Beverage dispenser with automatic cup-filling control and method for beverage dispensing

Abstract

An automatic cup-filling control arrangement for beverage dispensers utilizes the spray or mist of liquid droplets, formed by flowing beverage striking beverage already in the cup, to complete an electrical circuit. This electrical circuit extends from an electrically conducting member, such as an actuating lever, to beverage flowing through a dispensing valve. When the mist of droplets permits a pre-established magnitude of current to flow between the actuating lever and the flowing beverage, which occurs when beverage in the cup reaches a pre-determined level, dispensing of the beverage is terminated.

I claim: 
     
       1. A beverage dispenser having an arrangement for automatically controlling the filling of a cup.Iadd., the cup having a top rim and having an interior volume for holding the beverage, the boundaries of the interior volume defined generally by a cup bottom surface, a cup sidewall surface and a top surface, the top surface having a perimeter defined by the cup rim, the beverage dispenser .Iaddend.comprising: at least one valve means for controlling discharge of beverage from said .Iadd.at least one .Iaddend.source into the cup to be filled;   actuating means to cause said .Iadd.at least one .Iaddend.valve means to be energized to initiate dispensing of the beverage into the cup to be filled;   an electrically conductive member associated with the beverage dispenser and disposed to be positioned adjacent to and outside of the cup that is being filled;   circuit means electrically interconnecting said electrically conductive member and said .Iadd.at least one .Iaddend.valve means to thereby electrically interconnect said conductive member with beverage flowing through said .Iadd.at least one .Iaddend.valve means .Iadd.and the conductive member providing for such current flow wherein no portion thereof extends into the volume of the cup and wherein no portion thereof extends transversely therefrom terminating adjacent to the cup top surface.Iaddend.; and   control means for operating said .Iadd.at least one .Iaddend.valve means in response to a change in impedance between said electrically conductive member and the beverage, when the cup has been filled to a predetermined level, to discontinue beverage flow to the cup.   
     
     
       2. A beverage dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuating means and said electrically conductive member are combined in an actuating lever. 
     
     
       3. A beverage dispenser as claimed in claim 2 wherein said actuating lever is activated by pressing the cup to be filled against it. 
     
     
       4. A beverage dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein the change in impedance is effected by droplets of beverage, which are produced by flowing beverage striking beverage already in the cup, forming an electrical current path between said electrically conductive member and the beverage. 
     
     
       5. A beverage dispenser as claimed in claim 4 wherein said droplets of beverage are in a foam created during the dispensing of a carbonated beverage. 
     
     
       6. A beverage dispenser as claimed in claim 4 wherein said control means comprises a flip-flop circuit that changes state upon current flow of a pre-established magnitude between the beverage and said electrically conductive member, the change in state of said flip-flop circuit closing said .Iadd.at least one .Iaddend.valve means to terminate beverage flow to the cup being filled. 
     
     
       7. A beverage dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein said .[.circuit means comprises a continuous metallic path from.]. .Iadd.at least one valve means further includes .Iaddend.an outer metallic structure .[.of said valve means.]. .Iadd.and said circuit means further including a continuous metallic path from said outer metallic structure .Iaddend.to beverage passing through said .Iadd.at least one .Iaddend.valve means to .[.complete an.]. .Iadd.provide for .Iaddend.electrical connection to the beverage. 
     
     
       8. A beverage dispenser as claimed in claim 7 wherein said circuit means further .[.comprises.]. .Iadd.includes .Iaddend.an electrical connection from said metallic structure to .Iadd.a .Iaddend.logic ground. 
     
     
       9. A beverage dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein said .Iadd.at least one .Iaddend.is a solenoid valve and said control means comprises: a power switch to pass electrical energy to said solenoid valve when beverage is to be dispensed; and   a flip-flop circuit to close said power switch when said solenoid valve is to be energized, said flip-flop circuit changing state to open said power switch in response to said change in impedance between said electrically conductive member and the beverage.   
     
     
       10. A beverage dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein a portion of said control means is also a part of said circuit means. 
     
     
       11. A beverage dispenser as claimed in claim 1 .[.wherein a plurality of beverage sources and associated valves are.]. .Iadd.and further including a plurality of valve means each valve means connectable to a separate source of beverage and said plurality of valve means .Iaddend.controlled by said control means. 
     
     
       12. A beverage dispenser as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a manual override switch to re-initiate dispensing if the cup was not filled to the pre-determined level during the previous dispensing operation. 
     
