The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 09, 1990
Filed:
Nov. 21, 1988
William F Stembridge, College Park, GA (US);
James C Sturrock, Espanola, NM (US);
W Frank Stembridge, East Point, GA (US);
The Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta, GA (US);
Abstract
An automatic ultrasonic system for controlling the filling of different sizes of beverage containers which may or may not contain various quantities of ice. The system includes a transducer assembly and a control module, both preferably connected to a beverage dispenser valve assembly. The transducer assembly includes at least two piezo-electric crystals for separately transmitting and receiving ultrasonic wave energy from the grate, the cup lip, the top of any ice in the cup, and the rising liquid level, and for generating signals corresponding to the travel time of the ultrasonic energy. The control module includes a microcomputer and associated circuitry. The system can include two separate transmitter and receiver crystals, or in a preferred embodiment two transmitter-receiver pairs of crystals.