Product dispensing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9488510-B2
Application number	US-201514942294-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2015
Priority date	Sep 6, 2007
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

A flow sensor includes a fluid chamber configured to receive a fluid. A diaphragm assembly is configured to be displaced whenever the fluid within the fluid chamber is displaced. A transducer assembly is configured to monitor the displacement of the diaphragm assembly and generate a signal based, at least in part, upon the quantity of fluid displaced within the fluid chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flow sensor comprising:
a fluid chamber configured to receive a fluid micro-ingredient from a product container;
a diaphragm assembly configured to be displaced whenever the fluid micro-ingredient within the fluid chamber is displaced;
a transducer assembly configured to monitor the displacement of the diaphragm assembly and generate a signal based, at least in part, upon the quantity of fluid micro-ingredient displaced within the fluid chamber; and
a control logic subsystem in communication with a the transducer assembly configured to received the signal from the transducer,
wherein the control logic subsystem determines, based on the signal, whether the product container contains a volume of fluid micro-ingredient or whether the product container is empty.

2. The flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the transducer assembly comprising a linear variable differential transformer coupled to the diaphragm assembly by a linkage assembly.

3. The flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the transducer assembly comprising a needle/magnet cartridge assembly.

4. The flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the transducer assembly comprising a magnetic coil assembly.

5. The flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the transducer assembly comprising a Hall Effect sensor assembly.

6. The flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the transducer assembly comprising a piezoelectric buzzer element.

7. The flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the transducer assembly comprising a piezoelectric sheet element.

8. The flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the transducer assembly comprising an audio speaker assembly.

9. The flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the transducer assembly comprising an accelerometer assembly.

10. The flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the transducer assembly comprising a microphone assembly.

11. The flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the transducer assembly comprising an optical displacement assembly.

12. The flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the control logic subsystem configured to ascertain the quantity of fluid micro-ingredient passing through the chamber.

13. A method for determining a product container is empty comprising:
energizing a pump assembly;
pumping a micro-ingredient from a product container;
displacing a capacitive plate a displacement distance;
measuring the capacitance of a capacitor;
calculating the displacement distance from the measured capacitance; and
determining whether the product container is empty.

14. A method for determining a product container is empty comprising:
energizing a pump assembly;
displacing a diaphragm assembly a displacement distance by pumping a micro-ingredient from a product container;
measuring the displacement distance using a transducer assembly;
using the transducer assembly generating a signal based, at least in part, upon the quantity of micro-ingredient pumped from the product container; and
determining, using the signal, whether the product container is empty.

Assignees

• Deka Products Lp

Inventors

• Beavis Russell H
• Jones Jr Benjamin W
• Kerwin John M
• Gray Larry B
• Manning Casey P
• Winkler Felix
• Charles Robert A

Classifications

• G05D7/0617

  specially adapted for fluid materials · CPC title

• G01F1/56 Primary

  by using electric or magnetic effects (G01F1/66 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B67D1/0855

  concerning the used flowmeter (flowmeter per se G01F1/00, G01F3/00) · CPC title

• B67D1/0036 Primary

  based on the timed opening of valves · CPC title

• B67D2210/0006

  Manifolds · CPC title