EP0176318A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dispenser control circuitry
Assignee: Jet Spray Corp
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Filing: 1985-09-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-09-19
Abstract
Abstract A system for dispensing and controlling the concentrate of a juice product in which the product is made up of a juice concentrate and water. The concentrate is dispensed by pump operation and the water is dispensed by solenoid operation. The system basically provides for the control of the solenoid and the pump and for the initiation of a dispensing cycle so as to initiate operation of the solenoid and pump substantially at the same time. A timer responds for operating the solenoid and pump over a preselected dispensing period. The control of the pump to provide concentration control is provided by a speed control circuit having multiple selectable positions for providing multiple pump speeds so as to in turn provide variable concentration of the final dispensed juice product.
Inventors
- 👤 William Arzberger
- 👤 Wayne Warren
- 👤 Martin Segal
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 02:48
CPC Classifications
B; B67; B67D; B67D1/00; B67D1/08; B67D1/12; B67D1/1284; B67D1/1286; B67D1/1293; B67D1/0015; B67D1/0021; B67D1/0022; B67D1/0027; B67D1/0028; B67D1/1202; B67D1/1204; B67D1/1211; B67D1/122; G; G07; G07F; G07F13/00; G07F13/06; G07F13/065; B67D2210/00; B67D2210/00028; B67D2210/00031; B67D2210/00099; B67D2210/00104; B67D2210/00146; B67D2210/00149; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/2496; Y10T137/2499
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A system for dispensing and controlling the concentrate .of a juice product comprised of a juice concentrate and water, said concentrate being dispensed by pump operation and said water being dispensed by solenoid control, said system comprising: means for controlling the solenoid, means for controlling the pump, means for initiating a dispense cycle so as to initiate operation of the solenoid and pump substantially concurrently, timer means responsive to said means for initiation for operating the solenoid and pump over a preselected dispensing period, said means for controlling the pump including a speed control means having multiple selectable positions for providing multiple pump speeds so as to provide variable concentration of the final dispensed juice product.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
116 words
A system for dispensing and controlling the concentrate .of a juice product comprised of a juice concentrate and water, said concentrate being dispensed by pump operation and said water being dispensed by solenoid control, said system comprising: means for controlling the solenoid, means for controlling the pump, means for initiating a dispense cycle so as to initiate operation of the solenoid and pump substantially concurrently, timer means responsive to said means for initiation for operating the solenoid and pump over a preselected dispensing period, said means for controlling the pump including a speed control means having multiple selectable positions for providing multiple pump speeds so as to provide variable concentration of the final dispensed juice product.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said speed control means comprises a speed control circuit having manual control switch means settable at multiple different switch position settings to provide different speeds.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
A system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said speed control circuit comprises an input network for sensing motor speed and a frequency-to-voltage converter circuit coupling from the input network for providing a DC signal the amplitude of which is a function of operating speed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said input network comprises a photo-transistor and associated light source.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said frequency-to-voltage converter circuit comprises a pulse network coupling from said input network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said pulse network comprises an R-C circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said speed control means comprises a speed control circuit including a feedback network for sensing motor speed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said speed control further comprises a frequency-to-voltage converter circuit coupling in the feedback loop and for providing a DC signal, the amplitude of which is a function of the desired operating speed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said speed control circuit also includes a manual control switch means settable at multiple different switch position settings to provide different speeds.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as set forth in claim 1 further including means for actuating said timer means under operator control.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said means for actuating comprises switch means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as set forth in claim 11 wherein said means for actuating comprises a Hall effect switch and associated magnet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said timer means comprises a timer and associated control means for selecting one of two different time periods.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
55 words
A system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said means for controlling the timer includes a manual switch having at least two positions, one for controlling a time period for dispensing a first amount of product and a second position for dispensing a second amount of product which is greater than said first amount.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for initiating a dispense cycle includes means for enabling remote dispensing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as set forth in claim 15 wherein said means for providing remote dispensing includes a beverage hose.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as set forth in claim 1 including a storage reservoir for said concentrate and means for detecting the level of the concentrate in the storage means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said means for detecting comprises a liquid probe.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said dispensing system has cooling means including an evaporator coil and further comprising means for detecting the build-up of ice on the evaporator coil.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system as set forth in claim 1 including means for sensing motor speed, said speed control means comprising means for combining a first signal representative of motor speed and a second signal representative of desired speed.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
69 words
A speed control circuit comprising: an input network adapted to sense the speed of rotation of the motor, means for setting a desired operating speed, means coupled from said input network for converting the input signal to a voltage, the magnitude of which is representative of motor speed, and means for combining said voltage with said desired speed setting signal to provide a control signal for operating said motor.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
69 words
A speed control circuit comprising: an input network adapted to sense the speed of rotation of the motor, means for setting a desired operating speed, means coupled from said input network for converting the input signal to a voltage, the magnitude of which is representative of motor speed, and means for combining said voltage with said desired speed setting signal to provide a control signal for operating said motor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
40 words
A speed control circuit as set forth in claim 21 wherein said means for converting comprises a frequency-to-voltage converter coupling from said input network for providing a DC signal, the amplitude of which is a function of the operating speed.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
A speed control circuit as set forth in claim 22 wherein said input network comprises a phototransistor and associated light source.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
A speed control circuit as set forth in claim 23 wherein said frequency-to-voltage converter circuit comprises a pulse network coupling from said input network.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
A speed control circuit as set forth in claim 24 wherein said pulse network comprises an R-C circuit.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
58 words
A conductivity measuring probe circuit comprising: an oscillator, means coupling the oscillator to the probe, an envelope detector coupled from said probe, an output threshold trigger circuit and means coupling the output of the envelope detector to the output trigger threshold circuit, said trigger threshold circuit adapted to be triggered upon attaining a predetermined resistance at said probe.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
58 words
A conductivity measuring probe circuit comprising: an oscillator, means coupling the oscillator to the probe, an envelope detector coupled from said probe, an output threshold trigger circuit and means coupling the output of the envelope detector to the output trigger threshold circuit, said trigger threshold circuit adapted to be triggered upon attaining a predetermined resistance at said probe.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
A conductivity measuring probe circuit as set forth in claim 26 including a buffer circuit and a series capacitor and resistor coupling the output of the oscillator to the probe.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
A conductivity measuring probe circuit as set forth in claim 27 wherein said envelope detector comprises a comparator and associated RC circuit.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
30 words
A conductivity measuring probe circuit as set forth in claim 28 wherein said output threshold trigger circuit includes a voltage divider network for establishing a predetermined threshold and comparator means.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
44 words
A conductivity measuring probe circuit as set forth in claim 29 wherein said probe is adapted to measure ice build-up on an evaporator coil and further including means responsive to a predetermined ice build-up for interrupting the compressor so as to halt ice build-up.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
100 words
?1. A method for dispensing and controlling the concentrate of a juice product which is comprised of a juice concentrate and water, said concentrate being dispensed by pump operation and said water being dispensed by solenoid control, said method comprising the steps of controlling the solenoid, controlling the pump, initiating a dispensing cycle so as to initiate operation of the solenoid and pump substantially at the same time, operating the solenoid and pump over a preselected dispensing period, and controlling the pump including controlling over multiple speed ranges so as to provide variable concentration of the final dispensed juice product.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
100 words
?1. A method for dispensing and controlling the concentrate of a juice product which is comprised of a juice concentrate and water, said concentrate being dispensed by pump operation and said water being dispensed by solenoid control, said method comprising the steps of controlling the solenoid, controlling the pump, initiating a dispensing cycle so as to initiate operation of the solenoid and pump substantially at the same time, operating the solenoid and pump over a preselected dispensing period, and controlling the pump including controlling over multiple speed ranges so as to provide variable concentration of the final dispensed juice product.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as set forth in claim 31 wherein the step of controlling the pump includes manual control adapted to have settings at multiple different positions to provide different speeds and thus attendant different concentrations.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
114 words
In a system for dispensing and controlling the concentrate of a juice product comprised of a juice concentrate and water, said concentrate being dispensed by pump operation and said water being dispensed by solenoid control, said system comprising first and second storage tanks for said juice concentrate, and means for detecting the level of concentrate in each tank comprising a first probe associated with a first tank and a second probe associated with a second tank, said first and second probes being remotely disposed from each other, and further including a common probe, common to each of said tanks and disposed on an opposite side of the tank from said liquid level measuring probe.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
114 words
In a system for dispensing and controlling the concentrate of a juice product comprised of a juice concentrate and water, said concentrate being dispensed by pump operation and said water being dispensed by solenoid control, said system comprising first and second storage tanks for said juice concentrate, and means for detecting the level of concentrate in each tank comprising a first probe associated with a first tank and a second probe associated with a second tank, said first and second probes being remotely disposed from each other, and further including a common probe, common to each of said tanks and disposed on an opposite side of the tank from said liquid level measuring probe.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
33 words
In a system as set forth in claim 33 including means for initiating a dispensing cycle and control means for sensing the output of said means for detecting for interrupting the dispensing cycle.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
115 words
A system for dispensing and controlling the concentrate of a juice product comprised of a juice concentrate and water, said concentrate being dispensed by pump operation and said water being dispensed by solenoid control, said system comprising; means for controlling the solenoid, means for controlling the pump, means for initiating a dispense cycle so as to initiate operation of the solenoid and pump substantially concurrently, means responsive to said means for initiating for operating the solenoid and pump over a selected dispensing period, said means for controlling the pump including a speed control means having multiple selectable positions for providing multiple pump speeds so as to provide variable concentration of the final dispensed juice product.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
115 words
A system for dispensing and controlling the concentrate of a juice product comprised of a juice concentrate and water, said concentrate being dispensed by pump operation and said water being dispensed by solenoid control, said system comprising; means for controlling the solenoid, means for controlling the pump, means for initiating a dispense cycle so as to initiate operation of the solenoid and pump substantially concurrently, means responsive to said means for initiating for operating the solenoid and pump over a selected dispensing period, said means for controlling the pump including a speed control means having multiple selectable positions for providing multiple pump speeds so as to provide variable concentration of the final dispensed juice product.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as set forth in claim 35 wherein said speed control means comprises a speed control circuit having manual control switch means settable at multiple different switch position settings to provide different speeds.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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