The Coca-cola Company

Warren Rupp, Inc.

Ingersoll-rand Company

Other

Jevawn Sebastian Roberts

Michael Brace Orndorff

Mark D McCourt

Haihong Zhu

Charles Randolph Abbott

Brian Bellamy Johnson

James Dalberg

Joseph Daniel Dennis, Jr

Benjamin Campbell Steinhaus

Gregg Carpenter

Scott M Harrison

Benjamin John Kingston

Joshua Casey Schwarber

Akhil Karibandi

Stan C Kaplita

Christopher J Dennis

Scott Driscoll

Tao Peng

Eric Thomas Flint

Luke Anthony Smith

Chetan Polavaram

Thomas Stubbs

Mark D Mccourt

Christopher Dennis

The present application provides a dispensing nozzle assembly for mixing a first fluid and a second fluid. The dispensing nozzle assembly may include a target assembly with a number of fins and a number of channels and a static mixer positioned about the fins.

Dispensing nozzle assemblies with static mixers

The present application provides a nutating pump assembly for pumping a fluid. The nutating pump assembly may include a nutating pump and an air vent chamber assembly in fluid communication with the nutating pump.

Micro-nutating pump assembly

A carbonated water dispenser comprises a carbonator with a water inlet and a carbonated water outlet. A backflow preventer module is fluidically coupled to the water inlet and comprises a check valve and a thermal mass flow meter. The thermal mass flow meter is configured to communicate a first signal based on a measured amount of heat transferred from a heater to a temperature sensor by a flow of a fluid through the backflow preventer module. A shut-off valve is fluidically coupled between the carbonated water outlet and a nozzle. The shut-off valve is configured to allow or prevent fluid flow from the carbonated water outlet to the nozzle base on a control signal. A controller is configured to detect a backflow condition based on the first signal and generate the control signal to configure the shut-off valve to prevent dispensing carbonated water upon detection of the backflow condition.

Backflow detection and mixing module with a thermal mass flow meter

A flow control module with a thermal mass flow meter is provided. The thermal mass flow meter facilitates measuring both a flow rate and a temperature of a fluid passing through the flow control module. Fluids may experience different flow characteristics at different temperature ranges. The flow control module includes a proportional control valve for selectively adjusting the flow rate of the fluid passing through the flow control module. Upon detecting that the temperature of the fluid is outside of a temperature range for the fluid, a controller is configured to load a different set of calibration parameters for controlling the operation of the proportional control valve to accommodate the different flow characteristics of the fluid at that temperature. Additionally, the controller is configured to detect bubbles using the thermal mass flow meter based upon the difference in thermal conductivity of gasses and liquids.

Flow control module with a thermal mass flow meter

One embodiment may include a machine for providing beverages. The machine may include a reader configured to read data representative of an available balance for a user to obtain beverages from the machine from a machine-readable medium and electronics. The electronics may be configured to receive the data from the machine-readable medium in response to the user positioning the machine-readable medium within reading distance of the reader, enable the user to dispense a beverage into a vessel, and update the available balance of the machine-readable medium so as to reduce or prevent the user from dispensing unlimited beverages.

Low cost control pour

The present application provides a dispensing nozzle assembly for mixing a first fluid and a second fluid. The dispensing nozzle assembly may include a target assembly with a number of twisted fins and an injector ring assembly surrounding the target assembly in whole or in part. The injector ring assembly may include a number of first tubes with one or more threads therein directed towards the target assembly for the first fluid and a number of second tubes directed towards the target assembly for the second fluid such that the first fluid and the second fluid mix along the twisted fins of the target assembly.

