Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6364159
-
Patent Number
6,364,159
-
Date Filed
Monday, May 1, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, April 2, 200222 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, L.L.P.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 222 1
- 222 39
- 222 63
- 222 1293
- 222 1294
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
An intelligent fountain dispenser performs automated control and systems diagnostics in real time. The intelligent fountain dispenser includes a controller in electrical communication with a syrup valve, a water valve, a carbonator valve, a water level sensor, a flowmeter, and an input panel. The intelligent fountain dispenser also includes a dispenser housing and a carbonator tank. Water and carbon dioxide mix in the carbonator tank to produce carbonated water. The carbonator valve supplies water to the carbonator tank in accordance with instructions received from the controller. The controller also instructs the syrup valve and the water valve in the supply of syrup and carbonated water, respectively, to the dispenser housing. The controller provides the instructions to the valves based on information received from the water level sensor, flowmeter, and input panel. The controller performs systems diagnostics by monitoring the voltage drop across current-sensing resistors associated with each of the valves. The controller can also perform system diagnostics based on information supplied by a signature resistor associated with the input panel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fountain dispensing machines and, more particularly, to fountain dispensers that incorporate automated control and diagnostics systems for monitoring status and maintaining proper performance.
2. Description of the Background Art
Fountain dispensers are commonly used to provide beverages, both carbonated and non-carbonated, to consumers. As a means of delivering a fresh beverage on demand, fountain dispensers find widespread usage in such places, among others, as restaurants, convenience stores, movie theaters, amusement parks, and grocery stores. Typically, a fountain dispenser delivers a beverage in response to a specific selection made by the recipient. By pushing a particular button or pressing a particular lever, for example, the chosen beverage is drawn from its reservoir, flows through dedicated hosing, and pours through a nozzle and into a cup or other receptacle for consumption. In the case of a carbonated beverage, carbonated water, or soda, flows through its own hosing until it is combined with syrup to form a properly mixed product.
When dispensing a carbonated beverage, the fountain dispenser must mix the soda and given syrup in the correct ratio to achieve a beverage of satisfactory quality. Over time, the actual ratio delivered by the fountain dispenser may drift to levels that result in beverages falling outside specified quality requirements—a condition leading to an undesirable, unintended taste. When this occurs, the ratio must be corrected.
In previously known fountain dispensers, soda-syrup ratios are measured by drawing each component into a graduated cylinder and comparing the respective, actual fluid levels to calibrated levels. To make this measurement, one must first remove the facing and nozzle of the fountain. If the levels depart from the calibrated levels, a technician adjusts the appropriate valve settings until the ratio returns to acceptable levels. Under a cruder approach, the beverage can alternately be taste-tested and the valve settings adjusted, to interactively arrive at a desired, albeit inexact, ratio. At any rate, both methods entail cumbersome, time-consuming maneuvers to measure and correct the soda-syrup ratio.
In addition to delivering the correct soda-syrup ratio, a fountain dispenser must produce and provide carbonated water of sufficiently high quality. To accomplish this, fountain dispensing systems known to the art typically rely upon the activation of a low-level probe within the carbonator tank. When the water level within the tank drops to a certain point, the low-level probe indicates that it is exposed to air rather than water; setting in motion a sequence whereby a valve opens and water fills the tank. This technique, however, introduces inefficiency by requiring that the carbonator tank be large enough to store a static reservoir of water to accommodate unanticipated periods of high pour demand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an intelligent fountain dispenser that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
In accordance with the present invention, a fountain dispenser operates in conjunction with an automated control and diagnostics system. The system performs diagnostics in real time, providing the advantage of verifying that the dispenser is performing correctly. In addition, the present invention intelligently recognizes the development of performance problems and, in turn, provides notification of such problems. Notification can come in various forms, including, for example, a beeper alert inside the dispenser, a diagnostic display, or delivery of the information to a remote monitoring system.
The present intelligent fountain dispenser includes a controller, valves for syrup and water, and a carbonator valve. The controller communicates with the valves by way of current-sensing resistors associated with the valves. When a valve is performing correctly, the corresponding current flowing through that valve is normal. Accordingly, the controller recognizes that the sensed valve is operating properly. A malfunctioning valve, conversely, results in an abnormal current, i.e., a current deviating from the normal current, flowing through the current-sensing resistor. In this case, the controller detects the abnormal current and immediately gives notification of a fault condition. Consequently, an operator or technician becomes aware of the problem as soon as it occurs, and repairs can be made at once. With commonly used fountain dispensers, the need for making a repair often becomes apparent only when a consumer has voiced displeasure over the taste of the beverage. This may result in the delivery of any number of sub-standard drinks before the problem is brought to the attention of the owner.
The controller also has the capability to recognize the exact type of consumer interface, including an input panel, employed by the dispenser. In this regard, each type of interface carries with it a unique signature resistor. Thus, for example, the controller can recognize the presence of a single- or multi-flavored nozzle and the particular delivery methodology—e.g., push button, lever, push button and lever, portion control setting, or overfill device—that happens to be installed on the dispenser at a given time. Further, the signature resistor of each interface communicates to the controller the specific valve configuration as well as the type of input panel landscape the consumer sees. Knowledge of the input panel landscape provides another performance check for the fountain dispenser in that the controller can, upon powering-up, check the landscape for occurrences of, among other things, alterations or damage from vandalism, component fatigue, and accidental reconfiguration without the proper steps having been taken. If any undesirable landscape-detectable conditions are present, the controller can then issue the appropriate alert to initiate corrective action.
Another advantage of the present intelligent fountain dispenser comes from facilitated reconfiguration in the field. Toward this end, software embedded in the controller contains the requisite pairings of water and syrup supplies with given delivery switches. With this stored data, the controller can prompt a technician with step-by-step instructions as the dispenser is configured. This ensures that all inputs are properly identified and mapped to the appropriate water and syrup supplies.
The controller of the present invention also can operate in conjunction with a carbonator tank to prevent the introduction of poor quality carbonated water into a beverage. The components involved in this operation include a flowmeter for measuring the amount of carbonated water dispensed, high-level and low-level probes inside the tank for maintaining an adequate supply of water, a carbonator valve for allowing water into the tank, and an input panel that triggers a pour sequence. By monitoring these components, the controller avoids an inefficiency inherent in maintaining the proper water level in known carbonator tanks, namely, activating the carbonator valve to add water into the tank only once the water level dips far enough that the low-level probe is in contact with air rather than water. Instead, the controller, owing to its constant monitoring of the flowmeter and the signals received from the input panel, more precisely recognizes when the water level in the tank is nearing a point that requires replenishment. Thus, the controller can command the carbonator valve to release additional water into the tank before the sinking water level itself reaches a point where the low-level probe is in contact with air rather than water. This provides the advantage of improved drink quality by continually maintaining a higher level of water in the carbonator tank. By keeping the tank more full, the water remains in contact with the CO
2
longer, ensuring higher carbonation levels. This is particularly desirable during periods of high pour demand. By contrast, existing designs allow water in the tank to deplete to such a low level before refilling that there often is inadequate exposure time with the CO
2
during periods of high pour demand.
Moreover, this operation offers a more efficient fill cycle, permitting the use of a smaller carbonator tank. By continually monitoring the water level and maintaining it at an adequate level, the controller of the present invention obviates the need for the customary larger tanks, with their greater static storage capacity designed to account for unanticipated higher draw profiles.
The present invention also provides for automated troubleshooting of the high-level and low-level probes. By communicating with the input panel, flowmeter, and carbonator valve, the controller recognizes when the carbonator tank is full. If the high-level probe does not respond by indicating that the tank is full, the controller signals an alert that the probe is malfunctioning. Similarly, the controller recognizes when the tank is approaching empty. If the low-level probe does not respond by indicating that the tank is almost empty, the controller signals an alert that it is malfunctioning.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the system and method particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof, as well as the appended drawings.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one embodiment of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the objects, advantages, and principles of the invention. In the drawings,
FIG. 1
is a diagrammatical representation of a system made in accordance with the present invention for an intelligent fountain dispenser;
FIG. 2
is a diagrammatical representation of a single-flavor consumer interface for use with the intelligent fountain dispenser of
FIG. 1
; and
FIG. 3
is a diagrammatical representation of a multi-flavor consumer interface for use with the intelligent fountain dispenser of FIG.
1
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The exemplary embodiment of the intelligent fountain dispenser of the present invention is shown in FIG.
1
and is designated generally by reference numeral
10
.
As embodied herein and referring to
FIG. 1
, the intelligent fountain dispenser
10
includes a water source
12
, a syrup source
14
, a dispenser housing
16
, and a controller
100
, for example, a central processing unit (CPU). The water source
12
and the syrup source
14
provide water and beverage syrup, respectively, to the dispenser housing
16
where a beverage is dispensed by a nozzle
18
into a container
19
which then can be removed for consumption.
