WO2017099679A1

WO2017099679A1 - 360-degree multi-container beverage cooling dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO2017099679A1
Application number: PCT/TR2016/000109
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mustafa HOSKAL
Original assignee: Tekno Celik
Priority date: 2015-12-11
Filing date: 2016-08-05
Publication date: 2017-06-15

Abstract

A multi-container beverage cooling dispenser comprises a main body 1, a lower body 6 on which said main body 1 is provided, an upper body 7 provided over said main body 3, removable beverage containers 2 provided on said upper body 7, and a lid 3 disposed on said beverage containers 2. Each beverage container 2 is provided with an independent cooler 8 and an independent stirrer 20 driven by a motor 18.

Description

DESCRIPTION

360-DEGREE SERVING MULTI-CONTAINER BEVERAGE COOLING

DISPENSER

Field of Invention

This invention relates to a multi-container liquid cooling dispenser. This invention particularly relates to a beverage dispenser with cooling capability, designed to be used about its entire circumference, i.e. 360°, capable to be rotated around its own axis, and provided with a top mixing device.

Prior Art

There are currently many cooling dispensers available which are designed for beverages. One type of such devices is typically used in restaurants and coffeehouses, wherein beverages are visibly placed in glass or transparent containers. This type of cooling device is known in the markets as beverage or juice dispensers. The basic structure of this type of dispensers is that they comprise a transparent container where beverages such as juices or ayran to be cooled are visibly stored, a cooling device cooling the beverage kept in said container, a stirrer to stir the beverage when necessary, and a faucet to take beverage out of the container into glasses. There are different versions for beverage cooling dispensers all based on this basic structure. The beverage container may either be rectangular, or cylindrical, conical, etc.. Similarly, the body accommodating the cooling arrangement, the faucets, etc. may also have different designs. The basic structure here, however, is maintained without substantial modifications.

In order to enhance the functionality of beverage cooling dispensers according to the prior art, more than one faucet may be provided in one beverage container. In

l this manner, more than one glass can be filled with beverage at the same time from a beverage cooling dispenser. In this case, however, the glasses should be filled by the same person or by two persons standing side by side.

In another version of beverage cooling dispensers according to the prior art, a number of cooling containers are positioned linearly side by side. Such beverage cooling dispensers having two, three, or more beverage containers arranged linearly side by side may comprise a number of faucets. Such beverage cooling dispensers can contain and cool the same or different beverages side by side. Accordingly, a user gets in front of the beverage container of choice and opens the respective faucet to fill a glass with beverage. Although such type of beverage cooling dispensers with a number of cooling containers arranged linearly side by side do provide some convenience, in practice, no more than two users can use the dispenser at the same time in places such as meeting halls, hotels, coffeehouses, etc.. In this context, the term user comprises attendants, visitors, customers, service staff, etc., who take beverage from the beverage dispenser. The fact that the faucets of such type of beverage cooling dispensers do face to the same side, it generally becomes difficult for a number of users to stand in front of the device at the same time.

Object and Description of Invention

With the multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention, a design is aimed, which enables the cooling dispenser with preferably three containers to be used around its entire circumference, i.e. 360°, in place of a linear side by side alignment; to rotate around its own axis; and to have a top mixing device.

The multi-container cooling dispenser according to the present invention comprises three cooling containers configured to be used around the entire circumference of the dispenser, i.e. 360°, in a main body of the dispenser. These three cooling containers are arranged in a basic circular design, each occupying a 120-degree segment of a circle. Thus, more than one user can use the beverage cooling dispenser at the same time without hindering the others.

Another feature of the multi-container cooling device according to the present invention is that, in place of arranging three containers in 120-degree segments, two containers can be arranged circularly in 180-degree segments or in segments different from 180 degrees, or four containers can be arranged circularly in 90- degree segments or in segments differing from 90 degrees. Thus, a number of users can use the beverage cooling dispenser to be placed in a freely accessible place and can fill their glasses with beverage conveniently at the same time. Another advantage of the multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention is that it has legs with or without wheels underneath. A lower body, rotatable around its own axis, is provided above the legs. The main body is positioned on the lower body either in a rotating or fixed manner.

A further advantage of the multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention is that the containers configured in a circular manner are each provided with a top mixing device driven from above (i.e. from the lids).

In order to provide a better understanding of the device according to the present invention, it shall be referred to the figures.

Description of Figures

Figure 1 is a representative perspective view of a multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective disassembled view of the multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention. Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention with only one beverage container on the upper body, along with rotating and cooling arrangements.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention with only one beverage container on the upper body, without the rotating and cooling arrangements.

