Patents by Inventor Mark S. Heflin

Mark S. Heflin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5494193
    Abstract: A postmix juice dispensing system for dispensing a finished beverage directly from a pliable beverage concentrate having an ice point at or near freezer temperatures, with little or no conditioning. The system preferably uses a one-piece, unitary, disposable package that includes both the concentrate container and a positive displacement metering pump. The disposable package is placed in the dispenser which automatically connects the pump to a pump motor. A mixing nozzle is connected to the metering pump and a water line is connected to the mixing nozzle. Upon pushing a load button, the dispenser automatically feeds compressed air on top of a piston in the concentrate container to force concentrate into the pump. The dispenser automatically reads an indicator on the package to set the pump speed in response to the type of concentrate in the package. The dispenser requires no cleanup or sanitization and allows rapid flavor change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Kirschner, Simon J. Richter, Mark S. Heflin, Shawn B. Gatipon, Jack F. Brumley, Michael T. Romanyszyn, Jr., Alfred A. Schroeder, Samuel Durham, Harold R. Heath, Richard O. Norman, Norman P. Wittig
  • Patent number: 5305923
    Abstract: A postmix juice dispensing system for dispensing a finished beverage directly from a pliable beverage concentrate having an ice point at or near freezer temperatures, with little or no conditioning. The system preferably uses a one-piece, unitary, disposable package that includes both the concentrate container and a positive displacement metering pump. The disposable package is placed in the dispenser which automatically connects the pump to a pump motor. A mixing nozzle is connected to the metering pump and a water line is connected to the mixing nozzle. Upon pushing a load button, the dispenser automatically feeds compressed air on top of a piston in the concentrate container to force concentrate into the pump. The dispenser automatically reads an indicator on the package to set the pump speed in response to the type of concentrate in the package. The dispenser requires no cleanup or sanitization and allows rapid flavor change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Kirschner, Simon J. Richter, Mark S. Heflin, Shawn B. Gatipon, Jack F. Brumley, Michael T. Romanyszyn, Jr., Alfred A. Schroeder, Samuel Durham, Harold R. Heath, Richard O. Norman, Norman P. Wittig
  • Patent number: 5074341
    Abstract: An automatic beverage dispensing system for use with a plurality of remote point of sale units with order entry keyboards, each having selector buttons for different flavors and cup sizes, the dispenser including an automatic cup dropper, an automatic ice dispenser, a transverse conveyor system for conveying an ice filled cup to any of a plurality of parallel lanes each having a forward conveyor system, a beverage dispenser valve associated with each of the lanes, and each forward conveyor system conveying a cup received from the transverse conveyor to a beverage fill station and then to a cup pick-up station. The dispenser can also be operated manually using buttons on the dispenser itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1991
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: William S. Credle, Jr., Lawrence B. Ziesel, Mark S. Heflin
  • Patent number: 4971120
    Abstract: An automatic beverage dispensing system for use with a plurality of remote point of sale units with order entry keyboards, each having selector buttons for different flavors and cup sizes, the dispenser including an automatic cup dropper, an automatic ice dispenser, a transverse conveyor system for conveying an ice filled cup to any of a plurality of parallel lanes each having a forward conveyor system, a beverage dispenser valve associated with each of the lanes, and each forward conveyor system conveying a cup received from the transverse conveyor to a beverage fill station and then to a cup pick-up station. The dispenser can also be operated manually using buttons on the dispenser itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: William S. Credle, Jr., Lawrence B. Ziesel, Mark S. Heflin
  • Patent number: 4967808
    Abstract: An automatic beverage dispensing system for use with a plurality of remote point of sale units with order entry keyboards, each having selector buttons for different flavors and cup sizes, the dispenser including an automatic cup dropper, an automatic ice dispenser, a transverse conveyor system for conveying an ice filled cup to any of a plurality of parallel lanes each having a forward conveyor system, a beverage dispenser valve associated with each of the lanes, and each forward conveyor system conveying a cup received from the transverse conveyor to a beverage fill station and then to a cup pick-up station. The dispenser can also be operated manually using buttons on the dispenser itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: William S. Credle, Jr., Lawrence B. Ziesel, Mark S. Heflin
  • Patent number: 4961447
    Abstract: An automatic beverage dispensing system for use with a plurality of remote point of sale units with order entry keyboards, each having selector buttons for different flavors and cup sizes, the dispenser including an automatic cup dropper, an automatic ice dispenser, a transverse conveyor system for conveying an ice filled cup to any of a plurality of parallel lanes each having a forward conveyor system, a beverage dispenser valve associated with each of the lanes, and each forward conveyor system conveying a cup received from the transverse conveyor to a beverage fill station and then to a cup pick-up station. The dispenser can also be operated manually using buttons on the dispenser itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1990
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: William S. Credle, Jr., Lawrence B. Ziesel, Mark S. Heflin
  • Patent number: 4944337
    Abstract: An automatic beverage dispensing system for use with a plurality of remote point of sale units with order entry keyboards, each having selector buttons for different flavors and cup sizes, the dispenser including an automatic cup dropper, an automatic ice dispenser, a transverse conveyor system for conveying an ice filled cup to any of a plurality of parallel lanes each having a forward conveyor system, a beverage dispenser valve associated with each of the lanes, and each forward conveyor system conveying a cup received from the transverse conveyor to a beverage fill station and then to a cup pick-up station. The dispenser can also be operated manually using buttons on the dispenser itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Inventors: William S. Credle, Jr., Lawrence B. Ziesel, Mark S. Heflin
  • Patent number: D324464
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1992
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: William S. Credle, Jr., Mark S. Heflin