Tower dispenser

• US 20060180610A1
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lancer Partnership Limited (Hoshizaki Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lancer Partnership Limited (Hoshizaki Corporation)
• Inventors: Haskayne, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,624,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/129.100
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00031 Housing

Abstract

A beverage dispenser includes a tower head disposed atop a tower, and at least one beverage syrup flow path having at least one control module disposed within the tower to regulate the flow of a beverage syrup through the flow path, thereby reducing the size requirements for the tower head. The beverage dispenser may further include additional flow paths to add variable products. The beverage dispenser further includes a control board including at least one input and output device disposed on a top of the beverage dispenser, such that an operator may easily interact with the control board to configure the beverage dispenser. The beverage dispenser may be utilized in a master/slave arrangement, wherein a slave beverage dispenser without a control panel is disposed adjacent to and in communication with the control board of the master beverage dispenser, such that the master beverage dispenser conducts all global and configuration operations.

Claims

1. A beverage dispenser, comprising:

a tower including a tower cavity, a tower head atop the tower, the tower head including at least one beverage dispensing nozzle; and

at least one beverage flow path disposed within the tower and tower head, wherein the at least one beverage flow path includes a control module to cease and commence the flow therethrough, wherein the control module is disposed within the tower cavity.

2. The beverage dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one diluent flow path disposed within the tower and tower head, the at least one diluent flow path including a control module to cease and commence the flow therethrough, wherein at least one control modules is disposed within the tower cavity.

3. The beverage dispenser according to claim 2, further comprising:

at least one injected flavor flow path disposed within the tower and tower head, the at least one injected flavor flow path including a control module to cease and commence the flow therethrough, wherein at least one of the control modules is disposed within the tower cavity.

4. The beverage dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the tower head includes a cavity, and further wherein, at least one control module is disposed within the cavity of the tower head.

5. The beverage dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising:

a splash plate disposed at an exposed portion of the tower cavity, wherein the splash plate is restrained with restraining features.

6. The beverage dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the splash plate is removable for access to the tower cavity.

7. The beverage dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the restraining features are magnets.

8. The beverage dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second beverage dispensing nozzle disposed within the housing, wherein the first and second beverage dispensing nozzles may be utilized simultaneously.

9. The beverage dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one slave beverage dispenser in communication with the beverage dispenser, wherein the beverage dispenser controls global operations for the beverage dispensers.

10. The beverage dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the global operations include overall lighting schemes, configuration of dispensing zones on a particular dispenser.

11. A beverage dispenser, comprising:

a housing including an accessible area on a top portion;

at least one beverage dispensing flow path disposed within the housing, the beverage dispensing flow path including a nozzle, wherein the at least one beverage dispensing flow path is in communication with a product source; and

a control board disposed within the accessible area of the housing.

12. The beverage dispenser according to claim 11, wherein an operator may interact with the control board to configure parameters associated with dispensing of a beverage through the beverage dispensing nozzle.

13. The beverage dispenser according to claim 11, further comprising:

a cover hingedly coupled to the housing, wherein the cover closes out the top of the housing when in a lowered position, and further wherein the cover is raised to access the control board.

14. The beverage dispenser according to claim 13, further comprising:

a plate having a first end and a second end, the first end rotatably coupled to the cover, and the second end translating along an upper edge of the housing, wherein the plate is substantially vertical when the cover is in the raised position, and substantially horizontal and beneath the cover when the cover is in the lowered position, and further wherein the control board is mounted to the plate, such that the control board is operable from a front of the beverage dispenser.

15. The beverage dispenser according to claim 14, wherein the control board comprises a controller, an output device, and an input device, thereby allowing the controller to accept input and output information to the operator.

16. The beverage dispenser according to claim 15, wherein the output device is a liquid crystal display.

17. The beverage dispenser according to claim 16, wherein the input device is at least one pushbutton.

18. The beverage dispenser according to claim 15, wherein the control board is operable by an operator from the front of the beverage dispenser.

