Portable post-mix beverage dispenser unit
First Claim
1. A post-mix dispensing system including a cabinet housing having a first access panel and a second access panel adjacent thereto, portable tank means for storing potable water, said portable tank means being detachable from said cabinet housing, carbonator means for producing carbonated water by mixing cooled water from said portable tank means with CO2, cooling reservoir means for cooling potable water supplied from said portable tank means to said carbonator means, CO2 tank means for supplying CO2 to said carbonator means, syrup package means for dispensing a selected syrup, first pipe means partially disposed in said cooling reservoir means for linking said portable tank means with said carbonator means, second pipe means for linking said CO2 tank means with said carbonator means, valve means for controlling the flow of carbonated water from said carbonator means, third pipe means linking said carbonator means with said valve means, and fourth pipe means linking said second pipe means to said syrup package means for supplying CO2 from said CO2 tank means to said syrup package means to supply syrup from said syrup package means to said valve means, wherein the improvement comprises:
- detecting means for detecting relative open and closed positions of said first and second access panels; and
control valve means disposed on said fourth pipe means for opening and closing the communication between said CO2 tank means and said syrup package means in accordance with at least one signal from said detecting means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A post-mix beverage dispensing system including a cabinet having top, front, back side and bottom panels for housing various components. The components include a carbonator for producing carbonated water by mixing cooled potable water with CO2. Potable water is stored in a portable tank and is supplied to the carbonator through a first pipe. A cooling reservoir contains cooled water, and a serpentine section of the first pipe, along with the carbonator, are disposed in the cooling reservoir. A CO2 tank supplies CO2 to the carbonator and syrup packages. The flow rate of syrup from the syrup packages is kept constant by the pressure of CO2 from the CO2 tank. The front panel has a permanent magnet thereon, and the top panel has a reed switch thereon such that the permanent magnet is adjacent to the reed switch when the front panel is disposed on the cabinet. When an empty package is to be replaced with a new one and the front panel is opened, the reed switch is turned off, since the permanent magnet is spaced from the reed switch. An electromagnetic valve is thus cut off, and the supply of CO2 from the CO2 tank to the syrup packages is thereby stopped. The CO2 is thus automatically prevented from venting to the atmosphere when the front panel is opened.
32 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A post-mix dispensing system including a cabinet housing having a first access panel and a second access panel adjacent thereto, portable tank means for storing potable water, said portable tank means being detachable from said cabinet housing, carbonator means for producing carbonated water by mixing cooled water from said portable tank means with CO2, cooling reservoir means for cooling potable water supplied from said portable tank means to said carbonator means, CO2 tank means for supplying CO2 to said carbonator means, syrup package means for dispensing a selected syrup, first pipe means partially disposed in said cooling reservoir means for linking said portable tank means with said carbonator means, second pipe means for linking said CO2 tank means with said carbonator means, valve means for controlling the flow of carbonated water from said carbonator means, third pipe means linking said carbonator means with said valve means, and fourth pipe means linking said second pipe means to said syrup package means for supplying CO2 from said CO2 tank means to said syrup package means to supply syrup from said syrup package means to said valve means, wherein the improvement comprises:
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detecting means for detecting relative open and closed positions of said first and second access panels; and control valve means disposed on said fourth pipe means for opening and closing the communication between said CO2 tank means and said syrup package means in accordance with at least one signal from said detecting means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A beverage dispensing system comprising:
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a syrup package station; communicating means for communicating a source of CO2 pressure to a syrup package operatively connected to said station; access means movable between open and closed positions for providing access to said station and, when in the open position, to the syrup package at said station; detecting means for detecting when said access means is in other than the closed position and generating a signal corresponding thereto; and control means activated by the corresponding signal for shutting off the supply of CO2 pressure through said communicating means generally to said station when said access means is generally in other than the closed position to prevent CO2 from venting to the atmosphere in the event that no syrup package is generally at said station and operatively connected to said communicating means. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification