Patent Grant
7806294
The present invention relates generally to a beverage dispenser, and more particularly, to systems and methods for providing both flavor doses and beverages.
A number of beverage dispensers are well known in the art. These include carbonated beverage dispensers, non-carbonated beverage dispensers, beverage brewing systems, and liquor distribution systems. Some dispensers simply distribute a pre-mixed beverage that is supplied from behind the scenes storage tanks or bags. Other dispensers mix a beverage concentrate with water in a predetermined ratio in order to produce a finished product. These two types of dispensers, however, are generally limited to dispensing a mixed or blended beverage.
There are other dispensers that only dispense a flavor dose that can be added to an already existing beverage. The volume of the flavor dose may be automatically measured out by the dispenser, such as with a manual pump that produces a known volume each actuation, or the volume flavor dose may be based on user experience or skill, as with a squeeze bottle. These dispensers, however, are generally limited to dispensing a concentrated flavor shot.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved beverage and flavor dose dispenser.
Disclosed are systems and methods for dispensing flavor doses and beverages. A beverage tower may be provided that has a small footprint and that is capable of dispensing a wide variety of flavor doses and blended beverages. The beverage tower may include a flow control module that controls the flow rate of beverage additives and water through the beverage tower and a switch module that includes a plurality of switches that may be selectively opened and closed to control the flow of beverage additives and water through the beverage tower to a point of dispense. A flavor dose or blended beverage may be dispensed by the beverage tower in accordance with user input that is provided to the beverage tower via a control panel. The user input may specify a desired beverage additive, a desired cup size, and an indication of whether a flavor shot or a blended beverage is desired. Additionally, a user may define and program into the memory of the beverage tower the various flavor doses and blended beverages that are capable of being dispensed by the beverage tower.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a beverage dispenser includes a flow control module that is configured to be coupled to a plurality of incoming supply lines carrying water and at least one beverage additive, and the flow control module provides individual channels through which the water and beverage additive pass at a controlled flow rate. A switch module is then configured to receive the water and beverage additive from the flow control module, and the switch module provides individual channels through which the water and beverage additive respectively pass, the switch module comprising a switch associated with each of the channels through which the water and beverage additive pass that may be selectively actuated to individually control the flow of the water and beverage additive through the switch module. A nozzle is configured to receive the water and beverage additive downstream from the switch module and provide individual channels through which the water and syrup are dispensed. A control panel is configured to receive user selection of a mixed beverage or a beverage additive, and a control unit coupled to the control panel and the switch module selectively actuates each switch based on the user input received by the control panel.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for dispensing beverage additives and beverages is disclosed. Water and at least one beverage additive is received from a plurality of incoming supply lines. The flow of the received water and beverage additive is controlled with a flow rate device and individually actuatable switch associated with each incoming supply line. User input on the selection of a blended beverage is then received and predetermined amounts of the water and beverage additive are dispensed based on the user input by selectively actuating at least one of the switches associated with the water and the beverage additive associated with the selected blended beverage. Additionally, user input on the selection of a beverage additive is received and a predetermined amount of the beverage additive is dispensed based on the user input by selectively actuating at least one of the switches associated with the selected beverage additive.
Various aspects of the present invention may be applicable to both a beverage dispenser and a method for dispensing beverage additives and beverages. According to an aspect of the present invention, the control panel is further configured to receive a size selection from the user. The control panel may further include a removable selection card that depicts one or more user input options. The removable selection card may be a mylar card. The control panel further comprises a top off selection, wherein the top off selection will dispense an additional amount of the last blended beverage dispensed by the beverage tower when selected. According to another aspect of the present invention, the control panel comprises a plurality of coupling capacitor sensing elements configured to received user input. User input is received by the control panel without the user making physical contact with the control panel. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the control unit further comprises a memory configured to store a plurality of beverage additive shot sizes and a plurality of ratios associated with the different size selections provided by the control panel, wherein the plurality of ratios define the amount of beverage additive to be mixed with a predetermined amount of water for each blended beverage dispensed by the beverage dispenser. The beverage additive shot sizes and ratios can be reprogrammed to new beverage additive shot sizes and ratios. The memory is further configured to store a plurality of beverage additives and an indication as to whether a blended beverage may be dispensed for each of the plurality of beverage additives. The memory further includes historical data relating to the use of the beverage dispenser and default settings that define flavor shot sizes and ratios of a plurality of flavor shots and blended beverages.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the switch module is comprised of a unitary block defining the individual channels and configured for securely coupling to the switch associated with each of the individual channels. According to another aspect of the present invention, the nozzle comprises a plurality of injectors configured to dispense the beverage additive received by the nozzle, wherein the plurality of injectors further comprise a mouth formed in a concave manner extending upwardly into the plurality of injectors. The nozzle further comprises a plurality of dispensers and a nozzle cap configured to direct the flow of water dispensed from said dispensers such that the dispensed water mixes with a beverage additive dispensed by the nozzle at a point below the nozzle in order to form a blended beverage. The brix ratio of a blended beverage dispensed by the beverage dispenser does not vary by more than approximately one degree throughout the blended beverage.
Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
The present invention is described below with reference to block diagrams of systems, methods, apparatuses and computer program products according to an embodiment of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams, respectively, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be loaded onto a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus create means for implementing the functionality of each block of the block diagrams, or combinations of blocks in the block diagrams discussed in detail in the descriptions below.
