Abstract:
The present invention relates to a dispenser device for automatic dispensing apparatuses of carbonated beverages from vessels such as bottles and the like, characterized in that it has one dispensing block comprising at least one decompression chamber and means adapted to dispense by means of blowing inert gas, so as to keep intact the effervescence and the perlage of said carbonated beverage up to complete depletion.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of apparatuses for automatically dispensing beverages. In particular, the present invention relates to the field of apparatuses for dispensing carbonated beverages from bottles and similar vessels. 
       STATE OF THE ART 
       [0002]    Apparatuses are known from the state of the art for automatically dispensing beverages from containers such as bottles and the like. Some of these o apparatuses are such that the bottles or the similar vessels are kept in overturned position and dispense the beverage therein contained by means of the suitable opening of a valve which allows the fall by gravity of the beverage into a container conveniently positioned at the mouth of the vessel. 
         [0003]    Others provide the bottles, or the similar vessels, to be kept in vertical position, resting on the bottom thereof, and dispensing the beverage by means of two tubes introduced into the bottle through the bottle cap. An inert gas is blown inside the bottle through one of the aforesaid tubes thus keeping the beverage pressurized. 
         [0004]    When the dispensing tap associated with a tube is opened, the pressurized gas allows the dispensing of the beverage through the other tube. Apparatuses of this second type are particularly suitable in all those cases when, for example in the case of wine, the beverage contained in the bottle would inevitably undergo a decline in the organoleptic quality thereof due to contact with the oxygen in the air and due to the overturned position of the bottle. 
         [0005]    However, automatic dispensing apparatuses of beverages available in the state of the art are not suitable for maintaining the typical effervescence or perlage of carbonated beverages. It is thus apparent that for this reason, the devices and automatic dispensing apparatuses of beverages available in the state of the art cannot be used with aerated or carbonated beverages, whether or not a drink is being dispensed or a vintage champagne is being dispensed. 
         [0006]    Indeed, especially in the case of champagne, sparkling wine and carbonated wines, the effervescence and the perlage are necessary characteristics of the beverage and any automatic dispenser should necessarily provide to keep it intact even after the bottle has been opened and the contents thereof have started to be dispensed. 
         [0007]    Therefore, an object of the present invention is the introduction of a new dispenser device for automatic dispensing apparatuses of carbonated beverages from containers such as bottles and the like, adapted to keep intact the effervescence and perlage thereof up to the dispensing of the last glass. Therefore, the dispenser device in accordance with the present invention comprises a dispenser block for automatic dispensing apparatuses of carbonated beverages, comprising means adapted to maintain the effervescence and the organoleptic characteristics of the beverage over time, after the opening of the container or the bottle, which are sufficient to dispense the entire contents of said container. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a first preferred embodiment of the present invention comprising a single decompression chamber. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  shows a third preferred embodiment of the present invention comprising a single decompression chamber. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  shows a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention comprising a plurality of decompression chambers. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  shows a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention comprising a multiple, rotating decompression chamber. 
       
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention relates to a dispenser device for automatic dispensing apparatuses of carbonated beverages from vessels such as bottles and the like, characterized in that it has one dispensing block comprising at least one decompression chamber and means adapted to dispense by means of blowing inert gas, so as to keep intact the effervescence and the perlage of said carbonated beverage up to complete depletion. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    In reference to the accompanying drawings, the dispenser device according to the present invention comprises a tap block  10 , adapted to engage the opening of a bottle or similar vessel for beverages and to adjust the outlet of the beverage contained therein. Said tap block  10  comprises an inlet spout  11  adapted to engage the opening of the bottle or the vessel, said inlet spout  11  comprising a first channel adapted to blow gas into said bottle or said vessel and a second channel adapted to extract the beverage from inside said bottle or said vessel. 
         [0014]    Said first channel is associated with means for dispensing gas by means of a valve  12 , for example a simple check valve or a controlled valve, while said second channel is associated with means for dispensing said beverage by means of a first solenoid valve  13 , said dispensing means comprising at least one decompression chamber  14  associated with a dispensing spout  15  by means of a second solenoid valve  16 . 
         [0015]    Said solenoid valves may be possibly replaced by suitable flow interruption means. Thus in the present description, the term solenoid valve means generic means for controlling the interruption of liquid or gaseous flow. 
         [0016]    In a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown in accompanying  FIG. 1 , said decompression chamber  14  comprises a piston  17 , the movement of Is which within said decompression chamber  14  is controlled by means of suitable actuation means and is adapted to vary the inner volume of said decompression chamber  14  in the various operating steps of the present invention. 
         [0017]    Advantageously, said inlet spout  11  may be associated with means for measuring the inner pressure of the bottle or the vessel containing the beverage to be dispensed. 
         [0018]    Said tap block  10  is also associated with a suitable control module in turn associated with said suitable actuation means, with said gas dispensing means and, when present, with said means for measuring the inner pressure of the bottle or the vessel containing the beverage to be dispensed, and is adapted, among other things, to control the dispensing of the beverage, on the basis of the requests and the settings of the user, which are supplied by means of the user interface of the automatic dispensing apparatus of beverages into which said tap block  10  is inserted. 
         [0019]    When the bottle is inserted in the automatic dispensing apparatus of beverages comprising the device according to the present invention, and said inlet spout  11  is inserted into the mouth of said bottle, said control module allows the performance of the following actions: the adjustment of the inlet of gas into the bottle so as to equal the pressure initially measured, inside the bottle, by the pressure measuring means, when present, or so as to achieve a reset pressure value close to the pressure value normally present inside the closed bottle; the opening of said first solenoid valve  13  and, simultaneously, the raising of said piston  17  by means of said actuator means, so as to increase the inner volume of said decompression chamber  14 . Thereby, the increase of the volume in said decompression chamber  14  compensates for the pressure of the beverage inside the bottle and the beverage, by virtue of the pressure thereof, rises inside said decompression chamber  14  in the intended quantity. When the pressure in said decompression chamber  14  equals approximately the pressure inside the bottle, said control module closes said first solenoid valve  13 . 
         [0020]    Then, said control module, by means of actuator means, further increases the volume in said decompression chamber  14 , thus further lifting said piston  17 , and then opens said second solenoid valve  16  while simultaneously lowering said piston  17  to promote the dispensing of the beverage present inside said decompression chamber  14  though said dispensing spout  15 . 
         [0021]    Thereby, the carbonated beverage will be dispensed without losing its carbon dioxide content and without generating foam, thus maintaining all the characteristics of the beverage as though it had been directly poured from the bottle. 
         [0022]    At the end of dispensing, the carbon dioxide separated from the beverage due to the decompression described above, may be ejected, by means of said second solenoid valve  16  and said dispensing spout  15 , due to the effect of a further lowering of said piston  17  until reducing the volume in said decompression chamber  14  to zero. The expulsion of said carbon dioxide advantageously allows said dispensing spout  15  to be cleaned of any beverage residues which may contaminate subsequent dispensing. 
         [0023]    The present inventions allows the beverage to be dispensed while keeping the pressure inside the bottle approximately constant, thus keeping almost intact the carbon dioxide content of the beverage inside the bottle up to the complete dispensing thereof. The beverage may thus be dispensed at subsequent times without the characteristics thereof being altered. The carbon dioxide content of the aerated beverage measured before and after the dispensing by means of the device according to the present invention indeed shows a negligible variation and such as not to affect the aspect and organoleptic characteristics of the beverage. 
         [0024]    In a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, said first and said second solenoid valve  13 ,  16  may be advantageously integrated in a single multiple solenoid valve. 
         [0025]    In a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown in accompanying  FIG. 2 , said decompression chamber  14  comprises, instead of said piston  17 , a third solenoid valve  18  which connects the inner volume of said decompression chamber  14  to said gas dispensing means, a fourth solenoid valve  19  and a possible fifth solenoid valve  20  arranged, when they are open, so as to put the inside of said decompression chamber  14  into communication with the outside. 
         [0026]    The fourth solenoid valve  19  is adapted to operate as a relief, i.e. when open, is adapted to allow a gradual lowering of the inner pressure of said decompression chamber  14 . Said possible fifth solenoid valve  20  is instead adapted to operate, when open, so as to rapidly lower the inner pressure of said decompression chamber  14 . 
         [0027]    Said third and said fourth solenoid valve  18 ,  19 , or said third, fourth and fifth solenoid valve  18 ,  19 ,  20  may be advantageously integrated in a single multiple solenoid valve. 
         [0028]    In accordance with this third preferred embodiment of the present invention, initially it is provided to open said check valve  12  while keeping said first solenoid valve  13  closed. Then said third solenoid valve  18  is opened thus emitting gas into the decompression chamber  14  up to reaching a pressure value about equal to the one inside the bottle, after said third solenoid valve  18  is closed and said first solenoid valve  13  is opened so as to put the bottle into communication with said decompression chamber  14 . A this point, said fourth solenoid valve  19  is opened so as to diminish the pressure inside said decompression chamber  14  and hence generate the inlet into said chamber of a given amount of beverage from the bottle. When the quantity is reached of beverage intended to be introduced into said decompression chamber  14  and then dispensed, said second solenoid valve  13  is closed so as to “cap” the bottle again thus keeping the beverage therein contained practically at the initial pressure value thereof. 
