Cold carbonation system for beverage dispenser with remote tower Number:7,437,879 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) owispatent A beverage dispensing system is characterized by an ice/beverage dispenser and a remote beverage tower. The dispenser has a cold plate, a carbonator pump and a carbonator tank and the tower has a carbonator tank. To chill the tower carbonator tank, a closed loop fluid circuit extends between and heat exchange couples the dispenser cold plate and the tower carbonator tank. The dispenser carbonator pump can be used to circulate water through the closed loop circuit or a carbonator pump for the tower can be used for the purpose. A valve arrangement is provided for and as part of the dispenser cold plate to conveniently enable the dispenser to be switched between stand-alone operation and operation as a base unit for the remote tower. Arrangement is also made to cause ice agitation at the dispenser in response to drinks dispense at the remote tower to maintain a supply on the cold plate.<H carbonation, dispenser, Cold, carbonatio, 7437879.html, Patent, pto, 7437879

Title: Cold carbonation system for beverage dispenser with remote tower

Abstract: A beverage dispensing system is characterized by an ice/beverage dispenser and a remote beverage tower. The dispenser has a cold plate, a carbonator pump and a carbonator tank and the tower has a carbonator tank. To chill the tower carbonator tank, a closed loop fluid circuit extends between and heat exchange couples the dispenser cold plate and the tower carbonator tank. The dispenser carbonator pump can be used to circulate water through the closed loop circuit or a carbonator pump for the tower can be used for the purpose. A valve arrangement is provided for and as part of the dispenser cold plate to conveniently enable the dispenser to be switched between stand-alone operation and operation as a base unit for the remote tower. Arrangement is also made to cause ice agitation at the dispenser in response to drinks dispense at the remote tower to maintain a supply on the cold plate.

Patent Number: 7,437,879 Issued on 10/21/2008 to Wolski, et al.

Inventors: Wolski; Peter F. (Chicago, IL), Jablonski; Thaddeus M. (Palatine, IL), Elsom; Kyle B. (Batavia, IL), Schertz; Eric (Bartlett, IL), Leaver; Daniel C. (Westmont, IL), Brandt; Kevin (Barrington, IL), Manisco; Todd (St. Charles, IL)
Appl. No.: 11/588,034

Filed: October 26, 2006

Related U.S. Patent Documents


Application Number	Filing Date	Patent Number	Issue Date
11091327	Mar., 2005
60559240	Apr., 2004
60573882	May., 2004

Current U.S. Class: 62/98 ; 222/146.6; 62/390; 62/434

Current International Class: B67D 5/62 (20060101)

Field of Search: 62/389-400,434-435,98 222/146.6

References Cited [Referenced By]

U.S. Patent Documents


5319947	June 1994	Fischer
5524452	June 1996	Hassell et al.
5535600	July 1996	Mills
5950866	September 1999	Lancaster
5974824	November 1999	Galockin et al.
6463753	October 2002	Haskayne
6560972	May 2003	Ubidia
6698229	March 2004	Renken et al.
6725687	April 2004	McCann et al.
6880358	April 2005	Lucas et al.
7036326	May 2006	Allison

Primary Examiner: Tapolcai; William E
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Pyle & Piontek, LLC

Parent Case Text

This application is a division of co-pending application Ser. No. 11/091,327, filed Mar. 28, 2005, which claims benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 60/559,240, filed Apr. 3, 2004, and of provisional application Ser. No. 60/573,882, filed May 24, 2004.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage dispensing and chilling system, comprising: a beverage dispenser including a cold plate having a plurality of fluid chilling circuits; a closed-loop fluid conveying circuit including at least one fluid chilling circuit of said cold plate, said closed-loop circuit extending between said beverage dispenser and a location separate and remote from said dispenser; and means for circulating fluid through said closed-loop circuit to chill the fluid and to deliver the chilled fluid to the remote location for being heat exchange coupled through said closed-loop circuit to product at the remote location to chill the product said system further including a product container at the remote location, said closed-loop fluid conveying circuit being heat exchange coupled with at least one of an exterior of said product container and product in said container at the remote location.

2. A beverage dispensing and chilling system, comprising: a beverage dispenser including a cold plate having a plurality of fluid chilling circuits; a closed-loop fluid conveying circuit including at least one fluid chilling circuit of said cold plate, said closed-loop circuit extending between said beverage dispenser and a location separate and remote from said dispenser; and means for circulating fluid through said closed-loop circuit to chill the fluid and to deliver the chilled fluid to the remote location for being heat exchange coupled through said closed-loop circuit to product at the remote location to chill the product, wherein said cold plate fluid chilling circuits include a first fluid chilling circuit for chilling a beverage component for dispensing by said beverage dispenser and a second fluid chilling circuit, said at least one fluid chilling circuit of said closed-loop fluid conveying circuit comprising said second fluid chilling circuit, said beverage dispenser including valve means having a first state for coupling said cold plate second fluid chilling circuit in said closed-loop fluid conveying circuit and a second state for removing said second fluid chilling circuit from said closed-loop fluid convening circuit and for fluid coupling said second fluid chilling circuit in fluid circuit with said first fluid chilling circuit for chilling of the beverage component by both said first and second cold plate fluid chilling circuits.

3. A beverage dispensing and chilling system comprising: a beverage dispenser including a cold plate having a plurality of fluid chilling circuits; a closed-loop fluid conveying circuit including at least one fluid chilling circuit of said cold plate, said closed-loop circuit extending between said beverage dispenser and a location separate and remote from said dispenser; and means for circulating fluid through said closed-loop circuit to chill the fluid and to deliver the chilled fluid to the remote location for being heat exchange coupled through said closed-loop circuit to product at the remote location to chill the product, including beverage dispensing means at the remote location fluid coupled to said closed-loop circuit, means for delivering ice to said beverage dispenser cold plate, wherein the fluid circulated through said closed-loop circuit is beverage for being dispensed by said beverage dispensing means, and including means responsive to dispensing of beverage at said remote tower for operating said means for delivering to deliver ice to said dispenser cold plate.

4. A beverage dispensing system comprising: a beverage dispenser including a cold plate having a plurality of fluid chilling circuits; a closed-loop fluid conveying circuit including at least one fluid chilling circuit of said cold plate, said closed-loop circuit extending between said beverage dispenser and a location separate and remote from said dispenser; and means for circulating fluid through said closed-loop circuit to chill the fluid and to deliver the chilled fluid to the remote location for being heat exchange coupled through said closed-loop circuit to product at the remote location to chill the product, wherein said at least one cold plate fluid chilling circuit in said closed-loop circuit is an auxiliary fluid chilling circuit of said cold plate, and further including: a beverage dispenser carbonator tank and carbonator pump fluid coupled to an inlet to said carbonator tank through at least one cold plate fluid chilling circuit for delivering chilled water to said carbonator tank; and a remote tower having a carbonator tank; wherein the product at the remote location is carbonated water in said remote tower carbonator tank and said closed-loop fluid conveying circuit extends between said beverage dispenser and said remote tower carbonator tank and is heat exchange coupled to said remote tower carbonator tank to chill said carbonator tank and carbonated water in the tank.

5. A system as in claim 4, wherein the fluid in said closed-loop fluid conveying circuit is plain water and said closed-loop circuit is fluid coupled to an inlet to said remote tower carbonator tank to fill said tank, said means for circulating water through said closed-loop fluid conveying circuit includes said beverage dispenser carbonator pump and said carbonator pump delivers water through said closed-loop circuit to said inlet to said remote tower carbonator tank to fill said remote tower carbonator tank, and including control means for controlling filling of said beverage dispenser and said remote tower carbonator tanks, such that both tanks are not filled simultaneously by said beverage dispenser carbonator pump.

6. A system as in claim 4, said beverage dispenser further including valve means having a first state placing said at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit in said closed-loop circuit and a second state removing said at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit from said closed-loop fluid conveying circuit and placing said at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit in fluid circuit between said beverage dispenser carbonator pump and said inlet to said beverage dispenser carbonator tank.

7. A system as in claim 4, including valve means at said remote tower for dispensing carbonated water from said remote tower carbonator tank, means for delivering ice to said beverage dispenser cold plate, and means responsive to dispensing of carbonated water at said remote tower for operating said means for delivering to deliver ice to said cold plate.

8. A beverage dispensing system comprising: a beverage dispenser including a cold plate having a plurality of fluid chilling circuits; a closed-loop fluid conveying circuit including at least one fluid chilling circuit of said cold plate, said closed-loop circuit extending between said beverage dispenser and a location separate and remote from said dispenser; and means for circulating fluid through said closed-loop circuit to chill the fluid and to deliver the chilled fluid to the remote location for being heat exchange coupled through said closed-loop circuit to product at the remote location to chill the product, and wherein: said remote tower has a carbonator pump; and said closed-loop fluid conveying circuit includes said remote tower carbonator pump, said closed-loop circuit extending between said beverage dispenser and said remote tower and being heat exchange coupled to said remote tower carbonator tank, said remote tower carbonator pump circulating plain water through said closed loop circuit to deliver chilled water to and to chill said remote tower carbonator tank.

9. A beverage dispenser, comprising: a cold plate having a plurality of fluid chilling circuits including at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit; a carbonator pump; a carbonator tank having an inlet fluid coupled to and for being filled with fluid received from said carbonator pump through at least one cold plate fluid chilling circuit other than said auxiliary fluid chilling circuit; and valve means operable between a first state adapted to place said at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit into a closed-loop fluid circulation circuit adapted to extend to a location separate and remote from said beverage dispenser for delivering chilled fluid to the remote location, and a second state removing said at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit from the closed-loop circuit and placing said at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit in fluid circuit with said at least one fluid chilling circuit for chilling of the fluid delivered by said carbonator pump to said carbonator tank by both said at least one and said auxiliary fluid chilling circuits.

10. A beverage dispensing system, comprising: a beverage dispenser including at least one beverage dispensing valve, a cold plate having fluid chilling circuits including at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit, a carbonator tank, and a carbonator pump fluid coupled to an inlet to said carbonator tank through at least one cold plate fluid chilling circuit for delivering chilled fluid to said carbonator tank; a remote tower having a carbonator tank and at least one beverage dispensing valve; closed-loop fluid conveying circuit means extending between said beverage dispenser and said remote tower and being heat exchange coupled to said remote tower carbonator tank, said closed-loop circuit means including said at least one cold plate auxiliary fluid chilling circuit; and means for circulating fluid through said closed-loop circuit means, said beverage dispenser further including valve means operable between a first state placing said at least one cold plate auxiliary fluid chilling circuit in said closed-loop circuit means and a second state removing said at least one cold plate auxiliary fluid chilling circuit from said closed-loop fluid circuit means.

11. A system as in claim 10, wherein said valve means in fluid couples said at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit between said dispenser carbonator pump and said inlet to said dispenser carbonator tank.

12. A system as in claim 10, including means for delivering ice to said beverage dispenser cold plate, and means responsive to beverage dispensing at said remote tower to operate said means for delivering to deliver ice to said beverage dispenser cold plate.

13. A beverage dispensing system as in claim 10, wherein: said remote tower includes a carbonator tank; and said closed-loop circuit includes said remote tower carbonator pump, said remote tower carbonator pump circulating fluid through said closed-loop circuit.

14. A beverage dispensing system as in claim 13, wherein said valve means in said first state places said at least one cold plate auxiliary fluid chilling circuit in said closed-loop fluid conveying circuit and couples said dispenser carbonator pump to said inlet to said dispenser carbonator tank through said at least one cold plate fluid chilling circuit, and in said second state removes said at least one cold plate auxiliary fluid chilling circuit from said closed-loop circuit, fluid couples said at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit between said dispenser carbonator pump and said inlet to said dispenser carbonator tank, and fluid couples said dispenser carbonator pump to said inlet to said dispenser carbonator tank through said at least one cold plate fluid chilling circuit.

15. A system as in claim 13, including means for delivering ice to said beverage dispenser cold plate, and means responsive to beverage dispensing at said remote tower to operate said means for delivering to deliver ice to said beverage dispenser cold plate.

16. A method of dispensing beverages, said method comprising the steps of: fluid coupling a beverage through a first fluid chilling circuit of a cold plate of a beverage dispenser to a beverage dispensing valve of the dispenser; providing a remote tower having a carbonator tank; circulating fluid through a closed-loop fluid conveying circuit that extends between the cold plate and the remote tower and that includes a second fluid chilling circuit of the cold plate to chill the fluid; and heat exchange coupling the chilled fluid in the closed-loop circuit to the remote tower carbonator tank to chill carbonated water in the tank without contact of the chilled fluid with the tank.

17. A method as in claim 16, wherein the beverage dispenser has a carbonator tank and a carbonator pump, the fluid in said closed-loop circuit is beverage, said circulating step is performed using the beverage dispenser carbonator pump, and including the steps of selectively fluid coupling beverage in the closed-loop circuit to an inlet to the remote tower carbonator tank and, in response to performance of said selectively fluid coupling step, using the beverage dispenser carbonator pump to fill the remote tower carbonator tank with beverage from the closed-loop circuit.

18. A method as in claim 16, wherein the beverage dispenser includes a fluid switching mechanism, and including the steps of operating the fluid switching mechanism between a first state placing the cold plate second fluid chilling circuit in fluid circuit between the beverage dispenser carbonator pump and carbonator tank for filling of the beverage dispenser carbonator tank through both the first and second fluid chilling circuits of the cold plate, and a second state removing the cold plate second fluid chilling circuit from being in fluid circuit between the beverage dispenser carbonator pump and carbonator tank and placing the second fluid chilling circuit into fluid circuit with the closed-loop fluid conveying circuit for chilling beverage in the closed-loop circuit.

19. A method as in claim 16, including the steps of dispensing beverage at the remote tower; and, in response to said dispensing step, delivering ice to the beverage dispenser cold plate.

20. A method of operating a beverage dispenser, comprising the steps of: fluid coupling a beverage to a beverage valve of the beverage dispenser through a first fluid chilling circuit of a cold plate of the dispenser; extending a closed-loop fluid conveying circuit between the beverage dispenser and a location remote from the dispenser; providing a fluid switch for the dispenser, wherein the fluid switch is operable between a first state placing a second fluid chilling circuit of the cold plate in fluid circuit with the first fluid chilling circuit of the cold plate, so that said fluid coupling step couples beverage to the beverage valve through both the first and second fluid chilling circuits of the cold plate, and a second state removing the second fluid chilling circuit from being in fluid circuit with the first fluid chilling circuit and placing the second fluid chilling circuit in the closed-loop fluid conveying circuit for chilling in the closed-loop circuit; and circulating fluid through the closed-loop fluid conveying circuit when the fluid switching mechanism is in the second state to chill the fluid for delivery to the remote location.

21. A method of operating a beverage dispenser having a cold plate including at least first and second fluid chilling circuits, said method comprising the steps of: flowing a beverage component through the cold plate first fluid chilling circuit to chill the beverage component for dispensing by the beverage dispenser; and fluid coupling the cold plate second fluid chilling circuit to either be in or out of fluid circuit with a closed-loop heat exchanging fluid conveying circuit extending between the beverage dispenser and a location separate and remote from the dispenser, wherein said fluid coupling step, when the cold plate second fluid chilling circuit is out of fluid circuit with the heat exchanging fluid conveying circuit, places the second fluid chilling circuit in fluid circuit with the first fluid chilling circuit, so that said flowing step then flows the beverage component through both the first and second cold plate fluid chilling circuits.

22. A beverage dispensing and chilling system, comprising: a cold plate having chilling circuits; a remote tower having a beverage dispensing valve; a carbonator tank; a closed-loop carbonated water conveying circuit including at least one chilling circuit of said cold plate, said carbonated water circuit extending between said cold plate and said remote tower; means for circulating carbonated water through said carbonated water circuit to chill the carbonated water and to deliver the chilled carbonated water to the remote tower; means for fluid coupling said remote tower beverage dispensing valve to said closed-loop circuit for receiving and dispensing carbonated water from said circuit; and means for placing said carbonator tank in fluid communication with but out of said closed-loop circuit for replenishing in said closed-loop circuit of carbonated water dispensed by said beverage valve.

23. A system as in claim 22, wherein said cold plate is chilled by ice, and including means responsive to dispensing carbonated water by said remote tower beverage dispensing valve to deliver ice to said cold plate.

24. A method dispensing a chilled beverage, comprising the steps of: providing a cold plate having at least one fluid chilling circuit; placing a closed-loop plain water conveying circuit in-line with the at least one fluid chilling circuit of the cold plate; extending the closed-loop fluid water conveying circuit between the cold plate and a location remote from the cold plate; chilling the cold plate; circulating plain water through the closed-loop circuit to chill the water and to deliver the chilled water to the remote location; providing a beverage dispensing valve at the remote location; and fluid coupling water in the closed-loop circuit to the beverage dispensing valve at the remote location for dispensing of water by the valve.

25. A system as in claim 24, wherein said chilling is performed by placing the cold plate in an ice bin.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to beverage dispensing systems, and in particular to ice/beverage dispensers having cold plates that are used as cooling engines chilling product to be delivered at a remote location.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known in the beverage dispensing art to use combined ice and beverage dispensers that employ cooling engines, usually cold plates, to provide heat exchange cooling of various drinks. The ice/beverage dispenser is usually contained in a single cabinet, in an upper portion of which is an ice retaining bin and in a lower portion of which is a cold plate. The cold plate is cooled by a volume of ice gravity fed from a lower opening in the bin into the lower portion of the cabinet and onto and in heat exchange contact with the cold plate. The ice chills the cold plate which, in turn, provides for heat exchange cooling of beverage liquids flowed through tubing chilling circuits embedded in the cold plate. In situations where a cold plate is used in conjunction with a post-mix ice/beverage dispenser, sources of carbonated water and beverage syrup flavorings are connected to the cold plate to be cooled for delivery to post-mix beverage dispensing valves. Carbonated drinks are produced when the cooled carbonated water and syrup flavoring constituents are subsequently mixed together and dispensed from the post mix valves.

An ice/beverage dispenser customarily has four or more, and often eight or more, post-mix beverage dispensing valves for dispensing various selected beverages. The valves are normally positioned along a front surface of the dispenser, normally accommodating access to the dispenser by only one person at a time. In fast food restaurants where a number of customers may be awaiting service of beverage orders, the inability of more than one person at a time to access the dispenser can result in unwanted delays in servicing customers.

To decrease the time required to serve a number of beverages, it is known to utilize, together with an ice/beverage dispenser, a separate remote beverage dispensing tower that is coupled to the ice/beverage dispenser. A beverage dispensing tower typically is a simplified structure consisting primarily of a cabinet for carrying a limited number of post-mix beverage dispensing valves, but the tower customarily does not have either ice retaining and dispensing capability, a cold plate or associated sources of water and syrup. When a remote tower is to be coupled to a base unit comprising an ice/beverage dispenser, a challenge is to make the process of installation quick and efficient while maintaining at the tower good drink quality at required temperatures.

To provide for cooling of beverages that are dispensed from the tower, a cooling system is provided for the beverage liquids. The tower may be a considerable distance from the supplies of beverage liquids, which normally are located at the ice/beverage dispenser, and during idle periods when beverages are not being dispensed from the tower, plain and/or carbonated water and syrup flavorings in a python extending between supplies thereof and the tower can become warm, and if dispensed into a cup can result in an inferior beverage. So that a warm drink will not be dispensed, during idle periods when the tower is not in use it is known to recirculate the water between the cooling system and tower so that it will remain cold in the tubing.

Known systems for cooling plain and/or carbonated water delivered to a remote beverage dispensing tower make use of a mechanical refrigeration system to create a large ice bank in an agitated water bath or can comprise a cold plate. The water line(s) are immersed in the water bath for chilling prior to the water being delivered through a python to post-mix beverage dispensing valves of the remote tower. If desired, the syrup lines for the tower can also be immersed in the water bath for cooling or, alternatively, the syrup can be chilled by the syrup lines being in dose heat exchange contact with the chilled water lines in the python. Incoming water to the tower, if not already carbonated, may be carbonated via a carbonator tank and water supply pump associated with the tower. While such refrigeration systems for beverage liquid components delivered to a remote tower are effective, they are expensive to implement and increasing cost constraints have resulted in a demand for less cost prohibitive solutions. A somewhat more economical approach is for the same carbonator as is used to deliver carbonated water to the primary ice/beverage dispenser to be used to provide carbonated water for the remote dispensing tower. However, a disadvantage of this arrangement is that during periods of peak use of the ice/beverage dispenser and remote tower, the ability of the carbonator to continuously deliver chilled carbonated water is compromised.

Establishments in which ice/beverage dispensers are used often serve various consumable items other than beverages, many of which require chilling either to maintain their quality or because they are perishable. Chilling of such products customarily is accomplished through use of a mechanical refrigeration system, which adds additional cost to the food service operation.

Ice/beverage dispensers utilize a cooling engine for chilling beverages served by the dispenser, which cooling engine customarily comprises a cold plate designed to have a cooling capacity sufficient to properly chill beverages served by a dispenser during periods of peak demand, with little surplus cooling capacity remaining during such periods. However, a cold plate could be made to have a cooling capacity in excess of the maximum required to fully meet the beverage chilling needs of a dispenser, in which case it could advantageously be used to chill liquid beverage components delivered to a remote beverage dispensing tower or to chill other remotely located products as may be served by the establishment where the ice/beverage dispenser is used. If an ice/beverage dispenser were made to have such a surplus capacity cold plate, then it would also be advantageous to provide the cold plate with some means that enables a user to selectively couple to one or more of its cooling circuits, without need for extensive modification of its plumbing, for convent transfer of its cooling capacity to a remote location. This would desirably enable a user of the ice/beverage dispenser to use the dispenser either as a stand-alone unit or to retrofit the dispenser so that its cold plate then serves as a cooling engine for product to be chilled at a remote location or to chill product for delivery to a remote location. In addition, because a cold plate depletes ice in contact with it when it is used in heat transfer cooling of product, it would be desirable to provide some means to ensure that a sufficient supply of ice always remains in contact with the cold plate.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an ice/beverage dispenser a cold plate of which is adapted to serve as a cooling engine for product delivered to or chilled at a remote location.

Another object is to provide such an ice/beverage dispenser in which the dispenser cold plate is provided with means enabling convenient use of the dispenser as a stand-alone unit or retrofit of the dispenser so that its cold plate serves as a cooling engine for product delivered to or chilled at a remote location.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an ice/beverage dispenser in which its cold plate has surplus cooling capacity that is utilized by the dispenser when the cold plate is not otherwise serving as a cooling engine for other product.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such an ice/beverage dispenser with a system that ensures that an adequate supply of ice always remains in heat exchange contact with its cold plate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a beverage dispensing and chilling system comprises a beverage dispenser including a cold plate having fluid chilling circuits; a closed-loop fluid conveying circuit including at least one fluid chilling circuit of the cold plate, the closed-loop circuit extending between the beverage dispenser and a location remote from the dispenser; and means for circulating fluid through the closed-loop circuit to chill the fluid and to deliver the chilled fluid to the remote location.

In various embodiments of the system, the beverage dispenser has a pump and the circulating means includes the pump; the beverage dispenser has a pump and the circulating means includes a pump separate from the beverage dispenser pump; and the beverage dispenser comprises an ice and beverage dispenser.

Also in various embodiments, the system includes a product container at the remote location and the dosed-loop fluid conveying circuit is heat exchange coupled with an exterior of the product container; the system includes a product container at the remote location and the closed-loop fluid conveying circuit has a portion within an interior of the container for heat exchange coupling to product in the container; the system includes a heat exchanger at the remote location and the closed-loop fluid conveying circuit includes at least one fluid circuit of the heat exchanger at the remote location for heat exchange chilling of the heat exchanger; and the system includes a product dispenser at the remote location, the chilled fluid circulated through the closed-loop circuit is product to be dispensed at the remote location and the closed-loop circuit is coupled to the product dispenser for delivering chilled product to the product dispenser.

In a further contemplated embodiment, the cold plate fluid chilling circuits include a first fluid chilling circuit for chilling a beverage component for dispensing by the beverage dispenser and a second fluid chilling circuit and the at least one fluid chilling circuit of the closed-loop fluid conveying circuit comprises the second fluid chilling circuit. The beverage dispenser includes valve means having a first state for coupling the cold plate second fluid chilling circuit in-line with the closed-loop fluid conveying circuit and a second state for removing the second fluid chilling circuit from the closed-loop fluid convening circuit and for instead fluid coupling the second fluid chilling circuit to be in fluid circuit with the first charge circuit for chilling of the beverage component by both the first and second cold plate fluid chilling circuits.

In another embodiment, the system includes a remote tower at the remote location and the closed-loop fluid conveying circuit is heat exchange coupled to the remote tower for chilling a beverage component to be dispensed at the remote tower. The remote tower can include a carbonator tank and the closed-loop fluid conveying circuit can then be heat exchange coupled to the carbonator tank. The beverage dispenser can also include a carbonator tank and a carbonator pump for delivering water to an inlet to the carbonator tank, and means are provided for coupling the beverage dispenser carbonator pump to the closed-loop fluid conveying circuit for circulating fluid through the closed-loop circuit. The fluid circulated through the closed-loop fluid conveying circuit may be water, in which case the system includes means for coupling the closed-loop fluid conveying circuit to an inlet to the remote tower carbonator tank to deliver water into the tank. The remote tower may have a carbonator tank and a carbonator pump for delivering water to an inlet to the remote tower carbonator tank, in which case the closed-loop fluid conveying circuit can include the remote tower carbonator pump for circulation of fluid through the closed-loop circuit.

The invention also contemplates maintaining a supply of ice on the cold plate in response to loading of the cold plate by the remote tower. In this case, a beverage dispensing system comprises a beverage dispenser having a cold plate with fluid chilling circuits and a remote beverage dispensing tower including at least one beverage valve for dispensing a beverage. Further included are a beverage component conveying circuit for delivering a beverage component to the remote tower for being dispensed at the tower, the beverage component conveying circuit extending between the beverage dispenser and the remote tower and including at least one fluid chilling circuit of the cold plate for chilling the beverage component, and means responsive to dispensing of beverage at the remote tower for delivering ice to the cold plate.

The invention also contemplates a method of providing chilling at a location remote from a beverage dispenser having a cold plate with a plurality of fluid chilling circuits. The method comprises the steps of flowing fluid through at least one of the cold plate fluid chilling circuits to chill the fluid; and delivering the chilled fluid to the location remote from the beverage dispenser.

The beverage dispenser may be an ice and beverage dispenser, in which case included is the step of using ice to chill the cold plate of the dispenser.

The beverage dispenser may include a pump, and the delivering step then comprises using the pump to deliver the chilled fluid to the location remote from the beverage dispenser. Alternatively, where the beverage dispenser includes a pump, the delivering step can comprise using another separate pump to deliver the chilled fluid to the location remote from the beverage dispenser.

In various contemplated practices of the method, product is in a container at the remote location, and included is the step of heat exchange coupling the chilled fluid delivered to the remote location to the container; product is in a container at the remote location, and included is the step of heat exchange coupling the chilled fluid delivered to the remote location to the product in the container; product is in contact with a heat exchanger at the remote location, and included is the step of flowing the chilled fluid delivered to the remote location through a fluid circuit of the heat exchanger at the remote location; a product dispenser is at the remote location, the chilled fluid delivered to the remote location is product, and included is the step of coupling the chilled product delivered to the remote location to the product dispenser for dispensing of the chilled product by the product dispenser.

It is contemplated that the plurality of cold plate fluid chilling circuits include at least one beverage component chilling circuit and at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit, and that the flowing step comprises flowing fluid through the at least one auxiliary chilling circuit. Also included are the steps of flowing a beverage component through the at least one beverage component chilling circuit, and using at least one valve to control fluid placement of the at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit, such that in a first state of the at least one valve, the flowing step flows fluid through the at least one cold plate auxiliary fluid chilling circuit and, in a second state of the at least one valve, the auxiliary fluid chilling circuit is switched to be in fluid circuit with the at least one beverage component chilling circuit, so that in the second state of the at least one valve, the step of flowing a beverage component flows the beverage component through both the at least one beverage component chilling circuit and the at least one auxiliary fluid chilling circuit.

The at least one valve, in each of its first and second states, may be used to couple a supply of the beverage component to the at least one cold plate beverage component chilling circuit.

In a contemplated practice of the method, the chilled fluid delivered to the remote location is heat exchange coupled to a beverage dispensing tower at the remote location. If the remote tower has its own carbonator tank, then the chilled fluid delivered to the remote location may be heat exchange coupled to the carbonator tank at the remote location.

A method of maintaining a supply of ice on the beverage dispenser cold plate in response to loading of the cold plate by the remote tower is also contemplated. According to this aspect of the invention, the steps involved in dispensing beverages include fluid coupling a fluid chilling circuit of a beverage dispenser cold plate to a remote tower to chill a beverage component dispensed by the remote tower; dispensing beverage at the remote tower; and, in response to performance of the dispensing step, delivering ice to the beverage dispenser cold plate.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent upon a consideration of the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ice and beverage dispenser of a type having a cold plate;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional side elevation view of the dispenser of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3-6 are schematic representations of apparatus according to the invention, showing various manners of using a cold plate of an ice/beverage dispenser to deliver chilled product to or to chill product at a remote location;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are charts showing three different modes of operation of apparatus embodying the teachings of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a circuit representation of an embodiment of apparatus according to the invention, in which a cold plate of an ice/beverage dispenser is used as a cooling engine for a carbonator tank of a remote beverage dispensing tower;

FIG. 10 is a circuit representation of another embodiment of apparatus in which the cold plate of the ice/beverage dispenser is used as a cooling engine for the carbonator tank of the remote beverage dispensing tower;

FIG. 11 is a circuit representation of a further embodiment of apparatus in which the cold plate of the ice/beverage dispenser is used as a cooling engine for the carbonator tank of the remote beverage dispensing tower;

FIG. 12 is a circuit representation of a still embodiment of apparatus in which the cold plate of the ice/beverage dispenser is used as a cooling engine for the carbonator tank of the remote beverage dispensing tower;

FIG. 13 is a circuit representation of another embodiment of apparatus in which the cold plate of the ice/beverage dispenser is used as a cooling engine for the carbonator tank of the remote beverage dispensing tower;

FIG. 14A is a diagrammatic representation showing valves as may be employed to switch the ice/beverage dispenser between use as a stand-alone unit and use as a cooling engine for delivering chilled product to or for chilling product at a remote location, showing the state of the valves for operation of the dispenser as a stand-alone unit;

FIG. 14B is similar to FIG. 14A, except that the valves are shown in the state for operation of the dispenser as a cooling engine for delivering chilled product to or for chilling product at a remote location;

FIG. 15 is a schematic representation of valves as may be employed to switch the ice/beverage dispenser between use as a stand-alone unit and use as a cooling engine for delivering chilled product to or for chilling product at a remote location;

FIG. 16 shows one of various types of valves as may be employed to switch the ice/beverage dispenser between use as a stand-alone unit and use as a cooling engine for delivering chilled product to or for chilling product at a remote location, showing the state of the valves for operation of the dispenser as a stand-alone unit;

FIG. 17 is similar to FIG. 16, except that the valves are shown in the state for operation of the dispenser as a cooling engine for delivering chilled product to or for chilling product at a remote location;

FIG. 18 is a schematic representation of a further embodiment of apparatus according to the invention, showing use of a cold plate of an ice/beverage dispenser to deliver chilled product to or to chill product at a remote location, and

FIG. 19 is one contemplated type of control circuit as may be used to operate the apparatus of FIG. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides an improved ice/beverage dispensing and product chilling system in which a cold plate of an ice/beverage dispenser is used as a cooling engine for product to be chilled at a remote location or to chill product for delivery to a remote location. The ice/beverage dispenser may be of the general type shown in FIG. 1 and indicated generally at 10, and includes an outer housing 12, a merchandising cover 14 and a removable ice bin filling cover 16. A plurality of post-mix beverage dispensing valves 18 are secured to a front surface of the dispenser 10 above a drip tray 20 and adjacent to a splash panel 22. An ice dispensing chute 23 is also secured to the front surface of the dispenser 10 centrally of the beverage dispensing valves 18 and above the drip tray 20.

With reference also to FIG. 2, the ice/beverage dispenser 10 includes an ice hopper or ice bin 24 defining therewithin an ice retaining compartment 25. A cold plate 26 is located in a cold plate compartment 27 beneath the bin 24 and the bin has a wall 28 for mounting on its lower surface an agitator drive motor 29. An upper surface 30 of the wall 28, opposite from the agitator drive motor, is configured to define an annular ice directing trough 31. The drive motor 29 serves to rotate an ice dispense agitator or auger, indicated generally at 32, within the ice retaining compartment 25 of the ice hopper 24. The agitator mixes and agitates ice particles retained within the ice bin 24 to prevent congealing and agglomeration of the ice particles into a mass of ice and to keep the ice particles in free-flowing form, and also serves to move ice particles through the bin trough 31 to and through a forward outlet opening (not shown) from the bin and into an upper end of the ice chute 23 for gravity dispensing of the ice out of a lower end of the chute and into a cup. Rotation of the agitator 32 also causes some of the ice particles retained in the bin 24 to fall through a bottom opening 33 in the wall 28 into the lower cold plate compartment 27 and onto a heat exchange top surface 34 of the cold plate 26. As is understood, the ice cools the cold plate to chill beverage liquids that are flowed through tubing circuits embedded in the cold plate. The agitator has a plurality of radially extending ice sweeping arms 36 at outer ends of which are ice paddles 40 that extend into the bin trough 31 to move ice in the trough to and through the ice outlet from the bin. The agitator also has a plurality of ice agitating blades 42 extending generally perpendicular from the ice sweeping arms 36, as well as a drive bushing 44 for accommodating mounting of the agitator to an agitator motor output shaft 45 for rotation of the agitator in the bin by the agitator motor 29.

According to the present invention, the cold plate 26 of the ice/beverage dispenser 10 is adapted for use as a cooling engine for product to be delivered to or chilled at a remote location. For the purpose, the cold plate is provided with a surplus of cooling capacity, in excess of that required to properly chill beverages served by the dispenser 10 during periods of peak use. This may be accomplished, for example, by having the cold plate be of the multi-layered type and providing the cold plate with extra or auxiliary fluid chilling circuits, so that the total number of fluid chilling circuits of the cold plate exceeds the number normally required by the dispenser 10. To avoid the necessity of changing the cold plate of an ice/beverage dispenser in order to retrofit the dispenser to serve as a cooling engine for other product, it is desirable that in the original manufacture of the dispenser, its cold plate be constructed to provide such excess cooling capacity. If the dispenser is not to serve as a base unit cooling engine for other product, the auxiliary cooling circuit(s) of its cold plate can advantageously be used to provide a surplus of cooling capacity for the dispenser itself that can, for example, improve a carbonation process performed in the dispenser. Should it be desired to retrofit the dispenser to cool other product, the auxiliary cold plate chilling circuit(s) can be converted to that use. Since fluid connections in an ice/beverage dispenser are plumbed, it is contemplated that the dispenser 10 be provided, as initially manufactured, with valve means fluid coupled to its cold plate and easily switchable between a first state in which the auxiliary chilling circuits of the cold plate 26 function to cool beverages served by the dispenser and a second state, used when the cold plate of the dispenser is retrofit to be a cooling engine for other product, in which the auxiliary chilling circuits of the cold plate are used to chill such other product. In this manner, the auxiliary chilling circuits of the cold plate advantageously are at all times used, either to provide a surplus of cooling for the dispenser or to chill other product.

The invention finds use in a variety of applications, in that the transferable chilling feature of the ice/beverage dispenser 10, via use of its cold plate 26 as a cooling engine, can be used to chill any product that requires cooling below ambient and delivery or chilling at a remote location from the dispenser. The dispenser can be adapted for recirculating a primary fluid to a remote location for consumption or a recirculating fluid can be used, via a heat exchange process at a remote location, to chill or maintain cold any product, e.g., perishable food. Among various uses contemplated for the invention are: recirculating cold carbonated water through a manifold for delivery as a carbonated drink; recirculating cold potable water through a manifold for delivery as a non-carbonated beverage; recirculating cold potable water to a heat exchanger/carbonator tank for delivery as a carbonated beverage; recirculating cold potable water through a manifold for delivery at a cold water fountain; recirculating cold water to a heat exchanger/container to cool a dairy products such as milk, cream or butter; recirculating cold water to a heat exchanger/container to maintain a salad bar; and recirculating cold fruit juice through a manifold for delivery as a beverage. These uses are not intended to be exclusive, merely suggestive of the many uses available for the invention.

Reference is made to the schematic representations of systems shown in FIGS. 3-6 for an understanding of the scope and nature of the invention and, generally, of various possible implementations of the invention. An ice/beverage dispenser 10 is employed in each embodiment of FIGS. 3-6 and in each the cold plate 26 of the dispenser is used to chill a fluid recirculated through a closed-loop fluid circuit 46 in the direction shown by arrows. Chilling of the fluid is accomplished by using an auxiliary circuit(s) of the cold plate in the closed-loop fluid circuit and recirculation of the fluid may be provided by a carbonator pump of the dispenser 10 or by a separate pump provided for the purpose.

In the system of FIG. 3, the fluid recirculation circuit 46 is coiled around the outside of and in heat exchange contact with a remote product container 47a, so that there is a transfer of heat from product in the container to the chilled fluid in the recirculation circuit for cooling of the product. The product may be any suitable product it is desired to cool, whether it is a product that perishes unless cooled or a product the taste quality of which benefits from cooling. The fluid in the circuit 46 may be any suitable fluid that serves a heat transfer function, such as water. The fluid in the circuit 46 may also be the same as the product in the container 47a, with the system then including appropriate valves and being arranged to transfer fluid (product) from the circuit 46 to the container 47a to refill the container with product if and as necessary.

In the system of FIG. 4, the fluid recirculation circuit 46 is coiled within the interior of a remote product container 47b in heat exchange contact with product within the container, so that there is a transfer of heat from the product to the chilled fluid in the recirculation circuit for cooling of the product. Alternatively, the container may be filled with a liquid such as water and the product immersed in the water, such that the fluid recirculation circuit chills the water which, in turn, chills the product.

In the system of FIG. 5, the product itself is the fluid that is circulated in the fluid recirculation circuit 46, such that the product is directly cooled upon passage through the cold plate auxiliary chilling circuit(s). In this embodiment, a product server 48 can either be coupled to the recirculating circuit, as shown, or it can be made part of the recirculation loop. The product server may be any suitable mechanism for dispensing the product, depending upon the nature of the product. For example, if the product in the closed-loop recirculation circuit is a beverage, then the product server 48 may be a beverage serving valve.

In the system of FIG. 6, the fluid recirculation circuit 46 leads to and passes through the fluid circuits of a remote heat exchanger 49. Thus, in this embodiment the cold plate 26 of the ice/beverage dispenser 10 serves to cool a remote heat exchanger. The heat exchanger 49 can be used in its remote location for any customary purpose, for example to chill a salad bar.

For a better understanding of the invention and to facilitate an appreciation of various types of structures that may be embodied in systems for practicing the invention, the ice/beverage dispenser 10, which is adapted to dispense both ice and carbonated and/or plain water drinks, will be described in greater detail in connection its use in beverage dispensing systems that include a remote beverage dispensing tower. These systems, shown schematically in FIGS. 9-13, are somewhat similar to the system of FIG. 3, but it is to be understood that use of the dispenser 10 to support a remote beverage dispensing tower is not intended to be exhaustive of the various contemplated uses of the invention.

When using a remote beverage dispensing tower, a challenge is to maintain the ability to dispense a cold drink at the remote dispensing location. If the tower experiences periods of idleness or low demand, the temperatures of the fluids in the long interconnecting pythons can warm up to the prevailing ambient temperature, resulting in a warm and unsatisfactory beverage of inferior quality being dispensed.

With reference to FIGS. 7-9, FIG. 9 of which illustrates one arrangement where the ice/beverage dispenser 10 is used to support a remote beverage dispensing tower, the cold plate 26 of dispenser 10 is used as a cooling engine for chilling a remote carbonator tank 50 of the remote tower, indicated generally at 52. The carbonator tank 50 is coupled to a supply of CO.sub.2 through a pressure regulator 54 and receives water from the ice/beverage dispenser 10 through a check valve 56 and a solenoid controlled valve 58 to produce carbonated water in a known manner for supply to two post-mix beverage dispensing valves 60 of the tower 52. The ice/beverage dispenser 10 also includes its own carbonator tank 62 that is similarly coupled to a supply of CO.sub.2 through a pressure regulator 64 and that receives water through a check valve 66 and a solenoid controlled valve 68 to produce carbonated water for supply to post-mix beverage dispensing valves 18 of the dispenser, only two of which are shown in FIG. 9. Of the two dispensing valves 18 shown, one receives carbonated water from the carbonator 62 while the other receives plain or non-carbonated water from a potable water supply, such as a supply of city water, which is chilled by being flowed through a tubing circuit 70 of the cold plate 26.

To improve the efficiency of the carbonation process and so that cold carbonated water will be available for dispensing into drinks by the ice/beverage dispenser 10, a carbonator pump 72 delivers water to the carbonator 62 through tubing circuits 74 in the cold plate 26 and through the check valve 66 and solenoid controlled valve 68, the pump 72 and valve 68 being under control of and operated by a controller 76. The carbonator 62 has a water level sensor 78 that provides an input to the controller 76, such that the controller operates the carbonator pump 72 and the valve 68 in a manner to maintain desired levels of water in the carbonator 62. So that carbonated water in the carbonator 62 will be and will remain cold for dispensing, the carbonator 62 advantageously is located in the cold plate compartment 27 of the dispenser 10 in heat exchange contact with the cold plate 26.

As is conventional, the remote beverage dispensing tower 52 does not have a cold plate and is not provided with a supply of ice. Therefore, to improve the efficiency of the carbonation process by the remote carbonator 50 and so that cold carbonated water will be available for delivery to the beverage dispensing tower valves 60, the invention contemplates that to refill the carbonator tank 50, the carbonator pump 72 deliver water through the cold plate circuits 74, the check valve 56 and the solenoid controlled valve 58 to an inlet to the carbonator tank 50, with the pump 72 and valve 58 also being under control of and operated by the controller 76. The carbonator 50 includes a water level sensor 80 that provides an input to the controller 76, such that the controller operates the carbonator pump 72 and the valve 58 in a manner to maintain desired levels of water in the carbonator 50. So that carbonated water in the carbonator 50 will be and will remain cold for dispensing, a closed loop cold water recirculation circuit delivers chilled water to and into heat exchange relationship with the carbonator tank. The chilled water is flowed through the closed loop circuit by the carbonator pump 72, and beginning at an outlet from the pump 72, the closed loop water recirculation circuit leads to and passes through the cold plate circuit 74, where the cold plate acts as a cooling engine to chill the water. From the cold plate circuit 74, the recirculation circuit leads through a python 82 to an inlet to a coil of tubing 84 that is wrapped around the exterior of the carbonator tank 50 in intimate heat exchange contact with the tank, so that there is a transfer of heat from the carbonator tank, and therefore from carbonated water in the carbonator tank, to the chilled water flowing through the coil of tubing. From the coil of tubing 84, the closed loop water recirculation circuit returns through the python 82 and a solenoid controlled valve 86 to an inlet to the carbonator pump 72, the valve 86 also being operated by the controller 76. The inlet to the carbonator pump 72 is fluid coupled to the potable water supply, and so that concentrate beverage syrup delivered to the remote tower beverage dispensing valves 60 will be cold, the syrup supply lines are in intimate heat exchange contact with the cold water recirculation circuit

The controller 76 utilizes three different control schemes, as seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, to operate the solenoid controlled valves 58, 68 and 86 in three different modes that provide three different water flow paths in the circuit of FIG. 9. In a first control scheme that is implemented when neither of the carbonator tanks 50 and 62 requires refilling, the apparatus is in a normal or standby mode in which the carbonator pump 72 is on, the valve 86 is opened and the valves 58 and 68 are closed, so that water chilled in flowing through the cold plate circuit 74 is recirculated through the closed loop and through the coil 84 to chill the remote carbonator tank 50 and the carbonated water in the tank. In a second control scheme that is implemented when the carbonator tank 62 requires refilling, as input to the controller 76 by the water level sensor 78, the carbonator pump 72 is on, the valves 58 and 86 are closed and the valve 68 is opened so that water chilled in flowing through the cold plate circuit 74 is introduced into the carbonator tank 62 until the water level sensor 78 indicates to the controller 76 that the tank is refilled. In a third control scheme that is implemented when the carbonator tank 50 requires refilling, as detected by its water level sensor 80, the carbonator pump 72 is on, the valves 68 and 86 are closed and the valve 58 is opened so that water chilled in flowing through the cold plate circuit 74 is delivered into the carbonator tank 50 until its water level sensor 80 indicates to the controller 76 that the tank is refilled.

The FIG. 9 embodiment of beverage dispensing system uses a single carbonator pump 72 that services two carbonator tanks and doubles as a recirculation pump. In this system, heat is taken up by the cold plate from the water in the closed loop recirculation circuit to chill the water, and the chilled water is then flowed to the coil 84 around the carbonator tank 50 at the remote tower 52, where the water takes up heat from the carbonator tank to chill carbonated water in the tank and maintain the carbonated water at a temperature of no more than about 38.degree. F. The desirable result is that cold carbonated water is always available at the remote post-mix beverage dispense valves 60.

In the FIG. 9 embodiment of beverage dispensing system, it is advantageous to prioritize refilling of the two carbonator tanks 50 and 62. Desirably, the carbonator tanks 50 and 62 are refilled at different times, so that the required water flow through the circuit 74 of the cold plate 26 is as small as possible to optimize chilling of the water. However, that does not always happen, and it is therefore contemplated that the carbonator tank 50 at the remote beverage dispensing tower 50 be larger than the carbonator tank 62 at the ice/beverage dispenser 10 and that priority be given, should both carbonator tanks 50 and 62 require refilling at the same time, to refilling the ice/beverage dispenser carbonator tank 62 first. In other words, even if the water level sensor 80 of the remote tower carbonator tank 50 indicates to the controller 76 that refilling of the carbonator tank 50 is required, if at that time the ice/beverage dispenser carbonator tank 62 requires filling or is being refilled, the carbonator tank 50 will not be refilled until filling of the carbonator tank 62 is completed. The carbonator tank 50 should therefore be of sufficient size or capacity to avoid any "gas out" issues until its refilling can take place.

Referring to the FIG. 10 embodiment where like reference numerals denote like elements, two carbonator pumps are used, the carbonator pump 72 and a carbonator pump 88. The pump 72 is associated with and serves only the carbonator tank 62 of the ice/beverage dispenser 10. In response to signals from the water level sensor 78 of the carbonator tank 62