Automatic beverage dispensing system and method

Abstract

A beverage preparation system is provided that includes a carousel assembly including a central shaft. The rotating disc assembly further comprises an inner rotating disc and an outer rotating disc arranged around the inner rotating disc in the circumferential direction. The beverage preparation system also includes a cup dispensing station configured to dispense cups onto one of the inner carousel or the outer carousel. The beverage preparation system also includes a beverage dispensing station configured to dispense a beverage into the cup.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] Restaurants and other food and beverage facilities can distribute a large number of beverages to customers during the course of an operation. As such, food and beverage facilities can be provided with beverage machines or other similar systems for efficiently preparing beverages for customers and / or employees. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0002] To describe various example embodiments in detail, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a beverage preparation system in some embodiments; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a carousel assembly of the beverage preparation system shown in some embodiments; Figure 1 is a perspective view of a beverage handling assembly of the beverage preparation system shown in some embodiments; Figure 3 Figure 1 is an exploded view of the carousel assembly of the beverage preparation system shown in some embodiments; Figure 4 is an exploded view of a cup dispensing station of the beverage preparation system shown in some embodiments; Figure 1 is an exploded view of a dispenser of the cup dispensing station shown in some embodiments; Figure 5 Figure 4 is an enlarged side view of a ratchet and wedge assembly of the dispenser shown in some embodiments in a first position; Figure 6 is an enlarged side view of the ratchet and wedge assembly shown in some embodiments in a second position; Figure 5 is a top view of a wedge assembly that can be used in a cup dispensing station of a beverage preparation and dispensing system shown in some embodiments; Figure 7 Figure 6 is a perspective view of the cup dispensing station of the beverage preparation system shown in some embodiments; Figure 8 is a schematic view of an ice dispensing station of the beverage preparation system shown in some embodiments; Figure 1 is a schematic view of a beverage dispensing station of the beverage preparation system shown in some embodiments; Figures 9-11 Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a capping station of the beverage preparation system shown in some embodiments; Figure 12 is a schematic side view of a capping station of the beverage preparation system shown in some embodiments; Figure 1 Figure 13 Figure 1 Figure 14 and 15 Figure 1 Figure 16 Figure 1 ​​​​​​​​​​Perspective view of a capping station of the illustrated beverage preparation and dispensing system; Figure 17 is a method of preparing a beverage in some embodiments Figure 1 Top view of a pair of merging rails of a capping station of the illustrated beverage preparation system; Figure 18 is a method of preparing a beverage in some embodiments Figure 1 Perspective view of a lid presser of a capping station of the illustrated beverage preparation system; Figure 19 is a method of preparing a beverage in some embodiments Figure 1 Perspective view of a compression band for securing a lid to a cup within a capping station of the illustrated beverage preparation system; Figure 20 is a method of preparing a beverage in some embodiments Figure 1 Perspective view of a roller assembly for securing a lid to a cup within a capping station of the illustrated beverage preparation and dispensing system; Figure 21 is a method of preparing a beverage in some embodiments Figure 1 Schematic view of a heat seal capping assembly of a capping station of the illustrated beverage preparation system; Figure 22 is a method of preparing a beverage in some embodiments Figure 1 Side view of a beverage identification assembly of the illustrated beverage preparation system; Figure 23 is a method of preparing a beverage in some embodiments Figure 24 is a schematic diagram of a computer system suitable for implementing one or more embodiments disclosed herein; Figure 25 is a perspective view of a beverage preparation system in yet another embodiment; Figure 26 is a method of preparing a beverage in some embodiments Figure 25 Perspective view of an improved carousel assembly of the illustrated beverage preparation system; Figure 27 is a method of preparing a beverage in some embodiments Figure 26 Partial cutaway view of the improved carousel assembly illustrating a sliding assembly; Figure 28 is a method of preparing a beverage in some embodiments Figure 27 Magnified perspective view of the sliding assembly; Figure 29 is a side perspective view of the improved carousel assembly and the sliding assembly of another embodiment; Figure 30A is a method of preparing a beverage in some embodiments Figure 29 Perspective view of an up and down magnetic assembly of the sliding assembly; Figure 30B is a perspective view of the up and down magnetic assembly and the inner carousel in another embodiment; Figure 30CThis is a bottom perspective view of the sliding component and the improved turntable in another embodiment; Figure 31 This is a perspective view of an improved turntable assembly placed in a water tank in another embodiment; Figure 32 This is a perspective view of the water tank and drain outlet in one embodiment; Figure 33 This is a perspective view of an improved turntable assembly placed in a sink with the cup holders removed, according to another embodiment. Figure 34 This is a perspective view of the water tank in another embodiment with the improved turntable assembly removed; Figure 35 This is a perspective view of the water tank and drain outlet in one embodiment; Figures 36A-E are views of an improved turntable assembly drive system in one embodiment; Figure 37 yes Figure 25 Another perspective view of the beverage preparation system shown illustrates the capping and printing components in one embodiment; Figure 38 This is a view of the capping and printing components and the lifting component in one embodiment; Figure 39A This is a top view of a portion of the improved turntable assembly and the lifting assembly in one embodiment; Figure 39B This is a perspective view of the cup holder in one embodiment; Figure 40A One embodiment Figure 25 A perspective view of a portion of the beverage preparation system shown. Figure 40B and 40C Other embodiments Figure 25 A perspective view of the other parts of the beverage preparation system shown; Figure 41 This is a perspective view of a beverage preparation system in another embodiment; Figure 42 These are some embodiments Figure 41 A perspective view of the conveyor belt assembly of the beverage preparation system shown. Figure 43 These are some embodiments Figure 42 A top view of the conveyor belt assembly shown; Figures 44-47 These are some embodiments Figure 42 A perspective view of the cup holder of the conveyor belt assembly shown; Figure 48 This is a perspective view of a beverage preparation system in another embodiment; Figure 49 These are some embodiments Figure 48 A lateral cross-sectional view of the cup dispensing station of the beverage preparation system shown. Figure 50 This is a perspective view of the beverage preparation system in yet another embodiment; Figure 51 This is a perspective view of the beverage preparation system in yet another embodiment; Figure 52 yes Figure 51 Another perspective view of the beverage preparation system shown; Figure 53 It is shown Figure 51 and 52 A perspective view of the turntable of the beverage preparation system shown. Figure 54 This is a view of an embodiment of a cup holder and transition assembly of a beverage preparation system; Figure 55 This is another view of the beverage preparation system and transitional components; Figure 56 This is a rear perspective view of the cup holder in one embodiment; Figure 57 This is a bottom perspective view of the cup holder in one embodiment; Figure 58 This is a perspective view of the lifting mechanism in one embodiment; Figure 59 This is a perspective view of the positioning plate in one embodiment; Figure 60 This is a perspective view of the capping and printing system in one embodiment; Figure 61 Another perspective view of the capping and printing system in one embodiment; Figure 62 This is a perspective view of a beverage preparation system in another embodiment; Figure 63 This is a perspective view of a wiper in one embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 64 This is a perspective view of a beverage preparation system in another embodiment; Figure 65 This is a top view of an ice storage box in one embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 66 This is a perspective view of the injection groove and the groove cover in one embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 67 This is a perspective view of one embodiment of a beverage preparation system; Figure 68 This is a view of the upper interior of the beverage preparation system in one embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 69 This is a view of a beverage preparation system with the cup dispenser in the open position, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 70 This is a perspective view of the capping and printing components in another embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 71 capping and printing assembly positioned on a slide rail in one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 72 capping and printing assembly positioned on a slide rail in one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 73 an upper frame of a beverage preparation system in one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; and Figure 74 a drive mechanism of a beverage preparation system in one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0003] The following discussion is directed to various embodiments. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the examples disclosed herein have a wide application and that the discussion of any embodiment is intended only to be an example of that embodiment and is not intended to suggest that the scope of the disclosure (including claims) is limited to that embodiment.

[0004] The drawings are not necessarily to scale. Certain features and components herein can be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and certain details of some conventional elements can not be shown for clarity and simplicity of description.

[0005] In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms "including" and "comprising" are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean "including, but not limited to... Also, the term "coupled" means either a direct connection or an indirect connection via another device, component, node, etc. Thus, if a first device is coupled to a second device, that connection can be through a direct connection, or through an indirect connection via other devices, components, nodes, etc. Further, as used herein, the terms "axial" and "axially" generally refer to a direction along or parallel to a given axis (e.g., a central axis of a body or port), while the terms "radial" and "radially" generally refer to a direction perpendicular to that given axis. For example, an axial distance refers to a distance measured along or parallel to that axis, while a radial distance refers to a distance measured perpendicular to that axis.

[0006] As previously mentioned, beverage machines or other similar systems can be used in restaurants or food service establishments to prepare beverages. However, many such devices require manual, physical interaction in many (or all) steps of the beverage preparation process. For example, when using a beverage machine to prepare a beverage, a server, customer, etc. can still be required to take a cup, aim and hold the cup under a nozzle of a selected beverage type, and interface or otherwise interact with the device to cause the desired beverage to be dispensed. Each of these additional, manual interactions can add time and complexity to the beverage preparation process, and thus can reduce the operational efficiency of the overall food service.

[0007] Accordingly, embodiments disclosed herein include beverage preparation systems and related methods that can further improve the efficiency of the beverage preparation and distribution process by automating many, most, or substantially all of the steps of preparing a beverage. Thus, by using embodiments disclosed herein, the number of manual steps required to complete a beverage order can be reduced, thereby improving the efficiency of the beverage preparation process and improving the overall food and beverage service operation.

[0008] Referring now to Figure 1 , a beverage preparation system 100 according to some embodiments is shown. As will be described in greater detail below, the beverage preparation system 100 can be used to automatically prepare and dispense a complete or substantially complete beverage during an operation, thereby reducing the number of manual operations performed by servers, customers, etc. Generally, the beverage preparation system 100 includes an ice storage compartment 112, a cabinet 114, and a beverage processing assembly 120 positioned between the ice storage compartment 112 and the cabinet 114.

[0009] Referring now to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the beverage processing assembly 120 includes a plurality of stations for performing various stages or steps of the beverage preparation process. In particular, the beverage processing assembly 120 includes a cup dispensing station 130, an ice cube dispensing station 180, a beverage dispensing station 190, and a capping station 200. The beverage can be advanced through the stations 130, 180, 190, 200 by a carousel assembly 122 for preparation.

[0010] Referring now to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the carousel assembly 122 includes a central shaft 155 and a pair of concentric carousels 124, 126. In particular, the carousel assembly 122 includes an inner carousel 124 and an outer carousel 126 disposed circumferentially about the inner carousel 124. The inner carousel 124 includes and defines a first or inner row 154 of cup seats 125, while the outer carousel 126 includes and defines a second or outer row 156 of cup seats 125. The inner row 154 and the outer row 156 each extend annularly about the central shaft 155, with the inner row 154 positioned radially inward of the outer row 156. In particular, in some embodiments, the first row 154 and the second row 156 extend circumferentially about the central shaft 155 such that the cup seats 125 of the rows 154, 156 are arranged in concentric circles about the shaft 155.

[0011] With particular reference to Figure 3More specifically, the base plate 149 includes a pair of circumferential tracks 148, 147 that support the turntables 124, 126 via a pair of bearings 144, 146, respectively. The bearings 144, 146 can facilitate rotation of the turntables 124, 126 about the central axis 155 relative to the base plate 149 during operation. In some embodiments, the bearings 144, 146 can include wheels, sliding surfaces, and / or other suitable components or features to facilitate movement (e.g., rotation) of the turntables 124, 126 relative to the base plate 149. In other embodiments, the inner turntable 124 can be supported by a shaft (not shown) while the outer turntable 126 is supported by a support structure (not shown) of the beverage preparation system 100 along the outer diameter of the outer turntable 126.

[0012] The inner and outer turntables 124, 126 are housed within an enclosure 140 that is, in turn, mounted on the base plate 149 to conceal the tracks 147, 148 and bearings 144, 146. A gear box 142 is mounted on the enclosure 140 that includes one or more gears (not shown) that engage with teeth or other suitable structures formed on the outer turntable 126. In other embodiments, either or both of the outer turntable 126 and / or the inner turntable 124 can be driven by a rubber wheel (not shown) that frictionally engages an outer portion or other portion of the turntable 124 and / or 126.

[0013] The first and second drives 141, 143 are supported in a housing 145 that is coupled to the base plate 149 on a side opposite the turntables 124, 126 and the enclosure 140. However, in other embodiments (not shown), the second drive 143 can be mounted on the same side as the turntables 124, 126. In the present embodiment, an output shaft of the first drive 141 is coupled to the inner turntable 124 through a first aperture 150 in the base plate 149, while an output shaft of the second drive 143 engages a gear within the gear box 142 through a second aperture 152 in the base plate 149. In some embodiments, the drives 141, 143 can include electric motors; however, in other embodiments, the drives 141, 143 can include pneumatic motors, hydraulic motors, etc.

[0014] During operation, the drives 141, 143 can be energized to rotate the turntables 124, 126 about the central axis 155, respectively. Specifically, the first drive 141 can be energized to rotate the inner turntable 124 about the axis 155, while the second drive 143 can be energized to rotate the outer turntable 126 about the axis 155 via the gears (not shown) within the gear box 142. Returning to Figure 1 and Figure 2The rotation of turntables 124 and 126 about axis 155 can selectively propel beverages through stations 130, 180, 190, and 200 within the beverage handling assembly 120. This is because turntables 124 and 126 are driven by independent actuators (e.g., Figure 3 The drives 141, 143 shown rotate about axis 155, so during operation, turntables 124, 126 can rotate independently of each other about axis 155. Without being limited to this or any other theory, the independent rotation of turntables 124, 126 can provide redundancy to the beverage preparation system 100 in case one or more components fail. Furthermore, the independent rotation of turntables 124, 126 can allow for the subdivision and organization of beverage preparation via rows 154, 156. For example, rows 154, 156 can be arranged to prepare beverages for different sources (e.g., drive-thru orders and dine-in orders), and / or can be used to prepare different types of beverages (e.g., carbonated and non-carbonated beverages, hot and cold drinks). Further details of embodiments of stations 130, 180, 190, 200 are now described.

[0015] Now for reference Figure 1 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the cup dispensing station 130 includes a central shaft 135, a dispenser 134, and a plurality of tubular cartridges 132 coupled to the dispenser 134 and extending axially from it relative to the shaft 135. Each cartridge 132 includes a first or upper end 132a and a second or lower end 132b opposite to the upper end 132a. The lower end 132b is coupled to a corresponding receiving hole 136 in the dispenser 134, while the upper end 132a extends axially from the dispenser 134. Each cartridge 132 can receive and store a plurality of stacked cups 50. In some embodiments, cups 50 can be loaded into the cartridge 132 from the upper end 132a. In some embodiments, the cartridge 132 can be decoupled from the dispenser 134 to facilitate loading cups 50 therein. In other embodiments (not shown), the external configuration of the plurality of tubular magazines 132 may not be circular, but hexagonal or other shapes, and may include an opening on one side of the tubular magazine 132 to receive a cup, so that the cup can be loaded from the side rather than from the top or bottom. In such embodiments, the hexagonal or other shape may be based on the geometry of the open tubular magazine 132 to hold the cup.

[0016] The dispenser 134 is a generally cylindrical member that includes a first or upper side 134a, a second or lower side 134b opposite the upper side 134a, and a cylindrical outer surface 134c extending axially between the sides 134a, 134b. The receiving aperture 136 extends axially through the dispenser 134 between the sides 134a, 134b relative to the shaft 135. The magazine 132 is engaged with the receiving aperture 136 on the upper side 134a such that, during operation, the cups 50 dispensed from the magazine 132 pass through the receiving aperture 136 and are ejected from the lower side 134b.

