Abstract:
A mounting assembly includes a beverage mounting assembly having a housing. The housing has a housing wall that surrounds a cavity. A valve body is connectable to the beverage mounting assembly. The valve body is connectable to the beverage mounting assembly via a clip. The clip is insertable into both the housing and the valve body to connect the valve body to the beverage mounting assembly. At least one actuator is disposed in the cavity of the housing. The actuator rotates from a closed position to an open position that actuates pressure to the valve body from a liquid source. The actuator is separate from the clip that connects the housing to the valve body.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/555,223, filed Nov. 3, 2011. The contents of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/555,223, filed Nov. 3, 2011, are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Disclosure 
         [0003]    The present disclosure relates to a mounting assembly that connects a source of flavor ingredients and/or water, carbonated or still, to a valve body of a beverage valve assembly to provide greater clearance to a component of the mounting assembly that actuates pressure to the valve body from the source of flavor ingredients and/or water. In addition, the present disclosure relates to a mounting assembly that separates connection of the mounting assembly to a valve body of a beverage valve assembly and actuation of pressure to the valve body from a source of flavor ingredients and/or water, carbonated or still. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Currently restaurants serve a variety of beverages such as carbonated drinks and non-carbonated drinks by use of beverage valve assemblies. The beverage valve assemblies, for example, a plurality of beverage valve assemblies  1100   a,    1100   b,    1100   c  and  1100   d  shown in  FIG. 1 , mix and dispense carbonated and non-carbonated beverages. Plurality of beverage valve assemblies  1100   a,    1100   b,    1100   c  and  1100   d  are similar to one another, and, accordingly, only one of the plurality of beverage valve assemblies  1100   a  is described herein. Beverage valve assembly  1100   a  has a cover  1102  that covers controls (not shown) and valves connected to a valve body (not shown) that control and mix flavor ingredients, for example, cola or lemonade, and carbonated water and/or still water to form a beverage. Cover  1102  protects internal valve assembly components such as solenoids, flow controls, electronics, and the like. Beverage valve assembly  1100   a  has a nozzle  1104  and lever  1106 . A force is applied to lever  1106  to move lever from front to back to actuate a control to mix flavor ingredients and carbonated water and/or still water to form the beverage and dispenses the beverage through nozzle  1104  into a container such as a cup as is known in the art. Beverage valve assembly  1100   a  has a beverage valve assembly housing  1108  having a dispenser wall connected to beverage valve assembly  1100   a  and a surface  1110  adjacent cover  1102  forming an upper space  1112  therebetween. Beverage valve assembly housing  1108  forms a lower space  1113  below nozzle  1104 . 
         [0006]      FIG. 2  is another exemplary embodiment of a plurality of beverage valve assemblies  1200   a  and  1200   b.  Beverage valve assemblies  1200   a  and  1200   b  are similar to beverage valve assembly  1100   a,  and, thus, similar features include the same reference numerals. Each of beverage valve assemblies  1200   a  and  1200   b  has beverage valve assembly housing  1108  having surface  1110  adjacent cover  1102  forming a space  1112   a  therebetween. Space  1112   a  has a decreasing size from between surface  1110  and cover  1102  at beverage valve assembly  1200   b  to between surface  1110  and cover  1102  at beverage valve assembly  1200   a.    
         [0007]    Spaces  1112  and  1112   a  are narrow making it difficult to connect and disconnect beverage valve assemblies  1100   a,    1100   b,    1100   c,    1100   d,    1200   a  and  1200   b  to carbonated and/or still water sources and flavor ingredient sources. Finger and hand clearance in spaces  1112  and  1112   a  cause frustration and delay for installers and service technicians because access to the upper-back region of the beverage valve assemblies through spaces  1112  and  1112   a  is required to install and remove the source of flavor ingredients and/or carbonated or still water for service. 
         [0008]    Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus that connects a valve body of a beverage valve assembly to a water source, carbonated and/or still, and/or flavor ingredient source with a component at a lower portion of the apparatus that actuates pressure to the valve body from the water source and/or flavor ingredient source. There is a further need for a method and apparatus to connect and disconnect a valve body of a beverage valve assembly to a water source, carbonated and/or still, and/or flavor ingredient source and separately actuate pressure to the valve body from the water source and/or flavor ingredient source. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0009]    There is provided a mounting assembly that includes a beverage mounting assembly having a housing. The housing has a housing wall that surrounds a cavity. A valve body is connectable to the beverage mounting assembly. The valve body is connectable to the beverage mounting assembly via a clip. The clip is insertable into both the housing and the valve body to connect the valve body to the beverage mounting assembly. At least one actuator is disposed in the cavity of the housing. The actuator rotates from a closed position to an open position that actuates pressure to the valve body from a liquid source. The actuator is separate from the clip that connects the housing to the valve body. 
         [0010]    There is also provided a mounting assembly that includes a housing having a top portion opposite a bottom portion, a front portion opposite a rear portion, and two opposite side portions. The front portion of the housing is connectable to a valve body of a beverage valve assembly. The housing has at least one actuator on the bottom portion that actuates pressure to the valve body from a liquid source. 
         [0011]    There is additionally provided a mounting assembly that includes a housing that is connectable to a valve body. The housing has a housing wall that surrounds a cavity. The housing wall has at least two openings therethrough that are aligned to provide access through the cavity. At least one actuator has an aperture therethrough and rotates in the cavity. The actuator rotates from a closed position covering the two openings to an open position that aligns the two openings with the aperture uncovering the two openings to actuate pressure to the valve body from a liquid source. 
         [0012]    The above-described and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, drawings, and appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a beverage dispenser of the prior art. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a front view of another exemplary embodiment of a beverage dispenser of the prior art. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a mounting assembly of the present disclosure. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is front perspective cross-sectional view of the mounting assembly of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged partial rear side perspective view of the mounting assembly of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged partial side view of the mounting assembly of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a front side perspective view of the mounting assembly of  FIG. 3  connected to a valve body of the present disclosure. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged partial bottom side perspective view of the mounting assembly of  FIG. 3  connected to the valve body  FIG. 7 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged partial top side perspective view of the mounting assembly of  FIG. 3  and the valve body of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is a top view of the mounting assembly of  FIG. 3  that is connected to the beverage dispenser and the valve body of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is exploded front side perspective view of the mounting assembly of  FIG. 3 , valve body of  FIG. 7  and a portion of a beverage dispenser. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0024]      FIG. 3  shows an exemplary embodiment of a mounting assembly  100  according to the present disclosure. Mounting assembly  100  has a housing  102 . Housing  102  has housing wall  104 . Housing wall  104  has a plurality of wall openings  113  adjacent a perimeter of mounting assembly  100 . Wall openings  113  are sized so that fasteners, for example, screws, can pass through each of wall openings  113  to connect mounting assembly  100  to the beverage dispenser. 
         [0025]    Housing wall  104  forms conduits  106  and  108 . Conduits  106  and  108  each have an opening  110  at a top portion  112  of housing  102  and, as shown in  FIG. 4 , an opening  116  at a bottom portion  114  of housing  102 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , a cavity  117  extends from opening  110  to opening  116 . 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , each of conduits  106  and  108  has a plurality of holes  118 . Each of plurality of holes  118  may be a single hole or more than one hole. Plurality of holes  118  are each show as two holes in  FIG. 3  separated by a partition that is positioned on a 45 degree angle or diagonally between the two holes. Plurality of holes  118  are through a front portion  104   a  of housing wall  104  and, as shown in  FIG. 5 , through a rear portion  104   b  of housing wall  104  so that the plurality of holes are aligned to form openings through conduits  106  and  108 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , each of said plurality of holes  118  is surrounded by a sleeve  119  that protrudes away from each of the pair of holes  118 . Sleeve  119  is a cylindrical tubular shape. 
         [0027]    Housing wall  104  forms a first loop  144   a  and a second loop  144   b  on side  124  and a third loop  144   c  and a fourth loop  144   d  on side  126  of housing  102 . Loops  144   a,    144   b,    144   c,    144   d  are tubular in shape. First loop  144   a  has openings  120   a,    120   b,  second loop  144   b  has openings  120   c,    120   d,  third loop  144   c  has openings  122   a,    122   b,  and fourth loop  144   d  has openings  122   c,    122   d  through housing wall  104 . 
         [0028]    Mounting assembly  100  has spindles  128  and  130 . Spindle  128  has a spindle body  129  and spindle  130  has a spindle body  131 . Spindle body  129  is removably connectable to housing  102  in conduit  106  and the spindle body  131  is removably connectable to housing  102  in conduit  108 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , each of spindle bodies  129  and  130  have a plurality of apertures  136  therethrough so that spindles  128  and  130  are rotatable in conduits  106  and  108  from a closed position covering plurality of openings  118  to an open position that aligns apertures  136  and pair of holes  118  uncovering the pair of holes  118 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , spindle  128  is shown in the open position and spindle  130  is show in the closed position. 
         [0029]    A clip  200  is removably connectable to housing  102  to removably connect a valve body  400  to mounting assembly  100 . Clip  200  has a middle portion  202 , a first side portion  204  and a second side portion  206 . In a connected position, first side portion  204  is threaded through openings  120   a,    120   b  of first loop  144   a  and openings  120   c,    120   d  of second loop  144   b.  Second side portion  206  is threaded through openings  122   a,    122   b  of third loop  144   c  and openings  122   c,    122   d  of fourth loop  144   d.    
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , spindles  128  and  130  are cylindrical shaped. Spindles  128  and  130  may each have ribs  140 . Ribs  140  are bearing surfaces of spindles  128  and  130  that contact housing wall  104  surrounding cavities  117  of conduits  106  and  108 . Ribs  140  facilitate smooth rotation. Spindles  128  and  130  are connected to a sealing material  142  that surrounds apertures  136 . Sealing material  142  is flexible so that sealing material  142  is compressed within conduits  106  and  108  and abuts housing wall  104  surrounding cavities of conduits  106  and  108  providing a seal therebetween. Sealing material  142  covers holes  118  in the closed position sealing conduits  106  and  108 . Plurality of holes  118  having two holes separated by the partition that is positioned on a 45 degree angle or diagonally between the two holes facilitates insertion of spindle  128  into conduit  106  and insertion of spindle  130  into conduit  108  without damaging sealing material  142 . 
         [0031]    Spindle bodies  129  and  130  each have a protrusion  132  and a slot  134 . Protrusions  132  extend substantially perpendicular to the spindle bodies  129  and  130 . Each of slots  134  is a depression in one of spindle bodies  129  and  130 . Protrusion  132  and slots  134  are outside of conduits  106  and  108  when spindle bodies  129  and  130  are in conduits  106  and  108 , respectively. Spindles  128  and  130  are in the closed position in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0032]    Housing  102  is connected to a plate  300 . Plate  300  is connected to housing  102 , for example, by bolts  302 . Plate  300  has holes  304 . Spindles  128  and  130  pass through holes  304  so that plate  300  fits in slots  134 . 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , housing wall  104  has a wall  138  that extends adjacent to protrusions  132  of each of spindles  128  and  130  when spindle  128  is within conduit  106  and spindle  130  is within conduit  108 . Protrusion  132  of spindle  128  is positioned adjacent side  124  in the closed position and protrusion  132  of spindle  130  is positioned adjacent side  126  in the closed position. Protrusion  132  of spindle  128  is rotated about 90 degrees away from wall  138  from the closed position to the open position and protrusion  132  of spindle  130  is rotated about 90 degrees away from wall  138  from the closed position to the open position. 
         [0034]    Each of the pair of plurality of holes  118  that are aligned to form an opening through one of conduits  106  and  108  connects to tubing that connects to a source of liquid. The liquid, for example, is carbonated water, still water, or flavor ingredients. Each of the pair of plurality of holes  118  are surrounded by a connector wall  121  on rear portion  104   b  of housing  102 . Connector wall  121  connects to the tubing that connects to a source of liquid. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , wall  138  is sized to extend beyond and cover protrusions  132 . 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIGS. 7-9 , valve body  400  is connectable to mounting assembly  100 . Valve body  400  has a connecting portion  408 . Connecting portion  408  has a first connecting protrusion  410   a  and a second connecting protrusion  410   b  on a first side and a third connecting protrusion  410   c  and a forth connecting protrusion  410   d  on a second side that is opposite to the first side. First loop  144   a  has a complimentary shape to first connecting protrusion  410   a  and second connecting protrusion  410   b  to fit therebetween so that openings  120   a,    120   b  align with both an opening  412   a  through first connecting protrusion  410   a  and an opening (not shown) through second connecting protrusion  410   b.  Second connecting protrusion  410   b  has a complimentary shape to fit between first loop  144   a  and second loop  144   b  so that openings  120   c,    120   d  align with the opening through second connecting protrusion  410   b.  Third loop  144   c  has a complimentary shape to third connecting protrusion  410   c  and forth connecting protrusion  410   d  to fit therebetween so that openings  122   a,    122   b  align with both an opening  412   c  through third connecting protrusion  410   c  and an opening (not shown) through forth connecting protrusion  410   d.  Forth connecting protrusion  410   d  has a complimentary shape to fit between third loop  144   c  and fourth loop  144   d  so that openings  122   c,    122   d  align with the opening through forth connecting protrusion  410   d.    
         [0037]    Valve body  400  is connected to mounting assembly  100  in a connected position. Clip  200  and plate  300  connect valve body  400  to mounting assembly  100 . Plate  300  abuts valve body  400  in the connected position. First side portion  204  of clip  200  passes through openings  120   c,    120   d  of second loop  144   b,  the opening through second connecting protrusion  410   b,  openings  120   a,    120   b  of first loop  144   a,  and opening  412   a  of first connecting protrusion  410   a  in the connected position. Second side portion  206  of clip  200  passes through openings  122   c,    122   d  of fourth loop  144   d,  the opening through forth connecting protrusion  410   d,  openings  122   a,    122   b  of third loop  144   c,  and opening  412   c  through third connecting protrusion  410   c  in the connected position. 
         [0038]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , middle portion  202  of clip  200  is adjacent bottom portion  114  of housing  102  in the connected position. When spindles  128 ,  130  are in the open position, protrusions  132  are positioned over middle portion  202  of clip  200  so that middle portion  202  is between housing  102  and protrusions  132  to maintain clip  200  in the connected position. Middle portion  202  connects to each of first side portion  204  and second side portion  206  by a curved portion  208  that extends below middle portion  202  in the connected position. Curved portions  208  allow grasping by a hand of a user. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 8 , middle portion  202  of clip  200  is adjacent valve body  400  in the connected position so that curved portions  208  and middle portion  202  of clip allow grasping by a hand of a user. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , mounting assembly  100  is connectable to dispenser wall  1117 . Dispenser wall  1117  may have openings (not shown) that align with wall openings  113 . Mounting assembly  100  is connectable to dispenser wall  1117 , for example, by screws  1400  that pass through wall openings  113  and openings of dispenser wall  1117  and mate with nuts to secure mounting assembly  100  to dispenser wall  1117 . Valve body  400  connects to a bottom plate  1114  that connects to nozzle  1104  and lever  1106 . 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIGS. 7 ,  9  and  10 , valve body  400  has a plurality of conduits  402 . Each of conduits  402  is connected to one of plurality of holes  118  of mounting assembly  100  on a first end. Conduits  402  funnel liquid into a diffuser  1120  and/or nozzle  1104  prior to the exit of liquid out of nozzle  1104 . Valve body  400  has four conduits  402 . Each of four conduits  402  has one of flow control assemblies  404  and one of solenoids  406  for controlling flow of liquid therethrough. Each of flow control assemblies  404  is a metering device which, through a user set spring compression, allows fluid to flow at a given flow rate based on viscosity, pressure and spring setting. Solenoids  406  are electrically actuated members that drive a normally closed plunger/seal assembly to an open position allowing fluid to progress through its respective conduit. When current flows to the coil on each of solenoids  406 , the current creates a magnetic field which acts to pull the plunger assembly up off of its seat. 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIG. 11 , beverage valve assembly  1100   a  has an electronic module  1116  and a keypad  1118 . Electronic module  1116  controls flow control assemblies  404  and solenoids  406  to dispense a beverage as is known in the art. Electronic module  1116  controls dispense of the beverage based on user input through keypad  1118  and actuation via lever  1106 . Nozzle  1104  may have a diffuser  1120  to control flow of liquid therethrough. Electronic module  1116 , keypad  1118 , lever  1106  and nozzle  1104  all connect to bottom plate  1114  that connects to valve body  400 . Valve body  400  connects to mounting assembly  100 , flow control assemblies  404  and solenoids  406  and is covered by cover  1102  that connects to bottom plate  1114 . 
         [0042]    Mounting assembly  100  may be made of material, for example, metal and/or plastic. 
         [0043]    In use, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 10 , housing  102  of mounting assembly  100  is connected to a beverage valve assembly, for example, by screws that pass through wall openings  113  and the openings of dispenser wall  1117  and mate with nuts to secure mounting assembly  100  to dispenser wall  1117 . 
         [0044]    Spindle  128  is inserted into conduit  106  and spindle  130  inserted into conduit  108  by accessing openings  116  at bottom portion  114  of housing  102  from lower space  1113 . Spindle  128  is inserted into conduit  106  and spindle  130  inserted into conduit  108  so that protrusions  132  and slots  134  extend outside of conduits  106  and  108 , and plate  300  fits in slots  134 . Protrusion  132  of spindle  128  is positioned adjacent side  124  and protrusion  132  of spindle  130  is positioned adjacent side  126  so that spindles  128  and  130  are in the closed position covering plurality of openings  118 . 
         [0045]    Each of the pair of plurality of holes  118  that are aligned to form an opening through one of conduits  106  and  108 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , is connected to tubing that connects to a source of liquid. The source of liquid, for example, is carbonated water, still water, or flavor ingredients that is pressurized. The tubing connects to connector wall  121  surrounding plurality of holes  118  through housing  102 . 
         [0046]    Valve body  400  is connected housing  102  that is connected to dispenser wall  1117 . Valve body  400  is positioned adjacent housing  102  so first loop  144   a  is between first connecting protrusion  410   a  and second connecting protrusion  410   b  so that openings  120   a,    120   b  align with both opening  412   a  through first connecting protrusion  410   a  and the opening through second connecting protrusion  410   b.  Second connecting protrusion  410   b  is positioned between first loop  144   a  and second loop  144   b  so that openings  120   c,    120   d  align with the opening through second connecting protrusion  410   b.  Third loop  144   c  is positioned between third connecting protrusion  410   c  and forth connecting protrusion  410   d  so that openings  122   a,    122   b  align with both opening  412   c  through third connecting protrusion  410   c  and the opening through forth connecting protrusion  410   d.  Forth connecting protrusion  410   d  is positioned to fit between third loop  144   c  and fourth loop  144   d  so that openings  122   c,    122   d  align with the opening through forth connecting protrusion  410   d.  First side portion  204  of clip is passes through openings  120   c,    120   d  of second loop  144   b,  the opening through second connecting protrusion  410   b,  openings  120   a,    120   b  of first loop  144   a,  and opening  412   a  of first connecting protrusion  410   a.  Second side portion  206  of clip  200  passes through openings  122   c,    122   d  of fourth loop  144   d,  the opening through forth connecting protrusion  410   d,  openings  122   a,    122   b  of third loop  144   c,  and opening  412   c  through third connecting protrusion  410   c.  Valve body  400  also connects to a bottom plate  1114  that connects to nozzle  1104  and lever  1106 . 
         [0047]    Once valve body  400  is connected to mounting assembly  100 , protrusion  132  of spindle  128  is rotated about 90 degrees from the closed position to the open position and protrusion  132  of spindle  130  is rotated about 90 degrees from the closed position to the open position to actuate pressure to valve body  400  and beverage valve assembly  1100   a  from the source of liquid. Protrusions  132  in the open position are below middle portion  202  of clip  200  locking clip  200  in place. The remaining components of the beverage valve assembly are assembled, and the beverage valve assembly is ready for operation. 
         [0048]    To service the valve body  400  or mounting assembly  100  of the beverage valve assembly, protrusion  132  of spindle  128  is rotated about 90 degrees from the open position to the closed position and protrusion  132  of spindle  130  is rotated about 90 degrees from the open position to the closed position blocking the passage of the liquid to valve body  400  to depressurize valve body  400  and beverage valve assembly  1100   a  closing communication between valve body  400  and the source of liquid. In the closed position, clip  200  may be removed from housing  102  and valve body  400  so that valve body  400  may be removed from housing  102  to be removed for service. In addition, the screws may be removed from housing  102  and dispenser wall  1117  so that mounting assembly may be removed for service. 
         [0049]    Mounting assembly  100  connects housing  102  to valve body  400  by clip  200 , and separately actuates pressure to valve body  400  by rotating spindles  128  and  132 . Thus, mounting assembly  100  allows connection of valve body  400  to mounting assembly  100 , and then actuating the pressure from the liquid source to valve body  400  by mounting assembly  100  for ease of installation. 
         [0050]    Access by a user to actuate pressure to the valve body  400  and beverage valve assembly  1100   a  is located at bottom portion  114  of housing  102  by rotating spindles  128  and  132 . Therefore, it is not necessary for users to access mounting assembly  100  through upper space  1112  for installation and service of valve body  400  and mounting assembly  100 . Rather, mounting assembly  100  can be accessed through lower space  1113  that is greater in size than upper space  1112  for installation and service of valve body  400  and mounting assembly  100 . Protrusions  132  are sized so that minimal clearance is needed in rear space  1115  for rotating protrusions  132  from the closed position to the open position. 
         [0051]    Wall  138  protruding downward covers spindles and a majority of clip  200 . Wall  138  and positioning protrusions  132  of spindles  128 ,  130  over middle portion  202  of clip minimizes vandalism and clip  200  removal by unauthorized users. 
         [0052]    It should also be recognized that the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, “upper”, “lower”, and the like may be used herein to modify various elements. These modifiers do not imply a spatial, sequential, or hierarchical order to the modified elements unless specifically stated. 
         [0053]    While the present disclosure has been described with reference to one or more exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed as the best mode contemplated, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.