US 4,979,639 AGranted

Beverage dispenser control valve and ratio control method therefor

AssigneeThe Coca-Cola Company

InventorsGeorge H. Hoover, Roger C. Whigham, Annie T. Ellis, Gary G. Highberger

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Abstract

A multiflavor beverage dispenser comprises a microprocessor system for controlling the ratio of diluent to concentrate of a post-mix beverage. The system includes a compact flow rate control module for selectively controlling the flow rates of liquids in a plurality of flow passages leading to nozzle assemblies of the dispenser. Each flow rate control module includes a single stepper motor connected to a rotary spool valve for selectively controlling the flow rate of the liquids. The microprocessor system utilizes variable reference signals which are ramped to approximately correspond to the actual flow rate of the liquid towards a target in order to reduce overshoot values of the flow rates. A scaling function is provided by the microprocessor system to adjust target flow rates between pours in order to achieve consistent controlled ratios of the beverage being dispensed.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A system for dispensing a mixture of concentrate and diluent of a controlled ratio at or near a selected flow rate from a mixing means comprising:

(a) concentrate supply conduit means in fluid communication with said mixing means;
(b) diluent supply conduit means in fluid communication with said mixing means;
(c) concentrate sensor means for determining the actual flow rate of concentrate in said concentrate supply conduit means and generating a concentrate flow rate signal;
(d) diluent sensor means for determining the actual flow rate of diluent in said diluent supply conduit means and generating a diluent flow rate signal;
(e) target signal generator means for generating target flow rate signals for the concentrate and the diluent in the respective conduit means, the concentrate and diluent flow rate signals being determined from the selected flow rate of the mixture at given ratios of diluent to concentrate of the mixture;
(f) reference signal generator means for generating variable reference flow rate signals associated with each of the concentrate flow rate and diluent flow rate;
(g) comparator means responsive to said concentrate flow rate sensor means and said diluent flow rate sensor means for comparing each of the concentrate and diluent flow rate signals in the respective conduit means with the associated variable reference flow rate signals and generating concentrate and diluent error signals indicative of the differences between concentrate and diluent flow rate signals and the respective associated variable reference flow rate signals;
(h) concentrate flow rate control means responsive to said concentrate error signal for changing the actual concentrate flow rate in the concentrate supply conduit means toward a value equal to the variable reference flow rate signal associated with the concentrate flow rate until the concentrate error signal equals approximately zero;
(i) diluent flow rate control means responsive to said diluent error signal for changing the actual diluent flow rate in the diluent supply conduit means toward a value equal to the variable reference flow rate associated with the diluent flow rate until the diluent error signal equals approximately zero;
(j) adjusting means for gradually varying each of the variable reference flow rate signals associated with the concentrate flow rate and diluent flow rate toward the respective target flow rate signals thereof;
and
(k) scaling means for scaling up or down the target flow rates of the concentrate and diluent to values consistent with the controlled ratio and causing the reference adjusting means to adjust the variable reference signals upward or downward if either the average of the concentrate error signals or the average of the diluent error signals during a predetermined time are outside of defined limits, whereby a controlled ratio of concentrate and diluent will be dispensed even if the selected flow rate of the mixture is not consistently achieved.

9 more elements

A system for dispensing a mixture of concentrate and diluent of a controlled ratio at or near a selected flow rate from a mixing means comprising:

(a) concentrate supply conduit means in fluid communication with said mixing means;
(b) diluent supply conduit means in fluid communication with said mixing means;
(c) concentrate sensor means for determining the actual flow rate of concentrate in said concentrate supply conduit means and generating a concentrate flow rate signal;
(d) diluent sensor means for determining the actual flow rate of diluent in said diluent supply conduit means and generating a diluent flow rate signal;
(e) target signal generator means for generating target flow rate signals for the concentrate and the diluent in the respective conduit means, the concentrate and diluent flow rate signals being determined from the selected flow rate of the mixture at given ratios of diluent to concentrate of the mixture;
(f) reference signal generator means for generating reference flow rate signals equal to the concentrate target flow rate and diluent target flow rate;
(g) comparator means responsive to said concentrate flow rate sensor means and said diluent flow rate sensor means for comparing each of the concentrate and diluent flow rate signals in the respective conduit means with the associated reference flow rate signals and generating concentrate and diluent error signals indicative of the differences between concentrate and diluent flow rate signals and the respective associated reference flow rate signals;
(h) concentrate flow rate control means responsive to said concentrate error signal for changing the actual concentrate flow rate in the concentrate supply conduit means toward a value equal to the reference flow rate signal associated with the concentrate flow rate until the concentrate error signal equals approximately zero;
(i) diluent flow rate control means responsive to said diluent error signal for changing the actual diluent flow rate in the diluent supply conduit means toward a value equal to the reference flow rate associated with the diluent flow rate until the diluent error signal equals approximately zero;
and
(j) scaling means for scaling up or down the target flow rates of concentrate and diluent to values consistent with the controlled ratio if either the average value of concentrate error signals or the average value of diluent error signals during a specified time interval are outside of defined limits;
whereby a controlled ratio of concentrate and diluent will be dispensed even if the selected flow rate of the mixture is not consistently achieved.

