EP1749793A1 - Drinks dispenser for bag-in-box system - Google Patents

Abstract

Beverage dispensing device (10) has a holding device which supports a beverage filled bag. The device has a dispensing mechanism (38) from which the beverage is withdrawn. An air conditioning unit (22,24) is provided for optionally changing the temperature of the beverage in the bag. A bag is inserted into the holding device together with outlet cock. The outlet cock of bag-in-carton-system is attached with the dispensing mechanism for serving directly from outside.

Description

Background of the invention

The invention relates to a beverage dispensing device with a holding device with which at least one bag filled with a drink is supported, a removal device with which the beverage can be removed from the bag, and an air conditioning device with which the temperature of the beverage in the bag is optionally changed can be.

Beverage dispensers of the type mentioned above are used for providing chilled drinks, which are supplied in specially adapted bags thereto. The beverage-filled bags are then inserted into the holding device of the beverage dispenser and, for example, by means of a pump from the bag, according to the wishes of a user of the beverage dispenser, e.g. filled in a cup or a cup. In order that the drinks thus provided can be cooled as required or, if appropriate, also heated, air conditioning devices are also provided on known beverage dispensing devices with which the temperature of the beverage in the bag can be optionally changed.

Although it is possible with the known beverage dispensing equipment to dose the beverage provided in the bag in exact quantities and also to provide the desired temperature, but the beverage dispensing equipment is Overall, comparatively complex designed and therefore require a lot of maintenance and cleaning.

Underlying task

It is an object of the invention to improve a beverage dispenser of the type mentioned in that it operated with very little maintenance and cleaning effort and thus a total of him with a cost especially delivered a bag in a bag well dosed can be served.

Inventive solution

The object is achieved according to the invention with a beverage dispenser with a holding device with which at least one bag filled with a beverage is supported, a removal device with which the beverage can be removed from the bag, and an air conditioning device with which the temperature of the im Can be optionally changed bag, and in which in the holding device a bag are used together with an outlet tap, both of which come from a bag-in-a-box system, and in which the outlet tap of the bag-in-a-box system the removal device is attached directly operable from the outside.

The invention takes advantage of a recent development in the provision of drinks advantage, because there are now standardized bag-in-carton systems offered in which drinks can be bottled and then transported and delivered very advantageous. The bag-in-carton systems each comprise a generally parallelepiped-shaped carton or a box made in particular of a stable paperboard material, in which a bag, which is generally produced from plastic film, is inserted. In this case, special bag-in-carton systems are known in which on the bag also an outlet tap on a connection sleeve is inserted, through which previously the beverage has been filled into the bag. The outlet cock used in this way is inserted together with the bag in the carton of the system and can then be transported to the customer. At a prepared punching in the carton, the customer can move the outlet tap out of the interior of the carton and insert it into the carton wall in such a way that it can directly serve it from the outside. In this way, the customer can then drain the bag from the bag. However, the so-known bag-in-carton systems have the disadvantage that the beverage in the bag is difficult or impossible to be cooled or heated because the carton enclosing the bag at the same time acts as a kind of insulating layer.

The invention is now the novel way to customize a beverage dispensing device with its holding device and removal device such that it can be used directly on him bags together with an outlet cock of a bag-in-a-carton system such that the outlet tap from a user of the beverage dispenser from the outside directly operable attached. The beverage dispenser therefore does not require, for example, a pump or special controls for removing the beverage from the bag. On the contrary, it is possible for the user of the beverage dispenser to discharge the beverage directly from the bag by directly and without any effort from outside operating the outlet cock of the bag actually provided for the bag-in-carton system on the beverage dispenser.

Such a ausgestaltes beverage dispenser with its bag and outlet cock only requires that the stored therein bag is optionally replaced. On the other hand, no special maintenance or cleaning is required. At the same time, the supported in the beverage dispenser bag can be easily conditioned and cooled in particular, because the beverage in the bag is of the pouch of the air-conditioning medium, for example Cooling air, only separated by the previously mentioned cooling film of the bag.

Since, according to the invention, largely standardized assemblies can also be used on the beverage dispenser and, in particular, with regard to the bag-in-carton system, it is possible to achieve an overall particularly inexpensive way of delivering and providing drinks.

The solution according to the invention also has the advantage that it leads to little packaging material and therefore is very environmentally friendly. This is especially true because the type of bags used in the invention with respect to the solution according to the invention in each case without a cardboard surrounding the individual bag can be supplied to the beverage dispenser. Furthermore, with regard to the solution according to the invention, the storage and transport costs are particularly low. The inventively provided and presented drinks are very durable, because the drinks in the respective bags are still under oxygen exclusion, if the bag has already been partially emptied. The solution also makes it possible to easily sample the beverage (s) before they are then ordered, for example, in a restaurant as an "open wine".

Advantageous developments of the invention

In an advantageous embodiment of the beverage dispensing device according to the invention, the sampling device is designed with a spout through which the outlet cock of the bag-in-the-carton system is pushed. With the spout, a mechanically perfectly stable support of the outlet cock of the bag-in-carton system is created, which can be operated very easily by an operator of the beverage dispensing device when exchanging a bag including outlet cock at the same time. The spout also creates a very good seal on the outlet cock between the interior, preferably air-conditioned storage room the bag of the beverage dispenser and its surroundings. The spout is preferably designed with a substantially annular disc or membrane, which is particularly preferably made of a plastic or rubber material having a high elasticity.

Furthermore, more than one removal device is advantageously provided on the holding device in an elevation at the beverage dispenser according to the invention. In this way, it is possible to support a plurality of bags side by side substantially at an altitude, in particular a plane. Not only can several different drinks in individual bags be presented and offered in a particularly appealing way, but it is also possible to arrange different bag sizes behind the removal devices. Thus, for example, with a total of three sampling devices, it is possible to optionally provide three bags of 10 l volume each, or a bag of 10 l and a bag of 20 l volume, or only one bag of 30 l volume. For unused sampling devices can then advantageously also be provided a closure mechanism at the point at which there is otherwise an outlet cock of a bag.

Furthermore, it is advantageous with regard to the beverage dispensing device according to the invention if, with the holding device, a plurality of bags are supported in separate sections of the beverage dispensing device and the air conditioning device individually tempered these sections. As a single-tempered section, for example, a drawer may be designed on the beverage dispenser, in which then one or, as explained last, several bags can be inserted. One or more removal devices according to the invention with associated outlet cock of a bag-in-carton system can then be arranged on the front side of the drawer. The individual drawer can also be assigned its own climate zone, which is fed by an air conditioning unit. Thus, for example, it is possible for a first at the output device according to the invention Tray or drawer for comparatively strongly cooled white wine and a second compartment or drawer are provided for only slightly cooled red wine.

In order to make the temperatures prevailing in the beverage dispensing device according to the invention easily recognizable to an operator, should also be advantageously provided a thermometer, which is directly read from the outside. Particularly advantageous, a separate thermometer is provided for each climate section. In order to provide an association between the temperature displayed on the thermometer and a beverage in the beverage dispenser, the thermometer should be located in proximity to an associated dispenser. Furthermore, in the vicinity of the removal device, in the beverage dispensing device according to the invention, the associated bag often presses against the removal device due to the beverage in the bag, so that there is good heat-conducting contact between the thermometer and the beverage. The thermometer shows in such an arrangement therefore particularly accurate the true temperature of the stored at the sampling device beverage.

Moreover, it is particularly advantageous in the beverage dispenser according to the invention, if a further compartment is provided, which is air conditioned by the Klimaeinrichtuna but which is not adapted directly for receiving a bag together with the outlet tap. Such a compartment may, for example, be used for cooling further drinks in bottles or the like, or it may also be used for pre-cooling bags to be used later in one of the above-mentioned sections of the beverage dispenser. The other compartment is particularly preferably arranged under the other sections or drawers of the beverage dispenser because it usually does not need to be as accessible as these areas of the beverage dispenser.

In that section of the beverage dispenser in which the bag or bags with associated outlet cock is or are arranged to be operated directly, the holding device is particularly preferably designed to support the bag filled with the beverage with a sloping bottom. With a sloping bottom, the beverage in the bag can be directed towards the outlet tap, which can reduce the residual amount of beverage remaining in the bag.

Furthermore, the holding device of the beverage dispensing device according to the invention should be designed to support the or filled with the beverage bag with a grid floor. If, in such a beverage dispensing device, the bag is conditioned with a gaseous medium, in particular cooling air, the grid bottom allows air conditioning of the bag also on its underside.

With regard to a structurally particularly advantageous construction of the beverage dispenser according to the invention, it is further preferred if the holding device for supporting the at least one bag filled with the beverage is designed with an inner frame which is surrounded by a, in particular layer-shaped outer insulation. To the inner frame can be formed in this way a particularly well insulating and substantially closed shell and are taken care of at the same time with the inner frame for a stable support of the relatively heavy drink. The support structure with the inner frame is preferably formed of metal, in particular stainless steel. The outer insulation is preferably coated with outer scratch-resistant surfaces and at least one intermediate layer of particularly good insulating material, such as Styrofoam formed.

Finally, it is particularly preferred in the beverage dispenser according to the invention, when the removal device is provided with a lighting. The lighting improves the usability of the beverage dispenser and also to provide an appealing presentation of the beverage to be taken.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Getränkeausgabegeräts,

Fig. 2

eine erste perspektivische Ansicht einer Schublade eines Getränkeausgabegeräts gemäß Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

eine zweite perspektivische Ansicht einer Schublade eines Getränkeausgabegeräts gemäß Fig. 1,

Fig. 4

eine perspektivische Ansicht des unteren Abschnitts eines Getränkeausgabegeräts gemäß Fig.1 bei entnommener Schublade,

Fig. 5

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Beutels zusammen mit dessen Auslasshahn eines Beutel-im-Karton-Systems, zu dessen Verwendung das Getränkeausgabegerät gemäß Fig. 1 angepasst ist,

Fig. 6

eine abschnittsweise perspektivische Ansicht des Getränkeausgabegeräts gemäß Fig. 1 bei eingesetztem Beutel mit Auslasshahn gemäß Fig. 5,

Fig. 7

eine perspektivische Ansicht entsprechend der Fig. 3 bei eingesetztem Beutel mit Auslasshahn entsprechend Fig. 6,

Fig. 8

eine erste perspektivische Ansicht eines zweiten Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Getränkeausgabegeräts mit einer geschlossenen Türe und

Fig. 9

die Ansicht gemäß Fig. 8 mit geöffneter Türe.

Embodiments of a beverage dispenser according to the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a first embodiment of a beverage dispenser according to the invention,

Fig. 2

1 is a first perspective view of a drawer of a beverage dispenser according to FIG. 1,

Fig. 3

2 is a second perspective view of a drawer of a beverage dispenser according to FIG. 1,

Fig. 4

a perspective view of the lower portion of a beverage dispenser according to Figure 1 with the drawer removed,

Fig. 5

3 is a perspective view of a bag together with its outlet cock of a bag-in-carton system adapted for use with the beverage dispenser according to FIG. 1;

Fig. 6

1 is a sectioned perspective view of the beverage dispenser according to FIG. 1 with the bag with outlet cock according to FIG. 5 inserted, FIG.

Fig. 7

3 shows a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3 when the bag with outlet cock according to FIG. 6 is inserted,

Fig. 8

a first perspective view of a second embodiment of a beverage dispensing device according to the invention with a closed door and

Fig. 9

the view of FIG. 8 with the door open.

Detailed description of the embodiments

1 to 7, a beverage dispensing device 10 is shown, which is designed in the basic structure as a refrigerator with two arranged on a front side one above the other, pull-out drawers 12 which are slidably mounted in a substantially cuboidal housing 14. The housing 14 is provided on its underside with a total of four feet 16 for placement on, for example, a sideboard or counter and at its top with an essay 18, on which at least one advertising space 20 is provided and further controls 22 are provided. With the controls 22 can be controlled by a user of the beverage dispenser 10, a cooling unit 24, which is located in the lower rear portion of the housing 14 and in particular in Fig. 4 is shown in sections.

The two drawers 12 are each designed as a holding device 26 for bags 29, in each of which a drink is provided for serving by means of the beverage dispenser 10. The holding device 26 is formed with a sloping forward inclined bottom 28 which is suspended by means of two, substantially triangular side surfaces 30 and each one of the upper edge of the side surfaces 30 arranged thrust rail 32. The slide rails 32 are displaceably mounted in support rails 34, which in turn are supported on an inner frame 36. The inner frame 36 is a solid metal structure which is inserted inside the housing 14 and fixedly mounted therein and supported. As such, the housing 14 forms an insulating layer between the interior of the housing 14 and its surroundings.

Each of the drawers 12 further comprises a total of three removal devices 38, which i.a. each formed by a respective through hole 40, of which three are formed side by side in an altitude in a drawer 12 belonging to the front panel 42. In each of the through-openings 40, a spout 43 is inserted through which a respective outlet valve 44 belonging to a bag 29 is pushed and arranged substantially stationary therein.

The outlet taps 44 and the bags 29 are thereby removed from a conventional (not further shown) bag-in-carton system and simply inserted from above into the respectively associated drawer 12. Arranged in this way, a beverage can be removed from the associated bag 28 by a user of the beverage dispensing device 10 at each of the outlet taps 44 by means of a button 46 provided there without requiring conveying or control means at the beverage dispensing device 10.

In order to provide the drinks dispenser 10 further for a particularly fast and accurate temperature control of the stored drinks, the floors 28 of the drawers 12 are also designed as a grid and for each of the drawers 12 is a separate climate zone formed for the by the user or operator the controls 22 a separate temperature can be preselected. This temperature specification is then recognized by a control unit 24 belonging to the control unit and assigned a corresponding cooling capacity for the individual climate zone. To control a proper temperature control of the individual cooling zones, a thermometer 48, which can be read from the outside, is provided on each of the front panels 42 of the drawers 12, the temperature sensor (not shown) being in the immediate vicinity of the respective central through-opening 40.

In order to ensure a particularly appealing presentation of auszuschenkenden drinks, and also the operator in low light conditions (as they occur more frequently in restaurants) to facilitate the operation of the outlet taps 44 is arranged on the respective upper edge portion of the front panels 42, a light bar 50, the like partially covered, that it emits light mainly down along the associated front panel 42 down. Furthermore, the spouts 43 on the through-openings 40 are each made of a fluorescent material which, excited by light from the light strips 50, emits light itself and therefore forms a single, better-illuminated area in the region of the associated outlet cock 44.

8 and 9, a beverage dispensing device 10 is illustrated, which also has a substantially cuboidal housing 14 on feet 16. At the front of this housing 14, in contrast to the embodiment described above, not a drawer 12 but a side-pivoting door 52 is formed.

In approximately the middle of the door 52 is an externally accessible substantially cuboidal recess 54, on whose rear side facing the housing 14 56, a holding device 26 is formed for two bags 29. The holding device 26 is designed in such a way as a grate compartment accessible from above, that the bags 29 can be used with the door 52 open on the inside of this door 52 in the holding device 26 on an inclined bottom 28.

On the back 56 of the recess 54, two through holes 40 are further formed, into which in accordance with the embodiment described above, in each case an outlet 44 of the bag 29 can be pushed through, in this way, even with the door 52 closed from the outside easily accessible and constructive very easy to make device 38 for drinks. The drinks can then at the sampling device 38, for example, in a Glass, a cup or a cup can be filled, which can be placed in the recess 54 on a bottom surface 58, while at the same time tempered in the interior of the housing 14 bag 29, in particular by means of a cooling unit 24 can be cooled.

Finally, it should be noted that all the features that are mentioned in the application documents and in particular in the dependent claims, in spite of the formal reference back to one or more specific claims, even individually or in any combination should receive independent protection.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Beverage dispenser

12

drawer

14

casing

16

foot

18

essay

20

advertising space

22

operating element

24

cooling unit

26

holder

28

ground

29

bag

30

side surface

32

push rail

34

rail

36

inner frame

38

removal device

40

Through opening

42

front panel

43

spout

44

drain tap

46

button

48

thermometer

50

light bar

52

door

54

deepening

56

back

58

floor area

Claims (10)

A beverage dispenser (10) having a holding device (26) with which at least one bag (29) filled with a beverage is supported, a removal device (38) with which the beverage can be removed from the bag (29), and an air conditioning device ( 22, 24), with which the temperature of the beverage in the bag (29) can optionally be changed, in which in the holding device (26) a bag (29) are inserted together with an outlet cock (44), which from a bag come in the carton system, and in which the outlet cock (44) of the bag-in-carton system is attached to the removal device (38) directly operable from the outside. Beverage dispenser according to claim 1,
characterized in that the removal device (38) is designed with a spout (43) through which the outlet cock (44) of the bag-in-carton system is pushed. Beverage dispenser according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized. in that a plurality of removal devices (38) are provided on the holding device (26) at an altitude. Beverage dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized in that with the holding device (26) a plurality of bags (29) in separate sections (12) of the beverage dispensing device (10) are supported and the air conditioning (22, 24) these sections (12) individually tempered. Beverage dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 4,
characterized in that a thermometer (48) is provided, which is directly readable from the outside. Beverage dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized in that a further compartment is provided, which is conditioned by the air conditioning device (22, 24). Beverage dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 6,
characterized in that the holding device (26) is designed to support the bag (29) filled with the beverage with a sloping bottom (28). Beverage dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 7,
characterized in that the holding device (26) for supporting the filled with the beverage bag (29) is designed with a grid floor. Beverage dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 8,
characterized in that the holding device (26) for supporting the filled with the beverage bag (29) is designed with an inner frame (36) which is surrounded by an outer insulation (14). Beverage dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 9,
characterized in that the removal device (38) is provided with a lighting (43. 50).

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