Beverage dispensing unit

Abstract: In a beverage dispensing unit for dispensing, through a syrup path (12), beverage by permitting the beverage to flow down by gravity with dispensation of the beverage controlled by a valve (25), from a beverage containing bottle (S) having a bottom outlet portion (51), in order to dispense the beverage at a constant flow rate in no relation to the beverage amount remaining in the bottle, a dispensing unit includes a gas path (18) for supplying a gas into the bottle through the outlet portion. The gas urges the beverage from the bottle towards the syrup path. As a result, the beverage can be dispensed through the syrup path at a constant flow rate.

Description: This invention relates to a dispensing unit for dispensing a beverage, such as a syrup or the like, in particular, to supplying of the beverage from a storing unit towards a controlling unit. Various dispensing units of the type are already known. For example, a dispensing unit as a post-mixed beverage dispenser is disclosed in United States Patents Nos. 4,493,441 and 4,688,701 issued to Jason K. Sedam et al and assigned to The Coca-Cola Company. The dispensing unit is for dispensing a beverage contained in a bottle as a storing unit and comprises a body, a controlling unit, and a receiving unit as will presently be described. The bottle has an outlet portion having an opening at a bottom thereof for discharging the beverage. The body defines a beverage path which is conducting the beverage. The receiving unit is for receiving the outlet portion of the bottle thereon so that the beverage path is communicated with the bottle through the opening of the outlet portion thereof. Therefore, the beverage can be discharged from the bottle through the opening of the outlet portion thereof to the beverage path. The controlling unit is coupled to the beverage path and is for controlling dispensation of the beverage. It is advantageous that the beverage dispenser can be placed in a limited space because an external form of the beverage dispenser may be compact. However, it is difficult to always dispense the beverage at a constant dispensing rate each time when the controlling unit of the beverage dispenser is operated by an operator of a means for dispensing the beverage. In other words, the beverage has a flow rate which is variable dependent on an amount of the beverage remaining in the bottle. This is because discharging of the beverage is carried out by only gravity of the beverage in the bottle. It is therefore desirable to provide a dispensing unit which is capable of dispensing a beverage at a constant dispensing rate in no relation to an amount of the beverage remaining in a bottle. EP-A-102527 discloses a dispensing unit for dispensing, through a beverage path, a beverage contained in a bottle having an outlet portion defining an opening; said bottle comprising a bottle closing member closing said opening; and said dispensing unit including a body defining said beverage path; controlling means coupled to said beverage path for controlling dispensation of said beverage through said beverage path; receiving means coupled to said body for receiving said outlet portion to make said opening of the outlet portion communicate with said beverage path; cutting means provided by said receiving means for cutting said bottle closing member when said bottle is received on said receiving means and rotated; and a gas path extending through said receiving means and said body for supplying a gas into a said bottle through said opening of the outlet portion so that said gas urges said beverage from said bottle towards said beverage path through the opening, said receiving means having a cylindrical portion which is for surrounding said outlet portion when said bottle is received on said receiving means, said cutting means being located inside said cylindrical portion. According to the present invention, the dispensing means is characterised in that said cutting means is provided at the bottom of said receiving means and comprises a plurality of cutting elements circularly arranged in the cylindrical portion, said elements being angularly spaced apart and each being delimited by a peripheral surface extending upwardly from the bottom of the receiving means parallel to the axis of the cylindrical portion thereof; and a top surface which is perpendicular to that axis. Some embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig. 1 is a front view of a dispensing unit according to an embodiment of this invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the dispensing unit illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the dispensing unit taken along a line 3-3 in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the dispensing unit taken along a line 4-4 in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a mixing member including in the dispensing unit of Figs. 1 to 4; Fig. 6 is a side view of an operating member included in the dispensing unit of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a rear view of the operating member illustrated in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a bottom view of a receiving member included in the dispensing unit shown in Figs. 1 through 4; Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a sealing member included in the dispensing unit shown in Figs. 1 through 4; and Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a dispensing unit according to another embodiment of this invention. Description of the Preferred Embodiments: Referring to Figs. 1 through 4, a dispensing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is for dispensing a beverage. The dispensing unit comprises a body 11 defined by front, rear, upper, bottom, left side, and right side surfaces 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11e, and 11f. The body 11 defines syrup, dilution water, carbonated water paths 12, 13, and 14 and is fixed to a frame 15 by screws or the like. The syrup path 12 extends substantially in a vertical direction along a central portion of the body 11 and has an inlet and an outlet opening which open at the upper and the bottom surfaces 11c and 11d, respectively. The dilution and the carbonated water paths 13 and 14 extend along left and right sides of the syrup path 12, respectively. Each of the dilution and the carbonated water paths 13 and 14 has an inlet and an outlet opening which open at the rear and the bottom surfaces 11b and 11d. The outlet openings of each of those paths 12, 13, and 14 communicate with a discharge tube 16 which is attached to a bottom surface 11d of the body 11. The body 11 is provided with a receiving member 17 for detachably receiving therein a syrup bottle S. The syrup bottle S is generally called "a syrup bottle" which stores syrup as the beverage and is changeable to a fresh one as will far later be described in detail. The receiving member 17 is detachably mounted on the upper surface 11c of the body 11 and is changed dependent on a size of the syrup bottle S. The receiving member 17 will far later be described in detail. In the body 11, a gas path 18 is made to extend from the rear surface 11b to the receiving member 17 as is best shown in Fig. 3. The gas path 18 is connected to a CO₂ gas cylinder (not shown) through a pipe 19 and is for supplying CO₂ gas from the CO₂ gas cylinder into the syrup tank S through a check valve 20 in order to push out the syrup therefrom into the syrup path 12. As a result, the syrup path 12 serves as a beverage path to conduct the syrup towards the discharge tube 16. The gas path 18 is referred to as a supplying arrangement. The dilution water path 13 is connected at the inlet opening thereof to a pipe 21 and serves to conduct dilution water from a water source (not shown) towards the discharge tube 16. Similarly, the carbonated water path 14 is connected at the inlet opening thereof to a pipe 22 which is connected to a carbonator (not shown). The carbonated water path 14 serves to conduct carbonated water towards the discharge tube 16. In Fig. 3, the body 11 has a cylindrical hole 23 which communicates with the syrup path 12 and which is open at the rear surface 11b. A closing member 24 is screwed in the cylindrical hole 23. The dispensing unit further comprises a controlling arrangement, namely, a valve 25 placed in the cylindrical hole 23 for controlling open and close of the syrup path 12. The valve 25 is forwardly urged by a spring 26 which is between the valve 25 and the closing member 24. As a result, the valve 25 is in press contact with a valve seat 27 to close the syrup path 12. In order to certainly close the syrup path 12, a seal member 28 is mounted on the valve 25. The valve 25 is fixedly connected to a valve rod 29 which is held by the body 11 and is movable in a first predetermined horizontal direction 30. The valve rod 29 has an end 29a which is forwardly projected from the front surface 11a. When the valve rod 29 is backwardly moved, the valve 25 is displaced to open the syrup path 12. The body 11 has an adjusting hole 31 which extends from the front surface 11a to the syrup path 12 in the first predetermined horizontal direction 30. The adjusting hole 31 has an internal threaded portion 31a. The dispensing unit further comprises an adjusting member 32 inserted into the adjusting hole 31. The adjusting member 32 has an end portion 32a for adjusting a flow rate of the syrup in the syrup path 12. Another end 32b of the adjusting member 32 forwardly protrudes from the front surface 31a of the body 11. The adjusting member 32 has an external threaded portion 32c which is screwed in the internal threaded portion 31b. When the adjusting member 32 is rotated by the use of a driving member or a screw driver (not shown), it is displaced in the first predetermined horizontal direction 30. As a result, adjustment is carried out about the flow rate of the syrup in the syrup path 11. In the Fig. 4, the dispensing unit is further provided with similar parts in connection with the dilution water path 13 which are designated by like reference numerals added with dashes. A closing member 24' has a through hole 24'a which serves as a part of the dilution water path 13. When a valve rod 29' is backwardly moved, the valve 25' is displaced to open the dilution water path 13. When the adjusting member 32' is rotated, it is displaced in the first predetermined horizontal direction 30. As a result, control and adjustment are carried out about the dilution water in the dilution water path 13. Although description will be omitted, similar construction is provided in connection with the carbonated water path 14. Therefore, similar control and adjustment are possible in connection with the carbonated water. Mixing is carried out among the syrup, the dilution water, and the carbonated water in an interior of the discharge tube 16. In order to favorably carry out the mixing, the discharge tube 16 is provided with a mixing member 33 in the interior thereof. Referring to Fig. 5, the mixing member 33 comprises a cylindrical member 34 and a ring-shaped plate 35 fixed onto an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical member 34. The cylindrical member 34 has a central hole 34a and a plurality of small side holes 34b extending from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical member 34 to the central hole 34a. The cylindrical member 34 is connected to the body 11 so that the central hole 34a communicates with the syrup path 12. The ring-shaped plate 35 has a great number of grooves 35a in a peripheral surface thereof and is supported to a shoulder 16a formed on the inner peripheral surface of the discharge tube 16. As a result, the ring-shaped plate 35 is placed under the outlet opening of each of the original and the carbonated water paths 13 and 14. In addition, the peripheral surface of the ring-shaped plate 35 faces an inner peripheral surface 16b of the discharge tube 16 to produce a guiding small hole therebetween for guiding the original and the carbonated water. Returning to Figs. 1 through 4, the body 11 is provided with two arms 36 fixedly mounted on the front surface 11a thereof for fixedly holding a shaft 37. The shaft 37 has a pivot axis extending in a second horizontal direction which intersects the first predetermined horizontal direction 30. The valve rods 29, 29', and 29'' are connected with one another through a pin rod 33 in front of the front surface 11a of the body 11. The dispensing unit further comprises an operating member 40 which is operated by an operator or a user. Referring to Figs. 6 and 7 in addition to Fig. 3, the operating member 40 comprises a plate portion 41, two attaching portions 42, and two hooking portions 43 as will presently be described. The plate portion 41 has a back surface 41a placed to generally face the front surface 11a of the body 11. Therefore, the end portions 32b, 32'b, and 32''b of the adjusting members 32, 32', and 32'' are covered with the plate portion 41. Each of the attaching portions 42 is formed integral with the back surface 41a of the plate portion 41 and has an attaching groove 42a for receiving both ends of the shaft 37 therein. The attaching groove 42a is extended to permit movement of the operating member 40 in the first and second predetermined directions. Each of the hooking portions 43 is formed integral with the back surface 41a of the plate portion 41 and has a hooking groove 43a for receiving the pin rod 38 therein to hook the hooking portion 41 with the pin rod 38. The hooking groove 43a is extended so that the hooking portion is removable from the pin rod 38 with the operating member 40 moved upwardly. When the plate portion 41 is pushed rearwardly by an operator or a user, the operating member 40 is pivotally moved around the shaft 37. Responsive to operation of the operating member 40, the valve rods 29, 29', and 29'' are moved rearwardly to open the syrup, the dilution water, the carbonated water paths 12, 13, and 14. As a result, the syrup, the dilution water, the carbonated water are discharged in the discharge tube 16 and then mixed with one another therein to produce a mixed beverage. The mixed beverage is discharged from the discharge tube 16 into a cup. If adjustment is desired about the flow rate of the syrup, the hooking portions 43 are removed with the operating member 40 moved upwardly. Then, an upper part of the plate portion 41 is pulled forwardly so that the operating member 40 is pivotally moved downwardly around the shaft 37. As a result, the plate portion 41 does not cover the end portion 29a of the adjusting member 29. In other words, the end portion 29a of the adjusting member 29 are exposed ahead the body 11. Therefore, the adjusting member 29 can be readily operated to adjust the flow rate of the syrup through the syrup path 12. It is a matter of course that similar operation can be carried out about the flow rate of each of the dilution and the carbonated water. Referring to Fig. 8 in addition to Figs. 2 and 3, attention will be directed to the syrup bottle S and the receiving member 17. The syrup bottle S has an outlet portion 51 which is for discharging the syrup. When the bottle S is not received in the receiving member 17, the outlet portion 51 has an opening end 51a closed by a bottle closing member (not shown). The outlet portion 51 has a thread 52 and a particular protruded part 53 which are formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof. The particular protruded part 53 circularly extends along the outer peripheral surface of the outlet portion 51 and is outwardly protruded greater than the thread 52. The receiving member 17 comprises a cylindrical portion 54 and a bottom portion 55 formed integral with an end of the cylindrical portion 54. The cylindrical portion 54 comprises a flange portion 56 on an outer peripheral surface thereof. The flange portion 56 is fixed to the upper surface 11c of the body 11 by fixing screws 57. Therefore, it is readily possible to change the receiving member 17 by removing the screws 57. The cylindrical portion 54 further comprises a thread 58 on an inner peripheral surface thereof. The thread 58 mates with the other thread 52 of the outlet portion 51 to hold the syrup bottle S. The cylindrical portion 54 is referred to as a holding arrangement. The cylindrical portion 54 is provided with a sealing member 59 on the inner peripheral surface thereof. The sealing member 59 is for sealing between the cylindrical and the outlet portions 54 and 51 as will later be described in detail. The bottom portion 55 has first and second through holes 61 and 62 which are connected with the syrup and gas paths 12 and 18, respectively. The first through hole 61 is for conducting syrup from the syrup bottle S to the syrup path 12. The second through hole 62 is for conducting the CO₂ gas from the gas path 18 to the syrup bottle S. Reviewing Figs. 2 and 3, the bottom portion 55 of the receiving member 17 is provided with a plurality of cutting elements 63a, 63b, and 63c which are circularly arranged in the cylindrical portion 54 and which will collectively be called a knife 63. The knife 63 is placed on an upper surface of the bottom portion 55 and is fixed thereto by fixing screws 64. It is a matter of course that the knife 63 does not close the first and the second through holes 61 and 62. The knife 63 is for cutting the closing member of the outlet portion 51 of the syrup bottle S. When the thread 52 of the outlet portion 51 is screwed in the mating thread 58 of the cylindrical portion 54 with the syrup bottle S rotated, the knife 63 cuts a peripheral portion of the closing member of the outlet portion 51. Therefore, the syrup bottle S is communicated with each of the first and the second through holes 61 and 62. As a result, the CO₂ gas flows in the syrup bottle S through the gas path 18 and the second through hole 62, so that the syrup is pushed out from the syrup bottle S to the first through hole 61. With this structure, it is possible to dispense the syrup of constant quantity without being influenced by quantity of the syrup in the bottle S each time when the operating member 40 is operated by user. Referring to Fig. 9 in addition to Fig. 3, attention is directed to the sealing member 59. The sealing member 59 is of elastic material, such as rubber and the like, and is formed in a ring shape. The sealing member 59 has first and second flange parts 71 and 72 which define an outer groove 73 therebetween. A curved part 74 is formed adjacent to the second flange part 72. The cylindrical portion 54 of the receiving member 17 has first and second grooves 76 and 77 on the inner peripheral surface thereof. The sealing member 59 is attached to the cylindrical portion 54 with the first and the second flange parts 71 and 72 snugly fitted in the first and the second grooves 76 and 77, respectively. Preferably, the sealing member 59 has an inner diameter which is greater than an outer diameter of the thread 52 and less than that of the particular protruded part 53. After the sealing member 59 is attached to the cylindrical portion 54, it is deformed as clearly shown in Fig. 3. As a result, a space 79 is left between the sealing member 59 and the receiving member 17 to correspond to the outer groove 73. The space 79 is for allowing a slight deflection of the sealing member 59 as will presently be described. When the outlet portion 51 of the syrup bottle S is inserted into the receiving member 17, the particular protruded part 53 becomes in press contact with the sealing member 59. Therefore, the sealing member 59 has a part which is pushed by the particular protruded part 53 to deform outwardly. As a result, seal action is favorably maintained between the sealing member 59 and the particular protruded part 53. In addition, the particular protruded part 53 can be smoothly inserted in an inside of the sealing member 59 because the sealing member 59 has the curved part 74. Referring to Fig. 10, description is made about a dispensing unit according to another embodiment. The dispensing unit comprises similar parts designated by like reference numerals. In the dispensing unit, the cylindrical portion 54 of the receiving member 17 is provided with a modified sealing member 59' in place of the above-mentioned sealing member 59. The modified sealing member 59' is of a mere ring shape which is very simple. Therefore, it is readily possible to manufacture the modified sealing member 59'. While the present invention has thus far been described in connection with only preferable embodiments thereof, it will readily be possible for those skilled in the art to put this invention into practice in various other manners. For example, the beverage may be a special type drink, such as carbonated drinking liquid, instead of syrup.

Claims: A dispensing unit for dispensing, through a beverage path (12, 13, 14), a beverage contained in a bottle( S ) having an outlet portion (51) defining an opening (51a); said bottle comprising a bottle closing member closing said opening; and said dispensing unit including a body (11) defining said beverage path; controlling means (25) coupled to said beverage path for controlling dispensation of said beverage through said beverage path; receiving means (17) coupled to said body for receiving said outlet portion to make said opening of the outlet portion communicate with said beverage path; cutting means (63) provided by said receiving means for cutting said bottle closing member when said bottle is received on said receiving means and rotated; and a gas path (18) extending through said receiving means and said body for supplying a gas into a said bottle through said opening of the outlet portion so that said gas urges said beverage from said bottle towards said beverage path through the opening, said receiving means having a cylindrical portion (54) which is for surrounding said outlet portion when said bottle is received on said receiving means, said cutting means being located inside said cylindrical portion; characterised in that said cutting means (63) is provided at the bottom of said receiving means and comprises a plurality of cutting elements (63a, 63b, 63c) circularly arranged in the cylindrical portion (54), said elements being angularly spaced apart and each being delimited by a peripheral surface extending upwardly from the bottom of the receiving means (17) parallel to the axis of the cylindrical portion (54) thereof; and a top surface which is perpendicular to that axis. A dispensing unit according to claim 1 having annular sealing means (59;59') mounted to the cylindrical portion (54) at an upper region thereof which is spaced upwardly from the cutting means (63), said sealing means having a sealing surface portion which is arranged to seal to a radially projecting part (53) of the outlet portion (51) of a bottle( S ) when the outlet portion (51) is inserted into the receiving member (17). A dispensing unit according to claim 2 wherein the sealing surface portion is axially elongate. A dispensing unit according to claim 3 wherein the sealing means (59) is mounted to the cylindrical portion (54) so that the axially elongate sealing surface portion is radially inwardly spaced from the cylindrical portion (54) by a space (79) so as to permit radially outward deformation when it is engaged by the radially projecting part (53) of a bottle( S ). A dispensing unit as claimed in Claim 1, further comprising a sealing member (59; 59') coupled to said receiving means for liquid-tightly sealing said receiving means and said outlet portion received thereon. A dispensing unit as claimed in Claim 5, said outlet portion (51) of the bottle having an outer peripheral surface, wherein said receiving means comprises seal holding means (76,77) having an inner peripheral surface, said seal holding means holding said sealing member (59,59') so that said sealing member protrudes inwardly from said inner peripheral surface to become in press contact with said outer peripheral surface when said outlet portion is received on said receiving means. A dispensing unit as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein said receiving means (17) comprises holding means (58) coupled to said body for detachably holding said outlet portion of the bottle. A dispensing unit as claimed in Claim 7, said outlet portion of the bottle having an outer peripheral surface, wherein said holding means (58) has a predetermined axis extending in a predetermined direction and an inner peripheral surface surrounding said predetermined axis, said holding means comprising engaging means coupled to said inner peripheral surface for engaging with said outlet portion in said predetermined direction when said outlet portion is received on the receiving means. A dispensing unit as claimed in Claim 8, said outlet portion of the bottle having a thread (52) formed on said outer peripheral surface, wherein said engaging means comprises another thread (58) formed on said inner peripheral surface of the holding means for mating with the first-mentioned thread. A dispensing unit as claimed in any preceding claim including fixing means for detachably fixing said receiving means on said body. A dispensing unit as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said supplying means further comprises checking means coupled to said gas path for checking flow of the beverage from said bottle into said gas path.

Inventors: ABE TOMOMITSU, ARAI YASUYUKI, HARASHIMA IKUO, HAYAKAWA HIROSHI, NAKAYAMA SHUNICHI, SEKIGUCHI RYOICHI, TAKAHASHI YUTAKA, TAKAYANAGI YASUSHI, ABE, TOMOMITSU, ARAI, YASUYUKI, HARASHIMA, IKUO, HAYAKAWA, HIROSHI, NAKAYAMA, SHUNICHI, SEKIGUCHI, RYOICHI, TAKAHASHI, YUTAKA, TAKAYANAGI, YASUSHI
Applicants: KIRIN BREWERY, SANDEN CORP, KIRIN BEVERAGE CORPORATION, SANDEN CORPORATION
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B67D1
IPC codes: B67D1