Patent Publication Number: US-10773942-B2

Title: Frozen beverage dispensing machines with multi-flavor valves

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/585,974, filed, May 3, 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference in entirety, and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/332,258 filed May 5, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to frozen beverage dispensing machines with multi-flavor valves. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The following U.S. Patent and U.S. Patent Application are incorporated herein by reference in entirety. 
     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0147875 discloses a device for introducing additive fluids to a primary fluid that includes a body having a central bore for flow therethrough of a stream of primary fluid and a plurality of fluid flow channels in the body. Each channel extends between an inlet to the channel for connection to an associated supply of additive fluid and a plurality of outlet orifices from the channel that open into a surface of the body around and outside of an exit from the central bore. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,047 discloses a dual purpose carbonator/blending bottle connected to a source of beverage syrup, a source of potable water and to a source of pressurized carbon dioxide gas. The dual purpose bottle is retained within an ice bank water bath tank. A pair of ratio valves provide for metering the water and syrup at a desired ratio. The mixed beverage first flows through a serpentine coil, also located in water bath, and then flow into the dual purpose bottle. 
     SUMMARY 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     In certain examples, a beverage machine includes a valve that receives a base fluid and dispenses a mixed beverage comprising the base fluid and an additive fluid. The valve has a bore through which the base fluid flows, and the bore has a perimetral surface that defines a plurality of ports through which the additive fluid is injected to thereby mix with the base fluid. An injector is coupled to the valve and configured to radially inject the additive fluid into the base fluid through the plurality of ports as the base fluid flows through the bore such that the additive fluid mixes into the base fluid to form the mixed beverage. 
     In certain examples, a beverage machine includes a valve that receives a base fluid and dispenses a mixed beverage comprising the base fluid and an additive fluid. The valve has a bore through which the base fluid flows, and the bore has an upstream end that receives the base fluid, a perimetral surface that defines a plurality of ports through which the additive fluid is injected to thereby mix with the base fluid, and a downstream end that dispenses the mixed beverage. An injector is coupled to the valve and configured to radially inject the additive fluid into the base fluid through the plurality of ports as the base fluid flows through the bore such that the additive fluid mixes into the base fluid to form the mixed beverage. A baffle is positioned in the bore downstream of the injector and configured to redirect the base fluid and the additive fluid to thereby further mix the additive fluid into the base fluid. A deflection member is positioned in the bore downstream of the baffle and configured to further mix the additive fluid into the base fluid. The deflection member has a center column and a plurality of fins that radially extend from the center column. 
     In certain examples, a method of dispensing a mixed beverage including a base fluid and an additive fluid includes receiving, with a valve having a bore with an upstream inlet end, the base fluid; injecting, with an injector coupled to the valve, the additive fluid through a plurality of ports in a perimetral surface of the bore radially into the base fluid as the base fluid flows through the valve such that the additive fluid mixes with the base fluid to form the mixed beverage; and dispensing the mixed beverage from the downstream end of the bore. 
     Various other features, objects, and advantages will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure is described with reference to the following Figures. The same numbers are used throughout the Figures to reference like features and like components. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example beverage machine with two valves. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an example valve. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view showing the valve of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view along line  4 - 4  on  FIG. 2  with a piston rod in a closed position. 
         FIG. 5  is a view like  FIG. 4  with the piston rod in an open position. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view along line  6 - 6  on  FIG. 2  with the piston rod in the closed position. 
         FIG. 7  is a view like  FIG. 6  with the piston rod in the open position. 
         FIG. 8  is an example injector. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view along line  9 - 9  on  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is an example barbed fitting and an example duckbill valve. 
         FIG. 11  is an example system diagram. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the present description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be inferred therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes only and are intended to be broadly construed. The different apparatuses, systems, and methods described herein may be used alone or in combination with other apparatuses, systems, and methods. Various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims. 
       FIG. 1  is an example beverage dispensing machine  10  that dispenses a custom mixed beverage to an operator. The beverage machine  10  includes at least one valve  12  (described further herein) that receives a base fluid (e.g. a liquid/frozen slush fluid, a carbonated liquid/frozen slush fluid) (see base fluid lines B in  FIGS. 5 and 7 ) and dispenses a mixed beverage (e.g. a vanilla cherry flavored carbonated liquid/frozen slush mixed beverage) (see mixed fluid lines M in  FIGS. 5 and 7 ) comprising the base fluid and an additive fluid (e.g. cherry flavoring syrup, vanilla flavoring syrup) (see additive fluid lines A in  FIGS. 5 and 7 ). The number of valves  12  included with the beverage machine  10  can vary. Reference is made to the above-incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,047 for further description of conventional frozen beverage dispensing machines. 
       FIGS. 2-7  depict an example valve  12 . The valve  12  includes a fitting  13  that couples to the beverage machine  10  ( FIG. 1 ) and receives the base fluid B from a base fluid source (not shown; e.g. a container enclosed in the beverage machine  10 ). The valve  12  has a bore  21  ( FIG. 4 ) through which the base fluid B flows, and the bore  21  comprises an upstream inlet end  22  that receives the base fluid B, a perimetral surface  24  that defines a plurality of ports  26  through which the additive fluid A is injected to thereby mix with the base fluid B, and a downstream outlet end  23  that dispenses the mixed beverage M. In certain examples, the valve  12  has a channel  28  ( FIG. 4 ) that surrounds the bore  21  and is configured to convey the additive fluid A from the injector  40  to each of the ports  26 . In certain examples, the valve  12  includes an insert  29  ( FIGS. 3-4 ) positioned in the bore  21  to define the channel  28 . The valve  12  also includes a pair of o-rings  30  configured to create a fluid tight seal between the insert  29  and the valve  12 . 
     The valve  12  has an air cylinder piston  14  configured to selectively move a piston rod  15  into and between a closed position ( FIGS. 4 and 6 ) in which a piston rod  15  blocks/prevents the base fluid B from flowing through the valve  12  and an open position ( FIGS. 5 and 7 ) in which the piston rod  15  moves to thereby allow the base fluid B to flow through the valve  12 . That is, when the piston rod  15  is in the open position ( FIGS. 5 and 7 ), the base fluid B flows through the valve  12  from the base fluid source and when the piston rod  15  is in the closed position ( FIGS. 4 and 6 ), the piston rod  15  prevents the base fluid from flowing through the valve  12 . In certain examples, the valve  12  includes a resilient member  27  positioned at the upstream inlet end  22  and configured to create a fluid tight seal between the piston rod  15  and the bore  21  when the air cylinder piston  14  is in a closed position ( FIGS. 4 and 6 ). The air cylinder piston  14  is coupled to a gas inlet  16  and a gas outlet  17  ( FIGS. 6-7 ). The air cylinder piston  14  can be manually operated and/or controlled by a controller  100  ( FIG. 11 ). The size and shape of the resilient member  27  can vary (e.g. the resilient member  27  is an o-ring). The type and configuration of the air cylinder piston  14  can include commercially available air cylinder pistons available from Bimba (Part No. COL-0017744-A-BR). One having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other types of devices and/or valves (e.g. electric solenoid, stepper motor) can be used to control the flow of base fluid B through the valve  12 . 
     The valve  12  includes a baffle  60  ( FIG. 4 ) positioned in the bore  21  downstream of the injector  40  and configured to redirect the base fluid B and the additive fluid A to thereby further mix the additive fluid A into the base fluid B. The baffle  60  includes radially orientated holes  61  ( FIG. 4 ) through which the additive fluid A and the base fluid B flow. In certain examples, the baffle  60  is configured redirect the base fluid B and the additive fluid A from an axial flow to a radial flow ( FIG. 5 ) 
     The valve  12  includes a deflection member  70  ( FIG. 4 ) positioned in the bore  21  downstream of the baffle  60  and configured to further mix the additive fluid A into the base fluid B. The deflection member  70  has a center column  71  and a plurality of fins  72  that radially extend from the center column  71 . 
     The beverage machine  10  includes an injector  40  coupled to the valve  12  and configured to radially inject the additive fluid A into the base fluid B through the plurality of ports  26  as the base fluid B flows through the bore  21  such that the additive fluid A mixes into the base fluid B to form the mixed beverage M (see  FIGS. 5 and 7 ). That is, the additive fluid A is injected into the base fluid B in a direction that is transverse to the base fluid B as the base fluid B flows through the bore  21 . The additive fluid A can include any number of fluid components (e.g. nutrients, flavoring syrups, acids, sweeteners) (see fluid components lines C in  FIG. 7 ). For instance, the additive fluid A can be a first fluid component (e.g. cherry flavoring syrup), a second fluid component (e.g. vanilla flavoring syrup), or a mixed fluid component (e.g. a cherry-vanilla flavoring syrup) formed from the first fluid component and the second fluid component. 
     The injector  40  includes a manifold  42  ( FIG. 6 ) that receives the first fluid component and the second fluid component and dispenses one or more of the first fluid component, the second fluid component, and the mixed fluid component. The manifold  42  is configured to convey the first fluid component and the second fluid component parallel to an injector axis  43  ( FIG. 6 ) The number of fluid components that can be received and dispensed by the manifold  42  can vary, and in the example depicted in  FIG. 8 , the manifold  42  can receive up to eight fluid components. The injector  40  includes a plurality of barbed fittings  48  that are removably coupled to the manifold  42 . The barbed fittings  48  receive the fluid components C from fluid component sources (not shown; e.g. a syrup cartridges, a bag-in-box containers) via fluid supply lines  49  ( FIG. 1 ) which are connected to the barbed fittings  48 . One having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the fluid components can be conveyed or supplied to the injector  40  via the fluid supply lines  49  by conventional devices and systems, e.g. fluid pumps  112  ( FIG. 10 ). In certain examples, check valves or duckbill valves  53  (see  FIGS. 3, 6-7, and 10 ) are coupled to each of the barbed fittings  48  and configured to prevent the fluid components from backflowing toward the fluid component sources. In certain examples, the injector  40  has a cover  46  removably coupled to the injector  40  and configured to protect the manifold  42  from debris and contamination. 
     The injector  40  extends along an injector axis  43 , and the injector  40  has a surface  44  centered about the injector axis  43 . The surface  44  is configured to radially inwardly direct the fluid components C dispensed from the manifold  42  toward the injector axis  43  ( FIG. 7 ). The shape of the surface  44  can vary, and in the example depicted, the surface is a frustoconical surface. 
     In certain examples, the manifold  42  is further configured to receive and dispense a gas (e.g. N2, O2, CO2) and the injector  40  is further configured to inject the gas into the valve  12  to thereby clear residual additive fluid A from the valve  12  after the mixed beverage M has been dispensed. That is, the injector  40  includes a gas barbed fitting  50  that is removably coupled to the manifold  42  and the gas barbed fitting  50  receives the gas from a gas source (not shown; e.g. a CO2 gas tank) via a gas supply line  51  ( FIG. 1 ) which is connected to the gas barbed fitting  50 . In operation, when the gas is dispensed by the manifold  42 , the gas forces or clears the residual additives fluid from the injector  40 , the channel  28 , the plurality of ports  26 , and/or the valve  12 . The dispense of the gas from the manifold  42  can be manually controlled and/or controlled by a controller  100  ( FIG. 11 ). 
     The orientation of the injector  40  relative to the valve  12  can vary. For example, the injector  40  can be configured such that the injector  40  injects the additive fluid A into the base fluid B via a first side  19  ( FIGS. 6-7 ) of the valve  12  or an opposite, second side  20  ( FIGS. 6-7 ) of the valve  12 . The injector  40  includes a plug  41  that is coupled to the valve  12  on the side of the valve  12  opposite the side of the valve  12  through which the injector  40  injects the additive fluid A into the base fluid B (e.g. in  FIGS. 6-7  the additive fluid A is injected into the base fluid B via the first side  19  of the valve  12  and the plug  41  is coupled to the second side  20  of the valve  12 ). The plug  41  is configured to cover or fill any voids/spaces of the valve  12 , and the plug  41  can be removed during maintenance and/or cleaning. The plug  41  also allows an operator to mount the injector  40  and/or the manifold  42  to either side  19 ,  20  of the valve  12  to accommodate beverage machines  10  ( FIG. 11 ) with different clearance or mounting requirements (e.g. the beverage machine  10  is positioned against a wall and the injector  40  can only be coupled to the first side  19  of the valve  12 ). In certain examples, the injector  40  includes an o-ring  52  configured to create a fluid tight seal between the injector  40  and the valve  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , the beverage machine includes a computer controller  100  in communication with various components of the beverage machine  10  described herein. The controller  100  controls the beverage machine  10  in accordance with inputs received by a user input device  104  positioned on the beverage machine  10  ( FIG. 1 ). In other examples, the user input device  104  can be remote to the beverage machine  10 . The type and configuration of the user input device  104  and the controller  100  can vary from that which is shown. The user input device  104  can include one or more conventional input devices for inputting operator or user selections to the controller  100 . Exemplary user input devices  104  include touch screens, mechanical buttons, mechanical switches, voice command receivers, tactile command receivers, gesture sensing devices, and/or remove controllers such as personal digital assistant(s) (PDAs), handheld(s), laptop computer(s), and/or the like. 
