System for monitoring unit and total quantities of a dispenser fluid
AssigneeZyvex International
InventorJerry Horn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flow meter for use in monitoring unit and total quantities of a dispensed fluid, such as draft beer, includes a motion detection switch inside a housing and is coupled to a valve which controls the fluid flow. The switch provides an electrical indication during periods when the valve is open. A totalizer including microprocessor circuitry totalizes the amount of fluid passing through the valve based upon an adjustable, predetermined flow rate setting. An indicator is also coupled to the totalizing circuitry to provide an indication when a unit quantity has passed through the valve at the predetermined flow rate. The totalizer further totalizes the number of occurrences of the unit quantity or any other preselected quantity.
Claims29
An apparatus for measuring and totalizing an amount of a fluid dispensed through an outlet from a reservoir of said fluid, said outlet of the type controlling the flow of said fluid from said reservoir by movement between open and closed positions, said apparatus comprising:
- position detecting means coupled at said outlet for detecting said movement between said open and closed positions and providing an electrical output responsive thereto:
- totalizing means receiving said output from said position detecting means and totalizing an amount of said fluid passing through said outlet based on a setting in said totalizing means for a predetermined flow rate;
- means for changing said totalizing means to a setting representative of another predetermined flow rate;
- a count display;
- means for coupling said count display to an output of said totalizing means whereby a count representative of said amount of said fluid may be displayed;
- a key operated switch;
- circuit means coupling said key switch to said totalizing means;
- means coupled through said key switch to said totalizing means for providing a signal to said totalizing means responsive to operation of said key switch to clear said amount therefrom;
- indicating means coupled to a first output of said totalizing means;
- and
- means for energizing said indicating means for each occurrence of a preselected amount of said fluid passing through said outlet at said predetermined flow rate.
Apparatus for measuring an amount of the fluid passing through an outlet from a reservoir of said fluid, said apparatus comprising:
- first means for providing an output responsive to the flow of said fluid through said outlet;
- totalizing means receiving said output from said first means and totalizing an amount of said fluid passing through said outlet based on a setting in said totalizing means for a predetermined flow rate;
- a count display;
- said totalizing means including means for consecutively counting each occurrence of a specified amount of said fluid at said predetermined flow rate passing through said outlet during any uninterrupted opening of said outlet and storing a total of all of said occurrences;
- means for coupling said count display to said totalizing means, such that a count representative of all of said occurrences can be displayed;
- said totalizing means including programmed data storage means;
- means coupling said data storage means to said first means, whereby said data storage means records said predetermined flow rate in relation to the amount of time required to fill an enclosure of a known volume;
- said totalizing means including means for computing said amount of fluid as the time said detecting means provides an output responsive to fluid flow through said outlet at said predetermined flow rate;
- indicating means coupled to a first output of said totalizing means;
- and
- said totalizing means further including means for energizing said indicating means for each occurrence of a preselected amount of said fluid passing through said outlet at said predetermined flow rate.
A beverage accountability system for measuring and totalizing an amount of a beverage, such as draft beer or the like, dispensed through a tap from a container for said beverage, in which the flow of said beverage to said tap is controlled by movement of said tap between open and closed positions, said system comprising:
- a housing carried by said tap and movable therewith between said open and closed positions;
- position detecting means carried by said housing for detecting said movement of said tap between said open and closed positions and providing an output responsive thereto;
- means receiving said output from said position detecting means and totalizing the total amount of said beverage passing through said tap during each and all times when said tap is in said open position;
- a control unit separate from said tap and said housing, said control unit having plural electrical circuit lines connectable with said totalizing means;
- a count display carried by said control unit;
- said totalizing means including first means for consecutively counting each occurrence of a specified amount of said fluid at a predetermined flow rate passing through said outlet during any uninterrupted opening of said outlet and storing a total of all of said occurrences;
- means for coupling said count display to said totalizing means, such that a count representative of said total amount and all of said occurrences can be displayed;
- indicating means carried by said housing;
- said totalizing means coupled to said indicating means to energize said indicating means for each occurrence of a preselected amount of said fluid passing through said outlet at said predetermined flow rate;
- said totalizing means including programmed data storage means carried by said control unit;
- a switch carried by said control unit;
- means coupling said data storage means to said position detection means responsive to operation of said switch, whereby said data storage means records said predetermined flow rate in relation to the amount of time required to fill an enclosure of a known volume, during an uninterrupted opening of said tap to fill said enclosure;
- and
- said housing further including a portion of said totalizing means, said circuit lines including means coupling said data storage means to said totalizing means in said housing, whereby said total amount and said number of occurrences are computed by said portion of said totalizing means in said housing.
A beverage accountability system for measuring and totalizing an amount of a beverage, such as draft beer or the like, dispensed through a tap from a container for said beverage, in which the flow of said beverage through said tap is controlled by movement of said tap between open and closed positions, said system comprising:
- a housing carried by said tap and movable therewith between said open and closed positions;
- position detecting means carried by said housing for detecting said movement of said tap between said open and closed positions and providing an output responsive thereto;
- means in said housing for receiving said output from said position detecting means and totalizing the total amount of said beverage passing through said tap during each or all times when said tap is in said open position;
- indicating means coupled with a first output of said totalizing means and carried by said housing;
- and
- said totalizing means including means for energizing said indicating means for each occurrence of a preselected amount of said fluid passing through said outlet at said predetermined flow rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.