GB2390080A

GB2390080A - Beverage dispensing machine

Info

Publication number: GB2390080A
Application number: GB0214697A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rick Lucas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-06-26
Filing date: 2002-06-26
Publication date: 2003-12-31
Also published as: GB0214697D0

Abstract

A beverage dispensing machine is described in which a pressurised gas drives a measure of selected beverage concentrate or syrup to be mixed with water which may be chilled and carbonated, together with a measure of alcoholic liquid such as vodka to dispense an alcoholic beverage or alcopop.

Description

A BEVERAGE DISPENSING MACHINE

This invention relates to a beverage dispensing machine. In particular it relates to a method of, and equipment for, dispensing alcoholic drinks, sometimes known as alcopops, by a hand held tap.

It is common in cafes, restaurants, bars and nightclubs to dispense soft drinks, by a hand held tap. Compressed gas, typically carbon dioxide is used to pressurise several canisters, each containing a different type of concentrate, usually a syrup, to drive the syrup in measured quantities to be mixed with water and dispensed at a hand held tap in response to keys pressed on the head of the tap. Different key presses at the tap head cause the dispensing machine to allocate a measure of syrup from a different canister thereby dispensing a different drink. The water may be carbonated or still to dispense a carbonated or still drink when the syrup is added. 'lathe water will usually be chilled to dispense a chilled drink.

It has also become common, especially in bars and nightclubs, to sell a range of drinks which are similar to soft drinks, insofar as they are often very colourful, they may have been derived prom fruits, often they are carbonated or gaseous, however they are alcoholic. They are sometimes known as alcopops. They are usually sold in bottles and kept in Ridges. This demands space for Ridges, and ventilation to remove heat from the fridges. Also, the labour involved in the delivery, loading and unloading of large quantities of bottles is costly. Disposal in environmentally acceptable ways is an increasing problem.

-2 According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a beverage dispensing machine in which a pressurised gas drives a measure of beverage concentrate to be mixed with water and a measure of alcohol liquid to dispense an alcoholic beverage.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of dispensing a beverage using a pressurised gas to drive a measure of beverage concentrate to be mixed with water and a measure of alcoholic liquid to dispense an alcoholic beverage. The beverage may be selected by taking a measure from one of several beverage concentrates. It may be selected to be still or gaseous. It may be selected to be non alcoholic or alcoholic, and if alcoholic it may be selected to be strong or weak.

A drinks dispensing machine according to the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the figure. The figure shows a block schematic diagram of a drinks machine of the present invention. Firstly the features of a current dispensing machine will be described. It comprises a canister 1 of compressed gas. The compressed gas provides two functions. It drives the concentrates or syrups to the tap and, in the case of carbonated, or gaseous or lizzy drinks it provides the gas to the water carbonation unit 6. The gas canister 1 is connected by pipes to an isolating valve 16 and to a regulating valve 17, prior to connection to the canisters 3, 4, and 5. A further regulation valve 18 is used to deliver gas to the carbonation unit 6. A water supply is also fed to the carbonation unit 6.

-3 The carbonated water is then fed to the chiller unit 7 for cooling. Cooled carbonated water is then fed to a digital display metering, unit 10 and on to the dispense unit I 1. In response to a key pressed on the dispense head 12, a measure of one of the syrups from one of the canisters 3 or 4 will also be red to the dispense unit 11 to be diluted by the cooled carbonated water to dispense the chosen carbonated drink.

Also shown is a further water supply 23 through a non return valve 24 to a chiller unit 25 to provide cooled but uncarbonated water via a digital display metering unit 9 to the dispense unit 11 to dilute a chosen measure of syrup from either canister 3 or 4 to dispense a chosen still drink. Also shown is canister 2 containing a sweetening agent which may be a high energy sweetening agent which is fed via a metering unit 28 and diverting valve 14 to the still or carbonated water supplies to the coolers.

The features characteristic of the present invention include the utilisation of an additional canister 5 containing alcohol or a highly alcoholic liquid such as vodka, hereinafter spirit.

Under gas pressure the spirit is fed via metering unit 8 to be injected into the still or carbonated water supply. The spirit supply is shown via pipe 27A to diverter valve I 5 to the carbonation unit 6 or the still water input to the chiller 25. The spirit supply is also shown via pipe 25B to diverter valve 13 to the still or carbonated outputs of hatcheller units 25 and 7 respectively. Whether the spirit is fed into the water supply before or after carbonization, when a carbonated drink has been selected, is not critical. However it is important that the metering unit works accurately when connected into the system to dispense a drink of a preselected alcohol content. Precise alcohol contents may be

-4 dependent upon legislation and tax but an alcohol content of 4.2% ABV (alcohol by volume) is popular.

It will be appreciated that controls of valves may be achieved under electronic control, using a central processing unit which will be driven by keys on the dispense head as well as by programming. None of the electronic connections are shown in the drawing.

When using the beverage dispensing machine, the operator may select still or carbonated drinks as before, but with this addition the operator may also select alcoholic drinks or alcopops on tap.

There are many advantages to the drinks dispensing machine of the present invention.

All the popular branded drinks from all the drinks marketing companies can be accommodated if they provide them in the form of canisters of syrup. At the point of sale there will need to be gas, sweetener and spirit canisters and water and electricity supplies.

However there be no bottles and no fridge providing big savings in labour and space, better security and hygiene, and saving two resources which are becoming increasingly difficult to recycle.

Claims

1 A beverage dispensing machine in which a pressurised gas drives a measure of beverage concentrate to be mixed with water and a measure of alcoholic liquid to dispense an alcoholic beverage.

2 A beverage dispensing machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the beverage may be selected by taking a measure from one of several beverage concentrates.

3 A beverage dispensing machine as claimed in either of the preceding claims in which the beverage may be selected to be still or gaseous.

4 A beverage dispensing machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the beverage may be selected to be alcoholic or non alcoholic.

5 A beverage dispensing machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the alcoholic content of the beverage may be selected.

6 A method of dispensing a beverage using a pressurised gas to drive a measure of beverage concentrate to he mixed with water and a measure of alcoholic liquid to dispense an alcoholic beverage.

7 A method of dispensing a beverage as claimed in claim 6 in which the beverage may be selected by taking a measure from one of several beverage concentrates.

8 A method of dispensing a beverage as claimed in either of claims 6 or 7 in which the beverage may be selected to be still or gaseous.

b

9 A method of dispensing a beverage as claimed on any of claims 6 to 8 in which the beverage may be selected to be alcoholic or non alcoholic.

10 A method of dispensing a beverage as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9 in which the alcoholic content of the beverage may be selected.

11 A beverage dispensing machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawing.

12 A method of dispensing a beverage substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawing.