System for the Preparation and Distribution of Beverages in a Transportation Unit

• US 20100049362A1
• Filed: 12/18/2007
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avishai Hatuka
• Original Assignee: Avishai Hatuka
• Inventors: Hatuka, Avishai
• Granted Patent: US 8,152,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/232
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/005 Portable or compact beverage making apparatus, e.g. for travelling, for use in automotive vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/18 of drinking-water or other beverage dispensing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0004 the beverage being stored in a container, e.g. bottle, cartridge, bag-in-box, bowl
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/04 Apparatus utilising compressed air or other gas acting directly or indirectly on beverages in storage containers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0431 power-operated
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/07 Cleaning beverage-dispensing apparatus B67D1/0834, B67D1/0837 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0858 using compression systems
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0895 Heating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/124 the flow being started or stopped by means actuated by the vessel to be filled, e.g. by switches, weighing
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1256 Anti-dripping devices drip trays B67D1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00076 Cup conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a modular beverage system incorporable into a transportation unit. The system comprises a power source, at least one user point, at least one vessel, at least one liquid transferring apparatus operatively associated with said power source; and piping. The vessel is adapted to store therein liquid. Activation the liquid transferring apparatus causes the distribution of at least some of the liquid from the vessel to respective user points via said piping.

Claims

1. A beverage system adapted to be seated in a transportation unit, said system comprising:

at least one preparation unit enabling to prepare at least one type of beverage;

at least one distribution unit enabling a passenger in said transportation unit to input a desirable beverage and to serve said beverage prepared and arriving from said preparation unit, wherein said distribution unit is connected to said preparation unit via piping; and

a controller operatively connected to said at least one distribution unit and to said preparation unit;

wherein said preparation unit is seated at the trunk of said transportation unit and said at least one distribution unit is seated at the passengers area of said transportation unit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said preparation unit comprises:

a water container;

at least one compressor enabling to compress air and push said air through air piping connected to said water container through a piping, faucets and valves enabling to close and open to direct the flow of the compressed air enabling to direct water from and to said water container;

at least one dispenser enabling to dispense soluble edible materials into a piping that leads to said distribution unit.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said distribution unit comprises:

a control panel enabling a user to select beverages, beverages additions, pay for a selected beverage, notify the passenger regarding costs and availability of beverages; and

a delivery unit comprising beverage cups, wherein said delivery unit is connected to said preparation unit;

wherein once the passenger selects a beverage, the preparation unit prepares the selected beverage and delivers said beverage via said piping to the delivery unit where said beverage is poured to a cup from said delivery unit.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said delivery unit further comprises a dispensing cups-container enabling to store a multiplicity of cups and to allow a single cup to reach a pouring zone where it is filled with the selected beverage;

and a moving unit enabling to move the cup from the dispensing cup-container area to an area in which the selected beverage is poured.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said moving unit is a conveyor.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said delivery unit further comprises a dispensing lid-container enabling to hold a multiplicity of lids adapted to be fastened and cover said cups, wherein each lid comprises an opening suitable for receiving of a tube like piping used for inserting the selected beverage into said cup,

wherein said moving unit enables first moving the cup from the dispensing cup-container area to the area where the cup is added with a lid and then move the covered cup to the pouring area where the tip of the piping is threaded through an opening in the lid to insert the selected beverage.

8. The system of claim 3 wherein said preparation unit further comprises:

a boiling container connected to said water container, wherein said hot beverage container comprises a heating element enabling to heat water in said boiling container wherein said water arrive from said water container;

a mixing chamber connected to said boiling container;

at least one dispenser comprising soluble materials for preparing of at least one type of a hot beverage comprising a conveyor for pouring said soluble materials into said mixing chamber;

wherein said mixing chamber allows the heated water to mix with the dispensed soluble materials in said chamber to prepare said hot beverage.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said water container also comprises a heating element and a thermostat, wherein the heating element of said water container enables heating of the water contained in said water container to a predefined temperature.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said mixing chamber comprises distribution openings enabling spraying the hot water arriving from said boiling container into said chamber while said soluble materials arriving from the relevant dispensers are poured into said chamber whereby the soluble materials are stirred with said heated water.

11. The system of claim 8 further comprises an espresso mechanism enabling to prepare espresso beverages, which is connected to the preparation unit.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said espresso mechanism comprises:

capsules container enabling to contain coffee powder capsules;

capsules tube enabling to direct a new capsule to the bottom part of said tube;

a capsule-holder installed at the bottom of said tube enabling to hold the espresso capsule, wherein said holder further enables perforating the lid of said capsule;

a pressure pump enabling to introduce a steam of water, arriving from the boiling container, to the capsule-holder where the steaming water are filtered through the coffee powder of said new capsule enabling to output the extracted beverage.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said espresso mechanism further comprises a removable capsules-waste bin enabling containing of used espresso capsules.

14. The system of claim 4 wherein said control panel comprises:

a display unit enabling to display messages relating to prices and availability of beverages;

cold beverages options allowing a passenger to view all available cold beverages and select a desirable cold beverage;

hot beverages options allowing a passenger to view all available hot beverages and select a desirable hot beverage;

additions options enabling a passenger to select and view additions to the selected beverage;

a payment unit enabling a passenger to pay for the selected beverage according to predefined corresponding prices and payment options.

15. The system of claim 1 further comprises:

a packed beverages container seated at the trunk of the transportation unit containing packed beverages;

a conveyor comprising a lifting apparatus that enables lifting the packed beverages upon holders attached to said conveyor, wherein said holders enable to hold said packed beverages while lifted to the distribution unit seated at the passengers area.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said packed beverages container is integrated with a refrigerating mechanism allowing cooling of the beverages stored at said packed beverages container.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the trunk of said transportation unit is at the bottom of said transportation unit.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein a multiplicity of distribution units is connected to a single preparation unit enabling to supply beverages to said multiplicity of said distribution units.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the distribution units connected to said at least one preparation unit comprises a thermal cup mechanism, wherein said thermal cup mechanism comprises a cup and a body, wherein said mechanism comprises a fastening mechanism enabling to removably fasten the body to the cup;

wherein said thermal cup mechanism and fastening mechanism enables flow of beverages from the body and the piping from which the beverage is poured, to the cup only once said body is fastened to said cup and prevents said flow when said body is removed from said cup.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the electricity system of said transportation unit is the power source of the system enabling to use the power of the engine, when started, to operate said system, wherein said beverages system enables connecting to said electricity system through a connector.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said connector is removably adapted to connect to a converter that allows connecting said beverages system to other electric power sources.

22. The system of claim 3 wherein said water container comprises a timer operatively associated with the dispenser'"'"'s faucet enabling to open and close said faucet according to predefined time-intervals thereby defining the amount of water and soluble materials released to prepare said beverage.

23. The system of claim 1 further enabling preparing instant dishes by pouring of boiled water of the dish'"'"'s soluble and cook-able materials;

wherein said dishes are packed in boxes, wherein the system enables inserting said boiled water into said boxes by creating an opening at the box'"'"'s lid. The system of claim 8 is connected to a windowpane mechanism, wherein said windowpane mechanism enables directing a portion of heated water from the container to be sprayed upon at least one of the transportation unit'"'"'s windowpanes to allow cleaning of said windowpane

2. The system of claim 2 is pneumatic.

24. A method for preparing and distributing of beverages in a transportation unit, using a beverages system comprising at least one preparation unit and at least one distribution unit, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting a beverage where a passenger in the transportation unit selects a desirable beverage using said distribution unit;

preparing a beverage according to said selection, wherein said preparation unit carries out said preparing of said beverage;

delivering said beverage wherein the selected and prepared beverage arrives from said preparation unit to be poured in said distribution unit;

wherein said preparation of the selected beverage is carried out at the trunk of said transportation unit and said selection and delivering of said selected beverage is carried out at the passengers'"'"' area of said transportation unit.