Pepsico, Inc.

Martin J Berger

Sheldon P Apsell

Bruce J Vahjen

A hybrid postmix beverage mixing and dispensing system wherein a beverage is mixed at an account from carbonated water and syrup, the brix ratio of which is precisely controlled by the use of a ratio proportioning pump. The mixed beverage is then delivered to a stabilizing tank, to stabilize the beverage and minimize problems with foaming thereof during dispensing. A single product delivery line then extends from the stabilizing tank to a relatively simple two way valve at the dispensing counter or station. The system is repeated for each different flavor available at the account.

Hybrid beverage mixing and dispensing system

A dual chamber Brix measuring cup which can be used to determine whether a fountain syrup dispenser is dispensing the proper ratio of water to syrup, referred to a a Brix measurement. The cup is basically two abutting cylindrical chambers, one to receive water dispensed from the nozzle and the other adapted to receive the syrup by means of a diverter tube. The cross sectional areas of the water and syrup chambers are in the ratio of the ideal water to syrup ratio in the dispensed product. In a first embodiment, a series of calibrated marks are provided on each of the two chambers, such that the mismatch of column heights can be translated into a reading of acceptability, for example if the syrup and water heights are within two lines of each other, that enable a tolerance band of acceptable mismatches to be easily seen visually. In a second embodiment, a slider element is provided which is vertically slideable on the syrup chamber. A calibration mark thereon is aligned with the syrup height, and when the water height falls within a tolerance range marked on the slider element, an acceptable ratio is indicated.

Ratio measuring cup

An arrangement for conducting an on-the-cup promotion in which promotional prize information is encoded onto each soft drink cup with an optically machine-readable code. The code is used with the promotion to identify whether a customer has won any of the different prizes available. In order to provide the needed variation and the completely random distribution of prizes needed for a fair game, each individual cup is separately encoded as it is being manufactured by a computer controlled printing station directly preceding a cup-forming machine. All of the necessary information on the number or prizes, the frequency of occurrence of each prize, and a program to randomize that frequency is placed in the computer software. A scanner at the point of sale scans the code, signals whether the cup is a prize winner or not, and delivers a printed ticket notifying winners of their prizes and how to redeem them.

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Dobbs Ferry, NY, United States of America

Martin J Berger