Method and system for dispensing carbonated beverages at increased speed

Abstract

A system for dispensing beverages into a receptacle controls both the dispense flow rate of a carbonated beverage and also uses bottom filling of the receptacle to limit entrainment and bubble formation during the dispense process. More particularly, the present application provides for using two separate flow paths for dispensing beverage with a first path employed initially for a low flow rate and a second path employed thereafter to fill the receptacle.

Claims

1. A system for dispensing a carbonated beverage from a beverage source through a dispense tap having a spout having an outlet, wherein the spout is configured for bottom filling of a beverage receptacle, the system comprising: a common path for carrying beverage from the beverage storage container to a first node; a first path comprising a first conduit for carrying beverage from the first node to the spout; a second path comprising a second conduit for carrying beverage from the first node to the spout, a valve arrangement actuable to allow beverage to flow through one or other or both the first and second paths; wherein the first path has a higher flow resistance than the second path, wherein the valve arrangement is positioned at the opposite end of the first and second paths to the first node.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second flow paths are fluidly connected to a common fluid outlet of the spout.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second flow paths are fluidly connected to separate fluid outlets of the spout.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the higher flow resistance is a result of using one or both of a) a reduced cross sectional area along the first conduit compared to the cross sectional area of the second conduit; or b) a longer length of the first conduit with respect to the second conduit, such that the higher flow resistance is distributed substantially uniformly over the length of the first conduit so as to limit turbulent flow.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the flow rate of beverage through the first path is between 0.4 l/min and 3.5 l/min.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the flow rate of beverage through the second path is between 4 l/min and 12 l/min.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of flow rates in the first flow path and the second flow path is in the range 2 to 10.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of dispense taps, each tap having an associated common path, first path and second path.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the flow rate for a given pressure in the second path is at least twice that of the flow rate in the first path.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the flow rate of beverage through the first path is approximately 2 l/min.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the flow rate through second path is approximately 7.5 l/min.

12. A system according to claim 1, further comprising: a controller for operating the valve arrangement wherein the controller is configured when filling the beverage receptacle to initially cause the valve arrangement to allow beverage to flow through the first path.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to operate the valve arrangement so that beverage can flow through the second path after a predetermined condition has occurred after flow has commenced through the first path.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined condition is an elapsed time from commencement of flow through the first path determined by the controller.

15. A system according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined condition is dependent on one or more of the following: a) the elapsed time since the previous dispense, and b) the temperature of the beverage measured by a temperature sensor.

16. A system according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined condition is that a level of the beverage in the receptacle is raised to a height in the range of 1 cm to 6 cm above the outlet of the spout when the spout is placed at the bottom of the receptacle.

17. A system according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined condition is the flow of a predetermined volume through the first path.

18. A system according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined condition is the detection of a liquid level about the spout.

19. A system according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined condition is dependent on an input received from a user at an input device.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein the input received is indicative of the size of a beverage receptacle being used.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the input device comprises a plurality of buttons, each button being associated with a different size of beverage receptacle.

22. A method of bottom filing a beverage receptacle comprising: providing a bottom fill spout into a beverage receptacle; operating a first valve to commence providing a beverage through a first flow path to the bottom fill spout; operating a second valve to commence providing the beverage through a second flow path to the bottom fill spout after the level of beverage in the beverage receptacle is above an outlet of the spout wherein the first valve is positioned between the first flow path and the bottom fill spout and the second valve is positioned between the second flow path and the bottom fill spout, wherein the first flow path has a higher flow resistance than the second flow path as a result of using one or both of a) a reduced cross sectional area along a first conduit at least partially defining the first flow path compared to the cross sectional area of a second conduit at least partially defining the second flow path; or b) a longer length of the first conduit with respect to the second conduit, such that the higher flow resistance is distributed substantially uniformly over the length of the first conduit so as to limit turbulent flow.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is an exemplary beverage dispense system known in the art;

(2) FIG. 2 is an exemplary beverage dispense system according to a first aspect which employs two parallel flow paths to control a dispense process;

(3) FIG. 3 is an exemplary piping and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) schematic diagram of a beverage dispense device such as shown in FIG. 2;

(4) FIG. 4 is a flowchart for the operation of an exemplary dispense device as shown in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 5 is a flowchart for the portion calibration of an exemplary dispense device;

(6) FIG. 6 is another exemplary piping and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) schematic diagram of the beverage dispense system of FIG. 2.

