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US 2023/0397755 A1Published application
Liquid supply tank sensing arrangement for beverage machine
AssigneeKeurig Green Mountain, Inc.
InventorsChang Geng, Fa Yong Zhong, Cong Xing Ma, Zheng Xu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for employing a sensor to detect disconnection of a liquid supply tank and a low fill level of the liquid supply tank are disclosed herein. The sensor may have a conductive probe to contact liquid, e.g., to detect a liquid level in a removable liquid supply tank.
Claims29
A beverage machine comprising:
- a liquid supply tank configured to hold a liquid for forming a beverage;
- a conduit that is fluidly coupled to the liquid supply tank and positioned such that, for at least some fill levels of the liquid supply tank, prior to initiation of a beverage cycle, a liquid level in the conduit corresponds to a liquid level in the liquid supply tank;
- a conductive probe positioned within the conduit and at a level in the conduit to detect presence and absence of liquid at the level in the conduit, the level being located at a vertical height that is between a bottom of the liquid supply tank and a maximum fill level of the liquid supply tank;
- and
- a pump positioned to move liquid from the liquid supply tank to the conductive probe.
2 more elements
A beverage machine comprising:
- a liquid supply tank configured to hold a liquid for forming a beverage;
- a pump fluidly coupled to the liquid supply tank;
- a liquid supply line configured to provide liquid from the liquid supply tank to the pump;
- a vent fluidly coupled to the liquid supply line to vent at least a portion of the liquid supply line to ambient pressure such that, for at least some fill levels of the liquid supply tank, a liquid level in the liquid supply line is at a same height as a liquid level in the liquid supply tank;
- and
- a sensor configured to detect presence and absence of liquid in the liquid supply line.
3 more elements
A beverage machine comprising:
- a liquid supply tank configured to hold a liquid for forming a beverage, the liquid supply tank having a disconnected state and a connected state;
- a conduit that is external to and fluidly coupled to the liquid supply tank when the liquid supply tank is in the connected state;
- and
- a sensor configured to detect presence and absence of liquid at a level in the conduit in order to detect disconnection of the liquid supply tank and to detect that a liquid level in the liquid supply tank is below a threshold level.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.