Abstract:
An automated liquid dispensing system employs a mechanism which moves a container [ 1230 ] relative to a fill tube [ 1240 ] to fill the container [ 1230 ] with the proper amount of liquid [ 1131 ] with a designated amount of foam [ 1137 ]. The system [ 1000 ] also includes a container dispensing unit [ 1400 ] which pre-chills containers [ 1230 ] then flips them into a drop tube [ 1510 ] to be received by a lift [ 1550 ]. Lift [ 1550 ] raises the container [ 1230 ] to a pouring head [ 1570 ] and fills the container [ 1230 ] as it lowers container [ 1230 ] to properly fill the container [ 1230 ] and create a desired amount of foam [ 1137].

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation-in-part related to, and claims priority under 37 CFR 1.78(a) of a previously filed patent application “Automated Beverage System” Ser. No. 60/934,501 filed Jun. 14, 2007 by the same inventor, Corey Weems. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an automated system for dispensing liquids. 
     2. Discussion of Related Art 
     Liquids, such as beer, soda and other liquids are dispensed into a cup at many restaurants and bars. Many times there are a large number of customers waiting for liquids to be poured. Since pouring the liquid is the time-limiting step, it is advantageous to pour them faster. 
     Pouring the liquids quickly causes them to produce a large amount of foam, which is undesirable. 
     Therefore, there is a tradeoff in pouring the liquid properly vs. fulfilling the needs of many customers quickly. 
     Historically the liquids are poured manually, with much waiting time and waste unlike many other fully automated modern liquid vending systems, which dispense drinks such as soda, coffee or cocoa accurately every instance. 
     Currently there is a need for an automated beer dispensing system to quickly and accurately pour many liquids in a repetitive fashion so as to aid in the serving of liquids. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One embodiment of the present invention is An automated liquid dispensing system [ 1000 ] for accurately pouring a liquid [ 1131 ] capable of creating foam [ 1137 ] into a container [ 1230 ] comprising:
         a) a tank [ 1130 ] filled with said liquid [ 1131 ];   b) a refrigeration unit [ 1100 ] operating to the cool tank [ 1130 ] and said liquid [ 1131 ];   c) a fill tube [ 1240 ] for filling said container [ 1230 ];   d) a fill tube valve [ 1280 ] coupled to the tank [ 1130 ] and the fill tube responsive to a control signal for regulating the amount of liquid [ 1131 ] flowing through the fill tube [ 1240 ] and into said container [ 1230 ];   e) pressure source [ 1140 ] responsive to a control signal for providing the proper pressure to tank [ 1130 ] to push the liquid [ 1131 ] out of tank [ 1130 ] through fill tube valve [ 1280 ], fill tube [ 1240 ] and into said container [ 1230 ];   f) actuator [ 1310 ,  1550 ] responsive to a control signal for moving the fill tube [ 1240 ] to move relative to said container [ 1230 ] to adjust the amount of foam produced;   g) a logic unit [ 1220 ] coupled to the pressure source [ 1140 ], the fill tube valve [ 1280 ], the actuator [ 1310 ,  1550 ] adapted to:
           i. provide a control signal to the pressure source [ 1140 ] causing it to provide the predetermined pressure to the tank [ 1130 ] thereby causing the liquid [ 1131 ] to be provided to the fill tube valve [ 1280 ],   ii. provide a control signal to the fill tube valve [ 1280 ] causing it to allow the predetermined flow rate of said liquid [ 1131 ], and   iii. provide a control signal to the actuator [ 1310 ,  1550 ] to initiate the fill tube [ 1240 ] at a predetermined distance inside said container [ 1230 ] and move said container [ 1230 ] and the fill tube [ 1240 ] relative to each other to cause a predetermined amount of foam [ 1137 ] to be produced.   
               

     Optionally, the present invention An automated liquid dispenser [ 1000 ] for pouring a liquid [ 1137 ] capable of creating foam [ 1137 ] into a container [ 1230 ] comprising:
         a) liquid filling mechanism for providing a liquid [ 1131 ] through a fill tube [ 1240 ] to fill the container [ 1230 ]; and   b) an actuator [ 1550 ] for moving the container [ 1230 ] and the fill tube [ 1240 ] relative to each other at a predetermined rate such that the fill tube [ 1240 ] is initially inside of the container [ 1230 ], then moving them apart as the container [ 1230 ] is filled with liquid [ 1131 ] at a predetermined rate so as to produce a desired amount of foam [ 1137 ].       

