Abstract:
An apparatus used in drop-in, under the counter beverage dispense systems for maintaining the temperature of a syrup by utilizing a heat sink. The apparatus consists of a delivery system that can produce a finished drink product at temperatures between 32 to 40 degrees (F.). The apparatus utilizes the conductive cooling of an ice bin through a heat sink to maintain the temperature of a diluent and syrup product at or near 32 degrees (F.).

Description:
[0001]    This Application claims the benefit of the filing date under  35  U.S.C. § 119 (e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/831,517, filed on Jun. 5, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a beverage dispense dispensing system more particularly to an apparatus for maintaining the temperature of a syrup by utilizing a cold-plate heat exchanger. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A typical drink dispense system includes an ice bin and a cold-plate heat exchanger. In the typical drink dispense system, a diluent (either still or carbonated water) and a drink syrup are transported through tubes through a cold-plate heat exchanger. The diluent and syrup are then transported through tubes to a drink dispense valve located a distance from the cold plate. The tubing located between the cold-plate and the dispense valve is protected from the ambient air by utilizing a minimal amount of insulation. The insulation is not sufficient to protect the temperature of the diluent and drink syrup from increasing over a period of time. Typically, the insulation is not sufficient to protect the temperature of the diluent and drink syrup from increasing over a period of time. The temperature of the diluent and drink syrup typically exits the cold plate at approximately the freezing point of ice. As the diluent and drink syrup rests in the tubing between the cold plate and the dispense valve, the temperature of the diluent and drink syrup will increase over time, especially if a drink is not dispensed for a lengthy period of time. Thus, the temperature of the drink dispensed from the valve is a relatively warm product. 
         [0004]    The greater the amount of diluent and drink syrup exposed to the ambient air between the cold-plate and the valve(s), the warmer the drink will be. This situation is particularly true in the type of ice beverage system known as a “drop in” unit. This unit contains a cold-plate that resides above floor level and a valve(s) that is above counter top height. The length of the riser tubes between the cold-plate and valve(s) creates the undesirable situation where the tubing is exposed to the ambient air; which presents challenges when designing a system to meet the cold drink specification. 
         [0005]    Therefore there exists a need to find a means to reduce the exposure to ambient air of the diluent and drink syrup dwelling in the riser tubes located above the counter in order to maintain the product in these tubes at a colder temperature. The unique construction and component layout of a “drop in” unit requires that the riser tubes pass parallel to the ice bin hopper for some distance on their path to the valve(s). There exists a need to use the material used for the walls of the ice bin, typically stainless steel (a good conductor), in connection with the “riser” tubing to exchange heat between ice bin wall and the riser tubes, thereby reducing the effective exposure to the ambient air temperature. The greater the surface area contact the greater the heat exchange. To affect this, a number of techniques may be used. A cradle made of a good heat conductor can be made to contact at least half the area of the tubing and also be brought in contact with a wide portion of the bin wall. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention consists of a mechanism by which a more effective path between the ice bin and product contained in riser tubes can be affected to produce a colder drink product and thus a higher quality drink. 
         [0007]    It is a key objective of any beverage delivery system to deliver a high quality drink. This includes the ability to produce a finished drink that is between 32 to 40 degrees (F.). This requirement must be maintained even after the water and syrup products have been maintained in an ambient state after a prolonged period of non-use. 
         [0008]    A further object of the invention is to utilize the conductive cooling of an ice bin to maintain the temperature of the diluent and syrup in the “riser” tubes through use of a heat sink in direct contact with the bin wall and hold them firmly in place with an external plate that draws the tubing tightly to the wall. 
         [0009]    The primary objective of the present invention is to take advantage of the proximity of the ice bin to the “riser” tubes and utilize a heat sink in conjunction with the ice bin to maintain the product in the “riser” tubes at a cold temperature thus improving the drink quality. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    FIG.  1 —A perspective view of drop-in, under the counter-beverage dispense system. 
           [0011]    FIG.  2 —Illustration of the internal view of the ice bin and syrup delivery tubes 
           [0012]    FIG.  3 —A top view of one embodiment of the invention depicting the syrup and tubes and the heat sinker. 
           [0013]    FIG.  4 —A top view of a second embodiment of the invention depicting the syrup and tubes and the heat sinker. 
           [0014]    FIG.  5 —A top view of a third embodiment of the invention depicting the syrup and tubes and the heat sinker. 
           [0015]    FIG.  6 —A perspective view of an individual heat sink. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    A typical “drop in” drink delivery system  10  includes a nozzle  20 , ice bin  30 , a still water delivery system  32  and carbonated water delivery system  34 . The system  10  also includes a cold-plate heat exchanger  40  which rests at the bottom of the ice bin  30 . Various syrups are passed through syrup tubes  50  which extend through the cold-plate heat exchanger  40  positioned along the lower portion of the ice bin  30 . Syrup tubes  50  continue above the top portion of the drink delivery system  10  into an external platform  12  which typically resides above-the-counter of the drink delivery system  10 . 
