Abstract: A beverage dispenser provides numerous inventive features in its refrigeration system, diluent delivery system, concentrate delivery system, mixing and dispensing system, and control system. The refrigeration system employs a plate heat exchanger to provide on demand refrigeration of an intermittent water flow. The diluent delivery system includes a flowmeter/solenoid/check-valve assembly. The concentrate delivery system employs a positive displacement pump. The mixing and dispensing system includes a mixing nozzle that has a locking feature such that an elevated blocking surface directly faces the inlet of pressurized diluent to create turbulence. The control system receives package-specific information from a scanner and diluent flow rate information from the flowmeter, and then determines the pump speed in order to set a desired mix ratio.

Abstract: A dispenser (20) for consumable products uses a single motor (40) to both drive a spinner (75) to mix the product and move a valve assembly (42) to open and close the dispenser (20). The valve assembly (42), which is axially aligned with the motor shaft (44) may be opened and closed by fixing an externally threaded shaft (46) on a drive shaft (44) extending from the motor (40) and then rotatably mounting an internally threaded flywheel (50) on the threaded shaft (46). A valve stem (64) may then be fixedly attached to the flywheel (50). When the motor (40) energizes, the flywheel (50) and valve stem (64) axially translate along the nut (46) to open the valve assembly (42). When the motor (40) de-energizes, the flywheel (50) and valve stem (64) axially translate along the nut (46) in an opposite direction to close the valve assembly (42).

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus is provided for dispensing a semi-frozen product, such as a semi-frozen comestible or a semi-frozen drink. The dispensing apparatus has at least one freezing barrel defining a freezing chamber. The freezing barrel includes a longitudinally extending inner cylinder and an evaporator disposed about at least a portion of an outer surface of said inner cylinder. The evaporator includes a plurality of channels disposed about the outer surface of the inner cylinder. Each channel defines a heat exchange fluid flow passage through which refrigerant may pass in heat exchange relationship with product in the freezing chamber.

Abstract: A beverage dispenser provides numerous inventive features in its refrigeration system, diluent delivery system, concentrate delivery system, mixing and dispensing system, and control system. The refrigeration system employs a plate heat exchanger to provide on demand refrigeration of an intermittent water flow. The diluent delivery system includes a flowmeter/solenoid/check-valve assembly. The concentrate delivery system employs a positive displacement pump. The mixing and dispensing system includes a mixing nozzle that has a locking feature such that an elevated blocking surface directly faces the inlet of pressurized diluent to create turbulence. The control system receives package-specific information from a scanner and diluent flow rate information from the flowmeter, and then determines the pump speed in order to set a desired mix ratio.

Abstract: A beverage dispenser provides numerous inventive features in its refrigeration system (82), diluent delivery system (78), concentrate delivery system (74), mixing and dispensing system (76), and control system. The refrigeration system (82) employs a plate heat exchanger to provide on demand refrigeration of an intermittent water flow. The diluent delivery system includes a flowmeter/solenoid/check-valve assembly. The concentrate delivery system employs a positive displacement pump. The mixing and dispensing system includes a mixing nozzle (80) that has a locking feature such that an elevated blocking surface directly faces the inlet of pressurized diluent to create turbulence. The control system receives package-specific information from a scanner and diluent flow rate information from the flowmeter, and then determines the pump speed in order to set a desired mix ratio.

Abstract: A semi-frozen product dispenser (10 or 200) is provided for at least partially freezing and dispensing a product. The product dispenser may include at least one freezing barrel (20-1) defining a freezing chamber (C1) configured to receive the product. A refrigeration system (60 or 260) is provided for at least partially freezing product in the freezing chamber (C1). A fluid heating system (80 or 280) is also provided to remove heat from the refrigeration system (60 or 260) and use it in an auxiliary system, such as a water pre-heating system. The fluid heating system (80 or 280) may include a fluid heat exchanger (102) disposed in a high pressure refrigerant line (67 or 267), a fluid tank (82 or 282), and a fluid pump (96). Fluid may be continuously circulated through the fluid heat exchanger (102 or 302) when the refrigeration system is operated, thereby to continuously provide refrigerant cooling and fluid warming.

Abstract: A dispenser (20) for consumable products is disclosed. The dispenser (20) uses a single motor (40) to both drive a spinner (75) to mix the product and move a valve assembly (42) to open and close the dispenser (20). The valve assembly (42) is axially aligned with the motor shaft (44) to avoid any undesirable moments associated with prior art offset valve actuators. The valve assembly (42) may be opened and closed by fixing an externally threaded shaft (46) on a drive shaft (44) extending from the motor (40) and then rotatably mounting an internally threaded flywheel (50) on the threaded shaft (46). A valve stem (64) may then be fixedly attached to the flywheel (50). When the motor (40) energizes, the inertia of the flywheel (50) causes it to accelerate more slowly than the nut (46), thus causing the flywheel (50) and valve stem (64) to axially translate along the nut (46) to open the valve assembly (42).

Abstract: A method for heating and cooling a consumable product disposed in a product container includes the steps of: (i) heating the consumable product to a first temperature by transferring heat from ambient air to refrigerant through a liquid-to-air heat exchanger; and (ii) heating the consumable product to a second temperature without transferring heat from the ambient air to the refrigerant through the liquid-to-air heat exchanger; wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature.

Abstract: A beverage dispenser provides numerous inventive features in its refrigeration system, diluent delivery system, concentrate delivery system, mixing and dispensing system, and control system. The refrigeration system employs a plate heat exchanger to provide on demand refrigeration of an intermittent water flow. The diluent delivery system includes a flowmeter/solenoid/check-valve assembly. The concentrate delivery system employs a positive displacement pump. The mixing and dispensing system includes a mixing nozzle that has a locking feature such that an elevated blocking surface directly faces the inlet of pressurized diluent to create turbulence. The control system receives package-specific information from a scanner and diluent flow rate information from the flowmeter, and then determines the pump speed in order to set a desired mix ratio.

Abstract: A beverage dispenser provides numerous inventive features in its refrigeration system, diluent delivery system, concentrate delivery system, mixing and dispensing system, and control system. For example, the mixing and dispensing system includes a mixing nozzle that has several novel aspects. Such novel aspects include an elevated blocking surface that directly faces the inlet of a pressurized diluent in order to create turbulence for the mixing, and novel constructions of a depressurizing section together with a funnel-shaped passageway that reduces splashing.

Abstract: A beverage dispenser provides numerous inventive features in its refrigeration system (82), diluent delivery system (78), concentrate delivery system (74), mixing and dispensing system (76), and control system. The refrigeration system (82) employs a plate heat exchanger to provide on demand refrigeration of an intermittent water flow. The diluent delivery system includes a flowmeter/solenoid/check-valve assembly. The concentrate delivery system employs a positive displacement pump. The mixing and dispensing system includes a mixing nozzle (80) that has a locking feature such that an elevated blocking surface directly faces the inlet of pressurized diluent to create turbulence. The control system receives package-specific information from a scanner and diluent flow rate information from the flowmeter, and then determines the pump speed in order to set a desired mix ratio.

Abstract: A beverage dispenser provides numerous inventive features in its refrigeration system, diluent delivery system, concentrate delivery system, mixing and dispensing system, and control system. The refrigeration system employs a plate heat exchanger to provide on demand refrigeration of an intermittent water flow. The diluent delivery system includes a flowmeter/solenoid/check-valve assembly. The concentrate delivery system employs a positive displacement pump. The mixing and dispensing system includes a mixing nozzle that has a locking feature such that an elevated blocking surface directly faces the inlet of pressurized diluent to create turbulence. The control system receives package-specific information from a scanner and diluent flow rate information from the flowmeter, and then determines the pump speed in order to set a desired mix ratio.

Abstract: An apparatus for freezing and dispensing semi-frozen food products having two freezing chambers, one compressor for supplying refrigerant to both freezing chambers, one beater drive motor for driving the beaters in both chambers, two solenoid valves control flow of refrigerant from the single compressor to the evaporators for the freezing chambers and periodic pulse width modulated signals are applied to operate the two solenoid valves alternately during each period and signals are modulated to have substantially equal duty cycles in an initial freeze mode and to have unequal duty cycles when product is dispensed from only one freeze chamber.