ITMI20010688A1 - APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE TREATMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF BEVERAGES - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

attached to a patent application for INDUSTRIAL INVENTION having the title. "APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE TREATMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF BEVERAGES"

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for the treatment and distribution of beverages comprising the characteristics expressed in the preamble of claim 1.

The invention also relates to a method for the treatment and distribution of beverages comprising the characteristics expressed in the preamble of claim 12.

The object of the present invention is aimed at equipment for the treatment and distribution of beverages, in particular water, which can be installed in public and / or private infrastructures. Generally, these apparatuses, connected to a common drinking water mains or other supply means, are designed to supply water and sparkling water at room and / or chilled temperature, therefore they are equipped with a water carbonation system and a system of refrigeration of the same.

The gassing system generally provides for the presence of a saturator having a collection container designed to house partly carbonated water and partly carbon dioxide under pressure. The gassing of the water takes place inside the collection container and is implemented by introducing a vertical jet of water at high pressure. The jet of water introduced penetrates the mass of water present inside the collection container by dragging the carbon dioxide overhead. This operation generates numerous turbulences in the water that favor the dissolution of carbon dioxide. The refrigeration system generally consists of a coil cooler operatively associated with a water storage tank hydraulically connected to the water supply and to the dispenser. The saturator collection container is immersed in the water contained in the storage tank, so the cooling action of the coil cooler is also transmitted to the sparkling water contained in the saturator.

US patent 4764315 describes an apparatus for the treatment and distribution of beverages somewhat similar to the aforementioned one, in which an accumulation tank cooled by a coil cooler and a saturator for gassing the water integrated in the storage tank are provided.

The Applicant has found that the known beverage treatment and distribution apparatuses, although they ensure a supply of cold and / or room temperature still and sparkling water, are nevertheless not free from some drawbacks and can be improved in several respects, mainly in relation to the quality of the carbonation obtained as well as the structural simplicity, compactness and costs of construction and marketing of the apparatus itself.

More specifically, it has been noted that components commonly supplied to known equipment such as the saturator or the same hydraulic pumps for introducing high pressure water into the latter greatly affect the size and costs of the equipment.

In addition, the devices equipped with alternative hydraulic pumps emit unwanted vibrations and noises during the operation of the latter. The latter are determined in part by any collisions of the pump plunger against the cylinder inside which the plunger slides alternately and by the water hammer imparted to the mass of water during delivery of the same.

In order to reduce the vibrations and consequently the noises emitted during the operation of the pumps, some apparatuses provide complicated mechanical damping systems associated with the pumps themselves. However, these damping systems do not allow to eliminate the noises emitted by the apparatus and considerably weigh on the overall cost of the latter.

It should also be noted that the known apparatuses do not allow the dispensing of the carbonated beverage continuously. In fact, the amount of carbonated beverage dispensable at each withdrawal by the user cannot exceed a predetermined value, necessarily lower than the amount of beverage contained in the saturator. Each time a quantity of drink close to the aforementioned maximum value is dispensed in a single solution, it is necessary to wait a certain time for a new quantity of carbonated drink to be produced in the saturator.

The object of the present invention is to solve the problems encountered in the known art by proposing an apparatus for the treatment and distribution of beverages, in particular of water, which ensures excellent quality of the carbonated water being dispensed, has a simple, compact structure and present reduced production and marketing costs.

A further purpose of the invention is to devise a method and an apparatus that also allow the dispensing of carbonated drinks continuously, according to any desired quantity.

Another purpose of the invention is to devise a silent apparatus that does not emit vibrations and annoying noises during the operation of its hydraulic pumps.

These aims and others besides, which will become clearer in the course of the following description, are substantially achieved by an apparatus for the treatment and distribution of beverages comprising the characteristics expressed in the characterizing part of claim 1.

These objects are also achieved by a method for the treatment and distribution of beverages comprising the characteristics expressed in the characterizing part of claim 12.

Further characteristics and advantages will become more apparent from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of an apparatus and a method for treating and dispensing beverages, in accordance with the present invention. This description will be shown below with reference to the attached figure, provided for indicative purposes only and, therefore, not limitative, in which an apparatus for the treatment and distribution of beverages is schematically represented, in accordance with the present invention. With reference to the attached figure, 1 has overall indicated an apparatus for the treatment and distribution of beverages, in accordance with the present invention.

The apparatus 1 comprises means 2 for feeding at least one beverage hydraulically connected, by means of a feeding circuit 3, to a dispenser 4. The apparatus 1 is also equipped with saturation means 5 operatively associated with the feeding circuit 3 for subjecting the beverage coming from the feeding means 2 to a carbonating process.

More in detail, the feeding means 2 comprise one or more connecting devices 6 for the hydraulic connection of the apparatus 1 to a drink supply source 7. In the illustrated solution, the power source 7 is preferably constituted by a drinking water network for which the beverage fed to the apparatus 1 is represented by the water present in this water network. It is also possible that, in the absence of a feed source 7 capable of continuously supplying the drink or in the presence of unfavorable hydraulic connection conditions, the apparatus 1 is equipped with interchangeable feed containers (not shown) containing water or other drink to be eaten.

The feeding means 2 further provide for the presence of a collection container 8 hydraulically associated with the feeding circuit 3 immediately downstream of the connecting devices 2 so that the drink coming from the latter flows into the collection container 8 through a first duct 9 of the power supply circuit 3.

The collection container 8 can also be advantageously associated with a refrigeration device (not illustrated as it is known) which provides, for example by means of one or more serpentine ducts traversed by a refrigerant fluid and circumscribing the structure of the collection container itself, to cool the latter and consequently the water contained therein.

The feeding means 2 can also be equipped with at least one auxiliary pump 10 hydraulically connected to the feeding circuit 3 upstream of the saturation means 5 to send to the latter the drink coming from the feeding source 7 according to a predetermined pressure value. More specifically, the auxiliary pump 10 has an intake opening 10a hydraulically connected, by means of a second duct 11 of the supply circuit 3, to the collection container 8 and a delivery opening 10b hydraulically connected and saturation means 5, by means of a third duct 12 of the supply circuit 3. Preferably, the auxiliary pump 10 is arranged to suck the beverage present in the collection container 8 to send the latter to the saturation means 5, increasing its pressure at least up to a value between 1, 5 and 3 bar. The auxiliary pump 10 can be omitted if the apparatus 1 is connected to a water network or other power source 7 capable of ensuring a sufficient supply pressure of approximately between 1.5 and 3 bar.

Immediately downstream of the auxiliary pump 10, a first one-way valve 13 is operationally engaged in the third duct 12 so that the beverage circulating inside the latter can only flow towards the saturation means 5.

As can be seen in the attached figure, the saturation means 5 comprise at least one pump 14 operatively associated with the feed circuit 3 to carbonate the water or other beverage coming from the feed means 2 and a premixing device 15 operatively connected to the pump 14 to mix the drink with a gas, preferably carbon dioxide. In detail, the premixing device 15 is operatively interposed between the auxiliary pump 10 and the pump 14 and is hydraulically connected, by means of a fourth duct 16 of the supply circuit 3, to means 17 for supplying the aforementioned gas.

The refueling means 17 can for example consist of a cylinder or other similar hermetically sealed container equipped with an appropriate pressure reducer 18 for regulating the pressure of the refueling gas sent to the premixing device 15. Furthermore, to the fourth duct 16 a second one-way valve 19 is operatively engaged which allows the passage of gas exclusively from the refueling means 17 to the premixing device 15. The premixing device 15 has a hollow body preferably Ύ "shaped having a first inlet 15a connected to the third duct 12 and a second inlet opening 15b connected to the fourth duct 16 so that through the first and second inlet openings 15a, 15b the drink coming from the auxiliary pump 10 and the gas coming from the refueling means 17 are introduced into the premixing device 15. Within the latter, the two fluids at the inlet they meet giving rise to a series of turbulences which determine a gross dispersion of the gas in the beverage being fed. The premixing device 15 also has at least one outlet 15c directly connected to the pump 14 of the saturation means 5.

In detail, the pump 14 is directly connected to the premixing device 15 by means of an intake opening 14a and has at least one delivery opening 14b hydraulically connected to the dispenser 4, by means of a fifth duct 20 which is preferably made of metal or other rigid material.

The pump 14, as well as the possible auxiliary pump 10 can be volumetric pumps, preferably of the alternative type. Preferably at least the pump 14 is a piston-type reciprocating pump, that is to say, comprising a cylinder within which a piston with reciprocating motion slides. The reciprocating piston pump 14 used can comprise in a known way a coil fed in alternating current arranged around the cylinder-piston assembly, and the piston is movable within the latter. In this situation, the plunger is alternately movable along the cylinder due to the effect of the magnetic field induced by the coil. The piston defines inside the cylinder of the pump 10 an aspiration environment and a delivery environment which, during operation, are suitably put in communication with each other, by means of one-way valves integrated in suitable passage openings.

It should be noted that, for the purposes of the invention, the aforementioned pump 14 can be replaced by any hydraulic pump capable of cyclically generating pressure waves such as to interrupt the fluid flow of the beverage. This involves, within the beverage being fed, the formation of cavitations such as to ensure the aspiration of the gas being refueled and consequently ensure the dispersion of the latter in the beverage.

This characteristic is particularly advantageous since, in the absence of the aforementioned pressure waves, the regular entry of the two fluids would tend to be hindered by the different physico-chemical characteristics of the fluids themselves as well as by pressure differences between the latter. In particular, it would be sufficient for the supply pressure of one or both fluids to be slightly different from an optimal value, to determine the entry of a single fluid into the pump, compromising the functioning of the apparatus 1. On the other hand, it has been found that the use of an alternative pump 14 allows to generate, both in suction and in delivery, high pressure changes that are sufficient to ensure, initially, the simultaneous suction of the beverage and the gas and determine, subsequently, the dissolution of the latter even if the difference in pressure between one fluid and another is of the order of ± 1 bar. In this circumstance it is also possible to adjust the carbonation of the beverage by acting on the pressure reducer 18 or on the auxiliary pump 10, to adjust the pressure difference between the beverage being fed and the gas being refueled. For example, it has been found that an accentuated carbonation of the beverage, indicatively of the order of about 14 g / l, can be obtained by intervening on the apparatus 1 in such a way that the gas has a pressure greater than about 0.5 bar with respect to the drink pressure. Conversely, a light carbonation, of the order of about 5 g / l, can be obtained by intervening on the apparatus 1 in such a way that the pressure of the beverage is approximately 0.5 bar higher than the gas pressure.

As visible in the attached figure, the apparatus 1 can also comprise at least an enrichment unit 21 operatively associated with the power supply circuit 3 to introduce in the latter at least a flavoring substance 22 or additive of another type. The enrichment unit 21 is hydraulically connected to the power supply circuit 3 upstream of the dispenser 4 and, preferably, upstream of the saturation means 5.

In detail, the enrichment unit 21 comprises a containment vessel 23 inside which the additive substance 22 is stored. The containment vessel 23 is hydraulically connected to the third duct 12 between the mixing device 15 and the first one-way valve 13 by means of a sixth duct 24 of the supply circuit 3. A third one-way valve 25 is also operatively engaged with the sixth duct 24 which allows the passage of the additive substance 22 only from the container 23 containing the enrichment unit 21 to the third duct 12. The strong pulsations generated by the pump 14 allow the aspiration of the additive substance 22 through the fifth one-way valve 25 even if this passage tends to be opposed by the pressure of the beverage being fed. In fact, the action of the pump determines cyclic depressions in the presence of which the passage in small doses of the additive substance 22 occurs through the one-way valve 25.

The third unidirectional valve 25 can advantageously be of the calibratable type, to allow the correct dosage of the additive substances 22 according to the requirements. In particular, the regulation of the third unidirectional valve 25 can be carried out as a function of the viscosity or the chemical / physical characteristics of the substance 22 used.

In order to further increase the carbonation of the beverage which can be carried out by means of the pump 14, it is possible that the apparatus 1 is also provided with a saturator (not shown as it is known), operatively associated with the supply circuit 4. In this case, the saturator being equipped with a collection container designed to house partly carbonated water and partly carbon dioxide under pressure, it can be provided to replace the collection container 6 so that the beverage coming from the feeding source 7 would first be subjected to further carbonation of the saturator to then be subjected to the carbonation of the saturation means 5. It should however be noted that the apparatus itself has been designed to carbonate the beverages in the absence of saturators such as the one mentioned above.

