Automated beverage preparation apparatus capable of preparing layered drink
An automated beverage preparation apparatus includes: multiple pumps for extracting multiple fluid materials stored in multiple material containers, and pushing the extracted fluid materials to move forward; a fluid output device coupled with the multiple pumps and arranged to operably dispense fluid materials to a beverage container; a user control interface arranged to operably generate a control command; a processing circuit arranged to operably generate a corresponding control signal according to the control command; and a pump control circuit arranged to operably control the multiple pumps according to the control signal. The pump control circuit conducts a layered drink making operation under control of the processing circuit to cause the fluid output device to dispense different fluid materials to the beverage container, so as to automatically form a layered drink/gradient drink having at least two color layers within the beverage container.
1 . An automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ), comprising:
multiple pumps ( 221 , 223 , 225 , 227 ), respectively utilized for extracting multiple fluid materials ( 301 , 303 , 305 , 307 ) stored in multiple material containers ( 271 , 273 , 275 , 277 ), and utilized for pushing corresponding fluid materials to move forward;
a fluid output device ( 230 ), comprising multiple fluid outlets ( 231 , 233 , 235 , 237 ), wherein the multiple fluid outlets ( 231 , 233 , 235 , 237 ) are respectively coupled with the multiple pumps ( 221 , 223 , 225 , 227 ), and are respectively utilized for dispensing a corresponding fluid material to a beverage container ( 102 );
a user control interface ( 110 ), arranged to operably generate a control command according to a user's manipulation;
a processing circuit ( 240 ), coupled with the user control interface ( 110 ), and arranged to operably generate a corresponding control signal according to the control command; and
a pump control circuit ( 250 ), coupled with the processing circuit ( 240 ) and the multiple pumps ( 221 , 223 , 225 , 227 ), and arranged to operably control the multiple pumps ( 221 , 223 , 225 , 227 ) according to the control signal;
wherein when the control command requests the automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) to prepare a predetermined layered drink, the pump control circuit ( 250 ) conducts a layered drink making operation under control of the processing circuit ( 240 ) to cause the fluid output device ( 230 ) to dispense different fluid materials to the beverage container ( 102 ), so as to automatically form a layered drink having at least two color layers within the beverage container ( 102 );
wherein the layered drink making operation comprises:
actuating a first target pump subset in the multiple pumps ( 221 , 223 , 225 , 227 ) to cause the fluid output device ( 230 ) to dispense a first set of target fluid materials ( 510 ) having a density which is less than 110% of the density of water, so as to form a buffer layer ( 520 ) within the beverage container ( 102 );
after forming the buffer layer ( 520 ), actuating a second target pump subset to cause the fluid output device ( 230 ) to dispense a second set of target fluid materials ( 610 ; 1010 ) comprising at least two fluid materials, so that the second set of target fluid materials ( 610 ; 1010 ) and the buffer layer ( 520 ) are mixed to form a first target fluid layer ( 620 ; 1020 ) within the beverage container ( 102 ); and
after forming the first target fluid layer ( 620 ; 1020 ), actuating a third target pump subset to cause the fluid output device ( 230 ) to dispense a third set of target fluid materials ( 710 ) having a color different from a color of the first target fluid layer ( 620 ; 1020 ) and having a density greater than a density of the first target fluid layer ( 620 ; 1020 ), so as to form a second target fluid layer ( 720 ) having a color different from the color of the first target fluid layer ( 620 ; 1020 ) beneath the first target fluid layer ( 620 ; 1020 ).
2 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the first set of target fluid materials ( 510 ) comprises: a drinking water, an aerating water, a sparkling water, a tea, a beer, a coffee, a soft drink, a carbonated beverage, a fruit juice, a vegetable juice, a malt wort, a liquid material comprising animal milk, a liquid material comprising alcohol, a liquid material comprising sugar, a liquid material comprising salt, a liquid material comprising vinegar, a liquid material comprising cocoa, a liquid material comprising lactic acid, a liquid material comprising plant extract, or a liquid material comprising protein.
3 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the buffer layer ( 520 ) has a thickness between 0.5 centimeter and 7 centimeters.
4 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein during the operation of forming the buffer layer ( 520 ), the pump control circuit ( 250 ) does not actuate other pumps than the first target pump subset to cause the fluid output device ( 230 ) to not simultaneously dispense other fluid material having a density greater than 125% of the density of water to the beverage container ( 102 ).
5 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the layered drink making operation further comprises:
when the fluid output device ( 230 ) dispenses the first set of target fluid materials ( 510 ) for a first target amount or a first target time, stopping actuating the first target pump subset to cause the fluid output device ( 230 ) to stop dispensing the first set of target fluid materials ( 510 ) to reduce a fluctuation extent of the buffer layer ( 520 ).
6 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the layered drink making operation further comprises:
after forming the second target fluid layer ( 720 ), actuating a fourth target pump subset to cause the fluid output device ( 230 ) to dispense a fourth set of target fluid materials ( 810 ) having a density greater than a density of the second target fluid layer ( 720 ), so as to form a third target fluid layer ( 820 ) having a color different from the color of the second target fluid layer ( 720 ) beneath the second target fluid layer ( 720 ).
7 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the fluid output device ( 230 ) dispenses the second set of target fluid materials ( 610 ; 1010 ) to the beverage container ( 102 ) only after the buffer layer ( 520 ) is formed within the beverage container ( 102 ), so as to prevent the fluid materials within the beverage container ( 102 ) not being mixed evenly, and to prevent a part of materials of the second set of target fluid materials ( 610 ; 1010 ) from depositing on a bottom of the beverage container ( 102 ) and thereby disturbing the color of the second target fluid layer ( 720 ).
8 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the second set of target fluid materials ( 610 ; 1010 ) comprises: an aerating water, a sparkling water, a beer, a soft drink, or a carbonated beverage.
9 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 8 , wherein a bubble layer ( 1022 ) is formed above the first target fluid layer ( 620 ; 1020 );
wherein the fluid output device ( 230 ) dispenses the second set of target fluid materials ( 610 ; 1010 ) to the beverage container ( 102 ) only after the buffer layer ( 520 ) is formed within the beverage container ( 102 ), so as to slow down a rate at which carbon dioxide dissipates from the first target fluid layer ( 620 ; 1020 ), and to prevent bubbles sticked with syrup ( 1424 ) from appearing in the bubble layer ( 1022 ).
10 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein when the control command requests the automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) to prepare a predetermined sparkling drink, the pump control circuit ( 250 ) conducts a sparkling drink making operation under control of the processing circuit ( 240 ) to cause the fluid output device ( 230 ) to dispense different fluid materials to the beverage container ( 102 ) in order, so as to automatically form a sparkling drink having a predetermined flavor within the beverage container ( 102 ).
11 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 10 , wherein the sparkling drink making operation comprises:
actuating a first predetermined pump subset to cause the fluid output device ( 230 ) to dispense a first set of predetermined fluid materials ( 1610 ) having bubbles and having a density less than 120% of the density of water, so as to form an aerated liquid layer ( 1620 ).
12 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 11 , wherein the first set of predetermined fluid materials ( 1610 ) comprises: an aerating water, a sparkling water, a beer, a soft drink, or a carbonated beverage.
13 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 11 , wherein during the operation of forming the aerated liquid layer ( 1620 ), the pump control circuit ( 250 ) does not actuate other pumps than the first target pump subset to cause the fluid output device ( 230 ) to not simultaneously dispense other fluid material having a density greater than 125% of the density of water to the beverage container ( 102 ).
14 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 11 , wherein the sparkling drink making operation further comprises:
after forming the aerated liquid layer ( 1620 ), actuating a second predetermined pump subset to cause the fluid output device ( 230 ) to dispense a second set of predetermined fluid materials ( 1710 ) having a color different from a color of the aerated liquid layer ( 1620 ) and having a density greater than a density of the aerated liquid layer ( 1620 ), so as to form a first predetermined fluid layer ( 1720 ) having a color different from the color of the aerated liquid layer ( 1620 ) beneath the aerated liquid layer ( 1620 ).
15 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 14 , wherein the sparkling drink making operation further comprises:
utilizing the second set of predetermined fluid materials ( 1710 ) to change a color of the aerated liquid layer ( 1620 ) within the beverage container ( 102 ).
16 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 14 , wherein the sparkling drink making operation further comprises:
after forming the first predetermined fluid layer ( 1720 ), actuating a third predetermined pump subset to cause the fluid output device ( 230 ) to dispense a third set of predetermined fluid materials ( 1810 ) having a density greater than a density of the first predetermined fluid layer ( 1720 ), so as to form a second predetermined fluid layer ( 1820 ) having a color different from a color of the first predetermined fluid layer ( 1720 ) beneath the first predetermined fluid layer ( 1720 ).
17 . The automated beverage preparation apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 14 , wherein a bubble layer ( 1622 ) is formed above the aerated liquid layer ( 1620 );
wherein the fluid output device ( 230 ) dispenses the second set of predetermined fluid materials ( 1710 ) to the beverage container ( 102 ) only after dispensing the first set of predetermined fluid materials ( 1610 ), so as to slow down a rate at which carbon dioxide dissipates from the aerated liquid layer ( 1620 ), and to prevent bubbles sticked with syrup ( 1924 ) from appearing in the bubble layer ( 1622 ).