Patent Application
20230141811
The present disclosure relates to beverage dispensing systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to automated beverage dispensing systems for automatically selecting and placing a cup, dispensing a beverage into the cup, and staging filled cups for delivery to a customer.
Automated beverage dispensing systems are known in the fields of fast and quick service restaurants. Automated beverage dispensing systems automate, or partially automate the act of filling cups with beverages to fulfill customer orders.
Examples of automated beverage dispensing systems are disclosed in the following patent references, which are hereby each incorporated by reference herein in their entireties:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,279,652; 4,418,837; 4,426,017; and 5,518,149 all disclose examples of cup dispensing devices.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,045,323; 9,290,371; 9,944,472; 10,239,742; and 10,689,241 all disclose linear configurations for transport of cups for loading, filling, and/or staging by a beverage machine.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,053,359; 6,102,246; and 10,689,240 disclose carousel-style configurations for transport of cups for loading, filling, and/or staging by a beverage machine.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,669,732; 8,225,960; 9,204,734; 9,656,849; 10,515,327; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0273283; and U.S. Patent Application No. 17/493,257 all disclose other features which may be incorporated into examples of beverage dispensing machine as disclosed in further detail herein.
In an example of an automated beverage dispensing machine having a front and a back and a first side opposite a second side, a conveyance system defines a plurality of cup locations and operates to sequentially move the plurality of cup locations through a plurality of indexed locations. A cup dispensing machine is configured to receive a supply of cups. The cup dispensing machine is operable to dispense a cup to a cup loading location that coincides with an indexed location of the plurality of indexed locations. A beverage dispensing machine is configured to dispense a beverage at a beverage dispense location of the plurality of indexed locations. A computer associates an ordered beverage to a cup location of the plurality of cup locations. The computer maintains a record of a status of the cup location and the position of the cup location relative to the plurality of indexed locations.
An example of an automated beverage dispensing machine includes a front and a back and a first side opposite a second side. A conveyance system defines a plurality of cup locations each with a respective cup holder. The conveyance system operates to sequentially move the plurality of cup locations through a circuit comprising a plurality of indexed locations. A cup dispensing machine receives a first supply of cups at a first dispensing assembly. The first dispensing assembly includes a first selective release device. The first dispensing assembly coincides with a first indexed location of the plurality of indexed locations. The cup dispensing machine is configured to receive a second supply of cups at a second dispensing assembly. The second dispensing assembly includes a second selective release device. The second dispensing assembly coincides with a second indexed location of the plurality of indexed locations. The cup dispensing machine is operable to dispense a cup from the first supply of cups to a first cup location of the plurality of cup locations on the conveyance system at the first indexed location. The cup dispensing machine is operable to dispense a cup from the second supply of cups to a second cup location of the plurality of cup locations on the conveyance system at the second indexed location.
In additional examples of the automated beverage dispensing machine, the first dispensing assembly includes a first plurality of selective release devices including the first selective release device. The second dispensing assembly includes a second plurality of selective release devices including the second selective release device. Each of the selective release devices may include a cam body, a cam extending about the cam body, the cam having a cam edge. The cam may further include a leading cam surface and a trailing cam surface. A gear may extend about the cam body. A cup support flap may be connected to the cam body and extend radially away from an axis of the cam body. A beverage dispensing machine may be configured to dispense a beverage at a beverage dispense location of the plurality of indexed locations. A computer may associate an ordered beverage to a cup location of the plurality of cup locations and maintains a record of a status of the cup location and the position of the cup location relative to the plurality of indexed locations.
Each dispensing assembly may include a motor and a drive gear and a belt that operatively extends between the drive gear and the gear about the cam body of each of the selective release devices of a respective dispensing assembly. Movement of the belt by the drive gear simultaneously moves each of the cam assemblies by interaction with the respective gears of the cam assemblies. The cup support flap is constructed of an elastomeric material. The cup support flap is configured to deform to receive a supply of cups pushed therethrough to load the dispensing assembly with the first or second supply of cups. The cup dispensing machine is configured to upwardly tilt relative to the rest of the automated beverage dispensing machine to a loading configuration wherein the dispensing assemblies are accessible to receive the supply of cups through the dispensing assemblies past the selective release devices. A support chimney extends from each of the selective release devices. The support chimney is configured to receive a stack of cups there of the first supply of cups or the second supply of cups. Each dispensing assembly is positioned at a different height above the respective first and second indexed locations. Each dispensing assembly includes a dispensing chimney extending from the dispensing assembly in a direction of the first and second indexed locations, respectively, wherein the dispensing chimneys end at a same height above the respective first and second indexed locations.
An example of a selective release device for dispensing a cup includes a cam body. A cam extends about the cam body and radially away from the cam body. The cam includes a cam edge and a leading cam surface and a trailing cam surface. A resiliently deformable cup support flap radially extends from the cam body.
In further examples of the selective release device, a gear extends about the cam body. The selective release device includes a drive gear and a belt that engages the drive gear and the gear about the cam body. The drive gear moves the belt which in turn moves the cam body. The leading cam surface is located on a first side of the cam body in an axial direction and the trailing cam surface is located on a second side of the cam body in an axial direction. A lower cam surface is opposite the leading cam surface. The leading cam surface angles upwards in the axial direction above the lower cam surface from the cam edge. The trailing cam surface angles downwards in the axial direction from the lower cam surface. The lower cam surface is horizontal. The cam body defines a pocket and the cup support flap is seated within the pocket. The cup support flap and the cam body include axially aligned through holes. A lower cam surface opposite is opposite the leading cam surface in an axial direction, the leading cam surface angles upwards in the axial direction above the lower cam surface from the cam edge, and the cup support flap includes a flap projection that extends radially outward from the cam body. The flap projection includes an upper surface positioned below the lower cam surface in the axial direction. The flap projection includes an outer edge in the shape of an arc. An outer edge of the cup support flap is complementary with an outer edge of the cam to form an outer circumference of the cam assembly.
Examples of automated beverage dispensing machines are provided herein. These disclosed automated beverage dispensing machines include features or combinations of features directed to cup dispensing in an automated beverage dispensing.
Automated beverage dispensing machine cup dispensers present numerous challenges. Because an automated beverage dispensing machine requires supplies of multiple sizes of cups. Mechanisms within the cup dispenser select a requested cup and operate to dispense the cup. In part due to these mechanisms, the supplies of cups are held without visual feedback of the remaining cup supply. Additionally, the size and complexity of the cup dispenser presents a challenge to loading a new supply of cups, particularly for workers of lower height or upper body strength. The automated beverage dispensing machines and cup dispensers as disclosed herein provide solutions to these challenges.
In examples, a cup dispenser of the beverage dispensing machine provides enhanced user visual confirmation of the remaining supply of cups stored in the beverage dispensing machine. Positioning of these stored cups at the exterior of the beverage dispensing machine combined with transparent elements provides visual confirmation of cup supply. Location of the cup storage across the front of the beverage dispensing machine further places this visual confirmation in convenient location for user observation and monitoring. In examples, sensors may be arranged relative to the cup storage for each cup type/size and the supply monitored whereby an indication of low supply, for example illumination of a light or graphical user interface icon, may be made to indicate a low supply of cups, in addition to any enhanced visual confirmation of supply as noted above.
In examples, the cup dispenser includes features which promote the loading of cups into the dispenser, including tilting of the cup dispenser to facilitate loading and a selective release device which facilitates loading of an unturned stack of cups upwards through the selective release device.
In further examples, the cup dispenser is arranged to dispense cups of different sizes to different locations within the automated beverage dispenser. The automated beverage dispenser may include a carousel that defines a plurality of indexed locations and the cup dispenser dispenses cups of different sizes into different indexed locations. The automated beverage dispenser may further operate to maintain a record of cups dispensed into particular locations on the carousel.
The beverage dispensing machine 10 is defined by a front 12, a back 14, and sides 16, 18. To facilitate operation in a restaurant configuration, the beverage dispensing machine 10 is both, observable, and configurable from the front. That is, the user interface 22, which may include a graphical display 20, the cup dispenser 24, and the cup carousel 26 are positioned at the front 12 of the beverage dispensing machine 10. As will be described in further detail herein, portions of the cup carousel 26 and the cup dispenser 24 are set forward of the user interface 22. The cup dispenser 24 further is further observable and/or accessible from the front of the beverage dispensing machine 10 to facilitate observation of present levels of the cup supplies and loading thereof.
