JPH02127291A - Bar gun - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To easily dispense the diluted beverage prepared with an enriched material and a diluent by arranging buttons for directly operating valves for controlling the flow of the beverage on a cross bar having the substantially T-shape when observed from a flat surface, and utilizing a leg of T as a grip handle. CONSTITUTION: A bar gun has a handle 1 and a head 2 and has the T-shape as a whole. The head 2 has a series of buttons 3-9 which are positioned so that an operator who grips the handle 1, can detect the buttons by the movement of his thumb. The carbonated water is flown to the buttons 9, 8 by closing a stop valve 11 and opening a stop valve 12, and the still water is flown to the valves controlled by the buttons 3-7. The buttons 4-8 are respectively mounted for the aroma of cola, the aroma of tonic, lemon, lime and orange. The buttons 3, 9 are used for dispensing the carbonic acid or still water, and the buttons 4, 5 are used for dispensing the carbonated beverage at all times. The buttons 6, 7 are used for dispensing the still water or carbonated beverage in accordance with the necessity on the basis of the setting of the stop valves 11, 12. The button 8 is used for dispensing the still beverage at all times.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to valves, and more particularly to beverage dispensing valves known as bar guns.

(b) Prior art bar guns have visible hoses leading to a dispensing head with multiple buttons. Still water and carbonated water are delivered to the head along a flexible stem. Multiple syrups or concentrates are fed along the stem. By selectively pressing individual buttons on the bur gun head, valves are opened to allow a flow of concentrate and diluent to form the subsequent mixed drink.

Such bur guns are described in numerous prior patents.

No. 2,937,792 discloses a soda dispensing device in which the valves controlling the liquid are arranged axially along the length of the dupe handle and are indirectly controlled by a curved lever. Are listed.

In US Pat. No. 3,144,967, the valves are arranged axially along the length of the handle, and in this case are controlled by a series of buttons. A series of buttons indirectly act on the valve by an angled lever hinged to the head of the bar gun.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,168,967, a bur gun cooperates with a series of valves arranged across the handle, but is primarily actuated by a lever hinged to the bur gun head. .

U.S. Pat. No. 3,241,720 is primarily concerned with an electrical control circuit for a bar dispenser that cooperates with a membrane switch that is activated when a soda button is pressed.

U.S. Patent No. 3,339,805 states that when pressed,
Indirect operation of the valve to control the flow of the beverage is provided by a lever that causes the valve to rise to open the beverage flow path. The lever is located further below the handle than the head of the bar gun.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,187 is directed to a stacked bar gun. In the bar gun, the laminations are sealed together by a gas kerater 1~ having a flow rod away from the cassette section. The water valve rods are actuated by push buttons, while the syrup valve rods are actuated by the pressure of water flowing through the corresponding water valves.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,810 describes a stacked bar gun in which pressurized soda enters the gun in the bottom layer and exits through an exit point in the layer above it. The syrup enters the top layer gun and exits through the bottom layer.

The body of the can head cooperates with a series of ``O'' rings. The '0'' ring is a movable piston actuated directly by a button under the control of the operator's finger, usually the thumb.
Seal against the rod. The piston rod is partially released along its length so that during the downward movement the syrup inlet is connected to the syrup outlet and the soda inlet is connected to the soda outlet. The bur gun described in this patent appears to be fairly similar to the bur gun of the present invention.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,028 is directed to a beverage dispensing system that is compatible with hard liquor as well as soda mixtures. The present invention relates to a dispensing system that is easily computerized.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,497',421 describes a mechanical mixing bar gun in which a common soda and/or water valve is automatically activated upon any actuation of the syrup valve to create a soda water syrup mixture. are doing.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,378 is a stacked structure intended to be made smaller in size than previous bar guns.

British Patent No. 1,325,514 is U.S. Patent Application No. 972
No. 20, which claims priority and appears to correspond correctly to the present invention and the concept of US Pat. No. 3,703,487. This idea was mentioned earlier.

(c) Means for Solving Problems The multi-product beverage dispensing valve assembly of the present invention has a plurality of individual product dispensing valves, and the solution is to dispense a diluted beverage formed from a concentrate and a diluent. , the diluents of which are carbonated water and still water, and a ring main is provided in the diluent valve which is connected to the still water at one end, and the ring main is connected to the carbonated water at the other end. Piping interconnects each distribution valve, and stop valve equipment controls the flow of still or carbonated water through the ring main.

