US 6,387,424 B2 · Conductance based control system and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to the system, apparatus, and method for controllably mixing a concentrate with a dilution substance using closed-loop feedback in order to improve the resultant substance. The present invention discloses a system, apparatus and method for sensing the conductivity of a diluted substance to provide feedback information for adjusting dispensing of a concentrate used to produce the resultant or diluted substance. The present invention also includes a system for dispensing beverages using the conductivity sensor such that the system controllably adjusts the dispensing of concentrate to maintain the resultant beverage within a desired concentration range based on conductivity sensing. The present invention also includes the method for sensing the conductivity of the resultant beverage and adjusting the dispensing of concentrate in response to the conductivity of the resultant beverage. The invention includes a conductivity sensor coupled to a dispensing portion downstream of the introduction of concentrate into the dilution liquid. The conductivity of the resultant mixed beverage is measured and the dispensing of the coffee concentrate is adjusted to maintain the resultant beverage within a desired conductivity range.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A system for sensing conductivity of a mixed food substance to controllably dispense at least one of a concentrate and a dilution substance mixed by said system to produce said mixed food substance, said system comprising:

a controllable concentrate dispenser for controllably dispensing a food concentrate;
a controllable dilution substance dispenser for controllably dispensing a dilution substance for diluting said concentrate;
a mixing chamber communicating with said controllable concentrate dispenser and said controllable dilution substance dispenser for mixing said concentrate and said dilution substance to produce said mixed food substance;
a user-interface;
a conductance sensor operatively associated with said mixing chamber for detecting the conductivity of said mixed food substance in said system prior to dispensing;
a controller coupled to said controllable concentrate dispenser, said controllable dilution substance dispenser, said user interface, and said conductance sensor, said controller using conductivity information from said conductance sensor to controllably operate at least one of said controllable concentrate dispenser and controllable dilution substance dispenser to maintain a conductance of said mixed food substance within a desired range, said user-interface allowing adjustment of said controller to define mixing parameters of said mixed food substance.

3 more elements

A device for use with a mixed food dispensing apparatus, said apparatus including a controllable concentrate dispenser for controllably dispensing a food concentrate, a controllable dilution substance dispenser for controllably dispensing a dilution substance for diluting said concentrate, and a mixing chamber communicating with said controllable concentrate dispenser and said controllable dilution substance dispenser for mixing said concentrate and said dilution substance to produce a mixed food substance, said device comprising:

a user-interface;
a conductance sensor cooperatively associated with said mixing chamber for detecting the conductivity of said mixed food substance in said device prior to dispensing from said mixed food dispensing apparatus;
a controller coupled to said controllable concentrate dispenser, said controllable dilution substance dispenser, said user interface, and said conductance sensor, said controller using conductivity information from said conductance sensor to controllably operate at least one of said controllable concentrate dispenser and controllable dilution substance dispenser to maintain a conductance of said mixed food substance within a desired range, said user-interface allowing adjustment of said controller to define mixing parameters of said mixed food substance.

A method for controlling the mixing of a mixed food substance mixed by a mixed food dispensing apparatus, said mixed food substance being formed from a concentrate and a dilution substance, said apparatus including a controllable concentrate dispenser for controllably dispensing a food concentrate, a controllable dilution substance dispenser for controllably dispensing a dilution substance for diluting said concentrate, a mixing chamber communicating with said controllable concentrate dispenser and said controllable dilution substance dispenser for mixing said concentrate and said dilution substance to produce said mixed food substance, a conductance sensor cooperatively associated with said mixing chamber for detecting the conductivity of said mixed food substance, a controller coupled to said controllable concentrate dispenser, said controllable dilution substance dispenser and said conductance sensor, said method comprising the steps of:

operating said controllable concentrate dispenser and said controllable dilution substance dispenser to dispense said concentrate and said dilution substance;
mixing said concentrate and said dilution substance in said mixing chamber to produce said mixed food substance;
sensing a conductance of said mixed food substance as said mixed food substance travels through said mixing chamber;
comparing said conductance of said mixed food substance to a desired conductance of said mixed food substance;
and
controllably operating at least one of said controllable concentrate dispenser and controllable dilution substance dispenser to adjust the conductance of said mixed food substance dispensed from said apparatus to a desired conductance.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Conductance based control system and method

Life of this patent

Conductance based control system and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19