IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0091327
(2005-03-28)
|
등록번호 |
US-7305847
(2007-12-11)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Wolski,Peter F.
- Jablonski,Thaddeus M.
- Elsom,Kyle B.
- Schertz,Eric
- Leaver,Daniel C.
- Brandt,Kevin
- Manisco,Todd
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Wolski,Peter F.
- Jablonski,Thaddeus M.
- Elsom,Kyle B.
- Schertz,Eric
- Leaver,Daniel C.
- Brandt,Kevin
- Manisco,Todd
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
17 인용 특허 :
7 |
초록
▼
A beverage dispensing system is characterized by an ice/beverage dispenser and a remote beverage tower. The dispenser has a cold plate, a carbonator pump and a carbonator tank and the tower has a carbonator tank. To chill the tower carbonator tank, a closed loop fluid circuit extends between and hea
A beverage dispensing system is characterized by an ice/beverage dispenser and a remote beverage tower. The dispenser has a cold plate, a carbonator pump and a carbonator tank and the tower has a carbonator tank. To chill the tower carbonator tank, a closed loop fluid circuit extends between and heat exchange couples the dispenser cold plate and the tower carbonator tank. The dispenser carbonator pump can be used to circulate water through the closed loop circuit or a carbonator pump for the tower can be used for the purpose. A valve arrangement is provided for and as part of the dispenser cold plate to conveniently enable the dispenser to be switched between stand-alone operation and operation as a base unit for the remote tower. Arrangement is also made to cause ice agitation at the dispenser in response to drinks dispense at the remote tower to maintain a supply on the cold plate.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A method of providing chilling at a location remote from a beverage dispenser having a cold plate with a plurality of fluid chilling circuits, said method comprising the steps of: flowing fluid through at least one of the cold plate fluid chilling circuits to chill the fluid;
What is claimed is: 1. A method of providing chilling at a location remote from a beverage dispenser having a cold plate with a plurality of fluid chilling circuits, said method comprising the steps of: flowing fluid through at least one of the cold plate fluid chilling circuits to chill the fluid; delivering the chilled fluid to the location remote from the beverage dispenser; and heat exchange coupling the chilled fluid to product at the remote location without contact between the chilled fluid and product. 2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the beverage dispenser is an ice and beverage dispenser, and including the step of using ice to chill the cold plate of the dispenser. 3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the beverage dispenser includes a pump and said delivering step comprises using the pump to deliver the chilled fluid to the location remote from the beverage dispenser. 4. A method as in claim 1, wherein the beverage dispenser includes a first pump and said delivering step comprises using a second pump to deliver the chilled fluid to the location remote from the beverage dispenser. 5. A method as in claim 1, wherein product is in a container at the remote location, and including the step of heat exchange coupling the chilled fluid delivered to the remote location to the container. 6. A method as in claim 1, wherein product is in a container at the remote location, and including the step of heat exchange coupling the chilled fluid delivered to the remote location to the product in the container. 7. A method as in claim 1, wherein product is in contact with a heat exchanger, having at least one fluid circuit, at the remote location, and including the step of flowing the chilled fluid delivered to the remote location through the at least one fluid circuit of the heat exchanger at the remote location. 8. A method as in claim 1, wherein a product dispenser is at the remote location, and including the step of operating the product dispenser for dispensing product chilled by the chilled fluid. 9. A method as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of cold plate fluid chilling circuits include at least one beverage component chilling circuit and at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit, said flowing step comprises flowing fluid through the at least one auxiliary chilling circuit, and including the steps of flowing a beverage component through the at least one beverage component chilling circuit, and using at least one valve to control fluid placement of the at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit, such that in a first state of the at least one valve, said flowing step flows fluid through the at least one cold plate auxiliary fluid chilling circuit and, in a second state of the at least one valve, the auxiliary fluid chilling circuit is switched to be in fluid circuit with the at least one beverage component chilling circuit, so that in the second state of the at least one valve, said step of flowing a beverage component flows the beverage component through both the at least one beverage component chilling circuit and the at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit. 10. A method as in claim 9, wherein the at least one valve, in each of its first and second states, couples a supply of the beverage component to the at least one cold plate beverage component chilling circuit. 