DRAWING-OFF DEVICE FOR DRINKS

The present invention relates to a drawing-off device for drinks of the type as recited in the preamble of the first claim.

As known, currently bars, pubs, or other venues are provided with drawing-off devices to dispense beer or other drinks on draught composed of a tower or column, hereinafter bearing structure, connected to a recipient and fitted with a tap which by controlling for example the introduction of a gas (carbon dioxide) in the recipient permits the output of drinks and thereby their dispensing through said tap.

Over recent years drawing-off devices have been devised fitted with devices, called frozen towers, which cover the bearing structure with frost and/or ice, subsequently referred to solely as ice, providing the consumer with the pleasing idea of a cool drink.

Such frozen towers comprise a refrigeration system which, by means of a refrigerator in itself known, cools a heat conveying fluid, usually water and ethylene glycol, which is channelled in correspondence with the bearing structure, cooling it. Deposits of ice are thus formed on the outer surface of said structure. A similar device is described in the patent application US-A-2006/272348.

The prior art described above has several significant drawbacks.

A first significant drawback is represented by the high energy consumption of such frozen towers, and thus of the connected drawing-off devices.

Such drawback is given, not just by the high consumption of the various mechanisms needed for the circulation of the cooling fluid, but also by the fact that frozen towers require a particularly long time to cover the entire column in ice. In fact, they usually take a whole day to completely cover the column with ice and are consequently left on.

One significant drawback is represented by the fact that on account of the many components, the drawing-off devices for drinks have a considerably large volume and weight.

Another drawback is created by the coolant fluid used and in particular by the problems of disposing of the water/glycol mixture.

A further drawback is represented by the high maintenance costs of the drawing-off devices currently used and in particular of frozen towers.

In this situation the technical purpose of the present invention is to devise a drawing-off device for drinks able to substantially overcome the drawbacks mentioned above.

Within the sphere of said technical purpose one important aim of the invention is to provide a drawing -off device having reduced consumption.

Another important aim of the invention is to have a drawing-off device for drinks suitable to cover itself in a layer of ice in an extremely short time.

A further aim of the invention is to devise a highly reliable drawing-off device for drinks with minimum maintenance costs.

The technical purpose and specified aims are achieved by a drawing-off device for drinks as claimed in the appended Claim 1 .

Preferred embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are clearly evident from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 , shows in scale, a sagittal cross-section, including two enlargements, of a preferred embodiment of the drawing-off device for drinks according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a complete functioning diagram of the drawing-off device according to the invention;

Fig. 3 shows in an axonometric view an inner portion of the drawing-off device according to the invention; and

Fig. 4 is an axonometric view of a portion of the drawing-off device.

With reference to said drawings, reference numeral 1 globally denotes the drawing-off device according to the invention.

It comprises a distribution system 20 substantially known, suitable to dispense one or more drinks; and a bearing structure 30 suitable to support at least part of the distribution system 20.

The distribution system 20 comprises one or more dispensing devices 21 , supported by the structure 30 and each of which including a dispenser mouth 21a, suitable to dispense the drinks; one or more recipients 22, such as kegs of beer, suitable to store the drinks; at least one supply duct 23 suitable to fluidic through connecting the dispenser mouths 21a with the recipients 22, at least one pump 24 or other similar device which, controlled by means of the dispenser devices 21 , moves the drinks inside the supply duct 23.

The bearing structure 30 is identifiable in a column or tower, such as an arched column, or other similar structure suitable to be fitted on the counter 35 of a bar, pub or the like. In particular, the bearing structure 30 is made by casting in metal and more preferably in aluminium alloy, pure aluminium, brass, Zamak ^® or other similar material characterised by a relatively low melting point and good heat conductivity. The bearing structure 30 is suitable to support and house, at least partially, the supply ducts 23 as shown in Fig. 1 inside a housing volume 32. It also supports the dispenser devices 21 , on the upper portion, connected opposite the counter 35 of the structure 30. The dispenser devices 21 comprise, as well as the mouths 21 a, opening and closing valves 25 of said supply ducts 23 next to the mouth 21 a, control means 26 of the valves, in themselves known, such as levers, taps, control valves and so forth.

The dispenser devices 21 are lastly connected to the bearing structure 30 by means of a joining element 27 (enlargement of Fig. 1 ) comprising an inner channel 27a, suitable to be placed in fluidic through connection with the housing volume 32, and comprising connection means 27b with said bearing structure 30 preferably consisting of a thread.

The joining element 27 is preferably made of polymer material, so as to thermally insulate the ducts present in the dispenser device 21. In particular such element 27 is made of high resistance polymer material and more in particular in Polyoxymethylene.

As well as the aforesaid components, the drawing-off device 1 comprises a frosting apparatus 40 suitable to cool at least part of the outer surface 31 of the bearing structure 30. Such cooling is apt to create ice or frost, as defined above, on said outer surface 31.

