Draught beer dispenser

Abstract

Tank beer dispenser, which dispenses supercooled liquid beer, allowing the beer to remain fresher and colder for a longer period of time, wherein the dispenser consists of a movable frame comprising a tap at its top; and has the particularity of comprising a storage chamber where a tank of draught beer is stored; a diffusion chamber with a cooling tube; a cold air generation chamber; and a engine room; and a control unit; so that a flow of cold air is generated inside the dispenser, going from the cold generation chamber to the diffusion chamber comprising the cooling duct, and then to the beer tank storage chamber, to return to the cold generation chamber.

Description

Subject matter of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a draught beer dispenser, which has the particular feature of allowing draught beer to be dispensed in a supercooled liquid state. This dispensing is made possible by efficient circulation of cold air directed towards a storage chamber in the draught beer tank. This allows the beer to remain fresher and colder for a longer period of time than existing draught beer cooled to room temperature, and to be supercooled in a liquid state, without freezing or icing, so that it can be drunk with its original flavour and taste.

[0002] This invention falls within the category of various beverage dispensing equipment, and more specifically, beer dispensing equipment.Background of the invention

[0003] As is well known, draught beer is generally kept refrigerated in a beer tank in a tank by means of some type of cooling device, and then served to the customer.

[0004] However, draught beer served at 3°C~4°C quickly loses its refreshing taste once the temperature rises due to the outside air conditions as time passes.

[0005] This problem is particularly noticeable to consumers in summer, when temperatures rise and the time it takes for the temperature to increase is even shorter.

[0006] Since draught beer is truly delicious when consumed fresh, draught beer that is served in advance loses its fresh, cold flavour, preventing from enjoying its natural taste.

[0007] On the other hand, in order to maintain the freshness and coldness of draught beer for an extended period of time, Korean Patent No. KR 10-2001-0099182 describes a method of rapid freezing to make ice and then mixing it with beer before drinking. However, if beer is frozen in this way, there is a disadvantage in that only the water contained in the drink will freeze, separating the solutions and carbonic acid, making it difficult to appreciate the original flavour of the beer. Although it may seem refreshing at first, once the ice melts, the natural flavour of the beer is significantly affected.

[0008] Also known is the publication in the Korean Patent with number KR 10-2002-0034118, which suggests a method for preventing carbonation by prolonging the cooling state of the beer by passing crushed ice granules through it; the step of preparing cold beer by filling glasses with cold beer; and the addition of a certain amount of crushed ice granules to the surface of the cold beer to maintain the cold temperature. However, as a disadvantage, the original flavour of the beer deteriorates significantly due to the frozen granules after being crushed.

[0009] In order to avoid affecting the taste of beer, reference is made to the disclosure in Korean Utility Model No. KR 20-0229473, which suggests a beer container incorporating cooling means, and Korean Utility Model number KR 20-0284177, which proposes a beer cooling table equipped with a cooling system. However, these beer containers and cooling tables alone cannot maintain the natural flavour, taste and original aroma of the beer, and there is the disadvantage of increased cost due to having to equip the beer containers and cooling tables separately.

[0010] With the aim of overcoming these disadvantages, Korean Patent No. KR 10-1741126 describes a type of frozen beer and its manufacturing method. The steps of this technique include mixing draught beer, fruit juice and sugar; freezing the draught beer and mixed at a temperature between -30°C and -15°C for 60 to 80 hours; adding the draught beer previously frozen to draught beer in a weight ratio of 10:1 to 5 to prepare the final beer. If draught beer is brewed in this way, it could offer a colder and fresher draught beer than conventional draught beer; however, a disadvantage is that the brewing process is too complicated, costly and difficult.

[0011] A method for producing ice-cold draught beer is also disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. KR 10-2261780, which includes steps such as: maturing the draught beer for 51 hours at a temperature between 0°C and 2°C; dispensing the matured draught beer through a cone-shaped spiral draught beer tube mixed with components of copper (70 parts by weight), tin (15 parts by weight) and iron (15 parts by weight), together with a draught beer tap; placing a rapidly frozen draught beer glass for at least 4 hours at -60°C under the draught beer tap; and filling the glass with fresh draught beer. This method, as mentioned above, could offer a slightly colder and fresher draught beer than conventional draught beer, but requires a high-capacity compressor to quickly freeze the draught beer glasses. previously indicated, could offer a slightly colder and fresher draught beer than conventional draught beer, but it requires a high-capacity compressor to quickly freeze the draught beer glasses to -60°C, which also requires additional work to freeze the beer glass, making it a complex and costly technology.

