WO2016162740A1

WO2016162740A1 - Pyramidal self-service drink dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO2016162740A1
Application number: PCT/IB2016/000410
Authority: WO
Inventors: Narcis Codina Candel
Original assignee: Narcis Codina Candel
Priority date: 2015-04-07
Filing date: 2016-04-01
Publication date: 2016-10-13
Also published as: ES1138584Y; ES2863524T3; ES1138584U; EP3281908A1; EP3281908B1; WO2016162740A4

Abstract

Provided is a device that enables a user to fill a glass with a predetermined amount of drink without the intervention of an operator other than the user, the device controlling the amount dispensed and/or the payment for the amount dispensed and/or the user to whom the drink is dispensed. The device comprises an upper surface (13) having an area less than 35% of the area of the base (11) of the dispenser, and at least a portion of the walls (12) of the casing (10) slopes on a converging path, an area of the cross-section, parallel to the base, being less the greater the distance from the base. According to the invention, the dispenser is a stand-alone device that can be accessed from various sides, the walls of the casing, apart from the service surfaces, not having horizontal or near-horizontal zones accessible from outside the casing.

Description

DESCRIPTION

SELF-SERVICE DRINK DISPENSER DEVICE

Technical field

The present invention concerns a self-service beverage dispensing device, intended to allow a user to fill a glass or cup with a predetermined amount of beverage without the intervention of an operator other than the user, controlling the dispensed amount and / or the payment of the quantity dispensed and / or the user to whom the drink is dispensed, by means of a device lacking or very little of horizontal or almost horizontal surfaces in which to deposit glasses or cups or suitable to facilitate the climbing of the device.

State of the art

Self-service beverage dispensing devices are known to allow the filling of glasses or cups of users automatically without the intervention of an operator other than the user.

Examples of these devices are disclosed by documents GB2320488, EP2199995, GB2441995, EP2735539 and US2010125362.

All these documents describe devices that can dispense beverages to a user after making a payment or after identification, but none of them propose a dispensing device that includes anti-vandal characteristics that prevent the accumulation of glasses or cups on top of it, which is used as a platform on which to stand as a platform (especially if used in large bars, concerts or festivals), or that objects accumulate on top of it. Nor are solutions proposed that hinder or prevent the dispenser from being knocked down by said vandal users.

Brief Description of the Invention

The present invention concerns a self-service beverage dispensing device that is intended to be located in places of public access, such as bars, restaurants, hotels, swimming pools, gyms, etc., or in places with a large number of people, such as concerts, festivals , sports stadiums, fairs, congresses, etc., said beverage dispenser having anti-vandalism capabilities.

It is also expected that they can be easily located or moved, thus allowing their use in sporadic events and their subsequent withdrawal. In all these situations a self-service beverage dispensing device offers many advantages, as it allows to offer a beverage service controlled mode without requiring it to be attended by an operator, with all the savings that entails and with the freedom of schedules it provides.

The proposed dispensing device has anti-vandalism characteristics and includes a housing provided with a base, intended to be supported on a floor, and walls and a ceiling surrounding an interior empty space, integrating said housing:

• at least one beverage container to be dispensed located in its lower half and inside the empty space inside;

• at least one device for cooling the beverage to be dispensed disposed within the interior empty space and connected to the beverage container to be dispensed, which is at least one, through ducts;

• at least one beverage dispenser accessible from outside the housing connected to the duct cooling device, said beverage dispenser being at least one vertically superimposed on at least one service surface accessible from outside the housing, being at a distance from the beverage dispenser sufficient to place a glass or cup between the service surface and the beverage dispenser;

• at least one device measuring the amount of beverage dispensed and / or remaining;

• at least one automatic opening and closing valve of said at least one beverage dispenser;

• at least one payment detector device and / or a user recognition system;

• a control unit that governs said at least one automatic valve and connected to the payment detection device and / or the user recognition system and the measuring device for the amount of beverage dispensed and / or remaining.

Thus the housing contains the main components of the dispensing device inside, protecting them from manipulation by personnel without permission. Said components include a beverage container to be dispensed, connected by conduits to a cooling device of the beverage to be dispensed which is in turn connected by means of conduits to at least one beverage dispenser accessible from outside the housing, allowing liquids to be conducted from the deposit to the dispenser through the cooling device. From the beverage dispenser users can obtain the beverage by filling a glass or cup that is available under said beverage dispenser.

A service surface is located below the vertical of the service dispenser which is at least one, at a distance sufficient to allow a glass or cup to be placed under the beverage dispenser. The size of the service surface shall be that which occupies a glass or cup located between said service surface and the beverage dispenser.

In addition, the dispensing device also includes control elements. The control unit governs the automatic opening and closing valve of the beverage dispenser, and is connected to at least one device measuring the amount of beverage dispensed and / or remaining inside the beverage dispenser. beverage deposits to dispense. This allows the control unit to open the automatic valve, allowing the beverage to flow through the beverage dispenser, while controlling the amount of beverage dispensed, thus knowing when it is required to close the automatic valve for dispensing a full dose of drink.

