ADA enabled touch screen interface for a beverage dispensing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9588608-B2
Application number	US-201414331122-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2014
Priority date	Nov 10, 2008
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

An ADA accessible beverage dispenser having a touch screen for receiving input for controlling the beverage dispenser and a first ADA access panel located within the reach of a user for receiving input from a user and a second ADA access panel displayed in a lower portion of the touchscreen and within the reach of the user for receiving input from the user where the first and second ADA access panels are configured to communicate with the beverage dispenser to control the beverage dispenser.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An accessible beverage dispenser comprising:
a base for receiving a beverage container;
a tower extending upward from the base such that the base supports the tower;
a nozzle provided above the base for dispensing a beverage based on a user input, wherein the base, the tower and the nozzle define a housing for receiving a beverage container;
a touch screen for receiving the user input for controlling the beverage dispenser, wherein the tower supports the touch screen;
an accessible key pad panel located within the reach of a user in a wheelchair for receiving the user input, wherein the accessible key pad panel is provided on a front portion of the base below a bottom of the housing and below a rim of the base, wherein the front portion of the base faces outward toward the user in the wheelchair; and
an accessible touch screen panel displayed in a lower portion of the touch screen and within the reach of the user in the wheelchair for receiving the user input, wherein the accessible key pad panel and the accessible touch screen panel are configured to communicate with a control unit to control the beverage dispenser.

2. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the key pad panel is a touch screen.

3. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising:
a drip pan housed in the base and located under the nozzle, wherein the first accessible panel is provided on a front surface of the drip pan, the front surface of the drip pan facing outward toward the user in the wheelchair.

4. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the accessible touch screen panel includes one or more buttons.

5. The beverage dispenser of claim 4 , wherein the one or more buttons include an up button, a down button, a left button, a right button, a select button or a dispense button.

6. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the accessible key pad panel is comprised of one or more buttons.

7. The beverage dispenser of claim 6 , wherein the one or more buttons are a right toggle button, a left toggle button and a selector button.

8. The beverage dispenser of claim 7 , wherein the one or more buttons further comprise a beverage dispensing button.

9. A control system for a beverage dispenser, having a housing and a base with touch screen user interface, the control system comprising:
a touch screen attached to a beverage dispensing end of the beverage dispenser for receiving input for controlling the beverage dispenser;
an accessible key pad panel located on a front portion of the base below a bottom of the housing and below a rim of the base, wherein the front portion of the base faces outward toward a user in a wheelchair such that the first accessible panel is within the reach of the user in the wheelchair for receiving input from the user;
an accessible touch screen panel for receiving input from the user displayed in a lower portion of the touchscreen and within the reach of the user in the wheelchair; and
a control unit electrically coupled to each of the accessible key pad panel and the accessible touch screen panel, the control unit configured to:
send a first graphical configuration to the touch screen for display;
receive a first command from the touch screen, the accessible key pad panel or the accessible touch screen panel;
send a second graphical configuration to the touch screen for display in response to the first command;
receive a second command from the touch screen, the accessible key pad panel or the accessible touch screen panel with respect to the second graphical configuration; and
control the beverage dispenser in response to the second command.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is configured to receive input from various sources.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first command is derived from receiving a user touch on one of the accessible key pad panel or the accessible touch screen panel.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the second command is derived from receiving a user selection of one of the commands from the accessible key pad panel or the accessible touch screen panel.

Assignees

• Automatic Bar Controls Inc

Inventors

• Hecht Thomas R
• Martindale Richard A

Classifications

• A47J31/5255

  of flow rate · CPC title

• A47J31/521

  the electronic control being performed over a network, e.g. by means of a computer or a handheld device · CPC title

• G06F3/041 Primary

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title

• B67D1/1204

  for ratio control purposes · CPC title

• B67D1/0888

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