11. A method as in claim 1, wherein the product at the remote location is liquid beverage product and including the step of fluid coupling the product to a beverage dispensing tower at the remote location. 12. A method as in claim 1, wherein the product at the remote location is carbonated water in a carbonator tank of a remote beverage dispensing tower and including the step of heat exchange coupling the chilled fluid delivered to the remote location to the carbonator tank. 13. A method as in claim 12, including the step of using a carbonator pump of the beverage dispenser to pump water through at least one of the cold plate fluid chilling circuit to a carbonator tank of the beverage dispenser, wherein said delivering step is performed using the carbonator pump. 14. A method as in claim 1, wherein a remote tower is at the remote location, the product at the remote location is a beverage product and including the steps of coupling the product chilled at the remote location to the remote tower, dispensing the chilled product from the remote tower and, in response to said dispensing step, delivering ice to the beverage dispenser cold plate. 15. A method of providing heat exchange cooling at a remote tower through use of a beverage dispenser having a pump and a cold plate with a plurality of fluid chilling circuits, said method comprising the steps of: using the beverage dispenser pump to flow fluid through a first fluid chilling circuit of the cold plate to chill the fluid; delivering the chilled fluid to the remote tower; and heat exchange coupling the delivered chilled fluid to a first beverage component at the remote tower to chill the beverage component without contact between the chilled fluid and beverage component. 16. A method as in claim 15, including the step of chilling a second beverage component at the beverage dispenser by using the pump to flow the second beverage component through a second fluid chilling circuit of the cold plate. 17. A method as in claim 16, including the step of terminating said delivering and heat exchange steps by placing the cold plate first fluid chilling circuit in fluid circuit with the second fluid chilling circuit, so that the first fluid chilling circuit is also used to chill the second beverage component. 18. A method as in claim 15, including the steps of dispensing the first beverage component at the remote tower and, in response to said dispensing step, delivering ice to the beverage dispenser cold plate. 19. A method as in claim 15, including the steps of dispensing beverage at the remote tower; sensing performance of said dispensing step; and, in response sensing performance of said dispensing step, delivering ice to the beverage dispenser cold plate. 20. A method as in claim 1, wherein the beverage is one of carbonated water, plain water and beverage syrup. 21. A method of providing a chilled beverage to a beverage dispensing tower separate and remote from a beverage dispenser having a cold plate including at least one beverage chilling circuit, said method comprising the steps of: chilling the cold plate; flowing beverage through the at least one beverage chilling circuit of the beverage dispenser cold plate to chill the beverage; delivering the chilled beverage to the remote beverage dispensing tower; and dispensing the chilled beverage at the remote beverage dispensing tower. 22. A method as in claim 21, wherein said step of chilling the cold plate comprises the step of placing a supply of ice in heat exchange contact with the cold plate. 23. A method as in claim 21, wherein said step of chilling the cold plate comprises the steps of placing the cold plate in a cold plate compartment of the beverage dispenser; and introducing ice into the cold plate compartment and into heat exchange contact with the cold plate. 24. A method as in claim 21, where the beverage is carbonated water. 25. A method as in claim 21, wherein the beverage is plain water. 26. A method as in claim 21, wherein said dispensing step comprises dispensing the beverage from a post-mix valve of the remote tower and the beverage is a beverage syrup. 27. A method as in claim 21, wherein said delivering step comprises flowing the beverage through a closed-loop circulation circuit that includes the at least one cold plate beverage chilling circuit and that extends between the cold plate and the remote beverage dispensing tower, and fluid coupling the closed-loop circulation circuit to a dispensing valve at the remote tower. 28. A method as in claim 27, wherein the beverage is one of carbonated water, plain water and beverage syrup.
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