(7) For convenience, the same reference numerals are used with like features between the figures in the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) The present application provides for the dispensing of carbonated beverages with an increased speed over conventional manual beverage tap dispensing arrangements. In addition certain arrangements offer the ability to dispense predetermined portions from a robust, reliable and simple device. Each of these factors is important in an industry where historically there is only simple manual dispense and there are correspondingly less technically proficient operator, install and support services. The present application provides a faster dispense device which uses bottom filling of a beverage receptacle, which may for example be a glass, mug, stein, jug, pitcher or other suitable container in which beverages are provided to customers in a bar or similar venue.

(9) The application provides a means of controlling the flow rate of beverage during the dispense process. The dispense process comprises the steps of providing a slow dispense speed during a first part of the dispense process until the dispense spout is suitably immersed in the beverage. The method then switches to a higher dispense speed for the remaining portion of the dispense portion volume.

(10) Previous devices that use both bottom filling of a beverage receptacle and flow control have typically employed complex devices to actively control the flow rate of the beverage as it passes though a single beverage pathway to the dispense spout. Aside from the complexity of the devices, a further problem is that they tend to produce excessive bubbles requiring additional cooling to counter their effects.

(11) The present application avoids these limitations of existing solutions by splitting the beverage flow pathway at a node. Suitably, this split is into two separate dispense pathways but there may be more.

(12) A first pathway is configured to provide a slow dispense speed and a second pathway a fast dispense speed. It will be appreciated that fast dispense speed and slow dispense speed are relative to each other. The flow in each of these two pathways or conduits is suitably controlled by a separate valve. The two pathways join downstream of the valves. The dispense pathway then suitably passes through a single spout that dispenses the beverage at the bottom of the beverage receptacle. An advantage of this approach is that the flow of beverage through the paths is not distorted for example as might be exhibited using a flow restrictor or valve to alter flow rates. Instead, the differing flow resistances are achieved using separate flow paths and so the resistance is spread out over a distance equating to the length of the flow path rather than abruptly at a flow restrictor or valve, which could result in excessive bubbles.

(13) The application will now be described with reference to an exemplary implementation of the beverage dispense device.

(14) More specifically with reference to FIG. 2 and the conventional layout of a bar of FIG. 1, a beverage dispense device is placed conventionally at the end of a beverage conduit 5 in a bar or serving area. In comparison with normal manual dispense methods and in order to provide sufficient supply of beverage, the conduit 5 must have sufficient capacity to deliver the beverage at a high dispense speed. This may require the parallel use of more than one conduit 5 to supply the dispense device or the addition of a pump or similar means to increase the pressure of the delivered beverage or both.

(15) It may also require an increase in any cooling capacity 7 in the dispense system commensurate with the increased dispensed volume of beverage.

(16) The beverage conduit or conduits may include additional components such as a flow controller 21 to control the maximum flow rate of the beverage delivered to the dispense device.

(17) Beverage delivered by the beverage conduit 5 to the dispense device suitably passes through a flow-meter 17 that is used to measure the flow rate of liquid during the dispense process.

(18) This flow-meter may be any suitable type for measurement of flow of a beverage. Suitable examples are turbine or ultrasonic flow-meters.

(19) The measurement output from the flow-meter is provided to a processing device, such as a microcontroller provided in a control panel 20, that controls the dispense process.

(20) At a node downstream, shown downstream of the flow-meter, the beverage flow is split between two paths. Alternatively, but less conveniently, separate flow meters may be provided on each of the two paths.

(21) A temperature sensor 41 may be provided providing a temperature measurement of beverage being dispensed to the microcontroller. As will be explained below, the data from the temperature sensor may be used to change the beverage dispense process.

(22) A first path includes a flow controller 14 and a dispense valve 12 and forms the slow flow path. The flow controller may be of a number of types, in the preferred embodiment it is in the form of a length of beverage conduit with a restricted inner diameter relative to the diameter of the fast flow path. Similarly, the length of the beverage conduit may be longer than that of the fast flow path so as to increase the flow resistance.

