Frozen beverage machine control system and method
OwnerJimmy I. Frankinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of operating a frozen beverage machine is disclosed that utilizes a short “burst” heating of the beverage machine's freezing chamber. The method includes monitoring a beverage mixture within the freezing chamber of the frozen beverage machine, and heating the freezing chamber for a predetermined time period in response to the beverage mixture reaching a first predetermined state. The freezing chamber is then refrigerated until the beverage mixture reaches a second predetermined state.
Claims9
A method of operating a frozen beverage machine, comprising:
- monitoring a beverage mixture within a freezing chamber of the frozen beverage machine;
- flowing uncondensed refrigerant through a coil surrounding the freezing chamber in response to the beverage mixture reaching a predetermined state;
- and
- flowing the refrigerant through a condenser and an expansion valve and through the coil.
A control system for a frozen beverage machine having a freezing chamber, the control system comprising:
- a processor connected to receive a signal indicating the state of a beverage mixture in the freezing chamber;
- a memory device connected to the processor, the memory device storing program to code that when executed by the processor implements a method including:
- flowing uncondensed refrigerant through a coil surrounding the freezing chamber in response to the beverage mixture reaching a predetermined state;
- and
- flowing the refrigerant through a condenser and an expansion valve and through the coil.
A frozen beverage machine, comprising:
- a freezing chamber;
- an evaporator coil surrounding the freezing chamber;
- an expansion valve connected to the evaporator coil;
- a condenser connected to the expansion valve;
- a compressor connected to the condenser to force a refrigerant through the condenser, expansion valve and evaporator coil;
- a bypass valve connected between the compressor and the evaporator coil, the bypass valve having a closed position in which the refrigerant flows through the condenser, expansion valve and evaporator coil, and an open position in which the refrigerant bypasses the condenser and expansion valve;
- and
- a controller monitoring a beverage mixture contained in the freezing chamber, the controller connected to the bypass valve to set the bypass valve in the open and closed position for a predetermined time period in response to the beverage mixture reaching a predetermined state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.