EP0024519A2 - Mobile stand for dispensing beverages - Google Patents

Abstract

The station, mounted on a van (1), comprises two tanks (3, 4) for drinks and a tank (19) for sterilized water. Automatic dispensers (9,10) are supplied by the reservoirs (3,4) while the reservoir (19) supplies devices for washing and sterilizing cups. A drawer (31) is used to store the cups. The station is used for the free or paid distribution of drinks in schools or during sporting events.

Description

The sale or distribution of beverages is currently carried out either at points of sale or distribution fixed by the retail sale or by automatic vending machines, or possibly in other non-permanent distribution points for sale bottled drinks.

These methods of distribution or sale have significant drawbacks, the fixity of the point of sale, the need to use lost packaging or recycling of packaging, filling and cleaning of scattered vending machines, etc.

The present invention relates to a mobile beverage distribution station which allows, in particular for certain types of distribution such as the distribution of milk in schools or of drinks at sporting or other events, rapid, efficient and economical distribution.

This mobile beverage dispensing station is distinguished by the fact that it comprises a motor vehicle carrying at least two tanks, equipped with automatic cleaning systems, intended to receive beverages to be dispensed as well as a tank of sterilized water; by the fact that each beverage reservoir is connected to several dispensers delivering for each actuation a predetermined quantity of beverages; by the fact that a gutter is located under the beverage dispensers, connected to a recovery tank; and by the fact that the sterilized water tank supplies at least one spraying and sterilization device for a container which has served to contain the drink; a gutter located under the spraying device being connected to the recovery tank collecting the water used for sterilizing the container.

• La figure 1 est une vue générale de côté de la station mobile.
• La figure 2 en est une vue de l'arrière.
• La figure 3 en est une vue de dessus.
• La figure 4 illustre à plus grande échelle un distributeur de boissons.
• La figure 5 illustre à plus grande échelle un dispositif d'aspersion et de stérilisation d'un récipient.

The accompanying drawing illustrates schematically and by way of example an embodiment of the mobile beverage distribution station according to the invention.

• Figure 1 is a general side view of the mobile station.
• Figure 2 is a rear view.
• Figure 3 is a top view.
• Figure 4 illustrates on a larger scale a beverage dispenser.
• FIG. 5 illustrates on a larger scale a device for spraying and sterilizing a container.

The mobile station for distributing drinks, in particular fresh milk, illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 is designed to allow rapid distribution of a large number of doses of pasteurized milk but not spayed to ensure distribution of milk to schoolchildren in the best conditions.

This mobile station includes a motor vehicle, here a van 1, the bridge 2 of which carries the station's storage and distribution equipment. This equipment comprises two tanks 3, 4 of 250 liters each intended to receive the milk or the drinks to be dispensed. These tanks 3, 4 are equipped with manholes 5, 6 and known automatic cleaning systems.

Each reservoir 3, 4 feeds via a conduit 7, 8 from the distributors 9, 10 delivering each actuation a predetermined quantity of liquid. These distributors 9, 10 illustrated in detail in FIG. 4 have inside an enclosure 11 an electromagnetic valve 12 supplied by the conduit 7, 8 and controlled by an electrical control circuit (not illustrated) actuated by the button 13 For each press of the button 13, the electromagnetic valve 12 is open for a predetermined duration, which can be preset, so as to deliver a determined quantity of liquid through the conduit 14.

The discharge pipes 14 of the distributors 9, 10 are located above a recovery gutter 15, 16 respectively for recovering the liquid flowing from the pipes 14 when there is no container placed under this pipe 14 These gutters are connected to a recovery tank 17 located under the tanks 3, 4. This recovery tank can be emptied by a conduit 18.

In a variant, it is obvious that the dispensers 9, 10 could be equipped with a prepayment trigger device when the dispensing of beverages is chargeable.

Between the two beverage reservoirs 3, 4 is a reservoir 19 of sterilized water supplying, through a conduit 20, sprinkler and sterilization devices 21 to the containers used to contain the beverages.

Each sprinkler and sterilization device, illustrated in detail in FIG. 5, comprises a central nozzle 22 provided with several angularly offset spray channels 23 and several lateral nozzles 24 connected to the central nozzle 22.

A valve 25 closes the sterile pressurized water supply channel 20. This valve is integral with a rod 26 passing through the main nozzle and ending with a plunger 27 subjected to the action of a spring 28 tending to close valve 25.

Thus, when a cup 29 is placed upside down on the central main nozzle 22 and is pressed, the valve 25 is opened and the cup is sprayed with sterilized pressure water both inside and outside. Thus, the cup is washed and sterilized.

A recovery gutter 30 collects the water used and returns it to the recovery tank 17.

The distribution equipment also includes a grooved drawer 31 containing a stock of cups.

A protection 32, forming part of the body of the van 1, protects the distribution equipment and has pivoting sides 32. In the low position, folded down, these sides protect the distribution installation during transport while in the high position they constitute awnings sheltering the users in the process of actuating the distributors 9, 10.

The beverage tanks 3, 4 can be placed under pressure of a protective gas, for example nitrogen or carbon dioxide. In this case, the tanks are therefore hermetically closed, and any introduction of outside air is thus avoided when the drinks are drawn off. This is very important on the one hand to prevent contamination of the drinks stored by the external environment and on the other hand for a better conservation of drinks sensitive to oxygen from the air.

It is obvious that the beverage tanks 3, 4 can also be equipped with heating, cooling and thermal insulation devices so as to be able to dispense hot or cooled beverages.

In addition, according to a variant not illustrated, the reservoir 19 of sterilized water can also supply by conduits connecting it to the reservoirs 3, 4 of beverages of the rinsing devices of the internal walls of these reservoirs.

This mobile distribution station is extremely advantageous because it makes it possible to distribute one or more drinks simultaneously, hot or cold, free of charge or against prepayment. Such a mobile station can tour schools during recess or be parked at a party or sporting event at a stadium or other location.

A total counter can be provided to count and display the total number of doses delivered.

Thanks to the cup sterilization system, they are reused, which represents great savings and a significant reduction in waste, for example during meetings or sporting events.

Thanks to the fact that the drinks are stored in bulk, their packaging is often very expensive, and the waste formed by the generally used lost packaging is further reduced to a great extent.

The distribution capacity of such a station is very large, so that one can distribute 15 to 20,000 doses of 1/4 liter per day approximately.

Finally, automatic washing and filling of tanks can be done very quickly.

Claims (6)

1. Mobile beverage dispensing station, characterized in that it comprises a motor vehicle carrying at least two tanks, equipped with automatic cleaning systems, intended to receive drinks to be dispensed as well as a tank of sterilized water; by the fact that each beverage reservoir is connected to several dispensers delivering for each actuation a predetermined quantity of beverages; by the fact that a gutter is located under the beverage dispensers, connected to a recovery tank; and by the fact that the sterilized water tank feeds at least one spraying device and sterilization of a container used to contain the drink, a gutter located on the spraying device being connected to the collecting tank collecting the water used for sterilizing containers. 2. Station according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a drawer containing stackable containers. 3. Station according to claim 2, characterized in that the dispensers are prepaid. 4. Station according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a protection surrounding the tanks and the distributors in the transport position and forming awnings in the service position sheltering the users. 5. Station according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a device for heating or refrigerating the beverages to be dispensed. 6. Station according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the beverage tanks is under pressure of a protective gas.

Images