Abstract:
A method and apparatus for on demand chilling and dispensing of product from a commercially available product package is disclosed. The product dispenser includes a product container positioned on a housing that is adapted to receive thermal cooling media. The product dispenser further includes a container cap attachable to a portal of the product container and a first end of a dispense tubing. A second end of the dispense tubing is connectable to a dispensing valve mountable to the housing, thereby regulating delivery. The thermal cooling media resides in the housing, thereby cooling the dispense tubing and its contents. Also provided are provisions for inclusion of a product container as part of the dispenser that can be filled and refilled. Further provisions include the ability to adapt to varying product container portal sizes and varying product container sizes, as commonly seen in commercial product packaging. Methods provided include installation of the product container and operation of the product dispenser.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to dispensing chilled fluids and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a wine cooler and dispenser that provides on demand chilling and dispensing.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    The packaging of wine for sale and distribution varies from bottles to bag-in-box arrangements. More expensive wines produced in limited quantities are generally packaged in bottles sealed with a cork. Less expensive wines produced in higher volumes may be packaged in bag-in-box arrangements including dispensing spigots. Alternatively, some less expensive wines may be packaged in large bottles sealed with a removable cap.  
           [0005]    Regardless of the packaging, wine is often chilled in a refrigerator. Large gatherings thus present several problems when multiple larger bottles of wine must be chilled. Insufficient refrigerator space can result in a lack of adequate chilled wine for the gathering. Furthermore, even when there is ample refrigerator space, an incorrect estimate of the required number of bottles can occur. In either instance, the persons attending the gathering are forced to consume unchilled wine or chill the wine through the addition of ice directly into wine glasses.  
           [0006]    Accordingly, there is a long felt need for a cost effective on demand chilling and dispensing apparatus for wine.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    In accordance with the present invention, a method and apparatus for dispensing product includes a product container positioned on a housing. The product dispenser further includes a container cap attachable to a portal of the product container and a first end of a dispense tubing. A second end of the dispense tubing is connectable to a dispensing valve mountable to the housing. A thermal cooling media resides in the housing, thereby cooling the dispense tubing and its contents.  
           [0008]    The invention provides provisions for adapting to varying product container portal sizes as commonly seen in commercial product packaging. The invention further provides for accommodating varying product container sizes. Also provided are provisions for inclusion of a product container as part of the product dispenser to be filled and refilled when emptied. Methods are provided for the installation and operation of the product dispenser, including product container installation, product container changeout, and dispensing of product from the product dispenser.  
           [0009]    In summary, the product dispenser allows for on-demand dispensing of a chilled product directly from the product container. The product flowpath includes the product container, the container cap, the dispense tubing, and the dispensing valve. The product is cooled as it sits in the housing or as it flows through the dispense tubing to the dispensing valve. Use of this apparatus eliminates the need for prechilling of product before consumption.  
           [0010]    It is therefore an object of this invention to provide on-demand dispensing and chilling of a product directly from the product packaging.  
           [0011]    It is another object of this invention to provide for varying sizes of product container portals.  
           [0012]    It is a further object of this invention to accommodate varying product container sizes.  
           [0013]    It is still a further object of this invention to provide the ability to remove or changeout partially evacuated product containers with minimal waste.  
           [0014]    Still other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become evident to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the following. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a side view of the product dispenser with cooling media according to the preferred embodiment.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a side view of the product dispenser according to the preferred embodiment.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is front view of the product dispenser with the product bottle removed according to the preferred embodiment.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the product dispenser lids according to the preferred embodiment.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is a method flowchart for use of the product dispenser according to the preferred embodiment.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a method flowchart for changing of the product container according to the preferred embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0021]    As required, detailed embodiments of the preferred invention are disclosed herein: however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is further to be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components or steps.  
         [0022]    The invention of discussion is an apparatus for chilling and dispensing fluids as needed for consumption. The device provides for installation and removal of empty and partially empty product containers. The device further provides for chilling a fluid as it is drawn to the point of dispense, therein eliminating pre-chilling requirements.  
         [0023]    As shown in FIGS. 1-4, a product dispenser  100  includes a housing  110  and at least one dispensing circuit  120 . The housing  110  includes a base  112 , a vessel  114  and a plurality of lids  116 . The vessel  114  is a hollow container of any suitable material, such as glass or plastic. The vessel  114  includes a top end  123  and a lower end  124 . The lower end  124  includes a flat circular face  125  that serves as a bearing surface. The top end  123  of the vessel  114  has an aperture  126  leading to an interior cavity  127 . A lip portion  128  of the aperture  126  is formed to prevent the lids  116  from falling off of the vessel  114 .  
