Beverage dispensing apparatus with a refrigerated dispensing tube bundle and adjustable bypass manifold
AssigneeAutomatic Bar Controls, Inc.
InventorsJim Tuyls, Thomas Hecht
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Beverage dispensing apparatus, systems, and related methods are provided that have a recirculation loop to cool fluids in a dispensing tube bundle that delivers beverage fluids to a beverage dispensing assembly. A beverage dispensing apparatus includes an adjustable bypass manifold having an adjustable flow restriction that is configurable to enable the use of the beverage dispensing apparatus with different chilled soda recirculation systems. The adjustable bypass manifold includes ports for connection to the recirculation loop and ports for connection to a soda recirculation system.
Claims19
A beverage dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a dispensing assembly configured to dispense a beverage fluid;
- a beverage supply line configured to supply the beverage fluid to the dispensing assembly;
- an adjustable bypass manifold, comprising:
- a cooling fluid supply inlet configured to receive a first flow of a cooling fluid,
- a cooling fluid supply duct in fluid communication with the cooling fluid supply inlet,
- a recirculation loop supply outlet in fluid communication with the cooling fluid supply duct,
- a recirculation loop return inlet,
- a cooling fluid return duct in fluid communication with the recirculation loop return inlet,
- a cooling fluid return outlet in fluid communication with the cooling fluid return duct, the cooling fluid return outlet configured to output at least a portion of the first flow of the cooling fluid,
- a bypass conduit directly fluidly connecting the cooling fluid supply duct to the cooling fluid return duct, and
- a flow restrictor disposed in the bypass conduit, wherein the flow restrictor is adjustable between an open position and a closed position to control a rate of flow of the cooling fluid through the flow restrictor,
- wherein, in the open position the flow restrictor defines a first passageway through the bypass conduit, the first passageway having a first cross-sectional area,
- wherein, in the closed position, the flow restrictor defines a second passageway through the bypass conduit, the second passageway having a second cross-sectional area smaller than the first cross-sectional area;
- and
- a recirculation loop in fluid communication with the recirculation loop supply outlet and the recirculation loop return inlet.
A method of installing a beverage dispensing apparatus into a beverage dispensing system, the system comprising a pump configured to supply a cooling fluid to the beverage dispensing apparatus, wherein the pump is selected from the group consisting of a high-pressure pump that supplies the cooling fluid at a first, high pressure, and a low-pressure pump that supplies the cooling fluid at a second, lower pressure, the system further comprising a dispensing assembly configured to dispense a beverage fluid, and a beverage supply line configured to supply the beverage fluid to the dispensing assembly, the method comprising:
- attaching a cooling fluid supply inlet of an adjustable bypass manifold to receive a first flow of the cooling fluid from the pump, wherein the adjustable bypass manifold further comprises a cooling fluid supply duct in fluid communication with the cooling fluid supply inlet, a recirculation loop supply outlet in fluid communication with the cooling fluid supply duct, a recirculation loop return inlet, a cooling fluid return duct in fluid communication with the recirculation loop return inlet, a cooling fluid return outlet in fluid communication with the cooling fluid return duct, a bypass conduit directly fluidly connecting the cooling fluid supply duct to the cooling fluid return duct, and a flow restrictor disposed in the bypass conduit, wherein the flow restrictor is adjustable between an open position and a closed position to control a rate of flow of the cooling fluid through the flow restrictor, wherein, in the open position, the flow restrictor defines a first passageway through the bypass conduit, the first passageway having a first cross-sectional area, wherein, in the closed position, the flow restrictor defines a second passageway through the bypass conduit, the second passageway having a second cross-sectional area smaller than the first cross-sectional area, and a recirculation loop in fluid communication with the recirculation loop supply outlet and the recirculation loop return inlet;
- attaching the cooling fluid return outlet to output at least a portion of the first flow of the cooling fluid;
- when the pump is a high-pressure pump, setting the flow restrictor to the open position;
- and
- when the pump is a low-pressure pump, setting the flow restrictor to the closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.