Automated dispensing system for customized beverages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11440784-B2
Application number	US-202117248210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2021
Priority date	Jan 16, 2020
Publication date	Sep 13, 2022
Grant date	Sep 13, 2022

Abstract

The disclosure generally relates to an automated modular dispensing platform for creating customized beverages (e.g., using various sauces, syrups, sweeteners, colors and/or flavors added to a base beverage). The automated dispensing platform may simultaneously aggregate beverage modifiers or ingredients (e.g., sweetener, flavor, and/or color) and facilitate automated, efficient cleaning cycles for modular beverage dispensers.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. A dispensing system comprising:
a plurality of modular dispensers, each of the plurality of modular dispensers is configured to store an ingredient, each of the modular dispensers including a dispensing spout for dispensing the ingredient into a vessel placed underneath the dispensing spout;
a controller within a housing, the controller configured to communicate instructions to the plurality of modular dispensers, the instructions including a quantity of the ingredient to be dispensed from the at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers;
wherein each of the plurality of modular dispensers comprises a display.

2. The dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the ingredient stored in the at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers is identified by a user using a user input device on the dispensing system.

3. The dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the ingredient stored in the at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers is identified by a user an external device remote from the dispensing system.

4. The dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the ingredient stored in the at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers is identified by a sensing device.

5. The dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of modular dispensers comprises a pump system having a motor.

6. The dispensing system of claim 5 , wherein when a speed of the motor is above an operating limit, the pump is configured to continually pump until the speed of the motor falls below the operating limit.

7. The dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising a common power supply within the housing, the common power supply configured to supply power to each of the plurality of modular dispensers.

8. The dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of modular dispensers comprises a first modular dispenser and a second modular dispenser, and wherein the controller is configured to communicate instructions to the first modular dispenser to dispense a first quantity of the ingredient in the first modular dispenser and communicate instructions to the second modular dispenser to dispense a second quantity of the ingredient in the second modular dispenser.

9. The dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the controller receives an instruction from a point of sale system.

10. The dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the display is configured to display one or more light indicators indicative of the quantity of the ingredient to be dispensed.

11. The dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the display is configured to numerically display the quantity of the ingredient to be dispensed.

12. The dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the display is configured to indicate a sequence for dispensing ingredient from the at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers.

13. The dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing system comprises a single display on the housing.

14. The dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of modular dispensers comprises a pump.

15. The dispensing system of claim 14 , wherein the pump is a positive displacement pump.

Assignees

• Starbucks Corp

Inventors

• Venkatakrishnan Natarajan
• Corlett Andrew
• Levey Jonathan
• Roberts Brandon Michael

Classifications

• B67D2210/0012

  related to concentrate handling · CPC title

• B67D2210/00034

  Modules · CPC title

• G07F9/026

  for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty · CPC title

• B67D2001/0091

  Component storage means · CPC title

• B67D1/0892

  the beverage container being stored in a rack or shelf · CPC title