GB2284406A - Drink dispensing - Google Patents

Abstract

Beer enters a chamber 24 from a horizontal conduit 25 and leaves via a downwardly extending pipe 26 before passing through an outlet 27. A solenoid 22 extends upwardly within the housing such that its valve 23 faces downwardly into the chamber 24. The beer flows along before flowing downwardly when the beer is being dispensed. <IMAGE>

Description

DRINK DISPENSING The present invention relates to a drink dispense apparatus and a method of dispensing drink. The invention is particularly although not exclusively applicable to the dispensing of drinks such as beer and lager.

In dispensing gaseous drinks, such as beer or lager, when the product experiences turbulence such as is caused by a sudden change in direction the drink will tend to froth. This frothing is unpredictable and can lead to severe dispense problems and may also harm the quality of the drink.

Figure 1 is a schematic side view showing a prior beer dispense arrangement that has been available for many years. The font 10 is mounted to one side of a stand 11 that is secured to a bar top (not shown). The font includes a housing 12 within which is located a solenoid 13 having a shut off valve 14 that either permits beer to be dispensed through the outlet pipe 15 or prevents flow.

The solenoid is actuated to the position shown to allow beer to be dispensed in a predetermined quantity, or to allow the valve 14 to open for a predetermined period of time, by pushing a switch 16. Beer enters the housing from the stand 11 via a conduit 17 which is initially horizontal, then turns through 90" to extend downwardly to clear the underside of the solenoid, then extends beneath the solenoid before rising up to enter the chamber 18 that contains the valve. The beer leaves the chamber 18 in a horizontal direction and thus has to pass through a further 90" bend before it reaches the downwardly extending outlet 19.

Accordingly it can be seen that the beer undergoes no less than five 90" changes of direction upon entering the housing. Thus there is considerable scope for unpredictable foaming to occur. Furthermore, as the beer has to flow past the full extent of the solenoid before reaching the valve 14 the outlet 19 is a considerable distance from the stand 11. Accordingly considerable bar space is taken up by the dispense arrangement and, if the stand is mounted on the inside of the bar surface, a large drip tray protruding a long way into the working area is required.

According to one aspect of the present invention a dispense apparatus includes, at the outlet region, a side supply line leading to a downwardly extending discharge line, the apparatus including a flow control valve which is arranged, after opening to permit drink to flow, to close whereby, when the valve permits drink to flow the fluid flows along the supply line and then downwardly through the discharge line and, when the valve prevents flow, drink is retained in the side supply line upstream of the valve.

The dispense apparatus may comprise a metered drink dispense apparatus and the flow control valve may comprise a metering valve arranged to close automatically.

Alternatively, the drink dispense apparatus may comprise a free flow apparatus.

The side supply line may extend substantially horizontally. The discharge line may extend substantially vertically.

The valve may be located in the region where, in use, drink is arranged to change the direction from flowing along to flowing downwardly.

The apparatus may include an actuator for the valve which may be an electrically operable actuator such as a solenoid actuator, for example, and the actuator may extend in a different direction to the side supply line.

For instance, the actuator may extend upwardly from the side supply line and may extend upwardly from the end of the side supply line.

The apparatus may include a housing for the actuator and the housing may provide support for the actuator and alternatively or additionally, the discharge line and alternatively or additionally the side supply line and alternatively or additionally the valve. The housing may afford access to the actuator and that access may be gained by removing a portion of the housing.

The present invention also includes a method of dispensing drink, the method comprising opening a valve to allow drink to flow along and then down and then closing the valve to retain at least some drink upstream of the valve in the portion that flows along.

The method may comprise dispensing a metered quantity of drink with the valve automatically closing when the required volume of drink has been dispensed.

The method may comprise dispensing the drink immediately beneath the valve.

The present invention includes any combination of the herein referred to features or limitations.

The present invention may be carried into practice in various ways but one embodiment will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 2 is a schematic side view of a beer dispense arrangement, and Figure 3 is a schematic view of the cylindrical housing 20 used for the beer font 21 shown in Figure 2.

The font 21 is mounted on a stand 11 that is secured to a bar top. A solenoid 22 extends upwardly within the housing such that its valve 23 faces downwardly into the chamber 24. Beer enters the chamber from a horizontal conduit 25 and leaves the chamber via the downwardly extending pipe 26 before passing through the outlet 27.

The valve 23 operates in the same manner as the valve 14 referred to in Figure 1 and is actuated by depressing a switch 28. Instead of the beer ceasing to flow after a predetermined quantity has been dispensed, the valve can be arranged to remain open whilst the switch 28 is operated to provide a free flow arrangement. It can be seen that the beer only goes through one change in direction as it travels through the font. Therefor the beer is less likely to froth and it is easier to dispense the metered quantity. Furthermore, as the beer does not have to flow past the length of the solenoid the outlet 27 can be adjacent to the stand 11. Accordingly not much working area is taken up by the font and the beer tray can be adjacent to or actually on the bar surface.

The housing 20 is shown in more detail in Figure 2.

The main part 29 of the housing includes a threaded tubular member 35 for engagement with a corresponding opening on the stand. The part 29 substantially encloses the solenoid and a cover 30 can be added to complete that enclosure. A lug 31 projecting from the top of the cover fits within a recess of the part 29. The bottom of the cover includes an arcuate plate 32 with a pair of recesses 33. In the assembled condition the plate 32 is located beneath a pair of flanges 34 extending across the base of the part 29. A pair of screws pass through the recesses 33 to engage with threaded openings 36 in the flanges 34 and thereby retain the cover in position. It can be seen that the cover can be quickly and easily removed by undoing the screws to afford access to the housing without removing any of the flow connections.

The switch 28 extends through an opening 37 that protrudes from the cover.

Claims (25)

CLAINS

1. A drink dispense apparatus including, at the outlet region, a side supply line leading to a downwardly extending discharge line, the apparatus including a flow control valve which is arranged, after opening to permit drink to flow, to close whereby, when the valve permits fluid to flow the fluid flows along the supply line and then downwardly through the discharge line and, when the valve prevents flow, drink is retained in the side supply line upstream of the valve.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 comprising a metered drink dispense apparatus.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 in which the flow control valve comprises a metering valve arranged to close automatically.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 comprising a free flow apparatus.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the side supply line extends substantially horizontally.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the discharge line extends substantially vertically.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the valve is located in the region where, in use, drink is arranged to change the direction from flowing along to flowing downwardly.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim including an actuator for the valve.

9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 in which the actuator is electronically operable.

10. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 or 9 in which the actuator extends in a different direction to the side supply line.

11. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 10 in which the actuator extends upwardly from the side supply line.

12. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 11 in which the actuator extends upwardly from the end of the side supply line.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim including a housing for the actuator.

14. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 13 in which the housing provides support for the actuator.

15. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 13 or 14 in which the housing provides support for the discharge line.

16. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 13 to 15 in which the housing provides support for the side supply line.

17. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 13 to 16 in which the housing provides support for the valve.

18. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 13 to 17 in which the housing affords access to the actuator.

19. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 18 in which the access is arranged to be gained by removing a portion of the housing.

20. A dispense apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in Figure 2 or Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

21. A method of dispensing drink comprising opening a valve to allow drink to flow along and then down and then closing the valve to retain at least some drink upstream of the valve in the portion that flows along.

22. A method as claimed in Claim 21 comprising dispensing a metered quantity of drink with the valve automatically closing when the required volume of drink has been dispensed.

23. A method as claimed in Claim 21 or 22 comprising dispensing the drink immediately beneath the valve.

24. A method of dispensing drink substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in Figure 2 or Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

25. A method of dispensing drink as claimed in any of Claims 21 to 24 when using a dispense apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 20.