GB2367810A

GB2367810A - Dispensing device with visual display

Info

Publication number: GB2367810A
Application number: GB0116626A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Iain Wallace Anderson; Wendy Gladys Box; Peter Thomas Foster; Rachel Joanna Galt; Stuart William Molzahn; David Edwin Quain; Stephen Paul Smith; Robert Alan Wright
Original assignee: Bass Machine Holdings Ltd; Brandbrew SA
Current assignee: Bass Machine Holdings Ltd; Brandbrew SA
Priority date: 2000-07-08
Filing date: 2001-07-09
Publication date: 2002-04-17
Anticipated expiration: 2021-07-09
Also published as: GB0116626D0; GB2367810B

Abstract

A method for dispensing a beverage comprises delivering draught beverage to a vessel 38 which is rotated by a rotating platform 14 and providing a rotating visual display in the vicinity of the rotating vessel 38. The display may comprise a rotating member comprising a succession of cinematographic representations (10, fig 1) giving an animated display, or it may comprise a rotating light pattern. The beverage may be alcoholic or non-alcoholic, but is preferably lager. The beverage may be cooled prior to its delivery to the vessel. Where the visual display comprises the animated images there is provided an window through which the images are viewed. Where it is a light pattern there may be one or more rotating mirrors 34 (40, 42, fig. 3) placed around the vicinity of the vessel 38 reflecting light beams. A minor ball 34 may be used.

Description

DISPENSING A BEVERAGE This invention concerns dispensing a draught beverage and also apparatus to dispense said beverage.

According to a first aspect of the invention a method of dispensing draught beverage comprises delivering draught beverage into a vessel which is being rotated, and in the vicinity of the rotating vessel providing a rotating visual display.

According to a second aspect of the invention a method of dispensing draught beverage comprises delivering draught beverage into a vessel which is being rotated, and associated with the rotating vessel is a rotated member bearing a succession of cinematographic representations giving an animated display observable at a viewing position.

According to a third aspect of the invention apparatus to dispense draught beverage comprises a dispense nozzle to deliver draught beverage, a rotatably driven platform to support a vessel receiving the delivered beverage, and a rotating member bearing a succession of cinematographic representations which moves within an enclosure or behind a mask having a slit, opening or viewing window through which the moving representations can be viewed as an animated display.

The aforesaid apparatus may be or comprise a font, for example, for a drinks bar.

The rotating member may be part of or be an accessory to the platform and may rotate therewith.

The vessel may be a drinking vessel, for example a glass.

The beverage may be alcoholic or non-alcoholic.

The draught beverage may be cooled prior to delivery into the vessel, for example using beverage cooling means in a beverage dispensing system which may convey beverage from a supply of beverage to the nozzle.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention a method of dispensing a draught beverage comprises delivering draught beverage into a vessel which is being rotated, and in the vicinity of the rotating vessel providing a rotating display of one or more lights and/or providing a rotating light pattern.

The vessel may be a drinking vessel, for example a glass.

The display of lights may be one or more lights provided on the vessel and/or on a rotating support or platform, on which the vessel may stand.

Said lights may be light emitting diodes (LED's). The display of lights may represent a message, picture, slogan, person's name.

A said rotating light pattern may be provided by one or more rotating mirrors, which may be in the vicinity of the vessel, reflecting one or more light beams. The rotating mirrors may be provided by mirrors forming a surface of a revolving or oscillating member, for example a mirror ball.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention apparatus to dispense a draught beverage into a vessel comprises a nozzle from which the beverage to be dispensed can issue when desired, a platform to support said vessel when the apparatus is in use, means to rotate the platform, and

means to provide in the vicinity of the rotating vessel a rotating display of one or more lights and/or to provide a rotating light pattern.

The draught beverage may be cooled prior to delivery into the vessel, for example using beverage cooling means in a beverage dispensing system which may convey beverage from a supply of beverage to the nozzle, which may be in a font, at, for example a drinks bar.

The beverage may be non-alcoholic or alcoholic. For example, an alcoholic beverage may be a beer, for example a lager or an ale, stout or porter, or the alcoholic beverage may be cider.

Attention is drawn to two International patent applications, namely International Application No. PCT. GB99/03824 (published under No.

