Patent Publication Number: US-6908012-B1

Title: Beverage dispenser with an adjustable drain tray assembly

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/337,188 filed Dec. 4, 2001. The entire disclosure contained in U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/337,188 is incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to a beverage dispenser, and more particularly, to a vertically adjustable drain tray assembly for a beverage dispenser. Beverage dispensing equipment is well defined in prior art. Most beverage dispensers, particularly those used in commercial enterprises and the food service industry, consist of at least one beverage dispensing nozzle supported by at least one upright structural member of the beverage dispenser, with a drain tray positioned for the collection of residual liquid, including spillage of the beverage being dispensed. Such a drain tray assembly typically includes a collection reservoir suspended beneath a dispensing nozzle at a distance greater than the height of a defined beverage container so that the beverage container may be positioned beneath the dispensing nozzle of the beverage dispenser. Generally, the vertical distance between the dispensing nozzle and the drain tray assembly is fixed, thus making it difficult to accommodate beverage containers of varying sizes. 
   It is therefore a paramount object of the present invention to provide a beverage dispenser with a drain tray assembly that can be vertically adjusted to alter the distance between the drain tray assembly and the dispensing nozzle. 
   This and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following description. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The beverage dispenser of the present invention allows for adjustment of the vertical distance between the drain tray assembly and the dispensing nozzle of the beverage dispenser to accommodate beverage containers of varying sizes. The beverage dispenser of the present invention includes a back splash wall with a plurality of vertically spaced openings to provide edges for the connection of the drain tray assembly. The drain tray assembly has a drain tray including at least one drain and a vertically orientated back wall that terminates in a channel adapted to be positioned over an edge defined by one of the vertically spaced openings of the back splash wall. In practice, the drain tray assembly is vertically adjusted by first lifting the channel off one edge of the back splash wall and then repositioning it over another edge of the back splash wall. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     A more thorough understanding of the operation and advantages of the present invention can be had by referring to the following detailed description, which refers to the following figures: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a drain tray assembly made in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the drain tray assembly of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 2A  is a cross-sectional view of the drain tray assembly of FIG.  1 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
   Reference is first made to the perspective view of  FIG. 1 , which generally depicts a front portion of a beverage dispenser  10  with a back splash wall  12  positioned between a pair of upright support members  14 A,  14 B and below a dispensing nozzle  32 . The upright support members  14 A,  14 B are integral to the frame of the beverage dispenser  10 . The drain tray assembly  16 , which supports a beverage container below the dispensing nozzle  32  and serves as a residual liquid collection apparatus, is shown in two different positions along the length of the back splash wall  12 . As best seen in  FIG. 2 and 2A , the back splash wall  12  is preferably louvered or contoured at spaced intervals so as to provide several substantially horizontal openings  18  running between the support members  14 A,  14 B. 
   The drain tray assembly  16  includes a substantially horizontal upper surface  20  with integral drain openings  22  and a lower molded surface  24 , the lower molded surface defining a cavity  25  to collect residual liquid, including beverage dripped from the dispensing nozzle and liquids spilled from a beverage container. The cavity  25  is in liquid communication with the upper surface  20 , whereby the drain openings  22  of the upper surface  20  drain into the cavity  25 . The components of the drain tray assembly  16 , including the upper surface  20  and the lower surface  24 , are preferably molded from a thermoplastic material capable of withstanding the temperature differences in a commercial beverage service. Alternatively, these components  20 ,  24  could be constructed from metal, paper, wood or any other suitable material. In the preferred embodiment, the drains are circular or serpentine in shape to mimic the likely shape of the base of a beverage container; however, the drain openings  22  may be provided in any configuration. Also, in the preferred embodiment, the upper surface  20  is molded to have contoured sides and comers  28  that fit around the upright members  14 A,  14 B, thereby providing additional structural support to the drain tray assembly  16  in relation to the frame of the beverage dispenser  10 . 
   The drain assembly  16  also has a substantially vertically orientated back wall  30  that terminates in a channel  26 . The channel  26  functions to hook over an edge defined by one of the vertically spaced openings  18  of the back splash wall  12 . Thus, it can be appreciated that in practice, the drain tray assembly  16  can be vertically adjusted by lifting the channel  26  off one edge of the back splash wall  12  and then repositioned by placing the channel  26  of the assembly  16  over another edge of the back splash wall  18 . It will also be appreciated by those of skill that channel  26  can be made of sufficient width to provide for a snug fit over an edge of the back splash wall  12 . 
   It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other modifications may also be made to the preferred embodiment described herein without departing from the sprit and scope of the present invention.