The cup dispenser 24 is configured to hold at least one if not more stacks of cups 36 in which the beverages are to be dispensed. In the example shown, the cup dispenser 24 includes four stacks 36a-36d of cups. Each of the stacks 36a-36d of cups may exemplarily be a different size, configured to hold a different volume of beverage. The stacks 36a-36d of cups may be arranged with one or more stacks positioned behind, or towards the back 14 of the beverage dispensing machine 10 from other stacks. Alternatively, the stacks 36a-36d may be arranged with one or more stacks positioned towards the front 12 of the beverage dispensing machine or towards the side 16, 18 of the beverage dispensing machine. That is, each of the stacks 36a-36d occupies a separate fixed location relative to the rest of the beverage dispensing machine. In the example depicted in
The cup carousel 26 further includes a plurality of cup holders 38 which are configured to receive a cup 36 therein. The cup holders 38 thus define the locations of any cups relative to the cup carousel 26. The cup carousel 26 may further include a conveyor belt 40 to which the cup holders 38 are secured. A shelf 42, for example with a drip tray 44 defined therein underlies the cup holders 38 and the cup carousel 26. The shelf 42 and drip tray 44 serves to catch spilled beverage, ice, or debris so as not to interfere with the operation of the cup carousel 26 and the beverage dispensing machine 10. Operation of a motor, exemplarily a servo motor, rotates the conveyor belt 40, along with the cup holders 38 secured thereto about an exterior of the cup carousel 26. The motor rotates the conveyor belt 40 to position the plurality of cup holders 38 at a plurality of successive indexed locations about the cup carousel 26.
Indexed locations 48a-48d respectively coincide with the stacks 36a-36d of cups and therefore represent a plurality of cup loading locations. That is, a cup 36 dispensed from stack 36a of cups will drop into cup holder 38 positioned at indexed location 48a. A cup 36 dispensed from stack 36b of cups will drop into cup holder 38 positioned at indexed location 48b. A cup 36 dispensed from stack 36c of cups will drop into cup holder 38 positioned at indexed location 48c. A cup 36 dispensed from stack 26d of cups will drop into cup holder 38 positioned at indexed location 48d. Indexed location 48e coincides with the ice dispensing chute 30 of the ice dispenser 28. Ice dispensed through the ice dispensing chute 30 will fall into a cup positioned at indexed location 48e. Indexed location 48f coincides with the nozzle 34 of the beverage dispenser. A beverage dispensed through the nozzle 34 will fall into a cup positioned at indexed location 48f. Indexed locations 48g-48j respectively represent a plurality of staging locations of the plurality of indexed locations. Indexed locations 48g-48i are the indexed locations at which the cups of the dispensed beverages are held until the cups of the dispensed beverages can be removed for delivery to the customer.
The dispensing assembly 50 includes a frame 52 which exemplarily includes an upper frame 54 and a lower frame 56. The upper frame 54 and the lower frame 56 each include an annular flange 58, each of which extend respectively away from the upper frame 52 or the lower frame 54. The annular flanges 58 may respectively define a space for the stack of cups through the selective release device, and may in examples described herein respectively connect to support chimneys 128 and dispense chimneys 130. A plurality of cam assemblies 60 are rotatably positioned between the upper frame 54 and the lower frame 56. The cam assemblies 60 rotate about axles 62 secured between the upper frame 54 and the lower frame 56. The cam assemblies 60 extend partially interior of the annular flange 58. The annular flange 58 is dimensioned to receive a stack of cups with a predetermined outer diameter therethrough while the cam assemblies 60 engage a lip of the cups as described herein.
A cam assembly 60 is shown in a detailed perspective view in
As the cam assembly 60 further rotates, the lip 37 of the second cup is supported by an upper cam surface 96, while the lip 37 of the cup to be dispensed is engaged by the trailing cam surface 88. The trailing cam surface 88 angles downwardly from the lower cam surface 94. This descending angle of the trailing cam surface 88 further separates the cup 36 to be dispensed from the rest of the cups of the stack, such that completion of a revolution of the cam assembly 60 about the axle separates the cup 36 from the stack of cups, and the cup 36 is able to fall therefrom by the force of gravity as will be described in further detail herein. It will be recognized that the dispensing assemblies 50 as shown and described include one or more of the cam assemblies 60 as shown and described. In the example shown in the Figures, the dispensing assemblies 50 each include four cam assemblies 60 which synchronously operate in the manner described above due to the common operative engagement with the belt 78 driven by the motor 72.
