Beverage flavor dosing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12515937-B2
Application number	US-202318455194-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2023
Priority date	Aug 25, 2022
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

A flavor dispensing system includes a dispensing system configured to dispense flavor concentrates with minimal installation support. In aspects, the flavoring dispensing system includes one or more concentrate cartridges with a pump cap that are fluidly connected to a nozzle. A pump actuator in the flavor dispensing system moves the concentrate cartridges and thereby actuates the pump cap to dispense concentrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A flavor dispenser, comprising:
a housing; a nozzle assembly extending from a front wall of the housing; a container holder disposed in the housing; a concentrate container disposed in the container holder, the concentrate container fluidly connected to the nozzle assembly; a container cap disposed on an end of the concentrate container, wherein the container holder is configured to prevent a portion of the container cap from moving with respect to the container holder; a pump disposed in the container cap and fluidly connected to an interior of the concentrate container; and a pump actuator disposed in the housing configured to move a portion of the concentrate container cap with respect to the container holder, thereby actuating the pump, wherein the container cap comprises a tube that fluidly links the cap to the nozzle assembly, wherein the tube is pivotally connected to an exterior of the container cap such that the tube can be pivoted between a first position where the tube is fluidly connected to an interior of the concentrate container and a second position where the tube is not fluidly connected to an interior of the concentrate container.

2 . The flavor dispenser of claim 1 , where the pump is actuated by movement of a second portion of the container cap that is fixed to the concentrate container with respect to the portion of the cap that is fixed to the container holder.

3 . The flavor dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle assembly comprises a nozzle tube that extends from the front wall of the housing, and a nozzle disposed near a distal end of the nozzle tube, the nozzle configured to dispense concentrate.

4 . The flavor dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the flavor dispenser does not require connection to an external source of diluent.

5 . The flavor dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second concentrate container disposed in a second container holder adjacent to the container holder, the second concentrate container fluidly connected to the nozzle assembly; a second concentrate cap disposed on an end of the second concentrate container; a second pump disposed in the container cap and fluidly connected to an interior of the concentrate container; wherein the pump actuator is further configured move a portion of the second concentrate container with respect to the second container holder, thereby actuating the second pump.

6 . A dispensing system, comprising:
a container holder disposed in a housing; a concentrate container disposed in the container holder, the concentrate container fluidly connected to a nozzle assembly; a container cap disposed on an end of the concentrate container, wherein the container holder is configured to prevent a portion of the container cap from moving with respect to the container holder; a pump disposed in the container cap and fluidly connected to an interior of the concentrate container; and a pump actuator disposed in the housing configured to move a portion of the concentrate container cap with respect to the container holder, thereby actuating the pump, a second concentrate container disposed in a second container holder adjacent to the container holder, the second concentrate container fluidly connected to the nozzle assembly; a second concentrate cap disposed on an end of the second concentrate container; a second pump disposed in the container cap and fluidly connected to an interior of the concentrate container; wherein the pump actuator is further configured move a portion of the second concentrate container with respect to the second container holder, thereby actuating the second pump.

7 . The dispensing system of claim 6 , further comprising attachment flanges configured to attach the dispensing system to a support surface.

8 . The dispensing system of claim 6 , wherein the container cap comprises a tube that fluidly links the cap to the nozzle assembly,
wherein the tube is pivotally connected to an exterior of the container cap such that the tube can be pivoted between a first position where the tube is fluidly connected to an interior of the concentrate container and a second position where the tube is not fluidly connected to an interior of the concentrate container.

9 . The dispensing system of claim 7 , where the pump is actuated by movement of a second portion of the container cap that is fixed to the concentrate container with respect to the portion of the cap that is fixed to the container holder.

10 . The dispensing system of claim 7 , wherein the nozzle assembly comprises a nozzle tube that extends from the front wall of the housing, and a nozzle disposed near a distal end of the nozzle tube, the nozzle configured to dispense concentrate.

11 . The dispensing system of claim 7 , wherein the dispensing system does not require connection to an external source of diluent.

12 . A flavor dispenser, comprising:
a housing; a nozzle assembly extending from a front wall of the housing; a container holder disposed in the housing; a concentrate container disposed in the container holder, the concentrate container fluidly connected to the nozzle assembly; a container cap disposed on an end of the concentrate container, wherein the container holder is configured to prevent a first portion of the container cap from moving with respect to the container holder; a pump disposed in the container cap and fluidly connected to an interior of the concentrate container, the pump formed by the first portion of the container cap and a second portion of the container cap slidably disposed around the first portion, wherein movement of the second portion with respect to the first portion pumps concentrate from an interior of the concentrate container through the container cap; and a pump actuator disposed in the housing configured to move a portion of the concentrate container with respect to the container holder, thereby actuating the pump.

13 . The flavor dispenser of claim 12 , wherein the container cap comprises a tube that fluidly links the cap to the nozzle assembly,
wherein the tube is pivotally connected to an exterior of the container cap such that the tube can be pivoted between a first position where the tube is fluidly connected to an interior of the concentrate container and a second position where the tube is not fluidly connected to an interior of the concentrate container.

14 . The flavor dispenser of claim 12 , wherein the container cap comprises a tube extending into the concentrate container, and
wherein the pump comprises a spring that biases the second portion away from the first portion and a ball that selectively closes the tube when the second portion is moved towards the first portion.

15 . The flavor dispenser of claim 12 , wherein the nozzle assembly comprises a nozzle tube that extends from the front wall of the housing, and a nozzle disposed near a distal end of the nozzle tube, the nozzle configured to dispense concentrate.

16 . The flavor dispenser of claim 12 , wherein the flavor dispenser does not require connection to an external source of diluent.

17 . The flavor dispenser of claim 12 , further comprising:
a second concentrate container disposed in a second container holder adjacent to the container holder, the second concentrate container fluidly connected to the nozzle assembly; a second concentrate cap disposed on an end of the second concentrate container; a second pump disposed in the container cap and fluidly connected to an interior of the concentrate container; wherein the pump actuato

Assignees

• Pepsico Inc

Inventors

• Fantappiè Giancarlo
• Jersey Steven T
• Macrellino Diego

Classifications

• B67D1/0079

  having their own dispensing means · CPC title

• B67D2001/0088

  operated by push buttons · CPC title

• B67D1/0051

  for mixing outside the nozzle · CPC title

• B67D1/0085

  electro-mechanical · CPC title

• B67D2210/00039

  Panels · CPC title