Cooling beverage concentrates in beverage dispensers

Abstract

A method of dispensing a mixed beverage from a beverage concentrate is provided, the method comprising the steps of receiving a cartridge containing a volume of the beverage concentrate in a receptacle of a beverage dispenser, chilling the beverage concentrate to a temperature below a beverage concentrate temperature threshold using a cooling unit of the beverage dispenser, mixing at least a portion of the chilled beverage concentrate with one or more volumes of a base liquid to form a volume of the mixed beverage, and dispensing at least a portion of the volume of the mixed beverage.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The aspects and embodiments relate to the field of dispensing a mixed beverage formed by mixing a beverage concentrate with a base liquid. [Background technology]

[0002] Beverages such as soft drinks, beer, and cocktails may be consumed in a location different from where they are produced. Therefore, the beverages need to be transported. In order to reduce the mass and volume to be transported, it is recommended to concentrate, i.e. reduce the water content, of the beverage before transportation. The beverage concentrate can be mixed with a base liquid to obtain a mixed beverage with a concentration, consistency, and flavor close to that of the original beverage.

[0003] A cartridge, otherwise referred to as a container, pod, pouch, or capsule, may be used as a container for holding a beverage concentrate. A user may provide the cartridge to a beverage dispenser, and the concentrate may be mixed with a base liquid, such as water. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Many beverages are preferably consumed at a desired drinking temperature which is below ambient temperature, for example below 10°C, below 5°C, or even close to 0°C.

[0005] It has been observed that the temperature of a dispensed mixed beverage obtained by mixing a volume of a beverage concentrate with a volume of a base liquid depends on the temperatures of both the beverage concentrate and the base liquid.

[0006] If the base liquid is water, carbonated water, consists essentially of water, or contains more than 95% water, the base liquid may only be cooled to a temperature above 0° C. to prevent the base liquid from freezing. In practice, a safety margin may even be applied to ensure that the base liquid is prevented from freezing, and thus the temperature of the base liquid may be much above 0° C., for example, above 2° C., or even above 4° C. In general, one or more base liquids may be used to form the mixed beverage. Other examples of base liquids are ethanol and ethanol dissolved in water.

[0007] The base liquid may be cooled using the beverage dispenser, and thus a controller included in the beverage dispenser may control the temperature of the base liquid. However, a cartridge holding the beverage concentrate is provided to the beverage dispenser by a user, and thus the controller of the beverage dispenser may not be able to control the temperature of the beverage concentrate.

[0008] If the beverage concentrate temperature is too high and / or the beverage concentrate to base liquid ratio is too high, the mixed beverage temperature may exceed the desired temperature. Here, a beverage concentrate temperature that is too high may mean that the beverage concentrate temperature before being mixed into the mixed beverage is too high to achieve the desired mixed beverage temperature. For example, it may not be possible to compensate for this high beverage concentrate temperature by a low temperature of one or more base liquids due to the base liquid freezing below a certain temperature and / or the beverage dispenser's ability to cool the base liquid below a certain temperature.

[0009] The ratio of beverage concentrate to base liquid may be particularly relevant when the heat capacity of the beverage concentrate is higher than that of the base liquid. The heat capacity of the beverage concentrate may be higher because the beverage concentrate typically has a higher concentration of alcohol and / or dissolved components such as sugars, proteins and / or aromatics than the base liquid. Heat capacity may generally be expressed in joules per kelvin per kilogram.

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide a mixed beverage at a desired drinking temperature. In particular, it is preferred to dispense a mixed beverage formed from a beverage concentrate and one or more base liquids at a desired drinking temperature, the beverage concentrate being in particular based on or resembling a fermented beverage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] A first aspect provides a method of dispensing a mixed beverage, the method comprising the steps of receiving a cartridge containing a volume of a beverage concentrate in a receptacle of a beverage dispenser, cooling the beverage concentrate using a cooling unit of the beverage dispenser to a temperature below a beverage concentrate temperature threshold, mixing at least a portion of the cooled beverage concentrate with a volume of a base liquid to form a volume of a mixed beverage, and dispensing at least a portion of the volume of the mixed beverage.

[0012] By cooling the beverage concentrate using the beverage dispenser's cooling unit, the temperature of the beverage concentrate can be controlled. By being able to control the temperature of the beverage concentrate, the temperature of the dispensed mixed beverage can be better controlled, especially if the temperature of the base liquid or the base liquid can be controlled by the beverage dispenser as well. In particular, the temperature of the dispensed mixed beverage may be less or even less dependent on the temperature of the cartridge when received by the beverage dispenser.

[0013] The beverage concentrate may be based on a fermented beverage such as beer, wine, or cider. The beverage concentrate may thus comprise water having particles dissolved and / or suspended therein. The particles may be or comprise one or more proteins, sugars, organic compounds such as polyphenols, and / or aromatic compounds. Optionally, the beverage concentrate may be essentially ethanol-free or may comprise a specific concentration of ethanol, such as 25% or less by volume, 10% or less by volume, 5% or less by volume, or even 1% or less by volume. As a further option, the beverage concentrate may comprise dissolved carbon dioxide.

[0014] A beverage concentrate based on a fermented beverage may be obtained by concentrating the fermented beverage and / or brewing the fermented beverage with a high concentration of flavoring, the high concentration being higher than the typical concentration of flavoring for the fermented beverage. For example, if a beverage concentrate contains four times more flavoring per volume than a conventional beverage, the concentrate must be diluted four times to obtain the desired concentration of flavoring.

[0015] A high concentration of flavoring may result in a high dry matter content in the beverage concentrate, which is higher than the typical dry matter content in a conventional beverage. A high concentration of flavoring may be obtained by brewing a fermented beverage with a higher concentration of ingredients such as grains, e.g., malt, wheat, or corn, and / or hops, compared to the concentrations of ingredients used to brew conventional beverages that are not usually mixed with a base liquid before consumption.

[0016] A beverage concentrate may generally include one or more flavorings, for example, intended to mimic the flavor of another beverage. In particular, the flavorings may be used to mimic the flavor of a fermented beverage, such as beer, wine, or cider. The flavorings may be, for example, aromatic compounds, esters, or alcohols. By mixing one or more flavorings, particularly in an aqueous solution, a beverage concentrate may be obtained. It will therefore be understood that a beverage concentrate may also be formed without a brewing or fermentation process.

[0017] Exemplary beverage concentrates may be cooled to temperatures below 0° C. without freezing due to particles dissolved in the beverage concentrate. Thus, the beverage concentrate temperature threshold may be above 0° C., may be at 0° C., or may be below 0° C.

[0018] The one or more base liquids with which the beverage concentrate is mixed to form the beverage after mixing may include water, carbonated water, and / or ethanol. In embodiments, the base liquid may be beer, cider, wine, any other fermented beverage, or any other beverage, such as a distilled spirit or liqueur. The beverage concentrate may be used to add additional flavor to the base liquid. The beverage concentrate may generally be mixed with more than one type of base liquid and may come from more than one source of base liquid. For example, water and ethanol may be provided separately before being mixed with the beverage concentrate.

[0019] The cooling unit of a beverage dispenser generally refers to any component of the beverage dispenser that contributes to the process of cooling the beverage concentrate. For example, the cooling unit may include a thermoelectric cooler for cooling based on the Peltier effect. As another example, the cooling unit is arranged to cool based on vapor compression refrigeration. Thus, the cooling unit may include one or more of a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, and an expansion valve. A cooling fluid, such as a cooling liquid such as water or glycol, or a cooling gas such as CO2, may be used in the vapor compression refrigeration cycle.

[0020] Alternatively, the cooling unit is arranged to receive a chilled medium, such as a chilled fluid, liquid and / or gas, that has been chilled by an external cooling unit not included in the beverage dispenser. The chilled medium may be used by the cooling unit to extract thermal energy from the beverage concentrate.

[0021] The cooling unit may include one or more heat exchangers for extracting thermal energy from the beverage concentrate. A cooling fluid may be circulated through the cooling unit and through the one or more heat exchangers. The heat exchangers may be, for example, tube-in-tube heat exchangers.

[0022] As a particular option, the beverage concentrate is cooled while inside the cartridge. The beverage concentrate may be indirectly cooled by a cooling unit of the beverage dispenser, for example, when the cooling unit cools a portion of the cartridge, when the cooling unit cools the surroundings of the cartridge, and / or when the cooling unit cools a portion of a receptacle in which the cartridge is positioned.

[0023] To enable or improve the transfer of heat from the beverage concentrate to the heat exchanger of the cooling unit, the cartridge may comprise one or more thermally conductive elements including a thermally conductive material. In particular, the thermally conductive material may extend between an interior volume of the cartridge in which the beverage concentrate is present and an exterior surface of the cartridge.

[0024] Examples of suitable thermally conductive materials are metals such as aluminum, copper, stainless steel, or any other thermally conductive food grade material, which may include other materials besides metals.

[0025] In addition to or instead of being cooled within the cartridge, the beverage concentrate may be cooled after being expelled from the cartridge and prior to mixing the beverage concentrate with the base liquid, for example, the expelled beverage concentrate may flow through a conduit from which thermal energy can be extracted using a cooling unit.

[0026] Typically, the one or more base liquids form a majority of the volume of the mixed beverage. Thus, the temperature of the mixed beverage may be determined primarily by the temperature of the one or more base liquids. Thus, at least one of the one or more base liquids may be cooled before being mixed into the mixed beverage. Generally, whenever a base liquid is referred to herein, embodiments using multiple base liquids to form the mixed beverage are also contemplated. Examples of base liquids include, but are not limited to, water, carbonated water, ethanol, and ethanol dissolved in water.

[0027] Thus, the temperature of the beverage concentrate when the cartridge is provided to the beverage dispenser may be at least 5°C, 10°C, 15°C or even 20°C or even higher, and even significantly higher, than the temperature of the base liquid prior to formation of the mixed beverage. The temperature difference between the beverage concentrate and the cooling medium or cooling element of the cooling unit may be higher than the temperature difference between the mixed beverage and the cooling medium or cooling element of the cooling unit, especially if the base liquid is cooled before being mixed into the mixed beverage.

[0028] To take advantage of the higher temperature differential, it may be preferable to cool the beverage concentrate before mixing it with one or more base liquids. The rate of thermal energy transfer, for example by conduction, convection, and / or radiation, increases with an increase in the temperature difference between the two media through which the thermal energy is transferred. A higher rate of thermal energy transfer may be preferable to reduce the time required to cool the beverage concentrate and thus dispense the mixed beverage at a desired drinking temperature.

[0029] If the method includes determining a temperature of the base liquid, the beverage concentrate temperature threshold may be based at least in part on the determined temperature of the base liquid. For example, a higher temperature of the base liquid may result in a lower beverage concentrate temperature threshold to reach the desired beverage temperature of the mixed beverage. When the temperature of the base liquid is lower, less cooling of the beverage concentrate may be required to achieve the desired beverage temperature of the mixed beverage, which may reduce the time required to dispense the mixed beverage.

[0030] The temperature of the one or more base liquids may be determined at or near a base liquid source for each of the one or more base liquids, such as a water line or water container, which may be included in the beverage dispenser or may be an external water container. It is also envisioned that the base liquid may be cooled and the temperature of the base liquid determined after cooling of the base liquid. The temperature of the base liquid after cooling may substantially correspond to the temperature of the base liquid when mixed with the beverage concentrate.

