Beverage dispensing system and method
OwnerJesse W. CROWNEinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for dispensing a beverage includes a storage vessel configured to store the beverage, a flow meter fluidly coupled to the storage vessel and configured obtain flow measurements of the beverage from the storage vessel, a first fluid path comprising a valve fluidly coupled to the flow meter and to a faucet, and a second fluid path comprising a heater fluidly coupled to the flow meter and to a flow restrictor. The heater is operable between a first state and a second state. The heater is configured to increase a temperature of the beverage passing through the heater to a target temperature when the heater is in the first state and configured to not to increase the temperature of the beverage passing through the heater when the heater is in the second state.
Claims24
A system for dispensing a beverage, the system comprising:
- a storage vessel configured to store the beverage;
- a flow meter fluidly coupled to the storage vessel and configured obtain flow measurements of the beverage from the storage vessel;
- a first fluid path comprising a valve fluidly coupled to the flow meter and to a faucet;
- and
- a second fluid path comprising a heater fluidly coupled to the flow meter and to a flow restrictor;
- wherein the heater is operable between a first state and a second state;
- wherein the heater is configured to increase a temperature of the beverage passing through the heater to a target temperature when the heater is in the first state.
A method of providing a nitrogenated liquid, the method comprising:
- pressurizing a vessel with nitrogen at a target steeping pressure;
- steeping the vessel for a steeping time at a first temperature;
- decreasing a temperature of the vessel to a chilled steeping temperature lower than the first temperature;
- steeping at the second temperature;
- rapidly decreasing a pressure of the vessel in such a manner as to cause nitrogen cavitation within the vessel, thereby producing a brew fluid.
The method of 10, further comprising:
- accessing, by an operator of the beverage dispensing system, metrics associated with the operation of the beverage dispensing system;
- wherein the metrics include a capacity of the vessel.
A mobile delivery system for delivering hot, nitrogenated coffee to a customer, the mobile delivery system comprising:
- an application accessible by a customer using an external mobile device;
- and
- a beverage dispensing system comprising:
- a storage vessel configured to store brewed and nitrogenated coffee;
- a flow meter fluidically coupled to the storage vessel and configured to measure flow of the brewed and nitrogenated coffee from the storage vessel;
- a valve fluidically coupled to the flow meter and to a faucet;
- a heater fluidically coupled to the flow meter and to a flow restrictor;
- and
- a processing circuit configured to be communicable with the application;
- wherein the customer may place an order for a coffee at the beverage dispensing system using the application;
- and
- wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive the order and transmit an order confirmation to the customer, the order confirmation including a location of the mobile delivery system and an expected order completion time.
A method of providing a hot, brewed beverage, comprising:
- brewing a beverage at a first temperature, wherein the first temperature is at or below room temperature;
- nitrogenating a storage vessel containing the beverage by pressurizing the vessel, resulting in a brewed and nitrogenated liquid;
- directing the brewed and nitrogenated liquid past a heating element to rapidly heat the beverage to a second temperature, higher than the first temperature;
- and
- dispensing the fluid directly after heating the beverage with the heating element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.