Domestic beverage dispensing device having cooling means and method of using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11214474-B2
Application number	US-200913131049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2009
Priority date	Dec 2, 2008
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A domestic beverage dispensing device includes a conduit for supplying the beverage from keg to a tap and a cooling member. The cooling member has a passage surrounded by heat conductive material. A disposable tube of deformable material forms at least a part of the conduit and extends through the passage. The deformability of the material of the disposable tube is such that the outer surface of the wall of the tube abuts against the inner surface of the passage when the beverage is pressurized.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A beverage dispensing device having a compartment including a beverage and a first beverage conduit, and a tap to dispense the beverage and including a second beverage conduit, the device comprising:
a cooling member including a chamber having a plurality of segments connected via a passage having two openings coupled to the first and second beverage conduits, the passage having a first non-expandable diameter, each respective segment of the plurality of segments having a respective second non-expandable diameter and a respective air conduit, and the second non-expandable diameter being larger than the first non-expandable diameter; and
a tube configured to connect the two openings inside the passage and inside the plurality of segments for flow of the beverage in the tube, the tube having an expandable wall with a tube outer diameter and being expandable with pressure within the each respective segment to expand from the first non-expandable diameter to the second non-expandable diameter,
wherein the tube outer diameter is between the first non-expandable diameter of the passage and the second non-expandable diameter of the each respective segment such that the tube loosely fits in the plurality of segments leaving a space in an original non-expanded state of the tube between the expandable wall of the tube and an inner wall of the plurality of segments for expansion of the tube to an expanded state when the beverage in the tube is pressurized,
wherein the tube is configured to expand within the each respective segment to increase the tube outer diameter up to the second non-expandable diameter to abut against the inner wall of the plurality of segments when the beverage in the tube is pressurized for increasing heat transfer between the tube and the plurality of segments of the chamber of the cooling member such that a portion of the tube inside one of the plurality of segments has a larger diameter than a portion of the tube inside the passage between the plurality of segments.

2. The beverage dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the tube is plastic.

3. The beverage dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the passage further comprises a length, and wherein the first non-expandable diameter of the passage varies over the length of the passage.

4. The beverage dispensing device of claim 1 , further comprising connectors configured to connect the tube to the first and second beverage conduits.

5. The beverage dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the passage comprises a volume of at least 200 ml.

6. The beverage dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the cooling member further comprises heat conductive material.

7. The beverage dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the tube is disposable.

8. The beverage dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the tube has an original shape prior to expansion when the beverage in the tube is pressurized, the tube returning to the original shape when the beverage in the tube is depressurized.

9. A method of cooling a beverage in a beverage dispensing device having a compartment including a beverage, and a first beverage conduit, a second beverage conduit, and a tap to dispense the beverage, the method comprising acts of:
providing a cooling member including an inlet coupled to the compartment via the first beverage conduit, an outlet coupled to the tap via the second beverage conduit, and a chamber having a plurality of segments between the inlet and the outlet, each respective segment of the plurality of segments having a respective diameter being larger than diameters of the inlet and the outlet;
providing a tube inside the plurality of segments for flow of the beverage in the tube, the tube having an expandable wall configured to expand with pressure within the each respective segment to a respective diameter of the each respective segment of the plurality of segments; and
pressurizing the beverage for expanding the expandable wall within the each respective segment to increase the expandable wall within the each respective segment to the respective diameter of the each respective segment of the plurality of segments.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the pressurizing act expands the tube such that the expandable wall of the tube is pushed against inner walls of the plurality of segments and heat transfer between the tube and the plurality of segments of the chamber of the cooling member is increased.

11. The beverage dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the respective air conduit is open to ambient and configured to avoid air inclusions between the tube and the passage and between the tube and the plurality of segments, the each respective air conduit being connected to the ambient to selectively add and remove air from the respective segment.

12. The beverage dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the tube is disposable and removable from the passage.

13. The beverage dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the cooling member includes first and second parts that are hingedly attached to each other.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the act of providing a cooling member includes providing air conduits coupled to the each respective segment, and wherein the air conduits are open to ambient and configured to avoid air inclusions between the tube and the inlet and the outlet and between the tube and the plurality of segments, the air conduits being connected to the ambient to selectively add and remove air from the each respective segment.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tube is disposable and removable from the plurality of segments.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cooling member includes first and second parts that are hingedly attached to each other.

17. A beverage dispensing device having a compartment including a beverage, a first conduit, a second conduit, and a tap to dispense the beverage, the beverage dispensing device comprising:
a cooling member including an inlet coupled to the compartment via the first conduit, an outlet coupled to the tap via the second conduit, and a chamber having a plurality of segments between the inlet and the outlet, each respective segment of the plurality of segments having a respective diameter being larger than diameters of the inlet and the outlet; and
a tube inside the plurality of segments for flow of the beverage in the tube, the tube having an expandable wall configured to expand with pressure within the each respective segment to a respective diameter of the each respective segment of the plurality of segments.

18. The beverage dispensing device of claim 17 , wherein the tube has an outer diameter being between the diameters of the inlet and the outlet and the respective diameter of the each respective segment such that the tube loosely fits in the plurality of segments leaving a space between the expandable wall of the tube and an inner wall of the plurality of segments for expansion of the tube when the beverage in the tube is pressurized.

19. The beverage dispensing device of claim 18 , wherein the tube is configured to expand within the each respective segment to increase the tube outer diameter of the tube up to the respective diameter of the each respective segment of the plurality of segments to abut against the inner wall of the plurality of segments when the beverage in the tube is pressurized for increasing heat transfer between the tube and the plurality of segments of the chamber of the cooling member such that a portion of the tube inside one of the plurality of segments has a larger diameter than a po

Assignees

• Krom Peter Carel
• Van Den Aker Karel Johannes Adrianus
• Dobrusskin Christoph
• Weekamp Johannes Wilhelmus
• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Krom Peter Carel
• Van Den Aker Karel Johannes Adrianus
• Dobrusskin Christoph
• Weekamp Johannes Wilhelmus

Classifications

• B67D1/0857 Primary

  Cooling arrangements (cooling systems per se F25B) · CPC title

• B67D1/0869

  using solid state elements, e.g. Peltier cells · CPC title

• B67D1/04

  Apparatus utilising compressed air or other gas acting directly or indirectly on beverages in storage containers · CPC title