Figure 6 is a top cross-sectional view of the multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention with only one beverage container on the upper body, along with rotating and cooling arrangements. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention when its lid is open.

Figure 8 is a disassembled side cross-sectional view of the multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention.

Figure 9 is a partial perspective view of a lower rotating part of the multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention.

Figure 10 is a partial perspective view from below of the lid part of the multi- container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention.

Figure 11 is a partial perspective view of a lid connection part of the multi- container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention. Figure 12 is a partial perspective view of the lid connection of the multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention.

Reference Numbers of Parts and Sections in Figures Illustrating the Present Invention

1- Main body

2- Liquid or beverage container

3- Lid

4- Glass holder 5- Faucet

6- Lower body

7- Upper body

8- Internal container cooler

9- Cooler connection

10- Container bed

11 - Container connections

12- Cooling motor

13- Lowe layer

4-Fixed layer

15- Pulley wheel

16- Fixed leg

17- Lid body

18- Stirring motor

19-Upper lid cap

20- Stirrer

20a- Connection socket

21 - Channel

22- Motion transmitter

23- Cable

24- Energy transmission connection

25- Energy transmission arrangement

Detailed Description of Invention

The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser comprises containers which are arranged circularly over 360 degrees so that the users can use the dispenser in a more efficient and convenient manner. Here, the beverage containers will be arranged circularly side by side over 120-degree segments of a circle to provide a circular area of use. The dispenser according to the present invention will be described by referring to annexed figures which are based on the dispenser configuration described above. However, the multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention can also be embodied in different versions so as to comprise more than three containers, e.g. arranged over 90- degree segments, in place of comprising three containers arranged over 120- degree segments. Therefore, the embodiment given here should not be considered as limited. On the other hand, the beverage dispenser according to the present invention is designed so that it can be rotated from below parallel to the floor and it can be stirred by means of a lid provided above. Therefore, beverage dispensers according to the prior art which are not rotating, i.e. fixed from below and/or are stirred from below can be configured in a circular fashion. The 360-degree serving multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention is illustrated in perspective in figure 1. Figure 2, in turn, illustrates the main elements of the dispenser according to the present invention in a disassembled perspective view. Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the dispenser according to the present invention. Figures 4, 5, and 6 illustrate the same dispenser when only one container is mounted in perspective and cross- sectional views. Figure 7 illustrates the same dispenser when the lid is open. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the same dispenser in a disassembled manner. Figure 9 is a partial perspective view illustrating the details of the lower rotating part. Figures 10, 1 1 , and 12 are perspective and cross-sectional views illustrating the details of the lid arrangement.

The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention comprises a main body (1 ), a lower body (6), disposed undermost, on which said main body (1 ) is provided, an upper body (7) provided over said main body (3), beverage containers (2) provided on said upper body (7), and a lid (3) disposed on said beverage containers (2). A structure to be detailed below is provided which enables to rotate said lower body (6). The main body (1 ) comprises a cooling motor (12) by means of which the cooling operation is performed. The upper body (7) is provided with container beds (10) into which the beverage containers (2) are placed. The number of the container beds (10) is preferably three and are arranged over 20-degree segments of a circle, each limited by container connections (1 1). Additionally, cooling connections (9) are provided in container beds (10) and internal container coolers (8) are provided on the cooling connections (9), as well as stirrers (20) are disposed on the internal coolers (8), said stirrers being driven by the lid (3) as detailed below.

In the multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention, the main body (1) is positioned on the lower body (6) as illustrated in figures 2, 3, 7, and 8. The lower body (6) is an arrangement like a table or any other platform to be placed on the floor, as illustrated particularly in figures 2 and 9. The lower body (6) comprises fixed legs (16) at the bottom, a fixed table to which said fixed legs (16) are connected, a rotating energy transmission arrangement (25) centrally connected to said fixed table (14), an energy transmission connection (24) to which said energy arrangement (25) is connected, a lower table ( 3) to which said energy transmission connection (24) is connected, and rotating pulley wheels (15) connected to said lower table (13). The lower table

(13) can be rotated by means of the pulley wheels (15) on said fixed table (14). A cable or a similar electrical connection (not illustrated in figures) in the fixed table

(14) can be coupled to the energy transmission connection (24) in the lower table (13) by means of the energy transmission arrangement (25). The energy transmission arrangement (25) can transmit electrical energy and is also rotatable. It is exemplarily illustrated in figures 8 and 9. As a result of connecting the energy transmission arrangement (25) to the fixed table (14) at the lower side and to the lower table (13) at the upper side in a freely rotating manner, the need to pass a cable from the lower table (14) to the upper table (13) is eliminated. It is desired here to be able to rotate the upper table (13) so that no cable-related obstacles occur with respect to the fixed lower table (14). Pulley wheels are provided between the lower table (13) and the fixed table (14) so that the lower body (6) bearing the load of the beverage dispenser according to the present invention and therefore the lower table (13) comprising the lower part of the lower body (6) can be conveniently rotated on the fixed table. It is naturally possible to devise a lower body (6) which cannot be rotated such that no lower table ( 3) and fixed table (14) are used. In such configurations of the beverage container (2) according to the present invention, the lower table (13) and therefore the lower body (6) can also be fastened to the main body (1) by means of screws, clamps, tight fit, etc.. Since this part does not involve high innovation and since it can be produced using currently-available molding and production techniques, it will not be detailed here.

The interior of the main body (1) of the beverage dispenser according to the present invention is provided with a cooling motor (12) by means of which cooling operations is performed, whereas the exterior of the main body ( ) is provided with glass holders (4) and faucets (5) aligned in a circular manner. The faucets (5) are such devices which are already known from the prior art to be used to take out beverage out from the beverage containers (2). However, based on the main concept here that the beverage containers are not arranged linearly side by side, but in a circular manner over 120-degree circular segments, the glass holders (4) and faucets (5) are also arranged circularly over the same 120-degree circular segments. As a matter of fact, if the dispenser according to the present invention will not comprise three, but four beverage containers, their circular arrangement will change accordingly. The upper body (7) provided on the main body (1), in turn, is a system which bears the beverage containers (2), along with their connections and other parts. In a preferred embodiment, the top of the upper body (7) comprises container beds (10) each formed over 120-degree circular segments. The container beds (10) are lower bases which supports the lower part of beverage containers (2) and also the beverages contained therein. The top interior of the upper body (7) is divided into three container beds (10) each spanning over a 120-degree circular segment by means of container connections (11) in the form of ridges. The ridge structure allows to easily place the beverage containers (2) to the container beds (10). The container connections (11) separate the container beds (10) from each other in the form of ridges and are arranged over 120-degree circular segments. The container beds (10) and the container connections (11) and therefore the beverage containers (2) placed in the container beds (10) are circularly adjacent to each other. Their junction angels are 120 degrees so as to occupy one third of a circle. However, this angle can vary when the number of beverage containers (2) and accordingly the number of container beds (10) and container connections (11) are increased or decreased (e.g. when their number is not three but four). The top interior of the container bed (10) is provided with cooling connections (9) and internal container coolers (8). These serve to cool down the beverages within the containers. The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser is thus made technically and visually different than the dispensers according to the prior art in which beverage tanks are arranged linearly side by side. When the number of beverage containers (2) are selected as three and when these containers are circularly arranged at equal angular distances among each other, the angle between them will be 120 degrees. However, the size of the containers may differ, or their number may be three, but they may be arranged in different angular relations among them for any reason. Additionally, the number of beverage containers may be four or may be lower. In this case, the junction angles will differ accordingly. In any case, in contrast to the prior art in which the beverage containers (2) are linearly arranged side by side, the dispenser according to the present invention will allow the users to use the dispenser in a more efficient and convenient manner. In order to technically provide this placement, a number of beverage containers will be cooled down by the cooling capacity taken from a single cooling motor (12). In order to place the beverage containers (2) side by side in a circular manner, container beds (10), container connections ( 1), cooling connections (9), and internal container coolers (8) are disposed in a circular arrangement on top of the aforesaid upper body (7).

In the beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention, stirrers (20) are disposed in the beverage containers (2) and on top of the internal container coolers (8), as illustrated in figures 4, 7, 8, 10, 1 1 , and 12. The stirrers (20) are connected to the upper parts of internal container coolers (8) in a freely rotating manner. They are driven by means of a stirrer motor (18) disposed in the lid (3) above. This is designed so that the stirrers are driven by the lids (3). However, the stirrers (20) can also be designed so as to be driven by the main body (1 ) and therefore by the lower part. In the beverage cooling dispenser according to the present invention, a channel (21 ) is formed in the interior of the main body (1). The channel (21) comprises a cable (23) which transmits electrical energy from the main body (1 ) to the lid (3). The lid (3) basically comprises a lid body (17) at the bottom thereof, stirrer motors (18) disposed in said lid body (17), and an upper lid cap (19) covering the lid (3) at the top. The stirrer motors (18) are positioned on the lid body (18) in alignment with the rotation axes of the stirrers (20) below. The stirrer motors (18) are energized by means of cables (23) passed through the channel (21). The voltage of the energy is naturally changed in the main body (1) or in the lid (3) before it reaches here to prevent it from damaging the users. The tips of the stirrer motors (18) are provided with motion transmitters (22). When the motion transmitters (22) touch the connection sockets (20a) on the stirrers (20), the rotational motion on the stirrer motors (18) are transferred to the stirrers (20). This occurs when the lid is closed. Thus, when the lid (3) closes the top of the beverage containers (2) and when the system (dispenser) is turned on, any beverage in the beverage containers (2) will be cooled by means of cooling connections (8) and at the same time be stirred by means of the stirrers (20) driven by the lid (3). The main body (1) can naturally be rotated freely by means of the rotating mechanism in the lower body (6). However, when this rotation capability is not desired, the main body (1) and the lower body can be kept fixed and be positioned over fixed legs, or legs with wheels.

