IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0047639
(2005-02-02)
|
우선권정보 |
CA-2313794(2000-07-12) |
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
10 인용 특허 :
4 |
초록
▼
An apparatus for dispensing a flavored beverage. The apparatus comprises a hopper adapted to hold a common base powder and having a hopper outlet, the hopper being operative to dispense the base powder via the hopper outlet in accordance with a powder dispense signal, and a water dispenser having a
An apparatus for dispensing a flavored beverage. The apparatus comprises a hopper adapted to hold a common base powder and having a hopper outlet, the hopper being operative to dispense the base powder via the hopper outlet in accordance with a powder dispense signal, and a water dispenser having a water outlet, the water dispenser being operative to dispense water via the water outlet in accordance with a water dispense signal. The apparatus further comprises a flavor dispensing unit adapted to store a plurality of supplies of flavoring syrups, the flavor dispensing unit being operative to dispense via at least one flavor dispensing outlet at least one of the flavoring syrups in accordance with a respective one of a plurality of flavor dispense signals. A mixing unit is adapted to receive and admix base powder from the hopper outlet, water from the water outlet, and the at least one of the flavoring syrups from the at least one flavor dispensing outlet to produce the flavored beverage. Also, the apparatus comprises a control unit operative to produce the powder dispense signal, the water dispense signal, and the plurality of flavor dispense signals in response to user actuation indicative of a selected beverage flavor and a desired beverage volume. The control unit is operative to generate the water dispense signal in accordance with the desired beverage volume, to generate the powder dispense signal in accordance with at least the desired beverage volume, and to generate the at least one flavor dispense signal in accordance with both the desired beverage volume and the selected beverage flavor.
대표청구항
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The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for dispensing a flavored beverage, comprising: a) a hopper adapted to hold a common base powder and having a hopper outlet, the hopper being operative to dispense the base powder via the hopper outlet in accordance with a powder dispense signal; b) a water
The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for dispensing a flavored beverage, comprising: a) a hopper adapted to hold a common base powder and having a hopper outlet, the hopper being operative to dispense the base powder via the hopper outlet in accordance with a powder dispense signal; b) a water dispenser having a water outlet, the water dispenser being operative to dispense water via the water outlet in accordance with a water dispense signal; c) a flavor dispensing unit adapted to store a plurality of supplies of flavoring syrups, the flavor dispensing unit being operative to dispense via at least one flavor dispensing outlet at least one of the flavoring syrups in accordance with a respective one of a plurality of flavor dispense signals; d) a mixing unit adapted to receive and admix base powder from the hopper outlet, water from the water outlet, and the at least one of the flavoring syrups from the at least one flavor dispensing outlet to produce the flavored beverage; and e) a control unit operative to produce the powder dispense signal, the water dispense signal, end the plurality of flavor dispense signals in response to user actuation indicative of a selected beverage flavor and a desired beverage volume, the control unit being further operative to generate the water dispense signal in accordance with the desired beverage volume, to generate the powder dispense signal in accordance with at least the desired beverage volume, and to generate the at least one flavor dispense signal in accordance with both the desired beverage volume and the selected beverage flavor. 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a push button, wherein user actuation comprises depression of the push button and wherein the desired beverage volume is related to a duration of time during which the push button is depressed. 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a keypad, wherein user actuation comprises selection of the desired beverage volume and selected beverage flavor from the keypad. 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the hopper comprises a motor driven auger dispenser along a bottom portion thereof, the auger dispenser being responsive to the powder dispense signal to dispense a controllable amount of the base powder via the hopper outlet. 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the flavor dispensing unit comprises, for each supply of flavoring syrup, a pinch mechanism operable between an open position to dispense the flavoring syrup and a closed position to prevent the dispensing of the flavoring syrup, the pinch mechanism being biased into the closed position and being responsive to the respective one of the flavor dispense signals to achieve the open position. 6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the pinch mechanism comprises a solenoid actuated push-pull rod and a spacedly disposed backstop. 7. An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the pinch mechanism comprises a coil spring adapted to bias the pinch mechanism into the closed position. 8. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the flavor dispensing unit comprises, for each supply of flavoring syrup, a pump operable between an on state in which the flavoring syrup is dispensed and an off state in which the flavoring syrup is prevented from being dispensed, the pump being normally in the off state and being, responsive to the respective one of the flavor dispense signals to toggle into the on state. 9. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a) a vacuum system comprising a vacuum funnel interposed between the hopper outlet and the mixing unit, and a discharge outlet disposed remotely from the hopper outlet; and b) a blower operative to draw air from the vacuum funnel and expel the drawn air from the discharge outlet, whereby base powder particles dispersed into the air proximal to the vacuum funnel are extracted and expelled through the discharge outlet. 10. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a boiler in fluid communication with the water dispenser, the boiler comprising a water inlet to receive water from a water supply and a heating element to apply controlled heating to water contained in the boiler. 11. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the hopper, the water dispenser, the mixing unit, and the control unit are located within a housing of the apparatus and wherein at least part of the flavor dispensing unit is located outside of the housing of the apparatus. 12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the flavor dispensing unit comprises a plurality of containers, each container being adapted to store a respective one of the plurality of supplies of flavoring syrups and being located outside of the housing of the apparatus. 13. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the hopper, the water dispenser, the flavor dispensing unit, the mixing unit, and the control unit are located within a housing of the apparatus. 14. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the control unit is operative to generate the powder dispense signal in accordance with both the desired beverage volume and the selected beverage flavor. 15. A method of producing a flavored beverage, comprising: a) receiving user actuation indicative of a selected beverage flavor and a desired beverage volume, b) using a dispenser apparatus to produce the flavored beverage by performing the steps of: i) supplying water in an amount dependent on the desired beverage volume; ii) supplying a base powder in an amount dependent on at least the desired beverage volume; iii) supplying at least one flavoring syrup from at least one of a plurality of flavoring syrup supplies in an amount dependent on the desired beverage volume and in a distribution corresponding to the selected beverage flavor; and iv) admixing the base powder, the water, and the at least one flavoring syrup to produce the flavored beverage. 16. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein user actuation comprises user manipulation of at least one of a plurality of keys on a keypad. 17. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein user actuation comprises user manipulation of a push button and wherein production of the flavored beverage is continued as long as the push button is being held depressed. 18. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein step ii) comprises supplying the base powder in an amount dependent on both the desired beverage volume and the selected beverage flavor.
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