CA2130647A1 - Fluid dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A dispensing system for dispensing measured amounts of different fluids alone or in combination. The system has a manifold, a dispensing head, and a plurality of fluid lines extending between the manifold and the head. A pump is connected to the manifold. A fluid supply is connected to each line between the manifold and the dispensing head. The fluid supplies are spaced from the manifold. A
valve is provided in each line near the manifold for opening or closing the line. Operating means selectively open one or more of the valves and operate the pump to provide a below-atmospheric pressure in the manifold. As the pump is being operated fluid is drawn from the supply means into the selected lines toward the manifold. After the desired amount of fluid has been drawn into each line each selected valve is closed. The pump is then operated to provide an above atmospheric pressure in the manifold and the selected valves are again opened to move the fluid through the dispensing head. One way valves prevent the drawn out fluid from returning to the fluid supplies.

Description

-`~ 2130~7 This invention is directed toward an improved dispensing apparatus for dispensing one or more fluids in measured amounts.
The invention is also directed toward a method for dispensing one or more fluids in measured amounts.
The invention is more particularly directed toward a dispensing apparatus for dispensing one or more flavor fluids, in measured amounts, into a cup of coffee.
The invention is further more particularly directed toward a method for dispensing one or more flavor fluids, in measured amounts into a cup of coffee.
Flavored coffee is becoming very popular. People add one, two or more liquid flavors to their coffee to provide a pleasant, distinct aroma and taste to the coffee. The flavors can be added by means of hand-operated squeeze bottles or by using flavored creamers. However the squeeze bottles and creamer containers are awkward to use, and aacurate dispensing is virtually impossible. Dispensing from squeeze bottles or creamers can also be messy. Also, the squeeze bottles and creamers clutter up the space around the coffee dispensing machine.
It is also known to provide pre-flavored coffee beans or ground coffee. However this requires an inventory of the different beans or ground coffee making it more expensive than when using unflavored beans or ground coffee. Also there is a lot of waste in using pre- ;
flavored beans or ground coffee. Many different pots of coffee have to -be brewed to provide a good selection of flavors or else the selection would be severely limited. However if the brewed, flavored coffee is not sold within a short time it must be thrown out and a fresh batch brewed.
The present invention is directed toward a method and an ;
apparatus for dispensing measured amounts of selected fluid flavors into a cup of coffee. The use of a dispensing apparatus avoids the problems associated with using squeeze bottles and flavored creamers or with using pre-flavored beans or ground coffee.
The dispensing apparatus of the present invention permits accurate amounts of one or more selected flavor fluids to be easily 1.

2 1 3 ~ 6 ~ 7 and cleanly dispensed. The apparatus eliminates clutter and mess ~;~
around the coffee dispenser. The flavor fluids are usually concentrated so only relatively small quantities are employed minimizing the inventory problem.
Dispensing apparatus for dispensing measured amounts of fluids are known. For example it is known to provide dispensing apparatus for ;
dispensing different flavors of syrup in making soft drinks. An example of such a dispenser is shown in U.S. Patent 5,145,092 issued to Joseph W. Shannon on Sept. 8, 1992. This dispenser can dispense a selected one of many syrups. However the dispenser is expensive since it requires a separate pump for each syrup. This dispenser also ~
requires a carbon dioxide gas supply adding to its expense. ;
It is also known to provide a dispenser for dispensing measured amounts of different fluids which employ a single pumping mechanism for all the fluidæ. Such a dispenser is shown in U.S. Patent 4,~67,936 ;
issued to Douglas J. Bingler on Nov. 6, 1990, by way of example. This ;
dispenser however has no means for significantly varying the amount of each fluid dispensed. Further, there are no means for varying the ratios between one fluid and another.
The dispenser of the present invention is much simpler both in operation and construction than the known fluid dispensers. It is al60 . ~;
much more versatile in operation since various selected quantities of each fluid can be dispensed, either alone, or in combination with one or more other fluids.
The dispensing apparatus of the present invention employs a manifold connected to a dispensing head by a plurality of fluid lines. ,.
Pump means are connected to the manifold. A control valve in each line connects each line to the manifold. A fluid container is connected to each line. Operating means operate the control valve and pump means to first cause measured amounts of selected fluids to be drawn from the containers into the lines and to then be dispensed from the lines through the dispensing head.
In use, the customer selects one or more fluids required from the dispensing apparatus, and their amount, by pressing one or more 2.

^ 21306~ 7 selection buttons on the apparatus. Upon operation of the selected button or buttons, the control valve associated with each selected fluid is opened by the operating means. The pump means is then operated by the operating means to create a pressure below atmospheric in the manifold allowing each selected fluid to be drawn from the container holding the fluid into the line toward the manifold. When the desired amount of each fluid has been drawn into each lime, as determined by the operating means, the operating means closes the valve in each line. The fluid now remains temporarily stored in the lines using check valves in the apparatus. The pump is then operated by the operating means to create a pressure above atmospheric in the ~
manifold and the control valve of each line holding a selected fluid -is opened so that the fluids stored in the lines are pushed out of the ~ :
dispensing head of the apparatus.
In dispensing flavor fluids, the fluids are usually concentrated and only very small amounts are required to be dispensed in the aoffee. These small amounts can easily be stored in the fluid lines leading from the manifold to the dispensing head. Thus the apparatus is very simple in construction and relatively compact.
The invention is particularly directed toward a fluid dispensing apparatus having a manifold and pressure providing means for providing selected pressures in the manifold. The apparatus includes a dispensing head and a plurality of fluid lines extending between the manifold and the dispensing head. Fluid supply means are connected via a connection to each fluid line at a point spaced from the manifold. There are also control means in each fluid line between the manifold and the connection. Operating means are provided for selectively operating the control means and the manifold pressure providing means to cause measured amounts of fluid to be drawn from the fluid supply means into the lines and to then be dispensed from the lines through the dispensing head.

The invention is also particularly directed toward a method of dispensing one or more fluids from a plurality of supply means, each supply means carrying a different fluid, each supply means being 3.

~ 2130~7 connected to a common manifold. The method comprises the steps of:
selectively connecting one or more of the supply means to the manifold; providing a below-atmospheric pressure in the manifold to cause fluid to be drawn out of the one or more selected supply means;
controlling the amount of fluid drawn out of each supply means; and providing an above-atmospheric pressure in the manifold to dispense the one or more drawn out fluids.
The invention will now be described having reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic view of the dispensing apparatus; and Figs. 2A, 2B and 2C are schematic views showing a part of the ;
apparatus in operation. -~
The dispensing apparatus of the present invention, as shown in Fig. 1, has a dispensing head 3 and a manifold 5. A plurality of fluid ~
lines 7A, 7B, etc. extend from the manifold 5 to the dispensing head ;
3. The lines 7A, 7B, etc. preferably lead down from the manifold 5 which is located above the dispensing head 3. There are control means in each line 7A, 7B, etc. to operably connect the line to the -~
manifold. The control means preferably comprises control valves 9A, 9B, etc.. The control valves 9A, 9B, etc. are located at the top of the lines 7A, 7B, etc. adjacent the manifold 5. The control valves 9A, 9B, etc. preferably are electromagnetically operated.
A fluid supply means is associated with each line 7A, 7B, etc..
Each fluid supply means can comprise a covered container llA, llB, etc.. Each container llA, llB, etc. is positioned closely adjacent to its respective line 7A, 7B, etc.. There is a connection between each container llA, llB, etc. and its respective line 7A, 7B, etc.. Each connection comprises a branch line 13A, 13B, etc. and T-connector 15A, 15B, etc.. The T-connector 15A, 15B, etc. is spaced from the valve 9A, 9R, etc. in the line 7A, 7B, etc.. The branch line 13A, 13B, etc.
leads from the connector 15A, 15B, etc. and enters into the container llA, llB, etc. through a container cover 17A, 17B, etc. and extends close to the bottom of the container llA, llB, etc.. Each container llA, llB, etc. is filled with a different fluid. Each cover 17A, 17B, 4.

21306~ 7 etc. has a vent l9A, l9B, etc. venting the interior of each container llA, llB, etc. to the atmosphere... A valve 21A, 21B, etc. is provided ~;
in each branch line 13A, 13B, etc. adjacent the connector 15A, 15B, ,~
etc.. The valves 21A, 21B, etc. preferably are check valves allowing flow of fluid from the containers llA, llB, etc. to the lines 7A, 7B, -' etc. but not from the lines to the containers.
A valve 23A, 23B, etc. is also provided in each line 7A, 7B, etc. ,,~
just below the connector 15A, 15B, etc... The valves 23A, 23B, etc. are ;;
also preferably check valves allowing flow of fluid from the connector ;,~
15A, 15B, etc. to the dispensing head 3 but not from the head to the connectors 15A, 15B, etc................. ~"
Means 27 are provided for creating selected pressures in the ,~
manifold 5. The pressure providing means 27 preferably comprises a ~, reversible pump such as a peristaltic pump 29. The pump 29 is driven by a motor 31 through a drive shaft 33. A first line 35 connects one ,-side of the pump 29 to the manifold 5 and a second line 37 connects the other side of the pump 29 to atmosphere.
Operating means 39 control the operation of the dispensing system. The operating means 39 preferably comprises an optical encoder having a micro-processor 41 to control the operation of the pump 29 and the control valves 9. The micro-processor 41 starts and stops the pump 29, controls its direction of rotation, and opens and closes valves 9. The optical encoder includes an optical counter 43 associated with pump 29. The optical counter 43, which is well known, has a disk 45 fixedly mounted on the pump drive shaft 33. The disk 45 has a plurality of equally spaced-apart slits 47 arranged in a circle ad~acent its periphery. The disk 45 is rotated by the shaft 33 between a light source 49 and a light sensor 51. The light passing through each slit 47 is sensed by the sensor 51 and provides a count of the '' slits 47. The slit count is representative of the number of full and/or partial revolutions made by the shaft 33. The slit count developed from the optical counter 43 is used by the micro-processor 41 to close the valves 9 to control the, amount of fluid or dispensed as will be described. The operating means includes push buttons 53 on ,~

5. ,"'~

_ 213V6~7 ~

a control panel 55 that are actuated by a customer to select one or more of the flavors he desires, their amounts, and to initiate operation of the dispenser. The control panel can include a coin slot (not shown) if desired. The optical encoder 39 is calibrated before the dispenser is used. A separate slit count is developed for each amount of each fluid to be dispensed and these counts are programmed into the micro-processor 41.
In operating the dispenser, the customer inserts a coin, if it is needed, and then presses one or more buttons on the control panel 55 to select one or more flavors fluids that he desires to add to his coffee. He can also, through the buttons 53, select the amount of each flavor fluid that he wishes to add. The selections, along with a start signal provided by pressing another button 53 if necessary, are transmitted to the micro-processor 41. The micro-processor 41 then opens the control valve or valves associated with the selected fluids in containers 11. Next, the micro-processor 41 operates the pump 29 via the motor 31 in one direction to begin to reduce the pressure in the manifold 5 below atmospheric. If the fluid in container llA is selected for example, valve 9A is opened. When the pump 29 is now operated to reduce the pressure in manifold 5, this reduced pressure causes fluid from container llA to be drawn up the branch line 13A, through the valve 21A, and into line 7A toward the control valve 9A as shown in Fig. 2A. Valve 23A prevents air from being drawn !in through the dispensing head 3. As the pump 29 operates, the optical counter 41 counts the slits 47 in the disk passing by the sensor 51. When a number of slits corresponding to the programmed slit count number, for the kind and amount of fluid selected, has been counted, the desired amount of fluid has been drawn up into line 7A and the micro-processor closes valve 9A. The drawn up fluid is now temporarily stored in line 7A as shown in Fig. 2B. Valve 21A prevents the liquid from returning to container llA and valve 23A is closed.

If a second fluid has been selected, the same sequence of operations occurs simultaneously with respect to its associated line 7, valve 9 and container 11. The amount of the second fluid selected 6.
.~

may differ from the amount of the first fluid. However the micro- -processor has a programmed slit count for the selected amount of the second fluid and will close the valve 9 associated with the second when the actual slit count reaches the programmed value. By way of example, assume that the customer has selected a mixture of flavors, two parts of the flavor fluid in container llA and one part of the flavor fluid in container llB. The micro-processor 41 would open control valve 9B for less time than the time that control valve sA was ~;
open for. The time that valve 9B was opened for compared to the time that valve 9A was opened for would depend on the programmed slit ;
counts for two parts of the flavor fluid in container llA and for one part of the flavor fluid in container llB. The slit counts would be such as to draw twice as much fluid into line 7A from container llA as the amount of fluid drawn into line 7B from container llB as shown in Fig. 2B. The pump is operated by the micro-processor 41 until after the last valve 9 is closed.
When the one or more selected fluids have been moved from their respective containers into temporary storage in fluid lines 7, the micro-processor 41 the operates the pump 29 in the opposite direction to produce a desired above-atmospheric pressure in the manifold 5.
Wh~n the desired above-atmospheric pressure is reached in the manifold 5, the micro-processor 41 opens the valves 9 associated with the selected containers 11 causing the fluids stored in the lines 7 to be moved down the lines 7 past the valves 23 to the dispensing head 3 and out into the container "C" beneath the head. The valves 21 in the branch lines 13 prevent the fluids from being returned to the containers. The valves 9 can be opened simultaneously to dispense the stored fluids. However if different amounts of two or more fluids are being dispensed, the line 11 which has the least amount of fluid would clear first and the air from the manifold would pass mainly through ;
this cleared line. This may cause the other line or lines to not be -fully cleared. It is therefore preferable to open the valves in sequence so that each line is fully cleared before the next line is opened.

7.

The sections of lines 7 between the valves 9 and 21 are made long enough to hold the maximum amount of fluid to be dispensed from each line without having the fluid reach the valve 9 while it is being stored. This prevents one flavor from contaminating another flavor. ;
While the apparatus has been described with the manifold located above the lines 7 this is not essential. For example, the manifold 5 could be located at the same height as the connectors 15 and the sections of ;
lines 7 extending between the connectors 15 and the manifold 5 could be generally horizontal.
The amount of fluid drawn into each line 7 from the associated supply container 11 can be precisely controlled by the optical encoder 39. The calibration step can take into account the differences in viscosities in the fluids, the amounts required, and any differences in the sizes in the lines 7 to obtain the desired amounts. Using an optical counter makes the system independent of time. It does not matter how fast the pump runs, or how fast the selected fluid is drawn up in the line.
The system de~cribed operates with the valves 9 opened before the pump 29 is started. However it is contemplated that the system could also operate with the pump 29 started before the valves 9 are opened.
While the system has been described as using an optical counter, it could also be used with a timer which would close each selected valve 9 after a predetermined time of operation of the pump.
The apparatus, in having the fluid containers right side up, instead of upside down as in some dispensers, eliminates fluid loss in case of valve failure. In addition, since the system is not continuously pressurized, leakage problems are minimized.
While the invention has been particularly described with respect to a dispenser for adding fluid flavors to coffee, the dispenser can be employed for dispensing any types of fluid materials including, by way of example, syrups and yogurts.

8.

