Beverage dispensing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9434596-B2
Application number	US-201414317821-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2014
Priority date	Mar 6, 2006
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

The present application describes a product dispenser. The product dispenser may include at least one macro-ingredient source, at least one micro-ingredient source positioned about the dispenser, a diluent source, a dispensing valve, a number of pumps or metering devices, and a user interface. The user interface receives a request for a product type and instructs the pumps or metering devices to dispense a predetermined type and ratio of macro-ingredients, micro-ingredients, and diluent to the dispensing valve for a predetermined flow rate.

First claim

We claim:

1. A beverage dispenser, comprising:
a biometric sensor configured to collect health data;
a control device in communication with the biometric sensor, wherein the control device receives the health data and determines a beverage recommendation based at least on the health data; and
a plurality of metering devices configured to dispense a diluent and at least one ingredient to a dispensing valve, wherein each of the at least one ingredient is based on the recommended beverage.

2. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor is further configured to determine parameters comprising one or more of a height, a weight, a blood pressure, a blood glucose level, a cholesterol level, an insulin level, a heart rate, a bone density, or a body temperature.

3. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor comprises one or more of a scale, a blood pressure cuff, a breathalyzer, a blood analyzer, a hair analyzer, or an electrocardiography device.

4. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the control device is further configured to receive environmental data, and recommend a second beverage based at least on the environmental data, wherein the environmental data comprises data associated with one or more of time of day, outdoor temperature, a current event, or a team affiliation.

5. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the recommended beverage comprises one or more of a vitamin additive, a mineral additive, an herbal extract additive, a medicine additive, a nutraceutical additive, or a coloring additive.

6. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the recommended beverage has a specific amount of calories.

7. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface configured to receive a selection of the recommended beverage.

8. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing valve is configured to dispense the recommended beverage formed from the diluent and the at least one beverage.

9. A method for dispensing a beverage, comprising:
collecting health data from one or more biometric sensors coupled to a beverage dispenser;
providing, via a control device associated with the beverage dispenser, a recommendation for a beverage based at least on the health data;
receiving a selection of the recommended beverage at a user interface associated with the beverage dispenser; and
dispensing, via a plurality of metering devices associated with the beverage dispenser, a diluent and at least one ingredient based on the recommended beverage to a dispensing valve associated with the beverage dispenser.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining, via at least one of the one or more biometric sensors, parameters comprising one or more of a height, a weight, a blood pressure, a blood glucose level, a cholesterol level, an insulin level, a heart rate, a bone density, or a body temperature,
wherein the one or more biometric sensors comprise one or more of a scale, a blood pressure cuff, a breathalyzer, a blood analyzer, a hair analyzer, or an electrocardiography device.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein providing the beverage recommendation comprises providing, via the control device, a recommendation for one or more of a vitamin additive, a mineral additive, an herbal extract additive, a medicine additive, a nutraceutical additive, or a coloring additive.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the providing comprises providing, via the control device, a recommendation for a specific amount of calories.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising dispensing, via the dispensing valve, the recommended beverage formed from the diluent and the at least one ingredient.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising receiving one or more of environmental data or lifestyle data at the control device, and recommending a second beverage based at least on one or more of the environmental data or the lifestyle.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more biometric sensors are separate from the beverage dispenser.

16. A beverage dispenser, comprising:
at least one ingredient source;
a diluent source;
a dispensing valve;
a plurality of metering devices positioned between the at least one ingredient source, the diluent source, and the dispensing valve;
at least one biometric sensor configured to collect health data;
a control device in communication with the biometric sensor, wherein the control device determines a beverage recommendation based at least on the health data; and
a user interface that presents the beverage recommendation and receives a selection of the recommended beverage,
wherein the control device is further configured to instruct at least one of the plurality of metering devices to dispense a diluent and at least one ingredient based on the recommended beverage to the dispensing valve.

17. The beverage dispenser of claim 16 , the at least one biometric sensor further configured to determine parameters comprising one or more of a height, a weight, a blood pressure, a blood glucose level, a cholesterol level, or a body temperature.

18. The beverage dispenser of claim 16 , the at least one biometric sensor comprising one or more of a scale, a blood pressure cuff, a breathalyzer, a blood analyzer, a hair analyzer, or an electrocardiography device.

19. The beverage dispenser of claim 16 , further comprising a consumer data system comprising one or more biometric sensors.

Assignees

• Coca Cola Co

Inventors

• Carpenter Gregg
• Newman Jr David R
• Patel Nilang
• Phillips Paul A
• Rudick Arthur G
• Ziesel Lawrence B

Classifications

• B67D1/0888 Primary

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

• B67D1/0044

  for mixing inside the dispensing nozzle · CPC title

• B67D1/0021

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

• B67D1/0034

  for controlling the amount of each component · CPC title

• B67D1/0035

  the controls being based on the same metering technics · CPC title