WO1991017946A1

WO1991017946A1 - Beverage dispensing system with temperature based purge

Info

Publication number: WO1991017946A1
Application number: PCT/US1991/003244
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ronald L. Wiley; Benjamin D. Miller; Phillip B. Groover
Original assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
Priority date: 1990-05-18
Filing date: 1991-05-14
Publication date: 1991-11-28
Also published as: AU7900791A

Abstract

An automatic beverage dispenser having a single or multiflavor automatic beverage dispensing valve (or faucet) and including means for preventing the dispensing of a warm casual drink. The automatic dispenser includes a temperature sensor in each of the soda and the plain water lines and an on-board computer to purge the warm water in the uncooled portion of the water line between the cooling means and the automatic beverage dispensing valve whenever a drink is requested and the temperature in the pertinent water line is above a selected value such as 42 °F. The warm water is drained out for a selected period of time, preferably about two seconds.

Description

BEVERAGE DISPENSING SYSTEM WITH TEMPERATURE BASED PURGE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part to application serial no. 07/316, 364, filed February 27, 1989, entitled

"Postmix Beverage Dispensing System With Warm Warm Purging" and assigned to the same assignee as is this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to beverage dispensing and in particular to an automatic beverage dispensing system which eliminates the warm casual drink.

It is known that over a period of time the liquid in the lines between the cold plate and the valves or faucets will warm to room temperature. Warm liquid, if dispensed, will cause a poor quality drink in that it will melt the ice and thus be diluted, it will tend to foam and thus spill over the edge of the cup, and, if carbonated, it will tend to lose carbonation, thus yielding a flat drink.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An automatic beverage dispenser, such as but not necessarily a postmix dispenser, having, in a preferred embodiment, a timing circuit added to the on-board computer, which, when a drink is requested, will determine how much time has elapsed since the last drink was dispensed. If more than a particular amount of time has elapsed, corresponding to the time that will cause the next drink to likely be warm, the system opens the water solenoid valve while leaving the syrup solenoid valve closed, for a period of time to drain away the warm water, and to then close the water solenoid valve. Once this procedure is completed, the automatic dispenser can then proceed to dispense the requested drink. This feature allows for the improvement; of casual drink temperatures by eliminating the warm water from the system and also cooling off the valve as it purges. In another embodiment, the automatic dispenser includes a temperature sensor in each of the soda and plain water lines, and purges the water in the selected line only when the temperature is above a selected value. The purging preferably continues for a selected period of time, although it can alternatively continue until a selected lower temperature is sensed. In another

embodiment, a timing routine can be added to the temperature sensor embodiment to cause a variable purge volume based on the actual time since the last dispense. When a drink is ordered either from the touchpad or automatically from the cash register, the control system polls the temperature sensors that are in the soda and plain water lines (these sensors are preferably located in the tubing feeding the valve). If the temperature is greater than a selected temperature, preferably 42°F, then the purge feature is enabled. If the temperature is less than 42°F, then the purge feature is ignored. If multiple drinks are ordered, then the purge will only be activated prior to the first drink, there will not be a series of purges between drinks ordered successively.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the warm casual drink problem.

It is another object of this invention to provide an

automatic beverage dispensing system which prevents the

dispensing of a warm casual drink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description below when read in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic dispenser according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial, partly broken-away, perspective view of the dispenser of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2A is a partial, partly broken-away perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the first conveyor means shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 3 is a simplified block diagram of the operating system used in the dispenser of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4-4H are block and wiring diagrams for the dispenser of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a flow diagram of the flavor display operation of the dispenser of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a schematic view of a postmix beverage dispenser of the present invention with the means for solving the warm casual drink problem;

Fig. 7 is a flow diagram of the purge timer logic; and

Fig. 8 is a flow diagram of the temperature based purge logic.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views of an automatic postmix beverage dispenser 10 according to the present invention.

The dispenser 10 includes an ice bin module 12 having a plurality of single flavor, manual valves 14 and an ice

dispenser 15, and an automatic dispense module 16 having an automatic multiflavor valve 18 (alternatively, two or more multiflavor valves 18 can be located at this position).

The ice bin module 12 includes the usual syrup lines, carbonated water lines, still water line(s), and cold plate for cooling the syrup and water lines leading to the valves 14, which can be any known valves.

