CN115196576A

CN115196576A - Beverage dispensing machine with a receiving chamber lid for closing beverage containers such as kegs

Info

Publication number: CN115196576A
Application number: CN202210279836.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 约翰·珀蒂塔洛; 菲力浦·迪诺; 查尔斯·芒索
Original assignee: SEB SA
Current assignee: SEB SA
Priority date: 2021-04-02
Filing date: 2022-03-21
Publication date: 2022-10-18
Also published as: FR3121436B1; EP4067295B1; EP4067295A1; FR3121436A1; EP4067295C0

Abstract

The invention relates to a beverage dispensing machine (1) comprising a receiving chamber (3) for receiving a beverage keg (4), a lid (10) movable between an open position and a closed position, a latch (21) movable between a retaining position, in which the latch cooperates with a recess (26) to retain the lid in the closed position, and a release position, in which the latch projects out of said recess to allow the lid to move to the open position, a resetting member (23) for resetting the latch to the retaining position, a handle (15), and a separating means (34). The handle and the separating means are movable between an active position, in which the separating means moves the lid away from the receiving chamber to move the latch against the reset member to the release position, and a rest position, in which the separating means does not act on the lid or the receiving chamber.

Description

Beverage dispensing machine provided with a receiving chamber lid for closing beverage containers such as kegs

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a beverage dispensing machine comprising in particular a receiving chamber for receiving a beverage container, such as a beer keg, and a lid allowing opening and closing of the receiving chamber for positioning or removing the beverage container in an open position.

More specifically, the present invention aims to develop a system for opening and closing a lid.

Background

Beverage dispensing machines are known to those skilled in the art. In particular, these beverage machines comprise a body defining a receiving chamber for receiving a beverage container (e.g. a keg) forming a beverage refill, and a lid which is movable relative to the body between an open position in which the beverage container is mountable in or removable from the receiving chamber, and a closed position in which the beverage container is in place in the receiving chamber and a beverage can be dispensed. An opening and closing system is arranged between the cover and the body of the machine to lock and unlock the cover with respect to the body, allowing the cover to be moved to said open position when unlocked and, conversely, to be kept in said closed position when locked.

The applicant is aware of the patent application EP1298088A9 which describes such a beverage dispensing machine. More specifically, patent application EP1298088A9 discloses a beer machine provided with a cooling chamber in which a beer keg can be placed, said cooling chamber being closed by a lid. The lid is closed by pressing a handle extending into the lid through a cam having two teeth that participate in the opening and closing of the lid by pressing on a latch arranged on the lid. The latch cooperates with a recess disposed on the machine body to move to a locked or unlocked position. When the handle is lifted, i.e. pulled towards the outside of the lid, the first tooth activates the latch in the unlocked position, allowing the lid to be opened and access the cooling chamber. When the handle is lowered, i.e. pushed against the lid, the second tooth activates the latch in the locking position, ensuring that the lid remains in the closed position of the cooling chamber.

When using such a beer machine according to patent application EP1298088A9, once the lid has closed the cooling chamber, the handle must be operated in the lowered position so that the latch is moved into the recess in the locked position by the second tooth of the cam. Thus, during said closing process, the lid does not immediately remain in the closed position in the receiving chamber, and the handle must be operated.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to ensure that the lid is immediately maintained in the closed position in the receiving chamber once said lid has been moved to the closed position. Another object is to reduce the force exerted on the handle when opening the lid. Another object is to facilitate the use of the beverage dispensing machine when replacing beverage containers. Another object is to simplify the design of the lid opening and closing system implemented on the beverage preparation machine.

