IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0099592
(2011-05-03)
|
등록번호 |
US-8327607
(2012-12-11)
|
우선권정보 |
GB-0700317.1 (2007-01-09); GB-0711966.2 (2007-06-21); GB-0719575.3 (2007-10-08) |
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Gifford, Krass, Sprinkle, Anderson & Citkowski, P.C.
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
14 |
초록
▼
An apparatus for introducing a selected beverage into a flexible pouch 8, sealingly closing the pouch 8 and dispensing the closed pouch 8. The apparatus comprises a housing 4 adapted to, in use, accept a plurality of reservoirs 10 of beverage concentrate. Each reservoir 10 has a concentrate pump 12
An apparatus for introducing a selected beverage into a flexible pouch 8, sealingly closing the pouch 8 and dispensing the closed pouch 8. The apparatus comprises a housing 4 adapted to, in use, accept a plurality of reservoirs 10 of beverage concentrate. Each reservoir 10 has a concentrate pump 12 provided with a diluent inlet and a mixer for mixing pumped concentrate with diluent to produce a mixed beverage. Leading from each pump 12 is flexible conduit 14 terminating in a nozzle 68 for dispensing the mixed beverage. The apparatus further comprises a multiple dispense head 20 for accepting the plurality of nozzles 68, the nozzles 68 being movable relative to a filling position such that any one of the nozzles 68 can be presented at the filling position, a means for, in use, selecting a flexible pouch 8 and bringing it into alignment with a nozzle 68 in the filling position where it is filled via an opening therein, and a means for, in use, sealingly closing the opening and dispensing the filled sealed flexible pouch 8 from the apparatus. Methods of loading a concentrate reservoir 10, disengaging a removable pump 12 and changing a removable pump 12 are also disclosed. A flexible pouch with rigid spout and mixing element are also disclosed.
대표청구항
▼
1. An apparatus for introducing a selected beverage into a flexible pouch, sealingly closing said flexible pouch and dispensing said closed flexible pouch, comprising: a housing adapted to, in use, accept a plurality of reservoirs of beverage concentrate each reservoir having a concentrate pump and
1. An apparatus for introducing a selected beverage into a flexible pouch, sealingly closing said flexible pouch and dispensing said closed flexible pouch, comprising: a housing adapted to, in use, accept a plurality of reservoirs of beverage concentrate each reservoir having a concentrate pump and flexible conduit terminating in a nozzle associated therewith, the apparatus including:a plurality of drivers adapted to drive said concentrate pumps;a means of, in use, introducing diluent to the pumped concentrate to produce a beverage;a multiple dispense head for accepting the plurality of nozzles;a means for, in use, selecting a flexible pouch and bringing it into alignment with a nozzle in a filling position where it is filled via an opening therein; anda means for, in use, sealingly closing said opening and dispensing said filled sealed flexible pouch from said apparatus,wherein the filling position is a fixed position and, in use, said nozzles are movable relative to the filling position such that any one of said plurality of nozzles can be presented at said filling position. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein, in use, the multiple dispense head maintains the nozzles in an array. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein, in use, the multiple dispense head maintains the nozzles in a linear array and the apparatus is provided with means for linearly indexing said multiple dispense head so as to, in use, present the nozzle associated with the required beverage above the opening in the flexible pouch. 4. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein, in use, the multiple dispense head maintains the nozzles in a circular or radial array and the apparatus is provided with means for radially indexing said multiple dispense head so as to, in use, present the nozzle associated with the required beverage above the opening in the flexible pouch. 5. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein, in use, the nozzles associated with each mixed beverage are maintained in a horizontal array, and the apparatus is provided with means to move each nozzle in both the horizontal and vertical axis from its stored position to the filling position. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1 further including means for, in use, bringing into selective co-operation the opening of the flexible pouch and the required nozzle. 7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said means for bringing into selective co-operation the opening of the flexible pouch and the required nozzle comprises providing relative vertical movement between said pouch and said nozzle thereby bringing them into contact with one another. 8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means of introducing the diluent to the concentrate introduces said diluent immediately downstream of the concentrate pump. 9. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a means for receiving one or more cartridges or bandoliers, each containing a plurality of flexible pouches. 10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the flexible pouches are interlinked so as to form a chain. 11. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the flexible pouches from each cartridge or bandolier are fed to a fixed filling position. 12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the apparatus comprises means for receiving a plurality of cartridges or bandoliers and wherein each cartridge or bandolier has its own fixed filling position associated therewith. 13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the filling positions associated with each bandolier or cartridge are adjacent each other and the array of nozzles are movable such that each nozzle can be presented at any one of the fixed filling positions. 14. The apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a means for removing a closure from an opening in said pouch prior to it being filled. 15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the means for removing the closure comprises a means for unscrewing a cap over said opening. 16. The apparatus according to claim 1 in combination with a plurality of concentrate reservoirs, each having a concentrate pump and flexible conduit, terminating in a nozzle, associated therewith. 17. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the concentrate pump, conduit and nozzle are removable. 18. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the concentrate pump, conduit and nozzle comprise a unitary component. 