GB2263687A

GB2263687A - Beverage dispensing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2263687A
Application number: GB9300398A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian George Bunting
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-01-15
Filing date: 1993-01-11
Publication date: 1993-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 2013-01-11
Also published as: GB9200762D0; GB9300398D0; GB2263687B

Abstract

Beverage dispensing apparatus comprises a flow meter having a vaned element rotatable by flow of fluid, e.g. beer, electronic means for counting the number of rotations of the vaned element and means for halting fluid flow when the counter detects a pre-determined number of rotations, i.e. detects delivery of a given quantity of fluid. Flow may be halted by operating a solenoid valve, or by switching off a pump motor. Several apparatuses may be served by one pump and one electronic means having counters.

Description

Beverage dispensing apparatus The invention relates to beverage dispensing apparatus, particularly but not exclusively for the dispensing of beer.

The dispensing of beer at the present time is generally effected by either the use of brim measure glasses, oversize lined glasses or by the use of positive displacement meters such as those having a piston movable within a cylinder or having a flexible diaphragm movable within a spherical chamber.

Positive displacement meters work quite well and are fairly reliable but their initial cost is high and they do require regular servicing which is also expensive. A further disadvantage of a positive displacement meter is that it cannot easily be recalibrated to dispense a different measure of the beverage.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided beverage dispensing apparatus comprising a flow meter of the kind having a vaned element rotatable by a flow of fluid through the meter, electronic means for counting the number of rotations of said vaned element, and means for halting the flow of fluid when the electronic counter detects the completion of a pre-determined number of revolutions of said vaned element.

The means for halting the flow of fluid when the electronic counter detects the completion of a predetermined number of revolutions of said vaned element may comprise a solenoid valve.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a beverage dispense system incorporating a plurality of flow meters as described above, associated with respective metering installations. A flow line from a source of the beverage may communicate with an electric motor driven pump from which a plurality of metering installations are supplied, an electrical control box incorporating respective electronic counters being connected to each of the metering installations to control the operation of the pump.

In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a beer metering installation embodying the invention, and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a beer dispense system incorporating a plurality of the beer metering installations illustrated in Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, the beer metering installation there illustrated and generally indicated 10 includes a bar valve body 11, a solenoid valve 12, and an electric switch 14.

The beer metering installation also includes a flow meter 16 of the kind having a vaned element (not shown) rotatable by a flow of fluid through the meter and electronic means for counting the number of rotations of said vaned element.

The beer metering installation just described will generally be one of a plurality of similar items of apparatus all located in a particular bar and capable of being supplied with beer from a common source, usually an installation in a cellar.

In Figure 2 there is illustrated a typical arrangement of this kind, the beer dispense system there illustrated incorporating three beer metering installations 10 as illustrated in Figure 1.

In the arrangement illustrated in Figure 2, a common source of beer under pressure is a keg 18 to which a top pressure is applied from a cylinder of carbon dioxide gas 20. A beer line 22 from the keg communicates via a fob detector 24 and associated control box 25 with an electric motor driven pump 26 from which each of the three beer meters is supplied. An electrical control box 28, incorporating respective electronic counters, is connected to each of the beer metering installations and controls the operation of the pump 26. In Figure 1, there is indicated diagrammatically an electronic signal produced by the flow meter being received by the control box.

A low voltage output from the control box is indicated 29 in Figure 1, this being for energising the solenoid valve 12. A switched output for pump 26 is indicated 31.

To trigger the dispensing of a measure of beer, the electric switch 14 is pressed and a low voltage signal opens the solenoid valve and starts the pump running; as beer starts to flow the rotation of the vaned element of the flow meter starts a counter in the electrical control box.

When a pre-determined number on the electronic counter has been reached, by which time the pre-set amount of beer will have been dispensed, the voltage supply to the solenoid valve will be discontinued and the valve will close. The pump will be simultaneously switched off.

The fob detector and associated control box are provided to prevent gas entering the pump and beer lines. If fob is detected, the pump is switched off and the or each open solenoid valve is caused to close.

Thus there is provided beverage dispensing apparatus the initial cost of which is relatively low and the installation and servicing of which can be expected to be relatively inexpensive. However, various modifications may be made. For example, there may be built into the system the provision for totalizing the quantity of beverage dispensed over a period of time.

The driving force for the beer may simply be provided by top pressure gas in the keg, for example by mixtures of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, and in this case no pump may be required.

The metering apparatus can be set to give 1/3rd pint, 1/2 pint or 1 pint, which are all legal measures in this country at the present time, without changing the meter itself. The apparatus can also be re-calibrated very simply and easily at some later date should metric measurements such as 1/4 and 1/2 litre be required, by a simple adjustment of the electronic counter. A positive displacement type pump is obviously unable to be re-calibrated with such facility, if it is in fact capable of any re-calibration. There may also be the facility to interface with a computer type till for stock management.

It will be understood that the pump may be controlled by way of a pump controller or may be switched directly through switching relays for example.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Beverage dispensing apparatus comprising a flow meter of the kind having a vaned element rotatable by a flow of fluid through the meter, electronic means for counting the number of rotations of said vaned element, and means for halting the flow of fluid when the electronic counter detects the completion of a pre-determined number of revolutions of said vaned element.

2. Beverage dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, in which the means for halting the flow of fluid when the electronic counter detects the completion of a pre-determined number of revolutions of said vaned element comprise a solenoid valve.

3. A beverage dispense system incorporating a plurality of flow meters associated with respective metering installations as claimed in either one of the preceding claims.

4. A beverage dispense system according to claim 3, in which a flow line from a source of the beverage communicates with an electric motor driven pump from which a plurality of metering installations are supplied, an electrical control box incorporating respective electronic counters being connected to each of the metering installations to control the operation of the pump.

5. A beverage dispense system according to claim 4, in which each of the metering installations includes a solenoid valve

6. Beverage dispensing apparatus constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

7 A beverage dispensing system, constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.