Patent Publication Number: US-2011049182-A1

Title: Dispensing apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/238,532, filed Aug. 31, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein it its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     An apparatus is disclosed for dispensing a beverage under pressure. The apparatus may include the use of separate pressure regulators to independently control pressure at a beverage source and also at a beverage pump. This dual pressure control may allow a user to maintain a beverage at its natural pressure as it travels from the source to a dispensing station. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many beverages (e.g., beer) can become over carbonated when exposed to high pressure. In fact, as little as two (2) lbs of extra pressure in a dispensing system relative to the natural pressure of a beverage (e.g., keg pressure or the pressure at the source) can result in the over carbonation of a beer. On-site beverage distribution systems typically use pumps or high pressure gas to drive a beverage from a source (e.g., a keg, a brew pub vat or kettle and/or a cask) to a dispensing station. A problem, however, is that the pressures used in these systems, and their configuration, also tends to over carbonate the beverage. 
     In a traditional blended gas dispensing system, for example, a source of pressurized gas (blended e.g., 50/50 or 60/40 CO 2  and Nitrogen) may be used to drive beer from a keg to a dispensing station. This use of a blended gas is intended to decrease carbonation. However, as the beer in a keg is displaced by gas, the high pressure CO, used by these systems has still been found to result in an increase in system pressure and in an over carbonation of the beer. 
     In systems that rely on pumps to drive a beverage, a single regulator is often used to control pressure at both the beverage source and the pump. Or, alternatively, one regulator may be used to control pressure at multiple beverage sources, and a second regulator may be used to control pressure for multiple downstream lines. However, these systems are either ineffective at controlling pressure throughout an entire system (caused, e.g., by a pressure differential between the downstream pump pressure and the pressure at the beverage source) or they fail to account for the fact that each beverage in a group may have a different natural pressure. Stated differently, these prior art systems are unable to effectively balance the pressures of multiple beverage sources at the same time, resulting in significant differences in pressure and agitation of the beverage(s). 
     When a beer is over carbonated it generates foam, and foam may translate into a lower overall yield per keg. More important for a user, however, is that a lower yield can mean a lower profit per keg. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a system that can maintain each beverage (e.g., beer) at its natural pressure as it travels from a source (e.g., a keg) to a dispensing station. Maintaining a beverage at the same pressure from its source point until it is dispensed would reduce or eliminate over carbonation of the beverage, increase per keg yields, and increase the potential per keg profit for a user. Indeed, in field tests, a user of an embodiment of an apparatus disclosed herein experienced a 4% decrease in beer related costs following installation of the apparatus in place of a traditional pump system. Users of traditional blended gas systems have been found to experience a 6 to 12% decrease in beer related costs following installation of the apparatus in place of those systems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An apparatus is disclosed for dispensing a beverage under pressure. The apparatus may include the use of separate pressure regulators to independently control pressure at a beverage source and also at a beverage pump. This dual pressure control may allow a user to maintain each beverage at the same pressure (e.g., the keg pressure) as the beverage travels from the source to a dispensing station. 
     A beverage dispensing apparatus may include a pump for driving/drawing a beverage (such as a beer) from a beverage source to a beverage dispensing station. As mentioned supra, a first pressure regulator may be provided to regulate pressure at the beverage source. A second pressure regulator may also be provided to regulate beverage pressure as the beverage travels from the pump to the dispensing station. 
     In operation, a source of pressurized gas may be configured to transmit a gas through the first regulator and then to the beverage source, with the first regulator functioning to control the pressure of the beverage at the beverage source to maintain the beverage at its natural or predetermined pressure (i.e., keg pressure). The source of pressurized gas may also be configured to transmit a gas through the second regulator and then to the pump, with the second regulator functioning to maintain a beverage in the system at its natural or predetermined pressure as it travels from the pump to the dispensing station. A foam control detector (FOB) may also be provided downstream of the pump to control foam buildup in a downstream line. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Reference will now be made to the attached drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a planar front view of an embodiment of a dispensing apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is planar rear view of the embodiment of the dispensing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a environmental view of multiple dispensing apparatus, with each apparatus configured to conduct a beverage from a single beverage source to a beverage dispensing station. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-3 , a beverage dispensing apparatus (or system)  10  may include a pump  12  that may operate to drive/draw a beverage (not shown) such as a beer from a beverage source  14  or container to a beverage dispensing station  16 . An upstream or first pressure regulator  18  may be provided to regulate pressure at the beverage source  14  with another (downstream) or second pressure regulator  20  being provided to regulate pressure in the apparatus  10  as the beverage travels from the pump  12  to the dispensing station  16 . A source of pressurized gas  22  may be configured to communicate with each regulator  18 ,  20 , and with the pump  12  and beverage source  14  through their respective regulator  18 ,  20 . A foam control detector (FOB)  24  may also be provided downstream of the pump  12  to control for foam buildup. As best shown in  FIG. 2 , the apparatus  10  may be secured to a wall or like surface using a mounting bracket  25 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the first pressure regulator  18  (which controls pressure at the beverage source  14 ) and the second pressure regulator  20  (which controls pressure at and downstream of the pump  12 ) may be a WILKERSON® brand regulator. More specifically, the first and second regulators  18 ,  20  may each be a Common-P1 Regulator Model 09-02 regulator manufactured by the Wilkerson Corporation. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-3 , the first pressure regulator  18  may have an inlet  26  in communication with the source of pressurized gas  22 , and a pair of outlets. One outlet (not shown) may communicate with a gauge  28  on the first regulator  18  to permit a user to visually monitor pressure. The other outlet  30  may communicate with the beverage source  14  via a line  32 . In addition, a conduit (not shown) may be provided through the body of the regulator  18 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , this conduit (not shown) allows a user to position several regulators in series and to otherwise save space by permitting (unregulated) gas to be communicated directly from the source of pressurized gas  22 , through the body of the first regulator  18 , and then on to, for example, the second pressure regulator  20 . 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the second pressure regulator  20  may also have an inlet  34  in communication with the source of pressurized gas  22 , and a pair of outlets. One outlet (not shown) may communicate with a gauge  36  on the regulator  20  to permit a user to visually monitor pressure. The other outlet  36  may communicate with the pump  12  via a line  38 . The second pressure regulator  20  may also have a conduit (not shown) that, like conduit of the first regulator  18 , may extend through the body of the regulator  20 . However, an outlet (not shown) of the conduit for the second regulator  20  may be plugged. Additionally, or alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 3  where multiple apparatus  10  are connected in series to a single gas source  22 , the conduit (not shown) may be plugged in the second pressure regulator  20  on the terminal apparatus  10 ′. In operation, it will be appreciated that the use of two separate regulators  18 ,  20  allows the apparatus  10  to have a consistent pressure throughout the length of the apparatus  10 —from beverage source  14  to the dispensing station  16 —resulting in less agitation of the beverage and a higher overall yield per beverage source (e.g., per keg). 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the source of pressurized gas  22  may be a traditional CO 2  supply source (e.g., tank). This source of pressurized gas  22  may be connected to the beverage source  14  through the first pressure regulator  18  using traditional gas transmission conduit. 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the beverage source  14  or container may be a traditional beer keg, the contents of which are under a natural pressure (i.e. the keg pressure). Moreover, as described supra, the beverage source  14  is also in communication with the gas source  22  though the first regulator  18 . It will also be appreciated that other beverages and beverage sources or containers may be used in connection with the beverage distribution apparatus  10 , including kegs containing different brands of beer, different types of beer, and other beverages that are stored at different natural pressures and/or may have different viscosities or other physical characteristics. 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the pump  12  may be a gas operated beverage pump having a housing that may include a pump assembly  40 , a beverage inlet  42 , a beverage outlet  44  and a gas inlet  46 . The pump may also be configured to include a vent  48  and/or pressure relief line. As shown in  FIG. 3 , this vent  48  may be connected with the vents  48 ′ of any upstream or downstream pumps  12  where multiple apparatus  10  are connected in series. 
     Examples of a suitable beverage pump include the FLOJET® G56 series (beer) gas (CO 2 )/air driven pump, which may optionally include a flow reversal valve  50  such as the FLOJET® model FRV1000. It will, however, be appreciated that other brands and models of beverage pump may be used in connection with the beverage dispensing system  10 . It will also be appreciated that, as the name implies, the flow reversal valve may be operated by a user to reverse the flow of fluid through the pump  12 . Flow reversal permits a user to clean the entire beverage dispensing system  10  from the beverage dispensing station  16 . Specifically, by introducing a cleaning solution (not shown) at the dispensing station  16 , and then reversing the flow of the pump  16 , the solution is easily drawn from the station  16 , though the FOB  24  and then out through the input port of the pump  12 . As best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a beverage may travel from an outlet  52  of the beverage source  14  via a line  54  to the inlet  44  of the pump  12 . 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the FOB  24  may be a Model 6720 mM wall mounted foam control detector with beer fitting threads. Although, it will be appreciated that other FOBs may be used. Like the pump  12 , a vent or pressure relief  55  line may also be provided in the FOB  24 . Where multiple apparatus  10  are connected in series it will be appreciated that this vent may also be connected with the vents of any upstream or downstream FOBs. It will also be appreciated that the FOB  24  is an optional feature. As best shown in  FIG. 1 , a beverage may enter the FOB  24  through an inlet  56  via a line  58  from the outlet  44  of the pump  12 . Also, as best shown in  FIG. 2 , a beverage may travel from the FOB  24  to the dispensing station  16  via a line  60  extending from an outlet  62  of the FOB  24 . 
     Finally, the beverage dispensing station  16  may be any one of a number of the beer and other beverage dispensing system that are well known in the art including, for example, a beer engine or a beer tower. 
     Having now described one embodiment of a beverage dispensing system  10 , various additional embodiments will become apparent to those of skill in the art that do not depart from the scope of the claims set forth below.