A liquid supply system capable of being serviced and hygienically maintained easily. A beer storage barrel switching device (12) uninterruptedly supplies beer by switching between beer storage barrels (21-1, 21-2). A first connection tube (23-1) is provided with a fluid stopper device (31-1) includi
A liquid supply system capable of being serviced and hygienically maintained easily. A beer storage barrel switching device (12) uninterruptedly supplies beer by switching between beer storage barrels (21-1, 21-2). A first connection tube (23-1) is provided with a fluid stopper device (31-1) including a loop section. The fluid stopper device (31-1) switches between a suppliable state in which it is possible to supply the beer to a dispenser (11) through the first connection tube (23-1) and a non-suppliable state in which it is not possible to supply the beer. Using the fluid stopper device (31-1) eliminates the need to provide a conventional valve in the middle of the first connection tube (23-1), the conventional valve having a structural element which comes in direct contact with the beer. Accordingly, the case that a cleaning member, such as a sponge, is caught by the valve does not occur, and this enables the inner wall of the first connection tube (23-1) to be cleaned using the cleaning member. As a result, a beverage, such as beer, can be easily maintained hygienically and served.
대표청구항▼
1. A liquid-delivery switching device for switching among a plurality of liquid-storage vessels storing a liquid, and delivering the liquid to a liquid external-delivery device delivering the liquid externally, the liquid-delivery switching device comprising: a pair of liquid-delivery network sectio
1. A liquid-delivery switching device for switching among a plurality of liquid-storage vessels storing a liquid, and delivering the liquid to a liquid external-delivery device delivering the liquid externally, the liquid-delivery switching device comprising: a pair of liquid-delivery network sections, each for liquid-supply connection with at least one of the plurality of liquid-storage vessels, each liquid-delivery network section including a delivery tube of material allowing the tube to be readily kinked and un-kinked, one end of said delivery tube being a supply end and the other end being a delivery end, said delivery tube being crossed over into a delivery-cutoff loop between the supply end and the delivery end, and said delivery tube being fitted with a branch joint between the supply end and the delivery-cutoff loop,a discharge tube of material allowing the tube to be readily kinked and un-kinked, one end of said discharge tube being a branch-joint end connected to said branch joint, and the other end being a discharge end, said discharge tube being crossed over into a discharge-cutoff loop between the branch-joint end and the discharge end,loop-support parts disposed alongside the crossed-over portion of the delivery-cutoff loop and the discharge-cutoff loop, andloop-shifting parts disposed clamping the delivery-cutoff loop and the discharge-cutoff loop opposite said loop-support parts, whereinthe delivery-cutoff loop and the discharge-cutoff loop, said loop-support parts, and said loop-shifting parts constitute respective delivery and discharge cutoff devices;drive means for driving each said loop-shifting part to shift toward the opposite said loop-support part such as to bend said loop into two opposing kinks thereby cutting off fluid flow through the loop, and for driving each said loop-shifting part to shift away from the opposite said loop-support part such as to undo the opposing kinks thereby allowing fluid flow through the loop;a delivery conduit comprising the delivery tube of each of said pair of liquid-delivery network sections, an external-device connection tube, and a delivery-end joint through which the delivery ends of said delivery tubes of said pair of liquid-delivery network sections are connected with each other and said external-device connection tube, the supply ends of said delivery conduit each being configured for detachable connection with a replaceable liquid-storage vessel;a discharge conduit comprising the discharge tube of each of said pair of liquid-delivery network sections, a waste-receptacle connection tube, and a discharge-end joint through which the discharge ends of said discharge tubes of said pair of liquid-delivery network sections are connected with each other and said waste-receptacle connection tube;fluid sensing means in said delivery conduit and in either the waste-receptacle connection tube or the discharge ends of said discharge conduit, for sensing fluid-flow status in said delivery conduit and in said discharge conduit, as flow therein of liquid, of air, or of a liquid/air mixture;control means associated with said fluid sensing means for controlling, in response to flow-status information from said fluid sensing means, said drive means and said delivery and discharge cutoff devices in said liquid-delivery network sections such as to allow liquid-delivery flow through one of said pair of said liquid-delivery network sections while cutting off liquid-delivery flow through the other of said pair of said liquid-delivery network sections, depending on the fluid-flow status in each of said liquid-delivery network sections,allow liquid-discharge flow through the one of said pair of said liquid-delivery network sections through which liquid-delivery flow is cut off, conditional on said control means receiving an indication of change in fluid-flow status of the delivery-cut-off liquid-delivery network section, andswitch between allowing and cutting off liquid-delivery flow through said pair of said liquid-delivery network sections such that liquid flow through said delivery conduit is uninterrupted. 2. A liquid-delivery switching device according to claim 1, further comprising a replacement completion means for presenting to said control means replacement-complete information indicating, as the indication of change in fluid-flow status of the delivery-cut-off liquid-delivery network section, that a pre-changeover liquid-storage vessel has been replaced with a fresh vessel,whereinsaid control means has a replacement-complete-information acquisition means for acquiring the replacement-complete information from said replacement completion means. 3. A liquid-delivery switching device according to claim 1, connection-commencement notification means provided on the supply ends of said delivery conduit, for presenting to said control means connection-commencement information, as the indication of change in fluid-flow status of the delivery-cut-off liquid-delivery network section, when connection between a liquid-storage vessel and said delivery conduit begins,whereinsaid control means has a connection-commencement-information acquisition means for acquiring the connection-commencement information from said connection-commencement notification means. 4. A liquid-delivery switching device according to claim 1, wherein in response to said sensing means in the waste-receptacle connection tube or the discharge ends of said discharge conduit, said control means, following elapse of a predetermined period of time after allowing liquid-discharge flow through the one of said pair of said liquid-delivery network sections through which liquid-delivery flow is cut off, furthermore controls said drive means and said delivery and discharge cutoff devices such as to cut off liquid-discharge flow through the delivery-cut-off liquid-delivery network section. 5. A liquid-delivery switching device according to claim 1, wherein said control meanscontrols said drive means and said delivery and discharge cutoff devices such as to cut off liquid-discharqe flow through the one of said pair of said liquid-delivery network sections through which liquid-delivery flow is cut off, conditional on said control means determining that the fluid-flow status in the discharge tube of the delivery-cut-off liquid-delivery network section is that the flow is at least a liquid/air mixture. 6. A liquid-delivery switching device according to claim 1, further including: a pressure supply means for supplying pressure in order to deliver the liquid from the liquid-storage vessels;pressure-supply conduits connected with each of the plurality of liquid-storage vessels; andpressure-supply conduit opening/closing means for switching between a pressure-supply enabled state in which via whichever of the pressure-supply conduits, supplying pressure to the liquid-storage vessel connected to that pressure-supply conduit is possible, and a pressure-supply disabled state in which supplying pressure to that liquid-storage vessel is not possible. 7. A liquid-delivery switching device according to claim 6, wherein said control means is further for: controlling said switching-control means to put the pressure-supply conduit opening/closing means supplying pressure to a pre-replacement liquid-storage vessel for the flow-cutoff liquid-delivery network section into the pressure-supply disabled state, and to put the pressure-supply conduit opening/closing means supplyinq pressure to a post-replacement liquid-storage vessel into the pressure-supply enabled state; andwith the replacing liquid-storage vessel and said delivery conduit being connected following the liquid-storage vessel replacement for the flow-cutoff liquid-delivery network section, controlling said switching-control means to put the pressure-supply conduit opening/closing means supplyinq pressure to the replacing liquid-storage vessel into the pressure-supply enabled state. 8. A liquid-delivery switching device according to claim 6, wherein said pressure-supply conduit opening/closing means further is ordinarily in the supply-enabled state. 9. A liquid-delivery switching device according to claim 1, wherein said discharge conduit is disposed in a location vertically elevated with respect to said delivery conduit. 10. A liquid-delivery switching device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is beer. 11. A liquid-delivery switching device according to claim 1, wherein said discharge conduit is of thickness allowing the conduit to sustain the delivery-disabled state against changes in temperature.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (3)
McMillin John R. (Maplewood MN) Strandwitz Peter (Neenah WI), Apparatus for dispensing a carbonated beverage.
Kahlon, Satbir; Francis, Aaron T.; Lang, Chi-I; Lim, Gregory P.; Lowe, Jeffrey Chih-Hou; Sculac, Robert Anthony, Methods and systems for dispensing different liquids for high productivity combinatorial processing.
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