IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,290,616
Granted Patent B2
US 8,290,616 · App. 13/346,204 · Granted Oct 16, 2012

Appliance having a user interface panel and a beverage dispenser

Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,290,616
App. No.
13/346,204
Granted
Oct 16, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An appliance including a housing, a dispenser, and a water supply mechanism. The appliance includes a drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers, a user interface panel, and a computer. The computer is configured to: cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of the plurality of different displayed images, and after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of the plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image.

Claims (23)

1. An appliance comprising:

a housing;

a dispenser supported by the housing;

a water supplier supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser;

a drink supplier supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser, said drink supplier configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply cartridges;

a user interface panel supported by the housing, said user interface panel including a touch screen; and

a computer supported by the housing and connected to the dispenser and the user interface panel, said computer configured to:

(a) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different beverage images, each different beverage image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages, a plurality of the different beverages corresponding to a different one of the plurality of drink supply cartridges held by the drink supplier, each drink supply cartridge containing drink supply,

(b) cause the user interface panel via the touch screen to receive a plurality of inputs corresponding to said plurality of different displayed beverage images,

(c) for each received input, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage associated with a selected beverage image corresponding to said input, said beverage dispensed using at least the drink supply in the drink supply cartridge corresponding to said beverage associated with the selected beverage image, and

(d) cause the user interface panel to display information regarding at least one of:

(i) a consumption amount of drink supply from at least one of the plurality of drink supply cartridges; and

(ii) a remaining amount drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply cartridges.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , which is a refrigerator.

3. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser is configured to mix, at a pre-determined level, the drink supply from the drink supply cartridge corresponding to the beverage associated with the selected beverage image and water from the water supplier to dispense the beverage associated with the selected beverage image.

4. The appliance of claim 3 , which includes a CO 2 supplier supported by the housing and connected to the water supplier, wherein water from the water supplier is carbonated water.

5. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the drink supplier includes at least one pump for drawing, from each drink supply cartridge held by the drink supplier, the drink supply in said drink supply cartridge.

6. The appliance of claim 1 , which includes a CO 2 supplier supported by the housing, connected to the water supplier, and configured to hold at least one removable CO 2 supply container.

7. The appliance of claim 6 , wherein the water supplier includes a carbonating tank connected to the CO 2 supplier.

8. The appliance of claim 6 , wherein the computer is configured to determine a volume of CO 2 dispensed from each CO 2 supply container held by the CO 2 supplier.

9. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the drink supply in each of the drink supply cartridges is a concentrate.

10. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the drink supply in each of the drink supply cartridges is a powder.

11. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the drink supply in each of the drink supply cartridges is a liquid.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2012
From: CRISP, HARRY LEE, III
To: BEVERAGE WORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 027522/0115 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 12817680 · Jun 17, 2010
Continuation 11422514 · Jun 6, 2006
Continuation 10930306 · Aug 31, 2004
Continuation 10035734 · Oct 22, 2001
Continuation 09790349 · Feb 21, 2001
Continuation In Part 09589725 · Jun 8, 2000
Related Publication 20120109386A1 · May 3, 2012