Pepsico, Inc.

Deltrol Controls

Deltrol Corp.

Brian T Cahill

William J Black

Timothy W Bethuy

Fabio Nebbia

Giovanni Perucca

Ronald Schilling

Paul Novotny

Peter Donald Mehn

Andrew David Nelson

Ronald D Schilling

Nick William Buettner

Jeffrey O Zur

Kevin Reilly

James Ostrenga

Paul Novonty

A contactless valve configured to dispense a liquid can include an actuator configured to move a plug between a closed position in which the plug prevents the flow of liquid through valve body, and an open position in which liquid can be dispensed through an outlet. The valve can include an activation sensor, a presence sensor, and a controller configured to control the actuator and in electrical communication with the activation sensor and the presence sensor. The controller can be configured to switch the presence sensor into the activated state in response to the detection of the prerequisite condition by the activation sensor, and to control the actuator to move the plug from the closed position to the open position in response to the detection of the object in the upper detection zone by the presence sensor.

Contactless liquid dispensing valve

A beverage dispensing system with a base to which a dispensing head is removably attached without additional fasteners, wherein beverage forming liquids are supplied through a plurality of separate conduits in the base. Each base conduit has a normally closed valve that normally blocks fluid flow. The dispensing head has at least one passageway that receives liquid from an associated one of the base conduits. A projection associated with each dispensing head passageway opens the associated conduit valve to allow fluid flow from the base to the head. Dispensing valves in the dispensing head are independently accountable to regulate the dispensing of the beverage. In one version of the invention, four liquids are supplied to the dispensing head through the conduits, namely two liquid concentrates; carbonated water; and non-carbonated water. By selective opening of the dispensing valves, a plurality of beverages are formed from combinations of one or more of the liquids. A dispensing head for dispensing at least one carbonated fluid includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening at each end of a passage extending through a body, the inlet opening having a smaller cross-sectional area than the outlet opening.

Beverage dispensing system with a head capable of dispensing plural different beverages

A beverage dispensing system includes a base to which a dispensing head is removably attached without additional fasteners. Beverage-forming liquids are supplied through a plurality of separate conduits in the base. Each base conduit has a normally closed valve that normally blocks fluid flow. The dispensing head has at least one passageway that receives liquid from an associated one of the base conduits. A projection associated with each dispensing head passageway opens the associated conduit valve to allow fluid flow from the base to the head. Dispensing valves in the dispensing head regulate the dispensing of the beverage. By selectively opening the dispensing valves, a plurality of beverages are formed from combinations of one or more liquids. A dispensing head includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening at each end of a passage extending through a body, the inlet opening having a smaller cross-sectional area than the outlet opening.

A dispensing head is removably attached to a beverage dispensing system base without additional fasteners, wherein beverage forming liquids are supplied through a plurality of separate conduits in the base. Each base conduit has a normally closed valve that normally blocks fluid flow. The dispensing head has at least one passageway that receives liquid from an associated one of the base conduits. A projection associated with each dispensing head passageway opens the associated conduit valve to allow fluid flow from the base to the head. Dispensing valves in the dispensing head are independently accountable to regulate the dispensing of the beverage. In one version of the invention, four liquids are supplied to the dispensing head through the conduits, namely two liquid concentrates; carbonated water; and noncarbonated water. By selective opening of the dispensing valves, a plurality of beverages are formed from combinations of one or more of the liquids.

A solenoid valve has a valve body with an inlet, an outlet and a valve chamber therebetween. A valve member is selectively engagable with the valve chamber for controlling the flow of fluid from the inlet to the outlet. A solenoid assembly is mounted upon the valve member for moving the valve member to control the flow of fluid from the inlet to the outlet. The solenoid assembly includes a solenoid and a frame for holding the solenoid. The solenoid assembly is connected to the valve body such that the frame is rotatable and slidable away from the valve body to permit access to and slidable removal of the solenoid from the valve member.

Solenoid mounting arrangement for liquid dispensing valve

A beverage dispensing system includes separate valves for controlling the flow rate of a diluent and a concentrate. Various concentrates of different viscosities can be used and the selected concentrate is identified. The flow rate of the concentrate is determined based on temperature and pressure and on information related to the identified concentrate. The valves are controlled so that the concentrate and diluent reach target flow rates. The target flow rates satisfy a target ratio of diluent to concentrate. If the actual flow rates cannot reach the target flow rates, then the target flow rates are modified to satisfy the target ratio. The structure of the concentrate valve is designed to accommodate proportional metering of any one of the various concentrates.

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Oak Creek, WI, United States of America

Brian T Cahill