Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
  • B67D1/07—Cleaning beverage-dispensing apparatus
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
  • B67D1/08—Details
  • B67D1/0857—Cooling arrangements
  • B67D1/0858—Cooling arrangements using compression systems
  • B67D1/0861—Cooling arrangements using compression systems the evaporator acting through an intermediate heat transfer means
  • B67D1/0865—Cooling arrangements using compression systems the evaporator acting through an intermediate heat transfer means by circulating a cooling fluid along beverage supply lines, e.g. pythons
  • B67D1/0867—Cooling arrangements using compression systems the evaporator acting through an intermediate heat transfer means by circulating a cooling fluid along beverage supply lines, e.g. pythons the cooling fluid being a liquid
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
  • B67D1/08—Details
  • B67D1/0857—Cooling arrangements
  • B67D1/0869—Cooling arrangements using solid state elements, e.g. Peltier cells
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B67D3/00—Apparatus or devices for controlling flow of liquids under gravity from storage containers for dispensing purposes
  • B67D3/0009—Apparatus or devices for controlling flow of liquids under gravity from storage containers for dispensing purposes provided with cooling arrangements
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B67D2210/00—Indexing scheme relating to aspects and details of apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught or for controlling flow of liquids under gravity from storage containers for dispensing purposes
  • B67D2210/00002—Purifying means
  • B67D2210/00013—Sterilising means
  • B67D2210/00026—Heaters
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D31/00—Other cooling or freezing apparatus
  • F25D31/002—Liquid coolers, e.g. beverage cooler
  • F25D31/003—Liquid coolers, e.g. beverage cooler with immersed cooling element

Definitions

• the invention is in the field of devices for distributing beverages by gravity from a storage container, and it relates to an autonomous dispenser of fresh drink in a cup, in particular from a bottle with a removable storage neck.
• drink dispensers intended to be installed in a collective space, place of work or visit in particular.
• these dispensers are more particularly known those which include a reserve of drink packaged in a neck bottle, which is supported under load by the dispenser in the upside-down position, for a gravity distribution of the drink that it contains.
• the bottle is removable for replacement when it is empty, and the dispenser includes means for percussion of a cover for closing the installed bottle.
• the cover being perforated, the drink flows by gravity towards a pipe for bringing the drink to a dispensing tap, after it has passed through cooling means to cool it.
• the cooling means comprise an exchanger formed by a coil conveying a liquid refrigerated by a cold source.
• the coil is wound around a capacity interposed between the percussion means and the beverage dispensing tap, inside which capacity transits the beverage and where the exchange of calories takes place between the beverage and the liquid. cooling.
• dispensers further include a second beverage supply conduit which communicates with the percussion means and a tap, for additional distribution of the beverage at room temperature, that is to say without intermediate passage of the drink in the cooling means.
• FR2769610 MISTRAL DISTRIBUTION AS
• EP0581491 EBAC ltd
• Thermostatic means assigned to each of said second cooling stages for measuring the temperature of the drink, control if necessary the operation of a valve for admitting the heat transfer liquid into the cooling chamber of the corresponding drink.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a gravity dispenser for fresh drink from a removable storage bottle, which bases its competitiveness on a reduction in maintenance costs, with regard to hygiene more particularly, both by reduction in the frequency of maintenance interventions only by a reduction in the number of operations to be carried out during these, and on a satisfactory cooling capacity of the drink during peak periods, with latent operating costs nevertheless low.
• the present invention will be described in relation to the figure of the appended plate which schematically illustrates a beverage dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
• a drink dispenser has the following characteristics, taken alone or in combination.
• the distributor being a distributor of cold drink by gravity from a removable storage container 2, this is mainly composed: a) of a chassis 4 with vertical extension, b) of support means under load in the inverted position of a removable container 2, the latter being shaped as a neck bottle, c) means of percussion of a cover 6 for closing the bottle 2, comprising a striker 8 with vertical extension comprising at least one channel 10 for evacuating the drink out of the cylinder 2, the said striker 8 further comprising a duct 12 for admitting air into the cylinder 2 in compensation for the volume of beverage withdrawn, duct 12 air intake in communication with the outside via a non-return valve 14 of the drink and an air filter 16, d) of a device for cooling the drink, comprising a source of cold 18 to refrigerate a caloric transfer agent maintained in balance between its liquid and solid phase, a beverage refreshment chamber 20, in which the caloric exchange takes place between said agent and the beverage, and a conduit 22 for dispensing fresh beverage in communication with said channel
• the cooling device is composed of: a) a primary exchanger 26, in which the cooling of the caloric transfer agent takes place, the said primary exchanger 26 comprising a primary exchange chamber 28 containing the said caloric transfer agent, intended to be in equilibrium with its solid phase, and said source 18 of cold, b) a secondary exchanger 30, comprising a secondary exchange chamber 20 containing the said transfer agent and at least in part the said cool drink distribution duct 10-22, the latter being shaped as a serpentine 22 with extension vertical, of the order of two to five times the diameter of the coil in particular, c) of a closed hydraulic circuit, comprising the primary chamber 26 and the secondary chamber 30, connected to one another by pipes said to be respectively 32 and return 34, to convey between said primary 26 and secondary 30 exchangers said transfer agent, by means of a pump 36 placed on the circuit, on the return line 34 for example, d) thermostatic means 38 located in the secondary chamber 20 for measuring the temperature of the transfer agent present, said thermostatic means 38 constituting control means for activating or stopping the pump 36,
• thermoelectric means 40 placed in the primary chamber for activating or stopping the production of cold from said cold source 18, and a heat source 42, advantageously static, or ambient, if not produced from an electrical auxiliary energy source in particular, said source heat 42 constituting means for ensuring continuity in the circuit of a liquid passage of the transfer agent.
• the pump is not permanently activated but only to meet the specific needs of users, its implementation being dependent on the temperature of the transfer agent inside the secondary chamber, allowing '' obtain fresh beverages at any time, including during peak periods, without incurring untimely operating costs during periods of non-withdrawal of fresh beverages.
• the preferred configuration of the serpentine fresh drink distribution circuit 22 with a significant axial extension of at least twice its diameter gives the drink that it conveys a dynamic capable of evacuating contaminations unexpectedly or accidentally present. in the beverage distribution circuit, which allows the sanitary controls of the dispenser and the cleaning operations of the latter to be spaced over time, with a reduction in the related maintenance costs.
• said cold source is for example constituted by a coil 44 forming one evaporator of a refrigerating source.
• said static heat source it is constituted by an extension in the primary chamber 28 of at least one of the supply and return pipes 32 of the caloric transfer agent , which connect the primary 28 and secondary 20 chambers to each other, said conduits 32 and 34 drawing their heat from the ambient air.
• the said static heat source is constituted by a circuit 42 derived from the heat transfer agent, for maintaining outside the chamber. primary 28 of an amount of agent coolant inside said closed circuit, quantity therefore not subject to cooling in the primary exchanger 26 and thereby remaining in the liquid state.
• said derivative circuit 42 constitutes with the primary chamber 28 a one-piece assembly, molded "by blowing" from a plastic material around rigid inlet 46 and outlet 48 conduits of the coil 44, and around a tube 50 housing the corresponding thermostatic means 40, the coil 44 being disposed inside the primary chamber 28 which contains the heat transfer agent.
• the secondary chamber is manufactured in a similar manner, namely by maintaining the coil 22 disposed between the two shells of a mold comprising indentations for the passage of said supply and return conduits 32 and 34 of the heat transfer agent, as well as a tube 52 for receiving the thermostatic means 38, inside which mold is "blown” a plastic cylinder.
• a body 54 inserted between the turns of the coil before “blowing", which occupies the interior space of the coil 22 for the flow of the drink in order to limit the capacity of the secondary chamber 20 reserved for the caloric transfer agent.
• the said closed circuit is made up of primary 28 and secondary 20 chambers, as well as said supply and return lines 34, the pump being placed on any one of these, and the closed circuit 28,32,20,34,36 is maintained at atmospheric pressure, the pump 36 constituting only a fluid circulator offering the advantage of being silent, as well as reduced wear and energy consumption.
• at least any one of the primary 28 and / or secondary 20 chambers is provided with a filling plug 56, provided with a semi-permeable membrane for communication with the ambient air.
• the interior volume of the secondary chamber 20 is not completely occupied by the said agent, but comprises a part occupied by the ambient air to absorb the variations in volume of the heat transfer agent.
• the appropriate caloric transfer agent is water.
• the cylinder 2 is supported under load by the chassis 4 in the inverted position via its neck 58 which rests on a seat 64,66 of the striker 8, on which striker 8 the neck 58 is threaded for the centering of the cylinder 2 on the chassis 4 by means of its neck.
• the body 60 of the cylinder is in contact with the chassis 4 by means of flexible members 62, which constitute means for absorbing the tolerances and the geometric imperfections of the body 60 of the cylinder 2.
• Such an arrangement of the support means 64,66 and centering 8,62 of the cylinder 2 on the dispenser by means of its neck 58 tends to reduce the risk of leaks, by a spontaneous prohibition against damaging lopsidedness. of the cylinder 2 on the striker 8 and by a repercussion of the weight of the cylinder 2 on the chassis 4 in a concentrated axial zone thereof, limiting the repercussions of the weight of cylinder 2 on peripheral zones of the chassis 4 which would have for consequence of damaging its stability.
• Said flexible members 62 are for example constituted by at least one cushion of elastic material which forms an elastic seat for the body 60 of the cylinder 2, preferably in conical bearing.
• the neck 58 of the cylinder 2 axially bears against a monobloc plate 64 of the striker 8, forming the said seat, by means of studs 66 with which the latter is provided, so that the cylinder 2 is maintained in the inverted position by means of at least three points, preferably in spherical range, for supporting its neck 58 on the plate 64 of the striker 8.
• the neck 58 is preferably housed in floating contact at the inside of a sleeve 68 for protecting and guiding the neck 58 when the carboy 2 is put in place on the chassis 4. Note the funnel-shaped conformation of the internal surface of the sleeve 68, to facilitate the introduction of the neck 58.
• the said cushion 62 at least comprises four equally distributed bearings at the periphery of the body 60 of the cylinder 2, preferably supported by vertical feet 70 taking axial support on a central column of the chassis 4 and thereby favoring the said axial repercussion of the charge of the cylinder 2 on the chassis 4.
• the dispenser preferably comprises shock-absorbing means of the impact of the impact of the cover 6 of the cylinder 2.
• These means interposed between the cylinder 2 and the chassis 4, comprise a flexible pad 72 of elastomer interposed between the plate 64 and the chassis 4.
• the dispenser comprises means 80-82-84-76-74 for draining an unexpected flow of the beverage which may occur in the vicinity of the striker 8 during the withdrawal of the cylinder for its replacement, to a basin 74 of collection, preferably arranged in the lower zone of the dispenser, that is to say under the cooling means 26.30, to avoid any stagnation of the drink likely to cause pollution.
• the drainage and the bringing of said drink flows to the basin 74 is preferably carried out naturally by gravity, via a drainage conduit 76, which connects said drainage means to the basin and which extends over the height of the chassis 4.
• the dispenser preferably comprises a drainage channel 94 for beverage overflows in the tap area at least 92 for withdrawing the beverage, leading to said drainage conduit 76.
• the collection basin 74 is advantageously disposed above the cold source 18, with a view to evaporation of said beverage flows under the effect of the heat produced by the cold generating means.
• the collection basin 74 incorporates a heating resistor 78, known as a dehydrator, of low power but of permanent operation to ensure evaporation of the flows of collected beverages, even in the event of prolonged shutdown of the cold source 18, stop possibly controlled by the thermostatic means 40 of the primary exchanger 26.
• the said drainage means 80-82-84-76-74 and the coil 22, the very conformation of which avoids the areas of retention of the drink, and the above indicative proportions of which result in a flow of the beverage with a dynamic conducive to spontaneous cleaning of the internal surfaces of the coil 22, constitute in combination overall sanitation means of the dispenser aiming to space maintenance operations. It will be understood that this combination of means is preferably supplemented by all of the abovementioned provisions aimed at limiting the stagnation of lost flows of drink, or of leakage, and the presence of inopportune retention zones thereof, at least in the vicinity of the distribution channel.
• these comprise a channel 80-82-84 communicating on the one hand with the internal volume of the sleeve 68 for protecting the neck 58, at the base of the seat 64-66 on which the neck 58 rests and more particularly at the base of the plate 64 overhung by the neck 58 which rests on the support pads 66, and communicating on the other hand with said drainage conduit 76.
• said drainage channel 80-82- 84 is further communicating with a space 82 confined between the outer surface of the sleeve 68 and the inner surface of a housing 86 of the chassis 4 which receives it, the said space 82 forming a complementary channel for capturing the flows of beverage in order to avoid its stagnation in a space separating the sleeve 68 from the chassis 4.
• the advantageous double function of the sleeve 68 which at the same time constitutes a member for protecting and guiding the neck 58 during the installation of the cylinder 2, and which participates in the means 80-82-84- 76-74 for draining beverage spills.
• the zones of the conduits 10,88 conveying the drink which are arranged in an atmosphere at ambient temperature, are equipped with decontamination means constituted by means 90 of heating the conduits to a temperature of the order of at least 80 °. , so that the cleaning of the conduits 10,88 at least in the abovementioned zones is carried out quickly and simply using programmed control means for the autonomous implementation at regular intervals of the heating means 90, whereby maintenance operations are reduced, with the ensuing economic consequences.
• These heating means are for example constituted by at least one resistor 90 disposed in the vicinity, or even wound around, of said duct zones. It will be noted that the combination between the sanitation means 80-82-84-76-74 and 22, and the sterilization means 90 contribute overall to reduce the maintenance costs of the apparatus of the invention.
• the distributor further comprises at least any one of the following provisions: a) a cup distributor fixed or even incorporated into the chassis (not shown in the figure), b) a second distribution conduit 88, in communication, upstream of the cooling means, with said beverage evacuation channel 10, the second distribution conduit being provided with a tap 92 for withdrawing the beverage at room temperature, c) an electronic clock (not shown in the figure), the implementation of which is placed under the dependence of a sensor for the presence of the cylinder 2, to indicate, by means of a visual signal for example, the exceeding of a predetermined installation time d '' the same cylinder 2 on the dispenser.
• a cool drink dispenser by gravity from a neck bottle with a percolable lid includes means for supporting the bottle in position overturned, preferably supported by the intermediary of its neck which is advantageously centered on a striker of the dispenser, the said striker comprising a cylinder draining channel which communicates with a coil to conduct the drink through a secondary exchanger, the l caloric transfer agent is cooled beforehand in a primary exchanger and is brought to the secondary exchanger by means of a pump whose implementation is controlled by thermostatic means for measuring the temperature of the transfer agent in the secondary exchanger, the primary exchanger comprising a heat source to maintain a cone passage of the transfer agent inside the closed circuit connecting the primary and secondary exchangers with each other, including when the pump is stopped.
• said cooling means in particular those 18,26,30,32,34, 36,38,40,42 as defined ⁇ 2 of this description, constitute cooling means to equip a beverage dispenser, both by gravity by means of a storage reserve and from the water distribution network, or even from a pressurized beverage distribution, via a pump or a reserve of beverage contained under pressure in the barrel. It will thus be understood that, according to these latter cases, the means of supplying beverages described in ⁇ 1 of this description, and in particular the means of percussion of a bottle neck with the relative distribution channel, are replaced by means corresponding connection.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)
• Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
• Non-Alcoholic Beverages (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=9532826

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (11)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (35)

Family Cites Families (8)

• 1998
  • 1998-11-09 FR FR9814429A patent/FR2785600A1/fr active Pending
• 1999
  • 1999-10-12 WO PCT/FR1999/002463 patent/WO2000027744A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1999-10-12 BR BR9915170-7A patent/BR9915170A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1999-10-12 US US09/830,583 patent/US6442960B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-10-12 CA CA002350662A patent/CA2350662C/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-10-12 AT AT99949044T patent/ATE233714T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1999-10-12 DE DE69905748T patent/DE69905748T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-10-12 EP EP99949044A patent/EP1129024B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-10-12 ES ES99949044T patent/ES2194514T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-10-12 AU AU62066/99A patent/AU6206699A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-10-12 CN CN99815404A patent/CN1106341C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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