Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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JUICE DISPENSING APPARATUS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a liquid dispenser and more particularly,
relates
to dispensers suitable for dispensing juices and to a method therefore.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The dispensing of liquids from a dispensing apparatus is well known in the art
and many different types of dispensers are known and commercially available.
The
known apparatuses are designed for dispensing soda drinks, certain types of
juices,
milk, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc. These machines may either be designed
to be
used by a staff in a hospitality outlet such as a restaurant or alternatively,
directly for
use by the consumer. Some of these machines having a mechanism for receiving
money and dispensing a predetermined amount of liquid.
In the field of dispensing juices, certain problems are encountered. A juice
typically is a suspension containing solids and thus, means must be provided
to keep
the solids in suspension before dispensing. One such a type of machine places
the
juice in a container (typically formed of a glass material) in which the juice
is
continually pumped and refrigerated. A drawback with this type of system is
that the
juice is continually exposed to oxygen and thus the quality of the juice will
deteriorate
quickly. Secondly, such a machine requires frequent cleaning and is a high
maintenance system.
In order to overcome these disadvantages, the industry has developed various
types of apparatuses for dispensing reconstituted citrus fruit or vegetable
juice
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concentrates. A portion of concentrate is first dispensed, then mixed with
water and
is subsequently dispensed into a cup or other receptacle. Problems which are
encountered include the dispensing of the juice concentrate, which carries
pulp and
other solids, with an efficient flow through valves and the like. Generally,
such
systems have multiple valves which operate to mix independent flows of water
and
juice concentrate to control the brix of the final product which is then
dispensed into a
cup or glass. The dispensing apparatus usually includes a cooling system which
uses
refrigerant filled coils to form an ice bank which is surrounded with conduit
coils
through which the water passes and is chilled. It is generally not necessary
to cool the
concentrate because of the ratio of water to concentrate and the fact that
water is
independently cooled.
Many people do not enjoy the taste of a juice made from a concentrate which is
subsequently mixed with water. Indeed, many juices available for home
consumption
are packaged in containers and they are specifically labeled that they are not
from a
concentrate. Even though the concentrate provides a far more efficient means
of
shipping, the not from concentrate (NFC) market is a substantial one and one
which is
not well served by the currently available dispensing apparatuses.
SLTIvIMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing
apparatus suitable for dispensing a juice which is not from a concentrate.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for
marketing
not from concentrate juices in the hospitality industry.
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According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a juice
dispensing apparatus suitable for dispensing a not from concentrate juice
packaged in
a juice container, the apparatus comprising a housing having a compartment to
receive the juice container, means for cooling the compartment, means for
agitating
the juice while in the juice container in the compartment, and means for
controlling
the flow of the juice from the juice container.
In a further aspect of the present invention there is provided, in
combination, a
juice dispensing apparatus and a juice container, the juice container
comprising a bag
in a box containing a juice in the bag, the apparatus comprising a housing
having a
compartment, the juice container being mounted in the compartment, means for
cooling the compartment, means for agitating the juice in the juice container,
and
means for controlling the flow of the juice from the bag.
In a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method
for
dispensing a juice comprising the steps of packaging the juice in a bag in a
box
container, placing the container in a compartment of a juice dispensing
apparatus,
cooling the compartment, maintaining the bag in contact with agitating means,
agitating the bag to maintain the juice in a mixed condition, and discharging
the juice
from a spigot formed in the bag
In greater detail, the juice dispensing apparatus of the present invention may
be
used to dispense a variety of different products. Thus, the dispensing
apparatus of the
present invention is ideally suited for the dispensing of juices not made from
a
concentrate as it addresses a long standing problem. These juices may include
fruit
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juices and/or vegetable juices. However, it will be understood that the
dispensing
apparatus may be used to dispense any suitable liquid.
The dispensing apparatus of the present invention is preferably used with a
container of fluid packaged in a bag in a box format. Such formats are well
known in
the art and widely used for transporting liquids. The bag is formed of a
suitable
plastic material and in a preferred embodiment, comprises an EBOH material.
The
box is typically formed of a corrugated paperboard material. It will, however,
be
understood that other suitable containers may be employed in the practice of
the
present invention.
As aforementioned, the apparatus includes a compartment formed within the
apparatus and which compartment includes means for maintaining the same in a
chilled or cooled condition. In this respect, any suitable cooling means may
be
utilized although in a preferred embodiment, a thermoelectric device is
utilized.