The valve assembly has a plurality of main operating buttons on one side to control the flow of diluent and concentrate. One or more stop valves shut off the ring main that circulates diluent around the valve member controlled by the button. There are two stop valves that are opened and closed as needed. The stop valve is located between the second and third buttons for counting from one end of the ring main, and between the first and second buttons or the third and fourth buttons for counting from the other end. It is placed between the buttons.

The invention also has a button which is generally 'T' shaped when viewed from above and provides direct actuation of a valve to control the flow of the beverage, said button being located on the cross bar of said 'T'. To provide a bar gun characterized in that the leg of the 'T' is a grip handle.

The buttons are arranged along one or more arcs on the cross bar of the 'T', the arcs being below the natural movement of the operator's thumb and concentrated on the handle side of the head. There may be two arcs.

The present invention further contemplates a bar gun formed from a plurality of laminates. The stack cooperates with the groove and orifice to define a flow path for liquid flow, and a cylinder with a piston rod and seal controls the flow of beverage through the bar gun.

The present invention provides that a bar gun is molded from a plurality of laminates, a fluid passageway is molded through and into the laminates, the bar gun has a plurality of buttons on an outer surface, each The buttons control the flow of individual beverages, in the case of aromatic beverages, each button controls the flow of beverage concentrate and diluent, and the buttons control the flow of a piston extending through two or more stacks. Acting to push the rod, the movement of the screw rod opens a passageway for diluent and concentrate, and the piston rod directs a plurality of '○゛ rings defined therein. A bar gun for dispensing multiple beverages is contemplated that is characterized by forming seals between the letters and between the laminates.

There are four chambers on four levels through the bar gun, and the O-rings are located on screws 1-2, so that in the rest position, each chamber is closed when the button is fully exposed. is insulated from the chambers above and/or below it, and when the button is in the depressed position, the most adjacent chamber is fluidly connected to the chamber immediately below it; The lower chamber is fluidly connected to the chamber directly above it.

The bottom chamber is connected to the pressurized diluent, and the chamber adjacent to the top layer is connected to the pressurized concentrate. a piston rod extending below the lowest chamber into a hole having a diameter smaller than the main portion of the rod, the piston rod being sealingly movable within the hole;
The underside of the lot is exposed to atmospheric pressure. A spring is provided which urges the button into a fully exposed position to cut off the flow of beverage.

The present invention further provides a method for dispensing any one of a plurality of different beverages mixed from at least two liquids from the group of still water, carbonated water, and a plurality of syrups, the method comprising: a continuous diluent ring; connecting the ring main to a plurality of serially arranged diluent distribution valves; connecting a syrup source to at least some of the valves; connecting one inlet end of the ring main to a source of carbonated water; connecting another inlet end of the main to a source of static water, selectively occluding the ring main between selected adjacent pairs of said valves so that all said valves to a first side of the blockage are configured to supply carbonated water; Dispensing and providing a method in which all said valves to the second side of the blockage distribute static water.

(d) Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a bar gun with a flexible stem 1 having a number of pipes for conducting still water and carbonated water to a head 2. Passing through the stem 1 is a concentrator line.

A series of buttons 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. and 9 control a conventional spool shaped valve in the can head. Valves open the beverage and diluent lines so that concentrate and diluent pass through the nozzle 10 in a conventional manner.

Normally, diluent lines are routed to individual buttons.

For example, still water is directed to buttons 3, 4.5 or carbonated water to buttons 6-9. However, in the present invention, the ring main has buttons 3, 4, 5, 9 in order from one end to the other.
A diluent path is provided for the diluent path to a valve controlled by. Stop valve 1 rotated to open and close the ring main
1°12 is provided. The stop valve is not intended to be routinely adjusted by an operator. The stop valve is preferably positioned within the ring main and asymmetrically with respect to the valve actuated by button 3-9 as shown.

As clearly shown in FIG. 2, first the manual valve 14.1
5, close stop valve 11 and close stop valve 1.
By opening 2, carbonated water is flushed to buttons 9, 8 and still water is flushed to the valves controlled by buttons 3-7. Buttons 4-8 are provided for cola aroma, tonic aroma, lemon, lime, and orange, respectively. Therefore, buttons 3, 9 always dispense carbonic acid or still water. Buttons 4 and 5 always dispense carbonated drinks. The button 6.7 dispenses still water or carbonated beverages as required based on the settings of the stop valves 12, 1.3.

Button 8 always dispenses a still drink.

By reversing the connection of still water and carbonated water, it is possible to reverse the number of carbonated drinks to still drinks that can be dispensed due to the aforementioned asymmetry.

A further stop valve is provided at position 14.15, and stop valve 1
By opening 1.12 or omitting them, all buttons can dispense carbonated or soft drinks.

One-way valves may be provided at the inlets at each end of the ring main to prevent water from bypassing the closed stop valve and entering the flat water basin and from reversing the tenon.

Referring to Figures 3-11, these are perspective views, cross-sectional views,
FIG. 3 is a plan view and a stacked view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

The bar gun, shown in perspective view in FIG. 3, is generally 'T' shaped with a handle 16 and a head 17 consisting of an upper molding 16a and a lower molding 16b. The head 17 is provided with two rows of buttons 18,19. The buttons 18.19 are arranged in an arcuate manner and are positioned such that the operator who has gripped the handle 16 can detect the buttons 18.19 by an arcuate movement of his thumb. The bar gun consists of five layers including a head cover and a nozzle cover.

The laminate is shown more clearly in FIG. 1st
The lower stack 20 also shown in Figure 1 is a nozzle member 21.
and located on the external nozzle 22. Another laminate 23, shown in FIG. 10, is adhered to laminate 20. Another laminate 24 is then glued to the laminate 23, and the laminate 24 is also bonded to the laminate 23.
is shown in more detail in FIG. The laminate 25 is shown in more detail in FIG. Laminate 26 is shown in more detail in FIG. Preferably, this laminated structure facilitates the creation of channels for the various fluids flowing through the block. FIG. 5 shows a syrup duct formed between the laminates shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Figure 6 is 9
．． 10.11 Shows a water duct molded between the stacks shown in Figure.

Referring to FIG. 6, the illustrated duct is essentially a diluent duct. The essential feature of FIG. 6 is a ring duct 27 connected at one end to line 28 through two ducts and to line 30 at the other end through a duct 31. The lines 30.28 are effectively interconnected by the ring duct 27. However, the ring duct 27 can be shut off at points 32, 33, 34 by stop valves. The stop valve comes from a screw sealed with a '0 ring that allows a rubber stopper to be pushed into the duct to stop the duct if necessary. When screws are not needed to close the duct,
The rubber stopper is not integrated into the bar gun, and the ring seal prevents water from escaping from the ring main to the outside. As shown in FIG.
Always connected up to 0. Duct 30 is connected to plain or sweet water, and duct 28 is connected to carbonated or soda water. Obviously, the water connections can be reversed if desired. Therefore, the positions 37, 38 connected to and associated with the dispense button in the manner described below will always dispense static water when actuated. Positions 39° 40.41, 42, 43.44 dispense carbonated water whenever stop valve 32 is closed and valve 33.34 is opened. Obviously, if stop valve 33 is closed and valve 32 is opened, valve 34 remains and positions 37, 38, 39 distribute the stop ring, and positions 40, 41, 42° 43 .44 dispenses carbonated drinks.

Similarly, provision may be made for four static and four carbonated rings by opening valves 32,33 and closing valve 34. Positions 37-44 are in column 18.1
Corresponding to the point of the valve actuated by the pushbutton shown at 9 and opening the valve 37 causes water to flow along the dashed line 37a to the central distribution nozzle 46. Similarly, any 1. at any other position. Opening one causes a flow of still or carbonated water through the appropriate duct or series of ducts to the central nozzle.

Referring to FIG. 5, location 37.44 is not connected to the syrup or concentrate line, location 38 is connected to line 47 through duct 47a, and location 40 is connected to line 47 through duct 48a. 48, position 41
is connected to four lines through duct 49a, and position 43 is connected to line 50 through duct 50a. Position 3 is connected to line 53 through intermediate ducts 51 and 52, and position 42 is connected to line 56 through intermediate ducts 54 and 55.
connected to. Each location 37-44 has a duct 37a-44a connecting the water flow path to the central nozzle as shown. Position 37.44 is not connected to any syrup or concentrate lines. These correspond to buttons that dispense plain plain or soda water and plain carbonated or soda water, without any syrup. The laminate shown in FIGS. 7 to 11 is the nozzle 21 of the bar gun.
The position and direction of the concentrate duct 38b43b that supplies the 22 is shown.

Operation of the bar gun is effected by actuation of pushbuttons in rows 18, 19 and will be more clearly understood with reference to FIG. Each pushbutton, such as pushbutton 57, displaces a piston rod 58 downwardly. The piston rod has four pedestals 59, 60, of the main diameter of the rod.
61.62. The rod includes a reduced diameter part 63 that interconnects the base parts 59 and 60, a reduced diameter part 64 that interconnects the base parts 60 and 61, a reduced diameter part 65 that interconnects the base parts 61 and 62, and a bottom base. It has a reduced diameter part 66 that connects the part 62 to the reduced diameter part or the platform part 67 to each other.

Each of the pedestals 59-62 has an annular groove.

The annular grooves are fitted with '0' rings 68, 69, 70, 71. The base portion 67 has an annular groove. A small-diameter O-ring 72 is fitted into the annular groove, so all "O"
Rings 68-72 move with the piston. Reduced diameter part 6
There is a return spring 73 below 7. The bottom of the reduced diameter portion 67 is the hole 7
4 and exposed to atmospheric pressure. The bottom of spring 73 is held by lower molding 16b.

In operation of the bar gun, pressing the button 57 causes a downward movement of the entire piston rod, but the pedestals 59, 61 are constantly moving within the cylindrical portion 75, 76 and the fluid passage is It does not move past the piston. However, in the base part 60, the 0-ring 69 is connected to the hole 77.
and into chamber 78. Similarly, the platform 62 moves into the chamber so that the 'O' ring 71 passes over the hole 80.

Exposed or fully “above” as shown in FIG.

For the piston shown in the position, water cannot escape from chamber 79 because chamber 79 is held by o-rings 71,72. Similarly, chamber 78 is exposed to pressurized syrup through duct 82. Chambers 83-85 are at atmospheric pressure, which is connected to the atmosphere at the nozzle. However, when the piston is pushed in, chamber 79 is interconnected with chamber 83 and pressurized water passes from chamber 83 through duct 84 to nozzle 21 . Chamber 85 is likewise connected to chamber 78 and syrup or concentrate under pressure can pass from chamber 78 into chamber 85 and from there through duct 86 to nozzle 21 .

The syrup or concentrate and water are mixed in the nozzle and dispensed directly into a glass or other container below the nozzle.

By providing a '0' ring on the piston rod, the manufacture and assembly of a bar gun is facilitated by providing a '0' ring within the body of the bar gun as shown in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,810. However, in the configuration shown in FIG. This is the total cross-sectional area of section 62.There is a danger if the water pressure in chamber 79 is very high.This pressure acting on bottom 57 makes it difficult for the operator to press the button. The pressure is mostly balanced in the present invention by the lower diameter constriction 67 of the piston rod.Since the piston rod is acted upon by the pressure of the water in the chamber 79, the net force acting on the piston rod 58 is is given by the formula.

CPc(L62Lss)) (Pc(L67L66)
)+37z where Pc is the pressure inside chamber 79. L
6□ is the cross-sectional area of the base portion 62. L66 is the cross-sectional area of rod 66. L67 is the cross-sectional area of the base portion 67. S7
3 is the force generated by the return spring 73.

By providing the lower portion of the piston 58 exposed to the effective pressure of the water in the chamber 79, the desired pressure balance is achieved to reduce the force required to displace the button 57.

However, since the cross-sectional area of 67 should be smaller than the cross-sectional area of 62, it is preferred that even if spring 73 were to fail for some reason, there would always be a net force towards closing the valve.

If any ``O'' ring in the system partially fails, the flow path design allows the bar gun to still be used if the ``O'' ring does not completely fail. Therefore, a partial failure of 'O' ring 72 may cause
Water leaks through hole 74 in the bottom of the gun.゛O
Partial failure of the ``O'' ring 70 causes concentrate leakage through the nozzle, and partial failure of the ``O'' ring 6 causes concentrate leakage through the nozzle.Duct 86 is open to the atmosphere at the other end. Therefore, a failure of the ``O'' ring 68 has little effect in that the pressure within the chamber 85 is zero in the rest state.

If syrup under pressure is fed through duct 86 and out of duct 82, O-ring 68 seals the concentrate at atmospheric pressure, and failure of this O-ring will cause the surface of the bar gun to This will cause syrup to leak. As a result, the gun becomes sticky and becomes unusable. Obviously, any ′
O'ring failures must be dealt with as soon as possible.

On the other hand, in conventional systems where the syrup is directed at the top level under pressure, failure of one zero ring renders the gun unusable.

Referring to FIG. 13, this shows a valve stop member, such as stop member 32. Referring to FIG. Essentially, sealing 0° ring 9
A screw 88 is provided which has a cylindrical extension 98 cooperating with the screw. The screws 88 are screwed close enough together without freezing the duct 91 as shown in FIG.

