MXPA00006119A - Automated beverage system - Google Patents

Abstract

An automated system for preparing and delivering postmix beverages in response to one or more drink orders being entered from a remote point of sale unit or a local keypad and including:a postmix beverage preparation assembly for dispensing ice and a selected postmix beverage into a cup;an oblong carousel type conveyor assembly including a plurality of upwardly open cup holders which are driven by a motor driven belt so as to pass beneath a cup dispensing station, an ice dispensing station, a beverage dispensing station, and a plurality of pick-up stations;a cup storage and dispenser assembly including a bidirectionally rotatable turret upon which is mounted a plurality of different sized cup supply tubes for holding a respective stack of beverage cups;and a pneumatic vertically driven cup gripper/extractor mechanism having a pair of pneumatically operated gripper arms which operate to remove a cup from a selected supply tube on the turret and placing the extracted cup into a empty cup holder which is then transported past the dispensing stations and then to a pick-up station on the conveyor for manual removal by an attendant.

Description

• AUTOMATIC PREPARATION AND BEVERAGE ASSIST SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to beverage assortment systems after mixing and more particularly to a beverage assortment system after automated mixing for use with a remote point-of-sale unit and / or a local front control panel so that drink orders of different flavors and sizes are automatically satisfied and delivered to a collection station, with the various system functions programmable according to the needs of the user . DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART Automated systems for dispensing beverages are generally known which include, among other things, apparatuses in which cups are automatically placed on a moving conveyor, which is moved by an ice dispenser, followed by a selective drink dispenser. and finally to a drink collection station. Typical examples of such apparatuses include automatic beverage dispensing systems illustrated and described in: U.S. Patent 3,364,959, "Beverage Dispenser", H. Herman et al, January 23, 1968; U.S. Patent 4,590,975, "Automatic Beverage Dispensing System", William S. Credle, Jr., May 27, 1986; U.S. Patent 4,944,337, "Automatic Beverage Dispensing System With Plural Conveyors", William S. Credle, Jr. et al, July 31, 1990; U.S. Patent 4,951,719, "Automatic Postmix Beverage Dispensing System With Flavor Indicators" (Automatic beverage assortment system after mixing with taste indicators), Ronald L. Wiley et al, August 28, 1990; and US Patent 5,058,630, "Automatic Beverage Dispensing System With Programmable Cup Drop", Ronald L. Wiley et al, October 22, 1991. However, there is a continuing need for improvements in systems of this type. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improvement in automated beverage assortment systems after mixing. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improvement in a cup assortment apparatus for supplying cups of predetermined selected size from several supply tubes of different sizes to an extractor mechanism positioned adjacent to a conveyor. It is another object of the present invention to provide an automated beverage assortment system that includes an improvement in terms of apparatus for extracting an appropriately sized beverage cup from a cup assortment tube and then placing the cup on a conveyor . It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvement in the gripping device type apparatus for removing a cup of beverage from a cup assortment tube and for lowering and extracting a cup in a cup holder placed on the conveyor . It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvement as to the device for automatically placing a cup lowered into a cup holder placed on the conveyor through an extractor / gripper device. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an automated system designed to vacate a cup holder position, when desired, to serve as a marker between beverage orders. It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvement in automated after-mix beverage systems controlled by a programmable controller. COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION _ The above objects as well as other objects are met through an automated system for preparing and dispensing beverages after mixing to a collection station and comprising: a beverage preparation assembly after mixing to supply ice and a drink after selected mixing in a cup; a carousel type conveyor assembly that includes a plurality of open cup holders upwardly driven by a drive belt in order to pass underneath a cup stocking station, an ice assortment station, a beverage assortment station , and several collection stations; a cup holder and dispenser assembly that includes a bidirectionally rotating tower into which several assortment tubes of different sizes are mounted to hold a respective stack of beverage cups; a vertically driven pneumatic cup gripping / removal mechanism that has a pair of pneumatically operated gripping arms that operate to remove cups that are located in the lower part from a selected tower assortment tube and that place the cup in an empty taz fastener placed there; a display unit that identifies, among other things, the prepared beverage (s) stocked at various collection stations; and, a programmable controller to control the overall operation of the system. The controller operates the ice and beverage dispenser, the conveyor, the cup dispenser and the cup extractor in response to signals input from either a POS unit or a local assistant with the object placing an empty cup of the correct size for a selected order in a cup holder, moving cup holder successively under an ice dispenser and a beverage spout valve assembly, supplying the appropriate amount of ice and beverage in the cup, and then moving the full cup to one of several collection stations. In addition, the controller is programmed to prepare an order consisting of several beverages that may be of different flavors and of different sizes and may, if desired, leave an empty cup holder between successive fasteners serving to provide a pre-discharge interval. of assortment value and / or to act as a marker that limits the last cup filled with an order and the first cup filled with the next order. The current position of the cup tower is detected and operated in such a way that it rotates in a direction that minimizes the travel time required to place a selected cup assortment tube in a cup holder on the conveyor. Each cup assortment tube further includes several bifurcated cup retaining members located in the bottom opening to hold a stack of cups in position for selective extraction. Each cup holder also includes an open bottom portion that includes a fabric that contains a set of cup positioning pins that holds an empty cup against the side wall of the cup in response to an internal positioning action provided by an element of the cup. spring placed under the conveyor, and extending up through the tissue of the cup holder before placing it below the ice drop. The full scope of application of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description. It will be appreciated, however, that the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention offered herein is made only to illustrate the invention and not to limit it. This is due to the fact that various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention is more fully understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view that generally illustrates the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a front elevational view of one embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top elevation view of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view further illustrating the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating the conveyor assembly and the gripping / removal mechanism illustrated in Figures 1-5; Figures 7A and 7B are perspective views generally illustrating the gripping / removal mechanism illustrated in Figure 6 in the rest and raised positions, respectively; Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating parts of the grip / extraction mechanism shown in Figures 7A and 7B; Figures 9A and 9B are diagrams illustrating the cup gripping operation performed by the gripping / removal mechanism illustrated in Figures 7A and 7B; Figure 10 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the transport assembly shown in Figure 6; Figure 11 is a top elevation view of the transport assembly as shown in Figure 10; Figures 12A-12D are four different views of one of the cup holders forming part of the transport assembly illustrated in Figures 10 and 11; Figures 13A-13C illustrate the cup placing operation carried out by the gripping / removal mechanism illustrated in Figure 6 after lowering a cup in a cup holder; Fig. 14 is an enlarged view illustrating the tower-type cup assortment tube assembly illustrated in Figs. 1-5; Figure 15 represents a set of central longitudinal cross-sectional views illustrating several assortment tubes of cups of various sizes employed with the assortment tube assembly illustrated in Figure 14; Figure 16 is a perspective view generally illustrating one of the bifurcated cup restriction devices positioned in the bottom portion of the cup assortment tubes illustrated in Figure 15; Figures 17A and 17B are partial cross-sectional views illustrating the operation of the cup assortment tubes illustrated in Figure 15; Figures 18A and 18B are views in side elevation and top elevation, respectively, of a tower position detector in the cup dispenser subassembly illustrated in Figure 11; Fig. 19 is a schematic mechanical diagram illustrating the pneumatic drive system employed by the present invention; Figures 20A and 20B are enlarged perspective views and top elevation view of an ice gate subassembly included in the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 21 is a block diagram of the electrical control system of the present invention; Figure 22 is a diagram illustrating the control panel illustrated in the embodiment of the invention in Figure 1; Figure 23 is an illustrative diagram of the beverage assortment display located in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1; Figures 24A-24C depict a flow chart illustrating the overall operation of the system of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODE With reference now to the drawings, where identical reference numbers refer to identical parts in all the drawings, and more particularly with reference to Figures 1-5, the reference number 10 refers to a cabinet of system including a beverage assortment unit 12 after mixing and ice below which is a bottom section 14 for housing a control unit, not shown, and a refrigeration unit 16 illustrated in Figure 5, protected by a lattice type cover 18. The refrigeration unit 16 is of ice bank type, a type well known in the art, having an evaporator submerged in water within a water bank tank around said evaporator is formed an ice volume through the operation of an electromechanical refrigeration system. Above the bottom section 14 of the cabinet 10 is a motor-driven carousel type conveyor assembly 20, oval. The conveyor 20 includes nine (9) drink cup holders 22? ... 223, which normally travel in the clockwise direction of movement in an oval track 25 having parallel sides and rounded end sections, and which is located in a generally rectangular drip tray 24, illustrated in detail in figure 10, to recover any particle of ice and drink eventually splashed. The drip tray 24, which is located on the front of a flat plate 26, also acts to close the lower section 14 of the cabinet. The ice and beverage assortment unit 12 projects above the conveyor 20 and includes an ice supply drop 28 in an ice assortment station 29 and a beverage assortment valve and nozzle assembly 30 in a beverage assortment station 31. Above the ice drop 28 and beverage assortment nozzle assembly 30, there is a front control panel 32 which can be, for example, a touch panel for entering a drunk order locally as well as for programming the system to select drink combinations.