[0031] Embodiments of the method may further include determining the temperature of the beverage concentrate within the cartridge. The temperature of another portion of the cartridge, such as an exterior surface of the cartridge, may be used to roughly determine the temperature of the beverage concentrate within the cartridge.

[0032] Additionally or alternatively, method embodiments may further include determining the temperature of the beverage concentrate after it has been expelled from the cartridge and before it is mixed with the one or more base liquids.

[0033] Based on the determined temperature of the beverage concentrate within the cartridge, the beverage dispenser controller may proceed with one or more actions, which may include expelling the beverage concentrate from the cartridge when the controller determines that the temperature of the beverage concentrate within the cartridge is below the beverage concentrate temperature threshold, shutting off the cooling unit as the beverage concentrate cools, providing an audible and / or visual signal to a user indicating that the temperature of the beverage concentrate is below the beverage concentrate temperature threshold, and / or providing one or more base liquids to contact the beverage concentrate for mixing into a post-mixed beverage.

[0034] When the beverage dispenser includes a cooling unit, the cooling unit may be used to cool at least one of the one or more base liquids in addition to using the cooling unit to cool the beverage concentrate. At least one component of the cooling unit, such as a compressor of the cooling unit, may be used to cool both the base liquid and the beverage concentrate. This may result in a more compact and / or economical beverage dispenser.

[0035] The ratio of beverage concentrate to base liquid in the mixed beverage may be 1:5 or more, in particular 1:4 or more, or even 1:3 or more. This ratio may be higher for beverage concentrates based on fermented beverages than for beverage concentrates based on soda beverages, for example. Beverage concentrates based on fermented beverages often contain a greater variety of dissolved compounds, such as proteins, sugars, flavorings and / or aromatic compounds, which may make it more difficult to obtain a high concentration beverage concentrate that provides the desired flavor after being mixed into the mixed beverage.

[0036] When multiple base liquids are mixed with the beverage concentrate, the ratio of the total volume of beverage concentrate to base liquid in the mixed beverage may be 1:5 or more, in particular 1:4 or more, or even 1:3 or more. For example, both water and alcohol as base liquids may be mixed with the beverage concentrate to obtain an alcoholic mixed beverage.

[0037] Generally, the method may use a single-dose cartridge to deliver a single amount of the mixed beverage, or a multi-dose cartridge to deliver several different amounts of the mixed beverage. Both single-dose and multi-dose cartridges may be disposable, i.e., discarded after the beverage concentrate has been expelled from the cartridge.

[0038] In the case of a single-serving cartridge, the cartridge is filled with a sufficient amount of beverage concentrate to obtain a single quantity of the mixed beverage. The single quantity may correspond to the amount of beverage concentrate required to obtain a typical filling amount of a beverage container, such as a glass, which may be, for example, 200 mL, 250 mL, 300 mL, 500 mL, or 568 mL (i.e., one pint) when the beverage concentrate is mixed with one or more amounts of base liquid. To obtain a single quantity of the mixed beverage, the cartridge may contain 10 mL to 150 mL of beverage concentrate, in particular 20 mL to 100 mL, 30 mL to 80 mL, or even 50 mL to 70 mL of beverage concentrate. The single quantity of the mixed beverage is preferably dispensed in a single continuous dispensing action.

[0039] In the case of a multi-dose cartridge, the mixed beverage is dispensed in multiple separate dispensing actions, where each separate dispensing action may dispense a single quantity of the mixed beverage, which may correspond to the amount of beverage concentrate required to obtain a typical fill of a beverage container, such as a glass, which may be, for example, 200 mL, 250 mL, 300 mL, 500 mL, or 568 mL (i.e., one pint).

[0040] The volume of beverage concentrate in a multi-dose cartridge corresponds to the volume of beverage concentrate required to obtain a plurality of single quantities of the mixed beverage, for example, more than 1 L, more than 2.5 L, more than 5 L, more than 10 L, or even more than 20 L of mixed beverage may be obtained from a single multi-dose cartridge.

[0041] A multi-dose cartridge can remain in a beverage dispenser receptacle for a longer period of time than a single-dose cartridge. For example, a multi-dose cartridge may stay in the receptacle for several hours, overnight, more than a day, several days, or even more than a week. It is preferable to keep the temperature of the beverage concentrate inside the cartridge below a storage threshold temperature, which may correspond to or be higher than a beverage concentrate temperature threshold. In particular, after a multi-dose cartridge has been used for the first time, e.g., if a seal is broken, it may be preferable to keep the temperature of the beverage concentrate inside the cartridge below the storage threshold temperature to prevent or reduce spoilage of the beverage concentrate.

[0042] Generally, the beverage concentrate and one or more base liquids may be mixed within a mixing chamber or mixing conduit included in the beverage dispenser. Alternatively, the beverage concentrate and one or more base liquids may be mixed within the cartridge itself, which may be an expandable cartridge arranged to receive therein a volume of base liquid adjacent to a volume of beverage concentrate.

[0043] The cartridge with the beverage concentrate and one or more base liquids therein may be cooled by a cooling unit of the beverage dispenser as the beverage concentrate and one or more base liquids are mixed within the cartridge itself.

[0044] A second aspect provides a beverage dispenser for dispensing a mixed beverage, the beverage dispenser being arranged for cooling a beverage concentrate. The beverage dispenser is particularly arranged for cooling a beverage concentrate before the beverage concentrate is mixed into the mixed beverage. The beverage dispenser comprises a receptacle having a receiving volume for receiving at least a portion of a cartridge holding a volume of a beverage concentrate and a base liquid input for receiving one or more base liquids.

