Abstract:
An arrangement for a beverage dispenser carbonation unit generally comprises a two-part cold plate for cooling fluids. The first part is cooled by ice contained within an adjacent ice bin. The second part is cooled by proximity to the ice within the ice bin as well as a fluid conveyed through the first part and then the second part. The second part of the cold plate comprises a sleeve, preferably integral therewith, for receiving a carbonator unit and maintaining the carbonator unit at a reduced temperature. A re-circulation pump is provided for conveyance of the fluid between the two parts of the cold plate.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to beverage dispensers. More particularly, the invention relates to a beverage dispenser including a carbonator unit arranged within the beverage dispenser in a manner to (1) promote efficient carbonation of water, (2) produce chilled carbonated water and (3) maintain the sanitary integrity of the beverage dispenser.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Efficient carbonation is known to be a function of both temperature and pressure. While it is possible at room temperature to introduce carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) into water for the production of carbonated water, it is more efficient to perform the carbonation process at a reduced temperature. Additionally, because the produced carbonated water is generally obtained for use in the preparation of a post-mix beverage, it is desirable that the resultant carbonated water be produced at a reduced temperature in order to ensure that its temperature may be as low as possible at the time of beverage mixing. To this end, others have proposed beverage dispensers wherein a carbonator unit is associated with the ice bin of the beverage dispenser.  
           [0003]    Unfortunately, previous designs incorporating such a feature have generally neglected the necessity for maintaining the ice bin in a sterile environment. Because it is critical that ice within the ice bin not be contaminated in the course of maintaining the carbonator unit, Applicant has discovered that it is difficult to utilize the ice bin for cooling of the carbonator unit. For these reasons, it is an overriding object of the present invention to improve over the prior art by providing a beverage dispenser having incorporated therein a carbonator unit that is able to take advantage of the ice bin for reduced temperature carbonation of water without risk of contamination of ice within the ice bin.  
           [0004]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a beverage dispenser wherein the carbonator unit is readily accessible for periodic maintenance and/or repair. Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a beverage dispenser wherein the carbonated water produced by the carbonator unit is maintained at a very low temperature for preparation of a beverage.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    In accordance with the foregoing objects, the present invention—an arrangement for a beverage dispenser carbonation unit—generally comprises a two-part cold plate for cooling fluids, wherein the first part is cooled by ice contained within an adjacent ice bin. The second part is cooled by proximity to the ice within the ice bin as well as a fluid conveyed through the first part and then the second part. The second part of the cold plate comprises a sleeve, preferably integral therewith, for receiving a carbonator unit and maintaining the carbonator unit at a reduced temperature. A re-circulation pump is provided for conveyance of the fluid between the two parts of the cold plate.  
           [0006]    Finally, many other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant arts, especially in light of the foregoing discussions and the following drawings, exemplary detailed description and appended claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    Although the scope of the present invention is much broader than any particular embodiment, a detailed description of the preferred embodiment follows together with illustrative figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like components, and wherein:  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 shows, in partial cut-away side elevational view taken along line  1 - 1  of FIG. 2, a beverage dispenser incorporating the arrangement for improved carbonation of the present invention;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 shows, in a top plan view, certain details of the arrangement of the present invention; and  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 shows, in a perspective view, details additional details of one implementation of the arrangement of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0011]    Although those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize many alternative embodiments, especially in light of the illustrations provided herein, this detailed description is exemplary of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the scope of which is limited only by the claims appended hereto.  
         [0012]    Referring now to the figures, a carbonator cold housing  29  is shown to be arranged integral with a substantially vertical extended cold plate  27 , which is preferably integral with a substantially horizontal cold plate  19 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cold plate  19  forms the base of an ice bin  18  for an otherwise conventional beverage dispenser  10  while the extended cold plate  27  and carbonator cold housing  29  cooperate to form the back wall of the ice bin  18 . As shown in the figures, the carbonator cold housing  29  comprises a carbonator sleeve  30  for receiving therein a carbonator unit  33 . As will be better understood further herein, the arrangement of the present invention is specifically adapted to enable carbonation of water at an efficiently low temperature while also taking care to ensure maintenance of a sanitary environment within the ice bin  18 .  