The operation of the apparatus for the treatment and distribution of beverages, described above mainly in a structural sense, is as follows.

The drink coming from the feeding source 7 passes through the connecting devices 6 and the first duct 9 of the feeding circuit 4, to fill the collection container 8. Since the latter is subject to the action of the refrigeration means, the drink therein is also contained is refrigerated. The drink coming from the collection container 8 occupies the second conduit 11 of the supply circuit 4 up to the possible auxiliary pump 10.

When the dispenser is operated by a user for tapping the drink, the device 1 is automatically activated.

The activation of the apparatus 1 involves the activation of the auxiliary pump 10 and of the pump 14. The auxiliary pump 10 sucks, through its own suction opening 10a, the drink coming from the second duct 11 sending it, at a pressure higher than that at the inlet and through the delivery opening 10b, the third duct 12 and the first one-way valve 13, to the first inlet opening 15a of the premixing device 15. At the same time, the pump 14 determines, in the suction phase, a vacuum at the inside the hollow body of the premixing device 15 and consequently inside the third, fourth and sixth conduits 12, 16, 24 of the supply circuit 3.

The additive substance 22 thus passes through the third unidirectional valve 24 and reaches the premixing device 15 together with the beverage fed into the third duct 12. Simultaneously, the pressurized gas coming from the refueling means 17 also passes, through the fourth duct 16, towards the pre-mixing device 5.

The possibly flavored beverage and the gas enter the hollow body of the premixing device 15 respectively through the first inlet opening 15a and the second inlet opening 15b of the device itself. The particular shape of the hollow body directs, according to convergent trajectories, the flows of the two fluids introduced into the premixing device 15 whereby these fluids collide giving rise to turbulence which determines a preliminary dissolution of the gas in the possibly flavored beverage.

At this point the drink and the gas still not completely dissolved pass through the suction opening 14a of the pump 14 entering the latter.

Inside the pump 14, the suction and compression actions exerted by the plunger determine a further mixing of the beverage and the gas, considerably increasing the degree of carbonation of the beverage itself. More specifically, the mixing and therefore the carbonation of the beverage is considerably favored by the effect of an instant pressure increase which occurs, during each delivery stroke carried out by the plunger, on the small quantity of beverage previously sucked into the pump 14, indicatively no higher. at 10cc, in concomitance with the expulsion of the drink itself through the delivery opening 14b. In this regard, it should be noted that with the use of pumps of the type specified above, pressure peaks of the order of 20 bar or even greater can be easily reached within the pump itself. For the purposes of the present invention, it is however possible to obtain a sufficient gassing effect by using pumps that ensure pressure increases of the order of at least 10 bar.

The high pressure reached inside the pump, in conjunction with the strong pulsations and turbulence generated in the beverage due to its forced passage through the valves usually associated with the suction environment and the delivery environment, ensure the fine dispersion of the gas in the liquid phase and, therefore, an effective and lasting carbonation of the beverage.

It should also be noted that the gas dispersed in the beverage in the form of tiny bubbles advantageously confers a certain compressibility to the carbonated beverage. In this situation, the drink behaves like an elastic mass that cushions any shocks generated by the alternating movement of the plunger, dampens the water hammer due to the strong pressure pulsations in delivery. The energy transmitted by these pulsations favors the dissolution of the gas and therefore the maintenance of carbonation in the beverage.

The carbonated beverage leaving the pump 14 passes through the fifth duct 20 and is dispensed continuously through the dispenser 4. In order to maintain the carbonation of the beverage being dispensed, the rigid structure of the fifth duct is particularly advantageous as it does not cushion the in any way the water hammer generated by the pump 14 which thus ensures the carbonation of the beverage.

The present invention solves the problems encountered in the known art and achieves the proposed aims.

In fact, the apparatus object of the present invention allows to obtain an excellent carbonation of the beverage being dispensed since the carbonation of the latter is implemented instantly by means of the pump 14 during the expulsion of the beverage itself through the dispenser 4.

In this regard, it should be noted that, contrary to known apparatuses in which the carbonation of a considerable mass of beverage is performed, in a quantity not necessarily less than the maximum quantity that can be dispensed and at each withdrawal, the invention carries out carbonation on small quantities of water. , decidedly lower than the volume of beverage required at each withdrawal, according to an operating cycle repeated at high frequency for an indefinite time, thus making it possible to continuously dispense carbonated beverage in any quantity.

It should also be considered that the elimination of bulky and expensive components such as the saturator and the pumps associated with it leads to a significant reduction in the overall dimensions of the apparatus as well as a reduction in the costs of construction and marketing of the same. In fact, the apparatus described above allows to obtain a high degree of gassing through the sole use of an alternative volumetric pump 14 which has dimensions and costs considerably lower than the dimensions and costs of a saturator.

It should also be added that through a single pump like the one mentioned above it is possible to manage multiple enrichment units each carrying a different additive substance.

It should also be noted that the low cost of the aforementioned pumps allows the manufacturer to double the number supplied without excessively affecting the overall cost of the equipment in production.

In addition, the presence of a gas inside the pump 14 makes the latter remarkably silent, eliminating vibrations and annoying noises.

Claims (17)

CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for the treatment and distribution of beverages comprising: a dispenser (4); feeding means (2) for at least one beverage; saturation means (5) for carbonating said beverage hydraulically connected between said feeding means (2) and said dispenser (4); refueling means (17) with at least one gas hydraulically connected to said saturation means (5), a feeding circuit (3) of said beverage hydraulically connected to said feeding means (2), saturation means (5), refueling means (17) and to said dispenser (4), characterized in that said saturation means (5) comprise at least one pump (14) operatively associated with said supply circuit (3) for gassing said beverage, said pump (14) having at least one suction opening (14a) hydraulically connected to said supply means (2) and to said supply means (17) for the inlet of said beverage and said gas respectively, and at least one delivery opening (14b) hydraulically connected to the dispenser (4) for release of a carbonated drink. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pump (14) is a positive displacement pump. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pump (14) is an alternative displacement pump. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said reciprocating displacement pump (14) is a plunger pump. 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said plunger pump (14) has a coil fed in alternating current and a plunger movable alternately within said coil due to the effect of the magnetic field induced by the coil itself. 6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pump (14) is hydraulically connected to said dispenser (5) by means of at least one conduit (12) of said supply circuit (3), said conduit (12) being made in a rigid material. 7. Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said saturation means (5) further comprise a premixing device (15) operatively connected to the suction opening (14a) of said pump (14) for mixing the beverage coming from said supply means (2) with the gas coming from said supply means (17). 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said premixing device (15) has a hollow body having: a first inlet opening (15a) hydraulically connected to said feeding means (2); a second inlet opening (15b) hydraulically connected to said refueling means (17); and at least one outlet opening (15c) hydraulically connected to said suction opening (14a) of said pump (14). Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said feeding means (2) comprise at least one auxiliary pump (10) hydraulically connected to said feeding circuit (3) upstream of said saturation means (5). 10. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an enrichment unit (21) operatively arranged upstream of said dispenser (4) to introduce at least one additive substance (22) into said beverage. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said enrichment unit (21) is hydraulically connected to said supply circuit (3) upstream of said saturation means (5). 12. Method for the treatment and distribution of beverages comprising the following steps: introducing at least one drink and at least one gas into a chamber; mixing said beverage and said gas; dispense the mixed drink; characterized in that the mixing includes a step of raising the pressure of the beverage present in the chamber up to a predetermined maximum value in conjunction with an expulsion of the beverage from the chamber itself. 13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the mixing step is repeated cyclically during the beverage dispensing step, carried out continuously. 14. Method according to claim 13, wherein the mixing step is repeated cyclically on quantities of beverage not exceeding 10 CC. 15. Method according to claim 12, said step of increasing the pressure provides for a pressure increase according to a value at least equal to 10 bar. 16. Method according to claim 12, in which a premixing step of said beverage and said gas is carried out before the mixing step. 17. Method according to claim 12, in which, before dispensing, an enrichment step of said beverage is carried out by placing in the latter at least one flavoring substance (22).