EP4067295B1 - Machine for dispensing a beverage provided with a cover for closing a chamber for receiving a beverage container such as a barrel - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a beverage dispensing machine which notably comprises a chamber for receiving a beverage container, such as a beer keg, and a cover allowing the opening and closing of the reception chamber in order to position or extract the beverage container in the open position.

More precisely, the invention aims to develop a system for opening and closing the lid.

State of the art

Beverage dispensing machines are known to those skilled in the art. These include in particular a body which defines a chamber for receiving a beverage container, for example a barrel, forming a beverage refill and a movable cover with respect to the body between an open position in which the beverage container beverage can be installed or removed from the receiving chamber and a closed position in which the beverage container is seated in the receiving chamber and the beverage can be dispensed. An opening and closing system is arranged between the cover and the body of the machine to lock and unlock the cover with respect to the body, so as to allow passage into said open position during unlocking and, vice versa, maintaining said closed position during locking.

The applicant is aware of the patent application EP1298088A9 describing such a beverage dispensing machine. More precisely, the patent application EP1298088A9 discloses a beer machine provided with a cooling chamber in which a keg of beer can be placed, this cooling chamber being closed by a cover. Closing of the cover is carried out by pressing on a handle which extends into the cover by a cam, said cam comprising two teeth participating in opening and closing the cover by relying on a lock arranged on the cover. The lock cooperates with a housing arranged on the body of the machine to move into a locking or unlocking position. The first tooth activates the lock in the unlocking position when the handle is raised, that is to say pulled towards the outside of the cover, thus authorizing the opening of the cover and access to the cooling chamber. The second tooth activates the lock in the locking position when the handle is lowered, that is to say pushed against the cover, thus ensuring that the cover is maintained in the closing position of the cooling chamber.

When using this beer machine according to the patent application EP1298088A9 , it is necessary to properly operate the handle in the lowered position once the cover closes the cooling chamber, so that the lock is moved into the housing in the locking position by the second tooth of the cam. Maintaining the cover in the closing position of the receiving chamber is therefore not instantaneous during said closing, manipulation of the handle being necessary.

Presentation of the invention

The invention aims to ensure instantaneous retention of the cover in the closed position of the receiving chamber as soon as said cover moves into the closed position. Another objective is to reduce the forces exerted on the handle when opening the lid. Another objective is to facilitate the use of the beverage dispensing machine when replacing the beverage container. Another objective is to simplify the design of the lid opening and closing system implemented on the beverage preparation machine.

These objectives are achieved thanks to the invention which relates to a beverage dispensing machine, which comprises a chamber for receiving a beverage container, in particular a barrel, forming a beverage refill and a movable cover between an open position in which the beverage container can be installed or removed from the receiving chamber and a position closed in which the beverage container is in place and the beverage can be dispensed. Furthermore, the beverage dispensing machine comprises at least one movable lock between a holding position in which said at least one lock cooperates with at least one receiving housing to hold the cover in the closed position and a release position in which said at least one lock comes out of said at least one receiving housing to allow the cover to move into the open position. According to the invention, the beverage dispensing machine comprises a means for returning the at least one lock to the holding position, a handle and a separation member. In addition, the handle and the separation member are movable between an activated position in which the separation member moves the cover away from the receiving chamber to move the lock into the release position, against the means of return and a rest position in which the separation member acts neither on the cover nor on the receiving chamber.

In other words, the lock can move into a locking position and into an unlocking position, the locking position being defined by default in the absence of any constraint, thanks to the presence of the return means which returns the lock in said locking position. In this locking position and when the cover is in the closed position, the lock is in the holding position where it cooperates with the receiving housing to maintain said closed position. When the handle is activated to open the cover, it interacts with the separation member to exert an opposing force between the cover and the body of the machine, thus making it possible to push the cover away from the body of the machine. This opposing force, once greater than the return force of the return means, forces the lock to move into the unlocking position, that is to say in the release position where said lock is outside the receiving housing, said opposing force then forcing the cover to move into the open position. The interaction of the cover and the separation member makes it possible to multiply the effort making it possible to provide an opposing force greater than the return force of the return means. Thus, the passage of the cover into the open position is carried out without requiring a significant tensile effort on the handle on the part of the user, in order to overcome the return force of the return means and to move the lock to the unlocking position. Once the cover is in the open position, the lock naturally returns to the locking position under the action of the return means. Conversely, when the handle is not activated, no interaction occurs between said handle and the separation member. Without this interaction, moving the cover into the closed position is possible as soon as the thrust force exerted manually on the cover during its passage into the closed position is sufficient to overcome the return force of the return means and, thus, to move the lock in the unlocked position. Once the closed position is reached, the return means ensures the natural return of the lock to the locking and holding position, placed in the housing.

According to one embodiment of the beverage dispensing machine, the handle is movable in rotation and the separation member is movable in translation. In the activated position, the handle is in a raised position and the separation member in an extended position. In the rest position, the handle is in a folded position and the separation member in a retracted position. The rotation of the handle in the raised position makes it possible to act on the separation member to ensure its translation into the extended position and cause this opposing force between the cover and the body forcing the cover to open once the return force of the means of recall defeated. Conversely, rotating the handle in the folded position allows the separation member to return to the retracted position for closing the cover.

According to one embodiment of the beverage dispensing machine, it includes a spring for returning the separation member to the rest position. The return to the rest position of the separation member thus occurs naturally under the action of the spring, which concomitantly ensures the return of the handle to the rest position.

According to one embodiment of the beverage dispensing machine, the handle and the separation member are arranged on the cover. This arrangement facilitates the implementation of the beverage dispensing machine. A variant could however, be considered by arranging the handle and the separation member on the body of the machine instead of the cover.

According to one embodiment of the beverage dispensing machine, the separation member comprises at least one support tab on the receiving chamber. Preferably, two support legs are provided, for better distribution of forces.

According to one embodiment of the beverage dispensing machine, the at least one lock is arranged on the cover and the at least one receiving housing is arranged on the receiving chamber. An inversion is however possible, according to an alternative embodiment. Preferably, according to this embodiment, the at least one lock is movable in radial translation on the cover.

According to one embodiment of the beverage dispensing machine, the means for returning the at least one lock to the holding position is a spring. Variants of the return means are possible, for example a flexible strip naturally pushing the lock into the holding position (locking position).

According to a preferred embodiment of the beverage dispensing machine, the receiving chamber has an upper opening, the cover being movable in rotation between the open position and the closed position. This implementation makes it possible in particular to place a beverage container extending vertically in the receiving chamber. Pivoting the cover relative to the machine body makes it easier to open and close the cover. Variant embodiments could be envisaged, with a cover arranged on the front face or on the rear face of the receiving chamber, in particular for inserting from the front or from the rear a beverage container which extends horizontally in said chamber reception. According to this preferred embodiment, the beverage dispensing machine comprises a device for withdrawing the beverage contained in the beverage container, said withdrawal device being arranged near the upper opening. Preferably, according to this embodiment, the handle is arranged near the device withdrawal of the drink, which facilitates the opening of the cover from the front face of the beverage dispensing machine, the device for withdrawing the beverage being placed facing the user.

Brief description of the figures

• La figure 1 illustre une vue d'ensemble de la machine de distribution de boisson selon une mise en oeuvre préférentielle et non limitative ;
• La figure 2 illustre notamment deux verrous montés dans le couvercle ;
• La figure 3 illustre notamment un montage en liaison pivot de la poignée vis à vis d'une pièce de support fixe agencée dans le couvercle ;
• La figure 4 illustre de face notamment les verrous, la poignée et l'organe de séparation agencés dans le couvercle ;
• La figure 5 met en évidence la présence de deux logements de réception sur le corps de la machine, dans lesquels viennent se loger les verrous ;
• La figure 6 illustre une première position de la poignée et de l'organe de séparation, le couvercle étant en position fermée ;
• La figure 7 met en évidence la position du verrou dans le logement de réception selon cette première position de la figure 6 ;
• La figure 8 illustre une seconde position de la poignée et de l'organe de séparation, le couvercle s'apprêtant à passer en position ouverte ;
• La figure 9 met en évidence la position du verrou dans le logement de réception selon cette seconde position de la figure 8.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description based on figures, among which:

• There figure 1 illustrates an overview of the beverage dispensing machine according to a preferential and non-limiting implementation;
• There figure 2 illustrates in particular two locks mounted in the cover;
• There Figure 3 illustrates in particular a mounting in pivot connection of the handle with respect to a fixed support part arranged in the cover;
• There figure 4 illustrates from the front in particular the locks, the handle and the separation member arranged in the cover;
• There Figure 5 highlights the presence of two receiving housings on the body of the machine, in which the locks are housed;
• There Figure 6 illustrates a first position of the handle and the separation member, the cover being in the closed position;
• There Figure 7 highlights the position of the lock in the receiving housing according to this first position of the Figure 6 ;
• There figure 8 illustrates a second position of the handle and the separation member, the cover preparing to move into the open position;
• There Figure 9 highlights the position of the lock in the receiving housing according to this second position of the figure 8 .

Detailed description of the invention

In the remainder of the description, unless otherwise indicated, the term “machine” is used to designate the beverage dispensing machine which is the subject of the invention.

The terms “upper”, “lower”, “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “rear”, “lateral”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, etc. which could be used in the present description, will be done in consideration of the normal position of the elements of the machine placed in a functional configuration on a horizontal support plane, the withdrawal device of the machine being placed facing the user.

On the figure 1 a preferred embodiment of the machine 1 according to the invention is illustrated, which comprises a body 2 which extends vertically and preferably has a substantially cylindrical shape. Other shapes of body 2 could be considered, for example a parallelepiped shape. As illustrated by figures 6 And 8 , this body 2 defines a reception chamber 3 in which a beverage container 4 can be placed. In the present case, the beverage container 4 is a barrel, for example a beer barrel, the reception chamber 3 being provided with a cooling system 5, such as already exists on beer taps designed to equip homes and allowing quality draft beer to be available at home while preserving all the aromas and freshness of the beer which is packaged in five or six liter mini-kegs, for example. The machine 1 also includes a withdrawal device 6 provided with a lever 7 and a pouring spout 8, as illustrated in figure 1 . The withdrawal device 6 is arranged in the upper part 2a of the body 2, at the level of the upper opening 9 of the receiving chamber 3 through which the beverage container 4 is introduced.

As illustrated on the figures 1 , 6 And 8 , the machine 1 comprises a cover 10 making it possible to close the upper opening 9 of the receiving chamber 3. The cover 10 is mounted in pivot connection with axis X1 vis-à-vis the body 2, opposite the device withdrawal 6, in order to be able to be moved either in a closed position illustrated in particular on said figures 1 , 6 And 8 , making it possible to maintain the beverage container 4 inside the receiving chamber 3, or in an open position (not shown) where the receiving chamber 3 is accessible to allow the extraction of the beverage container 4 once emptied and replacing it with another full one. The pivoting of the cover 10 relative to the body 2 along the axis X1 takes place from front to back and vice versa, in the direction of the double arrow 11 illustrated in figure 1 , which facilitates access to the reception chamber 3 by being placed opposite the machine 1.

The following description details a preferred implementation of an opening and closing system 12 between the cover 10 and the body 2 on the machine 1.

In view of the figures 1 , 6 And 8 , the cover 10 comprises an external shell 13 which has on its upper face a cavity 14 making it possible to accommodate a handle 15. The cavity 14 and the handle 15 are adjacent to the withdrawal device 6 when the cover 10 is in the closed position, as particularly shown by figure 1 , which facilitates the opening of the cover 10 by pulling upwards on the handle 15, when the user is placed in front of the machine 1.

In view of the figures 4 , 6 And 8 , the cover 10 comprises an internal shell 16 which closes the upper opening 9 of the receiving chamber 3 via a thermal seal 17 arranged at this upper opening 9, in the closed position of said cover 10. The outer shell 13 and the inner shell 16 define a compartment 18. The figures 2 to 5 allow you to view in more detail certain elements of the opening and closing system 12, placed in compartment 18. As illustrated on the figure 2 , the internal shell 16 comprises two cages 19, 20 in which two locks 21, 22 are respectively mounted in slide connections of axes X2 and figure 2 . Two return springs 23, 24 are placed in these cages 19, 20 between the rear ends 21a, 22a of the locks 21, 22 and the rear ends 19a, 20a of said cages 19, 20, which makes it possible to naturally return said locks 21, 22 in a locking position where the heads 25, 25' of the locks 21, 22 have come out of the cages 19, 20 and open towards the front of the internal shell 16 passing through two windows 160, 161 arranged on a contour 162 of said internal shell 16, as shown in particular in Figure 4 .

In view of the figures 3 to 9 , the heads 25, 25' of the locks 21, 22 each comprise an upper bevel 25a, 25'a and a lower bevel 25b, 25'b. The body 2 of the machine 1 comprises two receiving housings 26, 27 which receive the heads 25, 25' of the locks 21, 22 when the cover 10 is in the closed position. These receiving housings 26, 27 include an upper bevel 26a illustrated on the figures 6 to 9 . Only the upper bevel 26a of the receiving housing 26 is illustrated on the figures 6 to 9 , this upper bevel also existing for the other receiving housing 27. The upper bevel 26a on the receiving housings 26, 27 and the upper bevel 25a, 25'a on the heads 25, 25' of the locks 21, 22 will facilitate the retraction of the locks 21, 22 inside the cages 19, 20 in an unlocking position, according to which the springs 23, 24 are compressed, when the cover 10 is lifted upwards and moves away from the body 2 of the machine 1, as explained in the remainder of the description. On the Figure 5 , the upper bevels 26a of the receiving housings 26, 27 do not appear, these upper bevels 26a being arranged on a part 200 of the body 2 not shown on this Figure 5 , in order to be able to visualize the positioning of the heads 25, 25' of the locks 21, 22 in said receiving housings 26, 27, said part 200 however appearing on the figures 6 to 9 .

In view of the figures 3 , 4 , 6 And 8 , a support part 28 is mounted in the compartment 18 and secured to the external 13 and internal 16 shells. This support part 28 comprises two lateral end portions 28a, 28b which define two first bearing parts 30a, 31a, which cooperate with two second bearing parts 30b arranged on an internal face 29 of the external shell 13. On the figures 6 And 8 , only the second bearing part 30b is illustrated which cooperates with the lateral end portion 28a of the support part 28, the design of the second bearing part cooperating with the other lateral end portion 28b of the support part support 28 being identical. On the figures 6 And 8 , the support part 28 is not illustrated, to better discern the other elements of the opening and closing system 12. These first bearing parts 30a, 31a and second bearing parts 30b cooperate to receive in pivot connection of axis 14a, 14b of the cavity 14 receiving said handle 15 outside the outer shell 13. Thus the handle 15 can be grasped from the outside of the cover 10 by placing the fingers of the hand in the cavity 14, then pulled towards the top, which causes the handle 15 to pivot along the axis X4.

In view of the figures 2 And 4 to 9 , a separation member 34 is placed in the compartment 18 and has in its front part two legs 35, 36 which extend towards the front and are curved downwards. These two tabs 35, 36 pass through two respective openings 37, 38 arranged on the internal shell 16 in order to come to bear against an upper face 39a of a rim 39 arranged on the part 200 of the body 2. On the figures 6 to 9 , only the tab 35 resting on the rim 39 is illustrated, the principle being identical with the other tab 36. The separation member 34 comprises in its rear part two pins 40, 41 which extend downwards. These two pins 40, 41 are arranged respectively opposite two tubular cavities 42 arranged on the internal shell 16, inside the compartment 18. A single tubular cavity 42 appears on the figures 2 , 6 And 8 , each tubular cavity 42 and respective pin 40, 41 allow the reception of a spring 43, 44 mounted in compression between the internal shell 16 and the separation member 34. The tubular cavities 42 receive the lower portions of the springs 43, 44 and the pins 40, 41 engage in the upper portions of the springs 43, 44. The handle 15 comprises a front face 45 of which a lower edge 46 bears against two upper front parts 47, 47' of the separation member 34. The supports between said upper front parts 47, 47' and said lower edge 46 are offset forward relative to the pivot axis X4 of the handle 15 and, conversely, are offset rearward relative to the supports of the tabs 35, 36 on the rim 39 of the part 200 of the body 2. Thus, the separation member 34 is mounted in balance in the compartment 18 thanks to the springs 43, 44 which maintain support the upper front parts 47, 47' against the lower edge 46 and the legs 35, 36 against the rim 39.

In an activated position, when the handle 15 is actuated and pivoted upwards in the direction of the arrow 48, along the axis X4, the lower edge 46 rests against the upper front parts 47, 47'. Given that the tabs 35, 36 bear against the rim 39 of the body 2 which is stationary, the handle 15 rises due to the lever arm generated and concomitantly causes the lifting of the outer shell 13 and the inner shell 16 relative to the body 2, the separation member 34 then translating downwards along a vertical axis with respect to the tabs 35, 36 placed in these openings 37, 38, as appears with regard to the figures 6 And 8 . In the activated position, the tabs 35, 36 therefore come into the extended position opposite the openings 37, 38, as shown in figure 8 . Lifting the cover 10 with respect to the body 2 causes the locks 21, 22 to move upwards until the upper bevels 25a, 25'a of the heads 25, 25' come to bear on the upper bevels 26a of the receiving housings 26,27, which forces the movement of the locks 21, 22 towards the rear along the axes X2 and lifting the cover 10 relative to the body 2 makes it possible to overcome the return force of the springs 23, 24. Once the locks 21, 22 have come out of the receiving housings 26, 27 of the body 2, the cover 10 can move into the open position, the springs 23, 24 then push the locks 21, 22 into the extended position of the cages 19, 20 (locking position) once the opening has been made. Thanks to the lever arm exerted as mentioned above, the lifting force of the cover 10 is multiplied when the handle 15 is pulled upwards in the direction of the arrow 48, which makes it possible to open the cover 10 without requiring an effort of significant traction on the handle 15 on the part of the user.

In a rest position, when the cover 10 is open and the handle 15 is released by the user, the springs 43, 44 push on the separation member 34 and on the internal shell 16 due to the fact that they are compressed, what translates said separation member 34 in the compartment 18 and brings it closer to the outer shell 13, the upper front parts 47, 47' of the separation member 34 then pushing on the lower edge 46 of the handle 15 which thus pivots according to the axis the cover 10 nor on the rim 39 of the body 2, which again authorizes the closing of the cover 10 without any action of the separation member 34 on the cover 10 and on the rim 39 of the body 2 during said closure. In this rest position, the tabs 35, 36 therefore come into the retracted position opposite the openings 37, 38 of the internal shell 16, as shown in Figure 6 .

When the cover 10 is moved manually by the user to close the receiving chamber 3, the lower bevels 25b, 25'b of the heads 25, 25' of the locks 21, 22 come to bear against the upper face 39a of the rim 39 of the body 2, which forces these locks 21, 22 to return inside the cages 19, 20 (unlocking position) as soon as the support force exerted on the cover 10 makes it possible to overcome the return force of the springs 23 , 24. When the cover 10 is in the closed position, the springs 23, 24 naturally push the locks into the receiving housings 26, 27, in the locking position and holding the cover 10 closing the receiving chamber 3.

The embodiment described previously in support of the figures 1 to 9 is not restrictive, variants being possible. For example, the receiving housings 26, 27 could be arranged on the cover 10 and, conversely, the cages 19, 20, springs 23, 24 and locks 21, 22 could be arranged on the body 2. It is also possible to modify the number of locks, for example just one or more than two, the opening and closing system 12 then comprising as many receiving housings, cages and return springs. It would also be possible to arrange the handle 15 and the separation member 34 on the body 2, the actuation of the handle 15 then making it possible to push on the cover 10 to lift it from the body 2 and ensure the release of the locks 21, 22 out of the receiving housings 26, 27 once the lifting force is greater than the return force of the return springs 23, 24.

Claims (11)

1. Beverage dispensing machine (1) comprising a chamber (3) for receiving a beverage container (4), in particular a keg, forming a beverage refill, and a lid (10) movable between an open position in which the beverage container can be installed in or removed from the receiving chamber (3) and a closed position in which the beverage container is in place and the beverage can be dispensed, said beverage dispensing machine (1) comprising at least one latch (21, 22) movable between a holding position in which it engages with at least one receiving housing (26, 27) to hold the lid (10) in the closed position and a release position in which it is moved out of said at least one receiving housing (26, 27) to allow the lid (10) to move to the open position, characterised in that said beverage dispensing machine (1) comprises a means for returning the at least one latch (21, 22) to the holding position, a handle (15) and a separating member (34), the handle (15) and the separating member (34) being movable between an activated position in which the separating member (34) moves the lid (10) away from the receiving chamber (3) to move the at least one latch (21, 22) into the release position, against the return means; and a rest position in which the separating member (34) acts neither on the cover (10) nor on the receiving chamber (3).
2. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the handle (15) is rotatably movable and in that the separating member (34) is translatably movable in the activated position, the handle (15) being in a raised position and the separating member (34) in an extended position and, in the rest position, the handle (15) being in a folded-back position and the separating member (34) in a retracted position.
3. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterised in that it comprises a spring (43, 44) for returning the separating member (34) to the rest position.
4. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the handle (15) and the separating member (34) are arranged on the lid (10).
5. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the separating member (34) comprises at least one lug (35, 36) for bearing on the receiving chamber (3).
6. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the at least one latch (21, 22) is arranged on the lid (10) and the at least one receiving housing (26, 27) is arranged on the receiving chamber (3).
7. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that the at least one latch (21, 22) is radially translatable on the lid (10).
8. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the means for returning the at least one latch (21, 22) to the holding position is a spring (23, 24).
9. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the receiving chamber (3) comprises an upper opening (9), the lid (10) being rotatably movable between the open position and the closed position.
10. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to claim 9, characterised in that it comprises a device (6) for drawing off the beverage contained in the beverage container (4), the drawing-off device (6) being arranged close to the upper opening (9).
11. Beverage dispensing machine (1) according to claim 10, characterised in that the handle (15) is arranged close to the drawing-off device (6).

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