Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02414870 2002-12-20
BEVERAGE DISPENSING S~'STEM AND APPARATUS
FIELD OF THE INVENTII~N
The present invention relates to a beverage dispensing system and apparatus
and, in particular,
the dispensing of beverages from a prior-filled keg, tank or similar container
into a serving vessel
or container such as a glass or pitcher.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many popular beverages such as beer and soft drinks are delivered to fixed or
permanent retail
facilities or outlets such as bars, restaurants etc. in tanks or kegs. Such
facilities have established
delivery systems, generally including a refrigeration system, to deliver a
usually cooled beverage
to the consumer.
In such facilities, the beer kegs are usually stored in a refrigE;rated room
or a cabinet or the like
(traditionally, called a "cellar"). The beverage dispensing apparatus
conventionally includes an
outlet, usually in the form of a nozzle, and a tap or other means by which
beer is discharged from
the nozzle. A beverage serving container in the form of a beer glass pitcher
or the like is located
under the outlet and a support may be provided for the container. The beverage
container is
typically filled with draft beer from a particular beer supplier and in many
instances the clientele
is made aware of the draft beer "on tap" by signs or indicia on the tap
handle.
In these taverns, it is common practice for the patrons to consume the
beverage also from glass
bottles having a standardized industry shape. It is important for these glass
bottles to have a
standardized industry shape for the purposes of mass filling of bottles at the
brewery and
packaging of these bottles into cartons for shipment to taverns and other beer
retailing outlets.
However, many patrons in the tavern prefer to drink from a battle rather than
from a glass and as
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CA 02414870 2002-12-20
a consequence do not have access t~ the draft beer whiclh may only be
available on draft
provided on tap.
While theoretically, it may be possible to provide empty bottles to a tavern
to be filled with draft
for the purposes of consumption by the patrons in the tavern, but this would
be inconvenient and
relatively expensive. Also it would provide no real advantage to one brewer
over a competitive
brewing company, particularly in view of the industry standardization of glass
bottles containers
for beer beverages. In some countries, for example Belgium, a tavern is
provided with a specific
glass for each brand of beer sold and only that brand is served in that glass.
There are many
occasions, events and activities which take place in locations remote from
such a permanent
facility where beverages would normally be dispensed. For example, sporting
events or outdoor
concerts which frequently take place in open areas away from permanent
facilities. Another
such a location is a golf course, where golfers far away from the clubhouse
may require cool
beverage service, and parks and beaches where permanent facilities may not be
economic or
commercially practical for other reasons. There are many known mobile or
portable devices
adapted to dispense a cool beverage from a non-refrigerated or a refrigerated
keg. In fact, the
refrigeration may be provided by simply placing the beverage containing keg in
an ice bath as
described in U.S. Patent 5,079,927 and other portable dispensers are described
in for example,
U.S. Patents, 4,437,319; 6,010,043; 5,584,188 and 4,225,059.
In any event, all the dispensing systems fixed or portable, which utilize a
pressurized or
unpressurized container which is removably connected to the delivery system
have inter czlia, an
essential requirement namely the keg being inserted into the device, must
contain the desired
product. Kegs are generally marked with codes and sometimes with removable
"dust caps"
covering the keg neck housing to identify the product contents. However, there
is still some
2
CA 02414870 2002-12-20
room for mistakes in connecting a filled keg to the system. Also, it may be
desired that only
kegs of a certain size or type or those filled with the product of a
particular manufacturer be used
in a system for safety commercial or other reasons.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and an apparatus
which would ensure
that only a designated beverage can be dispensed. A designated beverage as
used herein means a
beverage which meets certain criteria and is therefore permitted to be
dispensed through a
beverage dispensing system adapted to preclude the dispensing of beverages
which do not meet
said criteria. A storage container containing a designated beverage is herein
referred to as an
"authorized container" as is a seining container which is adapted to accept
only a designated
beverage.
It is further objective of the invention to provide a beverage dispensing
apparatus which will
only accept and dispense beverage from and/or to an authorized container.
