DE202009003487U1 - Device for dispensing a drink and enveloped portions of a drink - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for dispensing a beverage, comprising a tap (14) for dispensing the beverage and a storage compartment (1) for storing the beverage to be dispensed, characterized in that transport means are provided for receiving individually wrapped portions (3) of the beverage from said storage compartment (3). 1) to opening means (46, 47) to open each envelope (3) of a portion of the beverage, wherein guiding means are provided for dispensing the beverage from said opening means (45, 46) for dispensing the beverage to lead the said tap (14).

Description

AREA OF INNOVATION

The Innovation relates to a device for dispensing a beverage, with a tap for dispensing the drink and a Storage compartment for storing the beverage to be dispensed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INNOVATION

The publication WO-A-2004/051163 describes such a device, which is a household beer tap, in which a metal keg containing the beer can be placed in the storage compartment of the device. Before dispensing the beer, the barrel containing the beer is cooled by means of a cooling system in the storage compartment. Within the barrel, the beer is wrapped in a plastic bag and during the tapping process the beer is squeezed out of the barrel by pumping air into the barrel surrounding the plastic bag.

One Drum for receiving by means of such a dispenser dispensed beverage usually contains 4 to 6 liters or more. It takes a relatively long time to get to the barrel and the beverage from ambient to the desired drinking temperature from 3 ° C, for example. About that In addition, the cooling process requires a lot of energy and the same applies when the keg is at the desired drinking temperature is held. In particular, when it comes to the device a household beverage dispenser is, must however, the current supplied to such a device is limited become. Furthermore, the barrel must be robust and therefore relatively heavy be to the pressure of the carbonated beverage unbearable. Usually the barrel is relatively expensive, because it is not a disposable container. Therefore, a system for Collect the used barrels and make arrangements for the next Filling the barrels needed.

Around To keep the drink fresh, there must be a contact between avoided or restricted the drink and the ambient air become. After opening a drink containing Fasses will air around the bag containing the drink pumped into the barrel to squeeze the drink out of the barrel. If not special and relatively expensive material for the Bag is used in the barrel, the compressed air is through the material of the bag diffuse and so the life of the bag Shorten drinks. In addition, air can through the seals of the outlet opening of the bag come into contact with the drink.

About that In addition, the known beverage dispenser has the Disadvantage that by the means of driving out the drink To pump the barrel of air or another gas into the barrel, disturbing Noises are generated.

TASK AND SUMMARY THE INNOVATION

Of the Innovation is based on the object, a device for dispensing a drink, with a tap for dispensing the drink and a storage compartment for storing the beverage to be dispensed, to provide one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages are eliminated.

A Another task of the innovation is a relatively inexpensive and efficient A system for storing a beverage in a disposable packaging material To provide.

to The solution to one or both of these tasks is transportation available to drink individually wrapped portions from the storage compartment to transport towards opening means, to open each serving of a portion of the drink, wherein guide means are provided for issuing the Drink the drink from the mentioned opening means out to lead to the said tap. A wrapped Portion of the beverage is preferably one in one Glass or a cup or the like to be tapped drinking portion, but a drinking portion can also equal several enveloped portions of the drink or less than an enveloped portion be.

Thereby, that separate enveloped portions of the drink can be used, each serving can be cooled in a relatively short time be before it is spent while the coolants have a relatively low capacity. Farther can the drinks portions until the moment of Spent airtight. The device is preferably a household beer tap, in which one or more wrapped beer portions just before they are issued can be cooled.

at In a preferred embodiment, the opening means comprise a tubular member, around the wall of the cladding to pierce and to get the drink out of the serving lead out. The tubular member can therefore have a sharp edge and / or a sharp point and sealing means, to avoid licking the drink, making it correct out of the serving to the dispenser tap can be performed.

Preferably, squeezing means are provided for squeezing the wrapper around the beverage to push out of the envelope. Such squeezing means preferably comprise two contact surfaces which can move towards each other on both sides of the envelope.

at a preferred embodiment are coolants available to wrap with serving of drink make a contact before it is opened. A or several wraps can be used simultaneously have contact with the coolants. The squeezing means comprise preferably a cooling member having a surface for contact with the outer surface the serving has. The squeezing agents are in the coolants added, resulting in a compact structure for cooling and squeezing the coated drink. The squeezing agent and / or the coolant can be cooled before contact with the cladding is produced, resulting in rapid heat transfer from the drink to the cooling / squeezing agent possible is.

at In a preferred embodiment, the cooling member comprises a Peltier cooling element. Advantages of the Peltier cooling element are its limited dimensions and the fact that it is everywhere can be used where electrical energy available stands, and it is also noiseless. Since only one relatively small amount of beverage must be cooled, represents the relatively low cooling capacity of the Peltier element no problem, certainly not when the cooling member has a temperature storage capability so that it can be continuously cooled, even in time, in it has no contact with the wrapped portion of the drink.

The Enveloped portions of the beverage are preferred made of a flexible material such. B. flexible plastic, so that the wall of the enclosure with the cooling member makes a sufficient contact, and the drink can easily be expelled from the cladding. The coated portions of the drink can one by one in the storage compartment of the drink dispenser get saved. In a preferred embodiment however, the wrapped portions are interconnected. This facilitates the handling of the enveloped portions, by making a chain of interconnected wrappings from the storage compartment of the beverage dispenser to the opening means can be moved to open the sheaths.

at In a preferred embodiment, the beverage portions enveloped by a tubular holder that between the portions is sealed so that in the holder with each other connected partitions (envelopes) of the same content be formed. Preferably, there is between each two adjacent shells a shallow part of the tubular Halter, which flat part preferably with one or more Holes is provided to lock the chain of wrappings and the positioning of the envelopes relative to the opening means to facilitate. Such flat parts also allow a zigzag arrangement of the enclosures in a storage container, for example a carton, in the storage compartment of the beverage dispenser can be placed.

at another preferred embodiment are individual, the beverage containing sheaths in a holder element placed so that the wraps through the holder element are connected together, much like cartridges in one Loading strip for a machine gun. Before opening an enclosure, this can be removed from the holder element or she can stay in the item when opening.

The Innovation also relates to a method for dispensing a beverage, in which to drink the drink from a storage compartment to a tap, while individually enveloped portions of the drink from the said storage compartment out to opening means be transported, each serving of a portion of the Drink is opened and to dispensing the drink the drink from the mentioned opening means out to the said tap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The Innovation is shown schematically in the drawing and should now with reference to a description of an embodiment of a household beer dispenser be explained. Show it:

1 a schematic representation of a beer dispenser;

2 and 3 the step of serving the beer;

4 the step of packaging the coated beer portions;

5 and 6 the means for cooling the beer;

7 . 8th and 9 the step of opening the wrapped beer serving;

10 the crotch of squeezing the beer out of the serving, and

11 . 12 and 13 different ways of combining the coated beer portions with each other.

The Figures are very schematic representations, only the parts show, for explanation of the described embodiment contribute to the innovation.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the 1 shown household beer dispenser has a storage compartment 1 to pick up a box 2 , the coated beer portions 3 contains. If the carton 2 empty, he can, as with the arrow 4 indicated, from the subject 1 taken out and through a new box 2 be replaced with coated beer portions.

The wrapped beer portions 3 are interconnected, as will be explained below, so that a chain of sheaths 3 out of the box 2 can be pulled out, as with the arrow 5 indicated. The chain of wrapped beer portions 3 becomes along guide members 6 . 7 through a cooling member 8th pulled through, as with the arrow 9 indicated. The last part of the cooling element 8th is with a pinch member 10 provided, as with the arrow 11 indicated, can move. The pinch member 10 includes a tubular piercing member 12 for piercing the serving 3 before the beer portion is squeezed out of its serving. A flexible hose 13 leads the beer from the pinch member 10 to the tap 14 as with the arrow 15 indicated. The tap 14 has a handle 16 for opening and closing the tap 14 , so drink portions of beer from the tap 14 flow, as with the arrow 17 indicated.

The chain of emptied sheaths leaves the cooling member 8th and becomes a driven shaft 18 wound up, whose rotation is the chain of wrappings 3 through the cooling member 8th pull, as with the arrows 9 . 19 and 20 is hinted at.

The device further includes a unit 21 comprising control means for controlling the operation of the dispenser. In addition, the unit can 21 Coolant include, for example, a compression cooling device or a Peltier cooling element, with a cooling medium passing through pipes to the cooling member 8th towards and away from it (arrows 24 respectively. 25 ). In another embodiment, the cooling member 8th with a Peltier cooling element for cooling the cooling member 8th Mistake. The output device has an electrical plug 26 for the electrical power supply.

2 and 3 show the steps to make the chain of wrapped beer servings 3 , 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a beer 31 filled flexible plastic tube 30 which has a circular cross-section. At spaced locations is the hose 30 sealed, leaving flat parts 32 are generated, containing the one beer serving containing wraps 3 connect, as in the longitudinal section view of 3 shown. Every flat part 32 is with a hole 33 provided so that the chain of sheaths 3 by means of transport for moving the wrappings 3 can be locked.

4 shows a box 35 that has a lot of interconnected wrappings 3 contains, each filled with a beer serving. The chain of interconnected wraps 3 is in the box 35 stored in a zigzag arrangement, characterized by the presence of flat parts 32 between the servings 3 has been made possible. At the in 4 embodiment shown are the sheaths 3 separated and each sealed end of the enclosure 3 is by means of a connecting link 36 latched to the chain of servings 3 to create. Two adjacent sheaths 3 are thus by a link 36 connected with each other. The chain of interconnected enclosures 3 can out of the box 35 be pulled out, as with the arrow 37 is hinted at.

