US 11,866,315 B2
Beverage apparatus and method
Tyler G. Hurd, Birmingham, AL (US); Lloyd G. B. Cooper, Birmingham, AL (US); Foster Daniel Phillips, Birmingham, AL (US); Daniel Jacob Bolus, Birmingham, AL (US); and Tarek Midani, Birmingham, AL (US)
Assigned to SUM LLC, Birmingham, AL (US)
Appl. No. 17/778,379
Filed by SUM LLC, Birmingham, AL (US)
PCT Filed Nov. 18, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/061049
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 19, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/101990, PCT Pub. Date May 27, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/937,915, filed on Nov. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0020707 A1, Jan. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. B67D 1/00 (2006.01); B67D 1/08 (2006.01); B67D 1/12 (2006.01)
CPC B67D 1/0031 (2013.01) [B67D 1/0078 (2013.01); B67D 1/0857 (2013.01); B67D 1/1279 (2013.01); B67D 2210/00002 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A beverage apparatus comprising:
a supply line receiving a source of fluid;
a dosing line;
a main flow line coupled to each of the supply line and the dosing line and having a beverage outlet;
a valve comprising a chamber having an opening for receiving a fitting associated with a cartridge containing an additive, a fluid inlet coupled to the supply line, an outlet coupled to the dosing line, and a dosing ball disposed within the chamber and between the opening, the fluid inlet, and the outlet and configured to rotate from a first position to a second position, the dosing ball comprising a tubular port substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the dosing ball, wherein in the first position the port permits fluid to flow from the fluid inlet to the outlet and in the second position the dosing ball permits additive to flow from the fitting to the outlet.