Panel 32 also includes a display section 34. To the left of panel 32 is a display unit 36 to visualize the type of beverage being dispensed and located in the four (4) linear collection stations 37 ?, 372 , 373 and 374 on the front of the conveyor 20. Towards: the left side of the conveyor assembly 20 is a cup gripping mechanism 38 and extractor. To and to the right of the gripping mechanism and extractor 38 is a tower-type storage unit 40, which includes five (5) cups assortment tubes 42 ?, 422 ... 425 of various sizes. The details of this section will be explained as follows with details. The section 44 of the cabinet 10 immediately behind the cup storage unit 40 comprises a lattice type frame to provide ventilation towards the internal part of the cabinet 10 that includes the assortment apparatus, not shown, as well as the refrigeration unit 16 ( figure 5). Considering now the details of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper portion 12 of the cabinet 10 includes, as shown in FIG. 4, a plastic liner 46 that divides the internal part of the unit into an ice tray area 48. , upper, and a lower cold plate 50 area. The cold plate area 50 includes a cold plate 52 through which several heat exchange lines extend, not shown. Several beverage assortment lines, not illustrated, offer the assortment of beverages from sources, also not illustrated, to the water bath of the refrigeration unit 16. Portions of heat exchange of making stainless from these beverage lines are extended in the water bath tank to cool the beverage content that flows through. The beverage assortment lines then flow to the plurality of cold plate heat exchange lines and are fluidly connected to said lines. The outlets of the cold plate heat exchange lines are in turn connected to the assortment valve 30 of various flavors beverages, which may be, for example, a multi-flavored valve manufactured by CaCann Engineering and Manufacturing Company, the Angeles, California. Thus, those skilled in the art will note that the dispenser provides two means for cooling the beverages, ie, by means of heat exchange with ice in the cold plate 52 and by means of heat exchange with the cold water in the tank. water bath of the refrigeration unit 16. As a result, the capacity of beverage cooling, or volume of beverage that can be cooled to a desired service temperature per unit time, through the automatic beverage spout of the present invention , improvement. This duplication of the cooling systems offers a means for satisfactorily cooling beverages and for continuous operation if one of the cooling systems ceases to be operative or if it is determined to be unnecessary. An ice assortment mechanism located in the area of ice bin 48 includes a wheel 54 that includes several ice spoons or blades 56 extending from its outer perimeter. The wheel 54, however, includes a series of bars 58 extending outward therefrom. A motor illustrated by the reference number 60 is used to drive the wheel 54. In addition, as shown in Figure 4, the lowering of ice 30 is illustrated extending downward from a hole 62 in the liner 46. When the ice is loaded in the area of the ice bucket 48, the rotation of the wheel 54 through the action of the motor 60 causes the blade 56 to ice towards the orifice 62 and then towards the descent of the ice 30. The set of bars 58 serves to break the ice in the pot 48 if melting and refreezing occurs. Also, the rotation of the wheel 54 causes the ice to fall by gravity in the cold plate area 50 through a hole 64 formed in the lower portion of the liner 46. the ice in the cold plate area 50 serves to cool the cold plate 52 in order to provide cooling by heat exchange of the beverages routed through the cold plate 52 to the assortment valve and nozzle assembly 30.

Referring now to the transport assembly 20 and more particularly to Figure 6, there is shown the set of cup holders 22? ... 22 located therein urged in the clockwise rotation direction. One of the cup holders 22? it is placed in a cup extraction station 66 at one end directly below one of the five (5) cups assortment tubes 42? ... 42s of the cup storage unit 40. As further shown in the figure 6, a cup of beverage 68 is grasped by a pair of angularly stretched grip arms 70 and 72 located in the upper portion of the gripper and extractor mechanism 38. the gripper arms 70 and 72 are relatively wide, approximately 2 inches so as to be able to grip a large lower portion of the cup 68 close to the edge at the bottom in order to prevent the cup from being crushed or otherwise damaged when held. As additional security, the grasping arms 70 and 72 also include relatively soft cup gripping cushions 74 and 76 located at the inner and outer ends as illustrated in Figures 7A and 7B. The grasping and extracting mechanism 38 comprises a pneumatically driven assembly shown in Figure 7A in the lowered or resting position, while in Figure 7B, it is illustrated in a raised position or cup removal position, where the arms 70 and 72 are partially closed in order to grip a cup 68 (figure 6). The lifting and lowering operation and the gripping operation are achieved through two pneumatic piston subassemblies, the first of which 78 is illustrated in Figure 8, and the second one of them 80 is illustrated in Figures 9A and 9B. In Figure 8, the lifting subassembly 78 is illustrated which includes, among other things, a hollow stationary support block 82 clamped, eg, only the side of the spill tray 24 as shown in Figure 6 by a pair of half front and rear cover plates 84 and 86. This structure houses and protects a pneumatic cylinder 88 that includes a pair of air supply hoses 87 and 89, and a pair of support rods 90 and 92. The cylinder 88 it includes a driving position and a piston rod, not shown, fastened on a vertically rising base plate 94, illustrated in the rest position of Figure 7A, on the upper part of the support block 82. A frame 4-sided metal 96 of rectangular cross-section is fixed on the underside of the base plate 94. A portion 94 of a magnetic foil switch type proximity sensor is fixed on the support block 32, while the otr in part, not illustrated, is held on the plate 94 to detect when the upper position of the gripper / extractor mechanism 38 is raised and lowered.