A further objective is to provide a recognition system for authorized
containers insertable into a
beverage dispensing system and which provides for unamlbiguous control of the
dispensing
system so that only a designated beverage is dispensed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVEN'.CION
The present invention provides a dispensing apparatus for dispensing a
designated beverage, said
apparatus comprising a dispensing tap, a storage container containing a
beverage, a conduit for
carrying said beverage from said storage container to said tap which dispenses
same to a serving
container, information retrieval means adapted to read beverage identification
information
carried by one or both said containers and means to prevent flow of said
beverage to said serving
container unless said read identifying information identifies a designated
beverage.
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CA 02414870 2002-12-20
It will be appreciated that there are three aspects to the present invention
namely; it can be
configured to
(i) dispense only an authorized beverage into any type of serving container;
(ii) dispense any type of beverage only into authorized serving containers; or
(iii) dispense only an authorized beverage only into an authorized serving
container
The system may be used in fixed or permanent facilities such as bars,
restaurants or hotels and
may also be used to advantage in portable of mobile beverage dispensers.
The information retrieval means an authenticating device may be of any
convenient type
including:
1) An optical reader device for example of the bar code type. In this system
the product-
defining or identification information is in the form of a string of
alphanumeric characters
or a bar code on a label tag or sticker carried by the container or vessel.
The device reads
the information from the label and compares it to stored information. A
positive or
matching comparison results in the system being authorized to dispense the
beverage and
vice versa. The tag or the like may be adapted to be permanent but, in most
cases, it will
be temporary and be removed when the container is returned to the production
facility to
be cleaned and refilled. Depending on whether the container is filled with the
same
beverage or not, the new tag will be marked accordingly. Devices to read and
provide the
required bar code labels are commercially available and will not be described
further.
2) A microchip tagging system in which a passive transponder microchip is
hidden in the
container, such as by being embedded in a plastic skirt of the container. The
microchip
contains identification information that can be read by a radio frequency (RF)
scanner or
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CA 02414870 2002-12-20
reader which is preferable located in the vacinity of the chip (to avoid
possible
interference). An alternative form of this system uses conductive ink or a
label or the like
attached thereto to carry the information to the container. The label or the
like may be
quite small: for example, in one available system a postage-size label can be
read at a
distance of about one inch at a frequency in the 125 ~:hz range and this is
quite practical
especially for portable systems since it can be ensured that the reader and
the label can be
so closely placed.
In some of these systems, the information-containing chip or tag can be
reprogrammed to reflect
which product is placed in the associated storage container upon its return to
the beverage
producer to be cleaned and filled.
3} A mechanical system involves fitting the beverage storage container with a
mechanical
identifier or key, which, when the container is placed in a specific location,
acts to permit
the flow of beverage through the system. It can effect this result by opening
a valve
mechanically via a system of levers or via an electronic replay following
positive
mechanical identification of the container and its contents.
In summary, there are a number of commercially available; systems and devices
capable of
reading information provided on a container, determining if set criteria are
met and acting
accordingly to produce the desired result, namely, act on the beverage
delivery system to allow
beverage to be dispensed or not depending on the information read.
The flow of beverage through the system may be controlled in several ways for
example:
(i) locate simple valve means on the conduit carrying the beverage, especially
adjacent to the
connection of the conduit to the beverage container. This valve can be opened
or closed
to control beverage flow in response to a signal from the information
retrieval device.
CA 02414870 2002-12-20
Preferably, the valve remains in a biased closed position preventing beverage
from being
dispensed until a positive comparison signal is communicated to it. This also
has the
advantage, that the system remains inoperative in the absence of a container
and, as
containers are being changed, the conduit remains at least partially,
depending upon the
location of the valve, filled with liquid. Preferably, t:he valve when closed
prevents any
beverage from exiting the conduit.
(ii) In a system using a gas to pressurize the container and propel the
beverage to and through
the dispensing head, a control valve may be included on the conduit carrying
the
pressurized gas to the beverage-containing container. Again, it is preferred
that it be
located adjacent the conduit connection with the beverage container. The gas
may be
contained in a pressure cylinder or tank or produced by a suitable compressor
or even by
hand pump. In the case of the compressor, cutting power to the compressor
would also
achieve the desired result of preventing beverage flow through the system.
