AU2017364474B2

AU2017364474B2 - Clear fount

Info

Publication number: AU2017364474B2
Application number: AU2017364474A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Daniel Vogiatzis; Malcolm Edward Yeates
Original assignee: Hoshizaki Lancer Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Hoshizaki Lancer Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2016-11-24
Filing date: 2017-11-23
Publication date: 2020-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 2037-11-23
Also published as: AU2017364474A1; WO2018094465A1

Abstract

A fount with a clear tank in which beer is temporarily stored before being dispensed is normally full of beer supplied by from a conventional keg. A secondary gas system provides head pressure greater than the pressure from the keg when the tap is opened allowing the tank to empty as the beer is dispensed. Releasing the secondary gas allows the tank to fill again from the keg.

Description

Clear Fount

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to fount for dispensing beer, in particular a clear fount that allows the beer dispensed to be seen prior to and as it is being served.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0002] Founts for dispensing beer are usually more than utilitarian devices, often incorporating design aspects to help market and sell beer. One popular feature is having the fount chilled beyond what is required to keep the beer cool, with external metal surfaces on which condensation can form to convey the sense of a cold refreshing beer. Absent from known founts is the ability to see the beer before being dispensed into a glass. Colour is often a distinguishing feature of beer and the ability to take advantage of such at the point of sale would be a distinct marketing advantage. This is particularly relevant for the growing market of craft beers which often have a distinctive colour.

[0003] Some manufacturers have developed founts with clear bowls attached to display the beer in, but these are purely static display and provide no cues as to the freshness of the beer

[0004] The object of this invention is to provide a fount that allows the actual product being dispensed to be viewed before and during dispensing, or at least provide the public with a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In a first aspect the invention a fount with a transparent tank for viewing beer before and during dispensing, comprising a beer inlet fed from a keg operating at a first pressure, a dispensing tap, a gas inlet valve for admitting gas to the tank at a second pressure greater than the first pressure and a gas outlet valve for releasing gas from the tank, wherein the tank is filled with beer from the keg operating at the first pressure and emptied of beer by gas admitted by the gas inlet valve operating at the second pressure.

[0006] In preference the gas inlet valve is operably connected to the dispensing tap.

[0007] In preference the fount further comprises a top section disposed above the tank and encompassing the gas inlet valve, gas outlet valve and dispensing tap, and a central section disposed within the tank concealing a gas inlet tube and a gas outlet tube.

[0008] In preference the fount further comprises a restrictor pipe disposed within the central section providing a beer pathway from the tank to the dispensing tap.

[0009] In preference the central section is flooded with glycol.

[0010] In preference the fount is used in conjunction with a non-return valve between the beer inlet and the keg.

[0011] In preference the gas outlet valve is manually operated.

[0012] It should be noted that any one of the aspects mentioned above may include any of the features of any of the other aspects mentioned above and may include any of the features of any of the embodiments described below as appropriate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows.

[0014] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a clear fount according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0015] Figure 2 show the fount with the cover of the centre section removed to appreciate the internal structure.

[0016] Figure 3 is a close up view of head of the fount from below.

[0017] Figure 4 is a simplified schematic representation of the fount and supporting infrastructure.

[0018] Figure 5 shows a cross section of the head of the fount in a static state.

[0019] Figure 6 shows a cross section of the head of the fount when dispensing beer.

[0020] Figure 7 shows a cross section of the head of the fount when releasing high pressure gas.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts. Dimensions of certain parts shown in the drawings may have been modified and/or exaggerated for the purposes of clarity or illustration.

[0022] The present invention provides a fount with a clear tank in which beer is temporarily stored before being dispensed. The tank is normally full of beer supplied by from a conventional keg using relatively low-pressure gas. As the beer is dispensed the level of beer in the tank drops. Once pouring has been completed the tank is refilled at the touch of a button. This allows the colour of the beer to be appreciated and provides some theatrics which brings attention to the particular beer to aid in sales. The repeated emptying and filling of the tank also provides a sense of freshness to the beer.