The apparatus 40 is suitable to actuate a refrigeration cycle by means of a refrigerant fluid subject to phase changes, in particular a vapour-compression refrigeration cycle or Kelvin cycle, in itself known. As known, such refrigeration cycle is suitable to actuate temperature variations by means of the compression and expansion and consequent phase changes of said refrigerant fluid. The apparatus 40 performs direct cooling of the structure 30. In fact, the refrigerant fluid, which actuates the refrigerant cycle, is directly transferred in correspondence with the bearing structure 30 and transfers its low temperature to the structure 30 (obviously physically in actual fact the inverse phenomenon takes place, namely the structure 30 surrenders heat to the refrigerant fluid). Conversely, in the prior art, such liquid transfers the heat to a second liquid which in turn cools the structure 30.

In particular, the refrigerant fluid is a hydro fluorocarbon, more preferably Freon ^® and even more preferably, Freon ^® R404.

The frosting apparatus 40 comprises, so as to actuate said refrigerant cycle the known components consisting of: a compressor 42, suitable to compress the refrigerant fluid, a condenser 43, suitable to cool the refrigerant fluid just compressed and to condense it, an expansion member 44, suitable to expand the cooled refrigerant fluid and thus bring it to low temperatures, an evaporator 45 suitable to permit the evaporation of the fluid and to diffuse the resulting low temperature to the structure 30 and lastly a conductor 46, suitable to connect the various devices to each other.

Structurally the frosting apparatus 40 preferably comprises a first portion 41a, preferably positioned under the counter 35 and suitable for being positioned at a distance from the structure 30, and a second portion 41b, shown in Fig. 3, positioned in correspondence with or next to the structure 30. The two portions 41 a and 41b may be reciprocally distanced even at distances of several metres, and even tens of metres.

The first portion 41 a comprises the compressor 42 and the condenser 43, while the second portion 41 b comprises instead the expansion member 44 and the evaporator 45.

The fact that the expansion member 44 is placed next to or in correspondence with the structure 30 proves highly advantageous, thus permitting a precise determination of the temperature of the refrigerant fluid in the structure 30 regard- less of the distance between the first portion 41a and the second portion 41 b and so as to minimise the temperature loss. The term next to or in correspondence with is taken to mean that the expansion member 44 is preferably less than 20 cm, as the crow flies, from the structure 30, and more preferably less than 5 cm and even more preferably the member 44 ends substantially inside the structure 30.

Structurally the expansion member 44 is preferably substantially composed of a narrowing of the ducts 46, which begins just below the structure 30 next to the housing volume 32 and extends in a coil around said volume 32, as shown in Fig. 3. Alternatively, the expansion member 44 is a control valve (for such rea- son shown in Fig. 2 as a valve).

The expansion member 44 is connected to the evaporator 45, composed of ducts 46 having a greater diameter than the expansion member 44, in particular a diameter 2 to 10 times greater.

The evaporator 45 is advantageously substantially in contact with the structure 30, so as to conduct heat (negatively) directly to the structure 30, preferably the evaporator 45 is inside the structure 30 so that substantially the total surface of the evaporator 45 is in contact with the material which forms the structure 30, substantially the evaporator 45 is practically completely embedded in said structure 30.

In particular, the evaporator 45 extends as a coil around the housing volume 32. In detail, the evaporator 45 substantially surrounds all, or at least two-thirds and preferably at least three-quarters (Fig. 3) of the housing volume 32, to then return towards the counter 35 in the direction of the first portion 41a (Fig. 2). The refrigerant fluid inside the evaporator 45 is preferably at a temperature substantially comprised between -20°C and -40°C, and preferably, substantially comprised between -26°C and -33°C.

Structurally the evaporator 45 is made from metal and preferably steel, more preferably from stainless steel, in particular steel 304 or 316. In addition the structure 30 is over-moulded to the evaporator 45. In particular, the structure 30 is preferably obtained by over-moulding made by die casting, injection moulding or other similar processes suitable to permit the coil constituting the evaporator 45 to be practically entirely embedded in said structure 30.

The device 1 , further preferably comprises a separation framework 33, consisting of a steel pipe, made by over-moulding together with the evaporator 45, and in the same material as the latter, and suitable to be positioned between the coil 41 and the housing volume 32. The separation framework 33, visible in Fig. 3, substantially delimits the housing space 32. The evaporator 45 is preferably not in direct contact with the framework 33 but very close thereto, as shown in Fig. 1.

The evaporator 45 is lastly connected, by means of removable attachments 46a and in fluidic through connection, to the ducts 46, and these to the first portion 41a which includes the compressor 42 and the condenser 43 in themselves known. In particular the compressor 42 is preferably actuated by an electric motor, while the condenser 43 preferably comprises a finned heat-dissipating coil and a fan. The drawing-off device 1 comprises a control unit 47 which comprises a thermostat and sensors suitable to detect the temperature of the bearing structure 30 and/or of the outside environment so as to control the functioning of the frosting apparatus 40 depending on said temperature. The control unit is ad- vantageously placed on the bearing structure 30 so as to directly verify the temperature thereof. In particular the control unit 47 is placed next to the dispenser device 21 , more in particular where the logo of the drawn-off drink is usually placed (Fig. 4). Such zone is preferably lit by LEDs and electrically connected to the first portion, preferably by means of cables passing through the housing volume 32.

