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US 8,985,395 B2Granted
Beverage maker
AssigneeFountain Master, LLC
InventorFrancis X Tansey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for dispensing individual servings of a cold beverage, either having a refrigeration unit to chill the beverage or a removable pitcher that may be put in a refrigerator. A special disposable beverage cartridge or beverage pouch fits into the holder. This cartridge or pouch may have pressure rupturable seals or diaphragms and contain beverage concentrate. A dispensing mechanism puts pressure on the cartridge or the pouch to break the pressure rupturable seal or diaphragm to discharge the concentrate into a mixing structure. The mixing structure also receives chilled liquid from the refrigeration unit or the pitcher, and ensures that the concentrate mixes with the liquid without contacting the walls of the mixing structure.
Claims25
A beverage dispensing pouch, comprising:
- a pouch void enclosed in an impermeable seal substantially impermeable to liquids at room temperature, said pouch void having a lower end;
- and
- a pouch fitment sealing the lower end of the pouch void, the pouch fitment having a fitment body, the fitment body having an interior, an upper opening, and a lower opening, and the pouch fitment further comprising:
- a sealing member removably sealing the lower opening of the fitment body;
- a pressure rupturable diaphragm sealing the upper opening of the fitment body;
- an outflow valve having a center portion and an outlet located at the center portion of the outflow valve;
- the outflow valve covering the lower opening of the fitment body and positioned closer to the interior of the fitment body than the sealing member, wherein the outflow valve is flexed before the beverage dispensing pouch is being used, with the center portion of the outflow valve protruding to the interior of the fitment body and wherein when a liquid pressure is applied to the outflow valve from the interior of the fitment body, the outflow valve flexes away from the pressure, the center portion of the outflow valve protrudes to a direction away from the interior of the fitment body, and the outlet on the center portion opens to allow liquid flow from the pouch void through the interior of the fitment body, and wherein when the liquid pressure is removed, the outflow valve flexes so that the center portion protrudes to the interior of the fitment body and the outlet on the center portion closes, preventing dripping.
4 more elements
A beverage dispensing pouch, comprising:
- a pouch void enclosed in an impermeable seal substantially impermeable to liquids at room temperature, said pouch void having a lower end;
- and
- a pouch fitment sealing the lower end of the pouch void, the pouch fitment having a fitment body, the fitment body having an interior, an upper opening, and a lower opening, and the pouch fitment further comprising:
- a pressure rupturable diaphragm sealing the upper opening of the fitment body;
- and a outflow valve having a center portion and an outlet located at the center portion of the outflow valve;
- the outflow valve covering the lower opening of the fitment body and positioned closer to the interior of the fitment body than the sealing member, wherein the outflow valve is flexed before the beverage dispensing pouch is being used, with the center portion of the outflow valve protruding to the interior of the fitment body and wherein when a liquid pressure is applied to the outflow valve from the interior of the fitment body, the outflow valve flexes away from the pressure, the center portion of the outflow valve protrudes to a direction away from the interior of the fitment body, and the outlet on the center portion opens to allow liquid flow from the pouch void through the interior of the fitment body, and wherein when the liquid pressure is removed, the outflow valve flexes so that the center portion protrudes to the interior of the fitment body and the outlet on the center portion closes, preventing dripping.
3 more elements
A beverage dispensing device, comprising:
- a main unit comprising:
- a head compartment having a pouch groove, the pouch groove being capable of accommodating a beverage dispensing pouch,
- a main unit housing,
- rollers aligned above the pouch groove,
- a dispenser nozzle,
- and an inlet unit connected to the dispenser nozzle with an inlet tube;
- and a pitcher comprising:
- a bottom having a bottom concave,
- and an outlet channel residing the bottom concave;
- wherein
- the inlet unit removably and fluidly engages the outlet channel, connecting the pitcher to the main unit
- wherein the inlet unit comprises:
- a unit base capable of being flipped up into the main unit housing and flipped down out of the main unit housing,
- an inlet nozzle residing on the unit base, wherein the inlet nozzle is capable of removably and fluidly engaging the outlet channel.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.