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US 11,116,352 B2Granted
Beverage preparation system
AssigneeKerry Luxembourg S.à.r.l.
InventorsJohn Michael Herbert, Bryan R. Hotaling, John A. MacNeill, Scott A. Leclerc, Matt Naples, Patrick J. Devine
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A beverage preparation machine permits automated preparation of a variety of beverages. A plurality of stations add ingredients to a beverage container and process the contents directly in the container in some embodiments. Parallel preparation of more than one beverage may be performed in some embodiments. A robotic arm moves the beverage container to the stations. The robotic arm may include a weight sensor as part of controlling the addition of ingredients.
Claims19
A beverage preparation machine comprising:
- a first beverage preparation assembly where an ingredient of a first type is added to a container;
- a second beverage preparation assembly where an ingredient of a second type is added to the container and/or where contents of the container are processed;
- a first gripper configured to grip the container while the container is moved from the first beverage preparation assembly to the second beverage preparation assembly;
- and
- a robotic arm which moves the first gripper to move the container from the first beverage preparation assembly to the second beverage preparation assembly,
- wherein the robotic arm includes a weight sensor to weigh the container and the contents of the container,
- wherein the beverage preparation machine further comprises a controller configured to control, based on a weight sensed by the weight sensor, addition of at least one of the ingredient of the first type or the ingredient of the second type to the container,
- wherein the weight sensor is configured to receive the container and the contents of the container thereon such that the container and the contents of the container press on the weight sensor, and
- wherein the robotic arm is configured to move the container from the first beverage preparation assembly to the second beverage preparation assembly along an arcuate path.
6 more elements
A beverage preparation machine comprising:
- a container repository configured to hold a plurality of containers for liquid;
- a first beverage preparation assembly where an ingredient of a first type is added to a container;
- a second beverage preparation assembly where contents of the container are processed;
- a container mover configured to remove the container from the first beverage preparation assembly, move the container to the second beverage preparation assembly, and position the container within the second beverage preparation assembly at a location where processing components of the second beverage preparation assembly can process the contents of the container;
- wherein the container mover comprises a gripper and a robotic arm,
- wherein the robotic arm is configured to move the first gripper and the container from the first beverage preparation assembly to the second beverage preparation assembly, and
- wherein the robotic arm includes a weight sensor to weigh the container and the contents of the container.
4 more elements
A beverage preparation machine comprising:
- a plurality of stations, comprising:
- one or more container supply stations for storing a plurality of containers;
- one or more beverage preparation stations, including an ingredient dispensing station and a processing station, the processing station comprising a blender drive assembly comprising a blade to mix or blend ingredients within the containers;
- one or more cleaning stations to clean the blade by at least rinsing the blade;
- and
- one or more user accessible stations for accessing a prepared beverage,
- wherein the plurality of stations are disposed in a generally circular arrangement;
- a robotic arm, rotatable about an axis within the circular arrangement;
- and
- a gripper at a distal end of the robotic arm,
- wherein the robotic arm and the gripper are configured to selectively position the containers at one or more of the plurality of stations.
8 more elements
A beverage preparation machine comprising:
- a container repository configured to hold a plurality of containers for liquid;
- a first beverage preparation assembly where an ingredient of a first type is added to a container;
- a second beverage preparation assembly where contents of the container are processed;
- a container mover configured to remove the container from the first beverage preparation assembly, move the container to the second beverage preparation assembly, and position the container within the second beverage preparation assembly at a location where processing components of the second beverage preparation assembly can process the contents of the container;
- an ice source;
- an ice delivery chute having a longitudinal direction, the ice delivery chute positioned to convey ice along at least part of a distance between the ice source and a container;
- and
- a plurality of deflectors positioned within the ice delivery chute, each deflector being oriented such that a respective deflection surface is oriented transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ice delivery chute.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.