Touchless automatic fiber optic beverage/ice dispenser

• US 20030089423A1
• Filed: 11/13/2001
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cascades Ventures, Inc., Technology Licensing Corporation
• Original Assignee: John C. Barton, Norma J. Barton
• Inventors: Barton, John C., Barton, Norma J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,688,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/198
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/28 for portioning or dispensing
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/00 Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught B67D3/00 takes precedence; apparatus for making beverages A47J31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/124 the flow being started or stopped by means actuated by the vessel to be filled, e.g. by switches, weighing
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/009 operated by cup detection
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00065 related to the use of drinking cups or glasses
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/20 Distributing ice
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/22 particularly adapted for household refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/065 for drink preparation

Abstract

A touchless automatic fiber optic beverage/ice dispenser (10, FIG. 1), dispenses ice and or beverages into a cup/container (26, FIG. 2), without user or cup/container touching any part of the machine, for sanitary effortless product filling activation. Any number of products may be dispensed from dispensing nozzles (16, 18, FIG. 1), in any volumes desired, allowing product mixing to customize beverages to the user'"'"'s preference. Touchless automatically activated dispensing allows cup/container to be held in normal fashion to which people are currently accustomed. A filling indicator light (15, FIG. 1) illuminates during automatic filling. “On/off” mode selector (14, FIG. 1) prevents unauthorized product dispensation, and allows fast, easy machine cleaning. Resulting is a user friendly, commercially durable, sanitary touchless beverage/ice dispenser (10, FIG. 1), wherein germs and diseases are not transmitted from person to person via the machine, even during refilling.

Claims

1. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) for dispensing beverages and or ice, said touchless automatically activated dispensing machine comprising:

a) a support structure, including an optional forwardly extending base (21, FIG.

     1) in which is located a drain grill (20, FIG.

     1), above which is optionally affixed at least one of a beverage dispensing head (12, FIG.

     1), with a corresponding beverage dispensing nozzle (18, FIG.

     1);

also optionally affixed above an upwardly extending front backdrop (22, FIG.

     1) is at least one of an ice chute assembly member (13, FIG.

     1) with a corresponding ice dispensing nozzle (16, FIG.

     1), to the rear of which are a plurality of cabinet side enclosure panels (24, FIG.

     1) and a top ice compartment lid (27, FIG.

     1) for manual ice hopper filling, with an ice maker unit (not shown) being alternatively used for automatic ice hopper filling;

b) electronic sensing and control circuitry corresponding to the number of beverage dispensing nozzles (18, FIG.

     1) and ice dispensing nozzles (16, FIG.

     1), causing automatic product dispensation to be engaged in a touchless, effortless manner with neither the cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG.

     4) nor the person filling the cup/container touching the dispensing machine (10, FIG.

     1) in any way, in order to prevent germs and diseases from being transmitted from person to person via the dispensing machine.

2. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 1, wherein electronic sensing circuit components (52, 54, FIG. 6 and 52, 54, FIG. 7) sense the presence or absence of a cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4) in filling position.

3. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 2, wherein the cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4) is a drinking vessel.

4. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 1, wherein electronic sensing circuitry components (52, 54, FIG. 6 and 52, 54, FIG. 7) used in conjunction with each of beverage dispensing nozzles (18, FIG. 1), and ice dispensing nozzles (16, FIG. 1), include a proximity type of sensing device.

5. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 4, wherein the type of proximity sensing device includes but is not limited to photoelectric type of technology.

6. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 5, wherein the photoelectric type of sensing device includes a fiber optic proximity sensor apparatus, including a fiber optic amplifier (52, FIG. 6 and 52, FIG. 7), and optical fiber unit (54, FIG. 6 and 54, FIG. 7).

7. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 6, wherein the optical fiber unit (54, FIG. 6 and 54, FIG. 7) terminates within a position to sense the presence of a cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4), in order to engage product dispensation into the cup/container.

8. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 7, wherein the optical fiber termination (51, FIG. 3 and 51, FIG. 5) works in conjunction with optical conducting lense elements (25, 84, FIG. 3 and 25, 84, FIG. 5), in order to affect proper sensing of the cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4) in an area below a product dispensing nozzle (16, 18, FIG. 1).

9. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 7, wherein the optical fiber unit (54, FIG. 3 and 54, FIG. 5) through optical conducting lense elements (25, 84, FIG. 3 and 25, 84, FIG. 5) senses the cup/container presence or absence in an area below beverage dispensing nozzle (18, FIG. 1) or ice dispensing nozzle (16, FIG. 1), thereby causing product to accurately fill the cup/container without undesired product flow onto cup/container outer surfaces, as the cup/container is brought to or withdrawn from the filling area.

10. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the product being dispensed may be filled to any desired level within the cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4).

11. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 10, wherein a plurality of products of varying volumes may be dispensed to any desired level within the cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4), for the purpose of custom mixing beverages and or ice.

12. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 1, including at least one indicator for providing a signal indicative that product dispensation is occurring.

13. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 12, wherein the signal is a visual signal provided by a filling indicator light (15, FIG. 1), corresponding to each respective beverage dispensing head (12, FIG. 1) and ice chute assembly member (13, FIG. 1).

14. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 1, including means for eliminating user effort to activate product dispensation.

15. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 1, including means for preventing automatic product dispensing during machine cleaning and to prevent unauthorized product dispensation.

16. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 15, wherein said means include an “

on/off”

mode selector control (14, FIG.

     1).

17. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 1, including means for allowing easier machine cleaning due to the lack of cup/container push activation levers or push activation buttons or levers.

18. A sanitary touchless automatically activated dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 1, wherein sanitary qualities are derived from the lack of cup/container push activation levers or push activation buttons or levers which can transmit germs and diseases from person to person via the dispensing machine.

19. A method of dispensing beverages and or ice into a cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4) utilizing a dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) incorporating effortless, sanitary touchless product dispensing activation, said method comprising the steps of:

a) sensing the presence of a cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG.

     4) in an appropriate position for filling as per spatial relationship to a sensing device component (54, FIG. 3 and 54, FIG.

     5);

b) activating control circuitry (FIG. 6 and FIG.

     7) to cause automatic product dispensation into the cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG.

     4);

c) confirming to a user that product dispensation is occurring with one or more indicator signals (15, FIG.

     1);

d) sensing the absence of a cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG.

     4) in an appropriate position for filling as per spatial relationship to a sensing device component (54, FIG. 6 and 54, FIG.

     7), and terminating product dispensation;

e) allowing a user to dispense any desired volume of beverage and or ice into the cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG.

     4);

f) allowing a user to dispense multiple beverages and or ice of any desired volumes, into the cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG.

     4);

g) overriding touchless automatic product dispensing activation with a mode selector control (14, FIG.

     1), when desired, allowing for cleaning of the dispensing machine, and to prevent unauthorized product dispensation; and

h) allowing easier dispensing machine cleaning, due to the touchless automatic activation design.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4) receives dispensed product when brought into a sensing area below one of product dispensing nozzles (16, 18, FIG. 1).

21. A method in accordance with claim 20, wherein product is dispensed when the cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4) is within the sensing range of sensing device components (52, 54, FIG. 3 and 52, 54, FIG. 5) working in conjunction with optical conducting lense elements (25, 84, FIG. 3 and 25, 84, FIG. 5).

22. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein activation of sensing device components includes an optical fiber unit (54, FIG. 6 and 54, FIG. 7), which corresponds to its controlling fiber optic amplifier (52, FIG. 6 and 52, FIG. 7), which undergoes a switching process to engage further control circuitry depending upon the presence or absence of the cup/container in the dispensing position sensing area.

23. A method in accordance with claim 22, wherein included further control circuitry (56, FIG. 6 and 56, FIG. 7 and 56, FIG. 8) acts to engage electrical controls (57, FIG. 6 and 59, 71, FIG. 7), thereby causing beverage or ice dispensation, respectively, by action of a beverage valve (68, FIG. 3) or an ice gate (70, FIG. 5).

24. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein a solenoid type of electrical control (57, FIG. 3 and 57, FIG. 6) activates a beverage valve (68, FIG. 3).

25. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein a solenoid type of electrical control (59, FIG. 5 and 59, FIG. 7) activates an ice gate (70, FIG. 5).

26. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein a motor type of electrical control (71, FIG. 7) activates the ice delivery system in ice hopper area (32, FIG. 5).

27. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein a visual indicator signal in the form of a filling indicator light (15, FIG. 1) illuminates during product dispensation from a nozzle (16, 18, FIG. 1), to which that particular light corresponds.

28. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4) no longer receives dispensed product when removed from a sensing area below one of product dispensing nozzles (16, 18, FIG. 1).

29. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein sensing device components (52, 54, FIG. 3 and 52, 54, FIG. 5) work in conjunction with optical conducting lense elements (25, 84, FIG. 3 and 25, 84, FIG. 5), resulting in respective spatial sensing areas for beverage and ice dispensing nozzles (16, 18, FIG. 1) to detect the presence or absence of a cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4), without the sensing device components or sensing areas interfering with one another resulting in undesirable performance.

30. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the user holds the cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4) below one of product dispensing nozzles (16, 18, FIG. 1), activating apparatus including but not limited to photoelectric type of fiber optic proximity sensing system technology.

31. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the user controls the volume of beverage and or ice dispensed into the cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4), by locating the cup/container in a sensing area below the desired one of product dispensing nozzles (16, 18, FIG. 1), for the duration of time necessary to dispense that particular volume.

32. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the user controls the numbers and volumes of dispensed beverages and or ice dispensed into the cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4), by locating the cup/container in sensing areas below each of the respective various desired product dispensing nozzles (16, 18, FIG. 1), for the respective time durations necessary to dispense those particular volumes.

33. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the mode selector control (14, FIG. 1) includes an “

on”

mode for sanitary touchless automatic product dispensation, and an “

off”

mode which disallows such automatic product dispensation, to prevent undesired product flow from dispensing nozzles (16, 18, FIG.

     1) during dispensing machine cleaning, and to prevent unauthorized product dispensation.

34. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein cleaning of the touchless automatic dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) is made easier due to the lack of cup/container push activation levers or push activation buttons or levers.

35. A sanitary, germ and disease transmission free beverage and or ice dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1), said beverage and or ice dispensing machine deriving its sanitary qualities through touchless automatic activation of product dispensation.

36. A sanitary, germ and disease transmission free beverage and or ice dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 35, including means to achieve automatic product dispensation without the person or cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4) touching the dispensing machine in anyway.

37. A sanitary, germ and disease transmission free beverage and or ice dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 36, wherein touchless automatic product dispensation occurs as a result of switching circuitry included in varying technologies of proximity sensors.

38. A sanitary, germ and disease transmission free beverage and or ice dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 36, wherein said means include electronic sensing apparatus components (52, 54, FIG. 6 and 52, 54, FIG. 7), to detect the presence or absence of a cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4) located in an appropriate area to receive product as it is being dispensed from one of dispensing nozzles (16, 18, FIG. 1).

39. A sanitary, germ and disease transmission free beverage and or ice dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 38, wherein the electronic sensing apparatus components include a diffuse optical fiber unit (54, FIG. 6 and 54, FIG. 7) being controlled by a fiber optic amplifier (52, FIG. 6 and 52, FIG. 7).

40. A sanitary, germ and disease transmission free beverage and or ice dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 39, wherein the diffuse optical fiber unit (54, FIG. 6 and 54, FIG. 7) operates in conjunction with optical conducting lense elements (25, 84, FIG. 3 and 25, 84, FIG. 5) to properly sense the presence or absence of a cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4) in an appropriate area to receive product as it is being dispensed from one of dispensing nozzles (16, 18, FIG. 1).

41. A sanitary, germ and disease transmission free beverage and or ice dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 36, wherein the person, including hands and fingers, which may be contaminated with saliva, germs, and diseases, makes no contact with any part of the dispensing machine in order to activate automatic product dispensation.

42. A sanitary, germ and disease transmission free beverage and or ice dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 36, wherein the cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4) surfaces which may be contaminated with saliva, germs, and diseases, make no contact with any part of the dispensing machine in order to activate automatic product dispensation.

43. A sanitary, germ and disease transmission free beverage and or ice dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 38, wherein said electronic sensing apparatus components (52, 54, FIG. 6 and 52, 54, FIG. 7) are used in correlation with each of product dispensing nozzles (16, 18, FIG. 1), to achieve touchless automatically activated product dispensing, in a machine including one or an entire bank of such dispensing nozzles.

44. A sanitary, germ and disease transmission free beverage and or ice dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 35, wherein the absence of cup/container push activation levers or push activation buttons or levers results in easier dispensing machine cleaning due to a streamlined touchless automatic activation design.

45. A sanitary, germ and disease transmission free beverage and or ice dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 44, wherein said absence of cup/container push activation levers or push activation buttons or levers eliminates surfaces upon which germs and diseases may be transmitted from person to person via the dispensing machine.

46. A sanitary, germ and disease transmission free beverage and or ice dispensing machine (10, FIG. 1) in accordance with claim 35, wherein a user filling a cup/container (26, FIG. 2 and 26, FIG. 4), exerts no effort in activating product flow, due to the ease of touchless automatically activated product dispensing.