GB2449839A

GB2449839A - Beverage dispense

Info

Publication number: GB2449839A
Application number: GB0705568A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terrence Robert Davis
Original assignee: IMI Cornelius Inc
Current assignee: Cornelius Inc
Priority date: 2007-03-23
Filing date: 2007-03-23
Publication date: 2008-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 2027-03-23
Also published as: GB2449839B; GB0705568D0

Abstract

A method of dispensing a flowable frozen beverage in which dispense is controlled in response to flow of liquid beverage from a beverage source 1 to a cooling unit 5. A freeze cylinder 11 for converts the liquid beverage to the flowable frozen beverage for dispense from a tap 3. A flowmeter 19 monitors the volume of liquid beverage that replaces the dispensed volume of flowable frozen beverage and a solenoid valve 15b is operable to shut-off the flow of frozen flowable beverage to the tap 3 when a required volume of liquid beverage, equal to the dispensed volume of frozen flowable beverage, has been delivered to the cooling unit 5. The beverage may be a draught alocoholic beverage such as beer, lager or cider. Apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

Description

BEVERAGE DISPENSE

This invention relates to beverage dispense and in particular, but not exclusively, to dispense of alcoholic draught beverages such as beer, lager and cider. More especially, the invention is concerned with dispense of beverages in liquid or frozen forms.

Alcoholic draught beverages such as beer, lager or cider are typically dispensed in measured portions such as a pint or litre or half-pint or half-litre to comply with UK legislation controlling portion size.. Accurate control of portion size is achievable when the dispensed product is in a liquid form.

Various problems arise, however, if alcoholic beverages such as beer, lager or cider are to be dispensed in a measured portion containing different forms of the same or different beverage, for example liquid beverage having a head of frozen beverage. In particular, accurate control of the portion size and/or ratio of liquid to frozen forms of the beverage in the dispensed product is more difficult to achieve.

One or both of these problems can also occur when dispensing a mixture of different types beverages having the same form, for example a mixture of an alcoholic beverage such as beer or lager and a non- alcoholic beverage such as lemonade in liquid forms to produce a shandy.

The present invention has been made from a consideration of the foregoing problem.

Thus, the invention seeks to provide an apparatus and method for dispensing beverages in liquid and/or frozen forms that facilitates control of the dispensed volume to achieve measured portions containing a desired volume of liquid andlor frozen beverage.

The invention also seeks to provide an apparatus and method for dispensing a mixture of two or more types or forms of the same beverage or different beverages that facilitates control of the dispensed volume of the types or forms of beverage to achieve a desired ratio of the types or forms of beverage in the dispensed beverage.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of dispensing a beverage comprising providing a source of liquid beverage, delivering the beverage to an outlet for dispense, providing means for cooling the beverage between the source and the outlet to produce a flowable frozen beverage, dispensing the flowable frozen beverage from the outlet into a vessel, and controlling dispense of the flowable frozen beverage in response to flow of liquid beverage from the beverage source to the cooling means.

By this invention, as frozen beverage is dispensed, liquid beverage flows from the beverage source to the cooling means to replace the dispensed frozen beverage. The volume of liquid beverage is equal to the volume of beverage contained in the dispensed frozen beverage and, by monitoring the volume of liquid beverage required to replace the dispensed frozen beverage, the volume of dispensed frozen beverage can be accurately controlled.

Preferably, the beverage is an alcoholic beverage, especially a draught alcoholic beverage such as beer, lager or cider although other alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages capable of being dispensed in a frozen form may be employed.

Preferably, the method includes dispensing liquid beverage into the vessel. The liquid beverage may be dispensed before, after or during dispense of the frozen beverage.

The frozen beverage and liquid beverage may comprise the same beverage or different beverages. Where the frozen beverage and liquid beverage comprise the same beverage, they may have a common beverage source or separate beverage sources.

Preferably, the method includes the step of controlling the dispensed volumes of liquid beverage and frozen beverage to achieve a pre-determined ratio of liquid beverage and frozen beverage in the dispensed beverage.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for dispensing a beverage comprising a source of liquid beverage, an outlet for dispense of the beverage into a vessel, means for cooling the beverage between the source and the outlet to produce a flowable frozen beverage, and means for controlling dispense of the flowable frozen beverage in response to flow of liquid beverage from the beverage source to the cooling means.

Preferably, the control means includes means for monitoring flow of liquid beverage from the beverage source to the cooling means in response to actuation of a dispense of flowable frozen beverage and means for preventing dispense of flowable frozen beverage in response to flow of a pre-determined volume of liquid beverage from the beverage source to the cooling means.

Preferably, the apparatus can dispense frozen beverage or liquid beverage from the outlet. The outlet may be arranged to dispense frozen beverage or liquid beverage from the same or separate sources. Where the dispensed beverage contains frozen beverage and liquid beverage, the control means preferably controls dispense of the frozen beverage and liquid beverage in a pre-determined ratio. The ratio may be fixed.

Alternatively, the ratio may be adjustable. The control means may include means for selecting dispense of frozen beverage only, liquid beverage only or a mixture of frozen beverage and liquid beverage.

According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of dispensing a beverage containing a first beverage and a second beverage, the method comprising providing a source of the first beverage and a source of the second beverage, delivering the first beverage to an outlet for dispense, delivering the second beverage to an outlet for dispense, and controlling dispense of the first and second beverages to provide a dispensed beverage having a desired ratio of the first and second beverages.

According to a still further aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for dispensing a beverage comprising a source of a first beverage, a source of a second beverage, an outlet for dispense of the first beverage, an outlet for dispense of the second beverage, and means for controlling dispense of the first and second beverages to provide a desired ratio of the first and second beverages in the dispensed beverage.

The first and second beverages may comprise the same or different forms of beverage. For example both beverages may be in a liquid form or a frozen form. Alternatively one beverage may be in a liquid form and the other beverage in a frozen form.

The first and second beverages may comprise the same or different types of beverage. For example, both beverages may be alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages. Alternatively, one beverage may be an alcoholic beverage and the other beverage a non-alcoholic beverage.

According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of dispensing a beverage comprising providing a source of a first beverage, providing a source of a second beverage, providing an outlet for dispense of the first beverage, providing an outlet for dispense of the second beverage, and providing means for controlling dispense of the first beverage and/or the second beverage to provide dispensed beverage comprising first beverage only or second beverage only or a mixture of the first beverage and the second beverage in a desired ratio.

According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for dispensing a beverage comprising a source of a first beverage, a source of a second beverage, an outlet for dispense of the first beverage, an outlet for dispense of the second beverage, and means for controlling dispense of the first beverage and/or the second beverage to provide dispensed beverage comprising first beverage only or second beverage only or a mixture of the first beverage and the second beverage in a desired ratio.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows a beverage dispense system according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a modification to the beverage dispense system of Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows a modification to the beverage dispense system of Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a system according to the invention for dispensing an alcoholic draught beverage such as beer, lager or cider containing volumes of liquid beverage and frozen beverage. The frozen beverage has a flowable consistency and is referred to hereinafter as a "slush" beverage formed by cooling the beverage to form a mixture of ice particles suspended in liquid beverage. The ice particles are formed by the water content of the beverage and may retain the flavour of the beverage. The ice fraction and thus the consistency of the slush beverage can be controlled to provide frozen (slush) beverage with any desired ice fraction.

The system includes a source of the beverage such as a keg 1 stored in a cellar (not shown) or other suitable storage area remote from a manually operable dispense tap 3 provided in a bar (not shown) or other suitable serving area. Beverage passes from the keg 1 to a cooling unit 5 in a product line 7 and from the cooling unit 5 to the dispense tap 3 in two separate product lines 7a,7b. The keg 1 is connected to a source of pressurised gas 9 for propelling the beverage from the keg I to the dispense tap 3. For some applications a pump (not shown) may be provided in the product line 7 to assist flow of beverage to the dispense tap 3. The product line 7 also includes a fob monitor (not shown) to detect when the keg 1 needs changing.

One of the product lines 7a supplies the dispense tap 3 with beverage in a liquid form and the other product line 7b supplies the dispense tap 3 with beverage in a flowable frozen form. The cooling unit 5 includes a cooler such as an ice bank cooler or glycol cooler (not shown) for cooling the liquid beverage and a freeze cylinder 11 or similar device for converting the liquid beverage to flowable frozen (slush) beverage. The freeze cylinder 11 may receive beverage that has already been cooled by the cooler.

The dispense tap 3 has a manually operable handle 13 for opening/closing two mechanically operated dispense valves (not shown) connected to the product lines 7a,7b respectively. The handle is shown in an upright, rest position in which the dispense valves are closed. The handle 13 is pivotal from the rest position in the direction of arrow A so that the dispense valve connected to the product line 7a opens while the dispense valve connected to the product line 7b remains closed for dispense of liquid (unfrozen) beverage only into a glass (not shown) or other suitable receptacle placed under the dispense tap 3. The handle 13 is pivotal from the rest position in the direction of arrow B so that the dispense valve connected to the product line 7b opens while the dispense valve connected to the product line 7a remains closed for dispense of flowable frozen (slush) beverage only into a glass (not shown) or other suitable receptacle placed under the dispense tap 3. A suitable dispense tap of this type is described in our co-pending European patent application No.1669322 to which the reader is directed for further details.

Between the cooling unit 5 and the dispense tap 3, the product lines 7a,7b are provided with electrically operated valves 15a, 15b such as on/off solenoid valves operable in response to actuation of the handle 13 whereby the valve 15a in the flow line 7a is opened when the handle is pivoted from the rest position in the direction of arrow A for dispense of liquid (unfrozen) beverage and the valve 15b is opened when the handle 13 is pivoted from the rest position in the direction of arrow B for dispense of flowable frozen (slush) beverage. Opening of the valves 15a, 15b may be controlled by pressure switches responsive to the fluid pressure drop in the flow lines 7a,7b between the valves 15a,15b and the dispense tap 3 when the handle 13 is operated to open the dispense valves connected to the flow lines 7a,7b. Alternatively, the valves 15a,15b may be controlled by microswitches or any other suitable switching device responsive to movement of the handle 13.

The valves 15a,15b are connected to a control unit 17 that is connected to a flow meter 19 located in the flow line 7 between the keg 1 and the cooling unit 5. In this embodiment, the flow meter 19 comprises a turbine and the control unit 17 includes a counter for counting the pulses from the turbine as beverage is dispensed from the dispense tap 3 in either liquid (unfrozen) or frozen (slush) form. The pulses are representative of the volume of beverage dispensed in either form and the control unit 17 is pre-set so that, after opening, the solenoid valves 15a,15b are closed when a pre-determined number of pulses has been counted. The number of pulses required to close each solenoid valve 15a,15b can be set so that the liquid (unfrozen) and frozen (slush) forms of the beverage are dispensed in a fixed ratio independently of the portion size dispensed, for example pint or half-pint measures. In a modification (not shown), the mechanically operated dispense valves may be replaced by electrically operable valves such as on/off solenoid valves that can be connected to the control box 17 to shut-off flow when a desired volume has been dispensed. With this arrangement the separate solenoid valves 15a, 15b in the flow lines 7a,7b between the cooling unit 5 and dispense tap 3 may be omitted.

In use, the dispense tap 3 can be operated to dispense liquid (unfrozen) beverage by pivoting the handle 13 in the direction of arrow A until the solenoid valve 15a in product line 7a closes whereupon the handle 13 can be returned to the rest position and operated to dispense frozen (slush) beverage by pivoting the handle 13 in the direction of arrow B until the solenoid valve 15b in product line 7b closes whereupon the handle 13 can be returned to the rest position. The proportions of liquid beverage and slush beverage in the dispensed beverage are controlled by the flow meter 19 which monitors flow of liquid beverage delivered to the cooling unit 5 in product line 7 and thereby provides an accurate measure of the volume of beverage dispensed in both the liquid (unfrozen) and frozen (slush) forms. In this way, the portion size can be accurately controlled and the ratio of liquid (unfrozen) beverage to frozen (slush) beverage in the dispensed beverage is also controlled in a manner that is both reliable and repeatable whereby uniformity of the composition (make-up) and appearance (presentation) of the dispensed product can be achieved. It will be understood that the liquid (unfrozen) beverage and frozen (slush) beverage could be dispensed in any order, for example the liquid (unfrozen) beverage may be dispensed before or after the frozen (slush) beverage. The frozen (slush) beverage typically forms a head on top of the liquid (unfrozen) beverage in the dispensed product.

In this embodiment, the control unit 17 is located in the serving area close to the dispense tap 3, for example under a counter top 21 on which the dispense tap 3 is mounted. In this embodiment, the control unit 17 is pre-set on installation to provide a fixed ratio of liquid (unfrozen) beverage to frozen (slush) beverage in the dispensed beverage which can only be altered by a service engineer or other authorised person. In this way, unauthorised changes to the ratio of liquid (unfrozen) beverage to frozen (slush) beverage in the dispensed beverage by the bar staff is prevented. As a result, the composition (make-up) and appearance (presentation) of the dispensed product is taken Out of the hands of the bar staff. In another embodiment, however, the control unit may include means for the bar staff to adjust the ratio prior to dispensing the beverage. The control unit 17 may also include means to allow the bar staff to select dispense of beverage comprising liquid (unfrozen) beverage only or frozen (slush) beverage only. For example the control unit 17 may include buttons or other means to select the beverage to be dispensed so as to set automatically the counter to deliver the required volume of liquid (unfrozen) beverage and/or frozen (slush) beverage according to the selected beverage. In this arrangement, the control unit 17 may be set to prevent dispense of the wrong beverage. For example, if dispense of liquid (unfrozen) beverage only is selected, the control unit 17 may prevent the solenoid valve 15b in the line 7b supplying frozen (slush) beverage to the dispense tap 3 opening if the handle 13 is pivoted in the direction of arrow B. The control unit 17 may also allow selection of the volume to be dispensed, for example the system may have a default setting for dispense of a pint or litre with the option for selecting dispense of half-pint or half-litre via a button or other means on the control unit 17.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown modification of the system shown in Figure 1. For convenience like reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts and the operation of these parts will be

understood from the description of Figure 1.

Unlike the system described and shown in Figure 1 where both the liquid and frozen forms of the dispensed beverage are provided by a common source of the beverage, the system shown in Figure 2 employs separate sources 1,1' of beverage for the liquid and frozen forms of the dispensed beverage.

In this arrangement, product line 7a is connected to product line 7 from keg 1 via the cooler and product line 7b is connected to product line 7' from keg 1' via the freeze cylinder 11. Pivotal movement of the handle 13 in the direction of arrow A from the rest position causes solenoid valve 15a to open for dispense of liquid (unfrozen) beverage from keg 1 and pivotal movement of handle 13 in the direction of arrow B from the rest position causes solenoid valve 15b to open for dispense of frozen (slush) beverage from keg 1'. The liquid (unfrozen) beverage may be dispensed before or after the frozen (slush) beverage. Typically, the frozen (slush) beverage forms a head on the liquid (unfrozen) beverage.

The control unit 17 includes buttons or other means for the user to select dispense of liquid (unfrozen) beverage from keg 1 only or frozen (slush) beverage from keg 1' only or a mixture of both liquid (unfrozen) beverage from keg 1 and frozen (slush) beverage from keg 2. The control unit 17 causes the solenoid vaives 15a,15b to close when a pre-determined volume of beverage has been dispensed as determined by the flow meters 19,19' provided in the flow lines 7,7' according to the selected beverage for dispense.

Where dispense of a mixture of liquid (unfrozen) beverage and frozen (slush) beverage is selected, the control unit 17 is pre-set to dispense both forms of beverage in a required ratio. The required ratio may be fixed on installation to prevent unauthorised changes by the bar staff.

Alternatively, the control unit 17 may include means to allow the bar staff to select the ratio of liquid (unfrozen) beverage and frozen (slush) beverage in the dispensed beverage.

The beverage sources 1,1' may comprise the same beverage, for example an alcoholic draught beverage such as beer, lager or cider.

Alternatively, the beverage sources 1,1' may comprise different beverages, for example one of the sources may comprise an alcoholic draught beverage such as beer, lager or cider and the other source may comprise a different beverage which may be alcoholic or non-alcoholic, for example lemonade. Other types and combinations of beverages both alcoholic and non-alcoholic that may be dispensed separately or in combination will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In a modification (not shown), the dispense tap 3 may be configured so that both liquid (unfrozen) beverage and frozen (slush) beverage are dispensed by pivotal movement of the handle 13 in the same direction. In this arrangement, the control unit 17 may be arranged to control the solenoid valves 15a,15b to dispense the liquid (unfrozen) and frozen (slush) forms of the beverage one after the other (separate dispense) or together (simultaneous dispense) to achieve the desired ratio. Where both forms are dispensed together, one form -usually the frozen form -comprises a smaller portion of the total volume dispensed and may therefore be dispensed during part only of the dispense of the other form.

For example, dispense of the smaller portion may start with and end before dispense of the larger portion or start after. and end with dispense of the larger portion or start after and end before dispense of the larger portion. Alternatively, dispense of the two portions may be staggered to overlap so that dispense of one portion starts before dispense of the other portion starts and ends before dispense of the other portion ends.

Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown modification of the system shown in Figure 2. For convenience like reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts and the operation of these parts will be understood from the description of Figures 1 and 2.

In this embodiment, the freeze cylinder 11 is omitted and the beverages from both sources 1,1' are dispensed in a liquid form. With this arrangement, dispensed beverage may comprise liquid beverage from source 1 only or source 1' only or a combination of both sources 1,1' where the dispense of beverage from both sources 1,1' is controlled to provide a desired ratio as described previously. Typically, the beverage sources 1,1' will comprise different beverages. For example any combination of two alcoholic beverages or two non-alcoholic beverages or an alcoholic beverage and a non-alcoholic beverage. In a modification (not shown), the cooling unit 5 may include a freeze cylinder for one or both beverage sources 1,1' and a by-pass line for by-passing the freeze cylinder whereby beverage from each beverage source 1,1' may be dispensed in a liquid (unfrozen) form or a frozen (slush) form to provide dispensed beverage from one or both sources 1,1' in a liquid (unfrozen) form only or a frozen (slush) form only or a combination of both liquid (unfrozen) and frozen (slush) forms. The control unit 17 may be provided with buttons or other suitable means for selection of the type and form of beverage to be dispensed.

It will be understood that the invention enables beverage to be dispensed with an accurately controlled portion size for different types and/or forms of beverage and also with an accurately controlled ratio of different types and/or forms of beverage.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to the dispense of beverages from one or two beverage sources, it will be understood that the principles of the invention may be applied where more than two beverage sources are employed to provide accurate control of the portion size of the dispensed beverage and/or the ratio of beverage types and forms in dispensed beverage.

Claims

1. A method of dispensing a beverage comprising providing a source of liquid beverage, delivering the beverage to an outlet for dispense, providing means for cooling the beverage between the source and the outlet to produce a flowable frozen beverage, dispensing the flowable frozen beverage from the outlet into a vessel, and controlling dispense of the flowable frozen beverage in response to flow of liquid beverage from the beverage source to the cooling means.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the beverage is an alcoholic beverage.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the beverage is a draught alcoholic beverage.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the beverage is selected from beer, lager and cider.

5. A method according to any preceding claim further including the step of dispensing liquid beverage into the vessel.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the liquid beverage is dispensed before, after or during dispense of the frozen beverage.

7. A method according to claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the frozen beverage and liquid beverage comprise the same beverage or different beverages.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the frozen beverage and liquid beverage have a common beverage source.

9. A method according to any of claims 5 to 8 wherein the method further includes the step of controlling the dispensed volumes of liquid beverage and frozen beverage to achieve a pre-determined ratio of liquid beverage and frozen beverage in the dispensed beverage.

10. Apparatus for dispensing a beverage comprising a source of liquid beverage, an outlet for dispense of the beverage into a vessel, means for cooling the beverage between the source and the outlet to produce a flowable frozen beverage, and means for controlling dispense of the flowable frozen beverage in response to flow of liquid beverage from the beverage source to the cooling means.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein, the control means includes means for monitoring flow of liquid beverage from the beverage source to the cooling means in response to actuation of a dispense of flowable frozen beverage and means for preventing dispense of flowable frozen beverage in response to flow of a pre-determined volume of liquid beverage from the beverage source to the cooling means.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein, the apparatus can dispense frozen beverage or liquid beverage from the outlet.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the outlet is arranged to dispense frozen beverage or liquid beverage from the same or separate sources.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the control means controls dispense of frozen beverage and liquid beverage in a pre-determined ratio.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the ratio is fixed.

16. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the ratio is adjustable.

17. Apparatus according to any of claims 12 to 16 wherein the control means includes means for selecting dispense of frozen beverage only, liquid beverage only or a mixture of frozen beverage and liquid beverage.

18. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein a flowmeter is provided between the beverage source and the cooling means to monitor flow of liquid beverage during dispense.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the control means includes a first valve between the cooling means and the outlet for controlling flow of flowable frozen beverage to the outlet.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the control means includes a second valve between the cooling means and the outlet for controlling flow of liquid beverage to the outlet.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein at least one of the first and second valves is opened in response to actuation of a dispense and is closed in response to dispense of a pre-determined volume of beverage.

22. Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein a dispense tap is provided with a manually operable handle for actuating dispense of liquid beverage andfor flowable frozen beverage.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the handle is movable in different directions from a rest position to open selectively the first and second valves.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23 including a freeze cylinder for converting liquid beverage to flowable frozen beverage.