초록 ▼

A beverage tower having a cold block with glycol recirculation, the tap/valve is built into the cold block, so as to keep the entire beverage tap cold and maintain the beverages in a sanitary condition meeting health codes. The glycol lines within the cold block pass around the tap in the cold block

A beverage tower having a cold block with glycol recirculation, the tap/valve is built into the cold block, so as to keep the entire beverage tap cold and maintain the beverages in a sanitary condition meeting health codes. The glycol lines within the cold block pass around the tap in the cold block in serpentine fashion or in a coolant chamber, resulting in a tap which remains cooled effectively, while the cold block provides thermal inertia to the system. Serpentine channels may further be used so that the beverage passing through the beverage supply channels has a longer run in contact with the conductive material of the cold block and more opportunity to reject heat. Various types of towers may benefit from the present invention: traditional, hand-operated, automated, multiple-tap, towers also otherwise cooled, decorative towers and so on.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A beverage dispensing device comprising: a cold block having a body made of a heat conducting material;at least one tap, its beverage/valve portions embedded within a coolant chamber embedded within the cold block;at least one beverage channel passing through the cold block to the at least one ta

1. A beverage dispensing device comprising: a cold block having a body made of a heat conducting material;at least one tap, its beverage/valve portions embedded within a coolant chamber embedded within the cold block;at least one beverage channel passing through the cold block to the at least one tap;at least one coolant channel passing through the cold block to the coolant chamber, the coolant channel terminating at a coolant chamber inlet, the coolant chamber having an interior, the coolant chamber interior being larger than the coolant channel. 2. The beverage dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the at least one beverage channel and the coolant channel are serpentine within the cold block. 3. The beverage dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising: a beverage tower, the cold block disposed within the beverage tower. 4. The beverage dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising: a second tap, its beverage/valve portions embedded within the cold block;a second beverage channel passing through the cold block to the second tap;the at least one coolant channel passing through the cold block to the second tap and passing about the second tap within the cold block. 5. The beverage dispensing device of claim 4, further comprising: a glycol return allowing glycol in the cold block coolant channel to re-circulate to a glycol cooling and re-circulation unit. 6. The beverage dispensing device of claim 5, further comprising: first and second beverage supplies. 7. The beverage dispensing device of claim 6, further comprising: first and second beverage supplies, wherein the first and second beverage supplies further comprise containers having therein one member selected from the group consisting of:milk, non-dairy products, carbonated and non-carbonated beer, other alcoholic beverages, syrups, water, coffee and tea, fruit juice and combinations thereof. 8. The beverage dispensing device of claim 6, wherein the first and second beverage supplies further comprise containers having therein one member selected from the group consisting of: milk, non-dairy products, carbonated and non-carbonated beer, other alcoholic beverages, syrups, water, coffee and tea, fruit juice and combinations thereof. 9. A beverage dispensing device comprising: a cold block having a body made of a heat conducting material;at least one solenoid, the solenoid being at least partially embedded within the cold block;at least one tap having a tap valve having a portion for containing beverage, the tap valve and its beverage containing portions embedded within a coolant chamber embedded within the cold block, the tap being mechanically engaged to the solenoid whereby the solenoid controls the operation of the tap, the portion of the solenoid mechanically engaged to the tap valve being embedded within the cold block;at least one beverage channel passing through the cold block to the at least one tap valve beverage containing portions; andat least one coolant channel passing through the cold block to the coolant chamber, the coolant channel terminating at a coolant chamber inlet, the coolant chamber having an interior, the coolant chamber interior being larger than the coolant channel. 10. The beverage dispensing device of claim 9, wherein the at least one beverage channel and the coolant channel are serpentine within the cold block. 11. The beverage dispensing device of claim 10, further comprising: a beverage tower, the cold block disposed within the beverage tower,a second tap, its beverage/valve portions embedded within the cold block;a second beverage channel passing through the cold block to the second tap;the at least one coolant channel passing through the cold block to the second tap and passing about the second tap within the cold block. 12. The beverage dispensing device of claim 11, further comprising: a glycol return allowing glycol in the cold block coolant channel to re-circulate to a glycol cooling and re-circulation unit. 13. A beverage dispensing device comprising: a cold block having a body made of a heat conducting material;at least one tap, its beverage/valve portions embedded within a coolant chamber, the coolant chamber in turn embedded within the cold block;at least one beverage channel passing through the cold block to the at least one tap;at least one coolant channel passing through the cold block to the coolant chamber, the coolant channel terminating at a coolant chamber inlet, the coolant chamber having an interior, the coolant chamber interior being larger than the coolant channel. 14. The beverage dispensing device of claim 13, further comprising: at least one solenoid, the solenoid being at least partially embedded within the coolant chamber;the tap having a tap valve, the tap valve being mechanically engaged to the solenoid whereby the solenoid controls the operation of the tap, the portion of the solenoid mechanically engaged to the tap valve being embedded within the coolant chamber. 15. The beverage dispensing device of claim 13, wherein the at least one beverage channel and the coolant channel are serpentine within the cold block. 16. The beverage dispensing device of claim 13, further comprising: a beverage tower, the cold block disposed within the beverage tower,a second tap, its beverage/valve portions embedded within a second coolant chamber also in turn embedded within the cold block;a second beverage channel passing through the cold block to the second tap;the at least one coolant channel passing through the cold block to the second coolant chamber. 17. The beverage dispensing device of claim 16, further comprising: a glycol return allowing glycol in the cold block coolant channel to re-circulate to a glycol cooling and re-circulation unit. 18. The beverage dispensing device of claim 17, further comprising: first and second beverage supplies, wherein the first and second beverage supplies further comprise containers having therein one member selected from the group consisting of:milk, non-dairy products, carbonated and non-carbonated beer, other alcoholic beverages, syrups, water, coffee and tea, fruit juice and combinations thereof.