JP2001039497A - Beverage filling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To hold a large amt. of beverage as much as possible under an appropriate condition, to fill the beverage in each beverage container and to accurately control temp. in a storage housing by making area of installation as narrow as possible. SOLUTION: A storage housing 13 has an insulating structure and is constituted in such a way that a plurality of beverage containers 1 each provided with a pressurized gas filling part and a beverage extraction part are removably stored in a storing room. A nitrogen gas cylinder 11 and the pressurized gas filling part of the beverage container 1 are connected with a gas feeding pipe 8 to feed nitrogen gas to each beverage container 1. A plurality of extraction cocks 40 are provided in such a way that the beverage extraction part side is projected to the outside of the storage housing 13 in cope with each beverage container 1. Each extraction cock 40 and the beverage extraction part of each beverage container 1 are connected with each other with a extraction pipe 6. A temp. controlling device 28 which can perform cooling or heating by circulating cool air or warm air by utilizing Peltier effect is provided on the top part of the storage housing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is used, for example, for cooling or heating a desired beverage, such as sake, which is filled in a beverage container, to store the beverage at an appropriate temperature, and to dispense the beverage, especially for business use. It relates to a suitable beverage dispensing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a beverage dispensing apparatus, for example, as described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-57600,
A refrigerator and a circulation fan are provided in the storage, a partition plate for forming a circulation path is provided, and a refrigerator is provided on the storage,
Equipped with a cock for discharging the beverage in the beverage container on the storage, and by driving the circulation fan, the cool air passed through the cooler cooled by the refrigerator is circulated in the storage, and There is known a configuration in which a beverage container and a beverage inside the beverage container are cooled, and the cooled beverage is discharged from a discharging cock.

On the other hand, conventionally, as a cooling device utilizing the Peltier effect, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. Hei 9-170862 and Hei 10-238922, a heat absorbing side heat conductor of a Peltier element is disclosed. Is brought into contact with a cooling plate (heat absorbing plate) made of a heat conductive material of the storage, and the cooling plate (heat absorbing plate) is cooled via the heat absorbing side heat conductor by the Peltier effect, thereby cooling the inside of the storage. The configuration is known.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, in the configuration using a cooler (evaporator) as in the former, it is difficult to precisely control the temperature in the storage. On the other hand, in the latter configuration, the temperature inside the storage can be precisely adjusted by using the Peltier element, but the Peltier element directly cools the cooling plate (heat absorbing plate) of the storage, so that the cooling effect is inferior. .

[0005] In addition, in any type of beverage dispensing apparatus which is conventionally configured to be able to dispense a beverage in a beverage container stored at an appropriate temperature in a storage box from a dispensing cock, one unit is used. Since only one beverage container is stored in the storage, a plurality of storages are required to store a large amount of beverage at an appropriate temperature, and a large installation area is required. In particular, in recent years, in restaurants that provide sake, etc., it is necessary to prepare a plurality of types of sake according to the tastes of customers, but in order to prepare a plurality of types of sake in this way, Since a plurality of storages are required and a large installation area is required as described above, the types of brands to be arranged are limited by themselves.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and it is possible to store as much beverage as possible at an appropriate temperature by reducing the installation area as much as possible, thus improving the storage efficiency. The beverage can be poured out for each beverage container, so that the quality of the beverage can be prevented from deteriorating, and the temperature in the storage can be precisely adjusted, and It is an object of the present invention to provide a beverage dispensing device capable of improving the efficiency of cooling or heating, and therefore capable of constantly dispensing a beverage at a substantially appropriate temperature.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage dispensing apparatus comprising: a plurality of beverage containers each having a pressurized gas injection section and a beverage discharge section; A storage having a heat insulating structure to be obtained, a pressurized gas supply source for supplying a pressurized gas to the pressurized gas injection section of each of the beverage containers, and a connection between the pressurized gas supply source and the pressurized gas injection section. Pressurized gas supply pipe, a plurality of pouring cocks corresponding to the respective beverage containers, and a plurality of pouring cocks provided such that a beverage pouring portion side protrudes outside the storage, and the respective pouring cocks and the respective beverages It is provided with a beverage discharge pipe for connecting the discharge section and a temperature control device capable of circulating cool air or warm air in the storage chamber to cool or heat by utilizing the Peltier effect.