WO01136582) and International application No. PCT/GB99/01551 (published under No. WO99/60092). Any individual feature or any combination of such features of any beverage disclosed in either of these International Applications, and any method or apparatus or part of any method or apparatus disclosed in either of those International Applications may be utilized in the dispense of beverage which is the subject of this current application.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic side view of apparatus formed according to the third aspect of the invention for performance of a method according to the first or second aspect;

Figure 2 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of apparatus formed according to the fifth aspect of the invention for performance of a method according to the first or fourth aspect; Figure 3 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of apparatus formed according to the fifth aspect of the invention for performance of a method according to the first or fourth aspect, and Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a further embodiment of apparatus formed according to the fifth aspect of the invention for performance of the method according to the first or fourth aspect.

With reference to Figure 1, beverage is dispensed into a glass 5 from a dispensing nozzle 2 which can be part of a font or beverage dispensing apparatus at a drinks bar.

The glass 5 is on a rotating platform 8 having a cylinder 9 mounted thereon to rotate with the platform. The cylinder 9 bears a number of cinematographic representations of pictures 10 viewable in succession through an opening 4 in a stationary cover or enclosure 6 as an animated display as the cylinder revolves.

With reference to Figure 2, beverage dispensing apparatus 11 includes a font 12, a platform 14 and a motor 15. The dispensing apparatus 11 may be provided at/on a drinks bar, for example on the bar counter.

The font 12 has a cooling unit 16 at one end of an elongate stem 18 and an arm 20, containing a valve 22, projects perpendicularly to the other end of the stem 18. In use, the valve 22 regulates the flow of a beverage from a nozzle 24 at the free end of the arm 20.

The platform 14 is in the form of a circular disc 26 which is free to rotate about its centre point. The disc 26 is connected to the motor 15 by means of either a gearing arrangement, for example a worm gear, or a belt drive 28, so as to effect the rotation of the disc 26, in use.

The font 12 has light sources 30,32 mounted respectively on the stem 18 and at the junction of the stem 18 and the arm 20. A mirror-ball 34 depends from the arm 20 and is connected to a drive unit 36 which rotates the ball 34, in use.

In use, a beverage container, typically a glass 38, is placed upon the platform 14 and the motor 15 is actuated, either manually or by means of a pressure sensor on the platform 14, causing the platform 14 to rotate.

The light sources 30,32 and the drive unit 36 are actuated either by the same actuation means as the motor 15, by another manual actuation means or alternatively by the action of opening the valve 22.

Upon the opening of the valve 22 the beverage is drawn, under pressure from a keg (not shown), through the cooling unit 15, through the tubes (not shown) housed in the stems 18, along the arm 20 and exits from the nozzle 24. The beverage flows into the glass 38.

Light from the light sources 30,32 is directed onto the mirror-ball 34 and is reflected either through the glass 38 and beverage, or back at the font 12. A legend may be etched stuck or printed in the glass and illuminated by the light reflected from the mirror-ball 34.

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of dispensing apparatus 11 wherein a first mirror 40 is mounted upon the platform 14 inclined at an angle

thereto and a second mirror 42 mounted either centrally or eccentrically on the platform 14. The mirrors 40, 42 are configured so as to reflect light from the light source 30a through the glass 38 and the beverage as the glass is filled. The light source 30a and the motor 15 are actuated by similar actuation means as in the first embodiment.

Although shown respectively mounted upon the stem 18 and platform 14 it will be appreciated that the light source 30a and mirror 40 may be mounted in any convenient manner such that there is relative rotational movement therebetween and such that light reflected from the mirror 40 passes through the glass 38 and beverage.

Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of dispensing apparatus 11 in which LEDs 44,46 are mounted respectively centrally and circumferentially upon the platforms 14 in order to shine light through the beverage as the glass 38 is filled.

It will be appreciated that further LEDs 48,50 could further be mounted on a rotating annular collar 52 through which the glass 38 is placed and which sits approximately half-way up the glass 38. Rotation of the collar 52 can be effected either by linking it to the platform 14 or by providing a further independent drive means (not shown).

