Product dispensing system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A flow sensor comprising:
- a fluid chamber configured to receive a fluid micro-ingredient from a product container;
a diaphragm assembly configured to be displaced whenever the fluid micro-ingredient within the fluid chamber is displaced;
a transducer assembly configured to monitor the displacement of the diaphragm assembly and generate a signal based, at least in part, upon the quantity of fluid micro-ingredient displaced within the fluid chamber; and
a control logic subsystem in communication with a the transducer assembly configured to received the signal from the transducer,wherein the control logic subsystem determines, based on the signal, whether the product container contains a volume of fluid micro-ingredient or whether the product container is empty.
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Abstract
A flow sensor includes a fluid chamber configured to receive a fluid. A diaphragm assembly is configured to be displaced whenever the fluid within the fluid chamber is displaced. A transducer assembly is configured to monitor the displacement of the diaphragm assembly and generate a signal based, at least in part, upon the quantity of fluid displaced within the fluid chamber.
10 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A flow sensor comprising:
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a fluid chamber configured to receive a fluid micro-ingredient from a product container; a diaphragm assembly configured to be displaced whenever the fluid micro-ingredient within the fluid chamber is displaced; a transducer assembly configured to monitor the displacement of the diaphragm assembly and generate a signal based, at least in part, upon the quantity of fluid micro-ingredient displaced within the fluid chamber; and a control logic subsystem in communication with a the transducer assembly configured to received the signal from the transducer, wherein the control logic subsystem determines, based on the signal, whether the product container contains a volume of fluid micro-ingredient or whether the product container is empty. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for determining a product container is empty comprising:
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energizing a pump assembly; pumping a micro-ingredient from a product container; displacing a capacitive plate a displacement distance; measuring the capacitance of a capacitor; calculating the displacement distance from the measured capacitance; and determining whether the product container is empty.
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14. A method for determining a product container is empty comprising:
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energizing a pump assembly; displacing a diaphragm assembly a displacement distance by pumping a micro-ingredient from a product container; measuring the displacement distance using a transducer assembly; using the transducer assembly generating a signal based, at least in part, upon the quantity of micro-ingredient pumped from the product container; and determining, using the signal, whether the product container is empty.
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Specification