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US 4,590,975 AGranted
Automatic beverage dispensing system
AssigneeThe Coca-Cola Company
InventorWilliam S. Credle, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A narrow, modular automatic beverage dispensing assembly to be attached to an existing ice dispensing beverage dispenser, to provide automatic beverage dispensing capability. The modular assembly includes two separate subassemblies; the first subassembly includes an automatic cup dropper, and the second subassembly includes an automatic beverage dispensing means and an automatic conveyor. The existing beverage dispenser to which the modular assembly of this invention is attached is modified by adding thereto an automatic ice dispenser that feeds ice into the attached modular assembly.
Claims31
An automatic beverage dispensing apparatus comprising:
- (a) a narrow, modular assembly having a height and a depth substantially greater than its width, and having a uniform width along the entire height and depth thereof, said assembly including a cup dropping station, a beverage filling station, and conveyor means for moving a beverage-filled cup away from said beverage filling station;
- (b) said conveyor means including a flat, narrow, horizontal surface located adjacent a lower portion of said assembly and extending from said cup dropping station to an operator station at a front end of said modular assembly, said surface being adapted to receive and support a cup dropped thereon while said cup is filled with a beverage and is then moved away from said beverage filling station;
- said conveyor means including means for automatically moving a cup on said surface from said cup dropping station to said operator station;
- (c) said assembly including means for automatically dropping a cup onto said surface at said cup dropping station, said cup dropping means including cup holding means located adjacent an upper portion of said assembly, and also including a cup chute located below said cup holding means for guiding a dropped cup onto said surface in an upright condition;
- (d) said assembly including means for automatically dispensing a beverage into a cup on said surface at said beverage dispensing station;
- and
- (e) said cup chute including an opening extending through a vertical wall thereof and located above a cup dropped onto said surface at said cup dropping station, whereby ice can be dispensed through said opening and into a cup located on said surface in said cup dropping station.
4 more elements
An automatic beverage dispensing apparatus comprising:
- (a) a narrow, modular assembly having a height and a depth substantially greater than its width, and having a uniform width along the entire height and depth thereof, said width being less than about ten inches, said assembly including first and second separate subassemblies, said first subassembly including a cup dropping station, and said second subassembly including a beverage filling station and conveyor means for moving an ice-filled and beverage-filled cup to an operator station at a front end of said modular assembly;
- (b) said conveyor means including a flat, narrow, horizontal surface located adjacent a lower portion of said assembly and extending from said cup dropping station to said operator station, said surface being adapted to receive and support a cup dropped thereon while said cup is sequentially filled with ice, then filled with a beverage, and then moved to said operator station, said conveyor means including means for automatically moving a cup on said surface from said cup dropping station to said operator station;
- (c) said first subassembly including means for automatically dropping a cup onto said surface at said cup dropping station, said cup dropping means including cup holding means located adjacent an upper portion of said assembly and a cup chute located below said cup holding means for guiding a dropped cup onto said surface in an upright condition;
- (d) said second subassembly also including means for automatically dispensing a beverage into a cup located at said beverage dispensing station;
- and
- (e) said cup chute including an opening extending through a vertical wall thereof and located above a cup dropped onto said surface at said cup dropping station, whereby ice can be dispensed through said opening and into a cup located on said surface in said cup dropping station.
3 more elements
A method for automatically dispensing a beverage comprising the steps of:
- (a) modifying a beverage dispenser of the type having a plurality of beverage dispensing valve assemblies and an ice dispenser by adding thereto an ice dispensing chute extending from a side wall thereof and means for automatically dispensing ice from said chute;
- and
- (b) attaching to said side wall a narrow, automatic beverage dispensing modular assembly having a height and depth substantially greater than its width, said modular assembly including:
- (i) means for automatically dropping a cup onto said conveyor means at a cup dropping station;
- (ii) means for dispensing ice into said cup from said ice dispensing means;
- (iii) means for dispensing a beverage into said ice filled cup;
- and
- (iv) conveyor means for moving an ice-filled and beverage-filled cup from said cup dropping station to an operator station at a front end of said modular assembly.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.