The Coca-cola Company

Roger C Whigham

George H Hoover

Annie T Ellis

John H Bearden

Ronald L Wiley

Kenneth S Weinaug

Kathryn M Chase

Lisa C Wandrick

John J Fisher

Augusto S Medina

Phillip Jack Snoke

Spencer L Mackay

Daniel S Quartarone

Devin L Moore

Bruce William Copeland

Lionel D Gillespie

Steven C Gamper

Richard Carroll Staten

F Gordon MacKay

Thomas R Boston

D Scott Rowley

Barbara Gann

Alvin C Mayshack

Gary G Highberger

Compositions and methods are provided to simulate the appearance of frozen beverages, such as fruit drink slushes or frozen coffees. The composition includes a carrier fluid which comprises water, a thickening agent, and a colorant; and simulated ice crystals stably and uniformly dispersed in the carrier fluid. The simulated ice crystals are comprised of particles, preferably polymeric particles having a size between about 200 and about 400 microns. The thickening agent preferably comprises a slurry of propylene glycol alginate dispersed in propylene glycol. The colorant is selected based on the &ldquo;flavor&rdquo; being simulated, for example, yellow for lemonade, caramel color for coffee or cola. The polymeric particles preferably comprise a polymer such as high density polyethylene.

Simulated frozen beverage composition and method of manufacture thereof

There is disclosed a system and method for purchasing a product from an automatic vending machine by means of a consumer's cellular telephone. The consumer requests a product available from the vending machine by dialing a specified telephone number which connects the consumer's cellular telephone to a server operated by a billing agency. The billing agency may include the provider of the product, the telephone company that provides the cellular telephone service, a credit card company, or a bank that has issued a debit card. The server recognizes the request for the product, creates a transaction record, and communicates a vend code to the consumer. The transaction record includes a billing record that the billing agency uses to bill the consumer for the requested product and an inventory record that the product provider uses in connection with restocking the vending machine. Upon receiving the vend code from the server, the consumer transmits the vend code to the vending machine. The vend code may be an RF code, an audible tone code, or a manual code. Upon receipt of the vend code from the consumer, the vending machine dispenses the requested product.

Vending machine purchase via cellular telephone

A sealed fluid merchandiser (12) for use in connection with a beverage dispenser (16) includes a transparent, liquid display container (60) having a narrow liquid chamber (33) for a stable liquid (21) that simulates the beverage being dispensed and a pump housing (37) for a pump (38) that pumps the liquid being simulated through a spray manifold (44) for producing an attractive spray or bubbling effect. The stable, simulated beverage liquid has a low viscosity such that it behaves substantially identical to the beverage being dispensed. The narrow liquid chamber substantially reduces the weight and expense of the fluid merchandiser.

Fluid merchandiser for beverage dispenser

A device for forming a changeable sign from either gas bubbles rising within a body of liquid or from drops of liquid moving through the air. When using gas bubbles rising within a body of liquid, the gas bubbles are released sequentially such that a message of the sign is represented as a matrix of bubbles. When using drops of liquid moving through the air, the drops are released sequentially and controllably such that the message of the sign is represented as a matrix of drops of liquid. In one version, air bubbles are released near the bottom of a tank from controllable valves. The valves can be arranged in a single line or in a vertical matrix. As an alternative, a template having a message formed as a dot matrix is applied against a matrix of orifices from which gas escapes, to form the message. In another version, water drops are released from a row of controllable valves on a ballistic trajectory, e.g., a free-fall. As an alternative, the row of valves can be used normally to produce a continuous series of streams of water, but the streams can be interrupted while the message is produced from a dot matrix of drops.

Method and apparatus employing gravity to form a variable message on a

An automatic ratio control system for a single or multiflavor post-mix beverage dispensing valve of a beverage dispenser including a flow meter in each syrup and water conduit, a temperature sensor in each syrup conduit, an adjustable flow control in each syrup and water conduit, an automatic flow control adjuster, and an electronic control system including a microprocessor and appropriate software for adjusting a particular flow control when a measured flow rate falls outside of a range of preferred flow rates.

Beverage dispenser with automatic ratio control

A beverage dispenser valve system in which the mixture ratio is controlled by continuous modulation of the solenoid valves. The solenoid valves have movable stop means (or push rods) that control the travel of the armature, which in turn controls the position of a needle valve with respect to the valve seat to gradually change the flow opening and thus the syrup and water flow rates. A microprocessor uses the movable stop to adjust the syrup and/or water flow rate to deliver the proper ratio of syrup to water based on the flow of water and syrup as measured by flow meters. In addition, the total flow rate from the nozzle can be controlled and varied in relation to the distance the cup lever arm is depressed; thus, the flow rate can be made slow at the beginning and end, and fast in-between.

Beverage dispensing valve with flow control lever arm

A microprocessor based control system including an electrical unit attached to a postmix beverage dispensing valve for performing the three functions of: portion control, reminding the operator to check the ratio, and adjusting the ratio. The portion control operation can be identical to known portion control devices. The reminder function can turn on a light every two weeks, for example. In the ratio adjusting function, the operator puts a single cup under the valve, pushes 'Small' to dispense syrup for a predetermined time period which should result in the dispensing of a predetermined volume of syrup, measures the volume actually dispensed by comparing it to the desired volume, then adjusts the syrup flow control accordingly, and repeats the process until the exact predetermined volume is dispensed, and then repeats the steps for water using the same cup but a different predetermined volume indicia. The flow rate can accurately be set at the same time as the ratio.

Microprocessor based ratio adjustment and portion control system for

Beverage dispenser

A microprocessor based control system including an electrical unit attached to a postmix beverage dispensing valve for performing the three functions of: portion control, reminding the operator to check the ratio, and adjusting the ratio. The portion control operation can be identical to known portion control devices. The reminder function can turn on a light every two weeks, for example. In the ratio adjusting function, the operator puts a single cup under the valve, pushes 'Small' to dispense syrup for a predetermined time period which should result in the dispensing of a predetermined volume of syrup, measures the exact volume actually dispensed, and then adjusts the syrup flow control accordingly until the exact predetermined volume is dispensed, and repeats the operation for water in the same cup but to a different predetermined volume. The flow rate can accurately be set at the same time as the ratio.

A nozzle, preferably a multiflavor nozzle, for a postmix beverage dispenser and a method for dispensing including a nozzle body, a water passageway and one or a plurality of separate syrup passageways therethrough, wherein the water passageway includes a water inlet chamber, a plurality of small holes leading into a water stream shaping passageway which includes a first, radially extending annular chamber leading into a second axially extending annular chamber and then to an annular exit port to produce an even, uniform, hollow cylindrical stream of water surrounding a syrup stream. The CO.sub.2 comes out of solution in the water passageway to prevent foaming and no mixing occurs in the nozzle to prevent flavor carry-over, while providing high carbonation retention and minimizing brix stratification.

Nozzle for postmix beverage dispenser

A beverage dispenser valve system in which the mixture ratio is controlled by continuous modulation of the solenoid valves. The solenoid valves have a movable stop (or push rod) that controls the travel of the armature, which in turn controls the position of a needle valve with respect to the valve seat to gradually change the flow opening and thus the syrup and water flow rates. A microprocessor uses the movable stop to adjust the syrup and/or water flow rate to deliver the proper ratio of syrup to water based on the flow of water and syrup as measured by flow meters. In addition, the total flow rate from the nozzle can be controlled and varied in relation to the distance the cup lever arm is depressed, thus, the flow rate can be made slow at the beginning and end, and fast in-between.

Post-mix beverage dispenser valve with continuous solenoid modulation

A multiflavor beverage dispenser comprises a microprocessor system for controlling the ratio of diluent to concentrate of a post-mix beverage. The system includes a compact flow rate control module for selectively controlling the flow rates of liquids in a plurality of flow passages leading to nozzle assemblies of the dispenser. Each flow rate control module includes a single stepper motor connected to a rotary spool valve for selectively controlling the flow rate of the liquids. The microprocessor system utilizes variable reference signals which are ramped to approximately correspond to the actual flow rate of the liquid towards a target in order to reduce overshoot values of the flow rates. A scaling function is provided by the microprocessor system to adjust target flow rates between pours in order to achieve consistent controlled ratios of the beverage being dispensed.

Beverage dispenser control valve and ratio control method therefor

A beverage dispenser valve system in which the mixture ratio is controlled by continuous modulation of the solenoid valves. The solenoid valves have movable stop (or push rods) that control the travel of the armature, which in turn controls the position of a needle valve with respect to the valve seat to gradually change the flow opening and thus the syrup and water flow rates. A microprocessor uses the movable stop to adjust the syrup and/or water flow rate to deliver the proper ratio of syrup to water based on the flow of water and syrup as measured by flow meters. In addition, the total flow rate from the nozzle can be controlled and varied in relation to the distance the cup lever arm is depressed; thus, the flow rate can be made slow at the beginning and end, and fast in-between.

A multiflavor valve assembly and a multiflavor tower using such valve assembly. The valve assembly uses microprocessor controlled ratio control. The tower can dispense six flavors through a single nozzle assembly, while using significantly less counter space than six separate valves would require. The valve assembly uses two water flow modules, six syrup flow modules, one control board with a microprocessor, one interface board with its microprocessor, and thirteen touch buttons on the selection panel.

Growing community of inventors

Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Roger C Whigham