BEVERAGE PREPARATION DEVICE WITH COOLED ADDITIVE CONTAINERS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a beverage preparation device (1) comprising a beverage preparation section (2) for preparing and dispensing a beverage product, a water supply (4) for supplying water to the beverage preparation section (2) for beverage preparation, and an additive supply (6) for supplying beverage additives to the beverage preparation section (2) to be mixed with water from the water supply (4) for beverage preparation. The additive supply (6) comprises a storage section (10) for housing and storing containers (12) respectively carrying a beverage additive. The additive supply (6) comprises a cooling device (16) for cooling the containers (12) stored in the storage section (10).

Claims

1. Beverage preparation device comprising: a beverage preparation section for preparing and dispensing a beverage, a water supply for supplying water to the beverage preparation section for beverage preparation, an additive supply for supplying beverage additives to the beverage preparation section to be mixed with water from the water supply for beverage preparation, the additive supply comprises a storage section for storing containers respectively carrying a beverage additive, and the additive supply comprises a cooling device for cooling the containers stored in the storage section.

2. Beverage preparation device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling device is a refrigerator encasing the storage section.

3. Beverage preparation device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling device comprises a door for accessing the storage section and in particular the containers stored therein.

4. Beverage preparation device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling device comprises spacers, like ridges, to support the containers within the storage section distant from a cold portion of the cooling device.

5. Beverage preparation device according to claim 1, further comprising a heat dissipating element for dissipating heat out of the cooling device, wherein the heat dissipating element comprises a ventilation device and/or a heat conduction structure like a heat sink.

6. Beverage preparation device according to claim 1, wherein the additive supply further comprises an additional storage section for storing additional containers respectively carrying an additional beverage additive at ambient temperature.

7. Beverage preparation device according to claim 1, wherein the containers and, if any, the additional containers are bag-in-boxes.

8. Beverage preparation device according to claim 1, wherein at least one beverage additive carried by the containers in the storage section is selected from the group consisting of flavors, aromas, minerals, mineral solution, mineral liquid concentrate, oligo elements, vitamins, coffee extract for example caffeine, tea extract, fruit juice, probiotics, and prophylactics.

9. Beverage preparation device according to claim 1, wherein the storage section is designed to receive the containers in a tilted orientation to facilitate dispensing of the beverage additives respectively carried by the containers.

10. Beverage preparation device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling device, is tilted and/or wherein the storage section has a sloped part for carrying the containers in an inclined manner, the sloped part being preferably an inner bottom wall of the cooling device and/or the spacers.

11. Beverage preparation device according to claim 1, wherein the water supply and the beverage preparation section are fluidly connected by at least one water duct, and the additive supply and the beverage preparation section are fluidly connected by at least one additive duct, the at least one additive duct being preferably thermally insulated.

12. Beverage preparation device according to claim 1, wherein the water supply comprises a water cooling section for cooling water to be delivered to the beverage preparation section, and wherein the water cooling section is a separate chiller or is part of the cooling device, the water cooling section preferably comprising a cooling loop being guided through the cooling device.

13. Beverage preparation device according to claim 1, wherein the beverage preparation section comprises a mixing chamber for preparing a beverage by mixing the water supplied by the water supply and, if any, a beverage additive supplied by the additive supply.

14. Beverage preparation device according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit for controlling a beverage preparation.

15. Beverage preparation device according to claim 1, further comprising a housing for housing the beverage preparation section, the water supply, and the additive supply.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0056] The above described aspects and implementation forms of the present invention will be explained in the following description of specific embodiments and aspects in relation to the enclosed drawings, in which:

[0057] FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view illustrating a beverage preparation device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view on a larger scale of detail I. in FIG. 1,

[0059] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view on a larger scale of detail II. in FIG. 1;

[0060] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view on a larger scale of detail Ill. in FIG. 1; and

[0061] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective rearview on a larger scale of a part of the beverage preparation device of FIG. 1 in a partly assembled state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 illustrate a beverage preparation device 1 comprising a beverage preparation section 2, a water supply 4 and an additive supply 6. The beverage preparation device 1 may further comprise a housing 3 for housing the beverage preparation section 2, the water supply 4, and the additive supply 6. The housing 3 may comprise a frame 3.1, side walls 3.2, and a top wall 3.3 fastened to the frame 3.1.

[0063] The beverage preparation section 2 is configured to prepare and dispense a beverage product. The water supply 4 is configured to supply water to the beverage preparation section 2 for the preparation of a beverage. The water supply 4 and the beverage preparation section 2 may be fluidly connected by a water duct. The water duct may comprise at least one pipe, tube, hose or channel.

[0064] The water supply 4 may comprise a water pump configured for supplying water to the beverage preparation section 2. The water supply 4 may further comprise a water filter 4.1 for filtering the water, for example between the water pump and the beverage preparation section 2. Besides, the water supply 4 may have an inlet port 4.2, as illustrated in FIG. 4, which may be fluidly connected to a non-illustrated water distribution network.

[0065] The additive supply 6 is configured to supply beverage additives to the beverage preparation section 2. The beverage additives may be mixed with water from the water supply 4 for preparing a beverage. The additive supply 6 and the beverage preparation section 2 may be fluidly connected by one or more additive duct(s) 7. The additive ducts 7 may comprise at least one pipe, tube, hose or channel.

[0066] The additive supply 6 may comprise additive pumps 8 configured for supplying the beverage additives, preferably in a fluidic state, to the beverage preparation section 2. Each additive pump 8 may be a peristaltic pump configured to compress a respective additive duct 7, which is a compressible hose in this variant. In the example of FIG. 1, the additive supply 6 comprises four additive pumps 8, the left one of which is elevated to illustrate a dismounted state.

[0067] The additive supply 6 comprises a storage section 10 for storing four containers 12. The containers 12 may be bag-in-boxes. In an assembled state, the containers 12 may be located in the storage section 10 between the additive ducts 7 and the side wall 3.2 that is arranged at the rear of the beverage preparation device 1.

[0068] Each one of the containers 12 carries a respective beverage additive, which may be different or similar with respect to the beverage additives carried by the other containers. The beverage additives carried by the containers 12 in the storage section may be selected in the group consisting of flavors, aromas, minerals, mineral solution, mineral liquid concentrate, vitamins, and coffee extract for example caffeine, tea extract, fruit juice, probiotics, prophylactics. At least one the beverage additives carried by the containers 12 may contain no preservative or less than 0.03% of preservative.

[0069] The additive supply 6 further comprises a cooling device 16 for cooling the containers 12 stored in the storage section 10. Thus, the cooling device makes it possible to extend the shelf-life of the beverage additive to e.g. a few weeks by maintaining a low and constant temperature in the beverage additive. In the example of FIG. 1-5, the cooling device 16 may be a refrigerator configured to encase the storage section 10. The cooling device 16 aims at keeping the containers 12 stored in the storage section 10 within a given range of temperature, for example between 3 to 10° C.

[0070] In a variant, the additive ducts 7 and pumps 8 associated with the additive supply 6 may also be located within cooling device 16 and/or the refrigerator.

[0071] The design of the storage section allows preventing freezing of the stored containers 12 and ensuring a homogenous cooling of the containers 12.

[0072] The cooling device 16 may have walls arranged to define a parallelepiped shape. The walls of the cooling device 16 may preferably be thermally insulated vis-à-vis the exterior of the cooling device 16. Further, the one or each additive duct 7 may be thermally insulated on all or part of their extension connecting the additive supply 6 to the beverage preparation section 2 or it can in a possible embodiment be cooled down.

[0073] The cooling device 16 may further comprise a door 17 configured to allow an operator to access the storage section 10 and in particular the containers 12 that are stored in the storage section 10. When an operator needs to unload a container 12 and load a replacement container, the operator may open the door 17 and access the interior of the cooling device 16.

[0074] The cooling device 16 may also comprise non-illustrated spacers to support the containers 12 distant from the inner sides of the cold walls of the cooling device 16 so as to prevent a beverage additive from freezing inside a container 12. The spacers may be formed by ridges. The spacers may be made of insulating material.

[0075] The beverage preparation device 2 may further comprise a heat dissipating element 18 for dissipating heat out of the cooling device 16. The heat dissipating element 18 may comprise a non-illustrated ventilation device and/or a non-illustrated heat conduction structure, for example a heat sink or heat conducts.

[0076] The water supply 4 delivers water at ambient temperature (meaning at the temperature inside the beverage preparation device).

[0077] The water supply 4 may comprise a water cooling section 19, which is configured for cooling water to be delivered to the beverage preparation section 2. In the example of FIG. 1-5, the water cooling section 19 may include a separate chiller as in the example of FIG. 1. The water cooling section 19 may comprise a non-illustrated cooling loop guided through the cooling device 6. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the water cooling section 19 may further comprise a compressor 19.1 and a condenser 19.2 to handle a cooling medium.

[0078] The water supply 4 may comprise a water heating device (not represented), which is configured for heating water to be delivered to the beverage preparation section 2. The water heating device section may include a boiler.

[0079] The water supply 4 may supply still water and sparkling, carbonated water with different level of carbonation selectable. The water supply 4 may comprise one or more cylinders 4.3 containing CO2 for carbonating water.

[0080] Beside the storage section 10, the additive supply 6 may further comprise an additional storage section 20, which is configured to store additional containers 22. The additional containers 22 may be bag-in-boxes. Each one of the additional containers 22 respectively carries an additional beverage additive, which may be stored at ambient temperature.

[0081] The additional containers 22 may contain additional beverage additives that may be supplied for preparing a beverage in the beverage preparation section 2. The additive supply 6 may comprise four additional additive pumps configured for supplying the additional beverage additives, preferably in a fluidic state, to the beverage preparation section 2. Each additional additive pump may be a peristaltic pump similar to the additive pumps 8.

[0082] The additional beverage additives may for example be [0083] minerals, for example Magnesium, Calcium or Potassium or any other mineral, [0084] plant ingredient or extract, for example caffeine, green tea extract, taurine, etc., or [0085] any other suitable ingredient

[0086] The storage section 10 may be designed to receive the containers 12 in a tilted orientation in order to facilitate the dispensing of the beverage additives respectively carried by the containers 12 as presented in FIG. 3. Likewise, the additional storage section 20 may be designed to receive the additional containers 22 in a tilted orientation in order to facilitate the dispensing of the additional beverage additives respectively carried by the additional containers 22 as presented in FIG. 4.

[0087] The cooling device 16 may be tilted and/or the storage section 10 may have a sloped part for carrying the containers in an inclined manner with respect to a horizontal direction when the beverage preparation device 1 is in service, but this is not visible on FIG. 1 or 2. The sloped part may for example be an inner bottom wall of the cooling device 16 and/or the non-illustrated spacers. Inclined containers 12 may be more completely emptied, in particular as their outlets are located near or at the bottom of the containers 12.

[0088] Likewise, the additional storage section 20 may be designed to receive the additional containers 22 in a tilted orientation in order to facilitate the dispensing of the additional beverage additives respectively carried by the additional containers 22.

[0089] The beverage preparation section 2 may comprise a non-illustrated mixing chamber, which may comprise a non-illustrated dispensing outlet for dispensing the beverage product. The beverage preparation section 2 may be configured for preparing a beverage by mixing: [0090] i) the water supplied by the water supply 4, [0091] ii) one or more beverage additive(s) supplied by the additive supply 6, and/or [0092] iii) one or more additional beverage additive(s) supplied by the additive supply 6 from the additional storage section 20.

[0093] The beverage preparation device 1 may further comprise a control unit 30 configured for controlling the preparation of a beverage upon a user's selection. The beverage preparation device 1 may further comprise a display 32, a payment interface 34, a protection panel 38 behind the front wall, and a drip tray 36 configured for supporting the user's cup while the beverage preparation section 2 dispenses the prepared beverage.

[0094] The control unit 30 may convey information to the user via the display 32. The user may place an order for a beverage via the display 32, which may include a touchscreen, and pay via the payment interface 34. Then, the control unit 30 may control the beverage preparation section 2 to prepare and dispense the ordered beverage.

[0095] Additionally or alternatively, the control unit 30 may be configured for controlling a temperature of the cooling device 6 and/or of a container 12 to be cooled. The beverage preparation device 1 may further comprise a non-illustrated sensor is configured to detect a temperature in the cooling device 6 and/or a temperature of a container 12 to be cooled. The control unit 30 may be configured to prevent or stop the beverage preparation with the beverage additives if the temperature detected by the sensor is equal to or exceeds a threshold value, for example 20 to 25° C. during a period of more than 4 to 6 consecutive hours.

[0096] The control unit 30 may be configured to reauthorize the beverage preparation when the temperature drops below said threshold value and/or when said container 12 is replaced. Besides, even when the control unit 30 prevents the beverage preparation with the unpreserved beverage additives, the beverage preparation device 1 may continue to dispense water or beverages prepared with the additional beverage additives from the additional containers 22, which are not cooled by the cooling device 6.

[0097] The present invention has been described in conjunction with various embodiments and implementations as examples. However, other variations can be understood and effected by those persons skilled in the art and practicing the claimed invention, from the studies of the drawings, this disclosure and the independent claims. In the claims as well as in the description the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may fulfill the functions of several entities or items recited in the claims.