The containers referred to above will generally be kegs of various sizes. For
example, in the
beer industry in Canada the kegs would usually have a volume of from 20 to
about 117 litres.
Many dispensing systems now use a "standard" keg having only one opening
adapted to accept
an easily used fitting called a "tavern head" which provides for the ingress
of a pressurized gas
which subsequently forces the beverage out of the container. Such kegs are
made of metal and,
frequently the base and the top portion of the keg arc provided with caustic
resistant
polyurethane skirts for protection. In the case of soft drinks, kegs may be
used or even smaller
containers such as four-litre PET beverage bottles, these being preferred for
smaller portable
units.
The beverage contents will generally be pressurized by the application of a
gas such as nitrogen,
6
CA 02414870 2002-12-20
carbon dioxide or mixtures thereof which is contained in a pressurized tank
which communicates
with the interior of the beverage container via a suitable conduit.
Alternatively, a hand-pump
providing air under pressure may be used especially for smaller units. In such
cases, a control
valve assembly is conveniently included in the pressurized gas conduit, this
being adapted to be
activated in response to a positive signal from the information detecting
means described above.
However, it is preferred that the valve be positioned in the conduit supplying
beverage from its
container to the dispensing tap and especially adjacent to, or as a part of,
the connection device
or fitting which connects the beverage container to the beverage conduit.
In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a beveravge dispensing
apparatus where the
beverage is dispensed into authorized serving containers. In particular, the
invention is directed
to a draft beer dispenser for dispensing draft beer into authorized serving
bottles. By permitting
the dispensing of draft beer only into authorized serving bottles, the brewer
of the draft beer is
able to control the style, shape or labeling of the serving bottle used in the
tavern as well as
insure that the brewers draft is Bald in its serving bottles preventing
possible brand confusion
with competitors draft beer sold at the tavern.
The serving bottles may have various novelty shapes, ihdicicc, or are labeled
in manners that
differ from the long neck bottle standard in the Canadian beer industry. In
addition the serving
bottle provides a bottle neck mouth opening from which consumers who prefer
drinking from
bottles over regular draft glasses may now have an opportunity to drink draft
beer beverages
extracted from a keg or the like.
The beverage dispensing apparatus of the present invention is provided with an
authenticating
device that distinguishes an authorized serving bottle or the like from a non-
authorized serving
bottle and permits the draft beer to be dispensed only into the authorized
serving bottle or the
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CA 02414870 2002-12-20
like.
In accordance with an other aspect of the present invention there is provided
a beverage
dispensing apparatus for dispensing a beverage into an authorized serving
container comprising a
serving container authenticating device carried by the dispensing apparatus
and operable to
permit the dispensing apparatus to dispense beverage. The authenticating
device, upon
identifying placement of the authorized serving container relative to the
dispensing apparatus for
receiving beverage, permits flow of beverage from the dispensing apparatus
into the authorized
serving container.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a
beverage
dispensing apparatus for dispensing a beverage into an authorized serving
container. The
beverage dispensing apparatus comprises a beverage tank filled with beverage
and a dispensing
fluid path through which the beverage may flow. The dispensing fluid path
comprises a
dispensing head attachable to the beverage tank, a fluid conduit path
connected at one end to the
dispensing head and at another end to a spigot, and a control valve positioned
along the
dispensing fluid path to normally prevent flow of beverage along the
dispensing fluid path. The
dispenser comprises a serving container authenticating device carried by the
dispensing
apparatus and operable to open the control valve, wherein the authenticating
device, upon
identifying placement of the authorized serving container relative to the
spigot, opens the control
valve to permit flow of beverage along the dispensing fluid path.
The spigot preferably includes a lever actuated valve which is manually
operated to dispense
beverage from the dispensing apparatus when the control valve is open.
