GB2355060A

GB2355060A - Beverage dispense apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2355060A
Application number: GB0023640A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terrence Robert Davis
Original assignee: IMI Cornelius Inc
Current assignee: Cornelius Inc
Priority date: 1999-10-06
Filing date: 2000-09-26
Publication date: 2001-04-11
Also published as: GB0023640D0; BE1013459A3

Abstract

Means of cooling a glass or other receptacle into which a beverage is to be dispensed is provided by an apparatus comprising a dispense tap (10) connectable to a supply of the beverage, an array of jets (22) positioned adjacent the dispense tap (10) such that when a receptacle (18) for a beverage is in the dispense position under the dispense tap (10) the jets (22) extend around the receptacle (18), and means to pump cold water through the jets (22) onto the exterior surface of the receptacle (18).

Description

2355060 BEVERAGE DISPENSE APPARATUS This invention relates to a beverage

dispense apparatus and particularly to an apparatus in which a glass or other receptacle to receive the dispensed beverage may be cooled.

For convenience the invention will be described further below with reference to dispense into a glass but it will be appreciated that it is equally applicable to other receptacles.

It is conventional practice to dispense certain beverages, e.g.

lagers, some beers, and many soft drink beverages at a cooler than ambient temperature. It may be desired to dispense a drink into a glass or a receptacle at a particular temperature specified by the beverage brand owner. The beverage may be cooled in a cooler between a reservoir thereof, e.g. a beer keg in a cellar, and may be maintained in cooled condition by passing through a python between the reservoir and the dispense point in a bar. Cold water, glycol mixture or re-circulating beverage circulating in the python maintains the cooled temperature of the beverage.

It is also known to cool the glass into which the cooled beverage is dispensed, as dispense into a glass at ambient temperature or taken straight from a glass washer may impart too much heat to the dispensed beverage and result in its temperature rising above the desired level.

Glass cooling methods currently practised include keeping glasses in a chilled cabinet and holding an inverted glass over a cold jet of water.

The former method takes up valuable space in a bar and requires a degree of management by bar staff to ensure that an adequate supply of cooled glasses is maintained. The latter is usually initiated by pressing the glass down onto an activator for the water jet, the water impinging on 2 the inside of the glass and draining, partially, away before use of the glass. Amy residual cold water inside the glass necessarily has an at least small effect on the dispensed beverage. For reasons indicated above, neither of these prior methods is entirely successfal.

it is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved means of cooling a glass or other receptacle into which a beverage is to be dispensed.

Accordingly the invention provides an apparatus to cool a receptacle for a beverage to be dispensed, the apparatus comprising a dispense tap connectable to a supply of the beverage, an array of jets positioned adjacent the dispense tap such that when a receptacle for a beverage is in the dispense position under the dispense tap the jets extend around the receptacle, and means to pump cold water through the jets onto the exterior surface of the receptacle.

As indicated above the receptacle will typically be a glass and will be described hereafter as such.

The jets or nozzles are preferably in the form of a tubular ring partly surrounding the glass in the dispense position with the j ets preferably positioned such that the jets of water impinge on the exterior of the glass a little below its upper rim. The cold water from the jets will thereby run down and around the outside of the glass contacting the ma ority of its external surface before draining away.

In an alternative embodiment the jets may be provided as spray holes in a partly surrounding wall inside which the glass is positioned for dispense.

The apparatus may include a drip tray for the draining water beneath the glass and the drip tray may be configured such that the glass 3 stands upon it in the dispense position.

Preferably the means to pump the cold water through the jets is activated automatically when the dispense tap is opened. The period of operation of the jets may coincide with that of the opening of the dispense tap but the jets may operate for a period before and/or during and/or after dispense of the beverage is taking place. There may be a plurality of timed sprays of chilled water.

The means to pump the cold water through the jets may be any convenient means. The cold water may be fed from a cold water recirculating system at, by way of example only, 10 C through a valve, e. g. a solenoid valve, which is opened when a dispense is actuated by an operator.

The cold water may be cooled at a remote location from the dispense tap and pumped to the dispense tap as required. It may pass to the jets adJ acent to the dispense tap, for example, as a flow line in a python and may be recirculated therethrough to prevent its standing and warming to ambient temperature. In this embodiment the python may accommodate both the cold water for the jets and the beverage to be dispensed and, if desired, the cold water in a single recirculating flow line can provide the dual function of cooling the glass and maintaining the cooled temperature of the beverage.

The beverage dispense tap may be part of a conventional dispense tower or font but, if desired, the cold water for the jets may conveniently be supplied via the dispense tower. In other words the flow line to supply the jets may go through the dispense tower or font.

The invention provides in an inexpensive manner a number of advantages over conventional methods of cooling glasses.

4 The cooling water is sprayed onto the outside of the glass and so has no effect, other than cooling, on the beverage dispensed into the glass.

The beverage can be dispensed during the cooling operation for the glass and enables the desired glass temperature at the time of dispense to be more readily and consistently achieved. Thus the desired, beverage temperature is more consistently achieved.

The glass cooling operation is operator free in that it can automatically take place during the beverage dispense cycle.

The spray of the water jets onto the exterior of the glass can be used after a dispense to clear any condensation that fornis on the exterior of the glass when a cold beverage is dispensed into it.

The apparatus does not require extra bar space and provides a novel dispense feature.

A glass is only cooled as and when it is to be used.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure I is a diagrammatic side elevation of one form of apparatus of the invention; and Figure 2 is a view in the direction IMI of Figure 1.

In the drawings a dispense tap or spout 10 is part of a dispense font 12 mounted on a bar 14. Beverage at a temperature say between +I'C and -4.5'C is dispensed from tap 10. A drip tray 16 is positioned sufficiently beneath the outlet I OA of the dispense spout to allow a glass 18 to be positioned with its rim 18A beneath outlet 1 OA when its base 18B rests on or is just above the drip tray.

Surrounding and spaced from an upper portion of glass 18 a little distance below its rim 18A is a part-annular ring 20 containing at its inner periphery a plurality of jets or holes 22 through which a spray of water jets 24 can be directed onto the exterior of the glass. The water to provide jets 24 is pumped as indicated by arrow A through a solenoid valve 26 from a remote source of cooled water (not shown).

Water sprayed onto the glass 18 flows down its exterior surface as indicated by arrows B and then through drain 28 of the drip tray 16.

Ring 20 does not extend fully around glass 18, but has an opening slightly wider than the width of glass 18 at the level of ring 20 to permit the glass to be moved into and out of the ring. The direction, position and velocity of jets 24 ensures that the chilling water passes around the external surface of the glass 18 even on the side facing the open portion of the ring.

The glass is, therefore, effectively cooled when required without any cooling water contaminating its contents when filled with beverage through the dispense tap 10.

The dispense means for the beverage are not shown in full as they may be conventional. Also, as indicated above, actuation of the dispense may be automatically connected to the operation of the water jets. Thus, if the beverage dispense is actuated by a push button, that actuation may simultaneously open solenoid valve 26 or it may stagger the commencement and ceasing of flows of the beverage and of the glass cooling water.

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Claims

1. An apparatus to cool a receptacle for a beverage to be dispensed, the apparatus comprising a dispense tap connectable to a supply of the beverage, an array of jets positioned adjacent the dispense tap such that when a receptacle for a beverage is in the dispense position under the dispense tap the jets extend around the receptacle, and means to pump cold water through the jets onto the exterior surface of the receptacle.

2. An apparatus according to Claim 1, in which the jets are in the form of a tubular part-ring partly surrounding the receptacle in the dispense position.

3. An apparatus according to Claim 1, in which the jets are provided as spray holes in a partly surrounding wall inside which the receptacle is positioned for dispense.

4. An apparatus according to Claim 2 or 3, in which the direction, position and velocity of the jets ensure that the cold water passes completely around the external surface of the receptacle.

5. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which the jets are positioned such that jets of water impinge on the exterior of the receptacle a little below its rim.

6. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, which includes a drip tray for the draining water beneath the receptacle. 7. An apparatus according to Claim 6, in which the drip tray is configured such that the receptacle stands upon it in the dispense position.

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8. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which the means to pump the cold water through the jets is activated automatically when the dispense tap is opened.

9. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which the period of pumping cold water through the jets coincides with the period of opening of the dispense tap.

10. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, which provides a plurality of timed sprays of chilled water.

11. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which the cold water is fed from a cold water recirculating system through a valve which is opened when a dispense is actuated.

12. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which the cold water is cooled at a remote location from the dispense tap.

13. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which the flow lines for the cold water and the beverage to be dispensed are both accommodated within a python whereby the cold water has a dual function of cooling the receptacle and maintaining the beverage at a cooled temperature.

14. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which the flow line to supply the cold water to the jets passes through a dispense tower or font which also carries the dispense tap.

15. An apparatus according to Claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.