Abstract: A method and corresponding apparatus for an oval carbonator employ an oblong housing to provide an improved gas/water interaction area within the confines of the carbonator. The increased cross sectional area provides a larger water surface area, whereby an increased amount of the pressurized gas is exposed to the increased surface area. Further advantages of the oval carbonator include a simplification of the tubing bundles that are cast into the cold plate. The oval carbonator consolidates the volumes previously used by the carbonator, thereby allowing the tubing bundles to be consolidated. Consolidation of this type translates into reduced manufacturing time and increased savings due to the simplified design.

Abstract: An icemaker adapter is suitable for use with different beverage dispensers available from different beverage dispenser manufacturers. The icemaker adapter includes a first member movably engaged with a second member, and a passage therebetween. The first and second members move toward or away from each other to adjust for a dispenser depth dimension. In use, the icemaker adapter resides on top of a beverage dispenser and above a storage chamber of the beverage dispenser. An icemaker is mounted onto a top portion of the icemaker adapter, such that ice from a dispensing zone of the icemaker falls through the passage to a storage chamber of the beverage dispenser. In alternative embodiment, the icemaker adapter adjusts for a side-to-side dimension of the beverage dispenser. In still another embodiment, the icemaker adapter adjusts in two perpendicular directions to accommodate by a width and a depth of the beverage dispenser.

Abstract: A mixing assembly includes a mixing insert and a mixer housing that form a cavity when mated. The mixing insert includes orifices that penetrate the mixer insert. An inner vessel receives a product concentrate from a product concentrate source and the cavity receives a reconstituting fluid from a source, such that the reconstituting fluid is forced to exit the cavity through the orifices. Upon exiting the orifices, the reconstituting fluid engages the product concentrate stream, thereby reconstituting the product concentrate. The reconstituted product is then dispensed and evacuated from an end of a mixed product outlet tube, typically exterior to a protected environment, such as a chamber of a product dispenser. The mixing assembly includes varying mixing inserts to provide variable forms of engagement techniques.

Abstract: An intelligent volumetric module for use in metering pressurized syrup to a drink dispenser machine comprises a solenoid driven metering system for controlling liquid flows from a pressurized syrup container and a controller for controlling operation of said solenoid driven metering system according to uniquely addressed instructions received from the drink dispenser's system controller. The controller comprises a self-addressing capability, wherein serial communication to all but one non-addressed volumetric module is disrupted while a first address is assigned to that one module. Communication is the enabled along a serial bus to a next non-addressed module, to which a second address is assigned. The process continues until each volumetric module is assigned a unique address and connected to the serial communication bus.

Abstract: A beverage dispensing system includes a cooling chamber filled with a bath of cooling fluid for cooling beverage fluids. A cooling unit, including an evaporator coil extending from the cooling unit into the cooling chamber, freezes the cooling fluid into a frozen cooling bank about the evaporator coil. Sensor units positioned at desired locations about the evaporator coil provide output corresponding to the size and shape of the frozen cooling bank. Also, a control unit reads the output from the sensor units and operates the cooling unit to regulate the growth of the frozen cooling bank. In addition, the control unit may read output from temperature sensors attached to dispensing valves or monitoring ambient temperature conditions.

Abstract: A fowl retention system is used to passively retain fowl in a preselected natural habitat or a preselected created habitat and to compress the fowl territory. The fowl retention system includes a food/water station contained within a barrier assembly, a protective structure, and a man-made field strip. The fowl retention system provides for the compression of fowl territories, thereby increasing the fowl population per unit area. Further compression of the fowl territory locations provides an additional level of compression by propagating the high density population of the fowl. The protective structure is designed to shield the fowl from the elements and predators. The field strip is planted with native vegetation for both cover and the production of food. The food and water station provides a continuous food and water supply for the fowl.

Abstract: An intelligent volumetric module for use in metering pressurized syrup to a drink dispenser machine comprises a solenoid driven metering system for controlling liquid flows from a pressurized syrup container and a controller for controlling operation of said solenoid driven metering system according to uniquely addressed instructions received from the drink dispenser's system controller. The controller comprises a self-addressing capability, wherein serial communication to all but one non-addressed volumetric module is disrupted while a first address is assigned to that one module. Communication is the enabled along a serial bus to a next non-addressed module, to which a second address is assigned. The process continues until each volumetric module is assigned a unique address and connected to the serial communication bus.

