Multi-flavoured hot beverage dispenser

Abstract

Discloses a multi-flavor hot beverage dispenser apparatus adapted to dispense a selected flavor hot drink. The dispenser apparatus has hopper to hold a base powder. The hopper includes a hopper dispenser outlet including a motor driven auger to dispense the base powder from the hopper and a hot water boiler and hot water dispense valve. The hot water boiler has controlled heating means to heat the water to the desired temperature. A plurality of liquid flavor dispensers is provided with one or more dispensers selectively activatable to dispense a flavor syrup to flavor the dispensed hot drink to the desired flavor. The liquid flavoring supply is separate from the base powder allowing a compact sized dispenser which requires minimal counter space that does not increase with increasing flavor selection offerings. A mixer mixes the hot drink constituents to produce the selected flavor of hot drink indicated by a user by depressing a dispense key corresponding to the desired size and flavor of drink to be dispensed. A portion controlled or push and hold dispense cycle is described. In addition, drink constituent supply sensors are disclosed which operate to disable hot drink dispensing when a supply is low.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A liquid flavouring syrup connector adapted for use with hot drink dispense apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a main body forming a passage connecting an inlet and an outlet;    (b) means to engage said passage to a drink dispenser apparatus drink dispenser outlet; and    (c) at least one liquid flavouring supply port formed in said main body in communication with said passage, whereby flavouring syrup supplied to said liquid supply port will flow into said passage.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said means to engage said inlet to said drink dispenser apparatus drink dispenser outlet comprises dimensioning said inlet to fictionally engage said drink dispenser apparatus drink dispenser outlet.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said main body is elongate and generally tubular.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a hollow stem extends from said main body further forming each said liquid supply port.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said stem is generally tubular and dimensioned to frictionally engage an inner diameter of a liquid flavour supply line.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each said liquid flavouring supply port is spacedly disposed from another around the main body.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each said liquid flavouring supply port has an outlet proximal to the other in the central area of the passage.  
     
     
         8 . A liquid flavouring syrup connector adapted for use with hot drink dispense apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a main body forming a passage connecting an inlet and an outlet;    (b) means to engage said passage to a drink dispenser apparatus drink dispenser outlet; and    (c) at least one stem extending from said main body and forming a liquid flavouring supply port having a port inlet exterior to said main body and a port outlet proximal to the outlet of the passage formed by said main body, whereby flavouring syrup supplied to an inlet of said liquid supply port admix with a fluid discharging from the outlet of said passage.    
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said means to engage said passage to said drink dispenser apparatus drink dispenser outlet comprises dimensioning said main body to fictionally engage said drink dispenser apparatus drink dispenser outlet.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said main body is elongate and generally tubular.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein a hollow stem extends from said main body further forming each said liquid supply port.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said stem is generally tubular and dimensioned to frictionally engage an inner diameter of a liquid flavour supply line.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein each said liquid flavouring supply port is spacedly disposed from another around the main body.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein each said liquid flavouring supply port has an outlet proximal to the other in the central area of the passage.  
     
     
         15 . A method of producing a flavoured hot drink comprising the steps of: 
 (a) receiving a drink selection;    (b) producing a flavoured hot drink supply by performing the steps of: 
 (i) supplying a base powder at a predetermined rate;  
 (ii) supplying hot water at a corresponding rate;  
 (iii) supplying a hot drink flavouring to the hot water supply at a predetermined rate to produce an intermediate hot drink supply;  
 (iv) admixing said base powder with said intermediate hot drink supply to produce a flavoured hot drink supply; and  
   (c) continuing said production of said flavoured hot drink supply until the volume produced corresponds to said received drink selection.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said hot drink selection is indicated by user manipulation of one of a plurality of keys on a key pad.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the production of said flavoured hot drink supply is continued only during the time when said received drink selection is being received whereby a push and hold production of said flavoured hot drink supply is effected.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the production of said flavoured hot drink supply is continued from the time when said received drink selection is being received until a predetermined supply is provided whereby a portion controlled production of said flavoured hot drink supply is effected.