CN215983300U - Frozen beverage machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A machine for producing frozen food products having a control system for controlling the consistency and quality of the food product and for extending the useful life of components of the machine based on one or more operating characteristics, including product characteristics.

Description

Frozen beverage machine

Cross Reference to Related Applications

The present application claims priority and benefit from U.S. non-provisional application serial No. 15/919,330 filed on day 3, month 13, 2018 and U.S. provisional application serial No. 62/470,415 filed on day 3, month 13, 2017, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention disclosed and taught herein relates generally to frozen beverage machines; and more particularly to an improved method and apparatus for controlling the consistency and quality of a dispensed beverage product, and for extending the useful life of its components.

Background

Frozen beverage machines are known in the art and have been in use for many years. These devices produce, for example, Frozen Carbonated Beverages (FCBs) by freezing a mixture of ingredients, typically comprising syrup, water and carbon dioxide, in a freezing chamber. The mixture freezes on the inner surface of a chamber surrounded by a helical coil through which the refrigerant passes. The rotating shaft is disposed inside a chamber having a plurality of outwardly projecting blades that scrape the mixture off of the inner wall of the freezing chamber. Once the carbonated beverage is in the desired frozen state, product is dispensed from the chamber through the product valve.

The temperature and viscosity of the ingredients within the mixing chamber are maintained by a control system that controls the refrigeration system. A common current method for controlling frozen beverage dispensing utilizes a freezing chamber, which is a space enclosed within an evaporator in a refrigeration system to make a frozen beverage product. The physical properties and state of the beverage product are constantly changing within the freezing chamber. The expansion and contraction of the beverage product may be unpredictable. The control system also controls the amount of ingredient injected into the mixing chamber to maintain the amount of such ingredient within the chamber at a prescribed amount. Such control systems typically include a pressure responsive device that controls the amount of ingredient fed into the chamber in response to the freezing chamber pressure.

Typically, the pressure of the frozen beverage, which may contain a gas such as carbon dioxide, within the freezing chamber is maintained above atmospheric pressure. The temperature of the frozen beverage in the freezing chamber is maintained at a temperature lower than the freezing point of water under atmospheric pressure, but is not lower than a temperature at which the liquid is easily frozen under the pressure in the chamber. The viscosity of the liquid must also generally be maintained within regulatory limits. Under these temperature and pressure conditions, and with a suitably maintained viscosity, the frozen beverage is dispensed from the chamber through the product valve to a container such as a cup or mug at atmospheric pressure in a semi-frozen state similar to frozen foam.

The quality of the product is also determined by the ratio of the mixture of syrup, water, and a gaseous medium such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen. The ability to control and adjust this mixture is related to the ability to accurately monitor and control liquid level, pressure, temperature, and carbon dioxide content. The amount of carbonation is a strong contributor, although other factors such as syrup content also affect product quality. A major drawback of known frozen carbonated beverage machines is that they do not maintain proper control of liquid level, pressure, temperature, and carbon dioxide content entering the mixing chamber to produce a consistent high quality product.

A common current method for controlling the refreezing period of a frozen beverage machine barrel is based on the torque (or power consumption) of the blender motor, as it has been found that the ingredient mix becomes more viscous as it freezes. When the measured torque on the motor drops below a specified threshold, the machine starts a freeze cycle and freezes the barrel until the torque on the motor reaches a higher specified torque. One observed problem with the use of motor torque is that the machine may begin to freeze more frequently over time. The time between freeze cycles becomes shorter and the product in the vat can become too cold. If the drum is not often defrosted sufficiently, the product in the drum may not be dispensed from the valve as intended. Another problem is that dispensing small drinks can trigger refreezing when barrel refreezing is not required. All observed problems with the current control method reinforce the view that the torque of the motor may not be the optimal indicator for triggering a refreezing.

One concern with frozen beverage dispensers is Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The owner/operator of the chilled beverage dispenser prefers that the purchase cost of the appliance be low and that there be little need for a service call to replace parts that become worn out of service. It is generally believed that parts made of higher quality materials may last longer than parts made of inferior materials. However, using higher quality parts is generally more expensive and will likely increase the initial cost of the instrument. On the other hand, using inferior parts, while reducing initial costs, will require more service calls to address the worn parts.

Another difficulty with prior art chilled beverage dispensers is in the physical electrical connections within the body of the dispenser. It has generally been required that the overall instrument be small so that it takes up less space on a counter or in a service area. Making the instrument smaller requires compressing the interior of the dispenser to a point where the physical contacts for connecting to electronics, sensors and other wiring are smaller. This has resulted in errors in assembly or service technicians placing the sensor wires on the incorrect terminals.

Other difficult problems of the existing frozen beverage machine: (i) inconsistent ice crystal size and (ii) inconsistent barrel pressure, which can cause: (a) excessively high barrel pressure resulting in excessively high dispensing rates, (b) fluctuating barrel pressure resulting in inconsistent ice crystal formation, (c) inconsistent drink quality, (d) a "wet drink" in which expansion is too low and/or liquid/solid separation occurs, (e) a cold drink in which the drink is too hard due to excessive freezing, (f) inconsistent "brightness" due to excessive pressure and gas within the barrel.

Several examples given in this specification relate to frozen carbonated beverages. However, the utility model disclosed and taught herein is applicable to other forms of frozen food products, such as, but not limited to, milkshakes, smoothies, and soft ice creams.

The present inventions and subject matter disclosed and taught herein are directed to overcoming, or at least minimizing, some of these difficulties.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

As one of many possible brief summaries of the nature and essence of the utility model disclosed herein, a frozen beverage machine may comprise a freezing chamber having a product inlet and a product outlet; a refrigeration system for freezing the product in the freezing chamber; a dynamic inflation control system, comprising: a first chamber in fluid communication with a freezing chamber product inlet; a first chamber pressure transducer for measuring the pressure in the first chamber and providing a first pressure measurement to a controller; a second chamber separated from the first chamber by a bladder and comprising an inlet and an outlet; a fluid fill valve coupled to a source of fluid and the second chamber inlet; a fluid discharge valve coupled to the second chamber outlet for discharging fluid; a second chamber pressure transducer for measuring a pressure in the second chamber and providing a second pressure measurement to a controller; a controller operatively coupled to receive an output from one or both of the first and second chamber pressure transducers and to actuate the fluid fill valve or the fluid vent valve to match the received first pressure measurement to a desired pressure; wherein the controller dynamically adjusts the desired pressure based on at least one sensed operating characteristic of the machine.

In another of many possible brief summaries of the nature and essence of the utility model disclosed herein, a frozen beverage machine may include a freezing chamber having a product inlet and a product outlet; a refrigeration system for freezing the product in the freezing chamber; a first chamber in fluid communication with the freezing chamber product inlet; a first chamber pressure transducer for measuring the pressure in the first chamber and providing a pressure measurement to the controller; an adjustment member for adjusting the pressure in the first chamber, the adjustment member comprising a controller operatively coupled to receive an output from the first chamber pressure transducer and match the received pressure measurement of the first chamber to a desired pressure; wherein the controller dynamically adjusts the pressure in the first chamber based on at least one sensed operating characteristic of the machine.

In yet another of many possible brief summaries of the nature and essence of the utility model disclosed herein, a frozen beverage machine may comprise a freezing chamber having a product inlet and a product outlet; a refrigeration system for freezing the product in the freezing chamber; a gas chamber comprising an inlet and an outlet and operatively coupled to the freezing chamber; a gas chamber pressure transducer for measuring the pressure in the gas chamber and providing pressure measurement fingers to a controller; a gas fill valve operatively coupled to a source of gas and operatively coupled to the inlet of the gas chamber; a gas exhaust valve operatively coupled to the outlet of the gas chamber; a controller operatively coupled to receive an output from the gas chamber pressure transducer and align the received pressure measurement of the gas chamber with a desired pressure; and wherein the controller dynamically adjusts the desired pressure in the gas chamber based on at least one sensed operating characteristic of the machine.

Drawings

The following drawings form part of the present specification and are included to further demonstrate certain aspects of the present invention. The utility model may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combination with the detailed description of specific embodiments presented herein.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram conceptually illustrating portions of an exemplary frozen beverage machine according to certain teachings of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary frozen beverage machine according to certain teachings of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the frozen beverage machine illustrated in fig. 2 according to certain teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps for use in the control of a dynamic inflation system according to certain teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps for use in fill control of a dynamic inflation system according to certain teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps used in emission control of a dynamic charging system according to certain teachings of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 is a graph illustrating a timeline of fill and drain cycles in an exemplary chilled beverage dispenser according to certain teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary alternative steps used in fill and bleed control of a dynamic charging system according to certain teachings of the present disclosure.

Fig. 9 is a graph illustrating a timeline of fill and drain cycles in an exemplary chilled beverage dispenser according to certain teachings of the present disclosure.

Fig. 10 is a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps used in the control of pressure during selection and dispensing of a beverage in an exemplary dynamic aeration system according to certain teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method for maintaining pressure of an exemplary dynamic inflation system during times of day and days of week in accordance with certain teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of detecting whether a solenoid connection is improperly placed in accordance with certain teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary control method used in the event that successive numbers of fills or drains are unsuccessful, according to certain teachings of the present disclosure.

While the utility model disclosed herein is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, only a few specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The figures and detailed description of these specific embodiments are not intended to limit the breadth or scope of the inventive concepts or the appended claims in any manner. Rather, the figures and detailed written description are provided to illustrate the inventive concepts to those skilled in the art and to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the inventive concepts.

Detailed Description

The figures and written description above of specific structures and functions below are not presented to limit the scope of what applicants have invented or the scope of the appended claims. Rather, the figures and written description are provided to teach any person skilled in the art to make and use the utility models for which protection is sought. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that not all features of a commercial embodiment of the utility models are described or shown for the sake of clarity and understanding. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the development of an actual commercial embodiment incorporating aspects of the present inventions will require numerous implementation-specific decisions to achieve the developer's ultimate goal for the commercial embodiment. Such implementation-specific decisions may include, and may not be limited to, adaptation to system-related, business-related, government-related, and other constraints, which may vary by specific implementation, location, and from time to time. While the developer's efforts might be complex and time consuming in an absolute sense, such efforts would still be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. It must be understood that the utility model disclosed and taught herein may be embodied in many and various modifications and alternative forms. Finally, the use of a singular term, such as, but not limited to "(a)", is not intended as limiting the number of items. Additionally, the use of relational terms, such as, but not limited to, "top," "bottom," "left," "right," "up," "down," "up," "side," and the like are used in the written description for clarity in specific reference to the figures and are not intended to limit the scope of the utility model or the appended claims.

The terms "couple," "coupled," "couple," "coupling," and similar terms are used broadly herein and can include any method or manner for fastening, joining, adhering, fastening, attaching, joining, inserting therein, forming thereon or therein, communicating or otherwise associating, for example, mechanically, magnetically, electrically, chemically, operatively, directly or indirectly with intermediate elements, one or more pieces of a component together and can further include, without limitation, integrally forming one functional component with another in an integral manner. The coupling may occur in any direction, including rotationally.

Embodiments of the present invention may be described below with reference to block diagrams and/or operational illustrations of methods. It will be understood that each block of the block diagrams and/or operational illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or operational illustrations, can be implemented by analog and/or digital hardware, and/or computer program instructions. Such computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, ASIC, and/or other programmable data processing system. The instructions which execute may result in structures and functions for implementing the actions specified in the block diagrams and/or operational illustrations. In some alternative implementations, the functions/acts/structures illustrated in the figures may occur out of the order illustrated in the block diagrams and/or operational illustrations. For example, two operations shown as occurring in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the operations may be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts/structures involved.

Applicants have created methods and apparatus for measuring and controlling the solution in a frozen beverage machine to control the consistency and quality of the dispensed beverage product.

Fig. 1 is a simplified block diagram schematically illustrating components of an exemplary frozen beverage machine 10 according to certain teachings of the present disclosure or that may be used in conjunction with the present disclosure. Frozen beverage machine 10 includes an ingredient supply 12, a process flow block 14, a controller 16, and a product chamber or tub 18. In the exemplary frozen beverage machine 10, the ingredient supply sources 12 may include, for example, a water supply, a syrup supply, and a gas supply. In the illustrated embodiment, the barrel 18 includes a freezing chamber having a refrigeration system 20 associated therewith. The tub 18 further includes an agitator 24. The product compartment or drum 18 may be an evaporator in a refrigeration system 20. The frozen beverage machine 10 may alternatively have one or more barrels. Further description of frozen beverage machines is provided by U.S. patent No. 5,706,661 to j.i. Frank et al; 5,743,097 No; 5,799,726 No; 5,806,550 No; 6,536,224 and 6,625,993, and U.S. patent application publication nos. 2016/0245573 and 2016/0245564. The entire disclosures of these patents are incorporated herein by reference. Other known frozen beverage machines may be used in conjunction with the methods and apparatus disclosed in the present invention.

The bucket 18 is where the product or liquid is frozen and held prior to dispensing. Initial Pull Down (IPD) is the process of freezing the initial ingredients introduced into the barrel 18 from a liquid state to a frozen ready-to-eat state. This occurs when the mixture of ingredients in the barrel is already liquid and needs to be frozen. A defrost period occurs when one of the barrels 18 of the frozen beverage machine 10 is on, but the refrigeration system 20 is off. The product or liquid in the tub 10 is frozen and ready-to-eat, but is naturally thawing and not cooled by the refrigeration system 20. A freeze cycle or refreezing cycle occurs when one of the barrels 18 of the frozen beverage machine 10 is turned on and the refrigeration system 20 is turned on. The product in the tub has been frozen but outside the optimal range. Thus, there is a need to freeze/cool the product in order to maintain the quality of the drink. The freeze cycle typically occurs between thaw cycles. The agitator percentage (%) is a displayed software variable that may be displayed on the user interface of the frozen beverage machine 10 that indicates the torque load on the motor that drives the agitator 24. The agitator percentage is inversely proportional to the motor load; as the variable decreases, the load increases. In one exemplary embodiment, 1000% is liquid drum load, and the optimal frozen product has a load range of 700% -900%.

The ingredients for freezing the beverage mix are provided from an ingredient supply 12 to a process flow block 14 that controls the flow of ingredients, also referred to as beverage solutions, into a freezing chamber 18 as instructed by a controller 16. The controller 16 may include a suitably programmed microcontroller and suitable memory devices and suitable sensors throughout the device. The consistency of the frozen mix is controlled by any of several methods that turn on the refrigeration system 20 to freeze and turn off the refrigeration system 20 when the mix reaches the desired consistency. Suitable operation of the controller 16 and other control instrumentation using circuit boards, volatile and non-volatile memory, software, firmware, etc., is described, for example, in U.S. patent No. 5,706,661, which is incorporated by reference above. The product is then dispensed through the dispensing valve 22.

Applicants have further created improved methods and apparatus to monitor and control the pressure of a frozen beverage system through electronic sensing, but mechanical sensing is also within the scope of the present invention.

As shown in more detail in fig. 2 and 3, the dynamic charge control system (DCC) of the present invention generally consists of a pressure transducer 220, two electrically controlled solenoids 205, 210 for controlling the supply and discharge of gas, and a common manifold 212. DCCs typically utilize a pressure sensing device to monitor and control the inflation pressure by supplying gas to the expansion tank 225 or venting gas from the expansion tank 225 based on the pressure range desired by the user, in other words, the desired beverage condition (profile). The desired pressure range depends on the desired beverage condition, and the user may have the ability to change the pressure range through the user interface.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a frozen beverage machine according to certain teachings of the present disclosure. Referring to fig. 2, the main components of a frozen beverage machine 200 are illustrated.

In the exemplary machine, a conventional refrigeration system is provided that includes a compressor 240, a condenser 245, a heat exchanger 235, a defrost valve 250, and an expansion valve 255. The refrigeration system operates to provide refrigerant to the evaporator coils of the freezing chamber in the form of a barrel 218: (a) in the form of an expanded liquid refrigerant that is passed through an expansion valve to cool the drum, or (b) in the form of hot gas from a compressor 240 to defrost the drum 218.

The exemplary machine also includes a dynamic charge control system (DCC) that includes an expansion tank 225 having two compartments. The first compartment of the expansion tank 225 receives beverage solution through the solution solenoid 260. The second compartment of the expansion tank 225 receives gas (typically CO) through the supply solenoid 205 (or through a supply regulator in an alternative embodiment)₂But can be air, nitrogen, orSome other gas). A pressure transducer 220 is provided to detect the active charge pressure in the expansion tank 225. A pressure transducer 265 is provided to sense the solution pressure in the expansion tank 225. The output from the pressure transducer 220 is provided to an electronic interface controller 215 that operates to control the charge pressure in the expansion tank 225. In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of expansion tanks may be utilized.

The addition of gaseous medium to the second compartment of the expansion tank 225 will serve to expand the volume of that compartment, thereby reducing the volume of the first compartment. Thus, the expansion tank 225 will be stable and both compartments have the same pressure. Because there is fluid communication between the first compartment of the expansion tank 225 and the drum 218, an increase in pressure in the second compartment of the expansion tank 225 will increase the pressure within the drum 218. Conversely, a decrease in pressure within the second compartment of the expansion tank 225 will decrease the volume of that compartment, thus allowing the volume of the first compartment to increase, thereby decreasing the pressure of the drum 218.

In other contemplated embodiments, other mechanisms may be used to control the pressure in the first compartment. They may be, but are not limited to, using mechanical force, such as a piston, or using an incompressible fluid, such as water, to press against the bladder. Another contemplated embodiment may not require the use of a bladder, and the volume of the first chamber may be changed by other mechanical means, such as by using a compressible chamber.

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the frozen beverage machine illustrated in fig. 2 according to certain teachings of the present disclosure. Specifically, fig. 3 shows details of an embodiment of the expansion tank 225, the drum 218, the distribution valve 222, the supply solenoid 205, the vent solenoid 210 (or vent regulator in an alternative embodiment), and the pressure transducer 220. In the example of fig. 3, solenoids 205 and 210 are electronically controlled solenoids and are integrated into a single unit with pressure transducer 220 that will generate a signal that can be received and processed by a control processor. May be vented through the pressure vent 230 thereby reducing the volume of the second compartment of the expansion tank 225. Such as CO, may be added from an external source through pressure supply opening 219₂The fluid of (1).

In one embodiment of the described process, after the beverage is dispensed, a volume of solution is moved from an external source into the expansion tank 225 and an equal amount is moved from the expansion tank 225 into the drum 218. This volume may approximate the volume of frozen beverage dispensed, but may not be exactly that volume. Thus, to compensate and to maintain the barrel at the optimal pressure, DCC will make appropriate adjustments to the pressure in barrel 218.