[0012] Taking into account the methods and equipment known to date, it can be said that only methods for freezing beer or freezing the beer glass are known, rather than supercooling the beer in a liquid state. Therefore, there is a need for a new method of producing draught beer in a liquid state supercooled, which is innovative, allowing efficient circulation of cold air to supercool the beer to a liquid state in a temperature range between -5°C and -6°C, thus allowing the original flavour and aroma of the beer to be enjoyed, which is colder and fresher than conventional beer cooled to room temperature, without the need to freeze the beer glass or make ice in the beer, and which also does not require additional or more complex work than conventional methods. The applicant is not aware of any solution to these problems that is as effective as the one claimed.Explanation of the invention

[0013] The present invention addresses the problem known within the sector related to the dispensing of draught beer, of providing a fresh beer with a good flavour that can be enjoyed over a long period of time with the same quality of flavour, aroma and natural texture of the beer, but with a fresher and colder sensation compared to conventional methods, where the problems described above. To this end, the present invention is based on supercooling draught beer to a sub-zero temperature of -5°C to -6°C in a liquid state without freezing, as opposed to conventional cooling temperatures within a temperature range of 0°C to 4°C.

[0014] In order to solve the problem and achieve the aforementioned objective, the present invention describes a draught beer dispenser comprising a movable frame that can be opened and closed at the front by means of a door; and a control unit that regulates the temperature of both an storage chamber of the draught beer tank and that of the draught beer supercooled and supplied to a beer tap at a set temperature. In this regard, it can be said that the dispenser that is the subject of this invention, which dispenses beer in a supercooled liquid state, consists of a movable frame that includes a tap at its top; a dispenser that has the following characteristics: a storage chamber where a tank of draught beer is stored and cooled; a diffusion chamber; a cold air generation chamber; a engine room; and a control unit; where the cold air generation chamber comprises a grid that is combined with a fan and an evaporator; where the diffusion chamber comprises a cooling tube; where the beer flows through an inlet connection tube from the beer tank to the diffusion chamber, and into a cooling tube arranged in the diffusion chamber, and from the cooling tube the liquid flows to the tap through an outlet pipe; where the tap comprises a temperature sensor; where the engine room comprises a compressor; and wherein the control unit controls the operation of the compressor based on the temperature detected by the tap's temperature sensor; and wherein the activation of the compressor produces cold air in the cold generation chamber by means of heat exchange with the evaporator, wherein the fan sends the cold air ly through at least one ventilation hole to the diffusion chamber that houses the cooling tube and cools it, and wherein the cold air exits the diffusion chamber through a plurality of diffusion holes into the storage chamber where the tank is stored, and wherein the air flows back to the cold generation chamber.

[0015] In this regard, the fan can be of the cycle type, which sucks in the cold air produced in the cold air generation chamber and sends it to the diffusion chamber through an opening in the grid, allowing the cold air to flow and diffuse from the diffusion chamber towards the storage of the tank beer tank, re-entering the cold air generation chamber.

[0016] Likewise, the beer tank located in the storage chamber space can be placed on a grille arranged at the bottom of the cabinet to avoid interference with the circulation of cold air and ensure smooth circulation within the cabinet.

[0017] In addition, the aforementioned grid can be equipped with an air vent that allows air to enter from the storage area into the cold air generation chamber, as well as a fan that sucks in the cold air produced in the chamber. generation of cold air and a cold air supply vent that directs it towards the diffusion chamber.

[0018] In some possible embodiments of the invention, the diffusion chamber can be placed on a support inside the frame on the left or right, and has a cover to facilitate the entry and exit of the cooling tube. On one of the front sides, there are holes through which both the inlet and outlet tubes of the cooling tube exit, and at the rear there is an opening that allows the cold air produced in the cold air generation chamber to flow through the cold air supply holes in the grid.

