Dispensing device that comes with a cooling unit

专利摘要:
A cooling unit comprising: (a) a cooling cartridge comprising: (b) two films that are sealed relative to each other along a peripheral region defining an inner region of the cartridge wherein a fluid path is defined between both films, the fluid path making a fluid communication between a inlet and outlet of the cooling cartridge; (ii) a web or mesh of material provided between both films in the inner region of the cooling pattern in the fluid path, contact zones comprising the web or mesh of material where the films make contact with the web or the mesh of material in the inner region of the cooling cartridge when the pressure in the inner area equals ambient pressure; (a) a first cooling plate comprising a first surface and a second cooling plate comprising a second surface facing the first surface; (b) a cold source suitable for cooling the first and second surfaces, the inner region of the cooling pattern being positioned between both cooling surfaces; characterized in that the films are not or only at different locations attached to the contact zones of the web or mesh material.
公开号:BE1025843B1
申请号:E2017/5866
申请日:2017-11-29
公开日:2019-08-14
发明作者:Daniel Peirsman；Lieven Dirx
申请人:Anheuser-Busch Inbev S.A.；
IPC主号:

专利说明:

Dispensing device that comes with a cooling unit
Technical area
The present invention relates to a dispenser for household use or of the type found in cafes and bars for dispensing a liquid, usually a drink such as a beer or other carbonated drinks to be served at a low temperature. In particular, the dispensing device according to the present invention is provided with a cooling cartridge that can be coupled into a cooling unit and thus forms a section of a delivery tube that is in thermal contact with cooling plates mounted in the cooling unit.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many applications require the cooling of a liquid. In particular, beverages or beverage components must often be cooled prior to or upon dispensing. This is the case for dispensing malt-based beverages, such as beer, or a soft drink. There are basically two ways to serve a drink at a temperature that is substantially lower than room temperature: either a whole container or a whole container comprising the drink to be dispensed or a component thereof is cooled, or only the volume of drink or beverage component that flows through a dispensing tube from the container or container cooled to a tap valve.
Many beverage dispensers include a cooled compartment for storing and cooling a container or reservoir. A common cooling system is based on the compression expansion of a cooling gas of
BE2017 / 5866 the type used in household refrigerators. Thermoelectric cooling systems utilizing the Peltier effect have also been proposed in the art for cooling a container stored in a dispenser. A disadvantage of cooling the entire container / container is that when an empty container needs to be replaced with a new one or when a container needs to be refilled, it takes a lot of time to put the contents of the new container or the refilled container on the desired low temperature. A solution to this problem is of course to constantly store a full container in a cooled compartment so that it can be used immediately after it has been loaded into a dispenser to replace an empty container. This solution, however, requires the investment in an additional cooling compartment for storing refrigerated containers awaiting loading, and requires additional work to store a new container in the refrigerated compartment after a new refrigerated container in the dispenser is loaded.
Cooling only the beverage volume flowing through the dispensing tube clearly has many potential advantages: it is not necessary to pre-cool a reserve container as discussed above, the liquid volume being cooled is limited to the volume being dispensed or even less, etc. These advantages are, however, difficult to achieve because of the numerous challenges of such a process. Account must be taken of the fact that the dispensing tube must be regularly cleaned or replaced, either because the type of drink (type of beer) changes from one holder to the
BE2017 / 5866 others, or because deposits can develop bacterially in a delivery tube over time. Another challenge is that beer must be delivered at a relatively high flow rate, usually 2 oz / s or 3.5 l / min, and it is difficult to extract all the thermal energy required at the desired value to bring the temperature of the beverage at such flow rates.
Traditionally, the delivery tube of a delivery device that fluidly connects the inside of a container / reservoir with a tap valve, includes a serpentine or coil immersed in an ice-water vessel or other secondary refrigerant such as glycol.
Although simple and efficient, this solution has several disadvantages. A barrel with ice water takes up a considerable space that is often scarce behind a bar or at home. The temperature of the ice water is limited to zero degrees
Celsius (0 ° C).
The level of ice and water must be checked and ice must be topped up regularly.
A compressor can be used to form ice, so that the vessel does not have to be refilled.
Temperatures below zero can be achieved with, for example,
glycol. Furthermore, the coil or serpentine is usually made of copper or other thermally conductive metal and must be cleaned regularly, which is not easy in view of the spiral geometry of the serpentine.
The dispensing tube used for dispensing a beverage from the container can be cooled by bringing it into contact with cooling systems that make use of the
Peltier effect. Although they are not like that
BE2017 / 5866 are efficient as other cooling systems, thermoelectric cooling systems have the great advantage that they do not require any cooling gas or any source of cold coolant and only need to be connected to a power source. Examples of beverage dispensing devices comprising a thermoelectric cooling system are described in EP 1188995. EP2103565, DE1020060053, US6658859, US5634343, WO2007076584, WO8707361, WO2004051163, EP1642863. For example, a dispenser comprising a Peltier or thermoelectric cooling system for cooling a section of a dispensing tube is disclosed in, for example, WO 2010064191. A dispensing tube comprises a section of deformable walls placed in a passage extending through a cooling block that is cooled by a Peltier cooling system. The deformability of the material of the disposable tube is such that the outer surface of the wall of the tube abuts the inner surface of said passage when the beverage is pressurized. This ensures better thermal contact between the cooling block and the delivery tube. The passage through the cooling blocks comprises consecutive chambers separated by thin passages. The thermal contact area between the delivery tube and the cooling block is considerably reduced and it seems unlikely that satisfactory results can be obtained at flow rates in the order of magnitude of 3.5 l / min. This is probably the reason why this cooling system has only been described with regard to domestic dispensers operating at lower flow rates than in cafes and bars.
BE2017 / 5866
Other cooling solutions have been proposed in the art for cooling beer that flows through a delivery tube. For example, JP2002046799 discloses a domestic beverage dispenser comprising a releasable coolant placed in close contact with a flexible dispensing tube to cool and feed the beer supplied from the keg at a suitable temperature. The cooling means comprises a gelatinous cold insulating means that is filled in a predetermined container. In addition, a wall surface of the cooling member is formed with a guide for placing the flexible delivery tube.
There remains, therefore, a need for a cooling system suitable for cooling beer flowing through a delivery tube at high speeds as used in cafes and bars or for small cooling units suitable for directly cooling beverages or beverage components in domestic devices. The present invention proposes a solution to this need, with a user-friendly system that requires no skills to install and is easy to maintain. These and other advantages of the present invention are presented below.
Summary of the invention
The present invention is defined in the appended independent claims.
Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. In particular, the present invention relates to a cooling unit for a beverage dispensing device, comprising:
1.- A cooling unit comprising:
BE2017 / 5866 (a) a cooling cartridge comprising:
(i) two films that are sealed relative to each other along a peripheral region defining an inner region of the cartridge wherein a fluid path is defined between both films, the fluid path making a fluid communication between an inlet and an outlet of the cooling cartridge;
(ii) a web or mesh of material provided between both films in the inner region of the cooling pattern in the fluid path, contact zones comprising the web or mesh of material where the films make contact with the web or the mesh of material in the inner region of the cooling cartridge when the pressure in the inner area equals ambient pressure;
(a) a first cooling plate comprising a first surface and a second cooling plate comprising a second surface facing the first surface;
(b) a cold source suitable for cooling the first and second surfaces, the inner region of the cooling pattern being positioned between both cooling surfaces;
characterized in that the films are not or only at different locations attached to the contact zones of the web or mesh material.
Preferably, the web or mesh of material interposed between both films defines a non-linear path to the fluid path.
The web or mesh of material interposed between both films comprising a circumferential wall defining the circumference of the cooling pattern with both films sealed to the circumferential wall,
BE2017 / 5866 the web or mesh extends into the inner area defining a non-linear path of the fluid path between the films.
In a preferred embodiment, the part of the films located in the inner area is stretchable or has dimensions larger than the inner area, such that the films can be placed at least locally away from the wall parts of the contact zones in a direction perpendicular to the cooling surfaces when the inner volume of the liquid line is under pressure, thereby creating abbreviations in the path of the channel in the cooling unit.
The distance between the first surface and the second surface of the first and second cooling plates can preferably be varied,
- from a loading distance, d0, greater than a thickness H1 of the conduit and forming an insertion slot that allows the insertion of the pattern between the two cooling plates,
- up to a cooling distance dc <d0, wherein the first and second surfaces make contact with the first and second films and press these films against the wall parts of the web or the mesh.
At a distance dc from each other, the cooling plates preferably press the films against the contact zones of the web or the mesh.
In order to ensure a turbulent flow of the liquid to be cooled, it is preferred that baffles or turbulence-inducing elements are provided in the non-linear path of the liquid path.
BE2017 / 5866
To make the cooling unit compact, it is preferable to manufacture the films in a material with good heat transfer rates such as a metal material, for example aluminum. The web or mesh can be made of a polymeric material or a metal material.
To increase the contact area between the cooling surfaces and the liquid to be cooled, it is preferred that wall portions of the web defining the contact zones are as thin as possible. Welding or gluing the films to the wall parts of the web not or only at different points makes it possible to reduce the thickness of these wall parts to 2 mm or less, preferably to 1 mm or less.
The present invention also relates to a beverage dispensing device comprising a cooling unit according to the present invention, such a beverage dispensing device can be of any type, including a household device or a professional device for use in e.g. bars, hotels or cafes. The dispensing device is preferably designed for dispensing carbonated malt-based drinks.
In a preferred embodiment, the dispensing device is of a type comprising a source of a concentrated beverage component that is in fluid communication with a dispensing valve by means of a first dispensing line and a source of a diluent which is in fluid communication with the dispensing valve by means of a second dispensing line, wherein the cooling unit is integrated in the device for cooling the concentrated beverage component and / or the
BE2017 / 5866 diluent during the flow to the first and / or second delivery line.
The dispensing device may comprise a mixing unit with an inlet in fluid communication with the first and second dispensing lines and an outlet in fluid communication with the dispensing valve, in which case the cooling unit is preferably integrated in the device for cooling the concentrated beverage component and / or or the diluent downstream of the mixing unit.
In another embodiment or in addition to a mixing unit, the delivery device may comprise a carbonation unit, preferably an inline carbonation unit, with an inlet in fluid communication with the diluent source and an outlet in fluid communication with the dispensing valve, in in which case, the cooling unit is preferably integrated in the device for cooling the diluent downstream of the carbonation unit.
Brief description of the figures
For a more complete understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description in combination with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1: shows three embodiments of dispensing devices comprising a cooling unit according to the present invention.
Figure 2: shows a first embodiment of a delivery device according to the present invention (a) prior to insertion of it
BE2017 / 5866 cooling cartridge in a suitable slot, and (b) with the cooling cartridge in position.
Figure 3: shows an alternative embodiment of a dispensing device according to the present invention (a) prior to inserting the cooling cartridge into a suitable slot.
Figure 4: shows various steps for loading a cooling cartridge into a cooling unit of a first embodiment with (a) the cooling unit having an empty slot ready to receive a cooling cartridge, (b) loading a cooling cartridge into the slot of the cooling unit , (c) pressurizing the fluid path and applying pressure from moving cooling plates, and (d) applying pressure to the channel when the container is nearly empty.
Figure 5: shows various steps for loading a cooling cartridge into a cooling unit of an alternative embodiment with (a) the cooling unit with an empty slot ready to receive a cooling cartridge, (b) loading a cooling cartridge into the slot of the cooling unit , (c) pressurizing the channel and applying a pressure within the fluid path.
Figure 6: shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a cooling cartridge.
Figure 7: shows a alternative job or a alternative mesh from a cooling cartridge according to the present invention. Figure 8: shows a fourth embodiment from
a dispensing device comprising a cooling unit according to the present invention.
Detailed description of the invention
BE2017 / 5866
As illustrated in Figure 1, the present invention relates to a beverage dispensing device and a parts set for forming such a beverage dispensing device comprising the following elements:
a beverage dispenser comprising a cooling unit (2) comprising a slot defined by the distance between a first and second surface of a first and second cooling plate (2P) a cartridge
1) formed by two films
1F) and a web (1W) or mesh of material with a circumferential wall (1PW) defining the circumference of an inner region and a plurality of wall parts (1WP) attached to the circumferential wall and extending into the inner region defining a fluid path (1C) with a non-linear trajectory between the films, the fluid path extending from a cooling unit inlet to a cooling unit outlet wherein both the preferably outside of the inner area are located;
an upstream dispensing tube section (3U) coupled to or suitable for coupling, on the one hand, to a container or reservoir containing a beverage or beverage component, and on the other hand, to the inlet (1i) of the cooling unit, and a downstream dispensing tube (3D ) coupled to or suitable for coupling, on the one hand, to the outlet (10) of the cooling unit and, on the other hand, to a delivery tap (9V), for example provided at the top
BE2017 / 5866 of a dispensing column (9) as traditionally used in cafes.
The foregoing elements will be discussed in more detail below. The essence of the invention is that the films are not or only at different locations attached to the wall parts or contact zones of the web or mesh, thereby creating abbreviations in the path of the channel in the cooling unit that promote turbulent fluid flow in the cartridge and therefore improve the cooling efficiency of the liquid and / or allow the web wall parts to be dimensioned to have a cross section in the plane of the cooling surfaces that is as small as possible to increase the contact area between the liquid to be cooled and the films and on the cooling surface, which in turn are in contact with the cooling surfaces. In other words, the footprint of the contact zones, in this case the web walls, is minimized without affecting the length of the channel in the pattern.
A fluid path or in this case channel can be defined by an axial direction, parallel to an axial axis, which defines the trajectory of the channel (which is not necessarily linear). The axial axis often corresponds to a axis of symmetry of the channel or, for non-linear channels, is often defined by the sequence of symmetry points that are placed next to each other to form a solid line. A channel is also defined by radial directions, including any direction perpendicular to the axial axis. In a cylindrical channel, the axial axis is the axis of rotation of the cylinder and the radial directions are defined
BE2017 / 5866 through each radius of a cross section perpendicular to the axial axis. In the present case, the first and second films are not welded or glued to the web wall parts and as such allow abbreviations to be created in the channel of the pattern. The at least one radial direction along which the channel must be flexible is thus defined in use by the direction of movement of the films with a view to the web wall parts.
The cooling unit comprises a cold source (2C) for cooling the first and second cooling plates. Any type of cold source known in the art can be used to cool the first and second cooling plates. Compressor-based cooling systems or thermoelectric cooling systems are usually suitable for cooling the cooling plates. Any other method can, however, be used without departing from the present invention. The cooling unit is preferably provided with insulation material (2i) which is arranged such that only heat exchange of the first and second surfaces is improved opposite each other and is designed to make contact with the films of the cartridge.
As can be seen in figures 2 and 3, a dispensing tube that runs continuously from a drinking vessel, container or reservoir (5) to a dispensing tap (9V) is composed of three sections:
(a) an upstream dispensing tube section (3U) comprising an upstream proximal end (3Up) that can be coupled to the container and brought into fluid communication with the inside thereof, and an upstream
BE2017 / 5866 distal end (3Ud) that is sealing or can be coupled to the channel inlet (1i) of the cartridge;
(b) the channel of the serpentine pattern extending in a non-linear path from a channel inlet - coupled to or adapted to be coupled to the upstream distal end (3Ud) - to a channel outlet, and (c) a downstream delivery tube section (3D) comprising a downstream proximal end (3Dp) coupled to or suitable for coupling to the channel outlet (10), and a downstream distal end (3Dd) that can be coupled to the delivery tap (9V).
The terms "upstream" and "downstream" are defined herein with respect to the flow direction of the beverage from a container to a tap valve, i.e. from the upstream proximal end (3Up) to the downstream distal end (3Dd).
One or more valves may be provided in any of the foregoing three sections. At least one valve may be advantageous at the time of coupling the upstream proximal end (3Up) to the vessel before the downstream distal end (3Dd) is properly coupled to the delivery valve (9V) and the latter is closed, to prevent undesired and prevent uncontrolled spillage of the drink. The valve can also be provided on the vessel itself or on the coupling ring that is used for coupling the delivery tube to the vessel. Strictly speaking, a valve is not essential because if downstream
BE2017 / 5866 dispensing tube section (3D) is coupled to the dispensing valve (9V) before the upstream dispensing tube section (3U) is coupled to the vessel, no spillage can occur. A valve, however, is advantageous as a tamper-resistant measure, considering that barrels can be handled by inexperienced staff in a café or in stressful conditions such as noise, crowds, haste, etc.
For hygienic reasons, as well as for clearly separating the flavors when two vessels with different drinks are successively mounted in the same dispensing device, it is preferable that the entire dispensing tube (i.e. composed of the three sections described above) is disposable. It is therefore preferable to use materials that are inexpensive and recyclable.
A pattern in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in Figure 6. The films (1F) (thin film material) of the pattern are preferably slightly larger than the circumference of the pattern defined by the circumferential wall (1W) of the web and / or are made of a stretchable material such that the films can be placed locally at a distance from the web wall parts, in particular when the liquid flowing through the channel is brought to a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. The films are preferably made of a polymer material or a metal material or a metallized polymer material such as a metal / polymer hybrid material with an oxygen transfer of up to 4 cc / meter / day / bar at
BE2017 / 5866 ° C, preferably a maximum of 1 cc / meter / day / bar at 20 ° C and most preferably a maximum of 0.05 cc / meter / day / bar at 20 ° C. A suitable material is aluminum, preferably an aluminum foil with a thickness of 80 μm or 5 less. The web material is preferably either a polymeric material (preferably a polyolefin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.) or a metalic material (preferably aluminum) or a metal / polymeric hybrid material such as a metal-coated polymeric material, the peripheral wall provides a minimum stiffness for the pattern. The films can be attached to the circumferential wall and, if desired, at a few different points or sections to the web wall parts by welding, soldering or gluing. The web wall parts are preferably made as thin as possible to limit the area of the cartridge occupied by the web material and therefore to maximize the contact area of the liquid to be cooled with the films of the cartridge. Because welding, soldering or gluing the films to the web wall parts is optional, the thickness of the web wall parts can be limited, preferably to a thickness of 2 mm or less, preferably to 1 mm or less.
In the case that the films are made of a metal-coated polymeric material, the films may comprise a metal, preferably aluminum, layer of at least 30 μm, preferably at least 40 μm, and a polymeric, preferably polyethylene layer with a thickness at preferably in a range of 10 μm to 20 μm. The metal layer preferably serves for the barrier properties and the heat-conducting properties of the films, while the
BE2017 / 5866 polymeric layer makes it possible to weld the films to the web material.
The non-continuous attachment of the films to the web wall parts provides two important advantages to the cooling pattern. First, it allows for the formation of abbreviations when a fluid under pressure flows through the channel when the films are spaced from the web wall portions and fluid flows from one section of the channel to the other, causing a turbulent flow in the channel is induced which increases cooling efficiency. Secondly, the absence of a continuous attachment makes it possible to maximize the contact area of the liquid to be cooled with the films of the cartridge, thereby again improving cooling efficiency.
In addition, baffle plates or turbulence inducing elements can be provided in the channel. As illustrated in Figure 7, such turbulence-inducing elements (1T) can be made in one piece with the web. In addition to the baffles or as an alternative to inducing high turbulence, it is also possible to design the cooling unit in such a way that the channel has a relatively small cross-section and a large length and with the pressure in the liquid line free at the inlet of the cooling unit is set high, creating a large pressure drop across the channel between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet to induce a high Reynolds number on the fluid flow. In the rightmost example of Figure 7, the web 30 is made of material as a mesh with the function of both the web of material (defining the non
BE2017 / 5866 linear path of the channel or path) as of the baffles. Because in this case the wall parts are more difficult to define, contact zones can be defined between the films and the mesh of material, which contact zones are places where the films make contact with the web or the mesh of material in the inner region of the cooling cartridge when the pressure that prevails in the inner area equal to ambient pressure.
In a preferred embodiment, the circumferential wall of the web is defined by four edges, including a first pair of edges that are substantially parallel to each other and a second pair of edges that are substantially parallel to each other and preferably perpendicular to the first pair of edges, defining a rectangle or square.
In one embodiment, the upstream delivery tube section is permanently coupled to the channel inlet and, similarly, the downstream delivery tube section is permanently coupled to the channel outlet of the cartridge. In this way, a user is obliged to replace the entire delivery tube and is not tempted to keep one or the other section for further use, which could be detrimental to a consumer for hygienic reasons. Such an embodiment could be used in an assembly as illustrated in Figure 2.
In an alternative embodiment, illustrated in Figure 3, both upstream and downstream delivery tube sections are reversibly coupled to the cooling cartridge. A pattern is provided with
BE2017 / 5866 channel inlet and channel outlet protruding from the peripheral wall. When the cartridge is inserted into the insertion slot defined by the two cooling plates, the inlet channel is reversibly coupled and coupled to the distal end of the upstream delivery tube section and, similarly, the channel outlet (10) is reversibly coupled to the proximal end of the downstream delivery tube section. It can be very advantageous if vessels are used which are provided with an upstream dispensing tube section permanently coupled to said vessel, as sometimes available on the market.
In a special embodiment of the cooling unit, the first surface and the second surface of the first and second cooling plates can be varied. This ensures good contact between the channel (1C) and the cooling plates (2P) such that the heat transfer from the drink to the cooling plates is optimized. In an embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the first and second cooling plates are each coupled to resilient means (2F) such that a pressure is exerted thereon that tends to be the distance between the first surface and the second surface of the first and second cooling plates to reduce.
As shown in Figs. 4 (a) and (b), in a loading configuration, the two cooling plates are separated from each other by a loading distance, d0, greater than a thickness of the cartridge and forming an insertion slot (2S). A cartridge (1) can be inserted into the aforementioned slot as shown in Figure 4 (b). When a new pattern is inserted,
BE2017 / 5866, the channel (1C) is generally left empty because the delivery channel is not yet under pressure at this stage. After pressurizing a vessel or container after coupling the upstream proximal end (3Up) to the vessel, the cartridge channel is inflated (i.e., the films move apart) and filled with fluid. As shown in Figure 4 (c), the cooling plates then have the opportunity to give in to the pressure of the resilient means and the first and second surfaces come closer together until they reach a cooling distance, dc, contacting the thin films of the pattern forming the tortuous channel (1C). In a preferred embodiment, the first and second surfaces may comprise a structure that fits on the surface of the tortuous channel to further increase the contact area between the channel and the cooling plates.
As shown in Figure 4 (d), as the pressure in the delivery tube decreases, the flexible channel deflates and the first and second surfaces remain in contact with the pattern films by coming closer together after the volume variations of the flexible channel. The pressure may decrease when the vessel is empty or, in some cases, the vessel is not constantly under pressure, but only upon delivery. The advantage of the cooling plates remaining in contact with the channel regardless of the volume of the channel has the advantage that after each discharge or after a vessel is empty; the liquid remaining in the dispensing tube is pressed at least partially from the channel to the downstream dispensing tube section to the tapping valve, whereby
BE2017 / 5866
a substantial portion of the delivery tube is stripped of any remaining liquid.
