Patent classifications
B67D1/0018
FROZEN BEVERAGE MACHINE VALVING
A dispensing apparatus (20; 300; 400) comprises: a freezing cylinder (40); a water flowpath (526); a first controllable valve (130) along the water flowpath; a syrup flowpath (528), merging with the water flowpath and proceeding as a water/syrup flowpath (552) to the freezing cylinder; and a second controllable valve (132) along the syrup flowpath. The first controllable valve and the second controllable valve each comprise: a valve body (144; 432) having a cartridge compartment (164,166), an inlet (176) to the cartridge compartment, and an outlet (178) from the cartridge compartment; and a valve cartridge (162). The valve cartridge comprises: a cartridge body (200) mounted in the cartridge compartment; a valve element (222) carried by the cartridge body and shiftable between a first condition permitting communication between the inlet and the outlet and a second condition blocking communication between the inlet and the outlet; and a solenoid (224) carried by the cartridge body and coupled to the valve element to drive movement of the valve element.
ANTI-DRIPPING SYSTEM
Anti-dripping system for a beverage dispensing device (100), the device comprising a container compartment (20) where a fluid (1) is stored, an air entry (13) through which air can be provided into the device (100) and a processing compartment (10) where fluid optionally together with air is pumped and possibly foamed, the processing compartment (10) comprising a pumping element (11) for pumping fluid and possibly air and a foaming element (12) for foaming fluid and air; the pumping element (11) comprising two moveable parts with respect to each other arranged in such a way that their relative movement in a certain direction pumps fluid by suction from the container compartment (20) and optionally also air from the air entry (13) respectively into the processing compartment (10); the foaming element (12) comprising at least a movable part and a static part movable with respect to each other, said parts driving the fluid optionally together with air through a gap (123) providing a certain level of shear stress which allows mixing and/or foaming, the pumping element (11) being configured to reverse the direction of the relative movement of the moveable parts after each dispensing operation so that any remaining fluid not dispensed is sent back to the container compartment (20) thus avoiding dripping.
Frozen Beverage Machine Valving
A dispensing apparatus (20; 300; 400) comprises: a freezing cylinder (40); a water flowpath (526); a first controllable valve (130) along the water flowpath; a syrup flowpath (528), merging with the water flowpath and proceeding as a water/syrup flowpath (552) to the freezing cylinder; and a second controllable valve (132) along the syrup flowpath. The first controllable valve and the second controllable valve each comprise: a valve body (144; 432) having a cartridge compartment (164,166), an inlet (176) to the cartridge compartment, and an outlet (178) from the cartridge compartment; and a valve cartridge (162). The valve cartridge comprises: a cartridge body (200) mounted in the cartridge compartment; a valve element (222) carried by the cartridge body and shiftable between a first condition permitting communication between the inlet and the outlet and a second condition blocking communication between the inlet and the outlet; and a solenoid (224) carried by the cartridge body and coupled to the valve element to drive movement of the valve element.
Dispensing system
A dispensing system including: a pressure vessel with an inlet and an outlet; a first CF Valve coupled to the inlet; a second CF Valve coupled to the outlet; a bag with elements in the bag coupled to the outlet and located inside the pressure vessel; a pressure source coupled to the first CF Valve; and a toggle which opens and seals the outlet area based on a position of the toggle where the first CF Valve pressurizes the pressure vessel via the pressure source to transport elements in the bag to the second CF Valve via the outlet and the second CF Valve dispenses the elements to a dispensing area.