초록 ▼

A beverage dispensing system includes a cooling chamber filled with a bath of cooling fluid for cooling beverage fluids. A cooling unit, including an evaporator coil extending from the cooling unit into the cooling chamber, freezes the cooling fluid into a frozen cooling bank about the evaporator co

A beverage dispensing system includes a cooling chamber filled with a bath of cooling fluid for cooling beverage fluids. A cooling unit, including an evaporator coil extending from the cooling unit into the cooling chamber, freezes the cooling fluid into a frozen cooling bank about the evaporator coil. Sensor units positioned at desired locations about the evaporator coil provide output corresponding to the size and shape of the frozen cooling bank. Also, a control unit reads the output from the sensor units and operates the cooling unit to regulate the growth of the frozen cooling bank. In addition, the control unit may read output from temperature sensors attached to dispensing valves or monitoring ambient temperature conditions.

대표청구항 ▼

A beverage dispensing system includes a cooling chamber filled with a bath of cooling fluid for cooling beverage fluids. A cooling unit, including an evaporator coil extending from the cooling unit into the cooling chamber, freezes the cooling fluid into a frozen cooling bank about the evaporator co

A beverage dispensing system includes a cooling chamber filled with a bath of cooling fluid for cooling beverage fluids. A cooling unit, including an evaporator coil extending from the cooling unit into the cooling chamber, freezes the cooling fluid into a frozen cooling bank about the evaporator coil. Sensor units positioned at desired locations about the evaporator coil provide output corresponding to the size and shape of the frozen cooling bank. Also, a control unit reads the output from the sensor units and operates the cooling unit to regulate the growth of the frozen cooling bank. In addition, the control unit may read output from temperature sensors attached to dispensing valves or monitoring ambient temperature conditions. material homogeneously dispersed therethrough. 16. The thermoelectric assembly of claim 15, wherein said thermally insulative filler material comprises a plurality of microspheres formed from a thermally insulative material. 17. The thermoelectric assembly of claim 16 wherein said microspheres are each hollow and contain a gas. 18. The thermoelectric assembly of claim 17 wherein said microspheres are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of glass, plastic and ceramic. 19. The thermoelectric assembly of claim 18 wherein said elastomeric member also includes a channel formed therein and extending along the length of said elastomeric member. 20. The thermoelectric assembly of claim 18 wherein said channel is centrally located in said elastomeric member. 21. The thermoelectric assembly of claim 1 including at least one fastener which fastens said first heat exchanger to said second heat exchanger; said sealing member including an outer periphery and at least one indexing guide positioned on said outer periphery, said indexing guide receiving said at least one fastener and facilitating the positioning and location of said sealing member with respect to said thermoelectric module in said assembly. 22. The thermoelectric assembly of claim 21 wherein said indexing guide is formed in one piece with said sealing member and includes an aperture extending therethrough for receiving said fastener. 23. The thermoelectric assembly of claim 22 wherein said sealing member includes a second indexing guide positioned on said outer periphery at a position spaced from said one indexing guide. 24. A sealing member for a thermoelectric assembly having a thermoelectric module with a periphery and at least one electrical wire projecting therefrom, wherein the thermoelectric module is positioned between a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, said sealing member comprising: an elastomeric member adapted to be positioned beyond the periphery of the thermoelectric module, said elastomeric member having a first surface adapted to sealingly engage a surface of the first heat exchanger, and an opposing second surface adapted to sealingly engage a surface of the second heat exchanger, at least one aperture extending through said elastomeric member, said at least one aperture dimensioned to sealingly receive the at least one electrical wire therethrough, and at least one wire guide projecting from said sealing member in a direction away from the thermoelectric module when the sealing member is positioned in the thermoelectric assembly and having a channel dimensioned for receipt of the at least one electrical wire, wherein said at least one aperture and said channel are substantially axially aligned. 25. The sealing member of claim 24, wherein said first surface and said second surface of said sealing member are each formed with at least two sealing surfaces. 26. The sealing member of claim 25, wherein said at least two sealing surfaces define a channel therebetween. 27. The sealing member of claim 24, further comprising a sealing agent in said at least one aperture and adapted to be positioned between said at least one aperture and the at least one electrical wire when the electrical wire is positioned in said at least one aperture. 28. The sealing member of claim 27, further comprising a sealing agent in said channel and adapted to be between said channel formed in said at least one wire guide and the at least one wire when the electrical wire is positioned in said channel. 29. The sealing member as recited in claim 28, wherein said sealing agent is selected from the group consisting of an adhesive and vacuum grease. 30. The sealing member of claim 24, wherein said sealing member comprises an elastomeric material having a low water vapor permeability. 31. The sealing member of claim 30, wherein said elastomeric material comprises a butyl rubber. 32. The sealing member of claim 30, wherein said elastomeric material comp