Shurflo Pump Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Shurflo, LLC

James R Schuster

Michael Saveliev

Thomas Gagliano

Louis J Paolini

Food and beverage containers with attached or connected transponders. In one embodiment, relatively inexpensive passive transponders are used and are embedded or otherwise attached to the food and beverage containers. A transponder exciter is placed in or near the food or beverage dispenser for energizing the transponder on the food or beverage container, and for discerning information therefrom. Alternatively, active transponders can be used and an non-exciter reader can be used. The information from the containers can be used to track the containers and control the amount of consumable material with which the containers are filled, the number of times the containers are filled, and the type of material with which the containers are filled.

Food containers with transponders

Preferred embodiments of the present invention have a nozzle assembly capable of controlling pressure of comestible fluid exiting the nozzle assembly, a refrigeration system in which refrigerant pressure and temperature is controllable to enable control of comestible fluid temperature, heat exchangers connected to cool comestible fluid in the nozzles, an ultraviolet sterilization system for sterilizing locations outside and inside the system, and a hand held comestible fluid dispenser capable of cooling and selectively dispensing one of several comestible fluids supplied thereto. To improve temperature control and cooling efficiency, the present invention preferably employs heat exchangers adjacent to the nozzle assemblies. The present invention can take the form of a multi-fluid dispensing gun having such a nozzle and heat exchanger relationship and having the pressure controlling valve as described above. To further improve control of comestible fluid temperature, the present invention preferably has an evaporator pressure regulator to control refrigerant pressure upstream of the refrigeration system compressor and a hot gas bypass valve to control refrigerant temperature.

Apparatus and method for sterilizing a fluid dispensing device

Preferred embodiments of the present invention have a nozzle assembly capable of controlling pressure of comestible fluid exiting the nozzle assembly, a refrigeration system in which refrigerant pressure and temperature is controllable to enable control of comestible fluid temperature, heat exchangers connected to cool comestible fluid in the nozzles, an ultraviolet sterilization system for sterilizing locations outside and inside the system, and a hand held comestible fluid dispenser capable of cooling and selectively dispensing one of several comestible fluids supplied thereto. To provide comestible fluid at rack pressure to the nozzles in one highly preferred embodiment, each nozzle preferably has a valve movable through a number of closed positions to change pressure within the nozzle. Prior to fluid dispense, pressure at the nozzle is preferably reduced by actuating the valve through its range of closed positions. To improve temperature control and cooling efficiency, the present invention preferably employs heat exchangers adjacent to the nozzle assemblies. Due to their locations close to the nozzle assemblies, the heat exchangers generate convective recirculation through the nozzle assemblies to cool comestible fluid to the discharge openings thereof. The present invention can take the form of a multi-fluid dispensing gun having such a nozzle and heat exchanger relationship and having the pressure controlling valve as described above. To further improve control of comestible fluid temperature, the present invention preferably has an evaporator pressure regulator to control refrigerant pressure upstream of the refrigeration system compressor and a hot gas bypass valve to control refrigerant temperature.

Growing community of inventors

Las Flores, CA, United States of America

James R Schuster