Systems and methods of selecting operations for a dispenser based on path of travel
AssigneeMarmon Foodservice Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJacob C. Greenberg, Christopher D. Coul, James Bendig
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An example of a beverage dispenser includes a nozzle and a valve coupled upstream of the nozzle. A sensor is operable to detect an object within a detection zone and provide a signal representative of a distance between the object and the sensor. A controller is configured to receive the signal from the sensor. The controller is configured to determine a sub-zone from a plurality of sub-zones within the detection zone in which the object is located. The valve is controlled between an open condition to dispense the substance through the nozzle and a closed condition based upon the determined sub-zone.
Claims19
A beverage dispenser comprising:
- a nozzle;
- a valve coupled upstream of the nozzle, the valve configured to control a flow of a substance through the valve to the nozzle;
- a solenoid operatively connected to the valve and configured to operate the valve between an open condition and a closed condition;
- a sensor operable to detect an object within a detection zone, the detection zone comprising a plurality of sequential sub-zones extending away from the sensor, the sensor operable to provide a signal representative of a distance between the object and the sensor;
- and
- a controller configured to receive the signal from the sensor, determine, from the signal, a current sub-zone from the plurality of sub-zones within the detection zone in which the object is located, select a predetermined evaluation time from a plurality of predetermined evaluation times based upon the current sub-zone, compare an elapsed time to the selected predetermined evaluation time, and operate the solenoid to control the valve between an open condition to dispense the substance through the nozzle and a closed condition based upon the comparison.
A method of dispensing a beverage from a beverage dispenser, the method comprising:
- detecting an object within a detection zone of a sensor, the detection zone comprising a plurality of sequential sub-zones extending away from the sensor, the sensor producing a signal representative of a distance between the object and the sensor;
- determining, from the signal, a current sub-zone in which the object is located from the plurality of sub-zones within the detection zone;
- determining a current mode of operation of the dispenser;
- selecting a predetermined evaluation time from a plurality of predetermined evaluation times based upon the current sub-zone and the current mode of operation;
- measuring an elapsed time of the object in the detection zone;
- comparing the elapsed time to the selected predetermined evaluation time;
- and
- controlling the beverage dispenser in a dispense mode with a valve in an open condition to dispense a substance through a nozzle or controlling the beverage dispenser in a standby mode with the valve in a closed condition based upon the comparison of the elapsed time to the selected predetermined evaluation time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.