Liquid dispensing machine with manual drop stop

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11076714-B2
Application number	US-201515531160-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2015
Priority date	Nov 27, 2014
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

A machine (1) for dispensing a dispensable liquid (5) has: —a liquid delivery module (10) for delivering the dispensable liquid (5) from a source (50); —a service area (7) for collecting collectable liquid (5′) from the liquid delivery module (10); —a directing device (20) which has a dispensing position for directing the dispensable liquid (5) from the delivery module (10) to a dispensing area (6) configured to receive a user-receptacle (60) and a collecting position for directing collectable liquid (5′) from the delivery module (10) to the service area (7); and —a user-interface member (30) which is configured to be contacted and moved by a user to displace the member (30) from a first member position to a second member position. The user-interface member (30) is configured to exercise a force and/or a torque onto the directing device (20) to move the directing device (20) between the collecting position and the dispensing position when the user-interface member (30) is moved between the first member position and the second member position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine for dispensing a dispensable liquid comprising:
a liquid delivery module for delivering the dispensable liquid from a source;
a service area for collecting collectable liquid from the liquid delivery module;
a directing device which has a dispensing position for directing the dispensable liquid from the liquid delivery module to a dispensing area configured to receive a user-receptacle, and the directing device also has a collecting position for directing the collectable liquid from the liquid delivery module to the service area;
a user-interface member which is configured to be contacted and moved by a user to displace the user-interface member from a first member position to a second member position; and
the user-interface member is configured to exercise a force and/or a torque onto the directing device to move the directing device between the collecting position and the dispensing position when the user-interface member is moved between the first member position and the second member position,
the user-interface member is located on an outside face of the machine;
the liquid delivery module comprises a chamber delimited by an upstream part and a downstream part, at least one of the upstream part or the downstream part is a moveable part that is configured to move relative to the other part; and
the machine has at least one configuration selected from the group consisting of:
(i) the movable part is drivable independently from the user-interface member;
(ii) the directing device is drivable independently from the movable part; and
(iii) the machine further comprises a user-handle configured to move the movable part, and at least one of the user-interface member or the directing device is drivable independently from the user-handle;
the liquid delivery module comprises a switch configured for controlling a dispensing of the dispensable liquid by controlling at least one of (i) a liquid driver comprising a pump or (ii) a liquid conditioner comprising a heater and/or a cooler,
and the switch is actuated by at least one of: (a) the user-interface member when the user-interface member reaches the second member position, the first member position or another member position; or (b) the directing device when the directing device reaches the dispensing position, the collecting position or another position.

2. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the directing device has only one evacuation portion from which:
the dispensable liquid is evacuated from the directing device to the dispensing area when the directing device is in the dispensing position; and
the collectable liquid is evacuated to the service area when the directing device is in the collecting position.

3. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the directing device has only one reception portion, into or onto which the dispensable liquid and the collectable liquid are received from the liquid delivery module.

4. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the directing device defines only one liquid channel for directing both the dispensable liquid and the collectable liquid.

5. The machine of claim 1 , wherein an outlet opening of the directing device in the dispensing position leads directly into the dispensing area.

6. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the directing device is:
rigid and is directly or indirectly movably mounted to a main frame of the machine and/or a housing of the machine; and/or
made of a single member or a plurality of non-articulated members that are fixed together.

7. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the directing device is pivotable and/or translatable between the collecting position and the dispensing position.

8. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the user-interface member has:
a pivoting and/or translating movement between the first member position and the second member position; and/or
a stable position in at least one of the first member position or second member position.

9. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the outside face of the machine, on which the user-interface member is located, also defines the dispensing area, the dispensing area is located below the directing device and/or below a dispensing outlet of the machine downstream the directing device, the user-interface member being located away from the dispensing area.

10. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the user-interface member comprises a first rod or arm engaged to a second rod or arm provided by the directing device, wherein the first rod or arm is engaged to the second rod or arm by at least one of a pivot arrangement or a cam arrangement.

11. The machine of claim 1 , comprising at least one resilient element that is connected to at least one of the user-interface member or the directing device, the at least one resilient element being configured to urge:
the user-interface member into the first member position, the second member position or another member position; and/or
the directing device into the collecting position, the dispensing position or another position.

12. The machine of claim 1 , comprising a dampening arrangement for dampening a movement of the user-interface member and/or the directing device.

13. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the liquid delivery module has at least one element selected from the group consisting of:
an actuator for operating the liquid delivery module; and
an outlet upstream the directing device from which outlet liquid freely falls onto or into the directing device when the device is in either of the collecting position or the dispensing position.

14. The machine of claim 1 , comprising a liquid guide connected to and extending from the liquid delivery module to the directing device and connected to the directing device for guiding the dispensable liquid into the directing device.

15. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the liquid delivery module has a chamber defining a mixing area for flavoring the dispensable liquid with a flavoring ingredient in the chamber.

16. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the user-interface member comprises an actuator configured to mechanically actuate the switch when the user-interface member reaches the second member position, the first member position or another member position.

17. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the switch is connected to and/or integrated in a control unit of the machine.

18. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the liquid delivery module comprises an actuator movable into at least one position that extends over and above the user-interface member.

19. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the directing device comprises an actuator configured to mechanically actuate the switch when the directing device reaches the dispensing position, the collecting position or another position.

20. The machine of claim 1 , wherein an outlet opening of the directing device in the dispensing position leads to the dispensing area via an outlet of a frame of the machine and/or a housing of the machine.

Assignees

• Nestec Sa
• Nestle Sa

Inventors

• Magatti Marco
• Byun Da Mi
• Guyon Bertrand

Classifications

• A47J31/60

  Cleaning devices · CPC title

• A47J31/3623 Primary

  Cartridges being employed (with tape of cartridges A47J31/3652) · CPC title

• A47J31/46 Primary

  Dispensing spouts, pumps, drain valves or like liquid transporting devices · CPC title