GB2227824A - Apparatus for dispensing drinks - Google Patents

Abstract

A wine dispenser 1 comprises an enclosed cabinet 2 at the bottom of which there is mounted refrigeration apparatus 3. At the top of the cabinet 2, mounted upon a support 16, are four boxes of wine 17, each containing a collapsible bag and an outlet tap 18. The refrigeration apparatus 3 supplies refrigerant to an evaporator coil which is disposed within a product tank 10, through which coil coolant is continually circulated. Three product coils are located in the product tank 10, and each receives wine via a respective pipe 19 from a respective one of the three rightmost wine boxes 17. Each of the product coils 11 has a respective outlet tap 15. In use, wine from the three rightmost boxes 17 is drawn off through the respective taps 15, and is cooled during the dispensing action through the respective product coils in the product tank 10. The wine boxes 17 may readily be replaced and, even if they are at room temperature, the wine may be consistently dispensed at the desired chilled temperature. The leftmost wine box 17 has its outlet connected directly to a separate tap 20 by a pipe which by-passes the product tank 10, so that the wine may in this case be dispensed at a higher temperature - for example, room temperature. Drinks may also be heated using a heated product tank. <IMAGE>

Description

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING DRINKS This invention relates to drinks dispensers, and is concerned particularly although not exclusively with apparatus for dispensing chilled wine.

At the present time, small quantities of wine may be stored in bottles or bag-in-boxes, which in turn are stored within chilled cabinets. Although this can be quite effective, a problem exists in that it can take several hours to chill down the contents of a new bottle or box to the required dispensing temperature.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention aim to provide drink dispensers that can be improved in this respect.

More generally, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for dispensing drinks, comprising a heat exchanger, a support mounted above the heat exchanger to support a drinks container, a pipe extending between the support and the heat exchanger for feeding drink under gravity from a container on the support to the heat exchanger, and a dispenser for dispensing drink from the heat exchanger.

The invention may have various optional and/or alternative features, some of which are described in the following.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a wine dispenser in front elevation; Figure 2 is a detailed view of a heat exchanger of the heat exchanger of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the heat exchanger; Figure 4 is a plan view of an alternative drinks dispenser; and Figure 5 is a front elevation of the alternative drinks dispenser of Figure 3.

The drinks dispenser 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3 comprises an enclosed cabinet 2. At the bottom of the cabinet 2 there is mounted refrigeration apparatus 3, comprising a compressor 4, a pump 5, a fan 6, a condenser 7, and a thermostat 8. The compressor is connected to supply refrigerant to an evaporator coil 9 which is disposed within a heat exchanger 10 which, in this example, comprises a product tank.

The product tank 10 is disposed above the rest of the refrigeration apparatus 3, and, in addition to the evaporator coil 9, contains three product coils 11.

The product tank 10 contains a coolant (e.g.

water) which is circulated through the tank by means of the pump 5. The thermostat 8 is connected to a temperature probe 12, which responds to the temperature in the vicinity of the evaporator coil 9, and controls operation of the refrigeration apparatus. The exact operation of the refrigeration apparatus is not essential to an understanding of the invention, and may operate in a fairly conventional manner.

Each of the product coils 11 has an inlet port 13, and an outlet port 14 which in turn is connected to a dispensing tap 15.

Above the product tank 10, there is provided in the cabinet 2 a support 16, upon which there rest four boxes of wine 17. In known manner, each box of wine 17 contains a collapsible bag and an outlet tap 18. As is known, when the wine is dispensed from the box 17, the bag collapses internally, to prevent air from coming into contact with the wine remaining in store.

Disposed below each tap 18 is a respective pipe 19 which is connected to the tap 18 by a suitable connector. In the case of each of the three boxes on the right, as seen in Figure 1, the respective pipe 19 leads to a respective product coil 11 in the product tank 10, and thereby to a respective one of the outlet taps 15.

In the case of the leftmost box, however, the respective pipe 19 leads directly to an outlet tap 20, which is provided on the cabinet 2, but which is connected with the leftmost box without passing through the product tank 10.

Thus, whilst white wine may be stored in the three rightmost boxes,, to be chilled during dispense, red wine may be kept at room temperature in the leftmost box, and dispensed directly.

In use, the white wine is fed under gravity through the pipe 19 and into the product coil 11, to the dispensing tap 15. When the tap 15 is opened, the wine flows out into a glass held under the tap. Because the wine that is thus dispensed has just passed through the refrigerated product tank 10, it is dispensed at the required temperature.

Preferably, the pump 5 operates continuously to circulate water through the product tank 10, to prevent localised freezing or cold spots in the vicinity of the product coils 11. The thermostat 8 responds to the temperature probe 12 to maintain the water in the product tank 10 at the required temperature.

Thus, it may be appreciated that, in use of the drinks dispenser 1, white wine may readily be dispensed from a bag-in-the-box, chilled to a desired temperature.

No pre-chilling of the cabinet 2 is required. Whenever a box 17 of wine runs out, it may immediately be replaced by another box of wine, which may be at room temperature.

Chilling of the wine as it is dispensed is provided immediately. Indeed, it is preferred that the cabinet 2 is not chilled, since this enables the red wine to remain at room temperature.

It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made to the drinks dispenser 1. For example, the product tank 10 may have any desired number of product coils 11. Any desired number of cooled and uncooled wine boxes 17 may be provided in the cabinet 2. The drinks passed throught the heat exchanger may be dispensed at any desired temperature. Indeed, the device 1 may be adapted so as to provide heating instead of cooling - thereby dispensing products such as soup at a hot temperature, from a bag-in-the-box container.

Preferably, thermal insulation is provided between the compartment within which the product boxes 17 are located, and the refrigeration unit or heating unit, including the heat exchanger such as 10.

The device 1 may be adapted to provide chilling of white wines and warming of red wines, with separate refrigeration and heating units.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a modification of the apparatus of Figure 1, and in the figures, like reference numerals denote like or corresponding parts.

The main difference of the Figures 4 and 5 embodiment is that the product tank 30 is located side by side with the refrigeration apparatus 3. Two large capacity (e.g. 10 litre) wine boxes 37 are mounted on a support in the cabinet 2. In this case, each is connected by a respective pipe 19 to a respective product coil 31, having both inlet 33 and outlet 34 at the top of the product tank 30. As before, a dispensing tap 15 is fitted to each outlet 34 from the product tank 30.

The alternative arrangement of Figures 4 and 5 enables large capacity wine boxes to be handled. For example, whereas the device of Figure 1 may be suitable for use with 3 litre boxes, and may be wall mounted, the apparatus of Figures 3 and 4 may be much heavier and of a much larger size, in order to accomodate the ten litre boxes.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims (10)

1. Apparatus for dispensing drinks, comprising a heat exchanger, a support mounted above the heat exchanger to support a drinks container, a pipe extending between the support and the heat exchanger for feeding drink under gravity from a container on the support to the heat exchanger, and a dispenser for dispensing drink from the heat exchanger.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a product tank through which e heat exchange medium is arranged to circulate, and at least one product coil through which a drink is arranged to flow, during dispensing of the drink.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, including at least one drink container supported on said support and connected to said pipe, said container including a collapsible bag which contains the drink and a noncollapsible outer within which said bag is housed.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said support provides thermal insulation between at least one drinks container when supported on said support, and a heating or coooling means located under said support.

5. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, including a housing within which substantially all of the parts of said apparatus are housed, except for the or each dispenser.

6. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said heat exchanger is arranged to cool said drink.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, including a refrigeration unit disposed under said support.

8. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said heat exchanger is arranged to heat said drink.

9. Apparatus for dispensing drinks, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 or Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A method of dispensing drinks, substantially as described herein.