Hot and cold beverage dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016257550-A1
Application number	US-201615155633-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 16, 2016
Priority date	Dec 2, 2010
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus and method may be configured for detecting selection between a hot version and a cold version of a beverage, causing opening of a first of a plurality of valves and closing of a second of the plurality of valves for providing water to a first of a plurality of mixing chambers based on the selection, causing delivery of beverage concentrate to the first mixing chamber, controlling a flow rate of the water and a flow rate of the beverage concentrate into the mixing chamber for mixing of the water with the beverage concentrate in a controlled ratio to create the beverage, and dispensing the beverage from the mixing chamber.

First claim

We claim:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a hot water valve configured to control supplying of hot water; a cold water valve configured to control supplying of cold water; a temperature selector switch configured to receive input selecting between a hot version and a cold version of a beverage; a pump coupled to a concentrate container configured to store a beverage concentrate; a mixing chamber coupled to the pump, the hot water valve, and the cold water valve, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the hot water valve to open to supply the hot water and the pump to supply the beverage concentrate to the mixing chamber in a controlled ratio creating the hot version of the beverage in response to the input being a selection of the hot version, and wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the cold water valve to open to supply the cold water and the pump to supply the beverage concentrate to the mixing chamber in a controlled ratio creating the cold version of the beverage in response to the input being a selection of the cold version.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a heater tank configured to store the hot water.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a liquid level control unit configured to monitor a level of the hot water in the heater tank and to cause input of water into the heater tank in response to the level falling below a predetermined level.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature controller configured to monitor a temperature of the hot water.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the temperature controller is configured to cause a heater element to turn on in response to detecting the temperature of the hot water is below a predetermined temperature.

6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the temperature controller is configured to cause a heater element to turn off in response to detecting the temperature of the hot water is above a predetermined temperature.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to:
determine a first flow rate of the hot water or the cold water and a second flow rate of the beverage concentrate; and adjusting the first flow rate or the second flow rate to maintain the controlled ratio.

8 . A method comprising:
detecting, by a control unit, selection between a hot version and a cold version of a beverage; causing opening of a first of a plurality of valves and closing of a second of the plurality of valves for providing water to a first of a plurality of mixing chambers based on the selection; causing delivery of beverage concentrate to the first mixing chamber; controlling a flow rate of the water and a flow rate of the beverage concentrate into the mixing chamber for mixing of the water with the beverage concentrate in a controlled ratio to create the beverage; and dispensing the beverage from the mixing chamber.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the causing of the opening of the first valve is in response to detecting actuation of one of a plurality of dispensing switches.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the beverage concentrate is delivered from one of a plurality of concentrate containers corresponding to the actuated dispensing switch.

11 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
monitoring a level of hot water in a heater tank; and causing opening of a fill valve to input additional water into the heater tank in response to the level falling below a predetermined minimum water level.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising monitoring a temperature of the hot water.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising;
causing a heating element to turn on in response to detecting that the temperature of the hot water is below a predetermined minimum temperature; and causing a heating element to turn off in response to detecting the temperature of the hot water is above a predetermined maximum temperature.

14 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising
determining a first flow rate of the hot water or the cold water and a second flow rate of the beverage concentrate; and adjusting the first flow rate or of the second flow rate to maintain the controlled ratio.

15 . An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of hot water valves configured to control supplying of hot water; a plurality of cold water valves configured to control supplying of cold water; a plurality of dispenser switches each configured to cause dispensing of one of a plurality of beverages; a temperature selector switch configured to receive input selecting a hot version or a cold version of a selected beverage; a plurality of pumps each coupled to a respective concentrate container storing a beverage concentrate; a flow controller configured to monitor a first flow rate of beverage concentrate supplied by a first of the pumps and a second flow rate of the hot water or the cold water to control a water to beverage concentrate ratio supplied to a mixing chamber.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a heater tank to store the hot water.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a heater tank liquid control system configured to monitor a level of the hot water in the heater tank and to cause input of additional water into the heater tank in response to the level falling below a predetermined level.

18 . The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a temperature controller configured to monitor a temperature of the hot water.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the temperature controller is configured to cause a heating element to turn on in response to detecting that the temperature of the hot water is below a predetermined temperature.

20 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the mixing chamber is one of a plurality of mixing chambers, and wherein the apparatus is configured to dispense a first beverage from a first of the plurality of mixing chambers at a same time as dispensing a second beverage from a second of the plurality of mixing chambers.

Assignees

• Pepsico Inc

Inventors

• Li Xuejun
• Segiet William W
• Ubidia Fermando A
• Lewis John F
• Stein Aaron M

Classifications

• A47J31/469

  Details of hydraulic circuits · CPC title

• A47J31/5253

  of temperature · CPC title

• B67D1/0034 Primary

  for controlling the amount of each component · CPC title

• B67D2210/00123

  Preparing a mix of concentrates · CPC title

• A47J31/4403

  Constructional details · CPC title