These objects are achieved by the present invention which relates to a beverage dispensing machine comprising a receiving chamber for receiving beverage containers forming beverage refills, in particular kegs, and a lid movable between an open position in which the beverage containers can be mounted in or removed from the receiving chamber and a closed position in which the beverage containers are in place and the beverage can be dispensed. Furthermore, the beverage dispensing apparatus comprises at least one latch movable between a holding position, in which the at least one latch cooperates with the at least one receiving recess to hold the lid in the closed position, and a release position, in which the at least one latch projects out of the at least one receiving recess to allow the lid to move to the open position. According to the invention, the beverage dispensing machine comprises a resetting member for resetting the at least one latch into the retaining position, a handle and a disconnecting member. Furthermore, the handle and the disconnecting member are movable between an active position, in which the disconnecting member moves the cover away from the receiving chamber to move the latch against the reset member to the release position, and a rest position, in which the disconnecting member does not act on the cover nor on the receiving chamber.

In other words, the latch can be moved to the locked position and the unlocked position due to the presence of the reset member which brings the latch back to said locked position, the locked position being defined by default without any constraints. In the locking position and when the lid is in the closed position, the latch is in a retaining position in which the latch cooperates with the receiving recess to retain the closed position. When the handle is activated to open the cover, the handle interacts with the separating member to exert a counter force between the cover and the machine body, allowing the cover to be pushed away from the machine body. The counter force, once greater than the reset force of the reset member, forces the latch to move to the unlatched position, i.e. the release position in which the latch is out of the receiving recess, and then the counter force forces the lid to move to the open position. The interaction of the cap and the separating member allows for a force multiplication providing a counter force greater than the resetting force of the resetting member. Thus, the lid can be moved to the open position without requiring the user to exert a significant pulling force on the handle to overcome the reset force of the reset member and move the latch to the unlatched position. Once the lid is in the open position, the latch naturally returns to the locked position under the action of the reset member. In contrast, when the handle is not activated, there is no interaction between the handle and the separating member. Without this interaction, the lid can be moved to the closed position once the pushing force manually exerted on the lid during its movement to the closed position is sufficient to overcome the reset force of the reset member and thus move the latch to the unlocked position. Once the closed position is reached, the return member ensures the natural return of the latch to the locking and retaining position placed in the recess.

According to an embodiment of the beverage dispensing apparatus, the handle is rotationally movable and the separating member is translationally movable. In the activated position, the handle is in the raised position and the disconnecting member is in the extended position. In the rest position, the handle is in the folded position and the disconnecting member is in the retracted position. Rotation of the handle in the raised position allows to act on the disengagement member to ensure its translation in the extended position and, once the return force of the return member is overcome, to generate such a counter-force between the lid and the body, forcing the lid to open. Conversely, rotation of the handle in the folded position allows the separating member to return to the retracted position to close the lid.

According to an embodiment of the beverage dispensing apparatus, the beverage dispensing apparatus comprises a return spring for returning the disconnecting member to the rest position. Thus, the disconnecting member naturally returns to the rest position under the action of the spring, which at the same time ensures that the handle returns to the rest position.

According to an embodiment of the beverage dispensing apparatus, the handle and the separating member are arranged on the lid. This arrangement facilitates the implementation of the beverage dispensing machine. However, variations are contemplated in which the handle and separate components are disposed on the body of the machine rather than on the cover.

According to an embodiment of the beverage dispensing machine, the separating member comprises at least one lug supported on the receiving chamber. Preferably, two lugs are provided to better distribute the force.

According to an embodiment of the beverage dispensing machine, the at least one latch is arranged on the lid and the at least one receiving recess is arranged on the receiving chamber. However, the reverse is also possible according to alternative embodiments. Preferably, according to this embodiment, the at least one latch is movable in radial translation on the lid.

According to an embodiment of the beverage dispensing machine, the return member for returning the at least one latch to the holding position is a spring. Variations of the reset member are possible, for example a flexible tab can naturally push the latch into the holding position (locked position).

