period, a freshness of the beverage, a time left until expiry of the freshness and/or a date of expiry of the freshness;
a data input unit for recording replacement of a beverage container;
at least one temperature sensor for measuring the storage temperature of the beverage;
a temperature controller for adjusting a cooling temperature of a chiller;
a data storage unit for storing a freshness profile relating freshness of a beverage to storage temperature and length of storage; and
a signal processing unit,wherein the temperature sensor is programmed to transmit a signal regarding a current beverage storage temperature to the signal processing unit and the signal processing unit is programmed to periodically record the current storage temperature and time of storage at the recorded storage temperature and calculate at least one of the time left until expiry of the freshness of the beverage and the date of expiry of the freshness of the beverage depending on the recorded storage temperature, the period of time at the recorded storage temperature and based on the stored freshness profile, and the signal processing unit is further configured to transmit the calculated data to the display.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A beverage dispensing device including a housing, a tapping device for dispensing a beverage, a beverage container connectable with the tapping device, a freshness indicator device, a data input unit for recording replacement of the beverage container, a temperature sensor for measuring the storage temperature of the beverage, a temperature controller for adjusting the cooling temperature of a chiller, a storage unit for storing the freshness criteria, and a processing unit. The temperature sensor transmits the current beverage storage temperature to the processing unit and the processing unit calculates, depending on a recorded storage temperature period and based on stored freshness criteria, the actual freshness of the beverage, the time left until expiry of the freshness of the beverage and/or the date of expiry of the freshness of the beverage. The processing unit transmits the calculated data to the display.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A device for a chilled beverage, the device comprising:
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a display for indicating a storage temperature, a maximum storage period, a freshness of the beverage, a time left until expiry of the freshness and/or a date of expiry of the freshness; a data input unit for recording replacement of a beverage container; at least one temperature sensor for measuring the storage temperature of the beverage; a temperature controller for adjusting a cooling temperature of a chiller; a data storage unit for storing a freshness profile relating freshness of a beverage to storage temperature and length of storage; and a signal processing unit, wherein the temperature sensor is programmed to transmit a signal regarding a current beverage storage temperature to the signal processing unit and the signal processing unit is programmed to periodically record the current storage temperature and time of storage at the recorded storage temperature and calculate at least one of the time left until expiry of the freshness of the beverage and the date of expiry of the freshness of the beverage depending on the recorded storage temperature, the period of time at the recorded storage temperature and based on the stored freshness profile, and the signal processing unit is further configured to transmit the calculated data to the display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of controlling a temperature of a beverage, the method comprising acts of:
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a signal processing unit calculating at least one of a time left until expiry of the freshness of the beverage and a date of expiry of the freshness of the beverage depending on a periodically recorded actual storage temperature, the period of time at the recorded storage temperature and based on a stored freshness profile relating freshness of a beverage to storage temperature and length of storage; and adjusting a cooling temperature of the beverage based on the calculated freshness of said beverage.
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12. A method of determining a freshness of a chilled beverage, the method comprising acts of:
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a signal processing unit receiving a measure of a beverage temperature; calculating at least one of the time left until expiry of the freshness and the date of expiry of the freshness of said chilled beverage based on a freshness profile relating freshness of a beverage to actual storage temperature and length of storage at the actual storage temperature; and transmitting a signal indicating the calculated freshness of the beverage to a display. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method of regulating a chilling temperature of a beverage, the method comprising acts of:
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a signal processing unit receiving an expiry date for the beverage; calculating a at least one of the time left until expiry of the freshness of the beverage and the date of expiry of the freshness of the beverage based on a freshness profile relating freshness of a beverage to actual storage temperature and length of storage at the actual storage temperature and the received expiry date; and regulating the chilling temperature of the beverage based on the calculated freshness of the beverage. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification