FR2596039A1 - Modular system for bulk drink dispensing to a plurality of outlet taps, it being possible for the drink to be served at diverse temperatures - Google Patents

Abstract

The interchangeable reservoir 9 is made from flexible or rigid plastic. It is arranged on a support comprising legs 1, 2, 3 connected by two metallic hoops 4, 5, a washer 6 comprising a clearance 7 is placed on the circle 4, the clearance allows passage of the stopper and of the stopping tap 8 whose outlets are connected via flexible pipes to the spigots 15, 16 which are arranged at a height 18 above that of the standard stemmed glasses 14. A covering 19 protects the reservoir which is introduced into a space heat-insulated by a material 10. A lid 11 acting as a table top is placed on the reservoir, and it receives the glasses 14 in the radial grooves 13.

Description

Modular system for distributing bulk drinks with several outlet taps, which can be served at various temperatures.

The invention relates to bulk beverage dispensers with multiple taps capable of serving beverages at various temperatures.

The known means for distributing bulk drinks generally comprise a reservoir mounted on a chassis and provided with a drawing cinnamon.

These tanks can be small wooden barrels, flexible plastic tanks fitted with a filler cap incorporating a tap.

The latter are placed in a cardboard packaging or in a rigid plastic case, or even mounted on feet or hung on a wall. They are generally provided with a filling orifice and a tap.

There are also reservoirs of another type, integrated in the beverage dispensers with coin-operated system dispensing one or more beverages of your choice, fresh or hot, prepared from a powder and water dispenser at corresponding temperature. The drink is selected using a keypad and dispensed into a cup automatically placed under the pourer. These devices are fully automatic and have only one drink outlet. They have a refrigeration system and a separate heating system. These distributors are intended for customers who pay the amount corresponding to the selected drink by inserting a coin into a slot in the control device. These devices are very expensive.

Like tanks, containers or barrels, they only have one tap.

The modular system for dispensing drinks according to the invention aims to provide economically and simultaneously to several people, by means of several taps, one or more different drinks contained in a tank which may have several compartments, said drinks being able to be served at temperatures which can be different.

According to a first embodiment of the system according to the invention, the reservoir module is made of flexible plastic material, introduced into an isothermal support, it is provided with a plug with multiple outlets with barrier valve, each outlet is connected to a separate cinnamon.

According to a second embodiment of the system according to the invention, the reservoir module comprises a double wall defining a very reduced space allowing very rapid warming up of the drink contained in the internal envelope thanks to the circulation of a heat transfer fluid in said space.

- According to a third embodiment according to the invention, variant of the second, the single or double wall tank module is thermally isolated from the outside and is divided into three or four compartments each comprising at least one outlet orifice towards a cinnamon of independent drawing.

- According to a fourth embodiment according to the invention, variant of the third, the tank module is divided into three or four compartments each with a double wall, thermally insulated from each other and from the outside, each compartment has its own very rapid, hot or cold temperature setting means and its output to at least one independent drawing cinnamon, the drawing circuit also being isothermal.

- According to a variant of the modules of the four previous embodiments, the level of drink inside each of them is kept constant by means of an electric pumping system controlled by a constant level system in at least one reservoir of Reserve.

The advantages of the modular system according to the invention are as follows: - economical, it makes it possible to dispense bulk drinks in a single tank for wine or for other drinks; - convivial, for family or other celebrations, up to forty people; it allows several to be served simultaneously thanks to several cinnamons of the same drink, alcoholic or not, carbonated or not; - thanks to a compartmentalization, it allows several people to use three or four different drinks simultaneously, each compartment of the tank can be equipped with one or more cinnamons; - thanks to a very rapid refrigeration means and also to a very rapid heating means, it allows simultaneous use of different cold drinks and / or different hot drinks in the case where the compartments are thermally insulated from each other as intended ; - aesthetic, it has a decorative and functional covering that protects the tank from light and hides it from view; - it is available as a kit, quickly assembled or dismantled for storage after use; - Its functional cover serves both as a table top on which glasses can be placed, and as a display of stemware thanks to radial grooves made on the periphery of said tray; - it can be used permanently in the kitchen or in the living room; - Each of the compartments can be kept at almost constant level by an electric pumping unit pumping in annex tanks arranged nearby; - it will make it possible to extend the distribution of bulk drinks packaged in flexible or rigid plastic tanks, to drinks other than wine, for example fruit juices, branded "COCA-COLA" drinks and the like, soft drinks, with a special arrangement of interchangeable tank modules.

The invention is described in detail in the following text with reference to the accompanying drawings given by way of nonlimiting examples, in which: - fig.l shows, in section in elevation, an example of a modular dispensing system according to the invention; - Fig.2 shows a bottom view of the system in Fig.1; - Fig.3 and 4 show respectively in section in elevation and in section from above, an example of a four-way valve integrated in a tank cap; - Fig.5 shows an example of a modular tank made of rigid material for heating or cooling the drink with its multiple outlets and its watertight cover with locking latch; - Fig.6 shows, in top view, a variant. of fig.5 comprising four sealed compartments with one outlet each; ; - Fig.7 shows a variant of modular tank with double walls defining a small volume intended to receive a heat transfer liquid; - Fig.8 shows a variant of this double-walled tank divided into 4 compartments thermally insulated from each other; - Fig.9 shows an example of the almost instantaneous heating mode of the heat transfer liquid circulating by heat-siphoning between the walls; - fig. 10 shows an example of filling the distributor tank by means of an electric pumping system controlled by a constant level system.

Fig.1. And 2 show, in section in elevation and in bottom view, an embodiment of the modular system according to the invention. I1 comprises a frame consisting of three vertical uprights made for example of wood 1,2,3, fixed on two metal circles 4,5 arranged in the lower part and in the upper part, and a washer 6 bearing on the lower circle 4 , said washer comprises a clearance 7 for the passage of plugs and taps 8 of the interchangeable tanks 9. This clearance makes it possible to receive all the common types of flexible or rigid tanks containing wine, present on the market. With this system, it will be possible to extend the distribution of bulk drinks packaged in flexible or rigid tanks, to drinks other than wine.

To allow the drink to be kept at low temperature, an insulated wall 10 is provided which cooperates with a cover 11 also comprising an insulated wall 12. The cover can be provided projecting and be provided with radiating grooves 13 for receiving stemware 14.

Flexible or rigid tanks on the market have, at the bottom, a threaded plug incorporating a tap at an outlet. Provision has been made to connect a distributor, made of molded plastic, to three or four outlets, depending on the case, each outlet S of which is engaged on the end of a cinnamon 15,16,17. a small annex pipe is provided to function as a level to facilitate use, it is brought to the level of the cover 11. The cinnamons 15,16,17 are arranged at a distance 18 from the base to allow sliding under all the common types of glasses, especially on the stem. The chassis comprises a covering 19 which can be, for example, made up of vertical slats giving the device a resemblance to a small grape press. This covering can be made partially removable to change the tanks.

Fig.2 shows an example of a distributor 20 in three directions to the cinnamons 15,16,17, made of plastic in one piece.

It is mounted on the outlet 21 of the tap 8 and has three branches, the ends of which are directly engaged on the rear of the corresponding cinnamon. Of course one can also provide such distributors with 4 or more outputs.

In Figs. 3 and 4 we have shown an example of a distribution tap with four outlets directly integrated into the plug. I1 has a cap body 25 with its seal 26, it is extended by a cylindrical tubular part 27 having orifices 28, 29, 30, 31 for leaving the beverage towards the cinnamons arranged on the same horizontal plane XX ' each in the center of an outlet nozzle portion 32,33,34,35. These orifices are closed by a tube 36 engaged inside the extension 27 of the body and clipped at its upper end to the plug and comprises, at its base, a lever 37 for maneuvering. Said tube also comprises passage orifices 38, 39, 40, 41 arranged opposite those of the tube 27 which comprises stops for limiting the open and closed positions.

Fig.5 shows an example of a rigid tank 45 having an integrated insulated wall 46 arranged in a frame 47 of sheet metal in support. on a horizontal wall 48 pierced with a tap passage hole 49 with multiple outlets connected by a flexible pipe 50.51 to the corresponding taps 52.53 fixed on the cylindrical wall of the metal frame 47 at a height 18. An insulated cover 54 is placed on top of the tank, it has locks 55,56, for example with a latch to keep the cover 54 tightly on the tank to be able to dispense carbonated drinks.

In fig.6 we have shown the reservoir of fig.5 divided into four watertight compartments between them, 60,61,62,63, each of them being connected to at least one tap by an outlet orifice 64 for dispensing hot or cold drinks. The heating and refrigeration means for this kind of application are well known to those skilled in the art, they have not been described.

In fig.7 we have shown an example of double walled tank 65,66 very close to each other to define a very reduced volume 67 in which we circulate, by thermo-siphoning, a coolant coolant or warming caused by an external means.

The outer wall 66 is wrapped in isothermal material 46, the cover 68 is also isothermal. A multiple outlet shut-off valve 49 is arranged at the base of the tank and connected with the distribution taps 53. The frame 57 is identical to that of FIG. 5, the tank being interchangeable.

In fig.8 we have shown a variant of fig.6 and 7 in top view, in which the double-walled tank is divided into compartments 70, 71,72,73 thermally insulated from each other and from outside by an isothermal material 74. Each compartment is provided with its own means of raising or lowering the temperature of the beverage contained, said means of lowering or raising said temperature can be the same for several compartments by means of a selection of the distribution of the heat transfer fluid to one or the other by means of taps. These means have not been shown because they are well known to those skilled in the art. The cover consists of portions also thermally insulated from each other. I1 is provided for sealingly closing each compartment.

In Fig. 9 an example of a very rapid means of heating the heat transfer fluid has been shown. I1 comprises a sealed cylindrical body 80 into which is introduced, in a sealed manner, an electrical resistance 81 defining with the sealed body 80, a very reduced volume in which the heat transfer fluid circulates in communication with the double wall of the tanks through the orifice 82 The heat transfer fluid is heated almost instantaneously due to its very low thermal inertia due to the very small volume in circulation. The whole is insulated to avoid heat loss.

Of course, there can be only two or three compartments on some of the tank modules.

Fig.10 shows an example of constant maintenance of the beverage level in the tank by means of an electric pumping device 91 and the additional tank 92. This level can be maintained by means of a constant level control device 93. It is also possible to lock the lid of the reservoir in a leaktight manner and use a mini-compressor, for example with a membrane, creating internal pressure in the reservoir 92 to raise the beverage as the samples are drawn from the reservoir 90 by pipes of 'food.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS: 1 - Modular beverage dispenser reservoir comprising means for sampling beverage doses, means for modifying the temperature of the beverage, heating and refrigeration, means for controlling said temperature, isothermal means, characterized in that said reservoir, flexible -or rigid, is intended to be interchangeable, it comprises at its base a threaded plug (8) intended to receive a means of multiple distribution towards corresponding cinnamons or taps, - said tank is disposed on a support provided to receive means multiples of simultaneous withdrawal (15,16,17), and in that the withdrawal means are mounted at a height (18) slightly greater than that of standard stemmed glasses, - said support, receiving the reservoir, comprises a cover ( 11) acting as a table provided at its periphery with radial grooves (13) for hooking the lens feet (14), - said tank comprises an annex filling and / or holding means level, - said tank comprises a means of circulation of a heat transfer fluid allowing very rapid setting to hot or low temperature of the drinks contained. 2 - Tank according to claim 1, wherein said tank is made of flexible or rigid plastic, provided with a filling orifice closed by a threaded plug comprising a tap, characterized in that said threaded plug cooperates with a multiple distributor (20 ) mounted on the outlet of the tap integrated into said plug, and in that said distributor is made of molded plastic and comprises several branches, the ends of which are directly engaged on the inlet of the corresponding cinnamons (15,16,17) . 3 - Tank according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said threaded plug with multiple outputs is constituted by a plug body (25) with its seal (26), extended by a cylindrical tubular part (27) comprising orifices (28,29,30,31) for the passage of the drink towards the cinnamons arranged on a horizontal plane XX ′, each at the center of an outlet nozzle portion (32,33,34,35) and in that said passage openings are closed by a tube (36) engaged inside said tube (27), clipped onto the inside of the plug at its upper part and comprising at its base a lever (37) for maneuvering, said tube also comprises passage orifices (38, 39, 40, 41) arranged opposite those of the body (27) which comprises stops for limiting the open and closed positions. 4 - tank according to claim 1, characterized in that said support frame is mounted on feet (1,2,3) and comprises an aesthetic covering (19) which can be partly removable. 5 - Tank according to claim 1, characterized in that it is made of rigid material divided into several compartments (60,61,62,63) sealed, each compartment having at least one outlet (64) to an independent valve corresponding (52.53). 6 - Reservoir according to claim 1, characterized in that it is intended to receive drinks quickly brought to cold or hot temperature by means of a double wall system (65,66) very close to each other so as to determine a very small volume (67) between said walls, the outer wall being insulated, and in that a heat transfer fluid is circulated in said volume (67) between the walls, said fluid being heated or cooled by external means, and in that the cover (68) is thermally insulated. 7 - Reservoir according to claims 1.5 and 6, characterized in that the compartments (70,71,72,73) are each double-walled and are thermally insulated from each other and from the outside, and in that they are each connected to the corresponding means of raising or lowering the temperature of the heat transfer fluid circulating by thermo-siphoning or other between the double walls, and in that the cover also consists of isothermal compartments corresponding to those of said reservoir. 8 - Reservoir according to any one of claims 1,5,6,7, characterized in that it comprises a tight cover with lock closure for receiving in particular carbonated drinks. 9 - Tank according to any one of claims 1,5,6,7 and 8, characterized in that it cooperates with at least one annexed tank (92) disposed nearby and equipped with an electric pumping means now a constant level in the distributor tank (90). 10 - Reservoir according to any one of claims 1,5,6,7,8 and 9, characterized in that it is intended to receive all types of common drinks, alcoholic or not, carbonated or not, and in that said drinks are packaged in bulk in flexible or rigid plastic tanks.