Apparatus and methods for producing beverages
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F25D-003/08
A23L-003/36
A23G-009/04
A23G-009/28
B67D-001/00
B67D-001/07
B67D-001/08
B67D-001/12
F25C-005/04
F25C-005/12
출원번호
US-0913785
(2013-06-10)
등록번호
US-9198458
(2015-12-01)
발명자
/ 주소
Bertone, Claudio
출원인 / 주소
BERTONE HOLDINGS INC.
대리인 / 주소
Clark Hill PLC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
7
초록▼
An apparatus for producing beverages. The apparatus comprises a dispensing system, a mixing unit, and a control unit comprising a user interface, which interact to prepare a particular beverage when requested by a user. When the control unit receives user input requesting the particular beverage via
An apparatus for producing beverages. The apparatus comprises a dispensing system, a mixing unit, and a control unit comprising a user interface, which interact to prepare a particular beverage when requested by a user. When the control unit receives user input requesting the particular beverage via the user interface, it causes the dispensing system to dispense various ingredients (e.g., fragmented ice, water, flavoring ingredients, milk product) that are mixed by the mixing unit in order to prepare the particular beverage, which is served in a cup. In various embodiments, the apparatus may produce frozen beverages that include fragmented ice (e.g., shaved or crushed ice) as one of their ingredients, such as slush beverages and smoothie beverages, and/or hot beverages that include heated water as one of their ingredients, such as coffee and flavored coffee beverages (e.g., French Vanilla, Mocha, etc.).
대표청구항▼
1. An apparatus for producing frozen beverages, the apparatus including: a control unit including a user interface, the user interface configured to allow a user to input a request for a frozen beverage, the request being indicative of at least a desired flavor, the control unit producing signals ba
1. An apparatus for producing frozen beverages, the apparatus including: a control unit including a user interface, the user interface configured to allow a user to input a request for a frozen beverage, the request being indicative of at least a desired flavor, the control unit producing signals based on the request;a dispensing system responsive to signals from the control unit indicative of the desired flavor and a beverage size, the dispensing system configured for dispensing ingredients for the requested frozen beverage into a cup in which the requested frozen beverage is to be served, the dispensing system including: an ice dispensing apparatus configured to store ice in sufficient quantity for multiple frozen beverages, and further configured to dispense a quantity of the ice for the requested frozen beverage in accordance with said beverage size;a flavoring ingredient dispensing unit configured to store a plurality of supplies of flavoring ingredients, and further configured to dispense at least one flavoring ingredient from the supplies of flavoring ingredients in accordance with said desired flavor; anda mixing unit responsive to at least one of the signals from the control unit, for mixing in the cup the dispensed ice and the dispensed at least one flavoring ingredient. 2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the ice dispensing apparatus includes an ice supply unit with a chamber for receiving ice from an external source. 3. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the ice dispensing apparatus includes an ice supply unit with an ice maker for making ice using water from a water supply line. 4. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein after the mixing unit stops mixing, the cup contains fragmented ice. 5. The apparatus defined in claim 1, further including: a cup detection unit configured to detect presence of a cup provided to the apparatus;wherein the control unit is configured to produce the signals on condition that presence of the cup has been detected by the cup detection unit. 6. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the request is further indicative of said beverage size. 7. The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising: a detector configured to determine said beverage size by detecting a size of the cup when provided to the apparatus. 8. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the flavoring ingredient is further configured to dispense a quantity of the at least one flavoring ingredient in accordance with said size. 9. An apparatus for producing frozen beverages, the apparatus including: a control unit including a user interface, the user interface configured to allow a user to input a request for a frozen beverage, the control unit producing signals based on the request;a cup support for supporting a cup provided to the apparatus, the cup having an initial position when supported by the cup support;a dispensing system responsive to at least one of the signals from the control unit, for dispensing ice and at least one flavoring ingredient into the cup in accordance with the request;a mixing unit responsive to at least one of the signals from the control unit, for mixing the dispensed ice and at least one flavoring ingredient in the cup;wherein at least one of the dispensing and the mixing occurs while the cup is rotated away from its initial position. 10. The apparatus defined in claim 9, further including a transporting unit configured to move the cup during production of the requested frozen beverage. 11. The apparatus defined in claim 9, further including: a plurality of stations, including: a dispensing station at which the dispensing system dispenses the ice and the at least one flavoring ingredient into the cup; anda mixing station at which the mixing unit mixes the dispensed ice and the dispensed at least one flavoring ingredient in the cup. 12. The apparatus defined in claim 11, further comprising: a transporting unit responsive to at least one of the signals from the control unit, for transporting the cup from the dispensing station to the mixing station. 13. The apparatus defined in claim 12, the dispensing station being a second dispensing station, the plurality of stations further comprising: a first dispensing station at which the dispensing system dispenses at least one other one or more of the ingredients of the requested frozen beverage into the cup;the transporting unit configured for transporting the cup from the first dispensing station to the second dispensing station before transporting the cup from the second dispensing station to the mixing station. 14. The apparatus defined in claim 13, wherein the dispensing system includes an ice dispensing apparatus configured to store ice in sufficient quantity for multiple frozen beverages, and further configured to dispense the ice into the cup. 15. The apparatus defined in claim 14, further including: a flavoring ingredient dispensing unit configured to store a plurality of supplies of flavoring ingredients, and further configured to dispense the at least one flavoring ingredient from the supplies of flavoring ingredients in accordance with the desired flavor. 16. The apparatus defined in claim 9, wherein the request is indicative of at least a desired flavor of the requested frozen beverage. 17. The apparatus defined in claim 9, wherein both the dispensing and the mixing occur while the cup is rotated away from its initial position. 18. An apparatus for producing frozen beverages, the apparatus including: a cup detection unit configured to detect presence of a cup provided to the apparatus;a control unit including a user interface, the user interface configured to allow a user to input a request for a frozen beverage, the request being indicative of at least a desired flavor, the control unit responsive to the request to produce at least one dispense signal and at least one mix signal on condition that the cup detection unit detects presence of the cup;a dispensing system responsive to the at least one dispense signal from the control unit, for dispensing ingredients for the requested frozen beverage into the cup, the dispensing system including: an ice dispensing apparatus configured to dispense a quantity of ice for the requested frozen beverage;a flavoring ingredient dispensing unit configured to dispense at least one flavoring ingredient from the supplies of flavoring ingredients in accordance with the desired flavor; anda mixing unit responsive to the at least one mix signal from the control unit, for mixing the dispensed ingredients in the cup. 19. The apparatus defined in claim 18, wherein the cup detection unit is further configured to detect a size of the cup provided to the apparatus, wherein the quantity of ice dispensed is dependent on the detected cup size. 20. The apparatus defined in claim 18, wherein the request for the frozen beverage is indicative of a beverage size, wherein the quantity of ice dispensed is dependent on the beverage size. 21. An apparatus for producing frozen beverages, the apparatus including: a control unit including a user interface, the user interface configured to allow a user to input a request for a frozen beverage, the request being indicative of at least a desired flavor;a detector configured to detect a size of a cup provided to the apparatus;a dispensing system for dispensing a quantity of ice and at least one flavoring ingredient for the requested frozen beverage in accordance with the desired flavor and the detected cup size;a mixing unit for in-cup mixing of the dispensed ice and the dispensed at least one flavoring ingredient. 22. An apparatus for producing frozen beverages, the apparatus including: a control unit including a user interface, the user interface configured to allow a user to input a request for a frozen beverage, the request being indicative of at least a desired flavor combination, the control unit producing signals based on the request;a dispensing system responsive to signals from the control unit, for dispensing ingredients for the requested frozen beverage into a cup in which the requested frozen beverage is to be served, the dispensing system including: an ice dispensing apparatus configured to dispense some of the ice for the requested frozen beverage;a flavoring ingredient dispensing unit configured to store a plurality of supplies of flavoring ingredients, and further configured to dispense multiple flavoring ingredients from the supplies of flavoring ingredients in accordance with the desired flavor combination; anda mixing unit responsive to at least one signal from the control unit, for mixing in the cup the dispensed ice and the dispensed multiple flavoring ingredients. 