Patent Application
20130221025
A system for identifying and locating fluid pathways through a fluid carrying device and, more particularly, a system comprising schematics and locating marks or indicia associated with a fluid carrying device having a multiplicity of separate channels therethrough, including schematics for identifying the location of specific lines, ports, and buttons associated with specific fluid sources and channels through the fluid carrying device.
Dispensing systems, such as beverage dispensing systems, typically include a multiplicity of fluid sources, for example, cylinders containing a variety of different pressurized syrups, pressurized soda, and water under pressure.
Dispensing systems typically engage the multiplicity of pressurized fluid containers to carry the pressurized fluid through a flow control assembly, a manifold, with a multiplicity of lines carrying fluid from the manifold to a bar gun assembly. The bar gun assembly has a multiplicity of buttons for controlling a multiplicity of valves therethrough, for dispensing a beverage into a container. The beverage typically is comprised of syrup mixed with soda, water mixed with another beverage, or just soda or just water alone. Typically dispensing systems are known in the art.
It is seen that fluid dispensing systems typically provide for a line from each of the multiplicity of pressurized fluid bearing containers to a flow control and manifold assembly. The multiplicity of separate and distinct fluids is maintained in separate and distinct channels through the manifold and manifold and flow control assembly, and separate and distinct fluid bearing lines that connect the manifold and flow control assembly to the bar gun handle. Moreover, the separate fluids are maintained in separate channels within the handle of the bar gun assembly, which separate channels have separate valves, controlled by separate buttons, associated therewith. At the nozzle end of the handle, separate or mixed fluids are dispensed into a container.
It is an object of the present invention to provide information relating to channel, line, port, and button location and pattern, such information associated with structural elements of a dispensing system so as to assist in operating or troubleshooting when using, maintaining or repairing elements of the system.
A beverage dispensing system is disclosed, typical of prior art beverage dispensing systems, in that it is designed to dispense fluids, such as syrup and/or soda and water, from a bar gun. The bar gun is connected by a multiplicity of lines to a manifold and flow control assembly. The manifold and flow control assembly, in turn, receives a number of different fluids, typically syrup, water and soda, under pressure from a number of different pressurized containers. Applicants' novel system includes schematics, typically in the form of adhesive labels, applied to the dispensing system, typically on the manifold and flow control assembly, which schematics illustrate the button arrangement on the handle, and the inlet port layout on the handle, and relate the same, using words, symbols or a combination, to indicia identified ports on the manifold and flow control assembly.
A fluid dispensing system has a bar gun assembly that includes a handle with a multiplicity of inlet ports arranged generally in a plane and having an inlet port layout, and a multiplicity of buttons arranged in a second plane and having a button layout. The fluid dispensing system also has a manifold and flow control assembly having a multiplicity of separate fluid channels therethrough, the manifold and flow control assembly having a flow control assembly and a manifold assembly. The flow control assembly also has a multiplicity of inlet ports for receiving fluids from a multiplicity of fluid sources. The manifold assembly has inlet ports for receiving fluid from the flow control assembly. Separate channels connect the inlet ports of the flow control assembly to the inlet ports of the manifold assembly.
A multiplicity of lines is provided for connecting the inlet ports of the manifold to the inlet ports of the bar gun assembly. Indicia on the manifold and fluid dispensing assembly locate and distinguish the multiplicity of separate fluid channels therein from one another. An inlet port schematic on the manifold and fluid dispensing assembly illustrates where each fluid line associated with each fluid channel and port connects to the handle. A button layout schematic illustrates where each button associated with the control of each fluid associated with each line and each fluid channel is located, for example, with respect to the rest of the buttons.
Applicants also provide for a system for identifying fluids moving separately from one another via multiple paths through a fluid carrying device. The fluid carrying device includes a flow control assembly having multiple inlet ports, including at least a first and second inlet port, for receiving at least a first and second fluid from a first and second fluid source. The flow control assembly may be typical of the prior art, having a multiplicity of outlet ports, including at least a first and a second outlet port, with the first and second outlet ports of the flow control assembly in fluid communication with the first and second inlet ports of the flow control assembly, respectively. The flow control assembly further includes a multiplicity of flow control valves, including at least a first and a second flow control valve for controlling the flow of the first and second fluid between the first and second inlet ports and the first and second outlet ports, respectively. A manifold assembly is provided having a multiplicity of inlet ports, including at least a first and second inlet port, the manifold assembly being adapted to removably engage the flow control assembly such that the multiplicity of inlet ports and the multiplicity of outlet ports of the flow control assembly sealingly and releasably engage. The first and second inlet ports of the manifold assembly align with the first and second outlet ports of the flow control assembly, the manifold assembly also has a manifold cover.
A multiplicity of fluid lines engage the inlet ports of the manifold assembly. The multiplicity of fluid lines include at least a first and a second fluid line, the multiplicity of fluid lines engage the manifold assembly such that each of the manifold inlet ports, including the first and second inlet ports of the manifold engages each of the inlet ports, including first and second fluid lines, in a fluid sealing manner.
A bar gun assembly is adapted to receive the multiplicity of fluid lines in fluid sealing relation. The bar gun assembly has a handle with a body including a heel portion, the heel portion having a multiplicity of inlet ports arranged in a bar gun inlet port layout. The multiplicity of inlet ports engage the multiplicity of fluid lines. The multiplicity of bar gun assembly inlet ports, include at least a first and a second inlet port, engage the first and second fluid lines. The handle includes a multiplicity of fluid channels therethrough, the multiplicity of channels including at least a first and a second fluid channel. The first and second fluid channels engage the first and second inlet ports.
The bar gun assembly further typically includes a button assembly for operating a multiplicity of valves, the button assembly including a multiplicity of buttons arranged in a button layout. The multiplicity of buttons include at least a first and a second button to engage a first and a second valve of the multiplicity of valves. The bar gun assembly further includes a nozzle for receiving fluids from the multiplicity of fluid channels, including the first and second fluid channel, and for mixing at least the first and the second fluids.
Generally, the flow control assembly typically includes a flow control valve identifying member associated with each of the multiplicity of flow control valves. The manifold or fluid control assembly typically includes a manifold inlet port mark or indicia associated with the location of each of the multiplicity of inlet ports. The manifold typically includes a first schematic representation, the first schematic representation representing the bar gun inlet port layout. The manifold typically also includes a second schematic representation, the second schematic representation representing the button layout of the bar gun. The schematics may be on the cover of the manifold.
Applicants' system for identifying fluid pathways through a fluid carrying device includes and is applied to a manifold and flow control assembly 12 that is engaged to a bar gun assembly 14 through a multiplicity of fluid lines 16, typically enclosed within a sheath 21.
Manifold and flow control assemblies are known in the art as are bar gun assemblies and fluid lines for connecting the manifold and flow control assemblies to the bar gun assembly. Thus, a dispensing system typically comprises a multiplicity of fluid sources (not shown) typically pressurized. These sources are engaged through lines in a manner known in the art to manifold and flow control assemblies, such as that illustrated in
The separate fluids are maintained through separate channels in the manifold and flow control assembly and the bar gun assembly until dispensed from the nozzle of the bar gun assembly through the operation of buttons on the bar gun assembly in a manner known in the art.
Turning now to
An inlet port assembly 18 on the flow control assembly is defined by a multiplicity of inlet ports, here ten, designated 18a-18j, each of which inlet port is adapted, in manners known in the art, to engage a separate line from a separate pressurized fluid source. The flow control assembly may also contain an outlet port assembly 20 defined by a multiplicity of individual outlet ports, here ten, designated 20a-20j. Between each of the individual inlet ports and each of the individual outlet ports, a flow control valve assembly 22 is provided with the multiplicity of individual flow control valves, here designated 22a-22j.
Pressurized fluid provided at each of the individual ports 18a-18j is controlled by an individual valves 22a-22j in a variety of ways known in the art and provides fluid flow control at each of the multiplicity of individual outlet ports 20a-20j.
The manifold 15 includes an inlet port assembly 24 comprised of individual inlet ports, here ten, designated 24a-24j. Inlet port assembly 24 removably engages outlet port assembly 20 in ways known in the art. A multiplicity of lines, here ten, designated 16a-16j is provided for connecting to the multiplicity of inlet ports 24a-24j to carry the separate fluid flow controlled fluids to an inlet port assembly 28 typically on the heel of bar gun assembly 14. Inlet port assembly 28 is comprised of an arrangement of inlet ports, here ten, designated 28a-28j, for engaging the appropriate line of the multiplicity of lines 16a-16j.
Button assembly 30 is provided comprised of a multiplicity of separate buttons, here ten, designated 30a-30j. In ways known in the art, the buttons control valves, the valves associated with channels of fluid flow through the bar gun. Here, there is a button associated with a valve and a valve associated with each of the different fluid channels. Buttons 30a-30j correspond to the separate and distinct fluids flowing through the various channels defined by the ports, the lines, and the walls of the fluid flow device.
Flow control valve identifying members 32a-32j will have a letter, symbol, number, word or a combination thereof. The words, such as soda, water, Coke, Sprite, etc., may identify a liquid flowing through the valve by its commonly understood term. A letter may also, such as O for orange, L for lime. A unique symbol, such as S2, S6 or M, may designate a liquid whose nature and identity would be discovered through the identification of the cylinder associated with each valve or an index key. That is to say, flow control valve identifying members 32a-32j may be specific and have a literal message that will identify the nature of the fluids flowing through or general, which would typically require knowledge from the source of the liquid as an indexed key to determine the nature of the liquid being handled by that particular valve.
Indicia locating separate and distinct channels, here adjacent inlet ports on the manifold assembly or ports on the flow control assembly, are placed close to or adjacent to the individual ports thereby identifying and distinguishing their position. Collectively, port identification indicia is referenced 34 and may include an adhesive label. The individual fluids will be identified by the indicia carrying a numeral, letter, a combination of the same or a word, which word may actually identify the nature of the fluid flowing through. In the illustrated embodiment, there are up to ten fluids capable of being handled by the dispensing system. The port locating indicia are identified as 34a-34j (see
Fluid lines 16a-16j are connected to ports of the manifold and engage the inlet ports of the bar gun. Each line will carry, typically at or near one or both ends, indicia identical to that found on the associated port locating indicia 34a-34j. These indicia may be referred to as fluid line marks, indicia or markers.
Element 36 is a schematic, such as a label with a set of inscriptions or inscriptions applied directly to a workpiece, the schematic reflecting the bar gun assembly inlet port layout. Inlet port schematic 36 typically identifies, by location, vis-à-vis one another, the proper placement of the lines connecting the ports on the manifold assembly to the inlet ports of the bar gun, that is, lines 16a-16j. That is to say, inlet port schematic 36 will represent the pattern defined by the multiplicity of ports and will further represent the proper placement of the line that is associated with a particular individual fluid carried in the line to the inlet ports. The schematic typically approximates the size of the inlet port layout or arrangement, but is not necessarily (but may be) to an approximately 1 to 1 scale. Moreover, further information 36k may be provided on schematic 36 to indicate that it represents structure located at the “end of the handle” and further such information may designate the pattern orientation, such as “up,” as seen in
It will be further understood that the various different channels through the bar gun assembly are supplied by the multiple inlet ports and are associated with valves controlled by the buttons of the button assembly in a manner or manners known in the art. A further schematic representation of the bar gun assembly button layout is provided, which bar gun assembly button layout schematic 38 will illustrate with multiplicity of indicia 38a-38j, graphical representations of the buttons and their positions vis-à-vis one another. Indicia 38a-38j also carry the indicia found on schematic inlet port layout 36 as in 36a-36j which also corresponds also to the indicia 34a-34j. Thus, indicia on the manifold and flow control assembly, here 34a-34j locates channels or ports with lines, here 16a-16i, which lines connect the inlet ports, which ports engage channels operated by buttons and use the same indicia as schematics 36 and 38. This provides diagnostic, maintenance and service information to the user so he may easily distinguish the channel/button from inlet at the manifold and flow control assembly 12 and through the button assembly.
In short, the dispensing system identifies the location of structural elements in the manifold and flow control system with symbols and/or words adjacent thereto. These symbols or words are repeated at least on a schematic representing the inlet port layout of the bar gun and a schematic representing the button layout. Typically the symbols same or words identifying ports/channels will be placed at both ends of the fluid lines. Further, fluid identifying information may be placed on or near the flow control valves. Thus, by the position of a button among a button layout, a user can trace or find the associated line, inlet port, and flow control valve and manifold port. Further, by indicia on the buttons one may identify the fluid associated therewith.
While the schematics are typically found on the manifold cover, one or more may be placed in addition to or in this location. One or more schematics may be placed on or attached to other elements of the dispensing system. One or both schematics may be placed on the bar gun handle or the sheath carrying the fluid lines, for example. The schematics (one or both) may be remote to the dispensing system, as on a website or in a manufacturer's catalog or manual. Schematics may be represented by graphics on a label applied by using an adhesive or any other suitable manner. Schematics may be applied by silk screen or other similar ways directly to one or more elements of the dispensing system. The port identifying indicia may be on the flow control assembly, such as on caps 27 (see
The flow control valve of the flow control assembly 17 may include a multiplicity of flow control valve members, here ten, designated 32a-32j, each member associated with each valve 22a-22j, so as to be close to the valve or on the valve so it is immediately apparent that the member and the indicia thereon identifies, with the symbol or word or otherwise, unique from the other members, a fluid flowing therethrough that may be a different fluid from the other valves. For example, it is seen in
Applicants correlate on schematics specific parts (on manifold and flow control assembly), inlet ports (on handle) to the buttons. Indicia may correlate in any way in which will allow the user to recognize which button/port/line/valve will carry the same fluid. For example, if the system is intended to handle six different fluids, indicia might be simply 1-6 for the six buttons; 1-6 for the six ports of the manifold and flow control device. The actual buttons when viewed on the handle may look like this:
The schematics might look like this for this button layout:
The schematics might look like this for the inlet port:
The port identification indicia (placed adjacent ports) might look like this:
Lines connecting the numbered ports would carry the proper number. The valve on the flow control may carry a 1-6 designation or the term describing the actual fluids; Coke, Diet Coke, Root Beer, Sprite, water and juice, example. Because the flow control valve is aligned with the numbered ports, it will be apparent, if “Coke” is aligned with port numbered “1”, what fluid is being carried with ports/line/buttons carrying the number “1”.
Typically, however, there are certain recognized words in industry-conventional words, like soda, water, Coke, Pepsi, Sprite, etc. Some buttons will typically reflect these words, but when a first customer is ordering a dispensing system, they will often desire different button arrangements for different syrups, than a second or third customer. In fact, Applicants provide over 200 different buttons, for example, buttons carrying single letters (sometimes against different color backgrounds), two letter combinations (again, sometimes against different color backgrounds), full words (Coke, Diet, Cherry, Slice, tea, etc.), contractions or abbreviations (“rbeer,” “straw,” “bmary,” “mtdew”) or just colored buttons with no words or symbols. As one can imagine, tens of thousands of combinations are possible, even for a three button system (2003). Applicant, however, has reduced the multiplicity of combinations needed for schematics by using common schematic designations—for example S1-S8, soda and water for a ten button combination. Thus, Applicants needs only stock S1-S8 marked lines (and a “water” as well as a “soda”), a single port label, a single button schematic, and a single inlet port layout schematic. This is regardless of which ten button combination (with soda and water being two chosen buttons) is chosen by the customer. Once the customer chooses the buttons, they are arranged on the handle during assembly of the bar gun, the schematics are put in place and, when the system is assembled, the customer refers to the bar gun buttons for connecting the proper lines from the handle and from the different fluid sources to the different manifold and flow control assembly ports.
Thus, Applicants have reduced tens of thousands of possible schematic designations, to just a few by designating specific button locations in an array, to common ports, lines and valves.
Note the position of the buttons alone will, when looking at the button layout schematic, tell the user what ports and lines are associated with that button location. Thus, if there is a problem or a flavor needs to be changed, the user knows the lines and the ports (at both bar gun end and manifold end) that require attention. That is to say, button position correlates to inlet ports, manifold ports, lines and also typically flow control valves.
In the initial setup of the dispensing system, a customer may order a button arrangement such as that illustrated in
The embodiment illustrated shows ten channels/lines/ports and buttons, associated with up to ten different fluid sources. Indicia is located positionally on or adjacent one or more of the following elements: bar gun inlet ports, bar gun buttons, ports of the manifold and flow control assembly and fluid lines. At least one, and typically two, schematics are provided, typically removed from the layout represented: button layout and inlet port layout. However, the same identification and location system may be applied to any dispensing system having two or more buttons, and two or more separate fluid bearing sources. Further, while a ten button system is illustrated, it may be used with less than ten fluid sources, in ways known in the art. The term alphanumeric symbol as used herein may be one or more letters, one or more numbers or a combination thereof.
In a preferred embodiment, the schematics are placed on the manifold and flow control assembly such that when the manifold and flow control assembly is mounted to a support surface (on or near a bar, for example), the schematics are visible to the user without the need for disassembling any parts of the dispensing system.
In a preferred embodiment, a method of using Applicants' system is disclosed. For example, a customer purchasing a dispensing system may designate a bar gun button layout choosing from a first multiplicity of button designations or provide button designations himself. The dispensing system manufacturer will then take that physical button layout, for example, a ten button arrangement as set forth in
In a preferred embodiment, designations common to the two schematics and the ports are used, which common designations represent a number of different possible indicia on the buttons.
Although the invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the invention's particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alterations, modifications, and equivalences that may be included in the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
This continuation application claims the benefit of, incorporates by reference, and priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/315,249, filed Dec. 1, 2008; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/128,719, filed May 23, 2008, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/286,441, filed Sep. 30, 2008.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61128719 | May 2008 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 12315249 | Dec 2008 | US |
| Child | 13850799 | US | |
| Parent | 12286441 | Sep 2008 | US |
| Child | 12315249 | US |
