Apparatus and method for controlling fluid delivery temperature in a dispensing apparatus

• US 6,360,556 B1
• Filed: 11/10/1999
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shurflo LLC (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Shurflo Pump Manufacturing Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Gagliano, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): JIANG, CHEN WEN
• Application Number:
  US09/437,853
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 623/90, 623/93, 623/96, 623/89, 222/146.6
• US Class Current: 62/396
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0006 based on the timed opening of a valve
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0086 Hand-held gun type valves
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0861 the evaporator acting through an intermediate heat transfer means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0867 the cooling fluid being a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0088 operated by push buttons
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/009 operated by cup detection
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00015 UV radiation

Abstract

Preferred embodiments of the present invention have a nozzle assembly capable of controlling pressure of comestible fluid exiting the nozzle assembly, a refrigeration system in which refrigerant pressure and temperature is controllable to enable control of comestible fluid temperature, heat exchangers connected to cool comestible fluid in the nozzles, an ultraviolet sterilization system for sterilizing locations outside and inside the system, and a hand held comestible fluid dispenser capable of cooling and selectively dispensing one of several comestible fluids supplied thereto. To provide comestible fluid at rack pressure to the nozzles in one highly preferred embodiment, each nozzle preferably has a valve movable through a number of closed positions to change pressure within the nozzle. Prior to fluid dispense, pressure at the nozzle is preferably reduced by actuating the valve through its range of closed positions. To improve temperature control and cooling efficiency, the present invention preferably employs heat exchangers adjacent to the nozzle assemblies. Due to their locations close to the nozzle assemblies, the heat exchangers generate convective recirculation through the nozzle assemblies to cool comestible fluid to the discharge openings thereof. The present invention can take the form of a multi-fluid dispensing gun having such a nozzle and heat exchanger relationship and having the pressure controlling valve as described above. To further improve control of comestible fluid temperature, the present invention preferably has an evaporator pressure regulator to control refrigerant pressure upstream of the refrigeration system compressor and a hot gas bypass valve to control refrigerant temperature.

Claims

1. A comestible fluid dispensing apparatus, comprising:

a comestible fluid pressurizer for pressurizing and maintaining comestible fluid under pressure;

an evaporator in fluid communication with the pressurizer for cooling comestible fluid passed therethrough; and

a nozzle having a terminal end, the nozzle attached to the evaporator, the nozzle being located sufficiently close to the evaporator to cool the terminal end of the nozzle without comestible fluid dispense from the nozzle.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the comestible fluid pressurizer is a pressurized vessel of comestible fluid in fluid communication with the evaporator.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the evaporator is a plate-type heat exchanger.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the evaporator is at least one heat pipe.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a temperature gradient exists between the evaporator and a terminal end of the nozzle during operation of the apparatus, the temperature gradient enabling convective recirculation of fluid between the evaporator and the terminal end of the nozzle to move warmed comestible fluid from the nozzle toward the evaporator and to move cooled comestible fluid from the evaporator toward the nozzle.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a temperature gradient exists between the evaporator and the nozzle during operation of the apparatus, the temperature gradient being maintained by the evaporator below 5 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a temperature gradient exists between the evaporator and the nozzle during operation of the apparatus, the temperature gradient being maintained by the evaporator below 2 degrees Fahrenheit.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nozzle and the evaporator define a hand-held unit movable to different comestible fluid dispensing locations by a user.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nozzle and the evaporator are attached by a fluid line having a length of less than approximately 12 inches.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nozzle and the evaporator are attached by a fluid line having a length of less than approximately 6 inches.

11. A comestible fluid dispensing apparatus, comprising:

an evaporator for cooling comestible fluid;

a nozzle adjacent to the evaporator;

a fluid line extending from the evaporator through the nozzle for receiving cooled pressurized comestible fluid from the evaporator, the evaporator maintaining comestible fluid in the nozzle below ambient temperature indefinitely regardless of comestible fluid dispense from the nozzle.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the nozzle has a comestible fluid reservoir, the fluid line extending from the comestible fluid reservoir and including the comestible fluid reservoir.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the evaporator is a plate heat exchanger.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the evaporator is at least one heat pipe.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein a temperature difference exists during operation of the apparatus between comestible fluid in the fluid line at the evaporator and comestible fluid at a terminal end of the nozzle, the temperature difference enabling convective recirculation of warmed comestible fluid toward the evaporator and cooled comestible fluid away from the evaporator.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the evaporator has an exit port and wherein a temperature difference exists during operation of the apparatus between comestible fluid at the exit port of the evaporator and comestible fluid in the nozzle, the evaporator capable of maintaining the temperature difference under approximately 5 degrees Fahrenheit indefinitely.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the evaporator has an exit port and wherein the a temperature difference exists during operation of the apparatus between comestible fluid at the exit port of the evaporator and comestible fluid in the nozzle, the evaporator capable of maintaining the temperature difference under approximately 2 degrees Fahrenheit indefinitely.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the evaporator, nozzle, and fluid line define a hand-held unit separately movable to different dispensing locations by a user.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the evaporator and the nozzle are separated by a distance of less than approximately 12 inches.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the evaporator and the nozzle are separated by a distance of less than approximately 6 inches.

21. A comestible fluid dispensing apparatus, comprising:

an evaporator;

a fluid nozzle coupled to the evaporator, the fluid nozzle having a dispensing outlet;

a fluid passage establishing fluid communication between the evaporator and the dispensing outlet of the fluid nozzle, the fluid passage being sufficiently short to permit convective recirculation of comestible fluid therein between the evaporator and the dispensing outlet of the fluid nozzle.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the evaporator is a plate heat exchanger.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the evaporator is at least one heat pipe.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein temperatures of comestible fluid along the fluid passage during operation of the apparatus are maintained by the evaporator to within 5 degrees Fahrenheit indefinitely.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein temperatures of comestible fluid along the fluid passage during operation of the apparatus are maintained by the evaporator to within 2 degrees Fahrenheit indefinitely.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the evaporator, fluid nozzle, and fluid passage are hand-portable to different dispensing locations by a user.

27. A comestible fluid nozzle assembly, comprising:

a fluid nozzle having an interior cavity therein;

a fluid line defined at least in part by the interior cavity of the fluid nozzle, the fluid line having at least one wall within which a comestible fluid can be retained;

a heat exchanger coupled to the fluid line, the heat exchanger being sufficiently close to the fluid nozzle to cool fluid in the fluid nozzle via convective recirculation.

28. The nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 27, wherein the heat exchanger is a plate-type heat exchanger.

29. The nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 27, wherein the heat exchanger is at least one heat pipe.

30. The nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 27, wherein the fluid line is sufficiently short to permit cooled comestible fluid to move under convective recirculation from the heat exchanger to the interior cavity of the nozzle and to permit warmed comestible fluid to move under convective recirculation from the interior cavity of the nozzle to the heat exchanger.

31. The nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 30, wherein temperature differences across the fluid line during operation are maintained by the heat exchanger to within approximately 5 degrees Fahrenheit.

32. The nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 30, wherein temperature differences across the fluid line during operation are maintained by the heat exchanger to within approximately 2 degrees Fahrenheit.

33. The nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 27, wherein the nozzle assembly is a hand-held device movable by a user to different comestible fluid dispensing locations.

34. The nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 27, wherein the fluid nozzle and the heat exchanger are less than approximately 12 inches apart.

35. The nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 27, wherein the fluid nozzle and the heat exchanger are less than approximately 6 inches apart.