Preferably, the control
valve closes when the authorized serving container is removed. from the
dispensing apparatus.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention therefore provides a
dispensing apparatus for
8
CA 02414870 2002-12-20
dispensing a designated beverage from a container containing a beverage, said
apparatus
comprising: a dispensing tap, a conduit for carrying said beverage from said
container to said
tap, information retrieval means adapted to read beverage identification
information carried by
said container and means to prevent flow of said beverage uni~ess said read
information identifies
a designated beverage.
Preferably the information retrieval device is an optical reader and the
information carried by
said vessel is in optical readable form, the housing is a container having a
top, front, rear, bottom
and opposed sidewalk, one wall being provided with an opening closed by a
hinged and
latchable door to provide access to said housing, a valued dispensing tap
mounted on an exterior
of one of said walls, a conduit extending from said tap into tlhe housing for
operable connection
to a beverage- from said vessel to said tap; and refrigerating means are
provided to cool the beer
prior to it being dispensed.
In yet another embodiment the present invention provides a beverage dispensing
system for
dispensing a designated beverage, said system having a dispensing tap, a
conduit for connecting
a vessel containing a beverage to said tap and providing for the flow of
beverage from said
vessel to said tap for dispensing only when said vessel ha s been recognized
as containing a
designed beverage including connecting such a vessel identifying vessel
characteristics, means
for reading said characteristics and determining if any such vessel is
acceptable and, if it is, only
then allowing passage of beverage from said vessel to said tap.
optical reader and the information earned by said container i;> in optical
readable form; and it is
portable.
The present invention further provides a portable or mobile dispensing
apparatus for dispensing a
designated beverage from a vessel containing a beverage, said apparatus
comprising a housing
9
CA 02414870 2002-12-20
provided with wheels and a hitch, a dispensing tap, a conduit for carrying
said beverage from
said container to said tap, information retrieval means adapted to ready
identification information
carried by said container and means to prevent flow of beverage unless said
read information
identifies a designated beverage.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a beverage dispensing
apparatus for the
purposes of dispensing draft beer into authorized serving bottles which are
approved by a
brewery or glass supplier to a tavern to insure that no brand confusion occurs
between competing
brewers.
The authenticating device may co-operate with a mechanical key carried by the
serving
container. This key may activate the control valve directly or through a relay
switch. The control
valve may comprise a valve that controls fluid flow therethrough or controls
any motive means
that acts to pump fluid through the dispensing apparatus. The. control valve
may be embodied as
the lever actuated spigot valve. Alternatively, the authenticating device may
comprise an optical
scanner which has memory and processing capability operable therewith for
storing information
relating to authorized serving containers and wherein the verifying means upon
scanning of
information comparable to information stored in memory permits flow of
beverage from the
dispensing apparatus. The information stored in memory may relate to indicia
marked on the
container or the container shape. It is also contemplated that the scanner
recognize or capture
standardized or non-authorized shapes which can be later interrogated by the
brewer for
determining attempts at non-sanctioned use of the dispensing apparatus.
to
CA 02414870 2002-12-20
BRIEF DESCRIPTION GF THE D:I~AWINGS
For a better understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention
reference may be
had to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying
diagrammatic drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side elevation of one embodiment of a
beer dispensing
apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a part schematic cross-sectional side elevation of a second
embodiment of the beer
dispensing apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a part schematic cross-sectional side elevation of a third
embodiment of the beer
dispensing apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a part schematic cross-section of the product storage container,
associated pressuring
apparatus and dispensing tap of a fourth embodiment of thc; beer dispensing
apparatus of the
present invention.
FIGS. 5 and 6 are each a cross-sections of two different beer kegs adapted for
use in the system
of the present invention.
Throughout the drawings, for convenience, the same number may be used to
identify the same
item or part.
DETAILED DESCIaIPTI~N ~F EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. l, a beverage dispensing apparatus 10 is shown having a cooling water
tank 11 that
stores cooling water 12. One end of a cooling pipe 13 for beverage, arranged
in the cooling
water tank 11, is connected to a spigot 15, serving as a beverage pourer,
through heat insulating
material 14 which forms a wall of the water tank. The other end of the cooling
pipe 13 is
11
CA 02414870 2002-12-20
connected to a hose 16 outside the cooling water tank 11 also through the heat
insulating material
14. A tavern head 18 of a beverage tank 17 is connected to an upstream end of
the hose 16. An
evaporator 23 connected to a refrigerator 19 is arranged in the cooling water
tank 11. The
cooling water 12 is cooled by operating the refrigerator 19. P;rrct of the
cooling water 12 is frozen
and a substantially constant amount of ice is stored in a perix>heral portion
of the evaporator 23.
An agitator 24 is provided within the cooling water tank 11. The cooling water
12 is stirred by
the agitator 24, so that beverage flowing through the cooling pipe 13 can be
efficiently cooled.
Normally, when the spigot 15 is opened, beverage 25 in the beverage tank 17 is
caused to flow
through a dispensing fluid path that includes through an inductor tube (not
shown) in the draft
beer beverage tank 17, the tavern head 18, the hose 16 and the cooling pipe 13
in that order, and
poured out through the spigot 15 by a pressure of carbon dioxide gas supplied
from a carbon
dioxide gas cylinder 26. The beverage 25 is cooled while it is flowing through
the cooling pipe
13 by heat exchange with the cooling water 12 around the pipe. I-Iowever, in
accordance with
the present invention, the flow of beverage 25 through the dispensing fluid
path is controlled by
control valve 20. Control valve 20 is shown located between the spigot 15 and
connecting
plumbing connector 22 so as to provide easy installment with the dispensing
apparatus 10. It
should be understood that the control valve 20 may be located anywhere along
the beverage flow
path to control the flow of beverage therein or the control valve 20, in
embodiments where
motive means such as gas in cylinder 26 are used to pressurize the beverage,
may be located to
control the motive means. The control valve 20 of the present invention
normally prevents flow
of draft beer along the dispensing fluid path. The spigot 15 has a lever
actuated valve 27 which
is manually operated to dispense draft beer from the dispensing apparatus when
the control valve
20 is open, permitting beverage to flow.
12
CA 02414870 2002-12-20
In FIG. l, a serving bottle authenticating device 30 is carried by the
dispensing apparatus 10 and
in particular by the spigot 15. The authenticating device, upon identifying
placement of the
authorized serving bottle 28 relative to the spigot 15, opens the control
valve 20 to permit flow of
draft beer along the dispensing fluid path. The control valve 20 preferably
closes when the
authorized serving bottle 28 is removed from the dispensing apparatus 10.
Alternatively, the
control valve 20 may be time sensitive or volume sensitive to close
respectively after a
predetermined time interval has elapsed or after a predetermined volume of
beverage has passed
through the control valve 20.
In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the authenticating device 30 co-operates or
matingly engages with
a mechanical key 32 carried by the serving bottle 28. When the serving bottle
28 has it's head 29
adjacent the spigot 15 which carries authenticating device 30, the mechanical
key 32 matingly
engages the authenticating device 30 and causes the authenticating device 30
to open the control
valve 20 through control line 21.
Referring to FIG. 2, an alternative embodiment is shown of the present
invention. In this
embodiment the dispensing apparatus 10 has a support base 34 below the spigot
15 bar carnes
the authenticating device 30 which includes a mechanical key 31 and the
serving bottle 28 has a
base portion 36 which has a cavity 32 corresponding to key 31. Placement of
the serving
container 28 on the base portion 34 causes the mechanical key 31 to matingly
engage the cavity
32 and thereby authorize via line 35 the authenticating device 30 to open the
control valve 20.
Referring to FIG. 3, a third embodiment is shown where the authenticating
device generally
designated 37 comprises an optical scanner 39 which has memory and a processor
operable
therewith for storing information relating to authorized serving bottles 28.
The identifying or
authenticating device upon scanning of information which correctly corresponds
to information
13
CA 02414870 2002-12-20
stored in the memory 39 opens the control valve 20 via line 35. The
information stored in its
memory 39 may relate to indicia 33 marked on the bottle, such as for example,
bar code
information, the product batch number or the shape of the botale. Further, the
optical scanner 39
is positioned on the dispensing apparatus 10 and focused to read a specific
small target area of
the serving bottle 28 and hence may be a relatively inexpensive instrument.
