CROSS-REFERENCED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/694,726 filed on Aug. 29, 2012, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.
BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for adjusting an amount of ice that may be delivered from an ice storage reservoir to a point of use. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to dispensing apparatus and method to deliver ice from an ice reservoir of, e.g., a combination beverage dispenser and ice reservoir, to a cup, container, package, etc. with a high degree of accuracy, consistency and repeatability. The method and apparatus of the present disclosure may be controlled by a program and/or logic sequence to allow a wide range of ice volumes to be metered and dispensed, thereby enabling a variety of different equipment to provide accurate and repeatable ice metering and delivery functions.
2. Background of the Disclosure
Current ice metering and delivery systems use either a predetermined weight of ice (which is difficult to change) or are regulated by human interaction to determine the amount of ice being delivered to the point of use. Such systems make it difficult to control the amount of ice that is delivered to a point of use, such as a cup container or package, accurately and repeatably to serve the desires and needs of the increasingly demanding beverage dispensing industry, such as that found, e.g., in fast food establishments (e.g., McDonald's®, Wendy's®, and similar establishments).
Also, current ice metering and delivery systems can only provide for repeatability of, e.g., no less than about 20% from delivery of one ice portion to the next. This renders such ice metering and delivery systems further unsuitable for the demands of today's beverage delivery system environment that seeks to provide greater repeatability and lower variability between dispensed ice amounts. The desired greater repeatability and lower variability both serve to satisfy customer and industry demands.
Accordingly, a need exists for ice metering and delivery systems that provide greater repeatability and lower variability between dispensed ice amounts. Also, a need exists for such ice metering and delivery systems that can be automatically adjusted with little difficulty to change and control the amount of ice delivered to a point of use depending upon the container selected (i.e., different sized cups).
SUMMARY The foregoing needs are met according to the present disclosure by an ice metering apparatus and method that can provide metering and delivery of ice that meets the demands of both greater repeatability and automatic adjustment.
According to the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus for metering the amount of ice delivered to a point of use, the apparatus comprising an ice reservoir, a mechanism for dispensing ice to a point of use disposed in communication with the ice reservoir, and an ice metering device disposed in communication with both the ice reservoir and the mechanism for dispensing ice. The ice metering device allows an adjustable and consistent amount of ice to be delivered from the ice reservoir to the mechanism for dispensing ice. The ice metering device may be located either in the ice reservoir, or may be disposed between the ice reservoir and the mechanism for dispensing ice but, in any event, ice to be dispensed passes from the ice reservoir to the mechanism for dispensing ice via the ice metering device.
The volume of ice provided to be dispensed from the ice metering device to the mechanism for dispensing ice may be of any desired volume but is preferably between from about 0 cubic inches to about 40 cubic inches. In other embodiments, the volume of ice available to be provided from the ice metering device to the mechanism for dispensing ice may be automatically adjusted by the ice metering device, and the control logic therefor, depending upon the size of the container or cup that is to be used at the point of use (e.g., a child's cup, a 16 ounce cup, a 20 ounce cup and/or a 32 ounce cup). Also according to the present disclosure, the variability between the volume of ice dispensed from the ice metering device will be in the range of from about 2% to about 20%, preferably from about 5% to about 15% or less, more preferably from about 5% to about 10% or less and most preferably between from about 5% to about 7% or less.
Also according to the present disclosure, there is provided a method for metering the amount of ice dispensed to a point of use, the method comprising setting an amount of ice to be accepted by a mechanism for metering ice, delivering the set amount of ice from an ice reservoir to the mechanism for metering ice, stopping delivery of the set amount of ice from the ice reservoir to the mechanism for metering ice to obtain a metered amount of ice, and delivering the metered amount of ice to a mechanism for dispensing ice to a point of use. Delivering an amount of ice from the ice reservoir to the mechanism for metering ice may comprise transporting ice using an auger, a paddlewheel or other similar mechanism. Also, the method for delivering an amount of ice from the ice reservoir to the mechanism for metering ice may further comprise preventing additional ice from entering the mechanism for metering ice once the metered amount of ice has been placed into the mechanism for metering ice from the ice reservoir.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure will be further and more clearly understood in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a combination ice reservoir and beverage dispenser including an ice metering apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of an embodiment of an ice metering apparatus according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of another embodiment of an ice metering apparatus according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the ice metering apparatus shown in FIG. 3 according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an ice metering apparatus according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the ice metering apparatus of FIG. 5 disposed between an ice reservoir and a mechanism for dispensing ice;
FIG. 7 shows a close-up perspective view of the ice metering apparatus of FIG. 5;
FIG. 8 shows a view from inside an ice reservoir and an opening from the reservoir to an ice metering device (not shown) according to the present disclosure.
FIG. 9 shows a flow and logic diagram for steps controlled by a controller for the ice metering device of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the description of the FIGS. 1-9 that follows, like numerals will be used to designate like elements.
FIG. 1 shows an ice reservoir 10 containing a quantity of ice 11. Ice reservoir 10 has walls 12 and a bottom 13. Walls 12 are disposed at an obtuse angle relative to axis “A” perpendicular to bottom 13. Walls 12 have an inside surface 14 and an outside surface 15. Disposed between inside surface 14 and outside surface 15 is an amount of insulation 16 that can be of various components and/or thickness. Disposed adjacent to an inside surface 14 of ice reservoir 10 is, e.g., a mechanism 17 for transporting ice 11 from ice reservoir 10 to the outside of ice reservoir 10. Mechanism 17 may be any suitable mechanism for transporting ice from ice reservoir 10 to the outside of ice reservoir 10 and, in the schematic shown in FIG. 1, mechanism 17 is a paddlewheel. Mechanism 17 transports ice 11 to a chute 18 that is disposed in communication between ice reservoir 10 and a metering mechanism 20. Chute 18, as shown in FIG. 1, is exaggerated in length and size for ease of depiction. Metering mechanism 20 is adjustable, preferably via a controller (not shown), to adjust the amount of ice transported from ice reservoir 10 to a container 21 shown as a cup. Of course, container 21 receiving ice 11 from metering mechanism 20 can be any suitable container. Also shown in FIG. 1 is ice chute 22 disposed between metering mechanism 20 and container 21. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, ice reservoir 10, mechanism 17, metering mechanism 20 and chutes 18 and 22 form a portion of a beverage dispenser. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, beverage dispensing head 23 dispenses beverage to container 21 through delivery nozzle 24. As mentioned above, chute 18 is exaggerated for ease of viewing in FIG. 1; however, in practice and design, metering mechanism 20 is preferably adjacent to outside surface 15 of ice reservoir 10, whereby chute 18 of limited length, i.e., the distance between inside surface 14 and outside surface 15 of ice reservoir 10 depicted as dashed lines at “B” in FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the metering mechanism 20 according to the present disclosure. In FIG. 2, metering mechanism 20 is in communication with chute 18 from a position immediately adjacent to outer surface 15 of ice reservoir 10. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, metering mechanism 20 is disposed adjacent to the outside surface 15 of ice reservoir 10 at the point where metering mechanism 20 and ice reservoir outer surface 15 meet, i.e., surface 25. At surface 25 is a wall opening 26 of ice metering mechanism 20 that is in cooperative relation with an ice portal (see, FIG. 8) located in the wall between surfaces 14 and 15 of ice reservoir 10. In FIG. 2, mechanism 17 is inside ice reservoir 10, and disposed at a position adjacent ice portal (see, FIG. 8) in ice reservoir 10 at the location of the junction of surface 25 and outside surface wall 15 of ice reservoir 10. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, ice 11 is transported via mechanism 17 through wall opening 26 to metering mechanism 20. In FIG. 2, metering mechanism 20 comprises a moveable wall 27 that is capable of variable adjustment and can be releasably fixed in different positions, e.g., 20a, 20b and 20c, inside metering mechanism 20 as is shown in FIG. 2. Depending upon the position of moveable wall 27 (e.g., at position 20a, 20b or 20c) inside metering mechanism 20, varying amounts of ice 11 from ice reservoir 10 will provided to metering mechanism 20 through chute 18 and be available to be dispensed from metering mechanism 20 when moveable wall 27 is released, as will be explained below. Once the space between wall opening 26 and the side of moveable wall 27 disposed proximal wall opening 26 is filled with ice 11, movable wall 27, that is in releasably fixed position, e.g., 20a, 20b or 20c, is released by an actuator 28 (e.g. a solenoid, stepper motor and lead screw, rack and pinion or similar device known to those of skill in the art). When moveable wall 27 reaches outer opening 29 of metering mechanism 20, the quantity of ice contained in space between wall opening 26 and the side of moveable wall 27 disposed proximal wall opening 26 will exit metering mechanism 20 and enter ice chute 22 for delivery to container 21.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show an alternative embodiment of metering mechanism 20 according to the present disclosure. Metering mechanism 20 of FIG. 3 is shown in exploded view in FIG. 4. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, metering mechanism 20 comprises a meter chamber housing 31, a movable plunger 32 and trap floor/wall 33. Moveable plunger 32 is disposed in meter chamber housing 31 and placed in proper alignment therein by the relationship between a movable plunger guide 42 and a movable plunger guide opening 43, best seen in FIG. 4. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, moveable plunger guide 42 is comprised of a guide extension 44, retaining plate 45 and retaining screw(s) 46. The interactive relationship between movable plunger 32, trap floor/wall 33, movable plunger guide 42 and movable plunger guide opening 43 will be more fully described in relation with FIG. 5. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4-7, movable plunger 32 is moved in relation to meter chamber housing 31 using a stepper motor 54 and lead screw 47 (see, FIG. 5). The interaction between stepper motor 54 and lead screw 47 will be more fully explained in relation to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-7, metering chamber housing 31 and movable plunger 32 have a cooperative trapezoidal-like shape. The angle “B” (see, FIG. 3) between opposing nonparallel sides of the trapezoidal-like shape of meter chamber housing 31 is of no critical import. The opposing sides of meter chamber housing 31 forming angle “B” may in fact be parallel in which case meter chamber housing 31 will take the form of a square or rectangle. However, for purposes of ensuring improved and better release of ice 11 from adhering to inner surfaces of meter chamber housing 31 and to further ensure as complete and accurate dispensing of ice 11 as possible, meter chamber housing 31 is preferably designed with the above-described trapezoidal-like shape. The trapezoidal-like shape with respect to the non-parallel sides of meter chamber housing 31 may have an angle “B” of between about 5° to about 60°, preferably of from about 10° to about 30° and more preferably from about 10° to about 20°.
FIG. 5 shows trap floor/wall hinge 51 and trap floor/wall linkage 52 that together serve to move trap floor/wall 33 between an open and closed positions(s). FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show a perspective end view, a perspective view and a perspective overhead view, respectively, of the embodiment of the metering mechanism 20 shown in a schematic view in FIG. 3 and exploded view in FIG. 4. In FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, movable plunger 32 is shown in position disposed inside meter chamber housing 31, with movable plunger 32 and meter chamber housing 31 having the preferred trapezoidal-like design. Lead screw 47 is disposed within stepper motor 54. Movable plunger guide opening 43 is disposed at and through an upper surface of meter chamber housing 31 and, in conjunction with movable plunger guide 42, serves to align and guide movable plunger 32 and maintain spatial relationship thereof in meter chamber housing 31. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, trap floor/wall 33 is shown as an “L”—shaped sheet metal mechanism, with one side 33a forming a “wall” portion of meter chamber housing 31 and one side 33b forming a “floor” of meter chamber housing 31. Trap floor/wall 33 is held in movable engagement/relation with meter chamber housing 31 via trap floor/wall hinge 51 that, in turn, is in cooperative relation with trap floor/wall linkage 52, wherein trap floor/wall linkage 52 is in operable connection with solenoid 55. In operation, when meter chamber housing 31 has received the appropriately measured amount of ice 11 from ice reservoir 10, solenoid 55 is activated and controls trap floor/wall linkage 52 to thereby rotatably disengage trap floor/wall 33 from its position as “wall” 33a and “floor” 33b of meter chamber housing 31 via rotation about trap floor/wall hinge 51. As shown in FIG. 5, trap floor/wall 33 is open position. Trap floor/wall 33 automatically returns to closed position in relation to meter chamber housing 31 via, e.g., a return spring mechanism (not shown), or it can be returned via solenoid. Trap floor/wall 33 may be of any convenient design or material. For example, trap floor/wall 33 may be made of sheet metal or plastic. Also by way of example, trap floor/wall 33 may be in the design of a sliding mechanism that slides across a lower opening on the bottom or side of meter chamber housing 31 or, alternatively, may be a flap mechanism that opens and closes over a lower opening or side of meter chamber housing 31. In both of the latter instances, trap floor/wall 33 may be again returned to closed position via a return spring mechanism, or solenoid.
In FIG. 6, the interaction between ice reservoir 10 and meter chamber housing 31, movable plunger 32 and ice chute 22 may be more clearly seen. Meter chamber housing 31 is disposed adjacent to ice reservoir 10 along an angled wall 12 thereof. This relationship between meter chamber housing 31 and angled wall 12 may be more clearly seen in FIG. 7. The placement of meter chamber housing 31 adjacent to angled wall 12 of ice reservoir 10 effects the transfer of ice 11 within ice reservoir 10 into meter chamber housing 31 by means of gravity. Ice 11 from ice reservoir 10 is transferred to meter chamber housing 31 to fill the space in the interior of meter chamber housing 31 defined by the walls of meter chamber housing 31, outside surface 15 of ice reservoir 10, trap floor/wall 33 and surface 49 of moveable plunger 32. Also included in space filled with ice 11 from ice reservoir 10 is chute 18 disposed within wall 12 of ice reservoir 10 between inside surface 14 and outside surface 15. When the space in the interior of meter chamber housing 31 is filled with ice 11, trap floor/wall 33 is rotatably moved away meter chamber housing 31 via activation of solenoid 55 that, in turn, causes trap floor/wall linkage 52 to move in the direction of arrow “C”, and rotate meter chamber housing 31 about the axis defined by trap floor/wall hinge 51. This movement allows ice 11 to pass through ice chute 22 and into receptacles/containers disposed at the distal end of ice chute 22.
Also shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are limit switch 61 and limit switch 62. Limit switch 62 detects when surface 49 of movable plunger 32 is disposed to a position adjacent to and against outer surface 15 of ice reservoir 10. This sets the “zero” position for the next amount of ice 11 to be transferred from ice reservoir 10 to ice metering mechanism 20. Controller 91 (see, FIG. 9) may then communicate with stepper motor 51 to count “steps” to retract moveable plunger 32 away from outside surface 15 of ice reservoir 10 to the desired position. Controller 91 is an electronic control system that exchanges control signals with stepper motor 54 and solenoid 55. Controller 91 is comprised of a processor, a memory and a control program stored in the memory. Limit switches 61 and 62 are communicatively coupled to controller 91 to confirm the positions of the movable plunger 32 and trap floor/wall 33 respectively. Limit switch 61 recognizes when trap floor/wall 33 is in a closed position, thereby in a “ready” state for the next amount of ice 11 to be transferred from ice reservoir 10 to ice metering mechanism 20.
FIG. 8 shows one embodiment of mechanism 17 for transporting ice 11 to ice metering mechanism 20, i.e., a paddlewheel 80. Paddlewheel 80 is comprised of a plate 81, a plurality of vanes 82, ice blockers 83 having magnetic sensors (not shown) disposed therein and agitators 84. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, there are two ice blockers disposed 180° apart around circumference of paddlewheel 80. Also shown as part of paddlewheel 80 is a collar 85 connecting paddlewheel 80 to a shaft 86 via a pin 87, with shaft 86 rotatably mounted to a drive stem of a drive motor (not shown in FIG. 8). As also shown in FIG. 8, collar 85 is releasably connected to shaft 86 via pin 87 that interlocks collar 85 and shaft 86. Also shown in FIG. 8 is ice portal opening 87 that leads to chute 18. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, paddlewheel 80 rotates in the direction of arrow “D”. The operation of paddlewheel 80 and interaction thereof with ice metering mechanism 20 will be explained in more detail below.
FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of one form of controller 91 for the ice metering apparatus and method of the present disclosure. When controller 91 receives a signal 92 that a drink is desired (e.g., via a user interface in a point of sale (POS) device (not shown)), the first step 93 is to determine how much ice is required for the drink (e.g., based upon a stored value in memory for the drink/cup size combination). Controller 91 communicates with limit switch 61 and limit switch 62 to verify that they are in a closed (or “home”) position in steps 94 and 95, respectively, before continuing with the ice metering. If limit switch 61 and/or limit switch 62 is not in a “home” position, error handling step(s) 96 are taken, as indicated. Error handling step(s) 96 may include actuating the trap/floor 33 and/or movable plunger 32 to reset limit switch 61 and/or limit switch 62. If no error handling step 96 is indicated or if error handling step 96 is successfully performed, movable plunger 32 is directed to move out from “home” position a specific distance in step 97 by controller 91. At the same time, paddlewheel 80 is also rotated in step 98 in the direction of arrow “D” to feed ice into ice metering mechanism 20. Once the correct moveable plunger 32 position is reached and recognized in step 97, controller 91 verifies that paddlewheel 80 is in a suitable position in step 100 to be stopped by sensing the location of ice blockers 83. If ice blocker(s) 83 is in the correct position, controller 91 moves movable plunger 32 out an additional number of steps (e.g., 500 steps) in step 99 and opens trap/floor 33, step 101, to release ice into ice chute 22. Immediately after releasing the ice, controller 91 de-energizes actuator (e.g., disengages solenoid 55) for trap door, step 102, and reverses the movement, step 103, of movable plunger 32 until limit switch 62 closes indicating that moveable plunger 32 is at the “zero” position. When controller 91 de-energizes, e.g., solenoid 55, and trap door 33 is closed which also engages and energizes limit switch 61. The control program of controller 91 executes the method of FIG. 9.
In operation, paddlewheel 80 is generally substantially and/or completely covered with ice 11 inside ice reservoir 10. Paddlewheel 80, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, rotates clockwise in direction of arrow “D” from the perspective shown in FIG. 8. The rotation of paddlewheel 80 serves several purposes. First, the rotation of paddlewheel 80 serves to rotate agitators 84 also, and the rotation of agitators 84 has the effect of breaking up and/or maintaining in loose configuration ice 11 that is stored in ice reservoir 10. At the same time, vanes 82 have hollow surfaces opposite the surface of vanes seen in FIG. 8, i.e., the side disposed facing ice portal opening 88. These hollow surfaces capture ice 11 disposed in ice reservoir 10 and transport ice 11 to ice portal opening 88 for disposal through chute 18 and into ice metering mechanism 20. Likewise, ice 11 from ice reservoir 10 flows into spaces 89 between vanes 82 and ice 11 trapped in spaces 89 also becomes disposed through ice portal opening 88, into chute 18 and, subsequently, into ice metering mechanism 20. When the space in the interior of meter chamber housing 31 defined by the walls of meter chamber housing 31, outside surface of ice reservoir 15, trap floor/wall 33 and surface 49 of moveable plunger 32 is filled with ice 11, controller 91 stops rotation of paddlewheel 80. However, controller 91 continues rotation of paddlewheel 80 for a time sufficient to move the nearest counter-clockwise disposed ice blocker 83 into position in front of ice portal opening 88. In practice, rotation of paddlewheel 80 may be effected in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction through the use of a universal motor, in which case rotation of paddlewheel 80 may either clockwise or counter-clockwise direction to place the nearest ice blocker 83 (whether disposed in a counter-clockwise of clockwise direction away from ice portal opening 88) in position to block ice portal opening 88. Magnetic sensors (not shown) embedded into ice blockers 83 signal to controller 91 when ice blocker 83 is positioned in front of ice portal opening 88. Covering ice portal opening 88 with ice blocker 83 prevents errant flow of ice 11 into metering mechanism 20 via ice portal opening 88 and chute 18 during dispensing of ice 11 from the metering mechanism 20 through ice chute 22 via opening of trap floor/wall 33.
In the above detailed description, this disclosure has been described in connection with its preferred embodiments. However, to the extent that the above description is specific to a particular embodiment of or a particular use in this disclosure, this is intended to be illustrative only and merely provides a concise description of exemplary embodiments of the disclosure. Accordingly, the disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but rather the disclosure includes all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims. Various modifications and variations of this disclosure will be apparent to a worker skilled in the art and it is to be understood that such modifications and variations are to be included within the purview of this application and the spirit and scope of the claims.
All of the patents referred to herein are incorporated herein as if set forth herein in their entirety.