5 and 6 are schematic sectional views of the cooling member 8th , The longitudinal section view of 5 shows two shells filled with beer 3 passing through the longitudinal opening 38 in the cooling member 8th be pulled through. The cross-sectional view of 6 shows the lower part 39 of the cooling member 8th , which lower part 39 a relatively large, the serving 3 touching surface 40 has to remove the heat flow from the cladding 3 to the cooling member 8th to facilitate. The upper part 41 of the cooling member 8th adjoins the opening 38 on the upper side.

7 . 8th and 9 show schematically the step of opening the enclosure 3 to get a beer flow out of the wrapper 3 to produce out. After the serving containing the beer 3 has reached the place where it needs to be opened (see 7 ), with the help of a spring 45 (please refer 8th ) a sealing ring 43 against the outer surface of the envelope 3 moved (arrow 44 ). The sealing ring 43 contains a tube-like piercing member 46 that has a sharp edge 47 Has. This member 46 pierces the wall of the serving 3 (Arrow 48 ). After the piercing process (see 9 ), the beer can flow out of the casing (arrow 49 ).

10 shows the squeezing process, where the beer is out of its wrapping 3 is pressed. A pinch member 50 moves down (through the arrows 51 indicated), to a support member 52 towards, the part of the cooling member 8th is (see 1 ). The opening means (sealing ring 43 and transection member 46 ) lie in the pinch member 50 and move with the pinch member 50 down so that the beer can flow out of its envelope (arrow 49 ). arrows 53 indicate the pressure of the beer, the downward movement of the crushing member 50 is opposite.

11 . 12 and 13 show different ways of joining the envelopes containing the beer portions 3 together. 11 makes a chain of servings 3 whose longitudinal ends are formed by flat sealed parts 32 are interconnected, as well as in 3 shown. 12 shows an alternative chain of wraps 3 whose long sides are made by flat sealed parts 56 are interconnected so that a shorter chain has a larger number of wraps 3 includes. 13 shows an embodiment in which the individual enclosures containing the beer 3 in a holder element 55 the sheaths are placed 3 how cartridges in a charging strip for a machine gun connects. The servings 3 are by stripes 58 attached. holes 57 in the holder element 55 facilitate the transport of the chain of servings 3 , Before opening the servings 3 These can be removed from the holder element 55 be taken out or stay in this.

It It should be noted that the embodiments described above just examples are and that many other embodiments in the context of the innovation are possible.

It Also note that other types of carbonated staggered and carbonated drinks in the coated portions according to the invention be included and with the device according to the innovation can be issued.

such Beverages can be carbonated, for example include soft drinks or fruit juices.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list The documents listed by the applicant have been automated generated and is solely for better information recorded by the reader. The list is not part of the German Patent or utility model application. The DPMA takes over no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• WO 2004/051163 A [0002]

Claims (9)

Device for dispensing a beverage with a tap ( 14 ) for dispensing the beverage and a storage compartment ( 1 ) for storing the beverage to be dispensed, characterized in that means of transport are present for individually wrapped portions ( 3 ) of the beverage from said storage compartment ( 1 ) from to opening means ( 46 . 47 ) to transport each wrapper ( 3 ) of a portion of the beverage, wherein guide means are provided for dispensing the beverage from said opening means (16) for dispensing the beverage ( 45 . 46 ) to the said tap ( 14 ) respectively. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the opening means comprise a tube-like member ( 46 ) around the wall of the envelope ( 3 ) and to pierce the beverage from the wrapping ( 3 ) lead out. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by squeezing means ( 10 ) for squeezing the envelope ( 3 ) to remove the drink from the wrapper ( 3 ) to push out. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by coolant ( 8th ) for contact with the envelope ( 3 ) portion of the drink before it is opened. Device according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the squeezing means ( 10 ) comprise a cooling member having a surface for contact with the outer surface of the envelope ( 3 ) having. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the cooling member ( 8th ) comprises a Peltier element. Enveloped portions of a beverage to be dispensed by means of the device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the enveloped portions ( 3 ) are interconnected. Enveloped portions of a beverage according to claim 7, characterized in that the beverage portions of a tubular holder ( 30 ), which is sealed between the portions, so that in the holder interconnected compartments ( 3 ) of the same content. Enveloped portions of a beverage according to claim 7, characterized in that individual wraps containing the beverage ( 3 ) in a holder element ( 55 ) are placed so that the sheaths ( 3 ) by the holder element ( 55 ) are interconnected.