According to a preferred embodiment of the beverage dispensing machine, the receiving chamber has an upper opening and the lid is rotatably movable between an open and a closed position. In particular, such an embodiment enables a vertically extending beverage container to be placed in the receiving chamber. Pivoting the lid relative to the machine body facilitates opening and closing of the lid. Variant embodiments are conceivable in which the cover is arranged on the front or rear side of the receiving chamber, in particular for inserting horizontally extending beverage containers into the receiving chamber from the front or rear side. According to this preferred embodiment, the beverage dispensing machine comprises extraction means for extracting the beverage contained in the beverage container, said extraction means being arranged in the vicinity of the upper opening. Preferably, according to this embodiment, the handle is arranged in the vicinity of the beverage extraction device, which facilitates the opening of the lid from the front side of the beverage dispensing machine, the beverage extraction device being placed facing the user.

Drawings

The features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows an overall view of a beverage dispenser according to a preferred and non-limiting embodiment;

FIG. 2 particularly shows two latches mounted in the lid;

FIG. 3 particularly shows the pivotal connection mounting of the handle relative to a stationary support member disposed in the cover;

FIG. 4 shows a front view of the latch, handle and separating member disposed in the lid;

figure 5 highlights the presence of two receiving recesses on the machine body, in which the latches are housed;

FIG. 6 shows a first position of the handle and disengagement member with the lid in a closed position;

fig. 7 highlights the position of the latch in the receiving recess according to this first position of fig. 6;

FIG. 8 shows a second position of the handle and disengagement member, wherein the lid is ready to be moved to an open position;

fig. 9 highlights the position of the latch in the receiving recess according to this second position of fig. 8.

Detailed Description

In the following description, unless otherwise indicated, the term "machine" is used to refer to the beverage dispensing machine that is the subject of the present invention.

The terms "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "front", "rear", "lateral", "vertical", "horizontal", and the like, which may be used in this description, are taken in view of the normal position of the elements of the machine placed in the working configuration on a horizontal support plane, with the extraction device of the machine placed facing the user.

Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a machine 1 according to the invention, comprising a body 2 extending vertically and preferably having a substantially cylindrical shape. Other shapes of the body 2 are conceivable, for example a parallelepiped shape. As shown in fig. 6 and 8, the body 2 defines a receiving chamber 3, and a beverage container 4 may be placed in the receiving chamber 3. In the present case, the beverage container 4 is a keg, such as a beer keg, and the receiving chamber 3 is provided with a cooling system 5, such as a cooling system already present on a beer tap designed for home equipment, and enables a high quality draught beer to be obtained in the home while maintaining all the aroma and freshness of the beer packaged in a small keg, such as a 5 or 6 litre keg. As shown in fig. 1, the machine 1 also comprises an extraction device 6 provided with a stem 7 and a pouring spout 8. The extraction means 6 are arranged in the upper portion 2a of the body 2 at the level of an upper opening 9 of the receiving chamber 3, through which the beverage container 4 is introduced.

As shown in fig. 1, 6 and 8, the machine 1 comprises a cover 10 that allows closing the upper opening 9 of the receiving chamber 3. The lid 10 is mounted with a pivotal connection of axis X1 with respect to the body 2, opposite the extraction device 6, so that the lid 10 can be moved either to a closed position, in which the beverage container 4 is held within the receiving chamber 3 (shown in particular in said figures 1, 6 and 8), or to an open position (not shown), in which the receiving chamber 3 is accessible, to allow the beverage container 4 to be removed once emptied, and replaced with another full container. The pivoting of the lid 10 with respect to the main body 2, from front to back or vice versa from back to front, along the axis X1, in the direction of the double arrow 11 shown in fig. 1, facilitates access to the receiving chamber 3 when facing the machine 1.

The following description details a preferred embodiment of the opening and closing system 12 between the cover 10 and the body 2 on the machine 1.

Referring to fig. 1, 6 and 8, the cover 10 comprises a housing 13, the housing 13 comprising a cavity 14 on its upper side allowing to house a handle 15. When the lid 10 is in the closed position, the cavity 14 and the handle 15 are adjacent to the extraction device 6, which facilitates opening of the lid 10 by pulling the handle 15 upwards when the user is facing the machine 1, as shown in particular in fig. 1.