(23) The increased frictional resistance from the narrow diameter and length slows the flow of liquid. As the pressure drop is distributed over the length of the slow flow path during dispense, there is less turbulence in the liquid flow. Accordingly, less bubbles form than would if a short length restriction or orifice was used for the same purpose. The slow flow valve 12 may be of a number of types but is typically a solenoid valve of a form that provides minimal disruption to the liquid flow when open. For example a direct acting solenoid valve with an orifice comparable or greater than the diameter of the conduit used in the flow controller. Suitably, the length of the slow flow path is at least 20 cm. The length of the slow flow path will depend on the pressure and diameter of the pipe and other factors, but may be up to 200 cm to distribute the pressure drop over a sufficient distance. Where a different cross sectional area is employed to achieve or partially achieve an increased flow resistance along the length of the first pathway, the change in cross sectional area may be gradual rather than abrupt to avoid creating a turbulent flow. In this context, the change may occur over a length of between 1 and 10 cm.

(24) The second flow path is the fast flow path and is controlled by a high flow valve 13. The high flow valve may be of a number of types and typically is an indirect or pilot operated solenoid valve but may also be a direct acting solenoid valve. The valve is specified to minimise the disruption to the flow when open.

(25) It will be appreciated that other valve arrangements are possible. As an example, a first valve may be provided which switchably connects the fluid dispense path between the slow flow and fast paths with a second valve acting as an on/off valve for the dispense process. In another variation, no valve is provided for the slow path and a first valve is provided opening or closing the fast path is provided with a second valve acting as an on/off valve for the dispense process.

(26) However, as explained above it is desirable that the valves employed act merely to switch on and off flows and do not act as flow restrictors which might introduce undue turbulence.

(27) Returning to the arrangement in FIG. 2, both fast and slow flow paths recombine together at a second node in a manifold 18 downstream of the valves. Beverage exits the manifold and enters a spout 15. Beverage enters the beverage receptacle 22 through the exit orifice 16 of the spout. The spout is suitably of a type and size to allow bottom filling. In its simplest form, this means a spout which has a sufficient length so that the exit orifice may be positioned close to the bottom of a drinks receptacle, for example less than 5 cm from the bottom.

(28) The components of the dispense device transporting the beverage may be enclosed in insulation 19 to maintain the temperature of the beverage transported along the beverage conduit and through the dispense device. Typically inside the insulation there may also be a recirculated cooling loop (not shown) to maintain the temperature when beverage is not being dispensed. A control panel 20 may be provided on the beverage dispense device allowing a user to send commands to the processor controlling the dispense process. This arrangement is illustrated in the arrangement of FIG. 3, which present the control panel as being connected to the respective flow and temperature sensors 17, 41 and fast and slow valves 13, 12.

(29) The operation of the beverage dispensing system will now be described with reference to an exemplary dispense process as shown in FIG. 4. The process commences with a user indicating 23 that they wish dispensing of a beverage from the dispense tap. Suitably, this step indicates the portion (dispense volume) required. Initially both the slow and fast valves are closed, i.e. no beverage is flowing. A first step involves opening 24 the slow flow valve to allow beverage to flow through the first path, manifold and out of the spout orifice into a waiting beverage receptacle, such as a glass. This continues until a predetermined condition 26 has been met 25. This condition is intended to equate to a condition where it is possible to switch to fast dispensing, i.e. where the dispense orifice of the spout is sufficiently submerged in beverage.

(30) The predetermined condition may be determined, for example, by measuring with the flow-meter and allowing a predetermined volume, i.e. a slow flow volume of beverage to be dispensed. Alternatively, an estimate of the volume may be equated by using a predetermined duration as a condition. Similarly, a level may be physically detected by a level detector provided on the spout identifying when the orifice of the spout is sufficiently submerged.

(31) Once the predetermined condition has been met the fast flow valve is opened 27 and dispense continues until a condition is reached 28 where the required dispense volume 29 has been dispensed. At which point, both valves are closed 30 and the process ends 31 with the refreshing beverage provided to the customer.

(32) It will be appreciated that it is also possible to only use the fast flow path for the second part of the dispense process and to close the slow flow vale at this stage.

(33) Similarly, both valves may be left open initially during the fast dispense and one or other of the two valves may be closed in advance of the dispense volume being reached allowing for a more settled flow as the dispensing is finished. Again, this may be controlled by means of measurements from the flow sensor or by timing.

(34) The microcontroller may accept inputs on the control panel 20 from a bartender through various buttons or switches to allow a number of different portion sizes (dispense volumes) to be dispensed, these may for example include imperial measures of a glass (half pint) and pint and a larger measure equating to a pitcher which may equate to 4 pints. These switches may be provided adjacent to or incorporated into the dispense tap apparatus, commonly referred to as a font.

(35) The predetermined condition may change depending on the selected dispense volume. More particularly, it will be appreciated that the spout orifice may require to be submerged further in a larger receptacle such a pitcher.

(36) Other sensors may be provided. For example, a temperature sensor 41 may be provided to provide measurements of temperature to which the microcontroller may be configured to respond. The temperature sensor is suitably positioned at a location close to the dispense tap, so that it is reflective of the temperature of the beverage being dispensed rather than the temperature of the beverage leaving the storage area. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, the temperature sensor is positioned before the beverage supply lines split into first and second paths.

(37) As an example, the measured output of the temperature sensor may be used to change the dispense parameters. For example by increasing the volume dispensed through the slow flow path in excess of a normal predetermined volume if the measured temperature increases above a predetermined level. Similarly, the dispense process could also be halted if the beverage temperature exceeds a specified value.

(38) The microcontroller may also be configured to change dispense parameters in response to other factors.

(39) For example, the microcontroller may be configured to alter the slow dispense time in response to the length of time since the previous dispense was completed. For example by increasing the volume dispensed through the slow flow path in excess of the predetermined volume in response to increased time duration since the previous dispense. This ensures that any drain down of residual liquid from the manifold and spout is compensated for and there is both sufficient volume in the receptacle and all air or gas has been removed from the dispense spout, before the fast flow valve opens.

(40) It will be appreciated that repeatability is an important criteria in implementing a system such as this in a bar. At the same time, it will be appreciated that there will be factors which can affect the dispense process including for example the pressures, accuracy of the flow meters, size of drinks receptacles. Accordingly, a calibration process may be employed after an initial installation or where parameters in the system are changed. An exemplary portion volume calibration flowchart is presented in FIG. 5. The calibration process is relatively simple and responds to a number of user inputs. In one simple form, the calibration process may be entered for example by means of a key switch or similar device. Once in the calibration process, the activation of a selected portion button 32 opens the slow flow valve 33. A second activation of the selected portion button 34 records the slow pour volume 36 and causes the fast pour valve 35 to open. A third activation of the selected portion button 37 closes all valves 38 and stores the portion volume 39. After which, the calibration process is finished 40 for the selected portion button. The process may be repeated for other portion buttons, e.g. corresponding to half pint, pint and pitcher portions.

(41) Equally, it will be appreciated that the process for a particular portion may be repeated a number of times and average values taken for the slow dispense volume and dispense volume.

(42) Whilst volume measurements are desirable to ensure an accurate dispensing of liquids, it will be appreciated that time measurements may be employed in place of volume measurements, e.g. measuring the duration required for the first valve to be opened and then for the second valve to be opened. Equally, a combination of time and volume measurements might be used. For example, the duration of the slow dispense process might be determined based on time, with a volume measurement used to ensure the correct overall volume of beverage is dispensed into a receptacle.

(43) It will be appreciated that whilst several different embodiments have been described herein, that the features of each may be advantageously combined together in a variety of forms to achieve advantage.

(44) Whilst reference has been made above to a single tap, i.e. a single spout filling a single glass. The arrangement may also be used multiple tap for filling multiple glasses concurrently. It will be appreciated that each spout of such an arrangement may be a bottom-fill spout. If there are 5 spouts then 5 individual glasses are placed below a corresponding spout. As above, two or more flow paths may be provided to achieve the two step filling process. It will be appreciated that a number of combinations are possible. For example, each spout may have a separate slow dispense path with a common fast dispense path provided generally which splits at a junction prior to each spout. Equally, the opposite may be true, i.e. that each spout may be fed by a separate fast dispense path with a common slow dispense path provided a common feed to each of the spouts which splits at a junction prior to each spout. Similarly each spout may have an individual slow and fast flow path associated with it.

(45) In the foregoing specification, the application has been described with reference to specific examples of embodiments. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. For example, the fluid conduits, e.g. pipes and lines, may be any type of conduit suitable to transfer a fluid one location to another.

(46) Other modifications, variations and alternatives are also possible. The specifications and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in a restrictive sense.

(47) In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word comprising does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps than those listed in a claim. Furthermore, the terms a or an, as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. Also, the use of introductory phrases such as at least one and one or more in the claims should not be construed to imply that the introduction of another claim element by the indefinite articles a or an limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim element to inventions containing only one such element, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases one or more or at least one and indefinite articles such as a or an. The same holds true for the use of definite articles. Unless stated otherwise, terms such as first and second are used to arbitrarily distinguish between the elements such terms describe. Thus, these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate temporal or other prioritization of such elements. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.