Applicants have found that the pressure in the drum 218 may not be immediately present in the expansion tank 225. As an example, under the conditions of a freezing cycle in the drum 218, the pressure in the drum 218 will increase as ice forms, which does not dissolve as much gas as it does in liquid form. This pressure increase is immediately visible in the drum 218, but may take several seconds to see through the pressure indicator in the expansion tank 225.

CO₂May be used to control the active inflation pressure in the expansion tank 225. When CO is mixed with₂This is convenient when used in solution to produce a drink, and the source of that gas may be nearby. Similarly, this may be nitrogen, which may be convenient if the beverage has nitrogen therein and the gas is available. However, any other suitable gas may be used, including another inert gas, or even air. In one of many possible contemplated embodiments, a small air pump may be used as a source for pressurized air rather than relying on compressed gas in a cylinder or other container.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps for use in the control of a dynamic inflation system according to certain teachings of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates, at a high level, a method 400 for use in control of a dynamic inflation system. In an initial step 440, the measured pressure determines whether the pressure sensed by the pressure detector 220 is greater than, less than, or within a desired range depending on the user's preferences, which are the desired beverage condition. A range may be a range of values including, for example, a fixed set point/range and/or a dynamic set point/range. Set point, range and/or control for desired active inflation pressureThe logic may be variable and depend on: (a) desirable beverage conditions (e.g., lower pressure produces larger ice crystals and absorbs less CO)₂) (ii) a (b) Product type (soda syrup, FCB syrup, sugared syrup, low calorie, or low calorie syrup); (c) machine hardware configuration (size of evaporator, expansion tank size, etc.). The set point and/or control logic may be modified through a user interface. For example, the user may enter the desired beverage condition, product type, or machine hardware configuration. The user interface may include a potentiometer, an LCD, a touch screen, and/or a keypad.

If the pressure sampled in step 440 is within the desired range, a decision is made in step 410 to make no changes to the system. Processing may continue by looping back to the initial step 440 for sampling the pressure. In some cases, it may be desirable to wait a short amount of time 420 before returning to the sampling step 440. If it is determined in step 410 that the sampled pressure exceeds the desired range, the vent or exhaust solenoid 210 is activated in step 450 to reduce the pressure of the expansion tank 225. Venting will begin when the pressure exceeds the maximum allowable pressure in the DCC and will stop when the pressure is measured to be below the minimum venting set point. Again, a short wait may be required before returning to the sampling step 440, as indicated in step 451. If it is determined in step 410 that the sampled pressure is at or below the desired range, then the fill or supply solenoid 205 is activated in step 430 to increase the pressure of the expansion tank 225. The filling process will continue until the maximum filling pressure is reached. Again, a short wait may be required before returning to the sampling step 440, as indicated in step 431. After completing step 430 or 450 (or step 431 or 451 if a short time delay is required), a pressure feedback reading from the pressure transducer 220 is again made in step 440. After step 440, step 410 is completed and the loop begins again.

In process 400, care must be taken to ensure that the filling process does not inadvertently initiate the draining process, and vice versa. This can cause oscillations in the fill and drain solenoids and can destabilize the system. As one example, the maximum fill pressure (the pressure at which the fill solenoid closes) should be measurably distinguishable from the pressure at which the vent process is initiated (the pressure at which the vent solenoid opens).

Generally, the volume of the expansion tank 225 will vary to maintain an optimal pressure within the preferred range required within the drum 218. This may be accomplished by various means known to those skilled in the art, including the use of a physically inflated tank, or by the use of a bladder separating two compartments that may be inflated or deflated within the inflation tank 225, or by controlling the amount of beverage solution within the inflation tank 225, or by a combination of these and many options. These means are described in U.S. patent application publication 2016/0245573, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. When step 410 in fig. 4 determines that the pressure in the drum 218 is greater than the desired range, the vent solenoid 210 opens a passage that allows gaseous medium to exit the second compartment of the expansion tank 225, thereby making the volume of solution in the first compartment for the expansion tank 225 and frozen beverage in the freezing chamber larger. Venting continues until the pressure is again within the desired pressure range. Conversely, if step 410 determines that the pressure in the expansion tank 225 falls below an optimal level, more gaseous medium may be added from an external source (not shown), such as a replaceable gas cylinder, by opening the fill solenoid 205. This results in the first compartment of the expansion tank and the freezing chamber being smaller in volume, resulting in a higher pressure. This filling process continues until the pressure is again within the desired range.

The required pressure can be established by the required size of the ice crystals. It has been found that lower pressures in barrel 218 result in larger ice crystals, while higher pressures result in smaller ice crystals. The size of the ice crystals in the frozen beverage is sometimes a matter of preference for the consumer and in some cases limited by the dispensing path of the beverage dispensing device. In some cases, an oversized crystal may cause a blockage in the dispensing path more frequently. The pressure in the barrel 218 may be controlled to avoid this condition.

The cycle depicted in fig. 4 will typically require a small number of fills and drains if no beverage is dispensed. However, when dispensing a drink, some of the frozen beverage in the keg 218 will be dispensed. The solution will then be transferred from the expansion tank 225 to the vat 218 and the solution will also be injected into the expansion tank 225 from an external source (not shown). In some cases, this may cause barrel 218 to exceed or fall below the desired pressure. If so, the system will need to fill or vent gas to the expansion tank 225 to reestablish the desired pressure.

At some time, the keg 218 will be defrosted so that the frozen beverage in the keg 218 does not become too frozen. As the beverage in the keg 218 warms up during the defrost cycle, the pressure will drop as more gas can be dissolved in the liquid solution than in the chilled solution. At that time, gaseous medium will need to be added to the second compartment of the expansion tank 225, resulting in a smaller volume of the first compartment, thereby increasing the pressure in the drum 218. Conversely, when the frozen beverage reaches a temperature at the upper end of the desired range, the system will enter a freezing cycle to chill the beverage. During this time, the pressure in the barrel 218 will increase. Again, to maintain the quality of the beverage, the system will vent some of the active aeration gas to lower the pressure in the drum 218 by reducing the volume in the first compartment of the expansion tank 225. These and other complications in the operation of the frozen beverage dispensing device initiate the filling and draining process.

Recall that the total cost of ownership is a concern and the manufacturer of the frozen beverage dispensing device may know the life expectancy of the parts used to assemble the dispensing machine. Knowing these and some statistics about how often beverages are dispensed will allow one skilled in the art to estimate the average life expectancy of a particular part. This process can be applied to a solenoid for filling the expansion chamber 225 with the gaseous medium and for discharging the gaseous medium out of said expansion chamber. One way to extend the foreseeable time required to replace a solenoid is to install a solenoid that will operate a greater number of times before it is expected to fail. That, however, usually comes at a cost that will have to go all the way to the purchaser of the device. Another way would be to utilize a solenoid that would operate a fewer number of times before it is expected to fail, and operate the solenoid less frequently. As one example, solenoid "a" may have a warranty indicating that the solenoid will operate twice as many times as indicated in the warranty for solenoid "B". Subsequently, solenoid "A" costs twice as much as solenoid "B". However, in order to obtain the same life expectancy from solenoid "B" as from solenoid "a", the operating frequency of solenoid "B" may be half that of solenoid "a". Thus, it is expected that both will last the same amount of time in operation.

As described above, optimal pressure conditions have been established for the type of beverage required. Because the keg will be in a frozen and unfrozen state, and in conditions where frozen beverage is dispensed and ingredients are refilled, the pressure in the keg can vary. It has been found that establishing a pressure range will still produce a frozen beverage having the desired beverage quality including ice crystal size and the desired dispensing quality including sound and resistance to splatter. To achieve these desired qualities, the barrel pressure may be maintained within this optimum range by filling with gas and venting gas from the dynamic inflation system. The filling process may begin when the pressure is at a low point of the optimal range and may end when the pressure is at a mid-point of the optimal range. The discharge process may begin when the pressure is at a high point of the optimum range and may end when the pressure is at the same midpoint. Other starting and stopping pressure points may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the utility model described herein.

It has further been found that outside the optimal range, there is a wider range where the available drinks and dispense quality can be acceptable, as long as those conditions are reset to the optimal pressure range as quickly as possible. In one embodiment, the filling process may begin at a point below the low point of the optimal range and may continue to increase the pressure to a point within the optimal range. Similarly, the emission treatment may start at a point higher than the high point of the optimum range, and may continue until the pressure is reduced to a point within the optimum range. Variations of this process may be envisioned by those skilled in the art without departing from the inventive concepts described herein.

Figure 5 depicts an exemplary process that applicants have found that the life expectancy of DCC fill solenoids in beverage dispensing devices can be increased by less activation of the fill solenoid. Those skilled in the art may devise other methods without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein. The process 500 may run throughout the device's uptime, or in some cases intermittently, or it may be beneficial to run the process only when certain conditions are achieved. The process 500 used in this exemplary embodiment to increase the life expectancy of the fill solenoid will temporarily allow for an extended pressure range in the barrel in the event that the fill solenoid is activated too frequently. This will allow the fill solenoid to activate less frequently until conditions stabilize. The pressure range will then gradually decrease back to the optimum range.

Process 500 will begin 510 with the system initializing certain process variables that will be utilized in process 500. This process 500 evaluates the number of times the fill solenoid is activated within a particular time period, and thus variables may include fill timers such as a minimum fill timer and a maximum fill timer. Two of these timers may be measured in seconds or in units of minutes, but other measures may be utilized, such as microprocessor or microcontroller clock cycles.

The optimal pressure range for the barrel will have an optimal low pressure point, and an optimal high pressure point, and a mid-point. As previously described, the filling process 430 may be utilized to maintain the pressure within this range.

The process will move to step 515 to determine if the fill solenoid has been activated. This may have occurred because the fill minimum timer has expired, or it may have occurred some other processing activity, such as whether the tub status has changed from defrost to idle, or from idle to cool. Other conditions that may initiate this step 515 may include a change in pressure in the keg, a change in pressure of the DCC, or dispensing of the beverage.

If the fill solenoid has been activated in step 515, the process moves to step 540 where it is determined how many times the fill solenoid has been activated during the timer period. If this is less than some established number, then processing will move to step 590, which will be described later. However, if the fill solenoid has been activated too frequently during the maximum fill timer period, then the process will move to step 545. As one example, it may be determined that the optimal number of times the fill solenoid is activated is 5 times per 60 minute period. If the fill solenoid is activated less than that, the solenoid will last at least some known years. However, if the solenoid is activated 7 times during a single 60 minute period, appropriate action may be taken so that the solenoid does not wear before that life expectancy.

If the fill solenoid has been activated more than a set number of times within a specified time period, step 545 is performed. The fill set point will be expanded, which may require lowering the pressure at the start of the fill process and raising the pressure at the stop of the fill process. The expansion of the filling pressure limit can be performed stepwise. For example, if the optimum low pressure is 28psig and the optimum pressure midpoint is 30psig, and the step is 2psi, the expansion step will cause the filling process to start at 26psig and the process to stop when the pressure becomes 32 psig. This expansion of the pressure range will allow the fill solenoid to activate less frequently if all other conditions remain the same.

As described elsewhere, care must be taken that this method of expanding the fill range does not affect the emissions treatment. That is, the upper pressure set point for the filling process must not overlap the lower pressure set point for the venting process, whichever is expanded.

In another contemplated embodiment of the utility model described herein, expanding the fill set point may be performed by simply lowering the setting at the start of the fill process. This may be done to ensure that the fill cycle does not cause the pressure in the drum to be too close to the pressure at which the drain cycle will be initiated. Continuing with the example above, if the expansion step occurs when the optimal low pressure is 28psig and the optimal pressure midpoint is 30psig, the filling process will start at 26psig, but the target pressure at which the filling process will stop will remain at 30 psig.

Steps 550 and 555 are performed to ensure that the flare fill pressure does not exceed the pressures determined for the maximum high pressure point and the minimum low pressure point. Continuing with the above example, if the minimum low pressure point is determined to be at 24psig, repeating steps 515, 540, and 550 several times may reduce the pressure at which the fill is initiated to a pressure below 24 psig. Steps 550 and 555 prevent this from occurring and act to maintain the pressure in the barrel at an acceptable pressure level.

Returning to step 515, if the solenoid has not been activated, the process moves to step 520, where it is determined whether the fill solenoid has been activated a number of times equal to, less than, or greater than a certain number within the minimum fill timer period. If the number of times is a greater number than established, processing will continue with step 590 discussed below. However, if the number is less than or equal to the established number for the minimum fill timer period, then the process passes to step 525.

Step 520 may be viewed as the reverse of step 540. In this case, step 520 would take action if the fill solenoid was activated too infrequently within the time period, rather than if the fill solenoid had been activated too frequently within the time period, as is done in step 540. The purpose of this step is to return the system to the optimum pressure range as quickly as possible to produce the highest quality product. If the conditions for expanding the pressure range are no longer valid, action will be taken to narrow the pressure range during the fill cycle. As one example, if the pressure had previously been expanded such that the pressures at which filling began and ended had been established at 26psig and 32psig, respectively, and the filling solenoid was activated only once within a 60 minute period, the beginning and ending pressures would be narrowed in step 525 such that the beginning pressure was 28psig and the stopping pressure was 30 psig.

Similar to the expansion steps of 550 and 555, the narrowing steps 530 and 535 prevent changing the fill start pressure to a pressure below the established minimum value and also prevent changing the fill stop pressure to a pressure greater than the established maximum value. Continuing with the example above, if the pressure to initiate the fill cycle is set at 24psig and that is the lowest point established to allow filling, steps 530 and 535 will prevent the process from moving that pressure below 24 psig. In one of many contemplated embodiments of the utility model described herein, it may be that if the pressure in the keg becomes less than a certain minimum value, the beverage quality may be compromised and become unsatisfactory. In another of many such embodiments, it may be that a pressure that exceeds a certain threshold will drive the frozen beverage out of the dispensing path with excessive force, causing splatter or other undesirable effects. In two of these contemplated embodiments, the process steps 530 and 535, and steps 550 and 555 maintain the pressure in the barrel within an acceptable pressure range.

Step 590 is the end of the processing of method 500. If the method 500 is running continuously during the uptime of the frozen beverage dispensing apparatus, processing will return to step 515. Each iteration of the processing method 500 may achieve one of three results: the filling pressure limit will be enlarged, the filling pressure limit will be narrowed, or the filling pressure limit will be unchanged.

Figure 6 depicts an exemplary process in which applicants have found that the life expectancy of DCC drain solenoids in beverage dispensing devices can be increased by activating the drain solenoid less frequently. Those skilled in the art may devise other methods without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein. Process 600 may run throughout the device's uptime, or in some cases intermittently, or it may be beneficial to run the process only when certain conditions are achieved. The process 600 used in this exemplary embodiment to increase the life expectancy of the discharge solenoid will expand the range of pressures allowed in the drum if the discharge solenoid is activated too frequently in a time. This will cause the bleed solenoid to activate less frequently until the situation stabilizes. The pressure range will then gradually decrease back to the optimum range.

Process 600 will begin 610 where the system initializes certain process variables that will be utilized in process 600. This process 600 evaluates the number of times the exhaust solenoid is activated within a particular time period, and thus the variables may include an exhaust timer, such as a minimum exhaust timer, and a maximum exhaust timer. Two of these timers may be measured in seconds or in units of minutes, but other measures may be utilized, such as microprocessor clock cycles.

The optimal pressure range for the barrel will have an optimal low pressure point, and an optimal high pressure point, and a mid-point. As previously described, the discharge process 450 may be utilized to maintain the pressure within this range.

Processing will move to step 615 to determine if the discharge solenoid has been activated. This may have occurred because the drain minimum timer has expired, or it may have occurred for some other processing activity, such as whether the tub 18 status has changed from defrost to idle, or from idle to cool. Other conditions that may initiate this step 615 may include a change in pressure in the keg, a change in pressure in the DCC, or dispensing of the beverage.

If the bleed solenoid has been activated in step 615, the process moves to step 640, where it is determined how many times the bleed solenoid has been activated during the timer period. If this is less than some established number, processing will move to step 690, which will be described later. However, if the exhaust solenoid has been activated too frequently during the maximum exhaust timer period, the process will move to step 645. As one example, it may be determined that the optimal number of times the bleed solenoid is activated is 5 times per 60 minute period. If the discharge solenoid is activated less than that, the solenoid will last at least some known years. However, if the solenoid is activated 7 times during a single 60 minute period, appropriate action may be taken so that the solenoid does not wear before that life expectancy.

If the bleed solenoid has been activated more than a set number of times within a specified time period, step 645 is executed. The discharge set point will be expanded, which may require increasing the pressure at which the discharge process begins and decreasing the pressure at which the discharge process stops. The expansion of the discharge pressure limit value can be performed stepwise. For example, if the optimum high pressure is 32psig and the optimum pressure midpoint is 30psig, and the step is 2psi, the expansion step will cause the discharge process to start at 34psig and the process to stop when the pressure becomes 28 psig. This expansion of the pressure range will allow the bleed solenoid to activate less frequently if all other conditions remain substantially the same.

As described elsewhere, care must be taken that this method of expanding the discharge range does not affect the filling process. That is, the downforce setpoint for the venting process must not overlap the high pressure setpoint for the filling process, whichever expands.

In another contemplated embodiment of the utility model described herein, the expansion of the emission set point may be performed by simply increasing the setting at the start of the emission treatment. This may be done to ensure that the discharge cycle does not cause the pressure in the keg to be too close to the pressure at which the fill cycle will be initiated. Continuing with the above example, if the expansion step is performed when the optimum high pressure is 32psig and the optimum mid-point is 30psig, the vent treatment will be started at 34psig, but the pressure that will stop the vent treatment will be maintained at 30 psig.

Steps 650 and 655 are performed to ensure that the flare discharge pressure does not exceed the pressure established for the maximum high pressure point and the minimum low pressure point. Continuing the above example, if the maximum high pressure point is established at 36psig, repeating steps 615, 640, and 650 several times may increase the pressure of the startup drain to a pressure above 36 psig. Steps 650 and 655 prevent this from occurring and act to maintain the pressure in the barrel at an acceptable pressure level.

Referring back to step 615, if the solenoid has not been activated, the process moves to step 620, where it is determined whether the discharge solenoid has been activated a number of times equal to, less than, or greater than a certain number within the minimum discharge timer period. If the number of times is a greater number than established, processing will continue with step 690 discussed below. However, if the number is less than or equal to the established number for the minimum emissions timer period, then the process passes to step 625.

