# US 11,713,232 B2 · Beverage dispensing systems

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,713,232 B2
- Document ID: US11713232B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/337,061
- Filed: 2017-09-29
- Published: 2022-03-03
- Granted: 2023-08-01
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-30
- Assignees: The Coca-Cola Company
- Applicants: The Coca-Cola Company
- Inventors: Arthur G. Rudick; Dick P. Welch
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11713232B2

## CPC

- B67D 1/0031: {in the form of a metering pump}
- B67D 1/1247: {Means for detecting the presence or absence of liquid}
- B67D 1/0034: {for controlling the amount of each component}
- B67D 1/0871: {Level gauges for beverage storage containers (level indicators in general G01F)}
- B67D 2001/0091: {Component storage means}
- B67D 2001/0093: {Valves}
- B67D 2001/0827: {Bags in box}
- B67D 2001/1259: {Fluid level control devices}
- B67D 2210/0012: related to concentrate handling
- B67D 2210/00152: Automatically
- B67D 2210/00163: Agitators
- B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F)

## Abstract

The present application provides a beverage dispensing system for combining a number of ingredients. The beverage dispensing system may include an ingredient pouch, an ingredient storage tank, a pump, a nozzle, an inlet diverter valve upstream of the pump, and an outlet diverter valve downstream of the pump.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A beverage dispensing system for combining a number of ingredients, comprising:
an ingredient pouch;
an ingredient storage tank;
a pump;
a nozzle;
an inlet diverter valve upstream of the pump; and
an outlet diverter valve downstream of the pump;
wherein the outlet diverter valve comprises a first outlet configuration for the pump to pump the ingredient from the ingredient pouch directly to the nozzle and a second outlet configuration for the pump to pump the ingredient from the ingredient pouch to the ingredient storage tank.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The beverage dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the inlet diverter valve comprises a first inlet configuration for the pump to pump the ingredient from the ingredient pouch to the nozzle and a second inlet configuration for the pump to pump the ingredient from the ingredient storage tank to the nozzle or to recirculate the ingredient in the ingredient storage tank.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The beverage dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the inlet diverter valve and the outlet diverter valve comprise a three-way diverter valve.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The beverage dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the ingredient storage tank comprises a high level probe and a low level probe.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The beverage dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the ingredient storage tank comprises a liquid impervious membrane.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The beverage dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the ingredient pouch is in communication with the inlet diverter valve via a tube and wherein the ingredient pouch comprises a female fitting and wherein the tube comprises a male fitting.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The beverage dispensing system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of ingredient storage tanks in a storage tank module.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The beverage dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the ingredient storage tank comprises a first membrane tube with a filter and a first check valve and a second membrane tube with a second check valve.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The beverage dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the number of ingredients comprises micro-ingredients.

### Claim 10

A method of pumping an ingredient from an ingredient pouch to a nozzle, comprising:
pumping the ingredient to the nozzle;
determining a low level of the ingredient in the ingredient pouch;
pumping the remaining ingredient to an ingredient storage tank;
replacing the ingredient pouch; and
pumping a portion of the ingredient back to the ingredient pouch.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of priming the replacement ingredient pouch by pumping the ingredient to the ingredient storage tank.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of pumping the ingredient from the ingredient storage tank to the nozzle.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of recirculating the ingredient in the ingredient storage tank.