However, by inserting a rubber plug into the space 92 and pushing the rubber plug with the screw 88, the duct 91 is simply sealed. Any suitable material can be neoprene
A rubber stopper such as rubber or a very soft food paper plastic material may be used instead. A suitable stopper is the first
It is shown in perspective view in FIG. FIG. 14 shows the large diameter head 93. The large diameter head 93 closes the tact 92.

The reduced diameter portion 94 is integral with the portion 93 and is removed to grip the bung and open any one or more valves 32.33.34.

If desired, the button may be illuminated through the fiber optic line. This line is led along a flexible conduit from a light source at one end to illuminate the button.

The illumination may be made of any suitable material, such as polymethyl, methacrylate, or the illumination may be integrally combined with methylene dichloride.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bur gun head. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ring main and stop valve system. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 3, with internal details shown in dotted lines and the cover plate and nozzle cover shown in dashed lines. FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 4 showing the ducts in the laminates 1 and 2. FIG. 6 is a bottom view of FIG. 4 showing the ducts in the stacks 3, 4° and 5. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the laminate 1. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the laminate 2. FIG. 9 is a plan view of the laminate 3. FIG. 10 is a plan view of the laminate 4. FIG. 11 is a plan view of the laminate 5. FIG. 12 is a sectional view of one piston assembly of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a sectional view of one stop valve. FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the stop valve stopper. 1: Stem 2: Head 3-9 = Button 10: Nozzle 11.12, 13: Stop valve 14.15: Manual valve 20.23, 24, 25, 26: Laminated body 29.31: Duct Fia, 77

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. It is approximately 'T' shaped when viewed from above and has a button for direct actuation of a valve to control the flow of the beverage;
A bar gun characterized in that the button is located on the cross bar of the 'T' and the leg of the 'T' is a grip handle. 2. The button is arranged along one or more arcs on the cross bar of said 'T', said arc being below the natural movement of the operator's thumb and concentrated on the handle side of the head; 2. The bar gun according to claim 1, further comprising a bar gun. 3. The bar gun of claim 2, wherein there are two arcs. 4. A bar gun is molded from a plurality of laminates, a liquid passageway is molded through and into the laminates, and the bar gun has a plurality of buttons on an exterior surface, each button for individual beverages. and in the case of aromatic beverages, each button controls the flow of beverage concentrate and diluent and has the effect of pushing a piston rod extending through the stack of two or more. The movement of the piston rod opens a passageway for the diluent and concentrate, and the piston rod directs a plurality of 'O' rings between the 'O' rings and the chamber defined therein. and forming a seal between the laminates. 5. There are four chambers on four levels passing through the bar gun.
Said 'O' ring is arranged on the piston so that in the rest position, each chamber is insulated from the chambers above and/or below it when the button is fully exposed, and the button is When in the depressed state, the top chamber adjacent to the button is fluidly connected to the chamber directly below it, and the bottom chamber is fluidly connected to the chamber directly above it. 5. The bar gun of claim 4. 6. The lowest chamber is connected to a pressurized diluent, and
6. A bar gun as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the chamber adjacent the top layer is connected to a pressurized concentrate. 7. A piston rod extends below the lowest chamber into a hole having a smaller diameter than the main portion of the rod, the piston rod being sealingly movable within the hole, and the piston rod extending within the lowermost chamber;
7. The bar gun of claim 6, wherein the underside of the rod is exposed to atmospheric pressure. 8. The bar gun of claim 7 further comprising a spring urging the button into a fully exposed position to cut off the flow of beverage. 9. having a plurality of individual product dispensing valves, each valve dispensing a diluted beverage formed from a concentrate and a diluent, the diluent being carbonated water and still water, connected at one end to the still water; A ring main is provided within the diluent valve which is adapted to
A multi-product beverage dispensing valve assembly characterized in that a ring main connected to carbonated water at the other end interconnects each dispensing valve, the valve equipment controlling the flow of water through the ring main. 10. An assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that it has on one side a plurality of main operating buttons for controlling the flow of diluent and concentrate. 11. An assembly according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that 11, one or more stop valves shut off the ring main circulating the diluent around the valve member controlled by the button. 12. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the button is illuminated. 13. An assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that the button is illuminated by a fiber optic conduit system. 14. A method for dispensing any one of a plurality of different beverages mixed from at least two liquids from the group of still water, carbonated water, and a plurality of syrups, the method comprising: connecting a syrup source to at least some of said valves; connecting one inlet end of the ring main to a source of carbonated water; another of the ring mains; selectively occluding the ring main between selected adjacent pairs of said valves so that all said valves to a first side of the occlusion dispense carbonated water and occlusion; A method comprising all said valves dispensing static water to the second side of the.