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US 8,181,822 B2Granted
Liquid food dispenser system and method
AssigneeFair Oaks Farms Brands, Inc.
InventorsTimothy Peter Doelman, Vincent A. Baxter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for dispensing fluids is introduced. A preferred embodiment comprises a sealed tank, a bag containing fluid inside the sealed tank, an outlet for dispensing the liquid in the bag, and a pressure generating device to create pressure in the sealed tank.
Claims23
A method for dispensing a beverage, the method comprising:
- dispensing relative proportions of water, cream, and concentrated skim milk for making a first dispensed beverage, wherein the dispensing comprises
- dispensing a first amount of water at a first flow rate,
- dispensing a second amount of cream at a second flow rate, and
- dispensing a third amount of concentrated skim milk at a third flow rate;
- combining the first amount of water, the second amount of cream, and the third amount of concentrated skim milk to make the first dispensed beverage;
- wherein relative proportions of the first, second and third flow rates are substantially equal to the relative proportions of the water, the cream, and the concentrated skim milk for making the first dispensed beverage;
- wherein the cream and the concentrated skim milk are dispensed from separate pressurized containers, wherein each pressurized container comprises
- a pressurized chamber, wherein an air pump provides pressure to the pressurized chamber,
- a flexible liner, wherein the flexible liner comprises flexible walls which allow pressure from the pressurized chamber to be transferred to liquid stored within the flexible liner, and
- an outlet through which the liquid can flow;
- wherein the second and third flow rates are controlled by adjusting the pressure to the pressurized containers;
- wherein adjusting the pressure comprises operating the air pump until a target pressure is reached;
- and
- wherein adjusting the pressure further comprises:
- measuring a temperature inside one pressurized chamber,
- measuring a first pressure inside the one pressurized chamber,
- introducing an amount of air inside the one pressurized chamber by running the air pump for a predetermined period of time after the measuring the first pressure,
- measuring a second pressure inside the one pressurized chamber after the introducing the amount of air, and
- adjusting the pressure inside the one pressurized chamber to dispense the liquid at a desired flow rate after the measuring the second pressure.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.