GB2152012A

GB2152012A - Drinks dispensing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2152012A
Application number: GB08432622A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Gordon Craig James
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-12-30
Filing date: 1984-12-27
Publication date: 1985-07-31
Also published as: GB8334614D0; GB2152012B; GB8432622D0

Abstract

Apparatus for dispensing hot drinks, particularly for a passenger-carrying vehicle such as a coach, comprises a dispensing station (16) positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle and connected by circulating/recirculating pipes (20, 22) to a remote bulk water reservoir (10), located for example beneath the floor (14) of the vehicle. The water in the remote bulk water reservoir is maintained at a temperature which is at least as high as the temperature at which the water is to be dispensed from the dispensing station. The dispensing station (16) includes valve means (18) and temperature sensing means which monitors the water temperature at the dispensing station and opens the valve only when the water has reached the predetermined dispensing temperature. This enables large numbers of drinks to be dispensed in rapid succession at a constant temperature without waste. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Drinks dispensing apparatus This invention relates to drinks dispensing apparatus, and is particuiarly concerned with apparatus for dispensing hot drinks and for installation in a vehicle, such as a passenger-carrying coach or bus.

Various types of liquid dispensing apparatus designed for use in vehicles are known. For example, in one known apparatus for dispensing hot drinks, a reservoir of water is maintained at a relatively low temperature of the order of 50 to 60 C. and when a drink is demanded a defined volume of water is pumped to a dispensing unit via a thermal booster which heats that volume of water on its path to the dispensing unit. Other known systems which also operate with a warm water reservoir employ a recirculating path for the water, but the water again has to pass through a boosting heater until the correct dispensing tempera ture has been achieved.All these known systems which heat the water "on demand" have the disadvantage that they either cannot or cannot quickly dispense large numbers of hot drinks in rapid succession and all 3t at a constant temperature. Such a need is frequently encountered in modern long-distance coaches and buses.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for dispensing drinks which can dispense hot drinks at a constant predetermined temperature in rapid succession and in large numbers.

For example, a preferred embodiment of apparatus in accordance with the invention is able to dispense up to 90 cups of hot beverage at approximately three second intervals between the dispensing operations with a temperature variation of the order of + 0.5 C.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus for dispensing drinks which does not waste any of the expensively transported water, yet which enables cupfuls of hot water to be drawn at the correct temperature from a dispensing unit which has not recently been used.

It is another object of the invention to provide apparatus for dispensing drinks in a vehicle which is extremely compact and which occupies a minimum amount of space within the vehicle passenger compartment. The apparatus can be fitted for example in a standard coach without having to remove any seats; this avoids loss of valuable revenue.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided apparatus for dispensing hot drinks comprising a dispensing station, a pump, conduit means connecting the dispensing station to a remote bulk water reservoir in such a manner as to permit pumped circulation of the water from the reservoir to the dispensing station and back to the reservoir, heating means able to maintain the water in the reservoir at a temperature at least equal to the temperature at which the water is to be dispensed, valve means in or associated with the conduit means at the dispensing station, and temperature sensing means to monitor the water temperature at the dispensing station and to actuate said valve means to dispense water when said water temperature reaches a predetermined value.

Preferably, the heating means in the reservoir is an electric heater.

In a preferred embodiment, the bulk water reservoir is connected by pumping means to a second, larger capacity reservoir which is arranged to refill the smaller reservoir when the water level in the latter falls to a predetermined level.

The dispensing station preferably includes a digital display providing an indication of how long the user must wait for water to be dispensed at the correct temperature.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, a preferred embodiment of drinks dispensing apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of the drinks dispensing apparatus; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the dispensing station of the apparatus of the present invention, Figure 3 is a front view of the dispensing station shown in Fig. 2; Figure 4 is a schematic circuit diagram of an electrical circuit associated with the apparatus; and, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the use of a second water reservoir in the apparatus of the present invention.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, this shows a hot drinks dispensing apparatus installed in a passenger-carrying coach and comprises a hot water reservoir 10 and a pump 12 which are located beneath the coach floor which is indicated by the chain-dotted line 14.

The pump 12 is a heavy duty pump which may be installed within or adjacent to the reservoir tank 10. The reservoir tank 10 is a thermostatically controlled and well insulated stainless steel tank having a capacity of for example 90 cups of water. It incorporates a low level safety cut-out. At a convenient location within the passenger saloon of the coach is situated a dispensing station or unit indicated generally at 16 in Fig. 1. The dispensing unit 16 includes a valve 18 which is controllable by means of a thermostat and is located within an associated water circulating path. The water circulating/recirculating path comprises a pipe 20 extending from the reservoirlpump 10,12 to the dispensing station 16, and a pipe 22 extending from the dispensing station 16 back to the reservoir 10. These pipes may typically be of the order of 8 metres long.The thermostatically controlled valve 18, which operates effectively as a tap, is connected to the circulating pipes 20,22 by a branch pipe, with the hot water from the reservoir being circulated/recirculated in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the drinks dispensing station shown therein comprises a housing 24 in which is arranged the valve 18 and its associated thermostat 26. There is also provided a manifold 28 incorporating the sensor 30 of the thermostat 26. The water pipes 20 and 22 are shown leading into and from the manifold 28.

The dispensing station is provided with a displaceable lever 32 which projects from the housing and which when displaced by the inser tion of a drinking vessel 34 operates switch means (not shown) to initiate a dispensing operation. When the switch means is operated bythe insertion of the cup 34 the pump 12 is switched on. The dispensing station 16 also includes a drip tray 36.

The dispensing station 16 also incorporates a digital display 38 which provides an indication of how long the user must wait until water is dispensed at the correct temperature. This digital display 38 preferably consists of a number of LED indicators which provide a numerical display which counts down to zero as the water temperature sensed by the sensor 30 rises towards the correct dispensing temperature.

The associated electrical circuit for operating the apparatus is shown in Fig. 4. The unit indicated at 40 includes safety circuits and ancillary equipment of known type which does not need to be described in greater detail.

The hot water reservoir 10 is preferably provided with a thermostatic control, and can be removed from the coach to permit the water to be preheated. The electrical heater associated with the reservoir 10 may be powered at 110v AC 240v AC and/or 24v DC, to enable it to be used either outside or inside the coach for preheating purposes.

Figure 5 illustrates how the reservoir tank 10 can be arranged to be linked to a larger capacity reserve reservoir. The tank 10 which incorporates a heater 42 is provided with a water inlet pipe 44 which is connected to a pump assembly 46. The pump assembly 46 is also provided with a connecting pipe 48 to a larger capacity reservoir tank 50 which can hold for example 200 cups of water.

The water in the reserve tank 50 is cold water and there is fitted to the end of the connecting pipe 48 a sensing probe 52 to monitor the water level in this tank.

Although not shown in the drawings, the apparatus of the present invention is preferably linked to a driver control unit which allows the driver to turn the heater and water on or off and gives him an indication of water level, heating and when the machine is being used. The driver control unit also preferably has the facility for the driver to control the operation of the apparatus and automatically to refill the heated tank 10 when this reaches a low water level. The driver console unit can comprise a monitoring system which gives the driver complete control over the heating and dispensing of drinks on either double decker or single decker vehicles, together with a digital display indication of all the operating parts of the system.

In operation,the temperature of the water in the reservoir tank 10 is maintained at a temperature which is at least as great as the desired dispensing temperature, and which is preferably somewhat greater than that tem perature in order to allow for thermal losses as the water travels through the connecting pipes 20 and 22. In a preferred embodiment of the apparatus the water temperature in the tank 10 is maintained at approximately 85 C., with a dispensing temperature at the dispensing station 16 of the order of 70 C. When a user wishes to dispense a drink, a cup 34 is pressed against the switch lever 32 which operates the pump 12.Hot water is circulated from the reservoir 10 through the pipes 20 and 22 until the thermostat sensor 30 in the manifold 28 at the dispensing station 16 senses that the predetermined dispensing temperature has been reached. While this has been happening the digital display 38 at the dispensing station 16 is counting down towards zero. When the predetermined temperature is reached at the dispensing station,the thermostat opens the valve 18, which is preferably a solenoid-operated valve, to dispense the hot water into the cup 34.

It will be appreciated that with the water tank or tanks fitted in the luggage compartment for example beneath the floor of a coach or bus the apparatus occupies the absolute minimum amount of space within the passenger compartment of the vehicle. A large proportion of the water circulating pipes are provided beneath the coach floor in an unobtrusive manner. Flexible nylon pipes are preferably used for this purpose. With the apparatus of the present invention where the tank 10 maintains a bulk reservoir of water at a relatively high temperature it is possible to dispense a large number of drinks at the correct dispensing temperature at for example three second intervals. This compares extremely favourably with systems which operate to boost the temperature of water which is held normally at a relatively low temperature.

Claims

1. Apparatus for dispensing hot drinks comprising a dispensing station, a pump, conduit means connecting the dispensing station to a remote bulk water reservoir in such a manner as to permit pumped circulation of water from the reservoir to the dispensing station and back to the reservoir, heating means able to maintain the water in the reservoir at a temperature at least equal to the temperature at which the water is to be dispensed, valve means in or associated with the conduit means at the dispensing station, and temperature sensing means to monitor the water temperature at the dispensing station and to actuate said valve means to dispense water when said water temperature reaches a predetermined value.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which the heating means in the reservoir is an electric heater.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 or 2, in which the bulk water reservoir includes a thermostat.

4. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim, in which said bulk water reservoir is connected by pumping means to a second, larger capacity reservoir which is arranged to refill the smaller reservoir when the water level in the latter falls to a predetermined level.

5. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim, in which said pump is located within or adjacent to the bulk water reservoir.

6. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim, in which the bulk water reservoir is removable.

7. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim, in which the dispensing station includes a water dispense lever which when displaced by the insertion of a drinking vessel operates switch means to initiate a dispensing operation.

8. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim, in which the dispensing station includes a digital display providing an indication of how long the user must wait for water to be dispensed at the correct temperature.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8, in which the display is a count-down numerical display.

10. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim, which includes a remote monitoring and/or display and/or control system enabling the driver of a vehicle for example to monitor and/or control the apparatus.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which the water temperature in the bulk reservoir is maintained at a temperature of the order of 85 C. and the dispensing temperature is of the order of 70 C.

12. Apparatus for dispensing hot drinks substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A vehicle equipped with apparatus for dispensing hot drinks as claimed in any preceding claim.

14. A vehicle as claimed in claim 13, in which said bulk water reservoir and pump are located beneath the floor of the vehicle and the dispensing station is located within the passenger compartment of the vehicle.