Patent · US Expired

Control system for cold drink merchandising machine

US4537336A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
9References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 4, 1984
Grant dateAug 27, 1985
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 4, 2004

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG07F13/065
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A cold drink vendor in which a circuit employing a programmed microcomputer controls the drink dispensing procedures and can be easily set to vary drink size, amount of ice to be dispensed, carbonation levels of each selection and the mix of the syrup and water for each selection. The circuit is based on a constant flow rate variable time method of dispensing the beverage. Initially, switch banks set by a service person are interrogated to determine the size of the drink and amount of ice to be dispensed, and the time cycle to dispense the drink is adjusted accordingly. Upon the establishment of credit and the actuation of a selection switch, additional switchbanks are interrogated to determine whether the beverage selected is high carbonated, low carbonated or non-carbonated, and to determine when to start the corresponding syrup pump, in accordance with the syrup viscosity, and the drink is dispensed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.