Systems, methods, and devices for ingredient based dispensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12459802-B2
Application number	US-202418625669-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2024
Priority date	Apr 6, 2023
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

The disclosure generally relates to an ingredient-based dispensing system for creating customized beverages with ingredients (e.g., using various sauces, syrups, sweeteners, colors and/or flavors added to a base beverage). The ingredient-based dispensing system may include a volume-based dispensing system for automatically dispensing ingredients with a varying viscosity (e.g., sauces) and a time-based dispensing system for automatically dispensing ingredients with a consistent viscosity (e.g., flavors, syrups, and/or colors).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An ingredient based dispensing system comprising:
a volume-based dispensing system comprising one or more volume-based dispensers configured to dispense ingredients of a first ingredient type, wherein the ingredients of the first ingredient type have a viscosity that is inconsistent; a time-based dispensing system comprising one or more time-based dispensers configured to dispense ingredients of a second ingredient type, wherein the ingredients of the second ingredient type have a viscosity that is consistent; a control system comprising: a communication module configured to receive a beverage order comprising one or more ingredients and a number of doses of each ingredient of the one or more ingredients; and a controller configured to communicate instructions for dispensing the one or more ingredients to the volume-based dispensing system and the time-based dispensing system based on the beverage order, wherein the controller is configured to communicate instructions for dispensing each ingredient of the one or more ingredients of the first ingredient type to the volume-based dispensing system to cause the volume-based dispensing system to volumetrically dispense the number of doses of each ingredient of the one or more ingredients of the first ingredient type, wherein the controller is configured to communicate instructions for dispensing each ingredient of the one or more ingredients of the second ingredient type to the time-based dispensing system to cause the time-based dispensing system to dispense the number of doses of each ingredient of the one or more ingredients of the second ingredient type based on a predetermined dispensing time for the number of doses.

2 . The ingredient based dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more volume-based dispensers each comprise:
a housing configured to receive a manual pump dispenser via a recess in the housing, wherein the manual pump dispenser comprises a container configured to hold the first ingredient type, and a pump configured to dispense the first ingredient type when a pump head of the pump is displaced; an actuation system configured to displace the pump head of the manual pump dispenser.

3 . The ingredient based dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the first ingredient type comprises sauces.

4 . The ingredient based dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the viscosity of ingredients of the first ingredient type varies between about 8 percent and about 80 percent.

5 . The ingredient based dispensing system of claim 2 , wherein the actuation system comprises a linear actuation system, a rail actuation system, a fulcrum actuation system, a rotary actuation system, a pulley actuation system, and/or a platform actuation system.

6 . The ingredient based dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more volume-based dispensers each comprise:
a housing configured to receive a manual pump dispenser via a recess in the housing, wherein the manual pump dispenser comprises a container configured to hold the first ingredient type, and a pump configured to dispense the first ingredient type when a pump head of the pump is actuated; an actuation system configured to displace the container of the manual pump dispenser in order to actuate the pump head so the pump head remains stationary.

7 . The ingredient based dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more time-based dispensers each comprise:
a container configured to hold the second ingredient type, the container comprising a lid removably coupled to the container; a spout configured to dispense the second ingredient type, the spout comprising a valve configured to open and close the spout for a predetermined time.

8 . The ingredient based dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the second ingredient type comprises one or more of flavors, syrups, and/or colorings.

9 . The ingredient based dispensing system of claim 2 , wherein the actuation system is configured to apply a first force to the pump head of the manual pump dispenser to displace the pump head in a first direction, and the actuation system is configured to apply a second force to the pump head of the manual pump dispenser to displace the pump head in a second direction opposite the first direction.

10 . The ingredient based dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the volume-based dispensing system is configured to dispense the one or more ingredients of the first ingredient type into a vessel positioned under one or more spouts of the volume-based dispensing system, and the time-based dispensing system is configured to dispense the one or more ingredients of the second ingredient type into a vessel positioned under one or more spouts of the volume-based dispensing system.

Assignees

• Starbucks Corp

Inventors

• Levey Jonathan
• Bell Ryan T

Classifications

• B67D2210/00031

  Housing · CPC title

• B67D1/0037

  based on volumetric dosing · CPC title

• A47G19/183

  by applying external pressure, i.e. by pumping or squeezing · CPC title

• B67D1/0888

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

• B67D2001/082

  arranged in parallel · CPC title