9 more elements

A system for dispensing a mixture of concentrate and diluent of a controlled ratio at or near a selected flow rate from a mixing means comprising:

(a) concentrate supply conduit means in fluid communication with said mixing means;
(b) diluent supply conduit means in fluid communication with said mixing means;
(c) concentrate sensor means for determining the actual flow rate of concentrate in said concentrate supply conduit means and generating a concentrate flow rate signal;
(d) diluent sensor means for determining the actual flow rate of diluent in said diluent supply conduit means and generating a diluent flow rate signal;
(e) target signal generator means for generating target flow rate signals for the concentrate and the diluent in the respective conduit means, the concentrate and diluent flow rate signals being determined from the selected flow rate of the mixture at given ratios of diluent to concentrate of the mixture;
(f) reference signal generator means for generating variable reference flow rate signals associated with each of the concentrate flow rate and diluent flow rate;
(g) comparator means responsive to said concentrate flow rate sensor means and said diluent flow rate sensor means for comparing each of the concentrate and diluent flow rate signals in the respective conduit means with the associated variable reference flow rate signals and generating concentrate and diluent error signals indicative of the differences between concentrate and diluent flow rate signals and the respective associated variable reference flow rate signals;
(h) concentrate flow rate control means responsive to said concentrate error signal for changing the actual concentrate flow rate in the concentrate supply conduit means toward a value equal to the variable reference flow rate signal associated with the concentrate flow rate until the concentrate error signal equals approximately zero;
(i) diluent flow rate control means responsive to said diluent error signal for changing the actual diluent flow rate in the diluent supply conduit means toward a value equal to the variable reference flow rate associated with the diluent flow rate until the diluent error signal equals approximately zero;
and
(j) adjusting means for gradually varying each of the variable reference flow rate signals associated with the concentrate flow rate and diluent flow rate toward the respective target flow rate signals thereof.

8 more elements

A system for dispensing a liquid at a desired controlled flow rate through a conduit comprising:

(a) sensor means for determining the actual flow rate of liquid in the conduit and generating a flow rate signal;
(b) target signal generator means for generating a target flow rate signal for the liquid in the conduit;
(c) reference signal generator means for generating variable reference flow rate signals associated with the desired liquid flow rate;
(d) comparator means responsive to said flow rate sensor means for comparing the liquid flow rate signals with the variable reference flow rate signals and generating error signals indicative of the differences between the liquid flow rate signals and the variable reference flow rate signals;
(e) flow rate control means responsive to said error signals for changing the actual flow rate in the conduit toward a value equal to the variable reference flow rate signal until the error signal equals approximately zero;
and
(f) adjusting means for gradually varying the variable reference flow rate signals from a value below the target flow rate signal toward the target flow rate signal.

4 more elements

A method for dispensing a mixture of concentrate and diluent of a controlled ratio at or near a selected flow rate from a mixing means comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a concentrate supply conduit means in fluid communication with said mixing means;
(b) providing a diluent supply conduit means in fluid communication with said mixing means;
(c) determining the actual flow rate of concentrate in said concentrate supply conduit means and generating a concentrate flow rate signal;
(d) determining the actual flow rate of diluent in said diluent supply conduit means and generating a diluent flow rate signal;
(e) generating target flow rate signals for the concentrate and the diluent in the respective conduit means, the concentrate and diluent flow rate signals being determined from the selected flow rate of the mixture at given ratios of diluent to concentrate of the mixture;
(f) generating variable reference flow rate signals associated with each of the concentrate flow rate and diluent flow rate;
(g) comparing each of the concentrate and diluent flow rate signals in the respective conduit means with the associated variable reference flow rate signals and generating concentrate and diluent error signals indicative of the differences between concentrate and diluent flow rate signals and the respective associated variable reference flow rate signals;
(h) changing the actual concentrate flow rate in the concentrate supply conduit means toward a value equal to the variable reference flow rate signal associated with the concentrate flow rate until the concentrate error signal equals approximately zero;
(i) changing the actual diluent flow rate in the diluent supply conduit means toward a value equal to the variable reference flow rate associated with the diluent flow rate until the diluent error signal equals approximately zero;
(j) gradually varying each of the variable reference flow rate signals associated with the concentrate flow rate and diluent flow rate toward the respective target flow rate signals thereof;
and
(k) scaling up or down the target flow rates of the concentrate and diluent to values consistent with the controlled ratio and causing the reference adjusting means to adjust the variable reference signals upward or downward if either the average value of the concentrate error signals or the average value of the diluent error signals during a specified time interval are outside of designated limits, whereby a controlled ratio of concentrate and diluent will be dispensed even if the selected flow rate of the mixture is not consistently achieved.