Step 620 may be viewed as the reverse of step 640. In this case, step 620 will take action if the bleed solenoid has been activated too infrequently within the time period, rather than if the bleed solenoid has been activated too frequently within the time period, as is done in step 640. The purpose of this step is to return the system to the optimum pressure range as quickly as possible to produce the highest quality product. If the conditions for expanding the pressure range are no longer valid, action will be taken to narrow the pressure range during the discharge cycle. As one example, if the pressure had previously been expanded such that the pressures at which the discharge started and ended had been established at 34psig and 28psig, respectively, and the discharge solenoid was activated only once within a 60 minute period, the start and end pressures would be narrowed in step 625 such that the start pressure was 32psig and the stop pressure was 30 psig.

Similar to the expansion steps of 650 and 655, the narrowing steps 630 and 635 prevent changing the discharge start pressure to a pressure that exceeds the established maximum value and also prevent changing the discharge stop pressure to a pressure that is less than the established minimum value. Continuing with the above example, if the pressure to initiate the venting cycle is set at 36psig and that is the highest point established to allow venting, steps 630 and 635 will prevent the process from setting that pressure to exceed 36 psig. In one of many contemplated embodiments of the utility model described herein, it may be that if the pressure in the keg becomes greater than a certain maximum, the beverage quality may be compromised and become undesirable. In another of many such embodiments, it may be that a pressure below a certain threshold will not push the frozen beverage out of the dispensing path with sufficient force to allow the consumer to wait an excessive amount of time. In two of these contemplated embodiments, the process steps 630 and 635, and steps 650 and 655 maintain the pressure in the barrel within an acceptable pressure range.

Step 690 is the end of the process for method 600. If the method 600 is running continuously during the uptime of the frozen beverage dispensing apparatus, processing will return to step 615. One of three results may be achieved from each iteration of the processing method 600: the discharge pressure limit will be expanded, the discharge pressure limit will be narrowed, or the discharge pressure limit will be unchanged.

Figure 7 depicts a graph 700 of DCC system and barrel pressure over time using the exemplary frozen beverage dispensing device embodiment of the utility model disclosed in figures 5 and 6. In this exemplary graph 700, an optimal pressure range 710 is depicted as between 26psig and 34psig and a midpoint 712 at 30 psig. The acceptable pressure range 711 has also been defined as between 22psig and 38 psig. To facilitate this explanation, time 720 will start at any point of 0 minutes and scale in 1 minute increments. For this example, the pressure 725 of the DCC system will begin just beyond the midpoint 712.

At 0 minutes in graph 700, pressure 725 dropped rapidly. This may come from a beverage or multiple beverages being dispensed, where refilling of the solution has not adjusted the pressure back to the optimal range. When the pressure 725 reaches the low point of the optimal pressure range 710, the filling process 430 begins at points 750a and 750 b. The gas medium is injected into the expansion tank until the pressure 725 reaches points 751a and 751b at midpoint 712, at which time the filling process 430 stops.

During filling between points 750b and 751b, process 500 makes a decision to expand the fill range by a pressure step of 2psi based on steps 515, 540, and 545. This is outside the optimal pressure range 710 but still within the acceptable pressure range 711. The result of this decision is to expand the fill initiation point to now be set at 24 psig. This will allow more time between filling processes if other conditions remain somewhat stable, allowing the filling solenoid to be activated less frequently. When the pressure drops to 24psig at point 755a, the fill process starts until the pressure reaches midpoint 712 at point 756. Again, the pressure drops and the filling process starts at 755b until the pressure reaches a midpoint 760.

Although the pressure does not drop after point 760, process 500 continues to monitor the activation of the fill solenoid for some period of time. Steps 515, 520, and 525 will narrow the fill parameters such that the next fill point will again be at 26psig, which is the low end of the optimal pressure range 710.

The pressure 725 continues to increase until it reaches the upper limit of the optimal pressure range 710 at point 765, which initiates the discharge process 450. The bleed will drop the pressure 725 until the pressure reaches the midpoint 712 at point 766, at which time the bleed will stop. By going through the vent cycles 766 and 767, the process 600 will be initiated, which expands the pressure at which the vent process will begin from 34psig to 36 psig. The expanded discharge period will start at point 770 and continue through periods 771 and 772a and 772 b. At point 775, process 600 determines in steps 615, 640, and 645 that the vent solenoid is still activated too frequently, so the process again expands the vent range so that venting does not begin until pressure 725 reaches 38 psig.

Extended drain periods are seen in periods 776 and 777. If the rapidity of the discharge cycle continues thereafter, then process steps 615, 640, and 645 will not be allowed to expand the discharge pressure limit because the maximum acceptable pressure range 711 has been reached. Process steps 650 and 655 limit the maximum discharge start pressure to the maximum acceptable pressure range 711.

After point 780, the change in pressure 725 in the barrel slows. This allows process 600 steps 615, 620, and 625 to narrow the discharge pressure range back to 36 psig. The discharge treatment 450 begins when the pressure 725 reaches 36psig at point 785 and stops when the pressure 725 reaches the midpoint 712 at point 786. The pressure 725 rises still slowly above point 786, allowing the process 600 steps 615, 620, and 625 to again narrow the discharge pressure range so that the discharge cycle will begin at 34psig, as seen at point 787. Venting will continue until pressure 725 again reaches midpoint 712.

The basic dynamics of expanding and narrowing the discharge and fill pressure limits have been described in the present invention and illustrated in the timeline 700. Many other embodiments of the described inventive concepts may be devised without departing from the spirit of the disclosure contained herein. Further review of the example timeline 700 may be used to re-count usage of the timers and set points previously described as the minimum fill timer, the maximum fill timer, the minimum emissions timer, and the maximum emissions timer. As previously described, the set point may be a fixed set point, or a dynamic set point that reacts to an identified condition.

In the simplest case, values may be assigned to these timer variables at initialization and are static throughout the normal operating time of the chilled beverage dispenser. The inventors have performed this demonstration, and as a result, identified that the goal of extending the life of the fill and drain solenoids was achievable.

If a static assignment of timer variables is made in the exemplary timeline 700, then a timer that expands the emission limits with the end from point 760 to period 766 in the decision would apply indiscriminately to periods 770 to 775. However, this need not always be the case. In some cases, it may be beneficial to have different timers for different states, or timers that reflect different conditions. It may be noted that the discharge cycle beginning at point 760 and going through point 766 takes about thirty seconds, but the cycle of the first discharge expansion step of points 770-775 takes about one minute before a decision is made to expand the discharge pressure cycle, which is the second step beginning at point 775. Extending the maximum discharge timer in this manner may be the effect of another process occurring in the chilled beverage dispenser, or a heuristically expected product from another upcoming event.

In one contemplated embodiment, applying a longer timer for the expand function and a shorter timer for the narrow function will result in a bias toward returning the pressure limit earlier toward the optimal pressure range. This may tend to reduce the life expectancy of the solenoid, but will produce frozen beverages within optimal conditions more frequently.

Another method for making decisions about expanding or narrowing the pressure range is by looking at the history of the discharge and fill operations. It may be beneficial to look back at a series of discharging or filling operations to see if the time period between them is shrinking or expanding. The range may be expanded if it is shrinking within a reasonable number of operations. On the other hand, if the operating frequency is expanding, the range should be expanded. In addition, other methods that refer back to the previous operations, such as exponential decaying averages, or other methods of weighting simple moving averages, may be utilized without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein.

As previously mentioned, other factors may influence the decision making process to expand or narrow the range of filling and discharge parameters. In one of many contemplated embodiments, a single DCC system may control a beverage dispensing apparatus having multiple barrels. In that case, the DCC will control all of the barrels together, and it can be found that if one barrel is freezing and the other is about to fill or vice versa, delaying the drain or fill operation is a favorable situation in extending the working life of the solenoid. Those skilled in the art may also devise other scenarios without departing from the utility model disclosed herein.

FIG. 8 shows a flow process 800 that may be utilized in an alternative embodiment that takes into account the state of the drum in making decisions regarding draining or filling. As previously mentioned, if the process is designed to run continuously during the uptime of the chilled beverage dispenser, there will be an end of continuous cycle rather than a process; that is depicted in flow process 800, but other implementations may be devised without departing from the utility model disclosed herein. The process will start 801 and all variables and timers needed for this operation are initialized in step 802. The concepts of the optimal pressure range and acceptable pressure range previously described will be applied in this contemplated embodiment.

The first operation step is to evaluate the pressure of the DCC, as shown in step 803. If the pressure is within the desired range, the process will loop back to step 803. This loop may include an optional wait period (not shown) before returning to step 803.

If step 803 finds that the DCC pressure is below expected, the process moves to step 810 to determine if any of the barrels are defrosting. If any of the buckets are being defrosted, the process moves to step 812 where the pressure will be expanded but not exceed the upper pressure limit of the acceptable pressure range described in process 800 as filling the maximum. Processing will then move to step 814 which will wait for the low fill timer to expire, which is indicated as the low fill timer. Once this wait step 814 has expired, the process will return to step 803 to again measure the pressure of the DCC.

Returning to step 810, if it is determined that no buckets are currently being defrosted, the process will move to step 811 where the time since the most recent fill operation is compared to the fill timer. If the time since the most recent fill operation is between the low fill timer and the high fill timer, then the fill process 600 will be performed in step 815. When this is done, the process will return to step 803.

