Liquid product dispensing system and method
Assigneefairlife, LLC
InventorsGerald Dobbins, Timothy Peter Doelman, John Hengesbach, Brett Malsom
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An embodiment system and method for dispensing multiple dairy products includes a dispenser which houses two or more dairy product bases with different formulations, which may be combined with or without water to create a multitude of homogenous dairy beverages. The two or more dairy product bases may be mixed together first and then separately mixed with water, mixed together simultaneously with water, or mixed together without adding water. They may be mixed together with or without additional flavoring, ingredients, mineral or nutritional additives. The dispenser includes a pump with a quick-release mechanism to allow for quick and clean maintenance of the system.
Claims20
A method for changing materials in a beverage dispensing system, the method comprising:
- rotating a pump door handle to release a pump door;
- moving the pump door to disengage the pump door from a first product base tube located between the pump door and a pump roller;
- removing the first product base tube from between the pump door and the pump roller;
- placing a second product base tube between the pump door and the pump roller;
- and
- rotating the pump door handle to engage the pump door with the second product base tube and the pump roller, wherein the moving the pump door further comprises moving a first door link coupled to the pump door, wherein a first end of the first door link is coupled to the pump door at a first point and a second end of the first door link is a pivot point around which the first door link is rotatable, wherein the pump door is rotatable around the first point, wherein the pivot point has a first axis of rotation parallel with a second axis of rotation of the pump roller, and wherein a second end of the pump door is unencumbered by attachments, the second end being distal from the first point.
A method for changing materials in a beverage dispensing system, the method comprising:
- rotating a first pump handle to release a first door link and allow a first pump door to swing away from a first pump roller;
- disconnecting a first liquid base product tube system from between the first pump door and the first pump roller;
- connecting a second liquid base product tube system between the first pump door and the first pump roller, the second liquid base product tube system being different from the first liquid base product tube system;
- and
- rotating the first pump handle to engage the first door link and the first pump door, wherein a first end of the first door link is coupled to the first pump door at a first point and a second end of the first door link is a pivot point around which the first door link is rotatable, wherein the first pump door is rotatable around the first point, wherein the pivot point has a first axis of rotation parallel with a second axis of rotation of the first pump roller, and wherein a second end of the first pump door is unencumbered by attachments, the second end being distal from the first point.
A method for changing materials in a beverage dispensing system, the method comprising:
- disengaging a first pump door away from a first pump roller, the disengaging comprising rotating a pump handle in a first direction and moving a first door link attached to the first pump door;
- after the disengaging, replacing a first liquid base product tube system with a second liquid base product tube system between the first pump roller and the first pump door;
- and
- re-engaging the first pump door towards the first pump roller, the re-engaging comprising rotating the pump handle in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein a first end of the first door link is coupled to the first pump door at a first point and a second end of the first door link is a pivot point around which the first door link is rotatable, wherein the first pump door is rotatable around the first point, wherein the pivot point has a first axis of rotation parallel with a second axis of rotation of the first pump roller, and wherein a second end of the first pump door is unencumbered by attachments, the second end being distal from the first point.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.