The water source
12
is in selective fluid communication with a carbonator tank
20
through a conduit
22
. The water source
12
may, for example, include a water distribution system (WDS), a storage tank, a regular water line, a water-in-box (WIB), or a water-in-bag. The fluid flow between the water source
12
and the carbonator tank
20
is controlled by way of a carbonator valve
24
. The carbonator valve
24
is used as a switch to control the fluid flow from the water source
12
to the carbonator tank
20
in accordance with directions received from the controller
100
. The carbonator valve
24
may be any electrically-controlled valve, such as a solenoid or other electromagnetically-actuated valve, a micro-switch or other electronically- or electromechanically-actuated switch, or the like. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the carbonator valve
24
comprises a solenoid. The carbonator valve
24
is associated with a current-sensing resistor
26
in electrical communication with the controller
100
.
The carbonator tank
20
is in selective fluid communication with the dispensing nozzle
18
through a conduit
28
. The fluid flow between the carbonator tank
20
and the dispensing nozzle
18
is controlled by a water valve
30
. The water valve
30
functions as a switch to control the fluid flow from the carbonator tank
20
to the dispensing nozzle
18
as directed by the controller
100
. The water valve
30
may be any electrically-controlled valve, such as a solenoid or other electromagnetically-actuated valve, a micro-switch or other electronically- or electromechanically-actuated switch, or the like. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the water valve
30
comprises a solenoid. The water valve
30
is associated with a current sensing resistor
32
in electrical communication with the controller
100
.
A flowmeter
34
is positioned along the conduit
28
between the carbonator tank
20
and the water valve
30
. The carbonator tank
20
is also in fluid communication with a carbon dioxide (CO
2
) source
36
. The flowmeter
34
may be any device for determining the amount of carbonated water flowing from the tank
20
. For example, the flowmeter
34
may be a flow-rate meter, a flow control valve, or a timed pour.
As illustrated in
FIG. 1
, the intelligent fountain dispenser
10
includes a water level sensor
38
in electrical communication with the controller
100
. The sensor
38
is used to monitor the water level in the carbonator tank
20
and report the water level conditions to the controller
100
so that the controller
100
can instruct the carbonator valve
24
when to permit water to flow into the carbonator tank
20
.
In the preferred embodiment shown in
FIG. 1
, the water level sensor
38
includes three probes: a high-level probe
40
, a low-level probe
42
, and a reference probe
44
. While the high- and low-level probes
40
,
42
are self-explanatory, the reference probe
44
completes a return electrical path for electrical pulses to travel down the high- and low-level probes
40
,
42
and back to the electronics of the sensor
38
. It should be appreciated that the reference probe
44
may be replaced with any electronic device that completes a return electrical path. For example, in place of the reference probe
44
, the carbonator tank
20
can be grounded, and a ground wire connected to the tank wall could be used to complete the return electrical path.
If a reliably accurate flowmeter
34
is used, either the high-level probe
40
or the low-level probe
42
can be used in combination with the flowmeter
34
to provide information to the controller
100
to maintain the desired water level in the carbonator tank
20
. In this situation, the unused probe could be eliminated. If the low-level probe
42
were eliminated, the reference probe
44
would be unnecessary and could also be eliminated.
The syrup source
14
is in selective fluid communication with the dispensing nozzle
18
through a conduit
46
. A syrup valve
48
controls fluid flow between the syrup source
14
and the dispensing nozzle
18
. The syrup valve
48
acts as a switch to control the fluid flow from the syrup source
14
to the dispensing nozzle
18
as instructed by the controller
100
. The syrup valve
48
may be any electrically-controlled valve, such as a solenoid or other electromagnetically-actuated valve, a micro-switch or other electronically- or electromechanically-actuated switch, or the like. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the syrup valve
48
comprises a solenoid. The syrup valve
48
is associated with a current sensing resistor
50
in electrical communication with the controller
100
.
The intelligent fountain dispenser
10
can include a plurality of syrup sources in selective fluid communication with the dispensing nozzle
18
. Each syrup source could dispense a different beverage type, for example, COCA-COLA CLASSIC, DIET COKE, and SPRITE. In this situation, each syrup source would be associated with a different syrup valve to selectively dispense a desired beverage type. However, all of the syrup valves may be associated with one current sensing resistor
50
. Similarly, the dispenser
10
can include a plurality of water supplies in selective fluid communication with the dispensing nozzle
18
. For example, the water supplies may include carbonated water from the carbonator tank
20
, DASANI spring water from a still water storage vessel (not shown), and/or still water from a storage vessel (not shown) or a water line (not shown). Again, each water supply would be associated with a different water valve but may be associated with one current-sensing resistor
32
.
It should be appreciated that the fluid flow paths between the syrup valves and the dispensing nozzle could be combined to minimize the number of conduits connecting with the nozzle. In the event that a plurality of nozzles is provided, i.e., one associated with each syrup source and syrup valve, the desire to combine flow paths would be obviated. Similarly, the fluid flow paths between the water valves and the dispensing nozzle could be combined.
The intelligent fountain dispenser
10
also includes a consumer interface
62
having an input panel
60
in electrical communication with the controller
100
. The consumer interface
62
, including the input panel
60
, is one of a plurality of consumer interfaces
62
having differing configurations, as illustrated in
FIGS. 2 and 3
. The consumer interfaces
62
can include a single-flavor dispenser
64
(
FIG. 2
) or a multi-flavor dispenser
66
(FIG.
3
), and can employ various valve-actuation methodologies. For example, the valve-actuation technologies for single-flavor dispenser interfaces include single push-button, lever (FIG.
2
), portion control setting, and overfill technology actuators. For multi-flavor interfaces, the actuation technologies include push button (FIG.
3
), push button and lever, portion control setting, and overfill technology actuators.
Each consumer interface
62
includes a distinct signature resistor
70
identifying the configuration of the interface
62
. When an interface
62
having an input panel
60
is selected, the associated signature resistor
70
is in electrical communication with the controller
100
. Preferably, the consumer interfaces
62
are removably attachable to the dispenser housing
16
. Alternatively, the consumer interfaces
62
may be removably attachable to a structure (not shown) separate from the dispenser housing
16
, while still being in electrical communication with the controller
100
.
In the preferred embodiment of
FIG. 1
, the intelligent fountain dispenser
10
also includes switch drivers
80
and a communication interface
90
, both in electrical communication with the controller
100
. The switch drivers
80
carry out the controller
100
's instructions for operating the carbonator valve
24
, water valve
30
, and syrup valve
38
. In a preferred embodiment, the switch drivers are associated with the current-sensing resistors
26
,
32
,
50
. The communication interface
90
enables the controller
100
to provide a notification to an outlet
92
,
94
pertaining to the operation of the intelligent fountain dispenser
10
.
The communication interface
90
can be configured to communicate with a point-of-sale outlet
92
through any known electrical connection or combination of electrical connections, for example, a serial connection, a local-area-network (LAN), an intranet connection, or the like. The point-of-sale outlet
92
does not need to be immediately adjacent the point-of-sale, i.e., the register. For example, the point-of-sale outlet
92
could be located in a room or area not directly visible from the point-of-sale.
The communication interface
90
can also be configured to communicate with a remotely-located, central monitoring location outlet
94
through any known electrical connection or combination of electrical connections, for example, a wide-area-network (WAN), a local-area-network (LAN), the internet, modem connection, or the like. The remotely-located outlet
94
could be located in a building next door to the point-of-sale or around-the-world from the point-of-sale. For example, the remotely-located outlet
94
could be a regional outlet, a national outlet, or an international outlet.
The outlets
92
,
94
may provide an audible and/or visual message at the point-of-sale and/or the remote location. For example, the outlets
92
,
94
can be sound-emitting devices that produce an audible message and/or diagnostic displays that produce a visual message. The outlets
92
,
94
can also be handheld devices such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) or the like.
By way of example, in operation of a preferred embodiment of the intelligent fountain dispenser, the controller
100
communicates with the carbonator valve
24
, water valve
30
, and syrup valve
48
to control the supply of water to the carbonator tank
20
, the supply of water to the dispensing nozzle
18
, and the supply of syrup to the dispensing nozzle
18
, respectively. The controller
100
also receives information regarding the performance of the valves
24
,
30
,
48
by way of the current-sensing resistors
26
,
32
,
50
associated with the valves
24
,
30
,
48
.