The automatic dispense module 16 is attached to the ice bin module, receives ice therefrom, and includes a cabinet 20, a front panel 168 thereon with a plurality of lights and buttons and a door 35 (for access in case of a cup jam). The front panel includes a series of beverage selector buttons 21, a

corresponding "syrup out" light 22 above each button 21, and small, medium, and large buttons 23, 24 and 25 respectively below each beverage selector button 21. The front panel may have other buttons and lights as desired for an automatic beverage

dispenser.

The automatic dispenser module 16 includes a plurality of syrup lines, a carbonated water line, and a still water line connected to the multiflavor valve 18, which can be any known multiflavor valve. These lines are cooled by the cold plate cooling means in the ice bin module 12. The automatic dispense module 16 also includes a cup drop mechanism 34 (any known mechanism can be used) for three different sizes of cups 36, 37 and 38, a cup drop chute 40, an ice drop mechanism for dropping ice into a dropped cup (any known mechanism can be used), a conveyor 42 including first and second conveyor means 44 and 46, and flavor indicating means including a plurality of flavor indicia 48 located one each adjacent a respective one of a plurality of cup pick-up stations 50 A-G corresponding to cup positions 3-9. The conveyor 42 also provides a cup drop and ice drop station 52 and a beverage dispense station 54. Cup position 1 is the cup and ice drop station 52, and cup position 2 is the beverage dispense station 54.

The first conveyor means 44 moves the cup forward from position 1 to position 4. This first conveyor means 42 includes a cup support surface 56 including several parallel rods 58 and a cup moving means 59. The cup moving means includes a stationary rod 60 and a movable sleeve 62 slidable on rod 60. The sleeve 62 is also accurately movable to rotate a plurality of cup engaging arms 64 into and out of cup engagement. The linear movement of the sleeve 62 is caused by a moveable piston 66 in a stationary cylinder 68. The piston 66 is connected to an arm actuator block 70 which is also connected to the sleeve 62 to move the sleeve 62 one cup position at a time each time the pneumatic piston 66 is energized. To rotate the sleeve 62 and arms 64, an arm rotator cylinder 72 is pivotably attached to the block 70 and its piston 74 is attached to a sleeve arm 76. The block 70 has a proximity switch 78 and the sleeve 62 includes a magnet 80 so the control system will know the position of the arms 64. An elastic boot 82 (shown cut away in Fig. 2) surrounds the rod 60 and extends between the sleeve 62 and a rod support 84.

Fig. 2A shows an alternate and now preferred embodiment of the first conveyor means 44A. This embodiment is similar to that just described as first conveyor means 44, except that in this embodiment the stationary rod 60A is hexagonal in cross-section as is the inside of the sleeve 62A, so that the sleeve 62A does not rotate with respect to the rod 60A, but rather they both rotate together. Each end of the rod 60A is journaled for rotation in a stationary bushing. Also, the cylinder 72A is attached to the dispenser to support 71 rather than to the block 70A. In this way, when the piston 66A moves the

sleeve 62A, it does not have to also move and carry the arm rotator cylinder 72A. Other than these changes, the first conveyor means 44A operates like the first conveyor means 44.

The second conveyor means 46 includes a cup support

surface 90 comprising several parallel rods 92 and the cup moving means 94 includes a stationary support 96 connected to a

pneumatic cylinder 98 having a movable piston 100 connected to a movable support 102 holding a plurality of pneumatic

cylinders C-1, C-2, C-3, and C-4 each having a retractable cup-engaging pin 121, 122, 123, and 124. In addition, one additional, fixed, cup-engaging pin 104 is connected to a support member 106 mounted on the movable support 102. When it is time to advance certain cups on the surface 90, selected ones of the cylinders C-1, C-2, C-3 and C-4 are energized causing

corresponding ones of the pins 121, 122, 123, and 124 to project out to a cup engaging position. The cylinder 98 is then

energized to retract the piston 100 one position. The pins 121, 122, 123, and 124 are then retracted and the piston 100 is projected to its original position. Photoeyes 110 are provided at each cup position 1 and 4-9 to determine if a cup is present. If a cup is removed from position 6, for example, pin 123 would not be extended, so that the empty space could be filled in.

Each of the pneumatic cylinders 68, 72, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, and 98 in the conveyor 42 are preferably double acting cylinders controlled by solenoids in the gas lines, the solenoids all being preferably located behind the front panel 168.

The conveyor 42 includes a plurality of limit switches for use in controlling the conveyor. For example, the first conveyor means first must rotate to bring the arms 64 into cup engaging position before the pneumatic cylinder 68 moves the conveyor one cup position, then it must rotate back before the cylinder returns the conveyor to its original position. The limit switches determine that all prerequisites have occurred before the next step can be taken.

For example, if a cup is detected at cup positions P-3 and P-4, then the conveyor means 44 can not advance or dispense another beverage. If a cup is removed from position P-7, for example, conveyor 46 will advance the cups at P-6, P-5, and P-4 one position forward to fill the gap, and then conveyor 44 can also move forward one position and can dispense another beverage. There is no photoeye at cup positions P-2 and P-3. The control system can store 16 orders in the dispenser and more can be stored in the point of sale adapter.

The flavor indicating means preferably includes a flavor indicia 48 at each cup pick-up station (positions 3-9) and means for energizing these indicia and for scrolling them every time the conveyor 42 advances cups one position. The term "scrolling" means that the flavor indicia changes to now indicate the flavor in the new cup that has just arrived at that cup pick-up station. Of course, if the next cup has the same flavor as the preceding cup, the new indicia will be the same. In this way, the indicia properly follows a cup along the conveyor until it is removed by an operator at which time the light will go out.

In addition to the flavor indicators 48, a second indicator, such as a lighted display, can be included at each station to indicate the order number of the drink such as 27, for example.

The dispenser 10 also includes a system for eliminating warm casual drinks. This system is shown schematically in Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a partial schematic showing of multiflavor beverage dispensing valve 18, and shows a syrup solenoid

valve 132, a water solenoid valve 134, a spout 136, a cold plate 138, a syrup line 140, a water line 142, a CPU 144, and a temperature sensor (such as a resistive temperature sensor) 146 in the water line. The CPU includes a timer circuit or

clock 148. The CPU is programmed such that when a beverage is requested, it will review how much time has elapsed since the last dispense cycle, and if it exceeds a particular value, such as 15 minutes, a purge cycle will be initiated before the requested beverage can be dispensed. It preferably then opens the water solenoid valve while leaving the syrup solenoid valve closed, for a period of time, such as 5 seconds, to allow the water in the uncooled position of the water line to drain out. The temperature sensor 146 is not used in the preferred system. The casual drink purge system of this invention is preferably applied only to the multiflavor valve 18 and not to the manual valves 14, although it could be applied to manual valves, if desired. For example, an inexpensive timer can be used to purge a manual valve for 5 seconds every time 15 minutes elapses since the last dispense cycle.

In an alternate embodiment, the temperature sensor 146 is used and when a new drink is requested, if the temperature is above a selected value, such as 42°F, the water is purged for about two seconds. Some beverages use plain water and some use soda (carbonated water). The showing in Fig. 6 is generic, that is, the water line 142 can be either plain water or soda.

Returning now to the description of the dispenser 10, Fig. 3 is a simplified block diagram of the system of the present invention. The system includes an on-board computer 160 (which is preferably located in the rear of the automatic dispense module 16, as shown in Fig. 1) connected to all of the water and syrup solenoids 162 in the multiflavor valve 18, the air

solenoids 164 in the conveyor 42, the LEDs in the flavor

indicia 48, the temperature sensor 146 (in the embodiment in which one is used), syrup sold-out switches 166 connected to corresponding lights on a front panel 168 on the automatic dispense module 16, a keyboard 170 on the front panel 168, conveyor limit switches 172, and a point of sale register 174 which can, if desired, be connected to the computer 160 through a data conversion system 176 and an RS 232 adapter to operate the automatic dispenser 10 directly from the point of sale register 174 on the counter that is used by the operators when taking orders.

Figs. 4-4H are the wiring diagrams for connection of external devices to the GE Series One Plus controller used in the preferred embodiment of the automatic dispenser 10 as follows:

Fig. 4 is the control system block diagram,

Fig. 4A is the 120VAC power distribution wiring,

Fig. 4B is the dispensing valve wiring, Fig. 4C is the ice gate system wiring,

Fig. 4D is the air solenoid and agitate relay wiring,

Fig. 4E is the input switch wiring (limit switch and

photoeye),

Fig. 4F is the flavor display wiring - conveyor positions 3 and 4,

Fig. 4G is the 12VDC power distribution wiring, and

Fig. 4H is the keyboard matrix input wiring.

