US4615466A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Beverage dispenser system convertable between gravity and pressure
Assignee: Coca-Cola Co
•
Filing: 1984-02-24
•
Granted: 1986-10-07
•
Expires: 2004-02-24
Abstract
Abstract A counter electric beverage dispenser a plurality of dispensing valves and a manifold, a syrup cooling tube, and a water cooling tube for each valve. A gravity syrup tank is used during gravity operation and a syrup line from a pressure source is used during pressure operation. One or more of the dispensing valves can be converted from gravity to pressure operation and vice versa. The manifold includes a water passageway therethrough and first and second syrup passageways therethrough. The manifold is connected to the dispensing valve, the water cooling tube and the syrup cooling tube. Either one of a gravity syrup tank or a syrup line from a pressure source can be connected to the manifold for feeding syrup first to the syrup tube and then to the valve. Systems for cleaning out the syrup tubes and for cooling syrup are also included.
Inventors
- 👤 William S. Credle, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 20:05
CPC Classifications
B; B67; B67D; B67D3/00; B67D3/0019; B67D1/00; B67D1/0015; B67D1/0021; B67D3/0009; B67D1/0042; B67D1/0081; B67D2001/0087; B67D2001/0089; B67D1/08; B67D1/0801; B67D2001/0812; B67D2210/00; B67D2210/00028; B67D2210/00031; B67D2210/00034; B67D2210/00099; B67D2210/00104; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/4238; Y10T137/4245; Y10T137/4259
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
A beverage dispenser comprising: (a) a syrup cooling tube having an inlet opening and an outlet opening; (b) a manifold having a first syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port, and having a second syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port; (c) said syrup cooling tube being connected to said manifold with said syrup cooling tube inlet opening being connected to said syrup outlet port of said first syrup passageway and with said syrup cooling tube outlet opening being connected to said syrup inlet port of said second syrup passageway; and (d) said syrup inlet port of said first group passageway having means for connecting thereto one of a syrup gravity tank or a syrup line.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
128 words
A beverage dispenser comprising: (a) a syrup cooling tube having an inlet opening and an outlet opening; (b) a manifold having a first syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port, and having a second syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port; (c) said syrup cooling tube being connected to said manifold with said syrup cooling tube inlet opening being connected to said syrup outlet port of said first syrup passageway and with said syrup cooling tube outlet opening being connected to said syrup inlet port of said second syrup passageway; and (d) said syrup inlet port of said first group passageway having means for connecting thereto one of a syrup gravity tank or a syrup line.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 1 including a syrup gravity tank connected to said inlet port of said first syrup passageway.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
69 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 1 including a water cooling tube having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, a dispensing valve having a water inlet port and a syrup inlet port connected to said dispenser, with said valve water inlet port being connected to said water cooling tube and with such valve syrup inlet port being connected to said outlet port of said second syrup passageway.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 1 including a water cooling tube having an inlet opening and an outlet opening and wherein said manifold includes a water passageway therethrough having a water inlet port and a water outlet port and wherein said outlet opening of said water cooling tube is connected to said manifold water inlet port.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 1 wherein said dispenser includes a plurality of said manifolds and a plurality of said syrup cooling tubes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 1 including a carbonator and including a first CO 2 line connected to a T-connector, a second CO 2 line connected from said T-connector to said carbonator, and a third CO 2 line connected from said T-connector to a fitting adapted to sealing connect to said inlet port of said first syrup passageway of said manifold.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 1 including means for connecting a fluid syrup cleanout line to said inlet port of said first syrup passageway.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 1 including a water cooling tube having an inlet opening and an outlet opening and including means for cooling said syrup cooling tube and said water cooling tube.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 8 wherein said dispenser includes a carbonator and said water cooling tube inlet opening is connected to said carbonator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 1 including a syrup line connected at one end thereof to said inlet port of said first syrup passageway.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 10 wherein the other end of said syrup line is connected to a figal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 10 wherein the other end of said syrup line is connected to a pump of a bag-in-box system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
110 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 1 including a water cooling tube having an inlet opening and an outlet opening and wherein said manifold includes a water passageway therethrough having a water inlet port and a water outlet port, wherein said outlet opening of said water cooling tube is connected to said manifold water inlet port, and including a dispensing valve having a water inlet port and a syrup inlet port connected to said dispenser, with said valve water inlet port being connected to said outlet port of said water passageway and with said valve syrup inlet port being connected to said outlet port of said second syrup passageway.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 13 including a syrup gravity tank connected to said inlet port of said first syrup passageway.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 13 including a plurality of said dispensing valves, a plurality of said manifolds and a plurality of said syrup cooling tubes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 13 including a syrup line connected at one end thereof to said inlet port of said first syrup passageway.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 16 wherein the other end of said syrup line is connected to a figal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The beverage dispenser as recited in claim 16 wherein the other end of said syrup line is connected to a pump of a bag-in-box system.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for converting a beverage dispenser from gravity to pressure operation comprising: (a) providing a beverage dispenser including a syrup cooling tube having an inlet opening and an outlet opening; a water cooling tube having an inlet opening and an outlet opening; a manifold having a first syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port and a second syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port; said syrup cooling tube being connected to said manifold with said syrup cooling tube inlet opening being connected to said syrup outlet port of said first syrup passageway and with said syrup cooling tube outlet opening being connected to said syrup inlet port of said second syrup passageway; and said syrup inlet port of said first syrup passageway having means for connecting thereto one of a syrup gravity tank or a syrup line; (b) connecting a gravity syrup tank to said syrup inlet port of said first syrup passageway to operate said beverage dispenser as a gravity dispenser; and (c) converting said beverage dispenser from gravity operation to pressure operation by removing said syrup gravity tank from said manifold and connecting one end of a syrup line from a syrup pressure source to said syrup inlet port of said first syrup passageway of said manifold.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for converting a beverage dispenser from gravity to pressure operation comprising: (a) providing a beverage dispenser including a syrup cooling tube having an inlet opening and an outlet opening; a water cooling tube having an inlet opening and an outlet opening; a manifold having a first syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port and a second syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port; said syrup cooling tube being connected to said manifold with said syrup cooling tube inlet opening being connected to said syrup outlet port of said first syrup passageway and with said syrup cooling tube outlet opening being connected to said syrup inlet port of said second syrup passageway; and said syrup inlet port of said first syrup passageway having means for connecting thereto one of a syrup gravity tank or a syrup line; (b) connecting a gravity syrup tank to said syrup inlet port of said first syrup passageway to operate said beverage dispenser as a gravity dispenser; and (c) converting said beverage dispenser from gravity operation to pressure operation by removing said syrup gravity tank from said manifold and connecting one end of a syrup line from a syrup pressure source to said syrup inlet port of said first syrup passageway of said manifold.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
93 words
The method as recited in claim 19 wherein said dispenser includes a dispensing valve having a water inlet port and a syrup inlet port with said valve water inlet port connected to said water cooling tube and with said valve syrup inlet connected to said outlet port of said second syrup passageway, and converting said valve from gravity operation to pressure operation by modifying said valve to reduce the cross-sectional area of the syrup flow passageway therethrough to a smaller area substantially the same as that used in dispensing valves on pressure dispensers.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the syrup pressure source is a figal and the other end of said syrup line is connected to the figal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the syrup pressure source is a pump of a bag-in-box system and is connected to the pump of a bag-in-box system.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as recited in claim 19 wherein said manifold includes a water passageway therethrough having a water inlet port and a water outlet port.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method as recited in claim 19 including cooling the syrup in said syrup cooling tube by maintaining said syrup tube in an ice water bath and providing said syrup cooling tube with an inner diameter of from about 5/8 inch to about 1 and 1/4 inch.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as recited in claim 19 including cleaning said syrup cooling tube by connecting a cleaning fluid line to said syrup inlet port of said first syrup passageway, and feeding cleaning fluid into and through said syrup cooling tube.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method as recited in claim 25 wherein said dispenser includes a dispensing valve having a water inlet port and a syrup inlet port with said water inlet port connected to said water cooling tube and said syrup inlet port connected to said syrup outlet port of said second syrup passageway, and including holding said valve opening during said feeding of cleaning fluid into and through said syrup cooling tube.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
194 words
A method for cleaning out a syrup tube in a gravity dispenser comprising: (a) providing a beverage dispenser including a syrup cooling tube having an inlet opening and an outlet opening; a water cooling tube having an inlet opening and an outlet opening; a manifold having a first syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port and a second syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port; said syrup cooling tube being connected to said manifold with said syrup cooling tube inlet opening being connected to said syrup outlet port of said first syrup passageway and with said syrup cooling tube outlet opening being connected to said syrup inlet port of said second syrup passageway; and said syrup inlet port of said first syrup passageway having means for connecting thereto one of a syrup gravity tank or a syrup line; (b) cleaning out said syrup cooling tube by connecting a cleaning fluid line to said syrup inlet port of said first syrup passageway and feeding cleaning fluid into and through said syrup cooling tube and out only through said syrup cooling tube outlet opening.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
194 words
A method for cleaning out a syrup tube in a gravity dispenser comprising: (a) providing a beverage dispenser including a syrup cooling tube having an inlet opening and an outlet opening; a water cooling tube having an inlet opening and an outlet opening; a manifold having a first syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port and a second syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port; said syrup cooling tube being connected to said manifold with said syrup cooling tube inlet opening being connected to said syrup outlet port of said first syrup passageway and with said syrup cooling tube outlet opening being connected to said syrup inlet port of said second syrup passageway; and said syrup inlet port of said first syrup passageway having means for connecting thereto one of a syrup gravity tank or a syrup line; (b) cleaning out said syrup cooling tube by connecting a cleaning fluid line to said syrup inlet port of said first syrup passageway and feeding cleaning fluid into and through said syrup cooling tube and out only through said syrup cooling tube outlet opening.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method as recited in claim 27 wherein said dispenser includes a dispensing valve having a water inlet port and a syrup inlet port with said valve water inlet port connected to said water cooling tube and with said valve syrup inlet connected to said outlet port of said second syrup passageway, and maintaining said dispensing valve open during said feeding of cleaning fluid into and through said syrup cooling tube for feeding cleaning fluid out through said dispensing valve.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method as recited in claim 27 wherein said syrup cooling tube includes a substantially vertical inlet leg and a substantially vertical outlet leg, said legs being connected at their bottoms to a loop portion, and including the step of cooling said syrup cooling tube by maintaining said vertical legs and said loop portion in an ice water bath.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
167 words
A one-piece, molded manifold adapted to be connected to a single beverage dispensing valve comprising: (a) a manifold body having a first syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port, a separate second syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port, and a separate water passageway therethrough having a water inlet port and a water outlet port; (b) said manifold having a flat, vertical front surface, and said water outlet port and said syrup outlet port of said second syrup passageway being located in said front surface for connection to a single beverage dispenser valve assembly; (c) said manifold having a flat, horizontal top surface and said syrup inlet port of said first syrup passageway being located in said top surface; and (d) said manifold having a flat, horizontal bottom surface and said syrup outlet port of said first syrup passageway and said syrup inlet port of said second syrup passageway being located in said bottom surface.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
167 words
A one-piece, molded manifold adapted to be connected to a single beverage dispensing valve comprising: (a) a manifold body having a first syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port, a separate second syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port, and a separate water passageway therethrough having a water inlet port and a water outlet port; (b) said manifold having a flat, vertical front surface, and said water outlet port and said syrup outlet port of said second syrup passageway being located in said front surface for connection to a single beverage dispenser valve assembly; (c) said manifold having a flat, horizontal top surface and said syrup inlet port of said first syrup passageway being located in said top surface; and (d) said manifold having a flat, horizontal bottom surface and said syrup outlet port of said first syrup passageway and said syrup inlet port of said second syrup passageway being located in said bottom surface.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
33 words
The manifold as recited in claim 30 including a syrup cooling tube connected between said syrup outlet port of said first syrup passageway and said syrup inlet port of said second syrup passageway.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
32 words
The manifold as recited in claim 27 including a plurality of said manifolds located side-by-side in a beverage dispenser and including a single beverage dispensing valve connected to each of said manifolds.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
66 words
The manifold as recited in claim 30 including a single beverage dispensing valve having a water inlet port and a syrup inlet port, said valve being connected to said manifold with said water outlet port of said manifold connected to said water inlet port of said valve and said syrup outlet port of said second syrup passageway connected to said syrup inlet port of said valve.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
33 words
The manifold as recited in claim 33 including a syrup cooling tube connected between said syrup outlet port of said first syrup passageway and said syrup inlet port of said second syrup passageway.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus for use in a beverage dispenser comprising a one-piece, molded manifold connected to only a single beverage dispensing valve, said manifold comprising a manifold body, said body having a first syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port, and a separate second syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port, and said valve having a single syrup inlet port connected to said syrup outlet port of said second syrup passageway.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus for use in a beverage dispenser comprising a one-piece, molded manifold connected to only a single beverage dispensing valve, said manifold comprising a manifold body, said body having a first syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port, and a separate second syrup passageway therethrough having a syrup inlet port and a syrup outlet port, and said valve having a single syrup inlet port connected to said syrup outlet port of said second syrup passageway.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 35 including a syrup cooling tube connected between said syrup outlet port of said first syrup passageway and said syrup inlet port of said second syrup passageway.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 35 including a single water passageway through said manifold having a water inlet port and a water outlet port, and wherein said single beverage dispensing valve has a single water inlet port connected to said water outlet port.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 37 including a syrup cooling tube connected between said syrup outlet port of said first syrup passageway and said syrup inlet port of said second syrup passageway.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-10-06 | 1990-04-07 | 1990-10-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-10-06 | 1994-04-07 | 1994-10-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-10-06 | 1998-04-07 | 1998-10-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |