Patent Publication Number: US-2016228833-A1

Title: Additive System for Use With Post Mix Dispensing Machine

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/038,662 filed 26 Sep. 2013, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/707,696, filed 28 Sep. 2012, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/784,722, filed 14 Mar. 2013; the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Ingesting sufficient amounts of dietary fiber is necessary for good health. The State of California is enforcing the USDA Title 22 Dietary Recommended Intakes (DRIs) fiber requirements for long term care seniors. Dietitians have been directed to add new fiber sources to healthcare menus. It is anticipated that other states will follow California&#39;s lead. Fiber requirements have increased over the years ranging from 19 to 38 grams per day depending on sex and age. New daily requirements for seniors are 30 grams for men, 25 grams for woman. 
     The healthcare industry is looking for the ability to provide dispensed concentrate fiber juice (cost and labor considerations) in standard/specific amount of fiber content in order to satisfy DRI requirements. The current fortification standard is 5 grams per (4) ounce ready to serve (RTS) beverage. Current fiber juice options are largely limited to costly single strength aseptic orange juice and apple juice. 
     Designing fiber fortified juice concentrates is prohibitive because the high percentage of solids, fructose and sucrose levels (50-75 degree Brix) inhibit fiber absorption. Therefore manufacturing fiber concentrates into a 4-5:1 conventional hand mix or dispenser packs is difficult and impractical. Additionally, if concentrates were packed with fiber, the market would be limited to low concentrate ratios (2-3:1) and only the more popular juices like orange and apple juice. Additional stock-keeping unit (SKU) costs for such fiber concentrates are impractical. Healthcare facilities require fiber juices in the morning and non-fiber juices in the afternoon. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An additive system is used with a post mix dispensing machine having a liquid inlet, and a supply of an additive for mixing with the liquid from the liquid inlet. A pump, having an additive inlet and an additive outlet, is coupled to a source of power. An additive supply line is coupled to the additive inlet. The additive supply line is coupleable to a source of an additive. A liquid delivery line connects the liquid inlet to a mixture delivery outlet. An additive delivery line connects the additive outlet to a mixing point along the liquid delivery line. An additive flow adjuster is used to control the flow of additive from the pump. Additive flowing through the additive delivery line mixes with liquid flowing through the liquid delivery line for passage to the mixture delivery outlet. In some examples, a backflow preventer valve is used along one or both of the additive delivery line and of the liquid delivery line. 
     Other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention can be seen on review of the drawings, the detailed description, and the claims which follow. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified illustration of an additive system designed for use with post mix dispensing machines.  FIG. 2  is a simplified illustration of an alternative example of the additive system of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following description will typically be with reference to specific structural embodiments and methods. It is to be understood that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specifically disclosed embodiments and methods but that the invention may be practiced using other features, elements, methods and embodiments. Preferred embodiments are described to illustrate the present invention, not to limit its scope, which is defined by the claims. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize a variety of equivalent variations on the description that follows. Unless otherwise stated, in this application specified relationships, such as parallel to, aligned with, or in the same plane as, mean that the specified relationships are within limitations of manufacturing processes and within manufacturing variations. When components are described as being coupled, connected, being in contact or contacting one another, they need not be physically directly touching one another unless specifically described as such. Like elements in various embodiments are commonly referred to with like reference numerals. 
       FIG. 1  diagrammatically illustrates various components of additive system  10 . System  10  includes a pump  12  having a pump inlet  14  and a pump outlet  16 . In this example, pump  12  is powered by a pressurized gas, typically compressed air from a compressed air power source  18 , connected to pump  12  by a compressed air line  20 . Pumps powered by other types of power sources can also be used. Pump inlet  14  is connected to a supply  22  of an additive by additive supply line  24 . A flow control valve  26 , in this example in the form of a shutoff valve, is positioned along line  24  and is placeable in an open state permitting additive to flow along line  24  and in a closed state halting flow of additive along the line. 
     In one example, the additive from supply  22  is a fiber concentrate. The fiber concentrate can be a dietary soluble liquid fiber concentrate with, for example, 8.5 g of fiber per liquid ounce. The liquid fiber concentrate can be contained in a shelf stable, 3 gallon bag in box format. Other storage formats and different fiber concentrations can be used. 