Returning to step 811, if the time since the most recent fill operation is less than the low fill timer, processing will move to steps 812, 814, and then 803, as previously described. This path will be followed because the filling operation is being performed too frequently. Expanding the fill pressure limit in step 812 will allow more build up of pressure before the activated fill solenoid is turned off and will allow more drop in pressure before the fill solenoid is activated to open. Step 814 is a delay waiting for the low fill timer to expire so that the process does not immediately move back through steps 803, 810, 811 and then to step 812 to again expand the fill pressure range too quickly.

Returning to step 811, if the time since the most recent fill operation is greater than the high fill timer, indicated as a high fill timer, then the process will move to step 813, where the fill pressure range will be narrowed, but not below the optimal fill pressure range, indicated as a minimum fill value. This is because the filling operations are spaced apart temporarily, and may be better in this exemplary embodiment, keeping the frozen beverage within an optimal range, rather than an acceptable range, even though the filling solenoid would be activated more frequently. Once step 813 is complete, processing moves to step 815 for actual filling.

Returning to step 803, if the pressure is higher than desired, a discharge operation and decision is made in a manner somewhat similar to those described above in the fill operation.

Figure 9 depicts a graph 900 of DCC system and barrel pressure over time utilizing an exemplary chilled beverage dispensing device of an embodiment of the utility model disclosed herein. In this exemplary graph 900, the optimal pressure range 910 is shown as between 26psig and 34psig and the midpoint 912 is at 30 psig. The acceptable pressure range 911 has also been defined as being between 22psig and 38 psig. To facilitate this explanation, time 920 will start at any point of 0 minutes and scale in 1 minute increments. For this example, the pressure 925 of the DCC system would begin just below the midpoint 912.

At 0 minutes in graph 900, pressure 925 drops rapidly. This may come from a beverage or multiple beverages being dispensed, where refilling of the solution does not adjust the pressure back to the optimal range. When the pressure 925 reaches the low point of the optimal pressure range 910, the filling process 430 begins at points 950a and 950 b. The gaseous medium is injected into the expansion tank until the pressure 925 reaches points 951a and 951b at the midpoint 912, where the filling process 430 stops. After point 951b, the rapidity of the fill cycle has caused the process to expand the fill pressure range. The new fill high pressure is 32psig, which exceeds midpoint 912, and the new fill low pressure is 24 psig. Then as the pressure drops to 24PSIG at point 955a, the fill process begins and operates until the pressure reaches 32PSIG at point 956 a.

Again, the rapidity of the fill cycle causes the fill range to expand at point 956c, setting a new low fill pressure of 22psig, and a new high fill pressure of 34 psig. It should be noted here that a pressure of 34psig will typically initiate the discharge process. However, this is prevented in advance in this embodiment because the controller has maintained a history of the pressure in the barrel and anticipates that the pressure will decrease again after the filling process reaches the pressure at point 961a, which is the highest point of the optimal pressure range. If the pressure does not begin to drop shortly after that point is reached, the controller should sense that the pressure is not performing as expected and may choose to begin the emission process within the narrowest range. In addition, if this occurs, the filling range can be narrowed to its narrow range.

The system continues to use the broadest possible fill range in this example, up to point 961 b. After that, it can be seen that the slope of the pressure drop has decreased, which may indicate that the barrel is no longer frozen. This continues for a period of time sufficient to narrow the starting fill range at point 965. The pressure depletion between points 970a and 970b is again sufficient to narrow the fill range such that the pressure 925 increases only to 30psig at point 975, midpoint 912. At that point, the pressure increase is seen to be at point 980 where the discharge cycle begins. When the pressure again reaches 30psig at midpoint 912, the venting cycle is stopped at point 985.

Modifications may be made to the concepts disclosed herein without departing from the inventive concepts described. Additionally, the utility model disclosed herein may be combined to produce a method for maintaining the product in the freezing chamber at optimal conditions while minimizing the frequency of use of the solenoids of the DCCs. In one of many possible modifications, the midpoint may be changed for some period of time, rather than expanding or narrowing the discharge or fill set point. Referring back to fig. 5, 6, and 7, a decision is made between points 750b and 751b to expand the fixed set point range. An alternative method of achieving the desired result may change the midpoint and establish a dynamic set point range. Different sets of calculations may be made with respect to when to fill. One result of this modification is that the fill and drain set points may be the same as those shown at points 755a, 756, and 755 b. Another possible result is that fill points 755a and 755b will be the same as in fig. 7, but discharge point 756 will change; depending on the desired characteristics of the beverage to be dispensed and the conditions of the keg at that time.

Another of the many possible modifications that may be made to the utility model disclosed herein may be to calculate the fill and drain set points based on a variable or variables rather than using an expanded or narrowed value with a static set point range. In the example given in fig. 7, static values are used. However, rather than using those static values, it may be preferable to use a dynamic set point range based on a percentage of the current set point, or based on some other factor.

As described earlier, the pressure conditions in the drum 218 may not be immediately reflected in the expansion tank 225. However, applicants have found that they can anticipate these pressure conditions in different environments, and have been able to maintain a more consistent desirable beverage quality in the keg by making predictions based on the environment. These predictions have been used to make changes to the pressure in the expansion chamber 225 that will more closely match the desired pressure in the freezing chamber 218.

A beverage preferably dispensed in a keg 218 at a pressure of 27psig may be used as an example of the utility model disclosed herein. Depending on the changing operating characteristics of dispensing, filling, freezing, defrosting, etc., it may be desirable to maintain a pressure within barrel 218 between 26.5psig and 27.5 psig. The applicant has found that for some beverages it is preferable to operate the active inflation pressure inside the expansion tank 225 as close as possible to the filling pressure of the freezing chamber, but with an additional offset beyond the high pressure of the chamber 218. In the case of certain frozen carbonated beverages, applicants have found that the optimum offset is 0.5 psi. Thus, the required pressure of the expansion tank will be set to 28psig (27.5psig +0.5 psi). As described above, the initial step range for the fill and drain set points may be set at 0.5psi for this example.

When the freezing barrel 218 is operating normally, the active inflation pressure in the expansion chamber 225 will be maintained near 28psig by venting at a pressure of 30psig (28psig +2psi), and the expansion tank 225 will fill when the pressure reaches 28 psig.

Under these conditions, applicants have found that the pressure in barrel 218 has been maintained within the desired range. However, condition changes and some changes may be made to the discharge and fill set points in the expansion tank 225 when the drum is undergoing freezing or defrosting.

In the case where the drum 218 is defrosting, the fill set point may be maintained at 28psig, but the vent set point may be increased by 1psi to 31 psig. The filling and venting operations will not attempt to maintain the pressure in the expansion tank at a mid-point, as depicted in fig. 5, 6 and 7, but instead will each stop at the target pressure. During defrost operations, the target may be expressed as the sum of the fill set point (28psig) plus the difference between the discharge set point and the fill set point, multiplied by a factor. The difference between the discharge set point and the fill set point is 31-28psig and the figure of merit that has been found experimentally is 0.75. Accordingly, when the pressure in the expansion chamber 225 reaches 28+ (31-28) × 0.75 ═ 30.25psig, the filling and venting operations will cease.

For the case where the barrel 218 is freezing, the same fill and drain set points have been found to be effective in maintaining the desired pressure in the barrel 218, but different target pressures have been found to be effective. This target can be expressed as the sum of the fill set point (28psig) plus the difference between the discharge set point and the fill set point, multiplied by another factor. The difference between the discharge set point and the fill set point is 31-28psig and an effectiveness factor of 0.25 has been found experimentally. Depending on that, the fill and drain operation will stop (cease) when the pressure in the expansion chamber 225 reaches 28+ (31-28) × 0.25 ═ 28.75 psig.

Applicants have discovered that utilizing dynamic fill and drain set points in the expansion tank 225, as well as target pressures for the fill and drain operations, has produced results that maintain a desirable pressure range within the freezing barrel 218 of the exemplary apparatus. A combination of the processes shown in fig. 8 and 9 has been shown to be useful to prevent the fill and drain solenoids from being activated more frequently than desired. Following this example, if the solenoid is activated too frequently, the range of emission set points may increase by 0.5psi such that the emission set point becomes 30.5 psig. The target pressure during defrost will become 28+ (30.5-28) 0.75-29.875 psig and the target pressure during freeze will become 28+ (30.5-28) 0.25-28.625 psig. Over time, as the solenoid is less activated, the fill and drain set points can be narrowed back to their optimum values.

Applicants have found that the described set points, offsets, and factors described in the above exemplary embodiments are effective for freezing carbonated beverages. However, the concepts described herein are applicable to all types of beverages, where the set points, offsets, and factors are applicable to other types of beverages.

The intelligent control of the solenoid described herein enables additional features in the frozen beverage dispensing machine. One such additional feature is the ability to vary the pressure in the keg based on the specifications for a particular beverage or based on the preference of the consumer. If the gas used in the drink is carbon dioxide, the level of carbonation and thus the amount of gas that expands the frozen beverage may be selected. In one of many possible embodiments, this may be described as the DCC establishing and maintaining an optimal pressure range for the beverage in the keg. When a consumer approaches the frozen beverage dispensing machine and selects a drink, or a preference for a drink to be dispensed, the DCC adjusts the pressure in the keg to meet the selection prior to dispensing the beverage.