The control unit will also be connected to at least one payment detector device and / or a user recognition system, which allows you to know when a user has permission to receive a dose of drink, either for having made the payment, either by being identified, which allows to know if that user has permission to receive drinks by verifying his identity in a register accessible by the control unit, or allows to record his drinks in a register for a later payment.

The control unit can also optionally have a sensor for the correct positioning of the glass or cup under the beverage dispenser, avoiding an incorrect dispensing, or it is also provided that the beverage dispenser has a manual dispensing valve, redundant with the automatic valve, being necessary the simultaneous opening of the automatic valve by the control unit and the manual valve by the user to obtain a dose of drink, thus ensuring that the user has correctly placed the glass or cup before it make the dispensation.

Obviously it is contemplated that the automatic valve is at any point in the duct between the beverage container to be dispensed and the beverage dispenser.

It will be understood that a control unit is a preferably programmable electronic device, such as a programmable logic controller, a computer, a printed circuit, etc., provided with a data input, a memory, calculation capacity and a data output, optionally having an interface that allows information to be communicated to a user, or that allows a user to modify the configuration of the control unit.

As an example, it is proposed that the payment detector device be a credit or debit card reader, or a system for recognizing coins and / or bills, a contactless payment system, or a payment system through a mobile phone.

Likewise, the user recognition system proposes, on a non-limiting basis, that it be a detector of an identifier delivered to the user, such as a magnetic card, an RFID transmitter, a bracelet, a barcode or QR, or other similar technology, or a user biometric detection system, either by reading fingerprints, iris, voice, detecting the shape of any part of the body, etc.

In a novel way, the present invention proposes that at least a portion of the walls of the housing are inclined in a convergent path, preferably at least the upper half of the walls, and that the cross section of the dispensing device, parallel to the base, have a smaller area the greater its distance from that base. It will be understood that said Convergent paths can be curved, for example forming a spherical cap, or joining one or several curved planes on a single axis. Preferably said inclined portion of the walls of the housing goes from the base to the ceiling of the dispensing device.

This feature allows the roof of the device to be smaller than the base without presenting horizontal or near horizontal surfaces. It also allows the hollow interior space to have a larger size at the base, where the beverage tanks to be dispensed are located that should be large, than at the top, thus optimizing the overall volume of the dispensing device, getting it to house a large amount of beverage to be dispensed within a relatively small volume dispenser, and moving the center of gravity towards the bottom of the dispensing device, which gives it greater stability.

Furthermore, this geometry allows, in the event that the dispensing device was pushed horizontally by a malicious user attempting to overturn, the inclination of its walls would cause a portion of said horizontal thrust to decompose in the form of a vertical component force, reducing the horizontal component of the pushing force and at the same time increasing the stability of the dispensing device, so that its overturning would be much more difficult. This feature allows the dispensing device to be deposited in an isolated position, without requiring the backing of a wall or wall, thus being accessible from all sides.

The inclination of the walls also disincentives to urinate against them, since an inclined plane would expel said urine against the user's feet.

Other essential features of the proposed invention are that the roof has an area of less than 35% of the area of the base of the dispenser, and that the walls of the housing, except for the service surfaces, lack horizontal or almost horizontal areas accessible from the outside the housing, making it impossible to deposit glasses or cups in these areas, and its use as a support point for climbing the dispensing device.

It will be understood that an almost horizontal zone will be all that surface that has an inclination of less than 15 ° with respect to the horizontal. For the sake of understanding it will also be understood that the roof is the part of the housing that covers its cusp, enclosing the interior space of the housing, regardless of its geometry, being able to be flat, pyramidal, spherical, curved, etc. Typically the roof will have an inclination of less than 45 ° from the horizontal.

All these essential characteristics described allow the dispensing device to be left unattended in hostile environments and at the mercy of drunk users, such as large sporting or musical events, without any risk of damage to said dispensing device or its users, thanks to the novel features described anti-vandalism.

According to a further embodiment, the service surfaces lack horizontal or almost horizontal areas of a sufficient area to enter 3cm diameter circles, making it impossible to deposit glasses or cups on said service surfaces. This feature forces the user to hold the glass or cup under the beverage dispenser during dispensing, and ensures that no user forgets a full or empty glass or cup in that position, hindering the normal use of the dispensing device.

It is also proposed that the beverage dispenser, which is at least one, does not protrude from the envelope of the dispenser. This prevents it from being exposed, which would make it easier to get hit, and facilitate vandalism attitudes such as drinking directly from the beverage dispenser. By not being exposed, these possibilities are avoided.

It will be understood that the envelope is the minimum geometric form contained in the proposed dispenser, the housing being inscribed in said minimum geometric form, although hollow spaces may remain within said envelope.

It is also provided that the service surface does not protrude from said envelope, for similar reasons.

According to a preferred embodiment said at least one beverage dispenser and its corresponding service surface are integrated in at least one niche removed from the walls of the housing, said niche being accessible from the outside of the housing but being sunk into the interior of the housing and therefore preventing said elements from being exposed to vandalism.

It is also proposed that said at least one service surface has a slope greater than 30 ° with respect to the horizontal, which avoids the deposition of glasses or cups and ensures a rapid elimination of waste that could be deposited on said service surface.

Additionally, it is considered preferable that the area of the horizontal or near horizontal roof area is less than 35% of the area of the base of the dispenser, for example being less than 20%, 10% or even being equal to zero. It is also contemplated that the horizontal surface of the roof, without considering the almost horizontal surface, has an area of less than 35%, or 20%, or 10% of the area of the base of the dispenser, even being equal to zero.

Preferably said horizontal zone, or said horizontal or almost horizontal zone will be of a size such that it is not possible to inscribe a circle of 25 cm in diameter, which would make it very difficult for a person to remain standing on said roof.

These novel features described above provide a beverage dispensing device on which glasses or cups can hardly be deposited, which is very difficult to scale and lacks an attainable roof top surface or on which a large object or a user can hold easily.

All these characteristics, together with the great robustness of its housing, make the proposed beverage dispenser an element with anti-vandalism characteristics, since it makes it impossible for it to be used as a platform on which to stand, and prevents the accumulation of glasses, cups and others elements such as jackets, bags, backpacks etc, on the top, or on any surface, which make it ideal for large events in which alcohol is served, as it allows them to be placed among people without requiring constant supervision of an operator .

The preferred use for the proposed dispensing device is the dispensing of beer, but other beverages are also contemplated, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Additionally, it is proposed that its envelope, the minimum geometric shape contained in the proposed dispenser, has a conical, truncated, circular base general geometry, or a pyramidal or pyramidal trunk polygonal base geometry.

It will be understood that a pyramid can have a number of triangular sides any larger than two.

According to a proposed specific embodiment, the geometry of the dispensing device is defined as a regular pyramid-shaped envelope with a hexagonal base and equipped with six inclined triangular basic inclined faces at its upper edge, the upper end of the pyramid being horizontally truncated, and the six lower corners of the pyramid being, close to the six base vertices, truncated by six vertical planes, each defined by a vertical line and by a line that joins the center of one side of the hexagonal base with the center on the other side of the adjacent hexagonal base, each of said truncations producing a triangular vertical plane, and each of the six basic triangular faces of the rhombus-cut pyramid.

This geometry offers a six-sided trunk-pyramidal overall housing whose lower third has been trimmed by the tips, reducing its base and giving said lower third a hybrid geometry that mixes a hexagonal prism with a hexagonal pyramid.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the dispensing device has a plurality of beverage dispensers, arranged in radial symmetry, accessible from different faces of the dispenser. That is, it has several beverage dispensers located on different faces of the dispensing device, which in this configuration may have isolated character accessible from different fronts, thus increasing the service capacity, being able to serve two, three, four or more users simultaneously.

Preferably, the dispensing device has three beverage dispensers distributed with a regular angular separation or four beverage dispensers distributed with a regular angular separation.

It is contemplated that all the dispensers of the same device dispense the same beverage, or that they provide different beverages, also being able to provide that the user has a selector that allows to choose from a limited catalog of beverages the beverage to be dispensed from a certain dispenser, by example between different types of beer. It is also expected that a user has only access to one type of beverage, for example only to non-alcoholic beer, or that there is You have previously selected your preferred type of beverage, and that when identifying yourself in the dispensing device, only that type of beverage to which you have access or that you have previously selected is provided. Of course, for the realization of these embodiments, it will be necessary for the beverage deposits to be dispensed to include different deposits containing different drinks.

It is also proposed that the interior empty space of the housing be distributed over three superimposed levels, containing at least one level of the beverage container to be dispensed that is at least one, and containing the upper level at least the control unit.

This distribution of the content allows them to be arranged so that those of greater volume and weight are at the base, while the lighter and smaller ones are concentrated on the cusp, thus achieving a very low center of gravity of the dispensing device, which gives it great stability and makes it difficult for it to be overturned by pushing it laterally, for example by vandalism users. This distribution also allows the volume of the dispensing device to be reduced in height, being able to adopt for example the aforementioned conical or pyramidal geometry, provided with inclined walls. Another additional advantage of this distribution of the elements is that the elements that can be damaged in case of being wet are all placed above the elements that manipulate the beverage, so even in case of accidental breakage or pouring of the beverage it It would not damage the control unit.

According to another preferred embodiment, the lower level also houses pressurized gas cylinders connected to the beverage tanks to be dispensed to drive said beverage from the beverage tanks to be dispensed to the beverage dispenser which is at least one and / or at least one tank. of discarded beverage connected to at least one filter surface coinciding with the service surface, for the collection of the discarded beverage during dispensing.

This arrangement allows the dispensing device to be autonomous of external outlets of liquids, gas and drains, facilitating its location, and allows concentrating supplies of consumables and discarded beverage tanks that must be emptied periodically in the lower part of the device, facilitating its replacement without loading weights.

The walls of the housing have at least one gate that gives access to said lower level of the housing, which facilitates access to that lower part that concentrates the consumables, and a gate that gives access to the intermediate level.

According to another proposed embodiment, the lower level also houses said at least one device for cooling the beverage to be dispensed which, optionally, will be housed within a closed compartment separated from the rest of the interior space of the housing. Said closed compartment will have its own ventilation independent of the possible ventilation of the rest of the interior space of the dispensing device, therefore the closed compartment being provided with an outside air inlet and an outside air outlet, both separate and independent, which allows air circulation inside the closed compartment causing heat extraction from the same, preferably causing forced air circulation by for example a fan. Said outside air inlet and outlet will preferably be located at the base of the dispensing device, therefore being protected from the entry of liquids or rain, from the insertion of foreign bodies by users, and being hidden. This allows the dispensing device to be cleaned with a hose, or with pressurized water without the risk of water entering through said outside air inlet and outlet.

Optionally, it is also proposed to include a gate at the lower level than access to the interior of said closed compartment for maintenance.

It is also proposed that the dispensing device include a gate that accesses the upper level of the housing.

It is also proposed that different gates have different locks and different keys, allowing a specific user to give access only to one of the levels and not to the others, for example reserved for maintenance personnel.

The location of the cooling device on the lower level also contributes to lowering the center of gravity of the assembly, as it is a very heavy element that contains a reservoir that is filled with water for operation.

Each time the beverage tanks to be dispensed are exhausted, an operator must replace or refill them, through the aforementioned gate, taking advantage of, if necessary, replacing or refilling the gas cylinders under pressure, and emptying or replacing the deposits of discarded drink

To facilitate said operation in the event that the dispensing device has at least three beverage tanks to be dispensed, it is proposed to place them on a rotating platform, arranged at the bottom of the hollow space, allowing any of said deposits to be faced with said gate.

The intermediate level is proposed to contain at least one of the following characteristics:

· An electrical panel of the dispensing device;

• at least one automatic and / or manual opening and closing valve of said at least one beverage dispenser (22);

• a purge valve of the beverage lines to be dispensed;

· At least one refrigerator filling inlet for water filling.

These elements allow the switching on and off of the dispensing device, which requires certain maintenance operations such as emptying the beverage lines to proceed to shutting down, or filling the refrigerator with water to proceed with its ignition, in addition to the control of electrical switches and / or hydraulic or pneumatic valves. It is therefore proposed to centralize all these control elements at the intermediate level, being accessible through a specific gate of the intermediate level accessible to the operators responsible for turning on and off the dispensing device.

Optionally, it is proposed that where the base, the walls and the cover are connected to an inner tubular chassis, and where at least a fraction of the chassis coinciding with said upper level is removably attached to the rest of the chassis by means of reusable removable connectors, and said at least one control unit supports, which is electrically and electronically connected to the other components of the dispensing device by means of reusable removable connectors. The cover of the dispensing device will also be supported to said upper fraction of the chassis.

It will be understood that a removable joint is one that can be detached without requiring cutting tasks, and it will also be understood that reusable removable connectors are those that can provide a connection between two elements, but also allow disconnection without requiring cutting operations, being able to free itself to be able to join again without being replaced. These reusable removable connectors can refer to both mechanical connectors that transmit forces, such as screws, pins, jaws, clamps, etc., as well as electrical or signal connectors, as plugs of different formats, as well as hydraulic or pneumatic connectors, as cylindrical quick connectors, bushings, etc.

That is to say that at least the upper level of the housing has a chassis independent from the chassis of the rest of the housing and connected to it for example by means of screws.

Said control unit housed in said upper level will also be supported to said independent portion of the chassis and connected to the components housed in other levels by means of said removable electrical, electronic, hydraulic and / or pneumatic removable connectors.

This feature allows that if a problem or malfunction of the control unit of the dispensing device occurs, only said defective part can be removed and replaced by another that is operational in a short period of time, and that the damaged part can be transferred to a workshop for repair, it is much easier to move a part of the device, which could be moved manually, than to transfer the entire dispensing device that can reach a high weight that is difficult to handle without tools.

Additionally, it is contemplated that the middle cross section of the upper level of the device has a smaller surface area than the middle cross section of the intermediate level and / or that the middle cross section of the lower level. It will be understood that the cross section is that section parallel to the base.

Therefore, it is proposed that the middle section of the different levels be decreasing, with the upper levels being narrower than the lower ones, which provides a device of decreasing section. According to another embodiment, the control unit is connected to wireless communication means that allow relevant information to be transmitted to a remote terminal, the information referring to the amount of beverage dispensed, to the amount of beverage remaining, to the information received through the payment detector device and / or the user recognition system, and / or allowing to receive information or control orders from said remote terminal. This allows an operator to remotely control the dispensing device and know its status, also allowing it to remotely modify its operating parameters, said remote operator being able to control a plurality of dispensing devices simultaneously. This feature will allow the aforementioned remote operator to know when new supplies are required, and can supply them before their depletion occurs, or without requiring periodic face-to-face supplies checking operations, with the consequent savings in personnel.

The housing can also integrate a battery that supplies electricity to the control unit and other devices that require power for operation, being the autonomous dispenser of the power grid.

This allows the proposed dispensing device to be fully autonomous, and allows its location in positions away from supply points, although it will require periodic replacement operations of batteries exhausted by other charged ones, or periodic recharge operations by connection to the power grid. . This feature offers advantages especially in sporadic events of limited duration to a few hours, such as concerts or sporting events, since the duration of the batteries may be sufficient to ensure the electrical supply for the entire duration of said sporadic event.

It is also proposed that the shooter integrate a detector of the presence of a vessel below its vertical, thus allowing to dispense liquid only when said sensor confirms the presence of a vessel, and also allowing to save the installation of a manual valve, or manual actuator that must be operated by the user, with the consequent risk of misuse, application of excessive force or breakage.

According to an additional proposal, the housing can also include outside air inlets located below the lower level, and / or located at the base and / or located between the base and the walls of the housing, and because the housing also includes some air outlets located above the upper level, and / or on the ceiling, and / or located between the walls and the ceiling, the three levels being communicated allowing air circulation from the base to the ceiling through the three levels and producing the cooling of the components housed in the housing. Said position of the air inlets and outlets prevents the presence of openings in the walls of the device, where users could introduce foreign elements or liquids inside the device, or where the rainwater could seep inside. In addition, the position of the entrances at the lower and upper ends ensures an upward air flow by convection, since the heat dissipated inside the housing by the beverage cooling device and the electronics, as well as the possible incident sun on the housing , will heat the indoor air producing its ascent and accumulation in the upper or upper level, where it will be expelled through the air outlet causing a fresh and fresh air intake through the base of the device getting a cooling inside the housing.

Optionally it is proposed that said upward air circulation is driven by at least one fan installed inside the housing. This will allow to increase the renewal of indoor air and therefore will ensure a lower temperature of said indoor air, achieving a more efficient operation of the systems that compose it.

It is also contemplated that at least the walls of the dispensing device are thermally insulated, which prevents excessive heating of its interior, and increases its resistance to heating in case of direct solar incidence. It could also allow cooling the inside of the dispensing device to ensure a correct temperature of the beverage and gas tanks, avoiding dangerous overheating.

It is also proposed that the service surface be an inclined filter plane connected to a discarded beverage tank disposed within the empty space, next to the beverage tanks to be dispensed.

The base of the dispensing device may also include at least one of the following characteristics:

• two elongated housings parallel to each other and parallel to the base, accessible from the front of the dispensing device, and intended for the insertion of forks of a forklift;

• a plurality of wheels to facilitate the movement of the dispensing device;

· A plurality of adjustable telescopic legs for stabilization of the dispensing device; at least one bevelled front portion to allow access to ramps. Above the roof of the dispensing device it is envisaged that, according to an alternative embodiment, advertising elements such as flags or posters are included, or that elements are included to improve its location as masts, or functional elements, such as a sun visor.

It will be understood that feeding the beverage to the dispensing device from an external reservoir to said dispensing device does not alter the proposed invention at all.

The addition of advertising elements or advertising screens on the surface of the walls of the dispensing device is also contemplated.

Another additional feature is to incorporate, associated to each of said beverage dispensers, an information screen that transmits information to the user, said information screen being connected to the control unit. The information shown may refer to the amount of beverage consumed by a user, to the credit entered, to the amount of beverage remaining to be served, at the time of commencement of the dispensing of the beverage, to the time remaining to obtain the beverage to be dispensed , etc. It will be understood that references to geometric position, such as parallel, perpendicular, tangent, etc. they admit deviations of up to ± 5 ° with respect to the theoretical position defined by said nomenclature.

Other features of the invention will appear in the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment.

Brief description of the figures

The foregoing and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, which should be taken by way of illustration and not limitation, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a first side elevation view of the dispensing device, according to a first embodiment provided with six faces, three of them provided with beverage dispensers;

Fig. 2 shows a second side elevation view of the dispensing device, according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the dispensing device, according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 shows a bottom view of the dispensing device, according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 shows a side elevation view of the dispensing device, according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, in which the housing has been removed, leaving its base and a structural chassis that supports the interior elements of the dispensing device;

Fig. 6 shows a first side elevation view of the dispensing device, according to a second embodiment, also provided with six faces, three of them provided with beverage dispensers;

Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of the dispensing device, according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, in which two dampers of the lower level of the open beverage dispenser are shown, giving access to the beverage tanks to be dispensed, and a Intermediate gate of the open beverage dispenser, giving access to control and regulation elements (not shown) of the beverage dispensing device;

Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of the dispensing device, according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, in which the bare tubular chassis is shown, devoid of walls, showing the main interior elements of the dispenser.

Detailed description of an embodiment example The present invention shown in the accompanying figures, for illustrative purposes not limited to, describes a self-service beverage dispensing device whose general geometry, whose arrangement of the components and whose technical characteristics make it suitable for autonomous use unattended in public concurrent locations, such as bars, restaurants, hotels, sports facilities, theaters, cinemas, etc., and in events of great public influx, such as concerts, festivals, sporting events, fairs, congresses, etc.

The dispensing device is composed of a housing 10 formed, according to a first illustrative embodiment shown in Fig. 1, and according to a second embodiment shown in Fig. 6, by a hexagonal base 11 intended to rest on a floor, walls 12 and a roof 13, said housing 10 defining an internal hollow space that houses the main components of the proposed dispensing device. Said walls 12 and roof 13 are anchored on a tubular chassis 15 integrated inside said hollow interior space.

The geometry of the housing 10 is intended to make it difficult for a person to scale the dispensing device and place on top of it, while the accumulation of objects on its roof 13 and its use as a bar in which to accumulate glasses or cups is hindered , and ensures a low center of gravity and a difficult overturn when pushed, thanks to the sloping walls, which decomposes the horizontal forces increasing their stability.

All this is achieved by avoiding the existence of horizontal or almost horizontal surfaces (with an inclination of ± 15 ° with respect to the horizontal), accessible from the outside of the housing 10 on the walls 12 of the housing 10, and offering a roof 13 of very small size, said ceiling 13 being, in the first and second described embodiments, of a size less than 20% of the size of the base 11 of the housing 10, and being preferably not flat but convex.

The roof 13 is also preferably inclined more than 15 °, making it impossible to store objects or for a user to remain on top of it.

In all the described embodiments, the walls 12 lack horizontal or almost horizontal surfaces, or surfaces on which circles of more than 3cm in diameter can be inscribed, and therefore lack surfaces on which vessels can be deposited stably or drinks

According to both embodiments shown in the attached figures, the carcass has a hexagonal base 11, and from each of its edges a triangular vertical wall 12a starts, while from each of its vertices a lateral rhomboid inclined wall 12b is joined laterally joined by its lower half with said triangular vertical walls 12a and joined laterally by its upper half with the other rhomboid walls 12b. The six rhomboid walls 12b have convergent paths at an upper vertex, but are truncated forming the roof 13 of the housing 10.

Thus, the general shape of the dispensing device is that of a regular hexagonal base pyramid with its upper vertex truncated horizontally and its six lower vertices truncated vertically by six vertical planes. Similarly, it is proposed that the dispensing device have an analogous triangular, square or octagonal base geometry.

This geometry provides other advantages, such as a wider hollow interior space at the base, a lower center of gravity, etc.

Said walls 12, base 11 and roof 13 are connected to a tubular chassis 15 that joins and supports them, said tubular chassis 15 being a set of joined tubes forming a rigid structure that defines the general geometry of the dispensing device, leaving the interior space free . The walls 12 are joined and fixed on said tubular chassis 15 so that their joints are sealed preventing the entry of water or foreign bodies, and said walls 12 integrating one or more gates 16 to gain access to the interior of the dispensing device.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 7, open gates 16 can be seen intended to give access to the beverage tanks 20 housed in the lower part of the dispensing device, said gates being composed of two adjacent triangular vertical walls 12a connected to a triangular portion bottom of an inclined rhomboid wall 12b. In the same figure another open gate 16 can be seen intended to give access to an intermediate level N2 of the dispensing device, said gate 16 being an intermediate portion of an inclined rhomboid wall 12b.

In all the embodiments shown in the attached figures, in one or several of the rhomboid walls 12b there are sunken niches that house a beverage dispensers 22, through which users can obtain their dose of drink after making a payment or after carrying out its identification, without said drink dispensers 22 protruding from the plane formed by said rhomboid walls 12b.

Said sunken niches also house a service surface 14 arranged vertically aligned below each beverage dispenser 22, including a filter surface to collect any beverage spillage. An information screen 30 is also incorporated inside said sunken niche that provides the user with relevant information regarding its consumption.

In the first and second embodiments shown in the attached figures in a pyramidal shape with a hexagonal base, drink dispensers 22 are arranged on three alternate rhomboid walls 12b, accessible from three different flanks of the dispensing device, which allows more people to be served in less time and with smaller tails, using smaller dispensing devices isolated.

The interior of the hollow space defined by the housing 10 houses the main components of the device, organized in three superimposed levels, as shown in Fig. 5, corresponding to the first embodiment, and in Fig. 8 corresponding to the second realization. In both the first and second embodiments, at a lower level N1 are the beverage tanks to be dispensed 20, as well as gas cylinders 23 under pressure connected with said beverage tanks to be dispensed 20 to drive the beverage to the dispensers of beverage 22. This lower level N1 also houses discarded beverage tanks (not shown), where that beverage that has been dispensed through the beverage dispensers 22 but which has been collected by said filter surface of the surface of the storage surface is stored. Service 14 as it was not collected by the user.

According to the second reset shown in Fig. 8, the lower level N1 also contains a cooling device 21 of the beverage to be dispensed, through which the beverage to be dispensed circulates after leaving the tank and before leaving through the beverage dispenser 22. This cooling device 21 is of the type usually used in the sector, but in the present embodiment it is proposed that it be contained in a closed compartment 21a separated from the rest of the interior space of the dispensing device and provided with ventilation independent of the rest of the dispensing device , to prevent the heat generated by said cooling device from heating other components of the dispensing device. Said independent ventilation is proposed to consist of an independent and separate outside air inlet and outside air outlet, housed in the base 11, and connected to a fan that produces the air inlet and outlet. It is proposed that the lower level N1 contains gates to allow the replacement of the beverage tanks to be dispensed and the gas cylinders 23, as well as an independent gate for the maintenance of the cooling device 21.

Alternatively, and according to the first embodiment shown in Fig. 5 said cooling device 21 is located at an intermediate level N2 superimposed on the lower level N1. In such a case, the cooling of said cooling device 21 would take place by means of an ascending air flow that would pass through the entire hollow interior of the dispensing device from the base 11, where it would enter through some inlets or slits, to the ceiling 13 where it would be expelled through outlets or slits, said air stream being the same responsible for cooling the rest of the elements that make up the dispensing device.

On the contrary, and according to the second embodiment shown in Fig. 8, said intermediate level N2 would contain control and regulation elements necessary for the switching on and off of the dispensing device, such as an electrical control panel, which allows to open or close the passage of electric current to the whole device or its parts independently. It may also contain hydraulic or pneumatic valves that regulate the passage of the beverage to be dispensed or the gas from the gas cylinders 23, allowing the fluid passage to or from a particular beverage dispenser 22 to be opened or allowed to be emptied. the ducts for cleaning or storage. Also different sensors can be housed in said intermediate level N2. All these elements included in said intermediate level N2 are accessible through at least one gate made in the walls 12 of the dispensing device. In both the first and second embodiments, it is proposed that a higher level N3 superimposed on intermediate level N2, houses a control unit 40, which in this embodiment will be a PLC (programmable logic controller), programmed to serve the right amount of drink to users who obtain permission after making a payment or after identifying themselves, by means of said payment detector device or said user identification device (not shown) connected to the control unit 40, also the different sensors and the different automatic actuators, such as for example, solenoid valves, integrated in the dispensing device, will be connected to said control unit 40.

To perform this control, the PLC will be connected to an automatic opening and closing valve for each of the beverage dispensers 22, allowing or preventing the passage of beverage through each of them. It will also be connected to a meter of the amount of dispensed or remaining beverage to allow precise dosing of the dispensed doses, and to one or several payment detection devices and / or user recognition systems, preferably one for each beverage dispenser.

It is proposed, as an alternative embodiment, a user recognition system by means of a detector of RFID wristbands that have been previously provided to accredited users, either by prepayment, or by recording the consumptions for later payment. Means of payment are also provided through electronic devices, such as through a mobile phone, or by biometric detection.

This also allows, in the case of dispensing alcoholic beverages, only those people who have been proven to meet the age requirements are provided, for example by prior registration before supplying said bracelets or before registering them in the system .

The preferred use of the proposed dispensing device is beer dispensing.

In the two embodiments shown in the attached figures the control unit 40 is also connected to screens 30 located above each of the beverage dispensers and visible from outside the housing, in which information is provided to the user about Your drinking, on the economic amount spent or remaining, or advertising information.

The walls 12, base 11 and roof 13 are joined and supported by a tubular chassis 15 defining a rigid structure. A portion of said tubular chassis 15, corresponding to the upper level N3, is independent of the rest of the tubular chassis 15, and is removably attached thereto by means of reusable removable connectors, such as screws or clamps.

The control unit 40 will be supported on said removable portion of the tubular chassis 15, and electrically and electronically connected to the other components by means of reusable removable connectors, for example power or data plugs. This allows, if necessary, said upper portion of the tubular chassis 15, together with the control unit 40, can be quickly removed for repair and replaced by an operating control unit 40. The roof 13 and the portions of the walls 12 covering said removable portion of the tubular chassis 15 may also be replaced with said removable portion of the chassis, or be separated from the chassis and repositioned upon replacement after placement.

It is also proposed that, in the manner shown in Figs. 6 to 8 corresponding to the second embodiment, but also applicable to the first embodiment or others, include one or all of the following characteristics:

that the base 11 of the dispensing device integrates three wheels 41 that protrude from its lower face, arranged in a triangle, being at least one of them self-orientable;

that the base 11 of the dispensing device integrates three adjustable telescopic legs 42 arranged in a triangle, which allow the seating of the dispensing device, its fixation and its leveling, said telescopic legs 42 being able to be arranged interspersed between said wheels and equidistant from them;

include a bevelled front portion 43 at one end of the bottom face of the base 11, so that access to the ramp dispensing device is facilitated;

include two elongated housings 44 parallel to each other and parallel to the base, accessible from the front of the dispensing device, and provided for the insertion of forks of a forklift.

Claims

1.- Self-service beverage dispensing device with anti-vandalism features that includes a housing (10) provided with a base (11), intended to be supported on a floor, and walls (12) and a roof (13) that surround an empty space inside, integrating the aforementioned housing:

• at least one beverage container to be dispensed (20) located in its lower half and inside the empty interior space;

"At least one cooling device (21) of the beverage to be dispensed disposed within the interior empty space and connected to the beverage container to be dispensed (20) which is at least one through ducts;

• at least one beverage dispenser (22) accessible from outside the housing (0) connected to the cooling device (21) by conduits, said beverage dispenser (22) being at least one vertically superimposed on at least a service surface (14) accessible from the outside of the housing (10), being at a distance from the beverage dispenser (22) sufficient to place a glass or cup between the service surface (14) and the beverage dispenser ( 22);

• at least one automatic opening and closing valve of said at least one beverage dispenser (22);

or at least one payment detector device and / or a user recognition system;

· A control unit (40) that governs said at least one automatic valve and connected to the payment detection device and / or the user recognition system and the measuring device for the amount of beverage dispensed and / or remaining;

characterized because

• the roof (13) has an area less than 35% of the area of the base (11) of the dispensing device; · At least a portion of the walls (12) of the housing (10) are inclined in a convergent path, an area of the cross-sectional area, parallel to the base of the dispensing device, being smaller at a greater distance from the base;

«The dispensing device has an isolated character accessible from different fronts; Y

• the walls (12) of the housing (10), except for the service surfaces (14), lack horizontal or near horizontal areas accessible from the outside of the housing (10).

so that the scaling of the dispensing device is difficult.

2. - Dispensing device according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the following additional features are included:

• said at least one beverage dispenser (22) does not protrude from the envelope of the dispensing device;

· Said at least one service surfaces (14) does not protrude from the envelope of the dispensing device;

• said at least one beverage dispenser (22) and said at least one service surfaces (14) are integrated in at least one niche removed from the walls (12) of the housing (10);

• said at least one service surface (14) lacks horizontal or almost horizontal areas of an area sufficient to inscribe circles 3cm in diameter;

• said at least one service surface (14) has a slope greater than 30 ° from the horizontal.

3. - Dispensing device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein

• the envelope of said dispensing device has a general geometry selected from: conical or conical circular-shaped, pyramidal or polygonal-based trunk-pyramidal; or why

• The housing has a hexagonal base (11), and from each of its edges a triangular vertical wall (12a) starts, while from each of its vertices a rhomboid inclined wall (12b) laterally joined by its lower half starts with said triangular vertical walls (12a) and joined laterally by its upper half with the other rhomboid walls (12b), the six rhomboid walls (12b) having convergent paths at an upper vertex, but being truncated forming the roof (13) of the housing (10).

4. - Dispensing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of beverage dispensers (22) are arranged around the dispensing device with a regular angular separation, being accessible from different faces of the dispensing device.

5. - Dispensing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner empty space of the housing (10) is distributed in a lower level (N1), an intermediate level (N2) and an upper level (N3) superimposed, at least the lower and intermediate levels provided with independent access gates, and wherein said lower level (N1) contains said at least one beverage container to be dispensed (20); and wherein said upper level (N3) contains at least said control unit (40).

6. - Dispensing device according to claim 5 wherein the base (11), the walls (12) and the cover (13) are connected to an inner tubular chassis, and wherein at least a fraction of the chassis coinciding with said upper level (N3) is removably connected to the rest of the chassis by removable removable connectors, and supports said at least one control unit (40), which is connected electrically and electronically to the other components of the dispensing device using removable removable connectors.

7. Dispensing device according to claim 5 or 6 wherein said lower level (N1) also contains at least one of the following characteristics:

· At least one gas cylinder (23) under pressure connected to the beverage tanks to be dispensed (20)

• at least one discarded beverage container connected to at least one filter surface coinciding with the service surface (14);

• at least one access gate provided on its walls (12);

· At least one cooling device (21) of the beverage to be dispensed;

• at least one cooling device (21) of the beverage to be dispensed housed inside a closed compartment (21a), separated from the rest of the interior space of the housing, provided with an outside air inlet and a separate outside air outlet and exclusive of said closed compartment (21a);

· At least one cooling device (21) of the beverage to be dispensed housed inside a closed compartment (21a), separated from the rest of the interior space of the housing, provided with an outside air inlet and a separate outside air outlet and exclusive of said closed compartment (21a), said exterior air inlet and exterior air outlet being housed in the base of the dispensing device.

8. Dispensing device according to claim 5, 6 or 7 wherein the intermediate level (N2) includes at least one of the following characteristics:

• an electrical panel of the dispensing device;

• a purge valve of the beverage lines to be dispensed;

• At least one filling inlet cooling device for water filling.

9. Dispensing device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (40) is connected with wireless communication means that allow receiving and transmitting relevant information to a remote terminal, said relevant information being selected from: the amount of beverage dispensed, the amount of beverage remaining, information received through the payment detector device and / or the user recognition system, control orders.

10. Dispensing device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle integrates a detector of the presence of a vessel below its vertical.

11- Dispensing device according to claim 5 characterized in that the housing includes outside air inlets located below the lower level (N1), and / or located at the base (11) and / or located between the base (11) and the walls (12) of the housing, and because the housing also includes air vents located above the upper level (N3), and / or on the ceiling (13), and / or located between the walls (12) and the ceiling (13), the three levels being communicated allowing air circulation from the base to the ceiling through the three levels and producing cooling of the components housed in the housing.

12. Dispensing device according to claim 14 characterized in that said air circulation is driven by at least one fan installed inside the housing that generates an upward flow of air inside the housing.

13. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least the walls of the dispensing device are thermally insulated.

14. Dispensing device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base of the dispensing device includes at least one of the following characteristics:

• includes two elongated housings (44) parallel to each other and parallel to the base, accessible from the front of the dispensing device, and intended for the insertion of forks of a forklift;

· Includes a plurality of wheels (41) to facilitate the movement of the dispensing device;

• includes a plurality of adjustable telescopic legs (42) for stabilization of the dispensing device;

• includes at least one bevelled front portion (43) to allow access to ramps.

15.- Dispensing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, associated with each of said beverage dispensers, an information screen is incorporated that transmits information to the user, said information screen being connected to the control unit ( 40).