The controller
100
monitors the voltage drop across the current-sensing resistors
26
,
32
,
50
. The voltage drop corresponds to the current draw of the respective valve
24
,
30
,
48
. When a valve
24
,
30
,
48
is performing correctly, the corresponding current flowing through that valve
24
,
30
,
48
is normal. Accordingly, the controller
100
recognizes that the sensed valve
24
,
30
,
48
is operating properly. Conversely, a malfunctioning valve
24
,
30
,
48
results in an abnormal current, i.e., a current deviating from the normal current, flowing through the current-sensing resistor
26
,
32
,
50
. In this case, the controller
100
detects the abnormal current and immediately provides notification of a fault condition. Consequently, an operator or technician becomes aware of the problem as soon as it occurs, and repairs can be made at once.
The controller
100
also communicates with the signature resistor
70
associated with the consumer interface
62
, including the input panel
60
, associated with the intelligent fountain dispenser
10
. The signature resistor
70
of the consumer interface
62
provides information to the controller
100
regarding the specific valve configuration, as well as the type of input panel landscape presented to the consumer. Thus, the controller
100
can recognize the exact type of the consumer interface
62
employed by the dispenser
10
. For example, the controller
100
can recognize the presence of a single- or multi-flavor nozzle
64
,
66
and what particular delivery methodology—e.g., push button, lever, push button and lever, portion control setting, or overfill device—happens to be installed on the dispenser
10
at a given time.
Since the controller
100
obtains this knowledge of the consumer interface landscape, the controller
100
can, upon powering-up, check the landscape for occurrences of, among other things, alterations or damage from vandalism, component fatigue, and accidental reconfiguration without the proper steps having been taken. If any undesirable landscape-detectable conditions are present, the controller
100
can then issue the appropriate alert to initiate corrective action.
In addition, the intelligent fountain dispenser preferably includes software embedded in the controller
100
that contains the requisite pairings of water and syrup supplies with given delivery switches. With this stored data and knowledge of the consumer interface
62
, including the input panel
60
, the controller
100
can prompt a technician with step-by-step instructions as the dispenser
10
is configured to ensure that all inputs are properly identified and mapped to the appropriate water and syrup supplies.
The controller
100
of the preferred embodiment of the present invention also operates in conjunction with the carbonator tank
20
to prevent the introduction of poor quality carbonated water into a beverage. The controller
100
monitors the condition of the high- and low-level probes
40
,
42
of the water level sensor
38
to determine when to activate the carbonator valve
24
to add water into the carbonator tank
20
. The controller
100
also monitors fluid flow through the flowmeter
34
and dispensing requests entered at the input panel
60
of the consumer interface
62
.
Monitoring the condition of the probes
40
,
42
provides the controller
100
with the ability to supply water to the carbonator tank
20
when the water level drops below the low-level probe
42
and to cease the supply of water when the water level rises to the high-level probe
40
. In addition, monitoring the carbonator valve
24
, the flowmeter
34
, and the dispensing requests provides the controller
100
with the ability to supply water to the carbonator tank
20
before the water level drops below the low-level probe
42
.
For example, if the carbonator tank has a capacity of 100 ounces of water, the high-level probe
40
may be positioned to detect 88 ounces of water and the low-level probe
42
may be positioned to detect 76 ounces of water. If the carbonator tank
20
is filled to the high-level probe
40
and 10 ounces of water are then supplied to the dispensing nozzle
18
, only 78 ounces of water remain in the carbonator tank
20
. Based solely on the condition of the low-level probe
42
, the controller
100
would not activate the carbonator valve
24
to provide additional water to the tank
20
until the water level dropped below the low-level probe
42
.
However, since the controller
100
monitors the fluid flow through the flowmeter
34
, the carbonator valve
24
, and the beverage requests made at the input panel
60
, the controller
100
can anticipate that the water level will drop below the low-level probe
42
and activate the carbonator valve
24
before the water level reaches the low-level probe
42
. For example, if the carbonator tank
20
contains
78
ounces—two ounces above the low-level probe
42
—and the controller
100
detects a beverage request(s) requiring more than two ounces of water from the carbonator tank
20
, the controller
100
can activate the carbonator valve
24
to supply water to the tank
20
before the water level reaches the low-level probe
42
.
In addition, if the carbonator tank
20
is filled to the high-level probe
40
and the controller
100
detects
13
ounces of fluid flow through the flowmeter
34
, the controller
100
can activate the carbonator valve
24
to provide water to the tank
20
even if the low-level probe
42
does not signal a low-water-level condition. Further, if the water level reaches the low level probe
42
and the controller
100
activates the valve
24
, the controller
100
can cease the supply of water to the tank
20
after approximately
12
ounces are supplied, even if the high-level probe
40
does not signal a high-water-level condition.
