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US 10,501,304 B2Granted
System for mixing and dispensing beverages
AssigneeSomabar, Inc.
InventorsAmmar Jangbarwala, Dylan Purcell-Lowe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A drink vending apparatus comprises a housing, one or more ingredient cartridges removably coupled to the housing, a mixing container, a dispensing nozzle, and a control unit. A user provides user commands from a smart device to the control unit that comprises drink requests from the user. In response thereto, ingredients are dispensed from one or more of the ingredient cartridges into the mixing container, and the mixed ingredients are dispensed from the mixing container into a receptacle.
Claims20
A drink vending apparatus, comprising:
- a housing having a plurality of ingredient cartridge slots formed therein, each ingredient cartridge slot configured to receive one ingredient cartridge;
- wherein the housing contains:
- a mixing container configured to receive ingredients from all ingredient cartridges via connection hardware provided between the mixing container and every ingredient cartridge;
- a plurality of two-port valves, each two-port valve provided with one ingredient cartridge slot;
- a plurality of fluid passageways, comprising:
- a series of first fluid passageways each connecting a first opening of each of the plurality of two-port valves with a cleaning solution container;
- and
- a series of second fluid passageways connecting a second opening of each of the plurality of two-port valves with the mixing container;
- and
- a control unit configured to:
- receive a user command;
- selectively control the dispensing of ingredients from each ingredient cartridge into the mixing container based on the user command;
- and
- cause dispensing of mixed ingredients from the mixing container into a receptacle;
- wherein the control unit is further configured to initiate a system flush cycle, the system flush cycle causing the cleaning solution container to disperse cleaning solution through the first series of passageways through each two-port valve and subsequently through the second series of passageways to the mixing container, and to a waste container, thereby flushing the first series of fluid passageways, each two-port valve, and the second series of fluid passageways.
12 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a housing comprising a plurality of ingredient cartridge slots configured to maintain a corresponding plurality of ingredient cartridges;
- wherein the housing contains:
- a mixing container configured to receive ingredients from all ingredient cartridges;
- a plurality of two-port valves each connectable to one ingredient cartridge, each two-port valve provided with one ingredient cartridge slot;
- a plurality of fluid passageways, comprising:
- a series of first fluid passageways, each first fluid passageway connecting a first opening of each of the plurality of two-port valves with a cleaning solution container;
- and
- a series of second fluid passageways connecting a second opening of each of the plurality of two-port valves with the mixing container;
- and
- a control unit configured to:
- receive a command comprising a drink request;
- based on the drink request, control dispensing of ingredients from each ingredient cartridge into the mixing container via the connection hardware;
- and
- dispense mixed ingredients from the mixing container into a receptacle in response to the drink request;
- wherein during a system flush cycle, the cleaning solution container disperses cleaning solution through the first series of passageways through each two-port valve and subsequently through the second series of passageways to the mixing container, and to a waste container, thereby flushing the first series of fluid passageways, each two-port valve, and the second series of fluid passageways.
12 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a housing having a plurality of ingredient cartridge slots formed therein, each ingredient cartridge slot configured to receive one ingredient cartridge;
- wherein the housing contains:
- a mixing container provided with the housing and configured to receive ingredients from all ingredient cartridges;
- a plurality of two-port valves each connectable to one ingredient cartridge, each two-port valve provided with one ingredient cartridge slot;
- a plurality of fluid passageways, comprising:
- a series of first fluid passageways, each first fluid passageway connecting a first opening of each of the plurality of two-port valves with a cleaning solution container;
- and
- a series of second fluid passageways connecting a second opening of each of the plurality of two-port valves with the mixing container;
- and
- a control unit configured to:
- control dispensing of ingredients from each ingredient cartridge into the mixing container;
- receive a command comprising a drink request;
- provide ingredients from each ingredient cartridge in proportions based on and in accordance with the drink request;
- and
- dispense mixed ingredients from the mixing container into a receptacle in response;
- wherein the control unit is further configured to provide a system flush cycle to the cleaning solution container causing the cleaning solution container to disperse cleaning solution through the first series of passageways through each two-port valve and subsequently through the second series of passageways to the mixing container, and to a waste container, thereby flushing the first series of fluid passageways, each two-port valve, and the second series of fluid passageways.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.