Patents Assigned to Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
  • Patent number: 9745186
    Abstract: Devices for dispensing beverages, particularly multiple differing beverages from a dispensing nozzle, are provided herein. In an exemplary embodiment, a multiple beverage dispensing device includes a dispensing array attached to a dispense point isolation device within a dispensing nozzle, the dispensing array facilitates flow of a beverage base and at least one beverage additive into the dispensing nozzle and the dispense point isolation device isolating discharge of beverage additive to prevent cross-contamination and color-carryover caused by the residual traces of beverage additive often associated with conventional dispensing devices. In many embodiments, the dispense point isolation device further includes one or more isolation features, including any or all of a recess, trough, notch, raised ridge or tubular projection around an exit orifice of the beverage additive flow channel so as to further isolate release of the beverage additive and further inhibit cross-contamination and color-carryover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas R. Hecht
  • Patent number: 9719508
    Abstract: A flexible impeller pump includes improved flexible impeller geometry, an impeller shaft having protruding portions that produce a stronger and more durable connection between the impeller shaft and the flexible impeller, a smoother housing cam surface, and wear resistant surfaces that are disposed between end faces of the flexible impeller and adjacent housing end walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: AUTOMATIC BAR CONTROL, INC.
    Inventors: Juha K. Salmela, James M. Tuyls, Richard A. Martindale
  • Patent number: 9714162
    Abstract: A beverage dispensing mixing nozzle for mixing a multi-component beverage mixture. The nozzle has a disruption plate for slowing and dispersing a dispensed fluid into an adjacent expansion region. The disruption plate and floor of the expansion region have turbulence-inducing surfaces to aid in mixing the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Hecht, Richard A. Martindale, Bret D. Baker
  • Patent number: 9706794
    Abstract: Disinfecting devices and related methods are provided that apply germicidal ultraviolet light to disinfect dispensing components of food and beverage dispensers. A disinfecting holster for a bar gun includes a support surface configured to interface with a bar gun to support the bar gun when stowed in the holster, a housing coupled with the support surface and surrounding a dispensing nozzle of the bar gun when the bar gun is stowed in the holster, and an ultraviolet light source configured to emit germicidal ultraviolet light onto the nozzle. The housing substantially contains the ultraviolet light within the housing during the application of the ultraviolet light to the dispensing nozzle. The ultraviolet light can be periodically applied to maintain the nozzle in a disinfected state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Hecht, Richard A. Martindale
  • Patent number: 9655985
    Abstract: Disinfecting devices and related methods are provided that apply germicidal ultraviolet light to disinfect dispensing components of food and beverage dispensers. A disinfecting holster for a bar gun includes a support surface configured to interface with a bar gun to support the bar gun when stowed in the holster, a housing coupled with the support surface and surrounding a dispensing nozzle of the bar gun when the bar gun is stowed in the holster, and an ultraviolet light source configured to emit germicidal ultraviolet light onto the nozzle. The housing substantially contains the ultraviolet light within the housing during the application of the ultraviolet light to the dispensing nozzle. The ultraviolet light can be periodically applied to maintain the nozzle in a disinfected state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: AUTOMATIC BAR CONTROLS, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Hecht, Richard A. Martindale
  • Patent number: 9624087
    Abstract: Environmental friendly automotive fluid dispensing systems and are provided. One disclosed system provides for the controlled dispensing of an automotive fluid selected from multiple automotive fluids. A quantity of fluid to be dispensed can be designated and the system can dispense the designated quantity of the selected fluid. A pump assembly is used to transfer automotive fluid from a selected container to a dispensing gun in a controlled fashion. The product dispensing gun can include a check valve for preventing fluid from exiting the dispensing gun when no fluid is being transferred to the dispensing gun by the pump assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Tuyls, Thomas R. Hecht, Donald A. Klotz
  • Patent number: 9622615
    Abstract: A beverage dispensing system including a control unit and a touch screen. Inputs are made to the touch screen to dispense beverages and apply system adjustments. The control unit controls a plurality of beverage dispensing valves according to inputs made to the touch screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Hecht, Jun Feng, Boris Brodsky, Richard A. Martindale
  • Patent number: 9588608
    Abstract: An ADA accessible beverage dispenser having a touch screen for receiving input for controlling the beverage dispenser and a first ADA access panel located within the reach of a user for receiving input from a user and a second ADA access panel displayed in a lower portion of the touchscreen and within the reach of the user for receiving input from the user where the first and second ADA access panels are configured to communicate with the beverage dispenser to control the beverage dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Hecht, Richard A. Martindale
  • Patent number: 9586802
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide corks and cork systems that find particular use in connection with wireless spouts used for monitoring the amount of liquid poured from liquid containers. It is desirable to be able to use a wireless spout with various differently-sized bottle. Accordingly, the cork features provided can ease removal and replacement of the wireless spouts onto and off of variously sized bottles, and allow the same spout to be re-used with a differently sized bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Tuyls, Dennis J. Honrine, Thomas R. Hecht
  • Patent number: 9555936
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a screw-on interface for bottle spouts that secures a spout to a bottle in a manner such that wear and/or breakage of the bottle interface from standard usage is minimized. In an embodiment of the invention, the screw-on bottle interface incorporates a stainless steel plate in its threaded collar. This plate prevents damage to both the spout and the screw-on bottle interface when users over-tighten a screw-on bottle interface equipped bottle spout during installation of the spout onto a bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Martindale, Thomas R. Hecht
  • Patent number: 9533870
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a pouring device for a container for the dosing of liquid, said pouring device comprising: a) a housing b) a passage for the liquid within the housing; c) an electrical operated opening/closing mechanism for opening or closing the passage in order to dosing of a predetermined or registerable amount of liquid, characterized in that the passage comprising a silicone tube, and the opening/closing mechanism is to block the silicone tube by squeezing the silicone tube in order to close the passage. The silicone tube inside the spout is the only path for the liquid to go through from the bottle, meanwhile the rest components are protected from liquid. This guaranties a quick and controlled flow of the liquid and avoids any air bubbles to influence the pour precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventor: Achim Philipp Zapp
  • Patent number: 9417652
    Abstract: A beverage dispensing apparatus including a lever assembly where the lever assembly has a base and a at least one elongated arm. The base has a bottom configured to mate with a beverage dispensing device, a top side opposite the bottom and apertures penetrating the base from top to bottom configured to align with buttons on the beverage dispensing apparatus. The at least one elongated lever has a top surface, a bottom surface, a first end and a second end configured to extend away from the centerline of the beverage dispensing apparatus. When the lever assembly is installed on a beverage dispensing device, buttons extending from the top of the beverage dispensing device extend up through the apertures and pressed against the bottom surface of the at least one elongated lever, biasing the at least one lever upward and the when the lever is pressed, it pushes against the button of the beverage dispensing apparatus to dispense a beverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Hecht, Richard A. Martindale, Bret D. Baker
  • Patent number: 9284176
    Abstract: Beverage dispensing apparatus, systems, and related methods are provided that have a recirculation loop to cool fluids in a dispensing tube bundle that delivers beverage fluids to a beverage dispensing assembly. A beverage dispensing apparatus includes an adjustable bypass manifold having an adjustable flow restriction that is configurable to enable the use of the beverage dispensing apparatus with different chilled soda recirculation systems. The adjustable bypass manifold includes ports for connection to the recirculation loop and ports for connection to a soda recirculation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Jim Tuyls, Thomas Hecht
  • Patent number: 9271604
    Abstract: A manifold for a liquid dispensing system has at least two layers. The first layer has multiple through holes along its thickness direction, and one or more fluid channels perpendicular to the thickness direction. The second layer has one or more through holes along its thickness direction, each communicating with one of the through holes of the first layer. The second layer also has one or more fluid channels perpendicular to the thickness direction. The fluid channels each have an inlet at the edge of the respective layer and an outlet at one of the through holes. The second layer also has one or more holes defining valve bores. A valve in each of the valve bores controls flow of a liquid to a respective one of the fluid channels of the second layer. Also provided are a liquid dispensing system and a method of manufacturing a manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas R. Hecht
  • Patent number: 9192191
    Abstract: Disinfecting devices and related methods are provided that apply germicidal ultraviolet light to disinfect dispensing components of food and beverage dispensers. A disinfecting holster for a bar gun includes a support surface configured to interface with a bar gun to support the bar gun when stowed in the holster, a housing coupled with the support surface and surrounding a dispensing nozzle of the bar gun when the bar gun is stowed in the holster, and an ultraviolet light source configured to emit germicidal ultraviolet light onto the nozzle. The housing substantially contains the ultraviolet light within the housing during the application of the ultraviolet light to the dispensing nozzle. The ultraviolet light can be periodically applied to maintain the nozzle in a disinfected state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Hecht, Richard A. Martindale
  • Patent number: 9038986
    Abstract: A valve assembly having a valve-seal on a valve member that moves between an open and a closed position within a valve support housing for controlling fluid flow, particularly for use as a shut-off valve. In many embodiments, advancing the valve member sealingly engages the valve-seal with a valve seating area of the housing to close the valve and shut-off fluid flow through the housing, while retracting the valve member moves the valve-seal away from the seating area to allow fluid flow around the valve-seal and through the valve-seating area. In many embodiments, the valve member includes a proximal handle and angled ramp that engage with a helical ramp of the housing to translate rotation of the handle into axial movement of the member between open and closed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas R. Hecht
  • Patent number: 9010579
    Abstract: A beverage dispensing system includes a beverage dispensing head for dispensing beverages from at least one pressurized beverage source, and at least one beverage tube, with a first end that is fluidly connected to the beverage dispensing head and a second end. A manifold module for use in this system includes at least one flow control module configured for attachment to and fluid communication with the beverage source, and a beverage redirecting apparatus configured to be attached between the flow control module and the second end of the beverage tube. The beverage redirecting apparatus includes at least one fluid inlet in fluid communication with the flow control module and at least one fluid outlet in fluid communication with the second end of the beverage tube. The beverage redirecting apparatus is configured such that a direction of fluid flow is altered between the inlet and the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Bret D. Baker, Thomas R. Hecht
  • Patent number: 8925769
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a pouring device for a container for the dosing of liquid. The pouring device has various features intended to ease use, including an improved removal and attachment system and a system to identify and visually illustrate selected pour sizes. In a specific embodiment, the pouring device has a colored light or LED indicator system that allows the user to quickly and easily confirm the selected pour size. Embodiments may also include one or more features that ease attachment and removal of the pouring device to a liquid container, such as a replaceable cork system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Achim Philipp Zapp, Richard A. Martindale
  • Publication number: 20140305967
    Abstract: Devices for dispensing beverages, particularly multiple differing beverages from a dispensing nozzle, are provided herein. In an exemplary embodiment, a multiple beverage dispensing device includes a dispensing array attached to a dispense point isolation device within a dispensing nozzle, the dispensing array facilitates flow of a beverage base and at least one beverage additive into the dispensing nozzle and the dispense point isolation device isolating discharge of beverage additive to prevent cross-contamination and color-carryover caused by the residual traces of beverage additive often associated with conventional dispensing devices. In many embodiments, the dispense point isolation device further includes one or more isolation features, including any or all of a recess, trough, notch, raised ridge or tubular projection around an exit orifice of the beverage additive flow channel so as to further isolate release of the beverage additive and further inhibit cross-contamination and color-carryover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas R. Hecht
  • Patent number: 8573254
    Abstract: A flow control device for a bar gun manifold. The flow control device includes a sleeve and an actuating member. The sleeve is monolithically formed of an elastomeric material. The sleeve includes a cylindrical outer surface, a through hole oriented transverse to the sleeve axis of rotation, a first raised portion that encircles the sleeve and is shaped to provide a seal between the sleeve and the manifold body, and a first interface shaped to connect the sleeve to the actuating member. The actuating member includes a second interface shaped to interface with the first interface. The first and second interfaces are shaped to transfer rotation of the actuating member about the sleeve axis of rotation to the sleeve to reorient the through hole relative to a fluid passage of the manifold body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Martindale, Mojtaba Valiyee