As a result, the carbonator tank
20
is kept more full and the water remains in contact with the CO
2
longer, ensuring higher carbonation levels. This is particularly desirable during periods of high pour demand. Moreover, this operation offers a more efficient fill cycle, permitting the use of a smaller carbonator tank.
The preferred embodiment of the intelligent fountain dispenser also provides for automated troubleshooting of the high-level and low-level probes
40
,
42
. By communicating with the input panel
60
, flowmeter
34
, and carbonator valve
24
, the controller
100
recognizes when the carbonator tank
20
is full by simply keeping track of the water entering and exiting the carbonator tank
20
. The running totals of water entering and exiting the tank are stored in a memory device (not shown) such that the values will be preserved in the event of a power failure. If the high-level probe
40
does not respond by indicating that the tank
20
is full, the controller
100
signals an alert that the high-level probe
40
is malfunctioning. Similarly, the controller
100
recognizes when the water level in the tank
20
is below the low-level probe
42
. If the low-level probe
42
does not respond by indicating a low-level condition, the controller
100
signals an alert that it is malfunctioning.
It should be appreciated that an intelligent fountain dispenser
10
in accordance with the invention may include a plurality of consumer interfaces
62
, and each consumer interface may include one or more input panels
60
. Such a configuration would merely require duplication of the above-described elements of the invention, where necessary.
It also should be appreciated that an intelligent fountain dispenser
10
in accordance with the invention may include a second flowmeter positioned in fluid communication between the water source
12
and the carbonator tank
20
. The second flowmeter could be used to monitor the amount of water flowing into the carbonation tank
20
and, thus, would be in communication with the controller
100
. The second flowmeter may be any device for determining the amount of water entering the tank
20
. For example, the second flowmeter may be a flow-rate meter, a flow control valve, or a timed pour with a controlled water supply.
Further, it should be appreciated that an intelligent fountain dispenser
10
in accordance with the invention may include a still water storage tank in addition to or in place of the carbonator tank
20
described above if the fountain dispenser
10
is used for dispensing non-carbonated beverages. In such case, the still water tank would include elements similar to those associated with the carbonator tank
20
, such as the water level sensor
38
, flowmeter
34
, inlet (carbonation) valve
24
, and water source
12
. Of course, a CO
2
source would not be associated with the still water tank. Flow into and out of the still water tank, as well as water level monitoring of the still water tank, would be conducted as described above with regard to the carbonator tank
20
.
Yet further, it should be appreciated that the water source
12
, if in the form of a storage vessel, could include the elements described above in connection with the carbonator tank
20
, absent the CO
2
source. As a result, flow into and out of the water storage vessel, as well as water level monitoring of the water storage vessel, would be conducted as described above with regard to the carbonator tank
20
.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the intelligent fountain dispenser of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, the preferred embodiment of the invention as set forth herein is intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Further, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention.
Claims
- 1. A method for dispensing a fountain beverage comprising:removably attaching a selected one of a plurality of consumer interfaces having differing configurations to a dispenser housing; providing each of the plurality of consumer interfaces with a distinct signature resistor; determining the particular configuration of the selected consumer interface removably attached to the dispenser housing based on information communicated between the signature resistor of the selected consumer interface; and dispensing a fountain beverage with a controller in electrical communication with the selected consumer interface removably attached to the dispenser housing.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the selected consumer interface removably attached to the dispenser housing is operating properly based on information communicated between the signature resistor of the selected consumer interface.
- 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:relaying an alert signal to an outlet when a determination is made the selected consumer interface removably attached to the dispenser housing is not operating properly; and producing an alert notification in response to the alert signal.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein producing an alert notification includes producing an audible message.
- 5. The method of claim 3, wherein producing an alert notification includes producing a visual message.
- 6. The method of claim 3, wherein producing an alert notification includes producing an alert notification to a remote-monitoring system.
- 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:selectively and removably connecting a plurality of different water supplies to the dispenser housing; selectively and removably connecting a plurality of different syrup supplies to the dispenser housing; and embedding software in the controller including a match list correlating the different water supplies and the different syrup supplies to each of the plurality of consumer interfaces.
- 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising programming the software with an instruction set for properly installing any one of the plurality of consumer interfaces with the different water supplies and syrup supplies.
- 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising delivering instructions with the embedded software for manually installing any one of the plurality of consumer interfaces with the different water supplies and syrup supplies.
US Referenced Citations (44)