Beverage Freshness Detecting and Indicating Systems
AssigneeBunn-O-Matic Corporation
InventorRandy D. Pope
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system, method and apparatus for detecting the level of acidity or pH of material in a beverage container. The system includes a sensor assembly including a pH sensor. Preferably, a controller is provided and receives a signal from the sensor assembly for controllably operating functions of the beverage container or dispenser based on the detection signal from the sensor assembly relating to material in the container. The controller may prevent further dispensing or may indicate a level of freshness based on baseline pH values or a range of values for the particular beverage contained.
Claims21
A beverage container including a freshness detecting system for detecting the freshness of the beverage retained in the container, comprising:
- a pH sensor associated with the container for detecting the pH of beverage retained in the container;
- a controller coupled with the pH sensor for receiving a signal from the sensor;
- and
- an output device coupled to the controller for using information from the controller relating to the pH level sensed by the pH sensor.
A beverage system including a container including a freshness detecting system for detecting the freshness of the beverage retained in the container, comprising:
- a pH sensor associated with the container for detecting the pH of beverage retained in the container;
- a controller coupled with the pH sensor for receiving a signal from the sensor;
- and
- an output device coupled to the controller for using information from the controller relating to the pH level sensed by the pH sensor.
A method of monitoring beverage freshness of a beverage dispensed into a beverage container, the method comprising:
- providing a pH sensor associated with the container;
- detecting the pH of beverage retained in the container;
- providing a controller coupled with the pH sensor;
- communicating a signal from the sensor to the controller
- providing an output device coupled to the controller
- communicating information from the controller to the output device relating to the pH level sensed by the pH sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.