[0023] To allow the tank to empty as the beer is dispensed a secondary high-pressure gas system is used which provides head pressure greater than the pressure from the keg when the dispensing handle is opened. A non-return valve ensures beer is not forced back into the keg. After dispensing the beer, the high-pressure gas is vented allowing the tank to refill from the keg. Conventional features such as glycol chilling and a restrictor coil are concealed within a central section of the tank. A primary pressure of 250 kPa is typically used to fill the fount tank from the keg and 400 kPa to dispense the beer. The exact pressures are not critical and are referred to subsequently as "low" pressure and "high" pressure.

[0024] Figure 1 shows a fount 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The fount comprises a cylindrical glass tank 11 with a tank head 20 supported from a tank base 40 by centre section 50. The tank head attaches tap 60 from which the beer is dispensed; refill button 70 to release the high-pressure gas from the tank; and decal 12 which merely serves to identify the beer. The centre section is flooded with glycol to chill the beer on its cover, which also ensures that the beer is kept separated from the glycol, and conceals various tubing as discussed below. A bench mount 80 includes upper shroud 81and lower shroud 82 to conceal the passage of external gas, beer and glycol lines to the tank shown in other figures. For representational convenience, the bench mount and external physical lines will not be shown in subsequent figures.

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[0025] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the fount 10 with the cover of the centre section 50 removed to reveal the tubing within. Figure 3 focusses on the tank head from below to allow the top of the tubing to be appreciated. Pressurised beer from the tank 10 passes through tubing base plate 51 and enters restrictor coil 52 on its way to the tank head 20 via tubing top plate. Glycol enters the centre section through glycol inlet 54 to flood the centre section, chilling both beer that surrounds the centre section and beer passing through the restrictor coil. Glycol outlet 55 allows glycol to circulate through the tank head before returning through glycol outlet tube 56. Gas inlet tube 57 and gas outlet tube 58 merely pass through the centre section to the head section.

[0026] The operation of the fount can be appreciated with the schematic representation shown in Figure 4 which has been simplified to show the basic concept of how the fount operates. Some components discussed in this paragraph are not represented in the schematic but can be seen in the physical representations. Gas source 100 provides C02 gas at low pressure (250kPa) to pressurise beer keg 101 and fill tank the tank 11 via a non-return valve 102. Beer enters the tank 11 through beer inlet 41 in the tank base 40. Tap 60 opens both tap piston 63 to pass beer and gas piston 21of the tank head 20 which allows C02 gas at high pressure from gas source 103 into the tank and provide head pressure to push the beer from the tank 11through restrictor coil 61, through the tank head 20 and out through the tap spout 62. The high pressure (400kPa) gas 103 keeps the non-return valve 102 closed, allowing the tank 11 to empty. Once the beer has been poured tap 60 closes tap piston 63 and gas piston 21 again. The tank will remain pressurised and empty of beer until refill button 70 is pressed which will vent the high-pressure gas through valve 72 and banjo fitting 74 into gas outlet tube 58. Once the high-pressure gas has been released the low pressure gas from gas source 100 is sufficient to refill the tank 11again from the keg 101. The dispensing process can then be repeated. Not shown in the schematic is the glycol system which can be appreciated with the preceding description in relation to Figures 2 and 3.

[0027] The physical aspects of the components involved in pouring a beer and refilling the tank 11 can be appreciated with the aid of Figures 5 to 7 which show the tank head 20 and attached components in cross section. The tank head 20 controls three different fluid pathways: high pressure gas entry pathway described with the aid of Figure 6 in which the tap 60 is opened to dispense the beer; beer dispensing pathway also described with the aid of Figure 6; and, high pressure gas discharge described using Figure 7 in which the refill button 70 is pressed to release the high pressure gas. Figure 5 shows the system in a static state with the tap 60 closed and the tank 11 either full of beer or full of high-pressure gas. There is also a static pathway for glycol to pass through the head section.

[0028] In the static state seen in Figure 5 the tap handle 61is in a closed position such that beer spout 62 is blocked by tap piston 63; and high pressure gas is prevented from entering the tank head 20 by gas piston 21 blocking gas entry from gas inlet tube 57 through the high pressure gas entry 25 which is located in the first head cylinder 26 adjacent to the gas piston end 23 in the closed state (which is obscured in Figure 5). The gas piston 21 moves cooperatively with the tap piston 63, under direct action of the tap handle 61 when the tap is opened and under action of return spring 22 when the tap is closed.

[0029] To dispense beer as seen in Figure 6 the tap handle 61 is moved to an open position in which the tap piston 62 is moved to establish a beer dispensing pathway from the restrictor coil 52, through the tank head beer passage 24, through the tap reservoir 64, and around the tap piston 63 to exit via spout 62. The tap piston 63 will also move gas piston 21 and establish a high pressure gas entry pathway, allowing high pressure gas to enter the tank head through gas entry 25, pass along the gas piston 21into the second head cylinder 28 and exit the tank head via gas exit 27 (seen in Figure 3) into the tank 11 to produce head pressure to dispense the beer. Beer flow is stopped by returning the tap handle to the closed position as seen in Figure 5 to disrupt the both the beer dispensing pathway by the tap piston 63 and the high pressure gas pathway by the gas piston 21.

[0030] Once the beer has been dispensed and the tap closed the fount will remain in a static state as seen in Figure 5, empty of beer and full of high-pressure gas. The high-pressure gas will prevent beer entering the tank 11from the beer keg 101 which operates at a lower pressure.

[0031] To refill the tank 11 with beer from the keg 101, the high-pressure gas must first be released from the tank. This is done by pressing refill button 70 which depresses spindle 75 to open valve 76 and establish a high-pressure gas discharge pathway. The high pressure gas from tank 11, past valve 76, along the spindle 75, through an aperture in bush 77, into banjo fitting 74 and out through gas outlet tube 58 which passes through the tank head 20 and centre section 50.

[0032] The reader will now appreciate the present invention which provides a fount that allows the actual product being dispensed to be viewed before and during dispensing. A secondary pressuring system operating at higher pressure than the keg pressure allows the transparent dispensing tank to be emptied as the beer is dispensed and then filled again when desired, providing an enticing display to the beer consumer.

LIST OF COMPONENTS

[0033] The drawings include the following integers. fount 11 tank 12 decal tank head 21 gas piston 22 gas piston end 23 return spring 24 beer passage gasentry 26 first head cylinder 27 gas exit 28 second head cylinder tank base 41 beer inlet centre section 51 tubing base plate 52 restrictor coil 53 tubing top plate glycol outlet 56 glycol outlet tube 57 gas inlet tube 58 gas outlet tube tap 61 handle 62 spout 63 tap piston 64 reservoir refill button 72 vent valve 74 banjo fitting spindle

76 valve 78 banjo fitting bench mount 81 upper shroud 82 lower shroud 100 low pressure gas source 101 beerkeg 102 non-return valve 103 high pressure gas source

[0034] Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus. Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in this field.

[0035] In the present specification and claims (if any), the word "comprising" and its derivatives including "comprises" and "comprise" include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.

Claims

1. A fount with a transparent tank for viewing beer before and during dispensing, comprising a beer inlet fed from a keg operating at a first pressure, a dispensing tap, a gas inlet valve for admitting gas to the tank at a second pressure greater than the first pressure and a gas outlet valve for releasing gas from the tank, wherein the tank is filled with beer from the keg operating at the first pressure and emptied of beer by gas admitted by the gas inlet valve operating at the second pressure; wherein the fount further comprises a top section disposed above the tank and encompassing the gas inlet valve, gas outlet valve and dispensing tap, and a central section disposed within the tank concealing a gas inlet tube and a gas outlet tube; and further comprising a restrictor pipe disposed within the central section providing a beer pathway from the tank to the dispensing tap.

2. A fount as in claim 1, wherein the gas inlet valve is operably connected to the dispensing tap.

3 A fount as in claim 1, wherein the central section is flooded with glycol.

4 A fount as in claim 1 used in conjunction with a non-return valve between the beer inlet and the keg.

5. A fount as in claim 1, wherein the gas outlet valve is manually operated.