[0017] The dispenser 134 is positioned within the housing 131. During operation, the dispenser 134 can be rotated about the shaft 135 within the housing 131. A bearing 139 can be inserted within the housing 131 to engage the lower side 134b of the dispenser 134 to facilitate rotation of the dispenser 134 about the shaft 135 during operation. A drive 138 can be coupled to one or more gears 133 positioned within the gear box 129 of the housing 131. In some embodiments, the drive 138 includes an electric motor; however, in other embodiments, the drive 138 can include a pneumatic motor, a hydraulic motor, or the like. The one or more gears 133 can be coupled (e.g., meshed) with teeth or other suitable structures on the cylindrical outer surface 134c of the dispenser 134. A top plate 137 can cover the gear box 129, and the drive 138 can be supported on the top plate 137. In other embodiments, the dispenser 134 can be driven by a synchronous belt pulley (not shown) engaged with the top of the dispenser 134.

[0018] Still referring to Figure 1 and Figure 4 During operation, the drive 138 can rotate the dispenser 134 about the shaft 135 via the one or more gears 133. In particular, the drive 138 can rotate the dispenser 134 to align selected magazines 132 and receiving apertures 136 in the dispenser 134 with the rows 154, 156 of cup seats 125 on the carousel assembly 122. In some embodiments, the magazines 132 can hold different sizes and / or types of cups that can be selectively aligned with the rows 154, 156 during operation to prepare desired beverages.

[0019] Referring now to Figure 5 In some embodiments, the dispenser 134 includes a housing 163 that defines an internal cavity 167. A cap 160 can be mounted to the housing 163 to enclose the cavity 167 and conceal components disposed therein (described in greater detail below). The cap 160 can define the upper side 134a, and the housing 163 can define the lower side 134b and the cylindrical outer surface 134c of the dispenser 134.

[0020] A plurality of gear rings 166 are disposed within the chamber 167 and are aligned with each of the receiving holes 136 along the corresponding shaft 165. A drive gear 168 is engaged (e.g., meshed) with the teeth or other suitable structure on the radially outer surface of each of the gear rings 166. The drive gear 168 is coupled to a drive 162 that can be mounted on the cap 160. For example, the drive gear 168 can be engaged with an output shaft (not shown) of the drive 162 that passes through a suitable aperture (not shown) in the cap 160. During operation, the drive 162 can rotate the drive gear 168, thereby driving the gear rings 166 to rotate about the corresponding shaft 165. Bearings 169 can be mounted within the chamber 167 to facilitate and support the rotation of the gear rings 166 about the shaft 165. In some embodiments, the drive 162 comprises an electric motor; however, in other embodiments, the drive 162 can comprise a pneumatic motor, a hydraulic motor, or the like.

[0021] Each of the shafts 165 is parallel to and radially offset from the central axis 135. In some embodiments, the shafts 165 are uniformly spaced about the axis 135. In other embodiments, the shafts 165 can be non-uniformly spaced about the axis 135. Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment of the cup dispensing station 130, there are a total of three magazines 132, and thus three receiving holes 136. Accordingly, the shafts 165 are spaced about 120° about the axis 135. In other embodiments, more or fewer than three magazines 132 can be included to accommodate a desired number of cup sizes or types.

[0022] A plurality of wedges 164 are positioned within each of the gear rings 166. Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, Figure 6 and Figure 7 Each of the wedges 164 comprises a cylindrical body 174 that includes a central or longitudinal axis 175. Within each of the gear rings 166, the axis 175 of the wedge 164 can be parallel to and radially offset from the shaft 165. The body 174 includes a plurality of teeth 176 that extend circumferentially about the axis 175. The teeth 176 are engageable (e.g., meshed) with corresponding teeth 172 on the radially inner surface 170 of the gear ring 166. Accordingly, rotation of the gear ring 166 about the shaft 165 causes the wedge 164 to rotate about the axis 175 via engagement of the teeth 172, 176.

[0023] A pair of wedges 178, 179 extend radially outward from the body 174. The wedges 178, 179 can extend outward from diametrically opposite sides of the body 174 relative to the shaft 175. In some embodiments, the wedges 178, 179 can extend circumferentially about 180° around the body 174; however, in some embodiments, the wedges 178, 179 can extend more or less than 180° circumferentially around the body 174. Moreover, the wedges 178, 179 are axially spaced from one another such that the wedge 178 can be axially above the wedge 179 along the shaft 175. Thus, the wedge 178 can be referred to herein as a first or upper wedge 178, while the wedge 179 can be referred to as a second or lower wedge 179.

[0024] During operation, the wedge 164 can be rotated about the shaft 175 to engage the wedges 178, 179 with a cup 50 extending into the receiving aperture 136 of the dispenser 134. Generally, the upper wedge 178 can engage between axially adjacent cups 50 as desired to remove the cups 50 from the dispenser 134, while the lower wedge 179 can support the cups 50 when it is not desired to dispense a cup 50 from the dispenser 134. Specifically, during operation, each wedge 164 can be transitioned between a first position, as shown in Figure 6 and a second position, as shown in Figure 7 to selectively remove and dispense a cup 50 from the dispenser 134. In the first position, the lower wedge 179 can be rotated circumferentially about the shaft 175 to extend radially inward toward the shaft 165 and the cups 50. Thus, when the wedge assembly 164 is in the first position, the lower wedge 179 of each wedge 164 can engage the lip 52 of the lowermost cup 50 within the dispenser 134 to prevent the cup 50 from falling through the dispenser 134. Figure 6 Figure 6

[0025] When it is desired to dispense a cup 50 from the dispenser 134, the wedge 164 can be transitioned from the first position to the second position by rotating the body 174 about the shaft 175, thereby causing the upper wedge 178 to engage between the lips 52 of the two lowermost cups 50 within the dispenser 134. The upper wedge 178 can include an axial width that tapers axially (e.g., relative to the shaft 175) as it moves circumferentially about the body 174, such that as the body 174 is rotated about the shaft 175 from the first position to the second position, the lips 52 of the adjacent cups 50 are gradually pushed apart along the shaft 165 until the contact between the adjacent cups 50 is reduced enough to enable the axially lowermost cup 50 to pass through the receiving aperture 136 and fall into Figure 6 and Figure 7 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 1 and Figure 2 ​​​​​one of the upper rows 154, 156 of the carousel assembly 122. When in the second position (P2) Figure 7 ), the cup 50 not dispensed within the dispenser 134 can be supported by the upper wedge 178.

[0026] Once the lowermost cup 50 is dispensed from the dispenser 134, the wedge assembly 164 can then be transitioned back from the second position (P2) Figure 7 ) to the first position (P1) Figure 6 ), thereby re-aligning the lower wedge 179 with the cup 50. When the body 174 is rotated about the shaft 175 from the second position (P2) Figure 7 ) to the first position (P1) Figure 6 ), the cup 50 can fall downward along the shaft 165 such that the lip 52 of the lowermost cup 50 within the dispenser 134 engages the lower wedge 179 as previously described. Thus, once the wedge assembly 164 returns to the first position (P1) Figure 6 ), the dispenser 134 is again ready to dispense another cup 50 in the manner described above. In some embodiments, the wedge assembly 164 can be transitioned from the first position (P1) Figure 6 ) to the second position (P2) and back to the first position (P1) Figure 7 ) by continuous rotation of the body 174 about the shaft 175 (e.g., a full 360° rotation about the shaft 175). Figure 6

[0027] While some specific examples of the cup dispensing station 130 are described above, it should be understood that various features of the cup dispensing station 130 can be altered, replaced, or removed in various embodiments, and some embodiments of the cup dispensing station 130 can include additional features. For example, with reference to Figure 8 In some embodiments, the dispenser 134 can include one or more reciprocating wedges 270 within and around the receiving aperture 136 in place of or in addition to the wedge assembly 164. The wedge 270 includes one or more wedges 272 that can slidingly engage at the lip 52 between axially adjacent cups 50 as the wedge 270 translates radially inward toward the shaft 165. The wedges 272 can include a beveled or angled surface such that as the wedge 270 translates radially inward toward the shaft 165, the adjacent cups 50 are axially moved away from each other along the shaft 165, thereby allowing the lowermost cup 50 to be removed and dropped through the receiving aperture 136 as generally described above.

[0028] Referring now to Figure 9 In some embodiments, the cup dispensing station 130 can include a grab arm 274 that can grasp a cup 50 passing through the dispenser 134 and pull it downward toward the carousel assembly 122 (note: Figure 9 ​Only a schematic diagram of the outer row 156 is provided in the accompanying drawings to simplify the illustration.

[0029] Now for reference Figure 10 In some embodiments, the magazine 132 may reciprocate linearly along the track 276 or other structures to selectively engage the magazine 132 with the turntable assembly 122. Figure 2 Align rows 154 and 156 (Note:) Figure 10 Similarly, only a single row of 156 schematic diagrams are included for simplicity. In some of these embodiments, the cup 50 can be dispensed from the magazine 132 by any of the methods and systems described herein and / or other known methods and systems. Figure 10 Depicting Figure 9 The gripper arm 274 is used to illustrate some examples.

[0030] Now for reference Figure 11 In some embodiments, the magazine 132 may be fixed and connected to the turntable assembly 122 ( Figure 2 Rows 154 and 156 are aligned. In some of these embodiments, an additional magazine 132 may be included to allow different sizes and types of cups to be dispensed onto each row 154 and 156 (Note: Figure 11 Similarly, only a single row of 156 diagrams is included for simplicity. In some of these embodiments, the cup 50 can be dispensed from the magazine 132 by any of the methods and systems described herein.

[0031] Refer again Figure 2 After dispensing cups 50 into one or two rows of cup holders 125 of the turntable assembly 122 154, 156, the turntables 124, 126 rotate about axis 155 to push empty cups 50 into ice dispensing station 180. Now refer to Figure 12 In some embodiments, the ice dispensing station 180 includes an inlet 182, a pair of outlets 188, 189, and a chute 185 located between the inlet 182 and the outlets 188, 189. Outlet 188 may be aligned with the inner row 154 of the cup holder 125. Figure 2 The outlet 189 can be aligned with the outer outlet 156 of the cup holder 125. Figure 2 ).

[0032] Entry 182 can be coupled to Figure 1 The ice storage chamber 112 shown may constitute part or all of it. A stirrer 184 is disposed within the inlet 182. The stirrer 184 includes a plurality of blades 186, which are driven by a driver 187 to rotate within the inlet 182. The engagement between the blades 186 and the ice blocks within the inlet 182 can break up any ice blockages and help ensure that ice blocks continuously flow through the inlet 182 into the chute 185.

[0033] A dispensing valve 181 is located within the chute 185. The dispensing valve 181 can generally comprise a gate valve that is transitionable between a first or closed position (shown in solid lines in Figure 12 ) for preventing ice cubes from advancing through the chute 185 toward the outlets 188, 189 and a second or open position (shown in dashed lines in Figure 12 ) for allowing ice cubes to advance through the chute 185 toward the outlets 188, 189. In some embodiments, the actuator 183 can actuate the dispensing valve 181 by pivoting the valve 181 about the hinge 177 between the closed and open positions. In some embodiments, the dispensing valve 181 can be moved into and out of the chute 185 during operation in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the direction of ice cube flow or movement within the chute 185.

[0034] In some embodiments, an outlet selection valve 193 is coupled to the outlets 188, 189. The outlet selection valve 193 can comprise a gate 173 that is pivotable about a hinge 191 to selectively block one of the outlets 188, 189. In particular, the actuator 192 can pivot the gate 173 about the hinge 191 to a first position (shown in solid lines in Figure 12 ) to block the outlet 188 so that ice cubes advancing from the chute 185 are directed into the outlet 189. Further, the actuator 192 can pivot the gate 173 about the hinge 191 to a second position (shown in dashed lines in Figure 12 ) to block the outlet 189 so that ice cubes advancing from the chute 185 are directed into the outlet 188.

[0035] Reference is now briefly made to Figure 2 and Figure 12 , the outlets 188, 189 can be aligned with the rows 154, 156. Accordingly, during operation, when ice cubes are to be dispensed into a cup 50 received in a cup seat 125 of one of the rows 154, 156, the actuator 183 can transition the dispensing valve 181 to the open position so that ice cubes can advance through the chute 185 under the influence of gravity. Depending on whether the cup to receive the ice cubes is located in an inner row 154 or an outer row 156, the actuator 192 can pivot the gate 173 of the outlet selection valve 193 to the first or second position to direct the ice cubes out of the desired respective outlet 188, 189. During these operations, the actuator 187 can rotate the paddle 186 of the agitator 184 to ensure that ice cubes continue to advance toward the chute 185.

[0036] In some embodiments, the outlet selection valve 193 can be replaced with a pair of gate or valve assemblies coupled to the outlets 188, 189. Accordingly, in these embodiments, ice cubes can be dispensed from one or both of the outlets 188, 189 by actuating the gate assembly (not shown) of the selected outlet 188, 189 during operation.

[0037] Valves (e.g., valves 181, 193, etc.) can be actuated to dispense ice cubes from outlets 188, 189 for a specified period of time to prevent overfilling. In some embodiments, suitable sensors or other measuring devices can be included within ice cube dispensing station 180 to monitor the volume of ice cubes dispensed from outlets 188, 189 to prevent overfilling. In some embodiments, a weight or force sensor (e.g., within cup holder 125 of Figure 1 and Figure 2 ) can be employed to monitor the total weight of the cup and ice cubes that have been dispensed to prevent overfilling. In these various embodiments, the amount of ice cubes to be dispensed (and thus the various parameters used to monitor the amount of ice cubes that have been dispensed) can depend on the size of the cup 50 that is aligned with ice cube dispensing station 180.

[0038] In some embodiments, drives 187, 183, 192 can comprise electric motors. However, drives 187, 183, 192 can comprise any suitable drive device, such as pneumatic motors, hydraulic motors, etc.

[0039] In other embodiments, ice cube dispensing station 180 can include only one outlet, such as outlet 188 or 189, rather than a pair of outlets 188, 189, and dispense ice cubes into only one row of cups 50, such as the outer row or inner row 154 or 156. For example, in this embodiment (not shown), outlet 189 can be omitted, as can drives 192 and pivoting gate 173. Also in this embodiment, agitator 184 and paddle 186 can be replaced with a screw conveyor or other element in communication with a timing circuit to operate for a specified duration of time to dispense an appropriate amount of ice cubes into the cups. This embodiment is intended for a variant of beverage dispensing system 100 that provides beverage preparation on only one of the inner row 154 or outer row 156, rather than on both rows 154 and 156.

[0040] Referring again to Figure 2 , after ice cube dispensing station 180 dispenses ice cubes into cups 50, turntable 124, 126 is rotated about axis 155 to align cups 50 with beverage dispensing station 190. Beverage dispensing station 190 includes a pair of nozzles 194, 196, with first nozzle 194 aligned with the inner row 154 of cup holders 125 and second nozzle 196 aligned with the outer row 156 of cup holders 125. During operation, nozzles 194, 196 can dispense a selected beverage into cups 50 located in rows 154, 156, respectively.

[0041] Referring now to Figure 13In some embodiments, each nozzle 194, 196 can be coupled to a dispensing valve assembly 195. In turn, the dispensing valve assembly 195 can be coupled to a source of carbonated water 197, a source of non-carbonated water 198, and a plurality of sources of flavoring 199. Additional valves, pumps, and other components can be included to facilitate and control the flow of fluid from sources 197, 198, 199; however, these additional components are not shown for simplicity of the drawing. During operation, when a cup (e.g., cup 50 in Figure 1 and Figure 2 is aligned with one of the nozzles 194, 196, a selected beverage is dispensed by flowing water from one (or both) of the sources 197, 198, and flavoring from one or more of the sources 199 to the dispensing valve assembly 195. Thereafter, the dispensing valve assembly 195 can actuate to route the fluid to the selected nozzle 194, 196. The fluid can be mixed within and / or between the dispensing valve assembly 195, nozzle 194, 196 to form the selected beverage. In other embodiments, additional sources of fluid can be connected to the dispensing valve assembly 195 for dispensing beverages that do not require mixing, such as but not limited to juice, coffee, and milk.

[0042] The dispensing valve assembly 195 can include or be coupled to a timer to ensure that the correct amount of fluid is dispensed from the selected nozzle 194, 196 while preventing overfilling. In some embodiments, the dispensing valve assembly 195 can additionally or alternatively monitor the volume of fluid dispensed through the nozzle 194, 196 (e.g., through a flow sensor, pressure sensor, etc.) to prevent overfilling. In some embodiments, a weight or force sensor (e.g., within the cup seat 125 of Figure 1 and Figure 2 ) can be employed to monitor the total weight of the cup, ice (if any), and dispensed beverage to prevent overfilling. In these various embodiments, the amount of fluid to be dispensed (and thus the various parameters used to monitor the amount of fluid dispensed) can depend on the size of the cup 50 aligned with the beverage dispensing station 190.

[0043] Although the embodiment of the beverage dispensing station 190 shown in Figure 13 includes two nozzles 194, 196, it should be understood that different numbers and arrangements of nozzles can be utilized in other embodiments. For example, again referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2In some embodiments, beverage dispensing station 190 can include a plurality of nozzles for dispensing beverages into cups 50 in inner row 154, and / or a plurality of nozzles for dispensing beverages into cups 50 in outer row 156. Without being limited to this or any other theory, the number and arrangement of nozzles (e.g., nozzles 194, 196) of beverage dispensing station 190 can allow for dispensing of specific beverages or groups of beverages from selected nozzles, and can increase the number of beverages that can be dispensed into cups 50 over a period of time. Further, nozzles (e.g., nozzles 194, 196) of beverage dispensing station 190 can be coupled to sources 197, 198, 199, respectively, so that beverages can be dispensed from the individual nozzles simultaneously during operation. In embodiments where only the cup holders in one of inner row or outer row 154, 156 are filled with beverages, there can only be one of nozzles 194, 196.

[0044] Referring again to Figure 2 After beverages are dispensed into cups 50 by beverage dispensing station 190, turntables 124, 126 are rotated about axis 155 to align cups 50 with capping station 200. Generally, capping station 200 can include a plurality of tubular magazines 202 that can receive and hold a plurality of caps 60 for dispensing and placement onto cups 50 during operation.

[0045] Referring now to Figure 14 and 15 one embodiment of capping station 200 is shown. As Figure 14 and 15 shown, magazine 202 includes a central or longitudinal axis 205, a first or upper end 202a, and a second or lower end 202b opposite upper end 202a. Caps 60 can be stacked into magazine 202 from upper end 202a and can be dispensed from magazine 202 at lower end 202b by cap dispensing assembly 210.

[0046] In some embodiments, cap dispensing assembly 210 can include a gripper 214 pivotably coupled to magazine 202 by a hinge 212 proximate lower end 202b. A drive 226 is coupled to gripper 214 and / or hinge 212 that can selectively rotate gripper 214 about hinge 212 between a first position, as shown in Figure 14 and a second position, as shown in Figure 15 In some embodiments, drive 226 can include an electric motor; however, in other embodiments, drive 226 can include a pneumatic motor, a hydraulic motor, etc.

[0047] The gripper 214 includes a first or inner end 214a proximate the hinge 212, and a second or outer end 214b extending outward from the hinge 212. Further, the gripper 214 includes a first cap holder 216 at (or proximate) the outer end 214b, and a second cap holder 218 at (or proximate) the inner end 214a. The first cap holder 216 and the second cap holder 218 can include teeth or other suitable structures that can engage and hold the cap 60 during a dispensing operation. The first cap holder 216 can be fixed in place at (or proximate) the outer end 214b of the gripper 214, while the second cap holder 218 can be pivotably coupled to the inner end 214a (or proximate thereto) of the gripper 214 by a hinge 220. Further, the second cap holder 218 can be rotationally biased (e.g., by a torsion spring or other suitable device) about the hinge 220 such that the second cap holder 218 is biased to engage the cap 60 held by the gripper 214 Figure 14 .

[0048] The cap 60 can be engaged with the lowermost cap 60 within the magazine 202, and thus dispensed from the magazine 202, by rotating the gripper 214 to the first position Figure 14 . More specifically, in the position Figure 14 , the cap 60 is held or engaged between the first cap holder 216 and the second cap holder 218. As previously mentioned, the second cap holder 218 can be biased about the hinge 220 to engage the cap 60. Next, when it is desired to dispense the cap 60 to the top of a cup (e.g., the cup 50 in Figure 1 and Figure 2 ) aligned with the capping station 200, the driver 226 can rotate the gripper 214 about the hinge 212 from the first position Figure 14 to the second position Figure 15 . When the gripper 214 is rotated about the hinge 212 to the second position Figure 15 , the second cap holder 218 can engage the cam surface 224 coupled to (or mounted proximate) the hinge 212. Thus, after the second cap holder 218 engages the cam surface 224, the gripper 214 continues to rotate about the hinge 212 to the second position, which can force the second cap holder 218 to rotate about the hinge 220, thereby disengaging the cap 60, such that the cap 60 falls under the force of gravity toward the cup 50 aligned therewith. Thereafter, the driver 226 can rotate the gripper 214 about the hinge 212 back to the first position Figure 14 in order to engage another cap 60. Because, as mentioned above, the gripper 214 is in the first position Figure 14 and the second position Figure 15The covers 60 can be inserted "inverted" into the magazine, pivoting around hinge 212, so that when they rotate together with the claws 214... Figure 15 In the second position, the bottom surface of the lid 60 faces the cup 50 (not shown).

[0049] In some embodiments, the gripper 214 may be omitted, and the cover 60 may be dispensed from the magazine 202 via other systems and methods. Now refer to Figure 16 In some embodiments, the magazine 202 may include a slot 230 that radially passes through the wall of the magazine 202 at a location closer to the lower end 202b than the upper end 202a. A cover 60 inserted into the upper end 202a of the magazine 202 may fall axially downward along shaft 205 or otherwise advance, eventually aligning with the slot 230. A push rod 232 may be coupled to the magazine 202 and aligned with the slot 230. The push rod 232 may be selectively translated radially through the slot 230 relative to shaft 205 during operation (e.g., by a suitable driver or actuator). Each time the push rod 232 translates radially through the slot 230, a cover 60 may be radially pushed out of the slot 230 and the magazine 202, thereby falling downward onto a cup 50 (possibly located within a cup holder 125).

[0050] In some embodiments, the cap 60 dispensed from the capping station 200 may not be aligned with the cup 50. Therefore, in some embodiments, the dispensing mechanism of the capping station 200 (e.g., gripper 214) may align the cap 60 with the cup 50 (e.g., such that the cap 60 is substantially centered on the top of the cup 50). In some embodiments, the capping station 200 may include a separate device or component for aligning the cap 60 with the cup 50 after dispensing the cap 60 (e.g., from the magazine 202). For example, now referring to... Figure 17 A cup 50 and a dispensed lid 60 can be guided (e.g., via turntables 124, 126) between a pair of converging guide rails 234. The shape and position of the guide rails 234 can be selected so that the lid 60 can be aligned with the cup 50 below as the cup 50 and lid 60 move therebetween.

[0051] Once the lid 60 is assigned to and aligned with a cup 50, the lid 60 can then be secured or pressed onto the cup 50. In some embodiments, Figure 14 and 15 The claw 214 can be axially translated relative to the shaft 205 (e.g., independently or together with the magazine 202) to press the dispensed lid 60 onto the cup 50.

[0052] In some embodiments, the dispensed lid 60 may be pressed onto the cup 50 by a separate presser or other suitable device. For example, now refer to Figure 18In some embodiments, a crimper 237 can engage a lid 60 after the lid 60 is loosely mounted (e.g., dropped) onto a cup 50. The crimper 237 includes a plunger 236 coupled to a linear actuator 238. The plunger 236 can include any suitable shape corresponding to the shape of the lid (e.g., the lid 60 in Figure 14 and 15 ). The plunger 236 can be selectively extended and retracted along a central axis 235 by the linear actuator 238. In some embodiments, the linear actuator 238 can include a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder. In some embodiments, the linear actuator 238 can include an electric linear actuator.

[0053] Referring now to Figure 19 In some embodiments, a dispensed lid 60 can be crimped onto a cup 50 by a belt 240 spaced apart from the rows 154, 156 (e.g., the rows 154, 156 in Figure 2 ). Specifically, during operation, the lid 60 and the cup 50 are compressed between the respective cup seats 125 (not shown in Figure 19 ) of the rows 154, 156 and the belt 240, thereby securing the lid 60 to the cup 50.

[0054] Referring now to Figure 20 In some embodiments, the capping station 200 can include a roller assembly 242 to compress and secure a dispensed lid 60 onto a cup 50. The roller assembly 242 can include a ring 244 and a plurality of rollers 246 rotatably mounted to the ring 244. The rollers 246 can be generally cylindrical and include a central axis 245. The rollers 246 can be mounted to the ring 244 such that the axes 245 are at an angle with respect to the central axis 55 of the cup 50. In some embodiments, the axes 245 are disposed at an angle θ greater than 0° and less than 90° with respect to the central axis 55. During operation, a cup 50 and a dispensed lid 60 are aligned with the roller assembly 242, the roller assembly 242 is lowered along the axis 55 into engagement with the lid 60 and simultaneously rotated about the axis 55 such that the rollers 246 crimp the lid 60 onto the cup 50.

[0055] Referring now to Figure 21 In some embodiments, the capping station 200 (e.g., the capping station 200 in Figure 1 and 2) can include a heat seal capping assembly 250. The heat seal capping assembly 250 includes a heat sealer 256 that can cut and heat seal a cap onto a cup 50 from a continuous strip of capping material 258 (e.g., polymeric film) that is unwound from a starting roll 252 and wound up by an ending roll 254. In particular, the heat sealer 256 can include a heating element (not shown) and can translate along the axis 55 toward the cup 50 to cut out a portion of the capping material 258 and fuse the capping material 258 to the cup rim of the cup 50. In some embodiments, a pair of heat sealers 256 can be included within the heat seal capping assembly 250, each heat sealer 256 being in respective alignment with one of the rows 154, 156 of the carousel assembly 122. In some embodiments, each row 154, 156 can be aligned with a separate, individual heat seal capping assembly 250.

[0056] In some embodiments, some or all of the capping process can be performed manually (e.g., by an employee or a customer). For example, in some embodiments, the cap 60 can be manually retrieved and secured onto the cup 50. In some embodiments, the capping station 200 can dispense (and possibly align) the cap 60 onto the cup 50, but an employee / customer can then manually press the cap 60 onto the cup 50. Thus, in some embodiments, some or all of the capping station 200 can be omitted from the beverage processing assembly 120 ( Figure 1 and 2 ).

[0057] Referring now to Figure 1 and Figure 22 , in some embodiments, the beverage preparation system 100 can include a beverage identification assembly 260 for identifying a beverage that has passed through the stations 130, 180, 190, 200 and is ready to be taken away by an employee or a customer. In particular, as shown in Figure 22 , the beverage identification assembly 260 can include a plurality of emitters 262 coupled to the beverage processing assembly 120 that are configured to emit light 264 onto the cup 50 and, if present, the cap 60 that can be used to identify a particular beverage or beverage order. In some embodiments, the light 264 can be color-coded so as to identify a particular beverage (or order) with a different color. In some embodiments, the light 264 can form images (e.g., text and / or symbols) on the beverage cup or its cap that can provide sufficient information (e.g., name, order number, table number, vehicle identification). In some embodiments, the emitters 262 can include light emitting diodes (LEDs) and / or other suitable light emitting devices.

[0058] Referring again to Figure 1 and Figure 2During operation, a command to prepare a selected beverage can be received by suitable electronics (not shown) of the beverage preparation system 100. For example, an employee or customer can select a desired beverage on the user interface 110 and then initiate the beverage preparation process generally described above. In some embodiments, the user interface 110 can comprise a touch-sensitive electronic display screen. In some embodiments, the beverage preparation system 100 can receive a command to prepare a beverage from other electronics communicatively coupled to the beverage preparation and dispensing system 100 via a suitable network or connection. For example, in some embodiments, the beverage preparation system 100 can receive a command to prepare a beverage from a point-of-sale system of a restaurant or food service establishment, which can receive an order from a customer or employee. In some embodiments, the point-of-sale system can comprise part of a computer system that also includes the beverage preparation system 100 (e.g., the computer system 400 described below).

[0059] Once the beverage preparation system 100 receives a command to prepare a beverage, the carousel 124, 126 can be rotated about the axis 155 to advance the cup seat 125 through the stations 130, 180, 190, 200. At the same time, the components and mechanisms within each station 130, 180, 190, 200 can be actuated in the manner described above to prepare the beverage. In particular, as described above, the cup dispensing assembly 130 can dispense a cup 50 from the magazine 132 into the cup seat 125 in one or both of the rows 154, 156, after which the cup 50 is aligned with the ice dispensing station 180 so that ice is dispensed into the cup 50. In some cases, depending on the selected preferences of each requested beverage, ice can not be dispensed into one or more cups when aligned with the ice dispensing station 180. Next, the cup 50 and ice (if dispensed) are aligned with the beverage dispensing station 190 so that a selected beverage is dispensed into the cup 50 (e.g., through the nozzles 194, 196). Next, depending on the capping system employed, the cup 50 can be transferred to the capping station 200 so that a lid 60 can be dispensed from the magazine 202 and secured to the cup 50, or a film lid can be placed and secured on the cup, e.g., by heat sealing. Finally, with brief reference to Figure 1 and Figure 22 After the cup 50 advances past the capping station 200, the cup is typically moved into alignment with the beverage identification assembly 260, which can then identify the particular, formulated beverage by the projected light 264 as generally described above. As previously mentioned, in some embodiments, part or all of the capping process can be performed manually, so that the capping station 200 can be simplified or omitted entirely from the beverage handling assembly 120.

[0060] Reference is now made to Figure 23, a method 300 of preparing a beverage utilizing an embodiment of the beverage dispensing system 100 is shown. In some embodiments, one or more elements of the method 300 can be performed by components of the beverage handling assembly 120 described herein and / or by a computer system (e.g., the computer system 400 described in greater detail below). Accordingly, in describing the features of the method 300, reference is continued to be made to Figure 1 the beverage preparation system 100 shown and described above and Figure 2 the beverage handling assembly 120 shown and described above.

[0061] Initially, the method 300 includes receiving instructions (or orders) for preparing a desired beverage at block 302. The instructions can be generated or received by an employee or customer interaction with a user interface device, such as Figure 1 the user interface 110 shown and described above. In some embodiments, the instructions can be generated or received by a point of sale system used by the restaurant or food service establishment, as described above.

[0062] The method 300 also includes selecting a row 154, 156 on the carousel assembly 122 to prepare the beverage at block 304. In particular, in some embodiments, the row selection at block 304 can be determined based on pre-defined rules for preparing beverages utilizing the beverage preparation system 100. For example, as described above, in some embodiments, the source of the beverage order (e.g., drive-thru, dine-in) can dictate which row 154, 156 is selected at block 304. In addition, in some embodiments, the type and / or size of the desired beverage can also dictate which row 154, 156 is selected at block 304.

[0063] The method 300 also includes aligning one magazine 132 of the cup dispensing station 130 with the selected row 154, 156 and dispensing one cup 50 from the magazine 132 at block 306. As previously described, different sizes and / or types of cups 50 can be housed in the magazines 132. Accordingly, during operation, depending on the instructions received at block 302, the magazine 132 housing the desired cup size and type can dictate which magazine 132 is used to dispense the cup 50 for the beverage preparation operation. In some embodiments, as previously described, the dispenser 134 of the cup dispensing station 130 can be rotated (e.g., by the drive 138 shown and described above) to align the selected magazine 132 with the selected row 154, 156 on the carousel assembly 122. Figure 4

[0064] ​The method 300 also includes, at block 308, aligning the dispensed cup 50 with one of the outlets 188, 189 of the ice cube dispensing station 180 and dispensing an ice cube from the aligned outlet 188, 189 into the cup 50. The outlet 188, 189 used to dispense the ice cube at block 308 can be determined by the row 154, 156 selected at block 304. As described above, in some embodiments, one outlet selection valve 193 can be actuated to direct the dispensed ice cube out of the selected outlet 188, 189. Figure 12

[0065] The method 300 also includes, at block 310, aligning one of the nozzles 194, 196 of the beverage dispensing station 190 with the cup 50 and dispensing a beverage from the aligned nozzle 194, 196. As with the ice cube dispensing station 180, the nozzle 194, 196 used to dispense the beverage at block 310 can be determined by the row 154, 156 selected at block 304. In some embodiments, the nozzle aligned at block 310 can be selected according to the type of beverage to be prepared as instructed at block 302.