One of many possible ways of varying the pressure parameter for a selected beverage is illustrated in fig. 10. This process 1000 is represented by the process starting at the beginning of the chilled beverage dispenser and continuing throughout the normal operating time of the device. Other methods that are within the scope of the utility model disclosed herein will be envisioned by others skilled in the art. Process 1000 begins at step 1001 and initializes all variables and timers in step 1002. As has been previously described, a pressure range may be established for starting and stopping the discharge and filling cycle, which may be an optimal pressure for the type of beverage held in the keg. This pressure range is applied in step 1003, where the pressure range is set to an optimal pressure range for the beverage.

Processing then moves to step 1010, which determines whether a drink has been selected. If no beverage has been selected, the device maintains the desired pressure in step 1011, and the process cycles through these steps until a beverage is selected. When a beverage is selected, processing moves to step 1020, which determines the pressure for the selected beverage. This pressure may be found by a database lookup, in many possible ways, and may be entered by the consumer when the beverage is dispensed, or any number of other ways. Once pressure has been found for the beverage in step 1020, processing moves to step 1030.

Step 1030 checks the pressure in the barrel and in the DCC. If the pressure in the keg is higher than required in the desired beverage, the pressure in the expansion tank is discharged in step 1031. If the pressure is low, then pressure is added via a fill operation in step 1032. At the end of steps 1031 and 1032, the process moves to step 1090. However, if the pressure is already at the desired pressure in step 1030, processing moves to step 1090 where the beverage at the correct pressure is dispensed.

Process 1000 may be applied to a chilled beverage dispenser having a single cartridge, or having more than one cartridge. In one of many possible implementations, a single freezing barrel 218 may be associated with a single DCC. As previously mentioned, the beverage to be dispensed will be based on factors such as the composition of the beverage in the freezing chamber (soda syrup, FCB syrup, juice, coffee, etc., water and gaseous medium) and the pressure. Because different pressures used with the same ingredients may produce beverages having different characteristics, one embodiment may include the same ingredients being added in different barrels, with the pressure of each barrel being controlled by a different DCC. In yet another embodiment, different ingredients may be added to different buckets, but the buckets are tuned by a single DCC.

In one embodiment, an apparatus for producing a beverage based on a user's selection may have a small freezing cylinder so that pressure changes can be made quickly and efficiently. In that case, the freezing cylinder may be associated with a similarly small sized expansion chamber. The applicant has noted that the sequence of discharge and fill cycles may oscillate (oscillate) if the volume of the active inflation system is small and/or if the controller is not fast enough. One method to counter this oscillation and to bring the device back into an active operating state may be to limit the start-up time of the drain and fill solenoids, either alone or in combination with other processes described herein. In one exemplary embodiment, limiting the fill solenoid to only a short activation time may not fully pressurize the expansion chamber to the desired pressure. While this may prevent the controller from activating the discharge solenoid, the freezing cylinder may not be at the optimal pressure. Applicants have succeeded in using 200 milliseconds and 150 milliseconds for this operation. In this case, the device may be stabilized using the process described herein. A process similar to process 800 may be initiated to expand the fill pressure range to accommodate the current barrel pressure. From that starting point, the fill pressure range can progressively narrow until the system returns to normal operating conditions.

In contemplated embodiments, the problem may also be solved by having a drain and fill solenoid with a variable duty cycle, rather than utilizing a solenoid with a fixed orifice size that is actuated only during the off/on cycle.

In another direction, intelligent control of the solenoid may be useful in conserving resources while extending the useful life of the solenoid. In one of the many embodiments of the utility model disclosed herein, the controller may be able to extend the useful life of the solenoid by knowing when the device may be used. One of many possible implementations can be seen in fig. 11.

Process 1100 may be useful in the case of a frozen beverage dispensing device in a store that is only on for certain hours of the day, but is continuously on. This may be optimal in case the owner of the machine may not want to discard unused product in the evening and restart with fresh ingredients every morning. Instead, the device may be on overnight and will have a frozen carbonated beverage ready for dispensing when the store is opened. However, maintaining the pressure in the barrel within the aforementioned optimal pressure range may activate the drain and fill solenoid more frequently than if the pressure range were to be expanded to the extent of an acceptable range. Thus, intelligently controlling solenoids under such conditions can further extend their life expectancy.

Process 1100 is shown running continuously throughout the uptime of the device. Those skilled in the art may find other ways to utilize and deploy the concepts embodied herein without departing from the utility model disclosed in fig. 11 or elsewhere herein. When the device is turned on, process 1100 begins 1101. Variables and timers are initialized in step 1110. This may include knowing when the store is about to be turned on or off, or at what times the device is deemed by the owner of the device to be experiencing very low usage. This may be entered by the owner through any of a number of input processes including, but not limited to, a computer interface, touchpad, keyboard, or other means. These times may be designated as working hours and non-working hours, in plain language. During the working hours, the device would be expected to deliver frozen carbonated beverages under optimal conditions and without delay. Thus, the pressure should be maintained within the optimum pressure range previously described. However, when the store is closed, described as non-working hours, the frozen carbonated beverage in the keg need not be maintained at optimal pressure conditions, but can be kept within an acceptable pressure range, as dispensing of the drink is not desired during those hours.

Processing then moves to step 1120 where the apparatus determines the time of day and day of week. This may also be done by a number of methods such as, but not limited to, a device with a network connection where the device can obtain the time, a device with an internal clock that can be set by all, a device that obtains the time by radio signals or other methods. Processing then moves to step 1130 where the device compares the time of day and day of the week to the known hours of operation and hours of non-operation. If it is determined that the time of day and day of week are within the defined hours of operation, the process moves to steps 1140 and 1160, which maintains the pressure within the optimal fill and drain range, and the process loops back to step 1120. However, if step 1130 determines that the time of day and day of week are within non-operating hours, then the process moves to steps 1150 and 1160 which will expand the fill and drain pressure ranges to their broadest settings. At these settings, the solenoid will be used much less, which will give the solenoid its life expectancy longer.

The concepts disclosed in this process 1100 may also be utilized in other ways. In one of many possible embodiments, the frozen beverage appliance may start a timer when the beverage was last dispensed and use that timer to determine whether the frozen beverage appliance should expand its pressure range. In a envisaged application of this embodiment, if no beverage is dispensed for some time, perhaps 15 minutes, the machine may choose to expand its discharge and fill pressure range, with the intention that the machine may quickly narrow it when a beverage is requested.

In another embodiment, the chilled beverage dispenser may be able to determine whether a person is nearby. If no one is nearby, it is likely that no beverage will be dispensed, and the fill and drain pressure ranges may be expanded so that the solenoid is used less frequently. However, if a person is nearby, the pressure range should narrow to within the optimal pressure range, with the expectation that in the likely event that a person will request a frozen beverage, the frozen beverage dispensing machine should immediately be ready to dispense the frozen beverage under optimal conditions. The beverage dispenser may acquire knowledge of the proximity of a person by a number of methods including, but not limited to, motion sensors, infrared detectors, or signals derived from processing video transmissions known as security cameras. In one contemplated embodiment, the chilled beverage dispenser may maintain the pressure within the broadest acceptable range, but narrow the pressure range to the optimal pressure range if the processing of the security camera indicates that at least one person is moving towards the beverage dispensing device.

In yet another contemplated embodiment, the chilled beverage dispenser may be capable of heuristically determining an activity hour from a relatively inactive hour. In this case, the frozen beverage machine may be able to maintain a record of activities associated with the time of day, day of the week, calendar days of the year, or possibly even holidays. The activities for this process may be obtained by tracking the sale of the beverage, including but not limited to the actuation of a dispensing valve, monitoring the solution fill in the keg, or by receiving sales data. After building a sufficient basis for the correlation analysis, the device will be able to infer the activity and will thereafter prepare itself for the time when it will expect the consumer to want to freeze the beverage. In one contemplated embodiment, the recording, processing, and heuristics of activity may all be on a frozen beverage machine. In another contemplated embodiment, some of these may remain on or be processed on a remote device and shared with many frozen beverage machines in similar or different geographical areas.

Another set of conditions that can extend the useful life of a solenoid can be enabled by the utility model disclosed herein. In some cases, the electrical connections for the drain and fill solenoids have been inadvertently incorrectly connected during the manufacturing process, resulting in the drain solenoid input on the controller 16 being connected to the fill solenoid and the fill solenoid input on the controller 16 being connected to the drain solenoid. In addition, in some cases where maintenance is being performed, the technician has made the same error when reassembling the frozen beverage machine. These errors, which are not discovered, may cause the discharge solenoid to activate during the filling process, and the fill solenoid to activate during the discharge process. However, process 1200 may be run to determine if this error has occurred, and if so, the error may be corrected in software in the controller, rather than by physically reconnecting the electrical connections. Fig. 12 depicts such a process 1200.

This process 1200 may run in proximity to the initialization of the frozen beverage dispenser, or it may run at any time during the normal run time of the frozen beverage dispenser. The process will start 1201 and the process will continue in step 1202, step 1202 with the drain and fill solenoid closed. Step 1203 determines whether the pressure is stable. This may be performed by ensuring that neither the freeze cycle nor the defrost cycle are running and that there is no immediate pressure change. Other factors may also destabilize the system, such as leaks in the system, and check before this step. If any of the conditions exist that cause the system to be unstable, processing moves to step 1250, which terminates the test by moving processing to step 1290. In this set of cases, it may be appropriate to display an alarm or take some step to notify the operator or technician.

Returning to step 1203, if the system is stable, the process moves to step 1205 which measures the pressure in the DCC. The process then moves to steps 1206, 1207, and 1208, which allow some gaseous medium to enter the barrel. Under normal circumstances, this should increase the pressure. The process then moves to step 1210 which compares the previously measured pressure with the pressure after the gaseous medium is allowed to enter the expansion tank. If the pressure has increased as expected, the process moves to step 1260 which confirms that the solenoid electrical connection has not been swapped, and then the process terminates at step 1290.

Returning to step 1210, if the pressure has not increased, the process moves to step 1215. Here, the pressure in the DCC is measured, similar to step 1205. Steps 1216, 1217, and 1218 are performed, which briefly activate the bleed solenoid. Under normal circumstances, this should reduce the pressure. The process then moves to step 1220 which compares the previously measured pressure with the pressure after the gaseous medium is allowed to exit the expansion tank. If the pressure has decreased as expected, the process moves to step 1270 which verifies that the solenoid electrical connections have not been swapped, and then the process terminates at step 1290.

Returning to step 1220, if the pressure has not decreased as expected, the process moves to step 1280, where it is determined that the solenoid electrical connection has been inadvertently swapped. The connection inputs may then be reassigned by software, so the controller 16 controls the drain and fill solenoids appropriately.

Those of skill in the art will be able to utilize this and similar embodiments of the concepts disclosed herein without departing from the spirit of the disclosed invention.

Another set of conditions that can extend the useful life of a solenoid can be enabled by the utility model disclosed herein. The controller may detect a fault or error in the system and intelligently use the solenoid at a lower than normal frequency until the error or fault has been corrected. In one embodiment of the inventive concepts disclosed herein, the problem may be that an external supply of gaseous medium may be temporarily unavailable. In the case where this gaseous medium may be carbon dioxide, this may be because the cylinder has been exhausted and needs to be replaced. In some prior art devices, the solenoid may continue to be activated, futilely attempting to restore pressure to the desired level. This continued activation of the solenoid may unduly shorten the life expectancy of the solenoid.

The inventors have devised methods to detect error and fault conditions and intelligently utilize solenoids to extend their useful life. One embodiment may be seen in process 1300 in fig. 13. In this embodiment, if the filling or draining operation is unsuccessful within a number of times, then future attempts will be made less often.

Process 1300 begins 1301 wherein variables and timers are initialized, and then the process moves to step 1310, which determines whether the last fill or drain operation was successful. If the last fill or drain operation was successful, the process moves to step 1350, which will continue to utilize the normal or default frequency for the fill and drain operations. Normal or default fill and drain operations are typically associated with the process of adjusting the pressure in the DCC and barrel within the optimal pressure range as well as within the acceptable pressure range, as already described in this disclosure. Once step 1350 has been processed, the operation terminates at step 1390.

Returning to step 1310, if the previous fill or drain operation was unsuccessful, the process moves to step 1320. As previously described, an unsuccessful filling operation may occur when the external gaseous medium is a cylinder that is unavailable, such as empty carbon dioxide. Other types of drain or fill failures are contemplated by those skilled in the art. Step 1320 will maintain a reader of the number of consecutive failures of the drain or fill operation. Once that number reaches the predetermined value, processing will move to step 1330. Until the reader reaches that number, the process will terminate at step 1390, but will resume at the end of the next drain or fill cycle.

If the number of consecutive unsuccessful fill or drain attempts reaches a predetermined limit, the process will move to steps 1330 and 1340. In these steps, a decision will be made to delay successive attempts of filling or draining operations by a predetermined amount of time, but not to exceed a maximum limit.

As an example of this, if the gas medium cylinder for active aeration is evacuated while the frozen beverage dispenser is still operating, the filling process will be unsuccessful. Under normal conditions, the filling process may be attempted once per minute. The frequency of operation adversely affects the life of the fill solenoid if left unchecked. However, in the case of the process 1300 described herein, once the filling process has failed 5 times, the time between attempts may be backed off to once every 5 minutes. In addition, after 5 consecutive failed attempts, the time between attempts may be backed off every 10 minutes. This iteration may continue until the maximum back-off timer is reached. Once a new cylinder is attached and put into use, the filling operation will be successful and the backoff time delay will be replaced with the normal time frequency for this operation.

To summarize all this into perspective, in a stable frozen beverage machine, the methods 500 and 600 maintain the pressure of the tub within its desired specifications. In the anticipated case of a freeze cycle, defrost cycle, or dispensing of a beverage, methods 500 and 600 may be able to continue operation of the machine without expanding or narrowing the fill or drain parameters. However, if some unexpected condition is presented to the machine, such as when thawing the keg, dispensing a lot of beverage in a very short period of time, the controller may expand the fill pressure range, the vent pressure range, or both. Optionally, the control described herein may extend the time between attempts or otherwise take action to extend the useful life of various components. When the situation is safe, the controller will evaluate and will take appropriate action to bring the machine back to a steady state where the machine can dispense the drink immediately at the optimum condition. Expanding and narrowing the fill and drain conditions will allow the solenoid to maintain acceptable product in the barrel while extending the life of the fill and drain solenoid. Other mechanisms described herein will also be used to extend the life of various components in a frozen beverage dispensing machine.

Other and further embodiments of one or more aspects of the utility model described above may be utilized without departing from the spirit of applicant's utility model. Moreover, various methods and embodiments of the manufacturing and assembly methods of the systems and positional specifications may be included in conjunction with one another to produce variations of the disclosed methods and embodiments. Discussion of singular elements may include plural elements and vice versa.

The order of steps may occur in various sequences unless otherwise specifically limited. Various steps described herein can be combined with other steps, interposed between the steps, and/or split into multiple steps. Similarly, elements have been described functionally and can be embodied as separate components or can be combined into components having multiple functions.

The present invention has been described in the context of what has been described as preferred and other embodiments of the utility model, rather than every embodiment. Obvious modifications and variations to the described embodiments will be available to those of ordinary skill in the art. The disclosed and undisclosed embodiments are not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the utility model conceived of by the applicants, but, on the contrary, applicants intend to fully protect all such modifications and improvements within the scope or range of equivalents of the following claims, consistent with the patent laws.

Claims (15)

1. A frozen beverage machine characterized by comprising:

a freezing chamber having a product inlet and a product outlet;

a refrigeration system configured to freeze the product in the freezing chamber;

a dynamic charging control system, comprising:

a first chamber in fluid communication with a product inlet of the freezing chamber;

a first chamber pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure in the first chamber and a first pressure output is provided to a controller;

a second chamber comprising an inlet and an outlet;

a flexible pouch disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber;

a fill valve coupled to a source of fluid and a second chamber inlet;

a discharge valve coupled to the second chamber outlet;

a second chamber pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure in the second chamber and provide a second pressure output to the controller;

the controller is configured to set a target pressure for the first chamber based on at least one operating characteristic of the machine, and to receive an output from one or both of a first chamber sensor and the second chamber sensor, and to actuate the fill valve or the vent valve to adjust the first chamber pressure to the target pressure.

2. A frozen beverage machine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said at least one operating characteristic comprises a characteristic of the product to be dispensed from the outlet of the freezing chamber.

3. A frozen beverage machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the operating characteristic is the size of ice crystals in the product.

4. Frozen beverage machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the fluid is carbon dioxide, nitrogen or air.

5. The frozen beverage machine of claim 1, further comprising:

an agitator inside the freezing chamber;

a motor configured to drive the agitator;

a motor sensor operatively coupled to the controller and configured to sense when the motor is driven; and is

Wherein the at least one operating characteristic comprises an output from the motor sensor.

6. The frozen beverage machine of claim 1, further comprising:

a refrigeration sensor operatively coupled to the controller and configured to detect whether the refrigeration system is freezing, thawing, or idling; and is

Wherein the at least one operating characteristic includes an output from the refrigeration sensor.

7. The frozen beverage machine of claim 1, further comprising:

a selection sensor configured to detect when a product selection has been made; and is

Wherein the at least one operating characteristic comprises a product selection.

8. The frozen beverage machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a time of day; and is

Wherein the at least one operating characteristic comprises a time of day.

9. The frozen beverage machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a day of the week; and is

Wherein the at least one operating characteristic includes the day of the week.

10. The frozen beverage machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a plurality of time intervals between actuations of the fill valve; and is

Wherein the at least one operating characteristic comprises a frequency of actuating the fill valve.

11. The frozen beverage machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a plurality of time intervals between actuations of the discharge valve; and is

Wherein the at least one operating characteristic comprises a frequency of actuating the discharge valve.

12. The frozen beverage machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to actuate the fill valve or the vent valve to change the pressure in the second chamber in a predictable direction based on a third pressure output from the second chamber, and then receive a fourth pressure output from the second chamber.

13. A frozen beverage machine according to claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to delay the actuation of the filling valve or the discharge valve when the comparison between the third pressure output and the fourth pressure output indicates that the pressure in the second chamber changes in a direction substantially opposite to the predicted direction.

14. A frozen beverage machine according to claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to electrically control path swapping the filling valve and the discharge valve when a comparison between the third pressure output and the fourth pressure output indicates that the pressure in the second chamber changes in a direction substantially opposite to the predicted direction.

15. The frozen beverage machine of claim 1, further comprising:

a proximity sensor operatively coupled to the controller and configured to detect a user of the machine; and is

Wherein the at least one operating characteristic comprises an input from the proximity sensor.

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