Patent ID: 8056588
Filing Date: 2011-11-15
Classification: B01F

Abstract:
1. A dispenser for dispensing a mixture of water and one of a plurality of concentrated formulas, comprising: a housing; an electronic controller disposed within the housing, the controller including a power input; a water inlet connectable to a pressurized water source and traversing an upper side of the housing, the water inlet including a water inlet valve electrically connected to the controller through a first electric signal line; a mixture reservoir in fluid communication with the water inlet through a water conduit disposed within the housing, the mixture reservoir in fluid communication with a mixture outlet traversing a lower side of the housing; a flow meter disposed within the water conduit, the flow meter communicating a flow rate of water entering the water conduit to the controller through a second electronic signal line; a plurality of concentrate reservoirs each openable to the upper side of the housing, each in fluid communication with the mixture reservoir, and each having a concentrate reservoir valve, each concentrate reservoir for receiving a volume of a concentrated formula and each concentrate reservoir valve electrically connected to the electronic controller through a concentrate reservoir valve signal line and capable of delivering a metered volume of the concentrated formula into the mixture reservoir when signaled by the controller; a first presence detector disposed proximate the mixture outlet on the lower side of the housing and electrically connected to the controller through a third electronic signal line, the first presence detector capable of detecting the presence of an object proximate the mixture outlet; a selector knob extending through the housing and electrically connected to the controller through a fourth signal line, the selector knob having at least one manually selectable position for each concentrate reservoir; whereby in response to an object being detected proximate the mixture outlet, the controller can actuate the water inlet valve, determine the volume of water flowing into the water conduit, and actuate any of the concentrate reservoir valves to create a mixture of a predetermined ratio of the concentrate formula and water.