19. The apparatus according to claim 1 in combination with at least one cartridge or bandolier of flexible pouches. 20. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein each flexible pouch has a rigid spout comprising a mixing element. 21. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the mixing element extends into the pouch. 22. The apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising a controller, the controller configured to control the loading of a concentrate reservoir into the apparatus by driving the apparatus in the following steps: a) controlling the apparatus to arrange a flexible pouch at the filling position; b) operating the driver to couple it with the concentrate pump; c) operating the driver to draw fluid into the concentrate pump to substantially fill pump cavities therein; d) continuing to operate the driver to pump fluid through the concentrate pump, flexible conduit and nozzle to substantially eliminate any air or other gasses from any of the cavities therein, the pumped fluid emitting into the flexible pouch; e) controlling the apparatus to sealingly close the flexible pouch; and f) releasing the flexible pouch for disposal. 23. The apparatus according to claim 22 wherein subsequent to coupling the drive mechanism to the second concentrate pump and prior to sealingly closing the flexible pouch the controller is further configured to simultaneously operate the driver to pump concentrate through the concentrate pump to substantially eliminate any air or other gasses from the cavities therein, and control the diluent valve to add diluent into the pumped concentrate such that the downstream of the pump cavities, the flexible conduit and nozzle becomes primed with a diluted mixture of concentrate and diluent. 24. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the controller is configured to operate the diluent valve such that sufficient mixture of concentrate and diluent are passed through the concentrate pump and into the flexible pouch such that the flexible conduit and nozzle are primed with a substantially homogeneous mixture of diluent and concentrate at a required concentrate: diluent ratio. 25. The apparatus according to claim 19, the concentrate pump comprising at least one barrel having an inlet valve and an outlet valve associated therewith and a piston, movable within the barrel to change the enclosed volume of the barrel between a minimum and a maximum volume to draw fluid into, and pump fluid from, said barrel via said inlet valve and outlet valve respectively, and further comprising a controller, the controller configured to control the disengagement of a concentrate pump from the apparatus by driving the apparatus in the following steps: a) controlling the apparatus to arrange a flexible pouch at the filling position; b) operating the driver to return each piston to its position wherein the enclosed volume of the barrel is substantially at its minimum thereby ejecting any fluid contained within the enclosed volume into the flexible pouch to substantially empty said concentrate pump; and c) operating the driver to de-couple the drive mechanism from the concentrate pump to allow for its removal. 26. The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the controller is further configured to: d) operate the apparatus to sealingly close the flexible pouch; and e) release said flexible pouch for disposal. 27. The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the concentrate pump has a diluent inlet downstream of its outlet valves and the controller is further configured to control the diluent valve such that, once both pistons are returned to the position wherein the enclosed volume of the barrels is substantially at its minimum, diluent is passed through the concentrate pump to substantially flush the concentrate from the flexible conduit and nozzle, downstream of the diluent inlet, into the flexible pouch. 28. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the concentrate pump comprising at least one barrel having an inlet valve and an outlet valve associated therewith and a piston, movable within the barrel to change the enclosed volume of the barrel between a minimum and a maximum volume to draw fluid into, and pump fluid from, said barrel via said inlet valve and outlet valve respectively, and further comprising a controller, the controller configured to control the changing of a concentrate reservoir driving the apparatus in the following steps: a) operating the apparatus to arrange a flexible pouch at the filling position; b) operating the driver to return each piston of a first concentrate pump to its position wherein the enclosed volume of the barrel is substantially at its minimum thereby ejecting any fluid contained within the enclosed volume into the flexible pouch to substantially empty said first concentrate pump; c) operating the driver to de-coupling itself from the first concentrate pump and associated concentrate reservoir enabling it to be removed and a concentrate reservoir and associated second concentrate pump to be inserted; d) operating the drive mechanism to couple the drive mechanism to the second concentrate pump; e) operating the drive mechanism to draw fluid into the second concentrate pump to substantially fill the cavities therein f); operating the drive mechanism to pump fluid through the second concentrate pump to substantially eliminate any air or other gasses from the cavities therein, the fluids expelled from the second concentrate pump collecting in said flexible pouch; g) operating the apparatus to sealingly close the flexible pouch; and h) releasing the flexible pouch from the apparatus for disposal. 29. The apparatus according to claim 19 having a supply of carbonated diluent and a supply of non-carbonated diluent. 30. The apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the controller is configured to control dispense of a carbonated beverage into a flexible pouch in the following steps: a) controlling the apparatus to arrange a flexible pouch at the filling position; b) operating the driver to pump fluid through the concentrate pump; c) introducing carbonated diluent to the concentrate flow downstream of the concentrate pump and upstream of the flexible conduit, such that the pouch is filled; via the flexible conduit, with a diluted carbonated beverage; d) prior to completion of the dispense, controlling the apparatus to stop the flow of carbonated diluent and to start a flow of non-carbonated diluent such that at least the flexible conduit becomes filled with non carbonated diluted concentrate; e) controlling the apparatus to stop the flow of concentrate and non carbonated diluent; f) controlling the apparatus to sealingly close the flexible pouch; and g) releasing the flexible pouch.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.