Beverage dispensing heads with lighting modules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11718516-B2
Application number	US-202117527727-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2021
Priority date	Jun 2, 2016
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

A beverage dispensing head includes a housing having a front, a rear, and a base that extends between the front and the rear. A mixing nozzle is configured to dispense a flow of beverage via the base. A valve is configured to control the flow of beverage via the mixing nozzle, and a switch is movable into and between a closed position in which the valve opens the flow of beverage via the mixing nozzle and an open position in which the valve closes the flow of beverage via the mixing nozzle. A lighting module disposed in the housing is configured to illuminate the front of the housing and the base of the housing when the switch is moved into the closed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting module for a beverage dispensing head with a housing, the light module comprising:
a first light source configured to emit light in a first direction into a light guide extending in the first direction, a reflective surface positioned relative to the light guide to reflect light from the first light source in a second direction different from the first direction;
a second light source configured to emit light in a third direction, the third direction different from the second direction and generally opposite the first direction;
a casing comprising a front panel and a rear panel defining a cavity in which the first light source the light guide, the reflective surface, and the second light source are positioned, wherein the front panel is configured to permit light from the first light source to pass through the front panel in the second direction and configured to permit light from the second light source to pass through the casing in the third direction; and
a wire harness configured to pass through the casing to electrically couple the first light source and the second lighting source to the beverage dispensing head.

2. The lighting module according to claim 1 , further comprising a front cover configured to connect to the housing and configured to retain the casing within the front cover, the front cover comprising a display window adjacent to the front panel of the casing, wherein light in the second direction passes through the display window.

3. The lighting module according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a diffuser positioned relative to the light guide to diffuse light from the first light source through the display window.

4. The lighting module according to claim 3 , further comprising a physical mating connection between the casing and the front cover to connect the casing to the front cover.

5. The lighting module according to claim 4 , wherein the physical mating connection comprises a boss on the casing and a channel in the front cover, the channel configured to receive the boss.

6. The lighting module according to claim 2 , comprising a mating connection configured to retain the casing within the front cover.

7. The lighting module according to claim 6 , wherein the mating connection comprises a boss and a channel.

8. The lighting module according to claim 2 , wherein the display window is curved to form a lens.

9. The lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein the wire harness is further configured to couple to a power source of the beverage dispensing head.

10. The lighting module according to claim 9 , further comprising a switch connected to the second light source, wherein the switch is configured to selectively disable operation of the second light source.

11. The lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective surface has a reflective property that increases as the reflective rear surface extends away from the first light source.

12. The lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective surface is a reflective film secured to the light guide.

13. The lighting module according to claim 1 , further comprising a diffuser positioned relative to the light guide to diffuse light from the first light source in the second direction.

14. The lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein the second light source is configured to emit light in the third direction below the dispensing head.

15. A method of adding a lighting module to a beverage dispensing head, the method comprising:
providing a lighting module of claim 1 ;
connecting the wire harness to a power source of the beverage dispensing head;
connecting the casing of the lighting module interior of a front cover comprising a display window to position the front panel of the casing adjacent the display window to direct light from the first light source in the second direction through the display window; and
securing the front cover to the beverage dispensing head, wherein the second light source is configured to emit light in the third direction at a location below the dispensing head.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
selectively disabling operation of the second light source with activation of a switch connected to the second light source and to the wire harness.

17. A lighting module for a beverage dispensing head with a housing, the light module comprising:
a front cover configured to connect to the housing, the front cover comprising a display window;
a casing retained within the front cover and adjacent to the display window, the casing comprising a front panel and a rear panel defining a cavity, wherein the front panel is configured to permit light to pass through the front panel in a first direction towards the display window, and the casing is configured to permit light to pass through the casing in a second direction different from the first direction;
a first light source secured within the casing, the first light source configured to emit light in a third direction, the third direction different from the second direction and generally opposite the second direction;
a light guide secured within the casing, and extending away from the first light source in the third direction, the light guide configured to transmit light from the first light source through the light guide in the third direction;
a reflective surface positioned relative to the light guide to reflect light from the first light source in the first direction;
a second light source secured within the casing and configured to emit light in the second direction below the front cover.

18. The lighting module of claim 17 , further comprising a wire harness configured to pass through the casing and electrically couple the first light source and the second lighting source to the beverage dispensing head.

Assignees

• Marmon Foodservice Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Novelle Anthony
• Miller Steven
• Zoellick Kurt

Classifications

• B67D1/0875 Primary

  Means for illuminating the beverage to be dispensed · CPC title

• B67D1/0021

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

• B67D1/0044

  for mixing inside the dispensing nozzle · CPC title

• B67D1/0085

  electro-mechanical · CPC title

• B67D1/0872

  Aesthetics, advertising · CPC title