IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0335061
(2006-01-18)
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등록번호 |
US-7628023
(2009-12-16)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
4 인용 특허 :
7 |
초록
▼
An apparatus and method are provided for cooling a dispensed beverage. Direct cooling of the beverage is achieved by circulation of a refrigerant in contact with a reservoir that holds the beverage just prior to being dispensed. The reservoir is disposed within a dispense font. The open space within
An apparatus and method are provided for cooling a dispensed beverage. Direct cooling of the beverage is achieved by circulation of a refrigerant in contact with a reservoir that holds the beverage just prior to being dispensed. The reservoir is disposed within a dispense font. The open space within the font acts as an evaporator of a closed refrigeration loop thereby achieving cooling without having to use a separate heat transfer loop. A refrigeration subsystem is mounted directly adjacent the dispense font to provide a controlled flow of refrigerant to the open space within the font. Evaporated refrigerant is recycled in the refrigeration subsystem.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for cooling a liquid beverage to be dispensed, said apparatus comprising: a reservoir containing a quantity of the liquid beverage to be dispensed; a supply line communicating with said reservoir for supplying a flow of the liquid beverage to the reservoir; a dis
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for cooling a liquid beverage to be dispensed, said apparatus comprising: a reservoir containing a quantity of the liquid beverage to be dispensed; a supply line communicating with said reservoir for supplying a flow of the liquid beverage to the reservoir; a dispense line communicating with said reservoir for dispensing the liquid beverage; a spigot attached to said dispense line; a tap handle communicating with said dispense line and said spigot for controlling the dispensing of the liquid beverage; a dispense font enclosing said liquid reservoir, said dispense font having an interior open space between said reservoir and an interior surface of the dispense font; refrigeration means for cooling the beverage in the liquid reservoir, said refrigeration means including a compressor for compressing a refrigerant to a high pressure gas, a condenser connected to said compressor for condensing the refrigerant, and said condenser communicating with the open space within said font, said open space causing said refrigerant to evaporate thereby cooling the liquid beverage within the liquid reservoir, and said refrigerant then flowing from said open space within said font back to said compressor; and a heating jacket surrounding said reservoir and disposed within said font in contact with the refrigerant, and heating elements incorporated on said heating jacket for selectively heating the liquid beverage within said liquid reservoir and to prevent the liquid beverage from freezing. 2. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, further including: a temperature sensor disposed within said font and communicating with said beverage in said liquid reservoir, and a temperature controller connected to said temperature sensor and said heating elements, wherein said temperature sensor senses a temperature of the liquid beverage within said reservoir, and said temperature controller activates said heating elements to selectively control the temperature of the liquid beverage. 3. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said font is mounted on a surface, said font having a portion extending above said surface and a portion extending below said surface, and said refrigeration means being disposed below said surface and adjacent to said font. 4. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said heating jacket surrounds said reservoir in a concentric arrangement, and said refrigerant freely flows within the open space of said font, said open space directly communicating with said reservoir and said heating jacket. 5. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said heating elements are mounted to and spaced along said heating jacket for substantially even distribution of heat produced from said heating elements to effectively warm the liquid beverage in said liquid reservoir to prevent freezing of the liquid beverage. 6. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 2, wherein: said temperature sensor is mounted within said liquid reservoir. 7. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said refrigerant comprises R134A and R404A. 8. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said refrigerant, when flowing from said compressor is a compressed heated gas, and when said refrigerant flows from said condenser, said refrigerant is condensed to a liquid phase. 9. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, further including: a temperature sensor disposed within said font and communicating with said beverage in said reservoir, and a temperature controller connected to said temperature sensor, wherein said temperature sensor senses a temperature of the liquid beverage within said liquid reservoir, and said temperature controller activates said refrigeration means to selectively control cooling provided by said refrigeration means to the open space within said dispense font. 10. An apparatus for cooling a liquid beverage to be dispensed, said apparatus comprising: a reservoir; a supply line connected to said liquid reservoir to supply the liquid beverage to said reservoir; a dispense line connected to said reservoir for dispensing the liquid beverage; a dispense font mounted over said reservoir and sealing said reservoir therein; means for delivering refrigeration to an open space within said font and surrounding said reservoir, said means for delivering refrigeration including a refrigerant that is delivered to said open space as a liquid, wherein said refrigerant evaporates forming a low pressure gas and thereby cooling said reservoir, said refrigerant being evacuated from said open space for reuse after evaporation; a heating jacket disposed within said font surrounding said reservoir and in contact with the refrigerant; and at least one heating element mounted to said heating jacket, wherein said heating element is selectively activated to transfer heat from said heating element to said reservoir for maintaining the liquid beverage within said reservoir at a desired temperature and to prevent the liquid beverage from freezing. 11. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 10, further including: a compressor communicating with said open space for compressing the refrigerant from the low-pressure gas to a high-pressure gas; and a condenser placed in communication with said compressor, said condenser condensing said high-pressure refrigerant gas to a liquid phase. 12. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 10, further including: a temperature sensor communicating with said reservoir, and a temperature controller connected to said temperature sensor and said at least one heating element wherein said temperature sensor measures a temperature of the liquid beverage within said reservoir, and said temperature controller selectively activates said at least one heating element to maintain said liquid beverage at the desired temperature within said reservoir. 13. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 10, further including: a temperature sensor disposed within said font and communicating with said liquid beverage in said reservoir, and a temperature controller connected to said temperature sensor, wherein said temperature sensor senses a temperature of the liquid beverage within said reservoir, and said temperature controller activates said means for delivering refrigeration to selectively control the temperature of the liquid beverage. 14. A method of cooling a dispensed liquid beverage, said method comprising: providing a font and a closed refrigeration subsystem, said closed refrigeration subsystem including a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator, said evaporator defined by an open space within said font; providing a reservoir disposed within said font and surrounded by said open space of said font; commencing a refrigeration cycle wherein a refrigerant passes from the compressor as a compressed gas, said refrigerant flowing to said condenser and said condenser condensing said refrigerant to a liquid, said refrigerant flowing through said open space within said font and evaporating within said open space; providing a flow of a liquid beverage through said reservoir; wherein evaporation of said refrigerant within said open space cools the beverage by heat transfer from the liquid beverage to the open space; and means for heating is placed within said font and adjacent said reservoir in contact with the refrigerant, said means for heating being selectively activated to heat the liquid beverage when the liquid beverage falls below a predetermined temperature to maintain the beverage in a liquid state and thus preventing the liquid from freezing. 15. A method, as claimed in claim 14, wherein: a temperature sensor is mounted in communication with said reservoir, and a temperature controller electrically connects to said temperature sensor and said heating means, said temperature controller selectively activating said heating means based upon temperature inputs from said temperature sensor.
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