IES60829B2 - Improvements in and relating to dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DISPENSING APPARATUS The present invention relates to dispensing apparatus and v more particularly to apparatus for automatically mixing and dispensing batches of a dairy product.

Dispensing apparatus are well known for dispensing prepackaged articles and various type of drinks. Dispensing of diary products has been avoided up to the -] q present due to the perceived risk of receiving sour produce or harmful bacteria. An additional disadvantage of prior art dispensing apparatus is that an unacceptably large period of time elapses between product depletion and restocking by a supplier.

It is an object of the present invention to seek to alleviate the above disadvantages and to provide an efficient and safe dispensing apparatus for diary products.

The present invention provides a dispensing apparatus for dairy products, comprising: at least one product storage compartment; a pump operable to extract a serving of product from the compartment and transfer the serving to a mixing means for preparing the serving for a customer; a cup storage compartment and cup transport means; means for filling a cup with the prepared serving; I a product dispensing means operable to dispense a cup with a serving of the product; and - 2 a control means for controlling the relative operation of the features of the apparatus.

Preferably, the product storage compartment is refrigerated.

The present invention further provides a dispensing apparatus having a communication means so that communication is initiated, when dispensable stock is depleted or maintenance service is required, by a control means having a communications interface which is connected to a telecommunications network, whereby a supplier is notified of the location of the dispensing apparatus and of the type of dispensed product such that restocking or maintenance may be effected efficiently.

Advantageously, the control means comprises a microprocessor which takes readings from a plurality of sensors located at required points within the apparatus.

A coin mechanism, optionally provided with two coin trays for separating machine owner's take from location owner's take, sends a start signal to the microprocessor once the correct coinage has been inserted. The money is held in a holding location until the dispensing operation is complete. If the dispensing operation is not completed the money may be refunded. The microprocessor is optionally linked by a communications interface to a local refill supplier and service agent such that when the refrigerated store of dairy product is depleted, an order call will automatically be placed by the microprocessor to the supplier identifying the machine and its location and the type of dairy product to be supplied or the type of service required.

The present invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, one embodiment of dispensing apparatus according to the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is an exposed schematic front elevation of the apparatus; and Figure 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus.

Referring initially to Figure 1, a dispensing apparatus 1 for dairy produce is shown in an upright housing 10. A dairy product such as ice cream or yogurt is provided in a sealed bag-in-box arrangement 12 which is placed by a supplier in a refrigerated container 15. The bag 12 has a rubber tube (not shown) at its base such that the dairy product may be drawn out upon operation of a peristaltic pump 20. The dairy product is then transferred to a reservoir 21 from which it is gravity fed and subsequently expanded in an aeration unit 22. The product is then agitated to a homogeneous mixture in a refrigerated agitator chamber 25 before being metered by a motorised volumetric plunger 26 for accurate portion control for release by a motorized plunger 30 through a non-drip dispense head 40.

Peristaltic pumps 35, 36 are additionally used for providing flavoured sauces through tubes 37 from storage 30 containers 38, 39. The tube outlets are provided adjacent the non-drip dispense head 40. The sauce is optionally heated while passing through a stainless steel tube 37.

Peristaltic pumps 20, 35, 36 are used in the dispensing apparatus as they are inherently hygienic.

Cups 45 for the dairy product are housed in a cup drop turret 47 from which they are individually ejected by an ejector 50 upon a controller request signal. The cup 45 falls into a cup holder 55 mounted in a rotating drive 57 which is in its initial position as shown in Figure 1. The cup 45 is then moved by the drive 57 which includes a cam 58 and cam follower (not shown) so that the rotational movement of the drive 57 stops the cup directly below the product dispense head 40. The dairy product is then dispensed until a preset amount of product is in the cup. A sensor 82 is provided on the portion control plunger 26 to determine the volume of dairy product added. If selected by a user, sauce may then be added for flavour. The drive 57 activates until the cup is below the outlets of the sauce tubes 37. Optionally, sauce may be mixed with the product during the dispensing operation. The filled cup 45 is then brought back to the serve position of the cam drive 57 and is placed in a product dispense hatch by the cup holder 55 and drive 57 assembly. A microprocessor based control system is housed in a control box 70.