In addition, in order to improve such heat insulation on the inside, the housing volume 32 may provide at least one layer of heat insulation material 34 such as, for example, polyurethane foam, polyester foam or extruded polyester and so forth.

Additionally, in order to dispense the drink, and in particular the beer at the right temperature, the drawing-off device 1 may comprise a temperature regulation device 50, suitable to use water or another fluid having a temperature substantially less than 15°C, preferably substantially less than 10°C and more preferably substantially less than 5°C.

The apparatus 50 then comprises, a refrigerator 54, in itself known, suitable to cool the drink before drawing-off and preferably placed next to the second portion 41 b of the frosting apparatus 40.

The refrigerator 54 preferably cools a liquid 54a, such as water, inside which coils 55 are present which constitute part of the supply duct 23. The liquid 54a is not therefore the refrigerant liquid of the refrigerator 54, but a different liquid cooled by the former. The coils 55 can thus be connected, by removable attachments, to ducts which connect on the inlet part to the recipients 22 and on the outlet part to the dispensing device 21 through the structure 30 (Fig. 2). The temperature regulation apparatus 50 further comprises a regulation circuit 51 , which in the prior art is used to cool the drink and here instead is used to heat it, given that the temperatures of the evaporator 45 are generally lower than those of the regulation circuit 51.

Such circuit 51 is preferably supplied with the liquid 54a cooled by the refrigerator which the coils 55 are immersed in.

It comprises a regulation duct 52, connected substantially adjacent to the supply duct 23, inside the housing volume 32 and the layer of heat insulation material 34, so as to permit a heat exchange by conduction between them, and an additional pump 53 suitable to move the water inside the circuit 51 .

The functioning of a drawing-off device for drinks, described above in a structural sense, is as follows.

Initially the frosting apparatus 40 is started so as to form a layer of ice on the outer surface 31 of the bearing structure 30.

In particular, the refrigerant fluid is compressed by the compressor 42, cooled and condensed by the condenser 43, expanded by the expansion member 44, next to the structure 30 and evaporated by the evaporator, in correspondence with which it develops a temperature of approximately -30°C.

The bearing structure 30, being in close contact with the evaporator 45 is cooled by conduction and a layer of ice rapidly forms on the outer surface 31 . Such functioning is regulated in addition by the control unit 47.

The temperature regulation apparatus 50 is actuated in parallel, keeping the drink at the right temperature, if necessary even inside the housing volume 32 by means of the circuit 51.

In particular, the drink is moved by the pump 24 which transports it from the container 22 to the coil 55. The coil 55 is immersed in the liquid 54a of the re- frigerator 54 and thus brings the drink to the desired temperature. The drink is then transported, again by the pump 24, to the dispenser device 21.

Said drink thus crosses the bearing structure 30 inside the housing volume 32. In such area the drink suffers the thermal influence of the regulation circuit 51 and suffers to a limited extent the thermal influence of the frosting apparatus 40, on account of the presence of the framework 33 and above all of the layer of heat insulation material 34.

The drawing-off device 1 can thus dispense the drink at the right temperature, without such cooling it excessively let alone solidifying it inside the structure 30. The invention achieves some important advantages.

A first important advantage lies in the fact that, thanks to the direct use of the refrigerant fluid, and thus to the arrangement of the evaporator 45 in the structure 30, the energy saving is over 80% compared to the devices of the prior art. In particular, the bearing structure 30 can be covered in ice in just fifteen/twenty minutes and consequently with much lower consumption and much faster than the frozen towers of the prior art.

In fact, the refrigerant fluid, being able to reach temperatures of approximately - 30°C and therefore considerably lower than those of the refrigerant fluids currently used, creates a layer of ice over the entire outer surface 31 in just fifteen, twenty minutes.

One important aspect which has innovatively improved the use of refrigerant fluid, consists of the fact that, while the bearing structure 30 is thermally connected to the evaporator 45, the supply duct 23 is thermally insulated from the coil 41. Such aspect in fact prevents the drinks usually dispensed, which freeze at a higher temperature than that of the refrigerant fluid (for example beer freezes at -4°C), from freezing in the supply duct 23 and allows them to flow inside said duct 23.

One important advantage consists of the reduced energy consumption compared to the frozen towers currently known. In fact, said ice is obtained without passing through the cooling of a further liquid, such as glycol, but directly with the refrigeration fluid.

In addition glycol, absent in the drawing-off device 1 according to the invention, is complicated to dispose of. The drawing-off device 1 does not therefore present problems of disposal of pollutant fluids.

Yet another important advantage lies in the fact that the expansion member 44 is placed next to the structure 30. Energy is therefore not dissipated in the passage between the second portion 41 b and the structure 30.

Another important advantage lies in the fact that, thanks to the reduced number of components, the drawing-off device 1 is significantly less expensive to manufacture compared to the drawing-off devices of the prior art.

A significant advantage can therefore be identified in the reduced weight and dimensions of the drawing-off device 1 , and therefore increased compactness and manageability.

Modifications and variations may be made to the invention described herein without departing from the scope of the inventive concept. All the elements as described and claimed herein may be replaced with equivalent elements and the scope of the invention includes all other details, materials, shapes and dimensions.