Patent · US Expired

Chilled beverage system

US5160461A · kind A · utility

21Cited by
11References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 3, 1992
Grant dateNov 3, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 3, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S261/07
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

An improved system is provided for thoroughly chilling a beverage such as water flowing into a refrigerated reservoir. The system includes an injector nozzle disposed generally at an upper end of the reservoir, together with a dispense valve for drawing the beverage in chilled form from a lower end of the reservoir. A vertically elongated and rotatably driven impeller shaft is mounted within the reservoir and carries a spaced plurality of vaneless impeller disks for causing the beverage flowing downwardly through the reservoir to undergo a plurality of directional changes in a radially outward direction for improved heat transfer with a chiller coil wrapped about the reservoir. This improved heat transfer provides for efficient beverage chilling prior to dispensing. The system is particularly useful in dispensing chilled water, juices, and soft drink beverages.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.