High speed beverage dispensing method and apparatus

Abstract

Method and apparatus for the high speed dispensing of all beverages, and particularly carbonated beverages. The major elements of the device include a main flow control valve (3) coupled to a pressurized container (1) such as a beer keg, a positive shut-off filling nozzle (10), a pressure control valve (7) associated with the filling nozzle, and requisite control electronics and actuators to establish a dispenser operating sequence. A defined dose of beverage is dispensed by first closing the main flow valve, then briefly opening the pressure control valve, thereby lowering the hydraulic pressure in the nozzle to a desired pressure lower than that applied to the beverage container, then gently opening the beverage filling nozzle and immediately thereafter opening the main flow valve, maintaining the main flow valve in an open condition for a time required to produce a defined dose of beverage, and then rapidly closing the beverage filling nozzle while maintaining the main flow control valve in an open condition.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.