Claims
- 1. In a beverage dispenser having a housing, a container for a liquid disposed in the housing, and a discharge means for dispensing liquid, an out-of-liquid sensor having a pair of spacedly disposed electrodes, said sensor including means defining a first passage and means defining a second passage with a one of said electrodes disposed at the junction between said first and second passages and the other of said electrodes being so disposed at a said passage as to substantially contact any substantial fluid flow through such a passage, said first and second passages being disposed at substantially transverse directions to each other, said one electrode comprising a probe electrode having a free downwardly depending end extending substantially transverse to said first passage and substantially parallel to said second passage.
- 2. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second passages is so connected such that substantially any liquid flow from said container to said discharge means passes through said at least one of said passages, and wherein the other of said pair of electrodes is so disposed as to substantially permit contact with substantially any substantial liquid flowing through said at least one of said passages.
- 3. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 1, switching means operatively connected across said pair of spacedly disposed electrodes for selectively electrically bypassing said electrodes.
- 4. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a tray for supporting said container and having means contacting said one electrode for electrically referencing said other electrode and said tray at substantially the same reference voltage.
- 5. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 1, sensing means electrically connected to said pair of electrodes for sensing any change of impedance between said pair of electrodes.
- 6. A dispenser as set forth in claim 1 wherein said other electrode is disposed at one end of said first passage remote from said one electrode.
- 7. A dispenser as set forth in claim 6 wherein said probe electrode extends parallel to and disposed over said second passage.
- 8. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 1 wherein said out-of-liquid sensor includes a sensor housing defining said first and second passages therein, said probe electrode being disposed substantially vertically so that liquid may break therefrom by gravity, said sensor housing having means defining a relatively small compartment disposed about at least a portion of said probe electrode and above said second passage.
- 9. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 8 wherein said out-of-liquid sensor includes a cap and a seal means in part defining said small compartment.
- 10. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 8 further comprising pump means for maintaining a partial liquid vacant space in said small compartment about at least a portion of said probe electrode.
- 11. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 8 wherein said probe electrode is disposed substantially coaxial with said second passage.
- 12. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 11 wherein said probe electrode has a tapered end extending in the direction of said second passage.
- 13. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 12 wherein:
- the beginning of the taper of said tapered end is substantially in alignment with the top of the first passage; and
- said tapered end includes a point disposed substantially in alignment with the bottom of the first passage.
- 14. In a beverage dispenser having a housing, a liquid container disposable in the housing and comprised of a box member having supported therein a liquid-tight bag member for storing liquid and having coupling therefrom an outlet member having an outlet port and connected to said box member and to said bag member, an adapter member having a liquid coupling port and engageable in the outlet port of said outlet member, said adapter member extending inside said box member by a length at least substantially equal to the length of said outlet member, said adapter member having wall means defining wall hole means for enabling liquid coupling despite any bag member contact against the inner end of said adapter member,
- wherein said adapter member is connected outside said box member to a control valve for controlling liquid flow from said bag member, said control valve comprising a first base member adapted to be held substantially stationary in the housing and a second member adapted to be held to the container outlet member for quick-disconnect mating with the first member,
- wherein said second member includes top and bottom housing sections having supported therebetween an operating member including a control disk having a liquid passage therein.
- 15. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 14 wherein said control disk also has a rinse passage.
- 16. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 14 wherein both said top and bottom housing sections include O-ring seals.
- 17. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 14 further including a securing clip for holding the top and bottom housing sections together integrally with the control disk.
- 18. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 17 further including a slide ember operatively co-acting with said first baser member for operating said securing clip to provide for quick-disconnect between the first base member and the second member, said slide member having separate positions including one position in which said fist and second members are interlocked in liquid tight relative position and a second position in which the second member is separated from the first member for quick disconnection.
- 19. A beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 18 wherein said slide member includes a ramp means.
- 20. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 19 wherein said securing clip has follower means associated with said ramp means.
- 21. In a dispenser having a housing, a container for a liquid disposed in the housing, and a discharge means for dispensing liquid, a control valve for controlling liquid coupling, said control valve comprising separate quick disconnect members including a first base member held stationary in the housing and a second member adapted to be held to the container outlet for quick disconnect mating with the first member, said second member including top and bottom housing sections having supported therebetween an operating member, means for holding the top and bottom housing sections together, and means operatively co-acting between said first and second members and including a slide member having separate positions including one position in which said first and second members are interlocked in liquid-tight relative position and a second position in which said second member is separated from said first member for quick disconnection.
- 22. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 21 wherein both said top and bottom housing sections include O-ring seals.
- 23. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 21 wherein said operating member includes a control disk having a liquid passage therein.
- 24. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 23 wherein said control disk also has a rinse passage.
- 25. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 23 wherein said operatively co-acting means comprises a securing clip for holding the top and bottom housing sections together integrally with the control disk.
- 26. A beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 25 wherein said slide member includes a ramp means.
- 27. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 26 wherein said securing clip has follower means associated with said ramp means.
- 28. In a beverage dispenser having a housing, a liquid container disposable in the housing and comprised of a box member having supported therein a liquid-tight bag member for storing liquid and having coupling therefrom an outlet member having an outlet port, adapter means having a liquid coupling port and engageable in the outlet port of said outlet member, said adapter means extending inside said box member and having wall means defining wall hole means for enabling liquid coupling despite any bag member contact against the inner end of said adapter means, said adapter means being connected outside said box member to a control valve for controlling liquid flow from said bag member, said control valve comprising a first base member adapted to be held substantially stationary in the housing and a second member adapted to be held to the container outlet member for quick-disconnect mating with the first member,
- wherein said second member includes top and bottom housing sections having supported therebetween an operating member including a control disk having a liquid passage therein.
- 29. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 28 wherein said control disk also has a rinse passage.
- 30. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 28 wherein both said top and bottom housing sections include O-ring seals.
- 31. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 28 further including a securing clip for holding the top and bottom housing sections together integrally with the control disk.
- 32. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 31 further including a slide member operatively co-acting with said first base member for operating said securing clip to provide for quick-disconnect between the first base member and the second member, said slide member having separate positions including one position in which said first and second members are interlocked in liquid tight relative position and a second position in which the second member is separated from the first member for quick disconnection.
- 33. A beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 32 wherein said slide member includes a ramp means.
- 34. In a beverage dispenser as set forth in claim 33 wherein said securing clip has follower means associated with said ramp means.
Parent Case Info
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 07/092,433, filed Sept. 2, 1987, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,676.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0159118 |
Feb 1985 |
EPX |
0176259 |
Aug 1985 |
EPX |
728252 |
Apr 1955 |
GBX |
2098963 |
Dec 1982 |
GBX |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
92433 |
Sep 1981 |
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