Apparatus for dispensing a sparkling or bubbling beverage

• US 5,335,705 A
• Filed: 06/30/1992
• Issued: 08/09/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Machine Company Limited (Shibaura Machine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ota, Tsuyoshi, Ryuko, Yoshikazu, Suzuki, Tatsuya, Morishita, Akira, Ito, Sukehide
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US07/906,496
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 141/18, 141/21, 141/250, 141/267-269, 141/271, 141/272, 141/275-278, 141/302, 141/369-371, 141/373, 141/377, 141/378, 141/104, 141/67, 141/100, 141/192 , 141/198, 141/47, 141/63, 141/64, 141/82, 141/83, 141/94, 141/95, 141/128, 222/54, 222/61, 222/146.6, 222/399
• US Class Current: 141/275
• 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 1/0894 for the vessel to be filled
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1238 comprising means for detecting the liquid level in vessels to be filled, e.g. using ultrasonic waves, optical reflexion, probes
• 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 1/1272 preventing froth

Abstract

After a container is placed on a rest base beneath a beverage dispensing section where a dispensing outlet is provided, a dispensing button is depressed and a stepping motor constituting a base tilting drive device is driven for a predetermined time period to cause a linear head to be extended so that the rest base and hence a container is tilted as one unit. A dispensing valve drive device is operated to open a dispensing valve and dispense a bubbling beverage along an inner wall of the container, while suppressing any excessive formation of bubbles. When a bubble surface or liquid level of the beverage dispensed into the container rises to a predetermined level, the stepping motor is reversely driven to bring the container to an erect state. When the container becomes full with the beverage, the dispensing valve is closed, stopping the dispensing of the beverage.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing a sparkling or bubbling beverage, comprising:

an apparatus body having a beverage dispensing section where a dispensing outlet is provided for dispensing the bubbling beverage;

gas supplying means for supplying a CO₂ gas into a beverage-containing tank;

a beverage passage for drawing the beverage from the tank toward the dispensing outlet by a pressure of the CO₂ gas which is supplied from the gas supply means;

beverage cooling means for cooling the bubbling beverage which is drawn via the beverage passage toward the dispensing outlet;

a dispensing valve for opening/closing the beverage passage leading to the dispensing outlet;

a dispensing valve drive device for driving the dispensing valve to allow the dispensing valve to be opened or closed;

a rotatably displaceable rest base mounted below the beverage dispensing section with a beverage container placeable on said rest base so that the beverage is dispensed into the beverage container;

a base tilting drive device for tilting the rest base;

dispensing start signal input means for inputting a signal for starting the dispensing of the beverage into the container on the rest base;

a liquid level detector for detecting a bubble surface level or liquid level of the beverage dispensed into the container and for inputting level information to the controller; and

a controller including a means for controlling the operation of the dispensing valve drive device and base tilting drive device in response to the signal input from the dispensing start signal input means and the level information from the liquid level detector to control the operation of both the base tilting drive device and the dispensing valve drive device in response to a bubble surface level or liquid level of the beverage so as to move the beverage container from a tilted position to an erect position dependent upon the liquid level or bubble surface within the container;

wherein the controller operates the base tilting drive device, upon receiving the signal from the dispensing start signal input means, to allow the container on the rest base to be tilted, while opening the dispensing valve through the operation of the valve drive device to dispense the beverage into the beverage container, controls the base tilting drive device so that the beverage container is held erect after the bubble surface level or liquid level of the beverage has been brought to a predetermined level, and controls the dispensing valve to close the dispensing valve after the bubble or beverage again dispensed in the erect position of the container has been brought to a predetermined level.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base tilting drive device comprises a movable pressing member having its forward end abutted against a rear surface of the rotatably displaceable rest base to enable the rest base to be moved along its displacing direction and movable means for moving the movable pressing member along a direction in which the rest base is displaced.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid level detector is comprised of a light-reflective type sensor which produces a different electrical signal corresponding to a detection distance involved.

