Patent ID: 8162011

Claim:
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 cool the 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 to regulate an 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 the fill tube valve [ 1280 ], the 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 an amount of foam produced; g) a logic unit [ 1220 ] coupled to the pressure source [ 1140 ], the fill tube valve [ 1280 ], the actuator [ 1310 , 1550 ] and adapted to: i. provide a control signal to the pressure source [ 1140 ] causing it to provide a pressure to the tank [ 1130 ] by operating a pressure valve [ 1170 ] 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 flow of said liquid [ 1131 ], and iii. read a foam/liquid interface level sensor detecting a first value comprising the level of the foam/liquid interface, iv. read a top of the foam level sensor detecting a second value comprising the level of the top of the foam, v. interactively and continuously adjust the pressure in the tank by operating the pressure valve and the rate of liquid flow by controlling the fill tube valve depending upon a calculated level difference between said first value and said second value thereby dispensing a liquid with a predetermined amount of foam in an automated fashion, i. read a level sensor to determine the height of a container, ii. read a level sensor to monitor the level of the liquid in the container, 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.