US 5,350,082 AGranted

Automatic soda fountain and method

AssigneeAlex Kiriakides, Jr.

InventorsAlex Kiriakides, Jr., Thomas L. Cox

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A money activated beverage dispensing line is disclosed of the soda fountain type in which the dispensing of a beverage from a series of dispensing stations is automatically controlled with consumer interaction. The dispensing line includes a money validator which generates a start signal in response to a correct amount of money being detected as deposited by the consumer. In response to the start signal, a cup dispenser dispenses a cup. An ice dispenser subsequently dispenses ice into the cup. A beverage dispenser at a remote station includes a plurality of beverage dispensing nozzles having dispensing switches which must be manually activated by the consumer to dispense a selected beverage. An interlock control responsive to actuation of a beverage dispensing switch associated with a selected beverage dispensing nozzle disenables a remainder of the dispensing nozzles so that dispensing of beverage from the remainder of dispensing nozzles is prevented during a beverage dispensing cycle. A remote supply cabinet is utilized to supply concentrated syrup to the beverage dispenser. Advantageously, the supply cabinet may be disposed in another room, or up to 200 feet away, so that it does not take up space along with the automated dispensing line, and so it can be serviced out of sight from the dispensing line. Hot water rinsing nozzles are provided at the supply cabinet and at the dispensing nozzles, along with drains, so that the syrup packages and nozzles can be rinsed and maintained in a hygienic condition.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A money operated beverage dispensing system for dispensing a beverage to a consumer in an automated and interactive manner comprising:

a beverage dispensing line having a series of remote dispensing stations controlled automatically and operated with consumer interactive, said beverage line including;
a money validator for receiving money from a consumer, and the money validator generating a start signal representing a start of a beverage dispensing cycle in response to detecting a prescribed amount of money,
a cup dispensing station having a cup dispenser for dispensing a cup which is manually received and transported to subsequent stations by said consumer,
a remote ice dispensing station spaced a distance from said cup dispensing station to which said cup is transported by said consumer having an ice dispenser for dispensing ice into said cup manually positioned by said consumer at said ice dispenser,
a first switch associated with said ice dispenser and actuated by said consumer for dispensing said ice into said cup during ice actuation times when said ice dispenser is activated,
a remote beverage dispensing station spaced a distance from said ice dispensing station to which said cup is transported by said consumer having a beverage dispenser for dispensing a beverage into said cup manually positioned by said consumer,
a second switch associated with said beverage dispenser and manually actuated by said consumer for dispensing said beverage into said cup during beverage actuation times when said beverage dispenser is activated;
and
an automatic controller for controlling said cup dispenser, said ice dispenser, and said beverage dispenser;
said controller activating said cup dispenser to dispense said cup in response to said start signal, said controller including an ice dispensing timer having a first prescribed time period for activating said ice dispenser during said first prescribed time period for dispensing an amount of ice into said manually positioned cup dependent only upon said ice actuation times in which said first switch is manually actuated by said consumer during said first prescribed time period;
and said controller including a beverage dispensing timer having a second prescribed time period for activating said beverage dispenser during said second prescribed time period for dispensing an amount of beverage into said manually positioned cup dependent only upon said beverage actuation times in which said second switch is manually actuated by said consumer during said second prescribed time period.

8 more elements

A money operated beverage dispensing system for dispensing a beverage to a consumer in an automated and interactive manner comprising:

a money validator for receiving money from a consumer, and said money validator generating a first signal representing a start of a beverage dispensing cycle in response to detecting a prescribed amount of money;
a cup dispensing station having a cup dispenser for dispensing a cup;
an ice dispensing station having an ice dispenser for dispensing ice into said cup positioned at said ice dispenser;
a first switch associated with said ice dispenser and actuated by said consumer for dispensing said ice into said cup during ice actuation times of said first switch;
a beverage dispensing station having a beverage dispenser with a plurality of beverage dispensing nozzles for dispensing a selected beverage into said cup positioned at said beverage dispensing station;
a plurality of second, beverage nozzle switches associated with said beverage dispensing nozzles and manually actuated by said consumer for dispensing said selected beverage into said cup during beverage actuation times of a selected nozzle switch;
an automatic controller for controlling said cup dispenser, said ice dispenser, and said beverage dispenser;
p1 said controller activating said cup dispenser to dispense said cup in response to said first signal and afterwards generating a second signal and a third signal for activating said ice and beverage dispensers, respectively;
said controller having a first prescribed time period for activating said ice dispenser dispensing an amount of ice into said cup dependent only upon said ice actuation times of said first switch by said consumer while said ice dispenser is activated;
said controller having a second prescribed time period for activating said beverage dispenser in response to said third signal, and said activated beverage dispenser dispenses an amount of beverage into said cup dependent only upon said beverage actuation times of said second switch by said consumer while said beverage dispenser is activated.

7 more elements

A method for automatically controlling a beverage dispensing line with consumer interaction, said dispensing line having a series of remote dispensing stations including a cup dispensing station having a cup dispenser for dispensing a cup which is manually received and transported to subsequent stations by a consumer, a remote ice dispensing station spaced a distance from said cup dispensing station to which said cup is transported by said consumer having an ice dispenser for dispensing ice into said cup manually positioned by said consumer at said ice dispenser, a first switch associated with said ice dispenser which is manually actuated by said consumer for dispensing said ice into said cup during ice actuation times of said first switch, a remote beverage dispensing station spaced a distance for said ice dispensing station to which said cup is transported by said consumer having a beverage dispenser for dispensing a beverage manually positioned by said consumer, said beverage dispenser comprising a plurality of dispensing nozzles and a plurality of second, nozzle switches associated with said beverage dispensing nozzles which are manually actuated by said consumer for dispensing a selected beverage into said cup during beverage actuation times of said second switches;

said method comprising:
providing a money validator which receives money;
generating a start signal in response to said money validator detecting a prescribed amount of money representing a start of a beverage dispensing cycle;
automatically controlling said cup dispenser to dispense a cup in response to said start signal;
activating said ice dispenser during a first fixed preset time period,
automatically dispensing said ice from said activated ice dispenser into said cup upon manual actuation of said first switch by said consumer dependent only upon said ice actuation times of said first switch during said first fixed preset time period;
activating said beverage dispenser during a second fixed preset time period, and
automatically dispensing said prescribed amount of beverage into said manually positioned cup upon actuation of said second switch by said consumer dependent only upon said beverage actuation times of said second switch during said second fixed preset time period.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.