It will further be appreciated that fluorescent, photoluminescent or electroluminescent materials may be applied directly onto any or all of the font 12, the platform 14 or the glass 38 in order to pass light through the glass 38 as it is filled with beverage.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A method of dispensing a draught beverage comprising delivering draught beverage into a vessel which is being rotated, and in the vicinity of the rotating vessel providing a rotating visual display.
2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, in which associated with the rotating vessel is a rotated member bearing a succession of cinematographic representations giving an animated display observable at a viewing position.
3. A method as claimed in Claim 1, in which in the vicinity of the rotating vessel there is provided a rotating display of one or more lights and/or there is provided a rotating light pattern.
4. A method as claimed in any one preceding claim, in which the vessel is a drinking glass.
5. A method as claimed in any one preceding claim in which the beverage is alcoholic or non-alcoholic.
6. A method as claimed in Claim 5, in which the alcoholic beverage is a beer or cider.
7. A method as claimed in Claim 6, in which the beer is lager.
8. A method as claimed in any one preceding claim, in which the beverage is cooled immediately before its delivery into the vessel.
9. A method as claimed in Claim 2 or in any one of Claims 4 to 8 when appended to Claim 2, in which said member rotates with a rotatable

platform supporting the vessel, and the member rotates within an enclosure having a window through which the moving representations are viewed as said animated display.
10. A method as claimed in Claim 3 or in any one of Claims 4 to 8 when appended to Claim 3, in which the rotating light pattern is provided by one or more rotating mirrors disposed in the vicinity of the vessel and reflecting one or more light beams.
11. A method as claimed in Claim 10, in which aforesaid mirrors are arranged as a surface of a revolving or oscillating member.
12. A method as claimed in Claim 11, in which the revolving or oscillating member is a mirror ball.
13. A method as claimed in Claim 10, in which at least one said mirror is provided on a or on the rotatable platform supporting the vessel.
14. A method as claimed in Claim 10, in which at least one said mirror is provided on a or on the rotatable platform and the vessel stands over that mirror.
15. A method as claimed in Claim 10 or Claim 14 in which at least one said mirror is provided on a or on the rotatable platform at a position to one side of the vessel.
16. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 10 to 12, in which light is emitted by a plurality of rotating light sources.
17. A method as claimed in Claim 16, in which said light sources are light emitting diodes (LEDs).
18. A method as claimed in Claim 12, in which at least one said LED is provided on a or on the rotatable platform supporting the vessel.
19. A method as claimed in Claim 17, in which at least one said LED is provided on a collar surrounding the vessel.
20. A method of dispensing a draught beverage as claimed in Claim 1 and substantiality as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 or Figure 3 or Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
21. Apparatus to dispense a draught beverage comprising a dispense nozzle to deliver draught beverage, a rotatably driven platform to support a vessel receiving the delivered beverage, and a rotating member bearing a succession of cinematographic representations which moves within an enclosure or behind a mark having a slit, opening or viewing window through which the moving representations can be viewed as an animated display.
22. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, in which said rotating member is arranged to surround said vessel when the latter is positioned to receive delivered beverage.
23. Apparatus to dispense a draught beverage into a vessel, said apparatus comprising a nozzle from which the beverage to be dispensed can issue when desired, a platform to support said vessel when the apparatus is in use, means to rotate the platform, and means to provide in the vicinity of the rotating vessel a rotating display of one or more lights and/or to provide a rotating light pattern.
24. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 23, in which there is/are one or more rotating mirrors to reflect one or more light beams.
25. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 24, in which aforesaid mirrors are arranged as a surface of a revolving or oscillating member.
26. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 24, in which the revolving or oscillating member is a mirror ball.
27. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 24, in which at least one said mirror is provided on the platform.
28. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 24, in which at least one said mirror is provided on the platform at a position for the vessel to stand over that mirror when the apparatus is in use.
29. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 28, in which at least one said mirror is provided on the platform at a position for that mirror to be to one side of the vessel standing on the platform when the apparatus is in use.
30. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 29, further comprising a plurality of light sources.
31. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, in which said light sources are light emitting diodes (LEDs).
32. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 31, in which at least one said LED is provided on the platform.
33. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 31, in which at least one said LED is provided on the collar provided to surround said vessel when the apparatus is in use.
34. Apparatus to dispense a draught beverage substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1 or on Figure 2 or in Figure 3 or in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.