Alternatively, as shown in Figure 5, the heat sinks are positioned at a fixed distance from each other and the cartridge is inserted into the slot defined by the distance between the heat sinks with the channel not pressurized. After pressurizing a vessel or container after coupling the upstream proximal end (3Up) to the vessel, the cartridge channel is inflated (i.e., the films move apart) and pressed against the cooling plates. Such an embodiment allows the occurrence of abbreviations in the pattern channel when the channel is pressurized by moving the films away from the web wall parts.
As shown in Figure 1 (a), a cooling unit (2) as defined in the present invention makes it possible to dispense cooled drinks without any chamber for storing one or more containers, cooled or not. As illustrated in Figure 1 (b), a chamber (11) can of course be used to store one or more vessels (5) coupled to a source of pressurized gas (7), but said chamber does not have to be cooled. The cooling unit can be attached to a wall of said chamber, which comprises means for guiding the downstream dispensing tube section from the inside to the outside of the chamber, to a tap column and a tap valve. In addition to the fact that a newly coupled barrel can be served immediately, without waiting for the entire amount of drink contained therein
the
BE2017 / 5866 serving temperature, the present invention also allows a reduction in the investment required for domestic and cafe equipment, since no cooling chamber is required for serving a chilled beverage. Figure 1 (c) illustrates a cooling unit as defined in the present invention in a typical arrangement of a household device. As discussed above, a cartridge can be very inexpensive and cooling becomes very easy and economical with the present invention.
Figure 7 illustrates three alternatives of a cooling unit (2) as defined in the present invention in a dispensing device suitable for dispensing a beverage based on a concentrated beverage component, such as a concentrated beer or concentrated cider, a diluent and possibly , a source of pressurized gas (e.g., carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or a mixture of both). In such a dispenser, it is preferable that the cooling unit is positioned in a dispensing conduit section that connects a vessel or reservoir (10R) with diluent (e.g., water or a neutral beer base) with a carbonation unit (10C) as carbonation of the diluent can be carried out more efficiently at a temperature lower than room temperature. The carbonation unit is preferably positioned downstream of a mixing unit (10M) where a concentrated beverage component is mixed with the precarbonated diluent. Alternatively, the cooling unit can be positioned in any of the other delivery line sections, however, it is preferable to use the diluent or
BE2017 / 5866 to cool the final beverage, since the diluent represents the largest volume fraction of the final beverage. Positioning the cooling unit in a dispensing line section of the diluent downstream of the mixing unit is also advantageous when the diluent is water, since water is less susceptible to biological spoilage than the mixed beverage, especially in the case of beer.
In use, all of the components described above are mounted to form a beverage dispenser comprising a container / vessel / reservoir containing a beverage or beverage component, and further comprising:
(A) A cartridge (1) as defined above, with (B) A beverage dispenser provided with a cooling unit as defined above, i.e., comprising two cooling plates separated by a slot (2S) for receiving a cartridge. The dispensing device preferably, but not necessarily, includes a chamber (11) for storing one or more beverage containers and possibly at least one source of pressure gas.
The cartridge is inserted into the insertion slot (2S) of the cooling unit (2). A continuous delivery tube extends from the upstream proximal end (3Up) which is in fluid communication with the inside of the container to the downstream distal end (3Dd) coupled to the tap valve and opens to the ambient atmosphere. The dispensed beverage is cooled while flowing through the tortuous channel of the cartridge through heat exchange with the first and
BE2017 / 5866 second surfaces of the first and second cooling plates in close thermal contact with the thin walls of the channel. A cold or chilled beverage can therefore be served without having to cool the entire contents of the container.
It is clear that a beverage dispensing device may comprise more than one cooling unit according to the present invention, wherein the different cooling units cooperate with a single dispensing line between a beverage or beverage component reservoir and a tap valve or cooperate with a plurality of dispensing conduits each coupling a beverage reservoir or beverage component reservoir with a specific beverage tap, through which more than one beverage can be dispensed from the device, each beverage being dispensed via a different dispensing line and each of the dispensing lines cooperating with a specific cooling unit (such that the different beverages can be dispensed each on their own preferred temperature).