19. The beverage dispenser according to claim 16, wherein the liquid crystal display is readable from the front of the beverage dispenser.

20. A beverage dispenser, comprising:

a housing including a tower head having a cavity, the cavity exposed on a front;

at least one beverage dispensing flow path disposed within the housing, the beverage dispensing flow path including at least one control module in communication with a beverage source;

wherein flow controls for the at least one beverage dispensing nozzle are disposed within the tower head; and

a panel hingedly coupled to a lower portion of the tower head, such that the panel closes out the front of the cavity when in a raised position, wherein the panel may be rotated downward by an operator to gain access to the components disposed within the tower head.

21. The beverage dispenser according to claim 20, further comprising:

a cover hingedly connected to the tower head, wherein an operator gains access to a top of the cavity when the cover is in a raised position.

22. The beverage dispenser according to claim 21, wherein the tower head further comprises:

a cross bar passing from a first top front corner to a second top front corner, wherein the cross bar provides stability to the top front corners, wherein the cross bar is removable to provide the operator with unrestricted access along the front and top of the cavity during servicing of beverage dispenser components disposed within the cavity.

23. A beverage dispenser, comprising:

a housing including a tower head having a cavity, the cavity exposed on a top surface;

a cover hingedly connected to a rear portion of the tower head, such that the cover closes out the top of the cavity when in a lowered position; and

at least one beverage dispensing nozzle disposed on the housing, the beverage dispensing nozzle in communication with a beverage source, wherein flow controls for the at least one beverage dispensing nozzle are disposed within the tower head, and further wherein, the cover may be rotated upward by an operator to gain access to the components disposed within the tower head.

24. The beverage dispenser according to claim 23, further comprising:

a panel hingedly connected to the tower head, wherein an operator gains access to a front of the cavity when the cover is in a lowered position.

25. The beverage dispenser according to claim 24, wherein the tower head further comprises:

a cross bar passing from a first top front corner to a second top front corner, wherein the cross bar provides stability to the top front corners, wherein the cross bar is removable to provide the operator with unrestricted access along the front and top of the cavity during service of components disposed within the cavity of the beverage dispenser.

26. A method of interacting with a beverage dispenser, comprising:

a. accessing a control board disposed in a cavity of a tower head of the beverage dispenser by raising a cover;

b. inputting commands to the control board of the beverage dispenser through the top portion of the beverage dispenser;

c. receiving output from the control board of the beverage dispenser through the top portion of the beverage dispenser; and

d. lowering the cover when the configuration operations are completed.

27. A method of accessing components disposed within a tower head of a beverage dispenser, comprising:

a. lowering an interface panel to gain frontal access of a cavity disposed within the tower head, wherein the cavity houses dispenser components;

b. raising a cover disposed on the tower head to gain top access to the cavity;

c. removing a crossbar to gain uninterrupted frontal and top access to the cavity; and

d. servicing or replacing components.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising:

e. replacing the crossbar to provide lateral support;

f. raising the interface plate to close out the front of the cavity; and

g. lowering the cover to close out the top of the cavity.

29. A method of accessing beverage dispensing components disposed within a tower, comprising:

a. accessing a tower cavity by removing a splash plate that is restrained with magnets;

b. servicing or replacing components disposed within the tower cavity;

c. replacing the splash plate by aligning the magnets with attraction plates disposed on the tower.

30. A beverage dispenser, comprising:

a master beverage dispenser including a configurable control system, and at least one beverage flow path in communication with a beverage dispensing nozzle;

at least one slave beverage dispenser in communication with the control system of the beverage dispenser, wherein the master beverage dispenser control configuration and global operations for the at least one slave beverage dispenser.

31. The beverage dispenser according to claim 30, wherein the global operations include overall lighting schemes, and configuration of dispensing zones on the beverage dispensers.