Self-serve beverage dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11377338-B2
Application number	US-201816609508-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2018
Priority date	May 1, 2017
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

The present application provides a beverage dispensing system. The beverage dispensing system may include a cooler and a beverage dispenser positioned within the cooler. The beverage dispenser may include a nozzle, a flow of water, an internal carbonation system in communication with the flow of water and the nozzle, and a number of internal ingredient containers in communication with the nozzle such that the beverage dispenser produces a beverage at the nozzle within the cooler.

First claim

We claim:

1. A beverage dispensing system for producing a beverage, comprising:
a cooler; and
a beverage dispenser positioned within the cooler;
the beverage dispenser comprising:
a nozzle;
a flow of water;
an internal carbonation system in communication with the flow of water and the nozzle;
a plurality of internal ingredient containers in communication with the nozzle; and
an outer shell;
wherein the internal carbonation system and the plurality of internal micro-ingredient containers are positioned within the outer shell and wherein the nozzle is positioned about the outer shell;
an agitating micro-ingredient rack with the plurality of internal micro-ingredient containers thereon; and
wherein the beverage dispenser produces the beverage at the nozzle within the cooler.

2. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle comprises a pop out nozzle with a retracted position and an extended position.

3. The beverage dispensing system of claim 2 , wherein the pop out nozzle comprises a nozzle frame for movement thereon.

4. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the flow of water comprises a still water line in communication with the nozzle and a carbonated water line in communication with the internal carbonation system.

5. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the internal carbonation system comprises a carbon dioxide tank in communication with a carbonator.

6. The beverage dispensing system of claim 5 , wherein the carbonator comprises a carbonation tank or an in-line carbonator.

7. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more macro-ingredient containers.

8. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising an RFID reader and wherein one or more of the plurality of internal micro-ingredient containers comprise an RFID tag thereon.

9. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more pumps in communication with the plurality of internal micro-ingredient containers and the nozzle.

10. The beverage dispensing system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more pumps comprise positive displacement pumps or mechanical pumps.

11. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of internal micro-ingredient containers comprises a plurality of ingredient pods.

12. A beverage dispensing system for producing a beverage, comprising:
a cooler; and
a beverage dispenser positioned within the cooler;
the beverage dispenser comprising:
a nozzle;
a flow of water;
an internal carbonation system in communication with the flow of water and the nozzle;
a plurality of internal ingredient containers in communication with the nozzle; and
an outer shell;
wherein the internal carbonation system and the plurality of internal ingredient containers are positioned within the outer shell and wherein the nozzle is positioned about the outer shell;
wherein the beverage dispenser produces the beverage at the nozzle within the cooler; and
wherein the cooler comprises a shelf with a track and wherein the beverage dispenser is maneuverable along the track.

13. A method of operating a beverage dispensing system, comprising:
positioning a plurality of beverage ingredients and a source of carbon dioxide within an outer shell of a beverage dispenser without a refrigeration device;
positioning the beverage dispenser on a shelf with a track within a cooler;
wherein the beverage dispenser is maneuverable along the track;
flowing water to the beverage dispenser within the cooler;
chilling the flow of water and the plurality of beverage ingredients in the beverage dispenser within the cooler; and
creating a beverage within the cooler from the flow of water and the plurality of beverage ingredients.

14. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the cooler comprises an electrical cooler.

Assignees

• Coca Cola Co

Inventors

• Kaplita Stan C
• Cuppari Scott
• Mcdougall Douglas Jon
• Kingston Benjamin John

Classifications

• B67D2210/00031

  Housing · 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

• B67D2210/00034

  Modules · CPC title

• B67D1/0057

  Carbonators · CPC title

• B67D2001/0827

  Bags in box · CPC title