Since, in the preferred embodiments, the juice is shipped in a chilled
condition, the
thermoelectric device provides enough capacity to maintain the compartment at
the
desired temperature. Preferably, the thermoelectric device is arranged such
that it is
mounted adjacent one of the walls of the compartment with a heat sink
operatively
connected to a cold side of the thermoelectric device being mounted in the
compartment. There are also preferably provided means for circulating the air
in the
compartment - i.e. suitable blower or fan means.
On the other side, the thermoelectric device will include a heat sink
connected
to the warmer side of the device. This warm heat sink is preferably well
insulated
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from the compartment and means are provided for circulating air over the warm
heat
sink to remove the heat and convey it exteriorly of the apparatus.
As aforementioned, there must be provided means for maintaining the juice or
other liquid in a mixed state wherein any solids are maintained in suspension
and the
liquid is relatively homogeneous. Although various mechanical means andlor
other
means such as ultrasonics could be utilized, a preferred means comprises the
use of
piezoelectric properties of a material. Thus, one can provide intermittent
pulses of
current to a material having piezoelectric properties and cause a vibration of
the
material.
In a preferred embodiment, piezoelectric ceramics are utilized to agitate the
liquid in the bag. Conveniently, a plurality of piezoelectric ceramics may be
bonded
to a suitable material such as a glass, the device being placed such that the
bag of the
bag in a box container rests on the device.
Typically, the bag in a box format includes a spigot and in a preferred
embodiment of the present invention, there is preferably provided an outlet
tube
therefrom. The outlet tube is designed to extend through an opening in the
bottom of
the compartment to a location where the liquid may be dispensed to a suitable
cup or
glass or pitcher. The apparatus will also include means for controlling the
flow of the
liquid from the bag; although there are known metering devices such as shown
in
U.S. Patent 5,413,252, a simple stop/start arrangement may be provided. To
this end,
any suitable device to squeeze a tube closed may be utilized.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a scale placed
in
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the bottom of the compartment. The scale is operative to continually measure
the
weight of the container. The measurement of the weight can be utilized to
control
how long the agitating means function and also could be utilized to control a
dispensing time such that a constant portion of liquid is dispensed during any
dispensing cycle irrespective of the amount of liquid left in the container.
Furthermore, the information on the weight can be useful to advise when the
container is nearing empty.
The control mechanisms of the dispensing apparatus may be arranged in any
different number of manners. One could include circuit boards to monitor and
then
control the cooling cycle, the dispensing cycle and the agitation cycle. It
suffices to
say that it is well within the knowledge of those skilled in the art to
provide for such
controls.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the invention, reference will be made to the
accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment thereof, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a juice dispensing apparatus according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a front elevational view thereof;
Figure 3 is a side elevational view thereof as seen from the right hand side
of
Figure l;
Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of Figure 2;
Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines 5-S of Figure 4;
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Figure 6 is a front elevational view showing the internal compartment being
open to receive a container of juice;
Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 illustrating the closing of the
apparatus
after the container of juice has been placed in position;
Figure 8 is a side view, partially in section, illustrating the loading of a
container of juice in the apparatus;
Figure 9 is a cross sectional view of the bottom portion of the compartment
containing the juice container; and
Figure 10 is a schematic of the electrical portion of the apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference characters
thereto,
there is illustrated a juice dispensing apparatus according to one embodiment
of the
present invention and which juice dispensing apparatus is generally designated
by
reference numeral 10.
Juice dispensing apparatus 10 has an outer housing which includes a pair of
side walls 12, 14 and a rear wall 16. A gable top generally designated by
reference 18
has a decorative cap 20 formed thereon such that dispensing apparatus 10 is of
an
overall configuration which somewhat rescmbles that of a conventional juice
container such as is available for consumer purchase in retail outlets.
The housing also includes a lower front face which is generally designated by
reference numeral 22 and an upper front portion which comprises a door 24
hingedly
connected by means of hinge 26. A two piece locking handle 28 is provided to
secure
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door 24 to side 14.
As may be seen in Figure 1, lower front face 22 includes a centrally located ,
recess 30 into which is placed a removable drip tray 32.
There is provided a juice container receiving compartment 51 interiorly of
dispensing apparatus 10 and which is defined by an inner back wall 34, inner
side
wall 36, inner side wall 38, inner bottom wall 40, and inner top wall 42.
Access to
the compartment is provided by means on inner tiltable front wall or panel 44
which is
connected by a hinge 46 to a support member 48.
As may be seen in Figure 6, inner tiltable front wall 44 has flanges 50 formed
along three sides of its periphery for reasons which will become apparent
hereinbelow.
Also provided on inner tiltable front wall 44 are container abutment means
comprising support members 52 which extend outwardly from the inner wall
surface
as well as a spigot support 54.
On the bottom of inner bottom wall 40, there is provided a scale generally
designated by reference numeral 56. On top of scale 56, there is provided the
vibrating means 60. Vibrating means 60 comprises a plurality of piezo ceramics
58
bonded to a glass substrate.
Provided between inner back wall 34 and exterior rear wall 60 is an interior
dividing wall 70. Insulation 68 extends between dividing wall 70 and inner
back
wall 34 as well as at the bottom and sides of the compartment.
Mounted between inner back wall 34 and dividing wall 70 is a thermoelectric
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device generally designated by reference numeral 62. Associated with
thermoelectric
device is a cold heat sink 64 which is mounted interiorly of the juice
container
receiving compartment 51 while a hot heat sink 66 is mounted in a channel
between
exterior rear wall 16 and dividing wall 70.
A pair of lower fans 72 are mounted in the lower portion of dividing wall 70
while a pair of upper fans 74 are mounted in an upper portion of dividing wall
70.
Lower fans 72 are operative to take air from under the bottom portion of
dispensing apparatus 10 and pass it upwardly past hot heat sink 66 as
indicated by
arrows 76. The hot air will then exit from vent apertures 78 formed in gable
top 18.
Fans 74 are operative to move cool air past cold heat sink 64 as indicated by
arrows 80. As will be noted, the cold air circulates constantly within the
juice
container receiving compartment 51.
At the bottom of dispensing apparatus 10, there is provided a circuit board 82
which is designed to operate and control the various operations of the
dispensing
apparatus 10 as will be discussed hereinbelow. On the front of lower front
face 22
there is provided a control button 84 and a status indicator 86.
The dispensing apparatus 10 is designed to operate with a juice container
generally designated by reference numeral 90 and which juice container 90 is
preferably of the "bag and box" type. In this respect, there is provided a box
92
having a flexible bag 94 which contains juice. A spigot 96 has connected
thereto a
discharge tube 98.
In operation, and as may be best seen in Figures 6, 7 and 8, a juice container
90
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is placed next to the dispensing apparatus 10 wherein inner tiltable front
wall 44 is
moved to an open position as seen in Figure 6. Container 90 need then only be
moved into position as shown in Figure 8 wherein box 92 is retained on the
interior
surface of inner tiltable panel 44 by means of flanges 50. Spigot support 54
is
operative to support spigot 96.
Inner tiltable front wall 44 is then moved upwardly as indicated by arrow 100
to an upright position. As inner tiltable front wall 44 is moved to a closed
position,
container support members 52 are operative to support the bottom of box 92. It
will
be noted that box 92 has a cutout in its bottom wall as may be seen in Figure
6 such
that bag 94 is readily accessible. When placed in the juice container
receiving
compartment, bag 94 rests on agitating means 62 having piezo ceramics 58.
Tube 98 is threaded through an aperture in inner bottom wall 40. As may be
seen in Figure 9, there is provided an actuator 102 which has moveable member
104
operative to pinch tube 98 between stop surface 106 and member 104 to permit
or
prevent flow of juice from tube 98. A suitable cap or stopper may be provided
for
tube 98.
As will be noted, a relatively small thermoelectric device 62 may be employed
since the juice is shipped in a chilled state and placed in the well insulated
compartment. Accordingly, one only needs to maintain the juice at the constant
temperature.
The operation of the piezo ceramics 58 may be done on an intermittent basis.
Thus, for example, one could have various duty cycles depending upon the
juice, the
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amount of juice in the container, etc. It is to this end that scale 56 may be
integrated
with a control program such that the piezo ceramics 58 are activated for a
shorter
period of time as the amount of juice in container 90 diminishes.
The door 24 may have a translucent front panel with suitable graphics thereon.
Lights 108 may be mounted rearwardly of the front panel as is known in the
art. As
shown in Figure 10, the control of the apparatus may utilize a printed circuit
board
with a suitable power input. The power input may also be utilized to supply
power to
the lights mounted within door 24. Also, as shown, there may be provided
inputs
from a temperature sensor for the compartment 51. There may also be provided
an
optic sensor which would be used to detect the presence of a cup or other
receptacle
within the recess 30 such that the machine would not dispense without their
being a
suitable receptacle therein.
It will be understood that the above described embodiments are for purposes of
illustration only and that changes and modifications may be made thereto
without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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