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Title: Drink dispenser having central control of plural dispensing stations
Claims: What is claimed is: 1. Apparatus for dispensing drinks from a central storage system to any of various dispensing terminals in accordance with preprogrammed or operator-selected formulations, under control of a centralized processing system, comprising: a plurality of centrally located beverage reservoirs, each in communication with a pump associated with that beverage; a plurality of dispensing terminals, each in communication with each said pump via fluid-passing conduits, said conduits combining to form a dispensing head at each said terminal, said terminals further including a keyboard of operator-actuatable selection means for selecting a drink or components thereof to be dispensed; programmable computer means interconnected between said reservoirs and said dispensing terminals, for communicating therebetween and controlling the dispensing of selected drinks to the dispensing heads of selected terminals from said centrally located beverage reservoirs; and a plurality of shift registers at each dispensing terminal having the outputs thereof operatively connected to and controlling respective dispensing valves at said terminal, one dispensing valve for each said beverage, said computer means communicating data to said shift registers respecting the beverages to be dispensed for a selected drink and continually updating said data during the dispensing of said selected drink, thereby controlling the periods of dispensing of each component of said drink. 2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said pumps are valve-actuated, driven by valve drivers, said valve drivers being connected to said computer means and selectively actuated thereby and for periods of time determined by said computer means. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said computer means includes a first memory array for maintaining control programs, and a second memory array for receiving and maintaining data. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said second memory array includes a plurality of registers receiving and maintaining therein data respecting dispensing operations at each of the various terminals. 5. Apparatus for dispensing drinks in accordance with preprogrammed or operator-selected formulations, comprising: storage means for maintaining therein beverages for dispensing in the various formulations; a plurality of dispensing terminals, each in communication with said storage means, each terminal including both a selection means for allowing the operator to select the formulations to be dispensed, and a dispensing means connected to said storage means for dispensing the drinks according to the selected formulations; central control means interconnected between and in communication with said terminals and said storage means for sensing from each of said selection means the respectively selected formulations for dispensing at the various terminals and controlling the dispensing at said terminals from said storage means; circuit means at each said dispensing terminal connected to said central control means for allowing each respective terminal to mutually exclusively communicate with said central control means, each said circuit means at each said terminal including first decode means for receiving signals from said central control means and determining from said signals if the associated terminal is accessed for communication with said central control means; and second decode means in interconnection with and receiving signals from said central control means for selecting one of a plurality of devices at the associated terminal for communication with said central control means, and wherein one of said devices comprises a keyboard of operator-actuatable selection means, said keyboard at a particular terminal being accessed by said first and second decode means; and a plurality of shift registers at each dispensing terminal having the outputs thereof operatively connected to and controlling respective dispensing valves at said terminal, one dispensing valve for each said beverage, said central control means communicating to said shift registers the beverages to be dispensed in a selected formulation. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said second decode means is connected to and controlled by said first decode means, said second decode means producing an output only when the first decode means determines that the associated terminal is accessed for communication with said central control means. 7. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the selection means of each said keyboard is arranged in rows and columns, said central control means making multiplexing accessing to said columns and sensing outputs from said rows to determine the actuation of any of said selection means. 8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein one of said devices includes a display means for receiving signals from said central control means indicative of the state of actuation of said selection means at said associated terminal and displaying a price determined by said state of actuation. 9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said storage means includes sensor means in communication with said central control means for determining when the quantity of a particular beverage in said storage means is below a predetermined level, said central control means indicating such situation to each of said keyboards. 10. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein one of said devices comprises a dispensing head in communication with said storage means, said dispensing head including a plurality of fluid-passing conduits controlled by said dispensing valves, said dispensing valves being selectively actuated by said shift registers under control of said central control means in response to communication between said central control means and said associated keyboard. 11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said storage means includes a plurality of pump means, one for each of said beverages, for driving the associated beverages through said fluid-passing conduits, said pump means being connected to and controlled by said central control means for actuating the pump means as selected by said selection means. 12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said pump means includes air valves, each air valve servicing a plurality of pumps. 13. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said central control means comprises a microprocessor, said microprocessor communicating with two memory arrays, a first memory array maintaining therein programs for control of said microprocessor, and a second memory array for maintaining data therein. 14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said first and second memories share a common set of address lines, said microprocessor selecting the memory array to be accessed, said arrays being accessed mutually exclusively. Other info: Inventors: Shannon, Joseph W. (Kent, OH, US) Application Number: 880220 Filing Date: 1978-02-21 Publication_date: 1981-02-24 Assignee: McNeil Corporation (Akron, OH) Primary Class(es): 222/25 222/129.4, 222/144.5, 377/13, 377/54 Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
Other Refs: Primary Examiner: Rolla, Joseph J. Assistant Examiner: Attorney: Oldham, Oldham, Hudak & Weber |
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