DISPENSER HAVING MULTIPLE MODES OF OPERATION

摘要

A dispenser for dispensing and a method of dispensing an ingredient for a machine (10). An ingredient feed mechanism (12) dispenses the ingredient (14) to the machine (10). A controller (16) is capable of controlling an amount of the ingredient (14) delivered to the machine (10) by varying an amount of time the ingredient feed mechanism (12) is active. The controller (16) has a demand mode (24) which varies the amount of time the ingredient feed mechanism (12) is active as a function of a parameter obtained from the machine (10). The controller (16) compares the amount of time the ingredient feed mechanism (12) is active with a reference value and switches to a timed mode (26) if the amount of time deviates from the reference value. The controller may (16) have an initial training mode (28) which measures the amount of time the ingredient feed mechanism (12) is active establishes the reference value based upon the amount of time the ingredient feed mechanism (12) is active.