Patents Assigned to Berg Company, LLC
  • Publication number: 20240132274
    Abstract: A method for dispensing a beverage from a bottle that includes communicating a dispensing authorization message from a control unit to at least one of a server interface carried by a beverage server and a pour spout secured to a bottle, wherein the dispensing authorization message at least one of includes or initiates a dispensing command, and wherein the pour spout responds to the dispensing command by opening a spout valve through which a beverage flows from the bottle and out of the pour spout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: Berg Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Keating, Donald R. Lamond, Ronald F. Faust, Thomas E. Giles, Albert H. Dorsey
  • Patent number: 11708211
    Abstract: A method for dispensing a beverage from a bottle that includes communicating a dispensing authorization message from a control unit to at least one of a server interface carried by a beverage server and a pour spout secured to a bottle, wherein the dispensing authorization message at least one of includes or initiates a dispensing command, and wherein the pour spout responds to the dispensing command by opening a spout valve through which a beverage flows from the bottle and out of the pour spout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Berg Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Keating, Donald R. Lamond, Ronald F. Faust, Thomas E. Giles, Albert H. Dorsey
  • Patent number: 10689242
    Abstract: A pour spout, for attaching to a bottle, has a first wireless transceiver and a valve for selectively controlling flow of a beverage from the bottle. A server interface, adapted to be carried by a person who serves beverages, has a second wireless transceiver. A control unit is provided to wirelessly communicate with the second transceiver. In one mode, the pour spout transmits a spout identifier to the server interface, which responds by transmitting the spout identifier and a server identifier to the control unit. The control unit responds with a reply transmission causing the server interface to command the pour spout to open the valve. In another mode, a person selects a cocktail, that results in the control unit sending designations of a plurality of liquor ingredients to the server interface. The server interface controls dispensing each of the plurality of liquor ingredients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Berg Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Keating, Donald R. Lamond, Ronald F. Faust, Thomas E. Giles
  • Patent number: 10155651
    Abstract: A method for dispensing a beverage from a bottle that includes communicating a dispensing authorization message from a control unit to at least one of a server interface carried by a beverage server and a pour spout secured to a bottle, wherein the dispensing authorization message at least one of includes or initiates a dispensing command, and wherein the pour spout responds to the dispensing command by opening a spout valve through which a beverage flows from the bottle and out of the pour spout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: BERG COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Keating, Donald R. Lamond, Ronald F. Faust, Thomas E. Giles, Albert H. Dorsey
  • Patent number: 9975752
    Abstract: A pour spout, for attaching to a bottle, has a first wireless transceiver and a valve for selectively controlling flow of a beverage from the bottle. A server interface, adapted to be carried by a person who serves beverages, has a second wireless transceiver. A control unit is provided to wirelessly communicate with the second transceiver. In one mode, the pour spout transmits a spout identifier to the server interface, which responds by transmitting the spout identifier and a server identifier to the control unit. The control unit responds with a reply transmission causing the server interface to command the pour spout to open the valve. In another mode, a person selects a cocktail, that results in the control unit sending designations of a plurality of liquor ingredients to the server interface. The server interface controls dispensing each of the plurality of liquor ingredients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: BERG COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Keating, Donald R. Lamond, Ronald F. Faust, Thomas E. Giles
  • Publication number: 20160096717
    Abstract: A pour spout, for attaching to a bottle, has a first wireless transceiver and a valve for selectively controlling flow of a beverage from the bottle. A server interface, adapted to be carried by a person who serves beverages, has a second wireless transceiver. A control unit is provided to wirelessly communicate with the second transceiver. In one mode, the pour spout transmits a spout identifier to the server interface, which responds by transmitting the spout identifier and a server identifier to the control unit. The control unit responds with a reply transmission causing the server interface to command the pour spout to open the valve. In another mode, a person selects a cocktail, that results in the control unit sending designations of a plurality of liquor ingredients to the server interface. The server interface controls dispensing each of the plurality of liquor ingredients.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Applicant: BERG COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Keating, Donald R. Lamond, Ronald F. Faust, Thomas E. Giles
  • Patent number: 9212041
    Abstract: A pour spout, for attaching to a bottle, has a first wireless transceiver and a valve for selectively controlling flow of a beverage from the bottle. A server interface, adapted to be carried by a person who serves beverages, has a second wireless transceiver. A control unit is provided to wirelessly communicate with the second transceiver. In one mode, the pour spout transmits a spout identifier to the server interface, which responds by transmitting the spout identifier and a server identifier to the control unit. The control unit responds with a reply transmission causing the server interface to command the pour spout to open the valve. In another mode, a person selects a cocktail, that results in the control unit sending designations of a plurality of liquor ingredients to the server interface. The server interface controls dispensing each of the plurality of liquor ingredients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Berg Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Keating, Donald R. Lamond, Ronald F. Faust, Thomas E. Giles, Albert H. Dorsey
  • Patent number: 9022257
    Abstract: A pour spout has a bottle adapter for insertion into a mouth of a bottle. A housing has a chamber into which a housing inlet and a housing outlet open with the housing inlet connected to the bottle adapter for receiving beverage from the bottle. A valve carriage is movable within the chamber and has a carriage inlet in fluid communication with a carriage outlet. A resilient first tube provides a first beverage passageway between the housing inlet and the carriage inlet. A resilient second tube provides a second beverage passageway between carriage outlet and the housing outlet. The first or second tube has a valve seat that is engaged and disengaged by a plunger on the valve carriage as the valve carriage moves within the chamber. A valve actuator moves the valve carriage in response to signal from a control circuit that receives a wireless command signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Berg Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Keating, Donald R. Lamond, Ronald F. Faust, Thomas E. Giles, Albert H. Dorsey
  • Patent number: 9004320
    Abstract: A pour spout for dispensing a beverage from a bottle including a bottle adapter for attaching to a bottle to receive a beverage from the bottle, a housing having a chamber into which a housing inlet and a housing outlet open, the housing inlet connected to the bottle adapter for receiving the beverage, a valve carriage moveably received within the chamber and having a carriage passage, a resilient first tube providing a first passageway for beverage to flow from the housing inlet to the carriage passage, a resilient second tube providing a second passageway for beverage to flow from the carriage passage to the housing outlet, a valve operatively connected to the valve carriage to control flow of the beverage through the housing from the housing inlet to the housing outlet; and a valve actuator for moving the valve carriage within the chamber to operate the valve open or closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Berg Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Keating, Donald R. Lamond, Ronald F. Faust, Thomas E. Giles, Albert H. Dorsey
  • Publication number: 20140263418
    Abstract: A method for dispensing a beverage from a bottle that includes communicating a dispensing authorization message from a control unit to at least one of a server interface carried by a beverage server and a pour spout secured to a bottle, wherein the dispensing authorization message at least one of includes or initiates a dispensing command, and wherein the pour spout responds to the dispensing command by opening a spout valve through which a beverage flows from the bottle and out of the pour spout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: BERG COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Keating, Donald R. Lamond, Ronald F. Faust, Thomas E. Giles, Albert H. Dorsey
  • Publication number: 20140263430
    Abstract: A pour spout for dispensing a beverage from a bottle including a bottle adapter for attaching to a bottle to receive a beverage from the bottle, a housing having a chamber into which a housing inlet and a housing outlet open, the housing inlet connected to the bottle adapter for receiving the beverage, a valve carriage moveably received within the chamber and having a carriage passage, a resilient first tube providing a first passageway for beverage to flow from the housing inlet to the carriage passage, a resilient second tube providing a second passageway for beverage to flow from the carriage passage to the housing outlet, a valve operatively connected to the valve carriage to control flow of the beverage through the housing from the housing inlet to the housing outlet; and a valve actuator for moving the valve carriage within the chamber to operate the valve open or closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: BERG COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Keating, Donald R. Lamond, Ronald F. Faust, Thomas E. Giles, Albert H. Dorsey
  • Publication number: 20140263399
    Abstract: A pour spout, for attaching to a bottle, has a first wireless transceiver and a valve for selectively controlling flow of a beverage from the bottle. A server interface, adapted to be carried by a person who serves beverages, has a second wireless transceiver. A control unit is provided to wirelessly communicate with the second transceiver. In one mode, the pour spout transmits a spout identifier to the server interface, which responds by transmitting the spout identifier and a server identifier to the control unit. The control unit responds with a reply transmission causing the server interface to command the pour spout to open the valve. In another mode, a person selects a cocktail, that results in the control unit sending designations of a plurality of liquor ingredients to the server interface. The server interface controls dispensing each of the plurality of liquor ingredients.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Berg Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Keating, Donald R. Lamond, Ronald F. Faust, Thomas E. Giles
  • Patent number: 7753231
    Abstract: A beverage dispenser has a faucet with a spout, a fitting for connection to a beverage supply, and a lever operated valve. A servo motor, coupled to the lever, operates the faucet and proportionally controls the flow of the beverage. That proportional flow control manages the amount of beverage foaming. A flow sensor has a magnetic turbine within the faucet and a Hall effect element that magnetically senses turbine motion and produces a signal indicating an amount of beverage flow. A keypad enables service personnel to designate various portions of the beverage to automatically fill serving containers of different sizes. A control circuit responds to activation of the keypad and to the flow sensor by operating the servo motor to dispense the related quantity of the beverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Berg Company, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas E. Giles, William L. Pursell, Neil D. Roiland, David Timpel