         [0024]    The interior cavity  127  of the vessel  114  is designed to hold thermal cooling media, such as ice, ice water baths or the like. The vessel  114  further includes a pair of spout apertures  143  located near the lower end  124  of the vessel  114 . The location and quantity of the spout apertures  143  may vary dependent on the quantity of dispensing circuits  120  and the shape of the vessel  114 . The spout apertures  143  are outfitted with a bushing  146  and a connection tube  142 . The connection tube  142  is a short segment of rigid tubing that connects the interior cavity  127  of the vessel  114  to the environment exterior to the vessel  114 . The bushing  146  is of any suitable material, typically a soft elastomeric material such as rubber. The connection tube  142  and the bushing  146  may be sealed with any suitable sealant, including RTV or silicone to prevent leakage.  
         [0025]    The housing  110  further includes a cap  144 , wherein the cap  144  may be installed on the connection tube  142  by a user. With the cap  144  in place, liquids cannot pass through the connection tube  142 . When the cap  144  is removed, liquids are able to pass through the connection tube  142 , therein providing a drain for the interior cavity  127  of the vessel  114 . In this configuration, the user is able to fill and drain the interior cavity  127  of liquids at will. Solids larger than an interior diameter of the connection tube  142  will not pass through the opening.  
         [0026]    The base  112  is a rigid component having an outer surface  131  and an inner surface  132 . The base  112  is formed and trimmed to produce a flat side  133  where the inner surface  132  and the outer surface  131  come together. The flat side  133  allows the base  112  to rest on any flat or semi-flat surface such as a table or shelf. An upper end  134  of the outer surface  131  includes a depressed area  135  having a circular shape complementary to the flat circular face  125  of the lower end  124  of the vessel  114  for accepting the vessel  114 . In an alternative embodiment, the flat circular face  125  of the vessel  114  and the depressed area  135  of the base  112  may be permanently bonded together through the use of a solvent weld or mechanical fasteners.  
         [0027]    The dispense circuit  120  includes the product container  151  having a top end  153 , a container cap  152 , the dispense tubing  145 , the connector tube  142  and a dispensing valve  150 . The product dispenser  100  may be used with multiple dispensing circuits  120 . In the preferred embodiment, a second dispense circuit  120  may be connected to the unused connection tube  142 . The product container  151  enters the aperture  126  of the vessel  114  and may come to rest on the curved entrance of the aperture  126 . The product container  151  may be the package media in which the product was purchased. In this case, the product container  151  may be used with either one lid  116  as shown in FIG. 1 or two lids  116  for product containers  151  that have a top end  153  smaller than an inner periphery  171  of the lid  116 . Therein, the product dispenser  100  is able to accommodate virtually any size product container  151 .  
         [0028]    Alternatively, the product container  151  may be furnished as part of the product dispenser  100  to be filled with a desired product. The product container  151 , typically a bottle, is a hollow structure having an interior chamber  163 , and a portal  154  at the top end  153 . In this case, the interior chamber  163  of the product container  151  is used to house product. The portal  154  then is used for filling the product container  151 , as well as the removal of product.  
         [0029]    In the preferred embodiment, the lids  116  are in the shape of a half-circle, with a smaller concentric circle removed. Therein, the lids have an outer periphery  170  and an inner periphery  171 . As shown in FIG. 4, the inner periphery  171  of each lid  116  comes together to form a passage for the top end  153  of the product container  151 . With this design, the lids  116  may close out the area between the product container  151  and the vessel  114 , therein insulating the interior cavity  127  from the ambient conditions. Each lid  116  may further include a knob  166  for handling during removal and installation. In cases where the top end  153  of the product container  151  does not fit within the passage, one lid may be used to partially support product container  151  as shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0030]    The container cap  152  is an injection molded component having a hollow cylindrical shell  155  with a first end  156  and a closed end  157 . The first end  156  is complementary to the portal  154  of the package container  151 , wherein the portal  154  fits into the first end  156  of the container cap  152 . This connection may be threaded, spring-loaded or a friction fit as required to prevent leakage. In an alternative embodiment, varying sizes of container caps  152  may be provided to accommodate different package containers  151 .  
         [0031]    The container cap  152  further includes a tubing aperture  158  that is connectable to a first end  160  of the dispense tubing  145 . As such, product may flow from the interior chamber  163  of the product container  151 , through the tubing aperture  158  of the container cap  152  and into the dispense tubing  145 .  
         [0032]    The dispense tubing  145  includes an inner passage  147  through which fluids may flow. The dispense tubing  145  is constructed of a flexible elastomer, in this preferred embodiment silicone, to allow for flexibility in the installation and removal of the product container  151 . The dispense tubing  145  is of sufficient length to form a plurality of cooling loops  164  in the interior cavity  127  of the vessel  114 . The cooling loops  164  increase the amount of surface area of the flowing product exposed to thermal cooling media as it passes through the dispense tubing  145 . The dispense tubing is also of sufficient length to effectively chill the product as it passes from the product container  151  to a dispense point when the vessel  114  is filled with ice or other thermal cooling media.  
         [0033]    A second end  161  of the dispense tubing  145  is connectable to an interior end  148  of the connector tube  142 . The connector tube  142  passes through the bushing  146  and the spout aperture  143  in the vessel  114  wall. An outer end  149  of the connector tube  142  is connectable to an inlet port  172  of the dispensing valve  150  for product dispensing. The connection between the connector tube  142  and the dispensing valve  150  may be of any suitable means, including a friction fit, o-rings or the like. The dispensing valve  150  further includes a handle  162  for activating and deactivating the flow of product and an outlet port  173  for outflow of product. Switching the handle  162  to an on position provides an on demand dispense of a chilled product.  
         [0034]    In summary, the product flowpath commences in the interior chamber  163  of the product container  151 , passes through the container cap  152 , through the inner passage  147  of the dispense tubing  145 , through the cooling loops  164  of the dispense tubing 145 , through the connection tube  142  to the inlet port  172  of the dispensing valve  150 , then exiting through the outlet port  173 .  
         [0035]    In use, a consumer must first remove the lids  116  to gain access to the interior cavity  127  of the vessel  114  as shown in step  5  of FIG. 5. Next, the consumer must open the product container  151 , step  10 . In step  15 , the consumer must attach the container cap  152  to the product container  151 , as shown in FIG. 3. At this point, the majority of the cooling loops  164  are inside of the interior cavity  127  of the vessel  114 . . The user may now fill the vessel  114  with ice or other thermal cooling media, step  20 . After connecting the container cap  152 , the user must insert the top end  153  of the product container  151  into the aperture  126  of the vessel  114  until the product container  151  engages the vessel wall as shown in step  25 . The user may then support the product container  151  with either one or both of the lids  116 , step  30 . The final resting place of the product container  151  is dependent upon the user, since the design of the vessel  114  will accommodate virtually any size product container  151 . Step  30  provides for reinstalling the lids  116  onto the vessel  114  around the product container  151 . The user may now dispense product as shown in step  35 , by activating the handle  162 .  
         [0036]    In the case of a product changeout, the user must remove the lids  116  as shown in step  50  of FIG. 6. The process continues with step  55  and the removal of the product container  151  to be changed. The user must then disconnect the container cap  152  from the product container  151 , step  60 . At this point, the new product package must be opened or alternatively, the product container  151  must be refilled, step  65 . In step  70 , the user must connect the container cap  152  to the product container  151  to be used. Once the cap  152  is connected, the user may insert the top end  153  of the product container  151  into the vessel  114  as shown in step  75 . In step  80 , the user reinstalls the lids  116  to further support the product container  151 . The user may now dispense product, step  85 , by activating the handle  162 .  
         [0037]    Should it become necessary to store the opened product container  151 , the user must follow steps  50  through  60  of FIG. 6 to remove the product container  151  for storage. Should the thermal cooling media have melted, the user must remove the cap  144  from the connector tube  142  to the open position to allow the water to drain from the interior cavity  127  of the vessel  114 .  
         [0038]    Although the present invention has been described in terms of the foregoing preferred embodiment, such description has been for exemplary purposes only and, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, many alternatives, equivalents, and variations of varying degrees will fall within the scope of the present invention. That scope, accordingly, is not to be limited in any respect by the foregoing detailed description; rather, it is defined only by the claims that follow.