[0066] The method 300 also includes, at block 312, dispensing the lid 60 onto the cup 50 with the capping station 200. In some embodiments, the capping station 200 can be actuated to dispense the lid 60 onto the cup 50, which can then be manually secured by an employee or customer. In some embodiments, the capping station 200 can be actuated to both dispense the lid 60 and secure the lid 60 onto the cup 50.

[0067] In each of blocks 306, 308, 310, 312 of the method 300, the turntable 124, 126 of the turntable assembly 122 can be rotated (e.g., by the drive 141, 143) to align one cup receptacle 125 (and / or cup 50 positioned therein) with each of the cup dispensing station 130, the ice cube dispensing station 180, the beverage dispensing station 190, and the capping station 200.

[0068] Figure 24 A computer system 400 suitable for implementing one or more embodiments disclosed herein is shown. For example, the beverage preparation system 100 ( Figure 1 ) can include or be coupled to the computer system 400. During operation, the beverage preparation system 100 can utilize the computer system 400 to receive and process beverage orders (or commands related thereto) and actuate various components of the beverage handling assembly 120 described above. In some embodiments, one or more components of the computer system 400 can be located Figure 1 ​The illustrated cabinet 114. In other embodiments, the beverage preparation system 100 can include all or portions of the computer system 400 connected to a point-of-sale or other system that also contain all or portions of the computer system 400 or combinations thereof. Such configurations allow for selection of beverages at the beverage dispensing preparation system 100, at the point-of-sale system, or both.

[0069] The computer system 400 includes a processor 402 (which can be referred to as a central processor unit or CPU) that is in communication with memory devices including secondary storage 404, read only memory (ROM) 406, random access memory (RAM) 408, input / output (I / O) devices 410, and network connectivity devices 412. The processor 402 can be implemented as one or more CPU chips.

[0070] It is understood that by programming and / or loading executable instructions onto the computer system 400, at least one of the CPU 402, the RAM 408, and the ROM 406 are changed, transforming the computer system 400 in part into a particular machine or apparatus. It is fundamental to the electrical and software arts that functionality which can be implemented by loading executable software into a computer can be converted to a hardware implementation by a fundamental design choice. It is fundamental to the electrical and software arts that functionality implemented by a state machine with discrete and

[0071] Further, after the system 400 is powered on or booted, the CPU 402 can execute one or more computer programs or applications. For example, the CPU 402 can execute software or firmware stored in the ROM 406 or the RAM 408. In some cases, at boot and / or at application launch, the CPU 402 can copy an application or portions of an application from the secondary storage 404 to the RAM 408 or to memory space within the CPU 402 itself, and the CPU 402 can then execute the instructions contained within the application. In some cases, the CPU 402 can copy an application or portions of an application from memory accessed through the network connectivity devices 412 or through the I / O devices 410 to the RAM 408 or to memory space within the CPU 402, and the CPU 402 can then execute the instructions contained within the application. During execution, an application can load instructions into the CPU 402, for example, loading some instructions of the application into a cache of the CPU 402. In some contexts, it can be said that an executing application configures the CPU 402 to do something, for example, to perform a function that the subject application promotes. When the CPU 402 is configured in this way by an application, the CPU 402 becomes a special purpose computer or special purpose machine.

[0072] The secondary storage 404 is typically comprised of one or more disk drives or tape drives and is used for non-volatile storage of data and as an over-flow data storage device if RAM 408 is not large enough to hold all working data. Secondary storage 404 can be used to store programs that are loaded into RAM 408 when such programs are selected for execution. The ROM 406 is used to store instructions and perhaps data that are read during program execution. The ROM 406 is a non-volatile memory device that typically has a small memory capacity relative to the larger memory capacity of secondary storage 404. The RAM 408 is used to store volatile data and perhaps to store instructions. Access to both ROM 406 and RAM 408 is typically faster than to secondary storage 404. The secondary storage 404, the RAM 408, and / or the ROM 406 can be referred to in some contexts as computer readable storage media and / or non-transitory computer readable media.

[0073] The I / O devices 410 can include printers, video monitors, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), touch screen displays, keyboards, keypads, switches, dials, mice, track balls, voice recognizers, card readers, paper tape readers, or other well-known input and output devices. Figure 1 The user interface 110 shown), keyboards, keypads, switches, dials, mice, track balls, voice recognizers, card readers, paper tape readers, or other well-known input and output devices.

[0074] The network connectivity devices 412 can take the form of modems, modem banks, Ethernet cards, universal serial bus (USB) interface cards, serial interfaces, token ring cards, fiber distributed data interface (FDDI) cards, wireless local area network (WLAN) cards, radio transceiver cards such as code division multiple access (CDMA), global system for mobile communications (GSM), long-term evolution (LTE), WiFi (IEEE 802.11), Bluetooth, Zigbee, narrowband internet of things (NB IoT), near-field communication (NFC), radio-frequency identification (RFID), and / or other well-known network devices. The network connectivity devices 412 can provide wired and / or wireless communication links (e.g., a first network connectivity device 412 can provide a wired communication link, a second network connectivity device 412 can provide a wireless communication link). The wired communication link can be provided over Ethernet (IEEE 802.3), Internet Protocol (IP), time-division multiplexing (TDM), data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS), wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM), and / or similar standards. In one embodiment, the radio transceiver card can provide a wireless communication link using protocols such as code division multiple access (CDMA), global system for mobile communications (GSM), long-term evolution (LTE), WiFi (IEEE 802.11), Bluetooth, Zigbee, narrowband internet of things (NB IoT), near-field communication (NFC), radio-frequency identification (RFID), and / or the like. The radio transceiver card can support radio communication using 5G, 5G New Radio, or 5G LTE radio communication protocols. These network connectivity devices 412 can enable the processor 402 to communicate with the Internet or one or more intranets. Through such network connection, it is contemplated that the processor 402 might receive information from the network, or output information to the network in the course of performing the above-described method steps. Such information, which is often represented as a sequence of instructions to be executed using processor 402, can be received from and outputted to the network, for example, in the form of a computer data baseband signal or signal embodied in a carrier wave. The baseband signal or signal embodied in the carrier wave, or other types of signals currently used, or later developed, that are deemed analogous, can be generated according to several methods well known to one skilled in the art. The baseband signal and / or the signal embodied in the carrier wave can be generated according to several methods well known to one skilled in the art. The baseband signal and / or the signal embodied in the carrier wave can be referred to as the transitory signal in some contexts.

[0075] Such information, which can include, for example, data or instructions to be executed using processor 402, can be received from and outputted to the network, for example, in the form of a computer data baseband signal or signal embodied in a carrier wave. The baseband signal or signal embodied in the carrier wave, or other types of signals currently used, or later developed, that are deemed analogous, can be generated according to several methods well known to one skilled in the art. The baseband signal and / or the signal embodied in the carrier wave can be generated according to several methods well known to one skilled in the art. The baseband signal and / or the signal embodied in the carrier wave can be referred to as the transitory signal in some contexts.

[0076] The processor 402 executes instructions, codes, computer programs, scripts which it accesses from the secondary storage 404 (e.g., a hard disk, a floppy disk, a compact disc, and / or other device), the ROM 406, or the RAM 408, or the network connectivity devices 412. While only one processor 402 is shown, multiple processors can be present. Thus, while instructions can be discussed as executed by a processor, the instructions can be executed by one or more processors, simultaneously, serially, or otherwise. The instructions, codes, computer programs, scripts, and / or data that can be accessed from the secondary storage 404, the ROM 406, and / or the RAM 408 can be referred to in this discussion as non-transitory instructions and / or non-transitory information.

[0077] In one embodiment, the computer system 400 can include two or more computers in communication with each other that collaborate to perform a task. For example, but not by way of limitation, an application program can be partitioned to run on more than one computer to perform a task. In one embodiment, the computer system 400 can employ virtualization software to provide the functionality of multiple servers. For example, virtualization software can provide twenty virtual servers on a computer system 400 that includes four physical servers. In one embodiment, the functionality disclosed above can be provided by one or more application programs executed by the computer system 400. In one embodiment, the functionality disclosed above can be provided by virtualization software running on the computer system 400. In one embodiment, the functionality disclosed above can be provided by a combination of virtualization software and one or more application programs executed by the computer system 400.

[0078] In one embodiment, some or all of the functionality described herein can be provided as a computer program product. The computer program product can include one or more computer readable storage media having computer usable program code embodied therein to implement the functionality described above. The computer program product can include data structures, executable instructions, and other computer usable program code. The computer program product can be embodied in a computer readable medium, and / or a non-transitory computer readable medium. The computer readable medium can include, but is not limited to, paper, tape, magnetic disk, optical disk, solid state memory chip, such as analog magnetic tape, compact disk (CD-ROM), floppy disk, U.S. card, multimedia card, and the like. The computer program product can be suitable for loading, by a computer system 400, at least portions of the contents of the computer program product to secondary storage 404, ROM 406, RAM 408, and / or other non-volatile and volatile storage of the computer system 400. The processor 402 can process the executable instructions and / or data structures by directly accessing the computer program product, such as by reading the CD-ROM disk inserted into the disk drive peripheral of the computer system 400. Alternatively, the processor 402 can process the executable instructions and / or data structures by remotely accessing the computer program product, such as by downloading the executable instructions and / or data structures from a remote server through the network connection device 412. The computer program product can include instructions to facilitate loading and / or copying of data, data structures, files, and / or executable instructions to the secondary storage 404, ROM 406, RAM 408, and / or other non-volatile and volatile storage of the computer system 400.

[0079] In certain contexts, the secondary storage 404, ROM 406, and RAM 408 can be referred to as non-transitory computer readable media or computer readable storage media. Dynamic RAM embodiments of the RAM 408, likewise, can be referred to as non-transitory computer readable media, since by nature, dynamic RAM stores the information written thereto in a transitory but volatile state. Similarly, the processor 402 can include internal RAM, internal ROM, cache memory, and / or other internal non-transitory storage, which can be referred to in some contexts as non-transitory computer readable media, since by nature, such media stores the information written thereto in a transitory but volatile state.

[0080] Figure 25Another embodiment of a beverage preparation system 500 is shown. The beverage preparation system 500 can be similar in some respects to the beverage preparation system 100. For example, the beverage preparation system 500 can employ the cup dispensing station 130 described above. However, the beverage preparation system 500 includes some significant differences, such as a capping and printing assembly 502 for sealing and identifying filled beverages, discussed further below. While it is contemplated that beverages can be dispensed in both rows, in this embodiment, the beverage preparation system 500 can be configured such that cups, ice, and beverages are dispensed on only one row, such as the inner row or the outer row, but not both rows of the carousel. This embodiment shows the preparation of beverages being completed in the cup holders of the outer row.

[0081] Referring now to Figure 26 , the beverage preparation system 500 can also employ an improved carousel assembly 504 (also shown in cross-section in Figure 25 . The improved carousel assembly 504 can be similar in some respects to the carousel assembly 122 described above. The improved carousel assembly 504 is configured with an outer carousel 505 having outer row cup holders 506 and an inner carousel 507 having inner row cup holders 508. The inner and outer carousels 505 and 507 (which can be collectively referred to as the improved carousel 510) are configured to rotate independently of one another and can include drives, motors, and gearboxes (not shown) that operate in a similar manner as described above with respect to the inner carousel 124 and the outer carousel 126.

[0082] The cup holders 506 and 508 are configured to receive cups 50 dispensed from the cup dispensing station 130. The cup holders 506 and 508 can be sized to receive cups 50 of various sizes. The outer row cup holders 506 can include an opening 512 near the outer side 511 of the bottom of the outer row cup holders 506. Further, in this embodiment, the outer and inner row cup holders 506 and 508 are not circular, but are U-shaped. Thus, the outer and inner carousels 505 and 507 can be rotated such that the U-shaped opening of a particular outer row cup holder 506 can be aligned with the U-shaped opening of a particular inner row cup holder 508. For example, Figure 26 a cup 520 is shown positioned in an outer row cup holder 506 that is aligned with an inner row cup holder 508. The cup 520 can be filled with a beverage by the beverage dispensing station 502 while positioned in the outer row cup holder 508.

[0083] Referring now to Figure 27FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a slide assembly 530 positioned below the carousel assembly 510. The slide assembly 530 includes an arm 532 that can be actuated to pass through an opening 512 in the outer row of cup holders 506 that houses a cup 520 and slide or move the cup 520 from a position in the outer row of cup holders 506 to an aligned position in the inner row of cup holders 508. Once the cup 520 is filled with a beverage, the cup 520 can remain in the outer row of cup holders 506 or slide into an empty cup holder in one of the inner row of cup holders 508. Thus, in this embodiment, the inner row of cup holders 508 provides additional space for the filled beverages stored on the outer row of cup holders 506 until they are removed for delivery to a customer or taken by a customer.

[0084] Figure 28 One embodiment of the slide assembly 530 is shown in more detail. The slide assembly 530 includes an arm 532, a guide rail 534, a motor 536, and a belt drive 538. The arm 532 includes a portion 533 shaped to engage the curved side of a cup 520. The arm 532 is slidably mounted to the guide rail 534 and is also connected to the belt drive 538. The motor 536 is an electric motor, however in other embodiments, the motor 536 can include a pneumatic motor, a hydraulic motor, etc. The motor 536 is coupled to the belt drive 538, which when actuated, drives the belt drive 538, which causes the arm 532 to move laterally along the guide rail 534 and move a cup 520 as described above. The motor 536 can be coupled to a computer and / or other cooperating system to rotate the carousel 510 so that the opening 512 in one of the outer row of cup holders 506 is aligned with the arm 532 in order to slide a cup, such as the cup 520, from the outer row of cup holders 506 to the inner row of cup holders 508. (See also Figure 26 and 27 ).

[0085] While Figure 26 and 27 the improved carousel assembly 504 is shown with twelve cup holders in the outer row of cup holders 506 and seven cup holders in the inner row of cup holders 508, the present disclosure contemplates fewer or more cup holders and fewer or more rows, which can be determined by the overall size of the beverage preparation system 500, the size of the cups 520, and other considerations that will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0086] Figure 29 is another partial cross-sectional view of the improved carousel assembly 504 showing the outer carousel 505 with the outer row of cup holders 506. Figure 29 Another embodiment of the slide assembly 530 positioned below the improved carousel assembly 504 is shown. As Figure 30AThe sliding assembly 530 in this embodiment includes an upper magnetic assembly 560 and a lower magnetic assembly 561, as shown in the exploded perspective view. The upper magnetic assembly 560 includes an arm 532, with a portion 533 configured to engage the cup 50 to transfer the cup 50 from the outer row cup holder 506 to the inner row cup holder 508 through the opening 512 in the outer row cup holder 506, substantially as described above. The upper magnetic assembly 560 includes a body 562, which can be a metal, plastic or polymer body or covering, which houses magnets within a lower plate region 563 of the upper magnetic assembly 560. The magnets within the lower plate region 563 can be integrally formed with the lower plate region 563, or can be housed within openings formed in the lower plate region 563.

[0087] The lower magnetic assembly 561 includes a generally L-shaped bracket 564, and includes a generally flat upper portion 565 that is generally parallel to the lower plate region 563 of the upper magnetic assembly 560. The upper portion 565 includes a magnet 570 coupled to the upper portion 565. The bracket 564 further includes a side portion 566 that is generally perpendicular to the upper portion 565. The bracket 564 includes a lip 567 and a mounting point 568. The lower magnetic assembly 561 is mounted to the rail 534 of the sliding assembly 530 by the lip 567 engaging an upper portion of the rail 534, and is connected at the mounting point 568 to an arm 569 mounted to a side of the rail 534. In this manner, the lower magnetic assembly 561 is moved forward and backward along the rail 534 as the belt drive 538 of the sliding assembly 530 engages the arm 569 and traverses the rail 534. In some embodiments, the lip 567 of the lower magnetic assembly 561 can be mounted to a carriage 572 located on top of the rail 534, and the belt drive 538 engages the carriage 572 and / or the arm 569 to cause the lower magnetic assembly 561 to move along the sliding assembly 530. The magnets of the upper and lower magnetic assemblies 560, 561 can be integrally formed, disposed in openings or recesses in the respective assemblies, press fit, glued, mechanically fastened, or otherwise configured as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0088] In some embodiments, the magnets in the upper and lower magnetic assemblies 560, 561 can include a plurality of magnets in each of the upper and lower assemblies 560, 561. In embodiments having a plurality of magnets in each of the upper and lower assemblies 560, 561, the polarity of some of the magnets can be different relative to the polarity of the other magnets in each of the upper and lower assemblies 560, 561, such that the upper magnetic assembly 560 can only be magnetically positioned in one (correct, e.g. Figure 29 the position) orientation or orientation to prevent an operator from inadvertently placing the upper magnetic assembly 560 in the wrong orientation.