With reference to fig. 4, 6 and 8, the lid 10 comprises an inner shell 16, which inner shell 16 closes the upper opening 9 of the receiving chamber 3 in the closed position of the lid 10 by means of a thermal seal 17 arranged at the upper opening 9. The outer shell 13 and the inner shell 16 define a compartment 18. Fig. 2 to 5 allow to show in more detail some elements of the opening and closing system 12 placed in the compartment 18. For example, as shown in fig. 2, the inner housing 16 includes two

retainers

19, 20, and two

latches

21, 22 are mounted in the

retainers

19, 20 in sliding connection along the X2 axis and the X3 axis, respectively. As shown in fig. 2, these two axes X2 and X3 extend radially on the cover 10. The placement of the two return springs 23, 24 in these

holders

19, 20, between the

rear ends

21a, 22a of the

latches

21, 22 and the

rear ends

19a, 20a of said

holders

19, 20, allows to naturally bring said

latches

21, 22 back to the locking position in which the heads 25, 25' of the

latches

21, 22 protrude from the

holders

19, 20 and open to the front of the inner shell 16 by passing through two

windows

160, 161 arranged on a profile 162 of said inner shell 16, as shown in particular in fig. 4.

Referring to figures 3 to 9, the heads 25, 25' of the

latches

21, 22 each include an upper ramp 25a, 25' a and a lower ramp 25b, 25' b. The main body 2 of the machine 1 comprises two receiving

recesses

26, 27, the receiving recesses 26, 27 receiving the heads 25, 25' of the

latches

21, 22 when the lid 10 is in the closed position. These receiving recesses 26, 27 include an upper slope 26a shown in fig. 6 to 9. In fig. 6 to 9, only the upper ramp 26a of the receiving recess 26 is shown, which is also present in the other receiving recess 27. As the lid 10 is lifted upwardly and away from the body 2 of the machine 1, the upper ramps 26a on the receiving recesses 26, 27 and the upper ramps 25a, 25'a on the heads 25, 25' of the

latches

21, 22 will facilitate retraction of the

latches

21, 22 within the

retainers

19, 20 to an unlocked position according to which the

springs

23, 24 are compressed, as described below. In fig. 5, the upper bevels 26a of the receiving recesses 26, 27 are not shown, these upper bevels 26a being arranged on a part 200 of the body 2, not shown in fig. 5, so as to be able to see the positioning of the heads 25, 25' of the

latches

21, 22 in said receiving recesses 26, 27, said part 200 however being shown in fig. 6 to 9.

Referring to fig. 3, 4, 6 and 8, a support feature 28 is mounted in the compartment 18 and secured to the outer and

inner shells

13, 16. The support part 28 comprises two

lateral ends

28a, 28b defining two

first bearing parts

30a, 31a cooperating with two second bearing parts 30b arranged on the inner surface 29 of the casing 13. In fig. 6 and 8, only the second bearing part 30b cooperating with the side end 28a of the supporting part 28 is shown, the design of the second bearing part cooperating with the other side end 28b of the supporting part 28 being identical. In fig. 6 and 8, the support part 28 is not shown to better identify the other elements of the opening and closing system 12. These first 30a, 31a and second 30b support members cooperate to receive, in a pivotal connection of axis X4, two

cylindrical studs

32, 33 arranged on the

sides

15a, 15b of the handle 15. These

studs

32, 33 of the handle 15 extend from both

sides

14a, 14b of the cavity 14 into the compartment 18, which cavity 14 receives said handle 15 outside the housing 13. Thus, the handle 15 can be grasped from the outside of the lid 10 by placing the fingers of the hand into the cavity 14 and then pulled upward, which causes the handle 15 to pivot along the axis X4.

Referring to fig. 2 and 4 to 9, a separating member 34 is placed in the compartment 18 and has two forwardly extending and downwardly

curved lugs

35, 36 at its front. These two

lugs

35, 36 pass through two corresponding

openings

37, 38 arranged on the inner shell 16, so as to bear against the upper surface 39a of a flange 39 arranged on the part 200 of the body 2. In fig. 6 to 9, only the lug 35 is shown supported on the flange 39, the principle of which is the same as the other lug 36. The rear of the separating member 34 comprises two downwardly extending

pins

40, 41. These two

pins

40, 41 are respectively arranged in the compartment 18 with respect to two tubular cavities 42 arranged on the inner shell 16. Only one tubular cavity 42 is shown in fig. 2, 6 and 8, each tubular cavity 42 and the

respective pins

40, 41 allowing to receive a

spring

43, 44 mounted in compression between the inner shell 16 and the separating member 34. The tubular cavity 42 receives the lower part of the

springs

43, 44 and the

pins

40, 41 engage in the upper part of the

springs

43, 44. The handle 15 comprises a front surface 45, the lower edge 46 of which supports two front upper portions 47, 47' of the separating member 34. The bearing points between said front upper portions 47, 47' and said lower edge 46 are offset forwardly with respect to the pivot axis X4 of the handle 15 and, conversely, rearwardly with respect to the bearing points of the

lugs

35, 36 on the flange 39 of the part 200 of the body 2. The separating member 34 is thus mounted in balance in the compartment 18, as the

springs

43, 44 keep the front upper portions 47, 47' supported on the lower edge 46 and the

lugs

35, 36 supported on the flange 39.

In the active position, the lower edge 46 bears on the front upper portion 47, 47' when the handle 15 is operated and pivoted upwards in the direction of the arrow 48 along the axis X4. Since the

lugs

35, 36 bear on the flange 39 of the stationary body 2, the handle 15 is lifted due to the lever arm that is generated and concomitantly the outer shell 13 and the inner shell 16 are lifted with respect to the body 2, the separating member 34 thereby translating downwards along the vertical axis X5 with respect to the lifted compartment 18, which raises the

openings

37, 38 of the inner shell 16 with respect to the

lugs

35, 36 located in these

openings

37, 38, as shown in fig. 6 and 8. In the activated position, the

lugs

35, 36 thus enter an extended position relative to the

openings

37, 38, as shown in fig. 8. The lifting of the lid 10 from the body 2 causes the upward displacement of the

latches

21, 22 until the upper ramps 25a, 25'a of the heads 25, 25' bear on the upper ramps 26a of the receiving recesses 26, 27, which forces the

latches

21, 22 to be displaced backwards along the axes X2 and X3, in a position retracted in the holders 19, 20 (unlocked position), as soon as the lifting force of the lid 10 with respect to the body 2 can overcome the return force of the

springs

23, 24. Once the

latches

21, 22 protrude out of the receiving recesses 26, 27 of the body 2, the lid 10 can be moved to the open position, and once opening has been achieved, the

springs

23, 24 then push the

latches

21, 22 back to the protruding position (locked position) from the

holders

19, 20. Due to the lever arm applied as described above, the lifting force of the lid 10 increases when the handle 15 is pulled upward in the direction of arrow 48, which allows the lid 10 to be opened without requiring the user to exert a significant pulling force on the handle 15.

In the rest position, when lid 10 is opened and handle 15 is released by the user, springs 43, 44 push separating member 34 and inner shell 16 due to their compression, which causes said separating member 34 to translate in compartment 18 and to come closer to outer shell 13, the front upper portion 47, 47' of separating member 34 then pushing the lower edge 46 of handle 15, handle 15 thus pivoting along axis X4 to return into cavity 14 on outer shell 13. The separating member 34 then returns to the rest position in the compartment 18, in which said separating member 34 can act neither on the lid 10 nor on the flange 39 of the body 2, which allows the lid 10 to be closed again without any action of the separating member 34 on the lid 10 and on the flange 39 of the body 2 during said closing. In this rest position, the

lugs

35, 36 are thus brought into a retracted position relative to the

openings

37, 38 of the inner shell 16, as shown in fig. 6.

When the user manually displaces the lid 10 to close the receiving chamber 3, the lower slopes 25b, 25'b of the heads 25, 25' of the

latches

21, 22 bear on the upper face 39a of the flange 39 of the body 2, which forces these

latches

21, 22 to return to the inside of the cages 19, 20 (unlocked position) as soon as the bearing force exerted on the lid 10 allows to overcome the return force of the

springs

23, 24. When the lid 10 is in the closed position, the

springs

23, 24 naturally push the latches back into the receiving recesses 26, 27, in the locked and retained position in which the lid 10 closes the receiving chamber 3.

The embodiment described above with reference to fig. 1 to 9 is not restrictive, and various modifications are possible. For example, the receiving recesses 26, 27 may be arranged on the cover 10, whereas the

holders

19, 20, the

springs

23, 24 and the

latches

21, 22 may be arranged on the body 2. It is also possible to vary the number of latches, for example one or more than two, the opening and closing system 12 thus comprising as many receiving pockets, holders and return springs. It is also possible to arrange a handle 15 and a disengagement member 34 on the body 2, actuating the handle 15 allowing to push the lid 10 to lift it from the body 2 and ensuring that the

latches

21, 22 disengage from the receiving recesses 26, 27 once the lifting force is greater than the return force of the return springs 23, 24.

Claims

1. Beverage dispensing machine (1) comprising a receiving chamber (3) for receiving beverage containers (4), in particular kegs, forming beverage refills, and a lid (10) movable between an open position, in which the beverage containers are mountable in the receiving chamber (3) or removable from the receiving chamber (3), and a closed position, in which the beverage containers are in place and a beverage can be dispensed, the beverage dispensing machine (1) comprising at least one latch (21, 22) movable between a retaining position, in which it cooperates with at least one receiving recess (26, 27) to retain the lid (10) in the closed position, and a release position, in which it projects out of the at least one receiving recess (26, 27) to allow the lid (10) to move to the open position, characterized in that the beverage dispensing machine (1) comprises a resetting member for resetting the at least one latch (21, 22) to the retaining position, a handle (15) and a disengaging means (34), the handle (15) and the disengaging means (34) being movable between the retaining position and the disengaging position to disengage the activating means (34) to move the lid (10) from the at least one receiving recess (21, 22) against the releasing position, the releasing means (34), in the rest position, the separating means (34) do not act on the lid (10) nor on the receiving chamber (3).

2. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein the handle (15) is rotatably movable and the separating member (34) is translationally movable in the activated position, in which the handle (15) is in the raised position and the separating member (34) is in the extended position, and in the rest position, in which the handle (15) is in the folded position and the separating member (34) is in the retracted position.

3. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to any one of the claims 1-2, wherein the beverage dispensing machine comprises a return spring (43, 44) for returning the disconnecting member (34) to the rest position.

4. Beverage dispenser (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the handle (15) and the separating member (34) are arranged on the lid (10).

5. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the separating member (34) comprises at least one lug (35, 36) supported on the receiving chamber (3).

6. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein the at least one latch (21, 22) is arranged on the lid (10) and the at least one receiving recess (26, 27) is arranged on the receiving chamber (3).

7. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to claim 6, wherein the at least one latch (21, 22) is movable in radial translation on the lid (10).

8. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the return means for returning the at least one latch (21, 22) to the holding position are springs (23, 24).

9. Beverage dispenser (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the receiving chamber (3) has an upper opening (9), the lid (10) being rotatably movable between the open position and the closed position.

10. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises extraction means (6) for extracting the beverage contained in the beverage container (4), said extraction means (6) being arranged in the vicinity of the upper opening (9).

11. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to claim 10, wherein the handle (15) is arranged near the extraction means (6).