WO2006101394A2

WO2006101394A2 - Drink dispenser with mixing device

Info

Publication number: WO2006101394A2
Application number: PCT/NL2006/050045
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robin Koops
Original assignee: Susijn, Jeroen, Erik, Johan, Willem; Van Rossum, Joannes, Petrus
Priority date: 2005-03-03
Filing date: 2006-03-03
Publication date: 2006-09-28
Also published as: WO2006101394A3; NL1028455C2

Abstract

A device for mixing measured quantities of liquids to form a drink and adding carbon dioxide as desired comprises: supply containers for liquids; a supply container for carbon dioxide under pressure; dosing means for dosed dispensing of components, such as liquids^ carbon dioxide and solids, from selected containers; a mixing vessel for mixing the dispensed components and dispensing of the thus formed mixture; and a central control unit to which a user can supply information in respect of a chosen drink for dispensing by means of an external control panel, which central control unit comprises a memory in which the components of all drinks for dispensing by the device are stored with their mutual dosing ratios, such that after a user has made a choice known the central control unit controls the dosage and timing of dispensing of the components.

Description

MIXING DEVICE

The invention provides a device for mixing measured quantities of liquids to form a drink and adding carbon dioxide and one or more finely distributed solids as desired, which device comprises : supply containers for liquids; a supply container for carbon dioxide under pressure; optionally one or more supply containers for a finely distributed solid_/ such as sugar, sweetener, powdered milk; dosing means for dosed dispensing of components, such as liquids, carbon dioxide and solids, from selected containers; a mixing vessel for controlled mixing in preselected manner of the dispensed components and subsequent controlled dispensing of the thus formed mixture to the station adapted to support a receptacle, such as a beaker, a cup, a bottle or the like; and a central control unit to which a user can supply information in respect of a chosen drink for dispensing by means of an external control panel, which central control unit comprises a memory in which the components of all drinks for dispensing by the device are stored with their mutual dosing ratios, such that after a user has made a choice known the central control unit controls the dosage and timing of dispensing of the components. A device of this type according to the invention can provide a customer with an optionally alcoholic drink which may contain carbon dioxide if desired by the customer. Rum and coke, gin and tonic, a lemonade can for instance be envisaged here as well as a coke or the like. The customer can make his choice known to the device by means of operating the external control panel. Depending on the conditions of use, a payment device can also be added to the control panel, for instance on the basis of coins, a bank card, a credit card or the like. In countries where the sale of alcoholic drinks to persons below a specific age is not allowed, the device can also be provided with a reading device for reading a relevant identification, such as a passport, a driver's license, a tourist card or other official document. In general an embodiment in which a liquid is water is recommended.

The water can be held in a supply container. This provides the option of obtaining water from a specific producer with quality guarantee. In another embodiment the device has the special feature that the water is drawn directly from the mains supply. A supply container for the water, which generally takes up a relatively large amount of space, requires servicing and must be regularly replaced, can be dispensed with here. This latter embodiment has the further advantage that water from the mains supply is generally cheaper than water supplied in containers. Water of dubious quality from a mains supply can be brought to a generally excellent level of quality by means of relatively simple filtering means and water softeners.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the device has the special feature that a liquid is or contains consumable alcohol. The use of pure ethanol can be envisaged, but use can also be made of known products, such as brandy, gin or other alcoholic drinks suitable and usual for mixing drinks.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the device has the special feature that a number of liquids are extracts or concentrates, for instance fruit extracts, cola concentrate, tonic concentrate.

Attention is drawn to the fact that, in addition to being used in finely distributed, i.e. granular or powdered state, sugars and sweeteners can also be used dissolved in water, and can thus be deemed a concentrate and treated accordingly by the device. This is technically advantageous, since it enhances the technical simplicity and uniformity of the device. Dosing of the components can take place by means of a volumetrically dosing device. Such devices are however generally relatively expensive. According to the invention an embodiment is therefore recommended in which the dosing of each component takes place on the basis of the dosing period in combination with the viscosity of the component and the driving force, as well as the flow resistance encountered by the component during dosing. The dosing period is prescribed for a chosen recipe by the central control unit on the basis of information pre-stored in a memory.

Some drinks are preferably prepared such that they contain carbon dioxide. For this purpose the invention provides a variant in which the water is first received in a carbonating tank in which carbon dioxide under pressure can optionally be added to the water, and present between the outlet of the carbonating tank and the water inlet of the mixing vessel is a first electrical control valve which is held in its closed position at least during carbonating in the carbonating tank and is opened only after completion thereof, such that carbonated water is delivered to the mixing vessel .

In order to realize a certain chosen minimal time in the mixing vessel, for instance to allow a carbonised drink to settle by discharging an excess quantity of carbon dioxide, the variant is recommended in which a second electrical control valve is present at the outlet of the mixing vessel, which valve is held in its closed position at least during the first part of the mixing operation, and is only opened after completion of at least this first part.

In order to enable the easiest possible discharge of an excess quantity of carbon dioxide from the mixing vessel, use can be made of an embodiment in which a pressure equalization conduit communicating with the atmosphere connects to the mixing vessel. This pressure equalization conduit will have to connect to the top side of the vessel. According to a specific aspect of the invention, the device has the special feature that to each of the components other than water an individual metering valve is added on the top side of the mixing vessel. This embodiment preferably has the special feature that the metering valves are of the type having no dead space on the outlet side, such that dripping and mixing of flavours are prevented.

In order to effectively prevent adhesion to the mixing vessel of components containing taste, colour and odour, a variant can serve in which water is fed into the mixing vessel such that a water film forms over the whole operative surface, and that each further component is dispensed in dosed manner into the mixing vessel while water is being fed into the mixing vessel. The principle described in the foregoing paragraph can be effectively realized particularly with an embodiment of the device according to the invention in which the mixing vessel has a rotation-symmetrical form and the water is supplied- in at least more or less tangential direction on the top side via one or more water feeds. The rotation- symmetrical form can for instance be cylindrical in an upper zone, while connecting to the underside of the cylindrical form is a tapering conical form debouching into the outlet of the mixing vessel. A further very effective cleaning, to the extent this is still necessary when using the principle described in the foregoing, can be realized with a variant in which, after or at least partly during dispensing from the mixing vessel of the formed mixture, the mixing vessel is flushed with a remaining portion of the total of the water for dosing.

This latter embodiment, in combination with the embodiment in which a second electrical control valve is present at the outlet of the mixing vessel, which valve is kept closed during at least the first part of the mixing process and is opened only after completion of at least this first part, can have the special feature that the first valve is present at the water inlet of the mixing vessel and that both the first and second valve are opened during flushing.

A high degree of customer-friendliness and convenience of operation are obtained with an embodiment in which the control panel is adapted for entering in each case a code chosen by a user and corresponding to the choice of the drink. The code can be determined on the basis of a list disposed on or at least in the vicinity of the device.

For dispensing of cooled mixed drinks, the device can further comprise means for cooling water for dispensing. In the case of a supply container for water, this can be cooled in its entirety. This is however, not very efficient. Use is preferably made of a small heat exchanger which cools water for dosing as it flows by. According to yet another aspect of the invention, the device preferably has the special feature that all parts of the device coming into contact- with the components consist of. a material suitable for the purpose. The relevant material can be chosen on the basis of legal regulations applying in a specific country. An FDA stamp of approval can for instance be envisaged for the united States.

The stated pressure equalization serves to effectively prevent possible excessive foam formation in a drink flowing into a receptacle, since the quantity of carbon dioxide can in this manner be reduced to acceptable proportions .

The volume of the mixing vessel can for instance be in the order of magnitude of 150% of the total volume of a drink to be dispensed. The invention will now be elucidated on the basis of the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a partly cut-away perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a front view of the device;

Fig. 3 ahows a front view of the control panel; Fig. 4 shows a cross-section through the mixing vessel in which the water flows are represented schematically; Fig. 5 is a partly transparent top view of the mixing vessel?

Fig. 6 shows the section VI-VI of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 shows a cross-section through a non-return valve for dosed dispensing of a component.