4. An apparatus for dispensing a sparkling or bubbling beverage, comprising:

an apparatus body having a beverage dispensing section where a dispensing outlet is provided for dispensing the bubbling beverage;

gas supplying means for supplying CO₂ gas in a beverage-containing tank;

a beverage passage for drawing the beverage from the tank toward the dispensing outlet by the pressure of the CO₂ gas which is supplied from the gas supply means;

beverage cooling means for cooling the bubbling beverage which is drawn via the beverage passage toward the dispensing outlet;

a dispensing valve for opening/closing the beverage passage leading to the dispensing outlet;

a dispensing valve drive device for driving the dispensing valve to allow the dispensing valve to be opened or closed;

a rotatably displaceable rest base mounted below the beverage dispensing section with a beverage container placeable on said rest base so that the beverage is dispensed into the beverage container;

a base tilting drive device for tilting the rest base;

dispensing start signal input means for inputting a signal for starting the dispensing of the beverage into the container on the rest base;

gas pressure detecting means for detecting the pressure of the gas supplied into the tank;

intratank gas pressure controller for controlling a pressure in the tank in accordance with a temperature of the beverage drawn into the beverage cooling means;

a controller for controlling an operation of the dispensing valve drive means and base tilting drive device by those signal input by the dispensing start signal input means and gas pressure detecting means;

temperature detecting means for detecting temperature of the beverage drawn into the beverage cooling means;

a gas pressure adjusting valve for adjusting pressure of the CO₂ gas supplied into the tank by the gas supplying means;

an adjusting valve drive device for computing the temperature in the tank from temperature information of the temperature detecting means and controlling the gas pressure adjusting valve to allow a proper gas pressure which corresponds to the beverage temperature to be applied to an interior of the tank; and

gas pressure detecting means for detecting a gas pressure adjusted by the gas pressure adjusting valve and for giving a feedback signal according to whether the adjusting valve drive device is properly operated or not;

wherein the controller receives a signal from the gas pressure detecting means upon the inputting of the dispensing start signal input means, computes a beverage dispensing time in accordance with a pressure of the CO₂ gas supplied into the tank, drives the base tilting drive device to hold the container to be held tilted, drives the dispensing valve drive device to dispense the beverage into the container, while opening the dispensing valve, operates the base tilting drive device, when bubble surface or liquid level of the beverage which is dispensed into the container rises to a first, predetermined level, to bring the container back to an erect position, and operates the dispensing valve drive device at a completion of a computed dispensing time to close the dispensing valve,

wherein the base tilting drive device comprises a movable pressing member having its forward end abutted against a rear surface of the rotatably displaceable rest base to enable the rest base to be moved along its displacing direction and movable means which comprises a stepping motor for moving the movable pressing member along a direction in which the rest base is displaced.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the base tilting drive device rotatably displaces the rest base such that the rest base is first held tilted to allow the beverage to be dispensed along an inner wall of the container and then the container is gradually brought back to an erect position without the beverage being flowed out of the container.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the bubbling beverage is draft beer and a CO₂ gas pressure on the draft beer is 1.2 to 1.5 kg/cm² for 10°

C. draft beer, 2 to 2.5 kg/cm² for 20°

C. draft beer and 3 to 3.5 kg/cm² for 30°

C. draft beer wherein a CO₂ gas content in the beer is maintained to be 2.6 to 3 gas volumes.

7. An apparatus for dispensing a sparkling or bubbling beverage, comprising:

an apparatus body having a beverage dispensing section where dispensing beverage and bubble outlets are provided for dispensing the bubbling beverage;

gas supplying means for supplying a CO₂ gas in a beverage-containing tank;

a beverage passage for drawing the beverage from the tank toward the dispensing outlets by the pressure of the CO₂ gas which is supplied from the gas supply means;

beverage cooling means for cooling the bubbling beverage which is drawn via the beverage passage toward the dispensing outlets;

a dispensing valve for opening/closing the beverage passage leading to the dispensing outlet;

dispensing valve drive device for driving the dispensing valve to allow the dispensing valve to be opened or closed;

a bubble valve for opening or closing the beverage passage leading to the bubble outlet;

a bubble valve drive device for opening or closing the bubble valve;

a rotatably displaceable rest base mounted below the beverage dispensing section with a beverage container placeable on said rest base so that the beverage is dispensed into the beverage container;

a base tilting drive device for tilting the rest base;

dispensing start signal input means for inputting a signal for starting the dispensing of the beverage into the container on the rest base;

gas pressure detecting means for detecting a pressure of the gas supplied into the tank;

an intratank gas pressure container for controlling a pressure in the tank in accordance with a temperature of the beverage drawn into the beverage cooling means;

a liquid level detector for detecting a bubble surface or liquid level of the beverage dispensed into the container; and

a controller including a means for controlling an operation of the base tilting drive device and dispensing valve drive device by those signals input by the gas pressure detecting means and liquid level detector to control the operation of both the base tilting drive device and the dispensing valve drive device in response to a bubble surface level or liquid level of the beverage so as to move the beverage container from a tilted position to an erect position dependent upon the liquid level or bubble surface within the container;

