Hot and cold beverage dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10046958-B2
Application number	US-201615155633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2016
Priority date	Dec 2, 2010
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus and method may be configured for detecting selection between a hot version and a cold version of a beverage, causing opening of a first of a plurality of valves and closing of a second of the plurality of valves for providing water to a first of a plurality of mixing chambers based on the selection, causing delivery of beverage concentrate to the first mixing chamber, controlling a flow rate of the water and a flow rate of the beverage concentrate into the mixing chamber for mixing of the water with the beverage concentrate in a controlled ratio to create the beverage, and dispensing the beverage from the mixing chamber.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method comprising:
detecting, by a control unit, a first selection of a cold version between a hot version and a cold version of a first beverage by the actuation of a temperature indicating switch;
detecting, by the control unit, a second selection of a hot version between a hot version and a cold version of a second beverage by the actuation of a second temperature indicating switch;
providing hot water and a first beverage concentrate to one of a first or second mixing chamber based on the hot version selection in response to actuation of a first dispense switch;
providing cold water and a second beverage concentrate to the other of the first or second mixing chamber based on the cold version selection in response to actuation of a second dispense switch;
causing delivery of a first beverage concentrate to the first mixing chamber corresponding to the first selection;
causing delivery of a second beverage concentrate to the second mixing chamber corresponding to the second selection;
controlling a flow rate of the hot and cold water and a flow rate of the first and second beverage concentrate into the mixing chambers for mixing of the water with the beverage concentrate in a controlled ratio to create the first and second beverages; and
dispensing the first and second beverages from their respective mixing chambers at the same time.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising causing the opening of a first valve corresponding to a cold water valve in response to detecting actuation of one of the dispensing switches.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the beverage concentrate is delivered from one of a plurality of concentrate containers corresponding to the actuated dispensing switch.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring a level of hot water in a heater tank; and
causing opening of a fill valve to input additional water into the heater tank in response to the level falling below a predetermined minimum water level.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising monitoring a temperature of the hot water.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising;
causing a heating element to turn on in response to detecting that the temperature of the hot water is below a predetermined minimum temperature; and
causing a heating element to turn off in response to detecting the temperature of the hot water is above a predetermined maximum temperature.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
determining a first flow rate of the hot water or the cold water and a second flow rate of the beverage concentrate; and
adjusting the first flow rate or of the second flow rate to maintain the controlled ratio.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mixing hot water and cold water to produce a beverage less than a temperature of the hot water and greater than a temperature of the cold water.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the mixing of the hot water and cold water is controlled by a valve supplying hot and cold water to one of the first and second mixing chambers.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the temperature selection switch includes a temperature dial such that a temperature selection is made.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature selection switch is a rocker switch.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature selection switch is a rocker switch.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water to concentrate ratio is between 2:1 and 3:1.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first beverage concentrate and second beverage concentrate are stored in the same concentrate container.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first concentrate and second concentrate are pumped into the first or second mixing chamber.

Assignees

• Pepsico Inc

Inventors

• Li Xuejun
• Segiet William W
• Ubidia Fernando A
• Lewis John F
• Stein Aaron M

Classifications

• A47J31/5253

  of temperature · CPC title

• A47J31/469

  Details of hydraulic circuits · CPC title

• B67D2210/00102

  Heating only · CPC title

• A47J2202/00

  Devices having temperature indicating means · CPC title

• B67D2210/00123

  Preparing a mix of concentrates · CPC title