WO1996027552B1

WO1996027552B1 - Refrigerated drinks dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO1996027552B1
Application number: PCT/GB1996/000543
Authority: WO
Filing date: 1996-03-08
Publication date: 1996-10-31

Abstract

A drinks dispenser suitable for holding a plurality of wine boxes, for example, is provided with a refrigeration unit (100) facilitating the cooling of wine dispensed from each of said plurality of wine boxes. The unit (100) comprises a generally upright cylindrical direct expansion tank (101) having a chamber (102) filled with refrigerant which exhausts as vapour through port (106) to be returned at the same pressure in liquid form through inlet port (115) of capillary tube (107). Temperature within chamber (102) is sensed by a thermostat sensor (not shown) inserted into the upper extend of blind bore tube (111). Liquid is chilled by passing through one of a plurality of cooling conduits (114, 115, 117) the interior bores of which are isolated from the refrigerant in chamber (102). Chilling liquid will inevitably lead to a rise in temperature of the refrigerant within chamber (102) and once a predetermined temperature is sensed a refrigeration pump associated with the direct expansion tank (100) will be actuated.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS[received by the International Bureau on 9 September 1996 (09.09.96); original claim 1 amended; remaining claims unchanged (1 page)]

1. A drinks dispenser cαπprising a housing (1) adapted for the location therein of at least one drinks vessel (10,11,12) and having in its interior a refrigeration unit (100) cαπprising -^ criamber (102) substantially filled with liquefied refrigerant in which at least one cooling conduit (114,116,117) is located so that opposite ends (18,19,20,22,23,24) of the conduit (114,116,117) open externally of the chamber (102) with the interior of the conduit (114,116,117) being isolated from the interior of the chamber (102), means for connecting the interior of the vessel (10,11,12) to one said end (18,19,20) of said conduit and drink outlet means connected to the other end (22,23,24) of the conduit (114,116,117), means for sensing the temperature of the refrigerant within the chamber (102), which sensing means is adapted to actuate a refrigeration pump at a predeter-T-tned refrigerant temperature, the pump having inlet (115) and outlet (109) connections to the chamber (102) and the arrangement being such that when drink from said vessel (10,11,12) is caused to flow through said conduit (114,116,117) the drink is cooled and a resulting increase in the temperature of the refrigerant will cause actuation of the pump when said predetermined temperature is reached, characterised in that the chamber (102) is a direct expansion chamber which is connected to the pump by a circuit which includes no valve, the inlet connection (115) of the pump to the chamber (102) being via a capillary tube (107) .

2. A dispenser in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that an accumulator (108) is disposed in line between said outlet connection (109) and said refrigeration pump thereby to ensure that only refrigerant vapour is received by the pump.

3. A dispenser in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that in use drink is dispensed under gravity feed through the cooling conduit (114,116,117) of said refrigeration unit (100).