[0089] The rail 534 and lower magnetic assembly 561 are located within a sink 600 (described below with respect to FIG. 6) and the upper magnetic assembly 560 is configured to be magnetically positioned in the sink 600.Figures 31-35 Discussion, Figure 29 The improved turntable assembly 504 is disposed within the sink 600 so that spills and waste during beverage preparation splash into the sink for drainage and cleaning. The upper magnetic assembly 560 is mounted above the sink 600, just above the lower magnetic assembly 561. Thus, the sink 600 is located in the gap 571 between the upper and lower magnetic assemblies 560, 561. In this manner, when the lower magnetic assembly 561 is moved laterally along the track 534 to the other side of the slide assembly 530, the attraction of the magnets 570 on the upper portion 565 of the lower magnetic assembly 561 to the magnets within the body 562 of the upper magnetic assembly 560 causes the upper magnetic assembly 560 to move within the bottom of the sink 600 along a path corresponding to the lower magnetic assembly 561.

[0090] Because the upper magnetic assembly 560 is disposed at the bottom of the sink 600, where beverage preparation spills from the beverage preparation system 500 can collect, the upper magnetic assembly 560 can need to be cleaned periodically. As noted above, the upper magnetic assembly 560 can be manufactured so that its outer surface is plastic, polymeric, or otherwise provides a coating that is easily cleaned. In this manner, the upper magnetic assembly 560 can be easily removed for cleaning because it is not mechanically or fixedly connected to the slide assembly 530, and the only engagement between the upper and lower magnetic assemblies 560, 561 is magnetic. Thus, the magnetic coupling of the upper and lower magnetic assemblies 560, 561 allows the user or operator of the beverage preparation system 500 to easily remove and replace by hand, without the need for tools or disassembly of the slide assembly 530. Moreover, this configuration prevents spills during beverage preparation from contacting the lower magnetic assembly 561, the motor 536, the belt drive 538, the track 534, and the like, which are located below or at the bottom of the sink.

[0091] Figure 30B is a perspective view of the lower magnetic assembly 561 coupled to the carriage 572, with the remainder of the slide assembly 530 and the outer turntable 505 cut away, of another embodiment. Figure 30CA lower or bottom perspective view of the inner and outer turntables 505, 507 and the sliding assembly 530 is shown. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper magnetic assembly 560 is provided with a push plate 573 that can be connected to the bottom or lower portion of the main body 562 of the upper magnetic assembly 560. In some embodiments, the push plate 573 can not be connected to the bottom of the main body 562, but only to the front end 574 of the main body 562. The push plate 573 can be configured with a wedge 575 or V-shaped leading edge. It can be appreciated that ice cubes dispensed into the cups 50 located in the outer turntable 505 can spill over and collect in the outer cup row 506, and when the cups 50 are moved to the inner cup row 508, the ice cubes can be pushed by the cups 50 and thus also collect in the inner cup row 508. The ice cubes can further fall and collect in the sink 600 located below the inner and outer turntables 505, 507. Since the upper magnetic assembly 560 is located at the bottom of the sink 600, the ice cubes can interfere with the smooth and efficient transition of the upper magnetic assembly 560 at the bottom of the sink 600 while transferring the cups 50 between the inner and outer turntables 505, 507. The wedge 575 leading edge of the push plate 573 acts like a snow plow to move or displace the ice cubes located at the bottom of the sink 600 in the path of the upper magnetic assembly 560 during cup transfer.

[0092] Figure 30B -C also illustrates another embodiment of the inner turntable 507 that modifies the inner cup row 508. In this embodiment, an opening 576 is provided at the back low 577 of each inner cup row 508. The opening 576 allows ice cubes (e.g., pushed by the cups 50) that collect or are pushed into the inner cup row 508 to be further pushed and exit the inner cup row 508 through the opening 576 and fall into the sink 600 located below the inner turntable 507. This can prevent the buildup of ice cubes that can collect at the bottom of the inner cup row 508 and interfere with the transfer of the cups 50 into the inner cup row 508.

[0093] In addition, in this embodiment, the inner cup row 508 includes a ramp 578 along the lower leading edge 579 of the inner cup row 508. The height or thickness of the ramp 578 gradually increases from the lower leading edge 579 to the height of the bottom 585 of the inner cup row 508. The ramp 578 allows the bottom edge of the cups 50 to transition more smoothly from the outer cup row 506 to the inner cup row 508, rather than hitting or catching on a vertical or abrupt edge at the lower leading edge 579 of the inner cup row 508.

[0094] Figure 30B Also shown in -C is a notch 587 that forms a rectangular opening along the lower leading edge 579 of the inner cup row 508. The notch 587 allows the arms 532 of the upper magnetic assembly 560 to extend fully into the inner cup row 508 to allow the cups 50 to be fully moved into position in the inner cup row 508.

[0095] Figure 31 is a perspective view of the improved turntable assembly 504 according to another embodiment of the beverage preparation system 500 placed in the sink 600. In this embodiment, an upper sensor 588 is shown positioned above the inner turntable 507. The upper sensor 588 can be connected to a portion or structure of the beverage preparation system 500 above the inner turntable 507. The upper sensor 588 is positioned to sense the presence or absence of a cup 50 in the inner row of cup holders 508 in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the turntable 504. In this embodiment, only one sensor 588 is provided, which is positioned to determine the presence or absence of a cup 50 in the inner row of cup holders 508 at the location where the sliding assembly 530 transitions the cup 50 from the outer row of cup holders 506 to the inner row of cup holders 508. However, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, one or more additional sensors can be used and positioned to detect the presence of cups 50 at other locations, or to detect the presence of cups 50 in all of the cup holders in the inner turntable 507. Further, the upper sensor 588 can be movable, such as driven by a motor, to sense cups 50 at other locations, or can include an array of sensors that can be directed in different directions to sense cups 50 in any combination of cup holders in the inner turntable 507.

[0096] Similarly, a side sensor 589 is positioned alongside the outer turntable 505 and can be connected to the sink 600 or other structure of the beverage preparation system 500. The side sensor 589 is positioned to sense the presence or absence of a cup 50 in the outer row of cup holders 506 in a horizontal direction parallel to the surface of the turntable 504. In this embodiment, only one sensor 589 is provided, which is positioned to determine the presence or absence of a cup 50 in the outer row of cup holders 506 at the location where the sliding assembly 530 transitions the cup 50 from the outer row of cup holders 506 to the inner row of cup holders 508. The side sensor 589 can be positioned at a height so as to horizontally detect a portion of a cup 50 that passes by and above the outer turntable 505 and extends above the outer turntable 505. It should be appreciated that in other embodiments, one or more additional sensors can be used and positioned to detect the presence of cups 50 at other locations, or to detect the presence of cups 50 in all of the cup holders in the outer turntable 505. Further, the side sensor 589 can be movable, such as driven by a motor, to sense cups 50 at other locations, or can include an array of sensors that can be directed in different directions to sense cups 50 in any combination of cup holders in the outer turntable 505. The sensors 588, 589 can be photoelectric, ultrasonic, passive infrared or other motion sensor, infrared sensor, ultrasonic, camera, computer vision, combinations thereof, or any known or subsequently developed sensor capable of detecting the presence of one or more cups 50 in the inner and / or outer rows of cup holders 506, 508.

[0097] The following is a brief overview of the operation of a portion of a beverage preparation system 500 according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, a sliding assembly 530 is positioned to transition a cup 50 from an outer cup holder 506 to an inner cup holder 508, adjacent to the location in the outer turntable 505 where the cup 50 is dispensed and filled. When the cup 50 is dispensed and filled, the prepared beverage remains in the cup holder of the outer turntable 505. As the outer turntable 505 rotates, for example clockwise, to continue dispensing and filling the beverage, a side sensor 589 determines whether a cup 50 is present in a cup holder adjacent to the sliding assembly 530. If no cup 50 is detected, the outer turntable 505 can be rotated to continue filling the beverage. However, if the side sensor 589 detects a cup 50 in an adjacent cup holder in the outer turntable 505, an upper sensor 588 detects whether a cup 50 is present in the inner cup holder 508 at the position where the sliding assembly 530 transitions the cup 50 to the inner turntable 507. If the upper sensor 588 determines that there is no cup 50 in the adjacent inner row cup holder 508, the sliding assembly is actuated, moving or transferring the cup 50 from the outer row cup holder 506 to the inner row cup holder 508. The outer turntable 505 is then rotated to fill the empty cup holder after the transfer with the next beverage. However, if the upper sensor 588 detects a cup 50 in the inner row cup holder 508 next to the sliding assembly 530, the inner turntable 507 is rotated, for example in either direction, to determine if the next inner row cup holder is occupied. If the next cup holder on the inner row is occupied, the inner turntable 507 continues to rotate until an empty cup holder is found, or it is determined that all cup holders on the inner turntable 507 are occupied. The system may use logic to periodically rotate or recheck whether there are empty cup holders on the outer and inner turntables 505, 507.

[0098] Figure 31 Details regarding the sink 600 are shown. In this embodiment, the sink 600 is substantially rectangular, but in other embodiments it may be elliptical, circular, or have other shapes. The sink 600 may be made of plastic, polymer, aluminum, or other materials. In this embodiment, the sink 600 is a single, monolithic component substantially made of a polymer material. See also... Figure 32 The sink 600 has an upper outer edge 601 extending from a recessed basin 602 around the sink 600. The upper outer edge 601 is provided to hold and position the sink 600 within a cabinet, frame, or other structure (not shown) of the beverage preparation system 500. The recessed basin 602 has a wall 604 extending from a top surface 606 to a bottom surface 608 of the sink 600, defining a generally circular shape of the recessed basin 602. The sink 600 includes an opening or drain outlet 610 on its bottom surface 608, where spills and waste from the beverage produced by the beverage preparation system 500 can be collected and removed from the sink 600. A conduit (not shown) can be connected to the drain outlet 610 to discharge spills and waste.

[0099] Reference is made to Figures 31-33 , the sink 600 and the recess basin 602 are sized to accommodate the improved carousel assembly 504. In this view, the outer and inner carousels 505 and 507 with outer and inner rows of cup holders 506 and 508 are shown positioned in the recess basin 602 of the sink 600. Notably, Figure 31 shows a cup holder 506a (discussed in greater detail below) disposed in the outer row of cup holders 506, while Figure 33 shows the view removed. In some embodiments, for example Figures 31-3 6, the cup holder 506a can be disposed only in the outer row of cup holders 506, while the inner row of cup holders 508 can not include a cup holder 506a, but rather the cup holder can be integrally formed as part of the inner carousel 507.

[0100] The recess basin 602 can include a flange 612 (see Figure 32 ) extending around an upper portion of the recess basin 602, which is configured to receive an outer edge 614 (see Figure 31 ) of the outer carousel 505. The wall 604 can include ribs 616 or other various configurations extending from the wall 604 to facilitate engagement with mating portions (not shown) of the outer carousel 505. Further, a feature 619, such as a track or channel, is formed in the bottom 608 of the sink 600. The feature 619 is configured to facilitate guided movement of the upper magnetic assembly 560 over the bottom 608 of the sink 600, as described above with respect to Figures 27-3 0, when the slide assembly 530 is actuated.

[0101] The sink 600 can also include a centering post 618 disposed in the middle of the recess basin 602 and extending from the bottom 608 of the sink 600, which is configured to mate with an opening 620 in the center of the inner carousel 507. In some embodiments, the centering post 618 is provided to orient the inner carousel 507 so as to rotate about the centering post 618. With reference to Figure 34 , a side view of the sink 600 is shown. In this embodiment, the centering post 618 can be omitted, and an opening (not shown) can be provided in the bottom 608 of the sink 600 at the location of the centering post 618. A motor 630 can drive a shaft 632 that passes through the opening, and an engagement end 634 (also see Figure 35 ) of the shaft 632 can be configured to connect to the inner carousel 507 to rotate the inner carousel 507. In this embodiment, the inner carousel 507 is formed with a centrally located opening that is formed to mate with the engagement end 634 of the shaft 632 for rotation. As Figure 34As shown, it can be seen that the sink 600 is generally sloped from the left side 635 to the right side 636 toward the drain 610 to encourage liquid spillage in the recessed basin 602 to flow toward the drain 610 for ejection.

[0102] In Figure 35 In the illustrated embodiment, the sink 600 can also include an inner wall 638 that generally defines an inner concentric ring (relative to the outer concentric ring defined by the wall 604 of the recessed basin 602) within the recessed basin 602 sized and configured to receive the inner carousel 507. In this embodiment, the inner wall 638 does not form a complete circle and includes an opening 640. The opening 640 is located at the position on the modified carousel assembly 504 where the cup 50 is transferred from the outer cup row 506 to the inner cup row 508 by the slide assembly 530, as previously described, to allow the cup 50 to pass therebetween. The inner wall 638 can provide additional structure to stabilize the inner carousel 507 during rotation and can also act as a barrier to prevent the cup 50 that is not transitioning between the inner and outer carousels 505 and 507 from moving or sliding out of the inner cup row 508 during rotation. In this embodiment, the inner wall 638 can prevent liquid spillage from reaching the drain 610 directly. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the inner wall 638 can provide a drain passage 642 along the lower portion of the wall 638 adjacent to the portion of the bottom 608 of the sink 600. The drain passage 642 can be located on the side of the wall 638 closest to the drain 610 so that the sloped overall design of the bottom 608 of the sink 600 discussed above (see Figure 34 ) allows spillage to exit the area within the inner wall 638 and flow toward the drain 610.

[0103] As can be seen in Figures 29-35 , each of the individual cup rows 506a, the outer and inner carousels 505 and 507, and the upper magnetic assembly 560 of the slide assembly 530 are easily disassembled, either individually or together, to facilitate cleaning of the individual cup rows 506a, the outer and inner carousels 505 and 507, and the upper magnetic assembly 560. Once disassembled, access to and cleaning of the sink 600 and the recessed basin 602 can be achieved, and whether or not the sink 600 is disassembled, any excess liquid resulting from the cleaning will flow down the slope toward the drain 610 and out of the sink 600. Accordingly, the inner carousel 507 can be easily disassembled and repositioned in place in the sink 600 simply by lifting it from its resting engagement with the engagement end 634 (see also Figure 35 ) of the shaft 632. Similarly, the outer carousel 505 can be easily disassembled and repositioned in place in the sink 600 without the need to disassemble or reassemble the drive system or other components.

[0104] FIGS. 36A-E are perspective views illustrating one embodiment of a drive system 700 for driving the outer turntable 505. FIG. 36A illustrates the outer turntable 505 disposed in the recessed basin 602 of the sink 600. In this embodiment, the drive system 700 can include two pinch drives 704 and two idlers 706 mounted on the sink 600. Each pinch drive 704 includes an electric motor 702, although pneumatic or other systems can be used in other embodiments. The motor 702 drives upper and lower pinch rollers 708, 710. In some embodiments, the electric motor 702 can drive rotation of both pinch rollers 708, 710, while in other embodiments, the drive can only drive rotation of the lower pinch roller 710, with the upper pinch roller 708 used for stabilization and tensioning, or vice versa. The pinch drives 704 and the upper and lower pinch rollers 708, 710 can be positioned in various locations around the sink 600 and the outer turntable 505, as will be described in more detail below. Figure 36E The frictional engagement of the upper and lower pinch rollers 708, 710 with the upper and lower surfaces of the outer turntable 505 edge portion 712 facilitates rotation of the outer turntable 505 in the desired direction when the motor 702 drives one or both of the pinch rollers 708, 710.

[0105] The idlers 706 include idler rollers 714 and lift bearings 716. The idler rollers 714 ride against and engage the outer edge of the outer turntable 505 for tensioning and stabilizing the outer turntable 505 in a horizontal plane parallel to the upper horizontal surface of the outer turntable 505. Similarly, the lift bearings 716 are positioned below and engage the lower surface of the outer turntable 505 edge portion 712 for tensioning and stabilizing the outer turntable 505 in a vertical plane parallel to the vertical surface of the recessed basin 602 wall 604, such as to prevent the outer turntable 505 from sagging near the location of the idlers 706. The upper and lower pinch rollers 708, 710, as well as the idler rollers 714 and the lift bearings 716, can be constructed of rubber or other materials to facilitate the frictional engagement of the rollers with the surfaces of the outer turntable 505.

[0106] While the pinch drives 704 and the idlers 706 are illustrated as being positioned in certain locations around the sink 600 and the outer turntable 505, in other embodiments, the pinch drives 704 and the idlers 706 can be provided in other arrangements and configurations. Similarly, while two pinch drives 704 and two idlers 706 are illustrated, it is contemplated that fewer or greater numbers can be provided in other embodiments. Furthermore, while two idlers 706 are described, it will be appreciated that the idlers 706 are primarily used to support the outer turntable 505, and other support structures or systems can be used as will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

[0107] Reference is made to Figure 37A portion of the beverage preparation system 500 is shown in more detail. A cup 50 is shown disposed in one of the outer cup holders 506 (shown in a partial section) of the improved turntable assembly 504 (also shown in a partial section). A lidding and printing assembly 502 and a beverage dispensing station 503 are also shown.

[0108] Also refer to Figure 38 The capping and printing assembly 502 is shown in more detail. The capping and printing assembly 502 includes a sealing film 544, an in-line printer 540, and a perforator 542. The sealing film 544 may be provided in roll form (as shown) and placed on a series of rollers 546. The sealing film 544 may be fed into one or more motors / rollers 548 such that when the sealing film 544 is pulled by one or more motors / rollers 548, the sealing film 544 unrolls and extends over the cup 50, entering position to seal as a lid 60. The in-line printer 540 prints a beverage identification mark on the upper side or top surface of the sealing film 544, making it visible to the waiter or customer. The beverage identification mark may identify the type and size of the beverage, the associated order number, the customer's name, or any other useful or identifying information.

[0109] The perforator 542 can puncture, score, or create various indentations in the sealing film 544 to facilitate, for example, but not limited to, the passage of a straw through the sealing film 544. A sealing heating head 550 is located above the lip or edge of the cup 50 and the sealing film 544. The sealing heating head 550 can then be energized to generate heat, thereby heat-sealing the sealing film 544 to the lip or edge of the cup 50. The sealing film 544 can then be separated by, for example, cutting the sealing film 544 or tearing along the perforated or scored portion of the sealing film 544. This disclosure also contemplates that in other embodiments, the printing, perforation, and heat-sealing processes may occur in a different order.

[0110] Figure 38 A lifting assembly 580 is also shown. The lifting assembly 580 is used to vertically lift the cup 50 from its seated position in the outer cup holder 506 to bring the top lip or edge of the cup 50 to a position below the capping and printing assembly 502 for capping the cup 50. The lifting assembly 580 includes a linear actuator 582 and a cup centering device 584. The cup centering device 584 is coupled to an elbow 586 extending from the bottom of the linear actuator 582. A belt-driven motor (not shown) drives the linear actuator 582 to move vertically up and down in a direction perpendicular to a plane parallel to the surface of the modified turntable assembly 504. The belt-driven motor (not shown) can be electric, hydraulic, pneumatic, etc. A plunger and limit switch 583 is configured to determine whether the linear actuator 582 has vertically lifted the cup 50 to a sufficient position for capping.

[0111] Referring also to Figure 39A A top view showing a portion of the carousel assembly 504 is shown. It can be seen that the cup centering device 584 is positioned in an opening in the bottom 590 of the outer row cup seat 506. In this embodiment, the cup centering device 584 is in the shape of a cross and passes through a larger but similarly configured cross-shaped opening 581 in the bottom of the outer row cup seat 506. Figure 39B One of the outer row cup seats 506, which can also be referred to as cup seat 506a, is further shown in more detail in a perspective view. The cup centering device 584 is configured to engage the bottom of the cup 50 and to lift the cup 50 vertically out of the outer row cup seat 506 when the linear actuator 582 is raised. The cup centering device 584 can be configured to facilitate engagement with the bottom of the cup 50 so that the cup centering device 584 is positioned approximately in the center of the bottom of the cup 50 to stabilize the cup 50 during the lifting and lowering process. Although the cup centering device 584 is shown as being generally cross-shaped, those skilled in the art will readily envision other shapes and configurations for engaging the bottom of the cup 50 for these purposes as alternatives.

[0112] When the capping and printing process is complete, the linear actuator 582 lowers the cup 50 back into position in the outer row cup seat 506. The linear actuator 582 can be further lowered so that the cup centering device 584 is positioned below the bottom of the outer row cup seat 506 and clear of the outer row cup seat 506 to avoid interfering with the rotation of the outer carousel 505 before the outer carousel 505 is rotated.

[0113] In other embodiments (not shown), all or a portion of the capping and printing assembly 502 can be positioned above the cup 50 and moved vertically downward to the cup 50 in order to cap the cup 50 while the cup 50 remains stationary in the outer row cup seat 506.

[0114] Figure 40A Another view of a portion of the beverage preparation system 500 is shown. An ice chute 594 is shown connected to a portion of an ice dispenser 596 for dispensing ice into the cup 50 positioned in the outer row cup seat 506. In this embodiment, the ice dispenser 596, as previously described with reference to Figure 12 , is configured to provide ice only to the cup 50 on the outer row cup seat 506. Figure 40B and 40COther portions of the beverage preparation system 500 are shown. As can be seen, the beverage preparation system 500 includes a cup dispensing station 130, an ice cube dispensing chute 594, a beverage dispensing station 503, and a print and capping assembly 502 arranged in series. Thus, the beverage preparation system 500 fulfills an order by dispensing a cup 50 into an outer row of cup holders 506, dispensing ice cubes into the cup 50, filling the cup 50 with a beverage by the beverage dispensing station 503, and capping and printing a label on the cup 50 by the capping and print assembly 502. As noted above, the process also includes moving the filled beverage from the outer row of cup holders 506 to an inner row of cup holders 508 as needed to enable more beverages to be prepared and stored until removed for service.

[0115] It can be appreciated that the overall configuration of the beverage preparation system 500 can be more advantageous than the beverage preparation system 100 described further above. For example, preparing beverages in only the outer row of cup holders 506 can be accomplished with only one single station per dispensing cup, ice cube, beverage, and capping process, whereas multiple rows would require multiple stations per process, thus requiring additional space, equipment, and complexity.

[0116] Referring now to Figure 41 , another embodiment of a beverage preparation system 800 is shown. The beverage preparation system 800 includes a support table 810, and several components of the systems described above, including a beverage processing assembly 120 located on the support table 810, and an ice storage chamber 112 and an electronics housing 814 disposed below the support table 810.

[0117] The beverage processing assembly 120 includes multiple stations for performing various stages or steps of a beverage preparation process. In particular, the beverage processing assembly 120 includes one cup dispensing station 130, one ice cube dispensing station 180, one beverage dispensing station 190, and one capping station 200. The beverage can be advanced through the stations 130, 180, 190, 200 for preparation by a conveyor assembly 822.

[0118] Referring now to Figure 42 , the conveyor assembly 822 includes a central hub 824 and a plurality of cup holders 828 movably coupled to the hub 824. In particular, the central hub 824 has a long circular or racetrack-shaped perimeter or side surface 826. The cup holders 828 are movably coupled to the central hub 824 such that during operation the cup holders 828 can be moved along the perimeter 826 to be advanced through the stations 130, 180, 190, 200 of the beverage processing assembly 120.

[0119] Referring now to Figure 43In some embodiments, the cup holder 828 may be coupled to a continuous conveyor belt 821 that rotates about a pair of pulleys 823. The conveyor belt 821 may include a belt or chain coupled to a plurality of cup holders 828. Specifically, each cup holder 828 includes a cup support 829 coupled to the conveyor belt 821 via a support 827. Each pulley 823 includes a central shaft 825. During operation, one or both pulleys 823 may be actuated (e.g., by an electric, pneumatic, hydraulic motor or other suitable drive) to rotate about the respective shaft 825, thereby causing the conveyor belt 821 to rotate approximately about a central hub 824. The rotation of the conveyor belt 821 about the pulleys 823 also causes the cup holder 828 to move along the periphery 826 of the central hub 824.

[0120] In various embodiments, the cup holder 828 may include many different shapes, designs, and features. For example, now referring to... Figure 44 In some embodiments, the cup holder 829 may include a ring that can engage tightly with the cup 50 to prevent (or at least restrict) movement of the cup 50 therein when the cup holder 828 moves along the periphery 826 of the central hub 824 during operation.

[0121] Now for reference Figure 45 In some embodiments, the cup holder 829 may include a cup-shaped member having sidewalls 841 and a bottom 842. In some embodiments, the sidewalls 841 may loosely contact the cup 50 to allow some movement of the cup 50 within the cup holder 829 during operation.

[0122] Now for reference Figure 46 In some embodiments, the cup holder 829 may include a plurality of resilient spring elements 844 biased to the cup 50 inserted therein. Figure 42 and 43 Engagement. In some embodiments, the resilient spring element 844 may engage with the cup 50 to prevent the cup 50 from moving during operation.

[0123] Now for reference Figure 47In some embodiments, cup holder 829 can include a pair of gripping arms 846 that can be actuated to engage and grip a cup 50 during operation. For example, in some embodiments, one or both of the gripping arms 846 can be pivotally coupled to an elongate member 848 that can retract into support 827. A biasing member 849 (e.g., a coil spring) can be coupled to elongate member 848 to bias elongate member 848 into support 827. As elongate member 848 moves into support 827 (e.g., by biasing member 849), gripping arms 846 can engage support 827 and rotate toward one another about axis 845. Thus, during operation, when a cup 50 is inserted into holder 829, gripping arms 846 can close on the inserted cup 50 by the spring force provided by biasing member 849. In addition, in some embodiments, an additional support ring 843 can be included on holder 829 below gripping arms 846 to provide additional support for a cup 50 inserted therein. Without being bound to this or any other theory, actuation of gripping arms 846 can allow cups of different sizes (e.g., having different widths) to be securely held within cup holder 829 during operation. In some embodiments, when holder 829 is aligned with cup dispensing station 130, gripping arms 846 can be actuated away from one another against the spring force provided by biasing member 849 to receive a dispensed cup 50. Actuation of gripping arms 846 away from one another can be achieved by engagement of gripping arms 846 (or components coupled thereto) with a cam surface on or adjacent to conveyor assembly 822.

[0124] Reference is now made to Figure 42 and 43 As will be described in greater detail below, during operation, cup seat 828 can be moved along the periphery 826 of central hub 824 in order to align cup seat 828 (and in particular cup holder 829) with station 130, 180, 190, 200 to dispense a cup 50, ice, a beverage, and a lid 60, respectively, as part of a beverage preparation process.

[0125] Reference is now made to Figure 41 Beverage preparation system 800 can include systems that are substantially similar in operation and configuration to those described above, such as tubular magazine 132 of cup dispensing station 130, dispenser 134, beverage dispensing nozzle 194, and tubular magazine 202 of lid 60 of capping station 200.

[0126] In addition, the beverage preparation system 800 is provided with a user interface 116. An employee or customer can select a desired beverage on the user interface 116 and then initiate the beverage preparation process generally described above. In some embodiments, the beverage preparation system 800 can receive a command to prepare a beverage from other electronic devices communicatively coupled with the beverage preparation and dispensing system 800 via a suitable network or connection. For example, in some embodiments, the beverage preparation system 800 can receive a command to prepare a beverage from a point-of-sale system of a restaurant or food service establishment, which can receive an order from a customer or employee. In some embodiments, the point-of-sale system can constitute a part of a computer system that also includes the beverage preparation system 800 (e.g., the computer system 400 described above).

[0127] Once the beverage preparation system 800 receives a command to prepare a beverage, the cup holder 828 can advance through the stations 130, 180, 190, 200 by the conveyor assembly 822 as described previously. At the same time, the components and mechanisms within each station 130, 180, 190, 200 can be actuated to prepare the beverage in the manner described above.

[0128] In some embodiments, the beverage preparation system 800 can include a beverage identification assembly 860 for identifying a beverage that has passed through the stations 130, 180, 190, 200 and is ready to be taken away by an employee or customer. In particular, the beverage identification assembly 860 can include a plurality of lights 862 (e.g., light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and / or other suitable light-emitting devices) coupled to the beverage handling assembly 120 that are configured to emit a selected color of light corresponding to a particular beverage (or order). During operation, the cup 50 (with or without the lid 60) can align with a selected light 862 by the conveyor assembly 822, which emits a color of light corresponding to the aligned beverage. In some embodiments, the lights 862 can include electronic displays (e.g., liquid crystal displays, plasma displays, organic LED (OLED) displays, micro-LED displays) that can display images (e.g., text and / or symbols) to convey sufficient information (e.g., name, order number, table number, vehicle identification) for identifying the beverage.

[0129] Reference is now made to Figure 48 , which shows another embodiment of a beverage preparation system 900. The beverage preparation system 900 can include many features that are substantially similar in configuration and operation to those described previously, such as the support table 810, the beverage handling assembly 120 positioned on the support table 810, the ice storage bin 112 supported above the beverage handling assembly 120, and the electronic device housing 814 disposed below the support table 810.

[0130] The beverage processing assembly 120 includes multiple stations for performing various stages or steps of the beverage preparation process. In particular, the beverage processing assembly 120 includes a cup dispensing station 130, an ice dispensing station 180, a beverage dispensing station 190, and a capping station 200.

[0131] The beverage can be advanced through the stations 130, 180, 190, 200 by a carousel 922 for preparation. More particularly, the carousel 922 is a cylindrical member having a plurality of cup seats 925 disposed about its periphery. During operation, a drive (e.g., an electric motor, a hydraulic motor, a magnetic motor, a pneumatic motor) can rotate the carousel 922 about a central axis 927 to align the cup seats 925 with the stations 130, 180, 190, 200 to dispense cups 50, ice, beverages, and caps 60, respectively, as part of the beverage preparation process.

[0132] In this embodiment, reference is now made to Figure 48 and 49 A plurality of magazines 132 are coupled to and extend from respective dispensers 134. The magazines 132 are receivable therein of a plurality of stacked cups 50. Each dispenser 134 is generally aligned with a cup seat 925 so that, during operation, cups 50 can be supplied from the magazines 132 to the dispensers 134 and then dispensed from the dispensers 134 into the aligned cup seats 925 on the carousel 922. In some embodiments, the magazines 132 can be decoupled from the dispensers 134 to facilitate loading of cups 50 therein.

[0133] In some embodiments, each dispenser 134 can be configured to dispense different sizes and / or types of cups 50 into the cup seats 925 during operation. As shown in Figure 48 the arrangement of the dispensers 134 is such that, at certain rotational positions of the carousel 922 about the axis 927, each dispenser 134 is aligned with a different one of the cup seats 925.

[0134] With particular reference now to Figure 49 Each dispenser 134 includes a central axis 135, a first or upper side 134a, and a second or lower side 134b opposite the upper side 134a. A receiving aperture 136 extends axially through the dispenser 134 between the sides 134a, 134b relative to the axis 135. A respective magazine 132 is engaged with the receiving aperture 136 on the upper side 134a and extends away from the upper side 134a along the axis 135. During operation, a cup 50 dispensed from the magazine 132 passes through the receiving aperture 136 and is ejected from the lower side 134b.