         [0029]    Hence, if said fifth solenoid valve  20  is present, it is opened so as to lower the value of the inner pressure of said decompression chamber  14  to the value of the outer pressure. This operation is accompanied by a noise similar to the one heard when a bottle of sparkling wine is uncorked and allows the situation to be simulated in which the dispensing immediately follows the opening of the bottle. 
         [0030]    Finally, said second solenoid valve  16  is opened so as to dispense the quantity of beverage contained in said decompression chamber  14 , through said dispensing spout  15 , without any uncontrolled expansion which could cause undesired phenomena such as, for example, an excessive generation of foam during dispensing. 
         [0031]    At the end of dispensing, by re-opening said third solenoid valve  18 , it is possible to blow the gas through said dispensing spout  15  outwards so as to clean said dispensing spout  15  of any beverage residues which may contaminate subsequent dispensing. 
         [0032]    In a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention, said first and said second solenoid valve  13 ,  16  may be advantageously integrated in a single multiple solenoid valve. 
         [0033]    To reduce the waiting times between one dispensing and the next, due to the sequence of operations described above, the present invention may advantageously employ a plurality of said decompression chambers  14 . 
         [0034]    In a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown in accompanying  FIG. 3 , the dispenser device according to the present invention thus comprises a plurality of said decompression chambers  14 , each comprising means for adjusting the inner pressure and being associated, by means of a solenoid valve  13   a,    13   b,    13   c,    13   d,  with a dispensing channel  21  and connected, in turn, to a dispensing spout  15   a  by means of a further solenoid valve  16   a.    
         [0035]    In this case the various decompression chambers  14  present operate in sequence thus guaranteeing a multiple number of dispensing equal to the number thereof, without waiting times. Said decompression chambers  14  may be advantageously made as described above, relative to the first four preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0036]    A sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown in accompanying  FIG. 4 , provides another method for reducing the wait times between one dispensing and the next. The device according to said sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a multiple, rotating decompression chamber. Said multiple, rotating decompression chamber comprises in turn a main body  22 , preferably cylindrical, associated with suitable actuating means adapted to allow the rotation thereof about the axis thereof, said main body  22  comprising in turn a plurality of decompression chambers  23  arranged on the periphery thereof and preferably, also cylindrical in shape.  4  of said decompression chambers  23  are shown in accompanying  FIG. 4 , but may be made in different quantities, according to the needs of use. 
         [0037]    The lower base of said main body  22  is associated with an inlet spout  11  adapted to engage the opening of the bottle, with a gas inlet channel  24 —associated with said inlet spout  11  and connected upstream to a gas inlet solenoid valve—with an opening  25  for the introduction of the beverage from the bottle and with a dispensing spout  26  of the beverage. 
         [0038]    The upper base of said main body  22  is associated with a gas inlet channel  27  and with a breather nozzle  28 , and is further provided with two openings  29 ,  30  of size approximately corresponding to that of said decompression chambers  23 . 
         [0039]    Said main body  22  is therefore adapted to rotate about the axis of symmetry thereof while the upper and lower bases thereof remain fixed. 
         [0040]    In reference to accompanying  FIG. 4 , during the operation of the device, each of said decompression chambers  23  goes through four different operating steps corresponding to four positions taken on during the rotation of said main body  22 . 
         [0041]    In the first position, the decompression chamber  23  is closed and is in position corresponding to said gas inlet channel  24 ; said control module activates the solenoid valve upstream of said gas inlet channel  24  so as to blow gas into said compression chamber until reaching approximately the one in the bottle. 
         [0042]    In the second position, the decompression chamber  23 , pressurized in the preceding step, is in a position in which the upper opening thereof is associated with said breather nozzle  28  while the lower opening thereof is at said opening  25  for the inlet of the beverage from the bottle. Therefore, in this position we have the inlet of the beverage from the bottle into the decompression chamber  23 , which was previously pressurized, through said inlet spout and due to this vacuum caused by the breather nozzle  28  present on the upper base of said main body  22 . 
         [0043]    The beverage enters said decompression chamber  23  in quantity proportional to the time it remained in this position. 
         [0044]    In the third operating step, the decompression chamber  23  is in a position in which the lower base thereof is closed while the upper base is completely open and the beverage contained in the decompression chamber  23  is completely decompressed. 
         [0045]    In the fourth and last step, said decompression chamber  23  is in a position in which both the upper and lower openings thereof are open. By being at said dispensing spout  26 , the lower opening allows the dispensing of the beverage due to the force of gravity.