Methods and Apparatuses for Making Compositions Comprising an Acid and an Acid Degradable Component and/or Compositions Comprising a Plurality of Selectable Components

Abstract

A method and apparatus for making a composition comprising storing at least one acid in an acid storage container, storing at least one acid-degradable component in a component storage container, and mixing the at least one acid from the acid storage container and the at least one acid-degradable component from the component storage container such that the at least one acid and the at least one acid-degradable component mix together to form the composition. A method and apparatus for providing a selected beverage from a plurality of selectable beverages comprising storing a number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates separately in a respective number of beverage component storage containers and in response the selection of the selected beverage, automatically dispensing, continuously in a predetermined ratio for any volume of the beverage dispensed, any combination of at least two or more of the number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates and a dituent.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus for making and dispensing a variety of beverages made in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an user input means for selecting a selectable beverage from a variety of product or product component choices and additive choices made in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of a method for making and dispensing a variety of beverages which are selectable by an user.

Claims

1. Method for making a composition comprising, storing at least one acid in an acid storage container;storing at least one acid-degradable component in a component storage container; andmixing the at least one acid from the acid storage container and the at least one acid-degradable component from the component storage container such that the at least one acid and the at least one acid-degradable component mix together to form the composition comprising the at least one acid and the at least one acid-degradable component.

2. Method as in claim 1 wherein the composition is a beverage.

3. Method as in claim 2 wherein the at least one acid comprises at least one food acid and the at least one acid-degradable component comprises at least one food acid-degradable beverage component.

4. Method as in claim 2 wherein the beverage is a carbonated beverage, a juice drink, or a flavored water drink.

5. Method as in claim 1 wherein the step of mixing is conducted such that the at least one acid and the at least one acid-degradable component mix together and form the composition for consumption of the composition by an end consumer without long term storage of the composition.

6. Method as in claim 1 wherein the at least one acid comprises at least one acid concentrate.

7. Method as in claim 1 wherein the at least one acid-degradable component comprises at least one acid-degradable component concentrate.

8. Method as in claim I wherein the composition is selectable from a plurality of selectable compositions and the method further comprises: storing a plurality of acid-degradable components, including the at least one acid-degradable component, in a respective plurality of component storage containers;receiving a request for the composition; andin response to the selection of the composition, automatically dispensing the at least one acid from the acid storage container and one or more of the plurality of acid-degradable components from respective ones of the plurality of component storage containers such that the at least one acid and the one or more of the plurality of acid-degradable components mix together to form the composition comprising the at least one acid and the one or more of the plurality of acid-degradable components.

9. Method as in claim 1 wherein the composition is selectable from a plurality of selectable compositions and the method further comprises: storing a plurality of acids, including the at least one acid, in a plurality of respective acid storage containers;storing a plurality of acid-degradable components, including the at least one acid-degradable component, in a respective plurality of component storage containers;receiving a request for the composition; andin response to the selection of the composition, automatically dispensing one or more of the plurality of acids from respective ones of the plurality of acid storage containers and one or more of the plurality of acid-degradable components from respective ones of the plurality of component storage containers such that the one or more of the plurality of acids and the one or more of the plurality of acid-degradable components mix together to form the composition comprising the one or more of the plurality of acids and the one or more of the plurality of acid-degradable components.

10. Method as in claim 1 further comprising dispensing the composition comprising the at least one acid and the at least one acid-degradable component into a container.

11. Method as in claim 1 wherein the mixing of the at least one acid with at least one acid-degradable component comprises dispensing the at least one acid from the acid storage container and the at least one acid-degradable component from the component storage container such that the at least one acid and at least one acid-degradable component mix together at a point of creation within or proximate to a container to form the composition.

12. Method as in claim 1 wherein the step of mixing the at least one acid and the at least one the acid-degradable component comprises dispensing the at least one acid and the at least one acid-degradable component from a post-mix dispenser, a vending machine, an in-store dispenser, or a manufacturing plant dispenser.

13. Method as in claim 1 wherein the at least one acid comprises phosphoric acid, lactic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid or combinations thereof

14. Method as in claim 1 wherein the acid-degradable component comprises flavor oils, flavor chemicals, natural flavor extracts, caramel, preservatives, caffeine, caloric sweeteners, non-caloric sweeteners, or combinations thereof

15. Method as in claim 6 wherein the at least one acid concentrate is mixed to form the composition such that the at least one acid concentrate is present in the composition in a ratio based on parts by volume of the composition to parts by volume of the at least one acid concentrate ranging from 1,000,000:1 to 5:1.

16. Method as in claim 6 wherein the at least one acid concentrate is mixed to form the composition such that the at least one acid concentrate is present in the composition in a ratio based on parts by volume of the composition to parts by volume of the at least one acid concentrate ranging from 2,000:1 to 75:1.

17. Method as in claim 6 wherein the at least one acid concentrate is mixed to form the composition such that the at least one acid concentrate is present in the composition in a ratio based on pads by volume of the composition to parts by volume of the at least one acid concentrate ranging from 300:1 to 75:1.

18. Method as in claim 7 wherein the at least one acid-degradable component concentrate is mixed to form the composition such that the at least one acid-degradable component concentrate is present in the composition in a ratio based on parts by volume of the composition to pans by volume of the at least one acid-degradable component concentrate ranging from 1,000,000:1 to 5:1.

19. Method as in claim 7 wherein the at least one acid-degradable component concentrate is mixed to form the composition such that the at least one acid-degradable component concentrate is present in the composition in a ratio based on parts by volume of the composition to parts by volume of the at least one acid-degradable component concentrate ranging from 2,000:1 to 75:1.

20. Method as in claim 7 wherein the at least one acid-degradable component concentrate is mixed to form the composition such that the at least one acid-degradable component concentrate is present in the composition in a ratio based on parts by volume of the composition to parts by volume of the at least one acid-degradable component concentrate ranging from 300:1 to 75:1.

21. Method for providing a selected beverage from a plurality of selectable beverages comprising: storing a number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates separately in a respective number of beverage component storage containers, the number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates being two or more;receiving a request for the selected beverage; andin response to the selection of the selected beverage, automatically dispensing, continuously in a predetennined ratio for any volume of the beverage dispensed, any combination of at least two or more of the number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates from the respective beverage component storage containers and a diluent into a container such that the combination of the non-sweetener beverage component concentrates and the diluent mix together and form the selected beverage comprising the combination of the non-sweetener beverage component concentrates and the diluent.

22. Method as in claim 21 wherein the number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates is three or more.

23. Method as in claim 21 wherein at least one of the number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates comprises a food acid concentrate and at least one of the number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates comprises a food acid-degradable beverage component concentrate.

24. Method as in claim 21 wherein the diluent is a syrup, a calorie sweetener, a non-caloric sweetener, water, carbonated water, or combinations thereof

25. Method as in claim 21 wherein the beverage is a carbonated beverage, a juice drink, or a flavored water drink.

26. Method as in claim 21 wherein the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate is mixed to form the beverage such that the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate is present in the beverage in a ratio based on parts by volume of the beverage to parts by volume of the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate ranging from 1,000,000:1 to 5:1.

27. Method as in claim 21 wherein the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate is mixed to form the beverage such that the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate is present in the beverage in a ratio based on pans by volume of the beverage to pans by volume of the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate ranging from 2,000:1 to 75:1.

28. Method as in claim 21 wherein the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate is mixed to form the beverage such that the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate is present in the beverage in a ratio based on parts by volume of the beverage to parts by volume of the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate ranging from 300:1 to 75:1.

29. Method as in claim 21 wherein the step of dispensing is conducted with a post- mix dispenser, a vending machine, an in-store dispenser, or a bottling plant beverage dispenser.

30. An apparatus for selectively preparing a selected beverage from a plurality of selectable beverages comprising: a first acid storage container for storing a first acid;a plurality of beverage component storage containers for storing a plurality of respective acid-degradable beverage components;a user interface for selecting the selected beverage from the plurality of selectable beverages; anda dispenser for automatically dispensing into a container, in response to a user selecting the selected beverage though the user interface, the first acid from the first acid storage container and one or more of the plurality of acid-degradable beverage components from respective ones of the plurality of beverage component storage containers such that the first acid and the one or more of the plurality of acid-degradable beverage components mix together to form the selected beverage comprising the first acid and the one or more of the plurality of acid-degradable beverage components.

31. Apparatus as in claim 30 wherein the dispenser dispenses the at least one first acid and the one or more of the plurality of acid-degradable beverage components such that the at least one first acid and the one or more of the plurality of acid-degradable beverage components mix together and form the beverage for consumption of the beverage by an end consumer without long term storage of the beverage.

32. Apparatus as in claim 30 further comprising a plurality of acid storage containers, including the first acid storage container, for storing a respective plurality of acids, including the first acid, and wherein the dispenser is structured and arranged for automatically dispensing, in response to the user selecting the selected beverage through the user interface, one or more of the plurality of acids from respective ones of the plurality of acid storage containers and one or more of the plurality of acid-degradable beverage components from respective ones of the plurality of the beverage component storage containers such that the one or more of the plurality of acids and the one or more of the plurality of acid-degradable beverage components mix together to form the selected beverage comprising the one or more of the plurality of acids and the one or more of the plurality of acid-degradable beverage components.

33. Apparatus as in claim 30 wherein the dispenser is a post-mix dispenser, a vending machine dispenser, an in-store dispenser, or a bottling plant beverage dispenser.

34. Apparatus as in claim 30 wherein the first acid comprises a first food acid.

35. Apparatus as in claim 30 wherein the first acid comprises a first food acid and at least one of the plurality of acid degradable beverage components comprises a first food- acid-degradable beverage component.

36. An apparatus for selectively preparing a selected beverage from a plurality of selectable beverages comprising: a number of beverage component storage containers for separately storing a corresponding number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates, the number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates being two or more:a user interface for selecting the selected beverage from the plurality of selectable beverages; anda dispenser for automatically dispensing, continuously in a predetermined ratio for any volume of the beverage dispensed, into a container, in response to the user selecting the selected beverage through the user interface, any combination of at least two or more of the number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates from respective ones of the beverage component storage containers and a diluent such that the combination of the non-sweetener beverage component concentrates and the diluent mix together and form the selected beverage comprising the combination of the number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates and the diluent.37. Apparatus as in claim 36 comprising at least four beverage component storage containers and wherein the number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates is three or more.38. Apparatus as in claim 36 wherein at least one of the number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates comprises a food acid concentrate and at least one of the number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates comprises a food acid-degradable beverage component concentrate.39. Apparatus as in claim 36 wherein the diluent is a syrup, a caloric sweetener, a non-caloric sweetener, water, carbonated water, or combinations thereof40. Apparatus as in claim 36 wherein the beverage comprises a carbonated beverage, a juice drink, or a flavored water drink.

41. Apparatus as in claim 36 wherein the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate is mixed to form the beverage such that the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate is present in the beverage in a ratio based on parts by volume of the beverage to parts by volume of the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate ranging from 1,000,000:1 to 5:1.

42. Apparatus as in claim 36 wherein the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate is mixed to form the beverage such that the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate is present in the beverage in a ratio based on parts by volume of the beverage to parts by volume of the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate ranging from 2,000:1 to 75:1

43. Apparatus as in claim 36 wherein the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate is mixed to form the beverage such that the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate is present in the beverage in a ratio based on parts by volume of the beverage to parts by volume of the at least one non-sweetener beverage component concentrate ranging from 300:1 to 75:1

44. Apparatus as in claim 36 wherein the dispenser is a post-mix dispenser, a vending machine, an in-store dispenser, or a bottling plant beverage dispenser.