Back to results
US 12,653,338 B2Granted
Beverage system for providing a cold beverage
AssigneeSociete des Produits Nestle S.A.
InventorsLily Zhao, Ruguo Hu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A beverage system for providing a cold beverage is disclosed that includes a water supply unit for providing water, cooling means arranged downstream of the water supply unit 100, dispensing means for dispensing a beverage arranged downstream of the cooling means, valve means arranged downstream of the cooling means and upstream of the dispensing means, and a control module adapted to operate the valve means. A beverage machine that includes the beverage system and methods for using the beverage machine are also disclosed.
Claims16
A beverage machine comprising:
- a beverage system for providing a beverage, and
- a mixing chamber configured for receiving beverage ingredients;
- wherein the beverage system comprises:
- a water supply for providing water;
- a cooler for cooling the water provided by the water supply, wherein the cooler is downstream of the water supply;
- a dispenser configured for dispensing the beverage, wherein the dispenser is downstream of the cooler;
- a flowmeter configured for measuring a water flowrate, wherein the flowmeter is downstream of the water supply and upstream of the cooler;
- a controller;
- and
- a valve member being downstream of the cooler and upstream of the dispenser, wherein the valve member is controlled by the controller, and the controller operates the valve member based on either a sensed temperature of the water or a predetermined period of time to direct water from the cooler either (i) in a loop back to the cooler via a position upstream of the flowmeter and downstream of the water supply for a further cooling of the water, or (ii) to the dispenser for dispensing the cooled beverage;
- wherein the valve member comprises a three-way valve including a single inlet, wherein the single inlet is configured to receive the water cooled by the cooler only;
- and wherein the beverage system is configured to provide the water cooled by the cooler to the valve member without dividing the water prior to the valve member;
- wherein the cooler comprises a cooling circuit comprising at least a condenser, a heat exchanger, a compressor, and a throttle device which is arranged between the condenser and the heat exchanger;
- and
- wherein the cooler has at least one of the following configurations:
- (i) at least one of the condenser or the heat exchanger is selected from the group consisting of a micro channel heat exchanger, a plate heat exchanger, an adiabatic wheel heat exchanger, a plate fin heat exchanger, a pillow plate heat exchanger, a direct contact heat exchanger, and a spiral heat exchanger;
- or
- (ii) the compressor is selected from the group consisting of a rotary compressor, an eccentric compressor, a piston compressor, and a linear compressor.
15 more elements
A beverage system for providing a cooled beverage, the beverage system comprising:
- a water supply for providing water;
- a cooler for cooling the water provided by the water supply, wherein the cooler is downstream of the water supply;
- a dispenser configured for dispensing the cooled beverage, wherein the dispenser is downstream of the cooler;
- a flowmeter configured for measuring a water flowrate, wherein the flowmeter is downstream of the water supply and upstream of the cooler;
- a controller;
- and
- a valve member being downstream of the cooler and upstream of the dispenser, wherein the valve member is controlled by the controller, and the controller operates the valve member based on either a sensed temperature of the water or a predetermined period of time to direct water from the cooler either (i) in a loop back to the cooler via a position upstream of the flowmeter and downstream of the water supply for a further cooling of the water, or (ii) to the dispenser for dispensing the cooled beverage;
- wherein the valve member comprises a three-way valve including a single inlet, wherein the single inlet is configured to receive the water cooled by the cooler only;
- and wherein the beverage system is configured to provide the water cooled by the cooler to the valve member without dividing the water prior to the valve member;
- wherein the cooler comprises a cooling circuit comprising at least a condenser, a heat exchanger, a compressor, and a throttle device which is arranged between the condenser and the heat exchanger;
- and
- wherein the cooler has at least one of the following configurations:
- (i) at least one of the condenser or the heat exchanger is selected from the group consisting of a micro channel heat exchanger, a plate heat exchanger, an adiabatic wheel heat exchanger, a plate fin heat exchanger, a pillow plate heat exchanger, a direct contact heat exchanger, and a spiral heat exchanger;
- or
- (ii) the compressor is selected from the group consisting of a rotary compressor, an eccentric compressor, a piston compressor, and a linear compressor;
- and
- wherein the compressor is configured to provide adjustable compression power controlled by the controller.
14 more elements
A beverage system for providing a cooled beverage, the beverage system comprising:
- a water supply for providing water;
- a cooler for cooling the water provided by the water supply, wherein the cooler is downstream of the water supply;
- a dispenser configured for dispensing the cooled beverage, wherein the dispenser is downstream of the cooler;
- a flowmeter configured for measuring a water flowrate, wherein the flowmeter is downstream of the water supply and upstream of the cooler;
- a controller;
- and
- a valve member being downstream of the cooler and upstream of the dispenser, wherein the valve member is controlled by the controller, and the controller operates the valve member according to predetermined time patterns to direct water from the cooler either (i) in a loop back to the cooler via a position upstream of the flowmeter and downstream of the water supply for a further cooling of the water, or (ii) to the dispenser for dispensing the cooled beverage,
- wherein the predetermined time patterns are stored in a memory of the controller;
- wherein the valve member comprises a three-way valve including a single inlet, wherein the single inlet is configured to receive the water cooled by the cooler only;
- and wherein the beverage system is configured to provide the water cooled by the cooler to the valve member without dividing the water prior to the valve member;
- wherein the cooler comprises a cooling circuit comprising at least a condenser, a heat exchanger, a compressor, and a throttle device which is arranged between the condenser and the heat exchanger;
- and
- wherein the cooler has at least one of the following configurations:
- (i) at least one of the condenser or the heat exchanger is selected from the group consisting of a micro channel heat exchanger, a plate heat exchanger, an adiabatic wheel heat exchanger, a plate fin heat exchanger, a pillow plate heat exchanger, a direct contact heat exchanger, and a spiral heat exchanger;
- or
- (ii) the compressor is selected from the group consisting of a rotary compressor, an eccentric compressor, a piston compressor, and a linear compressor.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.