Claims (20)

1. A dispensing system having: a manifold, pressure providing means for providing selected pressures in the manifold, a dispensing head, a plurality of fluid lines leading directly from the manifold to the dispensing head, fluid supply means connected via a connection to each fluid line at a point spaced from the manifold, control means in each line between the manifold and the connection for opening or closing the line, and operating means for selectively operating the control means and the manifold pressure providing means to cause measured amounts of selected fluids to be drawn from the fluid supply means into the lines and to then be dispensed from the lines through the dispensing head.

2. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pressure providing means comprises a reversible pump.

3. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the manifold is above the fluid supply means.

4. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 2 including an optical counter counting pump revolutions to control the amount of fluid drawn from each selected fluid supply means.

5. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 1 including a first flow valve in the connection between each supply means and line permitting fluid flow from the supply means to the line but not from the line to the supply means, and a second flow valve in the line between the connection and the dispensing head permitting fluid flow to the dispensing head but not from the dispensing head.

6. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first and second flow valves are check valves.

7. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the control means comprises a control a control valve, and the pressure providing means comprises a reversible pump, the pump operating in one direction providing a pressure below atmospheric in the manifold to draw liquid into a line from its supply means when this line's control valve is open a first time, the pump operating in the reverse direction providing a pressure above atmospheric in the manifold to push liquid from the line out of the dispensing head when the line's control valve is open a second time.

8. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 7 including an optical counter counting pump revolutions to control the amount of fluid drawn from each selected fluid supply means.

9. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the manifold is above the supply means.

10. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 8 wherein each line between the control valve and the first flow valve is long enough and large enough to provide a storage area larger than the largest amount of fluid to be dispensed.

11. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the supply means comprise containers, the containers connected to the fluid lines by branch lines extending through the top of the containers.

12. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 1 including timer means in the operating means to control the time that the control means are open to control the amount of fluid drawn from each selected fluid supply means.

13. A method of dispensing at least one fluid from a plurality of fluid supply means, each supply means carrying a different fluid, each supply means connected to a common manifold, the method comprising the steps of:

selectively connecting at least one of the supply means to the manifold;
providing a below-atmospheric pressure in the manifold to have the below-atmospheric pressure cause the fluid to be drawn out of at least one selected supply means;
controlling the amount of fluid drawn out of each supply means;
and providing an above-atmospheric pressure in the manifold to dispense at least one of the fluids.

14. A method of dispensing at least one fluid from a plurality of fluid supply means, each fluid supply means carrying a different fluid, each supply means connected to a line, each line extending between a common manifold and a common dispensing head, the method comprising the steps of:
selectively connecting at least one of the lines to the manifold;
removing air from the manifold while the selected lines are connected to the manifold so as to draw liquid into the selected lines towards the manifold from the supply means;
disconnecting the selected lines from the manifold after the desired amount of fluid has entered each selected line;
providing an above-atmospheric pressure in the manifold; and reconnecting the selected lines to the manifold to move the liquid in the lines out of the dispensing head.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 including reconnecting the selected lines in sequence so that the liquid in each line is moved out before the next line is reconnected.

16. A method of dispensing at least one fluid from a plurality of fluid supply means, each fluid supply means carrying a different fluid, each supply means connected to a line extending between a common manifold and a common dispensing head, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first below-atmospheric pressure in the manifold;
selectively connecting at least one of the lines to the manifold to have liquid drawn into at least one of the selected lines from their associated supply means toward the manifold; and providing an above-atmospheric pressure in the manifold to move the liquid in the lines out of the dispensing head.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 including disconnecting the selected lines from the manifold after the desired amount of fluid has entered each selected line, and then reconnecting the selected lines to the manifold in sequence after the manifold has reached a desired above-atmospheric pressure.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the one or more lines are selectively connected to the manifold before the first below-atmospheric pressure is being provided in the manifold.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the one or more lines are selectively connected to the manifold after the first below-atmospheric pressure is provided in the manifold.

20. A method as claimed in claim 16 including preventing the liquid in the selected lines from returning to the supply means.