     
       13. A beverage dispenser having an arrangement for automatically controlling the filling of a cup, .Iadd.the cup having a top rim and having an interior volume for holding the beverage, the boundaries of the interior volume defined generally by a cup bottom surface, a cup sidewall surface and a top surface, the top surface having a perimeter defined by the cup rim, the beverage dispenser .Iaddend.comprising: at least one source of beverage;   at least one solenoid valve for controlling discharge of beverage from said .Iadd.at least one .Iaddend.source into the cup to be filled;   an outer metallic structure associated with said .Iadd.at least one .Iaddend.solenoid valve, a continuous metallic path existing from said metallic structure to beverage passing through said solenoid valve;   a power supply;   an electrical connection from said metallic structure .[.one side of.]. said power supply;   a power switch to pass power to said at least one solenoid valve when beverage is to be dispensed;   an actuating lever to initiate dispensing of beverage;   a flip-flop circuit responsive to said actuating lever to close said power switch when said at least one solenoid valve is to be energized to dispense beverage; and   an electrical circuit including said flip-flop circuit, said power supply, said electrical connection, said metallic structure and said metallic path to electrically interconnect said actuating lever and the beverage flowing through said .Iadd.at least one .Iaddend.valve during dispensing, said circuit being completed for current flow of a pre-established magnitude by droplets of beverage, which are produced by flowing beverage striking beverage in the cup when the cup has been filled to a .[.pre-determined.]. level .Iadd.permitting such pre-established current flow.Iaddend., the current of said pre-established magnitude changing the state of said flip-flop circuit to open said power switch and de-energize said .Iadd.at least one .Iaddend.solenoid valve.Iadd., and the actuating lever providing for such current flow wherein no portion thereof extends into the volume of the cup and wherein no portion thereof extends transversely therefrom terminating adjacent to the cup top surface.Iaddend..   
     
     
       14. A beverage dispenser as claimed in claim 13 wherein said electrical connection .[.comprises.]. .Iadd.is connected to a logic ground side of said power supply and wherein said electrical connection further includes .Iaddend.a resistor and a capacitor .Iadd.connected .Iaddend.in parallel between said metallic structure and said logic ground. .Iadd. 
     
     
       15.  A method for automatically filling a cup, the cup having a top rim and having an interior volume for holding the beverage, the boundaries of the interior volume defined generally by a cup bottom surface, a cup sidewall and a top surface, the top surface having a perimeter defined by the cup rim, the method comprising the steps of: placing the cup adjacent an electrically conductive member,   dispensing beverage into the cup from a valve,   electrifying the beverage as it is dispensed into the cup,   sensing a current flow between the beverage and the conductive member during the dispensing of beverage into the cup, and the sensed current flow occurring wherein no portion of the conductive member extends into the volume of the cup and wherein no portion thereof extends transversely therefrom terminating adjacent to the cup top surface, and   stopping the flow of beverage from the valve to the cup when the sensed current flow exceeds a pre-determined value. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       16.  The method as defined in claim 15, and further including the steps of re-initiating the dispensing of the beverage into the cup after a first stopping of the flow of beverage from the valve to the cup, sensing a current flow between the beverage and the conductive member during the re-initiated dispensing of beverage into the cup, and the sensed current flow occurring wherein no portion of the conductive member extends into the volume of the cup and wherein no portion thereof extends transversely therefrom terminating adjacent to the cup top surface, and   stopping the flow of beverage from the valve to the cup when the sensed current flow again exceeds the pre-determined value. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       17.  The dispenser as defined in claim 1, and said actuating means and electrically conductive member comprising an electrically conductive lever, and the lever pivotally secured and depending below the at least one valve means and having a substantially flat electrically conductive cup facing surface portion for contacting the cup when the cup is pressed against the lever. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The dispenser as defined in claim 13, and the lever pivotally suspended and depending below the at least one valve means and having a substantially flat electrically conductive cup facing surface for contacting the cup when the cup is pressed against the lever. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. A beverage dispensing apparatus for filling a cup with a liquid beverage, the cup having a top rim and having an interior volume for holding the beverage, the boundaries of the interior volume defined generally by a cup bottom surface, a cup sidewall surface and a top surface, the top surface having a perimeter defined by the cup rim, the dispensing apparatus automatically filling the cup to a level substantially adjacent to the cup top surface, the beverage dispensing apparatus comprising: a beverage dispensing valve connected to a source of beverage, and including a solenoid for opening and closing the valve,   switch means connected to an electrical power source and to the solenoid to pass power thereto for operating the solenoid,   a lever pivotally secured and depending below the valve, the lever for actuating the switch means by pressing of the cup to be filled against the lever, and the lever having a substantially flat electrically conductive surface portion along a length thereof for contacting the cup when the cup is pressed there against, and   electrical circuit means connected to the electrical power source for providing electrical current to the valve for electrically connecting the current source to the beverage as it flows from the source thereof through the valve and is dispensed into the cup, and the circuit including electrical control means, the control means connected to the conductive portion of the lever and to the solenoid for closing the valve and stopping dispensing of beverage into the cup when the control means senses a pre-established magnitude of current flow between the beverage and the lever conductive portion, and the conductive portion providing for such current flow wherein no conductive portion thereof extends into the volume of the cup and wherein no conductive portion thereof extends transversely from the lever terminating adjacent to the cup top surface. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. A beverage dispenser as claimed in claim 19, and the control means further including means to re-initiate dispensing if the cup interior volume was not filled with the beverage to a desired level during a previous dispensing operation. .Iaddend.