     The present invention may also be embodied as a method for pouring a liquid capable of creating foam into a container comprising the steps of:
         a) inserting a fill tube [ 2003 ] near the bottom of the container   b) providing a predetermined amount of pressure [ 2005 ] to said liquid;   c) opening a valve [ 2007 ] to a predetermined initial opening allowing flow of said liquid;   d) moving the fill tube and the container relative to each other [ 2009 ] at a predetermined rate as said liquid is being poured into the container;   e) monitoring [ 2011 ] a fill level of said liquid and the fill level of said foam created;   f) closing [ 2027 ] the valve when the fill level of the foam produced is at a predetermined level indicating that the container has been filled.       

     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated liquid dispensing system. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated liquid dispensing system that can repeatedly and accurately pour a liquid. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated liquid dispensing system that is space efficient and consuming less space then commercial refrigerators 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated liquid dispensing system that is compatible with current Point of Sale (POS) systems that exist on the market today. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated liquid dispensing system that automatically dispenses pre-chilled containers. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated liquid dispensing system that provides interactive feedback on the amount of the liquid remaining in the system. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated liquid dispensing system to improve customer service. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated liquid dispensing system to increase a bartender&#39;s income and efficiency. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages of the instant disclosure will become more apparent when read with the specification and the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective plan view of one embodiment of an automated liquid dispensing system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of one embodiment of an automated liquid dispensing system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of an automated liquid dispensing system having a container dispensing unit according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a side plan view of the embodiment of an automated liquid dispensing system shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of the container dispensing unit shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of the outside pouring mechanism shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is another embodiment of the present invention including a conveyor for pouring multiple containers. 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart indicating the operation of one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention will find its primary use in bars which serve draft beer. Typical keg systems are manually operated systems that pump beer from kegs to a tap, so as to serve an end user with a beer upon request. This process in itself is slow, as the bartender must wait for the beer to pour. The process is often unable to be left unchecked for beer, being carbonated, will produce excess foam if poured improperly, resulting in wasted product and more time spent by both the bartender and waiting customer. 
     As a result of this scenario a ‘bottleneck’ typically occurs, when the bar is busy, resulting in customers having to wait for a beer. This process continues to play out, until there is a significant waiting time, which effectively means lost revenue and possibly unhappy end users 
     The present invention alleviates these problems by offering an automated liquid dispensing system which can accurately and repetitively pour many beers, of different types and styles, into different size containers with the proper amount of foam, and requiring little human interaction, aside from keying in the desired beer of choice and possibly the size of the container used. 
     Parts having the same numbers as those in the various figures are intended to be the same part having the same function. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective plan view of one embodiment of an automated liquid dispensing system  1000  according to the present invention. 
     Liquids  1131  to be dispensed, which may be beverages, are stored in tank  1130  inside of a refrigerated chamber  1100 . Typically, tanks  1130  require a pressure source  1140 , such as a tank of pressurized CO 2  to force the liquid  1131  through the system  1000 . 
     A pressure gauge  1145  may be used to monitor the pressure in pressure source  1140 . This pressure may be monitored by a logic unit  1220 . 
     A pressure valve  1170 , which may be manual or remotely controlled by logic unit  1220 , controls the amount of gas pressure passing through hoses to each of the tanks  1130 . 
     Hoses  1155  are used to deliver the liquid  1131  from a tank  1130  to a fill station  1200  and through a fill tube valve  1280  operated by logic unit  1220 . Logic unit  1220  directs the liquid to the proper fill tube  1241 ,  1243 ,  1245  (collectively referred to as  1240 ) and into a proper container  1231 ,  1233 ,  1235 , which may be a glass. 
     In this embodiment, the user indicates the liquid  1131  to be dispensed and the location of containers  1231 ,  1233 ,  1235  (or collectively referred to as containers  1230 , to be filled. 
     Logic unit  1220  received the input and determines the proper tank  1130  and reads the pressure on gauge  1145 . If the pressure is low, logic unit  1220  activates pressure valve  1170  to provide gas pressure to tank  1130 . If the pressure is high, logic unit  1220  causes pressure valve  1170  to ‘bleed’ off pressure from tank  1130 . 
     The user keys in the type of container  1230  used into input pad  1210  and the logic unit  1220  then fills it to the proper height. 
     In an optional embodiment, container sensors  1250  may be used to identify if a container  1230  is present. Logic unit  1220  receives the indication from the container sensors  1250  before dispensing the liquid. 
     The liquid  1131  is dispensed at the proper pressure, rate and amount to properly fill containers  1230 . 
     After the containers  1230  are filled and removed, one of the tanks  1130  may be filled with water and dispensed through the fill tube and into the overflow reservoir  1270  to rinse the fill tubes. 
     In another optional embodiment, logic unit  1220  is coupled to a point of sale (POS) register  1800 , such as an electronic cash register. Since the type of liquid  1131  and the size are required for charging the customer, the information need only be entered once and used for both charging and dispensing the liquid  1131 . 
       FIG. 2  is side elevational view of the system of  FIG. 1  wherein the refrigeration chamber  1100  is shown enclosing at least one tank  1130  for holding liquid  1131  to be dispensed. A pressure source  1140  has an inert gas, such as carbon dioxide, under pressure and a pressure valve  1170  which regulates the pressure released from the pressure source  1140 . Hoses  1155  connect the pressure valve  1170  to the tanks  1130 . 
     A plurality of hoses  1155  also connect the tanks  1130  to the fill tube valve  1280 . 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, there is a tank level sensor  1133  to indicate the amount of liquid  1131  remaining in the tank  1130 . The tank level sensor  1133  can be a float type mechanism or any conventionally known liquid level measuring device which produces an electric signal that can be transmitted to the logic unit  1220 . The logic unit  1220  then relays the tank level sensor signal to be displayed on the input display pad  1210 , or other means. The display pad  1210  indicates the liquid  1131  level remaining to be dispensed and alerts the user when the liquid  1131  level falls beneath a certain amount. 
     A user provides a selection to the electronic input pad  1210  that is coupled to logic unit  1220 . A user places a container  1230  under the fill tube  1240 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the fill tube  1240  is angled so as to allow the liquid  1131  to run down the side of the container  1230  thereby significantly decreasing the amount of foam produced. 
     A container sensor  1250 , such as a light sensor, coupled to logic unit  1220  may be used in sensing when a container is available under fill tube  1240 . If so, then logic unit  1220  triggers  1240  to dispense the liquid  1131 . 
     In one embodiment, the system  1000  may be programmed to use a specific volume container and assumes that all containers  1230  will be this volume. 
     In another embodiment, the system  1000  received the user input through keypad  1210  as to the container volume. 
     Alternatively, a level sensor  1255  which may be optic or other known type of sensor, are coupled to logic unit  1220 . Logic unit  1220  then may use level sensors  1255  to determine the height of the container, and hence the maximum allowable liquid  1131  to be poured instead of requiring that the user input the container size and type. 
     In still another embodiment, level sensors  1255  monitor the level of the liquid  1131  in the container. The logic unit  1220  then determines when to stop dispensing the liquid, so as to ensure the container  1230  is accurately filled, without overflowing. 
     In another embodiment of the system  1000 , the level sensors ( 1255 ) comprise a foam/liquid interface sensor detecting a first value comprised of a level of the foam/liquid interface ( 1135  of  FIG. 1 ) and a top of the foam level sensor detecting a second value comprised of a level at the top of the foam  1137 . 
     The logic unit  1120  may then interactively and continuously adjust the pressure in tank  1130  by operating the pressure valve  1170  and the rate of liquid  1131  flow by controlling fill tube valve  1280  depending upon a calculated level difference between said first value and said second value thereby dispensing a liquid  1131  with a desired amount of foam  1137  in an automated fashion. 
     In still another embodiment of the automated liquid dispensing system  1000  according to the present invention, fill tubes  1240  of  FIGS. 1 ,  2  are able to be retracted and extended by logic unit  1220 . Fill tubes  1240  are designed to move up or down by telescoping, unfolding or screwing downward into a container  1230 , and retracting out of the container  1230  when filled. In this embodiment, the fill tubes  1240  are shown extending to the top of container  1230 . 
     In this embodiment, the level sensor  1255  may be a device which measures the liquid surface and the linear motion as the fill tube  1240  retracts. The linear movement is directly related to the volume filled. 
     A user indicates on input pad  1210  that a liquid  1131  is to be dispensed. Container sensor  1250  looks for the presence of containers  1230  on the container rest  1235 . If container  1230  is present, logic unit  1220  causes an actuator  1310  to extend fill tube  1240  to a proper initial fill height. The fill tube  1240  is then inserted, by actuator  1310  into a container  1230  to the defined fill height and fills the container  1230 . 
     The amount of foam produced is a function of the temperature of the type of liquid  1131 , the pressure in the tank  1130 , the rate of liquid flow, and the height from which the liquid  1131  is poured into the container  1230 . 
     Certain liquids foam more than others. The amount of foaming under given conditions may be pre-programmed into the logic unit. Higher temperature liquids foam more than colder ones. The temperature of the liquid may be monitored during dispensing. 
     When pouring the liquid, allowing the liquid to drop from a higher location causes more foaming. 
     The rate of flow which is a function of the pressure applied to the tank  1130  affects the foaming. Higher flow rate creates more foaming. 
