DE102021121866A1 - Box module for beverage bags according to the bag-in-box system, receiving module for this and matrix arrangement of receiving modules - Google Patents

Abstract

A box module (1) for beverage bags (24) according to the bag-in-box system, a receiving module (40) for such a box module (1) and a matrix arrangement of several such receiving modules (40) are specified. The provision of different drinks in drinks bags (24) according to the bag-in-box system for serving at counters is known. For this purpose, stacked box modules (1) are connected to the dispensing system of the counter via liquid lines. A disadvantage of the known systems is that there is no continuous level monitoring for the individual box modules. It is only when the desired beverage no longer flows from the counter's dispensing system that it becomes clear that the associated beverage bag is probably empty and needs to be replaced. Because the box module (1) is provided with a weighing device (16) and an associated control and evaluation device (18), the weight of the beverage bag (24) and thus its fill level can be continuously monitored. The measurement results or the fill level can be forwarded to a recording module (40) or to a dispensing device via connections (20) on the rear wall or via cables.

Description

The invention relates to a box module for beverage bags according to the bag-in-box system according to claim 1, a receiving module for such a box module according to claim 7, and a matrix arrangement of several such receiving modules according to claim 11.

The provision of different beverages in beverage bags according to the bag-in-box system for serving at counters is known. For this purpose, stacked box modules are connected to the dispensing system of the counter via liquid lines. A disadvantage of the known systems is that there is no continuous level monitoring for the individual box modules. It is only when the desired drink no longer flows from the counter's tap system that it becomes clear that the associated drink bag is probably empty and needs to be replaced.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to specify an in-box module for beverage bags according to the bag-in-box system, which enables continuous monitoring of the filling level of the respective beverage bag. It is also the object of the invention to specify a receiving module for such a box module and a matrix arrangement of several such receiving modules.

These tasks are solved by the features of claims 1, 7 and 11.

Because the box module is provided with a weighing device and an associated control and evaluation device, the weight of the beverage bag and thus its fill level can be continuously monitored. The measurement results or the filling level can be forwarded to a recording module according to claim 6 or to a dispensing device via connections on the rear wall or via cables.

The receptacle for the extraction nozzle is preferably U-shaped and has a closure in the form of one or two flaps in the upper area, which fix the extraction nozzle in the closed state at the lower end of the U-shaped receptacle - claim 2.

The support for the beverage bag is preferably spring-loaded, so that the empty beverage bag is pressed upwards in the direction of the open top wall when the receptacle for the removal nozzle of the beverage bag is open, thus simplifying the exchange of the beverage bag - claim 3.

Due to the advantageous embodiment according to claim 4 with two weighing elements, a higher accuracy of the weighing mechanism can be achieved in a simple manner. With two inexpensive weighing elements with a lower accuracy, a higher accuracy of the weighing and thus the level can be achieved.

The advantageous embodiment according to claim 5 simplifies the replacement of the beverage bag.

The provision of cooling coils in the walls of the box module according to claim 6 ensures that beverages cooled to a desired temperature are dispensed. The cooling also increases the shelf life of the drinks.

The receiving module according to claim 7 is designed to receive the box module. A pump device and a main control are integrated into the receiving module. The beverage is conveyed from the beverage bag via liquid lines to the dispensing system of the counter by the pump device. When the box module is pushed into the receiving module, the pump device is connected to the removal nozzle of the beverage bag in the box module and the main controller is connected to the control and evaluation device of the box module.

The front side of the receiving module is preferably designed to be open, with the front side of the box module being flush with the open front side of the receiving module, resulting in a closed optical impression - claim 8.

Preferably, according to claim 9, an optical fill level indicator is arranged on the front of the base body of the receiving module, which is controlled by the main controller. This means that the filling level of the beverage bag in the box module can be monitored at any time.

The advantageous embodiment according to claim 10 makes it possible to monitor the filling level of the beverage bags, for example from the counter, which is helpful if the box modules and receiving modules are arranged in a separate room.

Due to the stackability of the receiving modules and the connection of the cooling lines, several box modules or beverage bags can be cooled in the matrix arrangement according to claim 11 with one cooling unit.

The cooling unit is preferably cuboid with the same or a multiple of the dimensions of the receiving modules, so that it can be integrated into the matrix arrangement of the receiving modules - claim 12.

Further details, features and advantages of the invention result from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawing.

• 1 eine perspektivische Darstellung des Boxmoduls mit eingelegtem Getränkebeutel und ohne abnehmbare Deckenwand;
• 2 eine perspektivische Darstellung des Boxmoduls mit angehobener deckenwand und eingelegtem Getränkebeutel;
• 3 eine Aufsicht auf die abnehmbare Deckenwand;
• 4 eine Schnittdarstellung senkrecht durch Vorder- und Rückwand mit Wiegemechanismus und Kühlschlangen in den Seitenwänden und der Bodenwand;
• 5 mehrere Aufnahmemodule in Matrixanordnung ohne Boxmodule von vorne betrachtet;
• 6 mehrere Aufnahmemodule in Matrixanordnung zum Teil mit eingeführten Boxmodulen von vorne betrachtet;
• 7 mehrere Aufnahmemodule in Matrixanordnung mit eingeführten Boxmodulen von vorne betrachtet;
• 8 eine perspektivische Darstellung des Kühlaggregats; und
• 9 mehrere Aufnahmemodule in Matrixanordnung mit eingeführten Boxmodulen von hinten betrachtet mit Kühlleitungen zu den Anschlüssen für die Kühlschlangen in den Aufnahmemodulen;

It shows

• 1 a perspective view of the box module with an inserted beverage bag and without a removable top wall;
• 2 a perspective view of the box module with the top wall raised and a beverage bag inserted;
• 3 a top view of the removable ceiling panel;
• 4 a sectional view vertically through the front and rear walls with weighing mechanism and cooling coils in the side walls and the bottom wall;
• 5 several recording modules in a matrix arrangement without box modules viewed from the front;
• 6 several recording modules in a matrix arrangement, some with inserted box modules, viewed from the front;
• 7 several recording modules in matrix arrangement with inserted box modules viewed from the front;
• 8th a perspective view of the cooling unit; and
• 9 a plurality of receiving modules in a matrix arrangement with box modules inserted, viewed from behind with cooling lines to the connections for the cooling coils in the receiving modules;

The 1 until 4 show a preferred embodiment of a box module 1 according to the present invention. The box module 1 comprises a cuboid, dimensionally stable basic container 2 with a bottom wall 4, a top wall 6, a front wall 8, a rear wall 10 and two side walls 12. The top wall 6 is provided as a lockable, removable lid with locking elements 14, whereby the top wall 6 can be attached to the front wall 8, the rear wall 10 and the side walls 12 can be fixed, so that the base container 2 can be closed. On the bottom wall 4 there is a weighing mechanism 16 with two weighing elements 16-1 and 16-2. The two weighing elements 16 - 1 and 16 - 2 are connected to a control and evaluation device 18 which is also arranged on the bottom wall 4 . The measured values of the two weighing elements 16 - 1 and 16 - 2 are converted into filling levels by the control and evaluation device 18 and can be output via electrical connections 20 . A spring-loaded support 22, on which a drinks bag 24 rests, is supported on the two weighing elements 16-1 and 16-2. The beverage bag 24 includes a removal nozzle 26 which can be inserted into a U-shaped receptacle 28 in the rear wall 10 . An upper area of the receptacle 28 can be closed by a double flap 30 in the form of a gate.

The gate-shaped double flap 30 is dimensioned in such a way that the removal socket 26 is fixed at the lower end of the U-shaped receptacle 28 and the removal socket projects beyond the rear wall 10 . As seen in the sectional view in 4 can be seen, 4 cooling coils 32 for cooling the beverage bag 24 are integrated with cooling water in the bottom wall. The cooling coils 32 are also integrated into the side walls 12 - not visible in 4 . The cooling coils 32 end in an inlet 34 and a return 36 which are arranged diagonally opposite one another in the rear wall 10 at the top and bottom and protrude from the rear wall 10 .

The 5 until 7 a matrix arrangement of receiving modules 40 into which box modules 1 can be inserted. The receiving modules 40 each include a cuboid frame 42 with a closed base plate 44, a rear end plate 46, open sides 48 and an open front 50. The end plate 46 has an outer side 52 accessible from the rear and an inner side 54 accessible through the open front 50 . How out 5 As can be seen, a pumping device 56 for conveying the beverages contained in the beverage bags 24 is arranged on the inside 54 of the closing plate 46 . The pumping device 56 is controlled by a main control 58 which is also arranged on the inside 54 . The inflator 56 and main controller 58 may also be integrated into the rear end panel 46 . On the inside 54 of the end plate 46 are complementary connections to the extraction port 26, the inlet 34 to the cooling coils 32, the return 36 from the cooling coils 32 and the electrical connections 20 of the control and evaluation device 18 of the box modules.

How out 5 As can be seen, the box modules 1 are pushed with the rear wall 10 first over the open front 50 into the respective receiving module 40 and fixed therein. By inserting the box modules 1 into the receiving modules 40, the connections 26, 34, 36 and 20 are connected to the complementary connections on the inside 54 of the end plate 46. On the open An optical level indicator 60 is provided on the frame 42 of the receiving module 40 at the front 50 . The free front wall 8 of the box module is provided with an inscription that identifies the beverage in the beverage bag 24 .

The 7 until 9 also show the integration of a cooling unit 62 in the matrix arrangement of receiving modules 40 with box modules 1. The cooling unit 62 is shown in perspective in 8th shown. The dimensions of the cooling unit 62 correspond to the single width and twice the height of the receiving modules 40. The depth of the cooling unit 62 is slightly greater than the depth of the receiving modules 40, so that the cooling unit 62 is flush with the open front 48 of the receiving modules 40, but after protrudes from the rear of the matrix array - see 9 . How out 9 As can be seen, the cooling unit 62 is connected to the individual receiving modules and the cooling coils 32 in the individual box modules 1 via coolant lines 64 . Water is preferably used as the coolant. All or only individual receiving modules 40 can be connected to the cooling unit 62 . On the outside 52 of the closing plate 46 there are also the connections for forwarding the respective beverage to a dispenser—not shown.

Reference List

1

box module

2

basic tank

4

bottom wall

6

ceiling wall

8th

front wall

10

back panel

12

side walls

14

Closing elements of 6

16

weighing mechanism

16-i

weighing elements

18

Control and evaluation device

20

electrical connections from 18

22

spring loaded pad

24

beverage pouch

26

Extraction nozzle from 24

28

U-shaped mount for 26

30

gate-shaped double flap

32

cooling coils in 2

34

Inflow to 32

36

rewind from 32

40

recording module

42

frame of 40

44

bottom plate of 40

46

rear end plate of 40

48

open sides

50

open front

52

Outside of 46

54

Inside of 46

56

pumping device

58

main control

60

visual level indicator at 42

62

cooling unit

64

coolant lines

Claims (12)

Box module (1) for beverage bags (24) according to the bag-in-box system, with a cuboid and dimensionally stable base container (2) for receiving a beverage bag (24) with a discharge nozzle (26), wherein the base container (2) comprises a bottom wall (4), a top wall (6), a front wall (8), a rear wall (10) and two side walls (12), wherein the top wall (6) is designed to be removable, and wherein the rear wall (10) has a receptacle (28) for the removal nozzle (26) of the beverage bag (24), a weighing device (16) for detecting the current weight of the beverage bag (24), which is arranged on the bottom wall (4), wherein the weighing device (16) comprises a control and evaluation device (18) and a support (22) for the beverage bag (24), and electrical connections (20) on the rear wall (10), which are connected to the control and evaluation device (18). box module claim 1 , characterized in that the receptacle (28) for the removal nozzle (26) of the beverage bag (24) is U-shaped and includes a closure (30) in the upper part, which the removal nozzle (26) of the beverage bag (24) in the lower Fixed end of the U-shaped receptacle (28). box module claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the support (22) for the beverage bag (24) is spring-loaded. Box module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the weighing mechanism (16) comprises two weighing elements (16-1, 16-2), so that the weight of the beverage bag (24) is on the two weighing elements (16-1, 16- 2) distributed. Box module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ceiling wall (6) is designed as a closable cover. Box module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that cooling coils (32) for liquid cooling are integrated into part of the walls (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) of the basic container (2), which are provided with an inlet (34) and a return (36) on the rear wall (10) are connected. Recording module (40) for one box module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, with a stackable, cuboid frame (42) which is provided with a rear end plate (46) and a base plate (44), the rear end panel (46) having terminals positioned and configured to engage the terminals (20, 26, 34, 36) on the rear wall (10) of the box modules (1), and wherein the receiving module (40) comprises a fixing device for the box module (1), a pumping device (56) for the beverage contained in the beverage bag (24), and a main control (58) which is connected to the control and evaluation device (18) via the electrical connections (20) in the rear wall (10) of the box module (1) and the corresponding connections in the rear end plate (46) of the receiving module (40) can be connected to the weighing device (16), wherein the main controller (58) controls the pumping device (56). recording module claim 7 , characterized by an open front (50) for inserting the box module (1). recording module claim 7 or 8th , characterized in that on the frame (42) on the front an optical level indicator (60) is arranged, which is controlled by the main controller (58). Recording module according to one of Claims 7 until 9 , characterized in that a device is provided for wireless transmission of the filling level to a remote display, which is connected to the main control (58) of the receiving module (40) and/or the control and evaluation device (18) of the weighing device (16) in the Box module (1) is connected. Matrix arrangement of a plurality of receiving modules (40) according to one of Claims 7 until 10 with box modules (1) according to one of the preceding Claims 1 until 6 which are connected to a cooling unit (62) via coolant lines (64) behind the rear end plates (46). matrix arrangement claim 11 , characterized in that the cooling unit (62) is integrated into the matrix arrangement.

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