Product cooling system, method and apparatus to reduce heat transfer
AssigneeBunn-O-Matic Corporation
InventorsJeffery W. Kadyk, Sheryl L. Dyer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A beverage dispensing apparatus including a cabinet for retaining a beverage product and from which the beverage product is controllably dispensed. The cabinet includes structures and systems to make cooling more efficient and maintain more constant product temperatures. The structures and systems function to reduce heat transfer between beverage product stored in containers in the cabinet and the ambient environment. The apparatus maintains a minimal equipment footprint, maintains ease of installing and removing the beverage containers, and accommodates a variety of types of products and types of product containers.
Claims5
A beverage dispensing apparatus including a cabinet having walls defining a cavity size and dimension for retaining at least one beverage product container, a cooling unit is associated with the cabinet for communication with the cavity to provide controlled cooling of the cavity, opposing inside surfaces of the cavity walls including at least one protrusion for spacing product container walls away from the inside surface of the walls, the cooling system circulating air through the cabinet with the protrusions providing space between a product placed in the cavity and the inside surface of the cavity wall.
A method of maintaining a temperature associated with a product stored in a beverage dispensing apparatus, the method including the steps of:
- providing a beverage dispensing apparatus including a cabinet having walls defining a cavity therein;
- providing protrusion on an inside surface of a cavity;
- providing a cooling unit associated with the cabinet;
- circulating air by means of the cooling unit through the cavity of the cabinet;
- placing at least one product container in the cabinet with an outside of the product containing abutting the protrusion to provide a space between the container and the cabinet to facilitate movement of air by the cooling unit and prevent heat transfer between the product and the cabinet.
A protrusion device for use in a beverage dispensing cabinet, the protrusion device including at least one protrusion sized dimension for attachment to an inside surface of the beverage dispensing apparatus cabinet, the protrusion being size and dimension to provide a spaced gap between a product placed in the cabinet and an inside surface of the cabinet to which the protrusion is attached.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.