US4951719A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic postmix beverage dispensing system with flavor indicators
Assignee: Coca-Cola Co
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Filing: 1989-02-27
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Granted: 1990-08-28
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Expires: 2009-02-27
Abstract
Abstract An automatic postmix beverage dispensing system including a conveyor, a multiflavor valve, and a stationary flavor indicator adjacent to each cup pick-up station to inform the operator what beverage is in each cup. Each time the conveyor advances the cups one station, the flavor indicator scrolls forward to continue to correctly identify the beverage in each cup. The flavor indicator can also include order indicia identifying the order number of each cup.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald L. Wiley
- 👤 Benjamin D. Miller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 01:25
CPC Classifications
B; B67; B67D; B67D1/00; B67D1/0041; B67D2210/00; B67D2210/00028; B67D2210/00065; B67D2210/00076; B67D2210/0012
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
Apparatus comprising: (a) an automatic postmix beverage dispenser; (b) said dispenser including a cup conveyor for advancing cups along a plurality of cup stations including a cup drop station, an ice drop station, a beverage dispense station, and a plurality of separate, spaced-apart, cup pick-up stations; (c) a multiflavor valve positioned above said conveyor at said beverage dispense station for dispensing any one of a number of different selected beverages into a cup positioned at said beverage dispense station; and (d) flavor indicating means including a stationary flavor indicator positioned adjacent each of said cup pick-up stations for indicating the beverage flavor in each cup positioned in each of said cup pick-up stations.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
113 words
Apparatus comprising: (a) an automatic postmix beverage dispenser; (b) said dispenser including a cup conveyor for advancing cups along a plurality of cup stations including a cup drop station, an ice drop station, a beverage dispense station, and a plurality of separate, spaced-apart, cup pick-up stations; (c) a multiflavor valve positioned above said conveyor at said beverage dispense station for dispensing any one of a number of different selected beverages into a cup positioned at said beverage dispense station; and (d) flavor indicating means including a stationary flavor indicator positioned adjacent each of said cup pick-up stations for indicating the beverage flavor in each cup positioned in each of said cup pick-up stations.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said cup drop and ice drop stations are the same station.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
72 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said dispenser has a front side and wherein said conveyor includes a first conveyor means having a forward distal end for moving cups in a straight line from a rear to a forward position, and a second conveyor means for moving cups in a straight line from the forward sital end of said first conveyor means, sideways along said front side of said dispenser.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 including a plurality of multiflavor valves positioned at said beverage dispense station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said dispenser also includes a plurality of manually actuatable beverage dispenser valves.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said flavor indicator includes a stationary transparent plate adjacent to each cup pick-up position and a multi-segment LED directly below said plate and wherein said flavor indicating means includes means for energizing said LED to indicate the flavor of the beverage in the cup located at the adjacent cup pick-up station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein said conveyor includes means for advancing all cups on said conveyor to the next cup position, and wherein said flavor indicating means includes means for changing the flavor indicator adjacent each cup pick-up station at which a cup is located, to correctly indicate the flavor in the cup just advanced to each such position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said flavor indicating means also includes order indicia identifying the order number associated with a cup position at each of said cup pick-up stations.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 including detecting means for detecting the presence of a cup at each of said cup pick-up stations and at said cup drop station.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said conveyor includes means for advancing selected cups to the next available cup position.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
107 words
A method for operating an automatic postmix beverage dispenser comprising the steps of: (a) dispensing any one of a number of different selected beverages from a multiflavor valve into a cup; (b) automatically advancing said cup by a conveyor along a plurality of cup stations including a cup drop station, an ice drop station, a beverage dispense station, and a plurality of separate, spaced-apart, cup pick-up stations until said cup is removed by an operator; and (c) identifying the beverage flavor in each cup positioned at each of said cup pick-up stations, by a stationary flavor indicators positioned adjacent each of said plurality of cup pick-up stations.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
107 words
A method for operating an automatic postmix beverage dispenser comprising the steps of: (a) dispensing any one of a number of different selected beverages from a multiflavor valve into a cup; (b) automatically advancing said cup by a conveyor along a plurality of cup stations including a cup drop station, an ice drop station, a beverage dispense station, and a plurality of separate, spaced-apart, cup pick-up stations until said cup is removed by an operator; and (c) identifying the beverage flavor in each cup positioned at each of said cup pick-up stations, by a stationary flavor indicators positioned adjacent each of said plurality of cup pick-up stations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as recited in claim 11 including changing the flavor indicator adjacent each cup pick-up station at which a cup is located, to correctly indicate the flavor in a cup just advanced to each such position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method as recited in claim 12 wherein said identifying step also includes identifying the order number associated with each cup.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said advancing step includes first advancing a cup from a rearward to a forward position and then advancing said cup sideways along a front of said dispenser.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method as recited in claim 11 including dispensing beverages from a plurality of multiflavor valves at said beverage dispense station.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as recited in claim 11 including detecting the presence of a cup at each of said cup pick-up stations and said cup drop station.
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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) | 1993-08-27 | 1994-02-26 | 1994-08-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-08-27 | 1998-02-26 | 1998-08-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-08-27 | 2002-02-26 | 2002-08-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |