Patent Application
20140263400
The present invention generally relates to a beverage dispensing apparatus and a method for constructing therefore.
One aspect of the present invention includes a beverage dispensing apparatus having a liquid inlet configured to receive water from a water source. A storage tank receives water from the liquid inlet and the storage tank has a top portion and a bottom portion. At least one ice body is located proximate the top portion of the storage tank and at least the bottom portion of the storage tank is free of ice. The ice body is formed in an icemaker which is configured to produce an ice body through direct contact with an evaporator coil and does not use cold air or is formed directly on a portion of the top portion of the storage tank using evaporator coils extending around a perimeter of the storage tank. The water is then pumped by a pump from the bottom portion of the storage tank, through a carbonator, where the water is then dispensed to a user, upon a command.
Another aspect of the present invention includes a beverage dispensing apparatus having a liquid inlet which receives water from a water source and provides that water to a storage tank having a top portion and a bottom portion. At least one ice body is formed proximate the top portion of the storage tank. At least the bottom portion of the storage tank is free of ice. The ice body is formed in an icemaker which is configured to produce an ice body through direct contact with an evaporator coil or is formed directly on a portion of the top portion of the storage tank using evaporator coils extending around a perimeter of the storage tank. A pump is configured to pump the water from the bottom portion of the storage tank to a user upon user command.
Yet another aspect of the present invention includes a method for producing a beverage. First, a liquid inlet is provided and configured to receive water from a water source. Next, water is received into a storage tank from the liquid inlet, wherein the storage tank has a top portion and a bottom portion. Next, at least one ice body is formed proximate the top portion of the storage tank where the bottom portion of the storage tank is free of ice. Then at least one ice body is formed in an icemaker configured to produce an ice body through direct contact with an evaporator coil not using cold air or formed directly on a portion of the top portion of the storage tank using evaporator coils extending around a perimeter of the storage tank. Finally, the water is pumped from the bottom portion of the storage tank and dispensed to a user upon a user command.
These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
In the drawings:
Before the subject invention is described further, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments of the invention described below, as variations of the particular embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the appended claims. It is also to be understood that the terminology employed is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments, and is not intended to be limiting. Instead, the scope of the present invention will be established by the appended claims.
Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limit of that range, and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range, is encompassed within the invention. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in the smaller ranges, and are also encompassed within the invention, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the invention.
In this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
As shown in
The storage tank 30 receives water (preferably filtered but can also be unfiltered) from a water source and is configured to insert that water into the storage tank 30. The water source provided to the inlet 20 can be a plumbed water line or a water reservoir or the storage tank can be filled manually. In the embodiment shown in
The storage tank 30 is typically comprised of a plastic polymer and typically includes double walled insulation but it is contemplated that the storage tank 30 may be comprised of any other material such as a stainless steel but thermally insulated so there is no condensation on the external walls of storage tank. The storage tank 30 has a top portion 32 and a bottom portion 34 where ice 28 is received in the top portion 32 of the storage tank 30 and the bottom portion 34 of the tank 30 is at least mostly or substantially free from ice 28 due to buoyancy of the ice. Moreover, the icemaker 24 is configured to maintain the water disposed in the bottom portion 34 of the storage tank 30 at the coldest possible temperature without freezing, in the case of water about 32° F. Additionally, the bottom portion 34 of the storage tank 30 is free from components that remove heat. When desired by a user, the water from the bottom portion 34 of the storage tank 30 is pumped out of the storage tank, through a carbonator 50, and then dispensed to a user either as chilled, carbonated water or mixed with a beverage syrup to become a carbonated beverage. The beverage dispensing apparatus 10 is further configured to provide ambient temperature water directly to a user or to provide chilled non-carbonated water to a user or to provide cold non-carbonated beverages, upon user command.
The carbonator 50 is typically an in-line, on demand carbonator, such as proposed by pending patent application US20110268845, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety, but it is contemplated that the inline carbonator 50 may be disposed in the storage tank 30. Typically, the carbonator 50 includes two inlets; one for the cold water (which is pressurized by a pump 52, typically a high pressure water pump) and one for CO2 gas. Downstream to the carbonator, there is also a flow control device (not shown) on the carbonator outlet line to adjust the water flow rate. The CO2 pressure is typically from about 3 to about 10 psi (or from 3 to 10 psi) higher than the water pressure but that range can vary depending on the type of in-line carbonator used.
The icemaker 24 is configured to maintain the water in the storage tank 30 at the coldest possible temperature without freezing, in the case of water about 32° F. Upon a user command, water from the bottom portion 34 of the storage tank 30 is pumped out of the storage tank 30 and optionally through a carbonator 50 where it is then dispensed to a user either in the form cold carbonated water or as cold, carbonated beverages after being mixed with a beverage syrup or ingredient. Additionally, the beverage dispensing apparatus 10 of this embodiment is configured to provide chilled still or cold carbonated water or cold non-carbonated beverages, or any combination thereof directly to a user upon a user command. Alternatively, the storage tank 30, being be made of a metal such as stainless steel, can be pressurized with CO2 gas to provide a traditional batch carbonation system for supplying chilled carbonated water and carbonated beverage upon a user command.
In home beverage systems, the quality of the beverage, carbonation levels, number of successive beverage dispensing without compromising the beverage quality and the overall beverage experience are important problems to solve along with cost, size and footprint of such countertop appliances. This invention will provide a superior water conditioning system for Home Beverage appliances to deliver high quality cold carbonated and non-carbonated beverages matching or exceeding consumer beverage experience from commercially made beverages in cans and bottles. The invention allows a water chilling sub-system which will provide ample amounts of coldest water for high quality carbonation in the most compact footprint at a substantially lower cost.