         [0013]    As particularly shown in FIG. 1, the beverage dispenser  10  with which the present invention is implemented generally comprises a conventional flavor selection keypad  11  for controlling, through a plurality of flow control valves  14 , flow of one or more beverage&#39;s constituent components to one or more dispensing nozzles  13 , which may be multi-flavor mixing nozzles, LEV&#39;s, volumetric dispensing valves, and the like. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the constituent components for a beverage generally comprise syrups, conveyed to the beverage dispenser  10  through a plurality of syrups inlet lines  12  and to the flow control valves  14  through chilled syrup lines  21 , and carbonated water, conveyed to the flow control valves  14  through chilled carbonated water lines  23 . Likewise, the beverage dispenser  10  also comprises a removable drip tray  15  as well as a power transformer  16  and a carbonator control module  17 , each of which is similar to others known in the art. As will be better understood further herein, however, these and other components of the beverage dispenser  10  are specifically arranged in the present invention to enhance carbonation of the water used in the preparation of a beverage by ensuring that the entire carbonation process be accomplished at a reduced temperature.  
         [0014]    As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a cold fluid re-circulation system is implemented within the arrangement of the carbonator cold housing  29  and the vertical extended cold plate  27  in order to ensure that the syrup lines  21  and the carbonated water lines  23 , which may be cast within the vertical extended cold plate  27 , are maintained at a reduced temperature. In particular, the cold fluid re-circulation system comprises a cold fluid re-circulation line  28 , embedded within the extended cold plate  27 ; a re-circulation fluid chilling coil  25 , embedded within the cold plate  19 ; and a cold fluid re-circulation pump  48  for circulating a fluid, preferably soda water, between the re-circulation fluid chilling coil  25  and cold fluid re-circulation line  28 . As particularly shown in FIG. 3, the cold fluid re-circulation line  28  preferably terminates into a cold fluid re-circulation return line  49  leading to the cold fluid re-circulation pump  48 . Likewise fluid pumped from the cold fluid re-circulation pump  48  preferably passes through a cold fluid re-circulation output line  50  toward the re-circulation fluid chilling coil  25 . In this manner, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, fluid in the re-circulation fluid chilling coil  25  is cooled by the cold plate  19  and then passed directly to the cold fluid re-circulation line  28 , where the cooled fluid serves to cool the extended cold plate  27  and thus the syrup lines  21  and the carbonated water lines  23 .  
         [0015]    The carbonator sleeve  30  preferably protrudes into the ice bin  18  for cooling of the carbonator cold housing  29  when sufficient quantities of ice are present within the ice bin  18 . The carbonator unit  33 , which may be cast within the carbonator sleeve  30  or removable through an opening  31  in an upper portion of the carbonator sleeve  30 , is thus maintained at a reduced temperature. This arrangement accordingly serves to ensure that carbonation of water within the carbonator unit  33  takes place at a low temperature. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, however, the cold fluid re-circulation system as previously described serves to impart cooling upon the carbonator cold housing  29  even when very low levels of ice are present within the ice bin  18 . It is noted that while the carbonator sleeve  30  protrudes into the ice bin  18 , the opening  31  for insertion or removal of, or access to, the carbonator unit  33  is at a level above the maximum level of ice in the ice bin  18 . In this manner, the arrangement of the present invention is specifically adapted to prevent contamination of ice contained within the ice bin  18 . Consistent with this arrangement, access to the carbonator unit  33  is preferably limited to access through the removal drip tray  15 , as particularly shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0016]    In order to further ensure efficient carbonation within the carbonator unit  33 , both the water and CO 2  delivered thereto are preferably first chilled. In particular, as shown in FIG. 1, a water pre-chilling coil  24  is provided within the cold plate  19  for pre-chilling of water to be delivered to the carbonator unit  33  through a pre-chilled water inlet line  35 , which terminates at a pre-chilled inlet  34  on the carbonator unit  33 . Because it is contemplated that the carbonator unit  33  may be removable though the opening  31  at the upper portion of the carbonator sleeve  30 , it is preferred that the pre-chilled inlet line  35  be embedded within the extended cold plate  27  and surface from the extended cold plate  27  in the region of the opening  31 . Likewise, safety devices, such as a double back-check valve  36  provided in the pre-chilled water inlet line  35 , are also located in the readily accessible region of the opening  31 . For the same reasons, the preferred embodiment of the present invention contemplates utilization of a carbonator unit  33  having a level probe  37  and a relief valve  38  at an upper portion of the carbonator unit  33  in order that these devices may be readily accessed through the removal drip tray  15 —with or without ice in the ice bin  18  and without concern for contamination of any ice in the ice bin  18 . Pressurized CO 2  is delivered from a regulated CO 2  source to a CO 2  inlet  39 —also at the upper portion of the carbonator unit  33 —through a pressurized CO 2  inlet line  40 . As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the pressurized CO 2  inlet line  40  may also be passed through the cold plate  19  and/or extended cold plate  27  for pre-chilling of the CO 2  passed therethrough.  
         [0017]    A carbonated water outlet port  32  is provided for convenience of carbonated water from the carbonator unit  33  to a carbonated water outlet line  42 . As particularly shown in Figure one, the carbonated water outlet port  32  is preferably formed in the base of the carbonator sleeve  30  for substantially direct convenience of carbonated water from a carbonated water outlet  41  to a carbonated water cooling coil  22  located within the cold plate  19 . In this manner carbonation of the water is effectively maintained in route the dispensing nozzle(s)  13  though the chilled carbonated water lines  23 . Additionally, because most beverages will comprise a high ratio of carbonated water to syrup products, it is desirable to maintain the carbonated water at a very low temperature in order to deliver to the consumer a refreshingly cool drink. To this end, a plurality of syrup cooling coils  20  are also preferably provided intermediate the syrup inlet lines  12  and the chilled syrup lines  21 .  
         [0018]    In operation, preferably a CO 2  gas operated carbonator pump  43  is provided for conveying water from a water inlet line  44  through a water outlet line  45  and water pre-chilling coil  24  to the carbonator unit  33 . A solenoid valve  46  is preferably provided in the water outlet line  45  to control flow through the water pre-chilling coil  24  and pre-chilled water inlet line  35  to the carbonator unit  33  according to indications from the level probe  37  as conventional in the art. A CO 2  source line  47  is also preferably provided for connection of the carbonator pump  43  to the source of regulated CO 2  unutilized in the carbonation process. While the carbonator pump  43  is only operated when the carbonator unit  33  requires additional pre-chilled water, it is noted that the cold fluid re-circulation pump  48  operates continuously. For this reason, it is preferred that the cold fluid re-circulation pump  48  be electrically operated in order to conserve CO 2  gas although those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the cold liquid re-circulation pump  48  could otherwise be operated.  
         [0019]    While the foregoing description is exemplary of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, those of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize the many variations, alterations, modifications, substitutions and the like as are readily possible, especially in light of this description, the accompanying drawings and claims drawn thereto. For example, it is noted that the placement of the cold fluid re-circulation pump  48  as shown in FIG. 3 differs from that shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the cold fluid re-circulation pump  48  may be desirably positioned near an edge of the cold plate  19  in order to facilitate access for regular maintenance repair.  
         [0020]    Additionally, it should be noted that many features common to beverage dispensers have not been specifically discussed in order to preserve clarity. For example, the ice bin  18  is provided with an ice bin drain  26 . These and other features, not directly necessary to the understanding of the present invention, have been omitted. In any case, because the scope of the present invention is much broader than any particular embodiment, the foregoing detailed description should not be construed as a limitation of the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the claims appended hereto.