Beverage dispensing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11214472-B2
Application number	US-202017035155-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2020
Priority date	Jun 29, 2017
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A beverage dispensing system is provided. The beverage dispensing system can include a nozzle module connected to a beverage dispenser housing. The nozzle module can be vertically and/or horizontally spaced from a beverage dispenser valve and nozzle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of retrofitting a nozzle module to a beverage dispenser, the method comprising:
providing a beverage dispenser, the beverage dispenser comprising:
a beverage dispenser housing;
a first beverage dispenser nozzle to dispense a first fluid;
a second beverage dispenser nozzle positioned adjacent the first beverage dispenser nozzle to dispense a second fluid, the first beverage dispenser nozzle and the second beverage dispenser nozzle aligned along a first horizontal axis; and
a base disposed at a lower end of the beverage dispenser, wherein the base includes a waste collection portion having a receptacle area;

providing a nozzle module, the nozzle module comprising:
a nozzle module housing and a nozzle module nozzle to dispense a third fluid; and

retrofitting the beverage dispenser with the nozzle module by coupling the nozzle module housing to a top surface of the beverage dispenser housing and positioning the nozzle module nozzle above the first beverage dispenser nozzle and the second beverage dispenser nozzle, the nozzle module nozzle positioned along a second horizontal axis parallel to the first horizontal axis,
wherein the receptacle area is configured to receive the first fluid, the second fluid, and the third fluid, and
wherein the first horizontal axis is spaced a first vertical distance from the lower end of a beverage dispenser and the second horizontal axis is spaced a second vertical distance from the lower end of the beverage dispenser.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle module housing comprises:
a vertical portion including a first end and a second end; and
a horizontal portion having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end connected to the second end of the vertical portion,
wherein the nozzle module nozzle is positioned adjacent the distal end of the horizontal portion.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein coupling the nozzle module housing to the beverage dispenser comprises attaching the first end of the vertical portion of the nozzle module housing to the beverage dispenser housing.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first end of the vertical portion of the nozzle module housing is attached to an upper end of the beverage dispenser housing.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising fluidly connecting a fluid line of the beverage dispenser to the nozzle module.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing a merchandizing module from the beverage dispenser prior to retrofitting the beverage dispenser with the nozzle module.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the beverage dispenser comprises a plurality of connection points configured to couple the merchandizing module to the beverage dispenser, and wherein retrofitting the beverage dispenser with the nozzle module comprises coupling the nozzle module to the beverage dispenser via the plurality of connection points.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle module nozzle is spaced a first horizontal distance from the beverage dispenser housing, wherein the beverage dispenser nozzle is spaced a second horizontal distance from the beverage dispenser housing, and wherein the first horizontal distance is greater than the second horizontal distance.

9. A nozzle module, comprising:
a fixed nozzle module housing having a first end and a second end extending from the first end;
a nozzle module nozzle positioned adjacent to the second end of the nozzle module housing,
wherein the nozzle module housing is configured to be retrofit to a beverage dispenser, the beverage dispenser comprising a housing, a beverage dispenser nozzle, and a base disposed at a lower end of the beverage dispenser, wherein the nozzle module housing is coupled to a top surface of the housing of the beverage dispenser, and wherein the base of the beverage dispenser includes a waste collection portion having a receptacle area,
wherein the nozzle module nozzle is configured to be positioned above the receptacle area,
wherein the nozzle module nozzle is configured to be spaced a first horizontal distance from the beverage dispenser housing,
wherein the beverage dispenser nozzle is spaced a second horizontal distance from the beverage dispenser housing, and
wherein the first horizontal distance is greater than the second horizontal distance.

10. The nozzle module of claim 9 , wherein the beverage dispenser comprises:
a valve retaining housing surface on the beverage dispenser housing; and
a beverage dispensing valve extending from the beverage dispenser housing, the beverage dispensing valve including a dispenser nozzle and a valve housing to attach the valve retaining housing surface, the beverage dispensing valve being supported on the valve retaining housing surface such that the dispenser nozzle is aligned along a first axis.

11. The nozzle module of claim 10 , wherein the first end of the nozzle module housing is configured to abut an upper end of the dispenser housing, wherein the nozzle module nozzle is configured to be aligned along a second axis that is parallel and spaced apart from the first axis in a horizontal direction, wherein the first axis is spaced a first horizontal distance from the valve retaining housing surface, and wherein the second axis is spaced a second horizontal distance from the valve retaining housing surface such that the second horizontal distance is greater than the first horizontal distance.

12. The nozzle module of claim 9 , further comprising:
a control interface for regulating delivery of a fluid, the control interface including a switch; and
an electronic control system coupled to the switch and configured to receive electronic control signals from the control interface to regulate the delivery of the fluid.

13. The nozzle module of claim 9 , wherein the nozzle module is configured to be connected to the beverage dispenser via a fluid line.

14. The nozzle module of claim 9 , wherein the first end of the nozzle module housing is configured to be coupled to the beverage dispenser.

15. The nozzle module of claim 9 , wherein the top surface is at an upper end of the beverage dispenser.

16. The nozzle module of claim 9 , wherein the nozzle module housing is configured to extend above one or more dispensing valves of the beverage dispenser.

17. The nozzle module of claim 9 , wherein the beverage dispenser nozzle comprises a first dispense point, wherein the nozzle module nozzle comprises a second dispense point, and wherein the first dispense point and the second dispense point are positioned above the receptacle area.

18. The nozzle module of claim 9 , wherein the nozzle module is configured to dispense a premeasured amount of fluid based on a user input.

19. The nozzle module of claim 9 , wherein the beverage dispenser is configured to dispense a first fluid into the receptacle area, and wherein the nozzle module is configured to dispense a second fluid into the receptacle area.

20. The nozzle module of claim 19 , wherein the first fluid is a beverage, and wherein the second fluid is an additive ingredient.

Assignees

• Pepsico Inc

Inventors

• Madden Joseph J
• Jersey Steven T
• Loomis Scott Thomas
• Ubidia Fernando A

Classifications

• B67D1/16

  Devices for collecting spilled beverages · CPC title

• B67D1/06

  Mountings or arrangements of dispensing apparatus in or on shop or bar counters (shop or bar counters per se A47F9/00) · CPC title

• B67D2001/0089

  operated by lever means · CPC title

• B67D1/0021 Primary

  the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers · CPC title

• B67D1/0888 Primary

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