Chilled N2 infused beverage dispensing system to prepare and dispense a chilled N2 infused beverage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11897748-B2
Application number	US-202217850786-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2022
Priority date	May 15, 2014
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

Abstract

A system and method to prepare and dispense a N2 or N2/CO2 gas infused chilled beverage is provided. The beverage may be any non-carbonated liquid and in one embodiment the beverage is coffee. The dispensed N2 or N2/CO2 gas infused chilled coffee has a unique appearance and enhanced flavor and aroma. The system may be provided as a self-contained unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for dispensing a cooled beverage, comprising:
a liquid/gas contactor unit;
a beverage pump;
a beverage tank in liquid communication with the liquid/gas contactor unit through the beverage pump, wherein the beverage tank is pressurized;
a cooling or refrigeration system configured to cool the beverage tank, wherein the beverage pump is configured to transfer a cooled noncarbonated beverage from the beverage tank to the liquid/gas contactor unit;
a controlled pressurized supply of a regulated pressure nitrogen gas comprising at least 50% by weight nitrogen (N 2 );
one or more secondary regulators for feeding the regulated pressure nitrogen gas to the liquid/gas contactor unit and the beverage pump, wherein the cooled noncarbonated beverage contacts the regulated pressure nitrogen gas in the liquid/gas contactor unit to dissolve the regulated pressure nitrogen gas in the cooled noncarbonated beverage to form a cooled nitrogen-infused noncarbonated beverage; and
a beverage faucet attached downstream to the liquid/gas contactor unit configured to dispense the cooled nitrogen-infused noncarbonated beverage at a controlled rate.

2. The system for dispensing a cooled liquid of claim 1 , wherein the beverage faucet is a slow pour faucet optionally fitted with a restrictor nozzle or restrictor plate that allows for release of N 2 or N 2 /CO 2 gas from the cooled beverage when dispensed to a receiver.

3. The system for dispensing a cooled liquid of claim 1 , wherein the regulated pressure nitrogen gas is a pure nitrogen gas having at least 99.5% N 2 .

4. The system for dispensing a cooled liquid of claim 1 , wherein a pressure applied to the beverage tank is from 10 to 12 psi.

5. The system for dispensing a cooled liquid of claim 1 , wherein the cooling or refrigeration system configured to cool the beverage tank to a temperature of from 30 to 40° F.

6. The system for dispensing a cooled liquid of claim 1 , wherein a pressure of the regulated pressure nitrogen gas supplied to the liquid/gas contactor unit and the beverage pump is simultaneously controlled at from 20 to 70 psi.

7. A beverage dispensing unit comprising the system for dispensing a cooled liquid of claim 1 and the cooling or refrigeration system in one self-contained unit, and further comprising a blast chiller before the beverage tank within the self-contained unit or external to the self-contained unit.

8. A beverage dispensing unit comprising the system for dispensing a cooled liquid of claim 1 and the cooling or refrigeration system in one self-contained unit, and further comprising an inline strainer and/or filtration unit in the beverage pump prior to the liquid/gas contactor unit.

9. A dispense kit, comprising at least the system of claim 1 in a self-contained unit capable of being affixed to a wall or a panel.

10. A system for dispensing a cooled beverage, comprising:
a liquid/gas contactor unit;
a beverage pump;
a bag-in-box beverage container in liquid communication with the liquid/gas contactor unit through the beverage pump, wherein the beverage pump is configured to transfer a noncarbonated beverage from the bag-in-box beverage container to the liquid/gas contactor unit;
a cooling or refrigeration system configured to cool the bag-in-box beverage container;
a controlled pressurized supply of a regulated pressure nitrogen gas comprising at least 50% by weight nitrogen (N 2 );
one or more secondary regulators for feeding the regulated pressure nitrogen gas to the liquid/gas contactor unit and the beverage pump, wherein the noncarbonated beverage contacts the regulated pressure nitrogen gas in the liquid/gas contactor unit to dissolve the regulated pressure nitrogen gas in the noncarbonated beverage to form a cooled nitrogen-infused noncarbonated beverage; and
a beverage faucet attached downstream to the liquid/gas contactor unit configured to dispense the cooled nitrogen-infused noncarbonated beverage at a controlled rate.

11. The system for dispensing a cooled liquid of claim 10 , wherein the beverage faucet is a slow pour faucet optionally fitted with a restrictor nozzle or restrictor plate that allows for release of N 2 or N 2 /CO 2 gas from the beverage when dispensed to a receiver.

12. The system for dispensing a cooled liquid of claim 10 , wherein the regulated pressure nitrogen gas is a pure nitrogen gas having at least 99.5% N 2 .

13. The system for dispensing a cooled liquid of claim 10 , wherein no pressure is applied to the bag-in-box beverage container.

14. The system for dispensing a cooled liquid of claim 10 , wherein the cooling or refrigeration system configured to cool the bag-in-box beverage container to a temperature of from 30 to 40° F.

15. The system for dispensing a cooled liquid of claim 10 , wherein a pressure of the regulated pressure nitrogen gas supplied to the liquid/gas contactor unit and the beverage pump is simultaneously controlled at from 20 to 70 psi.

16. A beverage dispensing unit comprising the system for dispensing a cooled liquid of claim 10 and the cooling or refrigeration system in one self-contained unit, and further comprising a blast chiller before the bag-in-box beverage container within the self-contained unit or external to the self-contained unit.

17. A beverage dispensing unit comprising the system for dispensing a cooled liquid of claim 10 and the cooling or refrigeration system in one self-contained unit, and further comprising an inline strainer and/or filtration unit in the beverage pump prior to the liquid/gas contactor unit.

18. A dispense kit, comprising at least the system of claim 10 in a self-contained unit capable of being affixed to a wall or a panel.

19. A kit, comprising:
a liquid-gas contactor having a downstream line with a liquid connect for connection to a tower assembly;
a liquid supply line upstream to the liquid-gas contactor comprising a beverage pump, a beverage filter assembly, and a connect coupling;
a gas supply line upstream to the liquid-gas contactor and the beverage pump having a gas regulator and a gas connect coupling;
wherein
a safety gas regulator is located in the gas supply line between the gas regulator and the liquid-gas contactor, and
a back check valve is located in the downstream line of the liquid-gas contactor prior to the tower assembly.

20. The kit of claim 19 , further comprising a secondary gas regulator between the gas regulator and the safety gas regulator.

21. The kit of claim 19 , further comprising a purge and clean valve in the liquid supply line.

Assignees

• Automatic Bar Controls Inc

Inventors

• Kleinrichert Charles

Classifications

• B67D1/0406 Primary

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

• A23F3/00

  Tea; Tea substitutes; Preparations thereof (preservation of tea, tea substitutes or herbal tea A23B85/00) · CPC title

• A23F5/00

  Coffee; Coffee substitutes; Preparations thereof (preservation of coffee or coffee substitutes A23B90/00) · CPC title

• A23L2/54

  Mixing with gases · CPC title

• B67D1/0058

  In-line carbonators · CPC title