EP0905084B1 - Apparatus for dispensing liquids, especially beverages - Google Patents

Abstract

The dispenser comprises a housing (1) with an intermediate reservoir (21) and a collar (4) to receive the neck (19) of an inverted container. The collar has a lower wall (9) traversed by a sleeve (10) holding an outlet connector (11) linking the container to the intermediate reservoir. The intermediate reservoir (21) is equipped with a system for treating the liquid before it is dispensed, e.g. a heater, cooler (29) or gasifier. It is made from a food grade plastic with a relatively rigid upper section (26) and a supple lower section (25) which fits in a cooling chamber (28). The two sections are separated by a constriction (24) forming an external space filled by a thermal insulation material (55). The upper rigid section has a number of branches (43, 52, 54), e.g. for an outlet tube (44) for cooled liquid or other outlets for liquid at close to ambient temperature.

Description

• un caisson pourvu au moins de parois latérales et d'une paroi supérieure,
• un réceptacle en forme de collet, monté sur la paroi supérieure dudit caisson, propre à recevoir le goulot d'un récipient renversé contenant le liquide à distribuer, ledit réceptacle en forme de collet comportant une paroi inférieure traversée par un manchon,
• au moins un réservoir intermédiaire propre à être associé à des moyens de traitement dudit liquide tel qu'un chauffage, un refroidissement ou une gazéification,
• des moyens d'arrivée d'air extérieur à la partie supérieure dudit réservoir intermédiaire,
• un embout de sortie traversé suivant sa longueur par au moins un canal "liquide", cet embout étant propre à pénétrer dans ledit goulot du récipient renversé et à assurer ainsi une mise en communication de ce récipient avec ledit réservoir intermédiaire, ledit embout de sortie étant reçu dans ledit manchon, et
• au moins un robinet accessible de l'extérieur et monté sur une conduite de sortie reliée audit réservoir intermédiaire.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing liquids, in particular drinks, of the type comprising:

• a box provided with at least side walls and an upper wall,
• a collar-shaped receptacle, mounted on the upper wall of said box, suitable for receiving the neck of an overturned container containing the liquid to be dispensed, said collar-shaped receptacle having a lower wall traversed by a sleeve,
• at least one intermediate reservoir suitable for being associated with means for processing said liquid such as heating, cooling or gasification,
• means for supplying outside air to the upper part of said intermediate tank,
• an outlet end-piece traversed along its length by at least one "liquid" channel, this end-piece being able to penetrate into said neck of the overturned container and thus ensuring that this container is placed in communication with said intermediate reservoir, said outlet end-piece being received in said sleeve, and
• at least one tap accessible from the outside and mounted on an outlet pipe connected to said intermediate tank.

Such an apparatus is described in US 5,647,416 A.

These may in particular be devices intended the distribution of cold, hot or cold drinks ambient temperature in companies or places public, or to the distribution of any other liquid under determined temperature or other conditions. The devices in question are supplied with these drinks or other liquids by containers or carboys several liters or tens of liters, provided with a neck closed by a special cap or a perforable seal, the cap being pushed back inside the neck, or the cover being perforated, as the case may be, by penetration of the aforementioned outlet nozzle of the device in this neck when the container is turned over on the device and engaged by its neck on this tip. Then what the device ensures the distribution to consumers of beverages or other liquids in the form of volume doses variable but generally corresponding, when it comes of drinks, the contents of a glass or a cup placed below one of the taps with which the appliance is fitted.

The principle of operation of these devices known is as follows: when the container is returned on the receptacle and engaged by its neck on said tip the liquid it contains can flow out through the "liquid" channel of the nozzle and reach the tank intermediate. Only slightly lower pressure at atmospheric pressure can be maintained at the party top of container overturned by air supply, passing through the same outlet nozzle, from what we called above the "outside air supply means at the top of the intermediate tank ". To facilitate the rise of air in the nozzle, it preferably comprises at least one "air" channel distinct from the "liquid" channel which was mentioned above and which it is separated by a partition extending over the entire length of the outlet nozzle. When the liquid from the container overturned reached in the intermediate tank the level from the lower end of the "air" channel of the nozzle, the flow stops automatically, since the air is then prevented from going up in the outlet nozzle, the air pressure in the upper part of the container overturned that cannot become lower than pressure atmospheric only by a value corresponding to the height of the "water column" in the container, value which by therefore decreases as the samples are taken from the intermediate tank. From this stable state, any opening by the user of the tap connected to the intermediate tank via the mentioned outlet pipe higher, allows the withdrawal of the desired dose of liquid, the volume taken from this intermediate tank being simultaneously compensated by a corresponding flow of the same volume from the container overturned to the tank intermediate, the level in the latter is now, for the reason indicated above, at the lower end of the "air" channel of the outlet nozzle. The level of liquid in the spilled container drops but the pressure above this level, slightly lower than the atmospheric pressure, is maintained by the air intake through the "air" channel of the nozzle, until recovery hydrostatic balance, when the tap is closed.

For hygienic reasons, we generally provide as the air entering the top of the tank intermediate is filtered; in this case, the means of arrival outside air at the top of said tank intermediate have a filter. Generally we expect also means to prevent the liquid from overturned container does not escape by means of arrival outside air at the top of said tank intermediate in case the top of the container overturned, for whatever reason, would present a outside air intake, as could happen by example in case its wall is accidentally cracked; to avoid this risk, said arrival means can be provided outside air at the top of said tank through a valve or the like prohibiting said audit liquid to flow in said means to the outside.

The present invention aims to achieve a apparatus for dispensing liquids, in particular drinks which while implementing these different operating principles, allows to solve a certain number of problems affecting its realization, in particular to simplify structure, manufacturing and operations maintenance of this device.

In particular, some of the known devices include "channeling means" connecting the end piece exit from the container overturned to the intermediate tank, which means comprises at least one tube of material flexible plastic. Of course, this tube must be connected by one of its ends on said tip or on a connection in communication with him, and by his other end on an intermediate tank connection socket, which multiplies the mounting operations as well as sealing problems, not to mention the problems hygiene, section changes at the level of connections can constitute as many nests for bacteria.

On the other hand, some known devices include a bowl-shaped "unit" with several connections and incorporating said outlet nozzle, this unit being removably supported by provided support means under the upper wall of the box. This unit represents one more piece, of complicated shape, generally molded in plastic material, therefore expensive to which is thrown away together with the "means of pipe "above and the intermediate tank when maintenance operations.

The present invention makes it possible to resolve these first problems with a general type device defined at the start, characterized in that said intermediate tank has at its upper part a collar suitable for being tightly engaged, directly on the lower end of said sleeve.

In this way, we remove at the same time the "means "usual" piping as well as the removable "unit" in bowl shape with several connections and which incorporates the outlet nozzle. With the intermediate tank connected directly at the outlet of the collar-shaped receptacle, we delete a connection compared to the case where we use "channeling means" between the intermediate tank and the container overturned.

Another drawback of known devices is in the design of the intermediate tank, and appears especially when the liquid has to be taken from different temperatures. This is so, in particular, in the case devices for dispensing cold and hot drinks and possibly at room temperature, these devices then comprising, of course, the corresponding valves. To be able to distribute cold drinks, it is known to provide in the unit's casing a tray provided with cooling means, for example the evaporator coil of a compression refrigeration circuit, this tank receiving the intermediate tank, then surrounded tightly by the serpentine. The cold liquid is then extracted from this intermediate tank by an outlet pipe emerging near its bottom, in the area where the liquid is the coldest. The liquid to be withdrawn at room temperature or needs to be heated before consumption is then discharged through the upper part end of the intermediate reservoir, in the area where its temperature is the lowest. It frequently results that this liquid is still too cold for consumers who want a drink at room temperature, and that its heating, when it must be consumed hot, requires greater expenditure of calories.

An apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention allows also to avoid these drawbacks and for this purpose said intermediate tank is in plastic material preferably shaped by blowing of a room and has on its upper part a wall relatively rigid, and a lower part relatively flexible, suitable for being inserted in a cooling tank, these parts being separated from each other by a constriction of their cross section, which constriction may be surrounded by thermal insulation material.

This intermediate tank is advantageously of elongated shape, the size of its cross section being several times lower than its height.

The cold liquid will then be taken from the part lower of the intermediate tank, by a pipe opening near its bottom, and the liquid in front be taken at or at room temperature taken before heating can be subtracted from the part upper of the intermediate tank, above the throttle, with the advantage that the difference between liquid temperatures at the bottom and upper of the intermediate tank will be significantly more important, thanks to the section constriction reducing the thermal bridge, than is the case in devices known, with a constant section intermediate tank and having a gathered form.

• la figure 1 est une vue d'ensemble schématique de l'appareil avec coupes axiales partielles ;
• la figure 2 est à plus grande échelle une vue en coupe axiale partielle au niveau de l'embout de sortie et des moyens d'arrivée d'air extérieur à la partie supérieure dudit réservoir intermédiaire ;

la figure 3 est une vue de dessus, avec coupe selon la ligne III-III de la figure 1 ;

• la figure 4 est une vue en élévation du réservoir intermédiaire ;
• la figure 5 est une vue du réservoir intermédiaire en coupe selon la ligne V-V de la figure 4 ; et
• la figure 6 représente le réservoir intermédiaire en perspective.

Other provisions of the apparatus, relating in particular to the means for supplying outside air to the upper part of said intermediate tank, as well as other details of embodiment, will be seen below, in the description, given by way of in no way limiting example, of a device for dispensing liquids, in particular drinks, according to the invention, this description being made with reference to the figures of the appended drawing in which:

• Figure 1 is a schematic overview of the apparatus with partial axial sections;
• Figure 2 is on a larger scale a partial axial sectional view at the outlet nozzle and the external air inlet means at the upper part of said intermediate tank;

Figure 3 is a top view, with section along the line III-III of Figure 1;

• Figure 4 is an elevational view of the intermediate tank;
• Figure 5 is a view of the intermediate tank in section along the line VV of Figure 4; and
• Figure 6 shows the intermediate reservoir in perspective.

In the figures, the box forming the chassis of the device, for example in sheet metal, has been referenced 1, its wall upper consisting of a circular plate 2 provided in the center with an opening also circular 3. This opening thus constitutes a mounting means simple for a collar-shaped receptacle 4, for example made of rigid molded plastic, which comprises example, projecting from its outer cylindrical wall 5, three elastic tabs 6 molded. So the receptacle 4 can be removably secured to the upper wall 2 of the casing 1, after having been introduced in the opening 3, by clamping the wall 2 between a circular upper shoulder 7 of the receptacle and the part upper 8 of its legs 6, snapped under the circumference of opening 3 (see Figures 1 and 2).

The bottom wall 9 of the receptacle 4 is crossed by a sleeve 10 also molded and in which is fitted an outlet end 11 practically passed through over its entire length by a large "liquid" channel section 12 separated by one or more additional air channels small section 13 by a partition 14 (see Figure 2). The reference 15 represents a socket mounted sliding at the upper part of the end piece 11 and which, before installation of an overturned container R, is supported under a rib circular 16 of the head of the endpiece, this for sealing the inlet 17 for the liquid as well as the air outlet 18, to prevent the introduction of pollutants; this socket 15 is pushed down on the upper part narrowed lOa of the sleeve 10, when the neck 19 of the container R is overturned on receptacle 4, by the action of a re-entrant edge 20 of neck 19 when this edge is crossed, from bottom to top, by the sleeve 10. It should be noted that at the same time is pierced the cover (not shown) which, before placing the container R, close the end of its neck 19.

The intermediate tank, made of plastic food quality suitably shaped by blowing of a part, has been referenced 21. It is notably elongated in height, that is to say from its bottom 22 to its upper wall 23, its cross section, in the example shown, being approximately one fifth of its height between walls 22 and 23. About 3 / 5ths of this height (at indicative), the reservoir 21 has a constriction of section 24 which divides it into a lower part of practically cylindrical in shape 25 and in an upper part 26 whose shape broadly corresponds to that of a cylinder with sides at its upper end inclined 27, this to ensure its ease of installation by reducing its size.

The manufacture of the intermediate tank 21 in plastic material advantageously shaped by blowing allows it to be given a non-uniform wall thickness, larger in its upper part 26 than in its lower part 25, as clearly visible in FIG. 5, this to make it more rigid at the top provided with different connections, only in the part lower, which can thus be more easily introduced, after folding at the constriction 24, in a tray rigid cooling 28 (FIG. 1), the internal wall of which is coated with an evaporator coil 29 (the circuit compressor refrigerant to which this coil is connected, well known in itself, is contained in the lower part of box 1 but has not been shown).

That said, and the throttle in section 24 then located at the upper limit of the cooled volume, we see that an intermediate tank 21 is obtained in which the thermal bridge between the lower part 25 and the upper part 26 sees its section very notably reduced at the throttle 24, which allows maintain in its upper part a liquid at temperature significantly higher than that of the refrigerated liquid in its lower part 25, this radically remedies the disadvantages mentioned above.

It should be noted that the thermal insulation between the lower and upper parts of the tank 21 is still improved by the presence of a static air buffer around throttle 24, this air being confined between this constriction and the upper part of the insulating wall of the rigid cooling tank 28, wall of sufficient height to surround the strangulation.

We can even consider filling this space with a thermal insulation material such as foam, referenced in 55.

The top of the relatively rigid upper part 26 comprises, as mentioned above, different connections.

It includes in particular a neck 30 engaged so watertight, possibly snapped onto it, on the end lower of the sleeve 10 of the receptacle 4, which ensures a direct connection between the outlet nozzle 11, therefore between the contents of container R, and the upper part 26 of the intermediate tank 21, thus eliminating all "means of pipe "with flexible tubes of the prior art; it further includes, as an integral part, a conduit 31 serving both as a guide for a float 32 and as support for means for filtering susceptible air to enter the intermediate tank 21 by what one called above the "outside air supply means to the upper part of said intermediate tank. "These last means include a grid 33 for supporting a interchangeable filter plate 34 having a surface relatively large, which plate is held against the grid by a cover 35 provided with vents side 36 and which could be forcibly engaged but is of preferably screwed, on the upper part with enlarged section 37 of the duct 31. A flexible membrane 38, for example in silicone, provided with a central hole 39, is tightened by its peripheral edge between grid 33, housed in said enlarged part, and a support shoulder 40 of the duct 31, so that in the normal operating position, the air can pass from the outside to the intermediate tank 21 by crossing the vents 36, the filter 34, the grid 33, the hole 39 of the membrane and the peripheral space 41 formed between the float 32 and the internal wall of the duct 31, then what the air can go up in the container R in via the channel 13 of the nozzle 11, while the liquid is evacuated from it by channel 12.

By cons, in case of air leakage to the part top of container R, causing the level to rise liquid in the intermediate tank 21, the float 32, previously at rest on lugs 56 of the conduit 31, climbs into this conduit, and comes to apply the periphery of the hole 39 of the membrane 38 against a support seat 42 of the grid 33, which ensures the confinement of the liquid under the membrane and prevents it from leaking outside after passed through the filter.

It should be noted here that we could, if need be, dispense with float 32, the air pressure in the conduit 33 in the event of a rise in the liquid which may be sufficient to cause the application of the circumference of hole 39 of the membrane 38 against seat 42, at least when this hole is of reduced diameter. As to the fact that the abovementioned vents 36 of the cover 35 are lateral, this makes it possible to reduce kinetic energy of dust and air before it does not pass through the filter, which improves the efficiency of the filtering and also prevents the filter from receiving directly dust or insect droppings; the surface relatively large filter also contributes to the improvement filtering by reducing the speed of dust and air flowing through it when liquid is taken of the intermediate tank.

The screwed cover 35, for example by screwing "quarter turn", on the widened part 37 of the duct 31 also brings the advantage of allowing to tighten firmly the edge of the filter 34 against the peripheral edge of the grid 33, as well as the peripheral edge of the membrane 38 against the shoulder 40, which ensures perfectly tightness and prevents air from entering the tank 21 without having passed through the filter.

The top of the relatively rigid upper part 26 of the intermediate tank 21 still has three connections 43, 52 and 54. The lower connection 43 is extended downwards, inside the lower part softer 25 of the intermediate reservoir, by a tube 44 opening near the bottom 22, this for sampling fresh liquid. On this connection 43 is connected the end of an outlet pipe 45 of which the other end can be closed or released, in a manner known in itself, by a pinch valve 46 without contact with the liquid, with control lever 47. Fresh liquid can then be collected by the consumer in a 48 cup placed on a drip tray 49. This tank ends up with elsewhere a conduit 50 connected to a branch 51 of the bottom wall 9 of receptacle 4, so as to recover the leaks that may occur between the tip 11 and the edge re-entering 20 of the neck 19 of the overturned container R, in particular during commissioning. As for the upper connection 52, it allows the withdrawal of the liquid at close temperature ambient in the upper part 26 of the tank intermediate and can therefore be connected directly, by a outlet pipe 53, to another tap similar to tap 46. Finally, the third connection 54 can still allow to take, in the upper part 26 of the intermediate tank, liquid at a temperature close to the ambient and to offer it to the choice of the consumer after a treatment such as gasification or heating.

When you want to replace the tank 21 with another, this can be done very easily by unplugging lines 45 and 53 of their respective valves, by disconnecting the conduit 50 of the receptacle 4, and by disconnecting the neck 30 of the intermediate tank of the lower end sleeve 10, then just extract it receptacle 4 from above by unlocking the tabs elastic 6 from below the wall 2, then extract the entire intermediate tank 21 and its means of filtering.

The replacement of another intermediate tank 21 is carried out thanks to the positioning operations of the tank in the box, of latching of the receptacle 4 on wall 2 then connecting the different aforementioned connections, carried out in the reverse order of that of dismantling operations.

Claims (14)

1. An apparatus for the dispensing of liquids, in particular of drinks, of the type including :

   a casing (1) provided with at least lateral walls and an upper wall (2), a receptacle (4) in the shape of a flange, mounted on the upper wall of said casing and suitable for receiving the neck (19) of an inverted container (R) containing the liquid to dispense, said receptacle comprising a lower wall passed through by a sleeve,

   at least an intermediate tank (21) suitable to be connected to means of treatment of the aforesaid liquid such as a heating, cooling (29) or a gasification system,

   means (33 to 41) for the inflow of external air into the upper part of the aforesaid intermediate tank (21),

   an outlet union (11) passed through along its length by at least a « liquid » channel (12), this union being suitable to penetrate into the neck (19) of the inverted container (R) and to ensure in this way of putting into communication this container with the aforesaid intermediate tank (21), said union being received in said sleeve, and

   at least a tap (46) accessible from the outside and mounted on an outlet pipe (45) connected to the aforesaid intermediate tank (21),
   characterised in that the aforesaid intermediate tank (21) comprises in its upper part a neck (30) suitable to be engaged in a sealed manner, directly onto the lower end of the sleeve (10).
2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1,
   characterised in that the aforesaid intermediate tank (21) is in plastic material shaped by blowing a piece and comprises on its upper part (26) a relatively rigid wall, and a relatively supple lower part (25), suitable to be engaged in a cooling tray (28), these parts being separated from each other by a constriction (24) of their transverse section.
3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2,
   characterised in that the upper part of the aforesaid cooling tray (28) surrounds the aforesaid constriction (24), so that a plug of air is confined in the space between this constriction and the aforesaid upper part of the tray (28).
4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2.
   characterised in that the space between the constriction (24) of the intermediate tank (21) and the upper part, which surrounds it, of the cooling tray (28) is filled by a thermal insulating material (55).
5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2,
   characterised in that the aforesaid intermediate tank comprises on the relatively rigid wall of its upper part (26) a certain number of branch pipes (43, 52, 54), particularly a lower fresh liquid outlet branch pipe (43) connected to an internal tube (44) emerging near the bottom (22) of the aforesaid intermediate tank (21), and at least one upper branch pipe (52, 54) for outlet of liquid at a temperature close to the ambient, emerging in the aforesaid upper part (26).
6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1,
   characterised in that the intermediate tank (21) is of elongated form, the dimension of its transverse section being several times less than its height.
7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1,
   characterised in that the aforesaid intermediate tank (21) has at the end of its upper part (26) inclined cants (27).
8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1,
   characterised in that the upper part (26) of the intermediate tank (21) comprises as an integral part a pipe (31) serving as a support (40) for the filtering means (33, 34) which comprise the aforesaid means (33 to 41) of external air inflow.
9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 8,
   characterised in that the aforesaid pipe (31) comprises an upper part with a widened section (37) receiving a support grille (33) for a filtering plate (34) having a relatively significant surface.
10. An apparatus in accordance with claim 9,
    characterised in that a membrane (38) comprising a central hole (39) is clamped by its peripheral edge between the aforesaid grille (33) and a support shoulder (40) of the aforesaid pipe (31), the arrangement being such that in case of rise of the liquid in the aforesaid pipe (31), the aforesaid central hole (39) is sealed by application of its perimeter against a support seat (42) of the aforesaid grille (33).
11. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10,
    characterised in that the aforesaid pipe (31) constitutes also a guide for a float (32), the arrangement being such that in case of rise of the liquid in the aforesaid pipe (31), the consecutive rise of the aforesaid float causes the application of the perimeter of the aforesaid central hole (39) of the membrane (38) against the support seat (42) of the aforesaid grille (33).
12. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10 or 11,
    characterised in that the aforesaid upper part with widened section (37) is sealed by a screwed cap (35) causing the clamping, on the one hand of the peripheral edge of the filtering plate (34) against the grille (33), and on the other hand the clamping of the peripheral edge of the membrane (38) against the aforesaid support shoulder (40).
13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 12,
    characterised in that in order to enable the inflow of the external air towards the aforesaid filtering plate (34), the aforesaid cap (35) comprises lateral blowholes (36).
14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1,
    characterised in that the aforesaid receptacle in the shape of a flange (4) comprises elastic tabs (6) suitable to be clipped under the edge of an opening (3) of the upper wall (2) of the aforesaid casing (1) when the aforesaid receptacle has been introduced into this opening.

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