# US 2022/0033244 A1 · Liquid Food Dispenser System and Method

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- Number: US 2022/0033244 A1
- Document ID: US20220033244A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/408,891
- Filed: 2021-08-23
- Published: 2022-02-03
- Earliest claimed: 2006-07-07
- Assignees: fairlife, LLC
- Applicants: fairlife, LLC
- Inventors: Timothy Peter Doelman; Vincent A. Baxter
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220033244A1

## CPC

- B67D 1/0021: {the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers}
- B67D 1/1277: {Flow control valves}
- B65D 47/242: {moving helically}
- B65D 47/244: {being rotated without axial translation, whilst transmitting axial motion to an internal valve stem or valve seat}
- B67D 1/0082: {entirely mechanical}
- B67D 1/0462: {Squeezing collapsible or flexible beverage containers, e.g. bag-in-box containers}
- B67D 1/0864: {in the form of a cooling bath}
- B67D 1/1245: {Change-over devices, i.e. connecting a flow line from an empty container to a full one}
- B67D 1/1252: {Gas pressure control means, e.g. for maintaining proper carbonation (for beer engines B67D1/025)}
- B67D 2001/0828: {in pressurised housing}
- B67D 2210/0006: Manifolds
- B67D 2210/00062: Pipe joints
- B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F)
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES

## Abstract

A system and method for dispensing fluids is introduced. A preferred embodiment comprises a sealed tank, a bag containing fluid inside the sealed tank, an outlet for dispensing the liquid in the bag, and a pressure generating device to create pressure in the sealed tank.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for dispensing a liquid beverage, the method comprising:
dispensing a liquid stored in a first container within a first chamber at a first flow rate until the first container is substantially empty;
after the first container is almost empty, dispensing a liquid stored in a second container within a second chamber at a second flow rate while dispensing the remaining liquid stored in the first container at a third flow rate until the first container is empty, wherein the liquid flowing from the first container is combined with the liquid flowing from the second container to form a combined flow, the combined flow comprising a fourth flow rate; and
after the first container is empty, dispensing the liquid stored in the second container within the second chamber at a fifth flow rate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first, fourth, and fifth flow rates are substantially equal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the dispensing the liquid stored in the first and second containers comprises applying pressure to the first chamber and pressure to the second chamber, wherein the pressures applied to the first and second chambers create a force against the liquid in the first and second containers.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the pressure applied to the first chamber is increased when the first container is almost empty.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein, before the first container is almost empty, the pressure applied to the first chamber is greater than the pressure applied to the second chamber, wherein the liquid flows from the first container but does not flow from the second container.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the pressure applied to the second chamber after the first container is almost empty is greater than the pressure applied to the second chamber before the first container is almost empty.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the pressure applied to the second chamber after the first container is almost empty is about 0.05 psi to about 1.0 psi below a system target pressure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the pressure applied to the second chamber is increased to the system target pressure after the first container is empty.

### Claim 9

A method of dispensing a liquid beverage, the method comprising:
providing a first container within a first chamber, the first container storing a first liquid product, wherein a first output of the first container is connected to a t-section;
providing a second container within a second chamber, the second container storing the first liquid product, wherein a second output of the second container is connected to the t-section;
raising a first pressure in the first chamber above a second pressure in the second chamber, the raising the first pressure causing the first liquid product from the first container to flow from the first container without causing the first liquid product from the second container to flow from the second container;
modifying the first pressure and the second pressure a first time to cause the first liquid product to flow from the first container and also to cause the first liquid product to flow from the second container; and
modifying the first pressure and the second pressure a second time to cause the first liquid product to flow from the second container without causing the first liquid product to flow from the first container.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the modifying the first pressure and the second pressure the first time raises the first pressure.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the modifying the first pressure and the second pressure the first time increases the second pressure to be within about 0.05 psi to about 1.0 psi of the first pressure.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein a flow rate of the first liquid product out of a nozzle remains constant during the modifying the first pressure and the second pressure the first time and during the modifying the first pressure and the second pressure the second time.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein a time period between the modifying the first pressure and the second pressure the first time and the modifying the first pressure and the second pressure the second time is greater than one minute.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the first liquid product flows from the first container, through a first check-valve, to the t-section.

### Claim 15

A method of dispensing a liquid beverage, the method comprising:
flowing a first liquid product out of a first container, through a first check-valve, and to a t-section without flowing the first liquid product out of a second container;
flowing the first liquid product out of the first container, through the first check-valve, and to the t-section while flowing the first liquid product out of the second container, through a second check-valve, and to the t-section; and
flowing the first liquid product out of the second container, through the second check-valve, and to the t-section without flowing the first liquid product out of the first container.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein during the method a flow rate of the first liquid product out of a nozzle connected to the t-section is constant.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the flowing the first liquid product out of the first container, through the first check-valve, and to the t-section without the flowing the first liquid product out of the second container is initiated by raising a first pressure within a first chamber, the first container being located within the first chamber.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the flowing the first liquid product out of the first container, through the first check-valve, and to the t-section while flowing the first liquid product out of the second container, through the second check-valve, and to the t-section is initiated by modifying the first pressure within the first chamber.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the modifying the first pressure increases the first pressure.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the flowing the first liquid product out of the second container, through the second check-valve, and to the t-section without flowing the first liquid product out of the first container is initiated at least in part by modifying a second pressure within a second chamber, the second container being located within the second chamber.