Refrigerated post-mix dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10060666-B2
Application number	US-201615135166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2016
Priority date	Apr 21, 2016
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A post-mix beverage dispenser having all components within an insulated housing is provided. The beverage dispenser can include an insulated housing with interior compartments that contain all complementary for dispensing a beverage, a carbonated beverage, and ice. The interior compartments can contain a concentrate source, a concentrate pump, an ice bin, an ice dispensing mechanism, a refrigeration system, a diluent pump, and a carbonation system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A post-mix beverage dispensing system comprising:
a housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, a back wall, and a front door, the housing including:
a first compartment having a water bath, an ice bank, a coil pack, and a first evaporator coil,
a second compartment having a concentrate source, an ice bin, a second evaporator coil, and an evaporator fan, and
a third compartment having a carbanator pump, a carbonater tank, a compressor, a condenser coil, and a condenser fan;

a refrigeration system disposed entirely within the housing to reduce the temperature within the first compartment and the second compartment, the refrigeration system including the first evaporator coil, the second evaporator coil, the evaporator fan, the compressor, the condenser coil, and the condenser fan; and
a dispensing nozzle,
wherein water from the water bath is circulated to the second evaporator coil,
wherein the coil pack includes a water conduit, a carbonated water conduit, and a concentrate conduit, and
wherein the concentrate conduit is fluidly connected to the concentrate source and the dispensing nozzle.

2. The post-mix beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the carbonated water conduit is fluidly connected to the carbonator tank and the dispensing nozzle.

3. The post-mix beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the carbonator pump combines water and carbon dioxide in the carhonator tank to produced carbonated water, and
wherein the carbonated water flows into the carbonated water conduit.

4. The post-mix beverage dispensing system claim 1 , further comprising:
an ice distribution mechanism; and
an ice opening in the door, such that the ice distribution mechanism moves ice from the ice bin into the ice opening.

5. The post-mix beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the top wall is detachably attached to the housing to allow access to the ice bin when the top wall is removed.

6. The post-mix beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the top wall is hingedly connected to one of the back wall, first side wall, and second side wall to allow access to the ice bin when the top wall is in an open position.

7. The post-mix beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising a pump positioned within the housing to move concentrate through the concentrate conduit.

8. The post-mix beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second concentrate source positioned in the second compartment,
wherein the coil pack includes a second concentrate conduit, and
wherein the second concentrate conduit is fluidly connected to the second concentrate source and a second dispensing nozzle.

9. The post-mix beverage dispensing system of claim 8 , wherein the housing includes a first interior structure that retains the concentrate source, and
a second interior structure that retains the second concentrate source, the second interior structure being positioned below the first interior structure.

10. The post-mix beverage dispensing system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a third concentrate source positioned in the second compartment,
wherein the coil pack includes a third concentrate conduit, and
wherein the third concentrate conduit is fluidly connected to the third concentrate source and a third dispensing nozzle.

11. The post-mix beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the concentrate source is removable from the housing.

12. The post-mix beverage dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration deck and carbonation deck are immersed in the water bath and configured to be removable from the housing.

Assignees

• Pepsico Inc

Inventors

• Nachawati Maher
• Segiet William
• Stein Aaron
• Ubidia Fernando

Classifications

• F25D19/00

  Arrangement or mounting of refrigeration units with respect to devices {or objects to be refrigerated, e.g. infrared detectors} · CPC title

• F25D31/003

  with immersed cooling element · CPC title

• F25B5/04

  arranged in series · CPC title

• B67D1/0034

  for controlling the amount of each component · CPC title

• B67D1/0406

  with means for carbonating the beverage, or for maintaining its carbonation (B67D1/0418 takes precedence) · CPC title