| Alcoholic beverage dispensing system -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Alcoholic beverage dispensing systemAlcoholic beverage dispensing system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070224316, Alcoholic beverage dispensing system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application is a continuation and claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/743,613, filed Mar. 21, 2006 and provisional application Ser. No. 60/797,134, filed May 3, 2006. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]1. Field of the Invention [0003]The invention is a system and method for storing, transporting, and dispensing predictable, repeatable, measured amounts of an alcoholic beverage for consumption. [0004]2. Background Art [0005]In the beverage dispensing industry, it would be desirable to store a measured amount of alcoholic beverage in a container that does not deform (like a can) or break (like a bottle). Ideally, the container would have a fixed internal volume that could safely accommodate over time a predictable, measured amount (for example, one- or two-shots) of an alcoholic beverage for human consumption. [0006]Traditionally, miniaturized glass bottles that conventionally contain small amounts of alcohol need to be disposed of after the contents are emptied. Bottles, whether broken or not, contribute to the general problems and volume of safe waste disposal. By nature of the mother bag having a ready opening, it may be convenient to place the empty pouches into the opening of the mother bag for contained disposal of the entire waste generated. [0007]On airplanes, for example, the amount of storage space that is available to accommodate unconsumed miniaturized bottles is limited. Similarly, space available to store the bottles after they are emptied is also limited. [0008]In the transportation industry, the problems of payload and weight also deserve consideration. In some cases, the industry has turned to using plastic containers for beverages. Such containers weigh less than a similarly sized glass container. [0009]One societal problem relates to alcoholic drinking and driving. A causative factor is the perhaps understandable desire of a bartender to ingratiate himself with a customer by generously over-pouring more than one shot of an alcoholic beverage while the customer pays for only one shot. It would therefore be desirable to have readily available a system for dispensing alcoholic beverages in fixed amounts so that both the bartender and the customer respectively know what they are dispensing and consuming. In turn, this may lead to a decline in alcohol-related highway accidents. The consumer or bartender may therefore be able to follow the states charting guidelines that estimate the alcohol that can be consumed per hour. [0010]Among the art identified in a pre-filing preliminary investigation are the following published patent applications and issued U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,903,841; 5,060,835; 5,240,158; 5,890,636; 5,937,617; 6,328,193; 6,652,144; 6,662,829; 6,610,338; D255,621; D291,623; D333,570; D344,178; D444,295S; 2003/0213707 A1; 2004/0040982; 2004/0118859; 2005/0079251; and 2005/0147329. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011]To address these needs, the invention generally relates to an alcoholic beverage dispensing system in which alcohol for consumption is packaged in sachets or pouches (hereinafter collectively "pouches"). In one embodiment, the pouches can be, but are not limited to 25 ml in volume. In some embodiments, the pouches are the same size. In other embodiments, the pouches are of different sizes. The pouches may contain the same alcoholic beverage. But in other applications, pouches may be assembled so that a grouping may contain more than one type of alcohol. In some cases, alcohols may be pre-mixed within a given pouch. [0012]Preferably, but not necessarily, the pouches are assembled in a mother bag. For example, in one embodiment the mother bag has a re-sealable opening, or a tamper-proof seal which may include, but not be limited to a heat seal. [0013]Because the tamper-proof seal needs to be broken to open or access the contents of the mother bag, a further benefit is that it cannot be opened and re-closed without the integrity of the dispenser being visibly damaged. The mother pouch and its member pouches appear as the original product, intact, as per manufacturer's quality control. This, in turn, will assure consumers that they are in possession of an unadulterated, non-tampered package, which may pass through several hands before appearing on the retailer's shelf for sale. [0014]Prior art carriers, such as cartons or cardboard boxes, can be opened and re-closed with shrink wrapping or adhesive tape that is commonly used to close these forms of containers. This suggests that these forms of packaging are not "fool proof" to tampering. [0015]Another example of the mother bag packaging may involve a vacuum seal. In this example, air is evacuated from the mother bag after the pouches have been loaded into the mother bag. This configuration confers economy in packing density. Likewise, the individual pouches themselves may be so filled with alcohol as to allow any air in the pouch to be evacuated. Other forms of mother bag packaging may involve the use of other gases or other fluids, such as fill material. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016]FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a first embodiment of an alcoholic beverage dispensing system according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, it is assumed that the mother bag is supported by an arcuate gusset that enables the mother bag to be self-supporting in the upright position. Alternatively, the view could be considered as a top plan view of a recumbent bag when, for example, it may be lying flat on a storage shelf. The zip lock reseal lines enable resealing between uses; [0017]FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a second embodiment of an alcoholic beverage dispensing system in which the mother bag is a flat pouch that is not self-supporting; [0018]FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of a third embodiment of an alcoholic beverage dispensing system but without the zip lock reseal lines; [0019]FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a fourth embodiment of an alcoholic beverage dispensing system. As in FIG. 1, it is assumed that the mother bag is supported by an arcuate gusset that enables the mother bag to be self-supporting in the upright position, but this embodiment lacks the zip lock reseal lines; [0020]FIG. 5 depicts multiple sealed pouches that are detachable by perforations between the pouches so that a detached single pouch may remain sealed on all four sides (Embodiment A); Continue reading about Alcoholic beverage dispensing system... Full patent description for Alcoholic beverage dispensing system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Alcoholic beverage dispensing system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Alcoholic beverage dispensing system or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Extracting enzymes from raw materials Next Patent Application: Mixed fruit concentrates againts constipation and method for preparation thereof Industry Class: Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Alcoholic beverage dispensing system patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.12259 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Qualcomm , Schering-Plough , Schlumberger , Seagate , Siemens , Texas Instruments , 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