In the above structure, a pressurized gas supply source can be provided for each beverage container, or a pressurized gas supply source is commonly provided for a plurality of beverage containers, and a pressurized gas supply pipe is provided for a plurality of beverage containers. And a distribution means can be provided in the middle of the pressurized gas supply pipe.

[0009] Preferably, the temperature control device is arranged at the top of the storage.

According to the present invention configured as described above,
Since a plurality of beverage containers are stored in one storage box and stored at an appropriate temperature, and are poured out, at least the side plate on the adjacent side is required as compared with a case where a plurality of storage boxes are arranged side by side. Space is not required, the installation area is as small as possible, and a large amount of beverage can be stored at an appropriate temperature.Also, since each beverage container has a spout cock, the beverage in different beverage containers can be stored. Can be poured out of each beverage container by preventing mixing, and the Peltier effect is used as a temperature control device, and since cold or warm air is circulated, the temperature inside the storage can be precisely controlled. And cooling efficiency or heating efficiency can be improved.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. 1 to 3 show a beverage dispensing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view with a door removed, FIG. 2 is a plan view, and FIG. 3 is a side view.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the beverage container 1
As an example, a bush, a valve, and a down tube (all not shown) are formed of stainless steel or the like in the same manner as a draft beer barrel or the like, inside the base 3 of the beverage container body 2.
The dispensing head 4 is attached to the base 3. One end of an outlet pipe 6 is attached to the outlet 5 of the dispense head 4, and one end of a nitrogen gas supply pipe 8 is connected to the inlet 7 of the dispense head 4.
A nitrogen gas cylinder 11 is locked to the upper skirt 9 of the beverage container 1 by a locking tool 10, and the other end of the nitrogen gas supply pipe 8 is connected to a pressure reducing valve 12 of the nitrogen gas cylinder 11. The beverage container 1 is filled with sake as an example of a beverage. In this case, as with the filling of draft beer, the sake liquor is combined with nitrogen gas as a pressurized gas using a dispense head 4, a bush, a valve, and a down tube. May be filled in the beverage container body 2 or the dispensing head 4, the bush, the valve, and the down tube are removed from the base 3, and after the sake is filled in the beverage container body 2,
A bush, a valve, a down tube, and a dispense head 4 may be attached to the base 3.

The storage 13 has one storage room, and includes a main body 14, a cover 15, a door 16, and the like. The main body 14 includes a rectangular bottom plate 17 and a top plate 18, and side plates 19, 20 and a back plate 21 integrally provided on both sides and a back of the bottom plate 17 and the top plate 18.
The front side is open. The cover 15 is made of a metal, a resin, or the like, is formed in a relatively flat hollow box shape having a rectangular shape in a plane, and the bottom plate 22 is fixed on the top plate 18 of the main body 14. In the present embodiment, the front side of the cover 15 projects slightly forward from the main body 14. Door 1
A vertical shaft 24, 25 is provided on one side plate 18 side of the front projecting portion of the cover 15 and a supporting portion 23 attached to the bottom of the main body 14 so that the front opening of the main body 14 can be opened and closed. Are connected rotatably. Body 14
The door 16 has a gasket 26 which is filled with urethane foam in an outer shell made of metal, resin, or the like, and which can be sealed by contacting the inner peripheral edge of the door 16 with the peripheral edge on the front side of the opening of the main body 14 by suction. Is attached, and the storage 13 has a heat insulating structure. The storage 13 in the present embodiment is set so that the two beverage containers 1 can be removably stored in a state parallel to the front opening. Legs 27 are attached to the lower four corners of the bottom plate 17 of the main body 14, and the storage case 13 is installed with the bottom plate 17 floating by the legs 27. The beverage container 1 can be taken out by opening and closing the door 16.

At the top of the storage 13, each beverage container 1
In the illustrated example, a temperature adjusting device 28 is provided at an eccentric position relative to the rear plate 21 in the illustrated example. The temperature control device 28 is configured to circulate cool air in the storage 13 by utilizing the Peltier effect. To explain an example, one side surface of the heat absorbing heat conductor 30 is applied to the heat absorbing surface side of the Peltier element 29, and the heat absorbing fins 31 and the heat absorbing fan 32 are sequentially provided on the other side surface of the heat absorbing heat conductor 30. On the heat dissipation surface side of the Peltier element 29, a heat dissipation fin 33 and a heat dissipation fan 34 are sequentially provided.

