Sustainable bulk liquid dispensing device

摘要

A bulk liquid dispensing system includes a plurality of dispensing devices for each dispensing a respective type of bulk liquid. Each device includes a primary tank of bulk liquid communicating with a nozzle for dispensing into a reusable container which may be provided by a customer. A secondary portable tank is interchangeably connected above the primary tank to ensure continued dispensing of liquid even as the secondary tank is interchanged. A payment system associates a debit amount with a dispensed fluid from each device resulting from a user selection and a cumulative total of the debit amounts is collected from the customer in a single transaction. The devices can be operated to dispense liquid in response to input of an identification code which is generated when the user prepays, for example through a web interface, a mobile application, a point of sale tool, or a tablet application.

主权项

1. A bulk dispensing system comprising a plurality of bulk liquid dispensing devices, each bulk liquid dispending device being provided in combination with a portable liquid container having a discharge opening, and each device comprising:
a main frame; a primary tank fixed on the main frame having a discharge opening at a bottom end and an inlet opening at a top end and being arranged for containing a bulk liquid therein; a dispenser nozzle supported below the primary tank in communication with the discharge opening of the primary tank; a control valve in series with the dispenser nozzle so as to be arranged to control dispensing of the bulk liquid from the primary tank through the dispenser nozzle; a secondary tank support arranged to support the portable liquid container thereon above the primary tank; and a liquid conduit arranged for sealed connection with the discharge opening of the portable liquid container at an upper end and arranged for sealed connection with the inlet opening of the primary tank at a lower end so as to be arranged for communicating bulk liquid from the portable liquid container to the primary tank; the secondary tank support and the liquid conduit both being arranged such that the portable liquid container is readily separable from the primary tank and interchangeable with a different portable liquid container of like configuration; wherein the bulk dispending system further comprises a common payment system in communication with all of the bulk liquid dispensing devices so as to be arranged to associate a debit amount with the prescribed amount of bulk liquid of each user selection and arranged to debit from a customer a common debit amount corresponding to a cumulative total of the debit amounts.