Fig. 1 shows a device 1 for mixing as required of measured quantities of different liquids, such as fruit extracts, cola concentrate, tonic concentrate and, likewise as required, for adding carbon dioxide and, if desired, one or more finely distributed solids such as sugar, sweetener, powdered milk.

The device comprises for this purpose a number of supply containers, i.e. a supply container 2 for water and a number of supply containers 3, 4 (for instance 10 to 30 in total) in which the extracts, concentrates and the like are situated.

The actual mixing operation, wherein components chosen and dosed in accordance with a determined recipe are mixed with .each other to form the drink for dispensing, takes place in a mixing vessel 5, the construction and operation of which will be discussed in more detail below. Two feed conduits 6, 7 for water, connect to mixing vessel 5 on the top side. Via an electrically controllable first valve 8 these receive carbonated water from a carbonating tank 9 which is connected via a conduit 10 and an electrically controllable valve (not shown) to a container 11 for carbon dioxide under pressure. Water present in carbonating tank 9 can be carbonated, i.e. provided with carbon dioxide, by opening the valve (not shown) in the carbon dioxide conduit 10.

Via a conduit which is likewise not shown water is carried out of container 2 into carbonating tank 9 by means of a pump (not drawn) while the first valve 8 is closed. During this supply of water, or at least a first part thereof, adding to the mixing vessel of components from containers, such as 3, 4, also takes place in the manner to be described hereinbelow.

Dispensing of a drink mixed in mixing vessel 5 as according to the given recipe takes place via a discharge conduit 12 in which a second electrically controllable valve 13 is accommodated. The manner in which these valves are controlled by a central control unit 14 will be discussed below. Discharge conduit 12 ends at a preselected height above a perforated first carrier plate 15 for carrying a cup, a beaker or other container for receiving the drink prepared by the device. Situated under the first carrier plate 15 is a likewise perforated second carrier plate 16. By temporarily removing, for instance folding upward, the first carrier plate 15 a bottle or other receptacle of greater height can for instance be placed under the end of discharge conduit 15 in order to be filled thereby. A second carrier plate 16 is situated above a space 17 in which is accommodated a removable collecting tray for spilled liquid.

Device 1 further comprises a main switch 18, a control button 19 for initiating a flushing cycle, whereby the whole device with the exception of the containers is flushed with clean water, a cable duct 20 through which run the cables extending from the central control unit 14 to said valves 8 and 13, in addition to pump means to be described below for dosing the diverse liquids. Device 1 is constructed wholly on the basis of a frame 22 to which the diverse constituent parts are connected. The frame is enclosed by a housing 21.

Fig. 2 shows front plate 23 of housing 21. As the figure shows, front plate 23 has an opening 24 through which the first carrier plate 15 is accessible for the purpose of placing a receptacle, in this example a beaker 25. It will be apparent that, by temporarily removing the first carrier plate 15, a higher receptacle such as a bottle can be placed with its bottom through opening 24 and then be supported by the second carrier plate 16. As is usual in the case of drink-dispensing machines, a receptacle has to be placed under the outlet opening of discharge conduit 12. Positioning means can for instance be arranged for this purpose. These are generally known and do not form part of this invention.

Front plate 23 further has a control panel 26, using which a user can enter into device 1 a choice made in respect of a desired drink. In this embodiment the control panel is implemented as touchscreen.

Fig. 3 shows by way of example a possible layout of such a touchscreen control panel 26. On the basis of information made available separately from a list, a user makes a choice of a drink to be supplied by the device. This choice corresponds with a specific code in accordance with the list, for instance ^WE 19". The user first operates for this purpose the upper part 27 of the display until the E appears on the screen, followed by operation of the middle part 28 until the chosen number, in this case 19, appears on the screen. The user can then also opt to add sweetener in diverse gradations by pressing the touchscreen • button "light" 29 one or more times, or make a similar choice for sugar 30. After an optional final check for the correctness of his choice, the customer presses the start button 31 after first making sure that there is a ^■ receptacle standing under the opening of discharge conduit 12. Through pressing of start button 31 the chosen product information is transmitted from control panel 26 to the central control unit 14, which searches for the entered code, in this case E 19, in a table present in the memory. A search is then made in the table for recipe information which is made available for control purposes. This information is used to control the dosing means in accordance with the predetermined recipe corresponding to the relevant drink and the associated code.

Example 1; rum and coke

Total amount of liquid to be dosed 200 cm³. Cola extract 40 cm³. Alcohol 10 cm³. Carbonated water 150 cm³. Example 2 : mango tonic

Total amount of liquid to be dosed 200 cm³. Mango extract 30 cm³. Tonic extract 10 cm³. Water, optionally carbonated, 160 cm³.

Example 3: mango gin and tonic Total amount of liquid to be dosed 200 cm³. Gin 10 cm³. Mango extract 30 cm³. Tonic extract 10 cm³. Water, optionally carbonated, 150 cm³.

The operation of the mixing vessel will now be discussed with reference to Fig. 4, 5 and 6. Reference is also made to Fig. 7 which shows the manner in which the diverse liquids other than water are dispensed in dosed manner to the mixing vessel.

Fig.' 4 shows that the mixing vessel has a predominantly cylindrical form which transposes on the underside into a downward narrowing conical form which connects to discharge conduit 12.

Fig. 5 shows particularly clearly the manner in which water supply conduits 6 and 7 provide for the creation of a water film on the inner surface of mixing vessel 5 by means of tangential inlets 32 and 33 respectively in the manner shown in Fig. 4 during the injection of water. For the sake of clarity the relevant flows are shown very schematically in Fig. 4. A number of metering valves protruding through cover 35, which for the sake of convenience are all designated 36 {see also Fig. 5), also provide during the injection of water for dosing by means of these metering valves 36 of the additional components for dosing, such as the concentrates and extracts. During the injection of water the valve 8 is opened and under normal operating conditions valve 13 is closed, whereby mixing vessel 5 is gradually filled with the mixture which must later be dispensed as drink by opening valve 13 after valve 8 has been closed. It is noted in this respect that in this embodiment the mixing vessel has for instance a volume of 300 cm³ such that the total amount of liquid for dosing, in this case 200 cm³, fits easily therein, while the mixture always remains below the level of the outlets of inlet tubes 32, 33.

Metering valves 36 are connected to the respective containers for the liquids, for instance 3, 4, by means of conduits (not shown) with pumps electrically controllable by the central control unit 14.

It is noted that for the sake of clarity only one metering valve 36 is drawn in Fig. 6.

Fig. 5 and 6 also show that a pressure equalization conduit 37 extends through cover 35. This serves to allow the liquid to settle during the stay of the formed mixture in mixing vessel 5 by discharging excess carbon dioxide, which can escape to the atmosphere via conduit 37.

Fig. 7 shows the structure of all metering valves 36 which_/ just as the other valves and conduit connecting to the mixing vessel, are arranged by a press fit.

Valve 36 comprises a cylinder 38 in which a piston unit 40 which is downward loaded by a compression spring 39 is movable up and downward in sealingly slidable manner. The piston unit bears a pin 41 having on its end a conically tapering valve body 42. In the rest position of valve 36 this valve body 42 co-acts sealingly with a correspondingly formed valve aeat 43 on the end wall of cylinder 38. By admitting liquid for dosing under pressure via an inlet stub 44 (as according to arrow 45) and by means of a conduit (not shown) connecting to stub 44, the pin 41 is moved upward when a pressure is exceeded which corresponds to the pressing force of spring 39 divided by the effective area of the annular end surface 45 of piston unit 40, and the liquid is dispensed through the thus created opening between valve body 42 and valve seat 43. The flow rate is determined by the viscosity of the liquid, the pressure exerted on the liquid by the pump (not drawn) , and the flow resistance encountered by the liquid during flow. The dosed quantity is the product of this flow rate and the time for which the pump is active.

As already noted, the customer order is carried out on the basis of control by the central control unit. The diverse dosages of the components take place by causing the diverse metering pumps to operate for a chosen time. It is found in practice that dosing accuracies of several percent can hereby be realized_/ which is amply sufficient for this purpose . It is important to note that when a mixture is prepared the total quantity of water is preferably not dispensed into the mixing vessel in one continuous period. A part of the water, for instance 20%, is stored temporarily in the carbonating tank or the relevant metering pump is temporarily stopped, whereafter valve 8 is closed and valve 13 is then opened. During the open position of valve 13 the valve 8 is opened once again or the relevant water pump is reactivated for dispensing of said remaining part, in this case 20%, of the total water to be dispensed. Using the configuration shown clearly in Fig. 4 the whole inner surface 34 of mixing vessel 5 is hereby effectively washed clean without the chance of residues of liquids adhering to the wall.

It is important to note that valve 36 according to Fig. 7 is embodied such that in a closed position it has no dead volume at all and there is therefore no need to be concerned about unintended mixing of liquids.

All surfaces coming into contact with the liquids consist of materials suitable for the purpose, for instance PTE, PTFE, SS 316 or other materials complying with the . relevant national and international approval specifications.

Claims

CIAIHS

1. Device for mixing measured quantities of liquids to form a drink and adding carbon dioxide and one or more finely distributed solids as desired, which device comprises: supply containers for liquids; a supply container for carbon dioxide under pressure; optionally one or more supply containers for a finely distributed solid, such as sugar, sweetener, powdered milk; dosing means for dosed dispensing of components, such as liquids, carbon dioxide and solids, from selected containers; a mixing vessel for controlled mixing in preselected manner of the dispensed components and subsequent controlled dispensing of the thus formed mixture to the station adapted to support a receptacle, such as a beaker, a cup, a bottle or the like; and a central control unit to which a user can supply information in respect of a chosen drink for dispensing by means of an external control panel, which central control unit comprises a memory in which the components of all drinks for dispensing by the device are stored with their mutual dosing ratios, such that after a user has made a choice known the central control unit controls the dosage and timing of dispensing of the components.

2. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a liquid is water.

3. Device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the water is drawn directly from the mains water supply.

4. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a liquid is or contains consumable alcohol .

5. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a number of liquids are extracts or concentrates, for instance fruit extracts, cola concentrate, tonic concentrate.

6. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dosing of each component takes place on the basis of the dosing period in combination with the viscosity of the component and the driving force_/ as well as the flow resistance encountered by the component during dosing.

7. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein after dispensing the water is first received in a carbonating tank in which carbon dioxide under pressure can optionally be added to the water, and present between the outlet of the carbonating tank and the water inlet of the mixing vessel is a first electrical control valve which is held in its closed position at least during carbonating in the carbonating tank and is opened only after completion thereof, such that carbonated water is delivered to the mixing vessel .

8. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a second electrical control valve is present at the outlet of the mixing vessel, which valve is held in its closed position at least during the first part of the mixing operation, and is only opened after completion of at least this first part.

9. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pressure equalization conduit communicating with the atmosphere • connects to the mixing vessel.

10. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein to each of the components other than water an individual metering valve is added on the top side of the mixing vessel.

11. Device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the metering valves are of the type having no dead space on the outlet side, such that dripping and mixing of flavours are prevented.

12. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein water is fed into the mixing vessel such that a water film forms over the whole operative surface, and that each further component is dispensed in dosed manner into the mixing vessel while water is being fed into the mixing vessel.

13. Device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the mixing vessel has a rotation-symmetrical form and the water is supplied in at least more or less tangential direction on the top side via one or more water feeds.

14. Device as claimed in claim 12, wherein after or at least partly during dispensing from the mixing vessel of the formed mixture the mixing vessel is flushed with a remaining portion, of the total of the water for dosing.

15. Device as claimed in claims 8 and 14, wherein the first valve is present at the water inlet of the mixing vessel and that both the first and second valve are opened during flushing.

16. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control panel is adapted for entering in each case a code chosen by a user and corresponding to the choice of the drink.

17. Device as claimed in claim 1, comprising means for cooling water for dispensing.

18. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein all parts of the device coming into contact with the components consist of a material suitable for the purpose.