Beverage dispensing system with warm water purging

Claim 2

A beverage dispenser which eliminates warm casual drinks comprising: (a) a beverage dispensing valve including a solenoid controlled water valve and a solenoid controlled syrup valve; (b) a syrup line connected to said beverage dispensing valve; (c) a water line connected to said beverage dispensing valve; (d) cooling means for cooling each of said syrup line and said water line except for an uncooled portion of said lines extending between said cooling means and said dispensing valve; (e) purging means for opening at least one of said water valve or said syrup valve for a period of time and for then closing said opened valve to drain warm liquid from a respective one of said lines; and (f) a computer connected to said dispenser for controlling at least a portion of the operation thereof, a beverage dispense switch for opening said solenoid controlled valves to dispense a beverage from said dispensing valve, and wherein said purging means includes a timer circuit in said computer for measuring the length of time since the last dispense from said dispensing valve, and means for opening only said solenoid controlled water valve when said beverage dispense switch is closed and the time measured by said timer circuit exceeds a predetermined value.

Claim 3

The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined value is about 15 minutes.

Claim 4

The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said purging means includes means for opening said solenoid controlled water valve for a predetermined period of time.

Claim 5

The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said predetermined period of time is about 5 seconds.

Claim 6

The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said beverage dispensing valve is a multiflavor valve.

Claim 7

A beverage dispenser which eliminates warm casual drinks comprising: (a) a beverage dispensing valve including a solenoid controlled liquid valve; (b) a liquid line connected to said solenoid controlled valve in said beverage dispensing valve; (c) cooling means for cooling said liquid line except for an uncooled portion of said line extending between said cooling means and said dispensing valve; (d) purging means for purging warm liquid from said line; and (e) a computer connected to said dispenser for controlling at least a portion of the operation thereof, a beverage dispense switch for dispensing a beverage from said dispensing valve, and wherein said purging means includes a timer circuit in said computer for measuring the length of time since the last dispense from said beverage dispensing valve, and for purging liquid from said line when said switch is closed and the time measured by said timer circuit exceeds a predetermined value.

Claim 8

A beverage dispenser which eliminates warm casual drinks comprising: (a) a beverage dispensing valve including a solenoid controlled liquid valve; (b) a liquid line connected to said solenoid controlled valve in said beverage dispensing valve; (c) cooling means for cooling said liquid line except for an uncooled portion of said line extending between said cooling means and said dispensing valve; (d) purging means for purging warm liquid from said line; and (e) a computer connected to said dispenser for controlling at least a portion of the operation thereof, a beverage dispense switch for dispensing a beverage from said dispensing valve, and wherein said purging means includes a timer circuit in said computer for measuring the length of time since the last dispense from said beverage dispensing valve, and for purging liquid from said line when said switch is closed and the time measured by said timer circuit exceeds a predetermined value.

Claim 11

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 and a beverage dispense switch; and (i) wherein said purging means includes means, when said beverage dispense 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 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.

Claim 12

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 and a beverage dispense switch; and (i) wherein said purging means includes means, when said beverage dispense 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 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.

Claim 13

The apparatus as recited in claim 8 including means for continuing said purge until the temperature of the water is reduced to a desired value.

Claim 14

The apparatus as recited in claim 8 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.

Claim 15

The apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein said dispensing valve is a multiflavor valve including both a soda line and a plain water line.

Claim 16

The apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein said selected value is 42° F.

Claim 17

The apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein said dispensing valve is a multiflavor valve including both a soda line and a plain water line.

Claim 18

The apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein said selected value is 42° F.

Claim 21

The method as recited in claim 15 including dispensing any one of a number of different beverages from said dispensing valve.

Claim 22

The method as recited in claim 15 including terminating said purging step when the temperature of the water is reduced to a desired value.

Claim 23

The method as recited in claim 15 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.

Claim 24

The method as recited in claim 18 including dispensing any one of a number of different beverages from said dispensing valve.

Claim 25

The method as recited in claim 19 wherein said selected value is about 42° F.