Fig. 5 is a block flow diagram of the operation of the flavor indicia. The automatic dispenser 10 has the ability to prepare soft drinks from a variety of different flavor

selections. It is quite likely that several of the flavors have similar visual appearance in the cup, making it difficult for the operator to distinguish one flavor drink from another. The automatic dispenser 10 solves this problem by employing a display element (flavor indicia 48) at each drink pickup position (cup pick-up station 50A-50G, also known as cup positions P-3 to P-9). In the preferred embodiment, the display is a 7-segment LED with decimal. Each flavor is given a unique code to be shown on the display, for example, "C" of cola, "d" for diet cola, and "0" for orange. These codes are created by assigning each segment of the display to a bit in an 8-bit data word in the controller. The code is created by defining the segments to be turned on, and considering the bit value for the segment to be "1". This binary representation is then converted to decimal for handling purposes in the controller.

The automatic dispenser 10 controller maintains a record of the display codes of drinks dispensed in a shift register format. The shift register is incremented each time the conveyor 42 moves a cup to a new position. The value of the shift register for positions 3 and higher is converted back to binary, and written to an output that is connected to the associated LED display.

Therefore, as a cup is moved on the conveyor 43, its display code is shifted to the associated display element. There is a

photoeye 110 associated with each conveyor position 4 and higher. Each photoeye 110 detects the presence of a cup, which allows the automatic dispenser 10 controller to shift the conveyor 42 to fill in gaps as cups are removed from the conveyor 42. These photoeyes 110 are also used by the automatic dispenser 10 controller to blank the display at the conveyor position when a cup is removed. If a cup is removed, but no other cup has yet been advanced to that position, the display code may be recalled by placing the cup back on the conveyor momentarily. This is useful if the operator who removed the cup is distracted, and cannot remember the flavor in the cup.

Fig. 7 is a block diagram of the purge timer logic used in the warm water purge system of the present invention. The purge timer function of the automatic dispenser 10 is intended to provide properly chilled soda water at the automatic dispenser dispensing valve 18 before a drink is poured. This is necessary to insure the quality of the beverage to be poured, as the soda temperature is directly related to the amount of carbonation retained, the amount of foam dispensed, and the amount of ice melted in the cup. This function is controlled by the

programmable controller that operates the automatic dispenser 10.

The purge function in the automatic dispenser 10 operates as a pair of timing functions. The Draw Timer is the master element in the process. This timer is reset every time a drink is dispensed from the valve 18 of the automatic dispenser 10. The Draw Timer has a timeout of 15 minutes in the preferred

embodiment. When the Draw Timer has reached timeout, the next call to dispense a drink will operate the purge function. In the automatic dispenser 10 this call occurs when a cup has been dropped into the cup drop and ice drop station (also referred to as position 1), and filled with ice, but before the cup is moved to the beverage dispense station (also referred to as position 2) by the conveyor 42. The Purge Timer is used to control the duration of the purge, once it is initiated. In the preferred embodiment, the Purge Timer has a timeout of 5 seconds. The soda solenoid valve 134 in the automatic dispenser 10 valve 18 is opened for the duration of the Purge Time, allowing the purge to be dispensed into the drain of the automatic dispenser. At the completion of the purge, the conveyor 42 is allowed to move the cup to the beverage dispense station (position 2), and normal operation resumes. Attached hereto as Exhibit A is the ladder logic program listing for the GE Series One Plus controller used in the

preferred embodiment of the automatic dispenser 10.

Fig. 8 is a self-explanatory flow diagram of the temperature based purge logic. When a drink vend signal is received by the control system, the first thing that the control system checks is to see if conveyor position #2 is occupied. If conveyor

position #2 is occupied, then the vend is processed and no purge takes place. If conveyor position #2 is not occupied, then the control system determines if the drink ordered was a soda or plain water drink. If a soda water drink was ordered, the control system determines the soda water temperature from the resistive temperature sensor 146 in the soda water line 142. If the temperature is 42°F or greater, then the soda water

solenoid 134 of the valve 18 is energized or activated for a selected length of time, preferably about two seconds, to purge the warm water from the system. If the temperature is less than 42°F, then the vend is processed in a normal manner. If a plain water drink was ordered, the control system determines the water temperature from the resistive temperature sensor in the plain water line. If the temperature is 42°F or greater, then the plain water solenoid of the valve is energized or activated for two seconds to purge the warm water from the system. If the temperature is less than 42°F, then the vend is processed in a normal manner.

While the preferred embodiment of this invention has been described above in detail, it is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, while the preferred embodiment described above is a postmix dispenser, others such as a premix dispenser can use this invention. The water being purged can be plain or carbonated. The uncooled portion of the line could be just the beverage in the valve itself, for example, as when a recirculating system is used.

Warm syrup can also be purged. The computer can be remote from the dispenser. The purging can be for a selected time or until the temperature drops to a selected value, and can be both and can be variable or adjustable.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus comprising:

(a) an automatic beverage dispenser;

(b) said dispenser including an automatic beverage dispensing valve including a solenoid controlled water valve and a solenoid controlled syrup valve;

(c) a syrup line in said dispenser connected to said beverage dispensing valve;

(d) a water line in said dispenser connected to said beverage dispensing valve;

(e) said dispenser including cooling means for cooling said syrup line and said water line except for an uncooled portion of said lines extending between said cooling means and said valve;

(f) purging means for opening said water valve while leaving said syrup valve closed to drain warm water out of said uncooled portion of said water line;

(g) a temperature sensor in said uncooled portion of said water line;

(h) said automatic dispenser including an on-board computer with a timer circuit and a beverage dispense switch; and

(i) wherein said purging means includes means, when said switch is closed, for monitoring said temperature sensor and determining if the temperature is above a selected value and if it is for first opening only said water valve for a selected period of time to purge the warm water from said water line, and for then opening both said water valve and said syrup valve to dispense a beverage, and if the temperature is not above said selected value for opening both of said valves to dispense the beverage.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said dispenser includes a cup dispense position directly beneath said dispensing valve and wherein said purge means includes means, when said switch is closed, for first determining if a cup is located at said cup dispense position and if it is then disabling said purge means and dispensing a beverage.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said dispensing valve is a multiflavor valve including both a soda line and a plain water line.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said selected valve is 42°F.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said dispensing valve is a multiflavor valve including both a soda line and a plain water line.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said selected value is 42°F.

7. Apparatus comprising:

(a) a beverage dispenser;

(b) said dispenser including a beverage dispensing valve including a liquid passageway therein;

(c) said dispenser including a liguid line connected to said passageway of said valve;

(d) a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the liquid in one of said line or passageway; and

(e) means for purging the liquid from said valve when the temperature of the liquid is above a selected value.

8. A method for preventing the dispensing of a warm causal drink from an automatic beverage dispenser comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an automatic postmix beverage dispenser with a beverage dispensing valve including a solenoid controlled water valve and a solenoid controlled syrup valve;

(b) providing a water line and a syrup line in said dispenser to said beverage dispensing valve;

(c) providing cooling means in said dispenser for cooling said lines except for an uncooled portion of said lines between said cooling means and said beverage

dispensing valve;

(d) purging the water from said uncooled portion of said water line by opening only said water valve while leaving said syrup valve closed to drain water out of said uncooled portion of said water line;

(e) providing a temperature sensor in said uncooled portion of said water line; (f) providing said dispenser with an on-board computer with a timer circuit and a beverage dispense switch;

(g) Wherein said purging step includes, when said switch is closed, monitoring said temperature sensor and if the temperature is above a selected value first opening only said water valve for a selected period of time to purge the warm water from said water line and for then opening both said water valve and syrup valve to dispense a beverage, and if the temperature is not above said selected value opening both of said valves to dispense a beverage.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said dispenser includes a cup dispense position directly beneath said dispensing valve and wherein said purging step includes, when said switch is closed, first determining if a cup is located in said cup dispense position, and then proceeding with said purging step only if a cup is not located at said position and if a cup is located at said position then bypassing said purging and

dispensing the selected beverage.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 including dispensing any one of a number of different beverages from said dispensing valve.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said selected period of time is about two seconds.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said selected value is about 42°F.

13. The method as recited in claim 8 including dispensing any one of a number of different beverages from said dispensing valve.

14. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said selected period of time is about two seconds.

15. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said selected value is about 42°F.