Beverage dispensing apparatus and method for active pressure control thereof
AssigneeLuigi Lavazza S.P.A.
InventorsStephen HOBDEN, Paul Fletcher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A beverage dispensing apparatus includes a water tank, a water supply line connected to the water tank and having a water pump for pumping water from the water tank to a water outlet at a distal end of the water supply line, wherein the water outlet is connectable to a beverage ingredient container, a pressure sensor connected to the water supply line at a position upstream of the water outlet, and a controller configured to receive an output from the pressure sensor indicative of the pressure at the position upstream of the water outlet and to determine an estimated pressure at the water outlet based on the received output and a flow rate of water through the water supply line.
Claims20
A beverage dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a water tank;
- a water supply line connected to the water tank and having a water pump for pumping water from the water tank to a water outlet at a distal end of the water supply line, wherein the water outlet is connectable to a beverage ingredient container;
- a pressure sensor connected to the water supply line at a position upstream of the water outlet;
- and
- a controller configured to receive an output from the pressure sensor indicative of the pressure at the position upstream of the water outlet and to determine an estimated pressure at the water outlet based on the received output and a flow rate of water through the water supply line.
A beverage dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a fluid pump for pumping fluid into a beverage preparation fluid circuit comprising an outlet;
- a pressure sensor positioned to sense a pressure of the beverage preparation fluid circuit;
- and
- a controller configured to receive an output from the pressure sensor and to determine an estimated pressure at the outlet based on the received output and a flow rate of the fluid through the fluid pump.
A beverage dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a water tank;
- a water supply line connected to the water tank and having a water pump for pumping water from the water tank to a water outlet at a distal end of the water supply line, wherein the water outlet is connectable to a beverage ingredient container;
- a heater disposed between the water tank and the water outlet for heating the water;
- a sealed pressure sensor configured to measure ambient atmospheric pressure relative to a reference pressure;
- and
- a controller configured to receive an output from the sealed pressure sensor indicative of the ambient atmospheric pressure and to adjust a temperature setting of the heater based on the ambient atmospheric pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.