CN112203969A

CN112203969A - Beverage dispenser, beverage dispenser system and beverage providing method

Info

Publication number: CN112203969A
Application number: CN201980035212.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 吉原庆太
Original assignee: Suntory Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: Suntory Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 2018-06-15
Filing date: 2019-06-17
Publication date: 2021-01-08
Also published as: JPWO2019240298A1; KR20210019407A; WO2019240298A1

Abstract

The present invention provides a beverage machine (10), comprising: a container (11) which is provided with a main body part (12) for containing beverage and a cover part (13) airtightly mounted on the main body part (12), and is formed to form a space (11a) for filling gas even when the main body part (12) contains beverage to the maximum extent; a beverage discharge pipe (14) having one end disposed in the body of the container; an opening/closing valve (15) for opening/closing the beverage discharge line (14); and a gas inlet (16) of the container, which allows only the inflow of gas, wherein the beverage contained in the main body (12) is discharged out of the container (11) through the beverage discharge line (14) when the on-off valve (15) is opened, based on the gas pressure previously filled in the gas filling space (11a) through the gas inlet (16) before the discharge.

Description

Beverage dispenser, beverage dispenser system and beverage providing method

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a counter-top beverage machine for supplying a beverage such as beer to a glass, a beer mug or the like.

Background

As one of methods for providing a beverage such as beer to a customer at a departure store in a restaurant or the like, there is a method in which a few persons of beer are poured into a container called a pot and the pot is provided to the customer, and the customer pours the beer from the pot into a glass or the like as needed. The pot is a beverage pot (pot) having a handle, and generally has a capacity of, for example, about 1.8 liters, has an inlet, and is further provided with a lid for covering an upper opening. Patent document 1 describes such a pot.

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2017-136272

Disclosure of Invention

Since the pot is not made airtight, the problem of gas leakage cannot be ignored with respect to beer left in the pot for a long time. Further, since the pot used in the restaurant generally has a capacity of about 1.8 liters, a customer is required to have a certain wrist strength to tilt the pot containing the beverage and smoothly fill the glass.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a beverage maker that can replace a pot with a simple operation while suppressing the escape of gas from a sparkling beverage.

In order to achieve the above object, according to a 1 st aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage maker comprising: a container having a main body for containing a beverage and a lid portion airtightly attached to the main body, and configured to form a space for gas filling even when the main body contains the beverage to the maximum; a beverage discharge pipe having one end disposed in the body of the container; an opening/closing valve for opening/closing the beverage discharge line; and a gas inlet of the container, allowing only inflow of gas, wherein the beverage contained in the main body is discharged to the outside of the container through the beverage discharge pipe when the on-off valve is opened, based on the gas pressure previously introduced into the gas filling space through the gas inlet before the beverage is discharged.

Further, according to the 2 nd aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage maker system comprising: the beverage machine according to aspect 1; a gas cylinder; and the fluid connector is connected with the gas storage bottle and can be connected with a gas inlet of the container of the beverage machine.

Further, according to the 3 rd aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage providing method comprising: preparing a beverage maker and a gas cylinder having a vessel, a gas inlet of the vessel, and a beverage discharge line, the vessel having a body portion for receiving a beverage and a lid portion attached to the body portion; injecting beverage into the main body of the container; a step of arranging one end of the beverage discharge pipeline in the beverage in the main body while the cover part is airtightly installed on the main body; a step of introducing gas from the gas cylinder into the gas filling space in the container by connecting a fluid connector connected to the gas cylinder to a gas inlet of the container; a phase of disconnecting the fluid connector from the gas inlet while maintaining the gas introduced into the container; a stage of opening an on-off valve arranged on the beverage discharge pipeline to discharge the beverage in the container to the outside; and a stage of stopping the beverage from spitting out by closing the open-close valve.

According to the present invention, since gas is introduced into and maintained in the hermetically sealed container containing the beverage, the problem of the escape of gas from the beverage such as beer, which occurs when using the conventional pot, is eliminated. Further, according to the present invention, since the motive force for discharging the beverage is the gas pressure introduced into the container and maintained, it is not necessary to incline the container heavily in order to discharge the beverage, as in the conventional pot, and it is only necessary to simply operate the opening and closing valve.

Further, since it is not necessary to supply gas into the container from the outside during the discharge of the beverage, the container can be separated from a gas supply source such as a gas bomb. As a result, the beverage maker can ensure the same mobility as a conventional pot, and can use a large-capacity gas bomb that is inexpensive as a gas supply source.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing a beverage maker system according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a beverage maker of the beverage maker system according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a beverage maker of the beverage maker system according to embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Detailed Description

A beverage maker system 100 according to embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 1. The beverage maker system 100 includes a beverage maker 10 and a gas bomb 20 for supplying gas to the beverage maker. The beverage dispenser system 100 can supply a sparkling beverage such as beer, sparkling liquor, sparkling alcoholic beverage with a beer taste (third type beer) produced from a material other than malt and mixed with another alcoholic beverage, nonalcoholic beer, carbonated liquor, high cocktail (highball), and nonalcoholic carbonated beverage. In the present embodiment, the gas filled in the gas bomb 20 is carbonic acid gas.

The beverage machine 10 includes: a container 11 for containing a beverage such as beer; a beverage discharge line 14 having one end 14a disposed in the beverage in the container 11; an opening/closing valve 15 for opening and closing the beverage discharge line 14; and a gas inlet 16 of the container 11 for allowing only inflow of gas. The container 11 includes: a main body 12 for containing beverage; and a lid portion 13 airtightly attached to the main body portion 12.

The body 12 of the container 11 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape having a space for containing a beverage therein and an upper opening. A male screw (not shown) is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the upper end of the main body 12 to be screwed with the lid 13. In the present embodiment, the lid portion 13 is formed in a lid cylindrical shape, and a female screw (not shown) that can be screwed with the male screw of the body portion 12 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lower end portion thereof. A sealing member (not shown) is disposed between the body portion 12 and the lid portion 13 so as to hermetically seal the container 11 when the lid portion 13 is screwed into the body portion 12. In addition, in the container 11, even if the lid 13 is attached to the main body 12 after the beverage is stored to the maximum, as shown in fig. 1, a gas filling space 11a is formed above the beverage.

A gas introduction pipe 17 is connected to the upper surface of the lid 13 to introduce gas into the gas filling space 11 a. The end of the gas introduction line 17 outside the container 11 constitutes the gas inlet 16 described above. The other end of the gas introduction pipe 17 opens into the gas filling space 11a in the container 11. The gas inlet 16 is formed as a fluid connector 16 detachably connected to a fluid connector 24 on the gas cylinder 20 side. In the present embodiment, a check valve 18 is provided in the gas introduction line 17 to prevent the gas in the container 11 from flowing out to the outside. However, it is also possible to incorporate a check valve in the fluid connector constituting the gas inlet 16. Alternatively, a manual on-off valve may be provided in the gas introduction line 17 instead of the check valve 18. Thus, the gas inlet 16 may be configured to allow gas to flow in but not to allow gas to flow out.

Further, an embodiment not having the gas introduction line 17 may be possible. In this case, a gas inlet 16 formed of a fluid connector incorporating a check valve is provided in the lid portion 13 of the container 11.

The beverage discharge pipe 14 has one end 14a opened near the bottom in the body 12 of the container 11 and the other end 14b outside the container 11. The beverage discharge pipe 14 extends upward from one end 14a inside the container 11, penetrates the upper surface of the lid 13, and extends outward of the container 11. The outlet of the opening/closing valve 15 that opens and closes the beverage discharge line 14 constitutes the other end 14b of the beverage discharge line 14. In the present embodiment, the on-off valve 15 is formed as a shutoff valve 15 having a manual lever (not shown). Further, the beverage discharge pipe 14 may not have a portion extending outward of the container 11, and the shut valve 15 may be directly attached to the lid portion 13.

The beverage maker 10 is further provided with a relief valve 19. The relief valve 19 is disposed in the lid portion 13 so as to operate when the pressure in the gas filling space 11a in the container 11 exceeds a predetermined value. When the gas is filled into the container 11 from the gas bomb 20, the relief valve 19 is operated, so that the concentration of the air remaining in the container 11 can be gradually reduced according to the operation time. For this purpose, the operating pressure of the relief valve 19 may be set to be lower than the set pressure of the regulator 22 of the gas cylinder 20. By reducing the concentration of air in the container 11, oxidation of the beverage such as beer in the container 11 is suppressed.

However, the present embodiment may be configured such that air in the container 11 is not expelled when the carbonic acid gas is introduced into the container 11. At this time, the beverage maker 10 does not have the relief valve 19, or the operating pressure thereof is set higher than the set pressure of the regulator 22 of the gas bomb 20 even if the relief valve 19 is provided. However, it is obvious that the relief valve 19 also functions as a safety valve when the pressure in the container 11 abnormally increases.

The gas cylinder 20 is a normal type gas cylinder having a cylinder opening/closing valve 21 and a regulator 22, and in the present embodiment, a relatively large capacity gas cylinder filled with 10kg of carbon dioxide is used. One end of the air supply line 23 is connected to the regulator 22 of the gas cylinder 20. The other end of the gas supply line 23 is formed as a fluid connector 24 connectable to a fluid connector of the gas inlet 16 of the beverage maker 10. Fig. 1 shows a state in which these fluid connectors are separated.

As the fluid connector 24 of the air supply line 23, a fluid connector called a quick connector, which can be manually detached from the other connector, is used. In the present embodiment, the fluid connector 24 of the gas supply line 23 is a fluid connector of a type that allows the flow of gas when connected to the connector on the mating side, but blocks the flow of gas if separated from the connector 16 on the mating side.

As the fluid connector 24, various types of fluid connectors other than those described above may be used, and for example, a fluid connector of a type that causes fluid to flow while being pressed against the connector 16 on the counterpart side by a hand of a person, and cuts off the flow of gas when the pressing force is released and the connector 16 on the counterpart side is separated from the connector.

Next, an example of a beverage providing method using the foregoing beverage maker system 100 will be described below. In the following description, the beverage is beer, and the beverage dispenser system 100 is a system installed in a restaurant.

First, a shop staff of the restaurant pours beer into the body portion 12 of the container 11 of the beverage maker 10 from an opening at an upper portion thereof. The beer is poured into the main body 12 of the container 11 of the beverage maker 10 from a fixed conventional beer machine (not shown) or a large-volume beer keg (not shown), for example. The store staff may also inject beer near the limit of beer spillage from the body portion 12 of the container 11. Even in this case, when the lid 13 is attached to the main body 12 of the container 11, the gas filling space 11a is formed inside.

Next, the store clerk screws the lid portion 13 into the body portion 12 attached to the container 11. Since the beverage discharge pipe 14 is fixed to the cap 13, the one end 14a of the beverage discharge pipe 14 is arranged near the bottom of the beverage due to the attachment of the cap 13. In addition, the store staff confirms whether the opening/closing valve 15 of the beverage discharge line 14 is closed.

Next, the store personnel connect the fluid connector 24 at the top end of the air supply line 23 extending from the gas cylinder 20 to the fluid connector for the gas inlet 16 of the container 11. Thus, the carbonic acid gas flows into the container 11 from the high-pressure gas bomb 20, and the gas filling space 11a in the container 11 is filled with the mixed gas of the carbonic acid gas and the air at the pressure substantially equal to the pressure set by the regulator 22 of the gas bomb 20. In order to reduce the proportion of air in the mixed gas, the relief valve 19 may be operated when introducing the carbonic acid gas into the container 11.

Next, the store staff separates the fluid connector 24 at the top end of the gas supply line 23 from the gas inlet 16 of the container 11. At this time, since the check valve 18 is disposed in the gas introduction line 17, the gas in the container 11 does not flow out from the gas inlet 16. On the other hand, the gas in the gas bomb 20 does not flow out of the fluid connector 24 of the gas supply line 23. This is because the fluid connector 24 of the gas supply line 23 is a type of fluid connector in which the flow of gas is cut off when the connection with the connector on the other side is separated.

Next, the store staff brings the beverage machine 10 to a table or the like on which a customer of the store waits.

Next, the customer prepares a glass or the like below the shutoff valve 15 of the beverage discharge line 14, and then opens the shutoff valve 15. Thus, the beer in the container 11 is discharged through the beverage discharge pipe 14 according to the gas pressure in the gas filling space 11a in the container 11. When a desired amount of beer is discharged, the customer closes the stop valve 15.

According to the beverage supply method described above, since the carbonated gas is introduced into the hermetically sealed container 11 of the beverage maker 10 containing beer and maintained, the beer in the pot is prevented from being out of gas when the existing pot is used. Thus, even beer that remains in the container 11 of the beverage maker 10 for a long time, the carbonation feeling is maintained. Further, when the carbonic acid gas is introduced, oxidation of beer can be prevented if the air in the container 11 is purged out by using a relief valve 19 or the like.