Figure 2 is a front view of the diary product dispenser 1. A viewport 100 may be provided for a video camera and an infra-red sensor or a proximity detector. A video camera arrangement would be automatically operated by a sensor or detector and may be used to judge marketing parameters, for example, to aid judgement of impulse purchases. A sensor/detector arrangement alone may be used to automatically initiate a pre-recorded message which is played through a loudspeaker 110. A coin insert slot 112 is provided adjacent the viewport 100 and the corresponding coin refund hatch 113 is located therebelow. The prepared product is presented to the customer through a product dispense hatch 115 which is centrally located. Located opposite the refund hatch 113 there is a spoon dispense V hatch 120. A spoon dispense mechanism is located inside the hatch 120 and is provided with a magazine feed and tractor dispensing tread (not shown). Back-lit pictures 125 showing flavour options are located directly above flavour choice buttons 128. An illuminated display 135 is located above and below the dispense hatch 115.

A system controller 70 is provided to read values from sensors located throughout the apparatus 1 and to send actuation signals according to preset instruction code. An infra-red sensor or proximity detector located in the viewport 100 will initiate one of a number of recorded messages according to predetermined parameters. If a customer approaches the apparatus directly the appropriate recording would, for example, welcome the customer and request the appropriate fee for a given product. Alternatively, if a person was detected passing by, the recording would inform the potential customer of the product. When the customer places the fee into the coin slots 112 the coins are held in a return receptacle (not shown) until the transaction is complete. When the transaction is complete the coins are divided between two separate fee collection receptacles, one for the site owner's share and the other for dispenser owner's share. If the transaction is not completed the coins are returned to the refund aperture 113. When the correct fee has been registered by the control system microcomputer, a cup 45 is gripped and ejected from the cup turret 47 by the ejector 50. The cup 45 is not released by the ejector 50 until a confirming signal is sent by the controller to indicate that the cup holder 55 is in position to receive the cup from the ejector 50. A sensor 83 confirms that a cup holder 55 is in the start position and the cup 45 is ready to receive a portion of the dairy product. The cam drive 57 transports the empty cup 45 to the dispense head 40.

Before the portion is dispensed the customer is requested to choose one of the available options, usually vanilla, flavour A, flavour B and flavour C. Optionally, three flavours are available (one being a hot sauce) with vanilla being a default flavour. If an extra fee is payable for flavoured hot and cold sauce servings then the customer request takes place before the appropriate fee request is broadcast. When the cup 45 is full it is brought via the dispense hatch 115. The dispenser hatch 115 is opened by an actuating motor (not shown). A spoon is dispensed, handle first, from a magazine into a spoon dispense tread and through the hatch 120 to be taken by the customer.

The dispensing apparatus is suitable to be installed and used at almost any location. Preferably, the dispenser is installed at convenient impulse purchase sites such as, for example, leisure and sports centres, hospitals, shopping centres or malls, factories and offices, service garages, universities and colleges, cinemas and theatres. A number of dispensers may be installed at a site to build up a bank” of dispensers from which a wide variety of flavoured dairy products may be purchased. The bank of dispensers may be linked to a single communications interface. A large number of machines may be serviced and tended to by a single operative who will operate in a confined area. This arrangement may form the basis of a hierarchal system whereby an operative tends to the dispensers within a cell. A number of cell operatives are responsible to a divisional headquarters and so on.

It will of course be obvious to those familiar with the art that similar non-dairy products may be dispensed by the apparatus of the invention. For example, soya based milk and ice cream mixes may be stored in the dispenser for relatively long periods as can U.H.T. products. i The apparatus of the present invention may be modified for counter-top use such that it may be installed in a convenience foods outlet without a coin mechanism, proximity detectors and high volume cup or dairy product storage requirements.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details disclosed herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (5)

CLAIMS : Γ

1 . A dispensing apparatus for dairy products, comprising: ( w at least one product storage compartment; a pump operable to extract a serving of product from the compartment and transfer the serving to a mixing means for preparing the serving for a customer; a cup storage compartment and cup transport means; means for filling a cup with the prepared serving; a product dispensing means operable to dispense a cup with a serving of the product; and a control means for controlling the relative operation of the features of the apparatus.

2. A dispensing apparatus having a communication means so that communication is initiated, when dispensable stock is depleted or maintenance service is required, by a control means having a communications interface which is connected to a telecommunications network, whereby a supplier is notified of the location of the dispensing apparatus and of the type of dispensed product such that restocking or maintenance may be effected efficiently.

3. A dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the control means comprises a microprocessor which takes readings from a plurality of sensors located at . required points within the apparatus.

4. A dispensing apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims includes a coin mechanism, optionally provided with two coin trays for separating machine owner's take from location owner's take, which sends a start signal to the microprocessor once the correct coinage has been inserted retains the coins in a holding location until the dispensing operation is complete so that if the dispensing operation is not completed the money may be refunded.

5. A dispensing apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.