Abstract: An evacuation system including an evacuation member engages a product package and applies pressure thereto, such that a product in the product package moves toward an outlet in the product package for dispensing. A controller monitors the force applied by a driver to the product package, thereby ensuring that the pressure remains below a particular threshold to protect the integrity of the product package. The controller further monitors the evacuation member location, thereby enabling the controller to recognize when the product package is empty. The evacuation system further includes a package carrier including a pinch-off area that moves product out of an unrecoverable portion of the product package. The evacuation member may be utilized as a stand-alone device or with a primary device, wherein the primary device provides signals to the evacuation system and the evacuation system provides product to the primary device.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for treating fluids, a pump delivers a fluid flow from a fluid source to a manifold. The manifold divides the fluid flow into first and second fluid flows, which are delivered from the manifold to a housing. The housing includes therein a first vortex nozzle positioned in opposed relationship to a second vortex nozzle. The first fluid flow enters the first vortex nozzle to create a first rotating fluid flow, and the second fluid flow enters the second vortex nozzle to create a second rotating fluid flow. The first and second vortex nozzles impinge the first and second rotating fluid flows in a collision chamber, thereby treating the fluid.

Abstract: A sectional flooring installation device allows carpet installation teams to quickly remove and install sectional carpeting in locations that have multitudes of the bookshelf assemblies, for example, libraries. The sectional flooring installation device includes a bridge assembly, a lifting device, a bearing plate, and a transfer unit to raise supports for bookshelf assemblies. The bridge assembly spans the tile, the transfer unit engages a vertical support, and the lifting device displaces the transfer unit relative to the bridge assembly to free pinned tiles or broad loom carpet sections. Once a pinned tile or carpet section is removed, a replacement tile may be installed. Use of the sectional flooring installation device essentially eliminates the requirement of removing bookshelf assemblies, reinstalling the bookshelf assemblies, and realigning the bookshelf assemblies after installation of the carpet. Accordingly, installation cost will decrease when using the sectional flooring installation device.

Abstract: A baton suitable for use in self-defense includes a body adapted to receive a canister of spray therein, a nozzle securable to the body and adapted to receive spray therethrough, and a trigger mounted on the body. The trigger mounts on the body in a location that permits grasping of the body underhanded with the thumb positioned over the trigger to permit movement of the trigger from an unfired position to a fired position that facilitates ejection of spray from the canister through the nozzle. The trigger includes an actuator and a lock coupled therewith. One motion performed with the thumb releases the lock and moves the actuator from the unfired position of the trigger to the fired position of the trigger.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a beverage dispensing nozzle equipped with at least one flow director dispenses at lower flowrates. In a first embodiment, a single flavor beverage dispensing nozzle equipped with at least one flow director segments the flow and reduces the cross sectional area of the fluid stream, thereby forcing product to move downward. A second embodiment provides an improvement to an existing beverage dispensing nozzle, by adding at least one flow director in an annular channel of the beverage dispensing nozzle. The addition of the at least one flow director in the annular channel provides the beverage dispensing nozzle with the ability to dispense product at lower flowrates by increasing the velocity component of the exiting product. The exiting product now has sufficient energy to separate from the beverage dispensing nozzle. Methods for using the beverage dispensing nozzles with the at least one flow director are also presented.

Abstract: An apparatus for routing and mapping a wiring system includes a wire routing system adapted to facilitate the routing of wires about a structure and a wire labeling system that permits labeling of each wire routed utilizing the wire routing system. The wire routing system includes a 2, 3, 4 module, a standard module, and a master module adapted to receive a connection from a communication service provider and output signals received from the communication service provider to any one of or all of the 2, 3, 4 module, the standard module, and end user devices. The apparatus for routing and mapping a wiring system further includes a wire management panel, whereby the wire labeling system attaches to the wire management panel and includes and a room label section, a wall label section, a box number label section, and a plate identifier label section.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks includes a form, a station conveyor, a form-loading station, a form assembly station, a curing oven, and a block removal station. The station conveyor conveys the form or a multitude of forms around the apparatus in a continuous loop to produce a desired rate of production of lightweight concrete composite blocks. The form-loading station fills the form with a lightweight concrete composite. The form assembly station assembles the form to seal the composite within the form. The curing oven cures the lightweight concrete composite into a lightweight concrete composite block. The block removal station removes the lightweight concrete composite block from the form prior to the return of the form to the form-loading station for re-use.

Abstract: An apparatus for mounting an aerosol spray can such that the can may be activated to dispense product from the can at a remote location to the user. The apparatus has a handle, a can base support, a body member and a trigger lever. The lever is pivotably attached to the body member such that it moves a trigger hammer to engage and depress the can push-button to discharge the contents of the pressurized can. The lever has first and second arms disposed at an angle in the range of 91° to 101°.

Abstract: A beverage dispenser includes an electronic control system for controlling beverage dispenser components. The beverage dispenser components include at least a user interface, a dispensing valve, and a valve interface for regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve. The electronic control system includes a microcontroller for monitoring the user interface and for activating the valve interface responsive to user input, thereby regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve. The electronic control system further includes a program memory with firmware configured in a state machine system architecture for controlling the microcontroller. The state machine system architecture supports either a non-preemptive or a preemptive multitasking real time operating system. The firmware includes supervisory control firmware, dispenser tasks firmware, and low level drivers firmware.