These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement the function specified in the block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the block or blocks.
Accordingly, blocks of the block diagrams support combinations of means for performing the specified functions, combinations of steps for performing the specified functions and program instruction means for performing the specified functions. It will also be understood that each block of the block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based computer systems that perform the specified functions or steps, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
The inventions may be implemented through an application program running on an operating system of a computer. The inventions also may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor based or programmable consumer electronics, mini-computers, mainframe computers, etc.
Application programs that are components of the invention may include routines, programs, components, data structures, etc. that implement certain abstract data types, perform certain tasks, actions, or tasks. In a distributed computing environment, the application program (in whole or in part) may be located in local memory, or in other storage. In addition, or in the alternative, the application program (in whole or in part) may be located in remote memory or in storage to allow for the practice of the inventions where tasks are performed by remote processing devices linked through a communications network. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several drawings.
With reference to
Water 110 supplied to the beverage tower 100 may be supplied from any water source through input tubing, as explained in greater detail below with reference to
According to an aspect of the present invention, the beverage tower 100 may be capable of dispensing one or more flavor syrups 105 that can be used in the making of beverages. The beverage tower 100 may also be capable of dispensing a blended beverage by mixing one or more flavor syrups 105 with water 110. Additionally, the beverage tower 100 may be capable of dispensing carbonated beverages by adding carbon dioxide 120 to a beverage or by incorporating carbonated water into beverages. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the beverage tower 100 can be implemented in such a way as to be capable of dispensing many different types of flavorings, flavored beverages, and blended beverages. For instance, different tea flavorings may be provided to the beverage tower 100 in order to create a variety of blended tea beverages. The beverage tower 100 may be utilized to dispense various flavorings and beverages including but not limited to water, tea, coffee, juices, energy drinks, vitamin-fortified beverages, high fructose corn syrup beverages, sucrolose or diet beverages, and aspartame beverages.
The base portion 205 of the beverage tower 100 may be fixidly or removably attached to the trunk portion 208. The upper portion 210 may be attached to the trunk portion 208 of the beverage tower 100 by upper portion hinges (not shown); however, it will be understood that other methods besides hinges may be used to attach the upper portion 210 to the trunk portion 208 of the beverage tower 100. For example, a variety of screws, tabs, snaps, bolts, or other devices could be used to facilitate the attachments, some of which may be fixed and others of which may be moveable. Hinges are used by the present invention primarily to allow for easy opening of the beverage tower 100, as will be explained in greater detail below.
The top access panel 220 may be removably attached on top of both the upper portion 210 and the top of the trunk portion 208 of the beverage tower 100. The top access panel 220 may provide protection to internal components of the beverage tower 100, and the top access panel 220 may also prevent the beverage tower 100 from being opened when it is in place. The top access panel 220 may simply rest on top of the beverage tower 100 or, alternatively, it may be secured in place on the beverage tower 100. A variety of screws, tabs, snaps, bolts, or other devices could be used to facilitate the secured attachment of the top access panel 220 to the beverage tower 100 and the attachment may be a fixed attachment or a moveable attachment. When the top access panel 220 is removed, the beverage tower 100 may be considered opened, as explained in greater detail below.
Additionally, the opening or closing of the beverage tower 100 and/or delivery of power to the beverage tower 100 may be controlled by the lock and key mechanism 212. When the lock and key mechanism 212 is unlocked and the top access panel 220 is removed, the upper portion 210 of the beverage tower 100 may be opened upward (as shown in
Also shown in
The beverage tower 100 may receive flavor syrup(s) 105 and water 110 through input tubing 230. The input tubing 230 may be any tubing suitable for transporting a liquid to the beverage tower 100 such as, for example, rubber or plastic tubing. The input tubing 230 may include one or more tubes that may or may not be insulated. For example, the input tubing 230 used to transport water 110 from a prechiller 115 to the beverage tower 100 may be insulated in order to maintain the water 110 at a desired temperature. The input tubing 230 may be insulated with any suitable insulation material capable of maintaining a substance transported through the input tubing 230 at a desired temperature, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.
A user interface panel 235 or control panel may be utilized to select either a flavor shot or a blended beverage for a variety of different cup sizes, as explained in greater detail below with reference to
In
Many of the internal components of the beverage tower 100 may be seen in
In operation, when a flavor syrup(s) 105 enters the beverage tower 100 by the input tubing 230, the flavor syrup(s) 105 enters the flow control block 310, which includes a plurality of adjustable orifices (e.g., valves) that define the flow rate of the flavor syrup(s) 105. The flow rate may be individually controlled for each flavor syrup 105 and the flow rate for each flavor syrup 105 may be set so it remains constant at a set rate for each flavor syrup. When a flavor syrup exits the flow control block 310, it then flows to the solenoid block 315 and then from the solenoid block to a nozzle block 402 (
Additionally, an interface card 325 or selection card may be inserted between the interface and control cassette 320 and the front of the upper portion 210 of the beverage tower 100. The interface card 325 may be a removable card or, alternatively, it may be affixed inside the upper portion 210 of the beverage tower 100. It will be understood that the interface card 325 may also be affixed to the front of the upper portion 210 of the beverage tower 100 rather than being situated inside the upper portion 210. If the interface card 325 is inserted inside the upper portion 210 of the beverage tower 100, it may be viewed and accessed through an upper portion opening 330 situated in the front of the upper portion 210. The interface card 325 may provide indicia identifying the various flavor syrups and/or beverages available for dispensing from the beverage tower 100, the available size selections, other user selectable options, as well as marketing indicia. The indicia may be printed on the interface card 325 and/or may be at least partially formed integrally into the interface card 325. The flavor syrups and/or beverages corresponding to that shown on the interface card 325 may be programmed into the interface and control cassette 320, as explained in greater detail below. When desired, such as when the flavors provided by the beverage tower 100 are changed and/or the control logic of the interface and control cassette 320 is changed, a different interface card 325 may be inserted into the beverage tower 100. For example, the interface card 325 may be changed as the selection of flavor shots and beverages dispensed by the beverage tower 100 changes.
It will be understood by those of skill in the art that the interface card 325 and the interface and control cassette 320 may be distinct components as shown in
The flow control block 310 of the beverage tower 100 may include one or more adjustable orifices (e.g., valves) 405 or flow rate devices that define the flow rate of the flavor syrup(s) 105 and water 110 provided to the flow control block 310 by the input tubing 230. Although valves are shown in
The orifices or valves 405 of the flow control block 310 may be constructed from any suitable materials such as, for example, plastic, rubber, or a combination of plastic and rubber. The flow control block 310 may also be constructed from any number of suitable materials such as, for example, plastics, rubber, acrylics, metals, polymers, synthetic materials, or a combination of any such materials.
When a flavor syrup 105 or water 110 exits the flow control block 310, it may then be transported to the solenoid block 315 by solenoid input tubing 415. The solenoid input tubing 415, which may or may not be insulated, may be any tubing suitable for transporting a liquid from the flow control block 310 to the solenoid block 315 such as, for example, rubber or plastic tubing. The solenoid input tubing 415 may be terminated at the edges of the solenoid block 315, as explained in greater detail below. Alternatively, the solenoid input tubing 415 may further extend into the solenoid block 315 to one or more solenoids 410 included within the solenoid block 315. One or more suitable devices such as, for example, pins, staples, or braces, may secure the solenoid input tubing 415 in place at the solenoid block 315. Although the flow control block 310 and the solenoid block 315 are depicted as two separate and distinct components of the beverage tower 100, it will be understood that the flow control block 310 and the solenoid block 315 may be integrally formed as a single component of the beverage tower 100.
The solenoid block 315 may include one or more solenoids 410 that control a gate in the flow path of a flavor syrup 105 and/or water 110 through the solenoid block 315. A solenoid 410 may be provided for each flavor syrup 105 and for water 110. When a solenoid 410 is actuated or opened, a flavor syrup 105 or water 110 may be allowed to flow past the solenoid 410 and through the solenoid block 315 and then exit into output tubing 420, which carries the flavor syrup 105 or water 110 to the nozzle block 402, where it can be dispensed by the beverage tower 100. The interface and control cassette 320 may control the actuation of the various solenoids 410 of the solenoid block 315 based on user input, thereby allowing a user of the beverage tower 100 to select a flavor syrup 105 or beverage for dispense from the beverage tower 100. The control signal from the interface and control cassette 320 may be provided to the solenoids 410 via the solenoid wires 425, which may be any type of wire suitable for communicating an electrical signal to the solenoids 410.
The solenoid block 315 may form a centralized manifold for the array of solenoids 410. Use of a single block such as, for example, an acrylic block may decrease leak points and help maintain steady flow rates and pressure drops across the solenoid array. An acrylic block may also be easily machined and, if a clear acrylic block is utilized, the clear acrylic block may allow for increased visibility of the internal components of the solenoid block 315, thereby providing for easier trouble shooting of the solenoid block 315. A plurality of solenoids 410 may be laid out in a staggered array in the solenoid block 315, as illustrated. The staggered array may be a unique arrangement of the solenoids 410 that requires relatively little space, and, consequently, at least partially contributes to a relatively small footprint for the beverage tower 100. In the illustrative embodiment, the solenoid block 315 may be an acrylic block to which the plurality of solenoids 410 are attached, but it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many materials besides acrylic can be used to construct the solenoid block 315. Each solenoid 410 may include a coil of wire encased in a housing with a moving plunger or shaft. When electricity is applied to the coil of a solenoid 410, the resulting magnetic field may attract the plunger and pull it into the solenoid body, allowing flavor syrup 105 or water 110 to pass through the solenoid 410. When electricity is removed, the solenoid plunger may return to its original position via a return spring or gravity, preventing the flow of a flavor syrup 105 or water 110 through the solenoid 410. It will be understood by those of skill in the art that a variety of different solenoids could be utilized in the present invention including, but not limited to, AC solenoids, DC solenoids, linear open frame solenoids, linear tubular solenoids, rotary solenoids, or variable positioning solenoids. Each solenoid 410 in the solenoid block 315 may be any suitable solenoid such as, for example, a ST-021 solenoid manufactured by KIP, Inc.
When a flavor syrup 105 or water 110 enters the solenoid block 315 through the solenoid input tubing 415, the flavor syrup 105 or water 110 may flow to the one or more solenoids 410 via input channels 412 (
According to an aspect of the present invention, the input channel 412 and/or the output channel 414 may include a bend 445. The bend(s) 445 may be situated in the channels 412, 414 within the solenoid block 315. Additionally, the bend(s) of the input and output channels 412, 414 may be formed with gradual turns thereby helping to maintain constant pressure across the solenoid 410 and to avoid unwanted pressure drops in the solenoid block 315. It will be understood that many different slopes or gradients may be utilized for the bend(s) 440 such as, for example, a slope of approximately ninety degrees.
With reference back to
Additionally, each of the flow channels 517 may include an output opening 518 at its distal end. The output opening 518 may be positioned at the interface of the nozzle block 402 and the nozzle 505. Additionally, each of the output openings 518 may be positioned opposite to and coupled to a corresponding input opening 519 of the nozzle 505. The input openings 519 may be positioned in the nozzle 505 at the interface of the nozzle 505 and the nozzle block 402. Each of the input openings 519 may additionally be incorporated into either a flavor syrup injector 520 or a water injector 525 of the nozzle 505, as explained in greater detail below. In operation, a flavor syrup 105 may flow from a flow channel 517 to a flavor syrup injector 520 via the output opening 518 of the flow channel 517 and the corresponding input opening 519 of the flavor syrup injector 520. Similarly, water 110 may flow from a flow channel 517 to a water injector 525 via the output opening 518 of the flow channel 517 and the corresponding input opening 519 of the water injector 525.
In operation, when a flavor syrup 105, water 110, or blended beverage is dispensed by the beverage tower 100, it is dispensed through the nozzle 505. A flavor shot may be a controlled dispense of a flavor syrup 105. Flavor shots may be dispensed from the nozzle 505 through one or more flavor syrup injectors 520 situated in the center portion of the bottom of the nozzle 505, with each flavor syrup injector 520 opening along the bottom of the nozzle 505. A single flavor syrup injector 520 may be associated with each flavor syrup 105 supplied to the beverage tower 100 or, alternatively, each flavor syrup 105 may be dispensed through a plurality of flavor syrup injectors 520. Additionally, one or more of the flavor syrup injectors 520 may open at a slight angle towards the center point of the bottom of the nozzle 505, as explained in greater detail below. Water 110 may be dispensed from the nozzle 505 through a plurality of water injectors 525 situated in a ring around the flavor syrup injectors 520 on the bottom of the nozzle 505, as explained in greater detail below. Alternatively, the openings for the plurality of water injectors 525 may be situated along the outer side wall of the nozzle 505, and the water injectors 525 may open at a slightly downward angle. As the water injectors 525 dispense water out of the side of the nozzle 505, the water flow may or may not be directed by the nozzle cap 240, as will be described in greater detail below.
When water 110 is dispensed from the beverage tower 100, it may be dispensed from the nozzle 505 through a plurality of water injectors 525 that may be situated in a ring around the flavor syrup injectors 520 on the bottom of the nozzle 505. Dispensed water 110 may make contact with the nozzle 505 after it is dispensed. For example, the dispensed water 110 may contact a nozzle projection 535 that extends downwardly from the nozzle 505 between the openings of the flavor syrup injectors 520 and the water injectors 525. Many different types and shapes of nozzle projections 535 may be used in accordance with the present invention such as, for example, a circular or elliptical nozzle projection. The nozzle 505 and/or nozzle projection 535 may assist in directing the flow of the dispensed water 110. It will also be understood that the dispensed water 110 may make contact with the nozzle cap 240. For example, in an embodiment in which the water injectors 525 are situated on the outer side wall of the nozzle 505, the dispensed water 110 may make contact with the nozzle cap 240, and the nozzle cap 240 may assist in directing the flow of the water 110. In situations where the nozzle cap 240 assists in directing the flow of the water, inward projections 540 situated at the opening 542 or distal end of the nozzle cap 240 may assist in concentrating the flow of the water 110 as it exits the nozzle cap 240. This concentration of the water 110 may assist in the blending of beverages dispensed from the beverage tower 100.
When a blended beverage is dispensed from the beverage tower 100, both a flavor syrup 105 and water 110 may be dispensed through the nozzle 505, as described above. The dispensed flavor syrup 105 may make contact with the dispensed water 110 at or near the focal point 530 and the dispensed flavor syrup 105 may then be mixed with the dispensed water 110. According to an aspect of the present invention, the mixing of the dispensed flavor syrup 105 and the dispensed water 110 may occur at a point below both the nozzle 505 and nozzle cap 240; however, it will be understood that in some embodiments of the present invention, the mixing of the flavor syrup 105 and water 110 may occur within the nozzle cap 240 or even within the beverage tower 100 prior to dispense. According to another aspect of the present invention, the brix of the blended beverage, which is defined as the ratio of flavor syrup 105 to water 110 in the blended beverage, preferably does not vary by more than approximately one degree throughout the beverage.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, color and flavor carryover may be minimized by the beverage tower 100. Color or flavor carryover may occur if an undesirable amount of flavor syrup 105 is dispensed into or drips into a flavor shot or beverage that does not call for that particular flavor syrup 105. The beverage tower 100 of the present invention may minimize color or flavor carryover by implementing an injector mouth 545 that may be formed in a concave or recessed manner extending upstream into the flavor syrup injector 520. The degree of concavity of the flavor syrup injector 520 may be defined by the arcuate surface formed by the injector mouth. A capillary effect may be created by the concave injector mouth 545 which retains a flavor syrup 105 in the flavor syrup injector 520. Droplets of a flavor syrup 105 may be prevented from forming at the injector mouth 545 and, therefore, may be prevented from dripping into a dispensed beverage or flavor shot, minimizing color or flavor carryover. It is to be understood by those skilled in the art that other methods for minimizing color of flavor carryover may be utilized by the present invention, such as providing for a water wash to wash out any flavor syrup droplets that form along the flavor syrup injectors 520.
As shown in
The user interface device 602 may receive user input associated with the operation of the beverage tower 100, and the user input may then be communicated to the control unit 600. According to an aspect of the present invention, the user interface device 602 may make use of capacitance resistance technology to receive user input that, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,452,514, which is incorporated by reference herein. The capacitance resistance used by the user interface device 602 of the present invention is a form of capacitance resistance known as charge-transfer or QT sensing. Two or more electrodes may be arranged to create an electric field transmitted through an adjacent dielectric which can be disturbed by the proximity of an object, such as a human finger.
In addition to the block diagram of the control unit 600,
When an object such as, for example, a user's finger comes into close proximity with a sensing element 650, the electric field generated by the sensing element 650 is disturbed and the charge detector indicates a sensing element or key activation. According to an aspect of the present invention, the sensing surface 660 of the user interface device 602 does not need to physically contact an object used to activate a sensing element 650. This may assist in minimizing any wear on the sensing element 650 and may further increase the overall reliability and lifetime of the beverage tower 100.
According to another aspect of the present invention, objects may be allowed to make contact with a front surface 665 of the user interface device 602 without contacting the sensing surface 660 of the user interface device 602. The front surface 665 may be situated in front of the sensing surface 660 and may protect the sensing surface 660 of the user interface device 602. Additionally, a gap may exist between the front surface 665 and the sensing surface 660 of the user interface device 602. An object may contact the front surface 665 and disturb the electric field generated by an individual sensing element 650, thereby causing a key activation to be recognized by the control unit 600. The front surface 665 of the user interface device 602 may be composed of a clear acrylic sheet that may be surrounded by a black ABS bezel along its outside edge or, alternatively, it may be constructed from any material through which an electric field may pass, such as plastic or glass. An user interface device seal 670 may encircle the outer edge of the front surface 665 along the line of contact of the front surface 665. The user interface device seal 670 may help to prevent dirt and moisture from damaging the user interface device 602.
It will also be understood by those skilled in the art that rather than making use of capacitive switching technology, many other types of buttons or switches may be utilized in accordance with the present invention. These switches include, but are not limited to, electric contact switches, debounced contact switches, and any mechanical switch, toggle, or button that can be activated by a user.
According to an aspect of the present invention, The interface card 325 may be constructed from a mylar polycarbonate film that is approximately 0.010 millimeters thick, but it is to be understood that the access card could be formed from a multitude of different materials having a multitude of thicknesses. If the interface card 325 is situated between the front surface 665 and the sensing surface 660 of the user interface device 602, the thickness of the interface card 325 needs to be small enough to allow the interface card 325 to fit in the gap between the two surfaces 660, 665 and allow the electric field generated by the sensing elements 650 to pass through it. Other materials that may be used to construct the interface card 325 include, but are not limited to paper, cardboard, polycarbonate materials, plastic, glass, and acrylic. Mylar is preferred because it is an extraordinarily strong polyester film that provides superior strength, heat resistance, and insulating properties. Constructing the interface card 325 out of mylar may also result in a card that resists sticking to either the front surface 665 or the sensing surface 660 and, as a result, may be easily removable.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the interface card 325 provides an illustrative example of the various flavor shots or beverages that may be dispensed by the beverage tower 100. The various flavor shots or beverages shown on the interface card 325 may be associated with the sensing elements 650 of the user interface device 602. The user interface device 602 may utilize sensing elements 650 of varying shapes and sizes, and these varying shapes and sizes of the sensing elements 650 may correspond to selective elements shown on the interface card 325. Additionally, the interface card 325 may contain gaps or transparent areas 701 that correspond to or are associated with the visual indicators 655 of the user interface device 602.
According to an aspect of the present invention, when a user disrupts the electric field generated by a sensing element 650 of the user interface device 602, the sensing element 650 may be activated. The selection element layout of the interface card 325 may correspond to the individual sensing elements 650 formed on the sensing surface 660, which will generally correspond with the selection element layout of the user interface device 602. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that many different sensing element shapes and/or sensing element layouts may be formed on the sensing surface 660 and on the corresponding interface card 325. The layout of the interface card 325 shown in
In the exemplary configuration or layout shown in
Also illustrated by
According to another aspect of the present invention, the control logic of the beverage tower 100 may determine the operational functionality of the beverage tower 100, as discussed below with reference to
Generally, when the beverage tower 100 is in its normal dispense mode, a user may select for dispense either flavor shots, water, and/or blended beverages. After a selection has been made by the user, the beverage tower 100 may dispense the desired flavor shot, water, or blended beverage. The user may make a selection by choosing one or more of the keys of the user interface panel 235 or control panel of the beverage tower 100. In making a selection, the user may choose from the options displayed on the interface card 325, thereby activating one or more keys of the user interface device 602. Generally, a user may make a selection by choosing a desired flavor syrup 105, a desired shot or cup size, and whether or not a flavor shot or a blended beverage is desired. Many different methods for the selection of various flavor shots, water, and/or blended beverages may be utilized by the present invention, one of which is described below with reference to
At step 810, if a flavor key 700 is selected while the control unit 600 is in the normal dispense mode, then the control unit 600 goes to step 815 where it determines which flavor key 700 was selected and then the control unit 600 goes to step 820 where the flavor selection is activated. Additionally, at step 820, a visual indicator 655 such as, for example, a light emitting diode (LED) corresponding to the selected flavor key 700 may be illuminated. The visual indicator 655 may remain illuminated for a predetermined period of time and/or until a subsequent user input, such as, for example, approximately 10 seconds or until the cancel key 780 is selected or another flavor key 700 is selected. If the cancel key 780 is selected while the control unit 600 is at step 820, then the control unit 600 may verify that cancel key 780 was selected at step 821 and then the visual indicator 655 may turn off and the control unit 600 may return to step 810.
If another flavor key 700 is selected while the control unit 600 is at step 820, then the previous flavor key selection may be cleared from memory (e.g., within the memory 605 associated with the control unit 600). The new flavor key selection may be determined at step 815 and the new flavor selection may be activated as the control unit 600 returns to step 820. Additionally, the visual indicator 655 for the prior flavor selection may be turned off and the visual indicator 655 for the new flavor selection may be activated. For purposes of the present example, only one visual indicator 655 for flavor selections may be active at any one time; however, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that multiple visual indicators 655 may be active at one time if the beverage tower 100 is configured to dispense more than one flavor shot at a time.
If, while the control unit 600 is at step 820, the beverage key 745 is selected, then the control unit 600 verifies the selection of the beverage key 745 at step 825 and then goes to step 830. Alternatively, if a cup size key 702 is selected while the control unit 600 is at step 820, then the control unit 600 will verify the individual cup size key 755, 760, 765, 770 that was selected at step 835 and then the control unit 600 may go to step 840. At step 840, the control unit 600 may dispense a flavor shot corresponding to the selected flavor key 700 in a volume corresponding to the selected cup size key 702. Additionally, a visual indicator 655 such as, for example, an LED representing the selected cup size key 702 may be illuminated while the beverage tower 100 is dispensing the flavor shot. Additionally, during dispense, all other key selections may be ignored except the cancel key 780. If the cancel key 780 is selected, then the dispense may be stopped. The visual indicator 655 representing the flavor key 700 of the dispensed flavor shot may remain illuminated for a predetermined period of time such as, for example, approximately 10 seconds after the last dispense. As explained in greater detail below, the top-off key 775 may not be operative following the dispense of flavor shots, thereby preventing a dispense of a large amount of a particular flavor syrup 105 as a shot into any given beverage. Due to this and other operator or user constraints, misuse of the beverage tower 100 may be minimized, thus lessening the training time needed to operate the equipment.
At step 810, if the beverage key 745 is selected while the control unit 600 is in its normal dispense mode, then the selection of the beverage key 745 may be verified at step 845 and the control unit 600 may then go to step 850. At step 850, the beverage selection may be activated. A visual indicator 655 associated with the beverage key 745 may also be illuminated at step 850. This visual indicator 655 may remain illuminated for a predetermined period of time and/or until a subsequent user input, such as, for example, approximately 10 seconds or until the cancel key 780 is selected or the beverage key 745 is reselected. If the cancel key 780 is selected while the control unit 600 is at step 850, then the control unit 600 may verify that the cancel key 780 was selected at step 851 and then the control unit 600 may return to step 810. If the beverage key 745 is selected while the control unit 600 is at step 850, then the control unit 600 may verify the selection of the beverage key 745 at step 855 and then return to step 810.
If a flavor key 700 is selected while the control unit 600 is at step 850, then the control unit 600 may verify the selection of the flavor key 700 at step 860 and then go to step 830. At step 830, the control unit 600 may perform a beverage lockout check, the details of which are described below with reference to
When the control unit 600 is at step 810, if the water key 750 is selected, then the selection of the water key 750 may be verified at step 885 and the control unit 600 may go to step 890 where the water selection is activated. Additionally, if the water key 750 is selected after a flavor key 700 and/or the beverage key 745 have been selected, then any flavor selection (step 815), beverage selection (step 850), or beverage and flavor selection (step 865) may be cancelled and the control unit 600 may go to step 890 where the water selection is activated. At step 890, a visual indicator 655 such as, for example, an LED associated with the water key 750 may be illuminated and it may be the only illuminated visual indicator 655 on the interface and control cassette 320. The visual indicator 655 associated with the water key 750 may remain illuminated for a predetermined period of time and/or until a subsequent user input, such as, for example, approximately 10 seconds or until the cancel key 780, a flavor key 700, or the beverage key 745 is selected. If, at step 890, the cancel key 780 is selected, then the control unit 600 may verify the selection of the cancel key 780 at step 891 and then return to step 810. If at step 890, the beverage key 745 is selected, then the control unit 600 may verify the selection of the beverage key 745 at step 892 and then go to step 850. If, at step 890, a flavor key 700 is selected, then the control unit 600 may verify the selection of the flavor key 700 at step 893 and then go to step 820 where the flavor selection may be activated. If, however, at step 890, a cup size key 702 is selected, then the control unit 600 may verify the cup size key selection at step 895 and then go to step 896. At step 896, the control unit 600 may direct the beverage tower 100 to dispense a volume of water 110 corresponding to the cup size key 702 selected. A visual indicator 655 representing the selected cup size key 702 may be illuminated for the approximate time period that the beverage tower 100 is dispensing. During dispense, all other key selections may be ignored except for a selection of the cancel key 780. If the cancel key 780 is selected at step 896, then the dispense may be stopped. The visual indicator 655 representing the water key 750 may remain illuminated for a predetermined period of time such as, for example, approximately 10 seconds after the last dispense of water 110. If the top-off key 775 is selected, then the control unit 600 may direct the beverage tower 100 to dispense water 110 if water 110 was the last liquid dispensed, as explained in greater detail below with reference to
The cancel key 780 may be selected at any point during the steps referenced above. If any substance is being dispensed from the beverage tower 100, the dispense may be immediately stopped, but the last beverage or flavor shot selection may remain in memory 605 for approximately 10 seconds. If no substance is being dispensed when the cancel key 780 is selected, then all selections may be cleared from memory 605 and the control unit 600 may return to step 810.
It is also to be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be implemented in such a way as to allow multiple flavor selections to be made simultaneously, allowing for a greater number of flavor and beverage combination. For example, both a strawberry flavor and a lemonade flavor could be simultaneously selected to create a strawberry lemonade flavor shot or blended beverage.
With reference to
In order to enter the programming mode, a user may be required to enter a particular sequence of keys. As shown in
At step 1110, the control unit 600 may check to determine whether the beverage tower 100 is actively dispensing a substance or whether any visual indicators 655 such as, for example, LED's are currently active. If, at step 1110 either of the above conditions are true, then the control unit 600 may not enter its program mode and may remain in or return to its normal dispense mode at step 810. Alternatively, if neither of the above conditions are determined to be true at step 1110, then the control unit 600 may go step 1100 and enter its programming mode 1100. Additionally, at step 1100, the visual indicators 655 associated with the enter key 775 and the cancel key 780 may be activated and may remain activated for the duration of the time in which the control unit 600 is in the programming mode. Additionally, while the control unit is at step 1100, it may periodically go to step 1115 and check for key press inactivity. If, at step 1115, the control unit 600 determines that no key has been pressed or selected in approximately the last 60 seconds, the control unit 600 may automatically return to its normal dispense mode at step 810. Additionally, if the cancel key 780 is selected while the control unit 600 is at step 1110, then the control unit 600 may return to its normal dispense mode at step 810.
When the control unit 600 is in the programming mode at step 1100, the control unit 600 may test for various key presses or selections that may be utilized in user programming of the beverage tower 100. If, at step 1100, the water key 750 is selected, then the control unit 600 may verify that the water key 750 was selected at step 1125 and then go to step 1130. At step 1130, the control unit 600 may direct the beverage tower 100 to dispense an approximately four second long timed pour of water 110. Additionally, at step 1130, the visual indicator 655 associated with the water key 750 may be illuminated for the duration of the timed water pour.
Alternatively, if at step 1100, a flavor key 700 is selected, then the control unit 600 may go to step 1135 and determine the flavor key 700 that was selected. Then the control unit 600 may go to step 1140 and the flavor selection may be activated. Additionally, at step 1140, the visual indicator 655 associated with the selected flavor key 700 may be illuminated. If, at step 1140, the cancel key 780 is selected, then the control unit 600 may go to step 1141 and verify the selection of the cancel key 780 and then return to step 1100. If; at step 1140, another flavor key 700 is selected, then the control unit 600 may go to step 1135 and verify the new flavor key 700 that was selected and then go back to step 1140. After returning to step 1140, the visual indicator 655 associated with the new flavor key 700 may be illuminated and the new flavor selection will be activated. If, at step 1140, the enter key 775 is selected, then the control unit 600 may go to step 1150 and verify that the enter key 775 was selected. From step 1150, the control unit 600 may go to step 1155 and the flavor selection may be locked. At step 1155, the visual indicators 655 associated with the current water to flavor syrup ratio setting and the current shot size increment for the selected flavor may blink continuously to indicate their current settings. Additionally, at step 1155, if the beverage mode or ability to dispense a blended beverage with the selected flavor is active, then the visual indicator 655 associated with the beverage key 745 may be continuously illuminated. If the selected flavor and its water to flavor syrup ratio setting require use of the same visual indicator 655, then a unique blinking rate of the visual indicator 655 may be displayed. It will be understood that virtually any unique blinking rate may be used such as, for example, two quick blinks followed by three long blinks.
If, at step 1155, the cancel key 780 is selected, then the control unit 600 may verify that the cancel key 780 was selected at step 1141 and then return to step 1100. Alternatively, at step 1155, new shot size increments, water to flavor syrup ratio settings, or beverage mode settings may be selected for the currently locked flavor selection. If, at step 780, a flavor key 700 is selected, then the control unit 600 may go to step 1160 and verify the flavor key 700 that was selected. Then, the control unit 600 may go to step 1165 and set a new flavor water to flavor syrup ratio for the locked in flavor selection. The water to syrup flavor ratio is the relative volumetric quantity of water to syrup in a blended beverage. More specifically, the first flavor key 705 may be used to select a 4:1 ratio; the second flavor key 710 may be used to select a 4.25:1 ratio; the third flavor key 715 may be used to select a 4.5:1 ratio; the fourth flavor key 720 may be used to select a 4.75:1 ratio; the fifth flavor key 725 may be used to select a 5:1 ratio, the sixth flavor key 730 may be used to select a 5.25:1 ratio; the seventh flavor key 735 may be used to select a 5.5:1 ratio; and the eight flavor key 740 may be used to select a 6:1 ratio. Once a new water to flavor syrup ratio has been set at step 1165, the visual indicator 655 associated with the new water to flavor syrup ratio may blink continuously, the visual indicator 655 associated with the old water to flavor syrup ratio may be deactivated, and the control unit 600 may return to step 1155.
If, at step 1155, the beverage key 745 is selected, then the control unit 600 may go to step 1170 and verify that the beverage key 745 was selected. Then the control unit 600 may go to step 1175 and toggle the beverage mode for the locked flavor selection. In other words, the ability to dispense a blended beverage with the locked flavor selection may be toggled. If the visual indicator 655 associated with the beverage key 745 was activated, it may be deactivated and dispensing a beverage will be locked out for the flavor selection. Conversely, if the visual indicator 655 associated with the beverage key 745 was not activated, it will be activated and the beverage tower 100 will be permitted to dispense a blended beverage for the locked flavor selection. The control unit 600 may then return to step 1155.
If, at step 1155, a cup size key 702 is selected, then the control unit 600 may go to step 1180 and verify the cup size key 702 that was selected. Then the control unit 600 may go to step 1185. At step 1185, the control unit 600 may select a new shot size increment for the locked flavor selection. The shot size increment may determine the amount of flavor syrup 105 that will be dispensed for both a flavor shot and a blended beverage for the locked flavor selection. More specifically, the small cup size key 755 may be used for a ¼ ounce shot size increment; the medium cup size key 760 may be used for a ⅓ ounce shot size increment; the large cup size key 765 may be used for a ½ ounce shout size increment, and the extra-large cup size key 770 may be used for a ⅔ ounce shot size increment. Once a new shot size increment has been selected and set at step 1185, the visual indicator 655 associated with the new shot size increment may blink continuously, the visual indicator 655 associated with the old shot size increment may be deactivated, and the control unit 600 may return to step 1155.
If, at step 1155, the enter key 775 is selected, then the control unit 600 may go to step 1190 and verify that the enter key 775 was selected. Then the control unit 600 may go to step 1195. At step 1195, the current water to favor syrup ratio, shot size increment, and beverage mode setting may be saved to memory 605 for the locked flavor selection. Then the control unit 600 may return to its programming mode at step 1100.
It will be understood that changes in shot size increment or water to flavor syrup ratio for a beverage may correspond to changes in the settings for the valves of the flow control block 310. For example, if either of these two values is altered, it may be necessary to adjust the rate of flow for the associated flavor syrup 105 through its orifice or valve 405 in the flow control block 310. Alternatively, the amount of time that a solenoid 410 associated with the flavor syrup 105 is actuated may be altered. For example, if the solenoid 410 is actuated for a longer time interval, then more of the flavor syrup 105 may be permitted to pass through the solenoid 410 and the solenoid block 315 for dispense by the nozzle block 402.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the beverage tower 100 may include one or more default settings. The one or more default settings of the beverage tower 100 may define preprogrammed cup size, beverage lock out mode, and shot size increments for one or more of the flavor selections of the beverage tower. Additionally, the default settings may be programmed into the memory 605 of the control unit 600 of the beverage tower 100. As explained in greater detail below, the beverage tower 100 may be set or reset to a default setting by selecting a particular sequence of keys; however, it will be understood that the beverage tower 100 may be set to a default setting in a variety of ways such as, for example, providing one or more reset or default setting buttons on the beverage tower 100 or setting the beverage tower 100 to a default setting when power is no longer applied to the beverage tower 100.
It will be understood by those of skill in the art that the steps performed by the control unit 600 with reference to
According to an aspect of the present invention, during flavor shot or beverage dispense, the control unit 600 may communicate or transmit a control signal to the solenoid block 315, causing the solenoid 410 associated with the desired flavor syrup 105 to be actuated. When the solenoid 410 is actuated, the flavor syrup 105 may be permitted to pass through the solenoid 410 for dispense by the nozzle block 402. The solenoid 410 may remain actuated for a certain period of time determined by the volume of flavor syrup 105 necessary for a desired flavor shot or blended beverage.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the memory 605 of the control unit 600 may be utilized to store historical data associated with the beverage tower 100. Historical data may include any data associated with the historical use of the beverage tower 100 such as, for example, the time of use or operational time of the beverage tower 100, the number of and/or time of beverage selections and flavor shot selections that have been made, the number of top-off key selections, the number of cancel key selections, the number of times that the beverage tower 100 has been reprogrammed, and the number of times that the beverage tower 100 has been reset to a default setting. The historical data may additionally be retrieved from the memory 605 of the control unit 600 by a user of the beverage tower 100. The historical data may be retrieved by a user in a variety of ways such as, for example, by display of the historical data to the user via the user interface panel 235. The historical data may also be transmitted by the beverage tower 100 over a network such as, for example, the Internet. The historical data may also be communicated by the beverage tower 100 from the memory 605 to a separate electronic storage device such as, for example, a zip drive, portable hard drive, or floppy disk.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/734,020, entitled “Methods and Systems for Dispensing Flavor Doses and Beverages,” which was filed on Nov. 4, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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