Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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OPEN TOP TANK HAVING A REMOVABLE AND SEALABLE
LID WITH A FLOW RATE CONTROL DEVICE THEREIN
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an open top tank
having a removable and sealable lid, e.g., a snap-fit lid,
including a flow rate control device therein for regulating
the flow rate of liquid dispensed through a discharge open-
ing thereof. More specifically, the present invention
relates to an open top syrup supply tank for a post-mix
beverage dispenser system having a removable lid and means
therein for controlling the rate of flow of syrup dispensed
to a mixing station in the dispenser system.
Heretofore, many types of syrup supply packages,
containers or tanks for post-mix beverage dispenser
systems have been developed which include flow rate
control tubes within the tank for providing an even
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and steady flow of syrup to mixing stations in
post-mix beverage dispensers. Exemplary of such a
package or container is that described in U.S.
Patent 4,216,885 to Sedam, issued August 12, 198G,
and assigned to the same assignee as the present
invention. In the Sedam syrup package, a flow rate
control tube 18 is provided in a container 12.
Flow rate control tube 18 has an open end 18A
disposed a predetermined distance above a discharge
opening formed in the container neck and an
openable sealed end 18B extending through the
bottom 22A of the container. When the openable
sealed end 18B is opened, atmospheric pressure is
established through tube 18, all the way to the
point of the position of open end 18A, creating a
hydrostatic pressure head which controls the rate
of flow of syrup out of the container. In
operation with a post-mix beverage dispenser
system, the plastic bottle or syrup package of
Sedam is inverted and inserted into a valve
mechanism socket of the dispenser against a sharp
piercing device. The piercing device ruptures a
membrane 22B, extending across the open end of the
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syrup package to form a dispensing outlet therein.
The sealed end of the tube 18B is then ruptured to
permit the flow of air through the tube and,
therefore, establishes atmospheric pressure at the
open end 18A of the tube above the discharge
opening. A pressure balance is then created within
the bottle as the syrup is withdrawn and replaced
by air, and from this point on, the tube 18 in the
bottle functions to control the rate of flow of
syrup to a substantially constant rate as the syrup
is dispensed from the bottle.
Other examples of the use of flow rate control
tubes in syrup packages can be found in U.S. Patent
3,258,166 to Kuckens, issued June 28, 1966; U.S.
Patent 3,991,217 to Kuckens, issued November 19,
1976; and U.S. Patent 3,807,607 to Kuckens, issued
April 30, 1974.
The above patents to Sedam and Kuckens are
quite effective in controlling the flow rate of
syrup from a container. However, in each of the
above syrup containers, the bottom (or top of the
container once it becomes inverted) is closed, and
venting to the atmosphere by the flow rate control
~.~301:3~8S
tube is through the closed bottom. Because of this
closed bottom, these containers must be filled
through the discharge opening preparatory to use or
loading in the post-mix beverage dispenser system.
While this procedure is satisfactory for mass load-
ing in a factory, it may be more cumbersome than
desired for refilling containers on site at post-
mix beverage dispenser locations.
Accordingly, a need in the art exists for a
syrup container or tank which may be readily refilled
from the top (or the end of the container opposite
the discharge opening) rather than through the discharge
opening.
SUMMARY OE THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of an aspect of the
present invention to provide a syrup tank for a post-
mix beverage dispenser system of the gravity flow
type, which has an open top through which it may be
refilled and a removable and sealable lid for sealing
the open top and supporting a flow rate control tube
therein to provide a constant discharge rate of syrup
therefrom.
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It is an object of an aspect of the present
invention to provide a snap-fit lid for supporting a
flow rate control tube along the longitudinal axis
of a syrup container and distributing and establish-
ing atmospheric pressure in the syrup in a reglon
disposed a predetermined distance above the discharge
opening of the container.
Various aspects of the invention are as follows:
An apparatus for dispensing liquids with a
controlled rate of flow comprising: a container with
a top end, openable to the atmosphere, a bottom end
with a discharge opening therein and sidewalls con-
necting said top and bottom ends, said container
having a rim around the top end defining a top opening;
a flow rate control tube having a top open end adjacent
the top opening of said container and a bottom end
disposed at a predetermined distance above said dis-
charge opening, said tube establishing atmospheric
pressure at said bottom open end thereof; and a
removable lid having sealing means for forming a
hermetic seal between the lid and said rim around
the top opening and means for supporting said
flow rate control tube within said container.
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In a post-mix beverage dispenser, an apparatus
for dispensing syrup at a controlled rate of flow
comprising: a container with a top end, openable to
the atmosphere, a bottom end with a discharge opening
therein and sidewalls connecting said top and bottom
ends, said container having a rim around the top end
defining a top opening; a flow rate control tube
having a top open end adjacent the top opening of said
container and a bottom open end disposed at a predeter-
mined distance above said discharge opening, said tube
establishing atmospheric pressure at said bottom open
end thereof; and a removable lid having sealing means for
forming a hermetic seal between the lid and said rim
around the top opening and means for supporting said
flow rate control tube within said container.
A method for supplying syrup to a post-mix
beverage dispenser at a controlled rate of flow com-
prising the steps of: providing a syrup tank including
a container with a top end open to the atmosphere, a
bottom end with a discharge opening therein and side-
walls connecting said top and bottom ends, said
container having a rim around the top end defining
a top opening; a flow rate control tube having a
top open end adjacent the top opening of said
container and a bottom open end disposed at a predeter-
mined distance above said discharge opening, said tube
establishing atmospheric pressure at said bottom open
5a
end -thereof, and a removable lid having a sealing
means for forming a hermetic seal between the lid and
said rim around the top opening and means for support-
ing said flow rate control tube within said container;
connecting said discharge end of said container with
a dispensing valve mechanism of said post-mix beverage
dispenser; removing the lid from said tank; filling
said tank with syrup through the top opening of said
container; replacing the lid on said tank; forming
said hermetic seal with said sealing means; and
actuating said dispenser valve mechanism to cause
said syrup to be dispensed therethrough.
5b
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The obj ects of the present invention and the
attendant advantages thereof wi:ll become more
readily apparent by reference to the accompanying
drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view in side
elevation showing a syrup tank in accordance with
the present invention with a removable snap-fit lid
supporting a flow rate control tube; and
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the removable
snap-fit o~ Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring to Figure 1, there is generally
indicated a syrup tank 20 which may be plastic,
metal or any other liquid-impervious material
having an open top end 2OA and an open bottom end
20B with a discharge spout 20S therein defining a
discharge opening 22. Disposed within the syrup
tank 20 i5 a flow rate control tube 30 having an
open top end 3OA and an open bottom end 3OB.
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Open end 30A of tube 30 is supported within a
socket 42 in a removable lid 40. The end 30A of tube
30 is preferably permanently secured in socket 42 by
heat sealing, ultrasonic welding, or by the use of
suitable adhesives. Socket 42 has an aperture 43
which communicates with the atmosphere and the open
end of tube 30A.
Removable lid 40 is provided with a peripheral
shoulder 44 and a slot 46 which snap-fits over the
peripheral edge 24 of the tank's open end 20A. Lid
40 is injection molded from a flexible plastic material,
and -the width of groove 46 therein is slightly less
than the thickness of edge 24 to provide a snug~ snap-
fitting relationship. This assures -the provision of a
hermetic seal about rim 24 so that atmospheric pressure
may be introduced into tank 20 only via aperture 43
and tube 30. Lid 40 also has a protrusion 48 extending
from shoulder 44 to be gripped by an operator's
fingers for removing the lid from tank 20, when the
tank is to be filled with syrup.
Tube end 30B is supported at a predetermined
position above discharge opening 22 by socket 42 in
lid 40. By virtue of tube 30 and open end 30A
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being open to the atmosphere through aperture 43,
atmospheric pressure is established in the liquid 32
just above the discharge opening 22. The creation
of atmospheric pressure in the liquid 32 at open end
30B creates a pressure balance in the container
which assures a substantially constant rate of flow
of syrup through spout 20S and out of discharge
opening 22.
When inserted into a post-mix beverage
dispenser valving mechanism, such as that disclosed
in U.S. Patent 4,306,667 to Sedam et al., issued
December 22, 1981, spout 20S of tank 20 is disposed
in the socket on the top of that valve mechanism and
therefore ths opening and closing of the valve
mechanism initiates or terminates the flow of syrup
out of tank 20.
The flow rate control tube 30 is preferably
fabricated from a polyolefin, such as polyethylene,
polypropylene or copolymers thereof.
The syrup tank 20 and lid 40 are preferably
formed from Lexan~, high density polyethylene, PET
(polyethylene terephthalate) or other moldable
o~
plastics. Of course, a metal tank could be used if
desired.
It should be understood that the flow rate
control mechanism of the present invention may be
modified, as would occur to one of ordinary skill
in the art without departing from the spirit and
scope of the present invention.
