Beverage dispensing apparatus having drink supply canister holder

• US 7,004,355 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Inventors: Crisp, Harry Lee III, Duff, Todd Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischetti, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US10/011,173
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 222/129.4, 222/180, 222/181.1, 222/181.2, 222/181.3, 222/182, 222/325, 222/326, 222/327, 222/399, 222/129, 222/132, 222/135, 222/136, 222/146.6, 222/129.1, 222/129.3, 222/389, 705/28
• US Class Current: 222/129.4
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0043 Mixing devices for liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0052 by means for directing respective streams together
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0057 Carbonators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/006 Conventional carbonators
• 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 1/0858 using compression systems
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0814 for upside down use
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/082 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00036 for use with or in refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/0006 Manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/126 Water cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion

Abstract

The present invention provides a drink supply canister holder for a beverage dispensing apparatus for a residential refrigerator. The beverage dispensing apparatus includes a drink supplier including the drink supply canister holder for holding or maintaining at least one and preferably a plurality of drink supply canisters, and at least one and preferably a plurality of valve actuators for causing the drink supply to be selectively released from the drink supply canisters, a water supplier for selectively supplying carbonated water and non-carbonated water for producing the beverages, a gas supplier for supplying CO₂ gas to carbonate the carbonated water provided by the water supplier and for supplying CO₂ gas or other gas for pressurizing the drink supply canisters to provide a consistent flow rate, of the drink supply from the drink supply canisters and one or more beverage requesters for enabling users to request one of a plurality of beverages.

Claims

1. A drink supply canister holder for a beverage dispensing apparatus in a refrigerator, said drink supply canister holder comprising:

drink supply canister support means for removably receiving a plurality of drink supply canisters, each of the drink supply canisters having a first end, an opposite second end, a discharge opening defined by the first end and a pressure inlet located at said second end, the drink supply canister support means including a support member connected to the refrigerator and positioned so as to engage the first ends of each of the drink supply canisters, the support member defining at least one opening through which drink supply flows; and

drink supply canister securing means connected to, and vertically spaced apart from, the drink supply canister support means, the drink supply securing canister means including a securing member having at least one pressure feed line, the securing member being movable between;

(a) a first position wherein the securing member is disengaged from the second ends of the drink supply canisters; and

(b) a second position wherein the securing member is engaged with said second ends and applies a force transmitted to the first ends of the drink supply canisters for securing said drink supply canisters to said drink supply support means, wherein said at least one pressure feed line being positioned on said securing member relative to a corresponding canister second end when said canisters are seated on said support member such that movement of the securing member from said first position to said second position causes the pressure inlet to be in fluid communication with the pressure feed line.

2. The drink supply canister holder of claim 1, wherein the support member of said drink supply canister support means defines a plurality of openings sized to receive portions of said drink supply canisters.

3. The drink supply canister holder of claim 1, wherein one of the drink supply canister support means and drink supply canister securing means includes a plurality of first mating members adapted to co-act with a plurality of second mating members of the drink supply canisters.

4. The drink supply canister holder of claim 1, which includes a plurality of drink supply canister compartments connected to the support means.

5. The drink supply canister holder of claim 1, wherein the support means is movably mounted in the refrigerator.

6. The drink supply canister holder of claim 1, which includes a drink supply canister holder access door connected to the refrigerator.

7. The drink supply canister holder of claim 1, which includes a drink supply canister holder access door pivotally connected to the refrigerator.

8. The drink supply canister holder of claim 1, which includes a drink supply canister holder access door slidably connected to the refrigerator.

9. The drink supply canister holder of claim 1, wherein the drink supply canister securing means is movably connected to the refrigerator.

10. The drink supply canister holder of claim 1, which includes a drink supply canister access door movably connected to both the refrigerator and the drink supply canister securing means.

11. The drink supply canister holder of claim 10, which includes a coupling mechanism which operatively couples the drink supply access door to the drink supply canister securing means, wherein the drink supply canister access door and the drink supply canister securing means each have an open position and a closed position, and wherein opening of the drink supply canister access door causes the drink supply canister securing means to be in the open position, and closing of the drink supply canister access door causes the drink supply canister securing means to be in closed position.

12. The drink supply canister holder of claim 1, wherein the drink supply canister support means includes a plurality of compartments for receiving the drink supply containers.

13. A drink supply canister holder for at least one drink supply canister of a beverage dispenser in a refrigerator, the drink supply canister having a first end, a second opposite end, a discharge opening defined by the first end and a pressure inlet located at said second end, said drink supply canister holder comprising:

a drink supply canister support connected to the refrigerator, the drink supply canister support including a support member connected to the refrigerator, the support member being sized and positioned so as to engage the first end of the drink supply canister, the support member defining at least one opening through which drink supply flows;

at least one drink supply canister securing member movably connected to the refrigerator in such a fashion that the drink supply canister securing member is vertically spaced apart from the drink supply canister support, the drink supply canister securing member including a securing member having at least one pressure feed line, the securing member being movable between;

(a) a first position wherein the securing member is disengaged from the second end of the drink supply canister; and

(b) a second position wherein the securing member is engaged with said second end and applies a force transmitted to the first end of the drink supply canister, wherein said at least one pressure feed line being positioned on said securing member relative to a corresponding canister second end when said canisters are seated on said support member such that movement of the securing member from said first position to said second position causes the pressure inlet to be in fluid communication with the pressure feed line; and

a gas supplier connected to one of the drink supply canister securing member and the drink supply canister support.

14. The drink supply canister holder of claim 13, wherein the opening of the drink supply support is positioned below the discharge opening of the drink supply canister.

15. The drink supply canister holder of claim 13, wherein said force is operable to secure the drink supply canister to the drink supply canister support.

16. The drink supply canister holder of claim 13, which includes at least one drink supply canister guide connected to the drink supply canister support.

17. The drink supply canister holder of claim 16, wherein the drink supply canister securing member is movably connected to the drink supply canister guide.

18. The drink supply canister holder of claim 16, wherein the drink supply canister securing member is hingedly connected to the drink supply canister guide.

19. A drink supply canister holder for a plurality of drink supply canisters of a beverage dispenser in a refrigerator, each of the drink supply canisters having a first end, a second opposite end, a discharge opening defined by the first end, a pressure inlet located at said second end, said drink supply canister holder comprising:

a plurality of drink supply canister compartments which are independently movably connected to the refrigerator, each said drink supply canister compartment adapted to removably receive one of the drink supply canisters, each of the drink supply canister compartments including;

(a) a support member positioned so as to engage the first end of one of the drink supply canisters, the support member defining at least one opening through which drink supply flows; and

(b) a drink supply canister securing member connected to the refrigerator and including a securing member vertically spaced from said support member, said securing member having at least one pressure feed line, the securing member being movable between;

(i) a first position wherein the securing member is disengaged from the second end of one of the drink supply canisters; and

(ii) a second position wherein the securing member is engaged with said second end and applies a force transmitted to the first end of said drink supply canister, wherein said at least one pressure feed line being positioned on said securing member relative to a corresponding canister second end when said canisters are seated on said support member such that movement of the securing member from said first position to said second position causes the pressure inlet to be in fluid communication with the pressure feed line.

20. The drink supply canister holder of claim 19, wherein the securing member of each of the drink supply canister compartments is pivotable relative the support member of said drink supply canister compartment.

21. The drink supply canister holder of claim 19, wherein each of the drink supply canister compartments is pivotable relative to the refrigerator.