Postmix juice dispensing system

Claim 2

Apparatus for reconstituting and dispensing juice comprising: (a) a pressurizable canister adapted to hold and dispense a quantity of pliable juice concentrate at a temperature below 32° F., and means for pressurizing said canister; (b) a mixing chamber and a nozzle for dispensing a beverage therefrom; (c) a concentrate conduit extending from said canister to said mixing chamber, whereby pressure in said canister forces concentrate into said concentrate conduit; (d) a water conduit extending into said mixing chamber; (e) means for heating concentrate in said concentrate conduit; (f) metering means in said conduits for controlling the ratio of water to concentrate fed to said mixing chamber, said metering means includes a gerotor pump for said concentrate and a poppet valve at the outlet of the pump to prevent concentrate from leaking out of said pump; and (g) a check valve immediately downstream from said poppet valve to prevent water from said water conduit from flowing upstream from said mixing chamber through said pump when said pump is not operating.

Claim 3

Apparatus for reconstituting and dispensing juice comprising: (a) a pressurizable canister adapted to hold and dispense a quantity of pliable juice concentrate at a temperature below 32° F., and means for pressurizing said canister; (b) a mixing chamber and a nozzle for dispensing a beverage therefrom; (c) a concentrate conduit extending from said canister to said mixing chamber, whereby pressure in said canister forces concentrate into said concentrate conduit; (d) a water conduit extending into said mixing chamber; (e) means for heating concentrate in said concentrate conduit; (f) metering means in said conduits for controlling the ratio of water to concentrate fed to said mixing chamber; (g) wherein said metering means includes a linear modulating solenoid in the water conduit; (h) wherein said metering means includes a gerotor pump for the concentrate and a poppet valve at the outlet of said pump to prevent concentrate from leaking out of said pump; and (i) a check valve immediately downstream from said poppet valve to prevent water from said water conduit from flowing upstream from said mixing chamber through said pump when said pump is not operating.

Claim 4

Apparatus for reconstituting and dispensing juice comprising: (a) a pressurizable canister adapted to hold and dispense a quantity of pliable juice concentrate at a temperature below 32° F., and means for pressurizing said canister; (b) a mixing chamber and a nozzle for dispensing a beverage therefrom; (c) a concentrate conduit extending from said canister to said mixing chamber, whereby pressure in said canister forces concentrate into said concentrate conduit; (d) a water conduit extending into said mixing chamber; (e) means for heating concentrate in said concentrate conduit; (f) metering means in said conduits for controlling the ratio of water to concentrate fed to said mixing chamber; (g) wherein said metering means includes a linear modulating solenoid in the water conduit; (h) wherein said metering means includes a gerotor pump for the concentrate and a poppet valve at the outlet of said pump to prevent concentrate from leaking out of said pump; and (i) a check valve immediately downstream from said poppet valve to prevent water from said water conduit from flowing upstream from said mixing chamber through said pump when said pump is not operating.

Claim 5

Apparatus for reconstituting and dispensing juice comprising: (a) a concentrate container; (b) a mixing chamber and a nozzle for dispensing a beverage therefrom; (c) a concentrate conduit extending from said concentrate container; (d) a water conduit extending into said mixing chamber; (e) a microcontroller; (f) means for feeding a controlled volume of water through said water conduit into said mixing chamber, said means being connected to said microcontroller; (g) a concentrate reservoir and means for automatically maintaining said reservoir filled with concentrate, said concentrate conduit feeding concentrate from said concentrate container into said reservoir; (h) means for feeding a controlled volume of concentrate from said reservoir to said mixing chamber during dispensing; (i) wherein said concentrate feeding means includes a gerotor pump and a poppet valve at the outlet thereof to prevent concentrate from leaking out of said pump; and (j) a check valve immediately downstream from said poppet valve to prevent water from said water conduit from flowing upstream from said mixing chamber through said pump when said pump is not operating.

Claim 6

Apparatus for reconstituting and dispensing juice comprising: (a) a concentrate container; (b) a mixing chamber and a nozzle for dispensing a beverage therefrom; (c) a concentrate conduit extending from said concentrate container; (d) a water conduit extending into said mixing chamber; (e) a microcontroller; (f) means for feeding a controlled volume of water through said water conduit into said mixing chamber, said means being connected to said microcontroller; (g) a concentrate reservoir and means for automatically maintaining said reservoir filled with concentrate, said concentrate conduit feeding concentrate from said concentrate container into said reservoir; (h) means for feeding a controlled volume of concentrate from said reservoir to said mixing chamber during dispensing; (i) wherein said concentrate feeding means includes a gerotor pump and a poppet valve at the outlet thereof to prevent concentrate from leaking out of said pump; and (j) a check valve immediately downstream from said poppet valve to prevent water from said water conduit from flowing upstream from said mixing chamber through said pump when said pump is not operating.

Claim 7

Apparatus for reconstituting and dispensing juice comprising: (a) a pressurizable canister adapted to hold and dispense a quantity of pliable juice concentrate at a temperature below 32° F., and means for pressurizing said canister; (b) a mixing chamber and a nozzle for dispensing a beverage therefrom; (c) a concentrate conduit extending from said canister to said mixing chamber, whereby pressure in said canister forces concentrate into said concentrate conduit; (d) a water conduit extending into said mixing chamber; (e) means for heating concentrate in said concentrate conduit and; (f) a flow meter in said water conduit, a water on-off solenoid valve in said water conduit downstream from said flow meter, a linear modulating solenoid in said water conduit downstream from said on-off solenoid valve, a conduit feeding water from said linear modulating solenoid to said mixing chamber, a concentrate shut-off valve in said concentrate conduit downstream from said heating means, a concentrate reservoir downstream from said concentrate shut-off valve, a gerotor pump downstream from said reservoir, a poppet valve downstream from said pump and a check valve downstream from said poppet valve.

Claim 8

Apparatus for reconstituting and dispensing juice comprising: (a) a pressurizable canister adapted to hold and dispense a quantity of pliable juice concentrate at a temperature below 32° F., and means for pressurizing said canister; (b) a mixing chamber and a nozzle for dispensing a beverage therefrom; (c) a concentrate conduit extending from said canister to said mixing chamber, whereby pressure in said canister forces concentrate into said concentrate conduit; (d) a water conduit extending into said mixing chamber; (e) means for heating concentrate in said concentrate conduit and; (f) a flow meter in said water conduit, a water on-off solenoid valve in said water conduit downstream from said flow meter, a linear modulating solenoid in said water conduit downstream from said on-off solenoid valve, a conduit feeding water from said linear modulating solenoid to said mixing chamber, a concentrate shut-off valve in said concentrate conduit downstream from said heating means, a concentrate reservoir downstream from said concentrate shut-off valve, a gerotor pump downstream from said reservoir, a poppet valve downstream from said pump and a check valve downstream from said poppet valve.