IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0264809
(2008-11-04)
|
등록번호 |
US-8177100
(2012-05-15)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Salmela, Juha K.
- Valiyee, Mojtaba
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
7 |
초록
▼
An apparatus for dispensing a beverage, for use with pressurized sources of one or more fluids, includes a handle having one or more valve chambers; a fluid valve in each valve chamber; one or more butterfly plates, each configured to bias one or more of the valve stems of the valves towards a valve
An apparatus for dispensing a beverage, for use with pressurized sources of one or more fluids, includes a handle having one or more valve chambers; a fluid valve in each valve chamber; one or more butterfly plates, each configured to bias one or more of the valve stems of the valves towards a valve-open position when the butterfly plate is pressed, thus opening fluidic communication from each of the fluid sources to a corresponding discharge opening; and a ball bearing cluster which provides one or more pivot points for the butterfly plates. The ball bearing cluster includes a retainer and at least one ball-shaped projection projecting from the retainer. The ball-shaped projection remains in a substantially fixed position and orientation with respect to both the retainer and the handle when one or more of the butterfly plates is pressed. The ball bearing cluster and butterfly plate may be molded.
대표청구항
▼
1. An apparatus for dispensing a beverage, for use with pressurized sources of one or more fluids, comprising: a handle having one or more valve chambers;a fluid valve disposed in each valve chamber, each said valve having a valve stem;one or more butterfly plates each configured to bias one or more
1. An apparatus for dispensing a beverage, for use with pressurized sources of one or more fluids, comprising: a handle having one or more valve chambers;a fluid valve disposed in each valve chamber, each said valve having a valve stem;one or more butterfly plates each configured to bias one or more of the valve sterns towards a valve-open position when the butterfly plate is pressed, thus opening a fluidic communication from each of said pressurized sources of the fluids to a corresponding discharge opening; anda ball bearing cluster sized and dimensioned to provide one or more pivot points for the butterfly plates, the ball bearing cluster comprising a retainer and at least one ball-shaped projection projecting from the retainer, wherein the ball bearing cluster is configured such that the ball-shaped projection remains in a substantially fixed position and orientation with respect to both the retainer and the handle when one or more of the butterfly plates is pressed. 2. The apparatus for dispensing a beverage as in claim 1, wherein said ball bearing cluster is made by a molding process. 3. The apparatus for dispensing a beverage as in claim 2, wherein said ball bearing cluster is made of a bearing grade acetal plastic material. 4. The apparatus for dispensing a beverage as in claim 1, wherein said bail bearing cluster comprises pairs of symmetrically aligned ball-shaped projections configured to provide pivot points for pairs of symmetrically aligned butterfly plates. 5. The apparatus for dispensing a beverage as in claim 1, Wherein said ball bearing cluster comprises an aperture located and dimensioned to receive a retaining fastener that is configured to bias a retainer plate towards one or more butterfly plates, thus keeping the butterfly plates in contact with the ball-shaped projections. 6. The apparatus for dispensing a beverage as in claim 1, further comprising one or more butterfly plate retainers being configured to connect the butterfly plates with the handle. 7. The apparatus for dispensing a beverage as in claim 1, wherein said handle comprises an inlet configured for connection to the pressurized sources of fluids, and an outlet for the fluids, and is further configured to transfer manual inputs from an operator onto the butterfly plates. 8. The apparatus for dispensing a beverage as in claim 1, wherein each valve stem has a valve stem seat surface configured for an engagement with a seat of the valve chamber. 9. The apparatus for dispensing a beverage as in claim 1, further comprising means for biasing each valve stem toward a valve closed position. 10. The apparatus for dispensing a beverage as in claim 9, wherein each valve further comprise a valve stem seat configured to sealably engage with a valve chamber seat when said biasing means for biasing the valve stem toward the valve closed position overcomes the bias from the butterfly plate. 11. The apparatus for dispensing a beverage as in claim 10, wherein said valve stem seat and said valve chamber seat are substantially conically shaped and configured to mate with one another. 12. The apparatus for dispensing a beverage as in claim 1, wherein the fluid valves consist of 8, 10, 12, or 14 valves. 13. An apparatus for dispensing a beverage, for use with pressurized sources of one or more fluids, comprising: a handle having at least one valve chamber, each valve chamber having an entry cavity and an exit cavity, the entry cavity being positioned on one side of a valve chamber seat, and the exit cavity being positioned on the other side of the valve chamber seat;a valve stem disposed in each valve chamber, each valve stem having a valve stem seat for a sealable engagement with a valve chamber seat in a valve closed position;a butterfly plate disposed over each valve stem, said butterfly plate being configured to bias the valve stem toward a valve open position upon a manual input from an operator;means for biasing each valve stem toward the valve closed position;a ball cluster bearing sized and dimensioned to pivotably couple the butterfly plate with an interior surface of the handle upon which the ball cluster bearing rests, the ball cluster bearing comprising a retainer and at least one ball-shaped projection projecting from the retainer, wherein the ball cluster bearing is configured and dimensioned such that the ball-shaped projection remains in a substantially fixed position and orientation with respect to both the retainer and the handle during the input to the butterfly plate; andmeans for fluidly coupling each exit cavity to a discharge opening. 14. A method of molding one or more ball bearing clusters and one or more butterfly plate retainers, comprising: providing a mold comprising a first and a second mold cavity, wherein the first mold cavity is configured and dimensioned to mold a ball bearing cluster comprising a retainer and at least one ball-shaped projection integrally projecting from the retainer and substantially immobile with respect thereto;and wherein the second mold cavity is configured and dimensioned to mold a butterfly plate retainer; andfeeding material into the mold cavities to thereby form the ball bearing cluster and the butterfly plate retainer.
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