Beverage cooling and dispensing system with diagnostics

• US 5,839,291 A
• Filed: 08/14/1996
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Manitowoc Foodservice Companies Incorporated (The Manitowoc Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Multiplex Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Zhihong (Zachary)
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US08/696,491
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 62/126, 62/127, 62/129, 62/389, 62/390, 62/392, 62/394, 62/393
• US Class Current: 62/126
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0054 Recirculation means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0068 Cooling bath
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0406 with means for carbonating the beverage, or for maintaining its carbonation B67D1/0418 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0864 in the form of a cooling bath
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 31/003 with immersed cooling element

Abstract

A cooling/dispensing system for cooling and dispensing a beverage. A refrigeration system having an evaporator in a cooling tank cools the fluid in the tank and has a compressor connected to the evaporator for cooling the evaporator. A beverage dispensing system includes a carbonator tank in heat exchange relationship with the fluid in the cooling tank, the carbonator having a first input port connected to a gas supply, having a second input port connected to a liquid supply and having a output port, the carbonator for carbonating the liquid from the liquid supply flowing through the carbonator to produce a carbonated liquid product. A dispenser dispenses the beverage and a beverage conduit connected to the output of the carbonator and connected to the dispenser provides the carbonated liquid product to be dispensed as the beverage. A condition sensor senses a condition of the refrigeration system or of the beverage dispensing apparatus. A controller responsive to the condition sensor controls operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is acceptable, the controller inhibiting operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is unacceptable. A diagnostic message display connected to the controller displays an error message when a sensed condition is unacceptable.

Claims

1. A cooling/dispensing system for cooling and dispensing a beverage comprising:

a cooling tank for holding a fluid;

a refrigeration system having an evaporator in the cooling tank for cooling the fluid in the tank and having a compressor connected to the evaporator for cooling the evaporator;

a beverage dispensing system including;

a carbonator tank in heat exchange relationship with the fluid in the cooling tank, the carbonator having a first input port connected to a gas supply, having a second input port connected to a liquid supply and having a output port, the carbonator for carbonating the liquid from the liquid supply flowing through the carbonator to produce a carbonated liquid product;

a dispenser for dispensing the beverage;

a beverage conduit connected to the output of the carbonator and connected to the dispenser for providing the carbonated liquid product to be dispensed as the beverage; and

a pump including a driver;

a condition sensor sensing a condition of the pump driver;

a controller responsive to the condition sensor for enabling operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is acceptable, said controller inhibiting operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is unacceptable; and

a diagnostic message display connected to the controller for displaying an error message when a sensed condition is unacceptable.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second condition sensor sensing a second condition of the refrigeration system or the beverage dispensing apparatus and wherein controller controls the display so that the error message displayed by the diagnostic message display indicates the unacceptable sensed condition corresponding to the error message.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller controls the display so that the error message displayed by the diagnostic message display indicates the unacceptable sensed condition corresponding to the error message.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the beverage conduit comprises a closed loop, wherein the pump comprises a circulating pump for circulating the carbonated liquid within the loop and further comprising a loop temperature sensor for sensing a temperature corresponding to a temperature of the carbonated liquid within the loop and wherein the controller is responsive to the loop temperature sensor to control the display so that the temperature corresponding to the temperature of the carbonated liquid within the loop is displayed.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the beverage conduit comprises a closed loop, wherein the pump comprises a circulating pump for circulating the carbonated liquid within the loop, wherein the condition sensor comprises a sensor for sensing the operation of a driver of the circulating pump and wherein the controller displays an error code in the event that the circulating pump driver is inoperative.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the condition sensor comprises a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure of the liquid supply and/or the pressure of the refrigeration system and wherein the controller inhibits operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system in the event that either or both of the sensed pressures is below a minimum.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the condition sensor comprises a sensor for sensing operation of a driver of the compressor and/or a driver of the carbonator and wherein the controller displays an error code in the event that the compressor driver and/or the carbonator driver is inoperative.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising an agitator for agitating the fluid and wherein the condition sensor comprises a sensor for sensing the operation of a driver of the agitator and wherein the controller displays an error code in the event that the agitator driver is inoperative.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the beverage dispensing system includes a second carbonator, wherein the beverage conduit comprises first and second loops, wherein the pump comprises first and second circulating pumps for circulating the carbonated beverages within the loops, wherein the sensor senses operation of one or more the drivers of the carbonators and/or the circulating pumps and wherein the controller displays an error code in the event that one or more of the drivers of the carbonators and circulating pumps is inoperative.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the pump is a carbonator pump for pumping the liquid from the liquid supply into the carbonator tank.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the pump is a circulator pump for circulating the carbonated liquid product within the beverage conduit.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the pump is an agitator for agitating the fluid in the cooling tank.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the diagnostic message display is an alphanumeric display that displays an indication that the sensed condition of the pump is unacceptable.

14. A cooling/dispensing system for cooling and dispensing a beverage comprising:

a cooling tank for holding a fluid;

a refrigeration system having an evaporator in the cooling tank for cooling the fluid in the tank and having a compressor connected to the evaporator for cooling the evaporator;

a beverage dispensing system including;

a carbonator in heat exchange relationship with the fluid in the cooling tank, the carbonator having a first input port connected to a gas supply, having a second input port connected to a liquid supply and having a output port, the carbonator for carbonating the liquid from the liquid supply flowing through the carbonator;

a dispenser for dispensing the beverage; and

a beverage conduit connected to the output of the carbonator and connected to the dispenser for providing the carbonated liquid to be dispensed as the beverage;

a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature corresponding to a temperature of the carbonated liquid;

a condition sensor sensing a condition of the refrigeration system or of the beverage dispensing apparatus;

a controller responsive to the temperature sensor for indicating a numeric temperature of the carbonated liquid, said controller responsive to the condition sensor for enabling operation the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is acceptable, said controller inhibiting operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is unacceptable; and

an alphanumeric diagnostic message display connected to the controller for displaying an alphanumeric error message indicating the unacceptable sensed condition or for displaying the numeric temperature.

15. A cooling/dispensing system for cooling and dispensing a beverage comprising:

a cooling tank for holding a fluid;

a refrigeration system having an evaporator in the cooling tank for cooling the fluid in the tank and having a compressor connected to the evaporator for cooling the evaporator;

a beverage dispensing system including;

a carbonator in heat exchange relationship with the fluid in the cooling tank, the carbonator having a first input port connected to a gas supply, having a second input port connected to a liquid supply and having a output port, the carbonator for carbonating the liquid from the liquid supply flowing through the carbonator;

a dispenser for dispensing the beverage;

a beverage conduit connected to the output of the carbonator and connected to the dispenser for providing the carbonated liquid to be dispensed as the beverage;

a pump; and

a pump driver for selectively operating the pump;

a condition sensor for sensing a condition of the pump driver;

a controller responsive to the condition sensor for enabling operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indicates that the sensed condition is acceptable, said controller inhibiting operation of the refrigeration system and the beverage dispensing system during periods when the condition sensor indications that the sensed condition is unacceptable; and

a diagnostic message display connected to the controller for providing a display indicating that the condition of the pump driver is unacceptable.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein each driver is in a separate module.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the controller and display are enclosed in a water resistant enclosure.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the pump is a carbonator pump for pumping the liquid from the liquid supply into the carbonator tank.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the pump is a circulator pump for circulating the carbonated liquid product within the beverage conduit.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the pump is an agitator for agitating the fluid in the cooling tank.