ES2247000T3 - BEVERAGE EXPENDER. - Google Patents

Abstract

Beverage dispensing set, consisting of an outer housing (1), equipped with a tap (6) and a pressure means (19), and a container (5) capable of being placed in the outer housing (1). Said container (5) consists of a beverage containing CO2 and a portion of a deformable wall, compressible by means of pressure (19), an outlet (8) and a flexible tube (34), connected to the outlet (8) for dispensing beverage from the container (5) by deforming the portion of the flexible wall by the pressure means (19), said tube (34) composed of a positioning means of an outlet end (46, 46a, 48) to engage removable with the tap (6).

Description

Beverage dispenser

The present invention relates to an apparatus beverage dispenser consisting of:

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a housing that includes a chamber shaped with an opening to through which a beverage container can be inserted into the chamber, said container incorporating at least a wall portion deformable and an outlet with which a pipe can be connected beverage supply that leads to a tap;

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a lid to close the chamber opening;

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a locking and sealing means to close the chamber tightly to in order to establish a pressurized area between the wall portion deformable beverage container and an inner wall of the chamber and a means of pressurization to pressurize the pressurized area in order of expelling the beverage from the container by the exit.

Said device, known from WO-A-95 /
20540, is intended to distribute beverages, gasified or not, specifically beer. In this known apparatus, a flexible bag containing a beverage is housed in the chamber of a container, after which the chamber is sealed by a lid. The space between the camera and the bag is pressurized. A flexible hose connects a bag outlet with a beverage supply tap. To this end, the hose is passed through a hole in the lid. It is a disadvantage of this construction that the hose has to be sealed very effectively in this opening because the hose is at least partially located in the pressurized space.

It is an object of the invention to improve an apparatus beverage dispenser of the type defined in the first paragraph so that the indicated disadvantage be avoided and in addition, so that the device is easier to use.

For this purpose, the beverage dispenser will be characterized in that the blocking and sealing means are arranged between the beverage container and the chamber, so that a pressurized area between an inner wall of the chamber and at least the portion of the deformable wall of the container, the outlet being located of the container outside the pressurized area.

In this case the pressurized area is no longer limited by the lid. The pipe or hose coupled with the outlet It is located completely outside the pressurized area. The shutter problem as mentioned earlier in relationship with the device according to the WO-A-95/20540. An additional advantage is that, due to the position of the blocking and sealing means, It is now possible and very simple to automatically create a zone pressurized when the beverage container is introduced into the chamber of the accommodation. Its operation becomes easier for the user.

A preferred embodiment of the apparatus is characterized by the fact that the blocking means consists of about spring-loaded immobilizer cars that collaborate with a container flange to close the container in the chamber. When insert a beverage container into the chamber, the outer wall of the container pushes the immobilizer cars against the pressure of the springs until a container flange exceeds the carriages immobilizers, after which said immobilizer cars jump and They close the container.

An embodiment that includes a variant of said blocking means is characterized by the fact that the opening of the chamber has an annular part in which the immobilizing cars so that they can move elastically in radial directions.

A preferred embodiment is characterized by the fact that the apparatus includes an annular collar mounted on a neck with the outlet opening of the container, with the flange collar for collaboration with cars immobilizers in order to block the container in the chamber. Saying collar can be connected in solidarity with the container or it can be build as a removable and independent piece. The middle of shutter consists of sealing rings between the wall inside of the chamber and an outer flange of the collar and in the case from being a removable and independent collar, a sealing ring additional between the neck of the container and an inner flange of the necklace.

The apparatus also comprises a mechanism of Unlocking to release the container. Details are provided. additional details thereof in the description of an embodiment in relationship with the figures.

Another embodiment of the apparatus is characterized in that the pressurization means includes a pump that can be connect and disconnect by means of a switch that can be operated through the lid. In addition, to relieve pressure in the area pressurized, the device has a safety valve, which It can be operated by the lid. When the lid is closed it Close the safety valve and start the pump. When it opens the cover disconnects the pump and the safety valve of the pressurized area, after which the beverage container can be remove from the chamber after releasing said container.

For reasons of hygiene the exit of a new full container of beverage is closed by a sealing membrane liable to be punctured To pierce said membrane the container It consists of a piercing mechanism connected with a hose beverage supply that automatically pierces the diaphragm of shutter as soon as the pressurized area is pressurized for the first time time. To this end, the apparatus is characterized because, when available and a beverage container is locked in the chamber, there is a certain distance between the flange of the container and the immobilizing cars, which allows the container to go up that distance when pressurizes the pressurization zone and is thus achieved pierce the membrane. A construction through which you can piercing a sealing membrane is itself known by the WO-A-95/20540. However, in said Construction drilling must be done by hand.

In another preferred embodiment the tap consists of two elements, a lower part united in solidarity with the accommodation and an upper part articulated with the lower part. The beverage supply line is partially formed by a flexible hose that can be held between the upper parts and lower. Said upper part has an actuation lever and said lower part has a closing mechanism that, together With the actuation lever, you can open or close, pinching, the drink delivery hose. The resulting mechanism, simple to handle for the user, serves to install the hose beverage supply at the location where the drink. After attaching the drink delivery hose to the lower part, the upper part joins the lower part, managing to hold the hose in position while clamping to shut it up. When the actuation lever is opened, the clamp stops the hose and the drink comes out of the hose due to the effect of the pressure in the pressurized area.

The apparatus also has a number of aspects of security designed to prevent unwanted activation of the pressure and unwanted discharge of drink.

Due to the constructive measures that have been taken, the operation of the device is very simple as well as safe for the user.

The invention will be described below. in detail, by way of example, in relation to an embodiment shown in the drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a beverage dispensing apparatus according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view. cross section of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows the closing mechanism and the sealing means of the beverage container in the apparatus in a view in cross section taken on line III-III in Figure 4.

Figure 4 shows the locking mechanism and Unlocking the beverage container.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view. of the locking mechanism and the sealing means of the packaging of beverage of the apparatus according to an embodiment other than that shown in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view. of the apparatus to illustrate the perforation of the membrane of filling of the beverage container;

Figure 7 is a side view of the tap.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the tap.

Figure 9 is a front view of the tap and

Figure 10 is a front view of a tap Figure 9.

The beverage dispenser shown in the Figure 1 consists of a housing 1 with an opening 2 that facilitates access to a chamber 3. A cover 4 is joined in an articulated manner with housing 1 to open and close the camera. Through the opening 2 a beverage container, for example, a beer container, it can be placed in chamber 3. The housing also incorporates a tap 6. A drink supply pipe 7 has one end connected to an outlet 8 of the beverage container and the other end with the tap 6.

Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the beverage dispensing apparatus in which a container of drink 5. An annular piece 9, mounted on the top of the housing 1 around opening 2, incorporates the means of blocking and sealing of the beverage container 5. The blocking means whose function is to immobilize the beverage container in chamber 3 consists of a plurality of immobilizing cars under pressure of springs 10 capable of moving in radial directions. He beverage container has a collar 11, joined in solidarity with a container wall and that has a 12 flange for collaboration with the immobilizer cars 10. A sealing ring 13 remains attached to the annular part 9 in order to close the container in the chamber. When a beverage container is placed in the chamber, the flange of the container 10 presses the immobilizer cars out against the spring effort 14. Once the flange has exceeded the cars, the cars move radially inwards through the effect of the springs, holding the container in the chamber of this mode. In this situation the sealing ring 13 is contiguous with the inner wall 15 of the chamber as well as against the flange 12 of the container (see also Figure 3). This shutter forms an airtight space 17 between the inner wall 15 of the chamber and the outer wall 16 of the container. Said space 17 is connected to a pump 19 through a pipe 18. The pump allows to increase the pressure in space 17. The pressure medium is air, preferably. By increasing the pressure in this pressurized area, causes external pressure on the deformable wall 16 of the packaging of drink and consequently, in the drink. When tap 6 is opened, the drink is forced out of the drink delivery hose and can be collected in a glass or a cup.

Next it will be described more Detailed shutter and lock (as well as unlock) in relationship with the detailed drawings of Figures 3 and 4.

The annular part 9 with the locking mechanism and the seal is mounted on the upper flange 20 of the housing 1. Said annular piece 9 consists of a lower ring 9a and, spaced apart thereof, an upper ring 9b, among which are arranged the immobilizing cars. For this purpose, the lower ring 9a bears pivots 21, which engage in openings 22 of the carriages immobilizers (Fig. 4). The immobilizing cars are pressed inwards by force of a coil spring (Fig. 4) inner ends of immobilizing cars are shaped like "nose", so that both the upper surface 23 and a bottom surface 24 of them lean down on senses radially inwards. During the placement of the container in the chamber the oblique upper surface 23 contributes to remove the carriages 10 by means of the flange 12 of the collar 11 of the container 5. The flange bezel 37 also helps to achieve this effect.

The sealing ring 13 is held between a part of the upper flange 20 of the housing and the lower ring 9a. The sealing ring has a flexible lip directed towards the interior 25, which also tilts down. The lip of Flexible shutter is arranged in a shutter relationship with the 12 flange of the container arranged in the chamber. The pressurized zone 17 it can be pressurized by pump 19. It is preferably used Air to this purpose. The air pressure ensures that the lip of shutter 25 is compressed even more firmly against the flange and the pressurized space 17 closes even more effectively. The pressure in the pressurized area exerts an effort on the container, which in consequence tends to move up. The cars immobilizers 10 prevent the container 5 from moving towards above.

If an empty container is to be removed from the chamber, The first necessary step is to relieve the pressure in the area pressurized Once the pressure is relieved, the immobilizing cars 10 can be pushed back against the force of the spring 14, that is, they are pushed or stretched out. For this purpose it has incorporated an unlocking mechanism formed by a ring of unlocking 25 provided with oblique cam surfaces 27. Ring 26 it can be rotated around axis 28. Each of the carriages 10 has been equipped with an unlocking pivot 29, and said pivots collaborate with the oblique surfaces 27 of the release ring 26. To rotate the unlocking ring, this ring has a small lever 30, which is projected through an opening 31 in the upper ring 9b (the Upper ring 9b is not shown in Figure 4). Top ring it also has another small lever 32. Approaching each other two levers 30 and 32 the unlocking ring 26 is turned in the direction counter clockwise. Consequently the surfaces of oblique cam 27 act on the unlocking pivots 29 and so both on immobilizer cars 10 to move them towards outside, so that flange 12 is no longer blocked and can be remove an empty container 5. It is not possible to remove a container from the chamber when pressurized zone 17 is under pressure. While the zone 17 is pressurized, flange 12 is forced to press against the inclined lower surfaces 24 of the carriages 10.

The inclined lower surfaces 24 mean that it is virtually impossible to roll back cars 10.

Instead of a collar 11 connected so in solidarity with the wall of the container, it is possible to use a "collar removable independent "as indicated in Figure 5. After placing a container 5 in the chamber 3 of the apparatus, a collar 11 'is placed on the neck 88 with the outlet opening 8 of the container. An outer flange 12 'has a ring of seal 13 'for sealing with respect to neck 88 of the container. In the same way as in the example in Figure 3, the flange 12 'collaborates with the immobilizer cars 10 to hold the container in the chamber of the device.

For hygiene reasons the beverage container is keeps tightly closed until the moment of use. To this effect, a sealing membrane 33 is placed over the opening of Exit 8 and join the opening flange (see Figure 6). The beverage supply line 7 consists of a hose 34 with a perpendicular inlet pipe 35 at its inlet end. Saying inlet tube extends to a joint 36 of the collar to a location slightly above the membrane 33. When the container 5 is placed in the chamber 3, the surface 37 of the flange 12 rests on a portion of the flange 38 of the inner wall 15 of the chamber. The upper surface of flange 12 is located at a distance A below of the locking carriage 10. When the cover 4 is closed, the end upper 39 of the perpendicular inlet tube is arranged just by under the closed lid 4. After starting the pump 19 the air It is pumped to the pressurized area and the pressure gradually increases. Consequently the container 5 moves slowly upwards until flange 12 is adjacent to locking carriage 10. During this displacement up the end 40 of the inlet tube 35 pierces membrane 33, as a result of which the beverage is forced to leave the container and enter hose 34 towards tap 6.

Tap 6 is shown in detail in the Figures 7-10. The tap consists of a bottom 41, jointly and severally connected with housing 1 and an upper part 42, connected in an articulated manner with the lower part by means of a hinge 43 (Figures 8 and 10). Both parts have a slot 44 and 45, respectively (Fig. 10) in which the hose can be arranged of beverage supply 34. The outlet end of the hose it has a perpendicular outlet tube 46. The bottom of the tap has a vertical conduit 47 through which you can pass the outlet tube. For hygiene reasons the final portion 46a of the outlet tube projects completely from conduit 47, so that the drink cannot come into contact with the bottom 41 of the tap. To facilitate operation, the outlet tube 46 It has a lever 48 that can carry the indication of the type of drink. The tap also has a shutter mechanism by which you can clamp or open the flexible hose. This shutter mechanism consists of a clamping block, capable of move vertically against the force of a spring 50. The clamping block has two vertical pressure pivots 51 between which interposes a hose clamp 52 formed by a pressure element in V. The hose 34 extends over said V-shaped pressure element The sealing mechanism consists of in addition to a lever 53, located at the top 42 of the tap, capable of pivoting on a pivot 54. On one side of the pivot is lever has a fork arm 55 whose ends 56 collaborate with the pressure pins 51 of the clamping block 49. To the other pivot side 54 lever 53 has an arm 60. The part upper 42 of the tap consists of an actuation lever or tap 57, capable of pivoting on a tap spindle 58. The spindle of tap 58 incorporates an eccentric cam 59, which collaborates with the arm 60 of the lever. Figure 7 shows in continuous lines the situation in which the ends 56 of the fork arms 55 they just got free of the pressure pivots 51, so that the spring 50 forces the holding block 49 to go up, with the hose clamp 52 completely clamping hose 34. When the tap 57 is turned according to the hands of the clock the cam eccentric 59 is pressed against the arm 60 and the lever 53 is pivots counterclockwise. The ends 56 of the arm 55 press the pressure pivots 51 and consequently the hose, down. Therefore, the hose 34 opens and the beverage can flow through the hose to the outlet pipe 46. When the tap is turned backwards the hose is clamped immediately and the flow of exit. The upper part 42 of the tap can be attached to the part bottom 41 by a locking mechanism 61.

The housing 1 of the apparatus has a double wall, with an insulation material 63 sandwiched between the wall exterior 62 and interior wall 15, which forms the chamber wall 3 (Fig. 2). Housing 1 also houses the following parts:

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a cooling device 64, for example a Peltier element to cool the container 5. The cooling device has a cooling surface 65, in direct thermal conductor contact with the inner wall 15 of the chamber, the pump previously indicated 19.

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a cooling fan 66 to cool the heatsink of the cooling cooling device and other parts electrical, such as a printed circuit board 67;

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a pressure controller to control the pressure in the area pressurized 17;

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a temperature controller 69 to control the temperature of the cooling device;

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a pump switch 70 to turn the pump on and off 19 Y;

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a pressure relief valve 71 to discharge the pressure in the pressurized zone 17;

The device also has a tray to collect The spilled drink.

The operation of both the pump switch 70 and the pressure relief valve 71 is a function of the opening and closing of the cover 4 in the housing 1. A line 73 connect pressure controller 68 with line 18 between pump 19 and pressurized zone 17. A line 74 extends from the pressure controller 68 to discharge valve 71. As for cover 4 opens, the discharge valve opens and the zone pressurized 17 is put in collaboration with the outside (atmosphere) via lines 18, 73 and 74. Pressure is discharged in the area pressurized Pump switch 70 turns off pump 19 on how much the cover 4 opens and turns on the pump when the top.

As we have already indicated, the upper part 42 tap 6 is connected in an articulated way with the bottom 41 and can be attached to said lower part by the mechanism lock 61. When the beverage dispenser is in use, that is, when you can dose drinks, it is not allowed to move away from upper part 42 of the lower part 41 because otherwise the drink delivery hose 54 would no longer be pinched and the drink I could go out. The upper part is prevented from rising because a flange 75 of the cover 4 remains on the upper part in the closed condition. The flange 75 has a notch 76, which engages in the part top (see Figure 1). The upper part 42 cannot be lift until the lid has been opened, after unlock it Conversely, cover 4 cannot be closed if the upper part 42 has not lowered over the lower part 41. It is prevented this possibility because a side wall 77 of the upper part, in its raised position, it is adjacent to the flange 75 of the top.

Another security measure is the fact that, when no beverage container has been placed in the appliance 5 with its supply pipe 7, the pump switch 70 does not It activates. To this end, it is arranged inside the lid 4 a detection mechanism 78 to detect the presence of a container. Said mechanism consists of a detection rod shaped of "L" 79. A spindle 80 is mounted transversely to said rod 79. The spindle is rotatably mounted on the cover 4. The detection rod 79 can perform a small movement pivoting on spindle 80. To this end, a support 81 extends on the detection rod 79 with wide clearance and is secured to the inside of the cover 4. The clearance between the support and the detection rod limits the pivotal displacement of the dipstick. The end of the spindle 80 carries an actuator pivot 82. Said actuator pivot activates the pump switch 70. When a container 5 with a drink supply pipe 7 is located in the appliance and the lid closes, the shortest arm of the rod of detection 79 is adjacent to the beverage supply line 7 and consequently spindle rotation is inhibited, the pivot actuator 82 acts on the pump switch 70 and the pump is connect. However, when no container has been placed with a drink or container supply pipe without supply pipe the spindle 80 with the dipstick has been placed in the apparatus detection 79 can lower, and as a result the pivot actuator 81 does not impact pump switch 69 and said switch does not act.

The beverage dispenser operates in the way next. It is assumed that there is no container present in the apparatus. The lid 4 opens and a container full of drink is placed in the chamber 3. The immobilizer cars 10 depart. When the container has been fully lowered in the chamber the cars 10 move towards the interior again and immobilize the container. The top 42 from tap 6 rises and hose 34 is placed in the part bottom 41 on the hose clamp 52 and the pipe Exit 46 is inserted into the tap 47 of the tap. Top 42 goes down on the bottom and hooks to it through the locking mechanism 61. The hose 34 is clamped and closed. Cover it can be closed and the pump switch 69 is connected automatically. The cooling device is also connected 64 and cooling fan 66. Pressure zone 17 is gradually pressurizes and causes the container 5 to move towards above. The sealing membrane is perforated and the drink is forced to enter the supply pipe (hose) of the beverage. The Drink can be dosed after opening tap 57. When all the drink has been removed from the container and it is empty, the top. The pump switch turns off the pump immediately, it will open the pressure relief valve 71 and therefore the pressure in the interior of the pressurized zone 17 is going down. Through the levers 30, 31, you can release the immobilizer cars 10 and the Empty container can be removed from the appliance.

The embodiment described in this report Use air as a pressure medium to pressurize the container. Alternatively it is possible to use, for example, a means of liquid pressure In addition, the flange 12 of the container above described is mounted on a collar 11, jointly and severally attached to the container. It is evident that said flange can be a direct part of the wall of the container, that is, it can be integral with it. At present example, the sealing by the sealing ring 13 it is carried out on flange 12. However, it is also possible to perform the seal directly on the same wall of the container. Instead of a bottle-shaped beverage container with compressible walls it is also possible to use other types of beverage containers in the apparatus according to the invention, provided that they have the less a deformable and flexible wall. To that end, one could Consider a type of membrane wall.

Claims (14)

1. Beverage dispensing set, consisting of an outer housing (1), equipped with a tap (6) and a pressure means (19), and a container (5) that can be placed in the outer housing (1). Said container (5) consists of a beverage containing CO2 and a portion of a deformable wall, compressible by means of pressure (19), an outlet (8) and a flexible tube (34), connected to the outlet (8) for dispensing beverage from the container (5) when the portion of the flexible wall is deformed by the pressure means (19), said tube (34) composed of a positioning means of an outlet end (46, 46a, 48 ) to be removably coupled with the tap
(6). 2. Drink vending set according to claim 1, wherein the positioning means consists of a lever (48). 3. Drink vending set according to claim 2, wherein the lever (48) contains indications visual 4. Drink vending set according to claim 1, whose tube (34) is connected to a upper surface (11) of the container (5) and extends so generally transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of the container (5). 5. Drink vending set according to claim 4, the tube (34) being no longer than twice the diameter of the container (5). 6. Drink vending set according to claim 1, wherein the outlet end (46, 46a) of the tube generally extends in the direction of the center line longitudinal of the container (5). 7. Drink vending set according to claim 1, wherein the tap (6) consists of two pieces (41, 42) articulated connected and defining a conduit (47) to accommodate the tube (34). One of said pieces (41, 42) consists of a lever (57) and a coupling means (51, 52, 53) connected with said lever (57) to couple the tube section located in the conduit (47) to open and close said section of tube. 8. Drink vending set according to claim (1) with a tap (6) and a pressure means (10) in which the tap (6) consists of two pieces (41, 42) connected of articulated shape and defining a conduit (47) to receive a tube (34), composed of one of the pieces (41, 42) of a lever (57) and a coupling means (51, 52, 53) connected with said lever (57) to engage with the tube section located in the duct (47) to open and close said tube section. 9. Package (5) for use in the device beverage dispenser according to claim 8, which It consists of a drink containing CO2, with a composite part by a deformable wall compressible by the pressure means (19), an outlet (8) with a closure and a flexible tube (34) connected to the outlet (8), to, after opening the closure, dose the beverage containing CO2 of the container (5) when the flexible wall deforms by the pressure means (19), said tube (34) composed in the output end of a positioning device (46, 46a, 48) to be removably coupled with the tap (6). 10. Package (5) according to claim 9, whose positioning device consists of a lever (48). 11. Package according to claim 10, whose lever contains visual indications. 12. Package according to claim 9, whose tube (34) is connected to an upper surface (11) of the container (5) and which extends generally transversely with with respect to the longitudinal axis of the container (5). 13. Container according to claim 12, whose tube (34) has a length not exceeding twice the container diameter (5). 14. Package according to claim 9, in which the outlet end (46, 46a) of the tube extends generally in the direction of the longitudinal centerline of the container (5).