The present invention relates to an alcohol beverage dispensing apparatus for dispensing the beverage from a bag.
In some applications it is known to store alcohol beverages in plastic bags. In home beer dispensing apparatus, beer is filled into and dispensed from a plastic bag that is housed in a metallic keg. A dip tube extends into the bag for filling and dispensing the beer.
During dispensing the bag deflates and there is a possibility that the bag may be drawn into contact with the dip tube. This is especially a problem when the bag is nearly empty of its contents. As a consequence of the bag contacting the dip tube, beverage may be prevented from passing into the dip tube or may result in the bag rupturing or tearing against the dip tube. Once a bag tears, there is internal leakage and the bag can no longer be recycled. Also, as a practical matter, beer can no longer be urged out of the keg and dispensed.
Moreover, the home beer dispensing apparatus typically house smaller kegs containing anywhere from five to six liters of beer. Because of the environment, it is common that the beer is not refrigerated prior to insertion into the home dispensing apparatus. In the home dispensing system the beer keg is preferably cooled or chilled from the base of the keg. This results in a temperature stratification effect where the beer at the bottom of the keg is cooler than the beer at the top of the keg prior to the cooling cycle for the beer keg reaching a desired serving temperature.
This stratification in initial cooling presents a problem to a consumer wishing to draw multiple servings of beer from the dispenser prior to all the beer contained within the keg reaching the desired serving temperature because subsequent servings are warmer. Hence, there is a need to provide dispensing device that reduces the problems associated with beer temperature stratification.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing member for dispensing an alcohol beverage from a bag that is not subject to disturbances in flow rate of beverage being dispensed when the bag comes into contact with the dispensing member.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing member for dispensing an alcohol beverage from a bag that reduces risk of the bag rupturing should the bag come into contact with the dispensing member.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an alcohol beverage dispensing apparatus that dispenses multiple servings of the beverage at a more homogeneous temperature prior to the beverage being cooled to its desired serving temperature.
In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a dispensing device for a bag containing an alcohol beverage. The device has a hollow elongated member adapted to extend into the bag. The hollow elongate member preferably has an end portion having a plurality of laterally spaced apart notches providing openings through which the beverage passes. The lateral spaced notches permit fluid flow into the end portion of the device in the event the bag contacts the end portion.
It is envisaged that the end portion has interval side wall portions between adjacent notches which wall portions have rounded tip portions to reduce the chances of the end portion puncturing the bag. Alternatively, the end portion may have a closed end to reduce the risk of bag puncture. It is envisaged that the end portion may have a spherical shape or a bell bottom shape. Alternatively, a base plate may be provided to isolate the bag from the end portion.
In a further embodiment, the dispensing device comprises a hollow elongated member having an end portion which is open or has openings to allow passage of beverage and at least one (additional) aperture in the elongated member spaced apart from the open end or openings, whereby the beverage entering the open end is mixed with the beverage entering through the at least one aperture which is at a warmer temperature prior to the beverage being chilled to its desired serving temperature. This mixing of the beverage results in multiple servings of beverage dispensed by the dispensing device being at a more homogenous temperature.
Preferably the member has a plurality of apertures, the size and shape of which are proportional to the size of the open end of the member to provide a desired temperature mixture of the beverage in the member prior to dispensing. Preferably a plurality or series of these apertures are laterally spaced about the member.
Preferably the dispensing member comprises an elongated hollow tube. The tube may comprise a metal or hard or relatively rigid plastic material, so long as it maintains its elongated shape.
Preferably, the alcohol beverage dispensing device is utilized in a home beer dispensing apparatus.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a dispensing device for a bag containing an alcohol beverage. The dispensing device comprises a hollow elongated member adapted to extend into the bag. The hollow elongated member has an end portion having a plurality of laterally spaced apart notches providing openings in the end portion throughwhich the beverage passes into the hollow elongated member.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a dispensing device for a bag containing an alcohol beverage. The dispensing device comprises a hollow elongated member adapted to extend into the bag. The hollow elongate member has an end portion having an opening for receiving the beverage during a dispense cycle. The hollow elongated member further includes at least one additional aperture therein spaced apart from the open end to receive the beverage into the member during the dispense cycle, whereby the beverage entering the open end is mixed with the beverage entering through the at least one aperture.
For a better understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention reference may be had to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:
Referring to
The home beer dispensing apparatus 10 has a front wall 12 and a dispensing tap 14 protruding forward of the front wall 12. A drip tray 16 also protrudes forward of the front wall 12 and is adapted to support an open glass container 18 below the dispensing tap 14. The home beer dispensing apparatus 10 further has a base 21 adapted to rest on a counter top in a kitchen. The front wall 12 is formed as an extension of two pivoting side walls 20 which may be moved between closed and open positions to allow the keg 22 (see
The dispensing apparatus 10 has a cooling system 23 located behind and below keg 22 that is adapted to cool the keg 22 of beer when placed in dispensing apparatus 10. The dispensing apparatus 10 also dispenses the beer by providing a pressurized air supply (not shown).
Referring to
The cooling apparatus further includes a Peltier thermoelectric device 80 mounted in mechanical and thermal heat transfer contacting relation with the cooling plate 70. The Peltier thermoelectric device 80 is connected through a suitable leads and transformer (not shown) to the power supply line or cord 32 (see
Keg 22 has a general cylindrical shape with side walls 40 and a top wall or top portion 42 and a bottom wall or bottom portion 44. Both top wall 42 and bottom wall 44 are curved upwardly from the central portion of the keg 22 and are provided with a raised annular collar 46. The collars 46 provide additional support for the keg 22.
Mounted within the keg walls 40, 42 and 44 is a plastic bag 50 for containing alcohol beverage which in the preferred embodiment is beer 52.
As shown in
The top portion 42 and collar 46 located in the top portion 42 of keg 22 has a keg dispensing device or valve 60 extending through the top collar 46. The keg dispensing device 60 is connected to the tap 14 of the beer dispensing apparatus 10 by a tube or tap connection (not shown) extending from the keg dispensing device 60 at its top end 62.
The dispensing device 60 has a dip tube 66 that extends into the keg 22 within bag 50 so as to provide a remote open end or tip portion 64 adjacent the bottom portion 44 of the keg for drawing beer 52 from the bottom portion 44 of the keg 22. Beer 52 is drawn through open end 64, up hollow tube 66 out through end 62 to the tap 14 (
In this first described embodiment, the tube 66 is continuous, that is, beer may only enter through open end 64; there are no additional apertures located along the length of the wall of the tube 66.
Referring to
It should be understood that the tube 66 is an elongated cylindrical member wherein the side wall has the crenellated openings 90 so as to form an inverse battlement shape or structure. The purpose of the openings or notches 90 is to permit for the beverage to pass into the tube 66 when pressure in space 55 pushes bag 50 into contacting relation with end portion 64 of the tube 66. This contacting relation is shown by broken line 100 in
The advantage of the rounded tip portions 98 on the interval side wall portions 92 is to reduce the risk of the end portion 64 piercing the bag 50 during the dispensing operation. Further, the tips 98 reduce the risk of the end portion 64 piercing the bag 50 during the insertion of the tip or the tube 66 into the bag 50 prior to the bag 50 being filled with beer 52.
Referring to the lower part of
Referring to
Referring to
In the immediately above described embodiments, the tube 66 has an aperture or apertures allowing beer to pass only into the end portion 64 of tube 66.
Referring again to
It should be understood that only one series of laterally spaced apertures may be provided in this preferred embodiment as opposed to two shown in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
0227935.4 | Nov 2002 | GB | national |
0227936.2 | Nov 2002 | GB | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/IB03/05404 | 11/25/2003 | WO | 12/20/2005 |