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The dispensing assemblies 50 may also include dispense chimneys 130. The dispense chimneys 130 are connected to the annular flange 58 secured to the lower frame 56. As previously noted, the beverage dispensing machine 10 is configured to dispense beverages into a plurality of sizes of cups all dispensed from the cup dispenser 24. Improvements to the consistency of the dispense of multiple cup sizes into the same cup holders 38 may be achieved with modifications to the cup dispensing assemblies 50 dependent upon the size of cup for which the cup dispensing assembly 50 is configured. As described above, the selective release device 46 engages the lip of a cup to be dispensed. The selective release device 46 may therefore be positioned at a vertical distance above the cup carousel 26 and the cup holders 38 such that the bottoms of each of the cups to be dispensed are the same height from the bottoms of the respective cup holders 38 into which the cups will be dispensed. This has been found to provide a consistent interaction between the cup and the cup holder 38 into which it is dispensed, independent of the actual size of the cups dispensed. Therefore, as shown in
The dispense chimney 130 is connected to the lower frame 56 at the annular flange 58. Once a cup is singulated and dispensed from the selective release device 46, the cup falls through the dispense chimney 130. Given the differences in the height position of the selective release devices 46 as described above, the dispense chimneys 130 may exemplarily extend from each of the selective release devices to the nominal positions of the bottom of the cups, which may be even across all cup dispensing assemblies 50 due to the positioning of the selective release devices 46. However, in other examples, the dispense chimneys 130 may extend for another distance as well from the selective release devices.
The dispense chimneys 130 provide two functions which may improve functioning of the cup dispenser. First, the dispense chimneys 130 help to axially align the dispensed cup with the cup holder 38 at the associated indexed location 48 as the cup falls from the selective release device 46 to the cup holder 38. As noted above, the selective release device 46 may impart an oscillating motion on the cups, which may extend to the dispensed cup. The dispense chimney 130 thus keeps the cup falling in a straight path. Additionally, as the cup falls within the dispense chimney 130, the dispense chimney 130 slows the flow of air around the falling cup, which in turn slows the cup as it falls into the cup holder. By slowing the cup as it falls into the cup holder, the force of the impact of the cup against the bottom of the cup holder is reduced causing a softer landing of the cup within the cup holder. This softer landing reduces instances of the cup bouncing out of the cup holder or otherwise moving to an unintended or misaligned position within the cup holder. In a still further example, the cup holder 38 may be fitted with a rubber, elastomeric, or other cushioned or deformable material in the bottom, which may further absorb the force of the cup falling into the cup holder, improving retention of the cup within the cup holder.
The computer 150 is configured to receive user inputs, including, but not limited to various orders of beverages to be dispensed. The order exemplarily includes both a beverage size (e.g. volume) and a type (e.g. premixed beverage or selection of flavoring and diluent). The beverage dispensing machine 10 may operate to receive an order input through a user interface 22 presented on a graphical display 20. The computer 150 may be communicatively connected to the graphical display 20 to provide the graphical display 20 with instructions to operate to visually present the user interface 22 thereon. The graphical display 20 may further be a touch-sensitive graphical display operable to receive one or more user inputs of the beverage order and communicate those user inputs to the computer 150. In a still further example, the computer 150 is communicatively connected to a point of sale (POS) system 152 into which customer orders are received and processed for fulfillment. A restaurant may include communication kiosks operable by either a customer or by a restaurant employee to enter the customer order into the POS system. In still further examples, the POS system may operate to receive customer orders placed through an online order system. While examples of such communication is provided in the present disclosure, including, but not limited to that provided in U.S. Pat. No. 10,689,240 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0273283, it will be recognized that other manners of communication of customer beverage orders into the beverage dispensing machine may be used. Once such orders are received by the POS system 152, the orders are communicated to the computer 150 and the beverage dispensing machine 10 may operate as disclosed to automatedly fulfill the received customer orders.
As previously described, the beverage dispensing machine 10 operates to provide a series of indexed locations 48a-j and operates to advance the cup holders through this plurality of indexed locations to automate the beverage dispensing process. The computer 150 receives a signal from a sensor 154 indicating that the cup holder at the last staging location (e.g. 48j) of the plurality of indexed locations is clear of a cup. The beverage dispensing machine 10 is then ready to dispense a cup for a subsequent beverage order into this cup holder. The computer 150 provides an instruction to the motor 158 to advance the carousel 26 one increment to move each of the cup holders 38 from the indexed location in which the cup holder is currently located to a next subsequent indexed location of the plurality of indexed locations 48a-j. The computer 150 maintains a record, at a memory at a computer readable medium, which exemplarily includes the location of each identified cup holder, the current indexed location of each cup holder, and a status of each cup holder. The status of each cup holder may include if a cup is located therein, a cup size located therein, an ordered beverage to be dispensed or an identification of the dispensed beverage in the cup.
