Lancer Corporation

Lancer Partnership, Ltd

Takata Seat Belts, Inc.

Merrill R Good

Alfred A Schroeder

Michael Romanyszyn

Donald W Smeller

George E Hernandez

John D Santy

Ricardo Abugarade Rodriguez

Jarrell Jennings, Iii

Ronald Ray Hoch

Paul Haskayne

Anthony Joseph Behe, Jr

Robert Shettle

Brandon P Ojeda

Darryl E Conover

Joseph Daniel Martin

Paul V Watkins, Jr

Thomas J Chadwell

David C Sudolcan

John Vira

Robert L Robinson

Paul S Sudolcan

Mauro Gonzalez

Carlos Perez

Dodge Bamberger

Paul Watkins

James E Bruce, Ii

Jarrell L Jennings

Robert W Shettle

An arrangement for selective removal of a mixer assembly from a hand-held beverage dispenser includes a handle body housing a piping system for dispensing post-mix beverages and a toe plate for dependently supporting the mixer assembly. Upwardly projecting mounting bosses have central orifices running end-to-end therethrough, and extending at the bottom end through the toe plate. Each orifice is axially aligned with a mounting hole of a mixer assembly as operably supported by the tow plate, and releasable fasteners provided top-to-bottom through the orifices engage the mounting holes to affix the mixer assembly to the toe plate.

Mixer assembly removability arrangements for hand-held beverage dispensers

A valve arrangement establishes passage from a dedicated beverage product flow path to the valve arrangement to a dedicated beverage product flow path from the valve arrangement. The valve arrangement further establishes passage into the valve arrangement of a user selectable one of a plurality of diluent flow paths, while blocking passage into the valve arrangement of each of the plurality of diluent flow paths other than the one of the plurality of diluent flow paths. The valve arrangement still further establishes passage from the one of the plurality of diluent flow paths to the fixed diluent flow path from the valve body. The valve arrangement establishes passage into the valve arrangement of a user selectable one of the plurality of diluent flow paths functionally independent of establishing passage to the fixed diluent flow path of the one of the plurality of diluent flow paths.

Valve arrangement for selectively establishing beverage fluid flow

An adjustable flow restrictor includes a nut, an adjustment screw, and a sleeve. The adjustment screw installs into the nut whereby the adjustment screw and the nut define a pathway therebetween. Adjustment of the adjustment screw relative to the nut varies the pathway with respect to a length thereof. The sleeve fits over the adjustment screw and mates with the nut in order to define a chamber with an outlet. The pathway receives therein a liquid conveyed to the nut and communicates the liquid to the chamber for exit therefrom via the outlet. Adjusting the length of the pathway sets the volumetric flow rate of the liquid traversing the pathway such that the liquid exiting the outlet flows therefrom at a desired volumetric flow rate.

Method and apparatus for flow restriction

A post-mix drink dispenser includes a mixer body securable to a drink dispensing system and having at least one beverage concentrate inlet and outlet sheltered within a downwardly open cavity in the bottom thereof; a diluent channel formed exterior to the cavity and about a lower sidewall of the mixer body; and a nozzle housing securable in place about the mixer body. The dispenser includes an air channel formed in a wall portion of the nozzle housing, a diffuser to organize flows of diluent along the interior surface of the nozzle housing, or both a vent and a diffuser. The air channel includes provisions to impede ingress of diluent, and to contain flow through the channel of liquid beverage components. The diffuser may be formed unitary with the nozzle housing, or may be selectively removable from the drink dispenser.

Methods and apparatus for post-mix drink dispensing

A hand-held beverage dispenser includes a handle body, within which multiple valve units are contained. Two sets of fluid flow paths are provided into the handle body. The sets of fluid flow paths are mutually exclusive one to the other. Each flow path of the first set is in fluid communication with each valve unit, whereas only a predetermined one of the second set of fluid flow paths is in fluid communication with each valve unit. Each valve unit includes a flow control valve and a selection valve. The selection valve determines on an ad hoc basis which of the first set of flow paths will be utilized at any given time, while the flow control valve provides single action simultaneous ON-OFF control of fluid flows through both the selected flow path and the predetermined flow path.

Hand-held dispenser and related methods

Valve handle support block

An automated ice dispenser () decouples the action of agitating ice stored in an ice bin () and the action of dispensing the ice and, additionally, uses a controlled action to dispense the ice. Agitation is achieved with a horizontally mounted agitator (). Ice is dispensed with a horizontally mounted auger (). The ice dispenser () uses the force created by the auger () to push the ice through an opening () and out of the bin (), making the dispensing more consistent and providing the ability to overcome clumping. By making the agitation action independent of the dispensing action, the incidence of clumping is reduced. Agitation is controlled by software, whereunder the agitator () turns on based on the cumulative run time of the auger (). Auger run time and agitation time (as well as other configurable parameters) are adjustable by DIP switches () on a control board ().

Integrated ice and beverage dispenser

A used transportation tube is replaced with a new transportation tube by moving a lever of a coupler from an engaged position to a disengaged position such that a fitment of the transportation tube releases a keg valve assembly. The fitment is removed from a top end of the coupler, and the transportation tube is removed from a faucet and tower of a beer dispensing system. A new transportation tube is inserted into the tower and faucet of the beer dispensing system. A fitment of the new transportation tube is inserted through the top end of the coupler and into a bore of the coupler. The lever is moved from its disengaged position to its engaged position, whereby the lever pushes the fitment downward within the bore such that the fitment opens the keg valve assembly thereby facilitating beer flow from the keg through the transportation tube.

Method of changing a transportation tube for a beer dispensing system

A creamy foam beer dispensing system includes a coupler removably securable with a keg, a transportation tube, and a faucet having a handle coupled with a plunger communicating with the transportation tube. The handle is movable among a closed position, an open position, and a creamy foam position. In the closed position, the handle maintains the plunger squeezed against the transportation tube such that no beer flows from the faucet. In the open position, the handle lifts the plunger substantially, completely off the transportation tube such that beer flows smoothly from the faucet. In the creamy foam position, the handle lifts the plunger off the transportation tube a distance such that an aperture created in the transportation tube produces creamy foam flow from the faucet.

Creamy foam beer dispensing system

A nozzle system for use with a multi-flavor beverage dispenser includes a mixing chamber having a fluid outlet therefrom; a diluent injector configured to deliver a mixing fluid from without to within the mixing chamber; and a number of concentrate injectors configured to independently deliver a fluid concentrate from without to within the mixing chamber. The concentrate injector each have associated therewith a self-sealing dispensing valve configured to substantially limit fluid flow through its respective concentrate injector to from without the mixing chamber to within the mixing chamber.

Method and apparatus for dispensing a beverage from a liquid concentrate

An evacuation system including an evacuation member engages a product package and applies pressure thereto, such that a product in the product package moves toward an outlet in the product package for dispensing. A controller monitors the force applied by a driver to the product package, thereby ensuring that the pressure remains below a particular threshold to protect the integrity of the product package. The controller further monitors the evacuation member location, thereby enabling the controller to recognize when the product package is empty. The evacuation system further includes a package carrier including a pinch-off area that moves product out of an unrecoverable portion of the product package. The evacuation member may be utilized as a stand-alone device or with a primary device, wherein the primary device provides signals to the evacuation system and the evacuation system provides product to the primary device.

Method of calibrating a dispensing station

Evacuation system

Growing community of inventors

San Antonio, TX, United States of America

Merrill R Good