JPH02139397A - Drink feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To store a drink container compactly and to facilitate handling the same by including a tap provided on a wall of a front lower portion of a box and operatable from the external, and a tube connecting a valve of the drink container and the tap inside the box and flowing the drink in the container to the tap by gravity. CONSTITUTION: A drink dispensing means is provided with a box 1 for storing a non-rigid drink container 16 containing the drink and providing an outwardly projecting valve, and a means for dispensing the drink in the drink container 16 to the external of the box 1. The box 1 includes an adiabatic wall 10 mounted on a front lower portion, a hinged door 9 mounted on a front upper portion, and a rib 14 as a holding means for holding the drink container 16 inside, and a means for dispensing the drink includes a tap 11 arranged on the wall 10 and operatable from the external, and a tubing 17 connecting a valve of the drink container 16 and the tap 11 inside the box 1, and flowing the drink in the drink container 16 to the tap 11 by gravity. Accordingly the drink container can be stored compactly, and the drink such as wine or the like can be easily poured into a cup only by operating the tap.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a beverage dispensing machine for dispensing beverages, particularly wine, into cups or other containers.

〔overview〕

The present invention provides a beverage dispensing machine that pours a drink packed into a flexible beverage container into another container, which has a structure in which the beverage container can be accommodated through a door that can be opened and closed, and after the container is accommodated, the contents are poured from a faucet. It is easy to operate and allows for safe storage of beverage containers.

[Conventional technology]

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, beverage dispensers that pour drinks into containers such as cups without carbon dioxide gas have been used, such as barrels with a faucet near the bottom or beverage dispensers operated by a pump.

Particularly when pouring wine, it is important to protect the wine from oxygen and bacteria in order to preserve the freshness of taste and effervescence. As a package that satisfies these requirements and is easy to handle, there is a known package in which wine is packed in a vacuum pack made of a flexible material. Such vacuum packs are equipped with a special valve to prevent air from flowing back when pouring the wine, so that the vacuum protects the wine even after opening the lid. Such vacuum packs are supplied in outer boxes for protection and improved storage. The most common vacuum packs are those containing 5β and 101.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, it is inconvenient to pour directly from such a vacuum pack into a cup.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a beverage dispensing machine that can store a beverage packed in a vacuum pack with a flexible structure and pour the beverage into another container with a simple operation.

[Means to solve the problem]

The beverage dispensing machine of the present invention includes a housing housing a flexible beverage container filled with a beverage and provided with an outwardly projecting valve;
In this beverage dispensing machine equipped with a means for supplying the drink in the beverage container outside the housing, the housing includes a wall provided at the lower front, a door that can be opened and closed at the upper front. , a holding means for holding the beverage container inside, and the means for dispensing the beverage includes a faucet disposed on the wall and operable from the outside, and a valve of the beverage container and the faucet connected inside the housing. and a tube that allows the drink in the drink container to flow to the faucet by gravity.

[For production]

Beverage containers supplied in the form of vacuum packs can be easily accommodated in the housing through the door, and the beverage containers can be accommodated compactly. What's more, you can easily pour drinks such as wine into the tap just by operating the faucet. Also,
By connecting the valve of the beverage container and the faucet with a tube and allowing the contents of the beverage container to flow by gravity, the contents can be prevented from coming into contact with air.

〔Example〕

1 to 3 are diagrams showing the structure of a beverage dispensing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken in a direction perpendicular to the front surface of the housing with the door open, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the door. FIG. 3 shows a perspective view with the door closed, and FIG. 3 shows a perspective view with the door open.

This embodiment is a beverage dispensing machine for wine, which accommodates and supplies several types of wine, including those that need to be chilled and those that do not need to be chilled. Wine is supplied in beverage containers. The capacity of this beverage container is, for example, 10j2, and it is supplied in the form of a vacuum pack housed in an outer box. "Vacuum" here does not mean that there is no substance in the space at all, but rather refers to a state in which air is exhausted. When the beverage container is empty, it can be removed from the beverage dispenser.

This beverage dispensing machine includes a housing 1 for housing a flexible beverage container 16 filled with a drink and provided with an outwardly protruding valve, and means for supplying the drink in the beverage container 16 to the outside of the housing 1. Equipped with.

Here, the features of this embodiment are that the housing 1 has an insulating wall 10 provided at the lower front, a door 9 provided at the upper front that can be opened and closed, and a beverage container 16 inside. The holding means for holding the beverage includes a rib 14, and the means for dispensing the beverage is a faucet 1 disposed on the wall portion 10 and operable from the outside.
1, and the valve of the beverage container 16 and the faucet 11 inside the housing 1.
The drink in the drink container 16 is transferred to the faucet 1 by gravity.
1 and a tube 17 for flowing up to 1.

Although FIG. 1 shows a state in which one beverage container 16 is accommodated, this beverage dispenser can accommodate three beverage containers.

The surface of the casing 1 other than the door 9 is surrounded by a heat insulating wall 2.3.4.5.6.7 containing a heat insulating material within the wall surface. The door 9 is connected to the housing 1 by a hinge 8, which also includes a heat insulating material within the wall surface. A wall portion 10 is provided below the door 9,
Three faucets 11 are arranged in line therein. Beneath the area for accommodating beverage containers, a cooling device 12 is arranged on the back side of the insulating wall 6.

The ribs 14 are attached to the insulating walls 4 on both sides and project inwardly facing each other to retain the beverage container 16. The ribs 14 are arranged with the front end lowered from the horizontal in order to hold the beverage container 16 with the front end tilting downward. As shown in FIG. 3, the front end of the rib 14 is connected to the beverage container 1.
In order to prevent the device from falling, it is desirable that the device be extended upward in an L-shape.

The faucet 11 passes through the wall 10 at right angles to its surface,
It is connected to a tube 17 of flexible plastic material.

This tube 17 extends upwardly inside the housing 1 and is connected to the supply valve of the beverage container 16 by means of a coupler 18 . The tube 17 is preferably secured to the side wall by a clip 19 or similar device so as not to interfere with the exchange of the beverage container.

The free end of the tube 17 is sufficiently long to be easily attached to and detached from the beverage container 16, even when secured with a clip 19. With this configuration, it is possible to maintain a vacuum in the path from the beverage container 16 to the faucet 11 (preventing air from entering).

Additionally, the wine flows solely under the influence of gravity, allowing virtually every last drop to fall without the use of a pump.

A heat exchanger 20 is arranged in the uppermost region of the space in the housing 1 that accommodates the beverage containers. This arrangement creates a temperature gradient inside the housing 1.

This is important for wine. For example, it is desirable to supply red wine at 17°C and white wine at 6°C. In the case of this embodiment, by arranging white wine on the top shelf, rose wine on the middle shelf, and red wine on the bottom shelf, each wine can be supplied at the temperature at which they are ready for drinking.

In the above explanation, parts such as a cooling compressor and a radiator that are not necessary to be explained to the manufacturer have been omitted.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the beverage dispenser of the present invention accommodates beverage containers in a compact manner and is easy to handle. Furthermore, the drink in the beverage container can be supplied to substantially the last drop while maintaining the airtightness of the supply route, which is important especially when used for wine.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a beverage dispensing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the beverage dispenser with the door closed. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the beverage dispenser with the door open. 1... Housing, 2-7... Heat insulation wall, 8... Hinge, 9
...door, 10...wall, 11...faucet, 12.
...Cooling device, 13.14.15...Rib, 16...
・Beverage container, 17... tube, 18... coupler,
19...Clip, 20...Heat exchanger.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A housing for accommodating a flexible beverage container filled with a drink and provided with an outwardly protruding valve, and means for supplying the drink in the beverage container to the outside of the housing. In the beverage dispensing machine, the casing includes a wall provided at the lower front, a door that can be opened and closed at the upper front, and a holding means for holding the beverage container therein, The means for supplying the drink includes a faucet disposed on the wall and operable from the outside, and a valve of the beverage container connected to the faucet inside the casing to supply the drink in the beverage container to the faucet by gravity. A beverage dispensing machine comprising: a tube for discharging up to 2. The beverage dispensing machine according to claim 1, wherein the holding means has a structure to hold the beverage container with the front side tilted downward. 3. The beverage dispensing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the number of faucets is equal to the number of beverage containers that can be accommodated in the housing. 4. The beverage dispensing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the faucets are arranged side by side on the wall. 5. The beverage dispensing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the casing includes a heat insulating material in its wall surface. 6. The beverage supply machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the heat exchanger is disposed in the uppermost region of the space for accommodating the beverage containers in the housing.