US 5,494,193 AGranted

Postmix beverage dispensing system

AssigneeThe Coca-Cola Company

InventorsJonathan Kirschner, Simon J. Richter, Mark S. Heflin, Shawn B. Gatipon, Jack F. Brumley, Michael T. Romanyszyn, Jr., Alfred A. Schroeder, Samuel Durham, Harold R. Heath, Richard O. Norman, Norman P. Wittig

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Abstract

A postmix juice dispensing system for dispensing a finished beverage directly from a pliable beverage concentrate having an ice point at or near freezer temperatures, with little or no conditioning. The system preferably uses a one-piece, unitary, disposable package that includes both the concentrate container and a positive displacement metering pump. The disposable package is placed in the dispenser which automatically connects the pump to a pump motor. A mixing nozzle is connected to the metering pump and a water line is connected to the mixing nozzle. Upon pushing a load button, the dispenser automatically feeds compressed air on top of a piston in the concentrate container to force concentrate into the pump. The dispenser automatically reads an indicator on the package to set the pump speed in response to the type of concentrate in the package. The dispenser requires no cleanup or sanitization and allows rapid flavor change.

Claims1

Dependent claims

An article comprising:

(a) a integral, disposable, molded plastic package, said package including:
(i) a concentrate container enclosing a concentrate chamber and a chamber outlet opening in said container;
(ii) a progressive cavity pump integrally connected to said container and including a pump inlet open to said chamber outlet;
(iii) a fill opening for filling said chamber with concentrate and a fill opening cap sealingly closing said fill opening;
(iv) said pump including a rotor, a stator and a pump housing, said pump housing being connected to said container, said stator being flexibly mounted in said pump housing such that said stator can move in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said stator, said rotor having a drive shaft extending exteriorily of said pump housing for connection to a drive means, and said pump housing having an internal wall abutting a proximal end of said stator for preventing said stator from moving in the longitudinal direction toward said rotor drive shaft;
and
(v) a mixing nozzle connected to said pump housing for receiving concentrate from a distal end of said rotor and a water inlet in said mixing nozzle.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/178,721Filed 10 Jan 1994 · continuation in part
Priority: 6 Jun 1990
Granted: 27 Feb 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification21 codes

B67D 1/1286
Ratio control: by mechanical construction
B67D 1/0021
The beverage being prepared by mixing at least two liquid components: the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
B67D 1/0032
Based on volumetric dosing: using flow-rate sensors
B67D 1/0044
Mixing devices for liquids: for mixing inside the dispensing nozzle

Family

Serial534,601Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 6 Jun 1990
Serial634,857Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 27 Dec 1990
Serial715,433Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 14 Jun 1991
Serial752,406Parent of this continuation · filed 30 Aug 1991
Serial843,757Parent doc · filed 28 Feb 1992
US 5,305,923 AParent grant document
US 5,494,193 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.