AU2002100324B4 - Beverage dispensing pump system - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2 Revised 2/98

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act, 1990 COMPLETE INNOVATION SPECIFICATION TO BE COMPLETED BY THE APPLICAr NAME OF APPLICANT ACTUAL INVENTOR ADDRESS FOR SERVICE INVENTION TITLE:

NT

Phillip John Hattch Phillip John Hattch Peter Maxwell Associates Level 6 Pitt Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 BEVERAGE DISPENSING PUMP

SYSTEM

DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED APPLICATION NO(S) Nil The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me:m:\docs\20021020\007432.doc Documn' pach No': The present invention relates to a beverage dispensing pump system.

Popular chilled beverages, such as beer, have been dispensed at public bars over many years by a variety of chilling means. Dispensing systems have evolved from the "chilled keg on the bar top" system, to the use of instantaneous coolers, to ice cooled water recirculation, to the present day use of recirculating glycol. All of these systems have in common their requirement for pressurized carbon dioxide to force the chilled beverage from the keg in which it is normally stored to the dispensing faucet or tap.

Each beer keg is normally pre-charged with 120 Kpa of pure carbon dioxide before it leaves the brewery, which is the pressure most generally regarded as maintaining the ideal carbonation level of the beer. However, this pressure of carbon dioxide will not force the beer to flow from the dispensing taps at the desirable rate for serving customers expeditiously, and so the conventional approach has been to introduce carbon dioxide at pressures of between 240 Kpa and 300 Kpa to the kegs via the pressure release gauges controlling the carbon dioxide gas storage cylinders. Furthermore, as beer lines from the keg to the tap become longer, there is a need for even higher gas pressures to provide the necessary force to deliver the beverage through the tap at the desirable rate.

The use of highly pressurized carbon dioxide for these purposes has an adverse effect on the quality of beer dispensed at the tap, as long exposure to pressurized carbon dioxide in the kegs causes over-carbonation of the beer, with a resultant flat tasting beer being dispensed.

A solution to this problem has involved using specially blended gases at the pressures required for dispensing the beer at the desired rate, rather than pressurized carbon dioxide, but these other gases add significantly to the cost of dispensing systems and may interfere with the original taste of the beer.

24/04/2002 Indeed, any system that utilizes carbon dioxide or other gases at pressures of between 240 Kpa and 300 Kpa to provide a desirable tap dispensing rate creates added problems, such as having to carry and pay for larger stocks of gas storage cylinders, having to degas kegs after trading hours, and having separate carbon dioxide regulators for each bank of kegs.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least substantially ameliorate, the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art.

According to the present invention there is provided a beverage dispensing pump system comprising vessel means for storing a beverage, pump means for delivering the beverage to a dispensing tap remote of the vessel means, and an air compressor means for driving the pump means by compressed air, wherein the beverage is stored in the vessel means at a predetermined first pressure to maintain a desired carbonation level of the beverage, and the beverage is delivered from the vessel means to the dispensing tap at a predetermined second pressure to dispense the beverage at a desired rate so that the desired carbonation level is maintained in the beverage being dispensed.

In a preferred form, the pump means includes means for separating the compressed air and the beverage flowing therethrough.

Preferably, the pump means comprises a first chamber for receiving compressed air and a second chamber separate from the first chamber for receiving the beverage.

The predetermined second pressure for dispensing the beverage is preferably in a range of between 240 Kpa and 300 Kpa.

24/04/2002 Preferably, the predetermined second pressure is determined by setting an air regulator valve feeding from the air compressor means to the second pressure.

It is preferred that the vessel means is a beer filled keg.

The predetermined first pressure to maintain a desired carbonation level of the beverage is preferably about 120 Kpa.

In order that the invention may be readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing (Fig 1) which depicts a beverage dispensing pump system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The beverage dispensing pump system shown in Fig 1 includes a pair of beer filled kegs 12, 14 which have been pre-charged with 120 Kpa of pure carbon dioxide to provide the desired carbonation level of the beer. That carbonation level is maintained during storage of the beer in the kegs 12, 14 by a carbon dioxide gas storage cylinder 16, the pressure release gauges 18 for which have been set at 120 Kpa to ensure equilibrium with the keg pressure for the desired beer carbonation level.

Referring to keg 12 only, a pump 20 adapted to accept pressurized liquids is installed along the beer line 22 that supplies beer from the keg 12 to a dispensing tap 23. The pump 20 is driven by compressed air generated by an air compressor 24 connected to an air regulator 26 (with filter). The air regulator 26 sets the pressure of the compressed air passing through the air line 28 driving the pump 20 to between 240 Kpa and 300 Kpa. The pump operates when the tap 32 is opened.

In driving the pump 20, compressed air at the above pressure passes through a first chamber of the pump 20 which is separated from a second chamber of the pump 20 through which the beer is pumped. The separate first 24/04/2002 and second chambers in the pump 20 ensure that no contact is made between the compressed air and the beer.

Beer then flows to the foam-on-beverage device 32 and to the manifold 34, from where beer lines 36 are distributed to the serving bar taps 23 for dispensing beer to customers at the desired rate and with the desired carbonation level.

Various modifications may be made in details of design and construction without departing from the scope and ambit of the invention.

24/04/2002

Claims (4)

1. A beverage dispensing pump system comprising vessel means for storing a beverage, pump means for delivering the beverage to a dispensing tap remote of the vessel means, and an air compressor means for driving the pump means by compressed air, wherein the beverage is stored in the vessel means at a predetermined first pressure to maintain a desired carbonation level of the beverage, and the beverage is delivered from the vessel means to the dispensing tap at a predetermined second pressure to dispense the beverage at a desired rate so that the desired carbonation level is maintained in the beverage being dispensed.

2. The beverage dispensing pump system of claim 1 wherein the pump means includes means for separating the compressed air and the beverage flowing therethrough.

3. The beverage dispensing pump system of claim 2 wherein the pump means comprises a first chamber for receiving compressed air and a second chamber separate from the first chamber for receiving the beverage.

4. The beverage dispensing pump system of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the predetermined second pressure for dispensing the beverage is in a range of between 240 Kpa and 300 Kpa. The beverage dispensing pump system of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the predetermined second pressure is determined by setting an air regulator valve feeding from the air compressor means to the second pressure. Dated this 24th day of April 2002 Phillip John Hattch Patent Attorneys for the Applicant PETER MAXWELL ASSOCIATES 24/04/2002