Drink dispenser assembly and container for drink and drink dispensing line

• US 20040226967A1
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heineken Technical Services B.V.
• Original Assignee: Heineken Technical Services B.V.
• Inventors: Bax, Bart Jan, Van Der Klaauw, Guido Petrus Johannes, Van Duuren, Marius Corstiaan
• Granted Patent: US 7,032,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/146.6
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0082 entirely mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0412 the whole dispensing unit being fixed to the container
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/06 Mountings or arrangements of dispensing apparatus in or on shop or bar counters shop or bar counters per se A47F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0857 Cooling arrangements cooling systems per se F25B
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0868 the cooling fluid being a gas
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0869 using solid state elements, e.g. Peltier cells
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/14 Reducing valves or control taps
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1405 Control taps
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1422 comprising foam avoiding means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1466 the valve shutter being opened in a direction opposite to the liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0089 operated by lever means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0828 in pressurised housing
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00031 Housing
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00128 relating to outdoor use; movable; portable

Abstract

The invention relates to a drink dispenser assembly (1, 25) comprising a dispenser device (2, 37) provided with a dispensing head (18, 29) for accommodating a dispensing line (17, 28), and a container (7, 27) containing drink, in particular carbonated drink, connected during use to the dispensing line (17, 28) which has a coupling element at an outlet end for connection to the dispensing head (18, 29). The drink dispenser assembly is characterised in that the coupling element comprises a shut-off valve (19, 32) that can be closed when placing the outlet end of the dispensing line (17, 28) into the dispensing head (18, 29) and, respectively, removing the outlet end of the dispensing line (17, 28) from the dispensing head (18, 29).

Claims

1. Drink dispenser assembly (25, 27) comprising a dispenser device (25) with a cooling chamber (26), a hollow column (30) supported on the cooling chamber and a dispensing head (29) on the column for accommodating a flexible dispensing line (28), and a container (27) containing carbonated drink, connected during use to the dispensing line (28) which has a coupling element (32) at an outlet end for connection to the dispensing head (29), wherein the cooling chamber is provided with a door for introducing the container into the cooling chamber and with an outlet opening in a top wall communicating with the hollow column (32), the cooling chamber comprising a curved guide member (35) with a substantially vertically orientated downstream end extending towards the outlet opening and with an entry end, at an angle to the downstream.

2. Drink dispenser assembly (25, 27) according to claim 1, the entry end being accessible via the door.

3. Drinks dispenser assembly (25, 27) according to claim 1, wherein the guide member (35) is tubular and is increasing in width towards the entry end.

4. Drinks dispenser assembly (25, 27) according to claim 1, the downstream end extending from the cooling chamber (26) to the dispensing head (29).

5. Container (27) for containing carbonated drink for use in the assembly according to claim 1, comprising a flexible dispensing line (28) and a substantially rigid coupling element (32) at the end of the dispensing line (28) for connection to a dispensing head (29) of a dispenser device (25), the dispensing line (28) being of a length corresponding to at least a length of a tap column (30) on the dispenser device.

6. Container (27) according to claim 5, the coupling element (32) comprising a tubular dispensing nozzle (41) and a removable cap (80) positioned over the dispensing nozzle.

7. Container (27) according to claim 6, the removable cap (80) having a rounded tip.

8. Dispenser device (25) for use in the assembly according to claim 1, with a cooling chamber (26), a hollow column (32) supported on the cooling chamber and a dispensing head (29) on the column for accommodating a dispensing line (28), wherein the cooling chamber (26) is provided with a door for introducing the container (27) into the cooling chamber and with an outlet opening in a top wall communicating with the hollow column (32), the cooling chamber comprising a curved guide member (35) with a substantially vertically orientated downstream end communicating with the outlet opening and with an entry end, at an angle to the downstream end, accessible via the door.

9. Dispenser device (25) according to claim 8, wherein the guide member (35) is increasing in width towards the entry end.

10. Dispenser device (25) according to claim 8, the downstream end extending from the cooling chamber (26) to the dispensing head (29).

11. Method of connecting a container comprising a carbonated beverage to a dispensing head of an assembly comprising a dispenser device (25) with a cooling chamber (26), a hollow column (30) supported on the cooling chamber and a dispensing head (29) on the column for accommodating a flexible dispensing line (28), and a container (27) containing carbonated drink, connected during use to the dispensing line (28) which has a coupling element (32) at an outlet end for connection to the dispensing head (29), wherein the cooling chamber is provided with a door for introducing the container into the cooling chamber and with an outlet opening in a top wall communicating with the hollow column (32), the cooling chamber comprising a curved guide member (35) with a substantially vertically orientated downstream end extending towards the outlet opening and with an entry end, at an angle to the downstream, comprising the steps of:

placing the container into the cooling chamber,

introducing the coupling element into the curved guide member,

pushing the flexible dispensing line upwards into the hollow column, via the curved guide member, until the coupling element is situated at the top of the hollow column,

engaging the coupling element with the dispensing head and

closing the cooling chamber door.