         [0017]    In such a system, water (still  32  and carbonated  34 ) and syrups are passed through the cold plate heat exchanger  40 , and then delivered to the nozzle  20  for dispensing. Product resides in the cold-plate heat exchanger  40  at approximately the freezing point of ice, 32 degrees (F.). Tubes  50  contain the syrup and the still water tube  32  and carbonated water tube  34  reside between the cold plate heat exchanger  40  and nozzle  20  is typically in a position within the system  10  that does not receive any cooling. The syrup tubes  50 , the still water tube  32  and carbonated water tube  34  are typically only insulated from the ambient air, the cold-plate heat exchanger  40  only extends along the base of the ice bin  30 . The temperature of syrups contained in the syrup tubes  50  will decay to room temperature over a period of time. In such instances, the temperature of the drink produced is a mixture of cold water from tubes  32  and  34  and warm syrup product delivered through tubes  50  decays over time. The greater the amount of water/syrup in the ambient volume between the cold-plate and the valve(s), the warmer the drink will be. This situation is particularly true in the type of ice beverage system known as a “drop in” system  10 . The “drop in” system  10  contains a cold-plate heat exchanger  40  and a nozzle  20  that is above counter top height. The extended length of the syrup tubes  50  from the cold-plate heat exchanger  40  and nozzle  20  exposes the syrup to the ambient temperature of the room thus increasing the temperature of the syrup within tubes  50 . The “drop in” system  10  described above is a good example of a system having a large ambient volume, which presents challenges when designing a system to meet the cold drink specification. 
         [0018]    Therefore, there exists a need to reduce the exposure of tubes  50  to the ambient temperature so that the syrup product in the tubes  50  can be maintained at temperatures that approximate the temperature within the cold-plate heat exchanger  40  which is below the ambient temperature. The unique construction and component layout of a “drop in” system  10  requires that the tubes  50  pass parallel to the ice bin  30  for a measured vertical distance on the path to the nozzle  20 . The materials used for the walls of the ice bin  30  may be stainless steel (a good conductor). The syrup tubes  50  may also be made of stainless steel (or plastic) thus there is the opportunity to bring the tubes  50  and the ice bin wall  31  of the ice bin  30  together in close contact to exchange heat between the ice bin  30 , the ice bin wall  31 , syrup tubes  50  and product, thereby reducing the effective ambient volume. The greater the surface area of contact between the cold-plate heat exchanger  40  and the syrup tubes  50  will maintain the temperature of the syrup within the tubes  50  to approximately 32 degrees (F.). 
         [0019]    To effectuate maintaining the temperature of the syrup within the tubes  50 , a number of techniques may be used. The first is shown in  FIG. 3 . A heat sink  62  is positioned along the ice bin wall  31  of the ice bin  30 . The heat sink contains circular cut-out portions  63  which correspond to the radius of the tubes  50 . The heat sink  62  is connected to the cold-plate heat exchanger  40 , thus conducting the cold temperature to the tubes  50  in the same manner as the cold-plate heat exchanger  40 . The heat sink  62  may extend along the entire wall  31  of ice bin  30  or it may also continue along the external platform  12 . The system  10  also includes a plate  60  which is located opposite heat sink  62  which may also contact the cold-plate heat exchanger  40 . The plate  60  operates to maintain the syrup within tubes  50  at a temperature approximated the temperature of the syrup as it exits the cold-plate heat exchanger  40 . Insulation  70  may be added around the plate  60 , tubes  50  and heat sink  62 . 
         [0020]    An alternative is depicted in  FIG. 4 . In this embodiment, the syrup tubes  50  are adhered to the wall  31  of the ice bin  30  by thermal paste  54 . Thermal paste may be putty or mast. This embodiment also utilizes a plate  60  which may be connected to the cold-plate heat exchanger  40 . The plate  60  helps maintain the temperature of the syrup within tubes  50  at a temperature approximating the temperature of the ice bin  30 . Insulation  70  may be added around the plate  60  and tubes  50 . 
         [0021]    A final embodiment is depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . In this embodiment, the tubes  50  are placed along wall  31  of said ice bin  30 . Individual heat sinks  162  encompass tubes  50 . The individual heat sinks  162  are connected to the cold-plate heat exchanger  40 . Insulation  70  may be added around the individual heat sinks  162 . 
         [0022]    The primary goal here is to connect the cold-plate heat exchanger  40  to a heat sink  62 , individual heat sinks  162  and/or a plate  60  to utilize the principles of conductivity and maintain the approximate temperature of the cold-plate heat exchanger  40  along the length of tubes  50 . 
         [0023]    While embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, various modifications and other embodiments thereof may be devised by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.