Appliance having a user interface panel and a beverage dispenser

• US 8,290,616 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2012
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Inventors: Crisp, III, Harry Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US13/346,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20120109386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/236
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0022 the apparatus comprising means for automatically controlling the amount to be dispensed
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0057 Carbonators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0058 In-line carbonators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0071 Carbonating by injecting CO2 in the liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0078 Ingredient cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0412 the whole dispensing unit being fixed to the container
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/08 Details
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0857 Cooling arrangements cooling systems per se F25B
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0858 using compression systems
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0878 Safety, warning or controlling devices B67D1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/12 Flow or pressure control devices or systems , e.g. valves, gas pressure control, level control in storage containers
• 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 7/346 by reading a code
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion

Abstract

An appliance including a housing, a dispenser, and a water supply mechanism. The appliance includes a drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers, a user interface panel, and a computer. The computer is configured to: cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of the plurality of different displayed images, and after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of the plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image.

Claims

1. An appliance comprising:

a housing;

a dispenser supported by the housing;

a water supplier supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser;

a drink supplier supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supplier configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply cartridges;

a user interface panel supported by the housing, said user interface panel including a touch screen; and

a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to;

(a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different beverage images, each different beverage image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages, a plurality of the different beverages corresponding to a different one of the plurality of drink supply cartridges held by the drink supplier, each drink supply cartridge containing drink supply,

(b) cause the user interface panel via the touch screen to receive a plurality of inputs corresponding to said plurality of different displayed beverage images,

(c) for each received input, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage associated with a selected beverage image corresponding to said input, said beverage dispensed using at least the drink supply in the drink supply cartridge corresponding to said beverage associated with the selected beverage image, and

(d) cause the user interface panel to display information regarding at least one of;

(i) a consumption amount of drink supply from at least one of the plurality of drink supply cartridges; and

(ii) a remaining amount drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply cartridges.

2. The appliance of claim 1, which is a refrigerator.

3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the dispenser is configured to mix, at a pre-determined level, the drink supply from the drink supply cartridge corresponding to the beverage associated with the selected beverage image and water from the water supplier to dispense the beverage associated with the selected beverage image.

4. The appliance of claim 3, which includes a CO₂ supplier supported by the housing and connected to the water supplier, wherein water from the water supplier is carbonated water.

5. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the drink supplier includes at least one pump for drawing, from each drink supply cartridge held by the drink supplier, the drink supply in said drink supply cartridge.

6. The appliance of claim 1, which includes a CO₂ supplier supported by the housing, connected to the water supplier, and configured to hold at least one removable CO₂ supply container.

7. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the water supplier includes a carbonating tank connected to the CO₂ supplier.

8. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the computer is configured to determine a volume of CO₂ dispensed from each CO₂ supply container held by the CO₂ supplier.

9. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the drink supply in each of the drink supply cartridges is a concentrate.

10. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the drink supply in each of the drink supply cartridges is a powder.

11. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the drink supply in each of the drink supply cartridges is a liquid.