Beverage dispensing gas consumption detection with alarm and backup operation
First Claim
1. A blended-gas beverage dispensing system, comprising:
- a nitrogen (N2) gas source;
a carbon dioxide (CO2) gas source;
a controller operative to blend and dispense at least one predetermined mixture of N2 and CO2 gases to one or more beverage containers; and
a monitor operative to detect excessive consumption of N2 by the system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mixed-gas beverage dispensing system for driving beverages from a container to a tap with a predetermined ratio of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N2) gas includes one or more monitors to detect excessive consumption of N2. The system may include a N2 generator, with a monitor monitoring the N2 generator to detect excessive operation thereof. The system may include a N2 reservoir, with a monitor monitoring the pressure in the N2 reservoir. The system may include a volumetric gas flow meter interposed in one or more mixed-gas distribution lines to monitor the flow of mixed gas. Upon detecting consumption of N2 gas in excess of a predetermined threshold, a monitor may trigger an audible, visual, or electronic alarm; may shut down operation of the system; and/or may switch to one or more backup gas tanks containing CO2, N2 or a predetermined blend thereof, for continued beverage dispensing operation.
118 Citations
36 Claims
-
1. A blended-gas beverage dispensing system, comprising:
-
a nitrogen (N2) gas source;
a carbon dioxide (CO2) gas source;
a controller operative to blend and dispense at least one predetermined mixture of N2 and CO2 gases to one or more beverage containers; and
a monitor operative to detect excessive consumption of N2 by the system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method of dispensing beverages, comprising:
-
mixing nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) gases in a predetermined ratio to produce a beverage dispensing gas mixture;
distributing the beverage dispensing gas mixture to at least one beverage container; and
monitoring the distribution to detect excessive consumption of N2. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 36)
-
-
34. A blended-gas beverage dispensing system, comprising:
-
a nitrogen (N2) gas source;
a carbon dioxide (CO2) gas source;
a gas blender operative to blend and dispense at least one predetermined mixture of N2 and CO2 gases to one or more beverage containers; and
monitoring means for detecting excessive consumption of N2 by the system. - View Dependent Claims (35)
-
Specification