On the base plate 94 there is a gripping frame 98 which contains a pair of pivot blocks 100 and 102 to which the gripping arms 70 and 72 are held. On the gripping frame 98 there is a support bracket 104. wherein an infrared light emitting element (IR) 106 is located which is part of an IR sensor assembly to generate an IR beam 108 (Figure 6) which passes under the cup assortment tube 42 and through the fall path of the cups to an IR receiver 110 (FIG. 3) located in the cabinet frame 12 to detect a cup clog, if one occurs. In the cup extraction station 66 the beam IR 108 will be constant before a cup extraction operation but it will temporarily be interrupted during a cup extraction as shown in figure 6. However, in the case of a jamming of the cup. cups in the dispenser tube 42, the IR 108 beam will be interrupted until the solution of the clogging problem. A lid 112 is shown in Figure 8 fixed on the upper portion of the base plate 94 to protect the gripper frame 108 as well as the IR light emitting element 106. The lid 112, as shown, comprises a raised section 114 for receiving the IR emitting element 106 and includes a small hole or opening 116 through which the IR beam 108 leaves the lid 112. The lid 112 further includes a pair of openings 118. and 120 projecting forward from the passage of the grasping arms 70 and 72 from the pivot blocks 100 and 102. As reference now to the piston assembly 80 for driving the grasping arms 70 and 72, as illustrated in Figures 9A and 9B, it basically includes a piston 122 placed on a cylinder 124 having a pair of air assortment lines 126 and 128 connected thereto to move the piston 122 back and forth and thus to cause the Piston rod 130 pivot the blocks 100 and 102 to which the grasping arms 70 and 72 are attached, causing the gripper arms 70 and 72 to open and close as illustrated. In addition to the lifting sensor mentioned above, the gripper and extractor mechanism 38 also includes a sensor 136 for detecting when the gripper arms 70 and 72 are fully closed in order to provide an indication of an empty cup assortment tube 40 during an extraction operation. This sensor 58 also comprises a proximity switch assembly of the magnetic sheet switch type. As illustrated in Figures 9A and 9B, a permanent magnet element 137 is placed in the piston 122. The piston cylinder 124 is formed of diamagnetic material eg aluminum, and an external blade switch 138 is placed in the later. As illustrated in Figure 9A, when gripper arms 70 and 72 are open, piston 122 is moved forward. The foil switch 78 can not be activated by the magnetic element 139. the foil switch 138, moreover, will not be activated by a partial closing of the arms 70 and 72 that occurs when a cup is actually being held as illustrated in FIG. 6. However, in the absence of a cup 68, the gripper arms 70 and 72 will be fully closed, as illustrated in FIG. 9B, whereby the magnetic element 137 is displaced adjacent to the blade switch 138 that it is then activated. The details of the conveyor assembly 20 will be presented below. With reference to Figures 10 and 11, spill tray 24 is illustrated which includes an elongated cavity 140 that contains a drain hole 142 at one end. Centrally located in the cavity 140 is an elongated raised body portion 144 supporting a pair of gear blocks 145 and 147 for a driving gear 146 and a guide gear 148 and around which a drive belt with teeth 150 is located. The nine (9) cup holders 22? ... 229 are fixed on the band 50 and move on the path 25 comprising an open metal grid 152 and fitting on the upper portion 154 of the tray 24. the gears 146 and 148 are held apart by a pair of belt tightening rods 156 and 158 that extend between the gear blocks 145 and 147. an elongated cover plate 160 fits over the ends of the gear blocks 145 and 147 to protect the gears 146 and 148 as well as the drive belt 150. As further shown in FIG. 10, the drive gear 146 is coupled to an electric drive motor 162 positioned below the spill tray 2. 4 through a speed reduction device 164 and associated equipment 166. Positioned in the upper position 154 of the spill tray 24 is a foil switch 165 that is part of a magnetic foil switch sensor assembly that includes a permanent magnet 167 (FIG. 12A) placed on the side of each cup holder 22? ... 22g including a permanent to detect the presence of a cup holder, for example, cup holder 22? in the station Assortment of cups 66 as illustrated in figure 6. In the location of the fourth and last collection station 37 (figure 1) there is an IR infrared light sensor which includes an IR emitting element 168 which generates an IR ray 170 projected through the upper part of the grid 152 through a cup holder, for example, the cup holder 22g illustrated in Figure 6, towards a reception element 172 placed in the raised support structure 144. The purpose of these sensors is to prevent a cup holder 22 from moving around towards the cup dispensing station 66 if, for some reason, it contains a cup 68 or another object that has not been removed from there. In order to provide this feature, a pair of opposing IR ray passage holes 174 and 176 are located in the lower wall portion of each of the cup holders 22x ... 229 as illustrated in Figures 12A and 12B. The holes 174 and 176 allow the uninterrupted passage of the IR ray 170 from the emitter 168 towards the receiver 172 to the extent that no cup 68 or other object is present in the cup holder 22; however, beam IR 170 will be interrupted while cup 68 or other object is present and conveyor drive motor 162 can not operate. Considering now the details of the cup holders 22? ... 229 as illustrated in FIGS. 12A-12C, in addition to having an outwardly tapered tapered upper edge 178, there is an elongated raised portion 180, on one side of the other. the outer wall surface 181 within which the permanent magnet 167 is located as illustrated in Figure 12A. On the opposite side of each cup holder 22? ... 22g is placed a member 184 through which the cup holder 22 is fixed on the drive belt 150 illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11. Each cup holder, includes in addition a pair of slits 186 and 188 as illustrated in Figure 12C that extend through a bottom wall portion of the side side of the cup 181 and the bottom wall 189 to receive a double finger compressible spring member 190 pointed on the grid 152 by a bracket 192 as illustrated in Figure 10. The spring member 190 is adapted to operate in combination with a set of rabble seals 194, 195, 196 and 197 of projecting barb type toward up as illustrated in Figure 12D located in a pair of centralized transverse members 198 and 200 of the bottom wall 189 and encompassing an open bottom portion of the cup holders 22? ... 229 in 202. The purpose of Seals for cups is for positioning t Different sizes of cups A (12 ounces), B (16 ounces) and C (21 ounces) are illustrated through the circular profile 204, 205, and 206, respectively, in the cup holder. Figures 13A-13C illustrate the cup positioning operation which is carried out before the arrival of a cup holder 22? ... 229 in the dispensing stations 29 and 31 (figure 6) to respectively receive the measured quantities of ice and drink. As shown in Figure 13A, a cup 68, for example, size A has been placed in a cup holder 22 that is moving in a direction illustrated by the date. When the cup holder 22 reaches the raised arms 191 of the spring member 190 which extend through the slits 186 and 188 shown in Figure 13B, it comes into contact with the bottom edge of the cup 78 and the cup is displaced. back on the cup retainer members 195 and 196, where it rests again against the internal side wall position 208 of the cup holder. As the cup 68 passes in the spring member 190 in accordance with that illustrated in FIG. 13C, the arms 191 are pushed downward by the transverse member 200 (FIG. 12D). Then, the spring arms 191 return to their normal vertical position when the cup holder 22 releases the spring member 190. It should be emphasized that the barrette cup detents 194, 195, 196 and 197, as illustrated in FIG. 12B, serve to prevent cups of different sizes A, B and C from returning to their original position or towards a front inner side wall portion 210 of the cup holder 22. Single pin cup catch 197 on a cross member 200 serves to prevent the smaller size cup A from moving laterally to any intermediate internal side wall illustrated by reference numerals 212, 241 in Figure 12B. This placement serves to hold any cup 68 in an appropriate alignment for a subsequent operation of assortment of ice and beverages upon arrival at the dispensing stations 29 and 31 illustrated, for example in Figure 11. Any cup 68 having a size greater than C size (21 ounces) does not need to be positioned before an assortment operation since its size will automatically lodge within the cup holder 22 to properly direct ice and drink. Referring now to Figs. 14 to 18, details of the storage and stocking unit 40 mentioned above and illustrated, for example, in Fig. 14 including five (5) cups assortment tubes 42, are presented. 422 ... 425 located in a bidirectionally rotating tower assembly to locate a required size assortment tube adjacent to the extractor tower gripper assembly in the shortest possible time according to the assortment tube currently in position at the extraction station of cups 66. The tower assembly consists of a central mounting plate 216 having as (5) faces 218? ... 2185 each including at least two lock position mounting slots 220 whose spacing is specifically coded to coincide with a similar number of complementary pins 224 located on respective plate members 222? ... 2225 fastened on the outer surface of the cups assortment tubes 42? ... 425 in such a way that for a specific cup size, an assortment tube of cups of a designated diameter can be fixed on a particular face of the mounting plate 216. When desirable, an adapter plate 226 can be mounted on a face plate 218 in order to alter the size coding. As illustrated in Figure 15, cup sizes 68a-68e within a range of 12 ounces to 42 ounces, are adapted to be stored in either a smaller diameter 42a assortment tube, or a diameter assortment tube larger 42b. The difference between the two assortment tubes 42a, for the 12-ounce and 16-ounce cups 68a and 68b and the two assortment tubes 42"for the 21-ounce cups 68c is a reverse orientation of the mounting plate 222. to the two assortment tubes 42b for 32 ounce and 42 ounce cups, 68d and 68e, again includes a simple reversion of the mounting plate 222 '. In this way, various different combinations of tube sizes can be mounted on the mounting plate of the tower 16 in order to present a substantially common bottom plane 228 for the various sizes of cups 68 to the gripper / extractor mechanism 38. (figure 6). Each one of the assortment tubes 42? ... 425, furthermore, includes several bifurcated cup restriction members 230 mounted on the inner face of the assortment tubes 42 near their lower opening. The details of a cup restriction member 230 is illustrated in Figure 16 and comprises a relatively short finger member 232 and a relatively long finger member 234 extending outwardly from a flat segment 236 containing a pair of mounting holes 238. The two finger members 232 and 234 are resilient and include angle curves 240 and 242 having projections 244 and 246 at their outer ends. The function of the retention members of cups 230 is illustrated in Figures 17A and 17B. As shown in Fig. 17A, when a relatively short stack of cups 68 is placed inside an assortment tube 42, the curves 240 and projections 244 of the relatively short finger members 232 come into contact with the edge 69 of the bottom cup 68 and prevent the stack from falling and leaving the dispensing tube. When a cup, for example, the cup 68 'is removed from the stack by the gripper arm assembly 38 illustrated, for example, in FIG. 6, its edge 69' will pull beyond the curve 242 and the projections 246 of FIG. the longer finger members 234. However, it was found that occasionally two or more cups 68 can be removed by the grip arms 70 and 72. In this case, the longer set of finger members 324 will grasp the second cup as it is illustrated in Figure 17B. itself, when the stack of cups 68 is relatively large as illustrated in Figure 17B, often the weight of the stack itself causes the lower cup 68 to be placed per se in the curves 242 of the longer finger members 234, and the shorter finger member 232 serves as an additional restriction element. Thus, both the finger member plus the shorter finger member 232 and 234 cooperate to ensure that only one cup 68 at a time is withdrawn from an assortment tube 42 regardless of the size of the stack placed there. The tower assembly 40 illustrated in Figure 14 can be rotated bidirectionally through a drive shaft that passes from the mounting plate 216 through a sleeve 250 where it is connected to a speed reducer 252 connected to the shaft of a driving motor. 254 controlled to rotate either clockwise (CW) or counterclockwise (CCW) on request to provide optimal speed positioning of the cups assortment tubes 42? ... 425 as previously observed. Located above the motor shaft 254 and speed reducer 252 is a rotatable IR sensor assembly 256 whose details are further illustrated in FIGS. 18A and 18B. The sensor assembly 256 is contained within the pair of frame members with flanges 258 and 158, which are clamped together. The sensor 256 consists of a circular disk with openings 260 illustrated in FIG. 18B clamped on a core 261 fixed on the shaft 248. The disk 260 includes five (5) orifice assemblies or light transmission openings 262 ?, 2622 .. 2625, each set covers a 50 ° sector of disk 260 as illustrated. The outer limits of each 50 ° sector are defined by a pair of openings 264 and 266 and are employed for the positioning and alignment of assortment tubes in the cup extraction station 66. From the boundary encompassed, the openings 264 and 266 are one or two openings of a set of three (3) internal openings 268, 270 and 272 which are used to identify which of the five (5) assortment tubes 42? ... 425 is currently located in the cup extraction station 66. The first internal opening 268 can be found 15 ° from a left external opening 264, while a second internal opening 270 can be found 10 ° from the opening 268. The third internal opening 272 can be located at 10 ° from the second internal opening 270 or at 15 ° from the right external opening 266. The aperture disc 260 operates in combination five (5) emitter / receiver sensors 274, 276, 278 , 280, and 282 counted on a circuit board 284 as illustrated in Fig. 18A to detect the five openings 264, 266, 268, 270 and 274. In operation, the disk 260 rotates in a horizontal plane where the peripheral edge thereof rotates in a slot 286 (Figure 18A) separating the emitter portion and the respective receiver portion of each of the IR sensors 274 ... 282. The particular location of the openings 264 ... 272 in accordance with that determined by the sensors 274. .. 282 is employed to determine the current position of the tower assembly and to center a particular assortment tube 42? ... 425 adjacent the gripper arms 70 and 72 as illustrated in Figure 6 at the extraction station 66 .

The particular pattern of transmission and non-transmission of the IRs through the three intermediate openings 268, 270 and 272, is used to detect which of the five (5) assortment tubes is present. There are five unique combinations of openings, 268, 270 and 272, which correspond to the five (5) assortment tubes. The final outputs of the five (5) IR sensors 274 ... 282 illustrated in Figure 18B, are connected through a cable 288, to a system controller, whose architecture is illustrated in Figure 21 and which will be described then. Before commenting on the electrical control scheme employed in the present invention, reference will first be made to the pneumatic control system, illustrated in Figure 19, which also forms part of said invention. As illustrated, in addition to the gripper and extractor mechanism 38 (FIG. 8) including a pneumatically driven elevator assembly 78 and a pneumatically driven gripper assembly 80, an ice gate actuator assembly 290 is also included which is illustrated in FIG. 20A and 20B including a pneumatic cylinder 292 and a piston rod 294 connected to a piston, not shown, placed inside the cylinder 292. The piston inside the cylinder 292 is pneumatically operated by air supplied to any of the two assortment lines of air 296 or 298. A piston sensor assembly 300 which may be, for example, a magnetic sheet switch assembly is shown mounted in the rear position of the cylinder 292 and may Hetect the position of the piston and consequently the extinction and the retraction of the piston rod 294. As illustrated in Fig. 20A, the piston rod 294 which is connected at its outer end The structure has a circular outer end section 306 fixed on the ice slope 28 in such a way that the ice door 302 can slide alternately to a flat-blade type door member 302 that slides within a structure 304. back and forth to block and unblock the flow of ice through the drop 28. The door 302 is subjected to an opening and closing cycle in response to the actuation of the piston assembly 290, and the time during which the door is in open condition determines the amount of ice assorted in a cup 68 in the ice assortment station 29 before the operation of assortment of a beverage 31. Therefore, as illustrated in figure 19 compressed air from from an unillustrated source is fed to an air filter / regulator 308 through an inlet air assortment line 310. Three air assortment outlet lines 312, 314, 316 are connected from the air regulator 308 to respective control valves 318, 320 and 322 operated by solenoids that selectively operate the gripper arm piston assembly 80. The ice gate assembly 290 and the gripper arm lifter assembly 78. Each of the control valves 318, 320 and 322 are operated through respective electrical solenoids 324, 326 and 328 by the electrical control circuit illustrated in Figure 23. A fourth solenoid-controlled valve 330 and the solenoid 332 of said valve is located in the air assortment line "316 which feeds the lifting solenoid valve 522 to prevent the lifting assembly 78 from being actuated when the assortment system is located., for example, in an inactive state. A manually operated air operated switch 334 is also located on the ice gate air assortment line 296 to disable the ice gate assembly 290 if necessary to allow safe assembly service. As for the electrical control of the system of the present invention, an electrical block diagram of the architecture and control system is illustrated in Figure 21. The electrical control system consists essentially of three printed circuit boards 336, 338 and 340 which they comprise a motion control board (M / C), a warehouse sensor board (S / S), and a beverage interface board (B / I), and each circuit board includes one or more programmable controllers, for example, digital signal microprocessors 337, 339, and 341 which are located in the lower portion 14 of the cabinet 10 (figure 1) below the conveyor assembly 20. In addition the electric control system includes, as shown in the figure 21, a rental point unit (POS) 344, which may be, for example, a remote cash register, a touch-type keyboard 32, and a pair of 32 and 36 display units. warehouse sensor (S / S) ti It is basically as a purpose to control the AC power fed 1 motion control board (M / C) 336 and the beverage interface board (B / I) 340. As shown, a power supply 342 is connected to the sensor board (S / S) 338 through an energy connection 343. The S / S board 338 also includes four inputs to terminals II, 12, la and Ib. the latter indicates an AC power failure. The other three inputs comprise (exhausted) signals indicating the lack of beverage syrup, absence of C02 to provide carbonated water and absence of air for the pneumatic system illustrated in FIG. 19. Any of the four inputs may cause the microprocessor 339 signal an AC power circuit interruption in the power conductors 345 and 347 connected between the terminals Pl and terminals P2 of the motion control board (M / C) 336 and beverage interface board (B / I) 340.

The motion control board (M / C) 336 is illustrated by receiving five IR sensor inputs at terminals II, 12 ... 15 corresponding to the signals generated by the five I / R sensors 274 ... 282 in the sensor assembly 356 (FIG. 18B) and indicating the position of the torre and the identification of the assortment tube. A tower interlock input is also provided at 16. These inputs are processed by the microprocessor 337 to provide a motor control signal either in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction at outputs 01 and 02 for the tower driving motor 254 illustrated in Fig. 14. The second set of inputs to the M / C board 336 comprises four inputs to the terminals 17, 18, 19 e which indicates the state of the bracket sheet switch 165 of cup in the extractor station 66 and the beam IR 170 in the conveyor track in the fourth assortment station 37 to control the conveyor drive motor 162 and which receives the control signals in the outputs 03 and 04. Likewise , an outlet 05 is provided to control activation / deactivation of the air solenoid 332 in the gas assortment line 316 associated with the lift solenoid valve 22 in FIG. 19. Two salt Control signal outputs 06 and 07 are further employed to activate the solenoids 328 and 324, respectively, for the lift assembly 78 and the cup grip assembly 80 illustrated in FIG. 19. As for the beverage interface board ( B / I) 340, includes inputs of the operator keyboard 32 or the point of sale unit (POS) 344 together with three inputs in the, lb and le as to the condition of the ice dam 302. These inputs are employed by the microprocessor 341 for controlling the ice gate solenoid 326 illustrated in FIG. 19, the ice breaker motor 60 illustrated in FIG. 4, and a set of ten (10) solenoids (not shown) connected to the outputs 03, 04, 0b, 0c which control the amount of mineral water, the amount of simple water and the amount of eight different selections of beverage syrup employed by a set of assortment valves, not shown, located in section 12 of the cabinet 10 behind the panels 32 and 36 in the vicinity of the ice slope 28 and model assembly 30. The keyboard 32 is located in the front of the cabinet 10 and is shown in greater detail in figure 2. the keyboard 22 includes a set of keys of selection 346? ... 3 6i5 that allow an operator to program and / or select five (5) different sizes of beverage, eight (8) different flavors of beverage and water only or soda only. It also includes a row of keys 346? 6 ... 34621 in the background that allows the selection of manual / automatic operation, alarm silencing, selection change, no ice, extra ice, and system control function input . An operator display device 34 of 20 characters x 4 lines is included in the upper left portion of panel 32. Beneath the display is a set of four touch-actuated keys 348? ... 3484 to move the displayed material in four orthogonal directions, ie, up, down, left and right, with the displayed information generated by the beverage interface board 340 illustrated in Figure 21. The beverage interface board 340 is also shown controlling a beverage display device 36 of 24 characters x 2 lines, shown in Figure 23 also placed on the front of the cabinet 10 and including four relatively small viewing windows. separated 350 ?, 3502, 3503 and 3504 and that operate to displace the description of the drink sequentially transported in cup holders 22? ... 223 to the four collection stations 37 ?, 372 373 and 374 on the front of the conveyor 20 as shown in for example in Figure 1. The overall operation of the system implementing the present invention is shown in the diagram of flow illustrated in Figures 24A-24C. Now considering the system operation, as shown in FIG. 24, the operation begins with step 352 wherein a drink is requested in a point-of-sale (POS) unit 344 illustrated in FIG. 21, or through the touch panel 32 illustrated in FIG. Figure 23. Then, as shown through step 354, the beverage interface board (B / I) 340 illustrated in Figure 21 receives the drink order and then handles the preparation of the beverage until it is completed. through its microprocessor 341. This is accompanied by step 356 where the movement control board (M / C) 336 receives an order to remove a cup 68 from one of the cups assortment tower tubes 42? ... 425, illustrated, for example in Figure 1, under the control of the microprocessor 337. This is followed by the determination of whether or not a cup 68 or another object is blocking the IR sensor beam 108 illustrated in the figure 1 through the path of lowering of cups. This comprises step 358. If the determination is positive, order production is suspended and an alarm of cup clogging removal is displayed and sounds, which is indicated by step 360. The removal of the obstructing object and the fact of Press subsequently the input button 3462? in the touch control panel 32 is required to resume the operation. If the cup lowering path is in clear condition, does the movement control board (M / C) 336 position the cup assortment tower assembly 40 to place the appropriate cup assortment tube 42? .. 42s in the assortment station 66 as illustrated in step 362. Afterwards, a determination is made in step 364 as to whether or not the product, ie, the beverage, requires a prior rinse of the assembly. 30 assortment valve nozzle due to the previous type of assorted beverage. If the determination is affirmative, the movement control board (M / C) 336 advances the transport assembly 20 in a clockwise direction by a cup holder position to leave an empty cup holder 22 for rinsing the cup. valve nozzle assembly 30. This is indicated by step 366. If a negative determination is made in step 364, the motion control board (M / C) 366 then raises the cup gripper / extraction mechanism 38 as shown in Figure 7B to the UP position. This is indicated in step 368. This is followed by a determination as to the position of the elevator proximity switch 132 illustrated by step 370. If the gripper / extraction mechanism 38 has not reached the UP position, then the displays and sounds a mucking jam removal alarm. Likewise, the conveyor 20 and the tower assembly 40 is disabled as shown through step 362. This requires the removal of the cup or other object blocking the lifting mechanism 38 and again requiring the pressing of the input button 3462? to then extract a cup and resume the operation. If the reed switch assembly 132 reads a UP position, then a step 374 is carried out to close the gripper arms 70 and 72 through the motion control board (M / C) 336. This is followed by a determination as to whether or not a cup 68 is present in the cup assortment tube 42? ... 425 currently present in the extraction station 66. This is evidenced through the step 376 and is carried out by the magnetic foil switch assembly 136 illustrated in Figures 9A and 9B. If there is no cup 68 in the cup assortment tube 42 present in the extraction station 66, the movement control board (M / C) 366 opens the gripper arms 70 and 72 and lowers the mechanism 38 to the LOW position. , as illustrated in step 378 in Figure 24B. Then, a determination is made as to itself more than a tube of assortment of cups 42 offers the size of cup that is required, as for example when a cup size is employed more than others. This is illustrated through the verification step 380. If the determination is affirmative, then the program sequence returns to step 362 and then proceeds forward. If the determination is negative, then an empty (exhausted) assortment tube alarm is displayed and sound as shown through step 382. A refill of the appropriate cup assortment tube is required which is followed by the pressing the input button 3462? again to resume an extraction of cups from a filled assortment tube by returning to step 368 (FIG. 24A). If a cup is present in the appropriate cup assortment tube 42 according to step 366, then the motion control board (M / C) lowers the extractor / gripper assembly 38 to the DOWN position, as shown through the step 384 to extract the cup. Then, an inquiry step 386 is entered to determine whether the gripper / extractor assembly 38 has successfully removed a cup 68 only by partial closing of the gripper arms 70 and 72 and what would be indicated by the non-actuation of the switch magnetic sheet 138 on the proximity sensor 136. If the determination is positive, then the gripper arms 70 and 72 are opened and the extracted cup 68 is lowered into a cup holder 22 at the extraction station 66, as shown in FIG. through step 388. If the determination in step 386 is negative, then the gripper arms 70 and 72 should attempt to extract a cup 68 in four (4) attempts to close successive arms, as shown through step 390. After each attempt, the program returns to step 386. If after four (4) unsuccessful attempts to grab a cup 68, then an alarm is displayed and played according to step 392. Correction of a condition Hosted cup ion is required followed by pressing the enter button 346 21 to complete cup extraction. This is followed by a repetition of steps 368-388. In the operation of gripping and lowering a cup 68 in a cup holder 22 as shown in step 388, if a cup or other object interrupts the IR sensor beam 108. through the cup lowering path as shown by the screening step 394, step 392 indicates that a cup clogging alarm is displayed and sounded and any additional movement of the conveyor is stopped. Removal of the cup or other object blocking the sensor beam 108 is required according to step 396 followed by pressing the button 3462 ?, whereby another extraction step 368 is carried out. After the descent of an empty cup 68 in a cup holder 22 in the extraction station 66, a determination is made in accordance with step 398 as to whether a cup or other object is interrupting the infrared ray 170 (FIG. 10) which passes to through the cup holder 22 located in the fourth and last collection station 37 illustrated in Figure 1. If the IR ray 170 is interrupted, a complete conveyor message is displayed, as shown through step 400. The interrupter is interrupted. additional production of beverage until the cup or other object is removed from the cup holder 22 at the collection station 37 before proceeding. If the cup holder 22 is empty at the last collection station 37, the motion control board (M / C) 36 then directs the conveyor drive motor 162 to advance the empty cup holder 22 at station 374 toward the extraction station 66 as shown in step 402 in Figure 24C. This now leads to the steps of ice and beverage assortment required for the preparation of a drink order. Accordingly, as shown through the inquiry step 404, a determination is made as to whether or not a cup holder 22 with a cup 68 there has reached the ice assortment station 29, illustrated for example, in the Figure 6. This is followed by steps 406-416. If the cup holder 22 has not reached the ice assortment station 29, an inquiry is made in step 418 as to whether or not the cup holder 22 has reached the beverage assortment station 31. In the case where the beverage requires ice according to step 406, an investigation is made in as to whether the beverage contains extra ice as shown in step 408. If the answer is affirmative, step 410 is end, at this time the ice gate opening time is doubled according to step 410. another way, the ice gate remains open for the appropriate time to fill the proper amount of ice in the cup as shown through step 412. Once the ice assortment is completed, a check step 414 is carried out to deine if the ice assortment was insufficient. If this is the case, step 416 indicates that an ice alarm will be displayed and an alarm will sound. Again, this requires the activation of the entry key 34621 to resume operation. If the proper amount of ice has been dispensed according to step 414, start step 418. If the cup holder 22 has reached the beverage dispensing station 31, an assortment valve supplies the appropriate amount of ordered beverage in a cup 68 at the appropriate pre-set fill level, as shown through step 420. In addition, a "top-off" option is available if excess foam formation is a problem. Referring now again to step 418, if the cup holder 22 has not reached the beverage dispensing station 31, the operation of the system returns to step 398 as illustrated in FIG. 24B. Step 422 indicates that a deination is made to know whether or not another beverage has to be supplied in the beverage order, what beverage is involved if the answer is affirmative, the operation of the system returns to step 368 in Figure 24A and the repeats. If it consists of the last drink of an order, step 424 deines whether the cup holder 24 for the last finished beverage is in the last collection station 37. If the answer is affirmative, then the operation returns to step 398 illustrated in Figure 24B. If the deination is negative, step 426 indicates that the system is ready for the next drink order, which, upon receipt, causes the conveyor 20 to leave an empty cup holder 22 between the last stocked order and the next order to supply, as shown through step 428, whereby the operation of the system returns to step 354 illustrated in FIG. 24A, where the beverage inace board (B / I) 340 receives the next order of beverages to be filled. Thus, what has been shown and described is an automatic beverage assortment system where orders of different flavors and sizes can be made by an operator from a remote point-of-sale unit or from a control panel At the front, these orders are supplied and delivered automatically to several manual picking stations on the front of a conveyor. Having described and illustrated what is currently considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be noted that said embodiment is only illustrative but not limiting. Accordingly, all modifications, altions and changes within the spirit and scope of the present invention are included in the present invention.

Claims (70)

1. CLAIMS An automated beverage assortment system, comprising: a cup conveyor including a plurality of cup holders open upwards for transporting beverage cups from a cup extraction station through a beverage assortment station to one or more collection stations; a cup storage unit including a rotating tower having several dispensing tubes of selected sized cups mounted thereon to hold a predetermined mixture of cups of different sizes; a gripper and extractor mechanism positioned adjacent to the cup conveyor and including a pair of elongated cup gripping arms facing the tower and placed on a base member that can be raised, the base member is driven vertically upon command from a relatively lower rest position to a relatively higher cup removal position, where the gripper arms are urged towards each other in such a way that they grip a cup of a selected cup size protruding from the bottom of the cup. one of the cups dispensing tubes, the base member is then lowered to the resting position with the gripper arms simultaneously extracting the cup from said tube and then returning to lower the extracted cup into a cup holder located in the cup station. extraction of cups.
2. A system according to claim 1 and further comprising a controlled ice dispenser in an ice dispensing station and a controlled beverage dispenser in the beverage dispensing station.
3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the base member and gripper arms are pneumatically operated.
4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the gripper arms comprise a pair of rotary gripper arms and further include a pneumatically driven piston positioned on the base member and connected to the gripper arms to open and close the gripper arms. .
5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the gripper arms have a width of about 2 inches to be able to grip a relatively wide portion of the cup.
6. A system according to claim 4, wherein the gripper arms grasp a cup in relatively close proximity relative to a bottom edge portion thereof to prevent crushing of the cup.
7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said gripper and extractor mechanism includes a sensor for at least detecting the highest position of the base member in order to be able to operate the gripper arms during a cup gripping operation.
8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said sensor comprises a magnetic-type sensor assembly.
9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said gripper and extractor mechanism includes a sensor for detecting a closed state of the gripper arms to indicate that no cup has been grasped by the gripper arms for one or several gripper operations. cups and to point out an empty tube of empty cups.
10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said sensor comprises a sensor assembly of magnetic type.
11. A system according to claim 1 and further comprising a sensor for detecting a clogged cup dispenser tube facing the gripper arms.
12. A system according to claim 11, wherein said sensor comprises a light energy sensor assembly that generates a light beam that passes under the cup dispenser tube in front of the gripper arms and through a cup lowering path underneath of the tube and where the beam is not interrupted before the operation of removing cups, but which is interrupted during the descent of a cup or the clogging of a cup.
13. 13. A system according to claim 12, wherein said sensor assembly comprises an infrared sensor assembly that includes an infrared light emitting element and a receiving element and wherein one of said elements is located in the gripper and extractor mechanism.
14. A system according to claim 1, wherein said cup conveyor comprises a motor-driven carousel type cup conveyor.
15. 15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said cup conveyor comprises an elongated conveyor having parallel sides and rounded end portions.
16. A system according to claim 1, wherein the cup conveyor includes a sensor for detecting the arrival of an empty cup holder in the cup extraction station for the conveyor in order to receive a cup removed by the mechanism Gripper and cup extractor.
17. 17. A system according to claim 16, wherein said sensor for detecting the arrival of an empty cup holder comprises a sensor assembly of the magnetic type.
18. A system according to claim 17, wherein said magnetic sensor assembly includes a magnetic element mounted on a body portion of each of said cup holders and a magnetic sensing element positioned in a fixed position on a lateral portion of the body. conveyor.
19. 19. A system according to claim 1, wherein the cup conveyor includes a sensor located on the conveyor in a last collection station of said collection stations to detect a cup holder containing a cup for the purpose of diluting a cup. additional movement of the conveyor until the cup holder cup is removed.
20. A system according to claim 19, wherein said sensor for detecting a cup holder containing a cup comprises a light energy sensor assembly that generates a light beam that passes through the conveyor as it intercepts a cup holder and where the cup holders include openings for the passage of the beam.
21. A system according to claim 20, wherein said sensor assembly includes an infrared light emitting element and a receiving element located on opposite sides of a section of said cup conveyor.
22. 22. A system according to claim 1, wherein the cup conveyor includes a grid to support said cup holders.
23. 23. A system according to claim 22, wherein said conveyor further includes a tray located under the grate for collecting ice or spilled beverage.
24. A system according to claim 1, wherein each of the cup holders includes an open portion in the bottom that further includes a resilient thrust member that projects upwardly on the conveyor to extend through said open portion. in order to move a cup lowered in a cup holder to an optimal position to receive ice or drink during an assortment operation.
25. A system according to claim 24, wherein said thrust member comprises an angular spring type element mounted on a cup holder support element and which can be deformed through the movement of a cup holder towards the dispensing station .
26. 26. A system according to claim 25, wherein said spring-type element includes a pair of arms that are connected upward to contact a bottom edge portion of the cup within the cup holder.
27. 27. A system according to claim 24 and wherein each of the cup holders includes a set of cup detents that projects upwardly into a bottom portion to hold a cup in place once moved to said predetermined position. .
28. 28. A system according to claim 27, wherein the bottom of said cup holders includes a pair of centralized cross members that span said open portion and where the set of cup detents are located in said cross members.
29. 29. A system according to claim 28, wherein the set of cup detents includes a plurality of cup detents in one of said transverse member stop and at least one cup retainer in the other of said pair of transverse members.
30. 30. A system according to claim 27, wherein said cup detents comprise barb elements.
31. 31. A system according to claim 1, wherein a rotating tower can rotate bidirectionally.
32. 32. A system according to claim 31, wherein the tower is controlled to rotate in the direction that minimizes the time for a cup spout containing a cup of desired size to be positioned opposite to the cup gripper arms.
33. 33. A compliance system with claim 32, wherein the tower includes a sensor for detecting which of said cups dispenser tubes is currently in the opposite position to the gripper arms.
34. 34. A system according to claim 33, wherein the tower includes an impeller motor for rotating the tower and wherein said sensor for detecting the spout tube position comprises a light energy sensor assembly that includes a rotating disk fixed on a tree connected to the motor, said disk has a respective set of spaced openings for the purpose of defining a code for each of said several dispensing tubes, and a set of light emitting and receiving elements located on both sides of said disk for detecting a coded pattern of light transmission and non-light transmission that indicates both the size and position of the dispensing tubes positioned opposite to the gripper arms.
35. 35. A system according to claim 34, wherein the coded openings are located at the periphery of the disk.
36. 36. A system according to claim 34, wherein said light emitting and receiving elements comprise infrared elements.
37. 37. A system according to claim 1, wherein said rotating tower includes a central mounting plate that includes an array of dispensing tube size fasteners having a specific pattern for each size of dispensing tube to be mounted there and where Each spout tube size includes complementary fastening elements for attaching said control mounting plate to a predefined location around the mounting plate.
38. 38. A system according to claim 37, wherein said fasteners include male and female elements.
39. 39. A system according to claim 37, wherein said fasteners include complementary sets of bolts and slots.
40. 40. A system according to claim 1, wherein each of said cup dispenser tubes includes at least one bifurcated cup restriction member positioned in a bottom portion of the respective spout tube, said restriction member comprises a resilient member that has a relatively short finger element and a relatively short adjacent finger element, both finger elements have an inward angle and include an end portion bent inwardly to stop a cup by contacting an edge portion thereof, and where the retention of the cup in one of the end portions depends on the weight of the cups that are on top of a stack of cups placed in the spout.
41. A system according to claim 40, wherein at least one cup restricting member comprises several cup restricting members positioned around the bottom portion of the tube.
42. A system according to claim 1, wherein the ice dispenser includes a pneumatically operated ice damper.
43. A system according to claim 1 and further including a controller for controlling the delivery and extraction of a cup of a desired size by a gripper and extractor mechanism from one of said tubes dispensers cups in the tower rotating, which controls the conveyor to place a cup holder in the cup extraction station to receive a cup extracted from a gripper and extractor mechanism and then moves the cup through the dispensing stations, to control the dispenser ice and drink control to fill the cup with the correct amount of ice and drink and then to move the conveyor in such a way that you place the full cup in one of those collection stations.
44. 44. A system according to claim 43, wherein the controller comprises a programmed controller.
45. 45. A system according to claim 44 and further including an order selection apparatus connected to the controller to enter an order to be dispatched by the supplier system.
46. 46. A system according to claim 45, wherein said controller is programmed to leave a cup holder vacant between successive orders.
47. 47. A system according to claim 45, wherein said order picking apparatus includes a relatively remote point of sale apparatus.
48. 48. A system according to claim 45 and further including a system cabinet, and wherein said order selecting apparatus includes a manual order selection panel placed in a front portion of the cabinet. 9.
49. A system according to claim 48 and further comprising a first display device and a second display device in the front portion of the cabinet, the first display indicating the size and "type of beverage requested and the second display device indicates the size and type of beverages that are supplied to the collection stations 50.
50. An automated beverage assortment system that includes an ice dispenser and a beverage dispenser, comprising: a beverage conveyor; elongated carousel type which includes a plurality of cup holders open upwards to sequentially transport cups of beverage from a cup extraction station, through an ice dispensing station and a beverage dispensing station to one or more collection stations A driving motor to move the conveyor through these stations, a storage unit Cups that include a rotating tower that has several dispensing tubes of cups of a selected size mounted to hold a predetermined mix of cups of different sizes; a rotation sensor connected to the tower to determine the location of the cup dispenser tubes in relation to the cup extraction station; an impeller motor for bidirectionally rotating the tower in order to minimize the time for placing a cup dispenser tube in said cup extraction station; a cup gripper and extractor mechanism positioned adjacent to the cup conveyor and including a liftable pair of elongated cup gripping arms facing a cup dispenser tube in the tower, said gripper arms can be raised from a relatively low rest position, up to a relatively high cup removal position, the gripper arms close in said cup removal position to grip a cup of a selected cup size in said cup dispenser tube, remove the cup from said dispensing tube of cups while it is lowering to the resting position and then opening to drop the extracted cup into a cup holder placed in the cup extraction station.
51. A cup conveyor for an automated beverage assortment system, comprising: a motor-driven carousel-type cup conveyor that includes several open cup holders that move in a grid and spill tray for transporting cups of beverage through from a beverage dispensing station to a collection station, wherein each of the cup holders includes an open portion at the bottom and the grid includes a resilient thrust member projecting upwardly extending through said open portion for moving a cup that fell in a cup holder against an inner wall surface of the cup holder to optimally receive a beverage during a beverage assortment operation.
52. A system according to claim 51, wherein said pushing member comprises an angular spring type element mounted on the grid and which can also be deformed by the movement of the cup holder towards the dispensing station.
53. A system according to claim 52, wherein said spring-like element includes a pair of arms projecting upward to contact a lower edge portion of the cup within the cup holder.
54. A system according to claim 51 and wherein each of the cup holders includes a set of cup detents that project upward into a bottom portion to hold a cup in place once it has been displaced against the surface of the internal wall of the cup holder.
55. A system according to claim 54, wherein the bottom of said cup holders includes a pair of centralized transverse members that encompass said open portion and where the set of cup detents is located in said transverse members.
56. 56. A system according to claim 55, wherein the set of cup detents includes a plurality of cup detents in one of said pair of transverse members and at least one cup retainer in the other of said pair of transverse members.
57. 57. A system according to claim 55, wherein said cup detents comprise barb elements.
58. 58. A system according to claim 51, wherein the cup conveyor includes a sensor assembly for detecting the arrival of an empty cup holder in a cup extraction station.
59. 59. A system according to claim 58, wherein said sensor assembly comprises a magnetic sensor assembly that includes a magnet element mounted in a body portion of each of said cup holders and a magnetic detector element positioned in said body. a fixed position on a side portion of the conveyor.
60. 60. A system according to claim 51, wherein the beverage dispenser system includes several collection stations where the cup conveyor includes a sensor assembly placed in a last collection station of said collection stations to detect a cup holder. containing a cup in order to inhibit further movement of the conveyor until the cup holder cup is removed.
61. 61. A system according to claim 60, wherein said sensor assembly for detecting a cup holder containing a cup comprises a light energy sensor assembly that generates a light beam that passes through the conveyor for the purpose of Intercept a cup holder and where the cup holders include openings for the passage of lightning through.
62. 62. A system according to claim 61, wherein said sensor assembly includes an infrared light emitting element and a receiving element positioned on opposite sides of a section of said cup conveyor.
63. 63. A cup storage and assortment assembly for an automated beverage assortment system, comprising: a rotating tower having several dispensing tubes of predetermined size cups mounted therein to provide a mixture of cups of different sizes in a station for removing cups, a driving motor for rotating the tower, and a control means for controlling the driving motor in such a way that the tower rotates in the clockwise direction or in the direction opposite to the rotation clockwise to minimize the time required for a cup spout containing a cup of desired size to be placed in the cup extraction station.
64. 64. A system according to claim 63, wherein the tower includes a sensor assembly for detecting which of said cups dispenser tubes is now in position in the cup extraction station.
65. 65. A system according to claim 64, wherein the sensor for detecting the position of dispensing tubes comprises a light energy sensor assembly including a rotating disc fixed on a shaft connected to the driving motor, said disc having a respective set of spaced openings in order to define a code for each of said several dispensing tubes, and a set of light emitting and receiving elements placed on both sides of said disc to detect a codified pattern of transmission and non-transmission of light indicating both the size as the position of the dispensing tubes placed in opposite position to the gripper arms.
66. 66. A system according to claim 65, wherein the coded openings are located at the periphery of the disk.
67. 67. A system according to claim 66, wherein said light emitting and receiving elements comprise infrared elements.
68. 68. A system according to claim 63, wherein the rotating tower includes a central mounting plate that includes an array of dispensing tube size fasteners having a specific pattern for each size of dispensing tube to be mounted there and where Each spout tube size includes complementary fastening elements for attachment to said control mounting plate in a predefined location around the mounting plate.
69. 69. A system according to claim 68, wherein said fasteners include complementary sets of bolts and slits.
70. 70. A system according to claim 63, wherein one of said cups dispenser tubes includes at least one bifurcated cups restriction member located in a bottom portion of the respective spout tube, said restriction member comprising a resilient member that it has a relatively short finger element and a relatively long adjacent finger element, both finger elements have an angular position inward and include an end portion bent inward to stop a cup by contacting an edge portion of the finger. the same, and where the stopping of a cup in one of the end portions depends on the weight of the cups that are located above in the stack of cups placed in the spout. A system according to claim 70, wherein at least one cup restricting member comprises a plurality of cup restricting members located around the bottom portion of the tube.