Dispensing nozzle assemblies

In at least one illustrative embodiment, a diaphragm pump includes a sleeve formed to include (i) a bore extending along a longitudinal axis and (ii) a sleeve port that opens to the bore, and a spool supported in the bore of the sleeve and formed to include a spool port, the spool being configured to move with a diaphragm during at least a portion of a stroke of the diaphragm such that the spool slides relative to the sleeve and, when the diaphragm reaches a turndown position that is between first and second end-of-stroke positions, the spool port aligns with the sleeve port to cause a pilot signal to be supplied to a cut-off valve. At least one of the sleeve and the spool may be rotatable about the longitudinal axis to adjust a location of the turndown position relative to the first and second end-of-stroke positions.

Diaphragm pumps with air savings devices

Diaphragm pumps, and pre-charging systems for use with such pumps, are disclosed. The diaphragm pump includes a first diaphragm that separates a cavity into a motive fluid chamber and a pumped media chamber, a charge chamber having a controlled volume, wherein the controlled volume is adjustable to vary a controlled mass of compressed fluid capable of being stored in the charge chamber, and one or more valves configured to (i) fluidly couple the motive fluid chamber to an exhaust chamber during a first stroke period, (ii) fluidly couple the charge chamber to a compressed fluid inlet during at least a portion of the first stroke period, and (iii) fluidly couple the charge chamber to the motive fluid chamber during a second stroke period.

Air mass control for diaphragm pumps

In at least one illustrative embodiment, a diaphragm pump may include a sleeve formed to include (i) a bore extending along a longitudinal axis and (ii) a sleeve port that opens to the bore, and a spool supported in the bore of the sleeve and formed to include a spool port, the spool being configured to move with a diaphragm during at least a portion of a stroke of the diaphragm such that the spool slides relative to the sleeve and, when the diaphragm reaches a turndown position that is between first and second end-of-stroke positions, the spool port aligns with the sleeve port to cause a pilot signal to be supplied to a cut-off valve. At least one of the sleeve and the spool may be rotatable about the longitudinal axis to adjust a location of the turndown position relative to the first and second end-of-stroke positions.

One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for increasing compressed air efficiency in a pump that utilizes an air efficiency device in order to optimize the amount of a compressed air in the pump. The air efficiency device may allow for controlling the operation of the air operated diaphragm pump by reducing the flow of compressed air supplied to the pump as the pump moves between first and second diaphragm positions. A sensor may be used to monitor velocity of the diaphragm assemblies. In turn, full position feedback is possible so that the pump self-adjusts to determine the optimum, or close to optimum, turndown point of the diaphragm assemblies. As such, air savings are achieved by minimizing the amount of required compressed air.

Method and apparatus for increasing compressed air efficiency in a pump

A liquid pump control system for dry run avoidance and re-prime detection. Pump dry run conditions can be detected with improved sensitivity by measuring pump cycle speed. Pump cycle speed is determined from sensors including pressure sensors, diaphragm end of stroke indicators, check valve movement sensors, and other techniques. A controller closes a valve to reduce pump cycle speed by reducing drive air pressure or by deadheading the pump liquid outlet. When the pump re-primes, the valve is opened, pump cycle speed increases, and pumping volume flow rate increases until a dry run condition is again encountered. Time delays can be introduced to delay shutting down or restarting the pump, for example to give a liquid source tank time to refill. The improved control sensitivity provides improved shut-down and re-start performance, reducing wear on the pump and reducing wasted drive air and energy consumption.

Speed control for diaphragm pump

Method for increasing compressed air efficiency in a pump

One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for increasing compressed air efficiency in a pump utilizes an air efficiency device in order to optimize the amount of a compressed air in a pump. The air efficiency device may allow for controlling the operation of the air operated diaphragm pump by reducing the flow of compressed air supplied to the pump as the pump moves between first and second diaphragm positions. A sensor may be used to monitor velocity of the diaphragm assemblies. In turn, full position feedback is possible so that the pump self-adjusts to determine the optimum, or close to optimum, turndown point of the diaphragm assemblies. As such, air savings is achieved by minimizing the amount of required compressed air.

Growing community of inventors

Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Jevawn Sebastian Roberts