[0135] The dispenser 134 has an interior cavity 167 into which the cup 50 can enter and exit through the receiving aperture 136. A gear ring 166 is disposed within the cavity 167 and is aligned with the receiving aperture 136 along the shaft 135. A drive gear 168 is engaged (e.g., meshed) with the teeth or other suitable structure on the radially outer surface of each gear ring 166. The drive gear 168 is coupled to a drive 162 that can be mounted within the interior cavity 167. During operation, the drive 162 can rotate the drive gear 168, thereby driving the gear rings 166 to rotate about the shaft 135. In some embodiments, the drive 162 comprises an electric motor; however, in other embodiments, the drive 162 can comprise a pneumatic motor, a hydraulic motor, or the like. A plurality of wedges 164 are positioned within the gear rings 166, each wedge 164 comprising a cylindrical body 174 that includes a central or longitudinal axis. The other modes of operation of the dispenser 134 are substantially similar to that described above with respect to the dispenser 130. Figure 6 and Figure 7

[0136] Referring now to Figure 50 , another embodiment of a beverage preparation system 1000 is shown. Similar to the system described above, the beverage preparation system 1000 includes a support table 810, a beverage processing assembly 120 positioned on the support table 810, an ice storage compartment 112 supported above the beverage processing assembly 120, and an electronics housing 814 disposed below the support table 810.

[0137] The beverage processing assembly 120 includes a plurality of stations for performing various stages or steps of a beverage preparation process, which can be similar in configuration and operation to those previously described, such as a cup dispensing station 130, an ice cube dispensing station 180, a beverage dispensing station 190, and a capping station 200. The beverage can be advanced through the stations 130, 180, 190, 200 for preparation by a conveyor assembly 1122. In some embodiments, the configuration and operation of the conveyor assembly 1122 can be similar to that described above with respect to the conveyor 822. Similarly, the cup dispensing station 130 and the capping station 200 can operate according to any of the various configurations discussed above. Figures 42-47

[0138] ​​The beverage preparation system 1000 can also include a beverage identification assembly 1260, which can include a plurality of emitters 1262 coupled to the beverage handling assembly 120, configured to emit light 1264 onto the cup 50 and, if present, the lid 60, which can be used to identify a particular beverage or beverage order. In some embodiments, the light 1264 can be color coded so as to identify a particular beverage (or order) with a different color. In some embodiments, the light 1264 can form images (e.g., text and / or symbols) on the beverage cup or its lid, which can provide sufficient information (e.g., name, order number, table number, vehicle identification). In some embodiments, the emitters 1262 can include light emitting diodes (LEDs) and / or other suitable light emitting devices.

[0139] Figures 51-53 Yet another embodiment of a beverage preparation system 1300 is shown. The beverage preparation system 1300 can be similar in certain respects to the various beverage preparation systems previously described, such as the beverage preparation system 500. For example, in this embodiment, the improved carousel assembly 504 includes an outer carousel 505 and an inner carousel 507. However, in this embodiment, the outer carousel 505 does not have an outer row of cup seats 506, but rather the outer carousel 505 is a flat rotating surface or carousel 1302. The carousel 1302 can be constructed of various materials, including plastic or polymeric materials, rubber, stainless steel, or other materials. In some embodiments, the carousel 1302 can be constructed of a material that promotes frictional engagement of the cup 50 with the carousel 1302 to prevent the cup from sliding off the carousel 1302 while still allowing the cup 50 to be transitioned onto the carousel 1302. In this embodiment, the inner carousel 507 continues to have an inner row of cup seats 508. In this embodiment of the beverage preparation system 1300, the inner row of cup seats 508 (which can also be referred to as cup seats 506a in this description) is a detachable assembly separate from the inner carousel 507, although it is contemplated that in other embodiments these assemblies can be integrally formed. Similar to that described above, the inner and outer carousels 505 and 507 are configured to rotate independently of one another, and can include drives, motors, and gearboxes (not shown) that operate in a similar manner as that described above with respect to the inner carousel 124 and the outer carousel 126 and the beverage preparation system 500.

[0140] The beverage preparation system 1300 employs another embodiment of a cup dispensing station 130. In this embodiment, a plurality of tubular magazines 132 are secured above the improved carousel assembly 504 and are arranged to dispense various sizes of cups 50 into the inner row of cup seats 508. The cups 50 are automatically dispensed from the tubular magazines 132 in various manners as previously described. For example, when a beverage of a particular size is ordered, the beverage preparation system 1300 causes the tubular magazine 132 containing the ordered size of cup 50 to dispense or drop the cup 50 into the cup seat 506 directly below using the techniques described herein.

[0141] In this embodiment, the beverage is prepared in the inner carousel 507 and moved to the outer carousel 505 for access by the user. Referring to Figure 53 , the beverage preparation system 1300 includes a circular barrier 1304 positioned between the inner and outer carousels 507, 505. The barrier 1304 provides a barrier to help position the cup 50 in the inner row of cup seats 508 as the cup 50 drops into the inner row of cup seats 508 and rotates to the station where the ice and beverage are received.

[0142] Referring to Figure 54 , in some embodiments, this embodiment can employ a sink 1307 similar to the sink 600 described above and can be modified to include the barrier 1304 as a component of or integrated with the sink 1307. The barrier 1304 includes a gap 1306 such that the barrier 1304 does not extend completely around the circumference of the inner carousel 507. The gap 1306 in the barrier 1304 is located at a transfer location 1308 where the cup 50 is transferred from the inner row of cup seats 508 to the carousel 1302 of the outer carousel 505. Similar to that described above, the cup seats 508 can include a seat opening 1310 to allow a transfer arm 1312 of a transfer assembly (not shown) to slide the cup 50 located in an adjacent cup seat 508 onto the outer carousel 505. The transfer assembly can be similar to the slide assembly 530 discussed above and can be driven by a magnetic force or can include other motors or drives to drive the transfer arm 1312 to accomplish this movement of the cup 50, as will be well known to those skilled in the art. The transfer arm 1312 can be similar in function to the arm 532 of the transfer assembly 530 discussed above. In this embodiment, the transfer arm 1312 is a substantially cylindrical shaft, but can have other configurations in other embodiments.

[0143] Referring to Figure 55 , the transfer arm 1312 is shown in an extended position. Also shown is a transfer platform 1314 located between the cup seat floor 1316 and the carousel 1302. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the width of the barrier 1304 can create a spacing difference between the cup seat floor 1316 and the carousel 1302. The transfer platform 1314 spans the space between the cup seat floor 1316 and the carousel 1302 to allow the cup 50 to transition or move smoothly and uniformly from the cup seat 580 to the carousel 1302. Further, as can be seen in the embodiment shown in Figure 54 and 55 , the inner carousel 507 includes an upper frame 1318 that is a substantially circular plate configured with a U-shaped opening 1320 to receive the cup seat 506a. In this embodiment, the upper lip 1322 of the cup seat 506a extends above the U-shaped opening 1320 and rests on the upper frame 1318 by gravity.

[0144] Figure 55 A sink 1307 is shown, which is exposed by removing the upper frame 1318 and the plurality of cup holders 508. While the upper frame 1318 and the cup holders 508 are described as separate components, these and other components of the beverage preparation system described herein can be integrally formed as one or more monolithic components, for ease of construction, operation, or based on other considerations.

[0145] A drive system assembly 1324 is also shown, which can include a motor, rollers, and other components, as previously described or otherwise required, for rotating the inner and / or outer turntables 507, 505.

[0146] Figure 56 Another view of a cup holder 506a according to the present embodiment is shown. In this view, the upper lip 1322 and the cup holder opening 1310 can be seen. Reference is also made to Figure 57 , which shows the underside 1326 of the cup holder 506a. As will be discussed in greater detail below, in the present embodiment, the entire cup holder 506a can be raised from the inner turntable 507 as part of the beverage dispensing process. While in the present embodiment, the cup holder 506a is raised for capping of the cup 50, in other embodiments, the cup holder 506a can also be raised for dispensing of ice and / or adding of a beverage to the cup 50. According to the present embodiment, the underside 1326 of the cup holder 506a is provided with a recess 1328 to facilitate being safely and stably lifted. While the present embodiment shows the recess 1328, other embodiments contemplate various configurations of the underside 1326 of the cup holder 508 to stably engage the cup holder 508 during vertical movement, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0147] Figure 58 An embodiment of a lifting mechanism 1330 is shown, which is configured to vertically lift the cup holder 508 during the beverage dispensing process. In the present embodiment, the lifting mechanism 1330 is disposed beneath the inner turntable 507 and the sink 1307, adjacent to the cup holder 508 to be raised for capping and printing. The lifting mechanism 1330 generally includes a drive system 1332 and a plurality of lifting shafts 1334. The lifting shafts 1334 are connected to the drive system 1332 such that when the drive system 1332 is actuated, the drive system 1332 causes the lifting shafts 1334 to be vertically raised. While the drive system 1332 can operate in various ways, in the present embodiment, the drive system 1332 can include a stepper motor 1336 and a lead screw 1338 connected thereto.

[0148] Reference is also made to Figure 59A positioning plate 1340 can be mounted in the sink 1307 adjacent and below the position of the cup holder 508 to be lifted. The positioning plate 1340 has plate openings 1342 sized to pass the lift shafts 1334 therethrough. When the lift shafts 1334 are actuated by the drive system 1332, the lift shaft ends 1344 are configured and arranged to engage the grooves 1328 on the underside 1326 of the cup holder 506a. Although the lift mechanism 1330 is shown as having three (3) lift shafts 1334, other numbers of lift shafts 1334 can be used.

[0149] Figure 60 and 61 A view of a capping and printing system 1350 positioned above the inner carousel 507, above the cup holder 508 to be lifted by the lift mechanism 1330 is shown. In this embodiment, the lift mechanism 1330 lifts the cup holder 506a in order to cap and print a cup 50 positioned in the cup holder 508. As discussed above, in other embodiments, other lift mechanisms 1330 can be provided to lift other cup holders 508 at other beverage dispensing locations. The capping and printing system 1350 can include aspects of the capping and printing assembly 502 discussed above for capping and printing. For example, the capping and printing system 1350 can include a sealing film 544, an in-line printer 540 and a perforator 542, as discussed above, as well as other components. In this manner, when the cup holder 508 is lifted, the cup 50 positioned therein is positioned in the opening 1352 of the capping and printing system 1350 in order to cap and print the cup 50.

[0150] Figure 62 A position of the ice cube dispensing station 180, the beverage dispensing station 190 and the capping and printing system 1350 is shown, according to one embodiment. As can be seen, as the inner carousel 507 rotates clockwise, a cup 50 is dispensed into the cup holder 508, a cup 50 is positioned below the ice cube dispensing station 180 in order to have ice cubes dispensed into the cup 50, then to the beverage dispensing station 190 in order to have a beverage dispensed into the cup 50, and then to the capping and printing system 1350 in order to cap the cup 50 and provide an identification indicia on the cap.

[0151] In this embodiment, the beverage dispensing station 190 includes two (2) nozzles 1353A, 1353B for dispensing beverages, although other numbers of nozzles are also contemplated. In this embodiment, the first nozzle 1353A can be used to substantially fill a cup 50 with beverage at a first location 1354, while the second nozzle 1353B can be used to top off or complete the filling of the beverage at a second location 1356. Providing two beverage filling locations can be useful to fill a cup 50 completely with the desired beverage. However, in other embodiments, the first and second nozzles 1353A, 1353B can be used to dispense different types of beverages, to provide redundancy, or to increase the throughput or number of beverages that can be completed.

[0152] Once a beverage is prepared on the inner carousel 507, the filled cup 50 can be transitioned to the outer carousel 505 by the transition arm 1132. The outer carousel 505 can then be indexed or rotated clockwise one or more cup positions to make room for the next completed beverage. By providing a carousel 1302 for the outer carousel 505 instead of individual cup holders, this design can provide additional space to accommodate more completed beverages, and also allows for easier access to the completed beverages.

[0153] In operation, the beverage preparation system 1300 can receive input from a point-of-sale or other system, such as the computer system 400 discussed above. In addition, sensors positioned at various locations around the beverage preparation system 1300 can be used to control the advancement of the inner and outer carousels 507, 505 to ensure, for example, that prepared beverages on the carousel 1302 are accessible to a user and do not interfere with newly transitioned prepared beverages from the inner carousel 507.

[0154] While the beverage preparation system 1300 is described as having cup holders 508 only on the inner carousel 507, and no cup holders on the outer carousel 505, it is contemplated that in other embodiments the outer carousel 505 can have one or more cup holders 506a, and the inner carousel 507 can have fewer or no cup holders 508. In addition, while beverage preparation is described in this embodiment as being completed on the inner carousel 507, it is contemplated that beverages can also be completed on the outer carousel 505 instead of or in addition. In addition, while filled beverages are described as being transitioned from the inner carousel 507 to the outer carousel 505, filled beverages can remain in the inner carousel 507, or can be filled on the outer carousel 505 and transitioned to the inner carousel 507.

[0155] Figure 63A wiper 1360 is shown that engages the turntable 1302 to clear material 1362 that can collect on the upper surface 1364 of the turntable 1302. It can be appreciated that during beverage preparation, material, such as beverage spillage, ice cubes, and moisture, can collect on the upper surface 1364 of the turntable 1302. When the cup 50 is transitioned onto the turntable 1302, the upper surface 1364 can become slippery and the cup 50 can not remain stable on the turntable 1302 and can undesirably slide or move on the turntable 1302 when the outer turntable 505 is rotated or indexed. In this embodiment, the wiper 1360 can include a body 1366 with an engagement member 1368 connected to a lower end 1370 of the engagement member 1368. The engagement member 1368 is positioned alongside the upper surface 1364 of the turntable 1302. As the turntable 1302 is rotated, the engagement member 1368 engages and wipes or clears moisture that can collect on the upper surface 1364 of the turntable 1302. In this embodiment, the wiper 1360 is positioned alongside the left side 1372 of the beverage preparation system 1300 and is arcuate across the width of the turntable 1302. Moisture collected by the engagement member 1368 can be wiped or swept off the turntable 1302 to collect in a channel 1374 between the turntable 1302 and the isolation wall 1304. The channel 1374 can be formed or otherwise provided as part of the sink 1307 to clear waste material 1362 to a drain, as described above. In some embodiments, multiple wipers 1360 can be used and positioned at other locations around the turntable 1302 so long as the wipers 1360 do not interfere with the prepared beverage rotating on the turntable 1302. For example, it can be convenient to prevent a filled beverage from rotating or indexing past the left side 1372 of the beverage preparation system 1300 during beverage preparation as the beverage can become inaccessible to the user. Accordingly, the wiper 1360 can preferably be positioned alongside the turntable 1302 to avoid contact with the filled beverage. While the wiper 1360 is described as having an arcuate design, it is contemplated in other embodiments that the wiper 1360 can be substantially straight, wedge-shaped, or otherwise configured. In other embodiments, the wiper 1360 can be positioned near the turntable 1302 and actuated periodically, such as by a motor, to wipe the upper surface 1364 of the turntable 1302 and then stored in a position away from the upper surface 1364 to allow the prepared beverage on the turntable 1302 to pass without contact with the wiper 1360. Other configurations will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

[0156] Figure 64 Another embodiment of the beverage preparation system 1300 is shown. While Figure 51The illustrated beverage preparation system 1300 is provided with an ice maker or machine 1390 located on the top of the beverage preparation system 1300, but in some embodiments, the ice maker can be omitted and ice cubes can be manually filled. In either case, Figure 64 The illustrated embodiment shows an ice bin 1400 that can be automatically or manually filled with ice cubes. The ice bin 1400 is located on the top of the beverage preparation system 1300 and can include augers and other systems (not shown) to facilitate the movement and handling of ice cubes through the beverage preparation system 1300, as described above. Referring to Figure 65 , the ice bin 1400 is shown removed from the beverage preparation system 1300. The ice bin 1400 includes a bin body 1402 for receiving and dispensing ice cubes. The ice bin 1400 can vary in size to be received in the upper portion 1404 of the beverage preparation system 1300. In this embodiment, the ice bin 1400 includes a fill chute 1406 that extends from the front side 1408 of the ice bin 1400 adjacent the bin body 1402. The fill chute 1406 can be sloped from the front 1410 to the back 1412 toward the bin body 1402 to encourage ice cubes placed in the fill chute 1406 to flow into the bin body 1402. The front side 1414 of the fill chute 1402 can be generally rounded to facilitate the manual pouring of ice cubes into the fill chute 1406. However, in other embodiments, the ice bin 1400 and fill chute 1406 can have other configurations. The ice bin 1400 can be constructed of various materials, including metallic materials (such as stainless steel), polymeric materials, thermoformed plastics, and the like.

[0157] As shown in Figure 66 , a chute cover 1416 can be pivotally connected to the ice bin 1400 adjacent the fill chute 1406. In this illustration, the chute cover 1416 is shown in an upward or open position 1418 that provides access to the fill chute 1406 for loading ice cubes into the ice bin 1400. Figure 64 The chute cover 1416 is shown in a downward or closed position 1420 that prevents dust or debris from entering the ice bin 1400 and also prevents any hazards from inadvertently contacting moving parts during operation. The chute cover 1416 can be constructed of various materials, including metallic materials (such as stainless steel) or polymeric materials.

[0158] Referring to Figure 67 , a front view of the beverage preparation system 1300 is provided that illustrates one embodiment of a cup dispenser 1430. In this embodiment, the beverage preparation system 1300 can include a door 1432 mounted on the front 1434 of the beverage preparation system 1300. The door 1432 can be provided with a door hinge 1436 to enable the door 1432 to be opened. Referring to Figure 68Door 1432 is shown in the open position, providing access to the upper interior 1438 of the beverage preparation system 1300, where controls and other systems can be retained, as will be discussed below. It can be seen that when door 1432 is open, both door 1432 and the cup dispenser 1430 attached thereto pivot or rotate on door hinge 1436 to expose and allow access to the upper interior 1438 of the beverage preparation system 1300.

[0159] Also refer to Figure 69 The cup dispenser 1430 is shown in the open position, while the door 1432 of the beverage preparation system 1300 is closed. The cup dispenser 1430 is generally semi-circular and includes upper and lower support structures 1440 and 1442, and a dispenser cover 1444 extending therebetween. A rear wall 1446 extends from the sides 1448a and 1448b of the dispenser cover 1444, between the upper and lower structures 1440 and 1442, along the rear side 1450 of the cup dispenser 1430. The dispenser cover 1444 and the rear wall 1446 define a cup storage area 1452 for receiving cups 50 to be dispensed. Figure 66 As can be seen, the upper support structure 1440 can be configured as an arcuate or curved member, its shape designed to receive the semi-circular shape of the front side 1414 of the filling chute 1406. The cup dispenser 1430 may include a dispenser hinge 1453, allowing the cup dispenser 1430 to be opened independently to refill the cup 50, while the door 1432 of the beverage preparation system 1300 remains closed, as... Figure 69 As shown. This configuration allows the cup dispenser 1430 to be opened without opening door 1432, thus preventing water or other substances from entering the upper interior 1438 of the beverage preparation system 1300 when refilling cups 50. This configuration also allows ice to be refilled via the chute cover 1416 and the filling chute 1406 without opening cup dispenser 1430 or door 1432, thus preventing ice from splashing into cup storage area 1452 or other areas. This configuration also allows cups 50 to be refilled without stopping the beverage preparation system 1300, while door 1432 remains closed to prevent hazards in the upper area 1438.

[0160] In this embodiment, the dispenser cover 1444 can be clear plastic, which allows visual identification of the number of cups 50 loaded in the cup dispenser 1430, so that the cups 50 can be reloaded in a timely manner. In some embodiments, the upper support structure 1440 can further cover the cup storage area 1452 to prevent debris or matter from entering and contaminating the cups 50 stored therein. In some embodiments, the upper support structure 1440 can only provide support or define the upper portion of the dispenser cover 1444. In such cases, the cup dispenser 1430 can be opened only through the dispenser hinge 1453 to allow the cups 50 to be reloaded, while allowing the beverage preparation system 1300 to continue operation. Further, the cups 50 stored in the cup storage area 1452 can be dispensed using the elements of the dispenser 134, as described above, for example in Figures 5-7 In this embodiment, three (3) stacks of cups 50 are shown, with each stack including cups 50 of the same or different sizes. However, in other embodiments, fewer or greater numbers of stacks can be provided.

[0161] In Figure 69 the embodiment shown, a chute cover 1416 can be coupled alongside the upper support structure 1440 of the cup dispenser 1430. In this manner, the chute cover 1416 covers the fill chute 1406 when the cup dispenser 1430 is in the closed position. The beverage preparation system 1300 can further include a safety switch 1454 located alongside the upper support structure 1440 of the cup dispenser 1430. The safety switch 1454 is coupled to sense the position of the door 1432 and the chute cover 1416. The safety switch 1454 can be further coupled to communicate with various control systems of the beverage preparation system 1300, as described above, to power on and off all or various components of the beverage preparation system 1300 when the door 1432 and / or the fill chute 1406 are opened and closed. Such operation of the safety switch 1454 can prevent hazardous or accidental interference with various systems within the upper interior 1438 when the door 1432 is open, and also prevent operation of the auger or other systems associated with dispensing ice when the fill chute 1406 is open. In this embodiment, the safety switch 1454 is a single switch coupled for such operation, while in other embodiments multiple switches located elsewhere can be provided. In other embodiments, the safety switch 1454 can be further coupled to sense when the cup dispenser 1430 is open, and control operation of the beverage preparation system 1300 as needed.

[0162] As Figure 68 shown, when the door 1432 is open, various components in the upper interior 1438 can be accessed, including another embodiment of the capping and printing assembly 502. Reference is made concurrently to Figures 70-72In this embodiment, the capping and printing assembly 502 is mounted in the upper interior 1438 of the beverage preparation system 1300 by a slide rail 1460. The slide rail 1460 can enable the capping and printing assembly 502 to extend from a storage or standby position 1462 as shown Figure 70 to an extended or maintenance position 1464 as shown Figure 71 . The slide rail 1460 can be any type of sliding or gliding system that can be mounted in the upper interior 1438 and the capping and printing assembly 502 to enable movement or extension between such positions, and can include ball bearings or other types of slide rail or extension designs. The slide rail 1460 allows for convenient access to the capping and printing assembly 502 when pulled out or extended to the maintenance position 1464 for purposes of reloading or replacing the cup lid film (e.g., sealing film 544), the printer ink, or to perform maintenance, repair and cleaning of components of the capping and printing assembly 502. The slide rail 1460 can extend any desired distance between the standby position 1462 and the maintenance position 1464 to provide sufficient clearance from other components in the upper interior 1438 for a user to conveniently access for these purposes. The slide rail 1460, capping and printing assembly 502 and door 1432 can be further configured such that when the door 1432 is closed, the door 1432 engages or presses the capping and printing assembly 502 into the proper position, e.g., the standby position 1462, or a so-called "poka-yoke" configuration. It will be appreciated that proper positioning of the capping and printing assembly 502 can ensure proper alignment for a good or perfect film seal on the cup 50. Other techniques can be used to ensure proper placement of the capping and printing assembly 502, such as a detent, sensor, etc., to position or verify that the capping and printing assembly 502 is in the proper position before the beverage preparation system 1300 is started.

[0163] As described above and with reference to Figure 73 , the inner carousel 507 can include an upper frame 1318 that is a substantially circular plate configured with a U-shaped opening 1320 to receive the cup holder 506a (not shown). In one embodiment, the inner upper frame 1318 can include a frame coupler 1470 centrally disposed on the underside 1471 of the upper frame 1318. The frame coupler 1470 is provided with a plurality of coupling teeth 1472 around its periphery.

[0164] With reference to Figure 74As noted above, various drive systems can be provided to operate the systems of the beverage preparation system 1300, including driving the inner turntable drive mechanism or drive mechanism 1474. The drive mechanism 1474 includes a drive coupler 1476 centrally disposed on an upper surface 1477 of the drive mechanism 1474. The drive coupler 1476 has a plurality of drive teeth 1478 disposed about its periphery. The frame coupler 1470 and coupling teeth 1472 are configured to mate with the drive coupler 1476 and drive teeth 1478. Thus, as can be seen, when the underside 1471 of the upper frame 1318 is placed alongside the upper surface 1477 of the drive mechanism 1474, the frame coupler 1470 engages the drive coupler 1476. In this way, when the drive mechanism 1474 is actuated and rotated, the mating of the drive coupler 1476 with the frame coupler 1470 operates to rotate the upper frame 1318 during operation of the beverage preparation system 1300. Since the upper frame 1318 rests on the drive mechanism 1474 by gravity, the upper frame 1318 can be easily removed for cleaning by simply lifting it from a position above the drive mechanism 1474, and likewise can be easily replaced to resume operation. This configuration eliminates any complex mechanical connections, thereby simplifying the operation and maintenance of the beverage preparation system 1300. Moreover, this configuration provides safety during operation, as this design provides enough force to reliably move the cup 50 to the correct position, but not enough to cause a dangerous or pinch point if obstructed. In the event of such a dangerous or pinch point, this configuration allows for enough tolerance to lift and slide to prevent any injury or damage.

[0165] While the systems described herein, including the beverage preparation systems 100, 500, 800, 900, 1000, and 1300, and their respective various subsystems, components, and parts, are described separately, the present disclosure contemplates implementations that incorporate any arrangement of the various systems and subsystems described above. As one example of contemplated alternatives and combinations, with respect to the beverage preparation system 1300, the drive mechanism 1474 can be replaced with the drive mechanism 1470 described above with respect to the beverage preparation system 100. Figure 37 The capping system described above can be used in place of the capping system described above with respect to the beverage preparation system 100. Figures 15-20 Moreover, beverage identification systems, such as the systems described above with respect to the beverage preparation systems 100, 500, 800, 900, 1000, and 1300, are contemplated. Figure 41 and 50Those described in the middle can be used in any of the other beverage preparation systems described herein. Similarly, while not all of the described beverage preparation systems employ a user interface 116 to select a desired beverage on the user interface 116 and connect through a point of sale system, or provide a sink under the conveyor belt, the present disclosure contemplates such combinations with any of the disclosed beverage preparation systems. As a further example, while only two turntables are shown in the beverage preparation system 500, an outer turntable and an inner turntable 505 and 507, one or more additional concentric turntable rows can be added to further increase the total number of beverages that can be prepared and stored for retrieval. Further, it is contemplated that the beverage preparation system 500 or other systems can be used in combination with additional conveyors where beverages are moved from a production conveyor or turntable to a conveyor that transports the beverages elsewhere in the establishment for the convenience of customers or employees, further increasing convenience and efficiency. These are just a few examples of combinations contemplated by the present disclosure. For simplicity, each contemplated combination will not be discussed, but will be readily apparent to one of skill in the art. These and other combinations will be readily apparent to one of skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. Further, the various components and support structures can be constructed of metal or metal alloys, plastic or polymeric materials, or any suitable material.

[0166] Embodiments disclosed herein include beverage preparation systems and related methods that can further increase the efficiency of the beverage preparation process by automating many, most, or substantially all of the steps of preparing a beverage. Thus, by using the embodiments disclosed herein, the number of manual steps required to prepare a beverage can be reduced, thereby increasing the efficiency of the beverage preparation process and improving the overall food service operation.

[0167] While example embodiments have been shown and described, one skilled in the art can make modifications without departing from the scope or teachings of this disclosure. The embodiments described herein are exemplary only and are not limiting. Many variations and modifications of the systems, equipment, and processes described herein are possible and are within the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited to the embodiments described herein, but is only limited by the claims that follow, which are to be given their full breadth of scope. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, steps in method claims can be performed in any order.

Claims

1. A beverage preparation system, characterized by, Comprising: a carousel assembly, the carousel assembly comprising: a central shaft; an inner carousel; and an outer carousel disposed circumferentially about the inner carousel; a cup dispensing station configured to dispense a cup onto one of the inner carousel or outer carousel; and a beverage dispensing station configured to dispense a beverage into the cup.

2. Beverage preparation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Further comprising: a cabinet disposed above the carousel assembly, the cabinet defining an interior space; and a door connected to the cabinet, the door partially enclosing the interior space, wherein the door is connected to the cabinet by a door hinge such that the door can be opened to access the interior space.

3. Beverage preparation system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cup dispensing station is coupled to the door by a cup dispenser hinge, wherein the cup dispenser is individually openable with respect to the door.

4. Beverage preparation system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The cup dispenser includes an upper opening to provide access to a cup receiving area within the cup dispenser, and further includes a removable cup dispenser cover disposed over the upper opening of the cup dispenser.

5. The beverage preparation system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Further comprising: an ice bin having a bin body for holding ice cubes and a fill chute formed along a side of the ice bin, the fill chute including a bottom portion sloped toward the bin body; and a chute cover configured to cover the fill chute when the chute cover is in a closed position, and further configured to expose the fill chute to receive ice cubes therein when the chute cover is in an open position.

6. Beverage preparation system according to claim 5, characterized in that, Further comprising one or more safety switches coupled to the door and the chute cover, and further coupled to a controller to control operation of the beverage preparation system based on sensed positions of the door and the chute cover.

7. Beverage preparation system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The safety switches are further defined as a single switch coupled to the door and the chute cover.

8. The beverage preparation system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cup dispensing station is coupled to the door by a cup dispenser hinge, wherein the cup dispenser is individually openable with respect to the door, and wherein the one or more safety switches are further coupled to the cup dispenser to sense a position of the cup dispenser with respect to the door.

9. The beverage preparation system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Further comprising a capping and printing assembly disposed in the interior space of the cabinet, the capping and printing assembly operable to provide a cap on the cup and a label on the cap of the cup.

10. Beverage preparation system according to claim 9, characterized in that, Further comprising an extension system coupled to the interior space of the cabinet and the capping and printing assembly, and configured to hold the capping and printing assembly in a ready-to-use position within the interior space of the cabinet, and further configured to extend the capping and printing assembly to a maintenance position, wherein the capping and printing assembly extends out of the interior space with respect to the storage position.

11. Beverage preparation system according to claim 10, characterized in that, The extension system is further defined as a plurality of extendable rails.

12. The beverage preparation system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Further comprising a drive system configured to cause rotation of the inner carousel, wherein the inner carousel includes a frame coupler coupled to the inner carousel, and wherein the drive system includes at least one drive coupler configured to mate with the frame coupler.

13. Beverage preparation system according to claim 12, characterized in that, Actuation of the drive system drives the inner carousel through mating engagement of the drive coupler with the frame coupler.

14. Beverage preparation system according to claim 13, characterized in that, At least portions of the inner turntable including the frame coupler rest on the drive system by gravity through engagement of the frame coupler with the drive coupler.

15. The beverage preparation system according to claim 10, characterized in that, Also included are: an ice bin having a bin body for holding ice cubes and a fill chute formed along a side of the ice bin, the fill chute including a bottom portion sloped toward the bin body; and a chute cover configured to cover the fill chute when the chute cover is in a closed position and further configured to expose the fill chute to receive ice cubes therein when the chute cover is in an open position.

16. Beverage preparation system according to claim 15, characterized in that, Also included are one or more safety switches coupled to the door and the chute cover and further coupled to a controller to control operation of the beverage preparation system based on sensed positions of the door and the chute cover.

17. Beverage preparation system according to claim 16, characterized in that, The cup dispensing station is coupled to the door by a cup dispenser hinge, wherein the cup dispenser is individually openable relative to the door.

18. The beverage preparation system according to claim 17, characterized in that, The cup dispenser includes an upper opening to provide access to a cup receiving area within the cup dispenser and further includes a removable cup dispenser cover disposed over the upper opening of the cup dispenser.

19. A method of dispensing a beverage, characterized by Included are: A beverage preparation system is provided including: a cabinet defining an interior space for housing a capping and printing assembly configured to cap and print on a cup cover; a turntable assembly disposed below the cabinet, the turntable assembly including: a central shaft; an inner turntable; and an outer turntable disposed circumferentially around the inner turntable; dispensing a cup from a cup dispensing station onto one of the inner or outer turntables; and dispensing a beverage from a beverage dispensing station into the cup.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein, Also included are: sensing opening of a cabinet door by one or more switches; suspending dispensing of cups and beverages by the beverage preparation system in response to sensing opening of the door; extending the capping and printing assembly from an inoperative position within the interior space of the cabinet to a maintenance position extending out of the interior space relative to the storage position; sensing closing of the door of the cabinet by one or more switches; and actuating the beverage preparation system to resume dispensing of cups and beverages in response to sensing closing of the door. ​

Images