Beverage dispenser valve with fill detection
AssigneeMarmon Foodservice Technologies, Inc.
InventorJames Bendig
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for dispensing a beverage includes the detection of a presence of a cup underneath a nozzle, and in response to the detected presence of the cup, a target fill height is calculated. The controller operates to begin a dispense of a beverage into the cup. A beverage fill height determined and compared to a target fill height. When the beverage fill height exceeds the target fill height, the controller operates to stop dispensing the beverage into the cup.
Claims20
A method for dispensing a beverage from a beverage dispensing system, the method comprising:
- detecting a presence of a cup underneath a nozzle;
- in response to detecting the presence of the cup, calculating a target fill height;
- operating a valve to an open condition to dispense a beverage through the nozzle into the cup;
- determining a current fill height of the beverage in the cup;
- accessing a value representative of a beverage flow rate when the valve is in the open condition;
- evaluating the current fill height using the beverage flow rate;
- operating the valve to the closed condition when the current fill height and a dispense time exceed the beverage flow rate;
- then evaluating the current fill height until the current fill height reaches an equilibrium;
- then operating the valve to the open condition;
- comparing the current fill height to the target fill height;
- and
- in response to determining that current fill height reaches or exceeds the target fill height, operating the valve to a closed condition to stop dispense of the beverage through the nozzle into the cup.
A method of foaming detection while dispensing a beverage from a beverage dispensing system, the method comprising:
- detecting a presence of a cup underneath a nozzle;
- in response to detecting the presence of the cup, calculating a target fill height;
- operating a valve to an open condition to dispense a beverage through the nozzle into the cup;
- continuously determining a current fill height of beverage in the cup;
- accessing a value representative of a beverage flow rate when the valve is in the open condition;
- while the valve is in the open condition, calculating an estimated fill height based upon at least the beverage flow rate and a dispense time;
- comparing the current fill height to the estimated fill height;
- and
- operating the valve to the closed position, when the current fill height exceeds the estimated fill height by a predetermined amount.
A method of foaming detection while dispensing a beverage from a beverage dispensing system, the method comprising:
- detecting a presence of a cup underneath a nozzle;
- in response to detecting the presence of the cup, calculating a target fill height;
- operating a valve to an open condition to dispense a beverage through the nozzle into the cup;
- determining a current fill height of the beverage in the cup;
- comparing the current fill height to the target fill height, wherein comparing the current fill height to the target fill height comprises applying the current fill height to a model of expected fill height;
- in response to determining that the current fill height reaches or exceeds the target fill height, operating the valve to a closed condition to stop dispense of the beverage through the nozzle into the cup;
- then evaluating the current fill height until the current fill height reaches an equilibrium, and then operating the valve to the open condition;
- and
- operating the valve to the closed condition when the current fill height reaches or exceeds the target fill height.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.