US 4,493,441 AGranted

Portable post-mix beverage dispenser unit

AssigneeThe Coca-Cola Company

InventorsJason K. Sedam, Richard J. Mueller, Andrew J. Holoubek

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Abstract

A lightweight, portable post-mix carbonated beverage dispenser unit for use in small offices or small-volume locations is described. Flavored syrup is supplied to the unit from disposable sealed syrup packages which are plugged into a dispenser valving system. CO.sub.2 is supplied to the unit carbonator system in returnable containers which also may be quickly plugged into a CO.sub.2 valving system. A thermoelectric refrigeration system may be provided to decrease noise and the number of moving parts or a mechanical freon system may be used. The unit construction may be modular for ease of repair. The cabinet is injection-molded from plastic. Water is supplied to the unit for mixing with the CO.sub.2 and syrup from a water reservoir which may be manually filled. The refrigeration system cools the water in the reservoir, as well as the syrup packages and carbonator tank.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A post-mix beverage dispensing system comprising:

a main cabinet portion having top, front, back, side and bottom walls with open compartments formed therein housing various components of the post-mix beverage system, said compartments including:
a water supply compartment for housing a water reservoir and an entrance chute therefor extending to said front wall,
a carbonator compartment for housing a carbonator tank,
a syrup supply compartment for housing replaceable syrup containers adjacent said front wall, and
a CO.sub.2 supply compartment for housing a CO.sub.2 cylinder adjacent said front wall;
said top wall of said main cabinet having openings therein providing access to said water reservoir, entrance chute, carbonator compartment, and said syrup supply compartment;
said front wall also having openings therein providing access to said syrup compartment and said CO.sub.2 supply compartment;
a first access panel normally covering the openings in said front and top walls providing access to said syrup supply compartment;
a second access panel normally covering said openings in said top wall providing access to said water compartment and said carbonator compartment;
a third access panel at least covering the opening in said front wall providing access to said CO.sub.2 supply compartment, said third access panel being movable to uncover said opening in said front wall to provide access to said CO.sub.2 supply compartment;
water supply conduit means connecting said water reservoir and said carbonator tank;
pump means for pumping water from said water reservoir to said carbonator tank;
CO.sub.2 supply conduit means connecting said CO.sub.2 cylinder to said carbonator tank;
and
a refrigeration system including,
a compressor,
a condensor, and
an evaporator coil, said evaporator coil having a main portion disposed in contact with said water reservoir for cooling said water, a second portion in heat transfer relationship with said carbonator tank, and a third portion in heat transfer relationship with said replaceable syrup containers.

15 more elements

A cabinet construction for a post-mix beverage dispenser unit comprising:

a main cabinet portion having top, front, back, side and bottom walls with open compartments formed therein for housing various components of the post-mix beverage dispenser, said compartments including:
a water supply compartment for housing a water reservoir and an entrance chute therefor extending to said front wall,
a carbonator compartment for housing a carbonator tank,
a syrup supply compartment for housing replaceable syrup containers adjacent said front wall, and
a CO.sub.2 supply compartment for housing a CO.sub.2 cylinder adjacent said front wall;
said top wall of said main cabinet having openings therein providing access to said water reservoir, entrance chute, carbonator compartment, and said syrup supply compartment;
said front wall also having openings therein providing access to said syrup supply compartment and said CO.sub.2 supply compartment;
a first access panel at least covering the opening in said front wall providing access to said syrup supply compartment;
a second removable access panel normally covering said openings in said top wall providing access to said water compartment and said carbonator compartment;
and
a third access panel at least covering the opening in said front wall providing access to said CO.sub.2 supply compartment, said third access panel being movable to uncover said opening in said front wall to provide access to said CO.sub.2 supply compartment.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.