     The logic unit  1220  is notified of the desired amount of foam required (either pre-programmed, or input through the keypad or other input device). Logic unit  1220  then adjusts the above parameters including the initial fill height to result in the proper amount of foam, then automatically dispenses the proper amount of liquid with the desired amount of foam. 
     Also, in an alternative embodiment, sensors can interactively identify the foam/liquid interface and the top of the foam. This would allow interactive adjustment of the above parameters to accurately and automatically result in the desired amount of foam. 
     A manual fluid flow adjuster  1350  may also be used by the user to manually adjust the desired amount of foam. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of another embodiment of an automated liquid dispensing system  1000  having a container dispensing unit ( 1400  of  FIGS. 4 ,  5 ) according to the present invention. 
     This embodiment may employ any of the embodiments and parts described in  FIGS. 1-2  above, with the exceptions described below. 
     The system  1000  now includes a top freezer  1410  which is accessed through a freezer door  1430 . Top freezer  1410  encloses a container dispensing unit ( 1400  of  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ) for chilling and storing frosted containers. 
     This embodiment also includes an outside pouring mechanism  1500 . 
     Optionally, there may also be a few manual taps  1700  for manually pouring a liquid  1131 . 
       FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the embodiment of an automated liquid dispensing system shown in  FIG. 3 . (Various hoses, gauges and valves are not shown for clarity.) Here the container dispensing unit  1400  is added in a top freezer  1410  for chilling and storing multiple containers  1230  until needed. Once needed, a container  1230  is dropped into the outside pouring mechanism  1500  for filling. 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of the container dispensing unit  1400  shown in  FIG. 5 . Here multiple containers  1230  rest on a conveyor  1450 . They move in a direction marked by the arrows. Once they encounter a flipper device  1490 , they are flipped and dropped into a drop tube ( 1510  of FIG,  7 ) of the outside pouring mechanism ( 1500  of  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  6 ,  7 ). 
       FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of the outside pouring mechanism  1500  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Container  1230  slides down drop tube  1510  then down vertical tube  1530  to rest on platform  1551  of a lift  1550 . 
     Once on lift  1550 , a vertical actuator  1553 , driven by logic unit  1220 , extends platform  1551  and container  1230  up to and over a pouring head  1570 . Fill tubes  1240  provide the liquid to pouring head  1570  then senses that the container  1230  is present and begins filling container  1230  with liquid  1131 . Here fill tubes  1240  are corkscrewed or angled down to create a less turbulent pour which reduces the amount of foam produced. 
     A level sensor  1571  identifies the level of liquid  1131 , reports this to logic unit  1220  which then causes vertical actuator  1553  to lower platform  1551  and container  1230  such that there is a desired amount of foam  1137  produced. In this embodiment, the level sensor  1251  may be a device which measures the liquid surface and the linear motion as the container  1230  is lowered. The linear movement is directly related to the volume filled. 
     Again, logic unit  1220  may optimize the pressure, fill rate and rate at which the platform  1551  is lowered to produce the proper amount of foam  1137 . 
       FIG. 7  is another embodiment of the present invention  1000  including a second conveyor  1600  for pouring multiple containers  1230 . Conveyor  1220  is also driven by logic unit  1220 . Once a liquid is poured, the container  1230  is moved from its resting position horizontally to allow another container  1230  to take its place. This allows multiple containers  1230  to be poured in an automatic fashion. 
     Since the mechanisms used are novel, it is expected to be entertaining to watch the system operate. Therefore, a good percentage of the system could be made from clear acrylic plastic, or other clear material. This would allow customers to watch the operation of the internal mechanisms of the system as their liquid is poured. 
     In another alternative embodiment, LED or neon lighting may be added to enhance the effect. 
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart indicating the operation of one embodiment of the present invention. 
     The process starts at step  2001 . 
     In step  2003 , a fill tube [ 2003 ] is inserted near the bottom of the container to be filled. 
     In step  2005 , pressure is provided to liquid; 
     In step  2007 , the valve is initially opened allowing flow of said liquid; 
     In step  2009  the fill tube is moved relative to the container at an initial rate the liquid is being poured into the container. This rate changes later to adjust the amount of liquid filling and foaming. 
     In step  2011  the fill level of the container and the fill level of the foam created are monitored. 
     The rate may be adjusted in step  2025  based upon the monitored levels of liquid and foam. 
     Also, the valve opening may be adjusted in step  2023 . 
     Also, the pressure may be adjusted in step  2021 . 
     These all adjust the rate of filling of the liquid and the amount of foam created.
         Depending upon the embodiment, the valve is closed in step  2027  when the fill level of the foam produced reaches a predetermined level. It may also be considered to be filled when the liquid reaches a predetermined level.       

     Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for the purposes of disclosure and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention.