CONTAINER-LESS CUSTOM BEVERAGE VENDING INVENTION

摘要

Methods and apparatus describing a convenience beverage vending machine and its operation are described. An embedded computer interface allows consumers to create their own drinks or choose from a menu of drinks. Drinks are dispensed in a container. The beverages may be made from hot water, cold water or carbonated water that is mixed with various flavors of syrup, sweeteners and nutritional supplements. Identification may be presented and the computer recognizes the consumer and pulls up that consumer's account to determine funds available and previous drink selections and mixtures. The machine may incorporate an automatic cleaning cycle for both the valves and the dispense area.

主权项

1. A beverage dispensing system comprising:
a plurality of reservoirs holding a respective plurality of separate ingredients to be used in beverage recipes; a user interface for selection of a user-defined custom beverage to be dispensed, based on user input indicating user preferences associated with one or more ingredients among the plurality of separate ingredients to be combined; one or more ingredient pumps respectively connected to the plurality of reservoirs; a controller for separately controlling each of the one or more ingredient pumps to select any combination of the plurality of separate ingredients to form one or more selected ingredients, the controller being adapted to create the custom beverage by controlling selection of certain combinations and amounts among the plurality of separate ingredients based on the user preferences received in the user input; and a nozzle dispenser in communication with the one or more ingredient pumps for independently receiving the one more selected ingredients and mixing the one or more selected ingredients to form the custom beverage and to dispense the custom beverage.