     The controller  100  can be located in beverage machine  10  and/or can be located remotely from beverage machine  10 . In some examples, the controller  100  can be configured to communicate via the Internet or any other suitable communication link. Although  FIG. 11  shows one controller  100 , there can be more than one controller  100 . Portions of the methods described herein can be carried out by a single controller or by several separate controllers. Each controller can have one or more control sections or control units. In some examples, the controller  100  can include a computing system that includes a processing system, storage system, software, and input/output (I/O) interfaces (e.g. user input device  104 ) for communicating with devices described herein and/or with other devices. The processing system can load and execute software from the storage system. The controller  100  may include one or many application modules and one or more processors, which may be communicatively connected. The processing system may comprise a microprocessor and other circuitry that retrieves and executes software from the storage system. Non-limiting examples of the processing system include general purpose central processing units, applications specific processors, and logic devices. The storage system can comprise any storage media readable by the processing system and capable of storing software. The storage system can include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. 
     The controller  100  communicates with one or more components of the beverage machine  10  via one or more communication links  108 , which can be a wired or wireless links. The controller  100  is capable of monitoring and/or controlling one or more operational characteristics of the beverage machine  10  and its various subsystems by sending and receiving control signals via the communication links  108 . It should be noted that the extent of connections of the communication link  108  shown herein is for schematic purposes only, and the communication links  108  in fact provides communication between the controller  100  and each of the devices and various subsystems described herein, although not every connection is shown in the drawing for purposes of clarity. 
     The controller  100  is in communication with the user input device  104 , the air cylinder piston  14 , and the fluid pumps  112  that pump the fluid components to the injector  40 , and the controller configured to control the air cylinder piston  14  and the fluid pumps  112  based on the input received via the user input device  104 . The input received via the user input device  104  can correspond to the custom mixed beverage to be dispensed, and controller  100  is configured to interpret the input received via the user input device  104  and thereby control the air cylinder piston  14  and the fluid pumps  112  such that the custom mixed beverage dispenses from the valve  12 . The controller  100  can also be in communication with flow sensors  116  or other sensors such that the controller  100  controls the air cylinder piston  14  and the fluid pumps  112  based on fluid flow characteristics or machine operation characteristics sensed by the flow sensors  116  or other sensors. 
     The beverage machine  10  can include a method or method steps of dispensing the mixed beverage M. The method can comprise the steps of: receiving, with a valve  12  having a bore  21  with an upstream inlet end  22 , the base fluid B, wherein the bore  21  has a downstream outlet end  23  and a perimetral surface  24  that defines a plurality of ports  26 ; injecting, with an injector  40  coupled to the valve  12 , the additive fluid A through the plurality of ports  26  radially into the base fluid B as the base fluid B flows through the valve  12  such that the additive fluid A mixes with the base fluid B to form the mixed beverage M; and dispensing the mixed beverage M from the downstream end of the bore  21 . The method can also comprise providing a baffle  60  in the bore  21  downstream of the injector  40  to further mix the additive fluid A into the base fluid B and/or providing a deflection member  70  in the bore  21  downstream of the baffle  60  to further mix the additive fluid A into the base fluid B. 
     The present inventors of the present disclosure have also recognized a problem that the air cylinder piston  14  can occasionally become blocked by frozen particles and/or ice chips from the base fluid source (not shown) such that the valve  12  malfunctions (e.g. remain open, remain closed). Through research and experimentation, the present inventors have discovered that frozen particles and/or ice chips can be cleared from the air cylinder piston  14  by repeatably reciprocating the air cylinder piston  14 , for example in a rapidly successive manner. That is, the air cylinder piston  14  can be repeatably reciprocated by alternating the air flow to and from the gas inlet  16  and gas outlet  17  such that the air cylinder piston  14  rapidly reciprocated between the closed position ( FIGS. 4 and 6 ) and the open position ( FIGS. 5 and 7 ) which vibrates/breaks-up the frozen particles and/or ice chips blocking the valve  12 . The controller  100  can be configured to reciprocate the air cylinder piston  14 , as described above, when a corresponding input in received from the user input device  104  and/or when the controller  100  determines via electronic signals from flow sensors  116  that frozen particles and/or ice chips block the valve  12 . In certain examples, the beverage machine  10  includes the method of dispensing the beverage from the valve  12  including receiving, by way of the controller  100  a signal from the user input device  104  that indicates that the valve  12  blocked and controlling the air cylinder piston  14  such that air cylinder piston  14  reciprocates to unblock the valve  12 .