Micro-ingredient based beverage dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10703618-B2
Application number	US-201615776453-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2016
Priority date	Nov 17, 2015
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

Technologies are described herein for a dispensing nozzle for a beverage dispensing system. An example embodiment of the dispensing nozzle may include a housing; a nozzle manifold containing orifices and corresponding conduits for a number of diluents, macro-ingredient sweeteners, and micro-ingredients; a sweetener channel and a diluent baffle, the combination of which facilitates the mixing of the diluent and macro-ingredient sweetener; a funnel; and a nozzle exit. The diluent, macro-ingredient sweetener, and micro-ingredients may mix in the dispensing nozzle to form a predetermined beverage. The dispensing nozzle may communicate with various aspects of the beverage dispensing system to coordinate the dispensing of the predetermined beverage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing nozzle comprising:
a nozzle manifold comprising at least a first conduit configured to receive one or more diluents, at least a second conduit configured to receive one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners, and a plurality of micro-ingredient conduits configured to receive a plurality of micro-ingredients;
wherein the nozzle manifold comprises a sweetener channel configured to receive the one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners, the sweetener channel containing a plurality of holes in a bottom surface allowing the one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners to pass through;
wherein the nozzle manifold comprises a diluent baffle configured to receive the one or more diluents and the one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners and allow the received diluent and the macro-ingredient sweetener to mix;
a nozzle housing, wherein a bottom portion of the nozzle housing comprises a nozzle exit;
the nozzle housing configured to receive the mixture of the one or more diluents and the one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners and allow the mixture of the one or more diluents and the one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners to flow down the nozzle housing; and
the nozzle housing further configured to allow the mixture of the one or more diluents and the one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners and the received micro-ingredients to mix about the nozzle exit.

2. The dispensing nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the first conduit is configured to receive at least carbonated water;
wherein the second conduit is configured to receive at least a nutritive sweetener.

3. The dispensing nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the sweetener channel contains a valve membrane configured to prevent flow of the one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners unless a threshold pressure level is reached.

4. The dispensing nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the second conduit contains a stop valve configured to control the flow of macro-ingredient sweetener.

5. The dispensing nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing nozzle is modular.

6. The dispensing nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing nozzle is further configured to receive a diluent to wash away one or more residual ingredients from the nozzle housing.

7. A beverage dispensing system, comprising:
a user interface configured to receive a beverage selection;
a controller in communication with the user interface;
a dispensing nozzle comprising:
a nozzle manifold comprising at least a first conduit configured to receive one or more diluents, at least a second conduit configured to receive one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners, and a plurality of micro-ingredient conduits configured to receive a plurality of micro-ingredients;

wherein the nozzle manifold comprises a sweetener channel configured to receive the one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners, the sweetener channel containing a plurality of holes in a bottom surface allowing the one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners to pass through;
wherein the nozzle manifold comprises a diluent baffle configured to receive the one or more diluents and the one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners and allow the received diluent and the macro-ingredient sweetener to mix;
a nozzle housing, wherein a bottom portion of the nozzle housing comprises a nozzle exit;
the nozzle housing configured to receive the mixture of the one or more diluents and the one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners and allow the mixture of the one or more diluents and the one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners to flow down the nozzle housing;
the nozzle housing further configured to allow the mixture of the one or more diluents and the one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners and the received micro-ingredients to mix about the nozzle exit; and
one or more pumps in communication with the controller, wherein the one or more pumps regulate the flow of the one or more diluents, the one or more macro-ingredient sweeteners, and the plurality of micro-ingredients.

8. The beverage dispensing system of claim 7 , further comprising an ice dispenser externally disposed to the dispensing nozzle.

9. The beverage dispensing system of claim 8 , wherein the ice dispenser and the dispensing nozzle are configured to dispense simultaneously into a beverage container.

10. The beverage dispensing system of claim 7 , wherein the first conduit is configured to receive at least carbonated water; and
wherein the second conduit is configured to receive at least a nutritive sweetener.

11. The beverage dispensing system of claim 7 , wherein the sweetener channel contains a valve membrane configured to prevent flow of the macro-ingredient sweetener unless a threshold pressure level is reached.

12. The beverage dispensing system of claim 7 , wherein the second conduit contains a stop valve configured to control the flow of macro-ingredient sweetener.

13. The beverage dispensing system of claim 7 , wherein the dispensing nozzle is modular.

14. The beverage dispensing system of claim 7 , wherein the dispensing nozzle is further configured to receive a diluent to wash away one or more residual ingredients from a funnel.

Assignees

• Coca Cola Co

Inventors

• Ziesel Lawrence B

Classifications

• B67D1/0085

  electro-mechanical · CPC title

• B67D1/07

  Cleaning beverage-dispensing apparatus {(B67D1/0834, B67D1/0837 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B67D1/00

  Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught (B67D3/00 takes precedence; apparatus for making beverages A47J31/00) · CPC title

• B67D1/0044

  for mixing inside the dispensing nozzle · CPC title

• B67D1/0888

  Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means) · CPC title