权利要求:
Claims (13)
[1]
CONCLUSIONS
1.- A cooling unit comprising:
(a) a cooling cartridge comprising:
(i) two films that are sealed relative to each other along a peripheral region defining an inner region of the cartridge wherein a fluid path is defined between both films, the fluid path making a fluid communication between an inlet and an outlet of the cooling cartridge;
(ii) a web or mesh of material provided between both films in the inner region of the cooling pattern in the fluid path, contact zones comprising the web or mesh of material where the films make contact with the web or the mesh of material in the inner region of the cooling cartridge when the pressure in the inner area equals ambient pressure;
(b) a first cooling plate comprising a first surface and a second cooling plate comprising a second surface facing the first surface;
(c) a cold source suitable for cooling the first and second surfaces, the inner region of the cooling pattern being positioned between both cooling surfaces;
characterized in that the films are not attached or only at different locations to the contact zones of the web or mesh material, wherein the web or mesh of material located between both films defines a non-linear path to the fluid path, wherein the portion of the films located in the inner region is stretchable or has dimensions larger
BE2017 / 5866 than the inner area, such that the films are positioned at least locally away from the contact zones in a direction perpendicular to the cooling surfaces when the inner volume of the liquid line is under pressure, thereby creating abbreviations in the path of the liquid path.
[2]
A cooling unit according to claim 1, the web or mesh of material located between both films comprising a circumferential wall defining the circumference of the cooling pattern with both films sealed to the circumferential wall, the web or the mesh extending in the inner region defining a non-linear path of the fluid path between the films.
[3]
The cooling unit according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the distance between the first surface and the second surface of the first and second cooling plates can be varied,
- from a loading distance, d0, greater than a thickness H1 of the conduit and forming an insertion slot that allows the insertion of the pattern between the two cooling plates,
- up to a cooling distance dc <d0, wherein the first and second surfaces make contact with the first and second films and press these films against the wall parts of the web or the mesh.
[4]
The cooling unit according to claim 5, wherein at a distance dc, the cooling plates press the films against the contact zones of the web or the mesh of material.
BE2017 / 5866
[5]
The cooling unit according to any of the preceding claims, comprising baffles or turbulence inducing elements in the non-linear path of the fluid path.
[6]
The cooling unit according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the films is made of a metal material, preferably aluminum or a metallized polymer material.
[7]
The cooling unit according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the web or mesh is made of material in a polymer material, a metal material or a metal / polymer hybrid material.
[8]
The cooling unit according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the material web comprises wall parts defining the contact zones between the web and the films, said contact zones (wall parts) of the web having a thickness, measured perpendicular to the height direction, of 2 mm or less, preferably 1 mm or less.
[9]
A beverage dispensing device comprising a cooling unit as identified in any one of claims 1 to 8.
[10]
The beverage dispenser according to claim 9, comprising a source of a concentrated beverage component in fluid communication with a dispensing tap by means of a first dispensing line and a source of a diluent in fluid communication with the dispensing tap by means of a second dispensing line, wherein the cooling unit is integrated in the device for cooling the concentrated beverage component and / or the diluent when flowing to the first and / or second dispensing line.
BE2017 / 5866
[11]
The beverage dispensing device according to claim 9 or 10, comprising a mixing unit with an inlet in fluid communication with the first and second dispensing lines and an outlet in fluid communication with the dispensing tap, the cooling unit being integrated in the device for cooling the concentrated beverage component and / or the diluent downstream of the mixing unit.
[12]
The beverage delivery device according to any of claims 9 to 11, comprising a carbonation unit, preferably an inline carbonation unit, with an inlet in fluid communication with the diluent source and an outlet in fluid communication with the dispensing valve, the cooling unit is integrated in the device for cooling the diluent downstream of the carbonation unit.
[13]
13. - Parts set for a beverage dispensing device, comprising the parts set:
(a) a cooling cartridge comprising:
(i) two films that are sealed relative to each other along a peripheral region defining an inner region of the cartridge wherein a fluid path is defined between both films, the fluid path making a fluid communication between an inlet and an outlet of the cooling cartridge;
(ii) a web or mesh of material provided between both films in the inner region of the cooling pattern in the fluid path, contact zones comprising the web or mesh of material where the films make contact with the web or mesh of material in the
BE2017 / 5866 inner area of the cooling cartridge when the pressure in the inner area equals ambient pressure;
(b) a beverage dispensing device comprising a cooling unit comprising:
(i) a first cooling plate comprising a first surface and a second cooling plate comprising a second surface facing the first surface;
(ii) a cold source suitable for cooling said first and second surfaces, the liquid conduit being positioned between both cooling surfaces;
characterized in that the films of the cooling cartridge are not or only at different locations attached to the contact zones of the web or material mesh, wherein the web or fabric mesh between the two films is a non-linear path to defines the fluid path, the portion of the films located in the inner region being stretchable or having dimensions larger than the inner region such that the films are placed at least locally away from the wall portions in a direction perpendicular to the cooling surfaces when the inner volume of the fluid line is under pressure, thereby creating abbreviations in the path of the fluid path.

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AR110285A1|2019-03-13|

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AU2017368284A1|2019-06-06|

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RU2019115805A|2021-01-11|

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JP2019536702A|2019-12-19|

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US20190322517A1|2019-10-24|

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WO2018099947A1|2018-06-07|

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法律状态:
2019-08-28| FG| Patent granted|Effective date: 20190814 |

优先权:

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申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题

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EP16201501.0A|EP3330219A1|2016-11-30|2016-11-30|Dispensing apparatus provided with a cooling unit|

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EP16201501.0|2016-11-30|

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