[0045] The beverage dispenser further comprises a cooling unit for drawing thermal energy from the receiving volume and / or for drawing thermal energy from a beverage concentrate conduit included in the beverage dispenser, the beverage concentrate conduit being in fluid communication with the receiving volume for receiving a beverage concentrate from a cartridge position within the receiving volume.

[0046] It will be understood that embodiments of the beverage dispenser that do not include a beverage concentrate conduit are envisioned. Instead, for example, the expandable cartridge may be used as a mixing chamber for mixing a beverage concentrate with one or more base liquids. A mixed beverage may be formed within the expandable cartridge and dispensed directly from the expandable cartridge into a glass or other beverage container.

[0047] The beverage dispenser allows thermal energy to be extracted from the beverage concentrate before it is mixed with one or more base liquids, which may be within a cartridge or within a conduit or other storage volume of the beverage dispenser.

[0048] When the cooling unit is arranged to extract thermal energy from the receiving volume, the cooling unit is arranged to extract thermal energy from a cartridge present in the receiving volume and thus from a beverage concentrate held in a cartridge present in the receiving volume.

[0049] The cooling unit or a part thereof may further be arranged to cool the base liquid flowing through the base liquid conduit and / or to cool the mixed beverage before dispensing the mixed beverage, thus resulting in a more compact and / or less complex beverage dispenser.

[0050] Generally, embodiments of the beverage dispenser may include any number of temperature sensors disposed to obtain temperature information of the beverage concentrate, the base liquid, or the mixed beverage. Further, generally, embodiments of the beverage dispenser may include any number of pumps for transporting the beverage concentrate and one or more base liquids through the beverage dispenser.

[0051] As a particular option, an embodiment of the beverage dispenser further comprises a storage compartment for holding a plurality of cartridges, each of which holds a volume of beverage concentrate, and the cooling unit is arranged to cool the plurality of cartridges held in the storage compartment. Thus, the beverage dispenser may function as a refrigerator for the cartridges. A user may retrieve a pre-cooled cartridge from the storage compartment and thereafter use the beverage dispenser to dispense a mixed beverage using the beverage concentrate from the pre-cooled cartridge.

[0052] It will therefore be understood that embodiments of a beverage dispenser arranged to cool a beverage concentrate in a cartridge are envisaged where the cartridge is not yet positioned in the receptacle and therefore needs to be transported to the receptacle to expel the beverage concentrate from the cartridge.

[0053] A third aspect provides a beverage dispenser assembly for forming and dispensing a mixed beverage from a beverage concentrate. The beverage dispenser assembly comprises a beverage dispenser in particular according to the second aspect. The beverage dispenser assembly further comprises a cartridge for holding a volume of the beverage concentrate, the cartridge being positioned within a receptacle of the beverage dispenser. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0054] In the figure,

[0055] [Figure 1A] 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a beverage dispenser assembly. [Figure 1B] 1 shows a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a beverage dispenser assembly. [Figure 2A] 13 shows a schematic diagram of yet another embodiment of a beverage dispenser assembly. [Figure 2B] 2 illustrates diagrammatically a further embodiment of a beverage dispenser assembly; [Diagram 3] 2 shows a schematic diagram of a still further embodiment of a beverage dispenser assembly; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0056] 1A shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a beverage dispenser assembly 100. The beverage dispenser assembly 100 includes an embodiment of a beverage dispenser 102. Generally, the beverage dispenser 102 may be, for example, a tabletop dispenser for consumer use. Alternatively, the beverage dispenser 102 may be for commercial use, for example, in a bar.

[0057] The beverage dispenser 102 comprises a receptacle 106 having a receiving volume 107 in which an embodiment of a cartridge 200 is positioned. The cartridge 200 holds a volume of beverage concentrate. The beverage dispenser 102 further comprises a base liquid input 108 for receiving a base liquid. The base liquid input 108 may be connectable to a base liquid source, such as, for example, a tap providing tap water or a container included in the beverage dispenser. In other embodiments, the beverage dispenser 102 may comprise multiple separate base liquid inputs for receiving multiple base liquids from different base liquid sources.

[0058] Cartridge 200 can be, for example, a cartridge with a filter and / or an expandable cartridge according to any embodiment disclosed herein.

[0059] A carbonator 118 may be included in the beverage dispenser 102 to form a carbonated base liquid. The carbonator 118 may be positioned, for example, in line with the base liquid conduit 109. To provide a gas, such as CO2, to the carbonator 118, the beverage dispenser 102 includes a gas inlet 122 and a gas conduit 124 for transporting the gas from the gas inlet 122 to the carbonator 118.

[0060] As a particular option shown in Fig. 1A, the beverage dispenser 102 comprises a mixing chamber 110 in fluid communication with the base liquid input 108 via a base liquid conduit 109 and with the cartridge 200 via a beverage concentrate conduit 112. The mixing chamber 110 can thus receive a base liquid and a beverage concentrate, within which the base liquid and the beverage concentrate may mix to form a mixed beverage. From the mixing chamber 110, via a mixed beverage conduit 114, the mixed beverage may be dispensed via a dispensing outlet 116. To expel the beverage concentrate from the cartridge 200, the beverage dispenser 102 comprises an optional ejection actuator 120.

[0061] 1A, the beverage dispenser 102 includes a cooling unit 170 having a heat exchanger 172. The heat exchanger 172, in this embodiment, is positioned downstream of the cartridge 200 and upstream of the mixing chamber 110. Thus, thermal energy may be drawn from the beverage concentrate flowing through the beverage concentrate conduit 112 from the cartridge 200 to the mixing chamber 110.

[0062] Generally, the beverage dispenser 102 may include one or more temperature sensors arranged to determine or estimate a temperature at a particular location, for example, the temperature of a beverage concentrate or base liquid.

[0063] 1A illustrates, as one example, a beverage concentrate temperature sensor 174 disposed to determine the temperature of the beverage concentrate downstream of the cartridge 200 and upstream of the heat exchanger 172. A further beverage concentrate temperature sensor 175 may be included in the beverage dispenser 102 to determine the temperature of the beverage concentrate downstream of the heat exchanger 172.

[0064] The cooling unit 170 may generally be controlled based at least in part on temperature data obtained by one or more temperature sensors included in the beverage dispenser 102 .

[0065] FIG. 1B shows a beverage dispenser assembly 100 including an alternative embodiment of the beverage dispenser 102, in which a heat exchanger 172 is arranged to extract thermal energy from the receiving volume 107 of the receptacle, particularly from the cartridge 200, and even more particularly from the beverage concentrate held in the cartridge 200.

[0066] The heat exchanger 172 and the cartridge 200 may be in direct contact during use such that thermal energy may be transferred by conduction. Alternatively and / or additionally, thermal energy may be transferred from the cartridge 200 to the heat exchanger 172 using radiation and / or convection.

[0067] In use, the temperature of the heat exchanger 172 may be lower than the temperature of the cartridge 200, and in particular lower than the temperature of the beverage concentrate held in the cartridge 200. The temperature of the heat exchanger 172 may be controlled by the cooling unit 170, for example, by circulating a cooling fluid through the cooling unit and the heat exchanger 172. The cooling fluid may include one or more liquids and / or one or more gases. If the cooling unit 170 comprises one or more thermoelectric coolers, a cooling fluid may not be required.

[0068] Fig. 2A shows a schematic diagram of yet another embodiment of the beverage dispenser assembly 100, including a further embodiment of the beverage dispenser 102. In comparison with the embodiment of the beverage dispenser 102 shown in Fig. 1A, in the embodiment of the beverage dispenser shown in Fig. 2A, the cooling unit 170 is also used to cool the base liquid. For this purpose, a base liquid heat exchanger 180 is included in the beverage dispenser 102.

[0069] The base liquid heat exchanger 180 is arranged to extract thermal energy from the base liquid flowing through the base liquid conduit 109, in particular between the base liquid input 108 and the mixing chamber 110. To this end, for example, a cooling fluid may be circulated through the cooling unit and the base liquid heat exchanger 180. In this embodiment, the cooling unit 170 is thus arranged to cool both the base liquid and the beverage concentrate.

[0070] 2B illustrates the beverage dispenser assembly 100 in a schematic manner, showing yet another embodiment of the beverage dispenser 102. In this particular embodiment of the beverage dispenser 102, the cooling unit 170 is arranged to cool both the base liquid in the base liquid conduit 109 and the beverage concentrate held in the cartridge 200 in the receptacle 106.

[0071] As a further option applicable to any embodiment of the beverage dispenser 102, a base liquid temperature sensor 177 is provided to determine the temperature of the base liquid. In particular, the base liquid temperature sensor 177 may be arranged to determine the temperature of the base liquid downstream of the base liquid heat exchanger 180, as shown in FIG. 2B. Alternatively or additionally, the base liquid temperature sensor 177 or any other temperature sensor may be used to determine the temperature of the base liquid elsewhere, for example, upstream of the base liquid heat exchanger 180, at the base liquid input 108, or even upstream of the base liquid input 108.

[0072] Generally, where the beverage dispenser 102 comprises a base liquid container for storing a volume of base liquid therein, a cooling unit may be arranged to cool the base liquid stored in the base liquid container.

[0073] 3 shows yet another beverage dispenser assembly 100 having yet another embodiment of a beverage dispenser 102 and another embodiment of a cartridge 200. In this embodiment of the assembly 100, the beverage dispenser 102 comprises a receptacle 106 having a receiving volume into which the cartridge 200 may be positioned, for example, by a user. The cartridge 200 holds a volume of a beverage concentrate. The beverage dispenser 102 further comprises a base liquid input 108 for receiving a base liquid. The base liquid input 108 may be connectable to a source of base liquid, such as, for example, a tap supplying tap water or a container included in the beverage dispenser.

[0074] To expel the beverage concentrate from the cartridge 200, the beverage dispenser 102 comprises an ejection actuator 120. The ejection actuator 120 may, for example, be arranged to move towards the cartridge 200, in particular to squeeze, fold and / or crush the cartridge 200 to an empty state. Alternatively or additionally, the ejection actuator 120 may be arranged to suck the mixed beverage from the cartridge 200, which causes the cartridge 200 to fold to an empty state, for example using the Venturi effect.

[0075] In the embodiment of Figure 3, the cartridge 200 that holds the beverage concentrate is an expandable cartridge. The use of an expandable cartridge can eliminate the need for a separate mixing chamber. In Figure 3, the cartridge 200 is shown in a non-expanded state with a solid line and in an expanded state with a dashed line 200'.

[0076] Instead of a separate mixing chamber 110, in the embodiment of Figure 3, the expandable cartridge 200 is used as a mixing chamber in which the mixed beverage is formed by mixing the beverage concentrate and the base liquid. To this end, the base liquid input 108 is in fluid communication with the receptacle 106, and the expandable cartridge 200 is positioned to supply the base liquid to the expandable cartridge 200, e.g., to a fluid passageway of the expandable cartridge 200.

[0077] The mixed beverage conduit 114 is positioned in fluid communication with the receptacle 106 to receive the mixed beverage from the expandable cartridge 200. Through the mixed beverage conduit 114, the mixed beverage can be dispensed through a dispensing outlet 116 at a downstream end of the mixed beverage conduit 114. The mixed beverage conduit 114 can be included in the beverage dispenser 102 or the cartridge 200. The mixed beverage conduit 114, particularly when included in the cartridge 200, can be at least partially a flexible conduit, allowing a user to properly position the mixed beverage conduit 114 relative to the beverage dispenser 102. Alternatively, the mixed beverage conduit 114 can be a rigid conduit, such as a rigid outlet spout included in the cartridge 200.

[0078] As an option, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 3, the beverage dispenser 102 may comprise an optional stirring unit 121. The stirring unit 121 is generally arranged to stir the liquid inside the expandable cartridge.

[0079] In the assembly 100 of Figure 3, the cartridge 200 comprises an expandable housing. Optionally, the expandable housing comprises a bendable housing portion that can be folded and move away from the interior volume of the cartridge when the expandable housing is manipulated from an unexpanded state to an expanded state.

[0080] Generally, the foldable housing portion of the expandable housing may be formed as a bellows and arranged to expand to accommodate a larger volume of fluid within the interior volume. The larger volume may be caused, for example, by a base liquid being pumped or drawn into the interior volume and / or by a beverage concentrate being pumped or drawn into the interior volume. The bellows may include a plurality of pleats arranged to fold relative to one another.

[0081] As a further option, at least a portion of the expandable housing includes a stretchable material arranged to stretch due to a pressure difference between a pressure within the interior volume and a pressure outside the expandable housing. For example, when the pressure within the interior volume exceeds the pressure outside the expandable housing, the stretchable material stretches, increasing the interior volume. The pressure within the interior volume may be increased, for example, by a pump pumping a base liquid into the interior volume.

[0082] An expandable housing comprising a stretchable material may function similarly to a balloon, which when inflated contains a larger volume of fluid compared to a contracted state. When the pressure within the interior volume is equal to the pressure outside the housing, and no external forces are applied to the housing, the stretchable portion of the housing may be in a rest state (e.g., not elastically deformed).

[0083] Generally, for an expandable cartridge, it may be required that the internal volume may first be filled with a volume of beverage concentrate, for example at a filling plant. Then, the internal volume is further filled with a volume of base liquid, for example by a beverage dispenser at a consumer's home or a commercial location such as a bar. In this way, a mixed beverage is formed in the internal volume, the mixed beverage comprising the base liquid and the beverage concentrate. Finally, the internal volume must be at least partially emptied by discharging the mixed beverage from the internal volume. Thus, it is understood that the expandable cartridge may comprise one or more fluid inlets and one or more fluid outlets, and in certain embodiments, the fluid inlets may also be used as fluid outlets.

[0084] Generally, when the cartridge 200 comprises a substantially rigid non-expandable housing portion, one or more fluid inlets and / or one or more fluid outlets may be provided by or through the non-expandable housing portion. Thus, when the cartridge 200 is manipulated from a non-expanded state to an expanded state, the position and / or orientation of the one or more fluid inlets and / or one or more fluid outlets may remain unchanged relative to the receptacle of the beverage dispenser. Alternatively, the one or more fluid inlets and / or one or more fluid outlets may be provided by or through an expandable housing portion. For example, a fluid inlet through which the cartridge is filled with a beverage concentrate may be provided by or through an expandable housing portion.

[0085] Generally, when the cartridge 200 is an expandable cartridge, in a non-expanded state, the internal volume of the cartridge, which is the volume available for liquid, may be between 30 mL and 150 mL, or may even be greater than 150 mL, or may even be greater than 500 mL, or may even be greater than 1000 mL, and is filled with beverage concentrate. In an expanded state, the internal volume 102 may be between 250 mL and 500 mL, or may even be greater than 2500 mL, or may even be greater than 5000 mL, and is filled with beverage concentrate and base liquid. In an empty state, the internal volume 102 is less than 30 mL, less than 10 mL, or even about 0 mL, such that no or essentially no beverage remains in the cartridge 100. The ratio of the internal volume in the non-expanded state to the internal volume in the expanded state may depend on the desired mix ratio of beverage concentrate and base liquid. The volumes disclosed in this paragraph may generally apply to any other embodiment of the cartridge 200 disclosed herein.

[0086] The expandable cartridge 200 may be cooled while positioned within the receptacle using the cooling unit 170 and heat exchanger 172. Thus, the contents of the cartridge may be cooled. For example, the beverage concentrate within the cartridge may be cooled prior to adding one or more base liquids to the cartridge. Additionally or alternatively, after at least a portion of the one or more base liquids have been added to the cartridge, the mixed beverage formed within the cartridge may be cooled by the cooling unit 170 before the mixed beverage is dispensed.

[0087] By cooling the beverage concentrate using the beverage dispenser's cooling unit, the temperature of the beverage concentrate can be controlled. By being able to control the temperature of the beverage concentrate, the temperature of the dispensed mixed beverage can be better controlled, especially if the temperature of the base liquid or the base liquid can be controlled by the beverage dispenser as well. In particular, the temperature of the dispensed mixed beverage may be less or even less dependent on the temperature of the cartridge when received by the beverage dispenser.

[0088] By cooling the mixed beverage formed inside the cartridge, the shelf life of the mixed beverage may be extended and the mixed beverage may be dispensed over a longer period of time with no loss in quality. Furthermore, by cooling the cartridge by the beverage dispenser, the mixed beverage may be dispensed on demand at a preferred temperature, for example, below 10°C, below 6°C, or even below 2°C.

[0089] In embodiments, the carbonator 118 may be used to carbonate the base liquid prior to mixing the base liquid with the beverage concentrate. However, in other embodiments, the carbonator 118 may be used to carbonate the beverage after mixing. Thus, it may be possible to provide a substantially non-carbonated base liquid to the mixing chamber or expandable capsule.

[0090] Generally, any of the cartridges disclosed herein may include a filter designed to filter suspended particles from the beverage concentrate or mixed beverage passing through the filter. Filtering suspended particles may result in a mixed beverage having lower turbidity.

[0091] Many different types of filters are envisioned. The filter may be, for example, a semi-permeable filter, such as a paper filter. Generally, a semi-permeable filter may allow the passage of liquid while blocking the passage of solids by trapping the solids within the filter. Depending on the size of the solids, the solids may be trapped in the filter, or may pass through the filter when the solids are small enough. Specifically, if it is preferred that some solids are present in the beverage after mixing, the filter may be adjusted to allow the passage of these preferred solids, for example, based on the typical size of the preferred solids.

[0092] The filter may have an open cell structure. For example, the filter may be a sintered filter formed by sintering a material such as copper, stainless steel, any other metal, or a polymer. The sintering process may provide an open cell structure for the filter. The cell size of the open cell structure may allow solid particles to be trapped while liquid may pass through the filter.

[0093] The filter may be embodied as a sieve having one or more holes, which may have a particular flow area or pore size arranged to capture particles in the beverage concentrate while allowing the liquid portion to flow through the filter.

[0094] In an embodiment, the pore size of the filter may be from 0.2 to 100 um (micrometers). More specifically, the pore size of the filter may be from 0.3 to 50 um, or even from 0.4 to 25 um.

[0095] The filter may be formed as a sandwich structure, with the filter material sandwiched between two sandwich plates. The filter material is arranged to capture suspended particles from the stream of beverage concentrate flowing through the filter. The filter material may have a granular form, such as, for example, diatomaceous earth or kieselguhr, or may be a porous material, such as a porous ceramic or porous metal. The sandwich plates are arranged to hold the filter material in place between the sandwich plates. Fluid flow is permitted through the sandwich plates, for example, through openings or other passages through the sandwich plates. The openings or other passages are typically not arranged to capture particles suspended in the beverage concentrate.

[0096] The filter may be included in the cartridge. Thus, a cartridge for holding a beverage concentrate is envisaged, the cartridge comprising an internal volume for holding the beverage concentrate and a filter, the filter being designed to filter particles from a liquid flow passing from the internal volume through the filter, e.g. the beverage concentrate or the mixed beverage. This allows at least a portion of the particles present in the internal volume to be captured by the filter, resulting in a beverage concentrate or mixed beverage with low turbidity. The low turbidity of the beverage concentrate may in turn result in a favorable low turbidity of the mixed beverage.

[0097] It will be understood that the liquid stream passing through the filter may be a mixture, suspension, or dispersion of small particles in the liquid. After passing through the filter, the liquid stream may contain fewer small particles, or even essentially no small particles. For example, the small particles have a general particle size of greater than 0.2 μm, greater than 1 μm, particularly between 0.2 and 100 μm, or even between 0.1 and 50 μm.

[0098] Additionally, or as an alternative to a filter included in the cartridge, a filter may be included in the beverage dispenser assembly 100. The filter may be positioned downstream of the receiving volume 106 and may be used downstream of the cartridge 200. For example, the filter may be positioned in the post-mixed beverage conduit 114.

[0099] In the above description, when an element is referred to as being connected to another element, it will be understood that the element may be directly connected to the other element or that intervening elements may also be present. It will also be understood that the values ​​given in the above description are given as examples and that other values ​​may be possible and / or aimed for.

[0100] It should be noted that these figures are merely schematic representations of embodiments shown as non-limiting examples. For purposes of clarity and concise description, features are described herein as part of the same or separate embodiments, but it will be understood that the scope of the disclosure may include embodiments having all or any combination of the described features.

[0101] The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of other features or steps. Moreover, the words "a" and "an" are not to be interpreted as being exclusive to "only one", but are used in the sense of "at least one" and do not exclude a plurality.

[0102] (Additional Note) (Appendix 1) 1. A method for dispensing a mixed beverage from a beverage concentrate, the method comprising: - receiving a cartridge containing a volume of beverage concentrate in a receptacle of a beverage dispenser; - cooling the beverage concentrate to a temperature below a beverage concentrate temperature threshold using a cooling unit of the beverage dispenser; - mixing at least a portion of the cooled beverage concentrate with one or more base liquids to form a volume of a mixed beverage; - dispensing at least a portion of said volume of mixed beverage.

[0103] (Appendix 2) 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the beverage concentrate is cooled while inside the cartridge.

[0104] (Appendix 3) - dispensing the beverage concentrate from the cartridge; - cooling the discharged beverage concentrate prior to said mixing of the cooled beverage concentrate with the one or more base liquids.

[0105] (Appendix 4) 4. The method of any one of claims 1-3, further comprising determining a temperature of the base liquid, wherein the beverage concentrate temperature threshold is based at least in part on the determined temperature of the base liquid.

[0106] (Appendix 5) 5. The method of any one of claims 1-4, further comprising determining the temperature of the beverage concentrate after it has been expelled from the cartridge and before it is mixed with the base liquid.

[0107] (Appendix 6) 6. The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the beverage concentrate is cooled to a temperature below 0°C.

[0108] (Appendix 7) 7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising cooling the base liquid using the cooling unit of the beverage dispenser.

[0109] (Appendix 8) 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the beverage concentrate is based on or similar to a fermented beverage, in particular beer.

[0110] (Appendix 9) 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the ratio of the beverage concentrate to the base liquid in the mixed beverage is 1:5 or more, in particular 1:4 or more.

[0111] (Appendix 10) A beverage dispenser (102) for dispensing a mixed beverage, the beverage dispenser comprising: a dispenser housing (104) comprising a receptacle (106) having a receiving volume (107) for receiving at least a portion of a cartridge (200) holding a volume of beverage concentrate; a base liquid input for receiving one or more base liquids; - a cooling unit (170) for drawing thermal energy from the receiving volume and / or for drawing thermal energy from a beverage concentrate conduit (112) included in the beverage dispenser, the beverage concentrate conduit being in fluid communication with the receiving volume for receiving a beverage concentrate from a cartridge positioned within the receiving volume.

[0112] (Appendix 11) A beverage dispenser (102) as described in Appendix 10, wherein the cooling unit is arranged to draw thermal energy from the receiving volume, and in particular the beverage dispenser comprises a beverage concentrate conduit (112) in fluid communication with the receiving volume for receiving beverage concentrate from a cartridge position within the receiving volume.

[0113] (Appendix 12) 12. The beverage dispenser of claim 10 or 11, wherein the cooling unit is further arranged to extract thermal energy from a base liquid flowing through a base liquid conduit in fluid communication with the base liquid input.

[0114] (Appendix 13) 13. The beverage dispenser of any one of claims 10 to 12, further comprising a storage compartment for holding a plurality of cartridges, each cartridge holding a volume of a beverage concentrate, and wherein the cooling unit is arranged to cool the plurality of cartridges held within the storage compartment.

[0115] (Appendix 14) 14. The beverage dispenser of any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the cooling unit (170) is arranged to draw thermal energy from the beverage concentrate conduit (112), the beverage concentrate conduit being in fluid communication with the receiving volume for receiving beverage concentrate from a cartridge positioned within the receiving volume.

[0116] (Appendix 15) 15. A beverage dispenser assembly for forming and dispensing a mixed beverage from a beverage concentrate, comprising: a beverage dispenser according to any one of clauses 10 to 14; and a cartridge holding a volume of the beverage concentrate, said cartridge being positioned in the receptacle of the beverage dispenser, in particular the beverage concentrate being based on or similar to a fermented beverage, in particular beer, and preferably the beverage dispenser further comprising a beverage concentrate temperature sensor (176) for providing a sensor signal indicative of the temperature of the concentrated beverage within the storage volume of the cartridge.

Claims

1. A method for distributing a mixed beverage from a beverage concentrate, wherein the method is - The step of receiving a cartridge containing a certain volume of beverage concentrate into the receptacle of a beverage dispenser, - A step of using the cooling unit of the beverage dispenser to cool the beverage concentrate to a temperature below the beverage concentrate temperature threshold, - A step of mixing at least a portion of the cooled beverage concentrate with one or more base liquids to form a mixed beverage of a certain volume, A method comprising the step of distributing at least a portion of the mixed beverage of the aforementioned volume.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the beverage concentrate is cooled while inside the cartridge.

3. - A step of discharging the beverage concentrate from the cartridge, The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of cooling the discharged beverage concentrate before the step of mixing the cooled beverage concentrate with the one or more base liquids.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the temperature of the base liquid, wherein the beverage concentrate temperature threshold is at least partially based on the determined temperature of the base liquid.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the temperature of the beverage concentrate after it has been discharged from the cartridge and before it has been mixed with the base liquid.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the beverage concentrate is cooled to a temperature below 0°C.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of cooling the base liquid using the cooling unit of the beverage dispenser.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the beverage concentrate is based on or similar to a fermented beverage, particularly beer.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the ratio of the beverage concentrate to the base liquid in the mixed beverage is 1:5 or more, particularly 1:4 or more.

10. A beverage dispenser (102) for dispensing a mixed beverage, wherein the beverage dispenser is - A dispenser housing (104) comprising a receptacle (106) having a receiving volume (107) for receiving at least a portion of a cartridge (200) that holds a certain volume of beverage concentrate, - A base liquid input section for receiving one or more base liquids, A beverage dispenser (102) comprising: a cooling unit (170) for extracting thermal energy from the receiving volume and / or from a beverage concentrate conduit (112) contained in the beverage dispenser, wherein the beverage concentrate conduit is in fluid communication with the receiving volume to receive a beverage concentrate from a cartridge positioned within the receiving volume.

11. The beverage dispenser (102) according to claim 10, wherein the cooling unit is arranged to extract thermal energy from the receiving volume, and in particular the beverage dispenser comprises a beverage concentrate conduit (112), the beverage concentrate conduit is in fluid communication with the receiving volume to receive a beverage concentrate from a cartridge position within the receiving volume.

12. The beverage dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the cooling unit is further arranged to extract thermal energy from the base liquid flowing through a base liquid conduit that is in fluid communication with the base liquid input section.

13. The beverage dispenser according to claim 10, further comprising a storage compartment for holding a plurality of cartridges, each holding a certain volume of beverage concentrate, wherein the cooling unit is disposed to cool the plurality of cartridges held in the storage compartment.

14. The beverage dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the cooling unit (170) is arranged to draw thermal energy from the beverage concentrate conduit (112), and the beverage concentrate conduit is in fluid communication with the receiving volume in order to receive a beverage concentrate from a cartridge positioned within the receiving volume.

15. A beverage dispenser assembly for forming and dispensing a mixed beverage from a beverage concentrate, comprising: a beverage dispenser according to any one of claims 10 to 14; and a cartridge for holding a certain volume of beverage concentrate, wherein the cartridge is positioned in particular within the receptacle of the beverage dispenser; wherein the beverage concentrate is based on or similar to a fermented beverage, in particular beer; and preferably, the beverage dispenser further comprises a beverage concentrate temperature sensor (176) for providing a sensor signal indicating the temperature of the concentrated beverage in the storage volume of the cartridge.

Images