VEHICLE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTING CATERING PRODUCTS

• US 20080122189A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Heineken Supply Chain B.V. (L'Arche Holding SA)
• Original Assignee: Heineken Supply Chain B.V. (L'Arche Holding SA)
• Inventors: FOPPEN, HENDRIK JAN
• Application Number:
  US11/940,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20080122189A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/007 for delivery of small articles, e.g. milk, frozen articles
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/2265 Arrangements for hoses, tubes, or reels

Abstract

A vehicle for distribution of catering products, comprising a loading space in which at least one storage container for beverage is provided, as well as a set-up place for further catering products, wherein a delivery hose is provided which is coupled or can be coupled to the storage container and is received or can be received in a storage provision, wherein cooling means are provided for cooling the storage container and/or beverage received therein and for cooling the delivery hose in the storage provision.

Claims

1. A vehicle for distribution of catering products, comprising a loading space in which at least one storage container for beverage is provided, as well as a set-up place for further catering products, wherein a delivery hose is provided which is coupled or can be coupled with the storage container and is received or can be received in a storage provision, wherein cooling means are provided for cooling the storage container and/or beverage received therein and for cooling the delivery hose in the storage provision.

2. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the delivery hose can at least partly be rolled up in the storage provision.

3. A vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the delivery hose, at an end remote from the storage container, is provided with a shutoff-valve.

4. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the delivery hose, in a condition filled at least partly with beverage, is at least largely receivable in the storage provision.

5. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein furthermore at least one cleaning device is provided for cleaning a coupling piece which can be coupled with the delivery hose at an end remote from the storage container.

6. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the storage container has a volume between 200 and 10,000 liters, preferably between 300 and 5,000 liters, and more particularly a volume between 500 and 2,500 liters.

7. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the storage container takes up less than two-thirds of the volume of the loading space, preferably at most a half thereof.

8. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein cooling means are provided for the whole loading space.

9. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle has a weight of less than 3.5 tons and/or a wheelbase of less than 4,500 mm and/or a loading capacity of at most 17.5 cubic meters.

10. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the delivery hose has a length that is greater than that of the vehicle.

11. A system of a vehicle, in particular according to claim 1, and at least one tank, wherein the at least one tank is set up in a building and is provided with a coupling element for coupling with a coupling piece through which the tank can be filled and emptied, wherein a coupling piece is provided for coupling the delivery hose with the coupling element, wherein at least one coupling piece more than the number of tanks is provided, such that always at least one coupling piece can be cleaned while a tank is being filled from the storage container.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein a series of tanks are provided in different buildings.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein at least one vehicle is provided and furthermore a tanker is provided, having a capacity which is a multiple of the capacity of the storage container on the at least one vehicle.

17. Use of a vehicle according to claim 1 for the distribution of beverage and other catering products.

14. A method for the distribution of catering products, among which beverage, wherein a vehicle is used with a loading space in which at least one storage container for beverage is provided, wherein cooling means are provided for cooling the storage container and/or beverage received therein, wherein a delivery hose is provided which is or is to be coupled to the storage container and is received or can be received in a storage provision, wherein cooling means are provided for cooling the delivery hose in the storage provision, wherein the vehicle is set up at a delivery point with a tank, and the delivery hose is at least partly taken from the storage provision, whereafter the tank is at least partly filled with beverage from the storage container, wherein prior to filling of the tank with beverage, a first coupling piece is taken from the tank and is replaced with a second coupling piece, whereafter the delivery hose is coupled to the second coupling piece and the tank is at least partly filled through the delivery hose and the second coupling piece, whereafter at least the delivery hose is detached from the second coupling piece, wherein the first coupling piece is placed in the vehicle in a cleaning device and is cleaned therein, whereafter the first coupling piece is used as second coupling piece at a further tank.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said vehicle comprises a loading space in which at least one storage container for beverage is provided, as well as a set-up place for further catering products, wherein a delivery hose is provided which is coupled or can be coupled with the storage container and is received or can be received in a storage provision, wherein cooling means are provided for cooling the storage container and/or beverage received therein and for cooling the delivery hose in the storage provision.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein a tanker is set up at a first position, whereafter a series of vehicles with a storage container are driven to said tanker, whereafter the storage container of the or each respective vehicle is filled at least partly with beverage from the tanker, whereafter the or each respective vehicle is driven to a delivery point situated at a distance from the first position for at least partly filling a tank from the respective storage container.