     An additive delivery line  28  connects pump outlet  16  to an inlet  30  of a bar gun manifold  32  connected to a conventional bar gun  34  can be components of a conventional post mix dispenser, such as those manufactured by IMI Cornelius, Inc. A water delivery line  36  connects a water inlet  38 , typically in the form of a shutoff valve, to a mixing point  40  just upstream of inlet  30  of bar gun manifold  32 . Water inlet  38  can be connected to a municipal water supply or other water source  39 . In some examples, inlet  38  can be connected to a source of liquid other than water. In some examples, the fiber concentrate from supply  22  can be delivered directly to inlet  30  without being mixed with water or another liquid. However, in this example, fiber concentrate is mixed with water before it reaches mixing point  40 . Using fiber concentrate, or other additive, in a concentrated form is both cost-effective and allows the user to adjust concentration of fiber concentrate entering inlet  30  of bar gun manifold  32 . 
     Backflow preventers  42 ,  44  are used along additive delivery line  28  and water delivery line  36 , respectively. The water pressure regulator  46  is used along water delivery line  36  between backflow preventer  44  and water inlet  38  to control the pressure of water entering mixing point  40 . An additive flow adjustment device  48 , which can be in the form of a flow restricting valve, controls the amount of fiber concentrate, or other additive, to be mixed with water at mixing point  40 . 
     In some examples, other means for adjusting the amount of additive flowing through pump  12  can be used. For example, the flow rate of pump  12  could be adjustable, or a flow adjustment device  48  could be placed along additive supply line  24 . Also, the functions of flow control valve  26  and flow adjustment device  48  could be incorporated into a single device. Flow control valve  26  could be a component of or associated with additive supply  22  and not be a part of additive system  10 . 
     Additive system  10  also includes a vacuum sensor switch  50  having an inlet  52  fluidly coupled to supply line  24  by a connector line  54 . Vacuum sensor switch  50  senses when pump  12  is operating because the pressure within connector line  54  is at a partial vacuum. Switch  50  is connected to an on indicator light  56  and an off indicator light  58  to provide the user with a visual indication of whether or not pump  12  is operating. Sensor switch  50  and indicator lights  56 ,  58  are powered through a  12  V DC transformer  60 . In some examples, pump  12  could be an electrically powered pump powered by electricity from, for example, transformer  60  or by batteries, preferably rechargeable batteries, with the batteries being components of system  10 . 
     Most of the components of additive system  10  are housed within a common enclosure  62 , which is drawn in dashed lines. Several components of additive system  10 , including, in this example, shutoff valve  26 , water inlet  38  and transformer  60 , are commonly outside of common enclosure  62 . This arrangement allows additive system  10  to be quickly and easily set up at an installation site and quickly coupled to an electrical outlet for transformer  60 , additive supply  22 , power source  18 , water source  39 , and bar gun manifold  32  of a post mix beverage dispenser. 
     Additive system  10  can be adjusted to deliver, for example, 1.25 g of fiber per ounce of a ready to serve beverage, that is 5 g per 4 ounce beverage. Other ratios greater than or less than 1.25 g of fiber per ounce can be achieved, such as through the use of additive flow adjustment device  48 . The additive and water mixture which commonly enters inlet  30  of bar gun manifold  32  can be used with juice and other drink concentrates as well as directly in the preparation of, for example, oatmeal, gelatin, pancake mix or muffin mix. 
     In use, additive supply line  24  is connected to additive supply  22 , power source  18  is connected to line  20 , water inlet  38  is connected to water source  39 , additive delivery line is connected to inlet  30 , and transformer  60  is connected to an electrical outlet or other source of electricity. With power source  18  operating, and water inlet  38  opened, valve  26  is opened allowing pump  12  to draw additive from supply  22 , along line  24 , and through line  28 . The operation of pump  12  is indicated by on indicator light  56 . The fiber concentrate or other additive passing through line  28  mixes with water passing through line  36  at mixing point  44 , after which it passes into inlet  30  of bar gun manifold  32 . It is then typically mixed with a drink concentrate for dispensing through bar gun  34 . The concentration of the additive can be changed using adjustment device  48 . 
     An alternative example of an additive system  10  is shown in the above-referenced provisional patent application filed on  28  September  2012 , the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. This alternative example is discussed below as additive system  100  shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Additive system  100  is a closed, self-contained, water pressure driven pumping system for post-mix dispensing machines and devices. System  100  includes a pressurized water inlet  102  connected to a water supply  104 , such as a municipal water supply, for supplying water to the system through a water line  105 . A water pressure regulator  106  is positioned along water line  105  and is connected to water inlet  102  through a first backflow preventer valve  108 . Valve  108  is between the water inlet  102  and the water pressure regulator  106 . Water line  105  connects water pressure regulator  106  to an intake  109  of a bypass valve  110 . Bypass valve  10  is connected to the water intake  112  of a positive displacement ratio pump  114  through a line  120  at the ON position outlet  116  of the bypass valve. Bypass valve  110  has an OFF position/bypass outlet  124  connected to a post-mix dispensing machine  126  or a bar gun device  138 , collectively referred to as a dispenser machine, through a continuation  122  of water line  105 . A separate supply  128  of concentrated additive (in this case, liquid fiber concentrate) is connected to additive intake  130  of the positive displacement ratio pump  114 . 
     An equalizer valve  132  (which is a needle valve like the one that is used with a refrigerator&#39;s ice maker) is positioned along the continuation  122  of the water supply line  105  just downstream of the bypass valve  110 . A second back flow preventer valve  134  is positioned downstream of the equalizer valve  132 . The equalizer valve  134  can be used so that the amount of water added to the beverage concentrate in the post mix dispensing machine  126  is appropriate with or without the fiber added. The fiber concentrate is pumped at an exact ratio, mixed together (reconstituted) and then a second machine within the post-mix beverage dispenser  126  (electric or pneumatic there are many types) reconstitutes the fiber water with, for example, juice, tea, or other drink concentrates (second reconstitution). 
     Several outlet ports  136  enable connection to multiple post-mix dispensing machines  126  or devices, such as bar gun device  138 , limited only by the number of outlet ports. When the bypass valve is in the “ON” position, water flows through water line  105 , through intake  109 , through the bypass valve  110 , through on position outlet  116 , through line  120  into water intake  112 ; water pressure drives the ratio pump  114  to operate. This creates a vacuum which draws the concentrate from its supply  128  of additive, (in this example, a bag-in-the-box supply) and mixes with the water into the desired ratio and can be dispensed through multiple post-mix dispensing machines  126  or bar-gun devices  138 . When the bypass valve is in the “OFF” position, the water simply flows from intake  109  to outlet  124  and through the system without any additives directly to each post-mix machine for mixing with the particular other beverage concentrates (e.g., juice, coffee, tea, etc.) for full dilution and dispensing to the consumer. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the water exiting water outlet  137  of pump  114  passes through a line  140  and into continuation  122  of water line  105  at a junction  141 . Concentrated fiber from pump  114  passes from additive outlet  139  of pump  114  through a line  142  into continuation  122  of water line  105  at a junction  144 . The bypass valve  124 , the ratio pump  114 , the first and second back flow preventer valves  108  and  134 , the equalizer valve  132 , and the water pressure regulator  106  are housed within a common enclosure  148 . 
     An important aspect of the invention lies in the fact that this system adds the desired additive to the water before it is delivered to the post-mix dispensing machine for dispensing for consumption by consumer, rather being added in the mixing process by the post-mix dispensing machine. 
     Some basic concepts relating to the disclosed embodiment of additive system  100  discussed above with reference to  FIG. 2  include the following. 1. The system is a closed, self-contained pumping system for post-mix dispensing machines, which mix a diluent, typically water, with a concentrated base before being dispensed. 2. The system is driven solely by water pressure from an external source without the need for an electrical power source. 3. The system adds desired additives (in this case, concentrated liquid fiber which may, for example, be in colloidal suspension or be soluble particulate additives) to the water prior to the water being delivered to the dispensing machine for combination with the concentrate for the particular beverage or beverages being dispensed for consumption by the consumer by the post-mix machine (i.e., a “host” pumping system). 4. The system contains a water pressure regulator. 5. The system is connected to a bypass valve to enable water to either flow into a positive displacement ratio pump for the mixing of the desired additive with water for dilution prior to the water being delivered to the post-mix machine or machines prior to being dispensed for consumption by the consumer or to deliver just water to the post-mix machine for mixing with the concentrate for the type of beverage or beverages dispensed by the post-mix machine or machines. 6. The system uses positive displacement ratio pump that operates by water pressure when water is introduced into the pump (the “ON” position of the bypass valve), which creates a vacuum to draw the additive into the pump for dilution to a desired level before being delivered to one or more post-mix dispensing machines for combination with the concentrate to create the beverage or other liquid being dispensed to the consumer by the post-mix machine or machines. 7. With the system the operator can control whether or not to add the available additive by operation of the bypass valve. 8. The self-contained, closed system has multiple outlet ports to enable multiple post-mix machines or devices (e.g., bar-gun dispensers) to be connected to the system. 9. The self-contained system is closed to maintain sanitation, ease of installation and aesthetics. 
     The above descriptions may have used terms such as above, below, top, bottom, over, under, et cetera. These terms may be used in the description and claims to aid understanding of the invention and not used in a limiting sense. 
     While the present invention is disclosed by reference to the preferred embodiments and examples detailed above, it is to be understood that these examples are intended in an illustrative rather than in a limiting sense. It is contemplated that modifications and combinations will occur to those skilled in the art, which modifications and combinations will be within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims. 
     Any and all patents, patent applications and printed publications referred to above are incorporated by reference.