Touchless automatic fiber optic beverage/ice dispenser

An automatically-actuated dispensing machine for dispensing a flowable product into a container without user or container contact with the dispensing machine, to provide improved sanitation by preventing transmission of germs that could otherwise be transferred by surface-to-surface contact, said dispensing machine comprising:

• a) a housing;
• b) at least one dispensing nozzle carried by the housing, wherein an area below the at least one dispensing nozzle defines a container-receiving region to allow a container to be positioned below the at least one dispensing nozzle to receive a product that flows therefrom;
• c) a sensing system for sensing the presence of a container in the container-receiving region, wherein the sensing system is operable to allow flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle and into the container when the container is positioned within the container-receiving region, and prevents flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle when a container is not present within the container-receiving region, wherein the container-sensing system is an optical system including a light source to direct light into the container-receiving region, and means for detecting reflection of the light from a surface within the container-receiving region and for actuating flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle when a container is detected, wherein the optical system includes an optical fiber unit in communication with the light source for transmitting light through the fiber to emanate from an end of the fiber unit spaced from the light source and for receiving light reflected by a container placed within the container-receiving region, wherein the optical fiber unit is a diffuse optical fiber unit, and wherein the container does not come into physical contact with the dispensing machine to cause dispensing of product to occur.

An automatically-actuated dispensing machine for dispensing a flowable product into a container without user or container contact with the dispensing machine, to provide improved sanitation by preventing transmission of germs that could otherwise be transferred by surface-to-surface contact, said dispensing machine comprising:

• a) a housing;
• b) at least one dispensing nozzle carried by the housing, wherein an area below the at least one dispensing nozzle defines a container-receiving region to allow a container to be positioned below the at least one dispensing nozzle to receive a product that flows therefrom;
• c) a sensing system for sensing the presence of a container in the container-receiving region, wherein the sensing system is operable to allow flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle and into the container when the container is positioned within the container-receiving region, and prevents flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle when a container is not present within the container-receiving region, wherein the container-sensing system is an optical system including a light source to direct light into the container-receiving region, and means for detecting reflection of the light from a surface within the container-receiving region and for actuating flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle when a container is detected, wherein the optical system includes an optical fiber unit in communication with the light source for transmitting light through the fiber to emanate from an end of the fiber unit spaced from the light source and for receiving light reflected by a container placed within the container-receiving region, including a lens positioned adjacent the end of the optical fiber unit and facing the container-receiving region, and wherein the container does not come into physical contact with the dispensing machine to cause dispensing of product to occur.

An automatically-actuated dispensing machine for dispensing a flowable product into a container without user or container contact with the dispensing machine, to provide improved sanitation by preventing transmission of germs that could otherwise be transferred by surface-to-surface contact, said dispensing machine comprising:

• a) a housing;
• b) at least one dispensing nozzle carried by the housing, wherein an area below the at least one dispensing nozzle defines a container-receiving region to allow a container to be positioned below the at least one dispensing nozzle to receive a product that flows therefrom;
• c) a sensing system for sensing the presence of a container in the container-receiving region, wherein the sensing system is operable to allow flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle and into the container when the container is positioned within the container-receiving region, and prevents flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle when a container is not present within the container-receiving region, wherein the container-sensing system is a photoelectric system for sensing the proximity of a container relative to the container-sensing system and below the at least one dispensing nozzle, wherein the photoelectric system includes a fiber optic amplifier coupled with an optical fiber unit, wherein the optical fiber unit transmits light from a light source associated with the fiber optic amplifier to a lens positioned at an end of the optical fiber unit opposite from the light source and opposite from the container-receiving region, and wherein the optical fiber unit receives and transmits to the fiber optic amplifier light that emanates from the light source and that is reflected from a container positioned within the container-receiving region, and wherein the container does not come into physical contact with the dispensing machine to cause dispensing of product to occur.

An automatically-actuated dispensing machine for dispensing a flowable product into a container without user or container contact with the dispensing machine, to provide improved sanitation by preventing transmission of germs that could otherwise be transferred by surface-to-surface contact, said dispensing machine comprising:

• a) a housing;
• b) at least one dispensing nozzle carried by the housing, wherein an area below the at least one dispensing nozzle defines a container-receiving region to allow a container to be positioned below the at least one dispensing nozzle to receive a product that flows therefrom;
• c) a sensing system for sensing the presence of a container in the container-receiving region, wherein the sensing system is operable to allow flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle and into the container when the container is positioned within the container-receiving region, and prevents flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle when a container is not present within the container-receiving region, wherein the container does not come into physical contact with the dispensing machine to cause dispensing of product to occur, and
• d) means for preventing dispensing of a product from the at least one dispensing nozzle, wherein the dispensing prevention means is an on-off mode selector control that allows cleaning of the dispensing machine and prevents unauthorized product dispensation.

An automatically-actuated dispensing machine for dispensing a flowable product into a container without user or container contact with the dispensing machine, to provide improved sanitation by preventing transmission of germs that could otherwise be transferred by surface-to-surface contact, said dispensing machine comprising:

• a) a housing;
• b) at least one dispensing nozzle carried by the housing, wherein an area below the at least one dispensing nozzle defines a container-receiving region to allow a container to be positioned below the at least one dispensing nozzle to receive a product that flows therefrom;
• c) a sensing system for sensing the presence of a container in the container-receiving region, wherein the sensing system is operable to allow flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle and into the container when the container is positioned within the container-receiving region, and prevents flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle when a container is not present within the container-receiving region, including a light that serves as a visual indicator for indicating to a user that product is flowing from the at least one dispensing nozzle, wherein the light is associated with at least one dispensing head, and wherein the container does not come into physical contact with the dispensing machine to cause dispensing of product to occur.

An automatically-actuated dispensing machine for dispensing a flowable product into a container without user or container contact with the dispensing machine, to provide improved sanitation by preventing transmission of germs that could otherwise be transferred by surface-to-surface contact, said dispensing machine comprising:

• a) a housing;
• b) at least one dispensing nozzle carried by the housing, wherein an area below the at least one dispensing nozzle defines a container-receiving region to allow a container to be positioned below the at least one dispensing nozzle to receive a product that flows therefrom;
• c) a sensing system for sensing the presence of a container in the container-receiving region, wherein the sensing system is operable to allow flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle and into the container when the container is positioned within the container-receiving region, and prevents flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle when a container is not present within the container-receiving region, including a light that serves as a visual indicator for indicating to a user that product is flowing from the at least one dispensing nozzle, wherein the light is positioned on the at least one dispensing head, and wherein the container does not come into physical contact with the dispensing machine to cause dispensing of product to occur.

An automatically-actuated dispensing machine for dispensing a flowable product into a container without user or container contact with the dispensing machine, to provide improved sanitation by preventing transmission of germs that could otherwise be transferred by surface-to-surface contact, said dispensing machine comprising:

• a) a housing;
• b) at least one dispensing nozzle carried by the housing, wherein an area below the at least one dispensing nozzle defines a container-receiving region to allow a container to be positioned below the at least one dispensing nozzle to receive a product that flows therefrom;
• c) a sensing system for sensing the presence of a container in the container-receiving region, wherein the sensing system is operable to allow flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle and into the container when the container is positioned within the container-receiving region, and prevents flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle when a container is not present within the container-receiving region, including a light that serves as a visual indicator for indicating to a user that product is flowing from the at least one dispensing nozzle, wherein the light is positioned in association with an ice chute carried by the dispensing machine for dispensing ice, and wherein the container does not come into physical contact with the dispensing machine to cause dispensing of product to occur.

An automatically-actuated dispensing machine for dispensing a flowable product into a container without user or container contact with the dispensing machine, to provide improved sanitation by preventing transmission of germs that could otherwise be transferred by surface-to-surface contact, said dispensing machine comprising:

• a) a housing;
• b) at least one dispensing nozzle carried by the housing, wherein an area below the at least one dispensing nozzle defines a container-receiving region to allow a container to be positioned below the at least one dispensing nozzle to receive a product that flows therefrom;
• c) a sensing system for sensing the presence of a container in the container-receiving region, wherein the sensing system is operable to allow flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle and into the container when the container is positioned within the container-receiving region, and prevents flow of a product through the at least one dispensing nozzle when a container is not present within the container-receiving region, and wherein the container does not come into physical contact with the dispensing machine to cause dispensing of product to occur;
• and
• d) an ice hopper for receiving and storing ice for dispensing through a dispensing head in the form of an ice chute, wherein the ice is in the form of ice cubes, including an ice agitator and agitator motor for placing the ice in a flowable condition, and including a timer coupled with the ice agitator motor for periodically agitating the ice.

An automatically-actuated dispensing machine for dispensing a flowable product into a container without user or container contact with the dispensing machine, to provide improved sanitation by preventing transmission of germs that could otherwise be transferred by container-to-dispensing machine contact, said dispensing machine comprising:

• a) a housing;
• b) at least one dispensing nozzle carried by the housing, wherein an area below the at least one dispensing nozzle defines a container-receiving region to allow a container to be positioned below the at least one dispensing nozzle to receive a product that flows therefrom;
• c) a sensing system for sensing the presence of a container in the container-receiving region, the sensing system including a source of diffused light and means for transmitting diffused light from the light source against a container wall surface and for receiving diffused light reflected by the container wall surface to provide a signal indicative of the presence of a container in a product-receiving position within the container-receiving region and below the at least one dispensing nozzle, the light transmitting and receiving means including a lens positioned adjacent to and facing the container-receiving region for transmitting diffused light toward the container-receiving region and for receiving light reflected by a container placed within the container-receiving region and in a product-receiving position, wherein the sensing system is operable to allow flow of the product through the at least one dispensing nozzle and into the container when the container is positioned in a product-receiving position within the container-receiving region, and wherein the sensing system is operable to prevent flow of the product through the at least one dispensing nozzle when a container is not present in a product-receiving position within the container-receiving region, so that dispensing of the product occurs without physical contact between the container and the dispensing machine.