Beverage dispenser with electrically controlled clutch
US5845824A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 6, 1997 |
| Grant date | Dec 8, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 6, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/86397
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A beverage dispenser includes a body having a bore with an inlet, an outlet and a valve seat therebetween. A valve stem has a seal to selectively engage the valve seat to open and close the bore to a flow of beverage between the inlet and outlet. A serving lever is pivotally connected to the body and selectively coupled and decoupled to the valve stem by a clutch which is operated by a solenoid. Operating the serving lever may move the seal away from the valve seat only when clutch couples the serving lever to the valve stem. A control circuit operates the solenoid to cause the clutch to decouple the serving lever from the valve stem when the beverage has been dispensed continuously for greater than a defined period of time.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.