Since the beverage maker 10 is separated from the gas bomb 20 side after the carbonic acid gas is introduced into the vessel 11 thereof, the shop staff can carry the beverage maker 10 to the dinning table of the customer, similarly to the conventional pot, and the beer is discharged to the customer after that. In addition, since the gas bomb 20 is used in a state of being kept fixed with respect to the transportation of the beverage maker 10, a large capacity gas bomb 20 can be used.

The motive force for beer spitting is the gas pressure maintained within the container 11 of the beverage maker 10. Therefore, when pouring beer into the glass, the consumer does not need to tilt the container as in the conventional pot, but only needs to operate the operating lever of the stop valve 15 of the beverage dispenser 10.

Next, a beverage maker system 200 according to embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described below with reference to fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram depicting only the beverage maker 210 of the beverage maker system 200 according to embodiment 2, and the illustration of the gas bomb 20 and the like is omitted.

The beverage maker system 200 according to embodiment 2 includes a beverage maker 210 and a gas bomb 20 (not shown) similar to that of embodiment 1. As in the case of embodiment 1, the beverage maker 210 of embodiment 2 includes: a container 11 composed of a main body 12 and a lid 13; a beverage discharge line 14; an opening and closing valve 15; a gas inlet 16; a check valve 18; a gas introduction line 17; and a relief valve 19. The beverage maker 210 in embodiment 2 is further provided with a cartridge 205 containing a beverage, which is manufactured in the factory of the beverage maker. The cartridge 205 containing the beverage is placed in the body 12 of the container 11 in a state where a sealing plug such as a bottle cap or a plug installed in a factory at the time of manufacture is removed. One end 14a of the beverage spouting line 14 is disposed in the keg 205 containing the beverage.

The method for supplying a beverage using the beverage dispenser system 200 according to embodiment 2 is different from the foregoing embodiment in that the cartridge 205 containing a beverage is housed in the main body 12 instead of the main body 12 of the drink container 11.

According to the beverage dispenser system 200 of embodiment 2, since the beverage does not directly contact the inner wall of the main body 12 of the container 11, heat exchange with the outside air is suppressed, and the effect of maintaining the cool feeling for a longer period of time is also obtained when the beverage is beer or the like. The main body 12 of the container 11, which is not directly contacted with the beverage, can be cleaned more loosely than in embodiment 1 after use.

Next, a beverage maker system 300 according to embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described below with reference to fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram depicting only the beverage maker 310 of the beverage maker system 300 according to embodiment 3, and the illustration of the gas bomb 20 and the like is omitted.

The beverage maker system 300 according to embodiment 3 includes a beverage maker 310 and the gas bomb 20 similar to that of embodiment 1. As in the case of embodiment 1, the beverage maker 310 of embodiment 3 includes: a container 11 composed of a main body 12 and a lid 13; a beverage discharge line 14; an opening and closing valve 15; a gas inlet 16; a check valve 18; a gas introduction line 17; and a relief valve 19. However, the body portion 12 of the container 11 is constituted by a cartridge containing a beverage manufactured in a factory of a beverage maker, unlike the embodiment 1. The main body 12, i.e., the can 12 containing the beverage is prepared in a state where a sealing plug such as a bottle cap attached in a factory at the time of manufacture is removed, and one end 14a of the beverage discharge line 14 is disposed in the vicinity of the bottom in the can 12 containing the beverage.

The removed cap (not shown) of the keg 12 containing the beverage is a screw-in cap in embodiment 3, so that the lid 13 of the container 11 is formed to be screwed into the keg, as in the case of the cap. Further, a sealing member (not shown) for sealing between the tub 12 and the lid 13 is also provided in the same manner.

According to the beverage maker system 300 of embodiment 3, since the cartridge 12 containing the beverage is used as the body portion 12 of the container 11, the structure and the operation method tend to be simpler than those of embodiments 1 and 2.

Other embodiments

As a modification of embodiment 1, in order to improve the heat insulation of the main body of the container of the beverage maker, an embodiment of the beverage maker system having a vacuum double wall structure may be employed.

Although the above description has been made of an example in which the beverage is beer, the present invention may be applied to alcoholic beverages such as high-ball cocktail, wine, and japanese liquor, carbonated beverages such as cola and soda, and non-carbonated beverages such as fruit juice.

Although the above description has been made of an example in which the gas filled inside is carbonic acid gas, other types of gas such as nitrogen gas may be filled. In particular, when nitrogen gas is filled, the effect of suppressing the occurrence of oxidative deterioration in alcoholic beverages such as wine can be expected.

Claims

1. A beverage machine is provided with:

a container having a main body for containing a beverage and a lid portion airtightly attached to the main body, and configured to form a space for gas filling even when the beverage is contained in the main body to the maximum;

a beverage discharge pipe having one end disposed in the body of the container;

an opening/closing valve for opening/closing the beverage discharge line;

and a gas inlet of said container permitting only inflow of gas, characterized in that,

the beverage contained in the main body is discharged to the outside of the container through the beverage discharge line when the on-off valve is opened, based on the gas pressure previously filled in the gas filling space through the gas inlet before the beverage is discharged.

2. A beverage machine is provided with:

a container having a body portion for housing a beverage-containing can produced by a beverage producer, that is, a beverage-containing can excluding a sealing plug attached at the time of production, and a lid portion airtightly attached to the body portion, and formed so as to form a space for gas filling even when the body portion houses the beverage-containing can;

a beverage discharge line having one end disposed in the beverage containing barrel housed in the body portion of the container;

an opening/closing valve for opening/closing the beverage discharge line;

3. Beverage machine according to claim 1,

the body portion of the container is formed of a beverage containing cartridge manufactured by a beverage maker, i.e., a beverage containing cartridge excluding a sealing plug installed at the time of manufacture,

the lid is hermetically mounted to the tub containing the beverage.

4. The beverage maker according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a check valve that prevents a reverse flow of gas from the gas inlet to the outside of the container.

5. The beverage machine according to any 1 of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gas inlet is provided at a tip end portion of a gas introduction pipe extending from the lid portion of the container.

6. The beverage maker according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a relief valve that operates when the gas pressure in the container exceeds a predetermined value.

7. A beverage maker system, characterized in that,

the disclosed device is provided with: a beverage machine as claimed in any 1 of claims 1 to 3;

a gas cylinder;

and a fluid connector connected to the gas cylinder and connectable to the gas inlet of the container of the beverage machine.

8. A method for providing a beverage is characterized in that,

the method comprises the following steps: preparing a beverage dispenser and a gas cylinder each having a vessel, a gas inlet of the vessel, and a beverage discharge line, the vessel having a body portion for receiving a beverage and a lid portion attached to the body portion;

a step of injecting a beverage into the body portion of the container;

a step of arranging one end of the beverage discharge pipe in the beverage in the main body while the lid portion is airtightly attached to the main body;

a step of introducing gas from the gas cylinder into the gas filling space in the container by connecting a fluid connector connected to the gas cylinder to the gas inlet of the container;

a phase of disconnecting the fluid connector from the gas inlet while maintaining the gas introduced into the container;

a stage of discharging the beverage in the container to the outside by opening an opening and closing valve arranged on the beverage discharge pipeline;

and a stage of stopping the beverage from spitting out by closing the opening and closing valve.

9. A beverage providing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the body portion of the container is formed by a beverage maker's beverage containing cartridge, i.e. a cartridge containing beverage from which a sealing plug installed at the time of manufacture is removed.

10. A method for providing a beverage is characterized in that,

the method comprises the following steps: preparing a beverage machine having a vessel having a body part for containing a beverage and a lid part attached to the body part, a gas inlet of the vessel, a beverage discharge line, and a beverage containing keg and a gas bomb which are produced by a beverage maker and in which a sealing plug attached at the time of production is removed;

a step of accommodating the barrel containing the beverage in the body part of the container;

a step of arranging one end of the beverage discharge pipe in the beverage in the tub while the lid portion is airtightly attached to the main body portion;

a stage of discharging the beverage in the container to the outside by opening an opening and closing valve provided in the beverage discharge pipeline;

and a stage of stopping the beverage from spitting out by closing the open-close valve.

11. A beverage providing method as claimed in any of claims 8 to 10 further comprising the stage of moving the beverage machine immediately after the stage of disconnecting the fluid connector.

12. The beverage supplying method according to claim 11, wherein a person who performs a stage from a stage of preparing the beverage maker, the gas cylinder to a stage of moving the beverage maker and a person who performs a stage from a stage of spouting the beverage to the outside to a stage of stopping the spouting of the beverage are different persons.