The subject matter disclosed herein relates to beverage machines. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to additive bins for beverage machines.
Syrups and other additives are utilized in beverage machines and dessert machines to flavor drinks, milkshakes, frozen desserts and other products. The syrups are mixed with ice and/or other ingredients or syrups and dispensed from the beverage machine. The syrups are typically provided in single-use bags that connect to the beverage machine. The use of large single-use bags results in a minimum quantity purchases from the syrup supplier by the user of the machine, adding costs particularly for low-volume users.
In one embodiment, a beverage dispenser includes a mixing portion to mix a plurality of beverage ingredients and a dispensing portion to dispense the mixed beverage. The dispenser further includes a product input portion having a plurality of refillable ingredient bins operably connectible to the mixing portion. Each refillable ingredient bin includes a self-closing seal located at a bin outlet to prevent leakage of the beverage ingredients from the bin outlet when the refillable ingredient bin is disconnected from the mixing portion.
Alternatively or additionally, in this or other embodiments the seal is secured and/or locked to the ingredient bin via a removable seal holder.
Alternatively or additionally, in this or other embodiments the seal holder is securable to the ingredient bin via a twist-lock feature.
Alternatively or additionally, in this or other embodiments the seal is a silicone seal.
Alternatively or additionally, in this or other embodiments the ingredient bin has a sloping bottom to direct ingredients in the ingredient bin toward the bin outlet.
Alternatively or additionally, in this or other embodiments the ingredient bin includes a removable lid.
Alternatively or additionally, in this or other embodiments the plurality of ingredient bins are positioned in a cabinet.
In another embodiment, an ingredient bin assembly for a beverage dispensing machine includes a refillable ingredient bin having a bin outlet and a self-closing seal positioned at the bin outlet to prevent leakage of beverage ingredients from the bin outlet when the refillable ingredient bin is disconnected from a beverage dispensing machine.
Alternatively or additionally, in this or other embodiments the seal is secured and/or locked to the ingredient bin via a removable seal holder.
Alternatively or additionally, in this or other embodiments the seal holder is securable to the ingredient bin via a twist-lock feature.
Alternatively or additionally, in this or other embodiments the seal is retained at the seal holder between an inner seal holder and an outer seal holder.
Alternatively or additionally, in this or other embodiments the seal is a silicone seal.
Alternatively or additionally, in this or other embodiments the ingredient bin has a sloping bottom to direct ingredients in the ingredient bin toward the bin outlet.
Alternatively or additionally, in this or other embodiments the ingredient bin includes a removable lid.
These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
The subject matter is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the present disclosure are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The detailed description explains embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawing.
Shown in
Referring now to
Referring to
The seal 34 and seal holder 36 are secured to the bin 24 at the bin outlet 26, and are removable from the bin 24 to allow for replacement of the seal 34 when desired, for example, when worn or damaged or at the end of the seal's useful life. In some embodiments, as shown in
Referring to
The embodiments of the bin disclosed herein eliminate the need for a single-use bag, allowing syrup and other ingredients to be added directly to, and dispensed from the bin. By eliminating the bag, and the minimum volume ingredient purchase that accompanies it, the user of the machine is able to supply fresher ingredients, and also may utilize ingredients, such as fruits or flavored syrups, not available in single-use bag form.