The system or device according to the present invention can be applied to any beverage cooling dispensers. The beverage containers can be either circularly divided into three, or they may be arranged into two, three, four or more beverage containers at equal or different angular intervals. The lower part may be a rotating system or be fixed. The stirrers can be driven from above, as described earlier, or may be driven from below, as is the case of the prior art. When desired, the same system can also be used in coffee machines, in hot chocolate machines, in water dispensers, etc., in place of the embodiment described above with cooling purposes.

Claims

1. A multi-container beverage cooling dispenser, characterized by comprising a main body (1 ), a lower body (6), disposed undermost, on which said main body (1) is provided, an upper body (7) provided on said main body (3), beverage containers (2) provided on said upper body (7), and a lid (3) disposed on said beverage containers (2).

2. The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to claim 1 , characterized in that container bearings (10) are provided on the upper body (7) in which beverage containers (2) are placed and that said container bearings (10) are separated by container connections (1 1 ) which preferably amount to three in number and are formed at 120-degree intervals of a circle.

3. The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that cooling connections (9) are provided in container beds (10), internal container coolers (8) are provided on said cooling connections

(9), as well as stirrers (20) are disposed on the internal coolers (8), said stirrers (20) being driven by stirrer motors (18) disposed in the lid (3).

4. The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to claim 1 , characterized in that the lower body (6) comprises fixed legs (16) at the lowermost part, a fixed table (14) to which said fixed legs (16) are connected, a rotating energy transmission arrangement (25) centrally connected to said fixed table (14) via a rotating intermediary element, an energy transmission connection (24) to which said energy arrangement (25) is connected, a lower table (13) to which said energy transmission connection (24) is connected, and rotating pulley wheels (15) connected to said lower table ( 3).

5. The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that the energy transmission arrangement (25) is coupled in a rotating manner to the fixed body (14) at the lower side and to the lower table (13) at the upper side respectively.

6. The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that pulley wheels (15) are positioned between the lower table (13) and fixed table (14).

7. The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to claim 1 , characterized in that the upper body (7) positioned on the main body (1) comprises container beds (10) formed at 120-degree angular intervals with respect to each other, that the container beds (10) are separated from each other by container connections (1 1) which allow to separate the beds (10) from each other at 120-degree angular intervals, and the interior top part of said container beds (10) are provided with cooling connections (9) and internal container coolers (8).

8. The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to claim 1 , characterized in that the lid (3) comprises a lid body (17), at least one stirrer motor (18) and an upper lid cap (19).

9. The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to claim 1 or 7, characterized in that stirrers (20) are positioned on the internal container coolers (8) and that said stirrers (20) are positioned so that they are driven by means of a motion transmitter (22) and stirrer motor (18) provided in the lid (3).

10. The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to claim 1 , 7, or 9, characterized by comprising a channel (21) in the interior of the main body (1), a cable (23) in said channel (21) transferring electrical energy from the main body (1) to the lid (3), stirrer motors (18) coupled to said cable (23), and motion transmitters (22) connected to said stirrer motors (18).

11. The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to claims 1 and 10, characterized by comprising motion transmitters (22) at the end of stirrer motors (18), as well as connection socket (20) on stirrers (20), and that said motion transmitters (22) are positioned so as to contact and transmit motion to the connection sockets (20a) on the stirrers (20).

12. The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to claim 1 or 7, characterized in that the containers (2) can optionally be joined in different angular relations among each other peripherally.

13.The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that the lower body (6) is optionally fixed.

14.The multi-container beverage cooling dispenser according to claim 1 , 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that the main body (1) can optionally comprise a stirrer motor (18) so that the stirrers (20) are driven not by the lid (3) but by the main body (1).