wherein the controller receives a signal from the gas pressure detecting means upon the inputting of the dispensing start signal input means, computes a beverage dispensing start signal input means, computes a beverage dispensing time in accordance with a pressure of the CO₂ gas supplied into the tank, drives the base tilting drive device on the rest base to hold the container to be held tilted, drives the dispensing valve drive device to dispense the beverage into the container, while opening the dispensing valve, operates the base tilting drive device, when it is detected that a bubble surface or liquid level of the beverage which is dispensed into the container rises to a first, predetermined level, to bring the container back to an erect position, and operates the dispensing valve drive device at a completion of a computed dispensing time to close the dispensing valve, operates the bubble valve drive device to dispense bubbles, while opening the bubble valve, to a second level, and closes the bubble valve when it is detected that the bubble rises to that second level.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the intratank gas pressure controller comprises temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of the beverage drawn into the beverage cooling means;

a gas pressure adjusting valve for adjusting a pressure of a CO₂ gas supplied into the beverage tank by the gas supplying means;

an adjusting valve drive device for computing a temperature of the beverage in the tank from temperature information of the temperature detecting means and controlling the gas pressure adjusting valve to allow a proper gas pressure corresponding to the temperature of the beverage to be applied to the interior of the tank; and

gas pressure detecting means for detecting a gas pressure adjusted by the gas pressure adjusting valve and giving a feedback according to whether the adjusting valve drive device is properly operated or not.

9. An apparatus for dispensing a sparkling or bubbling beverage, comprising:

an apparatus body having a beverage dispensing section where a dispensing outlet is provided for dispensing the bubbling beverage;

gas supplying means for supplying a CO₂ gas into a beverage-containing tank;

a beverage passage for drawing the beverage from the tank toward the dispensing outlet by a pressure of the CO₂ gas which is supplied from the gas supply means;

beverage cooling means for cooling the bubbling beverage which is drawn via the beverage passage toward the dispensing outlet;

a dispensing valve for opening/closing the beverage passage leading to the dispensing outlet;

a dispensing valve drive device for driving the dispensing valve to allow the dispensing valve to be opened or closed;

a rotatably displaceable rest base mounted below the beverage dispensing section with a beverage container placeable on said rest base so that the beverage is dispensed into the beverage container;

a base tilting drive device for tilting the rest base;

dispensing start signal input means for inputting a signal for starting the dispensing of the beverage into the container on the rest base;

a gas pressure detecting means for detecting a pressure of the gas supplied into the tank;

an intratank gas pressure controller for controlling a pressure in the tank in accordance with a temperature of the beverage drawn into the beverage cooling means;

a liquid level detector for detecting a bubble surface or liquid level of the beverage dispensed into the container; and

a controller including a means for controlling an operation of the base tilting drive device and dispensing valve drive device by those signals input by the gas pressure detecting means and liquid level detector to control the operation of both the base tilting drive device and the dispensing valve drive device in response to a bubble surface level or liquid level of the beverage so as to move the beverage container from a tilted position to an erect position dependent upon the liquid level or bubble surface within the container;

wherein the controller receives a signal from the gas pressure detecting means upon the inputting of the dispensing start signal input means, computes a beverage dispensing time in accordance with the pressure of the CO₂ gas supplied into the beverage container, drives the base tilting drive device on the rest base to hold the container to be held tilted, drives the dispensing valve drive device to dispense the beverage into the container, while opening the dispensing valve, operates the base tilting drive device, when it is detected that a bubble surface or liquid level of the beverage which is dispensed into the container rises to a first, predetermined level, to bring the container back to an erect position, operates the dispensing valve drive device at a completion of a computed dispensing time to fully close the dispensing valve, operates the dispensing valve drive device to a second level initially set by the liquid level detector to half open the dispensing valve so that bubbles are dispensed and operates the dispensing valve drive device, upon receipt of a detection signal indicating that the bubbles rise to the second level, so that the dispensing valve is closed.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the intratank gas pressure controller comprises temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of the beverage drawn into the beverage cooling means;

a gas pressure adjusting valve for adjusting a pressure of a CO₂ gas supplied into the beverage tank by the gas supplying means;

an adjusting valve drive device for computing a temperature of the beverage in the tank from temperature information of the temperature detecting means and controlling the gas pressure adjusting valve to allow a proper gas pressure corresponding to the temperature of the beverage to be applied to the interior of the tank; and

gas pressure detecting means for detecting a gas pressure adjusted by the gas pressure adjusting valve and giving a feedback according to whether the adjusting valve drive device is properly operated or not.