US 4,051,879 A · Apparatus for pouring liquid in cups

Abstract

Apparatus for perforating a cover of a top covered cup and pouring a liquid in a predetermined quantity into the cup comprising a perforating tubular member and a liquid pipe which is controlled by a solenoid valve. The perforating tubular member is disposed over a predetermined position where the cup should is to be placed so that the tube vertically extends over and is movable downwardly to perforate the cover of the cup by a sharpened lower end thereof. The perforating member is vertically reciprocated by a driving means which is started by the operation of a switch and is stopped by a second detecting means which detects a time when the perforating member has been restored to its rest position. The output port of the liquid pipe is also disposed over the position where the cup should be placed and is mounted within the perforating tubular member. A first detecting means is provided which detect a time when the perforating member arrives a predetermined position after perforation. A timer is operated by an output signal fo the first detecting means and provides an output to the solenoid valve. Thus, a liquid in a predetermined quantity is poured into a cup through a hole formed in the cover of the cup by the perforating tubular member cup.

Claims7

Dependent claims

Apparatus for automatically perforating a cover of a container and pouring a predetermined quantity of liquid into said container including:

means to support said container in a predetermined position;
a movable tubular member having a longitudinal axis disposed substantially perpendicularly to said cover of said container when said container is in said predetermined position, said tubular member having a sharpened end disposed adjacent to said cover and an elongated longitudinal aperture;
driving means to move said tubular member in a continuous reciprocating motion in the place of said axis with a stroke of sufficient length that said sharpened end of said tubular member perforates said cover of said cup;
means to activate said driving means;
a source of liquid;
a fixedly mounted pipe having an input and an output end, said input end of said pipe being connected to said source of liquid and said pipe extending through said elongated aperture in said tubular member so that said output end is disposed within said tubular member;
valve means to control the flow of liquid through said pipe;
first detector means for detecting that said tubular member is at a first predetermined position perforating the cover of said container;
timer means responsive to said first detector means to open said valve means for a predetermined period permitting the flow of liquid from the output end of said pipe;
second detector means for detecting that said tubular member is at a second predetermined position spaced from the cover of said container;
and
means responsive to said second detector means to deactivate said driving means.

9 more elements

An apparatus for automatically perforating a top cover of a cup and pouring a liquid in a predetermined quantity into the cup;

a platform on which the cup is to be placed;
a movable tubular member having a sharpened end which tubular member has a longitudinal axis which is substantially orthogonally disposed over said platform and an elongated longitudinal aperture, said tubular member being movable in vertical place along said axis with said sharpened end facing said platform;
an electric motor;
connecting means connected between said electric motor and said tubular member to move said tubular member in a vertically reciprocating stroke with a sufficient amplitude that said sharpened end of said tubular member will perforate the top cover of a cup when the cup is placed on said platform;
a liquid source;
a fixedly mounted pipe which extends through said elongated aperture in said tubular member, said pipe having a first end connected to said liquid source and a second end disposed within said tubular member;
a solenoid valve connected to said pipe to control the liquid flow from said source to said output end;
an electric power source;
a first microswitch disposed to detect that said tubular member is at a first predetermined position of the vertical reciprocating stroke perforating the cover of said cup, and to generate a first signal;
a timer responsive to said first signal to operate during a predetermined time period, an output of said timer means being connected to said solenoid valve to open said valve to permit the discharge of liquid from said output end of said pipe during the operation of said timer means;
a second microswitch connected between said electric motor and said power source, said second microswitch being disposed to be opened when said support member is at a second predetermined position of the vertical reciprocating stroke spaced from the cover of said cup and to thereby deactivate said motor;
and
switch means connected in parallel with said second microswitch to activate said motor.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for pouring liquid in cups

Life of this patent

Apparatus for pouring liquid in cups

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims7