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CA-3038305-C - BEVERAGE DISPENSING SYSTEMS

CA3038305CCA 3038305 CCA3038305 CCA 3038305CCA-3038305-C

Abstract

The present application provides a beverage dispensing system for combining a number of ingredients. The beverage dispensing system may include an ingredient pouch, an ingredient storage tank, a pump, a nozzle, an inlet diverter valve upstream of the pump, and an outlet diverter valve downstream of the pump.

Inventors

  • Arthur G. Rudick
  • Dick P. WELCH

Assignees

  • THE COCA-COLA COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20170929
Priority Date
20160930

Claims (14)

  1. CLAIMS We claim: 1. A beverage dispensing system for combining a number of ingredients, comprising: an ingredient pouch; an ingredient storage tank; a pump; a nozzle; an inlet diverter valve upstream of the pump; and an outlet diverter valve downstream of the pump, wherein the outlet diverter valve comprises a first outlet configuration for the pump to pump the ingredient from the ingredient pouch to the nozzle and a second outlet configuration for the pump to pump the ingredient from the ingredient pouch to the ingredient storage tank.
  2. 2. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the inlet diverter valve comprises a first inlet configuration for the pump to pump the ingredient from the ingredient pouch to the nozzle and a second inlet configuration for the pump to pump the ingredient from the ingredient storage tank to the nozzle or to recirculate the ingredient in the ingredient storage tank.
  3. 3. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the inlet diverter valve and the outlet diverter valve comprise a three-way diverter valve.
  4. 4. The beverage dispensing system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the ingredient storage tank comprises a high level probe and a low level probe.
  5. 5. The beverage dispensing system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the ingredient storage tank comprises a liquid impervious membrane.
  6. 6. The beverage dispensing system of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the ingredient pouch is in communication with the inlet diverter valve via a tube and 13 Date Re<;ue/Date Received 2024-04-08 wherein the ingredient pouch comprises a female fitting and wherein the tube comprises a male fitting.
  7. 7. The beverage dispensing system of any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a plurality of ingredient storage tanks in a storage tank module.
  8. 8. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the ingredient storage tank comprises a first membrane tube with a filter and a first check valve and a second membrane tube with a second check valve.
  9. 9. The beverage dispensing system of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the number of ingredients comprises micro-ingredients.
  10. 10. A method of pumping an ingredient from an ingredient pouch to a nozzle, comprising: pumping the ingredient to the nozzle; determining a low level of the ingredient in the ingredient pouch; pumping the remaining ingredient to an ingredient storage tank; replacing the ingredient pouch; and pumping a portion of the ingredient back to the ingredient pouch.
  11. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of priming the replacement ingredient pouch by pumping the ingredient to the ingredient storage tank.
  12. 12. The method of claim 10 or 11, further comprising the step of pumping the ingredient from the ingredient storage tank to the nozzle.
  13. 13. The method of any one of claims 10 to 12, further comprising the step of recirculating the ingredient in the ingredient storage tank.
  14. 14 Date Re<;ue/Date Received 2024-04-08

Description

BEVERAGE DISPENSING SYSTEMS TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present application and the resultant patent relate generally to beverage 5 dispensing systems and more particularly relate to beverage dispensing systems that limit the amount of beverage ingredients such as micro-ingredients and the like that may be lost during ingredient pouch replacement, during system priming, and during other operations. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Beverage dispensers traditionally have combined a diluent such as water with a beverage base such as a syrup to create a branded beverage. The beverage bases usually have a diluent reconstitution ratio of about three to one (3: 1) to about six to one (6: 1). The beverage bases usually come in large bag-in-box containers that may require a significant amount of storage space and may need to be refrigerated. These requirements 15 often necessitate the need to store the bag-in-box containers remotely from the beverage dispenser and to run long lines from the containers to the beverage dispenser. [0003] The "COCA-COLA FREESTYLE®" refrigerated beverage dispensing unit offered by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia provides a significant increase in the number and types of beverages that may be offered by a beverage dispenser of a 20 conventional size or footprint. Generally described, the "COCA-COLA FREESTYLE®" refrigerated beverage dispensing unit creates a beverage by combining a number of highly concentrated micro-ingredients with a macro-ingredient such as a sweetener and a diluent such as still or carbonated water. The micro-ingredients generally are stored in pouches or cartridges positioned within the beverage dispenser itself. The number and type of 25 beverages offered by the beverage dispenser thus may be limited only by the number and type of micro-ingredient pouches positioned therein. [0004] When an ingredient is depleted in current micro-ingredient dispensers, the branded beverage associated with that ingredient immediately becomes unavailable until the ingredient pouch is replaced. Current micro-ingredient dispensers, however, may 30 leave a significant amount of ingredient remnants in the pouch after the sold-out is registered. Similarly, current micro-ingredient dispensers may waste some of the ingredients to prime the dispenser after each new pouch is inserted. 1 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] The present application and the resultant patent thus provide a beverage dispensing system. The beverage dispensing system may include an ingredient pouch, an ingredient storage tank, a pump, a nozzle, an inlet diverter valve upstream of the pump, and an 5 outlet diverter valve downstream of the pump. [0006] The outlet diverter valve includes a first outlet configuration for the pump to pump the ingredient from the ingredient pouch to the nozzle and a second outlet configuration for the pump to pump the ingredient from the ingredient pouch to the ingredient storage tank. The inlet diverter valve includes a first inlet configuration for the pump to pump the ingredient 10 from the ingredient pouch to the nozzle and a second inlet configuration for the pump to pump the ingredient from the ingredient storage tank to the nozzle or to recirculate the ingredient in the ingredient storage tank. [0007] The present applicant and the resultant patent further provide a method of pumping an ingredient from an ingredient pouch to a nozzle. The method may include the steps 15 of pumping the ingredient to the nozzle, determining a low level of the ingredient in the ingredient pouch, pumping the remaining ingredient to an ingredient storage tank, and replacing the ingredient pouch. [0008] The present application and the resultant patent further provide a beverage dispensing system for combining a number of ingredients. The beverage dispensing system may 20 include an ingredient pouch, an ingredient storage tank, a pump, a solenoid valve downstream of the pump, a nozzle downstream of the solenoid valve, and a recirculation line downstream of the pump and in communication with the ingredient storage tank. [0008a] According to an aspect of the invention is a beverage dispensing system for combining a number of ingredients, comprising: an ingredient pouch; an ingredient storage tank; a pump; a nozzle; an inlet diverter valve upstream of the pump; an outlet diverter valve downstream of the pump, wherein the outlet diverter valve comprises a first outlet configuration for the pump to pump the ingredient from the ingredient pouch to the nozzle and a second 2 Date Re<;ue/Date Received 2024-04-08 outlet configuration for the pump to pump the ingredient from the ingredient pouch to the ingredient storage tank. [0008b] According to a further aspect of the invention is a method of pumping an ingredient from an ingredient pouch to a nozzle, comprising: 5 pumping the ingredient to the nozzle; determining a low level of the ingredient in the ingredient pouch; pumping the remaining ingredient to an ingr