The radiating fins 33 and the radiating fans 34
Is placed in the cover 15 with the heat radiation fan 34 positioned upward, and the position of the heat radiation fin 33 near the Peltier element 29 is mounted in a hole formed in the bottom plate 22 of the cover 15, and the Peltier element 29 and the heat absorbing heat conductor 30 Is the body 14
Heat absorbing fins 31
Further, a heat absorbing fan 32 protrudes from the upper portion in the main body 14. The back plate 35 of the cover 15 is provided with a large number of rows of intake holes 36 behind the temperature controller 28. An exhaust hole 38 is formed in the top plate 37 of the cover 15 above the heat radiation fan 34 of the temperature control device 28, and an edge of a ventilation member 39 is attached to the inner side surface of the edge of the exhaust hole 38. A power supply and a control device (not shown) are mounted in the cover 15.

When a current is supplied to the Peltier element 29, heat transfer from the lower heat absorbing surface to the upper heat dissipating surface occurs due to the Peltier effect, and the heat absorbing fins 31 are cooled via the heat absorbing heat conductor 30. It has become so.
On the other hand, when the heat absorbing fan 32 is driven by the supply of power, the air in the storage 13 passes through the heat absorbing fins 31, becomes cool air, and is sent downward from the heat absorbing fan 32. When the radiator fan 34 is driven by the supply of power, outside air is introduced from the intake hole 36, passes through the radiator fins 33, and is discharged upward from the radiator fan 34 through the exhaust hole 38. In this way, the heat that has moved to the radiation fins 33 due to the Peltier effect is dissipated by the outside air.

The other end of the outlet pipe 6 in each beverage container 1 is connected to the base of an outlet cock 40 provided through the upper two portions of the door 16 corresponding to each beverage container 1 so as to allow each outlet. The cock 40 is disposed outside the door 16 on the beverage outlet side. Even if the spout cock 40 is attached to the door 16 as described above, the opening and closing of the door 16 will not be hindered by setting the spout pipe 6 long.

The operation of the beverage dispensing apparatus of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described below.
As described above, the storage 13 is driven by the temperature control device 28.
The air inside passes through the heat absorbing fins 31 and is sent out from the heat absorbing fan 32 as cool air. This cold air is stored in storage 13
The inside of the beverage container 1 is sent downward from above and circulates vertically along the outer surface of the beverage container 1 to cool the beverage container 1 and the sake inside. At this time, as described above, cool air is
, The cool air can be circulated relatively vertically along the outer surface of the beverage container 1 in a relatively orderly manner, and the cooling effect of the sake can be enhanced. Further, the temperature control device 28 includes a Peltier device 29.
Is used, the temperature in the storage 13 can be adjusted precisely.

Then, nitrogen gas is supplied from each nitrogen gas cylinder 11 into each beverage container 1 through the nitrogen gas supply pipe 8, the inlet 7, and the valve inside the beverage container 1, and the sake in each beverage container 1 is added. Pressure is supplied to each pouring cock 40 via a down tube, a valve, a pouring port 5 and a pouring pipe 6. Therefore, the spout cock 40 corresponding to the desired beverage container 1
The cold sake that has been cooled by opening and closing can be poured into a desired container such as a glass.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. 4 to 6 show a beverage dispensing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway front view with a door removed, FIG. 5 is a plan view, and FIG. 6 is a side view.

In the present embodiment, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. 6, the storage 13 is capable of taking out three beverage containers 1 configured in the same manner as a draft beer barrel in parallel with the front open side. The size is set so that it can be stored. Then, on the front open side of the storage body 14, the storage body 1
The column member 41 is attached so as to be able to divide the right and left 4 into approximately 1: 2, and a pair of doors 16a and 16b divided so as to correspond to the above-mentioned division ratio are opened and closed on both sides of the storage main body 14. A gasket 26a which can be opened and closed by vertical shafts 24 and 25 and which can be sealed by contacting the inner peripheral edge of each of the doors 16a and 16b with the open peripheral edge of the storage main body 14 and the column member 41 by suction. , 26b are mounted. Further, at a position near the back plate 21 side of the storage case 13, temperature control devices 28 similar to those in the first embodiment are mounted at a total of two locations between the beverage containers 1 and 1. Also,
One pouring cock 40 is attached to each beverage container 1 at the top of one narrow door 16a, and two pouring cocks 40 are attached at the top of the other wide door 16b. ing.

In the present embodiment, the number of the temperature control devices 28 can be reduced with respect to the number of the beverage containers 1, so that the economy can be improved.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. 7 to 10 show a beverage dispensing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway front view with a door removed, FIG. 8 is a plan view, FIG. 9 is a side view, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a pressurized gas distribution means.

In this embodiment, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, a single bottle is used as the beverage container 42. Then, a plug 45 for injecting pressurized gas and discharging the beverage is detachably attached to the mouth of the beverage container main body 43, which is a single bottle, with a closing pillar 44 so as to be detachable and attached in a sealed state. The beverage container body 4 is
A down tube 46 for pouring reaching near the bottom of 3 is inserted in a sealed state, and a gas inlet 47 is connected to the plug 45 in a sealed state.

As an example, the storage case 13 is set to have a size that allows three drink containers 42 to be removably housed in two front and rear rows in parallel with the front open side.
Of the six beverage containers 42 in total, three beverage containers 4 in the front row
In order to be able to pour out the sake 48 in the inside 2, a plurality of pouring cocks 40 corresponding to the respective beverage containers 42 are attached to the upper part of the door 16 at a total of three places. The three beverage containers 42 in the rear row are reserved. Therefore, each beverage container 42 in the front row is provided with a down tube 46 and a plug 45 having a gas inlet 47 instead of the plug 44 for sealing at the mouth.
Since each of the beverage containers 42 in the rear row is for extra use, the sealing column 44 is still attached to the mouth. One end of the discharge pipe 6 is connected to each down tube 46 via a joint 49, and the other end of each discharge pipe 6 is connected to the discharge cock 40.

The nitrogen gas cylinder 11 is housed in the storage body 14.
Is provided. As an example, a receiving tool 50 is attached to the upper inside of the side plate 19, and the nitrogen gas cylinder 11 is suspended from the receiving tool 50 by a locking tool 51. One end of a gas supply pipe 8a is connected to an inlet 47 of each beverage container 42 in the front row via a joint 52. Each gas supply pipe 8
The other end of “a” is connected to a distributor 54 via a valve 53. On the other hand, the nitrogen gas cylinder 11 is connected to the distributor 54 by the gas supply pipe 8 via the pressure reducing valve 12 and the main valve 55. That is, the nitrogen gas in the nitrogen gas cylinder 11 is distributed and supplied to each beverage container 42 via the pressure reducing valve 12, the main valve 55, the distributor 54, the valve 53, the inlet 47 and the like.

Therefore, by operating the spout cock 40 corresponding to the desired beverage container 42 in the front row, the desired sake 48 cooled by the temperature controller 28 can be spouted. When the sake 48 in the beverage container 42 arranged in the front row is consumed, the stopper 44 of the extra beverage container 42 arranged on the rear side and stored in a cooled state is removed,
The plug 45 provided with the down tube 46 and the gas inlet 47 is replaced and mounted, and the down tube 46 and the gas inlet 47 are connected to the outlet pipe 6 and the gas supply pipe 8a via the joints 49 and 52 as described above. , The beverage can be served, and a new spare beverage container 42 can be disposed on the rear side to cool the beverage.

The beverage container is not limited to the above embodiment, and may have any configuration as long as it has a pressurized gas injection section and a beverage discharge section.
Further, the storage 13 can be set to store a desired number of beverage containers. Further, the pressurized gas supply source can be installed outside the storage 13. Further, the storage 13 can be configured so that the front side such as a door can be seen through. In this case, the spout cock 40 may be arranged on the front side.
It can also be arranged on the side, back, etc. Further, a drain hole may be provided on the bottom plate 17 of the storage 13 as needed. In addition, the temperature control device 28 in the above embodiment sucks the air in the storage 13 from the lateral direction and blows out the cool air downward, but instead sucks the air in the storage 13 upward. Even if the cool air is blown out sideways, the cool air can be smoothly circulated in the storage 13. Further, the temperature control device 28 can be arranged not only at the top but also at an arbitrary place such as the back.
Further, the temperature control device 28 can reverse the heat absorption side and the heat radiation side by flowing a current through the Peltier element 29 in the opposite direction, and circulate warm air in the storage 13 to heat a desired beverage. In addition, the present invention can be variously modified without departing from the basic technical concept thereof.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention, 1
Since a plurality of beverage containers are stored in one storage and stored at an appropriate temperature and poured out, at least the space required for the side plate on the adjacent side as compared with a case where a plurality of storages are arranged side by side Is unnecessary, the installation area can be made as small as possible, and as much beverage as possible can be stored at an appropriate temperature, and thus the storage efficiency can be improved. In addition, since the dispensing cock is provided corresponding to each beverage container, it is possible to prevent the beverages in different beverage containers from being mixed and to dispense the beverage for each beverage container, and therefore, the quality of the beverage is deteriorated. Can be prevented. In addition, since the Peltier effect is used as a temperature control device, and cool air or warm air is circulated, the temperature in the storage can be precisely adjusted, and cooling efficiency or heating efficiency can be improved. Therefore, the beverage can always be dispensed at a substantially appropriate temperature.

Further, providing a pressurized gas supply source for each beverage container is advantageous in that the replacement work is reduced particularly in the case of a large beverage container.

Further, a pressurized gas supply source is provided in common for a plurality of beverage containers, a pressurized gas supply pipe is branched to correspond to the plurality of beverage containers, and distribution means is provided in the middle of the pressurized gas supply pipe. Is advantageous in that the space for disposing the pressurized gas supply source is reduced particularly in the case of a small beverage container.

By arranging the temperature control device on the top of the storage, the installation area of the entire device can be further reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing a beverage dispensing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, with a door removed.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the beverage dispensing device.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the beverage dispensing device.

FIG. 4 is a partially broken front view showing a beverage dispensing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention, with a door removed.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the beverage dispensing device.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the beverage dispensing device.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway front view showing a beverage dispensing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention, with a door removed.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the beverage dispensing device.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing the beverage dispensing device.

FIG. 10 shows the beverage dispensing apparatus and is an explanatory view of a pressurized gas distribution means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Beverage container 4 Dispense head 5 Inlet 6 Outlet 7 Inlet 8 Nitrogen gas supply pipe 11 Nitrogen gas cylinder 13 Storage 14 Storage main body 15 Cover 16 Door 28 Temperature controller 29 Peltier element 30 Heat absorbing heat conductor 31 Heat absorbing fin 32 Heat absorbing fan 33 Heat radiating fin 34 Heat radiating fan 40 Discharge cock 42 Beverage container 45 Plug body 46 Down tube 47 Gas inlet 53 Valve 54 Distributor

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Yasuo Kato 2-2-224 Higashishinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Inside Nasu Tor Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Atsushi Koga 2-2-224 Higashishinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo F-term in NASTOR Co., Ltd. (reference) 3E082 AA04 BB01 CC01 EE01 EE02 FF09 3L045 AA04 BA01 CA01 DA04 EA02 KA07 PA04

Claims (4)

[Claims] A storage having a heat insulating structure capable of accommodating a plurality of beverage containers having a pressurized gas injection section and a beverage discharge section in a storage chamber so as to be able to be taken out, and a pressurized gas injection section of each beverage container. A pressurized gas supply source for supplying a pressurized gas; a pressurized gas supply pipe for connecting the pressurized gas supply source to the pressurized gas injection unit; and a beverage discharge unit corresponding to each of the beverage containers. A plurality of spout cocks provided so that the sides protrude outside the storage, a beverage spout pipe for connecting each of the spout cocks and each of the beverage spout sections, and by using the Peltier effect A beverage dispensing device comprising: a temperature control device capable of circulating cool air or warm air in the storage chamber to cool or heat. 2. The beverage dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein a pressurized gas supply source is provided for each beverage container. 3. A pressurized gas supply source is provided in common for a plurality of beverage containers, a pressurized gas supply pipe is branched to correspond to the plurality of beverage containers, and is provided in the middle of the pressurized gas supply pipe. The beverage dispensing device according to claim 1, further comprising a dispensing means. 4. The beverage dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature control device is disposed on a top of the storage.