9 more elements

A method for dispensing a mixture of concentrate and diluent of a controlled ratio at or near a selected flow rate from a mixing means comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a concentrate supply conduit means in fluid communication with said mixing means;
(b) providing a diluent supply conduit means in fluid communication with said mixing means;
(c) determining the actual flow rate of concentrate in said concentrate supply conduit means and generating a concentrate flow rate signal;
(d) determining the actual flow rate of diluent in said diluent supply conduit means and generating a diluent flow rate signal;
(e) generating target flow rate signals for the concentrate and the diluent in the respective conduit means, the concentrate and diluent flow rate signals being determined from the selected flow rate of the mixture at given ratios of diluent to concentrate of the mixture;
(f) generating reference flow rate signals equal to the concentrate target flow rate and diluent target flow rate;
(g) comparing each of the concentrate and diluent flow rate signals in the respective conduit means with the associated reference flow rate signals and generating concentrate and diluent error signals indicative of the differences between concentrate and diluent flow rate signals and the respective associated reference flow rate signals;
(h) changing the actual concentrate flow rate in the concentrate supply conduit means toward a value equal to the reference flow rate signal associated with the concentrate flow rate until the concentrate error signal equals approximately zero;
(i) changing the actual diluent flow rate in the diluent supply conduit means toward a value equal to the reference flow rate associated with the diluent flow rate until the diluent error signal equals approximately zero;
and
(j) scaling up or down the target flow rates of concentrate and diluent to values consistent with the controlled ratio if either the average value of the concentrate error signals or the average value of the diluent error signals during a specified interval of time are outside of designated limits;
whereby a controlled ratio of concentrate and diluent will be dispensed even if the selected flow rate of the mixture is not consistently achieved.

9 more elements

A method for dispensing a mixture of concentrate and diluent of a controlled ratio at or near a selected flow rate from a mixing means comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a concentrate supply conduit means in fluid communication with said mixing means;
(b) providing a diluent supply conduit means in fluid communication with said mixing means;
(c) determining the actual flow rate of concentrate in said concentrate supply conduit means and generating a concentrate flow rate signal
(d) determining the actual flow rate of diluent in said diluent supply conduit means and generating a diluent flow rate signal;
(e) generating target flow rate signals for the concentrate and the diluent in the respective conduit means, the concentrate and diluent flow rate signals being determined from the selected flow rate of the mixture at given ratios of diluent to concentrate of the mixture;
(f) generating variable reference flow rate signals associated with each of the concentrate flow rate and diluent flow rate;
(g) comparing each of the concentrate and diluent flow rate signals in the respective conduit means with the associated variable reference flow rate signals and generating concentrate and diluent error signals indicative of the differences between concentrate and diluent flow rate signals and the respective associated variable reference flow rate signals;
(h) changing the actual concentrate flow rate in the concentrate supply conduit means toward a value equal to the variable reference flow rate signal associated with the concentrate flow rate until the concentrate error signal equals approximately zero;
(i) changing the actual diluent flow rate in the diluent supply conduit means toward a value equal to the variable reference flow rate associated with the diluent flow rate until the diluent error signal equals approximately zero;
and
(j) gradually varying each of the variable reference flow rate signals associated with the concentrate flow rate and diluent flow rate toward the respective target flow rate signals thereof.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/355,670Filed 23 May 1989
Granted: 25 Dec 1990
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

B67D 1/1234
Flow control, e.g. for controlling total amount or mixture ratio of liquids to be dispensed: to determine the total amount
B67D 1/0037
The controls being based on the same metering technics: based on volumetric dosing
B67D 1/1218
Flow rate sensor: modulating the opening of a valve
B67D 1/1277
Flow or pressure control devices or systems , e.g. valves, gas pressure control, level control in storage containers: flow control valves