FR2555977A1 - Apparatus for instantaneous heating or cooling of a beverage or similar product - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for heating up or cooling a beverage. In addition to the elementary parts, the apparatus has a housing capable of receiving packages of beverages in industrial packing, a perforation cane (tube) for atmospheric pressure, a pumping cane (tube) for sucking up the beverage, a pump and a body for heating or cooling. Application to the domestic and industrial fields.

Description

 The present invention relates to an apparatus for instant heating or cooling of a beverage.

 We know a great number of achievements of coffee maker or teapot or others producing chocolate, coffee or tea, etc. from powdered products with steam or superheated water.

 All these devices are generally satisfactory but oblige the user to wait and make a certain number of preparations prior to use for loading the device: powder, water, filters. These preparations oblige the user to use these devices in suitable places in kitchens, offices, etc. due to the risk of soiling and problems with the storage of accessory products.

 The object of the invention is therefore to create an apparatus making it possible to instantly heat or cool the quantity of drink desired; the drink will have been either prepared by the user himself beforehand, and poured into a retention tank which is a removable part of the device, or prepared industrially and sold in sealed packages of the Tetra-brick type for example. This industrial packaging is placed directly in the device and perforated by the user by pushing the pumping rod (2).

 In view of the above, this device will be very compact and easily transportable.

 The device is ready to use as soon as it is plugged into an electrical outlet.

 Without the need for any other preparation, this device can therefore be used in an office, a bedroom, an office, etc.

and give immediate satisfaction to the user or his customers.

 Commissioning will be done using three buttons controlling 1) cup capacity selection 3 positions: 21 cup, normal cup, lunch) 2) beverage temperature selection (3 positions for hot: lukewarm, hot, very hot ).

3) commissioning and filling button.

 The first two operations will only be performed once per series of identical refills.

In the case of changing the type of drink and cleaning the circuits, the user is asked to fill the container
A, pn amoviblrief-to operate his device with this water until satisfied.

 This device has the advantage of only heating the same quantity of drink once, in principle everything that is heated is delivered to the cup and the heating circuit is empty between two operations so as not to alter the product if the user decides to stop the service of the device. This remark is very important for liquid coffee.

 This invention should allow the coffee manufacturer to be able to sell long-life liquid coffee in Tetra-brick for example.

 This device presents a safety by its mode of operation: the resistors are under tension at the request of putting into service and are out of service as soon as the pump stops although the device is always connected.

 The invention will be better understood with reference to the description below and to the accompanying drawings, representing an embodiment of the invention, drawings in which FIG. 1 is a view in elevation and in perspective of the apparatus of FIG. 2 is a detail view showing the cane for perforating the packaging and pumping the beverage.

Figure 3 is a diagram describing the path of the drink in the device Figure 4 is a diagram of the base Figure 5 is a diagram of the cover Figure 6 is an electrical diagram of the example of principle of operation.

 This device essentially consists of a base (10) made of molded material on which all the machine components are fixed, a cover (11) covering the whole, a plate (12) closing the covering and allowing the access to electrical controls.

This base has four compartments each receiving the first: the packaging of the drink the second: the pump and the electrical supply the third: the heating part and the electrical controls the fourth: the cup
The device operates as follows after raising the pumping rod, the user places the drink in its industrial packaging. (1)
He pushes in the beveled pump rod (2) at its end and thus punctures the packaging.

 He in turn pushes the perforator (6) to restore atmospheric pressure on the liquid during pumping.

 According to FIG. 2, when the pumping rod is fully depressed, the pumping circuit is established by means of the upper orifice of this rod which is then located opposite the fixed part of the circuit. The rod is of oval section so as not to turn in its housing. Sealing is ensured by food-grade thoracic joints.

 Pressing the start button switches on the heating block resistor (4) and the pump starts to flow on the thermostat command.

 As soon as the thermostat gives the order, the pump sends the liquid into the heating body and the latter is gradually warmed up as it passes through this part of the appliance. The thermostat constantly monitors the temperature of the latter by a probe placed on the passage of the liquid, thus ensuring operational safety for long periods of use. The "temperature pre-selection" allows the successive activation of the resistors R1, R2, R3 to obtain the temperatures retained (8): lukewarm, hot, very hot.

 The "capacity preselection" (7) authorizes the constant flow pump to operate for a determined period corresponding to the chosen volume.

 Stopping the pump automatically causes the resistors to stop.

 The theoretical electrical operation of this device thus described corresponds to the block diagram in FIG. 6 in traditional or electronic formula.

 The same device can be used to cool a drink. In this device the heating body is replaced by a cooling body with liquid evaporation and which, by the condensation of vapors, cools the beverage circuit in its path.

 It is understood that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art to devices or methods which have just been described by way of nonlimiting example without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (3)

1) Apparatus for heating or cooling a drink, comprising a base (10) on which are fixed all the organs of the machine, a cover (11) covering the assembly, a plate closing the covering and allowing the '' access to internal electrical controls, characterized in that it has  a housing that can receive beverage packaging in industrial packaging.  a perforation rod (6) restoring the atmospheric pressure on the drink.  a perforation and pumping rod (2) allowing direct suction from the bottom of the industrial packaging.  either a heating body or a cooling body 2) * Apparatus according to claim (1) characterized in that the pumping rod (2) is specially designed and oval, bevelled at its end to perforate the packaging in its upper part without additional handling and without risk of soiling. 3) Apparatus according to claim (1) characterized in that the heating body never retains beverage between two uses, and has three resistors in stages allowing the gradual heating of the drink. 4) A method of implementing the device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it consists in driving in the pumping rod (2) bevelled at its end for the purpose of perforating the packaging.  pushing in the perforator (6) in order to restore atmospheric pressure on the liquid during pumping.  to select the capacities and temperatures required by pre-selection before commissioning.