[0019] It should be noted that one side of the cooling tube located inside the diffusion chamber has an inlet through which the previously cooled beer enters the storage chamber, while on the other side there is an outlet that connects to the tap of the tank containing the beer that has been cooled inside the diffusion chamber. This form of cooling tube allows entry and exit through the diffusion chamber.

[0020] In this sense, the draught beer supply pipe connected to the tank The draught beer and the draught beer discharge pipe connected to the cooling pipe shall be connected by means of connectors that allow for easy separation and connection.

[0021] In one possible embodiment of the invention, a digital controller may be installed to manage a predetermined temperature, so that the control unit cools the temperature inside the cabinet within a range of -2°C to -3°C, so that the beer is cooled again in the diffusion chamber and discharged into the draught beer tap at a temperature of -5°C to - 6°C, and regulate the operation of the compressor located outside the cabinet.

[0022] Taking these aspects into account, the draught beer dispenser of the present invention concentrates cold air towards the diffusion chamber through a grid, rapidly cools the beer flowing through the cooling tube located in the diffusion chamber, and discharges the cold air exiting through a plurality of holes in the bottom of the diffusion chamber uniformly into the storage chamber, so that the temperature distribution is uniform by eliminating the deviation and stagnation of cold air within the frame, and with this efficient circulation of cold air, the draught beer can be supercooled to a liquid state at a temperature of -5°C to -6°C.

[0023] In addition, the diffusion chamber is easy to separate and combine, and the cooling tube located in the diffusion chamber, which in a preferred embodiment of the invention is made of aluminium and has good cold air conductivity, allows for easy assembly and disassembly, as well as being hygienic and washable at any time. This improves the cleaning and maintenance conditions of this essential part of the invention.

[0024] In addition, due to the configuration that allows efficient circulation of the cold air flow , the chilled draught beer tank inside the frame and the supercooled beer in the cooling pipe become a cold air accumulator material, and there is no change in temperature except when the door is opened to replace the tank, which maximises the temperature stability of the tank dispenser and has the advantage of improving the energy efficiency of the unit by reducing compressor operation and consumption.

[0025] In this regard, it is known that the critical point of supercooling for beer, as well as some carbonated beverages, is -6.5°C, so it is known that these types of beverages can be supercooled to a temperature of -5°C to -6°C, allowing the beverage to maintain its quality and eliminating the need to add ice. The present invention makes it possible to achieve this result, reducing ice consumption and saving the energy and water needed to produce it.

[0026] It should be noted that, throughout the description and claims, the term "comprises" and its variants are not intended to exclude other technical features or additional elements.Brief description of the figures

[0027] In order to complete the description and aid in a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, a set of figures is presented, in which the following is represented in an illustrative and non-limiting manner: Figure 1 shows a free perspective view of an embodiment of the dispenser that is the subject of the present invention. Figure 2 shows a view of the dispenser when it is open, showing its interior. Figure 3 shows an elevation view of the dispenser when open. Figure 4 shows a representation of an internal section of the dispenser, showing the internal structure of the dispenser with the different components of the invention. Figure 5 shows an exploded perspective view of a grid installed in the dispenser that is the subject of the present invention. Figure 6 shows an exploded view of a diffusion chamber installed in a dispenser that is the subject of the present invention. Figure 7 shows a visual representation of how the diffusion chamber is mounted on the frame. Figure 8 shows a sectional view of how the diffusion chamber is mounted in the frame. Figure 9 shows a visual representation of the interior of the frame without the diffusion chamber. Figure 10 shows a sectional view of the interior of the frame without the diffusion chamber. Figure 11 schematically shows the flow of cold air inside the dispenser that is the subject of the present invention, specifically going from the cold generation chamber to the diffusion chamber comprising the cooling duct, and then to the beer tank storage chamber, before returning to the cold generation chamber. Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

[0028] As can be seen in the set of figures indicated above, one possible embodiment of the dispenser that is the subject of the present invention is such that it can be seen that the beer dispenser (10) comprises a frame (14) that has internally a beer tank (16), a storage chamber (17) for the draught beer tank, a diffusion chamber (21), a cold air generation chamber (23), and a tap (13). In addition, the dispenser comprises, among other things, a door (11), a handle (11a), a control unit (12), a beer tap (13), a draught beer temperature sensor (13a), a tap cover (13b), a frame (14), and a engine room cover (24a). The door (11) comprises a rubber seal that prevents cold air from escaping inside the frame (14).

[0029] In this regard, the frame internally comprises a tank storage chamber (17) in which the tank (16) is cooled and stored, and the interior of the space is opened and closed by means of a door (11). The user can open and close the frame (14) by holding the handle (11a) of the door (11).

[0030] On the other hand, the control unit (12) is installed at the front of the frame (14). The control unit (12) emits a control signal necessary for the operation of the beer dispenser (10) and allows the temperature condition inside the dispenser to be viewed from the outside. The control unit may comprise a touch panel with a wireless communication module.

[0031] As also shown in the figures, inside the frame there is an engine room (24) located at the rear bottom of the frame (14). The engine room (24) is a space isolated from the frame (14) and is protected by an engine room cover (24a).

[0032] Removing the engine room cover (24a) opens up the interior space of the engine room (24), facilitating maintenance and repair work.

[0033] The engine compartment cover (24a) has a plurality of holes that allow the release of heat generated by a compressor and a condenser installed in the engine compartment (24).

[0034] As can be seen, the dispenser comprises a beer tap (13) in the upper part (14) of the frame (14) from which the beer is poured, forming a discharge space that can be occupied by a user's glass or similar container. The beer tap is operated by a lever or similar device.

[0035] From the beer tank (16), the beer flows through an inlet pipe (18) from the beer tank to the diffusion chamber (21), and then to the cooling pipe (22) located in the diffusion chamber (21). From the cooling pipe (22), the liquid is transported to the draught beer tap (13) through the outlet pipe (19) connected to the tap.

[0036] The interior of the main body of the draught beer tap (13) is protected by the tap cover (13b). Removing the tap cover (13b) provides access to the temperature sensor (13a) that detects the temperature of the draught beer dispensed from the draught beer tap (13) and to the lever, making maintenance and repair easier and more convenient. In addition, a sensitive sensor can be installed in the beer tap to detect the operation of the lever instead of or in addition to the draught beer temperature sensor (13a). In this regard, through the signal detected from any of these possible sensors, the control unit (12) controls the operation of a compressor to further supercool the temperature of the beer dispensed by the draught beer tap (13) in the range of -5 °C to -6 °C.

[0037] In this regard, and turning to the internal composition of the present invention, the interior of the frame (14) has a beer tank (16), a beer tank storage chamber (17), a diffusion chamber (21), a diffusion chamber support (14a), a grille (15), a space with a grid (20) and a cold air generation chamber (23). Going into greater detail, the internal part of the frame (14) is divided into the storage chamber (17) for the beer tank and a cold air generation chamber (23), which are connected by the space through a grid (20).

[0038] The grid (20) is associated with a fan (20a) and a fan cover (20b) that sucks in the cold air generated in the cold air generation chamber (23) and directs it towards the diffusion chamber (21). The upper front surface of the grid (20) has an open structure or ventilation hole (20c) to allow the cold air expelled from the fan (20a) to flow into the diffusion chamber (21).

[0039] The grille (15) is designed to facilitate the uniform flow of cold air into the storage chamber (17), so that the beer tank (16) is placed on the grille (15).

[0040] Inside the cold air generation chamber (23), as previously indicated, a grid (20) is installed, which is combined with a fan (20a) and a fan cover (20b), as well as an evaporator (23a).

[0041] The engine room (24) is located behind the lower part of the frame (14) and is blocked by the engine room cover (24a). Inside the engine room (24) are a compressor, a condenser, a condenser fan and a water tray.

[0042] The beer tap (13) from which draught beer is dispensed is attached to the top surface of the frame (14) and has a temperature sensor (13a) for detecting the temperature of the supercooled liquid beer.

[0043] The control unit (12) installed at the top front of the frame (14) controls the operation of the compressor based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor (13a).

[0044] When the control unit (12) starts the compressor and cold air is produced by heat exchange from the evaporator (23a) of the cold air generation chamber (23), the fan (20a) located next to the grid (20) draws in the cold air and sends it to the ventilation opening (20c) of the grid.

[0045] The cold air passing through the ventilation hole (20c) cools the cooling tube (22), preferably zigzag-shaped, located in the diffusion chamber (21), and exits through a plurality of lower diffusion outlets (21c), comprising a plurality of holes, to uniformly cool the storage of the beer tank (17) of the barrel; and the cold air flows back to the cold air generation chamber (23) through the lower air inlet (20d). In this way, the cold air generated in the cold air generation chamber (23) circulates repeatedly following the order of the chamber of diffusion (21), cooling tube (22), storage chamber (17) of the beer tank and cold air generation chamber (23).

[0046] When the temperature of the storage chamber (17) of the draught beer tank is higher than the set temperature when replacing the draught beer tank (16), and when the temperature detected by the draught beer tap (13) exceeds the set temperature, the control unit (12) activates the compressor.

[0047] Going into detail about the grid, this grid (20) comprises a fan (20a), a fan cover (20b), a cold air outlet or ventilation hole (20c) and a lower air inlet (20d). At the top of the front of the grid (20) there is a hole through which the cold air generated in the cold air generation chamber (23) flows into the diffusion chamber (21), while at the bottom there is a hole through which air from the storage chamber (17) of the tank passes through the cold air generation chamber (23).

[0048] A fan (20a) and a fan cover (20b) are placed at the rear of the grid (20), and the fan (20a) sucks in the cold air generated in the cold air generation chamber (23) and sends it to the cold air outlet of the grid or ventilation hole (20c). The cold air flowing through the cold air outlet or ventilation hole (20c) is directed towards the diffusion chamber (21) and cools the cooling tube.

[0049] Both the grid (20) and the fan cover (20b) can be made of plastic material, such as polypropylene PP, injection moulded or sheet metal, and the fan (20a) can be a cyclone type fan.

[0050] Going into detail about the diffusion chamber (21), it can be made of injection-moulded polypropylene (PP) or sheet metal, and the part in close contact with the grid (20) forms a rectangular parallelepiped shape with the cover (21a), in which there is an open cold air inlet (21b) to allow cold air to flow. The edge is reinforced with a gasket to prevent cold air leakage, and on the floor surface there are a plurality of lower diffusion outlets (21c) to evenly distribute and discharge cold air into the storage space (17) of the tank beer tank. On the opposite side of the cold air inlet (21b), there are two holes that serve as the beer inlet (22a) and beer outlet (22b) of the cooling tube (22). The edges of the two holes are reinforced with silicone or rubber material to prevent cold air from escaping.

[0051] The diffusion chamber (21) contains a cooling tube (22) that can be easily inserted and removed, which improves cleaning and maintenance tasks. In one possible embodiment of the invention, it is made of a tube with a diameter of 2 cm and a length of 9 m or more, made of aluminium, a material with good cold air conductivity. At one end is the draught beer inlet (22a) and at the other end is the draught beer outlet (22b), allowing beer from the beer tank (16) to flow and cool in the diffusion chamber (21). The cooling tube (22) can also be made of PVC material.

[0052] Other details of the invention are that the support (14a) on which the diffusion chamber (21) is placed is configured on the upper left and right sides of the frame (14), and a slot is made at the inner end of the support (14a) so that the diffusion chamber (21) fits into it. The supports can be replaced by different types of structures. In this regard, when placing the diffusion chamber (21) on the support (14a) with the cooling tube (22) included, and connecting the beer from the tank (16) to the connection tube (18) and the draught beer inlet (22a) of the cooling tube (22), and connecting the draught beer outlet (22b) of the cooling tube (22) to the draught beer tap (13) by means of the connecting tube (19), the beer is served through the aforementioned tap. At any time, the diffusion chamber (21) can be removed, emptied and inserted to clean the cooling tube (22).

[0053] Going into detail about the draught beer tap (13), it comprises a temperature sensor (13a) that detects the temperature of the draught beer being dispensed, regulating the flow of draught beer with a lever. It is also possible to replace the temperature sensor (13a) with a sensitive sensor that detects the action of the lever.

[0054] As for the shape of the tap, it can have different designs. If you remove the cover (13b) from the tap body, the lever and temperature sensor can be repaired and adjusted, and the tube through which the beer flows can be easily cleaned.

[0055] Finally, the beer is initially cooled in the beer tank (16) and then cooled again in the cooling tube (22), preventing direct contact with cold air during transfer to the draught beer tap (13) This process is fundamental to the supercooling of the receiver. In this regard, the control unit (12) controls the compressor's activity so that the beer is cooled only to a degree just before reaching -6.5 °C, which is the supercooling threshold for beer. As the beer is cooled without direct contact with cold air during transport, it is possible to produce supercooled beer in a liquid state without it freezing.

[0056] At this point, it should be noted that supercooling is a phenomenon that occurs during the cooling process when the temperature of the material is reduced below its phase change point without a change in the material's state occurring. Experiments conducted in this field have confirmed that the critical supercooling temperature of beer with an alcohol content of 4-5%, in a container (glass bottle) that is not in direct contact with cold air, is -6.5 degrees. Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to provide beer that is colder and fresher than beer cooled by conventional cooling means, maintaining it in a cooled liquid state in a temperature range of -5°C to -6°C without freezing, allowing the beer to be cooled rapidly just before the critical supercooling point through efficient circulation of cold air.

[0057] To this end, as has been mentioned throughout the description, the crucial elements in the supercooling process are cold air flow and insulation. In the present invention, the problem of cold air flow has been solved thanks to its structure, as explained above, and the conditions for dispensing draught beer are very favourable, with minimal temperature changes, except when the door is opened and closed to replace the beer tanks. In addition, both the draught beer tank and the cooling tube have been designed as cold air accumulators, which satisfy the important insulation condition for the supercooling process. This allows the present invention to dispense supercooled beer by incorporating an efficient cold air circulation structure into the conventional cooling method.

Claims

1. Draught beer dispenser, which dispenses beer in a supercooled liquid state, wherein the dispenser (10) consists of a frame (14) comprising a tap (13) at its upper part; the dispenser comprising: a storage chamber (17) where a tank (16) of draught beer is stored, a diffusion chamber (21); a cold air generation chamber (23); a engine room (24); and a control unit (12); characterised in that the cold air generation chamber (23) comprises a space with a grid that comprises a grid (20) that is combined with a fan (20a) and an evaporator (23a); wherein the diffusion chamber (21) comprises a cooling pipe (22); where the beer flows through an inlet connection pipe (18) from the beer tank to the diffusion chamber (21), until it reaches a cooling tube (22) disposed in the diffusion chamber (21) and, from the cooling tube (22) the liquid flows to the tap (13) through an outlet pipe (19); wherein the tap (13) comprises a temperature sensor (13a); wherein the engine room (24) comprises a compressor; and wherein the control unit (12) controls the operation of the compressor based on the temperature detected by the (13a) of the tap; and wherein activation of the compressor produces cold air in the cooling chamber (23) through heat exchange with the evaporator (23a), where the fan (20a) sends the cold air through at least one ventilation hole (20c) to the diffusion chamber (21) that houses the cooling tube (22) and cools it, and where the cold air exits the diffusion chamber through a plurality of diffusion outlets (21c) into the storage chamber (17) where the tank (16) is stored, and where the air flows back to the cold generation chamber (23) through an air inlet (20d).

2. Draught beer dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein the fan (20a) is a cyclone-type fan.

3. Draught beer dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein the diffusion chamber (21) has the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with a cover (21a) and comprises an open cold air inlet (21b) facing the ventilation hole (20c) in the grid to allow cold air to flow.

4. Draught beer dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein the diffusion chamber (21) has two holes for the inlet of draught beer (22a) and the draft beer outlet (22b) from the cooling tube (22), and wherein the edges of the two holes are reinforced with silicone or rubber material.

5. Draught beer dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a door (11) with a handle (11a).

7. Draught beer dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a engine room cover (24a).

8. Draught beer dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein the tap (13) comprises a tap body cover (13b).

9. Draught beer dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein the engine room (24) comprises a condenser, a condenser fan and a water tray.

10. Draught beer dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein the frame (14) comprises a grill (15) on which the beer tank (16) rests.

11. Draught beer dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein the frame (14) comprises a diffusion chamber support (14a) where the diffusion chamber (21) is fixed.

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