While the present disclosure has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the present disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the present disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate in scope. Additionally, while various embodiments have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the present disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of an earlier filing date from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/056,036 filed Sep. 26, 2014, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2709519 | Cushman | May 1955 | A |
2772817 | Jauch | Dec 1956 | A |
3116747 | Cowles | Jan 1964 | A |
3117695 | Cox, Jr. | Jan 1964 | A |
3193143 | Maieli | Jul 1965 | A |
3243084 | Stegner | Mar 1966 | A |
3297206 | Scholle | Jan 1967 | A |
3341073 | Arps | Sep 1967 | A |
3368721 | Wiskochil | Feb 1968 | A |
3371824 | Goss | Mar 1968 | A |
3435990 | Pike, Jr. | Apr 1969 | A |
3595467 | Goglio | Jul 1971 | A |
3626980 | Svensson | Dec 1971 | A |
3811294 | Taylor | May 1974 | A |
3837533 | Splan | Sep 1974 | A |
3920149 | Fortino | Nov 1975 | A |
3940018 | Scholle | Feb 1976 | A |
3949934 | Goglio | Apr 1976 | A |
3964636 | Rehrig | Jun 1976 | A |
4124146 | Sealfon | Nov 1978 | A |
4314768 | Goglio | Feb 1982 | A |
4316557 | Benoun | Feb 1982 | A |
4378078 | Daniels | Mar 1983 | A |
4703870 | Sedam | Nov 1987 | A |
4757920 | Harootian, Jr. | Jul 1988 | A |
4773561 | Sedam | Sep 1988 | A |
4796788 | Bond | Jan 1989 | A |
4890772 | Heuberger | Jan 1990 | A |
4898308 | Rudick | Feb 1990 | A |
5029734 | Nichols | Jul 1991 | A |
5064096 | Illing | Nov 1991 | A |
5086950 | Crossdale | Feb 1992 | A |
5102010 | Osgar | Apr 1992 | A |
5133482 | Burrows | Jul 1992 | A |
5163587 | Apps | Nov 1992 | A |
5172831 | Burrows | Dec 1992 | A |
5330154 | Mashburn | Jul 1994 | A |
5419448 | Watson | May 1995 | A |
5555996 | Lang-Ree | Sep 1996 | A |
5641012 | Silversides | Jun 1997 | A |
5673823 | Hanks | Oct 1997 | A |
5694991 | Harris | Dec 1997 | A |
5890616 | Cravens | Apr 1999 | A |
5938078 | Dorsey | Aug 1999 | A |
5967322 | Apps | Oct 1999 | A |
6003733 | Wheeler | Dec 1999 | A |
6016935 | Huegerich | Jan 2000 | A |
6050444 | Sugg | Apr 2000 | A |
6050455 | Soehnlen | Apr 2000 | A |
6056157 | Gehl | May 2000 | A |
6378730 | Reddy | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6419121 | Gutierrez | Jul 2002 | B1 |
6607097 | Savage | Aug 2003 | B2 |
6644510 | Kawolics | Nov 2003 | B2 |
6793387 | Neas | Sep 2004 | B1 |
6871015 | Gutierrez | Mar 2005 | B2 |
6938801 | Reddy | Sep 2005 | B1 |
6971550 | Kuge | Dec 2005 | B2 |
7147134 | Gutierrez | Dec 2006 | B2 |
7223426 | Cheng | May 2007 | B2 |
7282176 | Glachet | Oct 2007 | B2 |
7331487 | Macler, II | Feb 2008 | B2 |
7708035 | Windmiller | May 2010 | B2 |
7762429 | Macler | Jul 2010 | B2 |
7972064 | Anderson | Jul 2011 | B2 |
8177096 | Macler | May 2012 | B2 |
8800817 | Norris | Aug 2014 | B2 |
9045260 | Norris | Jun 2015 | B2 |
9717354 | Gehl | Aug 2017 | B2 |
9739272 | Dobbins | Aug 2017 | B2 |
20060118581 | Clark | Jun 2006 | A1 |
20060283879 | Rasmussen | Dec 2006 | A1 |
20090158937 | Stearns | Jun 2009 | A1 |
20090178570 | Minard | Jul 2009 | A1 |
20100089921 | Ellenkamp-Van Olst | Apr 2010 | A1 |
20120097705 | Py | Apr 2012 | A1 |
20120230148 | Van Opstal | Sep 2012 | A1 |
20140154391 | Mehta | Jun 2014 | A1 |
20140263454 | Connerat | Sep 2014 | A1 |
20150245734 | Vogelsang | Sep 2015 | A1 |
20160089647 | Minard | Mar 2016 | A1 |
20160096157 | Mazarei | Apr 2016 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20160089647 A1 | Mar 2016 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62056036 | Sep 2014 | US |