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:
Sep. 16, 2003
Filed:
Aug. 12, 2002
William E. Midden, Springfield, IL (US);
John T. Knepler, Springfield, IL (US);
Jeffery W. Kadyk, Pleasant Plains, IL (US);
Bunn-O-Matic Corporation, Springfield, IL (US);
Abstract
A system for sensing the torque exerted upon a motor shaft assembly relative to the consistency of a mixture. The system includes a moving member for moving the mixture. One form of the mixture may be a chilled beverage in which the moving member moves the chilled beverage within a container. The motor shaft assembly includes a drive device coupled to the moving member for imparting movement to the moving member and a drive shaft connecting the drive device in the moving member. The drive shaft defines an axis of rotation. The drive shaft is adapted for rotation to effect movement of the moving member. The drive shaft includes at least one axially aligned resilient coupling extending generally coaxial with and radially spaced from the axis of rotation. The resilient coupling is adapted for rotation relative to the drive shaft so that when the drive shaft is rotated the relative position of the drive shaft and the resilient coupling varies in relation to the torque exerted upon the motor shaft assembly relative to the consistency of mixture. A sensor is positioned proximate to the drive shaft for detecting the relative position of the drive shaft and the resilient coupling as it varies in relation to the torque exerted upon the motor shaft assembly relative to the consistency of the mixture.