23. An apparatus for producing frozen beverages, the apparatus including: a control unit including a user interface, the user interface configured to allow a user to input a request for a frozen beverage, the control unit producing signals based on the request;a dispensing system responsive to at least one of the signals from the control unit, for dispensing ingredients for the requested frozen beverage into a cup in which the requested frozen beverage is to be served, the dispensing system including: an ice dispensing apparatus configured to dispense a quantity of ice for the requested frozen beverage;a flavoring ingredient dispensing unit configured to store a plurality of supplies of flavoring ingredients, and further configured to dispense a quantity of at least one flavoring ingredient from the supplies of flavoring ingredients;a mixing unit responsive to at least one signal from the control unit, for mixing in the cup the dispensed ice and the dispensed at least one flavoring ingredient; anda sanitizing unit configured to sanitize the mixing unit after the mixing unit has mixed the ingredients of the frozen beverage in the cup. 24. The apparatus defined in claim 23, wherein the mixing unit comprises a mixing element configured to extend into the cup, wherein the sanitizing unit includes a sanitizing chamber configured to contain a sanitizing solution, the mixing element being movable relative to the sanitizing chamber to dip the mixing element into the sanitizing solution. 25. The apparatus defined in claim 23, further comprising a mixing station where the mixing occurs, the control unit being further configured to trigger operation of the sanitation unit in response to determining that the cup has been removed from the mixing station. 26. The apparatus defined in claim 23, wherein the mixing unit comprises a mixing element configured to extend into the cup, and wherein the sanitizing unit implements a plurality of cleaning cycles for sanitizing the mixing unit, a first one of the cleaning cycles involving contact of the mixing element with hot water and a second one of the cleaning cycle involving contact of the mixing element with a solution of sanitizing agent. 27. The apparatus defined in claim 23, wherein the ice is stored in an ice chamber, the apparatus further including a showering unit configured to shower liquid inside the ice chamber. 28. The apparatus defined in claim 23, wherein the liquid contains at least one of heated water and a sanitizing agent. 29. An apparatus for producing frozen beverages, the apparatus including: a control unit including a user interface, the user interface configured to allow a user to input a request for a frozen beverage, the request being indicative of at least a desired beverage consistency from among a plurality of consistencies producible by the apparatus, the control unit producing signals based on the request;a dispensing system responsive to at least one of the signals from the control unit, for dispensing ice and at least one flavoring ingredient into a cup;a mixing unit responsive to at least one of the signals from the control unit, for mixing in the cup the dispensed ice and at least one flavoring ingredient in accordance with the desired beverage consistency. 30. The apparatus defined in claim 29, wherein the plurality of consistencies includes at least two of: a consistency of a slush beverage producible by the apparatus, a consistency of a smoothie beverage producible by the apparatus and a consistency of a milkshake beverage producible by the apparatus. 31. The apparatus defined in claim 29, wherein the at least one of the signals from the control unit to which the mixing unit is responsive includes an intermix signal and an intermix blend signal, wherein the mixing unit is responsive to the intermix signal to cause a mixing element to rotate about a vertical axis until a predetermined rotational speed is reached, and wherein the mixing unit is responsive to the intermix blend signal to cause the mixing element to move vertically. 32. The apparatus defined in claim 31, wherein different ones of the consistencies are achieved by control of the durations of the intermix signal and the intermix blend signal and of the rotational speed of the mixing element.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (7)
Ervin, David, Apparatus for preparing frozen drinks.
David J. Kolar ; Benjamin J. Dastoli ; Brent A. Miller ; David J. Barnard ; Richard D. Boozer, Method and apparatus for controlling the blending of drinks.
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