Brewed iced tea or non-carbonated drink dispenser

• US 20050166761A1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brian C. Jones, Fernando Ubidia, Mark Tauer, Sanjay Kumar, Scott A. Dzibela
• Original Assignee: Brian C. Jones, Fernando Ubidia, Mark Tauer, Sanjay Kumar, Scott A. Dzibela
• Inventors: Jones, Brian C., Tauer, Mark, Kumar, Sanjay, Dzibela, Scott A., Ubidia, Fernando
• Granted Patent: US 7,757,600 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/275
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/402 Liquid dosing devices

Abstract

A beverage dispensing apparatus includes a mixing chamber for mixing hot water, a beverage concentrate and cold water, as well as one or more additives. The hot water and cold water are supplied at a predetermined flow rate at a predetermined proportion, regardless of the pressure of the water supply. A water heater supplies the hot water within a specified pressure range and without significant entrapped air.

Claims

1. In a beverage dispensing apparatus, the improvement comprising a mixing chamber comprising:

a chamber having a central bore;

an outlet provided at a proximal end of said chamber;

a first diluent inlet provided near a distal end of said chamber;

a second diluent inlet disposed downstream of said first diluent inlet and communicating with said central bore at an angle transverse to the axis of said central bore; and

a concentrate inlet disposed between said first diluent inlet and said second diluent inlet and communicating with said central bore.

2. The mixing chamber according to claim 1, wherein at least said second diluent inlet and said concentrate inlet are provided with check valves to prevent backflow from said central bore.

3. The mixing chamber according to claim 2, wherein said check valves comprise duckbill valves.

4. The mixing chamber according to claim 1, wherein the first diluent inlet is for hot water and the second diluent inlet is for cold water.

5. The mixing chamber according to claim 4, wherein said concentrate inlet is disposed closer to said first diluent inlet than to said second diluent inlet.

6. The mixing chamber according to claim 1, further comprising at least one additive port disposed downstream of said first diluent inlet and communicating with said central bore.

7. The mixing chamber according to claim 6, wherein the first diluent inlet is for hot water, the second diluent inlet is for cold water and the additive inlet is for at least one of an aroma-causing substance and a sweetener.

8. The mixing chamber according to claim 1, wherein said first diluent inlet is provided coaxial with said central bore.

9. The mixing chamber according to claim 4 further comprising a sweetener inlet downstream of the second diluent inlet, wherein the central bore is horizontally disposed and the sweetener inlet is located on the bottom of the mixing chamber.

10. The mixing chamber according to claim 1, wherein the mixing chamber is contained within cladding having the appearance of a real leaf tea brewing urn.

11. The mixing chamber according to claim 1, wherein the mixing chamber has internal flow vanes for mixing.

12. The mixing chamber according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic diameter of the bore decreases in at least one location between the distal end to the proximal end.

13. A method of dispensing a beverage made upon demand from a beverage concentrate comprising:

providing hot water at or near an end of a chamber, the chamber having another end and an outlet at the other end, upon demand for a beverage;

providing beverage concentrate to the chamber upon demand for the beverage;

mixing the hot water and the concentrate in the chamber to create a diluted concentrate upon demand for the beverage;

providing cold water to the chamber upon demand for the beverage;

mixing the cold water and the diluted concentrate in the chamber to create the beverage upon demand for the beverage; and

dispensing the beverage made upon demand from the chamber upon demand.

14. The method of dispensing a beverage of claim 13 further comprising providing a sweetener solution to the chamber.

15. In a beverage dispensing apparatus, the improvement comprising a mixing duct comprising:

a hot water inlet provided near a distal end of said duct;

a cold water inlet disposed downstream of said hot water inlet;

a concentrate inlet disposed between said cold water inlet and said hot water inlet; and

a nozzle for dispensing a beverage provided at a proximal end of said duct, wherein the nozzle changes the flow direction from horizontal to vertical.

16. The mixing duct according to claim 15, wherein the cold water inlet and the concentrate inlet are provided with duckbill valves to prevent backflow.

17. The mixing duct according to claim 15, further comprising at least one additive port disposed downstream of said first hot water inlet.

18. The mixing duct according to claim 15, wherein the mixing duct is contained within cladding having the appearance of a real leaf tea brewing urn.

19. The mixing duct according to claim 15, wherein the mixing chamber has internal flow vanes for mixing.

20. The mixing duct of claim 15, wherein the hydraulic diameter of the duct decreases in at least one location between the distal end and the proximal end.