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I am trying to figure out what kind of device is being used to stop and start the flow of liquid inside this device. Below is a link to the device. It looks too small to be a solenoid or a pump. How else would they do it?
I heard somewhere it may be a Venturi system but how do you electronically control a Venturi system that is that small?
http://www.wunderbar.com/dispensing/beverage-dispensing/liquor-dispenser/skyflo
I'm going to cheat by referencing the patent. ;)
Automatic Bar Controls owns the Wunderbar site and has a patent on the product. The patent is US008925769. The actual detail drawings don't seem to be available there though, so you have to get it straight from the US Patent Office listing.
The name of the patent is: Wireless spout and system for dispensing.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a pouring device for a container for the dosing of liquid. The pouring device has various features intended to ease use, including an improved removal and attachment system and a system to identify and visually illustrate selected pour sizes. In a specific embodiment, the pouring device has a colored light or LED indicator system that allows the user to quickly and easily confirm the selected pour size. Embodiments may also include one or more features that ease attachment and removal of the pouring device to a liquid container, such as a replaceable cork system.
The specific part is Claim 1:
(c) an electrically operated valve disposed within the spout housing for selectively clamping the conduit so that a registerable amount of liquid is dosed;
That seems to answer the question of how it works. It physically clamps off a tube to stop the flow of fluid. More specifically from the description in the patent:
The silicone tube can be easily squeezed to stop the liquid flow. This can be done by a stepping motor, a motor with gearbox, or any other motor or appropriate mechanism.
While I don't know exactly how that system works, there is no technical need to stop/start the flow by electronic means at all.
There could be multiple reservoirs, for example 2x 25ml reservoirs and 1x 50ml one. When the bottle is tipped upside-down, one or both (depending on user selection) of the 25ml reservoirs empties into the drink, while the 50ml one refills from the bottle. When the bottle is tipped the right way up again the 50ml reservoir refills both 25ml ones (it doesn't matter if it is left half empty, it will always refill completely when the bottle is poured again).
The electronics in that system could then simply detect whenever the bottle is poured and which measure was selected, and transmit that information. The flow control could be purely mechanical.