As previously described, the cup dispenser 24 may operate to dispense each of a plurality of differently sized cups at each of a plurality of cup dispensing locations. Continuing the example, if the customer order specifies a “small” cup size, exemplarily associated with indexed location 48a, then the cup dispenser 24 is operated by a control signal from the computer 150 to dispense a single small cup into the cup holder (eg. cup holder #1) located at the first indexed location 48a. The computer 150 updates the associated record accordingly to note that an empty small cup is now in cup holder #1 which is at indexed location 48a. If the customer order instead specifies another size of cup, then the cup dispenser 24 is operated to not release a cup until the cup holder #1 reaches the indexed location (e.g. 48a-d) associated with the selective release device for the specified cup size. The computer 150 updates the records for each of the cup holders/cup locations with each operation to advance the plurality of cup holders/cup locations to the subsequent indexed locations.
The motor 158 is operated to advance the plurality of cup holders/cup locations through the subsequent indexed locations. When cup holder #1, containing a cup therein, is advanced to the ice dispense location (e.g. indexed location 48e), the computer 150, noting that the customer order associated with cup holder/cup location #1 is a “small” size (e.g. volume) beverage that requires ice, provides instructional communications to the ice dispenser 28 to dispense a “small” size quantity of ice. The computer 150 updates the record for cup holder #1 to reflect a small cup filled with ice at indexed location 48e.
The motor 158 is next operated by the computer 150 to advance the plurality of cup holders/cup locations to the subsequent indexed location (e.g. cup holder #1 at indexed location 48e is moved to indexed location 48f) which is the beverage dispense location, associated with the beverage dispenser 32. The computer 150, noting that the customer order associated with cup holder #1 is a “small” size cola beverage, provides instructional communications to the beverage dispenser 32 to operate the associated valves to dispense a cola beverage in the volume associated with a “small” size. The computer 150 updates the record for cup holder/cup location #1 to reflect a small cup filled with ice and cola at indexed location 48f.
The motor 158 is next operated by the computer 150 to advance the plurality of cup holders/cup locations to the subsequent indexed location (e.g. cup holder/cup location #1 to indexed location 48g) which is the first staging location. While at any one of the plurality of staging locations, the dispensed beverage may be removed for delivery to the customer. However, the plurality of staging locations, provide the ability to aggregate dispensed beverages into a single customer order and removal from the beverage dispensing machine at one time (e.g. in quick succession of each other). As the beverage dispensing machine 10 operates to automatedly dispense further customer-ordered beverages, the motor 158 is operated by the computer 150 to advance the plurality of cup holders/cup locations to the subsequent indexed location (e.g. cup holder #1 to indexed location 48h, then 48i, then 48j). As noted above, if the cup at cup holder #1 is not removed by the time that cup holder #1 reaches indexed location 48j, then the sensor 154 will provide a signal to the computer 150 to hold on any further operations to the motor 158, advancing the cup holders/cup locations to any subsequent indexed locations until cup holder #1 is clear and ready to receive a new cup for a subsequent customer order.
Citations to a number of references are made herein. The cited references are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. In the event that there is an inconsistency between a definition of a term in the specification as compared to a definition of the term in a cited reference, the term should be interpreted based on the definition in the specification. It is recognized that the examples provided herein as well as in the references incorporated by reference are examples of the disclosure and that still further combinations of the features of these individual disclosures are recognized to be made and are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.
In the above description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be inferred therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. The different systems and method steps described herein may be used alone or in combination with other systems and methods. It is to be expected that various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.
The functional block diagrams, operational sequences, and flow diagrams provided in the Figures are representative of exemplary architectures, environments, and methodologies for performing novel aspects of the disclosure. While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the methodologies included herein may be in the form of a functional diagram, operational sequence, or flow diagram, and may be described as a series of acts, it is to be understood and appreciated that the methodologies are not limited by the order of acts, as some acts may, in accordance therewith, occur in a different order and/or concurrently with other acts from that shown and described herein. For example, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that a methodology can alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states or events, such as in a state diagram. Moreover, not all acts illustrated in a methodology may be required for a novel implementation.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
The application claims priority of US Provisional Patent Application No. 63/277,359, filed on Nov. 9, 2021, the contents of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63277359 | Nov 2021 | US |