Turning to FIG. 4, there is shown part of the keg cellar, generally designated
40 which has a
wall 42 and a floor 20.
The number of such kegs obviously depends on the size of the housing volume 22
and of the
containers. A keg 17 is equipped with a fitting 18 such as the device known as
a tavern head -
shown in more detail in FIG. 4 - such a fitting being available from Tap-Rite
Company of
Hackensack, New Jersey under the brand "TAP-RITE", for connecting keg 17 to
flexible
dispensing conduit or hose 16, the other end of which is connected to a spigot
15 dispensing
nozzle 44. Located in hose 16 is a standard valve assembly ~44 operable in
response to a signal
from an optical reader 45 (see below).
Note that valve 64 is located in close proximity to the tavern head 18. The
latter has also
provision for connection to a second conduit or hose 46 the other end of which
is connected to
propellant gas cylinder 26, hose 46 being provided with pressure gauge 47. The
gas cylinder 26
- contains a gas which may be carbon dioxide or a mixture oil carbon dioxide
and nitrogen such
as "beer gas".
Located in a recess 48 in the interior surface of cellar wall 12 is an optical
reader 45 which is
connected to valve assembly 44 via cable 49. The reader is connected to the
main power (not
shown). Keg 17 or other vessel to be used in this system is provided with a
label or tag 50 which
is coded using a bar code or the like to carry the desired information, for
example, product type,
14
CA 02414870 2002-12-20
brand, manufacturer, etc. Since an optical system is involved, the position o
f the keg must
ensure that the tag 50 is positioned in a line of sight of the reader to be
easily "seen" and read by
the reader 45. Upon activation of reader 45, it reads the coded information on
tag 50 and, if the
read information is accepted by the programmed reader as denoting a designated
beverage, an
authorization signal is sent via cable 49 to biased closed valve 44 which then
opens in response
thereto. Beer may then flow through conduit 16 to be dispensed through nozzle
44 of spigot 15.
If the read information does not match a designated beverage, no such signal
is sent and beer
cannot be dispensed. The reader 45 is arranged to send a signal to an
indicator (not shown) to
advise why the system cannot dispense beer.
In an alternative embodiment, refer SIG. 6, a lceg 17, simiilar to the keg
shown F'IG. 4, is
provided with protective upper skirt 51 and lower skirt 52 made of a
polyurethane of a non-
fading green colour. The upper skirt has two hand-holes, one shown as 53 and,
embedded
therein, a programmable radio frequency identification (RFI) tag 54. The
system is completed
by a suitable radio frequency scanner or reader (not shown) equivalent to
optical reader 45,
replacing the latter in the recess 50. Such readers and associated readable
microchips are
available commercial items and will not be described further. Again,
positioning of the keg is
important to ensure no metal, such as part of the metal keg, is positioned
between the tag and the
reader (since radio waves will not then pass through). Also, the reader and
the keg should be
maintained dry since radio waves at certain frequencies are adsorbed by water
and a false
reading may result.
The present invention does not specifically call for the refrigeration of the
beer, for example,
either during transit or when being dispensed via a mobile unit. However, it
is preferred in such
cases that the housing be at least ventilated by, for example, providing means
and vents through
CA 02414870 2002-12-20
the walls of the housing. Alternatively a refrigeration unit can be included
preferably external of
the housing but with access to the housing to cool same. In addition, if it is
desired to cool the
beverage prior to dispensing, there are a number of commercially available
means and devices to
do so from using a simple cold or ice bath arrangement to devices such as is
described in the
U.S. Patents mentioned herein above.
In summary, the present invention provides an improved apparatus and system
for dispensing
beverages and, in particular, one which ensures the correct and authorized
product is the only
one which can be dispensed. The present invention can be practiced in the
usual retail
establishments as well as in mobile dispensing devices which provide for
delivery and
dispensing of liquid refreshment at remote locations such as picnic areas etc.
x6
